Thursday, August 28, 2008

La Cañada Valley Sun: Around Town "Anita's Top Ten Picks" (This Week)

Top ten lists? They’re not just for Dave Letterman anymore.

The Neiman Marcus catalog has them (“Top Ten Reasons to Love Balenciaga”).

Time Magazine has them (“Top Ten Campaign Gaffes”). And Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s online solar system simulator (http://space.jpl.nasa.gov) has been named to several of them.

Some weeks are so nice that they are a walking advertisement for life in Southern California. Who needs a vacation? Gas prices are down, so it’s time to pursue life.

1. The new improved Los Angeles Dodgers with Manny Ramirez. Buy a dreadlocks baseball cap. Sing the “Star Spangled Banner” really loud. Catch a snack from Roger Owens, the peanut guy. At the seventh inning stretch, sing “Take me out to the ball game” really loud. Consider calling the Dodger help line to complain about the umps. After the game, sing “I Love L.A.” really loud.

2. Drive the 101 (formerly “El Camino Real”) looking for Jay Leno in his weird stainless steel bullet car.

3. Go to Malibu. Watch the sunset from Duke’s.

4. The long route: two hours on the Marina Flyer. (South through bumpy surf, then west to Catalina.)

5. Morning services at Adat Ari El synagogue in Valley Village. Always wonderful. inspirational discussions. Stay for coffee and bagels afterward.

6. Ride the glass elevator up to Cheech Marin’s Chicano Art exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. (LACMA: Los Angelenos/Chicano Painters of L.A.: Selections from the Cheech Marin Collection through Nov. 2.)

7. Grab dinner afterward at Sushi Gen in Little Tokyo.

8. Sunday morning coffee at home, re-reading Kathy Christie Hernandez’ Facebook group (“You know you’re an adult in La Cañada Flintridge when You call the local freeway ‘The 210’ instead of ‘The Foothill Freeway’ You can’t wait for the sewer construction to end You have either parrots or peacocks in your neighborhood, unless you have rattlesnakes and coyotes instead ”)

9. Sunday Dim Sum at 888 Seafood in Rosemead. Go with friends. Lots of friends.

10. Afterward, come home to La Cañada.



ANITA SUSAN BRENNER is a La Cañada resident and a trial attorney in private practice in Pasadena.

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Published Thursday, August 28, 2008 4:22 AM PDT
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Around town:
Anita’s ‘Top Ten Picks’ (this week)

La Cañada Valley Sun: La Cañada Flintridge, California

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