Blue Sky Day - Part One

"I did it for me. I liked it. I was good at it. And I was really… I was alive." - Walter White

If you've ever read this blog, you know that I am from New Mexico and went to college in Albuquerque. It was never my plan to end up there - I originally intended on going to school in the midwest. Alas, I ended up in Albuquerque, attending UNM, and had the best time of my life. Ever the gypsy, I knew I'd leave Albuquerque as soon as I graduated. And I leave I did… twice! Despite my wanderlust, however, nowhere I have lived thus far has felt as close to home as good ol' Albuquerque. 

Although I try to get back to New Mexico and Albuquerque as often as I can, I don't get to go as often as I would like. When the governor of New Mexico started advertising film tax credits as a way to boost the economy, I was both amused and excited… hoping that it might mean I would get to see my beloved city more often on TV and in movies. Sadly, most movies and shows filmed in the city use Albuquerque as a backdrop for other cities - rarely featuring the city as a character itself. When Breaking Bad aired, I was thrilled! Finally, a show based in Albuquerque! And it was fantastic television to boot!

Last month, I visited an exhibit at FIDM showing various television costumes from various Emmy nominated television series, including costumes from Breaking Bad. This gave me an idea - I would take my own Breaking Bad tour when I visited home over Labor Day! I convinced my mom and my sister to join in (my sister LOVES the show), and we scheduled a couple of hours to tour various spots before they left me in Albuquerque. I already knew most of the locations from recognition alone, and we filled in the blanks with the help of friends and Foursquare. What follows is the first half of our tour. 

While Albuquerque as a whole is definitely a major character, one cannot dismiss the importance that the White residence played in the show. This house, given the fictional address of 308 Negra Arroyo Lane, is a real home used in every single season of filming. So many pivotal scenes took place at this home - it's hard to pick a favorite. The screenshots above show the house through the years, including seasons 1, 3, and 5 respectively. Surprisingly, only the front and backyard ever make an appearance on the show. Despite looking incredibly realistic, the interior shots were not filmed on location - they were shot offsite on a soundstage. The owners have taken great pains to make sure people are aware of this - they've had quite a few classless looky-loos who have disrespected the property trying to get a sneak peek. 

Walter White's House

3828 Piermont Dr NE

Albuquerque, NM

While I knew it was located in the Northeast Heights, I was surprised to discover that it was in a neighborhood that I knew quite well. It's actually only a few short blocks away from my cousin, and less than 5 minutes slightly southwest of Saul Goodman's office. Thousands of fans have taken the trek to visit the iconic property, much to the annoyance of the owners and the neighbors. If you do decide to visit, be respectful of the private residence itself and the surrounding neighborhood. Don't block traffic or driveways, and definitely don't trespass, loiter, or vandalize the property (don't throw pizza on the roof!). You can visit the White Residence at 3828 Piermont Dr NE in Albuquerque. 

Saul Goodman's Office

9800 Montgomery Blvd NE

Albuquerque, NM

As I mentioned earlier, the White Residence is located less than 5 minutes from another famous location from the show - the offices of Saul Goodman! Saul's character was a riot, and appears to be based on a lawyer I remembered from my college days. (Yeah… not going to name him! But if you're from Albuquerque, you probably know who I'm talking about!) Hilariously enough, I did not recognize this location when I watched the show - my friend had to point it out. Why is that so funny? Because the strip mall is the site of a couple of my biggest college haunts! Haha! "Better Call Saul" has already started filming, but it doesn't appear that they are using this location for this prequel. Still, you can visit his former offices at 9800 Montgomery Blvd NE in Albuquerque.

A1A Carwash (Have an A-1 Day!)

9516 Snow Heights Circle

Albuquerque, NM

Our last stop in the Northeast Heights was just a bit further down the road, and was something I instantly recognized when I saw it on the show. Standing in for the A1A Carwash, the Octopus Carwash chain has been an Albuquerque staple for over 45 years. Sadly, the family owning the chain recently sold to Mister Car Wash. Although they were confident that Mister Car Wash would keep the "look" of the place intact, Mister Car Wash itself was recently sold to a private equity firm leaving the future of this location rather uncertain. So… stalk it while you can! Visit A1A Carwash in person at 9516 Snow Heights Circle in Albuquerque.

Well, that's it for now! I'll try to blog about the rest tomorrow : ) 

Until next time…

--- Becks

Falling Petals

"No two persons ever read the same book." -- Edmund Wilson

Hello, my lovelies. It has been far, far too long since I have maintained this little blog of mine. I have lots of pictures to share, but haven't been able to yet find the story to share with them. I promise to do so soon. Just need to find the patience to organize the pictures, watermark them, and upload them on to this blog. In the meantime, I have been reading… A LOT. 

I have always been a big reader, but it seems that I've been on a real kick with it lately. I normally average about one book per month, but I have been tearing through two or three each month since January. Even weirder? I'm reading books that I have already read. With so many splendid writers and new books out there to discover, you would think I would read those… but nooooo. Instead, I have been pouring over my old favorites, highlighting my favorite quotes and dog-earing my favorite chapters. One would think that I have been studying for some unknown test - as if I were about to be thrust back into school, being challenged by my professors and peers to look at the books differently… to see something I missed the first time around. It is so odd!

