Cafe Montclair

While I’m not one for doing restaurant reviews, the lovely Mrs. C insisted that I should blog about this one as it’s been consistently one of our favorites and we believe in supporting good, local establishments whenever possible. This one certainly deserves to be on everyone’s list of dining treats.

With our daughter home for the holidays from NYU, we decided to have a nice dinner out before starting on the rounds of visits from family and friends. With the demise of Brasserie Astuce, our new favorite place to go for French food is Café Montclair. Located on Central near Kingsley in Montclair (while outside our Pomona boundaries, still close enough to be “home”) this restaurant is in a building that was previously the Plum Tree restaurant and was once, I believe, a Millies. According to the ads which run in the Daily Bulletin, the chef was previously with the Mission Inn in Riverside.

For this occasion, we decided to forgo our usual Calamari (never a disappointment) and start with their homemade potato chips with blu cheese sauce. All I can say is “fabulous.” The chips were what one would expect from made-on-the premises chips (I’m thinking Buffalo Inn), but the sauce was superlative. It was a light white sauce that wasn’t overpowering as one might expect with blu cheese.

For our entrée, the kid and I had the Osso Bucco special, a lamb shank served over mashed potatoes. Deb had the New York steak with a gorgonzola sauce. We all had the white bean soup. Again, the food was everything one might expect. And the wine list is admirable. We can also recommend their meat loaf (yes, but it’s worth it), the beef tips stroganoff, as well as their pasta dishes.

But the main reason to go to Café Montclair is more than the food. The owner is always there to greet you and to make sure everything is going well. And the hostess is someone who we’ve known for some time and has always been a delight. Pia is one of the family that owned and operated DiCenso’s on Foothill in Upland for many years. When the kid was very young (too young to have any memories of it) we used to go there and Pia, her mother, and sister one time took her into the kitchen to show her how pasta was made. While she doesn’t remember it, it must have made an impression on her because she loves to work in the kitchen to this day. DiCenso’s moved and the new location never quite had the wonderful ambiance that the Foothill location had, but at least it had Pia. Pia is now at Montclair and is as effervescent as ever. Like the owner, she checks on you from time to time and makes sure that everything is just right. The waitress is a lovely woman with a lilting French accent, who is likewise delightful. And we can’t ignore the young, again French accented, young man who is the busboy. He is also very attentive to your every need. I’m guessing that, with the exception of Pia, that this is all a family run operation and it has that really good kind of “family” vibe.

All-in-all, this is a place where you shouldn’t be disappointed.

get your farmers here! steaming hot and fresh from the fields!

Every time I read the phrase "farmers market" I want to ask how much farmers are going for these days. I realize that the end times are upon us and the apostrophe is doomed; even in newspapers, you pretty much only see it where it doesn't belong and rarely where it does.

But when Metro Pomona posted about efforts to start up a Saturday evening farmers('s) market at Thomas Plaza, I was so excited I forgot to contemplate the purchase of agricultural technicians.

They still have to get an event permit from the city (aside to the DPOA: if y'all need community support, just say the word and we'll rally the troops), but with any luck the first FM-PM will be January 10th. And I'll be there.

[Yes, I realize that "farmers market" is the standard spelling. But I don't have to like it.]

Trying To Deny My Inner German...

When David Allen mentioned a German joint in nearby Upland, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist for long. I've dragged poor Meg to any number of German restaurants, from the elegant, hipsterish Suppenkuche and the comfy Schnitzel Haus (conveniently located next to the X-rated bakery) in the Bay Area, to the uber-kitchy Red Lion Inn and gone-but-not-much-lamented Lowenbrau Keller in Los Angeles. I was dyin' to check out the Upland German Deli.

As David suggested, it was a little tough to find. Google Maps managed to point me at the wrong side of the street, which complicated matters a bit -- it's on the north side of Foothill, back in a little tiny strip mall, impossible to see from the street. Argh.

It's mostly a deli, as the name suggests, chock full of everything German. There were a few dozen German magazines and a German-language California newspaper (who knew!?), and a zillion different German products, most of them unfamiliar to us. I guess I've led a sheltered life, but who knew you could get ketchup and mayonnaise together in a squeeze tube?

To our delight, they had not only sandwiches, but also some dinner specials. Meg had Kassler (smoked pork) and I had cabbage roll; both came with a side of speatzle (funky German egg noodles) and a complementary dessert. It was hearty and comfortable, if not amazing; nobody there is trying to make it a fine dining experience, and that's just fine by me -- it's a deli. I particularly enjoyed Meg's sauerkraut, although I'm not sure it's really supposed to be nearly so sweet.

The service was authentically German, with a very reserved kind of friendliness -- "I like you okay, but don't expect me to crack a smile." I enjoyed the little dining room, with blue-and-white checked tablecloths, a kind of faux brick wallpaper and some hangings on the wall, although, again, it really isn't trying to be anything it isn't. I couldn't ask for more.

Sacramental performance art

I'm dredging this up from the comments on the "Council Meeting Update" post, because a couple of folks have mentioned to me that they don't read comments regularly.

One "Anonymous" writes:

Thursday 12-18-08 7:40 pm...
Was anyone other than me listening to KFI radio at this time (Hosts: Kennedy & Suits).... when they got to talking about Norma Torres AND played exerpts of her "performance" today at the budget vote session in Sacramento????

The Hosts wanted to know WHATTHEHECKGIVESINPOMONA for sending this MORON to Sacramento! They described her as 'unstable' and hysterical and then played the tape.... Yep! She was crying and putting on a true meltdown performance... saying that in Pomona, senior citizens are eating DOGFOOD and she had to sign this tax increase to put cops on the street, knowing it would 'take food out of the mouths of babies and take them out of school'.... incoherent... weepy, but in the middle of it, the radio station had to 'bleep' a big 'GODDAMN' she put in there... she was telling her story about being a 911 dispatcher on the graveyard shift. The radio hosts suggested she go back to that job (then backtracked, saying she is obviously unstable and you would not want to be talking to a nut if you were phoning in an emergency. It was hilarious BUT made Pomona look really stupid, low class and full of incompetents! They asked about how people make voting decisions in Pomona !!!!
Did anyone else catch this segment !!!??????

Now, if you've ever observed a legislative session (in D.C., in Sac, wherever), you know that representative democracy is a performance genre unlike any other (paging Robert Byrd, please totter over to the white courtesy telephone), so I hesitate to judge anyone by their stage antics at the microphone. And after the way that KFI covered the Condit-Mountain View let's-play-Injuns foofaraw, I take everything they say with a grain of salt.

On the other hand, I would not be shocked and appalled if Norma did not represent Pomona to its full advantage.

