View Of The Station Fire From Granada Hills

I have a friend whose house is one of two surviving houses in her neighborhood, and another who is being evacuated. Cross fingers, say prayers, burn sage, rub a horseshoe, or do whatever it is you do when you want to wish people well.

Photo courtesy Brad Laner

Granada Hills High School Student Dies

The Granada Hills High School web site reported this weekend that on Friday, August 28, GHHS senior and football player Matthew Koziol passed away. The site does not report on a cause of death.

August 29, 2009

Dear Granada Hills Charter High School Community:

It is with a heavy heart that I report to you a loss within the Granada family. This weekend I received confirmation that Matthew Koziol, one of our 12th grade students, died Friday night. Matthew, who was about to begin his last season on the GHCHS football team as a linebacker, was an active member of our student body. Prior to his enrollment at GHCHS, he was a student at Noble Middle School.

Matthew is survived by his parents Robert and Lisa (his mother Lisa has been an active member of the Highlander Booster Club); brother Andrew, a 10th grade student at Chatsworth High School; sister Jenna, a 9th grade student at GHCHS; and Tessa, a 7th grade student at Nobel Middle School.

I will provide you with updates as they are made available to me.

Crisis counselors will be available beginning Monday morning for any student needing support. Teachers will be asked to send students to the Counseling Office who request or appear to need assistance. Students will be instructed to inform an adult staff member if they hear of or see another student who may need help so that proper support may be provided. Likewise, if you observe or suspect that a student you know may need assistance, please take immediate action. Provided at the bottom of this email is a resource link for you to help identify and respond to grief.

As always, if you have any questions or wish to share information, please contact one of the administrators or me.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Koziol family and all those who mourn the loss of a young man taken far too early from our midst.

Sincerely,

Brian Bauer
Executive Director

Theres ANOTHER Granada Hills? How DARE They!

Yes, it's true. In Southwest Austin, TX, there is another area by the name of Granada Hills. Please go over there and tell that bunch of poseur wannabes to meet us at the flagpole after school, because we rule and they drool. They got no Knotts Landing, no Judge Reinhold Fast Times At Ridgemont High pirate hat scene, no Frosty Queen, no Bo Diddley, no John Elway, and no Vivica Fox, so neener.

I strongly suggest clicking the "submit article" link below and writing a piece entitled "Why We Are Vastly Inferior To The Real Granada Hills" for their community newsletter.

Oh, and don't bother clicking on the "Community URL" link, because doesn't even work. I will say it again: neener.

Austin

Dallas/Fort Worth

Houston

San Antonio

Alamo Heights NA

Cross Mountain Ranch

Mountain Lodge

The Dominion

Wildhorse

Community: Granada Hills

Information The official newsletter of Granada Hills Newsletter Name: Granada Hills Neighborhood Newsletter Region: Austin Frequency: monthly Circulation: 500 Article Deadline: 10th of the month Ad Deadline: 10th of the month Community URL: www.granadahoa.org Articles To submit an article to this newsletter, see the Submit Article page.

I Love G.H.

Rollin' down the Simi Highway
Judge Freaking Reinhold at my side
Santa Ana winds blowin' houses down
And we was born to ride

Roll down the window put down the top
Crank up the Bo Diddley baby
Don't let the music stop
We're gonna ride it till we just can't ride it no more

From Balboa on to Zelzah
From Sepulveda to Reseda
Everybody's very happy
'Cause the homeless people always hide
Looks like another perfect day

I love G.H.


Look at Bee Canyon
Look at Mission Peak
Look at that dog over there, man
Hardly any fleas
Look at these Eichlers
There ain't nothin' like 'em nowhere

Mission Boulevard (We love it)
Balboa Boulevard (We love it)
White Oak Avenue (We love it)
Chatsworth Street (We love it, we love it)

I love G.H.
I love G.H.
We love it!

Best. Piano Teacher. Ever.

When I tell Greg Harris I'd like to write about him, he demurs, saying, "I'm not really a very interesting interview." But I prod, so he casually relates a brief but absorbing snapshot of his life as a musician: playing at new music festivals; writing original compositions for a ballet company; witnessing the damaged psyches of musicians whose grandiose dreams landed them only in soul-crushing top 40 cover bands, complete with dismal groupies. He mentions the fragile egos of some classical musicians, the work in lucrative but unfulfilling musical servitude, the exhilarating experience of working on compelling, fresh material with his "kindred," and the thrill of watching his own original compositions morph into something even better than originally conceived through work with talented collaborators.

