211? What a nice number!

Now that 911 is busy half the time, we are getting rescued by 211, which will be a hotline for social service referrals.

Beginning July 1, callers to the 211 information line can get help in finding affordable child or elder care, how to escape domestic violence or where to get help with housing. "The 211 service will make it easier for the public to get access to the help they need," said Maribel Marin, executive director of San Gabriel-based Info Line, which will be answering calls in Los Angeles County. Orange, Riverside, San Diego and Santa Barbara counties will also get on the system in July, and other counties will get on the system later this year.

Learn more about 211 here.

A study in fieldstone.

There is something I love about this house. Perhaps it is the
combination of humility and outrageousness that it presents. I love the
straightforward quality of it and then the fabulously overreaching
chimney. The small newspaper in the middle of a plain walk. Notice
the foil on the narrow windows on either side of the door. And it's
too hard to see on this picture, but there is a small, round mirror
hanging from another window, facing outward. Intriguing.

Smart Gardening

I will be posting pictures of my garden here from time to time, and I can tell you that soil quality matters. I have put fish heads, bat guano, coffee grounds, vegetable cooking water, banana peels, and more into the soil around my plants, and the results are astounding. Of course, if you stick a fresh banana peel in the ground, likely you will have to wait a few months for it to break down and have access to the nutrients.

I suppose it would be prudent to create some actual compost. Anyone interested in recycling their leftovers for a fabulous garden should attend a special city-sponsored composting workshop coming up this weekend. It will be held (rain or shine) on Saturday, June 4th from 10 a.m. to noon in the Library Park. Learn more about Smart Gardening here.

Spring day.

What a gorgeous day! I spotted this lovely mailbox while out for a
scooter ride. I've never seen an artificial flower that I liked so
much. Seems perfect here. And how friendly for the mailman.

Ahh, the detail!

All over Monrovia you can see these hidden gems. More than likely you will find them on streets with president's names, but keep a look-out and you will start to see jigsawed details everywhere. I wish the McMansions in the hills were half as nice...

In the background of this picture, you can see that their gazebo is equally ornate. The garage is, as well. It's really incredible. Don't you just love the sun detail above the top window? Wow.

I love Monrovia

People smile in this town. They give you directions. They eat ice cream.

My first dinner here was more than one year ago. I sat near the window of the Tidal Wave restaurant, and watched passers-by on the sidewalk.

"It's like Pleasantville here," I told my dinner companion. "Look, there are actually people holding hands, kids, oldsters, and everyone looks sort of content." We both stared in silence, bemused.

Having spent a great deal of time on the West Side, Downtown, and Hollywood, I was used to an entirely different vibe. It made me want to shift in my seat. I was in Los Angeles, but it felt like a small town. It even had a higher cute factor than Pasadena, and that's no small feat, given its popularity.

I decided to stay.