tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190824302012-01-27T16:00:16.449-08:00A Cajun's life in CaliforniaKeithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.comBlogger4771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-86489421306615651342010-04-18T23:07:00.000-07:002010-04-18T23:23:05.657-07:00

. . . my blog, that is.Due to a number of technology issues (most importantly, the fact that Blogger doesn't support an app on the iPhone), I have re-established my blog on Word Press.That means Scoopzone's new home is located at scoopzone.wordpress.com.Now that I'll be able to post from my iPhone, as well as from my nifty and oh-so-easy-to-use MacBook, I'll be putting lots of new stuff on my

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-72731613687404889632010-02-04T21:12:00.000-08:002010-02-04T22:13:21.282-08:00

Among the many things I miss about living in New Orleans, one that tops the list is election season. That's because politics in the Big Easy is side-show entertainment.There's no doubt that my nostalgia for the bizarre characters and outrageous mud-slinging battles that surface in races for even the most benign offices in NOLA has some connection to the pedestrian nature of politics in San

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-21923580980012990422010-02-04T07:30:00.000-08:002010-02-04T07:40:49.171-08:00

Tim and I made the 45-minute drive east from San Diego to Mount Laguna a few weekends back after a series of big Pacific storms dumped inches of rain on the city and several feet of snow on the mountains.When the local mountains get snow like this on the weekends, thousands of people converge on them. Luckily, we arrived early (around 8:30 a.m.) and police were requiring chains for the drive to

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-626338545890329862010-01-28T07:57:00.000-08:002010-01-28T08:07:29.001-08:00

Watch this video if you haven't already. It elegantly explains why the relationship between the people of New Orleans and the Saints football team is unique and unmatched in the entire world of sports.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-35940984412416295942009-10-28T17:33:00.000-07:002009-10-28T18:12:55.837-07:00

We headed to Baton Rouge last Thursday for a quick trip to see LSU play the impostors in the Tiger Bowl.It was Tim's first LSU game, so I made sure he got the full experience.We joined the crowd as fans gathered below the Journalism Building to await the arrival of the Golden Band from Tigerland.Mike VI was looking better than ever. He must be nearly 600 pounds by now.I pointed out my brick in

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-18170131320290628522009-10-02T20:31:00.000-07:002009-10-02T22:41:42.039-07:00

Scenes from our camp site, the Playa and Pink Mammoth, a camp that hosted a huge afternoon party everyday featuring the most amazing music mixes. This video starts under the giant wooden sculpture that formed the base on which The Man stood. I've saved the best for last. This clip condenses the hour and a half leading up to and including the burning of The Man on Saturday night.It's

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-19566940181623474652009-09-29T07:00:00.001-07:002009-09-29T07:41:44.083-07:00

Finally, after nearly four weeks, we're nearing the end of my posts on my late August trip to Burning Man.I've tried to provide an honest and complete overview of my experience, which ranks among the best I've had in my life.I'm closing out with some of the pics that hadn't yet made it into previous posts. Steve and Dean, our camp mates from Chicago, made each of us elaborately decorated

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-50599377923658237832009-09-23T06:59:00.000-07:002009-09-23T07:20:24.120-07:00

This year's version of the second most important structure at Burning Man came in the form of an elaborate lotus blossom.Ramps and ladders provided access to two elevated floors within the giant wood flower.People approached the Temple with an innate reverence, spending time to scribble messages of grief or longing or peace on the structure's beams. Most were dedicated to people, pets or things

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-19286687305504204242009-09-22T19:29:00.000-07:002009-09-22T22:03:53.111-07:00

So by now you've probably figured out that Burning Man can be a dangerous place. If the dust and heat don't get you, there's always a late-night fall from the top of a rolling disco club or indulging in too many "special" brownies or a painful skid down a 30-foot tall, AstroTurf slide. But I'm getting ahead of myself.What all this means is shit happens. And when it happens to you, you head to

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-17825663028358006822009-09-22T06:15:00.000-07:002009-09-22T19:29:10.006-07:00

Nightfall transformed Black Rock City into a new world filled with pulsing music, glowing bodies and fire-breathing mutant vehicles that seem to float across the surface of the desert. At the center of it all was The Man, towering over his elaborate color-bathed base.We started each night by donning dozens of glow sticks. They're a critical accessory out in the darkness, and you can't bring too

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-47074303578807660232009-09-20T19:25:00.000-07:002009-09-21T19:21:12.931-07:00

Welcome to the world of mutant vehicles.In Burning Man-speak, these are rolling contraptions of all kinds that serve a wide range of purposes from the purely artistic (a giant rubber ducky) to the completely practical (a bus with a night club inside and dance floor on top).Without a doubt, mutant vehicles made up one of the best aspects of Burning Man. More than 600 of them roamed the streets of

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-1491089344088926722009-09-20T08:39:00.000-07:002009-09-20T11:33:16.362-07:00

As much as anything else, the 45,000 people at Burning Man came together as a cohesive, albeit fleeting, community, functioning like any other city in many respects and requiring a host of "public" services to get by in the harsh lifeless conditions of the northern Nevada desert.If you've been following my recent posts, you've noticed a lot of bikes in my Burning Man photos. Two-wheel

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-3240517231987888842009-09-16T07:32:00.000-07:002009-09-20T11:33:55.533-07:00

