Hotel del Coronado, night shots

We actually went a while ago but I've only gotten to posting some pictures now. As I've stated before, my skin condition keeps me from getting out much during the daytime. I can do a lot with my with my camera apparently, but until I do more reading it'll all be trial and error. Hopefully I'll get back here during the day and get some shots :)

Simply...

The main tower that everyone recognizes, with a bit of the moon peaking behind it, and some palms.

A patio area... it must look nuts during the day.

I like this shot that GB took of the main building, sandwiched betwixt a vending station and something else. He likes how the trashcan matches the roof of the hotel.

I'm realizing that I like the longer setting (panoramic, 16:9) for landscape shots but for vertical shots I'd rather change it back.

Moving on, inside are a bunch of stores and a tribute hall to the hotel. I like the tile.

Marilyn Monroe apparently helped make the Hotel del famous. Here's a cute montage they set up for her:

I love the picture of her on the right. Simple, classic beauty.

Kate Morgan, the famous ghost of the Hotel del... was either murdered or killed in one of the rooms back in 1892. Not sure how I feel about this one.

I didn't know that the station wagon was so cool!

A shot of a nice set-up inside the place. It's nice to see the camerawoman sometimes I think ;), that and I liked the wallpaper.

Sounded like one hell of a party in there.

And the tower once more, more vertical, with the moon! It was really hard trying to cram the whole thing in there and holding still. I was laying down on a bench :), by the beach, with GB keeping my head off the cold wood.

I like these photos smaller but as you blow them up they get grainy. I bounce between the normal setting and the 'auto' settings on my camera (Sony Cyber-shot 7.2mp) which apparently adjust according to light and what not. I really need to do some research on night photography and how the moon, spotlights, and other lights will affect the picture.

Guess I'll just have to mess with it some more... or wear sunscreen.

<3 More projects coming up next!

Woodwork, moving, and ISP Issues

As seen by the title, I've been a little bit busy doing... something, but I'm back, and thought I'd start sharing again all of the little things here and there that I have been working on.

*Might I add that I none too happy with COX who has had to come here twice since I moved in, which wasn't very long ago. That is what happens when you have services change a couple times and 4 guys come in, all re-doing, re-working, messing up, what the previous guy had done... although I cannot blame them for not 1 but 2 broken modems! $65 for a new one at Walmart, wish they'd make them cheaper than that :)

So GB is a carpenter by trade. Boredom and begging led him to fixing my table, which I inherited from my aunt. According to my mom, it was once lovely but nearly a decade of neglect, sun, and rain has turned it into this:

  
At this point I had already begun sanding it. I obtained this hunk o' junk before meeting him, worked on it for a solid 3 days, then gave up. Then he came into my life and woopee! Easy road for me (just kidding). I was planning on doing as little work as possible and call it "rustic." But I hadn't realized how much work could have and needed to be put into it, and apparently this is good wood, and I wanted it to look its best.

You can also view the table here, in a video taken by my old roommate with the amazing, handsomest cat in the world, Butters:



Here the BF has began to take it apart:

As you can see, it's two small squares of boards, top and base, connected by a square column. Not exactly proper lingo but you get the idea ;). Here are the 4 boards that compose the base.

I guess he had to take apart the whole thing, re-notch the pieces up top (to get rid of the gaps), and glue and clamp the hell out of it. Also, it came with no chairs. Although I still think a tables a table even without any chairs, I really wanted to eat on the thing. I was going to pick some cheap ones up from Wal-mart or the thrift store but he thought that benches would be a good idea :).

He said the table appeared to be masculine, and thought some masculine looking benches would suit it. I liked the idea especially because the benches can be pushed into and under the table entirely, keeping a very low profile.

So... after several hours of sanding, 2 coats of stain, and about 50 clear-coats later, here is the completed piece. Ta-Da! I love a dark finish, and my catlicious.

 And another for good measure:

I'm very happy with the table, even though I couldn't take it with me. Butters loves that table and harasses the fishes from it. I think it is in good hands and will be well taken care of. As for COX, we apparently are VIP now and have a special phone number for every time we have an issue. HURRAY!

<3