Alhambra, Rosemead, San Gabriel, & Temple City Services

Why I Don't Like Monterey Park the City

2012-06-30T19:55:00.012-07:00

The City of Monterey Park has contracted their animal control services with the County of Los Angeles this year. Monterey Park used to contract with the San Gabriel Animal Shelter for its animal services. What does this mean? I don't know. What do I know? I know that the city of Monterey Park is a corruptible non-service city. Why would I claim that they're corrupt?

Four years ago I was in the city to meet up with a landlord I had called about 30 minutes earlier. I was looking for a place to rent in an effort to save money. The place was on Graves near Alhambra Road. It had a driveway that ran down toward the back where a cluster of small one-to-two bedroom rentals were built in a row. As I stepped half way down the sloping driveway in my flip-flops to the units in the back, a pit bull steps out from under the threshold to one of the units. At first, the dog looked away from me to its left. But that was a just a reflex before it would see me, and see me it did. As soon as it did, its tail shot erect like a pit bulls' tail, which, of course, it was. I turned, and the chase was on. I ran back up the sloping driveway in my beach walkers looking for a place to ditch the dog. My first thought ran to the wall separating the two properties but I thought I heard a dog on the other side of the wall. I didn't want to go from the pan into the fire, so I kept running, if you could call it that. I eye-balled a medium-sized tree. Not big enough. At my weight and height, my climb could snap a branch and I'd feed my leg bone to the charging bull behind me. Options were shrinking as was my world. I could hear the dog's nails on the cement--not your typical click-clack; more like a tic-a, tic-a, tic-a. I ran into the street careless to any traffic and hurdled onto the trunk of my car parked on the opposite side of Graves, and as I did I heard a woman across the street scream. Apparently, she witnessed the chase and the dog's lunge at my foot from her next-door front porch. As I slid onto the trunk, for a split second I feared that I would slide off and into the jaws of the beast. As I found my footing on the trunk then to the roof, the crouched dog eyeballed the jump from the curb to the trunk of my car when the owner caught her by the collar and slapped the bitch across the face. My 6'4" frame, barefoot in flip-flops was standing on the roof of my car. The dog's look, now apologetic, was still fixed on me as the owner dragged her back to the house. There I was standing atop my car in my sandals in the middle of the day with traffic crawling past, drivers craning their necks to understand what drama unfolded here. The other neighbor to the west came out onto his porch to ask, "Are you okay?" I said I was and added that I am just glad to have my flesh. As the owner walked the dog back and locked her inside, the neighbor to the west came farther out into his front yard to speak with me. A very decent gentleman. He told me from his front yard while I was still on the roof of my Honda that her dog gets out all the time. He explained that when he does gardening in his front yard that he carries a hammer with him. He added that when his granddaughter comes over on the weekends for parties or barbecues that he has to keep everybody in the backyard, that the kids can't play anywhere in the front because of the neighbor's pit bull. I asked him about the city, if they know about it or if they've done anything about it? He said they know about it, but nobody can do anything until someone gets bit. So I thought I could convince the animal shelter folks. I went the city hall immediately to file a report.

The first officer who came to take my information listened to me briefly. As I finished, he asked me "What reason do you have to be in Monterey Park?" hinting that I was engaged in some criminal activity and therefore a criminal as a way to put me on the defense. Unbelievable. He took my information and said that he would relay it to the Animal Control unit. He was the worst cop I'd ever met. Wait, is that true . . . ? Let me think . . . . Yup. He was the worst. Anyway, to make a long story short, I followed up on the next week and the Animal Control guy explained that nothing is going to happen, that they know about the woman. I caught the Animal Control guys in a lie, too, about having gone out to the woman's house. The cops say one thing, the animal control guys say another, the city blotter that contains all reports stated that no one went out to the woman's house. The cops and city officials of Monterey Park are criminals each one scratching the others' backs.

My Gripe With SONY's Customer Service and Their VAIO Laptop

2012-06-12T19:27:00.004-07:00

My gripe with SONY. I bought a VAIO in January of 2011. In under two weeks, I began having problems with the touchpad. A friend of mine cautioned me to use a remote mouse or a USB connected mouse. I've tried both. When I am at a table or desk, yes, the mouse is preferable. But I type on a chair next to my desk regularly. So I prefer to use the touchpad; plus, I figure if I paid for it, it should work, no? I paid nearly $700 with no additional retailer warranty on the parts. And I am paying for it now.