People who go to Burning Man are a fairly unique breed. This crowd isn't a cross section of the general population. You won't find Jane the uptight manic suburban mom, or Mike the corporate climbing banker, or Joe the plumber (at least in his most recent form).Click on any pic to view it larger.To make it in Black Rock City for a week, you have to posses two personality traits - deep, open

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-38446294759184871382009-09-13T09:57:00.001-07:002009-09-21T19:22:04.491-07:00

One of the things that makes Burning Man such an unusual and wonderful event is the massive collection of art. This year featured more than 260 registered pieces that mostly were displayed on the Playa, the extensive open space that forms the center of Black Rock City.Ticket prices for the event (running from $250 to $360) funded 25 of the art projects with grant amounts as high as $20,000.One of

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-36766980548334081392009-09-11T18:19:00.000-07:002009-09-11T18:46:30.318-07:00

Want to know what I did this summer? I starred in my first TV ad.Well, I didn't really "star" in it. And I didn't get paid anything because it was a spot for my employer, The San Diego Union-Tribune.Still, three and a half years after moving to Southern California, I got my first commercial gig. And I don't even have an agent.You can see the spot here. It started running on regional cable systems

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-83917189793849984302009-09-11T08:36:00.000-07:002009-09-20T11:34:27.144-07:00

Having a well laid-out, efficient camp site is essential to a more comfortable life in Black Rock City. And that's just what we had thanks to the veteran Burners who were part of our nine-person group.The camp design followed a pretty simple theory: Build a wall of vehicles, arrange a cluster of canopies on the downwind side of that protective barrier and arrange tents in a semi-circle opposite

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-34766328229170422702009-09-10T07:41:00.001-07:002009-09-20T11:34:11.140-07:00

It's been barely three days since I returned from one of the most amazing adventures of my life.For four and a half days, I slept in a tent in the desert three hours north of Reno, lived in a makeshift city of 45,000 other daring souls, was completely cut off from the grid, traded for gifts and supplies with neighbors and strangers, wore saris and silly hats and glow sticks, endured heat and sand

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-35445022479308056792009-08-16T20:48:00.000-07:002009-08-16T21:03:17.654-07:00

Tim and I often spend Sunday mornings roaming the farmers' market in San Diego's Hillcrest neighborhood.We usually pick up a week's supply of fruit and veggies from the vendors who offer superb products.Click on any pic to view it larger.There's always entertainment from a local acoustic band.There's no better breakfast than a crepe stuffed with chicken, guacamole, onions, eggs, cheese and other

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-18780704519663615472009-08-13T06:56:00.000-07:002009-08-13T07:08:59.897-07:00

I've always loved sitting next to the window during a flight and watching the world go by below. That's especially true when I get to cross some of the more interesting terrain the country has to offer.I snapped these shots on my recent return trip from Chicago.Canyonlands National Park near the Four Corners region.Click on any pic to view it larger.Part of the Lake Meade National Recreation Area

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-68998892576586555082009-08-10T20:13:00.000-07:002009-08-10T21:01:35.528-07:00

We spent much of last Saturday and Sunday two weekends ago at the big end-of-summer neighborhood festival in Boys Town, Chicago's gay district along Halstead Street.Market Days apparently is the biggest annual gay and lesbian event in the Midwest, though the mix of straight people in the crowd was far higher than at your typical gay pride event.We took the train from Andersonville to Boys Town.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-18047396022816225392009-08-09T20:16:00.000-07:002009-08-09T21:27:01.198-07:00

It's hard to visit New Glarus, Wisconsin, without feeling like at least an honorary Cheesehead. But Tim was the only one who tried to make it official by modeling an amazing assortment of wearable "cheese" foam accessories.Beyond the traditional wedge-o-cheese hat, he discovered "cheese" sombreros, cone heads, ice cream cones (imagine the Statue of Liberty torch in bright yellow), and the

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-60673297170293069732009-08-09T08:11:00.000-07:002009-08-09T09:08:43.797-07:00

Greetings Bloggerville. Sorry for my absence from this space for the last couple of months. Blame it on my increased work load and Facebook, which has made communicating with the virtual world far more convenient and immediate through my iPhone.Nonetheless, some of you have asked - no, begged - for me to resurrect my blog. So here we go.First stop - Cheeseland.Tim and I headed to Chicago last

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-71526702359990475462009-05-25T14:57:00.001-07:002009-05-25T15:18:59.809-07:00

We had a great time at the annual San Diego LSU Alumni Association crawfish boil yesterday.The weather was perfect - as usual. The crawfish were better (and bigger) than last year. And the group included a nice mix of old and new faces.If you've never done this event with me, you really should consider it next year. Let me know if you want to be on my crawfish email list.Some of the guys from

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-54357134130113651602009-05-19T15:29:00.000-07:002009-05-19T17:50:29.548-07:00

Tim and I joined the San Diego Trail Tramps on Sunday for a 7-mile loop hike at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, an area in southern Riverside County featuring wide grassy meadows and hills, clumps of old oak trees and vernal pools.Most of the pics in this post were taken by my friend Stephan. You can pick out my photos because they were taken with my iPhone using a new landscaping app

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-53776064919012910992009-05-12T08:46:00.000-07:002009-05-12T09:09:51.070-07:00

