Weekends in San Pedro Part III & The Boat parade

 

A few weekends ago...Saturday Dec. 4th 2010, was the Annual San Pedro Christmas Boat Parade. The theme was Peace on Earth and did we have some fun! Pati and I had some good friends over to the boat for dinner and the show. Its become an annual thing. We cooked baked mostoccoli and teriyaki chicken and there was plenty of food for all. Jack and Suzzane have been my friends for decades and Peter and Seve, who we meet through J&S, and are a great couple too. Cool and fun to be with. We all seem to get along like peas in a pod. A chilly December night, but not nearly as cold as we had expected, so all was fine in the world and everyone was happy.  Now, keep in mind that this is the 'San Pedro' Christmas boat parade. Not the Marina Del Rey, or the Newport beach boat parade...the San Pedro boat parade. Downtown S.P., has been there forever and has both really nice areas and some not so really nice areas. Its a haven for the hard working blue collar men. Past years we had some good laughs because some of the boat decorations were so makeshift, lights on the boats would flicker and then go dead, than back on again. Combine that with the moans of the boaters as it happened and well... we laughed our asses off. Good Fun. This year the boats were really fixed up nice and it seemed to get a little more upscale than past years and we were all impressed...kinda' :o) It was just too short though It seemed to end abruptly with only a small amount of boats compared with last year. Maybe they set the higher standards and not too many qualified...just kidding!. Actually, I love it in San Pedro. It does have a flavor and swagger all its own.  

In the pics you can see our view off the rear deck and see why we like it so much. Also, Pati is at the door thinking about the evening to come. The really sad part about all this is, we may have witnessed the LAST San Pedro Christmas boat parade ever. The Ports o' Call Marina, where we're at, is giving way to progress. The old marina is scheduled to be torn down and the city is making the boat owners move to the new marina. The new marina is...new. That's about all the good I can say about it. It looks like a parking look with no atmosphere and just plain boring. Its also much more expensive and it looks like they want to 'upscale' the whole thing and push us 'low rent' types out. Where we are now, has its own flavor as well. We have an unobstructed view to the channel, where the cruise ships, ocean liners and cargo ship, as well as the private boat owners, all go by our rear deck, all hours of the day and night. Longshoremen on the other side of the channel, loading and unloading giant freighters with their Giant cranes. Mix that with loud Mexican music, food order numbers being called out over a loudspeaker, and nightly Karaoke emanating from the outdoor eateries and you have 'atmosphere'. I was especially savoring that night, knowing that it may never happen again and all of which I know I'll miss greatly when its gone. Progress...hummm.

The PINBALL HALL of FAME

People just having fun

Hey all you Boomers out there! Any one remember playin' PINBALL back in High School and or college? Last weekend I went to Vegas to visit my mom and family that live out there as I usually do about every 6 to 8 weeks. As I was driving down Tropicana Blvd. to my left I spotted an old warehouse type of building with a small plastic banner across the front that read 'PINBALL HALL OF FAME'. Took a quick look in my rear view mirror to check for cars behind me, hit the brakes hard and made a sharp turn into the parking lot. Got out of my car into that 100° Vegas heat and walked into what was for me... PINBALL HEAVEN! Paradise!

The place is dimly lite, so as I walked down the isles, listening to bells ringing, the flashing lights from the machines put out an invitation of their own. Each isle was lined with dozens of classic machines on both sides. My eyes where bugging out of my head and my fingers were itching to hit the flipper buttons and send some silver balls into play. It was the 'Kid in a Candy Store' scenario to the Max! I put a $20 bill into the change machine, got a pocket bulging with quarters and proceeded to have a GREAT time. I played for almost three hours and smiled for another two afterwards. The Pinball Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to keeping those games and the art of pinball alive for all to enjoy. The address is 1610 E. Tropicana Blvd. and about a mile east of the Strip. The people that work there volunteer their time to keep the games clean and working . There are a couple of websites too. Just Google; Pinball Hall of Fame. The sites will tell you the whole story and its really interesting to read about it...Well, to me anyway. The place had men, women and kids of all ages inside, all with their eyes pinned to the playing field, so its a good place to take the family for some Cheep Thrill$.

