Errands

I'm going for a walk, and to run some errands. Happy Saturday. See you soon...💙 

Astra Lumina and caffé Bene 

Having forgotten all about the Oscars, I had plans to celebrate my friend's birthday a week early. On a freezing night with painful winds, we headed out to South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes Estates for a light show called Astra Lumina. Their website describes it as a walk among the cosmic stars. It seems that many exhibits today are focusing on light, music, and their effects on our senses.

Couple of things to note: 

1. You have to either sign your email releasing them of any liability or sign on their tablet once you get there or they will not let you in. 

2. They have one of those annoying airport security thing that you have to pass through. 

3. If you have any type of mobility or vision issues, this venue is not for you. It's pitch dark, and the trail is uneven. 

We were lucky that it was the Oscars, and there weren't too many people there. When they told us to follow the yellow lights, I felt as though I was in Wizard of Oz.

Take a look at the above video and the picture that follows it (a screen shot of the video). When we were there, we did not notice that image until I loaded it on my laptop. Also, when you first watch the video, there are only trees. The image appears later. I'm guessing it's an illusion created by light. But how come the other videos on YouTube, don't have that image? Weird!

Well, the temperature wasn't below zero degrees, obviously. But hey, I'm from L.A, and anything that falls below 60 degrees is freezing.

You see those lights on the ground in the above video, they make you feel dizzy when you're walking, specially in the dark where you can't see the bumps and lumps on the trail. So here, my friend and I were talking about how you need to be there to experience it, because videos are one dimensional and you need all your senses to take in everything.

Again, have a look at the video above, and the photo below it. My friend and I did not see that object and it wasn't until I got home that I noticed it on my laptop.

Almost time to leave. We were complaining about the tablet that they made us sign. It didn't work properly, and they kept saying sign it even though I had made several attempts as the wind blew my hair into my eyes, and I was getting irritated with the whole thing. I mean, if it was so important for them to get our signatures, why not make it a point to sign in, or agree in the email instead of putting it in fine print where no one would pay attention. 

There were a few other things there that I didn't cover here. It was good, overall. Would have been nicer if it was warmer. But this was not the highlight of the evening. You will see it next as we began looking for a place to have tea.

Google gave us Caffé Bene as a nearby place in Torrance. Neither of us had ever been there. We got there an hour before closing time, ordered Chai tea latte which was meh, and went to sit down.

Now, most places don't close at the exact closing time. They stop serving, but they let their customers hang out for a bit. Not this place.

At precisely 10 p.m, a school bell rings and a song comes over the speakers: it's time to go home...thank you for coming by...It's time to say goodbye...goodbye...see you again. In all my life of living here and travelling, this was the first for me as I watched everyone line up in an orderly fashion and leave. 

After getting over the initial shock of the school bell, the song, and everyone doing as they were told, my friend and I had a good laugh. It reminded me of when my niece was four, and her mom would sing, "Clean up, clean up, everybody clean up," as the two would go around the house cleaning up the mess my niece had made. If you're ever in Torrance, you must try this café before closing time. It was quite an interesting experience. 

A Tribute to Gene Hackman

It was disheartening to find out that one of my favorite actors died along with his wife and dog. I'm not into being a "fan." Well, maybe when I was a teenager, but as an adult, I don't chase people down, grab them, or try to photograph them. If I like someone, it would be because I like them for who they are, and their talent as an actor, musician, or artist, and not their status. Gene Hackman was one of my all-time favorite people. I have had run ins with some nasty people and their offspring in Hollywood, and he was not like that.

Once long ago, he stood behind me in line with his friend when I was picking up my car from the service department. I turned discreetly to glance over because my brother had asked me if it was him. Hackman realized that he had been spotted, and gave me a big old smile. The vibes that I got from him, and my intuition told me that this guy was humble, kind, and friendly. I'll always remember that day, and it makes me so sad to hear about what happened to him, and his family.

The two awful things here are that according to the papers, his and his wife's death may not have been natural deaths, and two, no one knew about it for two whole weeks! If my family doesn't hear from me for a day, They'll call the police, the fire department, the county sheriff, and who knows who else. Not a single person tried to get in touch with them for two weeks?

When I lived abroad, a student didn't show up to class for a few days, and our teacher was asking the entire class if anybody knew what happened to him, and where he lived, because she was worried. She asked us to go check-in on him, and see if he needs help.

