Hahamongna Upset Overturned

The Honorable Michael D. Antonovich                                3/1/11
L.A. County Board of Supervisors
Los Angeles, California

Dear Supervisor Antonovich:

On behalf of the City of Pasadena, I convey strong support for your motion on today’s Supplemental Agenda (Item 60C) pertaining to the Devil’s Gate Dam Sediment Removal Project. After due deliberations, the Council unanimously expressed support for the motion.

We recognize the seriousness of the project to be undertaken, and Pasadena is prepared to cooperate fully in its implementation in the years ahead. But like you, we strongly believe that the project must be structured in a thoughtful and environmentally sensitive manner, and we agree that the approach suggested in your motion will put us on the right track for this effort. The City will be represented at today’s meeting by either Vice Mayor Victor Gordo or Councilmember Steve Madison. 

Please share this letter with your colleagues on the Board of Supervisors.  It is our hope that the motion carries and that the short term plan, to be returned within 90 days, will take into account all material environmental concerns. In this regard, our Public Works staff stands ready to confer and cooperate with the Department of Public Works, Los Angeles County, to assure that the interests of the City of Pasadena in Hahamongna Park are taken fully into account.

Please let us know how we can be helpful in pursuing this important matter.

Sincerely,
BILL BOGAARD
Mayor

Locals may already know that Supervisor Antonovich's motion passed and there will be an Environmental Impact Report before the Department of Public Works begins removing silt from behind the Devil's Gate Dam. (Yay!) The referenced "short term plan," as I understand it, will actually be returned within 30 days as opposed to 90. During this period LADPW has permission to clean out the workings of the dam itself. I hope I've got that right.

The Hahamongna walkabout is this Saturday, March 5th, and there's room for you! Sign up and join us! (I'm leading the 9am tour.) Find out why so many people continue to push to preserve this "urbanwild" place (have done so for years and will always do so).

Big thanks to the City Council for standing up for Pasadena's interests and to Pasadena PIO Ann Erdman for sharing the Mayor's letter. Thanks to Mademoiselle Gramophone for videotaping the Supervisors' meeting and reporting. Thanks to the Pasadena Star-News for this excellent editorial that states it all so clearly and evenly. And thanks to the many, many people who signed the petition (you can sign, too) and made their voices heard in support of Hahamongna. I'd list them all, but the band would play me off the stage.

There will be more challenges. Let's stay tuned.

Artful Aerie

On a gray day, the birds need somewhere nice to go. We have trees in Pasadena, of course, but some birds are picky.

I think these avian penthouses are mighty fine. I wonder what the interior decor looks like.

Theme Day: My Favorite Part of Town

The first of every month, City Daily Photo blogs have a theme day. Today it's "My Favorite Part of Town." I have a lot of favorite places in Pasadena, but my number-one-tops is my block.

I love where I live. I love my home, my street, my neighbors and the way of life we share. We have something worth protecting.

J and I once thought we'd stay here until we make our fortune, then head to the greener pastures of San Marino or Beverly Hills. Now we know there are no greener pastures than our front lawn.

City Daily Photo bloggers around the world are participating in today's theme. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants. Find out Eric's favorite part of Paris, Fabrizio's favorite part of Torino, Ham's favorite part of London, etc. etc. etc. CDP is now 1355 blogs strong, so you can see pretty much anyone's favorite part of anywhere.

Zen Monday: #135

On Zen Monday, I pretend I am a Zen Master. I ask you to experience the photo and tell us, in the comments, what you've learned. Today I'm not much of a master (as if that's different from other Mondays) because I must suggest that you click on the photo to enlarge it.

(Your first Zen Monday? Tell us what the photo makes you think of. There's no right or wrong. There are no prizes. Just have fun.)

Cozy Up to the Library

Pasadena Central Library's Centennial Room

Yesterday, several of my neighbors packed their kids in their cars and headed to Altadena to play in the snow. My friends in Burbank said they made a snowman, but I haven't seen pictures.

I grew up in a cold climate and I moved to the west coast for a reason. To my mind, if you didn't have a fire going in your fireplace yesterday, it was a good day for the library.

Today's good, too, except the Central Library is open only from 1-5 on Sundays and the other branches are closed. I guess the librarians have a right to take a day off and freeze just like everyone else.