All of this is related in his quiet, low-key vibe; Greg, it seems, has developed a pervasive sense of modesty in spite of, or perhaps because of, his years of exposure to a business glutted with bloated egos and delusions of grandeur. It's easy to see that he entertains none of that, and obvious that Greg didn't begin playing music because he wanted to become superstar; he began playing music because he was compelled to. Begin a conversation on any imaginable topic with Greg and in five minutes, he will relate that topic to the world of music in some intricate and fascinating way that never would have occurred to anyone else in the room. And here he is in Granada Hills, his vast experience and infinite patience at your disposal should you decide that you want him to teach you piano and infect you with his passion.

With Greg, there are no books. Instead of dutifully following of Beginners Piano Book One and Book Two, he favors a more organic approach. "I like to find what music really excites the student, and seeing how we can create an entryway using music that is already moving to the student. I like to keep that as a big part of getting the student started, and I'll use what really moves them as a gateway to talk about theory and improvisation." Greg also isn't in any kind of hurry; there's no budding pianist production line cranking out of his studio. "Philosophically, my general approach is to go a little at a time. People tend to want to get everything very quick, and they're mostly impatient with themselves. My method is to slow people down."

This loosey-goosey-sounding approach, at languid pace and lacking a single text, actually coexists with a rigorous work ethic when it comes to learning to read music. "I don't want to criticize, but when I get students who have come from other teachers, I'll see that they have taken shortcuts, where they've made things easy without explaining why. There's a sort of disinclination towards the work of integrating the written language of music comfortably, because that 's a daunting task for teachers to have to start at square one, how to read. I think a lot of teachers resist that, and the students resist that, so they'll cut corners. But I find that learning the language is absolutely essential. If you learn how to teach it in a way that's friendly and comfortable, it can happen very quickly."

I'd like to be able to say that after my one year of lessons with Greg I'm a virtuoso pianist, but it's just not true. I'm about where you would expect someone who's only had a year of piano lessons to be. I can play a few songs. I can read music, which is more than I could say a year ago, but only about as well as someone who's been reading for one year. Think first grader: Cat In The Hat yes, Finnegan's Wake no. I get frustrated with myself at times, but Greg slows me down and patiently reminds me to just take things step by step, a little at a time.



Greg Harris can be reached at gharris8@socal.rr.com

It's Hot, Finally.

A gardener rests in the shade of the trees on White Oak, yesterday at 11:00 a.m.

Tonight in Granada Hills: Strictly Ballroom

A Big Disappointment

This Craigslist ad wasn't nearly as exciting as I thought it was going to be.



Aug 22 - Hooker Entertainment Center - $395 - (Granada Hills)

Another Eichler For Sale -- Hubba Hubba!!

If only I had a spare $765,000 lying around, I'd snap this up in a jiffy.

That reminds me -- anyone wanna buy some ad space?

Click the photo above for even more luscious house porn...

Attention Granada Hills Parents: It's All YOUR Fault

Northridge Fashion Center is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and it's all Granada Hills' fault -- at least according to one GigaGranadaHills reader who hates our children:

Some of you parents in G.H. have been dropping off your children at the Northridge mall on Friday nights. I understand that you think it is O.K., but it just is not.
The Mall is in chapter 11 and will never get out of is if all people see are screming little kids all night.

Two years ago, that would have been O.K.,but the mall is now looking for a buyer and can not find one as it is known as the 'kids mall.'

There are many other aspects to this subject, one being if you drop two hundred teens in one area with no adults, what do you think they are going to do?

Two, can you take care you them? I work at the Mall, and would hate to see my place closed down because you do not want to spend time with your kid on Friday nights. We are not talking about older kids, these are mostly Junior High kids.

Please, G.H., invite all those kids you think its so great for your kid to be around all night to YOUR house.If it is such a great idea and the mall kids are so safe and nice, have them over you YOUR house.

You see, the teenagers of Northridge would never run around a mall "screming." It's those Granada Hills types that cause all of the trouble. You hear that, Granada Hills parents? Stop dropping off two hundred teens at the mall on Friday nights. Our reader makes it very clear: "Have them over you your house."

Did You Have A Happy Monday?

From Lucinda Michele at Metblogs.com:


... In the smallish metallic letters linked by metal brads, the kind you can buy at a party store that usually fold out to say “Happy Birthday,” someone had hung HAPPY MONDAY on the overpass near Woodley.

read more

...especially when she sits on his head.