Holiday Message from PUSD

A cute card from our Superintendent

Officer-involved shooting in Garfield Park

The LA County Sheriff's department is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred along the western edge of Garfield Park some time early this morning (my neighbor tells me he heard the shots sometime between 1:00 to 2:00 AM). Evidently no officers were injured and the LA County Sheriff is doing the investigation, suggesting the officer(s) needed to use force.

I spoke with a Pomona PD officer on the scene who told me a press release would be made available sometime this afternoon (I'm not sure where to look for press releases; any ideas?). In the meantime, I called the sheriff's department; not surprisingly, they're not yet able to disclose any information.

So first a guy is shot in the butt, then my neighbor's house gets broken into, and now this. I've lived here for four years and have never felt anything less than safe and secure. I'm feeling on edge now.

Council meeting update

• No decision was made on the new District 5 council person, other than that it will be an appointment rather than an election. Three of the candidates showed up, including the presumed top two contenders, planning commissioner Tim Saunders and former community life commissioner Les Hedges. There were five other candidates that didn't show up. Rather than proceeding with interviews that evening, a special meeting ill be held on Friday at 7 p.m. Incidentally, the last appointed councilman was defeated at the next election (Steven Banales), so appointment is no guarantee of reelection. Each candidate will have three minutes to make a personal statement and a few minutes to answer questions from the council.
  
• Also punted to the Friday night meeting is the question of who will represent Pomona on various regional boards and commissions, including the powerful San Gabriel Valley COG and the ACE Board.
• And let me just take a minute to note Mayor Rothman's lackadaisical style. Several times the City Attorney had to call order and shush the audience, with little or no acknowledgment by the Mayor of how odd this appears. You have the power, it's time to start using it.
  

Tree lighting and City Council meeting tonight

Monday 12/15

Lighting ceremony at Civic Center Plaza tonight scheduled for 5-7:30PM.

City Council Meeting:
agenda
This agenda is packed. Capital improvement projects and money is being unappropriated, appropriated, shifted, etc...; Redevelopment Agency conflict of interest and prevailing wage issues; CalHome Grant funds for owner-occupied mobile homes; CUP for alcohol at 342 S. Thomas Street; establishment of a city of Pomona Marketing Partnership Policy?; Safe Routes to School project (I'll do a separate post about this one......really cool!); and many other agenda items.

The agenda mentions an ad hoc committee tasked to review corridor improvement projects (Garey ave, Mission Blvd, SR71 sound walls). Anyone have any idea who was on this committee and the scope of these projects?

If you have some time tonight, take in the tree lighting and then attend the Council meeting. It will be Rothman's first as Mayor and Soto's first as a Council member.

Paper creatures, performance art, a new bar: oh my!

A rockin' Second Saturday, indeed. Our favorite exhibit of the night: Dee Cole's fantastic paper mache creatures at the dA. Also at the dA, a jazz band of young musicians and a performance piece that included the ritualistic burning of a devilish totem, followed by a polite appearance of the Pomona Police Department (what? no permit for devil burning? you'll need to clear the street...everyone back inside).

A meander around the block led us to the much anticipated Acerogami -- this is the new bar and lounge nestled between the Glass House and the record store on Second St. between Thomas and Main. Rob Fisher, production manager/consultant, tells us the bar's name means "folded metal;" the interior design -- not to mention the exterior architectural details -- make clear the relevance of the name. A white russian and a manhattan cost us $17, sans tip. The drinks were tasty and well-mixed. Swanky set up, void of those annoying corporate logos (no glaring neon Budweiser signs in sight). Rob tells us all the interior elements -- from the bar stools to the bathroom stall doors -- were hand-crafted for the site. Definitely worth a look.

Next up on the block: Aladdin Jrs, coming soon to the corner of 2nd and Main (former home of Lela's).

Music for City Council Blues

If you need a break from the City Council:

Friday 12/12

Palomares Park Senior Center at 499 E. Arrow Hwy, Pomona
7:30 PM - Pomona Concert Band's Annual Christmas Concert
They will also be collecting unwrapped gifts for needy children.

Friday 12/12 @ 8PM
Saturday 12/13 @ 3:30 and 8PM
Sunday 12/13 @ 3:30PM
Pomona First Baptist Church presents:
the "Pomona First Baptist Choir, Orchestra, and choirs of all ages usher in the majesty of the seasons with carols, music, and Christmas splendor."
This free event is worth seeing if you have the time.

Los Angeles Philharmonic in Pomona
Thursday 12/18
Pomona First Baptist Church
601 N. Garey Ave., Pomona, CA 91767
Ample church parking available
Los Angeles Philharmonic will be visiting Pomona as part
of their neighborhood concert series.

Anyone know where to buy tickets?

We've had a volley of posts in the last couple of days, so please scroll down if you haven't stopped here recently.

Watt A Wonderful World It Might Be

I had posted this as a comment on the original "Watt, Me Worry" post but Meg felt that it deserved a post of its own so people can better respond to it.
__________________________________________________

As those who were at dba Wednesday night already know, I ended up not attending the Planning Commission meeting. At the mixer earlier, in talking with many of the chamber and downtown business types I learned that Watt didn't care if they got an extension at all. They weren't even going to show up (so why should I--bad idea? perhaps). I understand that they will go through the process all over again.

We really need to keep an eye on this so that any NEW plans for the area don't undo what was agreed to in the past. I have grave worries. Of course, one of the things they won't have to worry about is getting a demolition permit to tear down two blocks of buildings dating from the 1880s to 1920s. That one's been taken care of already. And Pomona gets vacant lots for at least the next couple of years.

I was told that they are planning an Iron Fence for around the 200 block "hole in the ground." that will include panels upon which local artists can paint murals (an idea that came out of the downtown business owners association (DPOA--better known to most of us as "Metro Pomona"). So Mickey Gallivan was right! We'll see years of vacant lots in exchange for destroying our history.

Putting the om in P-om-ona

I’m writing with a request, an invitation, and an announcement. Here goes…

The Request: I’m on the lookout for a place in Pomona to offer kids yoga. Ideally, some kind business or gallery owner would welcome little yogis once per week for some om-a-liscious play time. At a minimum, we would need a spacious floor and…well…that’s about it. Any ideas?

The Invitation: Free kids yoga classes on Thursday, December 18 from 4:00 – 5:00 PM and Sunday, January 4 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM. Kids ages 6 and older are invited to attend; parents welcomed to stay and play. The sessions will take place at the Om Sweet Om Pilates & Yoga Studio (204 N. Yale, Claremont). The room can accommodate only 15 participants; reserve your spot by e-mailing me (just click on my screen name, Pride in Garfield Park).

The Announcement: Beginning January 8, 2009, I will offer a weekly kids yoga class at Om Sweet Om (204 N. Yale, Claremont). The class, which will meet Thursdays from 4:00 – 5:00 PM, will be open to kiddos age 6 and older. Cost: $10/child ($6 per class additional for parent participants).

