USA Tour: Guitar Center

I wanted to take this baby home, but something this big is not suitable for traveling folks like us. Too bad because the price was reasonable enough.

When talking about guitars, I can't help but tell you guys how much I love music. Unfortunately, this feeling isn't reciprocated quite well. But that deserves a separate topic, so for now let's go back to another batch of USA photos.

I never realized that Sunset Boulevard is also known as Guitar Row, because of the many music shops and studios that line the famous stretch. One of which is Guitar Center, famous for its Rock Walk located at the entrance.

What I love asides from the numerous instruments for sale and on display is the fact that you can take pictures inside. It's a great way to attract potential customers. I actually wanted to buy a second hand Fender P-Bass, but I guess it's not practical if you're traveling and at the mercy of airline cargo volume limits.

So next time you're in Los Angeles, do check out Sunset Boulevard if you're into guitars and other musical instruments.


Oh, and please check out the rest of the pictures here.

USA Tour: Tita Nery's Place

I just have to get this out first. I'm beginning to love iPhoto. It's not as powerful as Adobe Lightroom or Aperture, but it gets the work done for bloggers like me. Plus it comes free with every Mac (portable or not).

Now back to the topic. I'm so thankful to Tita Nery for letting us stay at her house in Fremont. It gave us an experience of a nice American suburb, plus I was able to make new friends like IT guru Ben. Tita Nery was very accommodating, we even had the chance to play with her Nintendo Wii.

Like most of the Bay Area, it is really cold in Fremont. Something I miss right now, with all the heat and humidity here in Manila.

Anyway, please check out the rest of the photos here. I'm beginning to love saturating my pictures a bit, it makes the colors a tad more vivid.

More galleries to come soon.

USA Tour: Fairfax Flea Market

So many cameras, but none suited for me.

Here I am again with another batch of USA photos. This time, it's from a Sunday flea market along Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles.

I think this is my mom's favorite part of the trip. She has been to LA for so many times, but she only discovered this find during our recent trip. Believe me, if my mom had it her way, we would have traveled back home with lots of balikbayan boxes.

As for me, the only thing I got from the flea market is an inexpensive bracelet for Roxanne. But like my mom, if I can have it my way I would have taken a lot of the stuff here on our way back home (especially the paintings and vintage photography gear).

Please check out the rest of the pictures here. Minimal post processing was applied for this batch.

First MacBook Glitch: AirPort Card Not Installed

Okay, it's time for me to post something useful. So here's a little public service to my fellow Mac users.

Just this weekend I have encountered this bug, my first major bug, in my barely one month old MacBook. I turned on my MacBook last Saturday only to find out that I'm not connected to our WiFi. The AirPort icon was also missing from the menu bar. I tried turning it on (under System Preferences - Network - AirPort), but clicking the Turn AirPort On button does nothing. Restarting also did nothing. Eventually AirPort came back on when I did a PRAM reset (more on that later).

It happened again yesterday, and again I was able to restore it by doing a PRAM reset. I tried turning it on and off several times and AirPort was working fine. I was also able to discover how to make the AirPort icon show up (under System Preferences - Network - AirPort, enable Show AirPort status in menu bar).

Just now, it happened again. Oh boy, it's making me paranoid. This time the AirPort icon is showing, but it's not picking up any signal. I clicked on it, and it said No AirPort Card Installed. I googled this, and this time I tried to repair my permissions (again, more on that in a while). And my WiFi is up again (for now at least).

I don't know if this problem is common, I can't seem to find a concrete answer to this problem. So now I'm on observation mode, trying to see if I need to send my unit to an authorized service center (it's a shame we don't have Apple Genius Bars here in the Philippines).

In case you're like me experiencing this problem, here are some things you can do before sending your unit for repairs or replacement:

- Do a PRAM reset. Upon pressing the power button, immediately press the following keys simultaneously: Command, Option, P, R.

- Repair permissions. You can do this using Disk Utility.

- If you own a 15 inch MacBook Pro, you can try reinstalling the battery.