Around 1965 as a Junior in high school, I played my first pinball game at an arcade... and I was hooked. After my Army stint I went to college, worked part time and made some friends in both places. I worked on Saturdays and on our lunch break, me and the two guys I worked with would go to a local Tavern, have a burger, a beer and play a few games of Pinball! My school schedule varied and I had a two hour break on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so what did I do? No, not study. I grabbed a sandwich and went across the street to an arcade and...you guessed it, played pinball. During the late 60's to mid 80's pinball was BIG. Then as technology stated to advance, people lost interest and pinball mostly faded into the things of the past, but I never lost my love for that silver ball bouncing off of bumpers, lights flashing, bells ringing and the numbered point wheels clicking loudly as they quickly turned, trying to rack up enough points for a free ball or a replay. At one time I even owned three machines which were in my living room. I worked on them myself and kept them running strong. My friends would come over at night and we would have Pinball Tournaments with a few brews and lots of laughs. I loved those machines, but as the decades moved on, things change. Dust gathered and I sold them off one at a time. Pinball never really went away, but it did change a lot over the years and lost most of its popularity. The old analog machines gave way to digital ones which I still liked, and were plenty fun. But those then evolved to even way more sophisticated playing fields and lighting schemes which for me, lost most of the charm that the older machines possessed. Sort of like the difference between a 1965 Chevy Impala and a 1995. Its just not the same thing. Most of the newer games produced were fashioned after Game Shows or popular movies and have a lot more glitz and more complicated routes for the steel ball to travel on its way to the gutter, but less personal involvement. They're Ok machines, but my all time favorites are still the old analog ones with the classic Back Glass Art depicting every type of theme you can think of. Just fun stuff and sooo 60's. Style you just won't see in any of in the more modern type of games. They are the CLASSICS and that style will never return again. When you click on the slide show below, you'll see some of the back glass art I'm talking about along with the more modern movie/game theme machines as well. And I was a little excited when I was shooting the video and made a few factual errors The actual number of pinball machines in there is about 200, and the machines date from the late 1940's to the early 1990s. So watch the video and then slide show and I hope you enjoy them both. And if your in Vegas and want to play a little pinball. The Pinball Hall of Fame has a ton of games to choose from. Its a non-profit org. and they could use the money. Besides, where else in that town can you have so much fun for only a few buck$.


Note to Anonymous: Thanks for reading my Blog. The machines I owned were a 1 player 'Doodle Bug' by Williams, a 2 player King Kool (my favorite) and a 4 player Jack in the Box. Both Gottliebs

I LOVE Classic Car Shows.. And its two for one Saturday!

Two Saturdays ago there were two car shows happening. So I jumped from one show in the morning to the next one in the afternoon. And when I say car show, I mean a Customs, Classics and Hot Rods car show! Non of that new car stuff for me. I'm talking about the Age of Motoring. When cars were works of art and labors, love and made out of steel. Ya' just can't beat that good 'ol Detroit Iron. The first car show was in Old Town La Verne. It was from 9am until 3pm and is an annual fundraiser. The streets were closes and I'll bet there were at least two hundred cars there to admire. The cool thing is, that the owners are all ready and willing to talk to you all about their car and the stories behind them. That makes them just that much more interesting. And some of these guys were real characters.

The second car show was in Old Town Claremont and is a little looser set up than La Verne. Its a once a month thing on the 2nd Saturday of the month from 4pm to 8pm and the streets are open. Old town Claremont is a very popular place, especially on the weekends. There are about two dozen restaurants, some small shops and stores and a lot of traffic down the main drag with everyone looking for a parking spot. So car owners just keep going around the block in wait for a diner to pull out and then get their spot on the street. Some of the owners get there by 2pm JUST to make sure they grab a certain section or corner of the main drag, and they are Always there in the Same Spots...Cool! A D.J. plays oldies and surf tunes and all is well in the world. I shot a video of the car show, but it was Way Too Big for this site to upload. I tried it several times, but no luck. So I did a slide show with music instead. So turn on your audio too. I'm bummed, because it was the best video I have done and no one in the blogosphere will see it. But, if you love Classics Cars, here's some Really sweet shots to look at. I grew up riding in, working on and owning a few of these steel sleds over the years and now wish I had never sold them. So enjoy these rolling beauties of yesterday. And talking about old cars, if you haven't yet, check out my 'Woody Show' blog a few postings below this one.

Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

If you have ever watched the food channel, you know about the Triple D (Diners Drive-ins and Dives. The host, Guy Fieri, who is a real character in his own right, goes all around the country looking for the Mom n Pop and small owner operated restaurants and food stands. All that have an outstanding specialty or two, or just a Great menu. You know, stuff you don't get at Denny's. I record all the new episodes so, anytime they feature a place in the So. Cal area, I take down the name, look it up and we take a Saturday afternoon and go for a ride to get something to eat. So far, we have been to two places. One in Manhattan Beach called; The North End Cafe. The specialty there was Kalua Pork Monte Cristo Egg Rolls with a specially made dipping sauce.Damn they were really good! While we were their in line, we started talking to another couple that was there for the same reason and for the same dish. We even shared an outdoor table with them and we both talked and eat Monte Cristo egg rolls. Pretty cool day. This place was just a little corner dive with almost No atmosphere except that it was by the beach. But, like they said..the food was 'off the Hook' ! Sorry, I forgot my camera that day, so no pics on the North End Cafe.
The next place we went to was in Eagle Rock and is an place where they make fast food...Better!
The place is called; the Oinkster. They have a delicious menu of all 'made on the premises' food. They roast their own pulled pork, for 12 hours at a time, make their own sauces and cook everything to perfection. They brine their own pastrami for days. And I do have to say, the Best Pastrami sandwich I have ever eaten. Very tasty, moist and full of flavor. On the weekends, the line goes out the door all day long. The reason? Its well worth the wait!
In the pics I posted, you'll see the lines out the door and people waiting to eat as well as the pastrami sandwich I had. Pati had the pulled pork and couldn't believe how good that was either. I did take a bit...Yum! Oh, and the Fries. Or should I say, Belgium Fries! Ya, twice cooked to golden brown perfection. Crunchy on the outside and soft and tasty on the inside. Outstanding fries. Look out Micky D. (McDs fries are pretty good) If your ever in the Eagle Rock area, make a lunch stop at Oinksters! And the outside patio is nice. We have a couple of other places on our list too. Its fun to have the destination and your going to eat anyway. And so far we've found a couple of other cool place to stop at on our way back too.
GALCO'S in Highland Park on York Ave. (Google it) If you want to find any kind of soda or candy that you used to love when you were growing up, this is the place to go. Just walking through the store and seeing Bubble UP soda, RC Cola, or Granny Goose Chips, brought back a few memories. We have fun with our mini road trips...So, Headin' out for more Diners Drive-ins N Dives. Happy eating!

Memorial Day Angel? or... You can' t judge a book by its cover

This past Memorial Day weekend. I took an extra couple of days vacation and went to Vegas, where my family all live. If you have read my blogs before, you know I go there about every 6 weeks or so to visit my mom and my sister and her family. The last time I was there, was about two months earlier and I had not visited my father's grave site to pay my respects to him, for an even longer time before that. He was a WWII and Korean War Veteran and a Very Proud American who passed away about ten years ago and is buried at the Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City Nevada. Months back, I had made a promise to him and to myself that I would go there on Memorial Day. After all, that is the day that we honor and remember all the veterans who are no longer with us...Memorial Day. (Oh how we all forget what our National Holidays are really all about). Well, for all intents and purposes, I forgot! I forgot my promise and just sort of felt, nobody cared anyway. So, that Monday (Memorial Day), I decided to go to the mall and see if I could take advantage of the 'deals' being offered. And... I did. Bought a couple of nice shirts at a good price and I was happy about it.
That's the set up. Now, for the rest of the story.
As I was wondering around the mall, I almost brushed up against some guy as we passed by, turned to look at him and made a comment about his beard, which caught my eye. Thought it looked pretty cool and told him so. Like me, he had a salt n pepper goatee, but his, was about 7 inches longer. He was wearing a baseball type hat with a flattened brim, bent up in front and sunglasses placed on top of the brim and a serious look on his face. In short, the guy looked 'Tough' Not someone you would want to cross because he could knuckle your head in a heartbeat. Well, my comment started a little conversation and as it turned out. This guy was one of the nicest, coolest people you would ever want to meet. His name is Rick Morgan and he handed me his card. He makes custom die cast models and displays of classic cars, custom painting and such. On the side, he also works at a local church with teens, to do his best to keep them out of trouble and on the right path. A tough looking character for sure, with a real heart inside as well. (Can't tell a book by its cover)...lesson learned.

