The Bessa Sessions

The bessa sessions have been slow and few because wow o wow, I’been so busy with Lebvillage, but the other day I had an amazingly, in my opinion, funny idea for a website: Because God Hates You Dot Com. The entire point of this new site is to answer whiney people with a response that they will never expect.

All one has to do is wait for someone to ask a “why” questions.

“why is my computer not working, why does this pen suck”

Then simply answer: Because God Hates You Dot Com

If you feel you got them rather well with the comment, come to the site and post it!

Enjoy

Katamari damashi, w/out a doubt one of the best games I have ever played.
It is simple, easy to play, fun. 26 minutes to become as big as a moon

One of the many good things about vegas is you never ever know what’s going to happen. Your night be planned one way but one event can set it in an entirely different direction.

Over a week ago there were big plans to go to Tao at the venetian. I had said no from the very beginning to going out w/ the crew to tao.come saturday night everyone is dressed up and ready to go, the limos are waiting, as planned. Everyone heads done, I walk them out, they get into the limos and to the venetian they go.

I go back into the casino see my dad, the habg out with anne marie, and I get a phone call from caline’s mom to meet me up in the room so I can take a valid I’d to her. Caline’s drivers license was expired and they were giving her shit about it and they weren’t going to let her in. By the time I get to the hotel room to meet my tante, caline and a small group had started to head back to us.

Rather than to waste time to figure out the next step we called up the hotel and got ourselves a table at pure. The crew got back, we walked straight into the club and began our night.

There was drinking and then the dancing and the nusic. The feel good times that tend to come with good friends and family.

Today, while running errands in culver city, turning a street corner quite fast, I spyed what appeared to be a seagul passing time in the middle of the road.

Speeding along I quickly realized that this wasn’t a seagul, and more importantly it wasn’t moving out of the way. Infact it was stand quite stationary making no indication that it was going to move.

I moved out of the way, parked my car immediately and got out. I didn’t want the brave duck to be road kill. I saw the fowl bastard standing there arrogant and unwilling to believe the fate that will most likely befall him should he remain.

I called him like u would a dog, he (assumably a he). He responded and inched forward, then backwards. I got my bessa, took a photo of him and then repeated my attempts at attracting the stubborn bird as if he were a dog. Nothing, few steps here, few steps there, but nothing.

Frustrated in my civil attempts, I did what I would to any other bird I might see needing a good scare. I approached him rapidly and that was the end of it.

The now hopefully saved duck flew to a nearby man’s roof. Now a man might be saying, there is a duck on my roof.

I almost hit a duck today…

Tonight’s Bessa Session was shot with Ilford Delta 3200 due to lack of a flash, and lack of proper lighting.

My dear cousin Caline has found herself in Los Angeles with the rest of the refugees to finish the summer. I think we did a wonderful job of salvaging what was left after our ordeal on the other side of the world.

I began my night with the always charismatic, always entertaining, and unbelievably good looking Roy. Best seen here at the food court ordering some sort of carbohydratty dish with a mix of protein in the Century City food court.

He was reaching into his pocket for money and spied my snapping yet another photo of this should be model!

We had later met up with Be-bo, Omar and his wonderful wife Vera, Caline (of course), Florence, Cynthia, Tony, Lucas, Riana, Rosette, ron & cat to watch probably one of the worst movies ever made. Good cheap summer entertainment, can’t complain its just a reason to get out of the house and be somewhat social. If theres no movie, then we can’t go out and just do this:
Omar is on the Far Left iwth his back to use, then Riana, Rosette, Florence, Vera, and Caline.

Omar, Vera, and Bebo had left after the movie to go home. The rest of us, now adding to the group Tony and the Nahman bros, had headed back up to Ron & Caline’s place for the last night. A night of fun, games, and laughs were ahead of us.

One of Caline’s last requests of Los Angeles before she voyages back across the world to Paris is the infamous In N OUT Burger Midnight run.

God Bless her, cause all the moochers find themselves picking off the food that was so strategically over ordered for the purpose of moochers.

Enter the Moochers:

Chris pull off that last bit of cheese ohh soo sensually from his fingertips. Ron goes in for 2nds, I’m a culprit as well, but you’d never see me in front of this lens

Yea.. this photo isn’t what it looks like.

I don’t care where I am, what I am doing, as long as I have a site like this to look forward to every now and then, I will always be happy. This scene right here always has and always will make me happy. I fly half away around the world just to be part of a scene like this, it really is where its at. Left Side: Flo, then cat then Caline, right right: Riana, Ron, Lucas, Chris, Rosette. “Love is on the table” is what I call this

Stomachs full, moods held high, its time for games!

The females are quite ingenious when it comes to entertainment as well. Whereas the gentlemen would have just broken out the backgammon boards and cards, the lady cousins venture out to other forms of entertainment including such activities that captivate an entire room of individuals.

