’15 July

July 30

From the light show at the Skirball’s Bill Graham show. Groovy man. Makes me want to spin some Big Brother…

July 29

Today was a magnificent day of ticking off chores (pay bills, bookkeeping, update to the car’s navigation system, packing up items to return to amazon, more…I forget).

And then I had a lovely visit with Kathleen and her friend Caroline and with Cheyenne as we went over the contents of her pack for her backpacking trip to Europe(!). She’s young, she’s meeting her boyfriend who’s already there, it’s her first time. Oh fun for Cheyenne.

July 28

Soccer Camp! It starts at 9am and ends at 12. Swimming starts at 12:30 so it’s go go for all five of these kids. Lauretta brought smoothies.

Lilly, Rome, Roxi, Lola, Zander (I think he spells it with a Z…Xander of Xander and Anya spells it with an X)

I had to put this here – Bill and Mindy making it the almost 500 miles in 7 days camping out and riding across the state of Iowa. YAY Congratulations!

Note below, I rode 12 miles and then went home.

July 27

Let’s go ride bikes! Christa and Charis are here from Honolulu to check in on Grandma and Grandpa. They snagged these bikes from the apartment complex where Lona and Hartley are staying in Marina del Rey…and we were off!

I am so pleased to report that we rode for more than 12 miles and I didn’t fall off. I didn’t fall off when the chain did fall off and I didn’t fall off when I missed the curb on a stop. YAY No Falling!

lb.

We stopped in at the LA Louver to see the David Hockney show. It’s free so should you find yourself in Venice you can go have a look.

You can scroll on down to July 1st and see a little of the previous show.

(internet)

And here they are, cute as pie.

Christa, Charis

July 26

This was fun – I went to Beverly Hills, to a get-together of origami enthusiasts because I was stuck at one point in following the directions to make those stand-up hearts and sure enough Joel helped me figure it out. Thanks Joel!

July 25

Liz and Gary put on a birthday party for Liz that was full of food and fun. Happy Birthday Liz!

Time for a photo and Lilly was all like ‘Granny Granny please Please PLEEEEse let me photobomb the picture PLEEEEEZE.’

July 24

From a walk up to Signal Hill, a sadly very hazy view of my favorite, the Vincent Thomas Bridge in Long Beach.

Thanks for the day to Hilda and Merlyn who took a rental in Long Beach for the month of July.

July 19

Ingalill and I were going to take pictures today during the polo tournament at Will Rogers. But, polo tournament… cancelled! Bummer! I don’t know why and neither did the other hundred or so people who had gathered to watch.

We had a short walk and ate our picnic anyway, and enjoyed the beautiful day.

That sign says “HISTORIC ZONE No Lawn Sports Permitted Beyond This Point” and it’s fun to see all the folk dressed in historic gear gathered around to enjoy an afternoon at the historic home of Will Rogers.

The entrance to the historic horse barn. Sorry, four more pictures of this barn follow.

From inside we also find…

…an informative sign here in the rotunda of the barn.

Long long out of use.

The building from the back.

July 18

Oh Lourdes Lourdes, second from your right, you GO girl!

And here she is doing her multi-faceted solo with her teacher. Some modern, some salsa, and a lot of fun!

YAY Lourdes!

Ann, Marsha, Lourdes, Becky, Maryanne, me

July 17

Christa, visiting from Honolulu! Aloha!! Christa took a break from the huge job of preparing applications for medical school. Yikes, my little Christa.

We had a yummy lunch with a beautiful view and then a fast walk down the jetty. Thanks for taking the time!

In a birthday limo from 2001 and on an airplane in 2003.

July 16

I had a walk around Palisades Park with Sharon today. We’re keeping track of progress on the CA Incline reconstruction.

July 15

We’ve been having dinner together every few months for more than 10 years now and it’s always such a warm and welcoming time. We do have to plan far ahead though, due to our overlapping travel schedules. Next chance: mid-October.

