Saturday at Nancy’s friend Annmarie’s party followed by the God Bless Americanna holiday slide show and commentary. Here’s the guy’s website. He calls himself a Kitch-Culture Histo-Tainer. It is definetly something entirely different!
And this place here! Faa-bulous. Annmarie’s boyfriend Larry made up an amazing loft space above his studio there in the heart of Hollywood Production Studio World.
November 14
Another quick catch-up!
Ruth’s daughter Judith and The Judge. Judith made a lovely birthday party for Ruth, a real grown-up affair with a yummy selection of hors d’oeurves served on silver trays by handsome young men. Didn’t stop us from hootin’ it up though.
From a very nice nursery on Sawtelle that used to be a total dump and was recently revived by a family the members of which are no doubt all working day and night to make a go of it.
To think that years go by and no one dies. In one of the lines we were chatting with some kids in front of us who allowed that the ride we were waiting for was just like Thunder Mountain at Disneyland except that this ride hadn’t killed anyone yet.
Magic Mountain definitely doesn’t have that fanatic commitment to cleanliness you like to see as you are about to be hurled through the air, on your head, 100 feet above the ground, and many of the rides could use a nice coat of paint, still it was great fun and I would not hesitate to go again.
July 11
Wow! Look who’s in LA!?! Ramon and Rodrigo from Chile! Paulina didn’t come but sent her best as did sweet Wilson. What a delightful surprise and what a great day out.
April 9
Cynthia came over Thursday to help and to keep me on the straight and narrow of Progress. We just took an itty-bitty break at the nail salon where they had recently installed shiatsu massage chairs. That’s us, in the chairs, luxuriating!
Mom to the rescue and Big Brother displaying his talents for The Kid’s amusments.
The Bay Bridge around sunrise.
We were due to arrive in San Francisco Bay at 4:30am and sail under the Golden Gate at 4:45 but it was foggy that night and there was a chance we wouldn’t be able to see anything. I set the alarm anyway and at exactly 4:45 I could see just the lights and one tower from our balcony.
‘Oooo ooooo get up get up quick, look out here quick quick.’ They dragged their weary bodies out to the balcony, saw the lights and one tower and immediately fell back to sleep. But they did see it, really.
At least it was Sunday and the usual Mogul Hordes of school groups were not around. There were however some kids and their families with plenty of pitiful whining and parents threatening if you don’t cool it right-this-second we’ll never Ever take you out of the house again Ever so cut it out now.
That afternoon I enjoyed a few hours at Gideon’s birthday. It was so hot out in Northridge that L*I*terally I could feel my body temperature rising so dangerously I feared my blood would boil up through the pours of my skin.
Steven is really struggling with his health which of course is a challange for Celina too and with actually no end in sight. Think encouraging thoughts for them.
At the entrance to Wild Animal Park we find their patriarch and symbol. The guides told us a long story of his history at the park – something about maybe the first of his kind to breed in captivity and he fathered 50 of this rarest rhino, or something…
The christening of their dream to sail the world in amazement and wonder and peace and joy.
Alex got this idea from something he read that christenings, (or is it re-christenings?), must be performed by a female virgin. Now where, he asks himself, can I possibly find such a woman? These three girls, 10, 8 and 3 – perhaps the only female virgins he knows…
This statue was meant to represent what the missions were meant to represent to the people who were already there when the missionaries built the missions. Notice the ‘father’ and ‘son’ imagery. Get it, get it.
Groovin’ on a sunny afternoon.
This segment, they call it ‘dinner hour’, the previous segment being ‘afternoon’ and the last segment being ‘prime-time’, was wonderfully lively and a dance-hall delight. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Pete Fountain Rocked and then the two Latin entries – Arturo Sandoval’s group and next a Cuban band named Maraca Kicked. Maraca seemed to play the same song for 20 minutes but the sometimes three, sometimes four guys in front looked Stunning and danced like the salsa-fa-cation of Angels.
Cheryl’s dad’s Big Birthday Fiesta. With my new hair, I fit right in, like a native.
