Today I read an article in the LA Times about Clifton's cafeteria in Downtown Los Angeles. Mark and I had lunch there years ago, before it was closed. It was dark and sad. The building has been renovated and is going to re-open at the end of the month. I shared with Mark the amazing statistic that this one cafeteria during the 1930's used to serve 15,000 meals a day.

http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-cliftons-reopening-chef-fullilove-20150821-story.html

This reminded me of the automat. I had told the story to Mark before, but he listened politely. 

One of my favorite vacation memories was a day in New York City. Dad took us for a ride on the Staten Island Ferry. It was a nickel, and he said it was the best bargain in New York. For dinner, he took us to an automat. He gave us each a handful of nickels and let us make our selections from the items in the glass windows. I had the mac and cheese. I remember Dad showed me how to take a piece of warm apple from one cubby and a scoop of ice cream from another to make pie a la mode. 

Mark thought the food would not have been fresh, but I remember it being very good. The hot things were hot, and the cold things were cold. Nothing stayed in the windows very long. There was a staff behind the windows replenishing servings of classic american comfort food. 

While Mark was driving in to work, he listened to NPR. It must be serendipity, because they featured a story about a new restaurant in San Francisco, a kind of automat for the digital age, called Eatsa.

He called me to tell me about it, and I looked it up online. Not quite an automat, it has a limited menu featuring quinoa. They plan to open in LA, so we will probably check it out and Mark will have to listen to my automat story again.

http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2015/08/31/436377616/the-restaurant-with-no-visible-workers 

More about Eatsa and a nice photo of an old automat as well as some more historical background.

http://www.citylab.com/navigator/2015/09/the-automation-of-the-american-lunch/403279/

I feel nostalgic about automats. And I am not the only one. I know that a wall from one of the last automats has been preserved at the Smithsonian. It is a piece of Americana from a time before drive-thru windows and fast food chains.

"America in the 1920s was characterized by levels of income disparity equivalent to today's, but rich and poor ate together at the Automat. The 1920s also saw relatively extreme levels of anti-immigration and racist sentiment, but natives and immigrants ate together at the Automat, as did people of all races. And they continued to do so, in unprecedented numbers, for roughly the next half century. The Automat was phenomenal." -Alec Shuldiner

Alec Shuldiner wrote Trapped Behind the Automat: Technological Systems and the American Restaurant, 1902-1991. This dissertation is the basis for a new documentary The Automat. Here is a link to the trailer:

http://asliceofpieproductions.com/about/


I'm looking forward to seeing The Automat when it comes out. And Mark and I will be checking out Clifton's once it opens. 
Many Memories Snowflake Holiday Card
Turn family photos into holiday cards at Shutterfly.com.
View the entire collection of cards.
I took some video when Tracy got her puppy.

I auditioned for the X-Factor yesterday at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. I saw articles about the crowds on the internet today. 18,000 is an exaggeration. The Sports Arena can seat 16,000 if every seat is filled. Three quarters of the concourse seating was virtually empty, and that is the largest seating area in the arena. Fox encouraged people auditioning to bring family and friends, and every minor who auditioned had to be accompanied by an adult. My guess is about 3,000 people actually auditioned.

I found the entire process exhausting. I had been up since 4 am and arrived at 5:30 am to spent hours in the cold and wet before they let us into the building. Fox had to get their crowd shots. We were told to arrive between 6 and 6:30 am and that auditions would start at 8 am. That was not true. It was not until 11 am that they started letting people indoors.

Everyone had assigned seats inside the arena. The conditions were very crowded inside.

There was plenty of food available. I'm glad I brought money. Most people paid $10 each day to park. Many of the concession stands were open and the prices are high. Turns out it was okay to bring your own food and water, but that is not what it said at the X-Factor website. I bought a pair of chicken tacos for $8. A bottle of water cost $5.

I have to give them credit. Everyone there got to audition. It was a very long day for everyone. But not for Simon. He was not there.

