This is a screen capture of the Southwest Chief coming through Hesperia/Cajon Pass a bit late. It normally passes in the dark.
The sun is coming up, and gives the train a golden glow.
This engine is my favorite, it's one of the 50th Anniversary engines.
It looks really good in this photo.
We had an evening where all three of us were home, and we decided to check out the new kid in town: D & D FireArt Chinese Restaurant, in Skyline Ranch (up Plum Canyon in Saugus).
It was a modern place and so very different in atmosphere, from our normal, Grand Panda.
We got Sweet and Sour Pork, Pan Fried Noodles with Beef, and Chicken with Garlic Sauce. Our soup was Won Ton and our appetizer was Crab Wontons.
The only major negative was that there was lots of baby spinach in the Won Ton Soup. It was not cooked, or barely cooked, and it was very hard to pick up in our soup spoon. Another minute or two, and it would have been perfect.
Otherwise, good food and lots of leftovers.
Oh and being it was our Anniversary week, my Son picked up the tab. Win!
We have seen Metrolink cars attached to The Southwest Chief heading East many times. You can see them, HERE.
They go to the Talgo factory in Milwaukee, for a total rehab.
They then pass again, after they are finished. Looking pretty special, IMHO.
My Son noticed that this car was #101, the first car ever sent to Los Angeles, back in 1992.
We decided to ride it, to check it out.
In our opinion, it did not give us a good ride, lots of swaying (which was making me a bit ill).
In a nod to the 21st century, they had plugs for each seat, where you could recharge your electronics.
Obviously, they are safer then the old cars were, though not as comfortable.
(yes, that is my Son in the next seat)
It hasn't been perfect, what in life ever is, but it has produced some really incredible moments that have been unforgettable.
1st time we married in Downey in very hot, humid weather. My wedding ring didn't even want to go on. (Whose idea was this, anyway?)
2nd time we got married by a Priest and a Rabbi at my home church in Canyon Country. Once again, the weather was BRUTAL! My AC could not keep up with 60 guests milling around my house and it was hot as hell. Seeing a trend here?
The 3rd time we had the ship's captain marry us in February of 2020. Maybe we actually figured this hot weather thing out. Of course in July we were still basically living in lock-down from COVID-19, so we were totally on board with the early celebration.
We have survived these and many other adversities along the way and have had some wonderful times.
10 years into our marriage we were blessed with a son to raise. Yes, that meant that for my second wedding I was 3 months pregnant. I kidded my Dad that I finally gave him his shotgun wedding.
Thanks so much for realizing that maybe marriage might be something worth pursuing and that I might be that someone for you.
It's nice to know that your idea was right on.
Happy Anniversary. More to come. I love you.
(Photo from our second wedding, 1990)
You get what you ask for...and then some.
I asked my other "Son" to take a photo or two with my real Son.
This is what I received. 13 photos!
I am not sure what the sign they are making means, but at least I have something.
I am afraid to ask them. :-)
My Water Post For Today.
On a hot day, there is nothing better than some cooling water.
I have not taken a Metrolink train for 3 years, so I had not seen this waterfall, recently.
It was nice to know that it was working just fine, and it cooled the air, as we climbed the stairs to the station.
Lots of water sounds, too.
All in all, something to treasure.
The other day, while walking the streets of Downtown LA, I noticed something embeded in the sidewalk.
A closer look reveals that they are Grammy awards, starting at 1999.
Being a BIG Steely Dan fan, I know for a fact that they won the Grammy for album of the year in 2001.
2 awards later, there it is!
Steely Dan, along with U2 winning song and record of the year for Beautiful Day, and Shelby Lynne winning for best new artist.
To say the least, it totally made my day.
I promised some photos from The Original Pantry, and here they are.
It is located at 9th and Figueroa Street, which is 2 blocks from the 7th and Metro Station and 3 blocks from Pico Station on the Metro A line. Former Mayor (the late) Richard Riordan, owned the place for many years.
Many years ago we made this journey, so we felt fairly safe returning to the area.
It had many convention attendees walking around, and then the Grammy Museum, and hotels in the area. I would say very safe.
It was a short wait and the food was good. I personally would not get their pancakes again, but other wise the potatoes were excellent, and so were the scrambled eggs.
We were glad we made the effort to get there.
Our Son had a few days free, and so I asked him if we could ride the 3 stations that make up the Regional Connector.
He was slightly apprehensive about the people we might meet on the subway, but he OKed it.
We took the subway down to Pico, right across the street from the former Staples (now Crypto) Center.
We walked 3 blocks and had lunch at The Original Pantry (more on that another day).
Then we walked another 2 blocks to 7th Street Metro Center and began our journey.
The stations are Grand Ave Arts/Bunker Hill, Historic Broadway and Little Tokyo/Arts District.
The artwork in all three stations is excellent, but the one I wanted to see the most, was Mark Steven Greenfield's huge mural "Red Car Requiem" at Historic Broadway Station.
As you can see in the photo, it delivers quite a punch, size wise.
He is married to my former co-worker, Val Zavala, by the way.
The fireworks this year seemed to be more concentrated, then in the past 3 years.
I remember that (due to boredom) there were fireworks constantly over 2 months during 2020.
Every night you heard something and people were complaining on Facebook. It seemed to never stop.
This year we heard about 2 or 3 on Friday, and then nothing until about 8PM on the 4th.
It was intense, since we have 3 firework shows in the area.
Of course, then the local displays began and were still going on when I went to bed at 11:30PM.
I hope that most got set off, and we won't have the same thing again on the night of the 5th.
Glad to be past it all.
My Son made it to LA.
He spent the day with us, and we visited some of his favorite haunts...Saugus Cafe, and Grand Panda.
I made hamburgers for dinner, and now he is off to watch fireworks for the 3rd time this week.
My Husband and I stay home, and watch it on TV.
He has a lot planned for the 10 days he is in town, so it should be a good time.
Happy 4th of July to America!
With luck, my Son arrives today.
I am looking forward to catching up, and spending time with him.
I don't have many plans for the 10 days, but I am sure it will be interesting.
Oh, and we managed to get the house cleaned. :-)
My Water Post For Today.
My Son is coming to visit us tomorrow.
While we were out with him in May, he sent us some really beautiful sunset photos at Walled Lake.
This one speaks to me, because he shot it through a concrete conduit.
Very artsy and beautiful.
It's another weekend and I have upwards of five containers of 2% milk in my fridge. I am lactose intolerant, so I don't drink it, thus it ends up being my Husband who uses it.
I hear that the free meals at the Senior Center are going to be ending, at least the weekend ones (it was COVID-19 funding). That means less milk coming into my house. Yay!
The main way I use up the milk is by making pancakes.
That is on the agenda, for the weekend.
One does what one can.
My Son will arrive on the 4th of July.
When he comes into our lives, he steals the fan for 10 days.
I decided to make life in my house a bit better, by buying a new fan.
Again, we had discussed it and he posted a link to us, regarding the fan that he bought last year.
Unfortunately, it was sold out then, and is still sold out now.
He gave us a different brand, Better Homes and Gardens fan (say what?).
We bought it, what the heck.
What made it interesting (besides that the thing is massive compared to what we currently have), is that it comes with a year subscription to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.
A hard pass.
