Glad to See You

I hope the tourists arriving in Pasadena for the Tournament of Roses parade and the Rose Bowl game are enjoying themselves and finding lots to do. Although I'm glad they're here I admit, since the Rose Bowl is west of me and Colorado Blvd. is south, unless I'm forced in other directions I'm going only east and north until next Monday.

It's nothing personal. Some of my best friends are Texas Christians and cheeseheads. I'm just not one for crowds.

The Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia (east) is looking beautiful these days, and since it's so big there's room for a few extra people. Isn't that bench inviting? I sat on it.

I made the unfortunate mistake of putting my glasses in my back pocket before sitting down. Even my titanium frames couldn't survive the ordeal, so I was forced to take a drive down Lake Avenue yesterday (south). I would have waited until next week but my glasses were making me dizzy, so I stopped in at Moda Optique to have them adjusted. Hratch said business was good but the Texas and Wisconsin fans are not knocking down his doors. Apparently they brought their glasses from home and haven't sat on them yet.

Stylish Nerds

A while back I promised you a photo of me and John in our new glasses. We finally had our picture taken by our fabulous neighbor, Linda Centell (thank you, Linda!) and voila! New glasses.

It's a good day to post this photo because today is special: it's the birthday of my husband, my best friend, my helper, my comedian, my teacher, my light, my safety net, my power switch, my sounding board, my partner, my question, my answer, my absolute love. And now that we're past the mushy stuff, he's also my favorite silly person. No one has ever made me laugh as much or as hard.

I keep coming up with special things for us to do today, but I don't think he wants to do special things. He wants to relax, get some work done and enjoy his home. And really, when a couple of nerds are happy together, that's special enough.

Maybe it would be best to celebrate by doing something silly. Your silly suggestions are welcome.

Happy birthday, sweeney.

Moda Optique

I've always dreaded getting new eyeglasses. I've put off shopping for frames. I'll be wearing the things on my face, of all places, so they'd better be perfect.

Apparently, what I've needed all along was Hratch, the owner, Optician and Eyewear Consultant at Moda Optique at 415 South Lake Avenue. John discovered Hratch (pronounced as written) and Moda by stopping in on a whim. For John, choosing new frames is simple: he knows what he wants, he finds it, he buys it. Not me. I try on pair after pair: the Spinster, the Desperate Hipster, the Party Animal, the Geezer. (Perhaps I place too much importance on this.)

Hratch, a certified optician, uses three different labs to make his lenses, based on each lab's technical strengths. But he cuts the lenses himself. He fits them to the frames. He makes the glasses. That explains why he's so meticulous during the fitting. This is his creation and he wants you to look good in it.

Our Eyewear Consultant has a strong fashion sense, too, which comes in handy for me because I don't. He calmed my confusion over color and style. (Should I get the Party Animal in fuchsia or would it be better in tangerine? Try the Stylish Nerd in blue, he said, and he was right.) Hratch isn't afraid to tell you if he thinks a style doesn't work for you, but he won't do that without suggesting something that will. And I bet you'll go for it.

These services aren't cheap but they're definitely a bargain. Like John says, Hratch is an artisan. In him, titanium technology meets old world craft. I like meeting people like him in my town.

My business with Hratch is finished for now. I don't think I'll be able to break my glasses and I'm sure I'll be happy with my Stylish Nerds for quite some time. I'll have to come up with other reasons to stop in and say hello. Maybe I'll break John's glasses.