They set up 24 small curtained booths on the floor of the arena. Each seemed to be about 10' by 10' They were placed in two rows and spaced about 3 feet apart. Each had curtains on only 3 sides. Inside each booth was a director’s chair for the person who would judge the audition. On the other side was a pink x in tape to mark the spot where a singer would stand. Everyone was expected to sing and keep focused in the midst of the noise of the entire arena plus the auditions in the adjacent spaces.

I auditioned at 9 pm. I was pleased with how well I did, especially under those conditions, but I was concerned that the judge could not really hear the quality or any subtlety in my vocal tone. She said "I'm sorry, but not this year." I could tell she liked me, but I think there was something else they were looking for. Perhaps the X-Factor. She seemed genuinely sorry.

I felt a little annoyed to go thru all that and not move on. Still, one has to handle a lot of rejection as a performer. I'm glad I had the opportunity however, reality TV may not be for me. Time to move on to the next audition. This was not my first cattle call, and it may not be my last.

I auditioned for America’s Got Talent a few years ago. This experience was actually better. The staff were more respectful and professional. I liked that it was more about the talent and not the “freak show.” There was no filming during this part of the process aside from the crowd footage.

Here is my advice if you want to audition for the X-Factor. Or what I would like to call X-Factor Audition Secrets.

Prepare for an ordeal. They are not concerned with your comfort and they are not going to be considerate of your time. These things are called "cattle calls" for a reason. Maintain your sense of humor and an attitude of positive submission. Moo.

Read the contract and release at their website. Print out the PDF and before you put in a lot of time decide if you want to agree to their terms. This is a legally binding contract. You cannot have an agent, manager or a current recording contract if you want to audition. The contract was written by excellent lawyers and the terms are draconian. I enjoyed the section about how the show is to be held harmless no matter how much pain and humiliation you may suffer. And if you get on the show, they own you. Some might see this as a bargain with the devil.

If you are a member of SAG or AFTRA, you may participate, but do not let them put words in your mouth. As long as you are being you, it is cool with the unions. If anyone tries to coach you to say certain things, that is overstepping. I saw a lot of this at the cattle call for America's Got Talent, but that is another story. I did not see any of this at the X-Factor. Call the union and talk to a rep. if you have any questions.

The X-Factor set up the auditions in Los Angeles over 2 days. The first day all they did was hand out tickets and wristbands for the second day. I wish I had known that I would have had a much better time of it if I had gotten there as early as possible the first day. The people who got the first tickets had to wait the least amount of time on audition day. It seemed as if more people were put thru during the early part of audition day than later.

On audition day, the order was solely determined by the tickets given the first day. Bring stuff to keep yourself amused. Boredom is tedious, and it drains your energy. Also bring items that will help you be comfortable. Bring food, water and money.

Dress with style but also be practical. Remember you are going to be standing outside a long time. And then you may be waiting inside even longer. You do not need to dress up for the day when you go to get the tickets.

When considering your song choice, chose something you can sing well in the middle of a sea of distractions. It may help if it is something loud. Not only will you not have a microphone, but the noise level during your audition will be daunting. Make sure it is a song you know very well and can stay on pitch even though you will be hearing other singers all around you.

Remember, even if you do everything well, you may not get chosen. The producers have something specific in mind. They call it the X-Factor. Reality TV is a contrived reality. You may sing beautifully and do everything right, but if you do not fit their agenda, you will not be asked to continue. Don't let that discourage you. Instead, let it motivate you to find other opportunities. Good luck.
Today someone mentioned casually that her daughter was spending a lot more time on facebook than Stardoll. As if that were a good thing. My opinion differs. Many websites have major security problems, but they are not going to tell you about them. Here are my thoughts, in no particular order:

Facebook has a new feature. And you automatically get it unless you know how to turn it off. Now, anytime you update your wall or post anything at facebook, your location information is revealed! Great. Now someone can track you and find out if your home is empty all day. And it can save a stalker lots of time figuring out where you are. You may want to find out how to turn this off and do it ASAP.