[Service Representative's Name] known throughout this letter as "Paul",

Hi. Since your Glendale store replaced the touchpad on my computer of August last year in an effort to resolve the erratic cursor, the problem has persisted unabated. To your credit, you spent time with my computer, testing it in front of me, offering options that may have addressed the problem but ultimately did not and could not. And you sought a solution to every request that I put to you, though not to any customer satisfaction. The only satisfaction that I can get is to never purchase a SONY product again. Paul, that's not a caustic statement to you, just an expression of disappointment for which only I can remedy with future tech purchases. After seeking help through SONY online and through your store, with each representative from SONY pointing (oh, what irony!) at the user's erroneous placement of his palm. You told me in the store when I met with you that the reason for the erratic behavior of the mouse is because "I inadvertently placed my palm on the touchpad." I know how to use a computer. I know what I do when I use a computer. I know where my hands are. I know what I am touching and what I am not touching while using the computer, Paul. My palms were not touching the touchpad. Be sure to see your earlier reply below in blue. You said "I usually find that the reason why a cursor will jump around is that when you are typing on the onboard keyboard, the palms may inadvertently tap the touchpad moving the cursor where the mouse has been placed." To each person whom I've reported the problem, they've proffered the same explanation, and get this, without ever seeing me use the keyboard. What that tells me, Sonny, is one that you've been trained by SONY to offer that as a plausible explanation to deny any knowing culpability that SONY has produced, distributed, and sold faulty goods to a mass market. a But like any desperate company seeking to maximize profits over quality and service, SONY distributed a faulty product, one in which pressure anywhere on the panel where the touchpad is will activate the cursor and cause it to behave erratically and out of control. I don't know who is to blame--technicians, designers? Both? Managers? Maybe. But I am not alone in this complaint.

--- On Tue, 8/16/11, Services.Americana <Services.Americana@am.sony.com> wrote:

From: Services.Americana <Services.Americana@am.sony.com>
Subject: RE: Your Sony Repair: InComplete
To: "'Michael Walgenbach'" <m......44@yahoo.com>
Date: Tuesday, August 16, 2011, 2:54 PM

Hello Mike,

I am sorry to hear about the difficult time that you had experienced.

A repeat repair is a repair that we can set up in our store for another repair on the same issue on the computer. Before we proceed with this option, have you been able to decreased the mouse/touchpad sensitivity through the Control Panel? I usually find that the reason why a cursor will jump around is that when you are typing on the onboard keyboard, the palms may inadvertently tap the touchpad moving the cursor where the mouse has been placed. Please try lowering touchpad sensitivity and see if this may help resolve this issue.

Regards,

"Paul"

Sony Premium Services Consultant

Looking Westbound on Valley Boulevard at San Gabriel Boulevard, 1938

2012-05-17T12:24:00.001-07:00

Japanese Beds

2012-01-01T15:44:00.000-08:00

Japanese beds. This company, Oriental Furniture, is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They have 3 colors--honey, black, and walnut. I'd want the walnut if I order from them.

The price of this bed is $529. Its dimensions are 10' high, 64" wide, and 74" long.
There is another company called Haiku Designs.

Gary North on What Makes a Successful Seminar

2011-09-17T19:08:00.001-07:00

Begin with a large mailing in-house list of followers.
Get a topic people with money will pay $500+ for.
($5,000 is better. $20,000 is best--Jay Abraham)
Offer speakers at least $1,000 plus transportation, food, lodging.
Make sure they have mailing lists of their own.
Rent their lists and get a promotion from them-- three times.
Rent booth space to vendors.
Rent a facility in a cheap region -- Las Vegas is good.
Negotiate a cheap rental by guaranteeing so many rooms rented.
Hire a professional to organize it.
Be prepared to lose $50,000.

Bob Bly on Writing Copy

2011-09-12T22:42:00.000-07:00

Lead with the benefit. Follow with the proof. Bob Bly discusses proof.
* * * * * * * * *Whenever I am writing copy, I like to gather lots of statistics on my topic. The great thing about statistics is that you can always use them to support almost any sales point you want to make in your promotion.

In fact, the same statistic can often be interpreted either to make a sales point or its opposite!