Perhaps there are other yoga teachers in Pomona who would be interested in offering an adult yoga class? How great would it be if we could get something going in one of the spaces downtown? I’d love to hear your ideas for how we can make this happen.

The Next Step?

Although I wasn't a Rothman supporter, I was approaching the post-election days with some optimism that he could see the bigger picture. A new leadership could offer a new direction or perspective that would help in leading the city out of this decades long morass the city finds itself in. Unfortunately, after this drama, I'm afraid of the possibility that at least four on the Council see the Pomona problems very differently from me. Perhaps, some misconduct on the part of the Chief could justify his dismissal, but if that was true, couldn't Linda Lowry have secured his resignation rather than tossing him out the door? Would the Chief have defiantly resisted giving his resignation or to slowly transfer power to a successor if he had been given that option? Maybe I totally overestimate the Chief's character.

Based on the previous comments that I read, I'm not nearly as forgiving as some of you regarding the actions of Linda Lowry. I'll reference the Spike Lee movie title "Do the Right Thing". Is this the 'right thing' for her to do? If this decision transpired at a meeting that didn't include the entire Council, shouldn't she have suggested that all the voices be heard? Let's think for a moment about the message this sends to the rest of the city employees. Piss off a Council member and risk losing your job. This city is her ship and I'm completely lost as to what direction she is taking it and like most of you, I have my house and family at stake.

A Few Thoughts About Recall

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the funny thing about recalls is that the person in 2nd place can actually be the winner. In the last mayoral election, the majority voted against Rothman, but he still won. If we take those election results and apply them to a recall, George Hunter would be the next Mayor. As I understand it, Rothman must have a majority of the voters cast ballots against a recall to stay as mayor. Even if 49% of voters support him, the 51% who vote for the recall will remove him from office and the next mayor will be one of the candidates listed on the ballot which can't include Rothman. Hypothetically, the next mayor could get less than the 49% of voters who support Rothman remaining as mayor and still win the election to be mayor. If I'm right, don't we have a beautiful system.

If Chief Romero wants to make a lasting change in this city, being willing to support a recall effort may be the best way to do it. Sending notice to those in public office to focus on the real issues and rallying the public voice that 'yes' we do need to participate in the politics of our city may be the monumental gesture that broadcasts to both the public and private world that Pomona is ready to turn itself around. If we allow pettiness and cronyism to define the "new" Pomona who are we to complain. It won't be easy and it might be a little ugly, but an individual who has given decades of his life for this city deserves to see that we also want it to change.

Just Ed's (always optimistic) two cents.

not just another wednesday night in pomona

As threatened, I made it down to the mixer at the Cal Poly Downtown Center. I mostly gossiped with the few people I knew there, although I did get a chance to say hello to Paula Lantz. I was thirsty and the refreshments were blocked by a wall of suits, so I wandered down the block to dba256 just in time to miss all the speechifying (which didn't start till at least 6:30).

Pride in Garfield Park apparently arrived just as I was leaving, so she heard all the palaver. There was no formal protest about Chief Romero's firing, but PiGP reports that one brave soul did shout out from the crowd, "What about Chief Romero?"

When I walked into dba256, it was dead empty, which was a welcome change -- the last few times I've been there, it has been completely bumping. So it was nice to have a chance to chat with Ron (owner and impresario) and not to have to be patient about getting my wee dram. Shortly after I arrived, one of my neighbors walked in, and then PiGP, and then John & Deb Clifford (and I leave it to John to report about the Planning Commission meeting), and then Pomona Joe, and then Calwatch. Yes, it was old home week.

There was much nattering about various theories and conjectures, which I won't repeat for fear of spreading false information, but you can gather the tenor of our discussion by checking out Calwatch's lengthy comment on the "Chief Romero FIRED!" post below.

All in all a fun evening -- we should have another one soon.

calling the po-po

While our attention is riveted to the goings-on in the Police Dept., I though I'd point something out that came across the neighborhood-watch telegraph:

Namely, if you do not give a specific address when calling the police, the location does not get logged for the purpose of cumulative statistics. The result is that Lincoln Park supposedly had between three and seven police calls for the third quarter of 2008, despite the fact that residents made dozens of calls (two by me, in fact). That's right: If you report suspicious activity/burglary/felonious leaf-blowing on the 100 block of Primrose Path, the location will not get logged -- you must give a specific house number.

This is utter codswallop, but it hardly seems like a chief-firing offense.

Chief Joe Romero FIRED!!!

I have it from very reliable sources that an emergency meeting of the city council was called this morning to discuss a personnel matter. At that meeting Police Chief Joe Romero was fired. Since it takes 4 votes for such an action, and since newly elected councilperson Danielle Soto has not been sworn in yet, it appears that the votes to fire came from Mayor Rothman (who I'm sure is still smarting after being charged, and cleared, of DUI) and the three council persons who have objected to police checkpoints and other issues. As of this point I don't know if councilperson Paula Lantz was even part of that meeting as I earlier noted that she wasn't sworn in until this afternoon.

I personally want to thank Chief Romero for reaching out to the community. I find this to be a terrible loss for our city. We can only guess as to the "reasons" for the firing that created the need for a special meeting just before the holidays.

Watt, Me Worry?--UPDATED

photo by Richard E. Nunez

It's coming up again, maybe? The Pomona Planning Commission is now down to 3 members (according to the agenda--although I know that Paula Lantz's commissioner was just appointed, so why is he off if Paula's new term hasn't even started?) Tim Saunders (who has expressed a desire to be appointed councilperson from the 5th District), Arturo Jimenez, and Andrew Santa Cruz. UPDATE: Evidently, Paula Lantz's commissioner needs to be sworn in again and couldn't be until Paula was sworn in. I spoke with her this evening and she was sworn in this afternoon and Ed Starr (her Planning Commissioner), should be sworn in prior to the meeting and will be able to participate. I'm not sure how quorums work with only three members on a panel that should have 7 members). In the past, the quorum was based either on the number of current members OR the number of members that are supposed to be on the panel. I'm not really sure where that was left off. At one point you could have a quorum with three, but you needed four votes to pass anything. I'm sure that the city attorneys will be busy working on that one.

And all this just in time to take on the issue of the extension of the CUP (Conditional Use Permit) for the Watt Project on West Second St. You can read the agenda on the city's web site. I know I'll be there (if the meeting actually takes place) to let them know that something needs to be done about the vacant lots (and hole in the ground) and that we need to not allow changes to occur to the originally approved plan without scrutiny by the commission and the community (as was done with the Mission Promenade project). NO "VALUE ENGINEERING!!!"