There's No Such Thing As A Free Lunch At The Odyssey

I just received a bulk-mailed postcard with a "special invitation" to have a "Complimentary Gourmet Meal" at The Odyssey. Here's the menu:

Appetizers
Fresh fruit & domestic cheeses with crackers

First Course
Fresh California Tossed Green Salad
With house vinaigrette and ranch dressing on the side

Combination Dinner of
Filet Mignon
and
Boneless Breast of Chicken Marsala
Oven brown rosemary potatoes and seasonal mixed vegetables

Dessert
Carrot Cake

But before you can dig in, you'll have to sit through "some meaning information with none of the usual financial doubletalk" on the topic of "Exposing the myths of retirement plans."

The card says they "will provide you with beneficial information followed by a delicious meal." They also threaten to let you know about "THE BEST IRA IN AMERICA."

This postcard also warns that if you call the 800 number to make a reservation, "a licensed insurance agent may contact you."

Do extended insurance sales pitches lull you into a tranquil, hypnotic state -- especially when delivered immediately before dinner?

Are you willing to feign interest in a "Workshop and Insurance Sales Presentation presented by Freedom Dream Team" just to get a free meal?

Are you willing to forego showering for a week so that the Freedom Dream Team will subject you to a minimum of pestering?

If any of these apply to you, call 1-800-275-2293. Operators are standing by. These operators will try to weed you out. If they ask, tell them you are a multi-millionaire who has yet to purchase any sort of insurance.

Yum -- carrot cake!

It's A Pet Adventure!

Kim and Jeremiah work at Pet Adventure

GGH: Wow, your hair is amazing. Can I take your picture for my blog?

Jeremiah: Sure.

How long have you worked here?

Three days.

So far so good?

Yeah. It's going fine.

Do you work here because you're an animal lover?

(Shrugs) Sure, I like animals. I've got six dogs.

I'd say that's a big yes.






Do you live in Granada Hills too?

Kim: I live right down the block, and I walk to work.

Do you have pets?

Yeah. Right now I only have a dog and a bird. But I had lots of pets when I worked at the other store in Canyon Country. And then I moved back here I can't have pets. So my pets live with different friends now. I had a couple chihuahuas, a cat, ferrets, snakes. And they're all with friends now.

Did you say ferrets, or parrots?

Ferrets. They're great.

How long have you worked here?

I worked at the other store for eight months and recently transferred here.

So you're a big animal lover.

Oh yeah.

Have you worked at other animal-related jobs?

Just here. And my boyfriend works for guide dogs, so I deal with that too.

What's the favorite pet kind of pet that you've had?

My dog, because she's the most loyal. She's a chihuahua-dachshund mix.

What are ferrets like?

They're mischevious, and the most playful pets I've ever owned.

So you can play with them, like a cat with a string or a dog with a ball?

Definitely. Their favorite thing is to play hide and seek. They love that. They'll hide anywhere -- pillowcases, hampers.

Wow, cool. Anything else I should know?

Um, I'm also musician. I play guitar, flute, keyboards, and I sing.

Do you have a band? Do you play out?

No, but I do have a MySpace page.*





Pet Adventure is in the Trader Joe's shopping center.








*I recommend "A Minute, Six" and Kim's autoharp-accompanied cover of "Sea of Love." -- ed.

Granada Hills In The News Today: Special Vigilantes Edition!

Fear of volunteer vigilantes keeps Granada Hills High School kids in line:

Los Angeles Daily News


Minuteman Civil Defense Corps leader scams Arizona taxpayers from a Granada Hills office over by How's and the Sugar Suite:

Silicon Valley Mercury News

Arizona Star

A Typical Day In Little Tokyo

Day Tripper
I leave Granada Hills so you don't have to!

When GranadaHillsians think of Japan, we typically think of three things: giant robots, Godzilla, and cafes where girls in French maid costumes serve you tea. And Mechagodzilla. So make that four things.

But did you know that Japan is even older than America?! It is!!!

That means that the land of the rising sun has had a lot of time to develop its own rich cultural heritage and ancient traditions, such as conveyor belt sushi, anime, karaoke, cosplay, Pokemon, and Hello Kitty.

Unfortunately, you can't get to Japan by taking the I-5. You can't even get there by car! So how in the world can anyone verify the rumors that Japan is totally different than America? By going to Los Angeles' Little Tokyo -- or better yet, having me do it for you, and looking at my photos from the comfort of your Valley home.

