Bucket List

The list of places I would like to visit is very short and now it is shorter. I don't think I will make it to all 50 capitol buildings but I wanted to see the one in Sacramento. Done!

I really did enjoy the historical and legislative aspects, but my pictures are all of small parts of the building. I could imagine going back and taking a tour to learn more about the state government.

Preview

We are home from a little road trip and the weather was perfect! I'll post more later, but here is a picture from each day except the first.

Transamerica Pyramid
San Francisco

Bike Barn
Davis

Wilder Ranch State Park
Santa Cruz

I-5
The Grapevine

Times Change

I am part of group online that allows people to request things or give things at no cost. Sometimes people ask for things like overripe bananas because they are baking and realize they have only green bananas. They might also be looking for a printer or a pair of boots for a kid or absolutely anything.

Items offered include a new flavor of cereal that turned out to be unpopular or an outgrown bicycle or furniture. While I am trying to cut back on my screen time I find myself having a hard time pulling away from this group.

Recently someone offered all these candles, which I do not need. I noticed a little canister under the candles and asked if that was being offered, which it was.

It turned out to be a brand new container of candle adhesive. It looked a lot like the canister we were given at some point, but with an updated image. Times change!

I need to use it because the candles I have are smaller than the candlesticks I like. 

When I was looking for information about Stick-Um I learned that some people use it for other purposes, like hanging up kids' art and keeping bra straps in place. I will keep it for candles.

Weekday Outing

A neighbor knocked on the door and offered me two tickets to the Friday morning LA Phil performance at Disney Concert Hall. Even though I knew I had things to do and I couldn't possibly adjust my schedule, I also knew it was good for me to challenge myself and do new things. I said yes!

My fellow blogger and I caught the train in town and enjoyed not being in traffic or dealing with parking. The DASH bus was late, but we managed to sit in our seats just before the first downbeat.

Seen on the bus

What a great decision to accept the tickets and what great seats!

I knew Tchaikovsky was on the program but I did not know the piece by name (sorry, Dad). 

As soon as they began to play I knew the piece because it was on this record, which my oldest and dearest friend gave me for my eighth birthday. I felt transported to my childhood room, playing this on the portable turquoise and white record player. I played it again last night but it definitely was better in person.

The fun part of the Copland piece was getting to hear the anvil played. I thought maybe anvil was a musical term I did not understand, but they meant a real anvil, like the kind that lands on Wile E. Coyote.

After the concert we were not in a big rush so we walked through Grand Park (which my fellow blogger wrote about here), past a press conference held by L.A. Tenants Union Hollywood Local.

The current public art installation is a light
display that probably looks better at
night, but it was still eye-catching.

For the last part of our adventure we caught the Metro back to Union Station, had lunch, and caught the Metrolink back home. I had seen train cars with bicycle parking, but had never before noticed a place for surfboards. Finally, public transportation in LA that has a bonus I haven't seen abroad.

I Had My Chance

I skipped my fifteen minutes of fame.

Within walking distance of our house is the Claremont United Methodist Church, which is known for having a nativity scene with a message related to current events. One year they had both a homosexual and heterosexual couples (see my friend's blog here) and another featured Trayvon Martin (article from local paper here).

The pastor being interviewed.

When I cycled by the church at 5:30 this morning I could see four television vans, which seems odd, but I guess the local news wanted something for the their morning show. What did surprise me was that they were still there when I was out walking at 10:30am.

photo credit Claremont Courier
I was not able to get a good picture because I did not want to be on camera,

but I did get a picture of the information accompanying the scene.
It quotes scripture and seems to be promoting Christianity, but I can
easily understand why it is getting so much attention. 

As I got close to take a picture a person without a camera approached me and asked if I lived in town. When I answered that I did I was asked if I wanted to be interviewed for the NPR station in Pasadena. I passed on the opportunity but guided the reporter other bystanders.

A. first saw the story on Reddit, but it has also been seen it in the LA Times, USA Today, NY Times, and People Magazine, to name a few.  That is enough fame for me.

November Leftovers

Loving ofrendas in the village

High school production of 26 Pebbles

Another work picture

One of the four polling places in town had limited parking so a shuttle was set up.

Such teeny tiny pots, thrown on a teeny tiny wheel.

I saw the artist painting this truck at the beginning of the month and

then saw the finished product a week or two later.

Organized wrapping paper and ribbon drawer.
Very satisfying task.

Imagine you can see the snow on the mountains in the background.

I have been wanting to take this picture for a while. There was a house here that is now on the Pitzer campus, but some day they may also take away the step that has the house number embossed in the concrete. For now it is still an empty lot.

Did I mention the avulsion fracture and seven stitches?

Why was I worried that we would not have enough food?

Real Life

Steven Brundage has been doing magic almost all his life but made it big when 

he was on the reality television show America's Got Talent, a show I have never seen. 

Lucky for us a local professor is also a magician asked Steven if he wanted to come to town to do a show and lucky for us we were available. It was entertaining and I would encourage you to watch the video, which is about as good as sitting in the front row of a live show, which we did.

Overnight Trip

The public school is closed for the entire week of Thanksgiving (the three days of classes that used to be this week are now before Labor Day, meaning the first week of school has three days of classes, the second week has four days, and the third week has five days). We decided to take a little trip with another mom and teenager.

Our first stop was brunch and A. took pictures of the food, but I did not think to do that. We ate well, trust me. Next up was the Palm Springs Art Museum, which was fantastic.

We helped to make a mandala from
petals, acorns, and other natural items.

This piece by Dale Chihuly was fun to photograph,
including the shadows it cast.

I love the way this one piece looks different depending on the angle it is viewed.
I know it is done by an Israeli artist, maybe Yaacov Agam?

My favorite exhibit was about Alexander Girard,
although these are Herman Miller pieces, which I also like a lot.

These are Girard's wooden dolls, which seem familiar, but I am not sure why.

From there we walked to the architecture and design annex of the museum, which is housed in a former bank.

The vault contains part of the gift shop.

The focus of the current exhibit is Barbara Stauffacher Solomon,
a graphic designer based in San Francisco.
Her ping-pong table paintings are in the background.

On the second day we had Dutch Babies (German pancakes) for breakfast at Elmer's

before heading to Joshua Tree National Park.

Cottonwood Springs

Cholla Cactus Garden

close view

skeleton (?) of a dead cactus

But the best parts were the rock piles and climbing opportunities.

That little human-shaped object in the background is my kid.

It was good to get to have a little adventure and get home before the storm and before the crowds hit the road.

Day Trip

photo credit - Carolyn L.

Maybe we were so busy looking at the snow we missed our exit to catch the light rail. No problem, we just got off at another exit and there were plenty of parking spots.

Then I spent time looking down.

This is definitely the newest sidewalk marking I have ever seen.

Different crosswalk designs, the same color

as the blue honor line for the New Year's Day.
At 11:00 PM on the 31st, spectators are allowed to
move to a blue honor line marked on the street. 

One more snow picture from another friend.

photo credit - Marina S-L