L.A. Woman, L.A. Woman, L.A. Woman Sunday afternoon

Only in L.A. would you hear such a story.

One of my favorite yoga pals, told me about how she was stopped by a cop for not having her safety belt on and at first she was upset but it was such a beautiful sunny day in L.A. she wasn't going to allow a L.A. Traffic cop ruin her day. So while the cop was writing out her ticket, she got out of her car, went on to the lawn and started to do some yoga. So she doing her Sun Salutations and a cop is writing out her ticket. While in her down-dog the cop comes up to her and says;"Excuse me but I need you to sign this."


I don't even think in India would a pesron start doing a yoga practice while waiting for a traffic cop to give you a traffic ticket!

It's sooooooooooooooooooooo L.A.!

The nightmare after Christmas...

I feel like I've been sucked dry by a vampire! Suffering from post holiday exhaustion! I had to sub only one class and pleased to see that it was a small class so I could give a lot of hands on assistance. But this was a Level 2-3 class and some guy thought this would be a great class to be his FIRST yoga class! What part of 1-2 don't you understand? Thank goodness the class was small!
While driving home drove through Ros Hills Cemetery I had to stop and look at some of the grave sites. So many people had placed small Chrsitmas trees and other decorations on their dearly departed grave site. It's kind of strange.

Frosty the snow visits Rose Hills

Seasonal grave site in Rose Hills

Merry Christmas to all....

"For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." St Luke 2

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

A mall and the night visitors...

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a ghost story, well this is no "Christmas Carol" but here it is...
As I wrote before Pasadena was once the town in Southern California where the rich and famous lived in. The very, very rich,;don't believe me; well just visit the grounds of the Huntington Library someday. But that's another ghost story.
Tonight's ghost story takes place on south Lake Avenue.,where now the Macy store stands. It was once the Bullocks store. A once high end, upscale department store that also had a terrace tearoom and downstairs where the Lacome counters are there was once large goldfish pond. During those days of its upscale shopping grandeur there worked a janitor named Richard. However, according to ubran legend Richard still works there, the ghost of Richard that is.
Employees on the second floor claim that furniture is often moved and customers claimed that while trying on makeup at the Chanel cosmetic counter seeing an elderly man standing behind them . He is wearing blue overalls winking at them but when they trun around there is no one standing behind them. Creepy, lechery does not die. But how it must suck to go through eternity as a JANITOR!

Love is in the air, quite clearly, people everwhere act queerly

Okay, I haven't even lifted my first champange glass to toast the New Year yet today when I went Joanna's Crafts store they already had decorations out for VALENTINE'S DAY! Damn, we haven't even celebrated Christmas and they want us to think about Valentine's Day!

Tell tale heart

Maybe because I was born way after the Disco raze I HATE disco. Last night my neighbor threw a Christmas party from Disco Hell! With a DJ from Disco Hell! At one in the morning I heard such hit tones pounding on my walls as "You dropped a bomb on me" and "Roolercoaster". I tried to put my pillow over my head and I couldn't hear the lyrics but the disco beat like a giant heart beat. By two they finally stopped. I awoke with a killer heahache!

Between a rock and a hard place....

Good golly Miss Molly: I can't believe it's already December 12! I haven't send out one Christmas card, bought one Christmas gift or even bought a tree! Oh no!!!!!!!!!! Been having so much fun up north and wine tasting forgot about Christmas shopping. I bought a case of wine while in Edna Valley. I quess they make nice gifts? Don't you think? Not ready, not ready, NOT READY!

Photo of rock just below my motel room at Pismo Beach.

ExteriorMadonna Inn

Scroll down for photos of coastal adventures.

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Before Mom and I left paradise, we eat breakfast at the Madonna Inn. Under the word tacky should be the Madonna Inn. Pink is the main color. The owner wanted to built a Swiss Chalet in the heart of San Luis Obpiso, what he built was a Swiss Inn that looks like it was built by Disney on LSD. I haven't seen such a tacky place even in Vegas! And Vegas can be real tacky! The attached photo is a sample of the holiday decorations and they were all over the place!

Well, I'm home, sigh! Going to miss hearing the ocean at night.

A room with a view...

The view from my room!

Staircase to the beach at Cottage by the Sea

I'm wishing. I'm wishiong....

Wishing well at the Cottage by the Sea at Pismo Beach.

Butterflies are free....

Today is my last day in paradise. Driving down to Los Angles on Monday, SIGH. This morning went to see the butterflies. They fly in from far away, the Great Lakes States to mate. They're not stupid, they come down here to escape the snow! Here in Pismo Beach you see them all over the place! It's just lovely! Going to miss they place!

Mom and I stayed at "The Cottage by the Sea" in Pismo beach. A charming motel! With fireplaces in each room and our rooms have an ocean view! It's heaven listening to the ocean as you sleep!

Red , red wine....