I went to San Diego's version of Jazz Fest last weekend with Tim and Penni. Gator by the Bay happens this time each year in a waterfront downtown park. The two-day event features several SoCal zydeco and Cajun bands, Louisiana food, plenty of beer and over-priced Mardi Gras beads.This was my first time at the festival, and the crowd was much larger than I had anticipated - maybe as many as 5,000

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-37426680891189414292009-05-05T08:17:00.001-07:002009-05-05T08:48:56.324-07:00

I headed to New Orleans last weekend with Tim for the final days of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. We stayed Uptown with my friends Pedro and Tommy. Here we are in front of the Gentily Stage on Saturday afternoon.Sugarland delivered a great set as the closeout band on the Acura stage Friday. Tim and I were able to squeeze our way right up to the front lines. The only downer was the

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-38130157339572404252009-04-12T15:29:00.000-07:002009-04-12T15:58:22.349-07:00

And preventing it was a goal of the Founding Fathers and the reason for creating the Bill of Rights.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-47049392879222983682009-04-11T15:51:00.000-07:002009-04-11T17:17:35.903-07:00

Clearly, some people failed to get the memo that went out after the November election saying that fear-mongering no longer can be used to justify shredding the Constitution.Left off the delivery list was the National Organization of Marriage, a group that has launched a 2 Million for Marriage campaign with the deliciously ironic acronym 2M4M - get it M4M. Their latest trick is this TV ad full of

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-61951615910404751612009-03-22T12:55:00.000-07:002009-03-22T14:17:42.111-07:00

Tim and I headed to downtown San Diego yesterday afternoon to see if we could glimpse Diego, the 30-foot-long yearling gray whale that has been hanging out in the harbor for the last few weeks.We thought we'd been staring at the water for hours without seeing Diego, but within five minutes of arriving we spotted a plume of spray as the whale broke the surface and curved into a dive. Diego did

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-37225669952039636952009-03-18T21:44:00.000-07:002009-03-19T08:30:08.762-07:00

This was the scene late this morning inside The San Diego Union-Tribune newsroom (as documented in this screen shot taken from the paper's Web site) when managers announced that the paper is being purchased by Platinum Equity. You can read my article about the new owner here.The announcement ended anxiety that had been building since last summer when the U.T. was put up for sale. We'll have to

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-67777134050881529042009-03-18T08:40:00.000-07:002009-03-18T08:47:08.683-07:00

I'm still playing catchup on postings from my trip to the Bay Area in February.Following mud baths in Calistoga, we hit as many wineries as possible through Napa Valley on our drive back to SF.We were able to taste some really great wines at half a dozen stops that included August Briggs, Domaine Chandon and Clos Pegase.Here we are arriving at Clos Pegas, which looks like some sort of

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-49314823067742939132009-03-18T07:34:00.000-07:002009-03-18T22:08:40.492-07:00

After spending Saturday night in the Desert View Tower with the San Diego Trail Tramps, we headed 1,000 feet down to Myers Valley where we hiked around some cool rock formations like this one.Tim checked out the remains of a stone hut that we found about half way along our route. One of the guys in the group said the hut was used in the 1920s by workers who built the old highway that runs through

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-46904027741814217102009-03-17T08:45:00.001-07:002009-03-17T09:24:43.770-07:00

I spent Saturday night with the Trail Tramps hiking group inside this stone tower overlooking the desert about 80 miles east of San Diego off Interstate 8 (point B on the map below.) The tower was built in the 1920s as a roadside attraction. Fellow Trail Tramper Ben bought the place several years ago and continues to operate it as a quirky tourist attraction filled with kitchy knick knacks,

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-1085337455670629592009-03-04T09:30:00.001-08:002009-03-04T09:30:57.463-08:00

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-29277169426976566232009-03-02T07:51:00.000-08:002009-03-04T08:32:29.162-08:00

The climax of my recent trip to the Bay Area two weekends ago was a stop in Calistoga, a small town at the north end of Napa Valley which is famous for its natural hot springs.We headed to Dr. Wilkinson's Hot Springs Resort, a no-frills spa that offered a 1 1/2 hour, three-step treatment for a reasonable $90. Sal, the bath attendant, prepared the mud for us.It was a first for me and Tim. The mud

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-28290274250386562312009-03-01T08:20:00.000-08:002009-03-04T08:34:51.082-08:00

We return to postings about last weekend's trip to San Francisco with these shots from the de Young, the city's fine arts museum which was rebuilt after the earlier structure was seriously damaged by the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989.The most prominent element of the museum, which re-opened in 2005, is a 144-foot tower capped by a glass-enclosed panoramic viewing area. The building was designed

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-61623428592481634932009-02-23T22:19:00.000-08:002009-02-23T23:07:50.178-08:00

My buddy Tom (purple hat and feathers) hosted a Carnival party tonight at his house in San Diego's North Park neighborhood.His neighbor Robbin did most of the cooking.She fried green tomatoes and frog legs, a special treat for me since my peeps are all from the Frog Capital of the World.For those of you unfamiliar with Rayne, La., here are the reigning Frog Festival queens and their amphibious

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-21951086923207809892009-02-23T18:43:00.000-08:002009-02-23T23:08:04.265-08:00

We spent much of our time looking for great food and drink. And our friends Rod and Greg helped us find some corners favored by locals. One of the best was in the middle of the Ferry Building Marketplace, a major tourist stop.We had lunch at Hog Island Oyster Company, which offered an amazing view of the bay and departing ferry boats.The raw oysters were great, but even better was the oyster stew