Interestingly, I have noticed nuances in these books that I had unconsciously passed over during my initial reading. My favorites do not appear to have much in common on the surface, but as I read over them again I have found some common threads… LOVE! HAPPINESS! LIFE! Now, not so much love in a romantic sense, but more like love as a matter of being. Love is such a weird thing, and we love things and people in such different ways. For example, the love I have for my family is different than the love I have for my friends, yet what I feel for both I still call "love" just the same. It's a very beautiful, complicated, and sometimes terrifying thing. I took a few of my favorite quotes from these books to show you what I mean. 

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley 

My heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy, and when wrenched by misery to vice and hatred, it did not endure the violence of the change without torture such as you cannot even imagine. 

The Sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway

"It's funny," I said. "It's very funny. And it's a lot of fun, too, to be in love."

"Do you think so?" her eyes looked flat again.

"I don't mean fun that way. In a way it's an enjoyable feeling."

"No," she said. "I think it's hell on earth."

The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein

My soul has learned what it came to learn, and all other things are just things. We can't have everything we want. Sometimes, we simply have to believe.

Invisible Monsters - Chuck Palahniuk
There's that fallen heart feeling that you rushed right through the moments where you should've been paying attention. 
Well, get used to that feeling. That's how your whole life will feel some day. 
This is all practice. None of this matters. We're just warming up. 

Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.

It's interesting that such a thread of themes has come to mind to me when I have been so busy with work. Usually one to call and check in with loved ones often, I have lately resigned myself to only calling a very small chosen few… mostly just to let them know I am alive. Alas, these books have provided much respite during such a stressful time. Honestly, revisiting these books has been like visiting home. I am such a nerd - I really need to get out more. Anyway, if you haven't read some of the above, I highly recommend them. Now, if you'll excuse me… I am about to re-read another favorite. Cheers!

Until next time ---

--- Becks

Hey, hey - It's Your Birthday!

"You say it's your birthday… " -- The Beatles

Before I kick off this blog post, I have to wish my friend AG the happiest of birthdays! I met up with AG in downtown LA yesterday to help her celebrate the occasion, and we had a blast! Our first stop was somewhere we both had really wanted to go - The Grammy Museum in LA Live. The Grammy Museum is fairly young, having been around only since 2008. It is committed to preserving and showcasing the works and history of Grammy winners. On display are exhibits dedicated to nearly every genre - my favorites being the ones dedicated to hip-hop, Latin music, opera, and pop music. Our favorites had to be the tribute to Michael Jackson and the Ringo Starr exhibit. To see such iconic pieces of music history is amazing! Sadly, they don't allow pictures in the museum. The only photo op was on the first floor where you can pretend to be the famous Beatle - guess you'll have to go and see it yourself!

We've obviously missed our calling - we should be rockstars!

After our tour of the Grammy Museum, I convinced AG she should join me to tour my favorite museum in all of LA - the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Design & Marketing! I've blogged about my love for FIDM before (see here and here) - their museum is fashion perfection! From the paper wigs on their mannequins to the amazing range of cultural and historical pieces, FIDM has something for the fashionista in all of us. My two favorite exhibits each year have to be their Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibits in the spring and their Annual Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design exhibits in the fall. Like the Grammy Museum, FIDM's Museum does not allow photography in the museum. I know - it's really sad. But you can check out pictures of their current exhibit on their blog here and here!

Free goodies from FIDM!

What FIDM lacks in the photo department, they make up for in the exhibit guides. Visitors to FIDM's 22nd Annual Art in Motion Picture Costume Design exhibit are gifted two "For Your Consideration" books and a comprehensive guide to all of the costumes on display in the museum. The two FYC books alone are worth going to the exhibit for!

The costume page from Twelve Years a Slave

The FYC book from Twelve Years a Slave is a beautiful picture book, highlighting all aspects of the film. How they ever got Lupita Nyong'o to look less than perfect is beyond me - she is spectacularly beautiful. The gorgeous pictures in the book make me want to see the movie again (Hint: If you haven't seen it yet, you should.)

Colin Farrell - swoon!

The FYC from Walt Disney's Saving Mr. Banks is stunning! The pictures are high quality, and while parts focus on the FYC aspects Disney & Co want you to look at, the rest focus on the movie and the story itself. I honestly think people would buy this book if Disney sold it. 

Tidbits of Mary Poppins history from the Disney Vault

The costume design...

… and reality!

We had both worked up an appetite exploring the Grammy Museum and FIDM, so we decided to head over to one of my favorite recent discoveries in LA - Bottega Louie! AG introduced me to Bottega Louie earlier this year when we stopped in for some macarons and snacks after a day of shopping in Santa Monica. This place is AMAZING! The desserts are not only beautiful - they're delicious! And now that I've finally had a meal there, I can confirm the rest of their food is just as good too. It's definitely on the top of my list for my adventures in downtown LA!

The macaron window display and a sampling of the desserts at Bottega Louie

While we were walking back to my car, AG confessed that despite living in Hollywood, she had never been to many of my favorite touristy spots in LA. I mentioned a couple of them on a blogpost a while back - most of which I discovered through one of my favorite blogs, Iamnotastalker.com. I figured what better way to remedy that than to show her a few before I brought her home! So off we went, visiting both the Universal Studios overlook, Hollywood Sign, and Priscilla's Coffee Shop in one swift swoop!

Overlooking the War of the Worlds set at Universal

I had an absolute blast celebrating AG's birthday in LA. I truly hope she did too. LA has quickly become my favorite home away from home, and I'm so grateful I've moved to California to experience it. 

Until next time…

--- Becks