Ok, a quick reminder, its Memorial Day, right? So, he then asked me, if I was a Veteran. I said that I was. A combat veteran from a long forgotten war, that tore our country apart and one that didn't get the public support for our soldiers like today. It was Vietnam. We were looked down upon with disfavor  and even split at when our military service was revealed. We were Not appreciated to say the least. Anyway, Rick reached out his hand and with a nice strong grip, shook mine and said " thank you for your service. I appreciate everyone that has served our country. Thank you very much". I said thank you, and was really touched! Its been more than 30 years since I carried a rifle and that was the first time anyone had ever said that to me. At that moment I was appreciative and very quickly enlightened. It was like an angel tapped me on the shoulder and reminded me of my promise to my father and to myself that was made so many months ago. We ended our conversation, went our own ways and even though it was late in the afternoon, I still had time. I headed to the parking lot. Got in my car and drove to the Veteran's Memorial Cemetery to keep that promise. Sometimes God works through others with out them even knowing it. And you never know the effect you have on others with what you say or do. So speak carefully and act with thought. Now... since he set me straight, I have got to give him a plug. Its: Rick Morgan Design 702-595-7064.
Thanks Rick

Weekends in San Pedro Part II 'The Woody Show'

Every year on the second Saturday in May, the city of San Pedro hosts the Annual Woody Show and this was the third year we attended. The show is on the back half of the parking lot in Ports o' Call Village. And if you love classic hot rods and old school surf wagons, this is the place to be, because WOODIES ABOUND!
Just about every year, make and model of Woody that was ever made is there at the show. Old, bulky 30 pound surfboards on roof racks or sticking out the back window ( the preferred way to carry your board). Side windows with surfboard decals and beach city stickers really brought back memories of 'Back in the Day.' And you just have to love those Big Chrome grills and bumpers. They just don't make that stuff anymore. One of those bumpers weighs a ton! And the car bodies are solid steel. Oh the days of good 'ol Detroit Iron.
Its a big event too. There are 'Surf' bands that play all the instrumentals from the 60's that we all danced to. Food booths and vendors selling everything from T-shirts to paintings and prints of woody wagons and surf scenes. There are lots of people walking around checking out all the cool rides and the owners who are more than ready to tell you all about their car and everything they did to restore or fix 'er up. Being a 'Retired Surfer' my self, Woodies were the 'hearts desire' of every surfer in So. Cal., but few of us could afford them. Now, its the same way. Few of us can afford them because your looking at 40, to 50 Grr to buy one that has been restored. The funny thing is, all the owners ARE the old guys that wanted them in their younger days. They've had them for years putting every extra penny they could get their hands on into restoring these beauties.

Hope you like the photos of only SOME of the cars that were there. I had a hard time picking the ones I wanted to post. There is a short, not very good video that might

help give you the 'flavor of the day.' Please excuse my shaky, amateur video technique. I'm working on getting better with it, so forgive me for the poor quality :o)
I love old cars and especially Woodies. And when I win the lottery ...or any part thereof... I'll be at the show pimping my ride for every one to see next year. Surfs Up Dude!