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-89913939050793406242009-02-23T08:32:00.000-08:002009-02-23T23:11:18.863-08:00

Tim and I spent the last four days eating, drinking and trekking our way through San Francisco.Here is a view of the majestic City Hall from Alamo Square.We stayed in the Mission District with my friends Rod and Greg, who moved to San Francisco from New Orleans about a year after I left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.Obama in the Haight.My buddy David, an editor at the San Francisco Chronicle

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-61514946957462466862009-02-18T08:20:00.000-08:002009-02-18T08:49:10.385-08:00

We spent part of the weekend roaming the high desert around Borrego Springs looking for these hulking metal sculptures of ancient animals from the Pliocene epoch when the area was covered by forests.The pieces are located on land that is part of Galleta Meadows Estates. They're all made by sculptor Ricardo Breceda of Perris, Ca.We found nearly 20 pieces, including this mammoth. Click on any pic

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-11827208388088399562009-02-17T08:24:00.000-08:002009-02-17T08:57:57.928-08:00

We headed to the Anza-Borrego desert below the snowy peak of Mount Laguna on Sunday to hike to Alcoholic Pass (D on the map below) at the mouth of Coyote Canyon just north of the town of Borrego Springs (C).The switchback trail took us through a steep grove of ocotillos, the lanky desert plants that turn from brown sticks to lush flowering bushes this time of the year during the winter rainy

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-1945191993564985402009-02-17T08:08:00.000-08:002009-02-17T08:22:57.023-08:00

Tim and I spent Saturday night on Mount Laguna east of San Diego indulging my life-long obsession with snow. There was plenty on the ground but we didn't get to see any fall as we had hoped. Instead, the storm that had been forecast for the weekend didn't arrive in SoCal until Sunday night.This was the cabin we stayed in at the Blue Jay Lodge. The cabin was quaint and comfy - the gas heater

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-87928619581766645262009-01-31T09:14:00.000-08:002009-01-31T09:24:25.629-08:00

My friend Jesse gives Nero a singing lesson, or maybe it's the other way around.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-42529638219436396072009-01-29T08:03:00.000-08:002009-01-29T08:46:28.990-08:00

I was in New Orleans last weekend for only a few hours as part of my quick trip to Louisiana, but I managed to drive through my old neighborhood, the Bywater.I snapped these pics around the folk art compound of Dr. Bob, one of the Bywater's best known characters.Dr. Bob is most famous for his "Be Nice or Leave" signs, which can be found in countless New Orleans restaurants and bars.This

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-68651589856595598662009-01-21T07:28:00.000-08:002009-01-21T08:13:39.001-08:00

I joined the San Diego Trail Tramps on Saturday for the group's first hike of the year. This one took us the Mountain Palm Springs area of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park.Scenes like the one above looked as though they had jumped off a plein air canvas.The hike area was about 1.5 hours east of San Diego.Here's Tim and some of the other guys descending to one of the five palm oases that we

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-74926326808599160712009-01-13T07:37:00.000-08:002009-01-13T07:58:05.721-08:00

I headed with Tim last weekend to this artist colony resort high in the San Jacinto Mountains, about a two-hour drive from San Diego. We stayed at the Rainbow Inn, one of several gay-owned B&B's in town.Here's downtown Idyllwild with Lily Rock and Tahquitz Peak looming in the distance.Strawberry creek runs through the center of town behind the Rainbow Inn.The town sits about one mile above sea

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-30504909733345685652009-01-04T22:16:00.000-08:002009-01-04T22:40:32.044-08:00

I went to the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl nearly a week ago at Qualcomm Stadium here in San Diego where I got to see The Big Flag for the first time. This 45,000-square-foot version of Old Glory is unfurled by 250 people at the beginning of the game each year.Joining me were Tim, Mitch and Tom, an Oklahoma State grad who was cheering on his alma mater.I was decked out in LSU purple and gold, of

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-84742391540396456922008-12-23T07:52:00.001-08:002008-12-23T07:59:39.073-08:00

This screen grab comes from an Internet game found at aksaler.com. My sister, Michele, found the link and forwarded it to me.If you play, you'll quickly learn that the Iraqi TV reporter who tossed his shoes at Bush recently was facing a pretty nimble target. The best I could do was one hit in the 25 seconds allotted for each game.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-7290306658881155362008-12-21T15:41:00.000-08:002008-12-22T09:18:12.011-08:00

Tim and I were among the thousands of San Diegans who headed an hour east of the city Saturday to frolic in the two-plus feet of snow that fell in the mountains a few days earlier.Luckily, we arrived at Mount Laguna a few hours before the California Highway Patrol halted traffic to the peak because too many motorists were on the mountain's single road.The scenes were breathtaking. I was in heaven

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-19989468857551356412008-12-10T07:41:00.000-08:002008-12-11T12:59:01.341-08:00

I somehow made it on "A Way With Words," a nationally syndicated program on public radio stations that happens to be produced here in San Diego.My question for the hosts was about the origin of the Cajun phrase "get down," as in: "Mais, now 'dat I've driven to 'da boudin and cracklin' store, it's time to get down and make some groceries, cha."Turns out my hunch was correct.You can listen to my

