2016 Riverside Air Show

For those that are new to my website, welcome! It has been a while since I've published an entry, but I have definitely been shooting a lot of film and have so much to share. This is my 100th post! I highly recommend viewing this website and the photos within from a computer or tablet, I've found that the mobile template just doesn't do it justice.

On the eve of the 2017 Riverside Air Show, which takes place Saturday, April 1st, I am very belatedly sharing some of my favorite planes from the 2016 air show.

The air show, now in its 25th year, takes place each April at the Riverside Airport in Riverside, CA. It is a free event and has something for everyone, including stunt shows and demonstrations throughout the day, a huge variety of military planes from over the decades, and a fantastic classic car show.

For more info on the 2017 air show, click HERE. Expect photographs from this years' show soon!

The Flabob Express, a 1940s DC-3, is housed at Flabob Airport near downtown Riverside and is available for scenic flights, tours, and has been featured in movies, most recently 2016's "Rules Don't Apply"

The D-Day Doll, housed at Riverside Airport and regularly heard and seen in the skies above, served on D-Day over Normandy.

This Douglas C-47 is housed at the Palm Springs Air Museum and is available for flights and tours.

This 1940s Russian Antonov AN-2 biplane (here and image below) sadly crashed just a couple weeks after we saw it at the air show. We'd spoken to the caretaker of the plane, a volunteer, who said that he'd recently flown 13 hours one way to take it to a show in Texas. Luckily no one was injured during the crash. 

Universal Studios + The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Despite several weeks of soft opening, which allowed locals to experience the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood, there was a tremendous amount of excitement in the air when my family + I visited the weekend after the "official" opening in April.

I hadn't been to Universal since my Brownie troop took a trip there in second grade, so needless to say a lot of things have changed. In addition to the Wizarding World, which was the reason for our trip, I was looking forward to revisiting the parts of the park I remembered from when I was a kid, particularly the tram tour + "Psycho" set.

The Universal experience is very 3D heavy. Many of the big name attractions are 3D themed, including the new Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, housed in the absolutely breathtaking Hogwarts Castle. (I opted out of the Journey, though I did walk through the queue, the portrait hall especially knocked my socks off.) Even the tram tour now has two 3D experiences in addition to set and backlot features, one based on the Peter Jackson adaptation of "King Kong" and another that focuses on the "Fast and the Furious" franchise. 3D is totally not my thing, but I had a fantastic time taking in the sights and sounds, from Springfield, USA to the "Waterworld" stunt show to the bronze bust honoring longtime Universal Pictures director Alfred Hitchcock placed prominently right inside the main entrance to the park. All in all, there is definitely something there for everyone. (Except postcards. There is not a single postcard for sale in the entire park, not even at the Owl Post. This is unacceptable.)

Now the focus on the purpose of the trip -- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I had avoided reading anything about it ahead of time as I wanted it to be a surprise... and it was. The very most wonderful surprise. The experience of walking into Hogsmeade, much to my surprise, nearly moved me to tears. The attention to detail, from Moaning Myrtle haunting the restrooms to the animated "Wanted" poster of Sirius Black outside the Hog's Head, to the delightful frog choir performances and, of course, Hogwarts itself, is absolutely breathtaking. One of my favorite parts of Hogsmeade is the interactive window displays that those with Olivander's wands can do a spell in front of to activate something within the display, it is entertaining while also making participants part of the experience, which is a nice touch. Again, the magic is in the details, and the Wizarding World is loaded with them. I am looking forward to our next visit, which will likely occur after the rumored Diagon Alley expansion occurs.

Please enjoy the photographs below, captioned when applicable.

Hogsmeade entrance, "Please Respect the Spell Limits"

Hogwarts Express, just inside the gate and an ideal photo spot

Know someone who deserves a howler? Stop by the Owl Post, where owls depart regularly.

Dervish and Banges, where you can invest in your own "Monster Book of Monsters"

Zonko's Tricks & Jokes

Hogwarts Castle in the morning light

Dogweed & Deathcap, Exotic Plants & Flowers

The entrance to Hogsmeade from Hogwarts, I sat here for about an hour watching both the frog choir and Triwizard Tournament spirit rally while the sun set. It was absolutely enchanting.

Hogwarts Castle at sunset, with the girls from Beauxbatons dancing on stage

Hogwarts after sunset 

All photographs © Monika Seitz Vega, 2016
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Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch

One of the most unique and interesting places I've ever visited, Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch in Oro Grande, CA, is a "must stop" location for travelers from all over the world. 

We visited Elmer's late last month, on an incredibly hot and uncharacteristically humid morning. The weather didn't stop us, nor did it stop the dozen or so other visitors we saw during our visit, including a Japanese couple interviewing Elmer for a televised segment. Elmer Long inherited the property and the eclectic collection when his father passed away, and what he has put his heart into to create is absolutely not to be missed.

Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch is located at 24266 National Trails Hwy, Oro Grande, California, 92368. Admission is free, although he does accept donations. 

All photographs © Monika Seitz Vega, 2015.

a few from downtown

Just before Christmas I had a morning meeting downtown + planned ahead to take a walk afterward to photograph the Belle & Sebastian "Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance" billboard next to the Ace Hotel/United Artists Theatre. That image is the first one below, along with a few others from that day. 

In just a couple weeks, Bringing Back Broadway will be hosting Night on Broadway, I'm looking forward to visiting and photographing my favorite spots along Broadway in the evening. It'll be a fantastic night, I highly recommend attending if you're in the area.

"Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance" comes out in the US January 20th.
2015 marks 20 years of Belle & Sebastian.

I was elated to see that yarn bombing is still alive and well. Los Angeles has its own group, Yarnbombing Los Angeles,  which may be the ones behind this streetlamp in front of the former Rialto Theatre.

I saw this advertisement in the morning -- from the car -- when the light was nice, by early afternoon I unfortunately had to shoot into the sun to get it.

1930 Eastern Columbia Building. 9th & Broadway.

Not my favorite formal shop to photograph, as Steven's Bridal is now a Gap Outlet...

A very fisheye Disneyland

Our Lomography fisheye camera (the #1, which they no longer make in the color + model we have) is special not only for it's 170 degree range but also because it was the first toy camera in our camera collection. Though it may not be heavy in the rotation, it's still fun to take out and shoot with, as it was on this October day we spent at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Here they are, in chronological order throughout the day. Enjoy °o°

All photographs © Monika Seitz Vega, 2014.