Jenny Lewis & Ray LaMontagne at the Bowl

Sunday night, I took my friend Lori to the Bowl--actually, I'd given the tickets to her weeks before as her birthday present. So the anticipation for this night was high. We had great weather, an easy shuttle bus ride from the LA Zoo, and a lovely picnic on the terrace overlooking the main courtyard. The picnic was so relaxing that we pretty much missed the opening act, Blitzen Trapper.

I'd never heard of Jenny Lewis before, but she turned out to be a great performer. She's one that is probably better live, where her energy really shows. She totally rocked the crowd and got everyone into a party mood.

The headliner, Ray LaMontagne, performed with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. He really utilized their talents and melded well with them. It made for a soothing low-key evening. I love his harsh, Tom Jones-esque voice. My favorite song of his that I was familiar with when I bought the tickets is "Three More Days." He didn't perform that one tonight, but did do some of his more famous, like "Trouble" and "Let it Be Me." The lighting was subdued, but LaMontagne is another obvious great live performer.

The Bowl is really widening my musical palette this year. I again came home and added artists to my Pandora playlists.

Who's the best artist you've seen live? Tell me your story in the comments section of the blog.

Ultimate Mancini at the Bowl

Last Saturday night I caught the Ultimate Mancini concert at the bowl. I took a friend who brought a lovely picnic. We created our own little sanctuary in one of the busy picnic areas by spreading our own blanket on the ground. The concert itself was a treat--Bill Conti conducted, himself a famous film composer who knew Mancini well. Mancini's daughter Monica performed as a vocalist, as well as Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell. And pianist Dave Grusin was a special guest. My highlight was the clips played as they performed the music from the Pink Panther. They did another clip retrospective for the miniseries The Thornbirds. A show I'll remember for quite a while....

Burbank Sidewalk Astronomers

The Sidewalk Astronomers are a public service amateur astronomy association. All Sidewalk Astronomers events are for the public. They take telescopes to the public--on street corners, public parks, in front of bookstores--wherever there are crowds of people.

2009 is also the International Year of Astronomy. Their mission:

The vision of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 is to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery. All humans should realize the impact of astronomy and basic sciences on our daily lives, and understand better how scientific knowledge can contribute to a more equitable and peaceful society.

Find out about telescope making, astronomic photography, and upcoming events on the Burbank chapter's website, or follow this link to their calendar page.

Are you an amateur astronomer? How do you observe the heavens? Leave a comment on the blog with your tips and favorite spots.

The Original Farmers Market 75th

The Original Farmers Market at 3rd & Fairfax is celebrating 75 years of operation, with a ton of free events all year long. Because the calendar is constantly updated, it is available as a downloadable pdf on their site.

A definite highlight is the Taste of Farmers Market on July 14th from 5-9 pm. The event will offer an unprecedented opportunity to sample everything Farmers Market offers for a single, all-inclusive price. Those who purchase tickets will be able to stroll the entire Market sampling food from virtually all of its 36 restaurants. In addition, retail and grocery merchants at the Market will offer special sales on select merchandise to celebrate 75 years. While this event is a bit pricey for an evening out, their calendar also includes free music, family day crafts, and other good stuff, so don't discount other offerings. There's also a large public birthday party on the 16th, with free cake, and a ceremony.

I used to go to the market all the time when I was a VISTA volunteer in 1996. My favorites were DuPar's, the crepe place, and a little spot called Kokomo's that had a sauteed spinach dish I loved. Now I favor a Chinese place in the corner, and a sushi spot in the middle.

Do you have a favorite Farmers Market memory? Please share with a comment on the blog.

Old Pasadena Film Festival

Old Pasadena Film Festival is a three-week free movie series that unites film with urban settings, featuring more than 20 screenings, celebrity appearances and works by emerging filmmakers on Fridays and Saturdays, July 10-25, 2009.

They're showing all sorts of cool stuff, like Shirley Valentine, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and Sixteen Candles. For the full details, check out the Film Festival Schedule, and the The Old Pasadena Management District's homepage.

You can even go Metro to the Old Pasadena Film Festival. Take the Gold Line to the Memorial Park Station, 125 E. Holly Street.

Admission is free, and chairs will be provided at all screenings.

If you go, please leave a comment on the blog with your impressions.

Free Stuff Alert: Slurpee Day

It's Free Slurpee Day today at 7-11! Check out their website for more details.

And leave a comment on the blog to let me know if you make it there!