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-89880940008825387922008-12-07T22:47:00.000-08:002008-12-10T08:08:44.731-08:00

This video apparently was taken in the lobby of the parish courthouse in Jennings, La., the town where I spent the first 18 years of my life. Makes me miss home in a twisted John Waters sort of way.And you thought all of that crazy stuff on Jerry Springer's show was staged.Big thanks to Greg B. (also a native south Louisianian) for directing me to this clip.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-37496067516790267242008-12-01T20:41:00.001-08:002008-12-10T08:11:24.864-08:00

I spent Thanksgiving weekend with Tim at Lake Cuyamaca, located in the mountains about 40 miles east of San Diego. We hiked to the top of Stonewall Peak, which was located across the road from our campground.The weather was perfect during the day, but at night temperatures dipped to the upper 30s. It probably was a mistake to drink ice-cold beer on our first night around the camp fire, but we

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-2745983057529405232008-11-16T23:54:00.000-08:002008-11-17T00:23:29.822-08:00

While most people in Baton Rouge spent Saturday afternoon tailgating before the LSU football game, about 60 staged a pro-gay marriage rally in front of City Hall.My sister, Michele, was there with this great sign.My brother-in-law, Eric, was there too (on the right). Thanks for going Michele and Eric. It really meant a lot to me.In the northwestern corner of the state, Adrienne Critcher (left)

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-23518584577586974262008-11-16T22:43:00.000-08:002008-11-17T18:10:17.103-08:00

I spent the afternoon hiking through Painted Gorge, a rugged area in the desert about an hour and a half east of San Diego. As you can tell from this photo, the name comes from the striking colors that run through the layers of exposed rock.I did the hike with the San Diego Trail Tramps, a group of guys that gets together for an outing usually on the third Sunday of each month. Today's hike

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-32474505322796665272008-11-15T14:43:00.000-08:002008-11-17T18:12:03.927-08:00

About 25,000 people took part in San Diego's portion of Stonewall 2.0 today, according to police, making it the largest of the dozens of similar protests staged around the country.This scene stretched for more than 10 city blocks.The march started on the edge of Hillcrest (A), San Diego's main gayborhood, followed the west side of Balboa Park and ended three miles later at the county

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-74149600687727486092008-11-14T22:57:00.001-08:002008-11-15T08:06:32.917-08:00

CALIFORNIA CITIES WHERE MARCHES ARE TAKING PLACE SATURDAY:AlamedaBakersfieldBerkeleyBig Bear LakeChicoClaremontColton Costa MesaDelanoEscondidoEurekaFairfieldFresnoHemetHuntington BeachIrvineLake TahoeLong BeachLos AngelesMariposaMarysvilleMercedModestoMontereyMoorparkMoreno ValleyMountain ViewNapaOaklandPalm SpringsPasadenaPomonaPortervilleRancho

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-19623011071008783122008-11-02T23:44:00.000-08:002008-11-03T00:10:17.003-08:00

Star Trek star and newlywed George Takei rode with his husband Brad Altman through downtown Palm Springs during the city's annual Pride Parade Sunday morning. Things kicked off at a horrifyingly early hour of 10 a.m. Isn't it against the law to wake gays before 11 a.m. on Sunday in most cities?Fellow gay Louisiana native and novelist Christopher Rice did his best impression of an optometry

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-66631158645343530512008-10-22T21:45:00.000-07:002008-10-22T21:54:03.983-07:00

Barack Obama is the hottest thing on the music video circuit. Don't believe me? Watch these.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-26369973186798182892008-10-22T21:20:00.000-07:002008-10-22T21:58:09.002-07:00

Usually when my home state makes national headlines, it isn't flattering. That's the case this time with Lindsey Evans, who had been the reigning Miss Teen Louisiana until she and three friends walked out of a restaurant without paying the $46 bill.Unfortunately, Lindsey left behind her purse which contained her drivers license and a couple of grams of pot, according to a report by the Associated

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-46108823348470029212008-10-18T08:55:00.000-07:002008-10-18T08:59:45.446-07:00

This was the result of a little bet with my buddy Troy who lives in Tampa. Let's hope things go better for Tiger Nation this weekend.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-68411835558837527332008-09-29T01:09:00.000-07:002008-12-10T08:18:35.537-08:00

EDITOR'S NOTE: For some unexplainable reason (perhaps it had something to do with being up at 2 a.m. after flying back from Louisiana), I miss-dated all of the LSU videos appearing in this and the previous post. The correct month is September, NOT March. I'd remake the videos with the right date stamped on them, but I'm just too lazy.A Saturday night in Tiger Stadium is like Christmas, New Year's

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-7304002616184993702008-09-29T00:42:00.001-07:002008-09-29T02:13:40.367-07:00

I finished my trip to Louisiana by going to the LSU-Miss. State game in Baton Rouge Saturday with Russell, my best friend growing up who now lives in Wisconsin. He and his parents took me to my first LSU game on Sept. 15, 1984 when the Tigers beat Wichita State 47-7.Russ and I started the day with breakfast at Louie's Cafe, a favorite late-night student hangout just off campus. The omelets are

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-50346715479223880542008-09-26T07:41:00.001-07:002008-12-10T08:20:24.676-08:00

