01
I lived in the Venice Beach/Marina del Rey area for about two years: One year in Venice Beach on an annual lease and about a year in Marina del Rey with a month to month lease. Both places were tiny studios with hardwood floors and full mini-kitchen; my setup was kitchen, round table with 4 chairs and a futon. I am likely afflicted with the inverse condition of a hoarder as despite such a small space, I had all the essentials I needed with zero clutter. I should point out that I was in my early 30’s, this was the two year period that preceded my move to San Diego for grad school to get my M.Arch (3+ years with unrelated undergrad degree).
Both setups were only one block from the ocean directly off Speedway (the alley) and I had numerous first-rate cafés just steps away. I would go out for coffee every morning, drink some of it people watching with the regulars and then drift off to the beach, put my headphones on, taking in the ocean view before starting my day.
I am drinking my morning coffee at Groundwork Coffee Co. talking to a regular who shares my morning routine, he’s relating a fascinating story about how public art installations work: who pays for them, how the artists are selected, in great detail as a big new piece was installed off the beach boardwalk last week.
- December 19, 2022
02
I take a shower, get dressed — 15 minute walk, meeting some friends at Chaya Venice for dinner. We leave our name with the hostess and are having drinks at the bar. Lychee martinis here are outstanding, I’m on my second one — our table is ready.
We order a wide array of sushi & rolls, super-fresh quality, with hot sake, it’s an EXP if you know what to order — leaving with a warm glow on our faces. Do you want to pick up a bottle of wine from the grocery store and sit on the beach?
It gets chilly at night in SoCal, pleasant mid-50’s. I’m wearing a blazer with jeans and everyone has a jacket of some kind with them. We walk toward Marina del Rey to hit the beach as it’s generally safer at night and more private.
We take off our shoes, no one is wearing socks. Grey sky with silver retention, lovely — we sit close together as the sound of crashing surf elevates our flow, I enter a state of expansiveness.
END
- December 19, 2022
01
Coffee with Baileys Irish Cream, big slice of pecan pie, around 9 — end of year vibes — we are going rollerblading from Venice Beach to Santa Monica, all the way to end of path.
Sitting on the sidewalk, strapping blades on: I’m decent on blades but she used to ice skate when younger and can run circles around me; also, I don’t like to wear any additional gear, so I take it easy, knowing I can stay upright from skiing at an early age.
It’s a rush to rollerblade, the sensation of motion is unlike anything (except skiing) and the Venice Beach to Santa Monica stretch is the dream playground for it.
I haven’t taken up rollerblading in Miami Beach, too crowded on the boardwalk with pedestrians and on the street is no fun because Miami drivers are high-risk and it’s a real possibility of getting hit by a car; the joy of blading is in letting go, being hyper-aware of getting runover is a buzzkill.
- December 21, 2022
02
On the sand, we are stretched out, blades off, it’s a solid workout blading due to the mental acuity & physical agility of maintaining balance in motion; where should we go for lunch & drinks?
I suggest we go to the Whole Foods in Brentwood for grilled chicken panini sandwiches & salad, you’re not supposed to drink beer/wine on their outdoor terrace but we’ve done it before, nobody cares as long as you are discreet about it. Also, that trek up San Vicente Boulevard goes through one of the most scenic residential neighborhoods in the country — yeah, let’s do it — on blades!
- December 21, 2022
03
A friend has invited us over for after-dinner drinks at 10, we’re dog tired from the blading & sun but decide to go. I would run into him around town and we bonded because we spent so many mornings together at the same coffee shop.
He plays roller hockey in a parking lot in Santa Monica off the boardwalk, invited me to join him but I passed after I saw how intense their games are with pads. He’s a naturally good looking guy, someone you want to go out drinking with because he’s a good conversationalist and girls are attracted to his looks.
We show up at 10, his place is in Marina del Rey, five minutes away. It’s an old building, not well-designed but it’s oceanfront, ocean view. He embraces us and pours us a glass of wine, several bottles are already open on the kitchen counter.
After a few glasses, we are craving a game of pool. We walk to a bar we regularly go to that has two tables. In the alley, the fresh salt air hits me, I look up at the sky, a blur of grey streaked with clouds.
END
- December 22, 2022
01
I’m big time enjoying this year’s FIFA World Cup 2022, love that Lio Messi made the final today; the last few World Cup’s were personally forgettable for whatever reason as I have absolutely no enduring memory of them, not even traces of.