Also on the agenda is the approval of a CUP for a major expansion of Cocoa Palms restaurant (the one on the hill on Fairplex Drive), and a meeting hall on Park Ave (next to the Pomona Fish Market) for the Black Knightz Motorcycle Club, among others.

So, if you're going to be downtown for the Chamber of Commerce Mixer for the new mayor, new council, and new assemblywoman, (hosted by the Pomona Chamber of Commerce, Cal Poly Downtown Center, Pomona Fairplex, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona Valley Hospital, and Arteco Partners--5:00-7:00 pm at the Cal-Poly Downtown Center) why not stop by the council chambers for what could be an interesting Planning Commission meeting. And if you're at the Mixer, be sure to make suggestions as to future commissioners to the corresponding councilmembers.

Rothman Mayor of Upland

OK, so I'm sitting on Sunday, reading the Saturday DB (I was busy with the Pomona Heritage Christmas Dinner all day Saturday), and to what do my wondering eyes should appear? But an item in the "rail" (the first column on page 1) as shown at the left that made me wonder if there were visions of sugarplums dancing in my head. With the kicker head of UPLAND, I might have passed it over, but I was shocked to learn that Upland was considering appointing a new councilperson for district 5, and that Elliott Rothman had been elected mayor of Upland. Had the election all been just an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato?

But no, when I got to page 10 to read the story, Monica Rodriguez had all the facts right, and the story was about our own Pomona election.

So much for the efficiencies of the DB combining staff with the San Bernardino Sun. Evidently copy editors and proofreaders in the far east have no idea which city is which and can't write a teaser with the correct information, even though one would assume that they were looking at Monica's article as reference. I know that mistakes happen (anyone who's read the Pomona Heritage newsletter knows that I make my share), but a newspaper is supposed to have quality control in place. That's why editors and proofreaders are so vital to a news organization.

'H' word for October and November

Shame on me! Faced with three homicides in October, I foolishly figured I'd game the system by combining the October and November homicide numbers. Hey, 3 murders over two months isn't that bad, right! Well, if you've read the Daily Bulletin lately, you'll realize the DB's beloved Pomona homicide summaries are running again, so my little ploy didn't work so well.

And although I'm not overly susperstitious, with two murders already in December I'll finally post the October/November maps. Here they are! I'm done with them! Please put the guns away! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!

Oct/Nov Homicide map

So far in December: 2 in Pomona, 1 in Rialto, 1 in San Gabriel, 1 in El Monte. I didn't see the homicide in Rialto mentioned in the Saturday or Sunday DB. Did I miss it?

our house is a very very very fine house

You may know Eurydice Turk as a local realtor, but she is also a neighbor and community activist. She writes:

At our last NW meeting, we discussed whether the city’s Webwatch program is still up and running. Over the next month, the Community Life Commission will be looking at opportunities that create community. It would be very helpful if I could pull some ideas from my district and take them back to our next meeting. I am specifically interested in ideas that will bring us together and don’t cost a lot of money… initial ideas are beautification projects, community gardens, emergency preparedness plans (by district), litter removal projects… let’s ride the creative wave that is coming our way. Remember – YES WE CAN!

She is the CLC rep for Lincoln Park, but I imagine she would be happy to pass ideas on for other neighborhoods as well. You can write directly to her with ideas at eurydice@eurydiceturk.com.

For my part, there are all sorts of things I'd love to get involved with -- community gardens, the HPC, etc. -- but until my job stops requiring 70 hours and a pint of blood per week, it ain't gonna happen. As the kids say, le sigh.

votes for money

Sorry to have been AWOL, folks -- first I was just too damned busy, and then I was just too damned sick. I'm still sick, but I am fed up with lying on the couch and whimpering, so I've willed my carcass to come to life.

What was it that Gandhi said about Western civilization -- he thought it would be a good idea? I feel the same way about a humane society: What a great thought! Let's give it a try!

Courtesy of my neighbor, I bring you an opportunity to vote for our own Inland Valley Humane Society in some contest for $10k, an amount I'm sure they could use. Yeah, it's a random popularity contest, but on the other hand, it's $10k -- and if you've been down to the IVHS (on Mission, down by Aerospace Ghost-Town), you'll know they could really use the bucks. So go throw 'em a bone if the spirit moves you. You don't even hafta give 'em a valid email address.

I feel pretty grateful to them for our own Cranky Bighead of a cat, Voiceover. Thanks to him, K and I aren't the most eccentric creatures -- or worst singers -- on the block.

Foothill Cities blog is BACK!!!

Just to let those who haven't seen it yet that The Foothill Cities blog is back in operation.

Oh, the Indignity!!!!!

Here it is, the Friday after Thanksgiving, full from yesterday's turkey and fixin's it should be a morning to relax, read the paper and just chill before the work of climbing through the garage to extract holiday decorations and start the season.

But the paper did not bring me solace this morning. I'm indignant, my hackles have been raised, and I'm just plain angry!!!

First, an admission--I actually read the legal ads in the DB. It's a habit from having past city administrations try to sneak something through figuring no one reads those ads so we'll do the legal notification and maybe no one will notice. Even though the Pomona staff is now much more out front in their dealings with the public, I can't help but be ever vigilant.

So this morning, after the news, weather, and comics, I turned to the classified section of the newspaper to begin reading the legal ads. Lately, the DB has been intermingling classifications 54 and 55 (LA County and SB County) legal notices--Doesn't this defeat the concept of "Classified?" Anyway, within the SB County notices, was an LA County notice that I was sure was misplaced. The FDIC had their notification of the takeover of PFF. But they had the old POMONA address as their corporate address for the notification. PFF decided first to get rid of Pomona from their name, then they moved to Rancho Cucamonga, where they proceeded to destroy a financial institution that had been around for over 100 years, but when the failure notice comes out, suddenly it's a Pomona institution. AAaaarrrrggggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!

We just can't cut a break.

So not only was PFF lax with their loans, but they also must have been lax with their paperwork if the FDIC didn't have their current address. The one thing that might come out of this is that the DB should get another ad from it. If someone from the DB is reading this, be sure to let advertising know so that they can get a retraction/correction ad.

So now, it's time to go off and figure out what to do for front yard decorations since the lovely Mrs. C has laid down an edict "No nails in the newly refurbished house." How can I hang my lights? AAaaarrrrggggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!

Pomona Photos Survive

A couple of days ago I was aghast when I learned that Ren's Corner had disappeared from the blogosphere. Ren has been providing photos to Goddess of Pomona's site, Pomona Heritage, and Historical Society of the Pomona Valley for most of the past year, so having his blog disappear was disconcerting.