PLAYDABLUZ or Harmonica Meltdown

I blow a little harp (harmonica) and have been playing those little brass reed instruments for a few years now. I'm not great, but not bad either. Anyway, I play with a little 'happy hour' group , from 6pm to 9pm on Wednesdays in Little Tokyo, downtown LA. And if we have a good crowd, that wants to hear more, we'll play another half hour so as not to break our groove. The bar's name is:The FarBar on 1st St. and our band name is Jambo-Ningus. Tom, our leader, picked the name from a 1960's 'surfer term' that means, cool or far out... "like dude, that was jambo-ningus!" We are a bunch of city workers who by happenstance got together to make some music and have some fun. Tom plays guitar and sings. Kevin just sings, but really, really well and he and Tom do some harmonies. Rob is the bass player and he is outstanding. He adds the bottom and he does some very cool bass rifs and sings a couple of tunes as well. I do a little back-up vocals, but mostly blow my harps. Not on every song though. Only on about two thirds of the songs we play. Mostly picking my spots and augmenting whats being laid down, but I do a few lead pieces here and there and get to shine a bit up front. We don't get paid, except the bar gives us dinner and brews on our break, so its cool. I have a blast playin' with these guys too. We play cover tunes from Cash to Eagles, Allman Bros. to country. I love playing the harp. Its a different type of instrument in so far as you need a different harp for every key the music is played in. So, I have a Bunch of 'em. Every Tuesdays night, I'm taking some of them apart in order to re-adjust the reeds after blowing them flat from playing too hard. And after so many adjustments, they just need to be replaced. Though blues isn't all we play, I'm a Bluesman. Always have been. Always will be. So if you are ever in Little Tokyo on a Wednesday night, stop into the FarBar, have a cocktail, and some chicken wings or sushi and enjoy the music. Tips accepted :o)

They JUST DON'T GET IT!

Ok, before I finish and post part 2 of Weekends in San Pedro, I have a few more words on the immigration issue that has been flaring up all over the place lately. If you read my Rant, 'Boycott, what boycott, you know how I feel about this issue. What is prompting me to write a little more is this: Today I saw another (small) demonstration downtown LA, of about 25 to 30 kids, mostly teenagers who where yelling, banging drums and chanting. What they were chanting was 'viva Mexico' and waving the Mexican flag and waving posters about equality. Well, if you wanted to become part of this country, wouldn't you want be chanting 'viva USA' and waving an American Flag? They just don't get it! Every other ethnicity that comes here to live and work, wants to become Americans. Sure, they are proud of their heritage, so am I, but I don't run around waving an Italian flag and chanting viva Italia! Neither do the Chinese immigrants, Korean, Polish, Russians or any others that make their way here from their home country.
I understand why they want to come here. I get it. Its a much better way of life, an opportunity to make more money and improve their lives greatly. I get that! Evidently... they don't. This is why there is such a massive backlash of feelings against what people are seeing in the streets and on the news and their support of Arizona. Now you have American students, wearing t-shirts with American flags on them being kicked out of school for doing so. All the while the Mexican students were waving the Mexican flag and chanting once again... viva Mexico. Doesn't that strike a cord in anybody, like... hey, something here just isn't right.
Mexico is a beautiful country. I have been there several times in the past and enjoyed my visits. The views are great, the food is good and the people are warm, friendly and hospitable. But its pay scale, living conditions and corrupt government leave way too much to be desired for its citizens, so they want to come here. I get it!
What I have a great deal of trouble with is, They DON'T get it... VIVA USA!

Weekends in San Pedro-Part 1 of 3...The Bubble Man

Sundays in San Pedro are usually Great. Especially when the weather is nice, with the sun shining and a cool breeze lightly brushing across your face. Pati and I spend our time on the boat which has a large rear deck with plenty of room to sit and look out at the water, watch the boats, the large ships and the sea life and just relax the time away talking, laughing and fixing some great meals.It is very pleasant and refreshing. It re-charges my batteries for the coming week and I look forward to it almost every weekend. On my next blog, (part 2) there will be more on that with a couple of small video vignettes to come as well.

