Thursday, April 30, 2009

Table/Chair at Tra Vigne


Last February, when I saw this little nook in the courtyard of Tra Vigne restaurant in St. Helena (Napa Valley), I immediately thought of Virginia of Birmingham Alabama Daily Photo.
This one is dedicated to Virginia as part of her Table/Chair Series.
The restaurant was recommended by R., a friend at work, who enjoys good dining and wines, and I did have an excellent meal there.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

'O' is for Ocean (abc Wednesday)

Cruise ship departing on an ocean journey (most likely for Baja California) from Port of LA on a recent Saturday afternoon. The view is from Mantis Street in San Pedro. The little tower at the tip of breakwater on the right side is the Angel's Gate Lighthouse.
Although I have not visited Baja California, I've seen many beautiful photographs of its rugged beauty. One of my favorite travel books is The Log from The Sea of Cortez by the American novelist John Steinbeck, where in 1940 he sailed in a sardine boat with his great friend, the biologist Edward F. Ricketts. to collect marine invertebrates from the beaches of the Gulf of California. Another good read was LA Times columnist Jack Smith's God and Mr. Gomez (1974), where he wrote about building a vacation house in Baja California on the Pacific Coast side.
Join Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday Round 4!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Alex at Malaga Bank, RPV

Alex is a really nice young man who works at the Malaga Bank in Rolling Hills Estates. He always has a smile and is very helpful in solving any problems. The bank is small, local and financially solid.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Marineland of the Pacific (1954 - 1987)

"Marineland of the Pacific was a public aquarium and tourist attraction located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula coast above the Pacific Ocean in Los Angeles County, California, USA that opened in 1954. Millions of people visited Marineland before it closed in 1987." (Ref. palosverdes.com/rpv/marineland) The link has lots of old photos of Marineland. The property stood idle for a long time and now is being turned into an architecturally uninspired resort.

Shown is a detail from the original Marineland sign that is now located by Pt. Vicente Interpretive Center. The Center has more memorabilia including a Marineland Memories book. Most people who lived in the area during those years have fond memories of their visits.

I remember going there in early spring of 1971, with my best friend in 7th grade, Marina Beccera (sitting). I recall a very long drive from Northeast LA and much cooler weather by the ocean. I also thought it strange to have dolphins and whales perform for us. Do you have memories of Marineland or other similar attractions?

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Robert Thies & Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay at the Norris Theater

Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay under the direction of Frances Steiner performed their GALA SPRING CONCERT last evening at the intimate Norris Theater in PV. The pianist Robert Thies played a wonderful rendition of Schumann's Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54, and the orchestra did Beethoven proud on Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op.92.
After the Grieg Piano Concerto, Schumann's is my most favorite. With only 450 seats at the Norris, the COSB season tickets sell out quickly (previous subscribers and benefactors are the first to get seats) but we usually luck out and get tickets by being on a waiting list.
I do like seeing a talented, competent, and stylish woman in charge.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

GTE in PV (but no more)



Up Highridge Road, an unusual sight for this neighborhood could be seen tucked away from the street - a delapidated building. The photo was taken last December and today when I drove by, I noticed that the building is no longer there.


It belonged to "GTE Corporation (formerly General Telephone & Electronics Corporation) that was the largest of the "independent" US telephone companies (providing local telephone service) during the days of the Bell System." (Ref. Wikipedia). GTE was acquired by Verizon in the late '90s.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Wayfarers Chapel


Details of the glass chapel & bell tower with a crescent moon.

The link has wonderful historical photos of Lloyd Wright (the architect) and the building phase:
Wayfarers Chapel - Architecture Gallery.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

'N' is for Nature Preserve (abc Wednesday)


The plant is a native wild mustard plant. The white smudge on the right is a half moon.

Join Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday Round 4!