Most recent World Cup that stands out for me was back in 2006, when Italy beat France in a penalty shootout. I was living in San Diego, going to grad school, my girlfriend at the time lived in Little Italy and we watched the final at a street party in her neighborhood on a huge screen with friends — epic, intense joy, a highlight EXP.
We’re in the kitchen on the phone separately coordinating calls with friends who are coming over; just show up, it’s a street party, they’ve closed the street and put up a huge screen, plenty of food & drink there, take a cab or ride your bike though as parking or driving is a bad idea.
- December 13, 2022
02
Picnic benches are placed in the front half with round high-tops in the back; we put two round tables together for the five of us. A few of us are tasked with getting food from the stalls as we all got the chianti wrist bands.
Two boxes of pizza, 5 orders of polpette (meatballs) and 5 bowls of paella: the young girls & guys going around refilling our chianti cups are definitely imbibing and having a good time.
When I say wine is mostly contextually influenced, this is a prime example. You obviously wouldn’t serve Barolo or Brunello to a crowd of hundreds watching the game but it wouldn’t matter if you did because what you are doing, the flow you are in is more relevant to having a good time than cheap house chianti versus top-shelf Barolo.
By the time the penalty shootout commences, the crowd is on the edge of climax; Italy wins, it’s an ecstatic blur for several minutes, the looks on people’s faces, the body language of the crowd, good times!
END
- December 14, 2022
01
We are staying at a friend’s place in San Francisco, it’s a second floor walk-up in an old row home in Noe Valley. She travels a lot for work and lets friends/family stay at her place; she left us a note next to car keys for a vintage Alfa-Romeo convertible in mint condition. Years later, I found out it was a gift from one of her boyfriends.
Going for a drive: we go up Fillmore Street then through Presidio Park, taking the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito. We left the top up because it’s grey/overcast but roll down the windows once we hit the bridge, the air is both dense & fresh; we look at each other excitedly — the thrill of being in San Fran for the first time is in full effect once you’re on the bridge.
Yesterday, we walked up and down the streets for hours and had a great lunch of fish & chips with Oysters Rockefeller, was amazing, definitely a lot of locals, super loud (acoustics) as we sat at the narrow bar, definitely an EXP. We weren’t planning on taking the car since it’s only a 3-day trip (Thursday night to Monday morning) but our feet are totally sore.
- December 07, 2022
02
Sausalito is lovely, we don’t have a destination in mind as it’s all new for us. We are driving up narrow residential streets, immensely enjoying the atmospherics, stopping to take the top down.
Alan Watts lived on a houseboat in the nearby marina, we’re talking about that, a lot of the 60’s/70’s era musicians live in this area. I relate that it wasn’t until the late 70’s that real estate prices boomed due to the innovation of securitization (packaged loans for income), before then in the 60’s & early 70’s it was cheap to live in San Francisco by comparison to today.
She’s now talking about the tea ceremony video of Alan Watts in Mount Tamalpais — beautiful & relaxing. Interior of the Alfa-Romeo is exceptionally maintained, I’m impressed with the finishes, the way the stick shift feels, the hum of the engine.
Let’s do Indian food tonight, I’m in the mood for the spices/cardamom & curries. She suggests we go to a supermarket and just get some fruit for lunch, since Indian food is heavy with rice/bread. We pick up grapes, apricots & plums from a market, finding a place on the marina to park near some benches.
- December 07, 2022
03
We light a black candle, it’s big, has 3 wicks, she says she wants one of these; let’s look for one tomorrow on Haight-Ashbury, it’ll fit in our suitcase. For dinner, we had a sampling of tandoori grilled meats, two vegetarian dishes plus rice & naan. We brought the leftover naan home (wrapped in foil), it will go well toasted with a salad tomorrow.
Dark colored walls come alive at night with the dimmed lighting, during the day it can seem a little dark but at night, it’s very intimate — outside world recedes!
I pull out a gold tray on the floor, visible from under the coffee table: a film canister, rolling papers and a lighter. I open the container, some big buds of weed, she tells me to hand her the tray and begins to roll a joint.
We’re baked, it was strong sativa, she is modeling a kaftan for me, laughing, the vivid colors are fantastic. It’s not clear what our friend does for a living, I know she doesn’t have a 9 to 5 type job, at one point I do recall she was doing import/export of textiles, her family are wealthy merchant types. We’re walking around her place admiring the items she’s collected, it’s a small place but very appealing.
- December 08, 2022
04
We’re exploring the shops on Fillmore and Haight-Ashbury.