Bill, me, Ken

July 14

Look who stopped by today’s swimming lesson – Grammy and Papa!

Rome’s new bike and she’s rolling like a champ.

July 12

My biggest goal between now and September is to clear out the garage enough, to make room enough, to park my new car. Enough with the bird poop.

I’m trying to sell this chair on craigslist but I didn’t get one person interested on the first day. Everything I put in the alley, no matter what it is, is g.o.n.e. gone within an hour.

July 11

In preparation for spending September in Paris I signed up for a two-Saturday class in French Pronunciation. You don’t have to actually speak any French, we’re just learning how to make the sounds correctly. Today was the first class and it was a ton of fun.

Santa Monica College (which opened in 1929 as Santa Monica Junior College, then what was for decades Santa Monica City College, has changed its name again) offers many classes in a non-credit extension program. All you have to do is pay and you’re in.

The main campus is at Pico and 18th, closer to me but the parking stinks. This is a new campus that I didn’t even know existed by the Santa Monica airport. Easy in-easy out on the parking, 10-15 minutes from my house by car, but all the hassle you save with the parking makes it an excellent venue.

July 10

My new car in the lot of the Bel Air Presbyterian Church parking lot where I met up with…

…Bonnie for a walk and a visit to the Skirball and their new show – Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution. It was super-nostalgic, oh my, and I learned previously unknown by me facts of Bill Graham’s life.

The show is at the Skirball because of BG’s early life. From wiki: “As a baby he was sent from Germany and, in 1941, from France to escape the Holocaust. At age ten he settled in a foster home in the Bronx, New York.”

The view from the lovely café.

More.

July 9

Happy Birthday David! I made that elephant for David because he is wise… NOT because he is old…

nd.

Thanks for including me!

me, Muriel, David, JoAnn, Nancy

July 8

For many years Ann and I have been celebrating our near-by birthdays with a festive and welcome sushi lunch.

This year we also took Ann’s dog Marco (Polo…) for a good walk. We walked up and down a few hills while Marco ran back and forth back and forth non-stop the whole time.

Pictures from Cynthia!

Home Improvements happening here.

c/mh

Kieran and Mike and Kieran and Cynthia. Lookin’ good guys.

c/mh

July 7

Summer Swim Spectacular! Here’s Rome learning the freestyle crawl…

…and Lilly learning to float.

July 6

Santa Monica, and my dinos on the Promenade. Recycling recycled water and new plantings because of this seemingly endless drought.

The Rose Garden and…

…a rose.

July 5

These are called the Century Plaza Towers, completed in 1975. I first worked in one of these buildings in 1978 and was here almost continually (with a small break in the Die Hard building) until I retired in 2004. I still think they’re great.

The Annenberg Space for Photography arrived in Century City after I left so I still find myself with this view several times a year.

I also saw ‘Amy’ with Nancy who was seeing it for the second time. If you’ve ever liked any of her work you’ll want to see this movie.

July 4

Darryl’s Independence Day wire, day 99 of his 365 day project. He’s excited about tomorrow.

At Lona and Hartley’s apartment, Happy July 4th! Oh wait, that’s not us…

…this is us.

Darryl, Rome, Angela, Lona, Jeff, Windy, Xander, Betsy, Anya, Sharon, me, Lucas, Lilly (Hartley had gone upstairs already)

From L&H’s balcony, a direct view of the Marina del Rey fireworks.

There was a lot of overcast and a lot of smoke but enough firelight to brighten the boats waiting by the jetty.

July 1

Muriel and I went out today, first to LA Louvre, then for a walk, then for dinner. Here’s my favorite spot up on the La Louvre balcony currently showing a piece by Tony Cragg.

This is Gajin Fujita’s work. He exhibits here often and it’s always eye-popping stuff.

In the distance you can see people gathering around the perimeter of the Venice Skate Park.

Let’s jump road blocks…

…OK.