For example, the statistic of number of units sold is often cited to prove that a product is popular and therefore must be good.

In the good old days, McDonald's restaurant signs would proclaim "Over 1 Billion Sold."

Advertisements for books frequently tell us that the book is a "New York Times best-seller."

The logic is that because the product is so popular, people think the product is good, and therefore it must be good.

(Of course it is not true: there are many restaurants that make hamburgers better than McDonald's.)

Ironically, a statistic that says the exact opposite of "this product is a best-seller" - a number showing it does not sell well - can also be used to make the case for superior quality.

Perhaps you have received in the mail a catalog for Harry & David, the mail order gift fruit company selling Royal Riviera Pears.

The copy says, "Not one person in a thousand has ever tasted them."

It makes the product sound exclusive, special, rare, and desirable.

But what it really means is very few people buy them!

Here's another example of how to use statistics in your favor.

I was asked to write a brochure for a company that did competitive research for manufacturers.

I asked the client about the competition and where his firm stood in the marketplace.

"That's a negative," he said. "There are hundreds of small mom-and-pop operators doing this kind of research out of their homes, but only five real companies - and of those five, we are unfortunately the smallest."

In the brochure copy, I wrote: "XYZ Research Associates is one of the 5 largest industrial research companies in North America" - turning a potential negative into a bragging point.

Here are a few additional guidelines for using statistics and numbers to make the case that your product or service is superior:

>> Write numbers using the largest units of measure ... "a quarter of a century" sounds longer than "25 years."

>> Round off to make numbers sound larger ... if the client tells me their newsletter has 2,015 subscribers, I talk about the "thousands of satisfied subscribers."

>> Use "negative statistics" ... say what the product doesn't do or have, rather than what it does do or have. For instance, club soda has "no sodium, no artificial flavors, no calories."

>> Prove statistical points with pictures ... compare two quantities with a bar chart, or show a price chart illustrating how shares of the stock you recommended went up.

>> Say it multiple times ... give the persuasive statistic at least three times: in the body copy, in the chart or graph, and in a caption for the chart or graph.

>> Make unexpected comparisons to dramatize numbers ... a speaker giving a talk on health told his listeners "more people have died from malaria over the past century than are now living in the United States" - much more memorable than just giving a number.

A San Gabriel Morning

2011-09-05T09:05:00.004-07:00

My End-of-Summer Vacation to the High Sierras

2011-08-24T22:44:00.001-07:00

July 26, 2011 Another Walk Through San Gabriel

2011-08-23T23:08:00.000-07:00

An empty Las Tunas Drive early on a Saturday morning.

I liked this shot. Lots of things in the picture.

Harold Harper Field at Muscatel and Broadway. Behind this field is the Temple City Sheriff's Station.

This is the park where John and Charlie Pullman used to play little league baseball.

I do like the organization and the neat rows of potted plants and trees at nurseries.

I am amazed by the size of some of these nurseries. This one takes up a full city block.

Lots of plastic pots and fertilizer.

Soil and dirt, gravel, and sawdust.

Looking east, standing just east of Walnut Grove.

I am looking west, standing on the east side of Walnut Grove.

Local artists.

This used to be Kragen Auto. Now O'Reilly has purchased the chain.

This is where Lily and Pa used to live back in the early 1960's before they moved to the Golden West apartment upstairs and in the back.

How To Fight a Traffic Ticket

2011-08-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of reliable facts on traffic tickets and traffic schools for California.

City of Pasadena phone number is 626-744-8723. The receptionist explained to me that the only way to obtain a copy of the Traffic & Engineering Survey is to go into the offices and show them a copy of my citation. She was very nice, helpful, and willing to address all of my concerns and answer all of my questions. She referred to the survey as the ENT Report. The address to the City of Pasadena Department of Transportation is 221 East Walnut Streeet at Marengo on the Northeast corner of Marengo and Walnut on the 2nd Floor, Room 210. Walk up the stairs and turn left; it's just down the hall on your right. The head of the department is Mary Bedrozian. They close at 5:30pm.

courtesy notice from the Courthouse is mailed to you within 21 days. When using the mail, allow 10 days for PROCESSING. That means that it takes 10 days for the courts to process your paperwork. It does not mean that your bail takes 10 days to get to the courts.