My favorite is a shop that sells incense, candles and hand-made items from tribal regions, it also has framed original concert posters along with racks of band T-shirts. I remember I had a U2 T-shirt I had bought at the The Unforgettable Fire Tour (1984) and I cut off the sleeves and would wear it to soccer practice with my cleats and thought it looked really cool!
Looking back, It blows my mind how many live shows I went to as a teenager starting as early as age 13. I would say my parents are socially liberal but overall conservative. I’m the only person in our family who turned out very liberal who supports progressives.
No doubt going to so many live shows in my teens and early twenties influenced me. I guess it depends on the music you listen to but in my view music culture is built on a humanistic philosophy: life is beautiful, let’s help each other out, it’s unnecessary to fuck people over and be an asshole. As people get older, they become dominated by the scarcity model of capital: there’s not enough for everyone, I have mine, fuck everyone else — that’s our existing model of permanent conflict & hostility — over perceived scarcity.
Her favorite shop was a jeans boutique featuring brands from around the world; she bought 2 pairs that fit her body perfectly. We also picked up a beautiful Japanese ceramic platter as a thank you gift for our friend.
END
- December 09, 2022
01
Wake up feelin’ brand new: last night, we had dinner at a hotel where some relatives were staying. I ordered filet mignon with a side of asparagus & french fries. My girlfriend ordered crab legs with a side of mushrooms — multiple bottles of wine.
We had brought my relatives two bottles of Malbec to their hotel room. After dinner, we open one of them at a table overlooking the pool. Dark purple tinged night sky, lush plants, lovely lit up swimming pool: we embrace them goodbye after a glass and stroll the boardwalk before catching an Uber home.
Let’s go out for morning espressos & croissants from Rosetta Bakery, enjoy them on the beach. We debate riding bikes but instead decide to take an Uber because bikes are only good if you go and come back since you can’t lock them up (out of sight) and we want the flexibility to stay in South Beach all day.
- March 08, 2023
02
Two double macchiatos in ceramic cups, 2 croissants and a fruit pastry in a bag. We enjoy the macchiatos at a table, has a wonderful crema after-taste, saving the pastry to split on the sand later.
We go into the alley before Loews Hotel to access the boardwalk, walking north to around 25th Street, laying out a bedsheet.
We do the sun salutation yoga sequence, ten times. I play an upbeat house music album (DJ Boris’s Believe In the Music) on my airpods while looking at the horizon line; the golden sunshine, horizon line merge with the uplifting rhythm of the music to elevate my awareness. I smile and start laughing when the chorus of one of the tracks is: ‘You fucking me makes me bilingual.’
END
- March 09, 2023
01
Post-work: we ride our beach cruisers to the beach from our place in Crown Point. My rental is directly on the walking path that leads to Pacific Beach in San Diego.
We lay our bikes down on the elevated grassy promontory, the yoga gathering area (during the day) with fantastic views of the ocean. I have my legs open, she is sitting between my legs, my head on her shoulder, both looking at the view. We brought a basket of food & wine.
After an extended moment acclimating to the scenery, I bring over our basket, break off pieces of the baguette, as she slices aged gouda, pouring us two stemless glasses of cabernet. Sitting cross-legged, enjoying the view, the taste of the baguette, richness of the aged gouda, washed down with a strong, flavorful cabernet — feels ecstatic!
I’m wearing loose drawstring navy sweat pants with a mostly unbuttoned beige linen shirt; she rubs my chest after finishing her glass of wine, putting her hand in my shirt, smiling, swinging her long hair around, we kiss.
- March 02, 2023
02
Sun is low, setting; I close my eyes as the full blast saturates my visual cortex — incredible, a full reset!
Looking back: I would say this period in San Diego catching the sunsets while drinking wine profoundly affected me as it also coincided with my daily awareness practice of morning meditation & yoga. Good times, good memories! Cheers!
END
- March 03, 2023
01
We’re heading back to Boulder after a trip to Breckenridge, was partly sunny for most of the day but began snowing around 3. Road conditions are going to be icy so we skipped our usual après-ski.
I roll down the window a crack as I’m driving for fresh air, the defroster is cranked to keep the windshield clear, some friends are passing around a flask of Wild Turkey whiskey, I pass when offered. We are throwing a pre-party at my place tonight on the hill, I can wait ‘til then. Wild Turkey has an intense burn, straight, I had a sip before we went timber bashing earlier on the slope.
Sinking into deep fresh powder snow surrounded by trees is an indescribable sensation — amazing — but you need to be careful not to slam into a tree as these areas are considered off-slope and may include protruding branches that catch your legs.
Snow is falling hard now but I’m relaxed, listening to jazz, knowing we have snow tires, anti-lock brakes and 4-wheel drive.
