Saturday night utensil choices

Why bother with the fork when you can eat with your hands a whole lot quicker!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Trip to Griffith Observatory

On my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days, number 7 (Family trip to Griffith Observatory) was one I had been greatly looking forward to for many many reasons.

Quick Background Memory: As a child of separated parents, my brother and I lived with my Mother and spent many weekends with my Father. My Father's sister, Aunt Mary Kaye, lived with her two daughters in Burbank-- so mini family reunions were often par for the course... and since we were already all the way out if Burbank (in my kid-sized world that was FAR FAR AWAY from Tarzana, where I lived), we would do many things in the area. As such, my love of the Griffith Observatory grew.

Fast Forward about 28 years... and it was time for Rob and I as the parents to pass that love on to Em and Ro.

The history of Griffith Park is over 100 years in the making and holds both learning and entertainment options for everyone of every age; just as Colonel Griffith J. Griffith wanted it to be and become when he bequeathed the land to the City of Los Angeles in the late 1800's. The Los Angeles Zoo, the Greek Theatre, Travel Town Railroad Museum, the Museum of the American West... and about 4000 acres of natural terrain all reside in the Griffith Park family. Name an activity (walking, horse back riding, hiking) and we've done it here!

The Observatory had been closed for several years, reopening at the end of 2006 with limited, advanced, timed-entry reservations only for the first year... yes, it's that popular! We patiently waited for the hub-bub to die down as well as for Em and Ro to grow up a little... and finally this year, off we went on a hot, sunny, summer day for a visit. The Observatory is now over twice the size it once was (they built two new floors down into the mountain) but still retains its' signature 1930s architecture with copper clad domes and white plaster.

One of the main features I used to be fascinated by was the Foucault Pendulum... apparently Em loves it too. The ceiling from which the brass pendulum swings was painted by artist Hugo Ballin.
Ro's favorite sections were about the sun...After looking at everything inside, we went outside for a quick snack and to let the munchkins roam free on the large grass lawns.

Here's Ro looking up at Newton, one of six astronomers featured just outside the entrance to the Observatory.

We had such a wonderful time, we went back a few weeks later with friends!!

Days of Summer

Backyard picnic table diving with the neighborhood kids
Hamburgers BBQing
Crisp lettuce, crunchy carrots, homemade dressing
Eating outside with friends... yummy yogurt and berries for dessert
Falling into bed, happily exhausted-- lungs full of cool, fresh, evening air

Days of Summer, 2008

Fall Preparations and Quesadilla Pizzas

Every morning, our home smells like freshly baked warm and yeasty bread or cinnamon and buttery muffins or chocolaty chip cookies.

Every trip to the grocery store adds on an extra bag of flour or sugar or butter for more upcoming baking... and more root vegetables to roast to caramelized goodness.

Every afternoon has a bit of Fall Cleaning of closets and drawers and cabinets. Summer reading books have already been banished to the top bookshelf making way for all things autumnal (reading "A Creepy Countdown" above).

Halloween costume suggestions by both Em and Ro change hourly... even one little leaf fallen along our evening walking path is excitedly celebrated!

It's "only" going to be 90 today... Fall is finally, hopefully on the way!! With all this hustle and bustle in the house, I've been trying to whip up quick meals and make the most of the cooler temps. Here's a fast recipe I'm sure many of you have already done... otherwise, how did California Pizza Kitchen come up with it!?!

BBQ Chicken Quesadilla Pizzas (seen here being munched down by Ro)
These are a wonderful family favorite! I round out the meal with sides of a fresh salad, corn, rice and beans... oh, and fresh brownies for dessert! This meal is fun and fast!!

Ingredients: All at room temperature. (Flickr pic is bigger)
Add freshly sauteed veggies like red onions, peppers and tomatoes as your family prefers.

What to do:
Put a large non-stick skillet, dry, on a medium setting on your stove top. Let the skillet warm up. Place flour tortilla in pan, then add about 2 tablespoons sour cream/BBQ sauce, then 1/3 cup cheese, then 1/3 cup leftover BBQ chicken & veggies. Let cook for about a minute.
Add another tortilla to the top, cook another 30 seconds. Gently flip over.
Cook another 1-2 minutes and remove to cutting board. Cut as you would a pizza. Repeat process until you're out of ingredients. Use the remaining sour cream sauce as a dip.

We made a total of four pizzas for 2 adults and 2 munchkins... there's a little leftover that I'll be shamelessly eating, cold from the fridge, right after I publish this blog.

In praise of public libraries

This is a quick pic of most of the books we currently have out from the Los Angeles Public Library... I did quickly get a more posed shot, but Ro wanted to grab his current favorite and so I snapped a pic of him reaching for it to use instead.

Way way back when I was a kid, the hobby of reading was the one I did more than pretty much everything else. From birth, my room was strewn with books. Books that were mine, books that came from my Mom's childhood , books that were my Dad's, Grandma books, etc. When I got older, I participated in book reading contests at school and started reading to my little brother.
I don't remember the day I went to the Tarzana library to get my very own library card, but I do remember being slightly annoyed that I could only check out three books. What the heck is that!? I would beg my Mom and Grandma to take me as often as possible. Of course, I did have other hobbies, but reading was the one thing I could do (and still do) everywhere. Riding in cars, at the beach, on the airplane, during a lunch break... you can't just carry a sewing machine around with you and pop it in your backpack like you can a tome.
So, when Em and Ro were born, really before they were born, I read to them. When I think back about it, I actually began preparing their library far before I was even pregnant... grabbing a board book here, ordering a volume there, researching different subjects and such while still single and newly married. I have always known reading was important to me and that gaining knowledge from books was one vital habit I wanted and needed to pass along.
Back to the library. I still read, review and research books to buy and have a steady list of "to-read" books on online sites such as Paperback Swap and Goodreads, but with the economy the way it is, I cannot just buy every book that catches my eye. Enter the Los Angeles Public Library! I LOVE my library! With the advent of the WWW, I love it even more! !!!!! Online reviews, databases, friends' recommendations... a zillion ways to find quality books for my family and I to read.
So this past Tuesday, I took Em with me to get him his own library card and continue my bookish family tradition. I will still continue to find books I would like to read to him and Ro, but now, I believe Em is old enough to come along with me and add his own tastes to the reading pile as well.
There are so many thoughts swirling in my head about reading. The importance of reading aloud to children, reading to get lost in another world, reading for research, seasonal reading, avoiding empty books... many other blogs for many other days.
Do you go to your local library? What other online book sites do you like?