Choices Choices

My sister and I had great fun at the studio picking all the options for the new little house in Vegas. Here is the final decision on flooring, cabinetry, and countertops.

• Graphite Brown granite countertop and full backsplash in kitchen.
• White on White cultured marble for bathroom vanities.
• Thunder Gray carpet for 2 bedrooms and great room.
• Grizzly Gray "slate" flooring for kitchen, hallways, bathrooms, office.
• Birch recessed panel cabinetry with black knobs in kitchen and bathrooms.
• Black kitchen appliances.
• White walls, enhanced baseboards.

This design is so different than my current house, with its wood floors and every room a different color, and where there is absolutely nothing gray.

SkyWatch Friday - Desert Sky

Sunset

Las Vegas

110°

Taken on my trip to Vegas last weekend. Are you a fan of the dry desert heat?

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my dirt in the desert...

...soon to be a small 3 bedroom, single story home.

I think that pile of rocks in the foreground is just about where the front door will be located.

street names

Subtle Color Ave. & Art Nouveau St.

In a few months, there will be a brand new little house here.

Las Vegas communities have some interesting street names. Many seem to have adjectives. I think it would be fun to name all the streets in a town. I know I wouldn't use numbers (First Street) or letters (Avenue A), that's too boring.

How about a theme? Names of grapes - Pinot Gris Avenue and Zinfandel Street, or food like Truffle Avenue and Caviar Street? How about naming all the streets after your family and friends? What do you think Mom? How about Joyce Terrace? Bill Boulevard, Donald Drive, Randi Road, Paula Place, Wilson Way? Lori Lynn Lane is quite euphonious!

not in pedro

That's the Las Vegas Strip!

I've been in Vegas making plans to build a new little house for long-term investment/retirement purposes. Looking forward to sharing the progress on San Pedro Daily Photo.

Long Beach Airport

The terminal building was first dedicated in 1941 and designated a Cultural Heritage Landmark in 1990.

Who Am I?

what are YOU grilling?

King Trumpet Mushrooms on Rosemary Skewers

SkyWatch Friday - Glorious!

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Sunrise on the Hills
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I stood upon the hills, when heaven's wide arch
Was glorious with the sun's returning march,
And woods were brightened, and soft gales
Went forth to kiss the sun-clad vales.
The clouds were far beneath me; bathed in light,
They gathered mid-way round the wooded height,
And, in their fading glory, shone
Like hosts in battle overthrown.
As many a pinnacle, with shifting glance.
Through the gray mist thrust up its shattered lance,
And rocking on the cliff was left
The dark pine blasted, bare, and cleft.
The veil of cloud was lifted, and below
Glowed the rich valley, and the river's flow
Was darkened by the forest's shade,
Or glistened in the white cascade;
Where upward, in the mellow blush of day,
The noisy bittern wheeled his spiral way.

I heard the distant waters dash,
I saw the current whirl and flash,
And richly, by the blue lake's silver beach,
The woods were bending with a silent reach.
Then o'er the vale, with gentle swell,
The music of the village bell
Came sweetly to the echo-giving hills;
And the wild horn, whose voice the woodland fills,
Was ringing to the merry shout,
That faint and far the glen sent out,
Where, answering to the sudden shot, thin smoke,
Through thick-leaved branches, from the dingle broke.

If thou art worn and hard beset
With sorrows, that thou wouldst forget,
If thou wouldst read a lesson, that will keep
Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep,
Go to the woods and hills! No tears
Dim the sweet look that Nature wears.

CrAzY GoOsE

All the rest of the geese and ducks hang out in the pond and streams at Averill Park. Not this guy. We usually find him on the street corner at Weymouth and Averill Park Drive. And it is the same goose that was chasing kids on the other side of the park last February, we can tell by his unique black spots. Maybe he just doesn't like water? What do you think?

