Have you ever wondered why the colors red and green are associated with Christmas?
Author Archives: Sharon W
Fly Fishing at the Arroyo
Fly fishing never really sounded that interesting to me until my brothers started talking about it with such excitement. They started sharing stories, comparing notes, planning adventures. Suddenly I wanted in, but I don’t fly fish — what do I do? I was mulling this over in my head when I stumbled upon the Pasadena Casting Club’s practice pond in the Lower Arroyo Seco Park in Pasadena, bingo!
LA Times Exposed
A while back my cousin and I toured the Los Angeles Times buildings (there are two: the printing press on Olympic and the staff offices on 1st). I had “won” the tour at a silent auction and was excited to explore this city landmark (first paper was printed in 1881). After missing the parking garage entrance and circling the block a couple of times (signage people!), I cruised into a parking space and sauntered over to the Times’ lobby.
Three Wise Frogs
With the holidays upon us, we begin to see the best and worst in people exposed. It is now that I try to remind myself and those I love to “hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil”. In other words, try not to be the shady character in your holiday season that brings people down.
Best of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving gives us all a chance to reflect on what makes our hearts grow a little bigger. Although my life is not perfect, or without its struggles, I have been blessed abundantly. This includes…
- My husband’s kisses that wake me up in the morning. I instantly know I am safe.
- Sharing a wonderful Thanksgiving meal with my big, loud, crazy family. My oldest brother’s huge smile and big heart as he fights stage four cancer is inspiring and adds perspective (he and his wife host our clan for Thanksgiving, what?).
- My mom’s sausage breadcrumb stuffing. I always eat until I can do no more — it has to last me a year!
I hope you all enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving day and remember what is the best of Thanksgiving for you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Pompeii Exposed
Pompeii is erupting at The California Science Center! On a recent visit there I got “schooled” on the finer points of Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius, and why such a catastrophic event was not a more feared risk.
Mary’s, a Contrary Cafe in Sierra Madre
Mary, Mary, quite contrary and, indeed, Mary’s Market & Canyon Cafe in Sierra Madre is just that. Located at the base of the San Gabriel Valley foothills just minutes from the bustling cities that make up Los Angeles County, Mary’s Market & Canyon Cafe transports you from the frenetic to the sublime.
Five Time Trivia Facts
With the daylight disappearing earlier and earlier these fall days, it has brought to mind the concept of time and with it some trivia. Have you ever wondered…
- how in the early days of tracking time when sundials were all the rage, people told time at night? They used the hourglass. Interestingly, no one knows the inventor of these nighttime time trackers.
- how you tell the difference between a timepiece and a clock? A timepiece remains silent when it passes the hour mark while a clock strikes a bell or chime.
- why a quartz crystal is used in the making of watches? Because specifically sized quartz crystals coupled with a digital counter will, without fail, generate a pulse in exactly one-second intervals.
- what Tempus Fugit means? It means “time flies” and can be found on many clock dials (try throwing in that phrase at your next cocktail party!).
- who was the first American to receive a patent for a clock mechanism by the United States Patent Office? That would be Eli Terry back in 1801. He was granted a patent for an equation clock. This mechanism helped Eli in his pursuit to mass produce clocks which had previously been costly and timely to make.
Industriel Strength Food
This past weekend Spaceman and I celebrated my friend’s birthday in the best way possible, by sharing a meal together! This is an age-old tradition that is one of the best ways to show how dear someone is to you – and who am I to buck tradition? We celebrated at a Los Angeles eatery of her choice named Industriel.
The Beauty of Lacy Park
A while back I wrote about the Lacy Park Stairs as a good “public gym” option and promised a follow-up regarding Lacy Park proper. Seeing that the holidays are fast approaching and my jeans are already getting tighter (I think the wash machine has shrunk them), now is a good time to share what Lacy Park offers.