Aniston Wednesday

Now alot of y'all that have known me for the past several years are obviously aware that from time to time, I "brag" or bring up notable figures or celebrities that I've met and took photos of on that said day. Many could care less about several of them that I've encountered but witnessing Jennifer Aniston getting her star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame this past Wednesday was worth telling your friends (no pun intended) about.

This is personal to me cause I almost had a chance to get a photo of Jennifer 4 years ago, which turned out to be an epic publicity stunt. I was at Joan's on Third in late 2008 with some other paparazzi photographers waiting for some famous figure to show up since that eatery gets some well-known names here and there. Then this one paparazzi shows up on his bicycle and tell us, as if he were speed, that a big major A-Lister was gonna show up at The Ivy restaurant on Robertson Blvd in a few minutes. He then rides off and us photographers started sprinting towards the Ivy since it was less than two miles from Joan's on Third.

When I finally ran there 15 minutes later, there was a WILD GANG OF PAPARAZZI, SOME PRESS PHOTOGRAPHERS, AND A SHIT LOAD OF TOURISTS that were crowding the entrance of The Ivy. Some photographers leaked out that Jennifer Aniston was gonna show up with made some sense of the enlarged crowd. At that time, her and Angelina Jolie were the top two targets for the paparazzi to capture a photograph of since they both fucked the same guy, and I hope to God that his movie Moneyball wins Best Picture, despite that I haven't seen it yet, at the fixed-ass Academy Awards this Sunday. About one photo of those two women doing something can sell for at least 2 grand or 100 times more if one of them were caught drunk late at night on the Sunset Strip. But anyways, we were all waiting there for an hour and a half at least to wait to see if she was gonna exit out of The Ivy until one of the security guards there next to the Valet booth said that she just went out the back and left. That caught everyone by surprise and many of us got very frustrated. Hell, there were some 7 or 8 photographers that went to the back of The Ivy to see if she was still there after he said that, only to see no Jennifer Aniston in sight. This one OG paparazzi told me that out of the many times and years that he's captured celebrities at The Ivy, NONE OF THEM has ever left through the back but always through the front just to maintain their image status. For Jennifer thought, he then said that she caused a hell of a publicity stunt until I saw some crappy photos and this 30 second footage from another paparazzi who was their when she got there earlier...from the front.

To this day, Aniston is a major star, aside from the tabloids and bullshit. She's one of the few actress to have successful movie and television careers with got her a number of awards. Not only that, she was also started her life in the Valley, Sherman Oaks to be specific. The Walk Of Fame ceremony that was for her was pretty much a public marketing spectacle for plugging her new film Wanderlust. The ceremony would've made more sense if at least two of her ex co-stars from Friends showed up for support, but instead we got Justin Theroux from her new film, Adam Sandler who I've seen before two years ago at the Staples Center, and Malin Akerman, who was the most important reason why I wanted to show up. I have a poster of her that came with a Maxim magazine that featured her on the cover which I copped around the time Watchmen came out in early 2009. I brought it to see if she can autograph it, AND SHE DID! One of the chillest actresses that I've met so far. As for the ceremony itself, it went by quick like the many Walk Of Fame ceremonies that I've gone to in the past 6 years and the first one I was at had Jerry Buss getting his star when Johnny Grant was still alive. Not to be a jerk, but Jennifer Aniston is freakin' short with out the high heels. I thought that she was around my height, which is 5'11", but whatever, she and Malin Akerman are totally attractive and looking so very fine. I was even surprised that Jennifer took the time to sign autographs and pose pictures for the fans after the ceremony, instead of walking off like most top A-listers do. I shot them in film with my Nikon N70 so I'll scan them and upload them on my Facebook profile and my Flickr page once they get developed and printed.

But I give my respect to her since she gave up her past relationship and with the tensions and the true Rumors It Had of Angelina giving birth to three kids from her ex. Most people, especially emotional dudes, would go hiding and never to be seen from a Break Up by a Girl that looks Good, yet that Switch only made her a better actress (watch her in Horrible Bosses). She Just Has To Go Along Into That focus she's been having, right now that she has her name were people can walk on, so that years later she can reach The Object Space of recognition as an actress, something similar that a Rock Star might have once he's enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Cleveland, Ohio. By the way, I'll be turning 24 in 10 days, and there are these new Zoom Kobe VII's that will drop on that day, so if you can.... wait nevermind, that's asking too much. I still have cash from the shameless White/Cement IVs release from last week. Anyway's thanks for taking your time reading this, and have a safe drunk weekend.