Here kitty kitty. Destrey and the gentleman Liz introduces by saying ‘meet my boyfriend’. That works.
Great spaces all opening onto giant industiral windows. I’m crazy for the windows and the floors were killer too.
OUCH!! OH NOoo. Ljubi Fell!
And is she ever p*ssed. The landlords had left a broken fence for weeks and she caught her pant leg in one of the loose pieces and that fence Threw her to the ground. It messed up her leg and hip too.
Big fat bummer!
October 11
Christa got to do eeeeverything! And the woman who runs the ranch said Christa was a remarkably natural rider and a sweet and smart young woman.
Here’s a link to the story for Christa’s HORSE Day.
September 17
Lunch with Cynth. Lucky me! And this picture, it’s all my fault. I made Jose sit there because he was a real pro waiter-wise. This does not actually explain why I made him sit there. He walked by. I guess that was reason enough…
We wandered around csun a bit after Cynthia’s last class and that was cool. We bought me a new pair of flips at the skateboard shop because those buck nineteen babies from Thrifty’s just were not cutting it and getting back to the car was becoming problematic.
Perhaps because as it was the hottest day of the year the park was not at all crowded and the people who were there were all friendly, polite, and enjoyable and pleasant company for line-standing companions. Even in the evening the huge scary crowds of roving youth who used to plague the place were not in evidence.
We did the regular just-in-town Santa Monica Beach outing – park in Two, hit the pier, walk to Venice, back to the car via the Promenade, go to Beverly Hills and/or Melrose if there’s time, etc..
A guy on the pier told us this display goes up every weekend to honor the American soldiers who have died in Iraq. It looked like an anti-war demonstration to me but the guy, an ex-GI, didn’t seem to share that opinion.
I’m mad for these chairs. Roger and Sandy got them hand-me-down from Charlie under the provision that they would give them back at some point. So I would feel reluctant to whisk them away in the dead of night. But then… Also, in my Perfect world, they would have arms.
OOOPS, too blue or something. Better fix that…
My ever so sweet and dear sister Windy took me to the Greek Theater for the local live performance of this week’s Prairie Home Companion. It was utterly too great. I loved watching the radio. I love the radio and it was such a reinforcing experience.
Windy bought the best seats and she said she hoped it would make up for all the times she forgot my birthday. Sure it did!
Les, Elizabeth and David here for their annual outing to Disneyland. Dins at Nomu. Darryl noted on his watch that it was at the 6th second of greeting that Les allowed ‘I remember you when’. But I warned them…
Did we have an adventure or What?!?
Now we begin a very Very long day for anyone and imagine being 9 or 5. First we’ve got the quick! quick! 4:45 wake-up call. Then we have to do immigration at 7, then we get off at 9:30, get the bags, get the bus, stand in line to check the bags, stand in line for security, stand in line for snacks, get on the plane and arrive in LA around 2.
Their further adventures (a missing camera, my sister bringing a knife through airport security (oh yeah, a knife)) are stories for others to tell.
And yes, we did, we had one A-One fab adventure!
And in contrast there was this one lively family with five kids aged about 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13. The five year old had the whole group enthralled over his joyful and enthusiastically acted out telling of a sabre toothed tiger story he had read recently. They actually clapped for him! Nice siblings!!
Over for dinner at D&A’s place then a walk down to The Boulevard for gelato. Darryl made a tofu stroganoff that was so entirely delicious, really, it is true, it was as-good-as-any and you-won’t-miss-the-meat, and that’s going a mile or two!
Congratulations! I always enjoy their long time and faithful friends who offer such enthusiastic and entertaining company.
After the Warhol exhibit we mosied on down to Olvera Street for the always satisfying Olvera Street Taquitos and a bit of south of the border shopping.
Crystal’s holiday party – we dp-ers who were there in time for the pic. Robert, Bill, JZ, Greg, Kamal, Bernie, Veronika and me.
Maxine Cooks. I love to eat Maxine’s food and where Ever Maxine is she has brought lip-smacking good food. Someday I’ll squeeze it out of her – how DO you make those baked beans?