It seems that on a typical day in Little Tokyo, the streets are overrun with samurai, geishas, and Naruto characters, just like they are in Big Tokyo. And if you don't believe me, go there yourself this weekend -- if you dare. Just don't blame me if you have a run-in with Guiron.

Even The Dalai Lama Reads This Blog!

Hi, GigaGranadaHills.

Dalai Lama quotes (HisHoliness) is now following your tweets on Twitter.

A little information about Dalai Lama quotes:

19715 followers
349 tweets
following 18410 people


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the neutra house

http://realestate.aol.com/resale-homes/Granada_Hills-CA-91344/mls-/1.casocal_F1816455

Butcher Man

GGH: Where's Bob today?

He's recovering from his back surgery. I'm taking care of the shop today. His wife might be bringing him by later.

How long have you been a butcher?

You're not gonna believe it, but it's a lot of years. And Bob has been here for 24 years.

How long have you worked at this location?

Three years.

Where did you work before you were here?

I can't tell you that.

Okay, so tell me something I don't know about meat.

What is meat?

The muscle tissue of an animal.

Right. And the more the muscle is used, the tougher it is. So like the arms, or the legs. It's tough, like the round steak.

Round steak is the butt?

Close to it. So the more the muscle is used, the tougher it is. So then you have to cook it differently. So Bob carries only USDA choice and prime beef.

Can I take your picture?

Nope.

I'll just take a picture of meat then. Can I put in just your first name?

Nope.

How about if I use a fake name, like Jake?

Sure. I had an Uncle Jake.

What do you like about working for Bob, Jake?

What he carries. When you sell something to somebody, you know they're going to be satisfied with it, because it is the top of the line.

What's your favorite cut of meat?

I think the ribeye, or the prime rib roast.

What part of the cow does that come from?

We don't sell cows. We sell steers and heifers. A cow has borne a calf. That's like a dairy cow. And a bull is the daddy.

Is a steer is a bull that's been (two finger snipping motion)?

A steer is a male, and a heifer is a female, and they have not reached sexual maturity. If a bull is castrated, it's called a stag.

So ribeye is from the rib area, and where is filet mignon from?

That's from the hip, the loin. Doesn't get a lot of work. Very very tender.

What's your favorite thing to go home and cook?

Just some porterhouse or ribeye. I barbecue it. That's the best.

What if I was going to make beef jerky, what would I use?

Use a lean cut of meat, like we slice up the bottom round. You don't want fat in beef jerky.

What if I was making a stew?

Chuck roast. Or shoulder. You can see the stew meat here, very nice.

So you like working here?

Yes. You know, Bob is the only American butcher in this end of the Valley.

Where do all of the other butchers hail from?

Mexico, and Iran, or wherever it is.

What's the thing with the English products? Does Bob have family from England?

No, he took it over -- he inherited the English products when he took over the business. What I like about the shop is that we sell the highest quality, the top end of all the meats, and there's never any complaints.

When you worked elsewhere were there complaints?

Oh, sure. You could give 'em a filet mignon and they'd complain about it. Depends upon the neighborhood. Some people, you know.

So you're saying that the customers here are cooler?

Yeah, that and they're getting the top of the line meat, you know?

But it wasn't necessarily top of the line other places you've worked?

Oh no. They'll put something on sale -- buy a lower grade and sell it. Here we carry USDA choice, which is the confirmation of quality and finish. You can tell by the internal marbling. Like that stew meat. So you know it's going to be flavorful and moist.

Is this a dangerous job? Have you known people who've been injured?

Yeah, me!

Really?

Sure. Safety is of the utmost. The only time you get hurt is when you're trying to hurry or take shortcuts. Or (winks) talking to a pretty girl. I've cut the top of this finger, the knuckle off there -- they sewed it back on. I put my knife through my hand.

How long have you lived in Granada Hills?

Since the little earthquake.

1971?

February 9th, 6:01 in the morning, 1971. I remember it, oh yes. Then I said, we might as well buy a house, there'll never be another earthquake again. Then holy smokes, that Northridge was something.

But you probably bought at a good time -- after Northridge the home prices went way down.

I didn't have the money to buy another house. I've never had enough money for this house. It's hard to make ends meet sometimes. Say, do you ever interview any of the karate places around Granada Hills?

Why do you ask? Do you do martial arts?

I did it. Kickboxking and Kenpo. Circular movements, flowing movements.

