Another Northeast Pomona Power Outage

Looks like another power outage once again here in the Northeast Pomona Area on a late Monday night. This one doesn’t include Claremont, as I can see the street lights on after American Ave. It might include the blogless city of Montclair though. I was watching the 11 O’clock news and about 11:15pm everything turned off. I heard a surge sound and went out and saw the glow of red and white towards the northeast sky. Looks like something out in Montclair to the north. At first I thought it was a fire or some kind of accident due to the almost fire looking glow in the sky. I know Montclair has some electrical transformer stations or something, and perhaps Pomona uses them. I have no clue how these ‘power grids’ work, except that they made Enron and make Edison a lot of money. It’s 11:36pm right now and everything is still dark. This is the longest outage I have encountered living out here. Oh, and I have a fridge full of groceries, so they better hurry up.

One thing though, it does look beautiful and serene out there at night.

Update: The power is back on at 11:58pm. I did hear the fire department sirens about a minute before the power kicked on. Did anyone else around here experience this? How about Lincoln Parkers?
I’m trying to find news or anything, but this is the area I call the ‘ignored northeast edge of Pomona’, so good luck to me on finding any news. I guess I might be the only so called ‘news’ LOL.

Hey So. Cal, Do You Love Antiques?

If you do love antiques and are a treasure hunter, then you must come check this event out. This event only happens 5 times a year, so you can't miss this. Walk Pomona's Historic Antique Row, featuring three blocks of sidewalk vendors. Part flea market, part festival, part open house, this is a fun, FREE and popular event.

When: Saturday September 26th 2009
Time: 8am to 3pm.
Information: 909-620-7430
Shop info: Click here
It's unbelieveable how close this thing is to everyone. Yes, all my friends in L.A.(Los Feliz, Atwater & Silverlake peeps) and the rest of L.A., Pasadena & foothills (Monrovia, Duarte, Arcadians!), Inlanders too, as well as Orange County etc., it's barely a half hour drive in the morning from Downtown L.A., if even that much. So all you collectors out there, come by and take a peek. From L.A., get onto the 10 freeway east and exit Garey Ave, go right (south) and turn left on second. You will see that building in the picture above to your left. That's it, simple, done, DO IT!

Here's a few pics of past events, courtesy of MetroPomona.com:

10 Buildings That Should Fall Down

In the cool and interesting section of my blog (okay, there isn't one, but this is both of those things), I stumbled upon Weburbanist and saw this trippy article with pictures of buildings designed to look like they are not going to be standing much longer. What an amazing skill of architecture design this is! Unfortunately, yet not surprising, none of these buildings are in the USA.


Check out more at: Don’t Look Down: 10 Peculiarly Precarious Modern Buildings

Enjoy The Soft Lush TP While you Can

Seriously. Environmentalists are trying to stop toilet paper makers from making the 'lush soft' type of tissue. Apparently, we will all be wiping our behinds with recycled tracing paper soon if they have their way.

But they do have a point:

"The reason, they say, is that plush U.S. toilet paper is usually made by chopping down and grinding up trees that were decades or even a century old"

Kinda sad, I mean, beautiful old trees chopped so we can wipe our asses and flush it down and away. Not kind I say.

I admit, for my home use I do purchase the soft thicker type. For public places, I think the mostly recycled paper is fine, I mean, it is public and there's no place like home for the Golden Throne.

But, does this affect 'Wipees'? Well, they say:

"Toilet paper is far from being the biggest threat to the world's forests: together with facial tissue, it accounts for 5 percent of the U.S. forest-products industry, according to industry figures."

Facial tissue? hmmm... hopefully not. Flushable wipes are awesome!

You can read the whole article over at: Washington Post.

America, Leading By Example

Source: The Economist
I'm not surprised at all, not one bit. We are a nation of morons, or at least outnumbered by them. It's no wonder we actually give a chance to people like Palin to run for the nation's 2nd highest office. We believe what the TV tells us. We don't argue on facts, we argue on pundit talking points. We are not active, we are getting fatter. I would like to see the 2009 study when it comes out, I wouldn't be surprised if it worsened.

Now go outside and walk, garden, do something! Pushups! Jumping Jacks... say hi to the people you ignore, yeah, your neighbors.

A Pack O'Skrips Please

Around The Garden: Good Morning Angels!

What a delight to see this morning! The Angel trumpets are in full force and I had to snap a shot to capture their dramatic effect in the garden.



These bright yellow sprays are also beautiful. The name of this yellow blooming plant is 'Goldenrod'. They really stand out in front of the Bird of Paradise and Cordyline.