- Update your OS to 10.5.7. I haven't done this yet since I'm still looking for an external hard drive for Time Machine backup.

- Use Google (it's there for a reason), or consult forums like PhilMUG, Mac Forums, Apple Support Discussion, and other Apple related forums.

There you go. If all else fails, then off we go to the nearest service center. I am hoping that this problem wouldn't occur again. And it is always best to note that no machine is perfect, not even Macs. But it shouldn't hinder us from enjoying a full Apple experience.

Tatang Manny

I got caught up in work and a lot of extra curricular stuff that sometimes I tend to forget a few things that actually matter.

The day we got back from the US, we received news that Tatang Manny passed away from a lingering illness. If not for him, I wouldn't have learned how to drive, and do some minor car troubleshooting. And a lot of times he was there to help us whenever we had car trouble (like now, but that's another story).

So thank you Tatang Manny. This tribute is long overdue, but it's better late than never.

USA Tour: Sausalito

I'm not so sure if most people know about Sausalito. It's actually a seaside community located across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. This link from Wikitravel can tell more about this place.

This is one of the coldest places I've been to. It has a great view of the sea, with lots of quaint houses and establishments to see.

If you ever have the chance to visit here, do buy a souvenir shirt (I regret not getting one). They have a store that sells spoof shirts, most of them pretty cool. Oh, and try out the food as well.

And guys, don't forget to check the rest of the pictures here. Cheers!

USA Tour: Golden Gate Bridge

One quick post before leaving for work. Going to San Francisco is never complete without passing through this landmark. It felt surreal as we traversed the entirety of the bridge.

Although there are parks located along each end of the bridge, the best vantage point for me would be Battery Spencer, which is situated on top of a hill. It gives a really stunning view of the bridge and the city. Add to that a really cool breeze. The only downside: it's only accessible by car, and is usually not part of the common package tours.

Please check out the rest of the pictures here. The first few were taken from one end of the bridge, while the remaining shots were taken from Battery Spencer.

USA Tour: Hoover Dam And Grand Canyon

Ethnic art found at a nearby souvenir shop.

Okay, some things first. It's taking me some time to post my pictures. And since I'm returning to work in a few hours, I don't know when I'll be able to post the rest. So I'll do this little by little, in a non-chronological manner (i.e. depends on my mood).

When visiting Las Vegas, it would be a shame not to see some of America's marvels. The Hoover Dam, for example, is just around an hour or two away from the main strip, and would make a good day trip if you find the Grand Canyon too far (it's around five to six hours away, depending on your package). It's a man made marvel that generates much needed electricity for some parts of the United States. It also serves as a border between Nevada and Arizona.

We only stopped at Hoover Dam twice for a couple of minutes, so I never got to explore more of this national landmark.

Please, keep your coins in your pocket.

The Grand Canyon, however, is one of nature's greatest gifts. It is truly majestic, a place one must see in his or her lifetime. Yes, it's just a big hole in the ground, but once you're there it's a different experience.

Views from the southern rim.

Actually, there are several rims that offer a view of the Grand Canyon, We went by the southern rim (where the temperature is cooler), but I think the western rim offers a better view. I guess I say this because a lot of pictures I see in books didn't manifest while we were there. But don't take this the wrong way, the view is still spectacular.

Hoover Dam at night.

Oh, and if you're lucky, you may be able to spot a condor or two flying. I think I actually saw one, no pictures to prove it though.

So there you go. You can see the rest of the pictures here. I hope you guys tune in for more photos from our trip to the United States.

Back To The Real World

Thinking about going back to work.

Manila, here I am again. The bumpy and narrow roads, drivers that don't give a damn (here is a classic example from Gelsen), the dirt, the heat, and everything else that makes Manila unique. Yup, I am home.

I miss San Francisco. I miss America. But I don't live there, this is my home. All the people that I love are here.

I should never take long vacations again, because it spoils me too much. Now I have to drive again, go to work, and continue my routine. Plus I have to pay my bills. But that's life, at least I still have a lot to look forward to.