A nightclub was destroyed by an early morning fire at the world famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine today. The fire was just down the street from the iconic Capitol Records building and left debris on some Hollywood Walk of Fame stars. Scenes from the recent film "Oceans 11" were shot inside the club, and Lindsay Lohan was known to frequently party there as well. Some adjoining businesses also burned including a tattoo parlor.
A fire broke out in the foothills close to the Sierra Madre and Arcadia border on Saturday, the first wildfire of the year during a scorching hot April weekend. sThis is a very early start to the 2008 fire season in Southern California, and it could be a long summer and fall if this is a precursor of things to come. Thankfully due to a lack of heavy winds , the firefighters have basically put this fire out with no homes lost and 500 acres burned in rugged San Gabriel Mountains.
Last night I covered David Beckham and his Los Angeles Galaxy soccer (football as it's known to the rest of the world) team playing Chivas USA. Haven't shot soccer since the 90's , so it was a challenge. Anyway, Beckham and crew won 5-2, and Landon Donovan, shown below getting mugged, scored 3 goals.
Hollywood Actor and #1 Scientologist was there to support ( continue his recruitment of) his pal Becks. 
Have you heard about Arnold Schwarzenegger's daily commute via his private Gulfstream IV from LA to Sacramento for his job as Cali Governor? Even though he pays for this out his own pocket, that is one large Carbon Footprint for the self proclaimed 'Green" governator. photo above is a similar Gulfstream IV taking off from Santa Monica , not Arnold's personal jet.
Now that Santa Monica Airport, which is a 20 minute drive from his Brentwood mansion, has banned larger private jets like his, he will probable have to go to either LAX or Van Nuys for his daily flight. Neighbors of the airport no longer have to deal with these loud jets flying a couple hundred feet above their homes. The airport is really just for smaller Cessna type propeller aircraft.
Here are some photos of the winner of the 2008 Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix , and he has a really great name- Will Power. And speaking of willpower, Danica Patrick stopped by Long Beach on her way home from Japan where she became the first woman to ever win an Indy Car race. 
Next year Danica will race in Long Beach because the two separate Indy Car leagues have merged, today's LB Grand Prix was the last Champ Car Series race.
This is a photo I shot at a new condo building called Vue , which is going up in San Pedro, California. I'm working on a project for the development company, after shooting sunrise shots of the harbor up on the top floor of this building , I saw this when I was leaving. Below is one of the early morning dawn shots. I woke up at 4:30 for this.
Former star of "Malcolm in the Middle" Frankie Muniz is now a professional race car driver in the Champ Car Atlantic series. I witnessed Frankie become interested in racing as a participant in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race a few times in the past in which he excelled. Now he is a legitimate racer and according to reports getting better all the time. Good Luck Frankie!
Frankie Muniz and Drew Lachey at Media Day for the 2008 Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix weekend.
I had a very interesting and disturbing assignment yesterday. Marcus Eriksen is an oceanographer who works with the group that discovered the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" which due to ocean currents is a giant accumulation of mostly plastic waste in an area of the North Pacific the size of Australia.
He works with the marine researcher who discovered the "Garbage Patch" , Captain Charles Moore of the Alguita Marine Research Foundation. 
Capt Moore displays samples of some of the plastics they have recovered from the Garbage Soup. He told me that the plastics break down to minute particles and sea life and fish consume it. If you enjoy seafood, be forewarned.
