Author Archives: Blowhard, Esq.

About Blowhard, Esq.

Amateur, dilettante, wannabe.

Let’s Go to a Rock Show!

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: The band I blogged about here was in town last night so I headed off to my first concert in two years.

Posted in Music, Photography | Tagged Honda Center, live music, Orange County, rock 'n roll will never die, Tegan & Sara, The Black Keys | 5 Comments

Food Trucks in SoCal

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: I was at a charity event last night that featured a number of food trucks. Greek, Hawaiian, Mexican/Asian fusion, American/Asian fusion, Middle Eastern, ice cream, and boba were all represented. The menu at the Cheer Burger truck. … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and health, Photography | Tagged burgers, California, food trucks, ice cream, mediocre food if I'm being honest | 15 Comments

Europe Seems to Have a Thing Right Now for Twin, White, Abstract Towers

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: Here are the “Torres de Hercules” in Spain, designed by Rafael de La-Hoz Architects. Pretty terrible, but nothing compared to the Bella Sky Hotel in Denmark, designed by a Danish firm called 3xn. This website calls it “a tasteful … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged Denmark, eyesores, German expressionism, postmodernism, Scandinavia, Spain, twin white towers of death | 4 Comments

Why “Follow Your Passion” is Bad Career Advice

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: In his 2005 Stanford commencement address, Steve Jobs said, “You’ve got to find what you love…. [T]he only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal reflections, The Good Life | Tagged Apple, bad advice, career, graduation speeches, Steve Jobs, work | 6 Comments

Non-Question Lady Questions

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: I just threw out about 2 years’ worth of magazines that I had been accumulating but neglecting like the national debt. Wired, Bon Appetit, The Atlantic, New York, bunch of stupid lawyer mags, local business magazines, L.A. Weekly, OC Weekly — Jesus, another … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing, Personal reflections | Tagged Bon Appetit, local business magazines, magazines, New York magazine, obsessive-compulsive disorder, print media, stupid lawyer magazines, The Atlantic, those free local weeklies with all the escort ads in the back, Wired | 14 Comments

Michael Chabon Likes Genre Fiction, Punts on Endorsing It

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: In a recent NYT interview of Michael Chabon for the Book section, the following exchange took place: You can suggest three books to a literary snob who believes genre fiction has no merit. What’s on the list? … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing | Tagged Cormac McCarthy, Elmore Leonard, genre fiction, Henry James, Ian Fleming, Joseph Conrad, literary fiction, Michael Chabon, missing the point, New York Times Book Section, Ray Bradbury, Sherlock Holmes | 5 Comments

City Sights: Bikes in Long Beach

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: Back here, Paleo Retiree contrasted the asshole bicycle culture of the United States versus the more civilized one in Berlin. This got me thinking about the city I work in, which as I mentioned in the comments, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Photography, The Good Life | Tagged Beach Boys, Belmont Shore, Berlin, bikes, California, christopher alexander, city infrastructure, cute girls with nice legs, hipsters, Long Beach, New Yorker cartoons, Pop Art, signage, transportation, urban fabric | 6 Comments

Architecture We Love 4: Brick

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: OK, so it’s more like a Material We Love, but you catch my drift. This is a combo fire and police station in Belmont Shore, CA. I know this marks me as a fascist, but I’ll brick over … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Photography | Tagged Belmont Shore, brick, California, fire station, masonry, police station, stone work | 10 Comments

Photo of the Day: Pool Party

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Posted in Humor, Sex | Tagged girls on trampolines, wood | 4 Comments

A Tale of Two Automobiles

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: I encountered these cars in the exact same area, 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, just a few nights apart. Gee, I wonder which candidate each driver is voting for?