The Goldenrod is native to Europe and the Asia mainland. However, naturalized goldenrod can be found on the North American continent. It is the state flower of both Nebraska and Kentucky. Here's some interesting historical info on the Goldenrod:

"Native tribes had many uses for these late-blooming plants--a tea to treat heart disease, pain killer for bee stings, topical treatment for cramps and a nasal decongestant to name a few. The Omaha tribe also used goldenrod as a seasonal indicator. During their summer buffalo hunt, it acted as a kind of floral calendar. The sight of goldenrod told them their corn was beginning to ripen back home."
--D.A. Venton

Faded & Blurred Arts Colony

(photo by Kondara)
The community photo group at FadedAndBlurred.com was out and about during the 2nd Saturday ArtWalk of Pomona. Who are these people? Well, their website describes them as:

"We are Faded & Blurred, a community for photographers and Photoshop junkies. We shoot, retouch and talk about all sorts of photo-related stuff in the forums. We also go on great photo walks all over southern California."

They have posted over 500 photos over at Flickr. If you have never seen this area of Downtown Pomona, or are just curious to see some great photos, click below to check'em out!

Faded & Blurred 9/12/09 Pomona Arts Colony Photowalk

(Thanks Bunny Gunner for the heads up!)

Weekend and Sports

I Haven't posted in a few days I know. But it's been a long weekend. The Pomona ArtWalk was incredible! Over 4,000 people came to the shows. I had such a blast this Saturday night with everyone at DBA256 and especially Acerogami, the place was rocking with cool cats!

What's with Serena going all crazy? Wow, an insane sports weekend.

My son's football team won on Sunday, so that was an exciting game shutting out Rancho Cucamonga 24 to 0! Go LVSD!

Monday Night Football was fun as the Bills just about had the Cheatriots, I mean, Patriots. But the Patriots figured out a way to score quickly with 2 minutes left. The Bills had heart. I was pullin' for ya Buffalo!


Here's where the problem lies.


The Raiders played exceptionally well at everything... except in the quarterback 'accuracy' department. Yes, I do believe the refs pulled another 'tuck rule'. When the announcers all agree there is no way this is not a touchdown, then it makes it harder to believe it's not. And you can't argue that the video replay is clear, because it is clear that it is a touchdown overwhelmingly than not. And if I'm correct, it has to be undisputable evidence which will change the call. A damn shame that this league can't get over Al Davis. If it's not Al Davis, than the NFL is in deep with Vegas and gambling... either way, come on. It reminds me of the first Trinidad / De La Hoya fight, where all the judges voted for De La Hoya, and they give it to Trinidad... WTF?

But despite the refs pulling one more against the Silver and Black, I think Jamarcus inaccurate throwing hurt the Raiders, period. He's a great arm at bombs no doubt. I think being young and finally having some time with the ball due to a much improved offensive line is all new to him. And how about that Seymour, wow... You got a fan here! Impressive work! If the Raiders play the same and Jamarcus slows his throws to be a bit more accurate, it will be one fun season!

(sorry for typos if any, this was a rushed, spur of the moment post)

ArtWalk Is Tonight!

Once again it's that time! If you STILL have not experienced the greatness of Pomona's ArtWalk, you must tonight! A safe and fun place to walk around with friends and family and check out some great art of all types. You can also mingle and eat, shop and have some great wine and beers. So much to do in this little old historic downtown.

It begins at 6pm.

For information on particular galleries and a MAP:
click here to go to pomonaartscolony.com

For food and dining fun:
click here for a list of places at metropomona.com

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL OUT THERE!
come out here, don't be shy!

Music: Dead Weather

I don't really do music reviews, but I will do something slightly resembling just that.

Let me begin with, I love the White Stripes, with their album 'Elephant' being one of my top 10 albums of all time. But Dead Weather does not include White Stripes drummer Meg White.

I was out for a small bday gathering in Downtown Pomona a couple of weeks ago on a Thursday. We did our usual partying at the DBA256 and ended up at Acerogami (Glass House Bar). Now, it was a pretty busy Thursday night due to the fact that Cake was playing at the Fox, while one block away, Dead Weather was playing at the Glass House.

I've heard about Jack White's 'Dead Weather' project before, but haven't kept up with his music. So, one person from our circle of partyers & drinkers comes up to me and says, want to check out Dead Weather? I was like, seriously, right now while they're playing, for FREE? The person says, yeah, it's too hot in there for me. So this person worked their magic and next thing I walked right over and inside right up to where the band was performing and rocked out. They had a brief intermission and came right back. I stayed until the end, and went back to Acerogami and continued to party with the crew. The songs 'I Cut Like A Buffalo', 'New Pony' and their last song 'Will There Be Enough Water?' stuck around in my head. The sound and amazing live guitar playing of Jack White was frickin' awesome. He has got to be one of, if not the best, guitar player of my lifetime. Not to mention his great drumming session. This group of people can put on a great musical show.

I picked up a copy of their album, Horehound at Target today:



And there they were, the songs that rang in my head that fun filled Thursday night. The album is a mix of hard rock, blues, 60s and even some spaghetti western sounding songs, like 'Rocking Horse'. The drums bump nicely if you've got the right sound system. All in all, a great album no doubt!