My Mom's Laundry Room

I took some photographs while at my parents' house this week. One area of their home that I really love might be kind of surprising--it's my mom's laundry room. She's hung a photo of her grandmother that her mother (my Grandma Walker) framed with lace tatting she'd made. Alongside that she's hung several needlepoints that were given as gifts. The one on the left was in my Grandma Rosentreter's house for years. On the utility counter is a tole painted sculpture by my mom's sister, Edna, who also did the center needlepoint. The needlepoint on the right was done by my own sister. I love the homey feel of such a utilitarian space, and take creative inspiration for my own needlepoint projects from this area. Isn't it cute?

What's your favorite space in your own home, or where do you take creative inspiration in others' homes? Leave a comment on my blog.

Cheap Kids Summer Movies at AMCs

AMC is hosting one dollar movies for kids all summer long, Wednesday mornings at 10A. Admission proceeds benefit Variety--the Childrens Charity and the Will Rogers Institute. Of course it's not first-run movies, but To see the schedule and find an AMC near you, check here.

How do you keep your kids busy during the summers off school? Any fun movie series that you know about? If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment on the blog.

Audubon Film Fridays

Los Angeles Audubon, Pasadena Audubon and Audubon Center at Debs Park are hosting their third annual AUDUBON FILM FRIDAYS at the Audubon Center at Debs Park. Please bring the family and join them on:

Friday, July 24th: Water and Watersheds explored through two shorts- "Stream Spirit Rising" and "On the Arroyo Seco" and the internationally acclaimed "FLOW" (English with Spanish Subtitles)

Friday, August 28th: "The Education of Little Tree":- Little Tree is an 8-year-old Cherokee boy, who, learns the wisdom of the Cherokee way of life. (English with Spanish Subtitles)

Prior the shows, they will have Birds Walks in the park starting at 6:45 p.m. this year and running to 7:45 p.m.

Showtime is at 8 p.m. in the courtyard of the Audubon Center at Debs Park. Refreshments are provided by Trader Joe's! Outdoor venue; limited seating so arrive early. Free Admission!

Location: Audubon Center at Deb's Park, 4700 North Griffin Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90031
For more information call: 323.221.2255

Also check the Los Angeles Audubon website for information on bird walks, conservation, native gardening and how to attract birds to your own backyard. The LA Audubon chapter is just a really cool organization to be associated with!

What birds have you seen in your home environment? What do you do to foster or attract wildlife in your yard? Please leave a comment on my blog.

Free Mocha Mondays at McD's

No good free clipart illustration for this, but definitely a hot tip:

Get a free sample sized 8 oz. hot or 7 oz. iced McCafe Mocha at McDonald's every Monday between 7A-7P from now until Aug. 3rd. Just don't let yourself be sucked into a whole meal of fast food.

I haven't tried McD's coffee yet. I've been curious to see if the fast-food brand of fancy beverage treat would taste good; I hate the taste of coffee, but love anything that tastes like chocolate. I can't drink something that is bitter, so I have my doubts about McDonalds. So if you take advantage of this offer, leave me a comment on the blog with your opinion.

Buy Local First

This is from the website of the organization Local First Utah. I think they vocalized the ideas of locovores and localism succinctly.

Why Support Locally Owned Businesses?

Local Character and Prosperity

In an increasingly homogenized world, communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character have an economic advantage.

Community Well-Being

Locally owned businesses build strong communities by sustaining vibrant town centers, linking neighbors in a web of relationships, and contributing to local causes.

Local Decision-Making

Local ownership ensures that important decisions are made locally by people who live in the community and who will feel the impacts of those decisions.

Keeping Dollars in the Local Economy

Compared to chain stores, locally owned businesses recycle a much larger share of their revenue back into the local economy, enriching the whole community.

Jobs and Wages

Locally owned businesses create more jobs locally and, in most sectors, provide better wages and benefits than chains do.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship fuels America’s economic innovation and prosperity, and serves as a key means for families to move out of low-wage jobs and into the middle class.

Public Benefits vs Costs

Local stores in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure and make more efficient use of public services relative to big box stores and strip shopping malls.

Environmental Sustainability

Local stores help to sustain vibrant, compact, walkable town centers — which in turn are essential to reducing sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss, and air and water pollution.

Competition

A marketplace of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long term.

Product Diversity

A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based, not on a national sales plan, but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.

Where do you make the majority of your purchases? Do you make an effort to keep your dollars local? At what point do you draw the line between price vs effect of your dollars? Leave me a comment on the blog.

