Picture It: Flea Market Finds (of the oddball kind)

Picture It: Flea Market Finds (of the oddball kind)

You probably already figured this out, but I’m having a “not much time to write” week, so the photoblogs are running hot and heavy right now! Tall Paul and I visited the monthly Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena last Sunday, and we mostly came back with pictures. The flea market can be some inexpensive entertainment… …especially if you find bad decor entertaining… …and pop-culture artifacts… A Klingon, a starship commander, and a Ferengi walk […]

Picture It: The Reagan Library and Museum

Picture It: The Reagan Library and Museum

Those of you who are at all familiar with my political leanings will not be the slightest bit surprised that, despite the fact that I have lived, literally, down the hill from it for almost four years, I never visited the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum until a couple of weeks ago. The Library itself isn’t open to the general public, but the Museum recaps the life and careers–Hollywood, Sacramento, and Washington eras–of the late actor, California governor […]

Scenes From a Sunday Drive; or, Why We Come to California

Scenes From a Sunday Drive; or, Why We Come to California

These photos were taken driving south on the Pacific Coast Highway from Point Mugu, north of Malibu, to Santa Monica on the Sunday morning of Labor Day weekend. They were edited using iPhoto, but primarily for cropping, composition, and brightness adjustments–I haven’t enhanced the colors. The PCH cuts between the rocks here at Point Mugu. You may have seen this spot in many car commercials… Surf is way up near Point Mugu Down in Santa […]

(Late) Sunday Salon: Book BLAH This Weekend!

(Late) Sunday Salon: Book BLAH This Weekend!

There’s a rather surprising number of book bloggers in Southern California for a region that’s only occasionally known for being particularly bookish, but (no) thanks to the traffic and sprawl, we don’t get to see each other as often as we’d like. But an out-of-town visitor is always a great excuse to get together. Thanks to the fact that Rhapsody Jill was visiting for the weekend, I got to meet up with her, Amy, Softdrink […]

The Show Goes On: the Warner Bros. Studio Tour (Part 2)

The Show Goes On: the Warner Bros. Studio Tour (Part 2)

When we last saw our tour group at the Warner Bros. Studios VIP Tour, we were on our way out of the “Midwest” and about to visit a working soundstage, which is where most interior filming happens. Some of that does get done on the back lot too, though. These are two different kinds of interior sets used on the back lot. The one on the left is a “facade,” and on film you’d see […]

That’s Show Biz: The Warner Bros. Studio Tour (Part 1)

That’s Show Biz: The Warner Bros. Studio Tour (Part 1)

Unless you live in the middle of it, you might not realize how little of the work associated with “Hollywood” is actually done in Hollywood, California. (Conversely, I work in Hollywood at a job that has nothing to do with “Hollywood.”) Last Saturday, Tall Paul and I visited one of the places where Hollywood’s work has been done for more than eight decades: Warner Brothers Studios in beautiful downtown Burbank. You may have done the […]

NECHAMA. The word means “comfort.” Help those who need it find it.

NECHAMA. The word means “comfort.” Help those who need it find it.

I went back the office yesterday for the first time since my surgery, so the timing is just right…   I usually talk about my job in pretty vague terms here, but today is different. Today I am taking you where we’ve never gone before on this blog – to my workplace. I promise I won’t make a habit of dragging you there with me, but it’s for a special project, and we need your […]

From the archives: Christmas Spectacle!

From the archives: Christmas Spectacle!

These were taken during my family’s 2006 and 2007 visits to the place my sister calls “The House That Threw Up Christmas.” This truly is a local institution – according to their website, their first Christmas was in 1964, the same year as my first Christmas. They’ve got a photo archive through 2005, so you can see how the display has evolved over the years – well, “grown” is a more accurate word than “evolved;” […]

Encino Says: “Save Our Bookstore!” (Updated)

Encino Says: “Save Our Bookstore!” (Updated)

There have been too many stories in the last year or two about cities closing or limiting the hours of their libraries, but bookstores have been having a hard time of it as well. Shelf Awareness regularly reports on closures in the independent-bookseller sector – there’s one looming in Nashville – but they’re not the only ones affected; the big-name bookstores have been struggling too. I live in what’s essentially a one-bookstore town…well, two if […]

Baby, it’s HOT outside – but just chill out! (Weekend Assignment #327)

Baby, it’s HOT outside – but just chill out! (Weekend Assignment #327)

Between my vacation and my limitation to one-handed typing for the last few weeks, I’ve missed a few Weekend Assignments lately. But my right shoulder is recovering well, as I Tweeted on Wednesday morning: “GREAT news at the ortho yesterday: shoulder healing very well & can wean off sling -by next week, just need to wear it at night!” 9:30 AM Jul 14th via TwitterGadget and later that day: “I have a new appreciation for […]

Flea Market Finds – Tuesday Tangents (on Thursday)

Flea Market Finds – Tuesday Tangents (on Thursday)

It’s been almost four years since Tall Paul and I visited the monthly Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, but since we didn’t have the kids this past weekend, we decided we’d go if I wasn’t too beat after the Readathon on Saturday. I wasn’t, so we hopped into the car on Sunday morning. We’re definitely not hard-core about these things – by conventional wisdom, our arrival at nearly 10 AM could have very well […]

Wednesday/Weekend Assignment #312: Reviewing my Birthday Dinner

Wednesday/Weekend Assignment #312: Reviewing my Birthday Dinner

We’re on a food kick in Weekend Assignment-land. Last week Karen asked us about cheese; this week, co-host Carly broadens the approach a little bit. Weekend Assignment #312: Write A Culinary Review. Your reviews can be about a favorite restaurant, or a specific item on a menu. Packaged foods, or something you created yourself. It’s all up to you. Your take on it can be positive or negative, hey, it’s your opinion! 🙂 Extra Credit: […]