I had a French neighbor at the time who spoke incessantly, and I dreaded running into her everyday. Then one day, I realized that I hadn't heard from her for two days. I knocked on her door, to see if she was alright.  She was so happy, because apparently, no one else cared about her, not even her parents. She said that she had been sick. I offered to get her soup and medicine. She wasn't even my friend, and I got worried all the same.

I call or text my friends and family regularly. I want to make sure that they're doing okay. I think that it's important to look out for people we care about.

Rest in peace Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa, and dog. You will be missed. 

A Dublin Stroll

So many things went wrong, and strange things happened in the past week that I cannot even explain it. It felt as though I was enveloped in negative energy. Life is beginning to fall into place. I hope that nothing else will go wrong. Here are some pictures and videos of the areas I visited while in Dublin.

I stayed at Mespil hotel, and do recommend. It's situated in a local area, a 30-minute walk to the city center, and a 12-minute stroll to the museum of literature, and St. Stephens Green. As you can see, I love to walk. That's how I learn about a city, and where everything is located. The views above are of banks of Grand Canal across the street from where I lodged (sorry about the quality of the videos. I had to change the resolution in order to post it on Blogger.) It was under construction at the time. I imagine that it would look much nicer when the fences are removed. 

I bought a sandwich from a nearby market, and went to sit on one of the benches along the canal. Well, I shouldn't say "eat," because the birds got to eat most of it. As soon as I unwrapped my food, they all joined me. I ate the vegetables inside, and they ate all the bread. But that was fine by me. I don't mind sharing with my fellow nonhumans. 

Dublin has a deep past, and every corner you turn, you recognize various figures who marked their name in history. During one of my walks, I ran into Pembroke Road lined with beautiful trees, and Georgian style buildings, steps away from my hotel. I discovered something that I never expected. Who knew that I was staying so close to the home of one of my favorite people, an activist, and a musician. At the entrance of Lansdowne hotel, I noticed a tribute to Sinéad O'Conner, indicating her place of birth at 13 Pembroke Road.

I walked up and down the street, and asked around to find the address. The above is a photo of where she was born. I spent a good amount of time there, trying to figure out which one was the place where she was born. But no luck. Still, I was happy to be there. I like her because she was different, not because she tried to be different, but because she just was. She didn't follow the herd, and had a voice.

This picture was taken when I was going through the residential part of Grafton Street. After a British Royal died, the Irish were told to paint their doors black in mourning. Given the friction between Ireland and Britain, the Irish painted their doors in bright colors in defiance.

I was to meet up with my friend Dominika, but I had arrived too early. Of course, there was a gelato shop, 💙 Cloud Nine, right there at the Bachelor's Walk along the Liffey River, and I just had to try it out. It was yum. Cloud Nine has several locations. In fact, when it comes to gelato, Dublin puts us to shame where texture, taste, and creativity is concerned.   

La Jolla

Saturday. After all that rain, I needed fresh air, sunshine and some fun. So, I headed out to San Diego. If you live in L.A, it's best to leave early. I didn't, and hit a ton of traffic. I used to visit La Jolla all the time. My friend lived there before she moved to Palos Verdes, and I spent many relaxing weekends with her and her husband at her house. Of course, La Jolla has changed a lot since then. It went from being a sleepy neighborhood to a happening one. It's packed with unique boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and whatnot. It even has a Haageen-Daz ice-cream shop! I didn't even know that they were still around. The best part about La Jolla is the sea views. Nature is more beautiful than anything manmade.

I hadn't eaten all day. So, my first stop was Shiku Sushi I had heard so much about. I have to say that the food is fresh and tasty. They are super busy. It's best to go there at an off hour. I tried the Miso, the Veggie Yakisoba (Whoops, forgot to take a photo 😏), Agedashi Tofu, green tea, and green tea mochi. My favorite was the Agedashi Tofu. So yum. I wanted to try everything, and ended up taking a bunch of stuff home minus the mochi, because, well, I live too far away. I also got a take away order of Tofu Geisha. It's better to go there with a couple of people and share so that you don't end up with leftovers. If I lived in the area, I would probably eat there quite often.

I decided to get a palm reading for the fun of it. I honestly didn't think there would be several people waiting. I guess this is a popular place. It's on Prospect Avenue. I can't recall the psychic's name. She forgot to give me her card, but I think she is the owner. Now, I'm a difficult person to figure out. So, Psychics either guess and get most of it wrong or they have to ask me a bunch of questions about my family and past relationships in order to guess better. To my surprise though, she got a few things right such as telling me that about ten years ago or so I lost someone which had a great impact on me, and changed me into a different person. I have no idea how she knew that. The person I lost was my mom, and I did become a different person. 