Fortunately, I had his email address and was able to contact him regarding what happened. He and I met yesterday at dba257 (my first meeting with him in person) and I learned what happened. Ren (actually Richard E. Nunez) has some health issues which were being negatively impacted by his working on the computer. The repetitive motion was causing his arms to go numb and he decided that he could no longer maintain the blog. Rather than just let it go dormant as other bloggers do, he was concerned that if it was there that he'd feel compelled to continue to post. So, he unceremoniously shut it down.

However, fear not. He has decided that he can still post his photographs, minus the commentary and it wouldn't cause him health problems. He has created a new blog called Images of Pomona. This blog is dedicated to documenting the things that Ren sees around town. It's only been up for a few days and he already has 83 (and counting) images posted. They cover the gamut from the construction at the Fox, the chalk art on 2nd St., The "swimming pool" that is the Watt project, to a lot of wonderful images of various buildings and things around the city. If you have a chance, take a look at Ren's new home. I, for one, am just happy that he's out there contributing what he can.

Just another Tuesday in Pomona

Me again!

Pomona PD is doing a toy drive to benefit needy kids in Pomona. Collection boxes can be found at the Library, Police Department, and City Hall. If you want one for your business call CSO Brenda Sutherland @ 909-620-2377. If you have a little money to spare, please donate.

Lost: I recall at this time last year the Pomona city website had information about various charities in the city. Is my memory failing? Any info would be greatly appreciated!! I personally thought it was a great use of technology and would hate to see us take a step back.

Tonight:

• School Board meets at 7PM @ PUSD building on 800 S. Garey (agenda)
  
• Community Life meets at 7PM @ Council meeting room (agenda--outside City Hall)

Grabbed from the DB:

• On Monday, a male was shot in the buttocks at Garfield Park.
• Surprise.......Holiday Parade has been canceled!
• Here's a nice T-day story about a Pomona native .......singing in Montclair.

PUSD FYI: In only its first year, the API for Cortez Elementary almost reached the API scores found at Claremont's lofty Condit and Chaparral elementary schools. Cortez is the new K-8 Math and Science magnet school near the 10 freeway on Dudley that opened in Fall 2007. Btw the students choice for a mascot......the "Wizards".

Web utilization in Pomona

Pomona Police

The Pomona PD recently updated their Webwatch crime map interface. I still wish you could vary the time period beyond the default 7 days, but the new page is more informative and a little easier to use. If you crave all the pedantic information as much as I do, superimposing the Council districts on the citywide map is a nice option. I'm a little uneasy about the regularity of the updates. To be particularly useful, the map needs to be continually updated, and I'm just not confident that the police department has all the ducks in a row yet.

Pomona USD

At the bottom of the Pomona Unified website, they've now included an email signup to receive updates on our local school district. I only just signed up, so I'm in the dark about the info they'll send out, but what do you have to lose, follow the link and become a friend of Pomona Unified.

Other PUSD news: If you didn't already hear, the Pomona Superintendent has been named the California Superintendent of the Year. So if you know anyone still driving their kids to Claremont for school, tell them you know yet another reason to keep your tax dollars local.

City of Pomona

Looks like the city staff is still trying to figure out how to upload information. I believe the Youth Advisory Committee meets tonight in the Pomona Public Library from 5-7PM. Tomorrow @ 7PM the Community Life Commission will meet for its monthly meeting. The agenda (which isn't online) includes an overview of the commission's role and the upcoming Holiday Lane Decorating Contest. The website has CLC agendas for April-July.........what happened after July? Quarterly uploads?

Does anyone know what the Pomona Avocates for Communication and Trust (PACT) is? They meet 12/2/08 @ 6PM in the City Council Meeting Room. Who's on the committee? Given that the City was suggesting several commissions be merged, what niche is this committee expected to fill? Lastly, given the budget situation what's the cost?

Also, were the E-newsletters a concept from the previous city manager that followed him out the door? If so, do we really need to keep the old ones on the website?

So many questions! Anyone willing to help?

Teased again!

Why do the city employees tease me so? Here, I was so excited over seeing the Cultural Arts Agendas online (well at least the September and October agendas), that I leaped to the conclusion a new day had indeed come to the city of Pomona. But no, it's still the same Pomona.

I've been anxiously visiting the city website since Monday and I still got NOTHIN'. Cultural Arts who cares about that. The residents won't notice if it's not online. I'll do the minimum, why not? Why should I care about giving residents quick access to a commission agenda? Who cares whether volunteers on the Commission might want some public interest or input? It's not my problem!

Oops, did I say that with my outside voice.

Here's the information from the agenda:

Meeting tonight (11/20) @ 6PM in the City Council Closed Session Room

Chalk Festival Update--1)approve additional award of plaque for teacher's service, 2) approve additional monetary award for best all-around winners, and 3) approve donation of remaining chalk to participating schools.

Downtown Pomona Specific Plan--Commission recommendations for proposed public art ordinance.

High Schools of Pomona mural project

Next meeting is Thursday January 15th @ 6PM.

In my disgusted state, the real gut buster was reading "In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Community Services department at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.........." Gee, if you really cared about someone with a disability you would post the bloody agenda online!

Here's my worthless proposal of the day: move the Cultural Arts Commission to the Planning Department. The Historic Preservation agendas and the Planning Commission agendas manage to make it online.

the death of journalism -- news at 11

I thought about emailing our own David Allen about this, but then I decided to bleat to you all instead. Namely:

(Full story here)

Seriously, I thought the threat to real journalism was automation, but apparently not. Will someone please buy the DB a spell-checker, for pete's sake? Feel free to argue that they making a subtle linguistic argument about the extremeness of the group's irreligiosity, but I don't buy it.

(Yes, I'll blog about saturday's rally very soon, I promise.)

oddness abounds

I'll post about the NO ON 8 rally later today, after I get my pictures downloaded (I left the cable at work -- doh!).

But in the meantime, I'm sitting here at my desk at 8:15 on a sunday morning, and who should walk by but an elderly man in a gray track suit, carrying a coiled bullwhip. No, he wasn't wearing a fedora, and Marion Ravenwood was nowhere to be seen.

If that was you, dear reader, do tell us the backstory. And if it wasn't you, feel free to offer up some wild theories!

tomorrow morning! yes, you!

As you may be aware, there are protests at City Halls across the country tomorrow against the passage of Prop. 8. And Pomona is going to be having one of its own! From 10:30am to 3pm, we will be letting the community know that it is NOT okay to take away anybody's civil rights. I don't think I'll be able to stay the entire time, but say hey if you see me!

Full information is available on Facebook.

Speaking of Prop. 8, if you haven't seen Keith Olbermann's commentary on the subject, you really need to go see it. Normally I'm not a big fan, but this is both right and quite moving.

Cultural Arts Commission

Here's a little cut-paste action from the September minutes.