The Pasadena Police Station phone is 626-744-4241.
LA Superior Court Directory.
The Pasadena Courthouse phone is 626-356-5265. The courthouse is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Mon through Fri, except court holidays. Their phone hours are 8:30 to 10:30 and 1:30 to 3:30, Monday through Friday. Well, this is unbelievable, or should I say exactly what is to be expected by a government agency: not only are the hours limited on the Courthouse phone, but when I called here at 8:56am on Wednesday, the phones are busy. So they say they have phone hours, but there is still no access. I've redialed 6 times--still busy. So far, the line has been busy for 30 consecutive minutes. Well, at 10:01 I finally got through. The receptionist was pretty helpful and thorough. I asked if by asking for an extension that I would lose traffic school privileges. She said no. I asked her if I could take care of the insurance card requirement prior to my appearance date of 10/24. She said no, that I would have to bring proof of insurance to my court appearance. Oh, well . . . .
Bail amount & Non-refundable administrative fee. Traffic school is eligible only once every 18 months.
What happens if you choose to apply for a . . . ?
I did receive an extension by phone on Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 11:45am. I need to pay my ticket by Monday, October 24, 2011.
My signature on the ticket is a promise to appear. A courtesy notice is sent within 21 days.
Proof of repair has to be done by a specific date.

Fight Your Speeding Ticket via TBD or Trial By Declaration

Trial By Declaration #2

#1 Begin the steps to take care of your ticket now. Waiting to process the ticket and organize your defense two weeks before your appearance date imposes a stupid disadvantage on you. Don't do that to yourself.
#2 Never use the Ticket Assassin that you find online. He is a con-man. Even if you follow the free downloadable forms he sends you for "free," the actions that he suggest could burn you and get you into legal hot water. His big "difference" is that he tells you to fight your ticket by mail, using the "Written Declaration of Not Guilty" to fight your ticket in court absentia. It feels like a set-up because you're not there if there is a misunderstanding by the clerks, the officers, the judge. By fighting the ticket by mail as Mulroy suggest and sells it that you'll be saving time, you may be doing time if your letter misrepresents the law, your actions, or the citing officer's testimony. Be careful, and avoid this scam. It sounds tempting. He's got a nice website, and people complaining about him appear as only losers. You're not a loser and much smarter, and therefore you, your intelligence, your persuasive skills, and rhetoric will kick ass in court. Okay, go with that, Sparky. He charges $25 and guilts you into paying appealing to your moral principles, and then the guy fails to keep his end of the bargain. Check the gadget column to see what others have said about him.

#3 This is a helpful site. I wished I'd have known this:
When you are pulled over by the cop and want to beat a speeding ticket in California, ASK THE COP TO CHANGE THE COURT VENUE TO THE COUNTY SEAT, explaining that it is more convenient for you and write down "COUNTY SEAT PLEASE" next to your signature on the citation. If you know the county seat isn't the address listed on the ticket, write "COUNTY SEAT REQUESTED BUT REFUSED BY OFFICER." When asked by the cop about your driving, the only thing you should say is, "I was driving safely." Do not say anything else to confirm any alleged traffic offense.

#4 Next, get an engineering and traffic survey for the street where you were caught from city hall. There will be one for every street where RADAR or LIDAR tickets are permitted. You will use any mistakes found in the traffic survey at trial to fight the speeding ticket.

Kalbi Burger @ Wilshire & Wilton

2011-08-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it. I drove all the way into Los Angeles at Wilton and Wilshire to experience the great Kalbi Burger. It was okay. Better than average, yes, but not by much. By average I mean that it had more flavor than a 3pm chili-cheeseburger at a grease grill recessed off the road in San Pedro, where the chili has been heating since 10am. Kalbi's is not a grease grill per se. The grill is camouflaged by plants, mirrors, stools, and a countertop that over looks the grill. You want to get close to the frier? Eat at the grill. On space, the place makes a good ergonomic effort to accommodate as many people as they can. I was there at 1:15 on a Wednesday, and there were 2 people at the counter, 2 guys eating at one of the narrow tables, me eating at a circular table bar of 20" in diameter, and one woman waiting for her to-go order.

What Was Good?
The dressing was pretty good. The toppings were fresh; chilled, at least.

Service?
Service was pretty good. The young many who took my order was congenial and eager to answer my questions about the burger. So I appreciated the attentiveness.