I got an email from a friend about an ad on craigslist. It was some make money at home scheme and it not only looked like a scam, but it had a link to a website that trigged a warning in my browser. Maybe I am too cynical, but I have learned that when something seems to be too good to be true, it is not true. And I have seen similar things before. I have encountered hackers and scammers on facebook and on stardoll. I didn't think about Craigslist, but I am not surprised that those scum have a presence there as well.

Most people are buying computers and jumping on the internet without learning that they can get into some serious trouble. Hackers set traps for the naive. Their purpose may be to install malware or spyware in an unsuspecting person's computer or to steal cookies. Malware can lead to problems with your computer and can damage your hard drive as well as your software and existing files. Spyware gathers information (like your keystrokes for everything you type, including passwords) and then secretly sends it to the hacker. Cookies contain your online login information for your bank and other websites you use a password to use and may carry other sensitive information.

I have good protection (love my mac) so I cleared my cookies, closed all my other programs and clicked the link. I was not surprised that there was no information at the website, just a bank page. I noticed that the URL in my address bar indicated that the site address ended in .tk which is not good. I know of a few phishing sites with the same .tk address, including several fake stardoll sites.

Even my loved ones violate my privacy and send me things that may harm my computer. I cannot get my aunt to use BCC instead of TO when forwarding me an important email. So she sends my email address to hundreds of strangers all the time.

While I am at it, let me digress and mention I do not need to see that the Phenylalanine chain letter hoax is making the rounds again. The amount of misinformation being circulated by email is an embarrassment. I thought people had some sense. I wish everyone would take a minute to look up the latest rumor at Snopes.com and then make an intelligent choice before forwarding it to everyone in the address book. I do not consider getting chain mail any kind of thoughtful communication. I will rave about this more in another post.

Here is another polite message I sent to my aunt about attachments:

"I deleted the last message you sent to me without opening the attachment. It looked suspicious. There are so many things that can come as attachments that can harm a computer, that it is not wise to open them, or to send them on to others. Opening the wrong attachment can cause a lot of trouble. It can trigger a download of spyware or malware that you will not be aware of. It can slow down your computer, violate your privacy and steal sensitive information, such as accounts and passwords. If you are interested in sharing information, the best way to do this is to send it in as plain text in the body of email. Sending images is safe. I prefer jpgs, pdfs and pngs."

It is also wise to keep in mind that a link that someone sends you by email may cause the same problems as one you encounter on the net.

One of my friends had her computer hacked by clicking on an ad in Facebook. Her bank account and credit cards were all compromised. She had to change all her credit cards and freeze her bank account until things could get straightened out. Her company decided to replace her computer because spyware and malware were installed at the same time she had her cookies stolen and the hard drive was seriously compromised. It took her weeks to clean up the mess.

Facebook says they have banned the advertiser who put in the fake ads. I wrote a long letter to them about this, and they blamed the developers of PetPupz, because she was playing that game. Of course PetPupz blamed facebook. I am not pleased with them. I have kept my facebook account, but I barely use it. And I never play the games they offer.

The New York Times website was hit by this kind of hacker attack the last weekend of September 2009. The ads seemed legit, but as soon as the Times offices closed on friday, the hackers somehow switched out the code and thousands of users were hacked. The Times had to post detailed instructions on what to do and posted an apology as well to all the users. You can look it up. It was a big deal.

To protect yourself, never to allow a download of virus scanning software that you may encounter while surfing the internet. Most likely it is a trick and will compromise your computer's security. If something starts downloading that you did not request, immediately pull the plug or shut down however you can. Disconnect from the internet and then reboot your computer. I usually then search my computer by date and delete any file that was created in the last few minutes. I am a bit paranoid. It is always a good idea to not have unsaved documents open when you are on the web, so you can shut down without losing any of your work.

You must use cookies for many activities on the web. Cookies identify you when you log on to your bank and other sites, such as facebook. The use of cookies makes everyone vulnerable to getting your accounts hijacked by real hackers. You can google "cookie stealing" and find out how to set up this simple hack yourself and what you need to do to hijack a user's session. To be safe, clear your cookies and close all your other windows before you log into a website that requires you to log in. Stay on only that website until you log out and then clear your cookies again.

