Ants!

It's ant season again. I was miraculously spared from the ant situation during the last two year. But this year, about a week ago, the ants have made a comeback. They totally caught me by surprise! I think it was last Friday morning that my cats came up to me and were trying to communicate with me. At first I thought they were being overly affectionate since I was gone for six days. However, after getting up and entering the kitchen, I saw a huge trail coming from the window sill above my sink, coming across the counterspace, going down to the linoleum floors, toward the kitties dishes. Yuck! I don't believe in bug spray, so I combated them with Windex. I must have killed a thousand of them on that day alone. After this massacre, I thoroughly cleaned my kitchen. The sink, countertops, floors, walls. I wiped, scrubbed, swept, mopped. The ants have ocassionally made appearances, if I leave food out, or a dirty dish out, or crumbs from something I prepared. It only takes 30 minutes for something to be left unattended, and those first little ants who make the first journey to scope out and search for the tiniest of crumbs or grease to come out, before they signal the others that they have found gold!
Besides keeping everything clean, I have put a small dish with crumbs, three or four cat kibbles and sugar outside the house in a couple of random places. I believe, it was our friend, Larry Stevens, who suggested this. He says that once the ants see the food outside, they won't bother coming in the house. I have done this in previous years, and it worked.

Reparations

I repaired things with a friend whom I had let down the day before leaving for Mammoth. We had a heart-to-heart over beers and tequila shots, which really made things easier and more relaxed. Some might know this about me, but I am a better communicator through written language than orally, especially when I feel that the necessary conversation might be unpleasant. What I don't realize each time is that by not being upfront and brave, I often make matters worse. That's exactly what happened with my cherished friend, and as a result other issues regarding the way I go about things, and the way I handle our relationship and other relationships came up. The thing about me is that as proud and pompous as I sometime behave, I am very humble about accepting guilt, and taking responsiblity for my actions. I try to, at the very least. Anyway, things are better. We are cool with each other. But I will never be careless about this or any other friendship. I will try to be more conscientious and not take things for granted.

I'm Back!!!

I've been back for a couple of days. Toward the end of my stay in Mammoth, I was ready to come back home. I missed my bed. Missed the cats. Missed reading the paper and looking out my window. Missed my routines and my friends. As we drove south on the 395 to the 14 to the 5 freeways with my new friend Ellen on our way home, I became more and more excited to be coming back. As soon as I entered my house and put my bags down and pet my loyal, needy cat Humbert, (Lola made an appearance after an hour), I started feeling depressed. I love my home and my life in Echo Park, but I missed the mountains. I missed not having to do anything at all but just go on bike rides, hiking, swimming and missed the fresh mountain air. Missed the smell of pine trees.
On the last day before I left Mammoth, Kindred, Ellen and I went to this area north of Mammoth known as Devil's Postplile National Monument. It was so beautiful and scenic. We must've hiked for three hours and reached the wonderful Rainbow Falls during our trek. It is the most rewarding, serene feeling one experiences after hiking for over an hour and reaching a waterfall. It was a lovely moment.
When we back to our lodge, Kindred made a delicious early dinner for all of us. We drank left-over Sangria, which I had fixed up the previous night. Ellen went to work the light for a dress rehearsal for the play/production that had brought us up to Mammoth in the first place. Kindred and I got in the hot tub. We watched So You Think You Can Dance. And we all went for drinks in the little village afterwards.
Now that I am back home, I have about 10 days left of vacation time. I go back to work next Wednesday the 31st. Yikes!!!

Greetings from Mammoth: II

It rained all day yesterday in Mammoth and in the Eastern Sierras. I read quite a bit. Took a small stroll in the rain. And watched a couple of Fred Astaire films on TMC, in the cabinesque lodge I am staying in. It was a tranquil, lovely day. When the rain stopped, I went for a walk. Caught up with Kindred, who had finished working. We decided to relax in our lodge's hot tub and pool. The air was cold and fresh. The water was nice and warm. Afterwards, we made dinner. Were joined by Kindred's workmate and played Gin Rummy, while drinking beers.
Today, we drove around the many lakes in Mammoth. We sunbathed and swam in Horseshoe Lake. We also hiked around it and encountered many beautiful streams, foliage, and flowers. A couple of hours ago, we had the best burgers ever at this joint called Berger's. Tonight, we plan to go out dancing at this bar that claims to play hip-hop on Tuesday nights...

Greetings from Mammoth

I am in Mammoth Lakes, CA today on a very spontaneous trip with a friend who has to work here for a few days. We left Los Angeles yesterday afternoon and arrived here last night. As soon as we stepped out of the car, the smell of fresh air and pines permeated our surroundings. We are staying in a lodge, away from the main road. There is a kitchen here, which will be perfect for making our own little meals and not eat out too much. I have a mild headache at the moment which I am attributing to the high altitude. I have already been on a small hike and bike ride. I found a general store where I bought water and a map. I plan to go on a 3 mile bike ride up to some lakes. I also found a Starbucks!!!