What belt did you get up to?

Brown.

Wow! Well, thanks a lot for the interview, Jake.

I hope you deleted the parts I asked you not to talk about.

I did.






Bob's Quality Butcher Shop is located at 11144 Balboa Blvd. in Granada Hills.

Dang, What A Cool House - Old, OLD Granada Hills

This Southwestern style house in Old Granada Hills is one of the oldest houses in town, but it's only on its second owner. It's a great example of a remodel that works with the existing architecture instead of against it -- unlike the Eichlers I've seen with doric columns strapped to the front.

The current owner told me that this house (an earlier incarnation is pictured at left) was built in 1927, and is one of the 19 of the oldest houses in Granada Hills. She shared some knowledge, gleaned from neighbors, of the home's previous owner.

"Her husband was a Mason, and he died, so the Masons got together and each donated a hundred dollars to her. So she had $500 that she used for the down payment on this house, and she raised her two kids here."

The house was tiny by modern standards, so the current owner added on what is now the kitchen and an additional bedroom. The kitchen has a vintage stove and wormwood cabinets made in Mexico, which contributes to the vintage patina.

"Sometimes when I'm coming home I forget what a nice house I live in. I'm too used to it, and I don't notice it. But then someone reminds me, and I realize how much I love it. I really do love it."

Give And Get Backyard Produce At VeggieTrader.com

If you're up to your ears in tomatoes but sure would love a few more figs, register to arrange a swap at VeggieTrader.com.

Veggie Trader has a database that you can search by zip code of people who would like to swap, trade, sell, or offer for free their over-bountiful harvests of fruits, vegetables, nuts and herbs.

I entered a search for "within 10 miles of 91344" and found some folks in Encino looking to trade oranges for tomatoes and cucumbers, and someone in Woodland Hills who had grapefruit on offer.

Veggie Trader's registration process is a lot more security-conscious than one would expect -- I mean, they're just vegetables -- but the site is well-designed, attractive and easy to use.

I'm posting this here in the hope that more Granada Hills residents -- especially those who have persimmons -- will register for this relatively new site. A couple of months from now I'm going to have more greenskin avocados than I know what to do with, and I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

Friends of the Granada Hills Library

Friends Of The Granada Hills Library President Mary Slotnick And Grandaughter Molly

Last week I was wandering into the library, hoping to get an interview with a librarian, but before I even got inside, I ran into the vivacious Mary Slotnick, President of Friends Of The Granada Hills Library, and her granddaughter Molly.



So you're the head honcho?

Head Honcho! And Molly's visiting from Colorado. Here's my card with my name and address.

So you're a friend of the Granada Hills Library but you live in Northridge?

Yes.

What's wrong with the Northridge Library?

When you begin to join groups, it's a friend who pulls you in, and a friend lived here and pulled me in here. And then you circle and meet friends and it's a bonding and a connection. A lot of people do that with different organizations they belong to.

So there's a social component as well as a volunteering component.

Oh, definitely.

So what do the Friends of the Granada Hills Library do?

We are a nonprofit arm. The city has 72 branches throughout Los Angeles. Every library has a friends group. The groups raise funds through book sales and other activities. We have a book bag, community grocery stores give us money, we receive donations, and funding goes into purchasing extra books, DVDs and supplies for the library that the city is not able to budget.

Can I take your picture?

Absolutely. (To Molly) Do I look beautiful, Molly? We are gonna be famous, baby!

You see this DVD? it has to have a case on it that is locked so that someone cannot steal from it. That's one of the supplies that we purchase. If the city doesn't have money for supplies like a chair or a computer, we try and raise money for that. And one of the things we provide, which used to be free from the city -- is providing a program for the community that is multicultural. Like the Asian Dance Group. Did you go to that?

No, I wasn't able to...

Oh, what you missed! Please pick up my newsletter, which is in back on a table from the reference desk.

How can people in the community be better library patrons? The library gives to us, what can we do to give back? Be more quiet? Donate more money?

No, no. I think the library provides a service to the community for literature and education and information, and there's all kinds of information -- new movies, old movies, books, as well as public information. They don't take a position on public policy but they provide the information to the community. We wish to improve our public relations and marketing ability to let the community know that, boy, these programs are free! These books are free! Help us put up a book sale. Help us sell our bags. We've got a couple of bags we're selling. Are you recording me? Oh my.

Well, I want to get all this.

