Vista's Science Fair - 2012

I am so glad that we are well past the days of elementary science fair projects (although I was never the parent in charge of them...)  Here is a small sampling of the projects from last night's extravaganza.

On Netflix

I used to sing the praises of Netflix.  We started getting DVDs about 5 years ago, and it was great to have them arrive in the mail.  Then it was occasionally frustrating when something I wanted to watch was continually listed as "Very Long Wait,"  or when a disk arrived unplayable and we had to wait a few more days for a replacement.  BUT THEN, they added this really cool feature called Instant Streaming.  And we rejoiced.  We could hook up our laptop to the TV with a bunch of spaghetti, and away we went.

Then the mucky mucks at Netflix thought it would be cool to up the price by 60% in one fell swoop, and, well, you know about all the trouble the company was in after that fiasco, what with their trying to split it into two companies, etc.

We took a three-month hiatus from Netflix and kept ourselves entertained with hulu and MLB and the new season of Modern Family and some lame show called Terra Nova, and then college football and some NFL.

Around the holidays, we decided that most of the movies in our DVD queue weren't all that enticing to us any more.  I wondered, sometimes, why I put them there.  It was clear that we ought to just go with the streaming option since that queue was sizable.  There seem to be plenty of tv shows (which last way longer than movies).

Turns out they need THREE DAYS to change your account over from one service to another.  THEN, if you only get DVDs, you can't see what streams.  If you only stream, your DVD queue vanishes in cyberspace.  Well, I've heard that it is still there, but I can't see it.

Also, there is no SAVE feature with a streaming service.  I have to keep checking every week or day or fortnight to see if something that I want to see is now streaming. In addition, I cannot rate movies unless they are available for streaming.  Blah.

Seems to me that if Netflix wanted to drag me back into DVDs AND streaming, they would make it easier for me.  Do they really want me to feel irritated when I see their logo on my computer?

The Tortilla Curtain

 The New Year starts with Book Club this week, and on tap for discussion is T. C. Boyle's The Tortilla Curtain.  I'm sure there will be plenty of discussion about the hot topic of illegal immigration.  Though this book was published sixteen years ago, it doesn't feel dated.  Border crossing issues are still complex with no simple solutions.  Neither couple in this novel (the privileged white couple, the poor Mexican couple) is happy, although set in direct contrast with each other in alternating chapters it is easy to discredit the concerns of the privileged when they have such plush living quarters and plenty of food.  If I edited this book, I would want to see the rich couple more conflicted about their views of  immigration issues.

Wheels When You Want Them

Our second car is a Zipcar.  On occasion when we need to have two cars, one of us will rent one by the hour.  On Saturday I had a meeting in Redlands when H had to be in Placentia for an umpire meeting.  Here is a pic of my fun ride - a blue Ford Focus.

One thing about this car, when you hit about 76 mph, the dashboard makes a little sound and flashes a warning that the vehicle is reaching its maximum speed.  Gee, I wonder how I found that out?

Claremont Loving Hut Redux

Spicy Tender Gardein Burger

Taco Diego

Time to revisit Claremont's Loving Hut since the soft opening.  Before we went, I perused the online menu and decided that I wanted the Avocado and Crispy Seitan Club Sandwich.  Our waitress told us that they were out of several items, but when I ordered the Club, she said, "Oh, we just sold the last one of those."  I wonder, then, if they are premade?  Good thing I had a second choice lined up.  I ordered the Spicy Tender Gardein Burger.  H, on my recommendation from last time, ordered the Taco Diego.  

I have to say that I was unimpressed with the taste of the burger.  Actually, the lack of taste.  However, the spicy sauce on the burger had a kick and some flavor, but the Gardein was not very warm and had nothing special to recommend it.  H said the same of his tacos which apparently weren't as good as the first ones I had.  

Also, although the decor is pleasant enough, and it's very quiet inside (3-4 tables of people), since it is a little upscale, they could have some quiet music playing or something to create an ambiance to match the pricey menu.  I'm not sure we'll be back.  I will continue to go to the Upland restaurant or to Santa Monica for RFD when I need a vegan meal.

Super King Market

When we moved to California 25 years ago, we lived in Baja Claremont and did the bulk of our grocery shopping at Lucky south of the 10 Freeway.  Then Lucky merged with Albertson's, and then later that store closed and the site sat vacant for a number of years.  Recently Super King Markets opened in that location, and I had to go check it out.  I had heard that it was 1) big and 2) very busy.  Both reports were accurate.  First of all I had a hard time finding a parking spot, and the young men working there were busy corralling shopping carts.  Inside it felt as though people were stocking up for Thanksgiving.  

I didn't buy anything today, but I will keep the deli, produce section and bakery in mind for the future....

Weather Report

This morning I read The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats to the Kinders, but before I began, we needed to clarify what season it is.  Usually we have snow on the mountains at this time of year, but not now.  It's been unusually warm (after having a chilly December) and sunny.

My garden is in winter swing with snap peas and lettuce doing well, and surprisingly, we still have green peppers.  Peppers usually thrive in summer heat, but they made it through December and still give us a few a week.

I'm back to riding my bike to school on Thursdays, too.

Methodist Church Nativity

The Claremont United Methodist Church has a history of creating unusual nativity scenes which carry social messages. This year's depiction of three couples, one heterosexual, one gay, one lesbian, prompted someone to vandalize the scene on Christmas Eve.  This hate crime has been covered by the LA Times, CBS News and even The View on ABC (among others).

Before

After

New Year's No. 2

Yesterday's bonus holiday, New Year's Day Again, was filled with food and football.  For the first time since we've been Ducks fans, we can celebrate a bowl win!  Even though Wisconsin is one of our other favorite teams, Oregon is our current #1 NCAA team. (Too bad that Stanford couldn't make their win, though.)



C and B helped in the celebration by bearing all kinds of good food.  We provided the homemade guacamole, they brought homemade tamales, rice and beans, and cupcakes.  The salad came from our garden.  I am happy that I still have today to get ready to start the new year of teaching!

Hawai'ian Historical Sites

Along with beautiful scenery and good food, we enjoy learning a bit of history when we travel.  The Big Island has several beautiful National Historic Sites on the Kona side.  The first one we saw is Pu'uhonua o Honaunau (also called The City of Refuge).  Ages ago if you broke a law (say your shadow crossed over the land of the chiefs), you were sentenced to death.  You had an out, though.  If you could swim or somehow get to one of these places of refuge and become cleansed, your trespass was forgiven and you could return home a free person.

This place is quite beautiful and we enjoyed our several hours here, from strolling through the lush grounds, looking out over the ocean, to the most entertaining and informative ranger talk.

The other Historic Site we visited bordered the campground at Spencer Beach, so we could just walk over to visit it.  Pu'ukhola Heiau is the temple of the great King Kamehameha who united all Hawai'ian islands under one rule in 1810.  

In contrast with the City of Refuge, this temple (heiau) sits in a starker landscape overlooking a small bay that is often filled with sharks (which we did not see).  However, we did see the spout of a humpback whale just off the shore while visiting this site.