Downtown Dreams

This week I have been going downtown for this work-related seminar that I will not discuss on this blog. What I will discuss is our city's center which to many in Los Angeles is still as foreign as a former Soviet republic.
Having grown up in Los Angeles and close to the city's center I have always fancied myself a true downtown connoisseur. Since 1980, I have seen and been witness to the many changes going around.
Many of us go downtown to go to MOCA maybe, or to grab a bite to eat in Little Tokyo or Chinatown. In the past few years, downtown has "been put in the map" by the Standard Hotel on Flower and 6th, and by the once run-down hotels and warehouses that have been turned into lofts or gallery spaces. The creation of the Metro subway lines, (which sadly don't go anywhere near Echo Park), has also added to an increase in visits to Downtown L.A.
Well, experiencing downtown L.A. on a weekday is also wonderful. I miss it! When I lived closer downtown and during a year in the mid-90s when I used to work there, I used to do so much more downtown than just go grab sushi ocassionally and go to MOCA. I kind of am wishing I worked there during the week again. Even though our downtown is tiny when you view our skyline from a distance, it is still large and vivrant. Working and living in the Silverlake/Echo Park/Atwater area, which is only a 5-10 minute drive from downtown, I often forget that I am in the city. It is so strange when you drive (ride in my case) by the intersection of Figueroa and 7th streets at 8 in the morning and you see many people at a crosswalk, crossing the street, walking in suits and carrying briefcases. It's also strange to me to see rows and rows of cabs waiting at a curb. Real city traffic jams downtown seem more romantic and appropraite than the traffic jams on Glendale Blvd near the 2 Freeway or traffic jams where the 101 and 405 freeways meet. One way streets, when you are alert of them and are riding in the right direction in them, seem also fun because you expect them in big city centers. So Manhattan, I think...well not really, but kind of...
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About twice a month, I keep dreaming that I am either walking around completely naked or in my briefs and run into people I know at the wierdest places like parking lots, school, or a non-descript building. In these dreams I run into and encounter friends or colleagues, family or former lovers, and even my students. In these dreams I am aware of of my vulnerable state and often do my best to avoid being seen. But I am always found and I must face them and interact with them. I am aware of these people being aware of my nakedness, and I am completely uncomfortable and embarrassed at first. But then I forget about my state, I become completely comfortable. Perhaps, I am still aware that I "naked" but don't care. It is not an issue to me, and it is not an issue to the subjects I encounter either.
Anyway, I have been told that these dreams mean that I am not afraid to be vulnerable around others. I guess!?!?

Po-poming in the Kitchen

Memorable Meals of the Week:
Taco night: Last Saturday, got together with Kindred (who is in L.A. at the moment), Yolanda, Serene and Papio. Kindred and I got $20 worth of tacos and quesadillas from the taco truck on Alvarado and Montana. Serene brought Jack Daniels and Coke. Yolanda and Papio brought beer.
Dom's Monday night: For the first time in over month, Dominique, Serene and I got together at Dom's for pork tenderloin, Serene's watermelon salad, and grilled zucchini. We drank beers...
Last night after work: After having had a disappointing sandwich from Subway for lunch, (I finally mopped my floors and found no time to fix myself a lunch), I went home and grilled myself some Argentinean sausage and a chicken thigh, which I ate with a chopped cucumber, tomato, mushroom, and cabbage salad I made. For the first time in a while, I found myself eating alone... Ha!!!

I did go out later that night to Little Pedro's downtown, which totally reminded me of The Echo, four years ago, before it bacame a hipster/rock, 18+over hangout. I loved it!

Desparate Housecleaning & Lil' Kim

My horoscope last week suggested that this Virgo clean house, organize and check for expiration dates on items in my cabinets, refrigerator and files... That is exactly what I did yesterday. I was supposed to go to the beach, yet again, but the plans fell through and I decided to thoroughly clean house, in and out.
I started by borrowing my neighbor's weedeater and cutting down some overgrown grass, raking, sweeping and clearing it from my yard. This was no easy or quick task as anyone who's been to my house knows how big and unmanageable the yard is. I also clipped all the dried leaves and watered my plants and few herbs I've grown this year. I ended my outdoor chores by sweeping and watering down the steps that lead to the street. Before I turned off the water, I decided to hose myself down. Oh, how I love water!!!
I then swept all the floors inside, but did not mop yet. I went through my cabinets and fridge and threw quite a few things out. My final task was cleaning and organizing my office space. Lately that room has looked more like a junky storage space and less like an office. I went through piles of junk mail, post-cards, holiday cards, art show invitations, collection agancy notices (oops!), and bank statements... This took quite a long time.
Needless to say, I feel accomplished, but my work is not done.
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I heard the new Lil' Kim song, "Shut Up!" on the radio last night. The song is f**king hot and so funny. I can't wait for her album. I wonder what her jail experience will be like, if she is going to a "Camp Cupcake" for Gucci-wearing female rappers. If you click on her link you can hear the track. Enjoy!

Campari and Soda

The drink of choice for this author this summer is Campari with soda over ice. Campari is a bittersweet Italian aperatif developed in Milan circa 1860, using a blend of aromatic herbs and selected spirits.
Though Campari has been around for years, I had my first taste of it last June, poolside, at Dominique's parents' home. I was immediately put in a spell by the drink's intoxicating bitter flavors. It tasted like cologne, I thought. I felt as if I was drinking some secret potion that would make me do crazy things. It was incredible!
Serene bought a bottle recently and we had a couple of glassses of Campari and soda last night as we saw the sun set. I am now hooked! I will be running down to the store after writing this to buy a bottle.