If anyone can elaborate on any of these, please help out. David Allen mentioned the Garey Ave Mural a couple of months. Check the link if you want to see the proposal.

Garfield Park
Commissioner Gallivan asked about the status of the Garfield Park Serviceman's Memorial statue and landscaping. Commissioner Gallivan suggested an event on Veterans' Day, November 11 th. Staff will inquire on the status of the project and provide an update at the October meeting. October minutes not yet available.

Garey Ave Mural
Larry Egan has experienced some delays with the Garey Avenue mural project proposal. Mr. Egan will resubmit the proposal at a later date. Here is the Council Report from 6/2/08.

2009 YOUTH ART PROJECT
Commissioner Moore distributed a proposal for the 2009 High Schools of Pomona Mural Competition. The Commission reviewed and discussed the proposal. The sub-committee will consist of Commissioners Moore, McAllister and Gallivan. Commissioner Campos will contact Wal-Mart for donations and Commissioner Romero will assist with the artist reception. A motion was made/seconded by Commissioner Gallivan/Commissioner McAllister to approve the 2009 High Schools of Pomona Mural Competition proposal as reviewed and revised. Vote in favor: 6 - O.

CITY OF POMONA ART POLICY
The Commission discussed Art Policy Item #II, Section B 1 issue. A motion was made/seconded by Commissioner Gallivan/Commissioner Moore recommending that staff prepare a report to the City Council requesting their consideration to review the City of Pomona Art Policy. Vote in favor: 6-0. On the 11/20 agenda.

The ($) Pit

The Planning Commission meets tonight and the Watt project is on the agenda. The Watt Project ? Yes, indeed, that carefully sloped gravel pit was supposed to be only a temporary addition to our bustling downtown. So if you have an opinion about what should be done with our pit, please show up tonight (Wed 11/12) @ 7PM in the Council Chambers to express yourself. Also please write the Council Members and mayor-elect to let them in on the fun.

Several proposals about turning the space into a public park have been offered up. I'm not in the loop, but I've heard Watt doesn't want to put any money into and the city doesn't want to provide any insurance to cover it as a public space. If Pomona really has turned a corner for the better, perhaps this impasse will be remembered as another one of those moments when the city's residents finally spoke up to change Pomona. Who's to blame if we sit in silence?! I for one, would really like to know how much insurance would cost to cover that small parcel, considering the Thomas Street Plaza is right next to it. Anyone thinking Council Members might want to use some of their discretionary funds? Just a thought.


Other News:

Larry of Metro Pomona broke the news that the Holiday Parade is cancelled for this year. Has my head been in the sand and I'm the last to know, or are many of you also a bit befuddled by this info? While you're writing an email to your elected representatives about the Watt project, would you mind including a few words about the Holiday Parade. In future years, if you'd like to see it make its way down 2nd street then please make a comment on that as well. In all fairness to David Allen, do we really want to leave him with the legacy of being the Grand Marshall who killed the parade (just kidding folks!!!! Btw, he did a great piece on the Fox and preservation).

Pictures came from MetroPomona and Pomona Valley Historical Society and Pomona Public Library.

Missed Opportunity?

While sipping my coffee on Saturday morning, I came across a snippet in the DB on the Ganesha High School Bandfest. Anyone catch it? It apparently started at 9:30AM and was running north on Fairplex drive, from Holt to Ganesha High School. I don't remember all the participants, but I think Ganesha, Pomona, Garey, and even Santa Monica high school were competing.

I'm hoping someone out there might explain (anonymously is fine) why this event couldn't have happened down Garey in downtown or on one of the other streets downtown. Since the city was already putting on the Chalk Art Festival and later in the evening the Art Walk was taking place, why couldn't we bring these high school students and their parents into downtown Pomona?

Was it merely a lack of communication that was the problem? Logistically, would it have been too much work? I'm not looking to blame anyone, but I do wonder if thinking too small is leaving the city with great individual efforts that aren't getting the publicity or showcase that they deserve. If you're going to offer any insight, I'd appreciate keeping it civil. These events demonstrate a vibrancy within the city that I feel deserves a thunderous round of applause.

If you missed the Chalk Art Festival, please consider taking it in next year...............maybe a few marching bands might show up to spice things up!

Here are some pics from the Chalk Art. Sorry about the quality (phone pics).
Even better pics can be found at Metro Pomona's coverage of the event.

one for Ed, one for Tibbi...

For Ed:
Today I was driving down Towne and a cyclist was intentionally f*cking with the cars -- riding a snake-like pattern, veering into the center of the lane as a car approached and then out to the side, back and forth. At first I thought he was just trying to keep cars away from him, claiming the lane, but then I noticed that he was flipping off each car that passed him.

One of our neighbors has a story about yelling "Moron!" at a driver who menaced him while he was cycling: the driver stopped the car, got out, and punched him in the jaw. I would not be a bit surprised if this happened to the Sidewinder Cyclist after I drove past (in the far lane from him, escaping his attention).


For Tibbi:
A pal of ours is a pollster and sent me the following numbers for Pomona on Prop. 8: 17,820 in favor, 11,177 opposed. Sad but true.

In other news (or not-news, really), we headed down to dba256 last night for a drink before supper. We spotted Dave Allen, but he looked deep in conversation, so we didn't bother him. Then who should wander up but our own John Clifford. As the three of us chatted on a couch, a couple of other Pomona Heritage members came by and joined us. The five of us talked so long, Mix Bowl was the only place open when we finally turned our attention to supper.

That, I must say, is the dictionary definition of the "local," English style -- the pub where you stumble in for a drop to cure what ails you and end up meeting half your neighbors. I haven't had a local since they closed the Salty Dog Saloon for my going away party in 1988, putting a sign up on the door saying "We're at Meg's -- if you know where that is, you're invited."

Tonight's police checkpoint

Who says checkpoints never happen in Lincoln Park? Tonight's police checkpoint is at Pearl and Garey, adjacent to Pomona Flowers. Checkpoints go from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. the next morning.

Pomona's Own First Responder

On Thursdays I take the metrolink to and from my teaching assignment in downtown LA. Today I was heading back to Pomona's North Metrolink station on the 12:20 pm train. When we got to Cal State LA (the first stop after leaving Union Station), we were delayed. An announcement came on that there was a bus accident on the freeway ahead and they'd have another announcement in about 20 minutes. 20 MINUTES? Then the rumors started down the train that there would be a 4 HOUR delay.

As it turned out, the delay getting out of Cal State was about 45 minutes, but then we got about a mile down the line and were stopped again. Metrolink decided that they needed to inspect the tracks at the site of the accident. About 15 minutes later we were finally on our way. But not very fast.

