Theme Day: Night

Night in the city is often bright. Here's what night looks like when you look up from South Lake Avenue in Pasadena.

The City Daily Photo family is now 1019 strong. I've met people in Iran, Brisbane, Paris, Rotterdam and now a new blog in Herat, Afghanistan. This remarkable community of communicators joins together on the first of every month to share a theme. This month's theme is "night."

To see how other CDP bloggers have interpreted this month's theme, click here to view thumbnails for all the participants.

Ventanas Window

I'm a lightweight. I didn't used to be. I think I need to get out more often.

Ventanas Restaurant and Bar at the Westin is a quiet spot for a weeknight martini. A little off the beaten track (aka Colorado Blvd.), which is sometimes exactly what you need.

Or exactly what I need. For me to tell you what you need would be presumptuous.

Got a favorite weeknight spot? It doesn't have to be a business establishment. Let's hear it.

Last Night, Fountain, City Hall

I've said it so many times I sound like a broken record: you can't take an ugly picture at Pasadena City Hall. You can take a blurry picture there or an amateurish one, or one that's poorly framed. But no matter what you do it won't be ugly because City Hall has no bad angles.

What's a generation? Twenty years? Twenty-five? By either definition, Pasadena City Hall has served the citizens of Pasadena for more than three generations. I bet those early generations were as puffed-up and proud of City Hall as we are.

City Hall will be here for generations to come, still beautiful long after people have no idea what a broken record sounds like.

Whispering the Good News

Another TV crew shooting in Altadena? Oh yawn.

I spotted the Ghost Whisperer crew again. This time they were shooting at the Mountain View Mausoleum on Marengo Avenue across from the Mountain View Cemetery.

It's not really a yawn. I've been in the LA area twenty years and I still get excited when I see a film crew at work. A crew means good news--good economic news--especially in an area where the economy revolves so heavily around production.

Although California has lost a lot of production to other states in recent years, a good deal of it is still done here. Locals see this sort of thing all the time, but I thought I'd show other folks what it looks like.

So just in case you've never seen a film crew, here's how you spot 'em: It's not the movie stars. It's the trucks. And yes, even the trucks are just a little bit exciting. They're bringing that good news.

Make Lemonade

I'm a fortunate person because the other day, a lemonade stand popped up on my street. When it's almost a hundred degrees out, that's what you do.

I happened to be thirsty. I also happened to have 25 cents. That bought me a glass of cold lemonade, time with my neighbors and some good memories.

When John and I moved onto the block this girl was just a teeny thing. Her mother was pregnant with her little sister and her brother wasn't even an idea yet. If I'm lucky, I'll get to watch these kids grow up. The thought of this is beyond joyful to me. I mean it exactly that way; it's more than joy, it's profound to watch these lives unfold, to observe these small people becoming themselves.

Hey! How long do you think I can keep this blog going? If the kids keep posing, you'll get to watch some growing, too.

Zen Birthday: #50

Last week was a special Zen Monday for lovers of the Space Program and adventurous hearts throughout the world. This week is a special Zen Monday for my love and the light of my life.

Zen Monday is (usually) the day you experience the photo and give us your thoughts rather than me telling you what the photo's about. Ordinarily I don't like to influence your thoughts about the photo, but today I can't help but give you a hint.

Morning Doves

Someone who came before us attached a birdhouse to a post supporting the roof over our back porch.

This photo is oddly framed because Ms. Mourning Dove doesn't want me near her. She'd fly out of the nest if she could, but she's got eggs and doesn't dare leave them. I took the picture from several feet away, then cropped it.

As far as I can tell, Ms. and her Mr. are on their second brood this summer. The first was a successful pair of little ones, both of whom still gallivant around our back yard gorging themselves. We have a vast selection of bugs and they're welcome to 'em.

I like to sit on the back porch and write in the mornings before it gets too hot. The female tolerates me because she has to, but the male has just about had it. He flies to and from the nest but won't stay there if I'm around. Sometimes he brings sprigs of dried grass for the nest. When he flies he makes a noise like a wildly upset dolphin after too much caffeine. It wasn't until I read Wikipedia's article about mourning doves that I realized it wasn't a vocalization but his wings making all that noise.

I'll always be grateful to the person who put up that birdhouse. I wonder what I'll add to bring joy to the people who'll live here after I'm gone? (Maybe replace those gutters?)