This weekend, after feeling under the weather for a few days, I decided to start my fall planting.  I had been thinking about it for a while, and then I decided to just get off the sofa and do it.  It was sad in a way--I yanked out a bunch of tomato plants . . . I hated to see them go, but they really weren't producing much, and I had a feeling they were getting some kind of mildew . . . so I hacked them away and started all over.  The vines had also aged and what little yield left just was not ripening quite as well.

Recently I attended a "green" event in a certain neighborhood in Los Angeles.  The gathering started on a dubious note.  I had skipped the raw vegan dinner, which I suppose could have been appetizing.  But when I showed up, I was informed the crew was running late, and the start of the discussion ended up running one hour after the planned time.  Then there was the dinner scene.  Dining was outside, which is always a bonus, but it was in a parking lot, which would have been acceptable had there not been a few garbage dumpsters in the lot--and the food was placed between those dumpsters and a row of garbage bins.  Finally the event started, and we were welcomed to this "monumental event," hosted in what may have been a yoga room--though it felt like bikram yoga to me.  I think this was supposed to be a salon of the green intelligentsia--except there wasn't much intelligence.  Diversity was praised and preached--though there were zero non-white people in the room.  Granted, this was an extreme example, but the experience reminded me why the epicenter of the "green revolution" will be in an area at which the the far-left activist crowd sneer:  Silicon Valley. (more...)

Los Angeles and bicycling sound odd when mentioned in the same sentence.  Despite the region's warm and arid climate, reputation having a healthy lifestyle, and sunshine year round, bicycling is a trend that really hasn't caught on here.  You'll find more yoga fiends than bike fanatics.  The love of yoga and health gyms reflects the attitude of most residents:  we'll drive our car to exercise, but we won't move around the streets to burn calories.  Spend much time exploring in LA, and you'll see why:  old, narrow streets can turn into bicyclists' graveyards than become bike friendly; drivers who don't understand what a stop sign means; a lack of trees shading sidewalks, and few safe places to lock one's bicycle.  (more...)

I'm a huge fan of Ingmar Bergman.  How could you not be smitten by his searing examinations of the human psyche?  His films' direction, often featuring one of his favorite actresses, Liv Ullmann, are a must for any film fanatic.  One of my favorite Bergman projects was his epic Scenes of a Marriage, where Bergman paired Ullmann with Erland Josephson.  The 300 minute mini-series follows the fragile relationship between Johan and Marianne, beginning with a painful magazine interview, the highs and lows of their marriage, eventual divorce, and in the end, a tentative reconciliation.  What has stayed with me, however, were the assuring ending scenes showcasing Fårö, a small Swedish island in the Baltic Sea. (more...)

You've probably heard of the term "greenwashing":  slapping labels such as organic, natural, sustainable, free range, etc., which leads us to think this product is good for us.  It's easy to fall into the trap, and well, as consumer trends change, businesses try to adapt.  But now it appears your favorite companies are going to convince us that entering their stores, eating at their restaurants, or buying their products are helping you to sustain your local economy.  I suppose this would be . . . "local-washing"? (more...)

I just found out that Los Angeles has a pilot program giving the homeowners the opportunity to gain free rainwater barrel installation on their properties.  Although priority is given to homes in West LA (the Ballona Creek watershed area is where most rain run off ends up in the Pacific Ocean), anyone within the City Limits is eligible for the installation.  It's about time:  when you think about it, it's absurd to use potable (drinking) water to wash your car or maintain your garden. (more...)

One of my favorite TV shows was Arrested Development.  Savagely witty and delightfully satirical, this show depicting a riches-to-rags Orange County family will be remembered for its insight in early 21st century living.  One of my favorite exchanges is when Portia de Rossi's character, Lindsey, bemoans her family's crash into poverty, only to recover 5 seconds later when Jason Bateman's character, Michael, informs her that he has to mow down some trees in order to build McMansions that would revive their family's fortunes.  She decries Michael for being "materialistic," only to rush outside to confront the tree-hugger (not Darryl Hannah this time) who's staked out a tree--

 

Lindsey:  Look, I'm an activist, too . . . but we're not the only ones who destroy trees.  What about beavers?  You call yourself an environmentalist . . . Why don't you go out and club some beavers?   Crunchy-granola activist:  You don't really get nature, do you? (more...)

My elementary school in Cupertino was a great place to spend the K-6 years, come to think of it.  It was walking distance (unless you're an Angelino), and it was small enough to know everyone.  Best of all, there was a huge playground and field, big enough to serve as a city park.  Many school in Cupertino have that luxury.  Looking back, however, it would have been nice if there was a garden.  Back in the 70s and 80s, however, community and school gardens were not high on the list for parents and teachers.  Organic was not in our vocabulary, and if your family didn't garden, there was plenty of produce in the local Lucky or Safeway stores.  Gardens, however, are making a huge comeback.

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Weddings.  We plan for them, cry at them . . . and pay for them.  The average cost of a wedding in the US costs over $20,000, and most fall into the $15,000 to $25,000 range.  Oh, and that is not including the ring or honeymoon.  And I don't want to take any attention from the bride(zilla), but there's all that waste.  I cringe when I see the Hummer limousines cruise through LA--tugging along the hot tub--how many gallons to the mile is that anyway.  We also get plastic trinkets that we end up tossing, then there's the food waste, a dress never worn again, etc.  I've heard that in order to save money, some couples buy sheet cake to serve, but then the "wedding cake" for show is Styrofoam dressed up in frosting:  clever, but revolting (LA does recycle Styrofoam, however!). (more...)

Project Runway is a hoot.  I unapologetically love that show.  It's one of the few reality shows I can tolerate, and I look forward to Thursday nights at 10pm, and cannot resist the almost daily marathons.  First, it's amazing that these designers can put together an outfit in a day or two.  Second, the show focuses on the process, not the infighting and cattiness that consume most reality shows.  Finally, this season is in Los Angeles, which has a vibrant fashion industry, if not Bryant Park.  You have to credit Project Runway's staff:  with the way the show is shot, you'd think they were still in New York!  All the above cancels out the fact that the show is now on Lifetime, the channel that cannot be mocked enough.  Last week's episode was particularly fun (more...)

You've got to love New York.  It's easy to see why Manhattan residents are so smug.  The city is a permanent fixture in our popular culture, whether you love it or not.  TV shows from I Love Lucy to Seinfeld to Sex in the City are pretty spot on when showcasing the town's marvels and madness.  Pity the fool who goes there and eats at Starbucks or a fast-food outlet.  There's so much to explore.  True, if you can't find it there, you can't find it anywhere:  from $5 hot chocolate (sipping chocolate, excuse me!) to rice pudding stores to Korean fried chicken outlets, eating in NY is a journey in itself.  Then there is the shopping:  the extravagant boutiques, the riches you can find in its second-hand shops, the chain stores that are 5 floors tall, and the book stores covering every topic imaginable.  Did you walk past your favorite designer?  Never mind, there's another one of his or her stores a few blocks down.