Steampunk recumbent.

June 16, 2008 8:32 AM

Steampunk recumbent. That is all.I'm speechless but awed.
posted by fixedgear (92 comments total)

I don't care what the recumbent OR steampunk haters think: That is a sweet ride.
posted by DU at 8:37 AM on June 16, 2008

But, wait, it's not steam powered? That right there is a wasted opportunity.
posted by oddman at 8:37 AM on June 16, 2008

Steampunk is bad because people who like steampunk are very annoying!

But steampunk is good because it is a provides a rich palette of artistic expression!

Now I see that both our arguments are sound and we should respect each other's opinions.

/thread
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 8:39 AM on June 16, 2008 [9 favorites]

Vulcanize these tires, posthaste!
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 8:41 AM on June 16, 2008 [4 favorites]

From the photos, it would appear that it is not against the law to ride that thing without smoking a pipe.

I would not have guessed that.
posted by flarbuse at 8:41 AM on June 16, 2008 [2 favorites]

The original Victorians did it better.
posted by barnacles at 8:41 AM on June 16, 2008 [4 favorites]

Wow, two hated tastes that hate great together.
posted by splatta at 8:44 AM on June 16, 2008 [7 favorites]

But, wait, it's not steam powered? That right there is a wasted opportunity.

Don't worry, it's covered.
posted by DU at 8:48 AM on June 16, 2008

You can practically hear Cory getting a boner all the way over here.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:48 AM on June 16, 2008 [5 favorites]

I feel like an internet anthropologist whenever I try to explain steam punk to my friends, and when I explain why people seem to hate it so much.
posted by hellojed at 8:52 AM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

recumbant = green machine for grown ups.
posted by srboisvert at 8:54 AM on June 16, 2008 [2 favorites]

I don't know why, but recumbent bikes just viscerally piss me off. But I like how 'steampunk'y stuff looks. I am torn. HALP.


Wait.. picture of a total hipster doofus? I am tilted towards hate.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 8:56 AM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

Ha. I am suspicious of both 'bents and steampunk, but I did enjoy this.
posted by everichon at 8:58 AM on June 16, 2008

pht.

Call me when they jerry-rig a recumbent penny-farthing.
posted by boo_radley at 9:01 AM on June 16, 2008 [2 favorites]

I saw one picture of this yesterday and I was underwhelmed, but the whole thing is quite impressive and obviously a labor of love. Anyone who spends time tinkering with bikes is bound to be an alright kind of person.
posted by OmieWise at 9:03 AM on June 16, 2008

An amazing vision of an alternate history where victorians has bicycles!
posted by Artw at 9:03 AM on June 16, 2008 [18 favorites]

Finally, moving target for me to shoot at with my Dr. Angleweiss Pneumatic Velocogun as I cruise at hunting altitude in my Corpus AeroSack*. My Sunday ride is starting to look up!

* I had to upgrade from my previous AeroSack, the Driftopede, after its last extremely tumultuous outing It turns out that a giant balloon hoisting a shouting white guy with a steam-loading crossbow is a popular target for the local constabulary, who take a dim view of those of us that drift along the winds hunting the most dangerous game. I doubt there will be as much public outcry were I to gun this dude down in the street.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:05 AM on June 16, 2008 [6 favorites]

Thorzad: He already did.
posted by pharm at 9:07 AM on June 16, 2008

Anyone who spends time tinkering with bikes is bound to be an alright kind of person.

you, sir, have clearly not spent much time in the company of self-styled anarchists.
posted by wreckingball at 9:08 AM on June 16, 2008 [4 favorites]

My first thought when reading was why the three different types of lighting...acetylene, kerosene, and incandescent? Either replace the incandescent with another "-ene" type light so things rhyme, or pick *one* type of fuel. That seems very un-steampunkish to have something lighted with three different fuel sources instead of a more efficient and convenient one source.

Also, I think one day the rider's overly long coat shall get caught in the chain/spokes or dragged along the ground until irreparably frayed. Based on my knowledge of the cost to dress steampunk, that will be an expensive coat to replace...

Otherwise, this was a cool project/bike - I like seeing the result of others' hobbies/passions.
posted by JibberJabber at 9:10 AM on June 16, 2008

Looks like something out of a Wild,Wild,Wild West movie. All of your stuff is really great!
posted by drawe at 9:10 AM on June 16, 2008

Like most steam-punk that makes it here or to BB, its not actually powered by steam. It turns out that stuff actually powered by steam is kinda boring. Plus everyone knows the cool kids have moved onto cocopunk.
posted by damn dirty ape at 9:13 AM on June 16, 2008

It looks neat, I'll give them that.
posted by drezdn at 9:16 AM on June 16, 2008

Eh, It would have been cooler to make a bike with simple Victorian styling without a lot of extra crap glued on. Or if he had actually made it steam powered.
posted by delmoi at 9:16 AM on June 16, 2008

That seems very un-steampunkish to have something lighted with three different fuel sources instead of a more efficient and convenient one source.


Because, if steampunk is known for one thing, it's the efficiency of design.
posted by horsemuth at 9:17 AM on June 16, 2008 [3 favorites]

Like most steam-punk that makes it here or to BB, its not actually powered by steam.

"punk" doesn't mean "powered by".
posted by DU at 9:22 AM on June 16, 2008

It actually means "cosplay" these days.
posted by Artw at 9:30 AM on June 16, 2008 [10 favorites]

The interesting thing I guess is the steampunk angle.

But my nephew builds and competes in low-rider bike competitions. Nowadays the winners in these things tend to look....well...like this.
posted by vacapinta at 9:42 AM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

It actually means "cosplay" these days.

or "boiled down to iconic symbol that I can glue/sew/weld/buy on everything I own, in lieu of really grokking the thing I am trying to be".

I was trying to be chill about this, overlook the useless gears-as-decoration, the ridiculous discomfort of having an acetylene lamp burning at face height so that the fumes stream into your nose as you pedal, and just admire the craftiness of it... but then I saw that the creator's riding attire included a floppy car coat and motorcycle boots, and .... well, nevermind. If you're going to be all detail oriented, but wear the completely improper outfit, your details may not be so great either.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:52 AM on June 16, 2008

I've steamed a couple of punks in my day, but they are better grilled or broiled..
posted by HuronBob at 9:54 AM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

I suppose he spends a lot of nights recumbent, polishing his brass fittings until his knuckles ache. Wearing the hat and goggles.

I'd also rather see real steam -- "driven by an eccentric on the crankshaft" is not in reference to the designer.
posted by pracowity at 9:55 AM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

So that's what a proper velocipede looks like. I'd always wondered.
posted by quin at 9:55 AM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

I was hoping it would be a bit more gothic and a bit less Model-T. Still, nice bike.
posted by krinklyfig at 10:10 AM on June 16, 2008

...boiled down to iconic symbol that I can glue/sew/weld/buy on everything I own, in lieu of really grokking the thing I am trying to be...

I'm as functional and practical as they come, but I still don't get the hate against steampunk. He isn't trying to really be a guy from 1880 riding a bike any more than a person wearing sneakers is trying to really be a tennis player or a person wearing jeans is trying to really be a gold prospector. It's an aesthetic.

When the Rachel haircut was popular with young women, it would have made sense to mock them for being conformist. It would not make sense to mock them for failing to live in a huge New York apartment. When fins were all the rage on cars in the 50s, it would have made sense to mock them for being ugly. It would not have made sense to mock them for failing to go upstream to spawn.

When a guy puts a gears and some brass lanterns on his bike, it makes sense to mock him for having no sense of style. But it makes no sense to mock him for failing to use only technology invented before 1900.

Decoration makes something look like something else RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!
posted by DU at 10:16 AM on June 16, 2008 [7 favorites]

I don't know why, but recumbent bikes just viscerally piss me off.

I don't think this is a steampunk recumbent bicycle. I think it's a steampunk bigwheels.
posted by inigo2 at 10:21 AM on June 16, 2008

Like most steam-punk that makes it here or to BB, its not actually powered by steam. It turns out that stuff actually powered by steam is kinda boring. Plus everyone knows the cool kids have moved onto cocopunk.

Powered by cocopuffs?
posted by inigo2 at 10:24 AM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

God, I want to punch steampunk in the face.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 10:34 AM on June 16, 2008 [3 favorites]

I have this personal rule called the "bonus features" rule. If your feature set is so obvious that If I can tell by your from across the room what you're "into", then I don't want to know about it, and I don't want to know about you.

Rockabilly music. Star Wars. S&M. Anime. Whatever those guys who wear ankle length dusters and Australian outback hats are about. Indie Rock. "real" hip-hop. Motorcycles. Anyone from Los Angeles.

