Rainy Season and Soggy Tourists

Sorry to take so long to write. Work was left really unsettled as we broke for the holidays. And once back, we changed from night to day shift. It's been a real adjustment. Now, I'm back in the swing of things.

The thing I learned last week is that I’ve developed a capacity for eating huge amounts of Buffalo wings . I don’t really have them when I go out. They’re always too spicy or not tender. I didn’t typically make them for the Super Bowl. My friends preferred a Betty Crocker creation called Mahogany Wings (wings baked with a molasses, soy, ginger sauce). I supposed that I was feeling more traditional that night, so I made a pile of Buffalo wings thinking I’d snack on them all week. Maybe it was the thrilling game or something. All I know is that I had about seven wings left from a three pound bag. Just disgraceful. I’m making more today.

LA in Winter

We knew it was going to be bad when the sandbags were out in the breakroom. That the library has custom built sandbags tells you about the rainy season here. It was just as crazy as advertised. The downpours were so hard that visibility was only a few yards. Our bus on thursday took almost 20 minutes to travel two blocks. The drainage is terrible and Angelenos do not know how to drive in any kind of real weather. We left early on thursday and got home later than our normal time. It was much the same Friday save for the drenching we got just as we were left off the bus. A river ran through Culver Blvd., that was for sure. We didn't have to go anywhere on the weekend. I think our shoes will be dry by tomorrow. All told we had about three inches of rain in the region over the last few days. In snow that can be up to 30 inches. Still, that may not be enough to prevent water restrictions in the summer. What were people thinking building all this stuff in the desert? It won't affect us though. we don't have a lawn to water or a car to wash or a dishwasher...wait, is this a good thing? More rain is coming this week. The weather forecasters are very happy to have something to do. Maybe this week, everyone's driving will be better.

Tourist Season

Meanwhile, the tourists are suffering. I'm not sure what kind of travel guides they're reading, but most seem to think that our weather is completely opposite of the rest of the country. One of our more colorful bus drivers said to a German tourist who was shivering in shorts and a T-shirt during the rain storm, 'You seem to have LA confused with Brazil or Australia. It's still winter here.' The Big Blue Bus Drivers are very helpful with tourists. They even keep them from getting off at stops where it's likely they'll have a real LA adventure complete with gangs and rotweilers. Jon and I don't travel through those areas, but the bus connects within reach those destinations. Looking at a map, it seems that getting from our area to Venice Beach is an easy 20 minute walk. And it is, but that very direct route takes one through some ungentrified areas that are still in dispute among those who wear colors and use gang signs. The drivers give them helpful hints like, 'I could let you off here, but you'll proabably die.' After the local passengers agree with the driver, the tourists stay on board into downtown Santa Monica and take the very safe shuttle up the beach. Venice is quite safe on the beach. LAPD has a station there and lots of bike patrols (there was even a TV show about them called Pacific Blue - it was terrible). No one in city government will risk a world tourist destination. Jon and I haven't been there in a while. It's too much of a freak show. The beach near us is just off Marina del Rey. there is a mix of the very rich and regular locals. the beach has some nice, family owned restaurants. Tourists get there but not in as many numbers as Venice Beach.

Next Time

I'm going to try another video next week. I'll be doing a lot of cooking to cover the next couple of week. We're almost out of everything I made during the Christmas break. Jon's face was priceless during those shopping trips. I believe he thought I had lost my mind or invited a hundred people for the holidays. But no, I just did a lot of cooking and freezing. It almost lasted two months, and everything still tastes good. I've come a longway from watching the Galloping Gourmet. I'd never want cooking as a career, but I'd really like to take some courses on things like