Kitchen: Vanilla beans

Vanilla beans from Paupa New Guinea, with a frangipani blossom.

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All photos are ©2005 Kathryn Hill Photography.

Los Angeles: Gold Medallion Tree

Gold Medallion tree (Cassia leptophylla) bloomed around Los Angeles in late summer. The blooms are bright yellow, and as they die off, long green seed pods form from the flowers.

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All photos are ©2005 Kathryn Hill Photography.

What's on your cell phone camera, Kathryn?

Sometimes I take casual shots with my cell phone camera. Here are a few from the past two months.

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Buffalo taco sign, San Francisco

Belly dancer, Amira restaurant, San Francisco

Moroccan wine at Amira. It tasted like prunes and flowers and complimented the meal very well. Thanks, rone!

Flying over the Rocky Mountains, on the way back to San Francisco after New York City.

Negativland art exhibit, TriBeCa, NYC

Rodenticide sign, NYC subway

I attended a special discussion at Photo Plus Expo in NYC given by Elliott Erwitt, Douglas Kirkland, and Joel Meyerowitz. This is Elliott Erwitt. He's wearing a fried egg pin and a dog bone tie.

Roast beef sushi, San Francisco.

Times Square, NYC

Times Square subway station, NYC

Spaceman Sam

Sandwichgirl, at LAX, en route to Antarctica for her third winter at McMurdo Station.

Encounter Restaurant at Los Angeles International Airport

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All photos are ©2005 Kathryn Hill Photography.

Los Angeles: Banana Tree

Came across this banana tree while walking around in Los Angeles.

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All photos are ©2005 Kathryn Hill Photography.

Los Angeles: African Tulip Tree

African Tulip Tree, Spathodea campanulata, grows in Los Angeles and I've usually seen the blooms in September and October. I've found trees that had yellow and red blooms, though botanical guides suggest that some trees have pink flowers.

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All photos are ©2005 Kathryn Hill Photography.

Kitchen: Snack

Cowgirl Creamery St Pat's Cheese with a dollop of fig jam and a glass of Viognier.

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All photos are ©2005 Kathryn Hill Photography.

Los Angeles: Johnie's Coffee Shop One-Day-Only reopening

Johnie's is a coffee shop in LA that has been around since the 1950's. It is one of the last remaining examples of Googie architecture in the USA. It closed its doors in 2000 and is mainly used as a movie location; it's been featured in films such as American History X and Miracle Mile. In October, Johnie's re-opened for one day only, as part of a Los Angeles Conservancy Tour of the historic buildings of Wilshire Boulevard. Sadly, many famous Wilshire landmarks are extinct or facing extinction; the Brown Derby no longer exists, and the Ambassador Hotel (site of the Robert Kennedy assassination and home of the Cocoanut Grove night club) is scheduled for demolition.

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Vintage coffee shop matchbooks

Original tiles

Original menu with 1950's prices.

A band played at the one-day-only opening.

Waitress in period costume.

Eldon Davis, one of the original architects of Johnie's.

A video played in the back room showing scenes from movies that featured Johnie's. This is from Miracle Mile.

Orange barstools

Vintage Sweda cash register

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All photos are ©2005 Kathryn Hill Photography.

Kitchen: Edible Flower Salad

Ingredients: mixed greens, Heirloom cherry tomatoes, sliced almonds, Purple Haze chèvre, edible flowers, and walnut oil vinaigrette.

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All photos are ©2005 Kathryn Hill Photography.

Kitchen: Coffee, cacao nibs, and cardamom

Coffee: Philz special blend. Cacao nibs: Scharffenberger. Cardamom pods.

Coffee + cacao nibs = in grinder. Brew all. Drink. Deliciousness.

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All photos are ©2005 Kathryn Hill Photography.

San Francisco: A Mighty Ruckus at Islais Creek

Some friends of mine put on a concert in San Francisco. I arrived fashionably late and spent more time talking with friends than taking pictures, but I grabbed a few good photos.

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All photos are ©2005 Kathryn Hill Photography.

San Francisco: Ferry Plaza Market

The Ferry Plaza Market is one of my favorite markets in San Francisco. The flower images were taken at the Oak Hill Farms store; I like how they incorporate dried herbs and fruits and vegetables in their botanical creations. It makes the bouquets not only beautiful, but also practical. The mushroom images were taken at Far West Fungi.

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Floral arrangement with squash, artichoke, and pomegranate.

Safflower wreath

Fig-laden branches

Capiscum (chili pepper) wreath

Pink cosmos

Dried bay leaf wreath

Dried herb and flower wreath

Roses

Lobster mushrooms

Blue foot mushrooms

Sea beans and huitlacoche mushrooms

Yellow foot mushrooms

Pink oyster mushrooms

Assorted mushrooms and sea beans

Assorted dried mushrooms

Chicken of the Woods mushroom

Pink-colored fungus culture under a glass cloche

Cauliflower mushroom

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All photos are ©2005 Kathryn Hill Photography.