- February 15, 2023
02
I drop my friends off. I gave my girlfriend a key to my place, she said she was going to make some appetizers. When I get home, I immediately get undressed and hop in the shower, letting the hot water soak my back, feels good.
She hasn’t started making any appetizers so I tell her: change of plans. I bought top sirloin, snow peas & mushrooms yesterday when I went shopping, let’s do a stir-fry with soy sauce. I’ll order them pizzas for the pre-party, let’s enjoy a nice dinner for two and then we’ll pass on eating the pizzas ourselves.
We bring out the ingredients and begin cooking while enjoying a glass of wine. I’m describing the scenery from earlier in the day as we eat & drink while she relates some gossip about one of her close friends: tell your friend to come over tonight.
- February 15, 2023
03
Two bottles of tequila, 8 shot glasses, a glass bowl with limes, cutting board, big bowl of tortilla chips & salsa, 2 NY-style 18 inch pizzas (one cheese, other pepperoni), paper plates are placed on the kitchen counter and dining table plus 24 beers in the fridge. I’m wearing a v-neck long-sleeve henley with loose black linen drawstring pants, she’s got a spaghetti strap top on under a ski jacket, tight jeans, wedge heels with a rubber walking tread.
My place has an outdoor landing by the door that has a bench with a view of the courtyard, there’s no backyard; we’re sitting there greeting friends as they trickle in. We have a couple of big parties happening tonight, this is just a get together before we walk over later around 11.
I take a shot of tequila with a friend, I’m only doing one or two max to get in the mood to let go, I want to take ecstasy later with my girlfriend and her friends but much later around midnight, when we are at the big house party with a live band.
- February 15, 2023
04
Heightened sense of touch from the ecstasy kicks in — my girlfriend tells me she wants to leave, says it’s too crowded; she drinks but is not into this type of hard partying scene.
We walk to her friend’s place, she shares a beautiful 4-bedroom home with roommates; they’re rich hippies, her and her roommates, they love the Grateful Dead, 60’s culture, going to live shows but without the stylized looks.
We go up to her friend’s bedroom, it’s a king mattress on the floor with a lot of candles, incense, pillows, colorful semi-transparent patterned throws all around.
Girls change into oversized T-shirts, removing their bras. Her friend puts on Puccini’s Madame Butterfly Opera on low volume and then goes downstairs to get us some water. My girlfriend tells me her friend likes me and to just go with the flow — okay.
We’re on the bed kissing, the three of us, I look above, a huge map of the world is mounted on the ceiling above her bed.
END
- February 16, 2023
01
CU Boulder was the only college I applied to, applied early and got my acceptance letter. Boulder was a fantasyland for me as a first step in starting life. We did a lot of partying!
In my view, partying hard expands your sense of clarity because it allows you to be open, see new possibilities. From my EXP, the critical pre-requisite for that expansion to occur is intellectual stimulation.
If you enjoy reading from an early age, unprompted, completely of your own initiative then you are receptive to change whereas if you don’t read, don’t like school, then hard partying makes you worse for wear because your receptors/synapses are not turned on.
I still have a photographic memory of the different neighborhoods in Boulder.
It’s my second year (sophomore), after a year in the dorms, I have a one bedroom just across campus in an area called On the Hill.
- January 23, 2023
02
Jump in the shower, get dressed, clean up the place, I put some folders in a leather messenger bag, now sitting in the sun at a café with coffee and a scone. I stretch my legs over the brick ledge, head feels fresh — brand new day.
Last night, I went to a house party with a live band; behind where the band played were several large framed prints of Monet’s Water Lilies. Host of the party is well-known because he drives a late model BMW and is a white guy with dreadlocks, he’s done a lot of acid.
Boulder is unique in the way the surrounding areas are laid out in relation to the campus — very restrictive development ordinances. So you have these big, beautiful homes that are leased to students; one from last night had 4 bedrooms with a nice backyard.
I finish my coffee and walk to the library. On the steps, a friend invites me to a party tonight in Mapleton Hill.
- January 23, 2023
03
I’m deciding between a pair of faded, looser jeans and a more fitted, darker one; I go with the more fitted, a long sleeve shirt and leather ankle-high boots. I roll a few joints and put them in a hard cigarette pack; I don’t smoke cigarettes but just use the pack.
House in Mapleton Hill is fantastic, it’s a smaller get together: pony keg of beer, burgers & brats being grilled.
After a burger, a few beers, a friend tells me to come with him; we are in the upstairs living room, the adjoining balcony has a view of old maple trees in the backyard.