It's so much more interesting when the polyamorous guy DOESN'T have a ponytail and believe in wolf-spirits.

I'd be so much more interested in hearing about Burning Man if it was a surprise addition to the conversation. Unfortunately your purple dreadlocks goggles, ad fire-juggling equipment made that impossible.

I'm now preemptively adding steampunk to that list. I know this guy was just celebrating his new doo-hickey, but I clearly see where this is going.

There's only one exception to this rule. Gay leather daddies. That entire lifestyle/aesthetic pairing is infinitely fascinating to me.
posted by billyfleetwood at 10:38 AM on June 16, 2008 [25 favorites]

Whatever those guys who wear ankle length dusters and Australian outback hats are about.

They're goths - like really old goths.
posted by Artw at 10:45 AM on June 16, 2008

sorry for all the typos, I typed the above comment while pretending my Macbook was a circa-1971 Olivetti typewriter.
posted by billyfleetwood at 10:45 AM on June 16, 2008 [2 favorites]

as said before. neither steam nor punk. albeit cool and neat looking, they need to find a new name.
posted by noriyori at 10:46 AM on June 16, 2008

I'm gonna buy an EEE, disguise it as a giant moleskin notebook, and pretend I'm a 50s beat poet.
posted by Artw at 10:47 AM on June 16, 2008

I need to round up all the things mefi deservedly has a full-on hate for, because my god I almost hurt myself laughing reading this thread.
posted by cashman at 11:08 AM on June 16, 2008

I find the recumbent bicycles much more embarrassing than the steampunk.

Most embarrassing was the time I saw a guy on an electric recumbent. You're too lazy to sit up, and you're too lazy to do your own pedaling? Just go lay on your couch like every other sedentary American.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 11:10 AM on June 16, 2008 [3 favorites]

S&M...There's only one exception to this rule. Gay leather daddies.

You know what I hear gay leather daddies are into? Yeah.

But as for me, I really hate when Jews have big noses and curly hair, gay guys lisp, dykes hold other womens' hands, and black people are black. It's, like, so boring. We get it already, you're different. Yawn.
posted by birdie birdington at 11:28 AM on June 16, 2008

OMG MOCKING COSPLAYERS IS JUST LIKE RACISM!!!
posted by Artw at 11:29 AM on June 16, 2008

"I don't care what the recumbent OR steampunk haters think: That is a sweet ride."

But is it a fixie?
posted by Eideteker at 11:35 AM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

It's pretty cool. Minor nitpick: It's actually a trike.

STILL COOL THOUGH GET OFF IT'S METAPHORICAL BACK!!!
posted by Mister_A at 11:47 AM on June 16, 2008

OMG I jujst did it's/its error. I RESIGN MY COMMISSION AS METAFILTER GRAMMAR JERK 1ST CLASS.
posted by Mister_A at 11:49 AM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

When a guy puts a gears and some brass lanterns on his bike, it makes sense to mock him for having no sense of style. But it makes no sense to mock him for failing to use only technology invented before 1900.

Decoration makes something look like something else RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!

I'm not mocking him for not using tech from before 1900 (because then his trike would have to be a fixie), I'm saying fake gear decoration is what every lame ass wannabe has decided is shorthand for "steampunk", and and in most cases demonstrates little thought beyond that sort of superficial, non-functional way of looking at things. Now I'm also not saying that this person is superficial; but if you've gone to the trouble of doing a cool mod that actually has _functioning_ gears, why gunk it up with the same unnecessary and trite fluffy bits that have come to be the hallmark of people that think steam is clean energy and Victorians wore goggles on their top hats?
posted by oneirodynia at 12:26 PM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

Old & busted.

New hotness.
posted by LordSludge at 12:46 PM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

FOr one delicious moment, I hoped that "the cool kids have moved onto cocopunk. posted by damn dirty ape at 9:13 AM on June 16" meant that someone had crafted a socially progressive, even green reason for ingesting chocolate.
posted by Cranberry at 1:26 PM on June 16, 2008 [2 favorites]

Someone left this on my blog:

"I saw your post for the SP Recumbent on MeFi a moment ago... the link led to a site linked on BoingBoing two days ago. I was wondering if you found it by way of BB and if you ever thought about adding something like "found by way of the good folks at Boing Boing?"
Maybe you are the one who posted it to BB -- i don't want to accuse, just wanted to raise the question as attribution seems to be negelected--generally speaking--in this collective endeavour we call teh interwebz."

