INDIAN HILL

The Solar Observatory on the north side of Big Bear Lake. Water's edge, Big Bear Lake.  A nice fall color palette on this cool, mid-November afternoon. These little ducks were bobbing through the swells, honking and quacking  as I walked through thin scrub on the shore and shot a few photos.  I can hear them now.  They seemed content.  I was. Wide angle shot of the Observatory and it's smaller brother.     On the backside of Big Bear Lake is a dry lake bed called Baldwin Lake.  The road heads out of Big Bear City around the northern edge of Baldwin and empties out up over the pass, and down the backside of the San Gabriel Mountains into the high desert of Lucerne Valley.     I came up from that side today, from the desert, and climbed past the Mitsubishi cement factory (they're shutting down operations for a while to let the construction industry catch up) up the winding road, and up top looking down into...

I was uptown one day...facing the rain When the doctor came by...took away the pain Said to me, 'Son, hey, don't you know the way?" I said no, not today...seems I'm lost this day  On and On, that's like it goes  On and On, I have these woes I was in a chain link court 'Bout midway in A shooter appeared, He said 'Damn, look at him' He took his old basketball, dribbled then dunked Me? Man, I hardly saw it...'cause I was too drunk  On and On, every day  On and On,  'Let it play' Finally one day the sun was so high I looked up and saw, what I knew was a lie Man came by and said 'Hey, Don't you know.. Up here, someday...that wind won't blow'  On and on, every day now  On and on, that's what I know  On and on, feelin' so fine  On and on, just walkin' that line.. On a split rail fence...just around noon Saw a red tail hawk soar...headin' for the moon Knew that day what I think about now Not a...

It is the day, I'm afraid.  More like I'm afraid of the day.  Why?  It's an extended psycho drama I'm caught up in; Giants are in the World Series and I can't enjoy it--way too seized up in childhood memories of failed Giants teams; the '62 World Series when I came home to see Chuck Hiller's blast up the middle speared by Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson and the boys go down in seven; 2002--I was in Pac Bell Park for Game 5 with my reluctant brother who I had to persuade to join me in the park because he wanted more tickets so he could bring his family (I was only able to get 2 freebies from my Fox friends...sorry Phil) .  The Giants won that Game 5, and Game 6 I'm with my friend Jim at Angels Stadium, Giants manager Dusty Baker gives the hook to Russ Ortiz when the Giants right-hander surrendered a walk and a hit, something harmless in the 7th, and the Angels never looked back.  Angels win the Series in 7. So I'm anxious on this Dia De Los M...

     I’m exhausted.  Hallucinogenic dreams powered by too much hot red pepper, my first night home is an hour of sleep here, an hour there, strange dreams of boats and large urinals, unable to punch keys on a calculator, all courtesy of a missed pour of pepper from a shaker after I’d made dinner at home and then I’m up all night.  Six nights on the road feels like a year, a month, whatever, but I’m back and going through the damage like a forensic librarian searching for clues in the book-bin-dumpster.  It was non-stop, overwhelming, intense, fun, and most of all it offered a glimpse of writers on the publicity stump telling tales of lonely beginnings when they changed careers from media office camaraderie to the solitary confinement of sitting at a keyboard punching up bad-guy stories.       The lobby bar was a scene, and I hung with a couple of writers and got their business cards.  Listened to the rich and famous tell a...

  The Mission Playhouse, just behind the San Gabriel Mission.   Courtyard inside Grapevine Arbor, site of one of the oldest vineyards in the area.   Gateway to the cemetery on the grounds of San Gabriel Mission.   Bride embraces a bridesmaid outside Mission San Gabriel church, San Gabriel California. Mission Bells of the San Gabriel Mission, San Gabriel California.  Once the cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley, the Mission Church now centers the Mission District neighborhood, a thriving renaissance of city offices, artist's shops and galleries, restaurants and cafes.  It's worth a visit.

  The Back Abbey no longer qualifies as a 'find', since it's the worst kept secret in Claremont by now.  For good reason.  While tucked away behind the Laemmle Theaters in the new western addition of the Claremont Village, the Abbey is small, dark and noisy inside, with an outside patio of vintage seating scammed from a bus station, oh, probably somewhere near Amarillo. It works. Burgers are generous six oz. patties of what appears to be fresh ground beef with enough choices of fixings to bring it  home no matter where you're from.  I'm partial to bacon and cheese, so I order the Back Abbey.  (It's easy to remember). Noon time beers aren't for me, but there's a decent selection and the service is attentive and informed. Evenings feature the atmospheric bus station patio- vibe and if you've got a ticket to ride, get along, dude.  But have a burger first, before you board. The Claremont West Village has some attitude going, so get yours ...

Across empty railroad tracks, shimmering along the back siding of industrial buildings, Pomona glows cool on a hot morning in the fall. Click on photos for larger view; click again to zoom.