First Impressions?
Was that I was eating an Asian burger. I was looking for flavor in the meat. There was none. In his video interview posted at his site, the owner states that he loved the chuck from McDonald's when was a kid, but the chuck is tasteless. Nor do I taste the short-rib; the combination or blend of the two did nothing to enhance flavor. So no flavor. Now the burger meat at Counters in fantastic. That by far is a better burger.

Price?
The clerks encourage you to get the combo; in fact, they tell you that it is cheaper to get the combo. Not so. Plus, if you do get the combo, you're getting items that you really don't want or need.

Overall Estimate?
2.5 Disappointing. The sauces and the styles are not that unique to make me want to eat there again. That is the true measure of a good burger by asking myself, "Would I come back?" To Kalbi, the answer is an unambiguous no.

Richard @ San Gabriel Automotive

2011-08-05T01:57:00.000-07:00

Richard of San Gabriel Automotive in San Gabriel at the southeast corner of Las Tunas and Charlotte.

Richard has been here at this site for at least 15 years. I know. I knew the previous owners, who were a young, blond Christian family. Richard knew the previous owners. He may have even worked with them. But when Richard took over operations 15 years ago, little did we know that San Gabriel residents was getting one of the finest mechanics and businessmen in the area. I used to own a 1986 red Toyota truck. Rarely did I need maintenance but when I did I brought it to Richard. One reason was that Richard was reliable. When he told you that he was going to fix something, he fixed it. You drove away from his garage satisfied and happy that your vehicle was running better. You got what you paid for. I've been to the automotive centers at dealers where I've often driven away in regret after paying way too much money. I drove that 1986 pick-up into the ground. It had a total of 275,000 miles on it before the engine went kaput. It was Richard who suggested that I purchase an engine from overseas and simply install a renovated engine. I decided against it. I decided to buy a new car. In 2000, I bought a 1998 burgundy Ford Contour. It was a 4-door, which I liked. It had power, which I liked. I read reviews. Driver and power compared the Contour to the midsized and mid-class Honda Accords. Hondas had a great reputation for durability. Comparing Contours to Hondas was a stretch, but one never knew. So I went to a dealer and bought the car. I drove it home. In fact, I drove it directly to the Northwood's Inn to have dinner with a friend to share my excitement. Little did I realize that American cars, particularly Fords, have terrible engines. When the engine runs, Fords have power. When the engine runs, the car is comfortable. I had one problem after another with that car's engine. I took the car to Richard each time. Richard shook his head at me, saying "Michael, you've got too many problems with that car. No good. Taurus is better." He was right. When I first got that Contour I drove it up to Portland, Oregon and then into Washington and into Vancouver, Canada to meet up with an old friend. Driving on the 210 Freeway in Duarte, I was going too fast to avoid a tire sitting in the road. I ran over he tire. There was a scrape and a grind. I was able to drive the car off the freeway to the Mobile Station at Huntington and Mt. Olive in Duarte. I called AAA from there. He hitched my car up and then took me back to San Gabriel. I am lucky to have Richard right across the street from me. I was able to leave the car in Richard's parking lot overnight. After inspecting the damage, Richard found that one of the air-conditioner fans was cracked and needed to be replaced. I couldn't afford it, so I went without. In 2006, I took a drive up to San Luis Obispo to pick up a framed print for my mom. I walked around the town and then went to lie down in the local park. There was some kind of a festival. It was fun to watch people. I set out for home, but not before I stopped to pick up a chicken burrito at Baja Fresh. Then I began my trek south on 101. The fog clung to the earth like in the craggy highlands of Scotland. Mysterious. As I left the fog behind, I came through Goleta and was heading into Santa Barbara. I was 2 miles out when my engine seized up. I pulled over and ran to a call box to call for help. An AAA Club tow-driver arrived. He gave me options for leaving me somewhere in Santa Barbara overnight. And then he finally asked me how much money I had. I asked him how much he would charge me to drive me all the way home tonight. He said $300. I said fine. Drive me home. I slept the entire way. But the guy reached my home. It was late. After 1am. I paid him and thanked him. The next morning Richard looked at my car and said that the rings needed replacing. Fine. Do you see how that car was nickle and diming me to death?

