With the sun setting to our left and an old road beneath our feet, John and I enjoyed a walk above town on the Sunset Mountain Fire Road on the Fourth of July. You have to take Chaney Trail to get there and Chaney Trail is closed at 8pm, but we had plenty of time for a good hike, or so we thought.
On our way out at about 7:40pm we approached the locked gate near the bottom of Chaney Trail. Several Forest Service vehicles were there and the workers let us out (not that they had much choice, but they were nice about it). One Forest Service guy told us a sign had been posted for early closing at 6pm, but we sure hadn't noticed it. And we weren't the only ones. When we left there were at least four cars still parked at the trail head.
Can you spot the unexpected vehicle in this photo?
Just as in many other California communities, a ban on single-use plastic bags has recently gone into effect in Pasadena. Those bags are big polluters so I think the ban is a good idea. The ban doesn't cover all stores, but I can't keep track of which stores it's in and which it isn't, so I carry my canvas bags everywhere. I've been doing it for a while and I have a collection in the back of the car.
You play your cards right and folks give 'em to you for free, if you don't mind a logo. I've got one from the City of Pasadena, one from Whole Foods, one from some book fair a hundred years ago, several from Bell Sound and about a hundred Trader Joe's paper bags that just won't quit.
You can't take the freeway all the way from Pasadena to Hollywood. You've got to take surface streets a good part of the time.
Sometimes I take Santa Monica Blvd. instead of Beverly Blvd. Santa Monica is not all like this. It has interesting stretches, though Beverly is more lively more of the time.
I'm told Santa Monica is faster than Beverly, but I prefer Beverly. Go figure.
Go vote for something. Stand up for a right or two. Or a left, or something in between, whatever suits you. Fortunately we have a choice and we'll keep it as long as we're as vigilant as our foreparents were.
Today is release day! You can now buy a brand spankin' new copy of the brand spankin' new novel, The Goddess Lounge (paperback here), by South Pasadena's Margaret Finnegan. That is a beautiful thing, partly because I love Margaret and partly because I love The Goddess Lounge (ebook here). Also partly because Margaret inspires me.
Margaret's blog, Finnegan Begin Again, would be inspiration enough to read her novel because one always wants more of her unique writer's voice. But she's gone further by involving her readers in the processes of publication and promotion. We've been reading about goddesses, we voted on the book cover, and when it was time to make book trailers we contributed photos of ourselves being goddesses.
Margaret has created two (two!) book trailers. Here's one:
Here's the other:
I'm in the second one twice! The first photo you see is one John took of me. Plus, that's my voice, reading from Chapter Two. I'm honored to be included.
The publishing industry has changed so much in the past few years that publishing the book yourself has become the way to go, or it's certainly at least as viable as the traditional way. I love what Margaret's doing. Her energy and innovative ideas inspire me, and I can't wait to get my copy of The Goddess Lounge.
I'm not sure this is an actual chimney, but it's in the expected place so I'm going for it. See if you can spot it next time you're in the passenger seat on Orange Grove Blvd. on the east side of Lake Avenue.
Today is theme day, City Daily Photo's tradition for the first of the month. The website's in a tizzy right now so check out the participants in today's theme at the site Julie set up here.
Ordinarily on theme day I invite you to visit our newest member, but today I think you ought to visit Julie at Sydney Eye and say hello.