It's not often that I discover an unexplored corner of LSU's campus, but that's what happened yesterday afternoon when we stumbled upon the store room for all of the football team's championship hardware.The trophies are housed in the lobby of LSU's football operations center (click on pic to view it larger) which sits in front of the team's massive indoor practice field on the west side of

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-62737511540248601662008-09-26T07:17:00.000-07:002008-09-26T07:30:19.369-07:00

We stopped in the town of Scott, just outside Lafayette, on our way to Baton Rouge to pick up a few pounds of boudin and a bag of cracklin at Don's Specialty Meats and Grocery, a legendary maker of Cajun delicacies.My mom and dad checked out the rabbit and stuffed cow's tongue.You might call pickled quail eggs the original Cajun fast food. I used to eat them in the morning while riding around

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-35873716576799058522008-09-26T06:52:00.000-07:002008-12-10T08:21:49.960-08:00

I made the now annual pilgrimage to the zoo-quality habitat that houses LSU's mascot, Mike VI, which sits in the shadow of Tiger Stadium on the Baton Rouge campus.Mike is still young but he's growing fast. He's already as large as his predecessor, and he's expected to top out at nearly 700 pounds once full grown.My parents had visited the habitat several times already but this was the first trip

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-37264570898310189162008-09-24T14:17:00.000-07:002008-09-24T14:53:14.020-07:00

I keep telling my friends in SoCal that my passion for LSU doesn't compare to the devotion that many other fans display here in southern Louisiana. Maybe this roadside memorial to a Tiger fan who died in a car crash finally proves the point.I found the memorial as I rode with my parents to Abbeville in the heart of Acadiana.No self-respecting Tiger tailgater would be without this spice mix

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-56640975435050786362008-09-23T07:18:00.000-07:002008-09-23T08:08:11.412-07:00

Is there any doubt that I had a great time returning to New Orleans for the first time in two years, hanging out in my old haunts and communing with long-lost friends and workmates?The palm trees are back on Canal Street and they're looking better than ever. Katrina shredded the original palms that had been planted along the street's neutral ground (that's median to you non-New Orleanians). Those

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-25043144900631975862008-09-22T08:30:00.000-07:002008-09-24T14:59:07.146-07:00

Our gorge-fest started mid-day Friday at Liuzza's by the track - the "track" being the horse racing track at the New Orleans Fair Grounds.Liuzza's serves the best barbecued shrimp po-boy in the city. Throw in a Barq's root beer and you've got a classic New Orleans hole-in-the-wall lunch experience.Next was Commander's Palace for dinner.It was my first visit to this classic Uptown haunt for

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-48396208942009634962008-09-22T07:25:00.000-07:002008-09-24T14:43:31.851-07:00

Matt took us on a whirlwind tour of East New Orleans, Chalmette, the Lower 9th Ward, Gentilly and Lakeview - the areas damaged most by flooding after Katrina and struggling the most to recover from the disaster.These are some of the houses being built in the Lower 9th by Brad Pitt's Make it Right Foundation. They look nice, environmentally friendly and more storm proof than the buildings that

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-56170352549251846732008-09-22T06:27:00.000-07:002008-09-22T08:03:48.562-07:00

One of our first stops in NOLA was the office of New Orleans Publishing Group in the Heritage Plaza Building along the Metairie side of the 17th Street Canal (yes, THAT 17th Street Canal).We were joined by Julie Bernard (on left), one of only four people remaining at NOPG who date back to our tenure in the mid-1990s.We found a copy of the 15th anniversary edition of New Orleans CityBusiness in

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-71761557188753673352008-09-19T05:48:00.000-07:002008-09-24T15:00:21.129-07:00

Our unofficial New Orleans Publishing Group reunion kicked into high gear last night with a gumbo/red-beans-and-rice feast at the West Bank home of our bellcow Erika and her hubby Matt (seated above).Andy (far left) finally arrived from Philly, and locals Susan (back center) and Brian (back left) joined us to complete the group.Matt's manfridge in the garage was stocked with six flavors of Abita

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-21057675443391032552008-09-18T16:14:00.000-07:002008-09-18T16:45:47.250-07:00

I'm in Louisiana for the next 10 days visiting friends and family. My first stop is New Orleans for a reunion with fellow former employees of New Orleans Publishing Group, which used to own New Orleans CityBusiness. Above are Lyle, Tawn, Suz and Galt.Here's our Uptown B&B.The view from our balcony.TODAY'S BLOG SPOT:The balcony at Maison Perrier guest house on Perrier St., in New Orleans' Uptown

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-19753034790958827062008-09-02T21:29:00.000-07:002008-09-02T22:20:35.485-07:00

Sorry I haven't been posting for the last few weeks. Life has been a bit chaotic - newspapers being put up for sale, hurricanes threatening my peeps, flashbacks to Katrina, deadlines and visitors. But there's nothing that gets me back into the blogging mood more than the start of college football season.(By the way, all of my family members are safe and, as far as I know, suffered relatively

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-48999817637846800942008-08-10T10:44:00.000-07:002008-08-10T11:07:54.963-07:00

Now that we have passes to Sea World, we can head to the park pretty much anytime we want. So that's what we did one night last week after work. The polar bears were actually awake for a change.Rex was mesmerized by the spinning manatees.This might look like a tapeworm, but it's really a beluga whale.Rex is enthralled with a faux exploration camp set up inside the Wild Arctic exhibit.We also