Burgers

2011-08-05T00:11:00.000-07:00

I am waiting to find a burger, a cheese burger with onions, tomatoes, crisp lettuce on the perfect bread, something that my sister used to make when we lived at home, or a burger that my cousin barbecued in his backyard on Golden West back in the late '60's. Some places get it partially right. For a flavorful patty, nothing surpasses

#1     Hamburger Hamlet in Pasadena at 214 South Lake Avenue. Their beef has some of the best and subtle natural seasoning that I have ever tasted. They can add avocado, bacon, extra cheese, extra sauce. Add to that an iced cold beer, and you're swinging in heaven for an hour. Their French fries aren't bad either, but I'll reserve that discussion for another post.

#2     In-and-Out's burgers with 3 locations near us: one at 4242 N. Rosemead, across the street from Rosemead High School; two, 10601 Lower Azusa Blvd. in Temple City; and three, 2114 Foothill Blvd. in Pasadena. What makes their burgers tasty is the combination of ingredients: 2 meat patties, grilled onions, 2 slices of American cheese, tomato, lettuce, and a fresh bun. You can also get that same burger protein style, which is a sandwich without a bun. They make it work. In-and-Out is a fast food restaurant; hence the name, In-and-Out. But the service isn't all that fast. Rarely is anybody in there and out of there as the name would make us believe. But people are okay with that. In the old days when the restaurant first opened, the service was much faster. You'd get in and get out under five minutes. The store gets us in there for their great burgers and their delicious fries. Their chocolate shakes are terrific, too. Not only does the food taste good, but we're led to believe that because the ingredients are advertised as being fresh that we're getting a healthier burger than at one of the larger national chains like Burger King, McDonald's, Carl's Jr., A&W, and so forth.

#3     Not the best burger around, but maybe the burger belonging to a national chain is Burger King's Whopper with cheese. You can find one at the Temple City store at 5541 Rosemead in the KMart shopping center. It's their meat. There must be more fat in their beef because it tastes really good. A Whopper with cheese is just the fix: special sauce, mayonnaise, pickles, onions, and a leaf of what passes for lettuce, all on a sesame-seed bun. I can wolf down one of their burgers and feel completely satisfied. My least favorite national chain is Wendy's. I ate there once and got sick. They kept pre-prepared burgers under a heat lamp for too long. Their marketing department is quite good. They made some of the most visually convincing commercials. Tommy's Burgers in Los Angeles and elsewhere used to be phenomenal in the '60's and '70's. Tommy's marketing department was their parking lot, where you'd see and hear customers gorging on chili-cheese burgers and fries, and sucking on the fingers before a gasp of fulfillment was heard a few feet away from you at the outdoor metal bar. Most of the burger chain meat today is suspect. I understand that some chains treat their meat with ammonia that kind of destroys the flavor.

#4     One of the best places that I have found for a really good burger, good meat taste, fresh bread bun, and tasty ingredients is The Back Abbey in Claremont. It is out of the area but if you're dying to try something wonderful, that's the place that I recommend. They advertise themselves as a kind of beer joint. Don't let that fool you. Take your family there for the burgers. They are terrific. One caveat, however, special orders are almost verboten because they want you to taste the flavors that they've concocted in their burgers before you try any other alternative.

#5     If the photos resemble anything near to what actually shows up on your plate, then the Umami Burger in Studio City looks really good.

#6     The 8 oz. Burger Bar on Melrose in Los Angeles looks pretty good, particularly their blend of meats: sirloin, tri-tip, short rib, and chuck, and they cook the burgers over a wood-burning grill. According to their online menu, all of their meats are cooked medium rare to medium. Sounds delicious. I'll have to give them a try. They are located at 7661 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, 90046. Their phone number is 323-852-0008. Their hours are . . . actually, they have no hours. They are out of business. I phoned the number shown just above and got a disconnected recording. Too bad.

#7 Stout Burgers and Beer.

#8     R + D Kitchen

#9     Pie 'n' Burger on California in Pasadena.

#10   Lucky Devils. Whoa! This definitely looks rich.

#11   Hole in the Wall Burger Joint in Los Angeles.

#12   The Counter Burger all over the Southland with one next to the East Green Street Cafe in Pasadena.

#13   Cassell's Hamburgers, what Tommy's used to be?

#14   The Original Tommy's named for Tommy Koulax

#15   25 Degrees in Hollywood.

#16   Upper West in Santa Monica

#17 The Market Grill in Monrovia.

