Zen Monday: #98

Zen Monday is the day you experience the photo and give us your thoughts rather than me telling you what I think the photo's about. There's no right or wrong. It means what you think it means, or what you want it to mean.

I look for a photo worth contemplating or, failing that, something odd or silly. Unless I absolutely must say something I stay out of the comments box to avoid influencing the discussion because when I get in there everything goes down hill.

Faulkner Was Right

"The past is never dead. It's not even past." —William Faulkner

For your contemplative Sunday spirit: a bit of early Zen from guest photographer John Sandel. This one knocked my socks off and I'm grateful to him for letting me post it.

To be honest, the weather is warm and I was already barefoot.

French Filling

Some people make it a point to get to Paris every year. In the absence of that possibility, I make it a point to get to Nicole's Gourmet Market & Cafe in South Pasadena whenever I want a taste of France.

Now, before anyone outs me, I'll admit I practically starved in Paris. I didn't know how to order what I wanted. It's scandalous to say so, but I'm not crazy about a lot of French foods. (I once told this to a foodie friend and it made her cry.)

But I can handle French bread—lots of it. I love macarons, too. In fact, just about any French pastry will be fine, merci beaucoup. And you won't hear me complain about French chocolate.

Nicole's has all these things, plus sandwiches and coffee, and a little French grocery, too. Though it's a bit too far from the Louvre to be perfect, I've never left there hungry.

Not the Ideal Spot

I get over to Hahamongna Watershed Park about three times a week and I've been taking pictures there for two and a half years. You'd think I'd have enough photos of the place. But it's different every time I go, with new colors, new angles or, right now, a new family of ducks. I tried going without my camera one day last week, but when I saw JPL and the mountains sandwiched between the expressive sky and this field of wild yellow, I ended up taking out my iPhone and shooting away. I couldn't help myself.

In case you were planning on attending the City Council meeting this coming Monday to help defend Hahamongna from soccer fields, it looks like the issue's been put off until the July 12th meeting. Sure enough, I don't see it on the June 7th City Council Agenda. I was feeling optimistic about preventing soccer fields in Hahamongna, but apparently the City Council is under some pressure. Find out more and sign the Save Hahamongna petition at savehahamongna.org.

By the way, the spring flood waters have diminished to small streams, but they're still flowing.

Soccer fields on a flood plain. Call me crazy, but I'm thinking it's not the ideal spot.

There's No Place Like Home Page

Okay, I get it. I'm not welcome. Don't come this way, don't knock on this gate, haunted alley, I'd turn back if I were you.

Yet just across the way, at 222 E. Harvard Street in Glendale...

...is the Glendale Central Library, where you're most welcome this Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. when I'll be speaking to the Alameda Writer's Group about blogging. It's called "Blog Your Writing Career: Ten Tips for Putting Your Best Cyberfoot Forward." The meeting is free and you don't have to be an AWG member to attend.

I'm not sure if I like the "Cyberfoot" thing. Too cute, maybe. But I wrote it, so I'm stuck with it for now, and you get the idea. If you're thinking about blogging or if you're blogging and nobody's reading, come on by.

By the way, the driveway just west of the haunted alley will take you into the parking lot on the corner of Harvard and Maryland. Validate your ticket at the library's front desk and you can park three hours for free.

I hope to see you, ruby slippers or no.

Zen Wednesday: #1

We've never had a Zen Wednesday before. I missed Zen Monday this week because it was the last day of the month and we do Last Day and--I don't know, is that Zen? (Not that Zen Monday is ever actually Zen.) Then Tuesday was Theme Day. But we've got to have our Zen, so here it is.

Look sharp!

Theme Day: Funny Signs

There may be a part of Pasadena I haven't scoured for funny signs, but I don't know where it is. I had to go to Valley Village to find this one (thanks for the tip, Lisa!).

Sometimes I want to tell people Los Angeles isn't as weird as folks say it is. Then I see something like this and I think, yes, yes it is.

If you don't think this sign is funny, click on it to enlarge it and check again. And if you still don't think it's funny, I recommend a super-size bag of Doritos.

There are now 1234 City Daily Photo blogs around the world, many of which are participating in today's theme. Click here to view thumbnails for the participants and discover a new city!