In the closing acts Wynton Marsalis and the gang he was playing with this time were really engaging. Etta James sang well I thought but didn’t seem to go to the bother of getting the crowd as much into it as prior years.
Tommy’s Birthday Party. Tom, Kelly, Nicky, some kid, Ljubica, Marija, Marsha.
And then we spent a beautiful afternoon at the Japanese Garden in Balboa Park. It’s a lovely place with many elegant water features complements of the water reclaimation plant.
The Seven Deadly Sins. Watch out! Pride, Avarice, Envy, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony and Sloth. That about covers it.
Sunday Windy and Hana came to Sandy’s lovely show in a home in Brentwood featuring her new collage pieces…
What is it with these guys? Brian, aren’t you just a little bit too old for a mid-life crisis?!? Marija said she said fine fine just be careful. Brian! Be Careful!!
So now we’ve got Brian and Jack tearing around on these rumble machines. Everybody out there, watch yourselves!
October 5
Angela’s grandfather’s funeral. Except for the sky…
Liz, Angela’s mother, found this on the internet (I didn’t include all the verses…). The other quoted expressions are also from Liz.
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake, From the skies.
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.
Go to sleep, peaceful sleep.
May the soldier or sailor, God keep.
On the land, or the deep, Safe in sleep.
Thanks and praise, For our days,
‘Neath the sun, ‘Neath the stars, ‘Neath the sky,
As we go, This we know, God is nigh.
Brian, he caught it, he hacked it up, he cooked it, and then we ate it for hours. Yummmmmm-ie.
Dinner in honor of Ljubi’s new job. Hurray! Congratulations!!
I was shopping for shoes. Not surprisingly, I didn’t buy any shoes but took some pictures instead.
Hang on! (I only do ‘harness’ rides in a marginally successful attempt to avoid whiplash.)
What’s the California Beach Scene without a major dose of vollyball. It was very foggy in the morning such that you couldn’t see the end of the pier when you were standing at the beginning, but the sun came out big time on our walk back from Venice.
The cockpit of a model airplane!
Darryl and Angela had an Easter Morining Waffle Breakfast party (yummmmy) and then we spent an hour or so here at the Balboa Park model airplane facility.
These guys are into it. This was the biggest baddest not least to say the costliest plane on the block and the whole time we watched there were several guys just focused on attaching the wings.
June 17
Here’s Mom! Those flowers are a gift from Roger and Sandy. Roger and Sandy have stuck in her mind and she never fails to ask after them, sometimes more than once in the same visit and our conversation is unvarying. Unvarying.
‘Oh! How is your dear friend… you know…’ ‘Sandy?’ ‘Ah yes, dear Sandy. She is so sweet. And ummm… ahhh…’ ‘Roger.’ ‘Yes, yes, Roger. Dear Roger. Did they ever get married?’ ‘No Mom, they never did get married.’ ‘I just can’t understand that. I just can not understand.’
That’s it except that last week they came over to visit Mom. Mom, never having actually met Sandy before and not having seen Roger in a generation, has added ‘my Roger has aged well’ to her litany. Right after the ‘I just can not understand’ part.
An example of the refurbisments from rundown abandonded buildings into a thriving commercial community. Even edgy, gritty young rebels have to eat.
LACMA at the Buddhist Meditative Arts exhibit. Cynth took the pic. You don’t have to mention it. I know. Too cute.
This guy was six feet tall and weighed 1,400 pounds. He was a middle sized sloth, related to today’s armadillo, and they figure he ate a lot of grass. The sign didn’t mention that toe nail…
One of these days I should practice with the tripod. I wouldn’t have had to flash, (eventhough this is ‘slow sync’ because normal flash produced nasty results,) and then maybe I wouldn’t have got that showdow.
At Mom’s to give her her reflexology treatment. Lona and Hartley happened to be around too and Windy, poor heart, had just been to the dentist for multiple teeth treatments. ‘Ahhh, uh oh, ummm, I think we have to take care of that other tooth while we’re in here…’. Windy, smiling weakly, replies ‘More Gas’.