#18   Bill's Hamburgers in Van Nuys.

#19   Sean's Burgers in Silver Lake.

#20   Yuca's Hut on Hillhurst in Los Feliz.

#21   Apple Pan on Pico in Los Angeles.

#22   Ercoles in Manhattan Beach.

#23   The Oinkster Restaurant in Eagle Rock.

#24   Capitol Burgers on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.

#25   Simmzy's Pub in Manhattan Beach

#26   Bouchon Bistro in Beverly Hills

#27   Father's Office. The online site for this place gives the appearance that it is an exclusive club with private party bookings and work parties and larger events. Kind of interesting. The burgers look terrific, and by the sound of it the taste is pleasing--good meats.

#28   Susan Feniger's Street on Highland in Los Angeles.

#29   Go Burger at 6290 Sunset in Los Angeles.

#30 Kalbi Burger at 4001 Wilshire in Los Angeles.

#31   Burger Kitchen at 8048 West 3rd Street in Los Angeles.

#32   The Oaks Gourmet Market in Los Angeles. The critics.

#33 Hinano Burger at 15 Washington Blvd. in Venice.

LAist's "10 Best Burgers" points you in the right direction.

The Burger Review, maybe the best burger review on the market.

Pizza

2011-08-04T23:43:00.000-07:00

I created a widget for pizzas in the sidebar. I've had Petrillo's pizza. It was okay. I've tried Mama Petrillo's Pizza on Las Tunas just east of Rosemead. That, too, was okay. So far in San Gabriel my favorite pizza comes from Shakey's. Domino's Pizza is good, too. There is a place called Mike's Pizza & Cosi Cafe. I like the title. I'll have to try their pizza. I welcome your experienced opinion, since I, too, am looking for a really good pizza.

The Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, CA

2011-07-21T18:23:00.001-07:00

The Hsi Lai Temple

1st arch before you enter the temple proper. A beautiful view of the San Gabriel Valley.

A lion guarding the entrance.

This a view of the temple and university from the landing just in front of the front door.

A spectacular view of the arch entrance and the San Gabriel Valley.

Oh, this was an interesting water garden.

I liked this view of the temple

This was a very strange rock garden. There is a small bell hanging over a waterfall that visitors tried to hit with a penny, nickle, dime, or quarter. Most of the coins land between the white rocks and not in the cascading waterfall.

The architecture was neat.

The Streets of San Gabriel, CA

2011-07-21T11:31:00.000-07:00

Roosevelt Elementary School. With all of the tall gates, this place looks like a prison, a government cage. Poor kids. Administrators and district heads will tell you and tell me that it is for their security. Security from what?

Roosevelt Elementary School entrance on Walnut Grove.

Better shot of the bars.

Roosevelt Elementary School.

Nothing says "Good morning, children" like iron gates that are taller than you.

This is the playground on the south side of the school.

California Mission Inn-Rose Manor, Rosemead, CA.

An undeveloped area of off Grand Avenue in Rosemead.

This is the Mission Lodge Alzheimer/Dementia Center that has been in business for over 100 years. This is a private manor located on Gladys Avenue north of Grand Avenue in San Gabriel, CA. It looks like a peaceful and quiet residence for individuals enduring cognitive impairment.

Abandoned businesses?

San Gabriel Blvd. just south of Broadway.

San Andell Swimming Pools and Supply & Service shut its doors.

Here they are finally demolishing the San Andell Pool Services.

Temple City, CA Dental Services: Jack von Bulow

2011-07-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

Von Bulow's site is impressive. Has a Youtube video with calming images of waterfall and friendly assistants. Dentists, in general, make me nervous. They do things that people don't always understand. People don't really understand dental health to begin with, which might be why dentistry is such a good business to get into.

My Morning Constitution on the Main Boulevard Through Temple City, July 20, 2011

2011-07-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

Facing west while walking home on Las Tunas in Temple City.

Temple City Civic Center and police station.

Temple City Community Park. During the summer they often host concerts, and the park gets filled up with spectators.

Facing east at about 6:40 am on Las Tunas in Temple City.

At the intersection of Las Tunas and Kauffman in Temple City at 6:40am on Wednesday morning, July 20, 2011.