That's fine. Realize what the library gives to the community. Look at the little fliers we have all around. They're for children, they're for teenagers, young adults, seniors. There's so much that's available. Come and visit us.

Albertson's Is Lowering Prices -- And Here's How

This morning at Albertson's, the store I always seem to wind up at even after I swear I'll never set foot in there again, I learned something that made me cringe.

One of the familiar checkers whom I see every time I shop there handed me a pen to sign my credit card slip. It was a Uni-Ball Micro, the pen that got me through college. It stood out to me because I'd been trying to find one in their stationery aisle and couldn't. The checker told me that she'd purchased the pen in a 6-pack at the 99-Cent Store. I thanked her for the tip, and walked out.

Then, something dawned on me, and I turned around and walked back in.

"Do you have to buy your own pens here? Doesn't the store provide them for you?" I asked.

"No way," she groused. "We have to buy our own everything here. When I work at the deli, I even have to buy my own gloves."

Ever since the great grocery strike of ought four, Albertson's lost a lot of familiar faces, and gained a treacherous new "Self-Checkout" lane. Self-Checkout works great about one-third of the time. The other two-thirds, I want to kick it in the diodes. Produce is always a crapshoot, and if you try to bring your own canvas bags, its sensors view you with intense suspicion and label you a criminal. Then the whole system shuts down and you find yourself back where you should have gone in the first place -- in the capable hands of a human being with the capacity to see, to think, and to love.

Worse than the fact that the Self-Checkout isn't very efficient much of the time is its more sinister purpose: to eliminate the human checkers' jobs. I've heard Albersons' staffers openly gripe about the Self-Checkout being more hassle than it's worth, and also because they know what time it is. That klutzy machine stands as a symbol of the lack of respect given supermarket checkers, despite their know-how, their efficiency, their competence, and their humanity.

The raw deal these workers were given after the strike showed that supermarket management seriously undervalues the contributions of their employees; burdening them further with the responsibility of obtaining the tools they need to get their jobs done in a clean and efficient manner, little things like gloves and pens, must chip away at them even more.

But every time I go to that Albertson's, I still see those same familiar faces behind the registers -- the long-suffering, ill-used, under appreciated workers who still manage to greet me with a smile. They know that store backwards and forwards, and always do whatever it takes to help -- running someone back to the dairy case if I've forgotten my half-and-half, accepting a mildly expired coupon to help me save a buck, helping me find whatever obscure ingredient I'm seeking in the depths of the spice rack.

I wonder how much longer we'll have them before the robots take over.

Ding, Dong, The Kohl's Is Dead

The collapsing economy finally doomed the plan to put in a Kohl's -- complete with several code variances -- in the Regency Center, at the corner of Zelzah and Chatsworth, in the space formerly occupied by Granada Brunswick Lanes, and then by a Ralph's -- you know, the one across the street from Ralph's. They gave up a few months ago, when when Mervyn's went belly up and Kohl's started belt-tightening.

The rumor now is that the space is being eyed by down-home flavored, yokel- and trucker-friendly grocery chain Stater Brothers. At least that's how they like to bill themselves in their commercials.

So Granada Hills counts as "The Heartland"?!? "Where the girl next door can become your wife?" Eeew.

Then again, perhaps the arrival of Stater Brothers will bring us more quality entertainment such as this:

EARTHQUAKE HITS GRANADA HILLS!

But it was only a 1.5.

Details here.



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Summer, Summer Fruits

"Summer, summer fruits
It wouldn't be summer without 'em..."

The watermelon is usually considered the emblematic fruit of summer, but to me, nothing tastes more summery than a fresh, local, in-season plum in full ripeness. You're just not going to get that at Albertson's.

The fruit at Forneris Farms isn't organic, but it isn't flown in from Chile, either -- most of it is grown in Simi Valley or other nearby locations. You'll pay more, and you'll get more. The plums I bought there this week were a little piece of heaven, the strawberries plump and firm, and the peaches all drippy succulence.

There's a the line in the About The Farmer page of Forneris Farms' website where Farmer John's bio says, "He grew up when farming was considered an important and valuable profession." Do I detect a hint of bitterness? Maybe a little. Maybe he's frustrated at having to become to an agritainment venture just to stay alive when his plums are so damned good all by themselves. But the entertainment does keep me coming back, because a trip to the farm stand is nothing like an everyday trip to the supermarket. My kids love feeding strawberries to the goats, ogling the peacock, and cowering in fear of the creepy fright-masked scarecrows.

