We took Sebastian for his first ever haircut today, through screaming & tears & trepidation. Rather than seeking out an overpriced joint that caters to kids or settle for the mediocrity that tends to be Fantastic Sams & the like we settled instead upon Sweeney Todd’s Barber Shop on Hollywood Blvd. It’s a three-chair shop that serves as a step back in time. Old copies of Playboy, Modern Drunkard and Atomic Ranch filled the magazine rack, the water cooler was an actual glass 5-gallon number and the barbers themselves were straight out of the fifties, dressed in crisp white with impeccable hair (one with a picture-perfect pencil mustache) who knew all about the shops that once dominated downtown Los Angeles, alongside tattoo parlors that disappeared after the sixties. They were extremely patient with Sebastian’s reluctance to sit in the chair and we finally decided that it’d work well if he sat on my lap in the chair. Craig, a middle-aged man with a faded forearm tattoo I couldn’t quite make out and thick-rimmed black spectacles, told us the story of his first plane ride when he was three & a half flying out of Ontario airport — he didn’t want to go, broke away from his dad and ran around and around the airplane, forcing the pilot to chase & catch him. Once they wrangled him back onto the plane he got to ride in the cockpit after that, and even got a pair of wings. Sebastian didn’t react much to the story and kept his eyes shut tight for much of the time, but the tears stopped and he handled it like a trooper. He says he doesn’t like his haircut, and AM is a little sad to see his long locks go, but I think he looks quite sharp and the short back & sides will be much better for the summer. I’ll take him back alone next time — AM felt a little out of place in such a boy’s club (though they made us all feel welcome). It is another way I can live vicariously through my son… I mean, it’d be a little weird for a bald guy to hang out at a barber shop, right? Anyway, there are some pictures up now of his trip to the barber and from the past few weeks. Enjoy as always!

Our trip to Joshua Tree was absolutely wonderful! It’s been 8 years since we’ve gone there and I didn’t realize how much I missed being out in the desert… The weather was perfect – 75 degrees and sunny, though there was a bit of a haze for much of the drive (we couldn’t even see the mountains!). Sebastian was a trooper and enjoyed climbing on the rocks, and I think everyone enjoyed the landscape and views. Enjoy the photos… we’ll post more soon!

We’ve been enjoying our visit with Aunt Jean & Daniel and we have a few (very few, for some reason) photos up… Between the 3 camera’s I’m sure there are more, but we’ll try to do better today on our trip to Joshua Tree.

Yesterday we went to Chinatown, Olvera St., Pasadena for lunch @ Whole Foods (Curt’s Seitan Salad is the best!) and then headed to Venice & the beach. After some time watching the waves (we couldn’t take the chill for too long) we went to Alejo’s Italian Restaurant for dinner. All in all a great day.