As we got to where the train (and the busway out of El Monte's bus station) separate from the Freeway, we came upon the accident. An LA County Sheriff's prisoner transport bus had had an accident. There were sheriff's cars and ambulances as far as the eye could see (at least 1-1/2 miles and way too many to count). As we came upon the site, moving very slowly, I was able to see the debris and what was going on.

And then, looking out the train window, i spied, walking from one of the many ambulances parked along the busway, our own Pomona City Councilman Freddie Rodriguez. The councilman is a 23 year EMT (Emergency Medical Technician)/Paramedic. I must say that my chest swelled with pride knowing that it was a dedicated Pomonan who was early on the scene of a major incident.

Just couldn't let this go by without acknowledging him. Nice to have some good news for a change.

This Weekend

Metro Pomona

Friday:

the Glasshouse: KCXX 103.9 Presents: Hawthorne Heights, Emery,

Tickle Me Pink, The Mile After, The Malheruex

Saturday:

Chalk Art Festival @ Thomas Street Plaza
Sponsored by Cultural Arts Commission
Artists begin at 7:30AM
Prizes awarded at 4PM

Art Walk Starting @ 6PM

Sunday:

the Glasshouse : Turisas, Powerglove, Iron Klad, Cromwell

www.turisas.com

Also Saturday: Puppet Show in Lytle Creek

and now for something completely different

I confess that I'm happy the elections are all over and I can go back to my usual media-consumption patterns. Over the last couple of months, the only media I've consumed has been news podcasts from foreign nations and David Allen's column in the DB.

So, to catch up on old business:

10,000 Maniacs
Yes, I mean trick-or-treaters, not the 80s band. We didn't have nearly as many ghouls, Spidermen, and junior streetwalkers as we did last year, but we still disposed of $50's worth of candy from the 99¢ Store. Only one house on our block was done up in full fettle, so a lot of kids skipped us entirely. Next year, I think, we're going to go all out (for us, anyway) and equip the house in full Mad Scientist rig. Lab coats, joy buzzers, and liquid nitrogen, here we come!

Currying favor
We took Anduhrew's advice the other night and drove down to the corner of Temple & Pomona Blvd. to try out Curry Up, our new Indian joint. I was afraid it would be a branch of the LA chain of the same name (which specializes in Japanese, not Indian, curry), but my fears were immediately allayed.

It's perfectly fine steam-table North Indian fare: navrata korma, mattar aloo, saag tofu, chicken tikka masala, channa daal, that kind of thing. For $7, you get rice, naan, two dishes, and a soda, all on a styrofoam plate. Well, not the soda. Unless that's the way you roll. It has a fast-food vibe, but it's very friendly, and let's not forget, it's Indian food! in Pomona!

Stump speech
Now that all our paperwork is in order, Tom Day Tree Service came and removed our chinaberry tree. Over the phone, he said that plus trimming the pawlonia would take an hour and a half, and we scoffed. But sure enough, a swarm of pixies in workboots arrived, clambered all over the trees, then sawed and ground and blew, and they were gone, leaving us lots of firewood, mulch, and a yard cleaner than it's ever been.

For you landscape architects, HPC commissioners, and other interested parties, here's a picture of the chinaberry stump, showing that it was in fact four separate trunks within a single bark:

The only hitch was when Chainsaw Dude sawed through our phone line. They promised they would pay whatever charges Verizon assessed, but in the event, we weren't charged a thing.
K: "But the tree guys sawed through it with a chainsaw."
Operator: "Sir, I just write down that it was cut. I don't have to say who cut it."
It did take them 24 hours to come fix it, during which time K. was digesting his stomach lining, but once they arrived, it was easy-peasy and didn't cost a dime.

And now we have a whole new back yard! O brave new world that has such creatures in't, indeed.

Election Results

Here are, without comment, the election results for the races in the city of Pomona:

Mayor: Elliott Rothman defeated George Hunter 6,630 to 6,816

District 1: Danielle Soto defeated Fred Van Allen 1,503 to 752

District 4: Paula Lantz defeated Primo Castro 1,765 to 1,618

District 6: Stephen Atcheley defeated John Mendoza 1,788 to 1,494

Measure PC (utility tax initiative by John Mendoza): defeated 17,720 to 6,772

Measure PS (Pomona School Bond): passed 25,109 to 8,593

Measure RR (Mt. Sac Bond): passed 136,253 to 58,527

Three Valleys Water District: John Mendoza (yes the same John Mendoza): defeated Fred Lantz 7,883 to 6,315

news from the booth

Warning: Lines are long, people! Nonetheless, go out there and do it. If for no other reason than to see your friends and neighbors -- I ran into two couples and two singles from the nabe and had plenty of time to catch up with them.

One of them was carrying an election mailer from Barack Obama with his endorsements for our local elections. To my surprise, Barack endorses Paula, not Primo. I say "to my surprise" because Paula does (or did) have a McCain sign in her yard, and the county Democratic party stands behind Primo. I guess the local and national parties are not quite in lockstep just yet.

Now I gotta catch up on everything I had planned to do during the time I ended up standing in line to vote.

Politics Pomona Style

I'm probably shooting myself in the foot, but I just can't stand it any more. Yesterday (Saturday) I received a piece of campaign literature in the mail that is making my blood boil.

Let me start by saying that I am a Democrat. I've donated to the Obama campaign and to the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Congressional Committee, and others. I believe that the past 8 years of George Bush has been devastating to our country.

However, local politics is different. City council and mayoral elections are NON-PARTISAN!! You can't put your party affiliation next to your name on the ballot. This is a bit of wisdom which has allowed us to work on a local level without getting hung up on what's happening nationally. In an election year when people are fed up, it's understandable that the campaigns are making sure that everyone knows that George Hunter and Paula Lantz have an (R) next to their names because the expected groundswell for Obama will probably have coattails.

Now I get a mailer from the Pomona Valley Democratic Club that sounds like something out of the Karl Rove playbook. They suggest that Rothman is being "Swift Boated." They claim that Hunter has made "trumped-up charges" but never say what they are or even try to defend Rothman. They claim that Hunter is responsible for poor judgement in the Artisan project. I can say that George and I disagreed on the project, but that he worked hard to make the project the best for the city of Pomona. That project was also supported by Rothman, who was ready to sign off on the first version of the project which would have been disasterous. AND Elliott DID vote FOR the project when it came before the council. If it was so bad, where was his opposition?

If Hunter has gone negative, I haven't received any of that in MY mail. No one has used Rothman's DUI that I've heard (except the blogs which is where I'd expect to hear it). Now perhaps I'm "out of the loop," but if I am, then I don't know who is "in the loop."

This kind of action by MY party is obnoxious and I'll have to think twice the next time they ask for a donation. But perhaps supporting a Republican at all makes me "unAmerican" and a disgrace to the party. In that case I hope that they'll have the decency to send me a reimbursement check.