Kickin' and Screamin'

Christmas weekend was decent. But the part about getting into a heated argument with my little brother after church and hitting on a semi-attractive woman 22 years older than me in Spanglish wasnt.

I spent those two days of it at two of my friend's house. I didn't receive alot of stuff this year other than a $75 Macy's gift card and a $50 check from my pops, but I liked watching my friends, their kids and nephews and nieces getting excited and watching their reaction as they unwrapped the presents they got. I also watched two films on TV during that weekend at their place: Horrible Bosses on DVD and A Game of Honor on my homie's Showtime On Demand. When Horrible Bosses came out during the summer, I thought that it was gonna be a piece of shit film with forced played out jokes and light bland acting. Plus I didn't like the concept of it as it came out during a time when people didn't have a job with bosses to bitch about, and those fortunate with jobs can't bitch about their bosses on their Facebook status. That was all before I watched this movie. After it finished playing, my opinion was different cause that entire film was funny as hell.

They should've made Jennifer Aniston a cameo in this flick and her acting in the movie is different as a minor cast member instead of taking lead roles as in other film. The plot of Horrible Bosses is slightly similar to Office Space, another earlier film that Aniston was also in, which relates to those fed up with their everyday jobs and the managers that signs their checks.

A Game of Honor is a documentary about the behind the scenes leading up to the annual traditional Navy-Army college football game that was played earlier this month (the same game that my homegirl Tina and I watched at Yardhouse in Newport Beach which I last blogged about). Its amazing and mind-thumping to see the new students at the US Naval Academy having to go through the intense disciplinary lifestyle and saying goodbye to their parents during the orientation. I got re-fueled alot more about responsibilities and respect from watching that documentary, from having to go defend and represent your country after finishing the requirements at the academy, as well as doing what it all takes to win a football game with your team members and showing your respect to those who gave you what you have from having to pull a lot of work and sacrifice just to put you were you're at in a fortunate position, just like the troops and soldiers have done for the past 225 years . If you're into the Armed Forces or know anyone who's served in the military and likes football, then this is a excellent film to check out. Major super props to the those in the Air Force, Marines, Army, Navy and the Coast Guard for doing so much work. I've been to military bases at Port Hueneme in Oxnard, El Segundo, Las Vegas, Sacramento and San Diego and just watching those in uniform had me thinking all the time, in a way similar to being in the same room with a traditional elder who's been alive for over so many years (at least 85) and still has perfect health. That's something you can't argue or debate about. Its untouchable. Forget money or politics in this, those are people just making lives better, and they're set for life for doing that. Again, thanks to those using their time in the military bases and the De La Torre's and Galvez's for the hospitality not just during the holiday weekend, but this entire year as well.

Another thing that was been happening throughout the holiday weekend was the release of the Air Jordan XI Concords colorway. In the last post I said that the release for this sneaker was gonna be wild with fights breaking out, AND I WAS TOTALLY RIGHT. Many people who've never collected expensive Nikes as a passion were surprised to see this occuring just for a basketball show, yet they fail to realize the whole meaning behind this shoe, not just because Michael Jordan wore it to win his fourth ring. It was the first (well second after the rare Nike Sky Force thanks to legendary east coast sneaker connoisseur DJ Bobbito Garcia from Its The Shoes) to have Patent Leather on a basketball shoe as well as carbon fiber on the bottom which has never been done before. Also, this was the first Jordan sneaker that Michael wore for his first full season in 1995 back from his first retirement. Ahmad Rashad debuted the XI's by wearing them during the Bulls playoff game against the Orlando Magic that summer before the Bulls 72-10 season on National television, which started the longevity buzz for the shoes, and in the finals during the 1995-96 season, the Chicago Bulls won their fourth title on Fathers Day that June, and it was significant for Michael cause this was the first championship that he won without his pops James Jordan to witness it, and there's a photo of him on the floor in the locker room that displays that moment. The XI's are Michael's personal favorite shoes, which makes it the most sought out Jordans of all time. That release from last Friday was nothing new. Everytime the XI's have been released (such as the Cool Grey XI from last year and 2001 when Jordan was in the Washington Wizards, the Space Jams XI re-release in 2009), there is always reports of chaos and fights in the shopping malls, but the Concords XI was another backlash.

The whole damn news media was in this all over the world. I knew that there was gonna be some shit that was gonna happen, but NOT LIKE THIS! Damn, there were fools who hid inside the malls just to get this shoe, with lines formed with over a THOUSAND PEOPLE, and I'm surprised many of them have the cash to get those sneakers, yet they complain and whine about fuel prices and not obtaining a job? Shut the fuck up man. And I'm saying to those who buy the shoes just cause its hot and everybody else will wear them with no knowledge of the origins of the shoe, or Air Jordans in general. What made this shit go to another universe was that some kid lost his life for those Concords and that's where the negativity come in. Yes, they were being sold for $180 which is a lot. As a sneaker enthusiast, I'm not surprised about the price. Its all about supply and demand. The hottest shoe plus greater interest in them from the consumer generates unimaginable profits for Nike, Brand Jordan and the resellers. Now because of this mess, Jordan Brand is being viewed by non-sneaker enthusiasts as "a company that creates expensive basketball shoes that people will die for", literally. There were lines EVERYWHERE, which shows just how serious the Air Jordan XI Concords. I didn't intend on getting a pair since I paid majority of my emergency savings to help pay for my little brother's rental car but, shoutout to the people who got them and have been planning on copping those XI's for the past year. To those who've never worn or owned a pair of Air Jordans such as those not earning income or the newsmedia, talk about something else and quit expanding the negativity for the Concords. They're just shoes, and don't be surprised if the same shit happens when the Columbia XI's get released next year, the shoes that Jordan wore at the 1996 All Star Game in San Antonio that year.

Well, all this talk about the Jordan XI's bring me back to my days of smelling a brand new pair of fresh Nikes. That's pretty much the main reason why my photography business name is JustForSneaks Ent. I created it during the summer of 2006 when I was creating a screen name for my account on NikeTalk, an underground sneaker forum. The JustForSneaks Ent. name (originally JustForSneaks07) came from a DVD that came out around the time of my high school graduation called Just For Kicks, which is a documentary about the sneaker culture and the history behind it and how popular it became over the years. I took that name and switch the word "Kicks" with "Sneaks" as a synonym. The 07 was for the following year 2007 and the Ent. part of the name is short for either Entertainment or Enterprises, or both, two of my core focuses. During that time was when it was fun and awesome to buy shoes and to get reactions from them by other people. I once got a remark from my 12th grade Goverment teacher when I wore my Zoom Kobe 1's to class, and he said this during class. Great feeling. Now I hardly buy sneakers, and I haven't got a pair in two years. But then again, the recession and the price hike of Air Jordans overshadow the reason.

I've always been into shoes for a long time. Started out with a new pair of Payless shoes twice a year in elementary, then Adidas and Converse from 8th grade to the middle of 11th grade. I never liked Nikes during the 90's until I saw Michael J. Fox rock the OG 1985 Nike Bruins with the red swoosh and of course the Air Mags in the Back to the Future trilogy. I though I was shit out of luck when I realize that Nike stopped making those since they came out of in the 80's but I saw that the Nike Dunk and Air Force 1's has been brought back for people to wear again during high school, and they were similar to the Bruins since they were also from the 80's and have a big ass swoosh on it. When I saw the price for them at Foot Connection next to the Red Robin at Northridge Fashion Center in 2002, I was upset and of course my parents wouldn't copped them for me since my allowance game was weak as hell. I got my very first pair of Nikes in March 2005 for my 17th birthday, which were the Nike Franchise Low. This is what it looks like...

Unfortunately, this was the only photo I have wearing them when I was in 11th Grade. I was shooting a short film at the Kennedy High school track field with the Canon ZR80 DV camera during my filmmaking days back in June 2005 during the last week of school. My friends and I spent the entire last day of school editing it. By the way, the blue Fruit of The Loom Shirt and Puritan Khakis were both less than $15 from Wal-Mart, plus the shoes which were $35 from the JCPenney at the Fox Hills Mall my aunt got for me totals to $50. I bought a pair of Air Jordan basketball shorts for $50 in 2007 once.

I'll probably make a separate blog about all the shoes that I've gotten and give you a history about them. I don't know when that will happen but probably after I buy my next pair of shoes, which is either the Zoom Kobe VII's or the Air Jordan White/Cement IV's that they're bringing back, which ever is first. The next post will give my final thoughts of 2011 and a recap of this past year, which I'll have up by the end of by tomorrow or on New Years Day this Sunday. Thanks alot for reading alot of this.