"The 163-acre Forrestal Nature Preserve, with some of the best remaining native wildlife habitat and hiking trails, is located on the south side of the Palos Verdes Peninsula in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes." PV Peninsula Land Conservancy

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Party Time at the Pool with a View




My lovely little friend celebrated her 10th birthday last Saturday. Not a bad place for a pool party.
The location is San Pedro Elks Lodge No. 966 and the view is of San Pedro, Port of Los Angeles, the breakwater and the Pacific. Note that the grass on the hillside is no longer green.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Sun Worship

Enjoying the heat wave.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Downtown Los Angeles from the Music Center

On a recommendation from two friends, last Thursday I attended the LA Opera's performance of Wagner's Die Walkure, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (partially shown on the right). Everything about it was exceptional, even for an uneducated Wagnerian like myself (luckily, the 'supertitles' make the plot understandable). The production, designed by Achim Freyer with costumes by Amanda Freyer, was other worldly and a modernistic spectacular. And I heard the incomparable Placido Domingo (as Siegmund) in person, for the first time.
The absolutely amazing main cast (1st row, left to right): Eric Halfvarson (Hunding), Anja Kampe (Sieglinde), Vitalij Kowaljow (Wotan), James Conlon (conductor - as one audiance member said, "They are so lucky to have him!"), Linda Watson (Brunnhilde), Placido Domingo (Siegmund), and Michelle DeYoung (Fricka). An interesting review of this new production (with a photo of a Ride of the Valkyries scene) can be found on LA Times Blogs - Culture Monster - LA Opera - Valkyries. (More photos from LA Times are here: Walkure-photogallery).

Saturday, April 18, 2009

If not Reggie, then who?

This post requires some work on your part - if you don't mind looking at reptiles, please click on the photo to enlarge and let me know what you think it is. When I took the photo, I thought it was a turtle, but it may be a snake.
Several people asked if the lake in yesterday's post was a home to an alligator a few years back - and yes, it was.

The True Story of Reggie
Reggie, the alligator, was first seen swimming in Machado Lake at Kenneth Malloy Memorial Park (or Harbor Park) in August 2005. He eluded elaborate efforts to capture him and was sighted again in April 2007. In May 2007, Reggie stepped out on dry land and “a zoo employee, jumped on his back, threw a t-shirt over his head, and wrapped duct tape around his snout. He was seven feet long at the time of his capture.” Reggie was moved to Los Angeles Zoo, where in August 2007, he again briefly escaped from his cage.
Wikipedia on Reggie, the alligator

Friday, April 17, 2009

Paysage of Machado Lake in Harbor Park (SkyWatch Friday)

Harbor Park is located at Vermont and Anaheim St. in City of Wilmington, adjacent to Palos Verdes. the lake is a bit lower than the road and surrounded by trees, so it cannot be seen from the road and is well worth a short walk to the water. While in college, I spent a Saturday on the lake, practicing canoeing before a trip down a calm section of the Colorado River.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

"Protect Your Nest Egg" at the local library



Sylvia Richardson, a talented librarian and adult services manager at the Peninsula Center Library, created this artistic installation that's displayed over the investment/financial advise books.

'M' is for Music by Alma Trio (abc Wednesday)

Maria Wietrzynska (Poland, piano), Diana Flores (Costa Rica, violoncello), Clara Kruk (Uruguay, violin)
These very talented student musicians gave a recital at the Peninsula Center Library last Wednesday. The concerts are part of the Classical Music Series (arranged by the librarian Ashley Burdick) and are performed in the library foyer, which gives an open invitation for all passers by to stay and enjoy.
The audiance thought the musicians excellent and we all wanted to hear more - I'm hoping they will eventually record the program. The program:
Sergei Rachmaninoff - Trio Eleguaque Op. 9 in G minor for piano, violin and violoncello (1893), 1st movement: Moderato
Franz Liszt - Ballade #2 in b minor (1853), piano solo by Ms. Wietrzynska
Astor Piazzolla (Argentina) - Verano Porteno (1964), Otono Porteno (1969)*, Primavera Protena (1970)*, La Muerte del Angel (1960)*, *arrangement for piano trio by Jose Bragato (Piazzolla's violoncellist)

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

New York City Landmarks by a Teen Traveler

Mosaic in Strawberry Fields (memorial to John Lennon in Central Park) - it snowed there last Thrusday! From Central Park
THE bull on Wall Street
Lady Liberty with the morning sun
Cell phone photographs by my son, I.C.B., taken during the spring break trip to Washington DC and New York City with 60 of his intermediate school classmates. They really packed in a lot in 6 days. They were dropped off by the tour bus on 5th Avenue for an hour and told to go check-out the restrooms in the Trump Building.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Life in the Fast Lane...


.... actually the left lane on Silver Spur Rd., the main business street in PV with very pretty center dividers filled with pansies.

Doesn't it feel like the spring is just zipping by?

