Hey folks, yeah I'm still kickin', long time no see and all that. I haven't had time to write (almost literally) because I've been going almost 24/7 since the last time we spoke. Even in my sleep I am (almost) going 24/7. I extended my nightly walks way out east of Zelzah about a month ago, and all the way up to Chatsworth Street. I do this thing called my Ralphs walk; been doing it for over a year 'cause my local Vons is waaay too expensive. Ralphs up in Granada Hills has deals and all kinds of clearance items so I've been walking up there since about Summer 2024. It's a 4 mile round trip so I get most of my daily miles in, too.
I'm talking about the Ralphs on Chatsworth and Zelzah, across the street just south of where the UA theater used to be, where Lilly and I saw so many movies in the '80s.
Anyhow, one night about a month ago, not long after Halloween, I got a notion to cross Zelzah and walk down this dark street called Kingsbury. It opened up a can of worms that I'm still digesting.
Kingsbury east to Andasol then south on Andasol to Devonshire then east again to Louise, cross Devonshire and go one short block south to Tuba and Louise. Turn right (going west) and see what you pass on your right. This section of Tuba is narrow and old. There's an old patch of someone's farm still standing. Keep walking in this direction and you will come to a L-shaped turn where Tuba meets (but does not intersect with) Andasol.
The southeast sidewalk of this turn, from Tuba onto Andasol, is legendary.
Go south one more block and you'll be at Andasol Avenue Elementary School.
I used to pass this school regularly when my Dad lived at an assisted living facility just north of Mayall on Balboa. I was staying with my Mom then, in her HUD apartment. Dad lived at this care facility from 1998 to April 2006. I had no car until November 1999, so I'd walk to visit Dad, and after crossing CSUN, the easiest route was straight down Mayall from Zelzah to Balboa. Mayall took me right past the south side of Andasol Elementary, and I passed it probably 50 times (at least), and on foot, but I was oblivious in those days.
Now, though, ever since I recalled The 2010 Pat/Friedman Tour, I've been remembering a ton of things they showed me, and one of those things was the distinctive exterior of the auditorium at Andasol Elementary. I discovered the children's garden on my own about two weeks ago and lost it right there on the sidewalk, looking through the chainlink at night. I needed a Kleenex, big time.
Anyhow, that's just a little smidge of what's been happening.
I also do Crime Walks, where I uncover (and try to contextualize) cold case crimes in this area, Granada Hills, east of Ralphs to Aldea and south down to Prairie. I also have my White Oak sector, and I'm dismayed to report that the horrendous Meissner House, empty for 23 years, has had lights on the past two times I've passed it. Only two lights, and no cars are there, so it's no a crisis just yet, but it has me worried. I don't know what's going on inside there, but they musn't ever change it, or sell it or re-develop the land. The Meissner House must stand as a Museum of Horror for all time. And it ain't funny and I'm not joking.
On the "normal" front, I saw Sparks at the Greek Theater on September 30, and Judas Priest and Alice Cooper in a co-headlining show at the Forum on October 19. Both concerts were killer, and I must state yet again how impressed I am with JP's new lineup. What band has ever pulled off replacing two absolute guitar legends? Judas Priest, that's who. Now, I'm talking in the live sense. No one can replicate the run of albums from "Sad Wings" to "Turbo" that featured Tipton/Downing, but the last Priest album with Richie Faulkner was their best since then and is a classic in it's own right, and live, this 2.0 version of JP is Next Level, with Andy Sneap as the secret weapon...
At the Tiny Apartment, I'm listening to Scott Walker and (recently) "Storm Corrosion" by Wilson and Ackerfeldt. I just re-read "The Shining" for the first time since 1977, and it's gotta be one of the greatest books ever written, in any genre. Question: What the hell was Kubrick thinking?
By day, I'm working on my 2009 book, tentatively titled "Diane's House". Gonna be a while till it's out but I'm shooting for no later than next Summer.
I'm looking to buy old street maps of the San Fernando Valley. Google Streetview is worthless, it shows a buch of AI-generated "fake news" locations. Bing is a little better but they don't have a ground view.
Anyhow, that's all I've got for tonight. I'll keep the blog going no matter what, but I can't promise a regular schedule. See ya at Maple Hall.
Tons and tons of love!
No comments:
Post a Comment