See all those dozens of amazingly colorful butterflies? You had to watch out or you’d sit down on one by mistake. You don’t see them in this picture? Me either. That’s because I took about a dozen shots in here and got exactly zero recognizable butterflies.
Let this be my first opportunity to report that it was a nasty hot day and it was Sweaty in there. It was hothotHot outside and inside, you’ve got hot and water and that makes hot and humid = SWEATY.
(I have given myself permission for three comments in total with resepct to the relentless heat to be followed by comments along the lines of ‘why Me? why is it always Me?’. One down.)
The gift shop at Mission San Juan Capistrano.
It was odd, the items in the gift shop being Navajo turquoise jewelry and Zuni pots and made-in-China plastic lamps with saints and roses. ‘What’s with this?’ I asked the attendant. ‘Oh’ she said, without lowering her voice and without the least hesitation, ‘the Indians around here were really lazy and didn’t make much of anything.’ Whooo. Now There was one mighty PC-Incorrect gal!
Lona holding the lamp carved by Hartley himself as a lad, treasured by Lona and now preparations are underway to pass this heirloom on to Trevor’s family. Ahhh.
You can get tickets to sit up here for 15 bucks – groups buy several extra seats so they can spread out and connect with some serious party. Being Californians and all, half of everyone, in a mad desire to Beat The Traffic, were packing up and heading out while the last guy, Marcus Miller, played his set.
Original walls at San Juan Capistrano.
I love this outing – pick up the train at Union Station, clickity-clack along the scenic California coast, get off at Capistrano and enjoy walking around the totally delightful town, get cul-tra-fied at the mission, eat, drink and be merry and train it back without a moment’s aggravation.
Don’t miss it! Take anyone who hasn’t done it and you can be a champ.
Linda is SIXTY. She put on an entirely lovely festivity – formal wear, cocktails, dinner, demonstrations and a great opportunity for Linda and her friends to go out Dancing.
Linda is my dancing idol you know. When I first saw her look-turn-look I about melted with desire. Oh me too, I want to do that toooo, show me show me show me and endless instructions to Ken ‘I want to do it like Linda does it’. That was always good for a laugh.
Liz gave gifts to the kids that were subsequently re-gifted back, and are now prominently displayed as a daily enjoyment to all who pass by.
Dawn at the pier.
I get up when it’s still dark, I go out there and find a place to park and I decide, standing in front of the car, well, I’ll just leave my bag, just take the camera and tripod because why do I always have to be lugging this stupid bag around everywhere I go and etc. etc. You can guess – the battery ran out and I didn’t have my bag!
The pallbearers.
‘The front right; Dad’s only son Richard Lingor; the eldest of my generation. Behind him is the handsome man you know best (ps that’s my wonderful son Darryl!), behind him is Dad’s great grandson Jonathan Barragan; the first of the great grandchildren. His mother is Melisa, my sister Cathi’s daughter.
Opposite side: on the front left is Dad’s grandson David Aispuro; son of my sister Anne Marie Aispuro. Behind him I think is a young man who is first cousin to Jonathan on his father’s side. Behind him is grandson Adam; Cathi’s son.’
Wow! Thank You! What a treat! Congrats from the Hawaii Browns: Trevor, Beth, Christa, Caleb, and Charis.
To Ken’s continuing disappointment Superman was closed again!
For the last ride we did Log Jammer, me in front, and so then soaked and exhausted we took Bill out for his birthday dinner.
This picture is practically pornographic and I think those builders did not do this accidentally.
Coming off the field. Notice how they walk their planes, rather like walking the dog.
Angela and I took Windy out for a shopping trip to get her a computer. This was a labor of Love and we were glad to do it.
It started when I told Mom that Sandy had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and since Betty had Parkinson’s and since her time with Betty and Ed was in many ways her happiest time in life she’s got Sandy and Betty stuck together now as wonderful, wonderful people.
I confess to coming up with some entertaining story about Roger and Sandy whenever she asks, even if I have to ‘dig deep’, since she is always so happy to hear it.