I liked the way that this street, Loma Avenue, looked at 6:45 in the morning. The cool shadows cast by the morning sun were evocative of some of my best and favorite mornings growing up with my family in Duarte.

This sign made me laugh. By inverting the two words "Temple Liquor" to "Liquor Temple," you kind of get why it made me laugh.

The corner of Rosemead and Las Tunas that has been vacant for close to 5 years now. There was a great movie theater here and a barber shop and a terrific parking lot with large eucalyptus trees. All that is gone. This may be a good example of the real estate bubble cleaning itself up. Nobody's buying or building.

A stunted and lonely eucalyptus tree marks the only remnant of the lot's former glory.

New listing agents? By the area code, it appears that the agents are from Los Angeles.

Sharon Tsai does a good real estate business in Temple City.

Mosaic mural. I believe that Home Savings used to commission these pieces all around the Southland. This Chase Bank used to be a Home Savings years ago. I don't even think that Home Savings is in California any more.

Another vacant lot on the south side of Las Tunas. The developer or city tore down the buildings belonging to small businesses. This lot is adjacent to the New Century Ford structure that was built, stocked, and sold. Now a finance company operates out of the Ford building.

The abandoned New Century Ford show room. Cars came and went within a year.

AT&T in San Gabriel, CA

2011-07-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

Who is your telephone and internet service provider? I have AT&T and most people don't like them; I don't like them, but they are the only carrier in my neighborhood unless I go wireless which I should. I just don't like all of the electro-juice from the cell phones. I called AT&T today to see about reducing my phone bill. All they could do was adjust my DSL internet service from $35.00 to $14.95. Before a breath was breathed, the clerk offered to double the speed of my service from a range of 1.5 to 3.0 to 3.0 to 6.0 for an additional $5.00. I accepted. So instead of the $35, I am paying $20 with double the speed. I don't know if doubling the speed will actually make my computer twice as fast. I'll see.

Call AT&T to reduce service @ 1-800-288-2020. My internet services will now be $19.95 with greater speed than I currently have. The Loyalty Dept. @ AT&T? What is the Loyalty Dept.? Discount price is for one year. Then I have to call AT&T and extend the discounted rate. 1.5-3.0 to 3.0-6.0 kegabytes. I'll see the change in speed in 2 days from today. She suggested AT&T's fiber optics with the same type of speed and rates. AT&T's is called U-verse is fiber optics. Verizon has Fios.

Who Can Haul a Chair?

2011-07-09T11:50:00.003-07:00

Option #1:
I called 1-877-GOGO JUNK. Their minimum charge is $95 for any 1 item you want removed. The young man explained that he charges by the amount of space that an item takes up in their trucks. But without asking me what the dimensions of my chair were, he quoted me a flat and minimum fee of $95. I told him it was too much and I thanked him for the quote.

I did check at Craigslist, though I did not call anyone of the vendors. One guy was offering to take pick-ups for a $35 flat fee.

Option #2:
Maybe Athens (1-888-336-6100) is a better and less expensive way to go. Well, I called Athens on Thursday, July 14 @ 9:07am. The receptionist explained that, yes, they can take the chair but will charge me $25. And for any additional items I will be charged $15 each. There's got to be a better way. Well, Athens garbage company took my orange chair away. I placed it out in front at around 6:20am, and by 12 or 1 the chair got picked up. Grateful for that. Now I have a little more space in my place.

Option #3:
Goodwill. Actually, for hauling services they use College Hunks Hauling: 1-888-461-5241. They also charge according to volume with the minimum volume the size of a standard love seat. For that they charge $99. That's too much. I said thank you for the quote and said that I would call back if I were interested.

It's May 18, 2012. Now I need to get rid of an old California king-sized bed. I called the City of Alhambra. They gave me the number to Allied Waste Services @ 888-742-5234; they are in Gardena. Here are the options I was given for this. Because the apartment has a bin, Allied Waste charges $25 for the first item and $15 for each additional item. With the 3-part California King bed, Athens will charge me a total of $55. If I schedule it today, Friday, Athens will come out on Tuesday to pick it up. I spoke with Christine @ 1-888- 742-5234 who said that I may want to call this other number: 888-253-2652. I did. It's for the City of LA Department of Public Works.

But there's a problem: I don't live in Alhambra; I live in San Gabriel. Athens Waste Management. takes care of San Gabriel. Their number is 888-336-6100.