He brings out some small squares of paper blotted with LSD, says this is high quality. We take one, my friend & I including two girls, the third girl asks for hers to be cut in half and she takes the half. We watch Pink Floyd’s The Wall (the film starring Bob Geldof) as we sink into the couch.
- January 23, 2023
04
We are sitting cross-legged on the balcony, on a rug with pillows, glasses of sparkling water.
Going around describing what we see: I say I see a stream of running water, in it are hundreds of objects and I’m able to see all of them in great detail simultaneously; how I’m conscious of my physical brain for the first time, how powerful consciousness is; how I see details and connections that are so vivid.
I’m standing with my friend, we’re looking at the backyard trees, the night air is so fresh, we smile at each other, both completely taken by the beauty of the botanical & geological world we inhabit together as peaceful beings.
END
- January 25, 2023
01
I took a hot shower, then rubbed some cold, pure aloe vera gel on — body feels super-relaxed & fresh. It’s my turn to make dinner as she soaks in a bath.
I’m sautéing oyster & cremini mushrooms with kale in olive oil, it’s caramelized, then finished with balsamic. We have fresh spinach/cheese tortellini pasta that cooks in just a few minutes, I prepare the water and open the container, setting it by the pot for when we’re ready.
We have two bottles of Côtes du Rhône on the kitchen bar, I refill our glasses. She’s wearing pajamas now and steps on my foot with her bare foot as she grabs her wine from the counter while placing her arm around my shoulder — looks good, let’s do it, turning the water on. We plate the food restaurant style for fun with height, cracking course pepper.
We have a YouTube fireplace going with candles, a live track from a Sade concert is playing from a slow music playlist.
- December 01, 2022
02
We are going through a stack of poetry books placed on the kitchen bar, pick a poem that stimulates you and read it aloud.
I read a poem by Jack Gilbert, she picks Lawrence Ferlinghetti. We start a conversation about walking in cities — what’s your favorite city for walking in: not beach or park but dense urban core? I say Paris, it’s not even close, she agrees but points out how much we both love the High Line in NYC.
Art Basel Miami Beach 2022 is happening right now, we’re skipping the main fair this year but want to check out some parties at hotel bars sponsored by drink brands that we received e-mail invites for — let’s go tomorrow and see what happens, maybe we’ll get inspired (get in the mood) to go to the fair!
END
- December 02, 2022
01
Cold air on skin, sunlight — fall leaves (burnt orange, mocha earth), we are walking in the neighborhood around Wash Park in Denver. We pass newly renovated heavy-set craftsman homes, next to modern volumes with aluminum cladding including various panel systems, a dusting of snow on the ground.
High-elevation sun, the cold dry air is much harsher than the soft golden sunshine back home in Miami Beach — as I become aware of the extreme contrast, my perception accentuates, gives me a euphoria, smiling at you.
We are at Homegrown Tap & Dough with Superpower IPA pints from Comrade Brewing Co. locally based in Denver. Patina of corten steel, dancing flames — we opt to stand & drink around the fire pit. I’m wearing black Adidas sweat pants with gold stripes, she is wearing leggings with an Aztec pattern and high boots with a thick rubber tread.
I walk over to admire some large rocks placed on the gravel near the fire pit, looks like rough cuts of granite or some other sedimentary rock, it’s beautiful!
- November 23, 2022
02
We pick up a big container of tomato basil soup with focaccia. I grate some parmesan, crack pepper on the focaccia, toasting it.
In front of the fireplace, we move the coffee table to the side, put out some big pillows on the rug. Soup has a nice heat/flavor (cayenne/basil), the bread is good quality.
We are doing a wine tasting of several Malbecs from a small boutique wine shop we found nearby. I can’t stand wine tasting notes, what’s relevant is dry or sweet, the rest is up to you and no doubt contextually influenced. I don’t like sweet/jammy Malbecs, all of these are fortunately dry.
You are resting on your arms behind you, your head tilted back, long hair just above the floor, wearing sweats and wool socks. Heat of the fire is starting to get to us, plus the wine, we”re getting hot, you take off your sweat pants and I take off my shirt and wear it around my neck.
- November 23, 2022
03
We’re talking about a massage she got at her gym last week; she’s elaborating in detail on the different methods/styles available. I ask her which ones she’s tried/prefers.
I’m lying face down on the couch as she demonstrates; oh that’s good, keep going!
END
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Cheers!
- November 24, 2022
WRITING vol. 01 | Vignettes 1-10 | Archive