There are more things you should do if you are using a public computer, wi-fi at a public place or a computer at work where other people may have access. But this is a good start.

Some sites have more security than others and you can see it by looking at the address bar in your browser. If it says http:// it is not as secure as a site that says https:// so be careful.

Looking at your address bar can help you identify if you are at a genuine site or at a fake website designed to trick you. I was sent a link to a fake stardoll site and the only clue I had was in the address bar. Instead of stardoll.com I was at starboll.com and my computer had automatically filled in my login information in the boxes provided. If I had not been more observant, the hacker would have gotten my login information and would have been able to steal my account. This is what they call a phishing website. These copycat websites are designed to trick users.

Here is an example of phishing. Let's say a victim gets an email that says it is from Bank of America and it says to log in to take care of a problem. If the victim clicks the link provided, he may be taken to a fake website that looks just like the Bank of America site. But when he logs in, he sees a blank page or the same login page again. The hacker now has the victim's login information. But what if the victim does not have a Bank of America account? No problem. The email was sent to every address the hacker could get his hands on. Some of the people are going to have Bank of America accounts. Those are his targets. That is why it is called phishing.

I have a log on my firewall. I get an attack on my computer about every 8 seconds. These attacks are probably not all from the same source. But the internet is a ugly place now. Everyone should update their firewall, virus protection and check for malware and spyware.

I am assuming that you are using a PC. I use a Mac. If you have an Apple computer, you do not need to buy a lot of extra software, (my firewall is part of my Belkin wireless home network and came with the router) but you should make sure you keep up the security updates that are provided by Apple. Whatever computer you are using, if it is running a lot slower that you think it should, you may have a problem. Purchasing a reputable security program and running it will probably take care of it.

It is best if you have someone you trust who is handy with computers to help you out, but being aware can be helpful.

Try to be safe. It's a jungle.
Mark and I in front of the Hollywood Wax Museum.

Mark and I went to the Haunted Hollywood Scavenger Hunt by Watson Adventures on Saturday June 13, 2009. We bought discount tickets thru Goldstar.com. It was our first scavenger hunt with Watson Adventures but it looked like it would be lots of fun. And it was.

I am up for doing another one. Even at full price. They have some really interesting hunts coming up. If you are looking for a crazy thing to do some weekend, you may want to go too. Please let me know if you will be there!

If you would like to benefit from my experience, here are my handy tips:

  1. Wear athletic shoes. There is a lot of fast walking on uneven surfaces. Ladies, you do not want to be tottering around in heels.
  2. Wear something bright. You want your teammates to be able to pick you out from the crowd. And it was very crowded, especially in front of Grauman's Chinese. You need to stick together or you will be disqualified.
  3. Bring a pen or pencil. You will each get pages of riddles. You may need to make notes. Or write down a math problem to make sure you get it right. (More on that later.) One of you will have to fill in the answer sheet. They do supply one pencil per team. Use pencil, not pen. You may learn something later in the hunt that might change the answer of an earlier question.
  4. Eat, drink and go to the restroom before the hunt. You will not have time during it. We got back barely in time and we rushed. Some teams wound up running. You lose a point for every minute you are late!
  5. This is more fun if you are mentally acute. You don't need to know any trivia, but you will need to solve riddles and search for clues. (Warning: one clue results in a very bad pun!) The hunt rewards excellent observational and problem solving skills. You can leave your blackberry or iphone at home, it won't help you. And neither will a glass of wine before the hunt. Reward yourself after.
  6. Fill out the solution page and make sure you put down all the information. Incomplete answers only get 1/2 a point. And have someone check your math. We lost by 1/2 a point because I can't do math in my head, and nobody noticed I made a mistake. Ouch.
  7. Don't get bogged down too long on one puzzle. If you are not getting it, move on. The solution may come to you a bit later and if you have time, you can backtrack.
  8. Team up. You can compete as a couple, but having input from more team members is better. Just let the guy know what you want and he will match you up.
  9.  If you want to be competitive, leave the little ones at home. Older kids might do okay as long as you keep them right with you all the time. The area is crowded and seedy, and though it has improved a lot, it is not Disneyland. I left my purse at home too.
  10. Team names win by which one gets the loudest cheers. Be a cheerleader to get that extra point. You may need it. We got 18 out of 20 and lost. Winners get a pass to another hunt! 