In the meantime, concentrating on this past Sunday, we decided to take a walk and went to Ports o' Call for a little diversion and some sight seeing. Walk down towards the end of the Ports o' Call promenade and among other things, you just may run into the 'Bubble Man' of San Pedro.
This old guy who looks like a real 'Salty Dog' and by all observations, isn't 'All There' upstairs... if you know what I mean. Yet he seems to make his way in the world and tries to make a few buck$ blowing large bubbles with his home made bubble making stick and string. His biggest problem, I think is, he either scares away, or ticks off his potential donors of cash to his little wooden box where his intentions are to get tips from those who stand around and watch him.
The problem is, he doesn't say a word, but tries to communicate with a bunch of weird and wild arm waving and hand signals. That and a small sign attached to his donation box, that says: 'Don't Pop the Bubbles!' Well...if you do, he gets really upset and sits down on his bench, puts his hat over his eyes and won't blow any bubbles until you move.

This wasn't our first run-in with the Bubble man, so I gotta' tell ya'. We were laughing like crazy watching all of this interaction with the public, because when the people walking around are seeing him for the first time, they don't know what to make of it all either.
OK, enough said. Watch the two short videos and you see what I've been talking about.
Ah, life! There's new adventurers every day. Tune in next week for part two of Sundays in San Pedro.

A Long Time Coming

My Family lives out in Henderson Nevada. My mom, sister and her family all live there. I visit for a weekend about every two months and of course, stay at my mom's home and I have the extra bedroom room. I have been going out there for YEARS and always had to sleep on one of two single beds. Uggg! I love going to visit my family, but I always dreaded the idea of having to sleep on that granite slab. Not only is the bed small, it was like sleeping on a cement slab. I tried foam, cushy mattress covers and anything you can think of in order to get a good nights sleep. And all I ever got was a sore shoulder depending on witch side I tried to sleep on. Worse than that. You couldn't roll over because the bed was so narrow. More than once I tried to turn over and hit the floor instead. Yes, that's right., I fell of the bed. I had to bounce myself up n' down in order to switch from one side of my body to the other. Talk about uncomfortable!!!
Well...I decided to go out there and stay for two weeks over the Christmas / New Year holidays. Not just a weekend, but for two whole weeks. While driving there I decided, 'Ive had ENOUGH'. As soon as I arrived, I put my stuff away and headed to a mattress store and bought a nice cushy, comfortable queen size mattress. Ummmm, Heaven! And got my first good nights sleep there ever. I coordinated with my sister and she went to a furniture store sale and we bought a whole bedroom set as well. NOW, I feel even better about going out there to visit because I have a decent bedroom I can call my own as well as sleeping like a log. Unfortunately I didn't take any (before) photos of the bedroom and you'll have to excuse the pieced together photo of what it looks like now.
None the less, I is one Happy Camper Now!