The travesty is that on Sundays, Central Grounds is closed.

Precipitation

Because it's Saturday I considered showing you pictures of outdoor activities like hiking and biking. But because we expect thundershowers all weekend, that would be cruel. And because I don't have a picture of someone reading by a fireplace in a cozy nook, here's a picture of petals from a Pink Cloud Flowering Cherry tree settling in a puddle. You follow my logic.

I know it's a Pink Cloud Flowering Cherry tree because that's what it said on the tag I found on one of the trees lining Palm Terrace. You'd think palm trees would line Palm Terrace and you'd be right. But so do Pink Cloud Flowering Cherry trees. Now's the time to see them, if the rain doesn't knock all the petals into the snow.

The weather reports say it's possible we'll have snow in elevations as low as 500 ft today. That's about the elevation of my front yard. It's been about 62 years since the last time that happened, which was not only before I moved here but before I was born. The only snow I've seen in ages has been the snow on the mountains. Pretty, but not exactly touchable from my place.

Props for Peeps

Local folk have heard Steve Scauzillo's name. He's the opinions editor of the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers. Now his name is being heard nationally because yesterday he accepted the Aldo Leopold Award for Distinguished Editorial Writing.

According to Editor and Publisher, The Wilderness Society presents the award every year "to an editorial writer who has produced editorials that strongly advocate protection of America's remaining wildlands." We'll pardon their redundancy; the award went to Steve after all.

Steve is a local treasure, a CDP blogger at Temple City Daily Photo, a teacher, an outstanding journalist and a friend. Congratulations, Steve.

Another local treasure is Denis Callet. You might have seen Gary Altadena's piece about Denis on Altadenablog. Denis comes to mind whenever I try to photograph a bird. His superb photos of birds at Hahamongna make me think I'll just stick with clouds and the occasional telephone pole.

Thanks, both of you. You are fab guys and I'm a fan of your works.

Botanica San Antonio

photo by John Sandel

It was closed when we went for Slaw Dogs the other night. But Botanica San Antonio looks inviting, even if the world it's inviting you to is a little sideways to your own.

Check out the 5-star Yelp reviews. If you go, you don't have to tell me the details of your reading but you have to tell me everything else.

Guest Author: Des Zamorano and "Human Cargo"

I'm excited to host my first local writer guest post! Please welcome Des Zamorano, an Altadena author who has just published an engrossing detective mystery set in familiar surroundings.

cover art by Simone Rein

Isn’t it fascinating, that while even from childhood we viscerally know life isn’t fair, we still crave justice? We want a  world where good triumphs jubilantly, and evil, instead of building philanthropic foundations to cover up its crimes, actually withers, dies and rots.

That, in any case, is part of the reason I love mysteries. I’ve loved them since a friend of mine introduced me to the works of Dashiell Hammet and Raymond Chandler, and I’m always looking for contemporary favorites, like Naomi Hirahara, Craig Johnson, and Gillian Flynn.

My protagonist, Inez Leon, a private investigator, kicked down my door  one writing morning, and refused to go away. I told her to beat it, I had a great American novel to write, filled with languorous language and sensuous subtlety. She rolled her eyes at me and sat down, then began pacing while I worked. Losing all patience, she rapped her Beretta on my desk and said, “My story’s the kind you actually read. And it’s all about right where you live, the nooks and corners you’ve never even visited.” I scowled, listened, and began writing it all down.

Human Cargo is the latest story she’s told me.  She has a knack for noticing things other people miss.

(Human Cargo is an e-book. If you can read this post, you can download it.) 

Do you have a suggestion for a local writer guest post? Are you a local (SGV), published writer/author/journalist? Email me. I'd love to hear from you.

Re:Launch

Once upon a time you learned a profession, you got a job, you worked hard at that career and you retired with a pension at the age of 65.

THE END.

And I do mean, "the end." It's the end of that kind of career. The internet and the recession have radically changed the workplace and we have to change with it. We will have several careers in our lives. Many people who've been laid off or downsized (same, insidious thing) have turned to entrepreneurship or small business ownership. Many of us come from a background of working for companies that had departments for accounting, planning, marketing, IT, acquisitions. Now we run all the departments. At least I do.