Mural on Gaffey Street

@ Babouch Moroccan Restaurant

Summer Camp

SHAVING CREAM FIGHT

Prepping for Party

This is my kitchen at 7:30 AM getting ready for our Sunken City Supper Club Event. And that's only half of the sliced eggplant, there's more around the corner. Also avocados, peaches, and tomatoes...

Eggplant & Spiced Lamb recipe here.

Pretty Agapanthus Flower

Rainbow Morning

Same one.

SkyWatch Friday - What's a Rainbow without Color?

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Happy Anniversary SkyWatch! 3 years today!

Early Morning @ White Point

Bistro Lori Lynn

Bon Appétit!

Taste With The Eyes recently participated in the 5 Star Makeover Summer '10 Special. In addition to making over a classic dish (bistro duck) into a contemporary dish, I also made over my living room into a French Bistro. More here.

Long Stem Roses

Wildfire Hybrid Tea Rose.

Some of the stems are 3 - 4 feet long.

My Boy

Time for another photo of Wilson.

Mariner of the Seas

Bon Voyage.

Port of LA

Seen from the top of 17th Street.

SkyWatch Friday - Red White & Blue

Thus concludes a week of patriotic photos from San Pedro, California. Happy Birthday America!

Every week over 350 websites from all over the World share their Sky images here.

A Week of Red White & Blue #6

E pluribus unum
Out of many, one.

A Week of Red White & Blue #5

AMERICA (MY COUNTRY, 'TIS OF THEE) by : Samuel F. Smith, 1808-1895

My country,' tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!

My native country, thee,
land of the noble free, thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills, like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees sweet freedom's song;
let mortal tongues awake;
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong.

Our fathers' God, to thee,
author of liberty, to thee we sing;
long may our land be bright
with freedom's holy light;
protect us by thy might, great God, our King.

A Week of Red White & Blue #4

You're A Grand Old Flag by George M. Cohan

You're a grand old flag,
You're a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.
You're the emblem of
The land I love.
The home of the free and the brave.
Ev'ry heart beats true
'neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there's never a boast or brag.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

You're a grand old flag,
You're a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.
You're the emblem of
The land I love.
The home of the free and the brave.
Ev'ry heart beats true
'neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there's never a boast or brag.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

A Week of Red White & Blue #3

Pedro Patriots

Every year for the last 25 years Patriots Vince and Dee Villa host a 4th of July party honoring country and flag. The early morning Independence Day celebration in is held in front of their home at 1153 W. 18th St., San Pedro.

Flag raising is at 8 AM with a continental breakfast and beverages including Bloody Marys served afterward. Hope to see you there next year!

"On July 4, 1776, fifty-six dedicated patriots resolved to risk everything in the hope of a new beginning. Elected to represent colonists from across the thirteen British colonies on the American continent, they decided to embark upon a grand experiment, to form a self-governing democratic republic.

They were risking their lives. Had they failed, they would have been hanged as traitors, their lands confiscated by the Crown, their fortunes forfeited, and their families left disgraced and destitute.

Yet they succeeded, and the freest, safest, and prosperous nation in the world was born."

by Ken Blackwell

A Week of Red White & Blue #2

God Bless America

My Home Sweet Home

my home sweet home (outside view)

my home sweet home (inside view)

God Bless America by Irving Berlin

"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. "

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.

God bless America, My home sweet home.

A Week of Red White & Blue #1

wishing you a wonderful weekend!

SkyWatch Friday - Marine Layer Moving Onshore

In the case of coastal California, the offshore marine layer is typically propelled inland by a pressure gradient which develops as a result of intense heating inland, blanketing coastal communities in cooler air which, if saturated, also contains fog.

from wikipedia

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Theme Day: REFLECTIONS

Palm Tree Reflection in the Stream

Averill Park

San Pedro

The Daily Photo collection of blogs began in March of 2005 when a man in love with his city wanted to share it with the rest of the world. The Paris - One Photo A Day blog was thus launched by Eric Tenin, an amateur photographer, and soon became an unexpected phenomenon.

City Daily Photo Theme Day:

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants