Los Angeles Central Library

After our long journey to Santa Rosa, we wanted to do something with Tessie that would allow us to avoid strapping her into the car seat. So we strapped her into the Urban Assault Stroller (above) and headed for the train.

The library (above) and the Lodwrick M. Cook Rotunda (below):
We timed our visit to L.A.'s Central Library so that Tessie could attend a children's puppet show scheduled for the afternoon. First, though, we saw the exhibition of Julius Shulman's architectural photographs (which make my efforts above look particularly weak). Shulman photographed most, if not all, of Los Angeles' significant architecture of the 20th century. (There isn't a whole heck of a lot of pre-20th c. architecture in L.A., either, so I guess I could just leave the "of the 20th century" part off of the previous sentence.) Even if you aren't interested in architecture, there's a very good chance you've seen some of his photographs.

Tessie slept through the whole thing, though, so she still hasn't seen any of his photographs. She also slept through all but the very loudest part of the puppet show, which was also the finale of the puppet show, so she was only wide awake after it was all over. Alas. Well, being wide awake in a library with no pressing demands on your time isn't such a terrible thing:

This picture didn't turn out the way I intended, but I like how it captures the challenge of keeping up with Tessie:

Christmas, part 2

Our Christmas visit to Santa Rosa continues:

Tessie found lots of new things to play with at her cousins' house, including her cousins. She enjoyed basketball:

the piano:

and trimming the Christmas tree:

...but the most fun of all was knocking over Adam and John's Lego creations:

But of course the highlight of the visit was opening gifts on Christmas Eve. (Yes, on Christmas Eve. I was raised in an open-gifts-on-Christmas-morning family, Hannah's is a open-gifts-on-Christmas-Eve family. This is probably the greatest challenge in our relationship.)

Last Christmas, Tessie was only 4 1/2 months old, so she didn't really 'get it,' and slept through most of it as well. This year was different. She seems to really like all the decorations, especially the colored lights. And of course she loves the gifts. Here she is reading a new book and wearing a new hat:
She's still a bit too young to fully understand the holiday; we haven't yet introduced the concept of Santa Claus, and have not taken her to a mall to visit him. Maybe next year.

Christmas, part 1

This Christmas we travelled again to Santa Rosa, California, to spend the holiday in the home of Hannah's brother Martin, his wife Sunjae and their two sons, Adam (age 8) and John (6).

It's a long drive to Santa Rosa. We left Pasadena on Friday afternoon and spent the night in Westley, which is near the I-5/I-580 interchange east of San Francisco. Tessie had spent an awful lot of time strapped into a car seat by the time we checked in to her hotel, and thus had oodles of energy to expend before finally falling asleep around midnight.

The next morning we completed the drive, stopping for lunch in downtown Santa Rosa at the Third Street Alehouse. (Recipe for their Parmesan Garlic fries: 1 part potatoes, 1 part Parmesan cheese, 2 parts diced raw garlic. Yikes.)

One of the highlights of our visit was a trip to the Lawrence Hall of Science, on the UC Berkeley campus. The octagonal building looks like a Star Trek set (and may once have been one), with a large plaza in front that offers stunning views of San Francisco Bay.


Inside are exhibits, including Tessie's favorite interactive toy, the Gravity Well. As soon as we saw it we knew she'd love to play, and in fact she delighted in retrieving the balls and throwing them directly into the center of the well - no mucking around those circuitous elliptical paths for Tessie; no, no, no, the sooner it goes in, the sooner it falls out and she gets to throw it in again!
That's Uncle Martin beside Tessie:

Other exhibits included live animals and a "Wild Music" special exhibition. The two boys are (l-r) cousins Adam and John:

What she says in the video is "All done, all done." This sems to mean a variety of things; frequently it indicates that she's no longer interested in whatever is being offered, be it food, an activity, or nap. It also seems to have many other meanings which we have thus far been unable to decipher. In this case, it probably meant "Please stop pretending you have any musical ability at all, Dad. You're embarrassing me."

Coming soon: Christmas, part 2!

Griffith Observatory

In advance of Christmas, the Canadian Grandparents came to town. Before they headed out of town, to meet up with us later in Santa Rosa at Christmas, we all went to visit the newly renovated Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park.

Both the park and the observatory are named after the same man, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith, who made his fortune in mining. Griffith donated land to the city of Los Angeles to become a park, then, instead after shooting his wife in the head (she lived), he made a large cash donation to fund a publlic observatory within the park. Too bad the tradition hasn't continued; imagine the great public works O.J. Simpson, Robert Blake and Phil Spector could have sponsored.

The observatory was closed for a few years for a major renovation and only reopened last year. Not only was the exterior restored to its original and beautiful Art Deco apperance, but an entire basement level was excavated beneath the front lawn.

Parking is still an issue, though, but at least the walk from the overflow parking area has a view:

The restored exterior:

Tessie arrives with her entourage:


Tessie didn't take long to figure out the Foucault pendulum in the central exhibit hall:

Then it was on to the periodic table. We noticed, after Tessie left it, that the plutonium sample was missing. We fear she may be plotting something.

Then it was on to her latest achievement: stairs. These steps were low enough that she could manage them on her feet rather than having to rely on her hands as well. She's really becoming quite mobile, hence the harness.

Then it was on to exploring the Virgo Cluster, depicted as part of an enormous mural in the new basement level:

Christmas Party

Tessie's day care had a "Winter Formal," with all the little ones dressed in their finery. Tessie remained unencumbered by any semblance of Christmas spirit:

She did like the alligator rocker, though:

Yoghurt Redux

Free advice: never give your child a name that rhymes with "messy."

More yoghurt, blueberry this time. Tessie's latest game involves spooning food with her right hand onto her left, then either licking it off or just squishing it through her fingers.

She also seems to have devised a new form of language. This was shot (obviously) before the yoghurt was served:

Tessie + Yoghurt = Mess

Tonight's menu: diced pork, cous-cous, peas and squash, followed by yoghurt with strawberries for dessert. The pork was a hit, the peas and squash were tolerated, and the cous-cous was a flop. Dessert was a hit:

At some point, after I put the video camera away and before I got out the still camera, she got yoghurt in her hair:

Tooth status update

Molars! We think! It's getting a little hard to tell, as Tessie usually only opens her mouth to shove food in. She doesn't seem to like having us examine her too carefully, so some of the above diagram may be slightly inaccurate; we'll try to adjust it when she permits closer inspection.

Planes of Fame

On our way back from Thanksgiving, we stopped in at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino. I enjoy looking at classic planes, and it's even better when they are in flying condition. Many of the aircraft here are in flying condition and have been used in a wide variety of motion pictures.

I wondered what the highlight of the museum would be for Tessie: when we saw a P-51 Mustang taxi out, take off, and it fly over the adjacent airfield, touring the galleries (i.e. hangars) with their vast collection of WWII aircraft, or maybe, just maybe, it would be the water fountain between the rest rooms:

A [Classified] Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving at the home of our friends, the [redacted by Homeland Security]s. They welcomed us into their home in [a classified location].

Seriously, Greg G. is my old roommate from USC; he and his wife Linda now live in Chula Vista with their three kids, Monique (age 11), Ryan (7) and Caitlin (3). He is a Public Affairs Officer for the US Navy, hence the 'secrecy'. Our hosts prepared not one but two turkeys (one roasted, one deep-fried), and put out a tremendous spread of food.

Tessie loved the food, but needs to work on her table manners:

The Gs made us part of their family for a few days; Monique kicked my butt at PlayStation Quidditch, Ryan kicked my butt at Wallball on their backyard sport court, and Caitlin didn't kick my butt at anything, but she was probably just being polite.

Tessie works her magic on the gruff military man:

Tessie really enjoyed having other kids around to play with. We're looking forward to spending more time with the Gs, but probably won't be able to until the new year.

Tooth status update

On a Mission

On the advice of our real estate agent (more on that in a bit) we decided to check out the City of San Gabriel. Despite living as close to it as we do, I don't believe any of us had ever really done more than just pass through town.

So we decided to begin at the beginning, at the Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. As with most California cities that start with 'San,' this one began as a Catholic mission to convert the heathen (i.e. local indigenous folks minding their own business, in this case the Tongva, who were eventually renamed the Gabrielinos) to Catholicism. The first step in the process was to build a mission, or church complex, to centralize the missionaries' efforts. These missions were constructed about a day's journey from each other and served as trading posts and indoctrination centers. (Come for the shiny metal objects, stay for the glorious afterlife!) The steps following the building of the mission might seem familiar to those who know something of the history of Soviet collectivism or antebellum cotton plantations in the southern U.S.

Father Junipero Serra:

Anyway, the mission in San Gabriel still stands and still functions as a church, but is also open as a museum for those interested in California's history. (It seems to gloss over the similarities noted above, although one docent did note that life was hard for the Tongva/Gabrielinos.)

The bell tower from the inside:

We toured the grounds, which have been restored after falling victim to a number of earthquakes over the years, most recently the 1987 Whittier Narrows quake (curiously, no mention was made of these events as Acts of God, or of what He may have been trying to communicate.). It was a pleasant afternoon, and we took our time walking the grounds, which are inside a walled enclave next to a rather busy intersection. The church itself is modest, as are the grounds. Tessie enjoyed the dirt, but soon tired of the paparazzo (me):

Near the end of the self-guided tour, surrounded by models of all 21 California Missions, is this sundial with its inspiring message: "Horae Omnes Vulnerant, Ultima Necat." In case your Latin's rusty, that translates to "Every Hour Wounds, The Last Kills." Cheery, these missionaries. (And no, my Latin isn't that good - there was a translation posted.)

Meanwhile, about the real estate: Tessie's getting bigger, and our apartment isn't. We met yesterday with an agent who will be helping us search for new accommodations. Her first recommendation to us was to consider San Gabriel, hence today's visit. We had two open houses on our list, both gleaned from today's LA Times. We only made it to one, a four bedroom (three plus an office, really), two bath house. It had a nice backyard, if you didn't look over the hedge at the dirt lot with the giant radio transmitters in it; a deck with uneven boards covering the hole where the hot tub used to be and which is accessed only through the master bedroom; visible evidence, in the form of a clutch of eggs, of insect activity in the closets; and a driveway seemingly designed to funnel all rainwater directly into the garage. Hmmm. All this for the low, low price of...

... two-thirds of a million dollars. U.S. dollars.

It's going to be a long, tedious, disheartening house hunt.

Another Afternoon in Town

The Pasadena Fall Art Show & Festival started today, so we all went to check it out. It was, um, sparsely attended, and if, as the show's website claims, 10,000 people are expected, then 9,950 will be descending upon Pasadena City Hall tomorrow. Also, the definition of 'art' was stretched quite a bit, as many of the booths seemed to be selling children's clothing. So we didn't buy any art, but we did get Tessie a new sun hat.

She seems to tolerate it:

After walking around the exhibit area, we decided (o.k. - Tessie decided) that we should explore City Hall:

And, from there, it was back to Tessie's favorite bar:

Our last stop before home was at Pasadena's new Whole Foods market. We didn't do any shopping; we just wanted to have a look at the place. We probably won't ever do any shopping there, and I'll explain why soon.

On the Town

"Hurry up and blog something else," Hannah requested this morning, "so I won't have to look at that awful costume any more."

So, with Hannah out at a volunteer event for her former employer, the Children's Nature Institute, Tessie and I were on our own for the afternoon. We made a scenic tour of the fountains of Pasadena, going from the Western Asset building courtyard (where we saw not only the fountains, but snails, too), through City Hall, where we didn't linger as there was a wedding ceremony in progress, to the Paseo Colorado and its spouting fountain. Tessie loves watching water, and I had my hands full holding her back from all of these fountains, so pictures weren't a possibility. Perhaps next time.

I was able to pull out the camera at our next stop, Tessie's favorite bar: Lucky Baldwin's. It was a hot day, so I decided to indulge in a little 'refresher' in the shade. Tessie had an ice water.
From there, on to Central Park. No fountains, but there were swings, and Tessie surprised me by enjoying the slides as well: I would sit her at the top, and she would scoot herself forward until gravity took over and she slid down with an immense grin on her face!

Worst Hallowe'en Costume. Ever.

The Best Part

I admit it. I despaired. After predicting and then watching super-closer turned super-goat Eric Gagne blow yet another save back in August, I lost all hope that the Sox would even reach the post-season, let alone win the Series. I despaired for Tessie, fearing that I had somehow revived the Curse, and that she would resent me forever for naming her in honor of the 2004 Curse-breaking Sox and "that damn 'Tessie' song."

As I lay on the couch that night, gasping for breath (I was hyperventilating - really), I worried that Tessie would face ridicule or disparagement because of her misguided father's moronic idea to name her in honor of a bunch of guys neither one of them would ever meet. I seriously contemplated changing her name.

The Red Sox did manage to hang on to just enough of their early season lead - it's a marathon, not a sprint, the saying goes - and they advanced to the postseason, sweeping the Angels, bouncing back from the brink of elimination against the Indians, and then sweeping the Rockies to win it all. Tessie has now witnessed in her first full season what it took me 37 years to see, and what many fans never saw - the Red Sox as World Champions.

So what was the best part? The victory itself? No. As great as it feels to have watched, cheered on and encouraged a team to an eventual championship, I do realize that this has a rather limited effect on my life, as my cheering, I'm sure, had a limited effect on the Red Sox.

The feeling that this is only the beginning? No, again. While a Red Sox 'Dynasty' may in fact be in the works, and there is reason for great optimism in Red Sox Nation, anything can happen. Injuries, misguided trades, bad calls - all can conspire to crush a season. I am grateful for 2004, of course, and now 2007. Next year is next year, and anything can happen.

Vindication for Tessie's name? No, not that either. Dark as the depths to which I sank in August were, I did eventually realize that a name is just a name. She can make of it what she will. She may, in time, choose to be called 'Teresa,' or 'Terri,' or even by her middle name, Caroline. (Yes, Caroline, as in 'Sweet Caroline,' as in sung at Fenway in the eighth inning. When I lay it on, I lay it on thick. I'm still surprised Hannah let me get away with this.) She's got options. If she wants to keep her Red Sox fanhood a secret, instead of wearing it on her sleeve and her driver's license, she may. (She may not, however, switch allegiances to the Yankees. Ever. Under any circumstances. Tessie, do you understand?)

Avoiding my worst nightmare? Not quite. In true, pessimistic Red Sox fan fashion, in the back of my mind I held a bit of dread that the Red Sox would win the the first three games of the best-of-seven World Series and then lose the next four. This sprang from the 2004 ALCS, in which the Red Sox did precisely that, recovering from losing the first three games to win the next four and advance to the World Series at the Yankees' expense, bestowing the title of "Greatest Choke of All-Time" on the Bronx Bummers. If the Sox managed to unravel, the New-Yawk-accent-inflected catcalls would have been deafening, and undeniable. So, while relief and joy compete for preeminence in my baseball-obsessed psyche, I never really felt that such a collapse was in the offing.

Dancing around the room with Tessie in my arms after Jonathan Papelbon struck Seth Smith out swinging to end the game and win the World Series? That was pretty sweet, as were Tessie's final Victory Tosses. (Possibly her final Victory Tosses ever, as I expect her to have put on enough weight by next season that hefting her up over my head will be out of the question.) Her delight, uncomprehending though it (probably) was, enhanced my joy. She giggled, applauded, cooed and babbled, all with a grin as wide as it could have been.

The best part came earlier in Game Four. I had settled in on the couch to watch, and Tessie came toddling by (she is a toddler, after all), and plopped her stuffed bear down in a seated position next to me. Before she backed away, she leaned in and gave him a hug and a little peck. My response? Jealousy, of course; I had yet to receive one of my daughter's kisses. "What's this?" I said, "Mr. Bear gets smoochies and I don't?" I leaned over, and she did in fact give me a kiss before toddling away again. That was it. First one ever. While Jon Lester was striking out Troy Tulowitzki in the bottom of the third inning. Ahhh.

That was the best part of the World Series.

Pumpkin Festival

We visited the KidSpace Pumpkin Festival this afternoon. Tessie wasn't quite big enough for most of the rides and games, but she really liked watching some Mexican folk dancers from atop my shoulders, petting some stranger's little dog, and having Mommy and Daddy push her on the swings.
Meanwhile, Santa Teresita showed in the fifth race at Santa Anita, paying $4.80. Maybe I should trust Tessie's instincts more.

A Day at the Races

At the suggestion of our friends Royce & Heather (and their son, Ben), we had a lovely breakfast this morning at the famous Santa Anita racetrack. The 'Clockers' Corner' restaurant sits right beside the training track, and as we ate, racing thoroughbreds cantered and galloped past us. The kids were excited to see such large animals up close, and we, too, were impressed with how close we were allowed to get. Then, of course, Tessie and Ben turned their backs on the animals and started climbing the steps into the grandstand. Tessie even went into the betting parlor; I was able to catch her before she plunked her allowance down on #8, Santa Teresita, in the 5th.

(Just kidding. She doesn't really get an allowance.)
Tessie likes animals, and is always delighted by whatever dogs we may encounter on our walks around the neighborhood. She's fearless, and always tries to pat them, so we figured horses would be an even bigger thrill. Fortunately, Tessie isn't really talking yet, so we don't have to listen to "I want a pony!" ad infinitum. Yet.