DEXTER Coming To Nintendo Wii

I read over at BBSpot.com that Nintendo and Showtime are both teaming up to bring you a video game based on the hit TV Series, Dexter. This perhaps may sound lame, as most TV to video games usually suck. But something tells me that this is going to be one bloody, nasty game. I mean, when Nintendo's head of US marketing, Kevin Willis, says,

"Our sales momentum has slowed as people grow tired of cute, puffy characters. Dexter will satisfy the bloodlust most Wii fans secretly harbor."

...that tells me this should defintely be one heck of a game. I have a Wii, and I also have the new motion sensor adapters recently released. The game does sound a bit gross and deep, but if this game takes advantage of the new motion sensors, oh boy, it's gonna be fun! Hack and slash away! oh, and yes, I am an adult and am mature enough to play and understand that this is just a video game. Of course I wouldn't let the kids around this. Just us crazy wine drinking grown ups who love playing the new Wii Sports Resort.

The Parent organizations are already starting to gather and call this game a tool for serial killers.

Article at: bbspot.com

ArtWalk: Heavy Metal Coming To The dA Center!

The Pomona ArtWalk is coming to town this Saturday (what County Fair?) once again! I'd like to mention that the dA Center For The Arts is having a Heavy Metal theme group art exhibit this month.

Opening Reception September 12th, 2nd Saturday Art Walk 6pm-10pm
Closing Reception September 26th, Last Saturday Metro Night Out 6pm-10pm

REQUIREMENTS:
All art must be metal.
The five most used metals are: Iron, Aluminum, Copper, Zinc, Magnesium

THE dA CENTER FOR THE ARTS
daartcenter@gmail.com
dacenter.org
252 South Main St.
Pomona Arts Colony, 91766
909-397-9716

Computer Funnies...

Drifter... Pale Ale

My favorite type of beer style is the Pale Ale style. I saw a 6-pack of Drifter Pale Ale this weekend and decided to pick it up and give it a taste. I love the label design of the beach/wood/sign paint combo, very nicely done. Now the maker, Widmer Brothers of Oregon, is most popular for their Hefeweizen beer. You can find it almost at any market in California. The famous yellow and black label is commonplace in store refrigerators.

Anyways, picked it up and chilled it overnight. After a long morning/afternoon, headed back to my freshly manicured backyard, took my hat off, and sat in my lounge chair. As I take a sip, I can't help but notice a sort of Guava taste instantly, followed by a light common taste of your average pale ale. The finish is almost Newcastle-like, meaning it doesn't have much bite at the end. It's certainly not a serious pale ale, but the drinkability is definitely smooth and easier than an IPA. At 5.7% alcohol content, it's pretty decent. I give it a 4 out of 5, which is still good no question. Definitely a good beer for a hot summer day with some taste in it.

Greetings From La Verne, CA

Here's a local postcard I've whipped up for you from beautiful Old Town La Verne! I love the shade of the sycamores (not the mess). I've spent pretty much ALL of August here for 'Hell Month' of Pop Warner football. Luckily, I wasn't the one doing the drills... I was the one in the foldout chair with an iPod touch and a cool drink. Enjoy.

(click to enlarge)

Tree Eats Sign

I guess it's been closed a long time, dontcha think?

Ah, Claremont, the City of Trees!
(It's not really in Claremont, but it came to mind)

L.A. Smoke

This is how the skies are looking this week, now that the smoke is settling:
And this was a shot of that huge cloud over the Angeles Forest last week that we all saw everywhere while the fire raged. This shot taken from the Boyle Heights area looking north:


(Photo Credit: Eddie Ruvalcaba)

Plastic Pink Flamingo: Official Madison WI Bird!

I thought this was a joke, but seriously? The city of Madison, Wisconsin has named its official bird the Plastic Pink Flamingo. That is so 60's cheesy and somewhat WalMart-cheap like. Oh well, I guess it goes with the economy and forthcoming extinction of so many birds. As long as we've got China, we'll be seeing these Pink Flamingos manufactured oh so cheaply for generations to come.

"The new mascot was debated for five minutes, and then the Common Council voted 15-4 to make the plastic pink flamingo the official city bird."

Others weren't too happy with this:

""I respectfully ask for this City Council to devote more time to more serious business at hand," said Alder Thuy Pham-Remmele, of District 20."

Don't believe me? Click here for the news article

Deer Looking For Food In La Crescenta

I think I'll call this bloggin' week the Tujunga/La Crescenta Fire week... so much going on with these miserable fires. Apparently now the deer from the hills are coming down into the city looking for food. These images were captured just above Lowell Ave in La Crescenta:





(Photo Credit: Heather Westerman)

Video From Tujunga Fire

I just received this video link at USA Today from Heather Westerman, who is there helping in this Seven Hills area of Tujunga. Her friend, Susan Jacobs, can be seen watering down her house. If you can't see the video above, you can view it by Clicking Here.

More Fire Pics: Tujunga / La Crescenta

I got an update of pictures from my brave friend Heather once again. She's a native of these 2 cities and is out there helping friends closest to the fire to pack and move on. This time it's Monday afternoon/evening shots:




(Photo Credit: Heather Westerman)