Fall is the big season at Forneris Farms, but try to make a trip there before summer is out, to get some fresh corn for your grill or some of the gigantic tomatoes. Summer will be over before you know it, and though Ralph's will be flying in watermelons through the dead of winter, there's nothing like the real deal that comes from our own neighborhood.

Knollwood Area Gets Futuristic Technology From The Year 2000

Verizon Wireless proudly announced today that they've finally done what they should have done years ago: given the Knollwood area decent cell coverage. Yup, we've got those newfangled mo-bile phones workin' up here just like they do in big city Los Angle-eez!

Complete press release here.

Ricky, Friendly Neighborhood Trader Joe's Guy

Lesson #1: If you're going to interrupt a Trader Joe's employee with pesky interview requests, don't intrude on valuable smoke break time. Wait until they're busy working.

Lesson #2: Not everybody is as obsessed with municipal boundaries as you are. Most people are willing to live a more fluid, cosmopolitan existence. See below.



Name: Ricky

Occupation: Trader Joe's cashier



Do you live in Granada Hills, or just work here?

Just work here. Technically, I guess I live in Northridge.

Can you tell me something you like about Granada Hills?

I'm not really sure where Northridge ends and Granada Hills begins -- I'm not really sure where the borders are. So I don't know what to say.

Can you think of anything you like about Granada Hills?

I'm glad that I have a job here.

And what's your least favorite thing about it?

You know that parade they have? It blocks the traffic.

But that's only once a year.

You're right.

"Two Of Our Children Have Been Shot..."

"We are a people defined by memory -- not to dwell in the past, but as a foundation for the future. We look back not to mourn, but to see how far we have come, and how far we need to go."

Friday evening at Temple Ahavat Shalom, Rabbi Barry Lutz began Shabbat service with this meditation on the importance of memory as the congregation gathered on the eve of the tenth anniversary of the shootings at North Valley Jewish Community Center "to share the joys and comforts of coming together as a community."

There will be larger commemorative events on Monday -- the actual anniversary of the event -- with city officials, press coverage, and TV cameras, but Friday night's Shabbat service in Northridge felt intimate -- more like a gathering of extended family than a civic event.

In attendance were Mindy Finkelstein and Josh Stepakoff, two survivors of Buford Furrow's August 10, 1999 rampage. Furrow shot a total of six people that day, creating pain and outrage across the country, but here at Ahavat Shalom, the anguish was especially acute, because Josh and Mindy were members.

Recalled Ron Major, "I remember ten years ago, this congregation was packed, and Rabbi Brown stood up and said, 'Two of our children have been shot.' It was really emotional, because we look at all of the children of this congregation as our children."

Josh Stepakoff, five years old when he was shot and now a junior at Granada Hills High School, said, "When I was asked to speak here, I was told I was supposed to make it happy, upbeat, positive. They want to hear that I'm happy, I'm healthy, and I'm doing good. So, I'm happy, I'm healthy, and I'm doing good.

"In very single interview we give, we get the same question: 'after the shooting, were you scared to say you were Jewish?' And I think I speak for all of us when I say that after the shooting, we were all drawn more to Judaism. I'm proud to say that this temple alone, after the shooting, had over a thousand members here for Friday night services, and I think that's amazing."

Jerry Wayne, executive director of the North Valley Jewish Community Center, expressed a similar sentiment when I spoke to him last week: "The shooting brought our community together more strongly, not less."

Speaking with Wayne made me realize one of the strange ironies of Furrow's shooting spree: if Furrow's aim was to kill Jews, he could have picked a place that was a lot more Jewish than the North Valley Jewish Community Center. "Non-affiliated Jews won’t go to a synagogue, but will come to a community center, because they believe in the culture and traditions but not the religion. Culture, history, traditions as opposed to religion -- we sell that. The temples can sell what they sell, but we keep it as separate as possible," Wayne said.

Another strange fact about the shootings: although his targets were just about the most defenseless people one could imagine -- a group of kindergartners -- Furrow didn't manage to kill a single person at the NVJCC, even while packing a semi-automatic weapon. Clearly this is a blessing, but it also makes one wonder about Furrow's tortured state of mind. It's easy to imagine amidst the tangle of voices in Furrow's head, the demons of his mental illness and the rantings of his Aryan Nation brethren, there may have been another small voice breaking through, urging him not to aim for the heads or hearts of his targets, but their legs and feet. Mindy Finkelstien was shot in the leg. James Sidell was hit in the foot. Joshua Stepakoff was shot in the leg. Benjamin Kadish was shot in the lower abdomen and leg. All of the children survived their wounds, as did 68-year-old Isabelle Shalometh, the NVJCC receptionist. Furrow left the JCC and later fatally shot postal worker Joseph Ileto, and then the voices in his head told him it was time to turn himself in to police. It's impossible to know the workings of Furrow's damaged mind, but perhaps on some level even he comprehended the wrongness and futility of his actions.