I don't read BoingBoing, even in an RSS reader. This came from Bike Hugger and yes, shame on me for not noting so.
Bike Hugger lists three sites where this bike is currently featured so my sense is that when things like this catch fire on the internet there is an audit trail of who posted what first but in the end it doesn't make a whole lot of difference.
posted by fixedgear at 1:32 PM on June 16, 2008

But for a true steampunk attribution, you'd need some old gears, brass paint, and no girlfriend. The attribution would be five feet tall and emit a soft series of 'pufts' as the main boiler heated up. Neighborhood orphans would work day and night to shovel coal into the attributions hopper while you would be forced to sit near by, perhaps on some form of complicated bicycle, twirling your mustache and doffing your goggled tophat to passing ladies.

So we'll give you a pass on this one.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 1:41 PM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

On close examination the "boiler" would turn out to be a red light reflected off of a crinkled roll of tinfoil onto a paper screen.
posted by Artw at 1:50 PM on June 16, 2008

And the orphans would be merely estranged from their parents.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 1:52 PM on June 16, 2008

If by "estranged" you mean merely a little grumpy, and given to wasting their parents hard earned money on siliness and tat, then yes.
posted by Artw at 2:01 PM on June 16, 2008

Countdown to Cory Doctorow blogging it in 5....4.....3.....2....

Hey, did you know he has a new book out?
posted by mattholomew at 2:15 PM on June 16, 2008

I see it's called 'The Brass Lion'... that single fact alone makes me want to run it over with a monster truck. Then set fire to it. Then run over it again.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:28 PM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

Monster trucks are about nine million times more awesome than anything "Steampunk", and Monster trucks destroying "Steampunk" things are nine million times more awesome than that. All hail INFERNOKRUSH!
posted by Artw at 3:35 PM on June 16, 2008

I was wondering if you found it by way of BB and if you ever thought about adding something like "found by way of the good folks at Boing Boing?"

Jesus, how annoying. BoingBoing is fine, but a bunch of people more committed to pimping their own work and monetizing the work of others would be tough to find. They regularly post things (with small attribution, but still) that they see on MeFi, and they regularly trawl sites set up by MeFites (Bibilodyssey anyone?) for the content that makes them their money. I wonder if it's some clueless fanboy, or one of the Boinger trolling for hits and attribution this time?
posted by OmieWise at 4:25 PM on June 16, 2008

People are really annoyed by recumbents? Why? I can understand the steampunk hatred, but I don't really see what's to dislike about people who ride silly-looking but perfectly functional bikes.
posted by whir at 4:37 PM on June 16, 2008

People are really annoyed by recumbents? Why? I can understand the steampunk hatred, but I don't really see what's to dislike about people who ride silly-looking but perfectly functional bikes.

I think it's similar to people who ride unicycles and tall bikes -- to non-riders of these devices, it seems to be a lot of effort and cost to just be 'different'. I've heard some go so far as to refer to it as attention-whoring.

Additionally, I was at a car-free festival the other day and when I saw the recumbent roll by me, I got the feeling that it read like he was in a wheelchair, and we all know how uncomfortable people in wheelchairs make us all.
posted by Extopalopaketle at 4:49 PM on June 16, 2008

Vintage Italian Prone Recumbent.
posted by Tube at 4:55 PM on June 16, 2008

Recumbents are a lot safer than regular bikes. My dad has been riding one ever since he hit a curb going 20 and broke his face.
posted by you're a kitty! at 5:11 PM on June 16, 2008

Black leather seat? Black leather seat??? Come on.

Go brown or go home.
posted by Sys Rq at 5:52 PM on June 16, 2008

Recumbents are a lot safer than regular bikes.

Sure, except that they're practically invisible to motorists.
posted by Sys Rq at 5:53 PM on June 16, 2008

"Steampunk" as blogged about these days really doesn't have anything to do with period-authentic styling applied to new technology, or even anything really against the establishment, since they're modifying objects that are often already modified by many other groups. Really, what it's mostly about is gluing a bunch of old-timey shit to your stuff to make it look like it, and possibly you, fell out of a Final Fantasy game.
posted by mikeh at 5:54 PM on June 16, 2008

Sure, except that they're practically invisible to motorists.