Somewhat Bitter Sweet

First, the Sweet
Today I spent the afternoon and had lunch with an old friend named Hy Farber. Hy is an 88 year old Artist, Designer, Univ. Professor and my mentor in design philosophy. Much of what I do as a Graphics Designer today has been influenced greatly by Hy's guidance and insight. He was a teacher when I was in college and I enrolled in his Graphic Design classes. He was already a successful and just retired artist/designer and business man at the time. In the pics you can see some of what he jokingly referred to as his 'hobby'. This is his work and Hy is a master artist. You can click on any of the photos to enlarge it and really see how good all of this is.
Walking into Hy's home is an experience all on its own. Enter the front door and your confronted with a sea of massive sculptures made of laminated plywood, varnished and polished smooth, all by hand and all by Hy.
The whole living and dinning areas are filled to capacity, with only a small couch and table in the one corner of the room. To see it all, you have slowly weave your way through each piece, from enormous in scale to small and delicate. Turn into the hallway and its lined with magnificent pastels that my photos can't do justice to. Mind you, this is just his hobby! As a businessman, he has designed everything from brochures to buildings and everything in-between... and has a great story behind every one of them. It was a wonderful afternoon, full of talk about art, life and how the two cross over and are part of each other and how to use that in your work whenever possible. He also gave me a critique on a recent brochure. We exchanged ideas and he gave me some good tips to follow. Part of the critique is in the video I posted if you want to spare a about 60 seconds to view.
The Bitter
HY told me he has cancer, He has had cancer for a few years now and when we spent an afternoon together about a year ago, he had told me that it was in remission. But during our last visit he said it had now come back. He has hospice care and said they only gave him a certain amount of time. Well, Hy is beating the odds and my bet is, he will continue to do so. He is still the same engaging and fascinating person he has ever been. While we talked, he told me he had asked the nurse, "about how long do you think I have?" she responded. "It's in God's hands". Hy being a Hy relied, "Gee, What if your an atheist ?"... (Hes' not)
I hope to see Hy again in the not too distant future. He is a very charming and engaging friend with a lifetime of information, experience and Great stories to tell, that he was parsing out to me today. To me he is a National Treasure. Part of the growth of an America that has changed so much over the years. One of the unsung heroes that made America great by imparting his knowledge, talent and wisdom in the creation of a society. Hy will have left behind beauty, knowledge and the legacy of a true American Artist. But don't count him out just yet. He is fully engaged in life, which makes us all tick and Hy is ticking loud and clear. His web site is: www.hyfarbersculpture.com
Treasure those you love and make the most of everyday. Look at the small things around you as well as the big and smile. Life is strong yet fragile. I'm glad I can call Hy a friend.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...oh my aching back!

Got back yesterday from a 4 day visit with my family in Henderson Nevada (right next to Las Vegas) My sister and her family live about two miles away from my mom. Mom lives by herself in her own home AND... is still the matriarch of us all. Check her out. She is now 92 years old. That's right 92!!! and she looks like a well maintained 70. She is sharp as a tack, reads voraciously (she loves CIA and spy thrillers) and has a small book of maps of the world that she refers to to make sure she knows what she's talking about.

Anyway, to get back to my point. I love going there to visit and hate leaving, but always enjoy coming home. Right? Doesn't everybody? This time I hated leaving but was ecstatic to get home... JUST TO TAKE A REST! Without going into details, she had me workin' my fanny off for all four days. She is a woman that is full of love and accommodation, COOKS LIKE ONLY YOUR MOM CAN and KNOWS how to get things done. Check out the pic and you will see her DIRECTING as only she can. And keep in mind. She is 92 and kickin' hard! The pics were taken on her 90th Birthday Bash, but she doesn't look much different today.

My sister Denise looks pretty good too for .... She'd kill me if I posted her age. (Why are women so upset about there age anyway?) And I know she does even more things for mom than I do. Heck, she only lives only 2 miles from her and trust me. Mom runs her ragged too.
Damn, I love 'em both :o)
I would be unfair if I didn't mention my brother in law Bob. He is a Great guy and treats mom like a Queen. He is there for her whenever she needs anything and always with a smile.

Ups n Downs and the LOWRIDER BAND

After a solemn Friday afternoon at a friends funeral services there are some bright spots. I saw several old friends there and did some re-connecting. NOW for the lighter side!
Had a Great weekend! Saturday, Pati and I went to my friend Nick's new home in Palm Springs for an afternoon patio party with several of my friends. Harold Brown of 'WAR' and now the main man behind the 'LOWRIDER BAND', AND... former roommate, was there too. Pati and his girl friend hit it off right away. So, Saturday afternoon we went to HB's and Pati went Groupie all over the place. We went into his studio, talked, listened to the latest tune he is working on and invited them over for dinner that night. They came, and we all had another terrific evening. Brown had Pati on the edge of her seat while he told his stories about music and his beginnings. Harold Brown is a Great musician, a historian and a man of strong convictions and deep integrity and I'm glad to call him a friend. We'll see him and his girl Cindy again in the near future and this time HB is doin' the cookin'. And I can tell you from past experience, Harold can cook!!!
Check out 'lowriderband.com or just Google LowRider Band and get the whole story. Its really interesting.