I went into this art gallery. The local artist, Ian Ely, has a lot of incredible pieces of nature. They were out of my budget, but Kristina, the sales rep, also offered prints of the work, and explained how the different versions of the same photograph were set up. She took me into a tiny room, and showed me the effect of different light settings as it dimmed slowly and changed the look of the photograph.

This is a nice hotel. I went in to explore. There was an event going on with people dressed up, drinking, and socializing. There is a restaurant/bar area. The views are spectacular, and the staff are friendly. Whether you're visiting L.A or live in the area, I highly recommend coming down to La Jolla. At first glance, parking seems to be difficult to find, but if you are patient, you will find a space. There are also a bunch of parking lots. And when you finally get there, do take your time to take in all that it has to offer, and spend an entire day there. I wish I had.

Sunday update: I'm eating the leftover Tofu Geisha from Shiku Sushi for Brunch. It's really good even as a leftover.

Valentines Day 2025

It's a day devoted to love, not that love needs a day. We are all complicated creatures, and oftentimes, it is difficult to understand each other. But all things come from love. We just have to open our hearts, so that we can appreciate what's around us. If you're in a relationship, enjoy your time with the person you're with. For those of you who are single, treat yourself to something you love. As for me, I love to travel, and I don't have to always go far. It can just be a day trip. Today, I had a busy day, running errands after all the rain, but tomorrow is full of possibilities. I may indeed drive down to San Diego. I haven't been there in quite sometime. (image by sakshamsy)

For now, I will leave you with a sonnet. I'm not good with poetry, but that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate a good sonnet. (background image by asrulaqroni)

  

Customer Service

Customer service can make or break you. One of my favorite places in L.A is Little Tokyo. I've written about it in this blog, but I haven't been there in a longtime. I wanted to buy someone some candy, and the internet recommended a shop which I will not name here, because it's a mom-and-pop store, and I want to vent about the way I was treated without hurting their business. I put in their address in my phone, and followed the GPS to get there. I had no idea what was good, and I usually don't like to get sweets or food for someone without trying it first.

The customer waiting in line in front of me raved about one of their candies, and I thought I buy a sample before getting other things. The guy behind the register said that they don't accept anything in cards below $15. After I paid him in cash, I decided to try it. The guy said: Sorry, you can't eat in here. I said: I want to buy a bunch of other things, but first, I want to see how I like this. He said: This isn't a restaurant. The owner, an older lady, passed me a dirty look. So, I walked out, and tried the candy outside of the store. It was awful, I threw it out, and walked away. (Image by Wolf Art)

I have travelled to Japan. I know all about their strict rules, and their refusal to bend. But here's the thing. This business is not in Japan. It is in the U.S. There will be American customers going into that store, and getting treated rudely. I thought that the cashier's response was disrespectful, and the owner was rude as she stared at me with tight lips as though I had committed a crime by asking a question. (image by Satoshi Hirayama)

I get it. I once owned a high-end clothing store. Customers and their toddlers would come in with food, and touch the clothes with sticky fingers. One lady knocked over a large size soda all over my silk shirts and damaged them, forcing me to put up a sign, asking customers to please not eat in the store while shopping. But that was different. My business sold clothes. Here, I was in a candy store. Many places that sell sweets even go as far as allowing you to sample things. I wasn't even asking for that. I had already paid for my item. Anyway, I will never return to that store. (image by topntp26)

I ended up going to one of my favorite markets, Nijiya Market, and asked an employee if it was okay if I sampled stuff, and pay for them at the register. She had no problem with it, neither did the cashier. I got two boxes of chocolate, and cookies, one to try to see if it was good, and one to give away, and a bunch of other things. I should have come to this store in the first place. It's just that I wanted to get the sweets from a candy artisan. A mistake. Poor customer service is a pet peeve of mine. I simply walk out, and never return.

The Balloon Museum

The Balloon museum is a travelling museum which started in Italy, and collaborates with Japan's Team Lab. They have different names for their Exhibits. The one in Los Angeles is called Let's Fly. It's an inflatable art exhibit located inside Ace Mission Studios in the Arts District of downtown L.A. My friend and I went inside through a colorful tunnel, up a set of steps with Pegasus hanging above our heads. An employee scanned our tickets and gave us shoe covers.

