Photo Essay: Irvine Spectrum
A'right the long-awaited Irvine Spectrum Photo Essay (v2) is finally ready for livejournal publication. I say v2 because I actually did a photo essay on the place a long time ago, on a real camera. Much of what you'll see in this current photo essay was under construction then, so if I ever get around to scanning those old pictures they'd make an interesting addition. Right now they're in my photo portfolio, which has been gathering dust under my bed for at least a year undisturbed. d=
Now the Irvine Spectrum is one of the few places one can find "life" around here on a Friday or Saturday evening. In high school my friends and I would all pile into one of our cars and while we'd debate what to do all evening until we found ourselves suddenly at the "Sprectum." We would then eat inordinate amounts of candy and get sugar high out of our minds.
It is also the site of several adventures in The Spectrum Diedrichs Trilogy, which if you haven't read already you must immediately or I'll kill you. Anyway, it had this to say about the Spectrum: "that glorious beacon, the Spectrum, which outshines The Block in Orange in all ways save possession of a Krispy Kremes" (from Episode I: Night of the Fountain), and "They entered the confines of its white walls by the famous cool waters of the west-side fountain, proceeded among the thatched roofs of the many indigenous shops, till they arrived among the hallowed lions by the food court, newly reshrubbed, and stood before famous Diedrich's Coffee." (from Episode II: The Exciting Adventures of Spridonovic Johnny Alfronzo)
I must have been really delirious at the time because the "hallowed lions" are not by the food court (the food court has hallowed turtles), but the famous Spectrum Diedrichs no longer exists, and I haven't talked to Fish in at least a year. Its been more than three years since we wrote the story together over AIM, I probably really need to go through it again and revise it. Anyway enough about my story and on with the photo essay:
Photo Essay: The Irvine Spectrum
Part of the third, most recent (final, probably not), expansion. In an attempt to draw crowds during the slow daytime hours, they decided to build up an area of retail and general shopping anchored by a Macys. In my opinion this is lameness, but judging by the daytime crowds pictured I guess its working.
and they built a ferris wheel. WTF? I've never even seen anyone on it. They also have a parking shuttle with a video thing for you to watch while you ride it like its disneyland or something.
Now see, when I look at this picture, I see America herding palm trees into a giant fan which will destroy them. Its symbolic see.
Behind the palm trees is Nara Nara, a hookah bar.
Entrance into the "second phase" of the Spectrum, where most of the activity can usually be found.
The "west side fountain," which was on the east side of the Spectrum actually. Now its in the center. This is looking east towards Phase III and the vantage point of the previous picture.
America is Spying on You! This is looking slightly to the left and upwards from the previous picture, showing the flag pictured previously.
Again turning around in that same vantage point essentially and looking east.
Going through that archway and looking back again...
...a few archways later (looking back again)
and those "hallowed lions"
stepping back and looking the same direction. I should have done these all in the opposite order I guess since they're all "looking backwards"
...around another corner & through another archway, "looking back" the way we've just come again. That guy appears to disprove the myth the the Spectrum may be the "happiest place on Earth."
same shot. Its hard to tell with the shrunk picture but the guy with the gatsby also has an A+ grimace on his face.
One of a number of ginormous planters situated throughout the spectrum. "thats a lot of pot."
Now we've reached the most ancient (by which I mean maybe 10 years old?) core of the Spectrum, "Phase I". Behind those buildings to the left is the food court. There are no pictures of it because well it looks like a food court.
Irvine Spectrum ground zero. When it was build everyone was like "OMG 21 screens?? Thats unpossible!!" and worshipped it. In the foreground is the fountain you tell people to meet you at to see a movie and then when they run ten minutes late you are wracked with thoughts that THEY thought you meant the "west-side" fountain.
This is the building which used to house the Spectrum Diedrichs. What was once source of unending free coffee for me where I could count on knowing four of five employees at any given time now no longer exists at all.
Another landmark of the Spectrum, "the Obolisk." Its set off in the corner of the parking lot where its clearly visible from the freeway.
Related
Photobucket:
These Pictures - on photobucket.. in random order because I can't figure out the arcane secrets of photobuckets ordering.
Out-Takes - Pictures that didn't quite make the cut... mainly actually its sepia, b&w, or colour versions of pictures included in the photo essay in a different form. But these are all original size, which is cool because I shrank all the others in photobucket and their quality really suffered I think.
Current Time: 03:16am
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