It's just have two more days left in paradise. This photo was taken at the Edna Valley Vineyard. My favorite wine was a very delightful 2006 Pinot Noir Paragon Vineyard. A light fruity wine with the sweet taste of cherry and strawberry. I bought a few bottles of this and will serve it with fine cheese and fruit.

Surfs up

During my stay up north the surf swells has been huge! Up to 20 feet high waves! This week a pro surfer died while surfingVentura County , he was preparing for a pro competion in Hawaii. You have to respect the sea for it can be a powerful force! I don't care how cold the ocean is, I would had taken a swim in it but one day while walking the on the shore I big wave came up and I couldn't believe the pull. 'm a strong swimmer so I didn't panic but I knew better not to even think of going in for a swim! Today it was cold and light showers but a beautiful day. Photo taken near Big Sur.

Punch drunk....

I punch in too fast - below is a close up of vine leafs at the Edna vineyards. see below post about my encounters with wine country.

I'm really for my close up Mr. DeMille

Roll out the barrels

When people think of California Wine country they think of Napa or Somona but there are vineyards throughout this golden state. Spend yesterday wine tasting. YUM! They weather has been uncommonly but blissfully warm 75-80 degrees and traveled through Edna Valley, Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo. The scenery was beautiful and the wine divine! Bought a load of tasty wine and even joined a wine club! Now I feel like throwing a party.

Paradise lost...

I often wonder what my Spanish ancestors thought when they first saw the beauty of the California coast. I often wonder why they let it go without a hard fight! I'm traveling up the coast with my mom and took this shot off the freeway on the 101. It's warm this season. Usually cold but today it was 75 and as high as in the 80s! It beauty and clear and the drive it breath taking. The ocean is ic cold however, didn't stop me from jumping in but the surf is far too strong to swim in. More shots later.

No joy in Muddville

"Somewhere in this favored land the sun is shinning bright, the band is playing somewhere and somewhere hearts are light ...."

Yesterday after yoga class I stopped by my favorite sportsman to watch UCLA get a beating from USC! Damn! They should had won! They were ahead of USC in the pac ten so far this season but yesterday everytime I looked up USC had teh ball!

Now I wonder who will be at the Rose Bowl this year!

Being a UCLA girl you know who I'm cheering for!

Cat scratch fever

A wild momma cat thought it would be a brillant idea to have her kittens in my backyard. Now I'm have three wild kittens that hiss at me and expect me to feed and like the soft hearted suckerthat I am I feed them! I'm trying to find them good home with the students my yoga studio. So far only one person has shown any interest. Well, today one of the kittens got the brillant idea to crawl up in one of my tire wheels last night. Well, kitty had found a warm place to sleep but forgot to leave the place in the morning. This morning I started my car and before I was to turn on to the freeway on/ramp I heard it meowing. So I stopped the car and saw the kitty make a mad dash for the ivy. I thought , well it's a wild cat , that has never allowed me to pick it up so I hope some kid finds it and gives a good home. It can happen. One down two to go.

It could have been worst, once my friend said a wild kitten had crawl up on her car engine and guess what happen when she started up her car? Kitty pate anyone?

Don't know why there's no sun up in the sky stromy weather...

In Southerm California , whenever it rains, the weather man never reports rain, we go on "Strom Watch". Today, there was a glorious day of rain! Cold, steady rain! It was sheer heaven waking up hearing it beating softly down on the rose and rosemary bushes in front of my window! But as always, traffic was a nightmare. Californians don't know how to drive in the rain so all the freeways had bumper/bumper traffic. Strom Watch indeed!

True confessions

Sometimes I think a lot of the yoga teachers use their yoga class as group therapy. Once while at a Yoga Journal Conference I took a session from a very well known yoga teacher. She has become one of Yoga Journal's favorite cover girls. The woman gives a great practice once she shuts up but an hour before the practice she bored us with her version of new age wisdom and went into great details about her personal life. I learned more about her past romances and boyfriends than I know about my best gal pal who I've known since the second grade of elementary school.

Today took a class from a very good teacher but she is going through some rough edges. She told us how he boyfriend dumped her and that one of her family members is suffering with some health issues. My heart went out to her but she took 20 minutes before she got into the practice and when we did start she was not focus at all in her students or the flow of the class and these students paid to take a yoga class not to be a support group.

Life is hard but one thing I enjoy about yoga that it allows me the opporunity to let go of emotional issues and be in the moment.

Where the deer and the antelope play!

I should proof read when I blog but I was writing this fast and in a little pain. My back is still killing me!

Where rhe dear and the antelope play...

If you drive by Rose Hills graveyard early in the morning or late in the afternoon you will see the deer come down from the Whittier hills and graze on the lawns or eating the flowers that people have placed on the graves. Once in a while you can see a coyote or a bobcat in the distance. It's really rather a beautiful and peaceful place to visit. I often wonder if this place is haunted but I haven't been able to discover any stories from this place. But if there is a ghost story there , I'll find it!