True. He doesn't usually ride it in the street, but I know that's not feasible everywhere.
posted by you're a kitty! at 6:03 PM on June 16, 2008

You can be visible as one of those little flags, but then the driver might mistake you for a hole on a golf course.
posted by Artw at 9:37 PM on June 16, 2008

I'm gonna buy an EEE, disguise it as a giant moleskin notebook, and pretend I'm a 50s beat poet.

The only living 50s beat poet I know uses a beat up old XP box, and he mainly uses it to listen to NPR and community radio netcasts.

Seems like the only folks I see actually using Moleskin brand notebooks... well... let's put it this way. They're kind of like 90% of SUV sales. They look neat, but the owner never takes them off road.

Most of the folks I know that could actually use a Moleskin as intended can't afford one, and they're too busy actually living to deal with that kind of fussy stuff. Today's "moleskin" is a cheap spiralbound notebook stuffed full of things and held together with binder clips or rubber bands, or a beat up old laptop, and/or a stable, portable email account.
posted by loquacious at 9:44 PM on June 16, 2008

Sure, except that they're practically invisible to motorists.

Look, you can see a cat in the road, right? No? *suddenly shouts "LOOK OUT!" as you're driving, pumping you full of adrenalin as you slam on the brakes* Did I get your attention? You either need glasses or you need to pay closer attention! PUT THE PHONE AWAY, PUT DOWN THE DRINK, AND TURN OFF THE GODDAMN RADIO. Let's try this again...

You see that cat in the road, right? You don't want to run over the cat, right? The bike is much bigger, and it has lots of blinky things on it, and you want to hit it even less. You're obligated to share the road with cyclists, motorcycles and even pedestrians and small animals. Pay attention. You share the road with many different things. Not all of them are going to be car-sized, or car-height - and in all instances it is your job to not run over them. Never at any point is it that cyclists job - above and beyond following the rules of traffic and displaying the appropriate safety reflectors and lights - to avoid being run over by you. You're the one behind the wheel of the big heavy death-mobile. Take responsibilty for it.
posted by loquacious at 9:53 PM on June 16, 2008 [2 favorites]

Anyone from Los Angeles.

Am I allowed to just start saying "fuck off" to the blind LA hatred?

If so: fuck off.

Otherwise, er, well. Shit.
posted by flaterik at 12:37 AM on June 17, 2008

The original Victorians did it better

Oooo! A steampunk Segway!
posted by flabdablet at 12:40 AM on June 17, 2008

I'd hate on recumbent bikes as an affectation as well, but....I know at least two folks with bad backs (as in, had major surgery, not just suffering from the yuppie lower back twinge) who couldn't go back to cycling until they bought recumbents.
posted by availablelight at 5:49 AM on June 17, 2008

Am I allowed to just start saying "fuck off" to the blind LA hatred?

NO
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:40 AM on June 17, 2008

...Actually, I don't care; paste some gears on your enormous, self-absorbed pollution factory of a city and call it Steampunksville for all I care!
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:41 AM on June 17, 2008

You're the one behind the wheel of the big heavy death-mobile. Take responsibilty for it.

I do. But you know what? Not everyone does.

Would you crawl on all fours in the street? Probably not. Why? Because it's not safe. If you are lower than the hood of some asshole's Hummer, you're more likely to get squished. Mr Hummer's fault, sure, but he's not the one smeared across the road.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:48 AM on June 17, 2008

Somewhere a MeFite is masturbating.

I'd also rather see real steam -- "driven by an eccentric on the crankshaft" is not in reference to the designer.

You know, when I think about alternative and inventive means of transportation, the thing that doesn't really scream "intelligent" or "sane" is strapping a handmade boiler and firing it up to full steam between my legs. At least you can say for the guy that he is damn confident in his welding!
posted by Pollomacho at 7:51 AM on June 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

your enormous, self-absorbed pollution factory of a city

But I don't live in new york.

... you can call me self-absorbed for living in LA just as soon as I can call you racist for living in Virginia. See how fun this is?!

Sorry for the derail it's just really, really old.
posted by flaterik at 8:05 AM on June 17, 2008

I hoped to come into this steampunk pussy bike thread and shit all over it, but...

Mission accomplished, gang. Nice work.
posted by jstef at 9:28 AM on June 17, 2008

LA - the only city whose unofficial motto is a mini-ozone whole letting in deadly UV radiation to fade the clothes of steampunk types.
posted by Artw at 9:38 AM on June 17, 2008

... you can call me self-absorbed for living in LA just as soon as I can call you racist for living in Virginia. See how fun this is?!