The first experience is AI Data Portal of Ouchh—a tunnel with mirrored floors and walls. Lights, beads, and forms are created through digital projection. The mingling plethora of bright colors is dizzying, and to adjust, we moved about slowly at first. This introduction to the exhibit sets the tone for a hypnotic experience, and effected our minds in a positive way.

In the above video, Zeros SpY, I thought that the black rubbers looked like donuts. My friend thought that they resembled car tires. The Balloon Museum's website said that it conjures up "the image of an enormous animal that shifts ponderously." Each person's engagement with the environment, and their interpretation of art is different. Investors buy art, hoping for the price to go up. For others, art is personal, a work relished based on how it makes us feel.

Hyperstellar is consisted of a pool of black balls, and a ceiling of black balloons. You can jump in backwards, or walk in. I was tempted to jump in backwards, except that I have an old back injury, and didn't want to aggravate it. So, I walked in, and moved about. Later, my brother told me that I'm such a child. May be so. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think everyone should experience it as an adult.

The show began, stimulating and relaxing the audience at the same time. The combination of sound, lights, and digital technology were a nostalgic reminder of Japan's Team Lab which I wrote about here.

Christopher Schardt's Mariposa, a butterfly sculpture, 26 foot wide. It was soothing to sit on the swing beneath it, rock back and forth, and cause the wings to flap. My friend and I could've sat under it for a longtime, but we left after a few minutes to give other visitors a chance to experience it. 

There is plenty to see here, and absorb. So, do take your time. At the end, you can put on headsets, and experience virtual reality. If you live in L.A or if the exhibit is coming to your city, go see it. It's worth it. For me, it stimulated my senses, and opened my energy to want to create, and work on my manuscript. 

Privacy and medicine

I usually take naturopathic medicine when I get sick. Sometimes, I take regular med if it's recommended by someone I trust. One of my cousins is a nurse practitioner, and her mom told me that she always takes Mucinex when she gets a cold. And since this medicine also helped my dad years ago, I decided to try it out. But, when an online retailer was asking too many personal questions because "the state where I live requires it," I gave both my state, and the retailer the middle finger.

(image by Polina Tankilevitch)

Not long ago, you could buy over the counter medication and not sign your life away. Now, the government wants to control every aspect of your life. There is zero privacy. Their excuse is that medications with pseudoephedrine can be manipulated, and converted to methamphetamine. So, to put a stop to this, they ask for your date of birth, driver's license, and signing off on pages of gobbledygook that you don't bother to read. They claim that they want to stop people from going from pharmacy to pharmacy to buy the same product and turn it into Meth, and to protect children and young adults.

(image by Anna Shvets)

First, let's talk about corruption. Insurance companies don't like to pay for your medication. So, they push for a lot of meds to become over the counter so that patients would have to dish out money instead of the insurance company. Take Aspirin for example. It's a lot cheaper to buy Aspirin when your doctor writes a prescription than when you buy it over the counter. And most doctors don't write a prescription for it unless you insist. They just say take a couple of Aspirin, and call me if it doesn't work. So, you can buy plenty of stuff without a prescription, and combine them to turn it into what you want.

(image by Nataliya Vaitkevich)

Second, the laws that ask you to sign away your life have little effect on the Meth supply. What these laws do is to make it easy for drug companies and retailers to collect information on unsuspecting public. I'm not sure who came up with this stupid law, but it's not working. They know that it's super easy to get drugs on the street if you're determined. Heck, at schools, universities, parties, bars, and clubs, they're practically giving it away. I know people who were drugged without their knowledge, and those who can get drugs through their connections. Why not figure out a way to stop that instead of harassing the average customer whose goal is to get over a cold. I'm sick. I have the flu. Give me my medicine and stay out of my life.

(image by Marija Zaric)

Third, no government or police will ever put a stop to drugs when there is so much money involved. It's about politics, and how much goes into individual pockets. The entire war on drugs is a big joke. When you hear on the news that a drug cartel got busted, it is because those who busted them, made a better deal with another supplier. This is how our world works. The only time those in charge care about you is when the drugs you are taking is effecting their bottom line. And that's it. Period.

(image by: Artistic Operations)

I refuse to handover my life to heal my cold. I can do just fine with naturopathic medicine. I have no problem handing over my date of birth, but there is no way that I'm going to give them my driver's license number and other information. Remember that entire incident with Target where the company saved customers' pin numbers in their system? So, no way, no way, no way. And same goes with cough syrups. One time, when a retailer asked for my ID, I left the cough syrup by the cashier, and walked out. I'm better off without the pharmaceutical's crappy chemicals anyway.

(image by stux)