The opinions expressed here are my own. I blog using my real name and take full responsibility for my opinions. M-M-M-My Pomona, Meg, K, Ed, and Calwatch had nothing to do with this and shall remain blamless.

H word for September (+ a little extra)

I'll interrupt this gastronomic melancholy to remind us that we live in Pomona.

I've been adding to the September homicide map to visually compare Pomona Valley with the rest of LA County. Special thanks to the homicide map of the LA Times for providing the additional info. A different perspective can be illuminating.

October's map will be in a couple of days.

Pondok Salero, RIP

I'm so behind at work, I got up at 4:30 this morning to try to get caught up. It didn't work, but I'm better off now than I was.

The only place to get coffee at 5:30 in the morning when you're out of milk at home is $tarbuck$. While there, I noticed that our lone Indonesian restaurant -- possibly the only one in the Inland Empire -- is now one sad pondok, torn up inside and for lease.

It's a pity. Never in a million years would I have guessed that the O-Lime next door (a Pinkberry plagiarist) would outlast it.

There's a lesson for us here. On let's-eat-out nights, make sure and patronize the offbeat, the unusual, the wackadoodle (as long as they're good, which PS was). Belly up to the table so they don't go belly up!

A Little Excitement in La Verne

Okay, no excitement in La Verne. But I made you keep reading, didn't I?

A colleague tells me that there is a fabulous, hidden-away Indian restaurant in La Verne, although she doesn't know where it is or what the name is. If you do, pleeeeease post it here -- we're dying to know! Because we never did find it.

My first step was a Google search, and as it turned out, that was my last step as well, because I got distracted by the City of La Verne Dining Guide. That's right: The city has an online guide to all the restaurants in the city. It downloads a .pdf, just FYI, and it includes phone numbers, hours, and sometimes URLs.

Reading it over, my eye was caught by Angel's Place, on D Street in downtown La Verne. I've seen Angel's Place before, but I hadn't realized it was a Greek restaurant. So last night we abandoned our quest for Indian and promptly decided to pledge Greek.

Angel's is a fairly low-key diner-style place. The service was prompt and friendly, and while our waitress didn't call us "hon," give her another 20 years and she will. K. had the pastitsio, and I had the "Athenian spaghetti," which our waitress said was "to die for."

Both dishes came with a small Greek salad, pita, and some hummus. The salad was fine, although the dressing used balsamic vinegar (very un-Greek -- I would have far preferred a lemon juice-based vinaigrette). The pita was really good: It's Greek style, meaning it's yeasted, so it has some flavor and lift. The hummus was way too blended, but it tasted perfectly fine.

K's pastitsio tasted good. I'm not a huge fan of the stuff, but it tasted on par with other pastitsios I've tried. My Athenian spaghetti was a basic bolognese with Greek leanings, topped with parmesan and feta. It was nothing fancy, but it was comfort-food spaghetti, the type that reminds you of childhood.[1]

In both cases, we got the largest servings you ever saw in your life. The pastitio was the length, breadth, and height of a brick, I kid you not, and I got about a quart of spaghetti. Considering that both dishes cost about $10 and that we're getting at least one more meal out of them, I'd call that a good deal -- and we could all use a good deal these days.

K was torn between the exotic foreign beer (Mythos) and his natural inclination toward dark beers. When the waitress asked how he liked his Mythos, he said cheerfully, "Pretty good for a yellow beer!" I had a glass of the cabernet (all their wines -- not counting retsina -- are from Salmon Creek Winery), and it was just fine.

All in all, we really liked the place. My one complaint is that they're using commercial-grade chopped feta that tastes very cow-y, not good Greek (or even Bulgarian) stuff. But we'll be back. They're open for breakfast seven days a week, and I feel sure we'll be trying it soon.


[1] Actually, I'm old enough that spaghetti wasn't something we got at home. All of our mothers cooked meat and two veg; spaghetti was something we ordered in restaurants or got on fridays at school. Even there, spaghetti was an anomaly; our lunch ladies made real home-cooked meat and veg (and the most amazing yeast rolls!) every morning, which we could smell from our classrooms. Every third or fourth friday, however, they would make spaghetti, and the classrooms would be buzzing with anticipation as the aroma of oregano and ground beef floated over the transoms.

A Little Excitement on Lincoln

In the interests of prompt, rather than accurate, news: it looks like a garage (or other outbuilding) on the south side of the 500 block of Lincoln burned this afternoon. Around 3:50PM I heard a loud thump; when I went outside to look around, I could see black smoke boiling up into the sky from a couple blocks away.

According to the police officer who evacuating people from their houses across the alley, an electrical line fell into someone's back yard and started a fire. I could see the fallen wire easily, although cause and effect aren't always clear.

It seems like the fire department was on it pretty quickly -- I saw at least five fire engines along with plenty of police as well. Hopefully there was limited damage (better a garage than a house!).

The police quite wisely kept all of us lookie-lous off of the actual block on Lincoln with all of the excitement, so I had to go back to work writing software. I'm probably better off leaving the color commentary to David Allen, anyway... :-)

The Irish O'Bama

A cousin of mine recently sent this political YouTube link, apparently to influence my vote by appealing to my heritage. Not like it's a real hard sell, but now I understand why my family drinks. It's about 5 minutes long.

Enjoy!

A Couple of Events for this Week

Wednesday 10/22

Planning Commission Meeting @ 7PM City Council Chambers:
The gas station building at the corner of White and Orange Grove is being moved down the street to the rental car location. In its place will rise a two story multi-tenant commercial building. Agenda

Big Read Events:
@Pomona Public Library:

1. 1PM-3PM Librarian led booktalk (attendees receive a free bock)
2. 4PM-5:30PM Kerry Madden will discuss upcoming biography on Harper Lee and then lead a young adult literary workshop.

@ Washington Community Center from 6-8:30PM will have a showing of "To Kill a Mockingbird".

Thursday 10/23

Big Read Event@ the Pomona Ebell Museum of History. Thanks go to Ren for posting about this one on his blog. Mary Badham (played Scout in the film) will speak about the experience. Reception will follow and include some period garments on display.

Also on Thursday 10/23

2008 Partnership Building Workshop @ Sheraton from 8:30-4:30. Register by 10/15, so if your interested call 909-620-2321 for info and availability.
Red Ribbon Kickoff: Crime Prevention @ the Civic Center starts @ 9AM and runs to 11AM
Pomona PD Open House: 11AM to 1PM for students, 1-8PM for general public.

Friday 10/24

Meet and Greet with Mayoral Candidate George Hunter and Council candidates Fred Van Allen, Danilet Querubin, and Paula Lantz. This event is at a private residence with limited space and parking, so plan accordingly. 359 W. Alvarado St. 7PM-9PM.