Dude, I'm calling you self-absorbed because you're turning this thread about making fun of cosplayers into a thread about the merits of living in LA, a subject that -- believe it or not -- pretty much no one outside of LA actually gives a shit about.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 9:55 AM on June 17, 2008

It was late and I was annoyed by the nth example of "everyone in LA sucks amirite?", given that I live in LA. I don't care about what you think about the merits of living here, but hearing yet again a variation on "I hate you personally because you live there" is... grating, to say the least.

Especially since I sure like most of you. Quite a bit. For the record, I remember your username and like you in particular, at least based on what you write here. I even agreed with just about everything ELSE in the comment I was replying to, even the other parts that would apply to me and be potentially insulting. But I'm sick of my choice of major metropolitan area being used as a comment on my personal worth.

Short version: "la sucks" - to each their own. "you suck because you live in LA" - somewhat offensive.

We can now continue making fun of people who wear the wrong clothes with their silly bike projects.
posted by flaterik at 10:06 AM on June 17, 2008

Well, you do clearly suck.
posted by Artw at 10:08 AM on June 17, 2008

Hey, as long as you're basing it on me and not where I live!
posted by flaterik at 10:14 AM on June 17, 2008

Hey, man, I'm from Cleveland. I don't wanna hear about it. At least the people who whine about anti-LA sentiment presumably have the money to live in LA. Try living somewhere everyone thinks sucks and being broke, oh! and also it's winter six months a year. Deal, my brother.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 10:17 AM on June 17, 2008

it's winter six months a year

I grew up in North Dakota. I paid my dues ;) I shall return to my purported nordic resilience now.
posted by flaterik at 11:01 AM on June 17, 2008

I'm from LA.

I've actually met flaterik (before we met on MeFi) and he's one of a few that don't suck in LA.

But LA - kinda, mostly - sucks. I say that as someone who was born there, and as someone who has ancestors in California that go back before it was even a state. There's a lot of suck in LA.

There's a lot of good stuff, too. If you know where to look. But in LA, people covet these things and places and protect them and keep them secret. No one is going to hand them to you on a platter. You know you've made a friend in LA when they share their favorite overlook, campground, or mom and pop restaurant or what have you.

But people who don't even have any idea of what LA really is aren't allowed to bitch about it on my watch. LAX is not LA. Downtown is not LA. Hollywood or Disneyland sure as fuck isn't LA, and neither is Orange County.

I will accept bitching about LA if you know it well enough to navigate - in one day:

To The Pantry for breakfast, San Pedro for coffee and a walk on the docks, stopping by East LA to pick up tacos for a picnic lunch in the abandoned zoo in Griffith Park, cruising the Valley for the afternoon just because you can, hiking in the Los Angeles National Forest or Santa Monica Mountains before drinks in both Pasadena and Montrose, dancing somewhere on Melrose before taking a ride in the glass elevators in the jet-age Westin St. Boneventure, followed by finding bacondogs somewhere under a dirty overpass of the 10 at 4:30 in the morning before making it to catch the sunrise at El Mirage dry lake bed.

I suggest a large, fast car with no top. You may also find that a Thomas Guide and a navigator who knows how to provide cover fire from a moving vehicle are valuable assets.
posted by loquacious at 2:00 PM on June 17, 2008

Old and tired. New hotness.
posted by deCadmus at 8:46 PM on June 17, 2008 [2 favorites]

Loquacious:

No one cares about LA except people from LA. Who, by and large, seem to think that the world at large finds LA...and, by extension, they themselves...boundlessly fucking fascinating. And they talk about it. All. The. Time. And also possess control over most media, meaning that this incessant blather is inflicted on everyone else in the world. All. The. Time. This is the secret origin of all LA hatred

The secret origin of steampunk hatred is harder to figure out. I share this hatred, but I have a very hard time explaining it. Is it the annoyance everyone shares for cosplayers? Is it the annoyance produced when profoundly un-punk people declare themselves "punk"? Is it their stupid faces? The answer is YES
posted by kittens for breakfast at 8:16 AM on June 18, 2008 [2 favorites]

NO

YES

MAKE UP YOUR MIND
posted by flaterik at 1:13 PM on June 18, 2008