Millcreek Canyon Drive & Hike

Took a little Sunday drive and hike up Millcreek Canyon today, stopping at a spot called Church Fork....Summer reminds me of why I liked Salt Lake City, when I lived here. When it's green, it's abundant. Sometimes it's nice just to appreciate what you've got, even if only for the afternoon. Happy Independence Weekend!

Where do you go when you need a complete change of scenery? Leave me a comment on the blog, so I can check out your favorite spots.

Sunrise Rolling Hills Stained Glass Panel

Happy Stained Glass Sunday! I made this for my friends, Kent and Denise Johnson, as a wedding present in May 1998. It's about eighteen inches across, copper foil with zinc came around the outer edge. I wish I had a few more pictures to show the difference in the greens I chose. I particularly love the green of the tree's leaves--it's a glass I don't see often. The saturated colors I chose make for a bit of a moody feel, but I really enjoyed this project and love the finished end piece.

4th of July 2009, Salt Lake City, UT

Happy 4th of July from Salt Lake City, Utah! I'm here visiting my folks. My mom was the instigator in getting us out to see the fireworks, but once there I found that this really made the weekend seem like a holiday. I also had her park near other families, rather than off on our own, to watch other people's reactions--that really affected the tone too. We went (just the two of us) to her old workplace, a community hospital that's on a bench of the valley, to watch the fireworks from a great vantage. I had my automatic digital camera with me, and since I wasn't in full control of the settings, the pictures are a little shaky, but I still thought they gave a scope of the view. So here are some fireworks over the Jordan (Mormon) Temple....the closest I will ever get to a temple!

Where do you go to watch fireworks? Do you have any other traditions for this holiday, like a family barbecue or neighborhood get together? Do you seek or avoid travel over this holiday weekend? Leave a comment with your best suggestions on the blog.

Favorite Free Podcasts

From airplane flight cancellations, fourteen hour one-way drives, and recently giving up my cable at home, my iPod has been getting a lot of use lately. These audio programs are all completely FREE! And full of good advice and positive vibes. All are available on iTunes. Podcasts that have been on my iPod recently....

This I Believe: Podcast

People from all walks of life describe their personal philosophies in a brief essay. This podcast is taken from the award-winning public radio series This I Believe. More essays can be found at thisibelieve.org.

This I Believe Podcast: 1950s

From The Bob Edwards Show on Sirius XM satellite radio, a weekly selection of archival essays from Edward R. Murrow's This I Believe series of the 1950s. More 1950s essays can be found at thisibelieve.org.

This American Life

Official free, weekly podcast of the award-winning radio show "This American Life." First-person stories and short fiction pieces that are touching, funny, and surprising. Hosted by Ira Glass, from WBEZ Chicago Public Radio. In mp3 and updated Mondays.

Off-Ramp

Off-Ramp is a lively weekly look at Southern California through the eyes and ears of radio veteran John Rabe. News, arts, home, life... the show covers everything that makes life here exciting, enjoyable, and interesting. More Off-Ramp at kpcc.org.

KCRW's Good Food

Your weekly treat from Evan Kleiman. By tuning in to Good Food, you can discover great restaurants that you've never heard of, the politics of consumption, explorations of cultures through their food customs and some of the most interesting people who devote their lives to various elements of the food supply.

The Splendid Table

American Public Media's The Splendid Table is public radio's culinary, culture, and lifestyle program that celebrates food and its ability to touch the lives and feed teh souls of everyone. Each week, award-winning host Lynne Rossetto Kasper leads listeners on a journey of the senses and hosts discussions with a variety of writers and personalities who share their passion for the culinary delights. Updated every Friday.

KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic

Morning Becomes Eclectic is committed to a music experience that celebrates innovation, creativity and diversity by combining progressive pop, rock, world beat, jazz, funk, and the best new music from all genres. KCRW Music Director and host of Morning Becomes Eclectic, Jason Bentley presents live performances by new talent and estabished favorites for a dynamic musical adventure that cannot be found anywhere else.

KCRW's Today's Top Tune

Today's Top Tune is a free song a day, from KCRW's all Music Channel, that represents a cross section of KCRW's eclectic music format. Tracks selected are chosen from recent and upcoming releases as well as songs performed live on Morning Becomes Eclectic.

Blog Talk Radio: Personal Finance Hour w/ JD & Jim

GetRichSlowly.com's JD Roth and Bargaineering.com's Jim Wang discuss personal finance topics and take caller's questions.

Doing errands, while jogging, or working in the yard....What radio shows or other podcasts do you listen to on a regular basis, and when do you listen to them?