iPhone

Friday Photos: Seraphic Secret’s Vacation

July 20, 2012 by Robert J. Avrech 13 Comments

Karen and I slipped away to Yosemite for a brief vacation. In the old days, I used to shlep an SLR and half a dozen lenses. Now I just use my iPhone. The truth is the best camera is the one you use and my iPhone, for better or worse, is always there like an extra limb.

When we were first married in 1977, Karen and I used to go camping and indulge in some hair-raising rock climbing. But now our idea of roughing it is staying in the Ahwahnee, a luxury hotel in the heart of Yosemite Valley.

Karen and I could not believe how smoothly the hotel was run. Afterall, Yosemite is a National Park. Is it possible, we asked ourselves, that the federal government is capable of running an efficient and profitable business? Were our Conservative ideals about to be shattered?

Friday Fotos: iPhone & I

August 5, 2011 by Robert J. Avrech 21 Comments

My morning goes something like this:

1. Up at about 5:30, maybe 6:00 a.m.

2. Shacharit, morning prayers.

3. Breakfast: fresh fruit sprinkled with non-fat plain yogurt while reading the Wall Street Journal.

4. Write Seraphic Secret blog. Hope I don’t make an idiot of myself with the day’s post.

5. Work on latest screenplay.

6. Three mile walk. Think about latest screenplay. Convince myself that every word I’ve written is garbage and needs to be revised.

7. Answer email. Make tons of spelling errors.

8. Lunch: Salmon salad with lemon juice dressing. Torture myself over terrifying shortcomings in latest screenplay.

On my walks, with Karen if we can synch our schedules, I carry my iPhone and snap pictures of objects that, for whatever reason, excite my imagination.

And my imagination is inevitably drawn to some pretty weird stuff. [Read more…] about Friday Fotos: iPhone & I

Friday Fotos

July 1, 2011 by Robert J. Avrech 9 Comments

Readers of Seraphic Secret know that yours truly likes to take long walks around my Los Angeles neighborhood and take pictures of stuff.

Shlepping my Canon SLR is a pain in the neck—literally. Thus, for the past few years, I’ve been carrying the fine and compact Canon PowerShot .

But recently, I switched the compact for my iPhone. In this way people can reach me—yesterday I spent over 30 minutes on a business call—and I can check Apple’s stock, plus Twitter away. Which I have discovered is not such a great idea unless you relish walking straight into traffic.

Obviously, the reason I carry the iPhone is because of its camera. I’ve been playing around with it for a few weeks and finally have a few pictures I’d like to share.

picografitti — The Hebrew text at the top of the building is from Deuteronomy 16:20: “Justice, Justice, you shall pursue.”

picogascap — The lid to an underground storage tank at a gas station looks like a yarmulke.

picomotel — Spooky motel on South La Cienega Boulevard. It seems to be deserted, but every once in a while I spot a figure darting about the courtyard, perhaps the ghost of Norman Bates.

picomannequin — Meet Ava. We've been trading meaningful looks for a few months now. Time to screen “One Touch of Venus” (1948) starring Ava Gardner.

karenchanel — Home from my walk, Karen models her new Chanel style ballet flats.

maayanhappy camper — First day of Summer day camp and Ma'ayan Ariel is a happy camper. iPhone photo by Offspring #2.

Karen and iWish all our friends a lovely and inspirational Shabbat.

See post below by Terry “Trip” Trippany explaining our new “new” comments section. Yup, based on reader feedback we have dropped Intense Debate. Our newer system is user friendly with some neat bells and whistles.