Many speakers at the Shabbat service made reference to the recent shootings at a gay club in Tel Aviv, expressing compassion for their fellow hate crime victims in the Jewish homeland. The noting of this parallel further underscored the progressive, enlightened thinking that mingles freely with a rich consciousness of tradition and history throughout reform Judaism and at Ahavat Shalom, which means "Love of Peace."

Josh and Mindy also announced that they are organizing a 5K/10K Run "and kids walk, and stroller push, and wheelchair roll" to benefit Women Against Gun Violence, the charity they have both turned their efforts toward, on Sunday, October 4th at California State University, Northridge. To register or contribute, please visit the Women Against Gun Violence web site.

Friday evening's service concluded with the prayer song T'filat Haderech (Traveler's Prayer):

May we be blessed as we go on our way
May we be guided in peace
May we be blessed with health and joy
May this be our blessing, amen.

May we be sheltered by the wings of peace
May we be kept in safety and in love
May grace and compassion find their way to every soul
May this be our blessing, amen.

Rabbi Barry Lutz, Josh Stepakoff

links:

Temple Ahavat Shalom, Rabbi's Blog

"The Shots That Shattered Our Calm," Jewish Journal




May all beings be well, may all beings be happy, may all beings be free from suffering.

Family Fun Arcade: Nathan and Ted's Excellent Adventure

If you belong at Family Fun Arcade, you probably know it already. Less-than-hardcore gamers might enjoy the air hockey table or Dance Dance Revolution, but you won't find any vintage games here -- no Ms. Pac Man, no Galaga, no DigDug. Family Fun Arcade is all about fighting games -- Street Fighter, 3rd Strike, Marvel vs. Capcom. The family-owned arcade has been in its Granada Hills location for decades, and it's been described as the number one fighting game mecca in Southern California (they even had a Street Fighter IV before it was released in the U.S.). Family Fun also hosts tournaments that draw high-level players to its dark and soda-stained confines, and the convenient proximity to Asahi Sushi, Pizza Cookery, and Golden State Collective can't hurt either.



Nathan, Family Fun employee:
How long have you worked here?
I've worked here for two years.
How did you get the job?
I used to work at the Simi Valley location, which they closed down, so I came over here.
How did you get the job in Simi Valley?
I knew someone who worked there, and I kept bugging him until there was an opening. They have a waiting list of people who want jobs here. I waited until I was at the top of the list. Luckily, I had some money saved up from my old job, so I just waited.
How long did that take?
Four months.
What do you like about working here? Do you get free games?
I don't get free games, and I'm not allowed to play while I'm working. But I like it because I can relate to the people who come in here.
What do you dislike about the job?
Junior high kids who come in and sit on the games, try to play for free, or try to put tokens in the machines instead of quarters. The machines get jammed, and then they come to me and say, "The machine jammed, I want my quarter back." Well, the machine jammed because you put a token in it.


Ted, Family Fun regular:
How often do you come here?
Pretty much every day, now that it's summer.
Are you in school the rest of the year?
Yeah. I go to Valley.
Do you live in Granada Hills?
No, I live in North Hollywood.
So why don't you go to an arcade in North Hollywood?
North Hollywood has arcades, but they're not like this one. This is the place for more adult gamers.
What's your favorite game?
I like all of the games. I don't really have a favorite.
Which one are you most into playing right now?
I guess Street Fighter IV.

The Scariest Realtor Ad EVER

If you want a realtor who looks like an Andy Warhol version of an Oompa Loompa, Neil Klemow is the man for you!

Maybe he's "America's Online Realtor" because people are too scared to interact with him in person.

Was this an attempt to replicate the look of the Shepard Fairey Obama poster gone horribly wrong? Maybe he's trying to make some sort of reference to Talking Heads' Remain In Light album? Is this a severe case of Carotenemia? A self-tanner mishap? A show of unflagging support for King William III?

Eek. I sure wouldn't want to run into this guy in a dark offworld alley. I mean, look at those glowing teeth.