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-11067751953183514062008-07-30T08:52:00.001-07:002008-07-30T22:57:33.049-07:00

I've checked one more item off my list of natural-disaster experiences.After nearly 2 1/2 years living in SoCal, I finally felt my first earthquake yesterday.Even though the 5.4 magnitude temblor was centered more than 110 miles to the north in the L.A. suburb of Chino Hills, the jolt was still pretty strong when it reached us.I was sitting at my desk on the third floor of the office around 11:45

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-4949012388482960962008-07-27T21:07:00.000-07:002008-07-27T21:28:23.388-07:00

I've lost about 15 pounds dieting over the last two months and I'm determined to keep them off - at least until September when I visit Louisiana and gorge on fried seafood.I also want to explore more of San Diego County on foot. That's why I'm starting to do a weekly weekend hike.My first happened this morning when I headed to the top of Cowles Mountain, the highest point in San Diego on the east

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-25001089158550169992008-07-27T20:40:00.000-07:002008-07-27T20:57:42.444-07:00

Last weekend was the city's Pride festival, and I'm just getting around to posting something on it. Sorry for the delay.As expected, much of the festival's parade focused on the recent state Supreme Court decision extending marriage rights to same-sex couples and the upcoming proposition election that would reverse that ruling by amending the California constitution.There were several groups of

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-64299298306968962472008-07-20T13:34:00.000-07:002008-07-20T15:24:50.027-07:00

Even Nero can't help being stricken by the splendor and genius of my new 3G iPhone. Like the rest of us, he could hardly keep his paws off it.Following several aborted attempts to purchase the world's most-wanted gadget, I put together a simple strategy. I arrived at the Apple Store in Fashion Valley Mall around 8:15 a.m. Friday, early enough to wait out the crowd for at least a couple of hours

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-46172439668815182482008-07-20T00:12:00.000-07:002008-07-21T08:37:09.691-07:00

We took a break from this weekend's San Diego Pride Festival to attended our second wedding of this still-young same-sex marriage season here in California.Bob (center right) and John (center left) took their vows in front of a small group of friends and family on the deck of a La Jolla hotel overlooking the ocean. Joining them in the wedding party were best maids of honor Katie (far left) and

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-87712686447357357592008-07-15T23:50:00.001-07:002008-07-16T00:08:18.652-07:00

Our friend Peter is visiting from London, and he spent his first afternoon in town floating in the ocean off Ocean Beach. I picked him up after work.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-674325369760156592008-07-11T21:15:00.000-07:002008-07-14T00:53:51.382-07:00

It's official. There's never been a better time to be a Tiger fan.Coming five months after the LSU Tigers replaced the Florida Gators as the college football national champions, Tiger Stadium has toppled Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainsville as the country's toughest college football venue, according to EA Sports.And a few weeks earlier, LSU finished in 8th place in the competition for the

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-39133667328187518772008-07-07T23:26:00.000-07:002008-07-08T01:37:59.732-07:00

We spent Independence Day appropriately celebrating our newly established equality under the California Constitution by attending the nuptials of our friends Rick and Jaime at their home in San Diego's Mission Hills neighborhood.About 50 people - including Jaime's sister and her partner from Puerto Rico - gathered for the event.If the gay rights movement wanted poster boys for the effort, Rick

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-12262777660426044472008-07-04T11:36:00.000-07:002008-07-05T00:19:22.973-07:00

People in towns and cities across the country will gather today to mark the long-overdue demise of former Republican Sen. Jesse Helms with parties, cookouts and joyous fireworks displays.Helms, a long-time friend and protector of the tobacco industry, made a career out of bigotry, homophobia and jingoism. It was hard to tell if he truly hated and feared everyone who was different from him, or if

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-30031069579583761352008-06-29T22:01:00.000-07:002008-07-05T00:18:56.355-07:00

This weekend I finally crossed San Diego's most visited tourist attraction off my list of fun things to do here.And while the killer whale show certainly lived up to its hype even without the original Shamu as the star, it was a different group of whales that proved to be the most fascinating.At the end of the day, we made our way through the Wild Arctic attraction and found a pair of Beluga

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-88901860258144187592008-06-22T12:17:00.000-07:002008-06-22T14:08:08.282-07:00

I saw the Indigo Girls in concert for the SEVENTH TIME last Thursday. They delivered a stripped-down acoustic show at Humphrey's, an amazing outdoor concert space along San Diego's waterfront. Kayakers actually pull up alongside the venue and watch shows from the water.The Girls played a couple of songs from their upcoming album (set for release in February) but mostly stuck to their usual mix of

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-10639013670733543382008-06-17T21:15:00.000-07:002008-06-17T22:17:11.920-07:00

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-40841329366722652132008-06-17T19:52:00.001-07:002008-06-18T08:49:56.682-07:00

Ex-Marine Bob Lehman (left) and Tom Felkner became the first same-sex couple to wed outside the San Diego County Administration Center after the county clerk's office started handing out marriage licenses at 7 a.m.Rex and I got up early to witness history. (No, we weren't one of the couples who got married today. But thanks for asking. You can say we're engaged but haven't set a date.)This might

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-76326954453790227902008-06-16T22:25:00.000-07:002008-06-16T22:53:49.519-07:00

LOVE?OR HATE?Not really a hard choice, is it?(Rex and I are waking at the crack of dawn Tuesday to be at the San Diego County Administration Building to witness the first gay marriages here. So check back for plenty of photos and comments.)