Did our 20th century educations prepare us for the 21st century work force?

You may remember last year I participated in a Business Builders' Boot Camp. I loved it and promised to let you know if there was another. Now the same people who ran Boot Camp are holding a two-day strategic planning retreat March 4th and 5th at the Historic Blinn House, home of the Women's City Club of Pasadena (pictured above). Men are most welcome, by the way.

The retreat is called Re:Launch, as in relaunch your business. Donna Chaney, of Chaney Financial Services (my one and only advertiser!) and Lilli Cloud, marketing and personal branding expert at bluefeet, are the warmest, most engaging business aces you will ever have the pleasure of learning from. And for their Friday lunch speaker they've got Karen E. Klein, the Smart Answers Columnist from Bloomberg  BusinessWeek, Q&A Columnist of the LA Times Business section and all-around business brainiac.

You can waste time and money figuring this stuff out as you go, or you can learn it all at Re:Launch. For more information, click the links. Or contact Lilli Cloud at 323-466-3518 or lcloud (at) yourbluefeet.com

I think I'm in the wrong career. I should be writing ad copy.

Tomorrow: I'm excited to host Pasadena Daily Photo's first ever guest post! Stop by and meet Altadena author Des Zamorano.

Zen Monday: #134

I don't write much blog copy on Zen Monday, because on Mondays I pretend I am a Zen Master.

Please experience the photo and tell us, in the comments, what you've learned.

(Your first Zen Monday? Tell us what the photo makes you think of. There's no right or wrong. There are no prizes. Just have fun.)

End of the Gallery at the End

You already know the Gallery at the End of the World is closed. But did you know Ben McGinty is selling the gallery's furnishings? Since the Gallery at the End of the World has always been unusual, the furnishings are a little eclectic as well. You never know when you might need a miniature painted shovel, an old diner counter or a disco ball.

The sale continues today from 9am to 3pm. Next weekend, Ben says he might cut some deals on Saturday (again, 9-3). Then Sunday, 2/27 is blow-out day, when he'll slash prices on what's left. There will be a final, farewell "art bender" barbecue in the cleared-out space on March 26th.

The Gallery at the End of the World has long been the spot for artists to show their work in Altadena. It's a completely unusual, funky space and I know everyone's going to miss it. But don't worry about Ben. He told me he's going to have a break; he's working on other things, other irons, other fires.

Georgia McClay Friendship Center

While on my way to meet friends at Zona Rosa the other night, I passed this window at the Pasadena Playhouse. I stopped to gawk at the costumes, the masks hanging from the ceiling and the posters on the wall. The golden light made it all so attractive. I pulled out my camera.

A woman with a beautiful smile spoke as she passed. (I wonder if she's in the show.) "I think the Friendship Center's open," she said. I told her I had a meeting in a few minutes and thanked her for telling me what I was looking at.

I found a bit of info online. The Georgia McClay Friendship Center is a room next to the box office, adjacent to the patio. It's available for rent (lending itself to business events, workshops or parties, says the website).

Who is Georgia McClay? Somebody generous, most likely. If not that, at least she has good taste.

Bar Celona

If Bar Celona is any indication, Pasadena's bars are a tad more upscale than the "Coldest Beer in Town!" joints I used to frequent in my days of...frequenting.

My very cool, multi-talented, recently-acquired (long story) cousin Richard Burchard was in town this week. We had one evening. We wanted food and drink. I had passed by Bar Celona a million times and never gone in. We figured, why not?

The ambiance is sophisticated without being snobby. The music is not too loud (high on my list). The restaurant looks intimate but when you start to explore you'll find more rooms, including two bars and a TV the size of a movie screen. If you don't like crowds, I recommend 7:30pm on a Wednesday.

The tapas were probably fattening--tasty and substantial. Three of us were satisfied sharing seven of them. And the beer was indeed very cold.

If I Can't Grow Anything On It, Maybe I Can Hang It On The Wall

I'm trying to kill the lawn in my back yard so I can replace it with drought-tolerant stuff and a vegetable garden.

I looked online for information on how to kill the grass and weeds: chemicals.

I asked at a couple of nurseries: chemicals.