If you are wondering what everone is looking at:

Ron did such a good job he got these guys planning their next move:

And just to make sure theres no cheating

But even after that fun is over, theres always something to do:

Whether you want cards, or just a good conversation

You can always find in this group of friends and family everything you ever needed. I think for me, thats why Caline’s last night was so special, just like any other night with these people. Full of fun, love, laughs, everything anyone really needs in their life. Its also to signify that summer is over, that our vacations are coming to an end and its time for us to back to what is normal. Caline’s departure from this city tells me its time to go back to the life I live the rest of the year.

My 3rd day in Lebanon and I couldn’t wait to hit the Beaches with Georgio and his crew. There was Georgio and myself of course, Rony chidiac and his little brother, Kamil and his Sister, Gilbert Sassine, Edmond Sassine and his girlfriend, and later Ron and Catherine joined us. This session was shot with Ilford ISO 50 in Sunny F/16 conditions.
The road up to Edde is kind of plain. Its just hillside with all kinds of vegetation and 3rd world looking building and on the other side is ocean and buildings. Actually, its like driving up a 3rd world PCH. There was something to be said about this:

I liked the churches all over Lebanon. They all have their own character, like they’ve actually been around to comfort people who have seen real trouble. You almost wonder what trouble that building has seen, and who it has housed throughout it’s lifetime.

Georgio, he drives quick, our 25 minute drive to Edde was like a commercial. Top down, sun rays being soaked up left and right, humid warm wind blowing through my hair. This is what I was waiting for, 2 years for just relaxed, no worried, vacation time. We got to Edde Sands Beach Resort, paid our entrance fee. Yes! here you are allowed to be charged for going to the beach!, but its well worth it. We passed the security guards and screening, they all looked at me weird because I’m walking with a camera, at least thats why I thought they were looking at me weird. All the staff greeted me with a smile and hello, very nice people. After passing the plethora of individual:

Georgio was greeted by his Hassam. Theres Georgio on the right sporting the Lakers Chidiac Jersey, and his friend on the left. This is the pathway to the resort, there are very long steps that take you down to a crossroads of pathways. One leading to the large pools and cabanas, one to the restaurant and all the other stuff on the other side of the resort and one down to the beach. No matter where you were going, you were gonna be seeing something pretty.

We headed to the Big Pool:

where I saw a Mr. Edmond Sassine, in for the weekend, hugging up on his girl in the pool. Edmon was in for 3 days from London off of work, visiting family and his girl.

Then there was:

From Left to Right: Kamil (standing), Hassan, Nadine (girls w/ sunglasses), Georgio Talking to Edmond (standing), and Gilbert, and finally Edmond’s Girlfriend.

After we had all arrived, and had intially soaked up a reasonable amount of sun, and pool time, it was time for Lunch. Lunch with these people is around 2-3pm, because they know they aren’t really having another meal till about 10. We didn’t have to walk far, Edde sands has a full service seafood restaurant. Rest Assure, they make it so you don’t really have to leave the resort for anything!.

Sitting with Kamil and Gilbert

I began catching up with Gilbert on how things had been since the last time I had seen him. I also began to know Kamil a little better. There was, on the table, hummus, and french fries, toom (garlic paste) Fatouch (Lebanese Salad) Babaganoush, falafel, rakakat, Kibbeh, Sambousik, all the wonderful things of Lebanese Mezza.

Cat & Ron had joined us at the end of the table. They had arrived a little later. We just stuffed ourselves lazy!

I was lucky enough to capture this next shot, its one of those cute candids that make me smile

I love little shots like these. Edmond remembered me and my camera from two years ago, so he made it a  point that the next time we were at Edde that I photograph him and his girl. But thats another Session

After Lunch, lazy and full, we slowly trudged back to our previous positions by the pool, there was a lot of

And a lot of:

Then there was more

That guy on the Left is Rony, his little brother is also running around here somewhere. This was our day, to sit relax, enjoy what life has given to enjoy. Another cool thing about having the Bessa, is that people don’t really pay attention to it, it doesn’t draw as much attention as my SLR. So everything now and then you catch people in their quiet moments.

I love Quiet moments, and this is oen of my favorite, this is Kamil’s Sister, Nadine

Or Ron, wearing my sunglasses:

The day was well spent, resting, enjoying.

On the way out! I caught Rony’s bro for the last shot of the roll

We went later to get freshly made smoothies, go home change really quick, make some phone calls to meet up with Mat and his cousin Kareem, along with Kamil, Hannah, and ron for some Command and Conquer Generals. A good day in my book

This was my first Bessa Session, I hope you enjoyed it. There are more to come soon.

Till Next time

-Marc