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-18215088136346720882008-06-09T23:15:00.000-07:002008-06-10T00:47:33.891-07:00

There's still a week to go before same-sex marriage becomes legal here in California and already we've put more than eight homo weddings on our calendar for the upcoming months.Nobody knows exactly how many couples will rush to tie the knot over the next five months before voters here have the chance to strip California's gay citizens of their newly won right to get married by amending the state

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-30391301206300383542008-06-09T21:33:00.000-07:002008-06-10T00:46:34.400-07:00

LSU beat UC Irvine 21-7 in the final game of the super regional in Baton Rouge to secure a spot among the eight-team College World Series field.The massacre - as The Times-Picayune called the game on its Web site - took place in front of 8,173 fans, the largest crowd ever in Alex Box Stadium. It was a fitting farewell to the 70-year-old venue, which is being replaced with a new stadium next

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-20021799821218233602008-06-09T00:04:00.000-07:002008-06-09T00:57:58.939-07:00

We've spent the weekend here in San Diego entertaining Paul, my famous opera director Scottish ex-boyfriend from Norway (formerly London). You might remember him from my posts during our trip to London just over a year ago.Here he is soaking up the late afternoon sun on the deck of The Prado in Balboa Park.Paul seems to like San Diego. He had this to say to a friend on the phone earlier today: "

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-63491385213604848212008-06-07T02:45:00.000-07:002008-06-07T03:14:14.423-07:00

Regulars at the nude beach at San Onofre State Park aren't too happy about a decision by park rangers to start enforcing public nudity laws.This pristine stretch of coast located about 50 minutes north of San Diego has long been a favorite of those who disdain tan lines. Click on the map to view it full size.The main problem seems to be with beachgoers who wander into the shrubbery and cuts in

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-26411961570161075042008-05-25T11:59:00.001-07:002008-05-26T00:28:13.912-07:00

We had our annual crawfish-beer-Zydeco music-all-things-LSU gorgefest yesterday.We managed to fill two tables of 10 people each. Above, from left to right, are Rick, Moya, Jess, Robbie, Robbie's co-worker, Fergal, David, Hieu and Cheryl.Click on any pic to for a larger view.Like last year, the crawfish boil was held at the practice field next to Qualcomm Stadium. The event is sponsored by the San

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-52885408635717797522008-05-19T20:56:00.000-07:002008-05-20T22:26:03.782-07:00

This gun-toting, 6-foot-1 drag queen was captured on a security camera entering a Burger King in New Orleans where he held workers at gun point, demanded money then sped off in a pick-up truck. Read WWL-TV's version of the story here and watch the station's video report here.My favorite part is when the station's crime specialist gives the reasons why he believes this was a genuine drag queen and

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-79774846846438279872008-05-15T20:10:00.001-07:002008-05-15T21:43:09.332-07:00

Two down, 48 more to go.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-90331514212799109182008-05-14T07:42:00.000-07:002008-05-14T08:11:32.852-07:00

Castro and Market. Click on any pic to view it full size.These ruins are all that's left of the Sutro Baths, an elaborate public bathhouse built in 1896. It eventually became an ice rink and burned down in 1966.Sutro Tower stands 977 feet above the city and is used by 10 TV stations and four FM radio stations. The tower sits on Mount Sutro which, like the baths, was named for Adolph Sutro, a

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-84236268476060611472008-05-12T00:08:00.000-07:002008-05-12T00:29:13.896-07:00

The best part of our trip to Berkeley was spending time with Greg and Rod, old friends of mine from New Orleans who moved to S.F. a year and a half ago.I hadn't seen them since two weeks before Katrina, when we got together for dinner at their house in New Orleans.They were great tour guides and taxied us around in their hot oh-so-California hybrid car.It was great reconnecting with them and

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-80848283224468306662008-05-11T23:20:00.000-07:002008-05-12T16:18:54.796-07:00

No trip to a college town would be complete without a stop at the local football stadium. Accompanying us were fellow LSU alums Rod and Greg - old New Orleans friends of mine who moved to S.F. a year and a half ago.As we approached California Memorial Stadium, we spoke unkindly of USC in a sign of solidarity with our fellow Trojan-hating brothers and sisters at Cal.The stadium is set in the hills

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-55229982676530917662008-05-11T09:30:00.001-07:002008-05-12T14:33:09.671-07:00

We spent part of our afternoon in the East Bay roaming around Cal.The 307-foot-tall Campanile, officially named Sather Tower, serves as the centerpiece of the campus, which combines multiple architectural styles.Beaux-Arts and neoclassical styles dominate the campus, with many of the buildings looking more like federal courthouses than classroom halls.Wide areas of trees and meadows separate the

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19082430.post-14474922249169804082008-05-11T01:53:00.001-07:002008-05-11T02:34:49.668-07:00

The city that's home to UC Berkeley (or Cal if you're talking sports) is pretty much a typical college town, with a slightly heavier dose of head shops, Asian restaurants, street vendors and gutter punks. The guy standing on the bench above was concerned with everyone knowing that the Dali Lama is no saint.This is the commercial center of Berkeley, just a few blocks from the edge of campus.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752696384892377000noreply@blogger.com1