El Alisal

I went to the Lummis House and took about a hundred pictures. Most of them aren't very interesting and it's too bad, because the house and garden are lovely. But I like this shot of the drinking fountain.

Charles Lummis walked to Los Angeles from Ohio, back when there was more than traffic to worry about. Along the way, he filed stories with the Los Angeles Times. When he arrived, he became the paper's first City Editor.

He built his home, El Alisal, with his own hands. It took him twelve years (1898-1910). The house is one of the earliest examples of Craftsman architecture in the U.S. Each door, each window, is different from the last, because they're all made by hand. The house is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12-4, and it's free. You're welcome to make a donation.

And it's okay about the pictures because I intend to go back and take more.

**********

Please note the poll is up; while you're here, vote for your favorite Week Six entry in the Camelot Where You Are photo contest!

Camelot Where You Are #26, Margaret

"What says Camelot more than Legos, a girl, and an imagination?"

So says Margaret of her daughter Mary's latest castle.

I agree. I built my Camelot with different materials, but the girl and the imagination were indispensable parts.

Thank you, Margaret (and Mary!).


**********

Thanks for playing this week, everyone! Here's the latest poop:

Be sure to vote this weekend for your favorite Camelot Where You Are entry from this week. The poll will appear at the upper left side of the blog tonight (as late as I can manage to stay up) and will remain there until midnight Sunday night.

I have two more entries for the contest so far, so while we await a full complement we'll have a regular blog week next week. Is there a bit of Camelot where you are? Take a photo and enter it! The details are here. Each weekly winner receives a free copy of my new novel, Camelot & Vine, IF AND WHEN I EVER GET THE THING PUBLISHED.

And I will! It's just taking a little longer than I'd hoped. That, my friends, simply means more winners and more free books. So send in your entry!

Camelot Where You Are #25, Speedway

"I finally got to my Camelot," says Speedway, "a White Castle fast food hamburger stand at the corner of 16th and Illinois in downtown Indy. It's one of those regional chains that's been around for many years. Many people who've moved away from Indy get a hankerin' for the little sliders and have relatives send them a box. It was such a phenomenon that White Castle has made cartons of the frozen burgers available for purchase in many groceries.

"I can't stand them myself and don't ever buy them. The little beef patties are square, with holes punctured in them. They're grilled then steamed (the reason for the holes) with chopped onions on a small steamed roll.

"White Castle is, I found out, the oldest hamburger chain in the country, having been founded in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas. As you no doubt will notice, my 'castle' comes complete with crenelations." Speedway mentions the dumpsters have crenelations, too.

We had White Castle in my Illinois hometown. You?

Thanks for entering, Speedway!


**********

Camelot & Vine updates here!
Camelot Where You Are contest details here!

Voting this weekend, so stick around!

Camelot Where You Are #24, Susan

Susan and Tommy did some research for their entry.

"Forbes considers Silver Lake America’s hippest hipster neighborhood," says Susan. "So perhaps it’s no surprise that’s where you’ll find Camelot Kids preschool.

"I moved away from this area a few years ago, but I still use my Silver Lake mechanic. When I picked up my car a few weeks ago, I drove right past Camelot Kids. I felt like I was witnessing a miracle, I was so excited to see it! I didn’t have time to take a photo, so I went back with my model, Tommy, who’ll do anything for a treat and the Camelot cause."

Thank you, Susan, and thank you, Tommy, for believing this is a cause!


**********

Camelot & Vine updates here!
Camelot Where You Are contest details here!

Voting this weekend, so stick around!

Camelot Where You Are #23, Julie

I'm all for a trip to London, aren't you?

Julie sent in her entry, saying, "I was in London this summer for the Olympics and when I saw your photo contest I just knew I had to have at least one picture from my trip that fit the bill.

"Since the Tower of London was already entered, I decided to go a different route. I can't remember where exactly this picture was taken (my friend actually snapped the picture, must give credit where it's due!), but attached you'll find a picture of a dragon statuette somewhere in downtown London.

"A dragon in the middle of Britain? What's more Camelot than that!?"

I'm not going to quibble. If I remember correctly (and I may or may not), there's a dragon or two in Le Morte d'Artur, or at least the Mabinogion. No? Yes? It matters not a whit.

Thank you, Julie!

**********

Camelot & Vine updates here!

Camelot Where You Are contest details here!

Voting this weekend!

Exclamation points!

Zen Monday: #217

Zen Monday's the day when you write the copy. Just tell us what comes to mind.

I love Mondays. It's so nice to see you all.







For updates on my publishing misadventures and the Camelot Where You Are contest, please read below the asterisks.




**********

Oh hey! Nice to see you down here. 

I'm forging ahead with the publication of Camelot & Vine, my novel about a failing Hollywood actress who, on her fortieth birthday, gets fired from her cheesy acting job, catches her boyfriend in the arms of his wife, gets drunk on a flight to London, collides on horseback with a Mercedes, flies through a gap in time and lands in the sixth century, accidentally saving King Arthur's Life.

So far, forty sucks. And it's about to suck more.
 
It pains me to tell you I might not have the book ready before the end of this month. So I'm readjusting my hopes, and my fondest wish is to have it ready long before Christmas.

Meanwhile, the rate of receipt of entries for the Camelot Where You Are contest has slowed, which works out because we have the best of both worlds: some contest, some blog. This week I have enough entries, so we'll do the contest. Stop by during the week and check them out. If you'd like to enter, read the rules (or lack thereof) and send in a photo!

Pie Night '12

Rules are rules. At Pie Night, which some people refer to (well, one person) as Pie Knight, you must have your traditional Dave Knight photo. What would I do if Dave didn't show up?

If you click on Dave Knight in the blog labels below, you will notice something uncanny. Over the time I've known Dave--the Pie Nights we've seen and the real estate adventures we've shared--he and his wife have had two children. And he's gotten younger. How does he do that? Secret potions? Poison apples? No. I think perhaps it's the pie.

The other photo you get to take at Pie Night, if you're lucky, is of Pie Night Hostess Susan Savitt Schwartz. (Co-hosts Michael, Natalie Rose and Molly must have been stationed at various other points in the house at the time, apparently having fun instead of posing for me.)

Pie Night is a Schwartz family tradition. This year everyone came on time and the place was packed. There were a few more savory pies, which is great because after all that sugar you need some balance.

Or not. It's all pie, after all.