Events

The Gipsy Kings in concert at Wolf Trap

We just got back from the Gipsy Kings concert at Wolf Trap. It was as fun as we expected it to be, and more! I’d never seen them in concert before, and neither had my wife, so nothing prepared us for the ebullient barrage of seven guitars playing in unison. It’s a unique experience, one that you must see to understand. You just don’t get the same effect when you listen to them on a CD. Trust me on this.

The weather was perfect and the venue was great. If you have a chance to see the Gipsy Kings at Wolf Trap, go, today (as I write this, it’s just past midnight). They’re having another concert this evening (Friday), and if you can get seats, go. These are some of the most inexpensive tickets you can buy to go see them on their US tour this summer. While tickets sell for up to $2,000 at other venues, we were able to get orchestra seats for $40 per person at Wolf Trap. That’s a bargain!

I recorded video sequences of the concert, only to have my camera play games with me. First it kept telling me that my freshly charged battery was empty, then it corrupted a few of the video clips I recorded… At least I managed to salvage enough video clips to put together the video you see below. Trust me, the video doesn’t do them justice. They had us dancing on our feet most of the time. People were yelling and whistling and dancing and clapping like there was no tomorrow. My palms are still sore from all that clapping.

➡ Download Gipsy Kings in Concert (M4V, 720×540, 1:28) or view at YouTube or Vimeo

I apologize for not being able to keep the video camera steady. It’s hard to do it while dancing. Enjoy! 🙂

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Places

Cutting edge

The edge of a tropical plant's elongated leaf is shown in macro mode.

The edge of a tropical plant's elongated leaf is shown in macro mode.

Also from my parents’ yard (like this one). Did I mention I like my parents’ yard?

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Places

Mack the Knife

The claw-like leaves of a palm leaf with the sun's rays shining through.

The claw-like leaves of a palm leaf with the sun's rays shining through.

In my parents’ yard. They live in South Florida, which was home to me for many years.

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Places

The evening breeze

Stems of long grass flutter in the cool evening wind.

Stems of long grass flutter in the cool evening wind.

One of my most favorite photos. Not sure why it’s not one of my more popular at Flickr, but I like it. A LOT. Taken in North Bethesda, MD, in our community.

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Places

Washington DC panoramic

In May of 2007, I happened to be at the top of the Key Bridge Marriott Hotel in Arlington, VA. That hotel has the most amazing view of DC and Arlington from its ballroom, which sits right on top of it and has floor to ceiling windows.

I also just happened to have a video camera and tripod with me (ahem), and took some footage of the DC skyline, the Key Bridge, and the Potomac River. That footage sat around on my computer till last week, when I finally had the time to edit it properly and to work on a soundtrack for the video.

This video is the result. You can download it below, or view it at Vimeo or YouTube. (The soundtrack doesn’t sound as good at YouTube, their compression isn’t that great.)

➡ Download Washington DC Panoramic (720×540, MOV, 2:16)

By the way, I took this photo that same evening, from the roof of the building. The hospitality manager was a really nice guy and he let me go up and spend about 15 minutes taking photos up there.

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