Some people suggested I smother the lawn to death with a tarp, which seems preferable. I don't have a big enough tarp so I bought cheap garbage bags and slit them down the sides. I am now in the process of placing them end to end across the yard. This is an extremely inefficient method.

Baby steps.

The rain is not helping. Grass and weeds like rain.

However, (silver lining), each little bead of water is a self-portrait. I made something!


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Update on Hahamongna: Due to this week's rain, the Walkabout originally scheduled for this coming Saturday is being rescheduled to March 5th. I'll be leading the 9am tour. Sign up and come with me!
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Primavera

 It's spring. Around here, that means Primavera.

You're invited!

I'm told this pretty poster is untweetable. How's this?

Saturday, March 19th, 11am-? Farnsworth Park, Altadena
Bloggers, families, friends & groupies welcome!
bring a dish, utensils or paper goods to share
info: altadenablog@gmail.com
or call 626-791-5327

I imagine that's more than 140 characters. I'll let you pick what to abbreviate. We'll have plenty of characters at the picnic, no abbreviations necessary.

Please spread the word (there's a little button below). I hope to see you there.

Walkabout

Horses, dogs, children, adults, toads, disc golfers, hikers, mushroomers(!), kite flyers, coyotes, mountain bikers, snakes, birds and all kinds of other people use Hahamongna Watershed Park.

I've mentioned in previous posts that HWP is under threat from a drastic plan by the LA County Department of Public Works to remove silt from behind Devil's Gate Dam. The silt needs to be removed but environmentalists (including myself) would like to see the LADPW examine gentler ways to do it. Otherwise some of the more vulnerable critters who live in the watershed might find themselves homeless.

There are several things you can do to help protect Hahamongna, our almost-wilderness in the city:

Now - Sign the petition demanding a full Environmental Impact Report.

Now - Write to Pasadena City Manager Michael Beck to find out the truth about waste dumping at Hahamongna.

Update, thanks to Pascal Jim:
February 17 - Cleveland Elementary School: the East Arroyo Residents Association hosts "questions and answers" for District One candidates.
Incumbent Jacque Robinson voted in favor of the soccer field at Hahamongna. (Miss H. says 7pm)

Update on Walkabout: Due to this week's rain, the Walkabout originally scheduled for this coming Saturday 2/19 is being rescheduled to March 5th. I'll be leading the 9am tour. Sign up and come with me!
March 5th, 9am-12noon - Join the Hahamongna Walkabout. Tour this delicate ecosystem with a fun guide (maybe me!) and find out why Hahamongna is worth protecting.

February 23rd, 6pm - Attend the Candidate debate at Cleveland Elementary School. Ask the City Council candidates about their plans to protect Hahamongna. (You can pre-send questions to event moderator Frank Girardot at frank.girardot@sgvn.com).

Ongoing - Don't let up.

Tim has more at Altadenablog.

Zen Monday: #133

Some Mondays are more Zen than others.

Please experience the photo and tell us, in the comments, what you've learned.

(Your first Zen Monday? Tell us what the photo makes you think of. There's no right or wrong, no prizes. Just have fun.)

I Heart My Watch Cat

Sure, he looks sweet. Benign, even. But see the sign? Not the heart--that's a trap. I'm talking about the one that says "Protection One." That's this kitty's middle name and I don't take these things lightly.

He's a feline chameleon, and don't think he doesn't know it. He could hang out on a higher step where he'd show up against the house. But down by the gravel he blends in. Approach and your leg is a mere grab away from his claws.

The mailman won't come near our house if Boz is on the porch. Little does he know.

Traffic

It's bad enough to have a long day. But when your long day is topped with a bumper-to-bumper commute on what's laughingly called a "freeway," it feels like the world has it in for you.

I had one of those days yesterday. It wore me out. When I got to the Colorado Street Bridge I was glad to be home (and no, I didn't take this picture during a Friday rush hour).

I used to be a radio traffic reporter. People would call in to ask about accidents, rules of the road, the back-up on the 605. Often they aired their traffic frustrations to me and I reminded them, as I reminded myself yesterday, that if you're not involved in the accident that created the backup you're sitting in, then someone out there is having a much worse day than you are.

Plus how often do you get to just sit and listen to the news? Yesterday was a fine day for that.