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Spring Sunset from Our Rear Window

For all who celebrate, wishing you a Happy Easter.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Peach Blossoms at Pearblossom, CA

An orchard near Pearblossom, CA in the Antelope Valley on the east side of the San Gabriel mountains. There aren't many orchards left in this region but some still give color to the dessert in the spring.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Up, Up, And Away (SkyWatch Friday)

"Launch" site is near the upper trailhead of the Burma Road trail at the Protuguese Bend Reserve. We walked a narrow path off the main trail to see the view and lucked out to find a parasailer ready to take-off. With a sublte whoosh sound, the sail filled and he was off. I didn't realize how much gear they carried on their back, sort of like a turtle shell.
Long Point can be seen in the distance, where Marineland was once located and is now being developed as a huge resort.
See some fabulous skies from around the world at SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Orange / Bug (2 things challenge)

The ladybug is enjoying what I believe is a non-native plant at the Portuguese Bend Reserve, previously shown here. When I helped out removing invasive plants from the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Orange Co. last year, I became more aware of how the non-natives can push out the native. Here is a good brochure offering native landscaping options - Cal-IPC: LANDSCAPING-So Cal

Here is a beauty in orange that is fully contained next to the post office.
Join the 2 Things Challenge hosted by DC Confidential.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

'L' is for "Los ..." & "Lincoln ..." (abc Wednesday)

Join Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday Round 4!

The old Los Angeles theatre on Broadway St. in Downtown L.A. See more views from Broadway Street on my Mostly LA County blog.

UPDATE: Los Angeles Theater, 1931; S. Charles Lee - architect; 615 S. Broadway; "A Baroque motion-picture palace. Twin Corinthina columns frame the central notched arch. Above, a varied skyscraper is provided with pinnacles and other sculptured forms. The interior grand staircases and rich decorations is as French Second Empire as the street facade. Probably the finest theater building in Los Angeles."

THE Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. (Photo by my son - I.C.B. - with his cell phone.)

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Artistic "Faces" - West Coast & East Coast

At Dana Point last Sunday, "M.M." - an attractive, stylish and very nice woman - was kind enough to let me take a photo of her fun sweater.
On a historical note - here is a totem pole face carving near Jamestown, Virginia. (Photo by I.C.B.)

Monday, April 6, 2009

Jefferson's Monticello by a Special Guest Photographer

Today I hand over the blog to my son who is taking photos with his cell phone of his spring break trip to Washington DC and NYC. He 'picture-mails' me daily updates - I sure love modern technology.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Reinvented Space - Montessori School at Golden Cove Center

Here is a commercial space that was very nicely converted from an old Safeway supermarket to a Montessori School. The closed Golden Lotus restaurant will soon reopen as a Trader Joe's market. Below is a view showing the edge of the Golden Cove shopping area and a wide section of PV Blvd South.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Greetings from Ealge's Nest "Wanderweg"

'Z' from Based in Villigen - Wanderweg reminded me of all the wonderful trails all over Switzerland that we enjoyed walking on some 20 years ago. So last (overcast) Sunday, Amy & I took to the 'wanderweg' of Portuguese Bend Reserve Trails (brochure & map) that starts right by Del Cerro park at the end of Crenshaw Blvd. It's got horse, bike & walking trails and it overlooks the coastline.
Abalone Cove thru wild mustard. The trails do lead all the way from the top of the bluff to the water.


Friday, April 3, 2009

So long, Longs

Ever since I moved to PV in 1986, Longs Drugs has been my favorite store in the neighborhood. It just had more charm than other drug stores close by. The drug store will still be operational under the CVS logo and floor arrangement. Of the 3 stores on the sign, only Bristol Farms Market is still going strong - I guess it's just a sign of the times.
Longs Drugs - Fate: Acquired by CVS Caremark; Founded: 1938 by Longs brothers; Defunct: 2008; Products: Pharmacy, Cosmetics, Health and Beauty Aids, General Merchandise, Snacks, 1 Hour Photo (ref. Wikipedia)

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Red Finch Living the High Life (SkyWatch Friday)

See some fabulous skies at SKYWATCH FRIDAY.
(And now for something completely different, FOR me - SWF on Thursday.)

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

April Theme Day: YELLOW

For City Daily Photo Theme Day, I wanted to show something that is very Southern California-ish. Well, heavy commuter traffic can count as a fitting subject with the bonus of being nicely reflected by and above a YELLOW bumper.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.