David James and son Seven, atop the Los Feliz Club Apartments with Vermont Ave in the background. The Onyx Cafe was located on the spot (bright-strobe) in the photo behind them. This 'spot' now is occupied by Figaro Cafe.
i drove out to "freestyle photosupplies" on sunset blvd. in hollywood sunday morning to look for a flash unit for my lomo lubitel 166 and my zorki fed-2. nothing expensive of course considering i paid $30 for the lubitel back in 1997 at freestyle when they were very much available (they are now discontinued) and $10 for the fed-2 from this dude who needed gas money for his truck. the holga flash was only $14.99 but with a guide number of 22. didn't really mind the GN of 22 and the price is a "steal", but the thing was as big as the cameras it will be going on to. there was this "colorsplash by LOMO" that is dedicated for the Lomo Kompakt Automat 35mm camera, which caught my fancy though it was $35. Being a sucker for stuff with remarkably artsy packaging, guess what? yep, i've decided to add this one to the check out list. the cashier -- claire had asked if i already have a holga or a woca, because they are on sale - 50% off. guess what? i couldn't pass up the $10 SOMETHING OFFER (w/o the built-in flash of course) for a "little sharper image taking holga" since it's got glass optics compared to plastic. now, we're talking "woca" now. some groovy name for a camera. after getting back home, i still had time to mess around with my new toys. i did however notice that the flash unit didn't have a "pc cord" which i very much need to use on the lomo and zorki. i decided to use it on the woca instead. anyway, i did my modifications to the "woca" but instead of using film acetate on the "swinging arm window", i actually decided to cut a small piece of an actual filter gel from my swatch of "LEE Filters -Cinematographer's Edition". i used 204 FULL C.T. ORANGE which converts daylight to Tungsten 3200 K, mired shift +159.
SEE PHOTO ABOVE.
note: please forgive me with my choice of subject when i do a test. just imagine after the modifications i've made i need to "snap" anything then off to the lab up the road so i can figure out what next to do on the camera.
Posted at 05:22 pm by paul_posadas
Steve Ivanovics February 2, 2006 04:54 PM PST Hey Paul,
I'm sitting here in a cafe in the Inbred Empire where the kids try so hard to look like us when we didn't.
I bump into them and those when I travel and bore the people I'm with with "this is where..." and "we did this".... So sentimental. But it seemed like better days.
I've put down my espresso tamper forever.
Paul Posadas February 2, 2006 05:07 PM PST say, steve i haven't indexed or organized my blog. but somewhere i've got a pic of you. did you see? great to hear from you again after all these years. (just yesterday).
rene May 23, 2006 10:46 PM PDT You have way too much free time! Your nephew Rico has you on his hitlist for taking those photos while he was in my mom's garden!
Richard (the Norse) June 3, 2006 08:18 AM PDT eh Steve / Paul (i commented on ur blog) - how's all doing - archiving the past is loads of fun - eh ? each of ya get in touch soon - i'll give u cell no. / i am in NC
RODNLMX December 20, 2006 07:56 PM PST Oh my god, how I MISS YOU ALL...from mopping the floor at the O at 4am...free lats for Shags...Valentine LOVE for my ghia (the car I bought from EHarvey, haha)...Champion Lovestain. Pimprolo...drinks at the Dres...hanging at YQUE & XLarge...STACY LANDE, need I say more, ohmygodOMG. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED? well, kids, I'll tell ya-life happened. older. wiser. richer. in the wall(et). in the way. in the comm. life. what happens to you while you're on the figurative toilet of fun... LIFE! welcome to the future, my good (wo)man! will see you real soon, all. Merry XMAS, happy new year 2007. excuse me, 2007?????hahahahahahahahahah
RODNLMX December 20, 2006 08:13 PM PST Oh sorry, not done yet. That's GHIA with a capital "G". sorry. Ghia. (By the way, are YOU marri?...) enough. Now, onward. WHO BREAKS A BUTTERFLY UPON A WHEEL? Please, people. Let my history stand on MY history, not hearsay (see 1977). I rest my case, your honour. Release me from the prison of your biased memory. Release my peeps, YO. Case closed. Damn, he's godd...uh, I mean good! PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RODNLMX December 20, 2006 08:21 PM PST so sorry to hear of your mom's passing...my blessings, Paul....
Name hasan April 1, 2007 04:35 PM PDT hey paul, don't know if you'll get this. just checking out your site. the shot of raugust is good, would love to hang it on my wall. she's so beautiful, speaking of which your photo of me & the coffee cup is still on my kitchin wall, u should put that one on your home page. i love that coffee cup shot. call in to the show tomorrow night, still spining jazz & talking shit @ killradio.org monday nights at midnight.
sage oswald June 5, 2008 12:17 AM PDT hi paul miss you and everyone at the O who changed my life forever- frack-saved it by with the spirit that i've never felt in my life from any other people. the best years i've lived was while wasting time hanging out all day and night and sometimes b.s.ing out front til the sweet smell of brewing coffee awoke the sun, zack saying" are you STILL here?!?". i'm tattooing now first in holywood now in seattle. hope you get this paul, be good to hear from you. so good to see so many pics of the old family-love you all!!! -Sage Oz
DARELD GILLASPIE January 1, 2009 02:13 AM PST Paul,
I would to first wish you and yours a happy new year. I miss you like Sage Oz...who I remember making those cute looking pipes back in the 90's. Sage where are you dude? I always see Larry Stevens infront of the Pig Cafe.
Yeah Paul I miss those times back in 1999 at the Los Feliz Club APT's...
so much fun I-ching readings with Mark, Play Staion 2, Fiona Apple, Hamsters running around...staying up until 5am talking about things that dont matter or make any sense...Those times were rough but now I look back they were the best times of my life, when things didnt make any sense.
I would like dedicate a song to you Paul, Sage OZ, Hassan, David Bogoyan, David Rockello, Guy, Larry Stevens, Martha Packard, S.A., Ken.
"You Belong toThe City"
by Glenn Frye
"I don't care about making photography an art," said Mr. Steichen. "I want to make good photographs. I'd like to know who first got it in his head that dreaminess and mist is art.
Take things as they are; take good photographs and the ART WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF."
the PHOTO GALLERY containing photographs taken at the Onyx Café is work in progress, most of these scanned negatives were recently unearthed. since i've benefitted a great deal from the onyx cafe(free coffee, etc.), it's now payback time to mr. john leech and to every soul i hung out with, with my photographs. enjoy!!!
the Onyx Café was more than just an institutional cafe to most of the regulars and myself. it was a "state of mind" without the aid of any mind altering pill. it was a place where you can actually feel how "timeless" the place was. it was a conglomerated convergence of people from all walks of life. from hollywood celebs to suitcase-geared travelling bohemians introducing themselves, and being welcomed (and not interrupting any intellectual arguments). it was the crossroads to every major city on this planet. it was happening! day and night, into day again. amidst the aroma of the coffee lingering in the air, there was also, all kinds of drama. but we will not go there. you can never complain about the taste of espressos and cappuccinos served here, nor how the architectural facade of the place appeared, nor even how people looked or dressed. people come here for the same one thing that everyone else is seeking --- and it's not just the java. it is.. NIRVANA. yep. and the whole crowd was experiencing it collectively.