Here is a list of upcoming events in the Los Angeles area:

The Murder at the Natural History Museum Scavenger Hunt
Saturday, June 27, 2 to 4:30 p.m.
Someone, or something, has been bumping off museum staffers involved in acquiring a sacred Aztec relic. Is it the dreaded god Itlkilyu? Or is a serial killer on the loose? Your team of sleuths will have to crack a hieroglyphic code and uncover the museum’s secrets to stop the killings. Price, which includes museum admission: $28 per person.

The Murder at the Getty Scavenger Hunt
Saturday, July 11, 4:30 to 7 p.m. 
A murdered curator has left behind a cryptic trail of clues connected with secrets in works at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. As your team gathers answers about the art, you begin to piece together a sordid tale about greed, lust, pride, revenge and treachery, all revolving around the museum’s planned multi-million-dollar purchase of a painting by Leonardo da Vinci. The murder victim knew too much—and now it’s your turn to learn what drove one of four suspects to commit murder. To find out, you’ll have to crack a secret code left in the victim’s appointment calendar. Can you figure out who dunnit? Be prepared for one of our most challenging hunts. Price: $20 per person (does not include the museum parking fee). 

The Haunted Hollywood Scavenger Hunt (this is the one I went on!)
Visit ghost-plagued buildings and haunted spots on Hollywood’s famous strip while learning stories about the restless souls you might disturb. Learn about the celebrity ghost who plays a bugle in room 928 at a hotel, check out a movie-themed bookshop whose owner stuck his head in an oven and see if you feel the spirit of a man with a cape and top hat at the famously haunted Hollywood Wax Museum. You’ll also discover the haunting secret of the Hollywood sign, why the pool at Hollywood High is a dangerous place, where a blonde bombshell’s ghost gets wet, and whose ghost likes to pace in front of the Chinese Theater. Price: $20 per person.
Saturday, July 18, 7 to 9:30 p.m. 


The Santa Monica Pier Pressure Scavenger Hunt
Saturday, August 1, 5 to 7:30 p.m.
You may think you know the Santa Monica Pier and the Third Street Promenade, but on this hunt you’ll uncover secrets and quirks you never suspected. Highlights include Palisades Park, a massive storm, the 1916 carousel featured in The Sting, a shoot-out in a not-OK corral, hungry Big Bertha, a 19th-century tavern and weapon of massive destruction, a little bit of Britain, a robot invasion, spectacular views, oddball art and a 500-pound giant shark. Price: $20 per person.


The N*ked at the Getty Scavenger Hunt
Recommended by LA Weekly, UrbanDaddy.com, The Rundown and Los Angeles Nomad 
Saturday, August 15, 4:30 to 7 p.m. 

Go on a humorous, mind-tingling search for n*dity at the amazing Getty Center. You don’t need to know anything about art or the museum—or n*dity—to solve our tricky questions. Highlights include a sultry dog whisperer, slapstick with a lemon, an ancient game of Wife Swap, Toulouse-Lautrec’s “moodel,” Mischief’s bear hide, a Cupid who pulls a Mike Tyson move, a god who enjoys children (preferably with a bit of mustard) and more. After the hunt, linger in the mountaintop gardens for a great view of the sunset. This hunt is rated PG-13. Price: $20 per person (does not include the museum parking fee).

Watsons Adventures originated in New York, so if you live near there or are visiting, you can do one in the Big Apple! They are also in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington D.C. More at http://watsonadventures.com/

I wrote a review for our adventure in Hollywood at goldstar.com. Goldstar is a great way to get discounts for all kinds of events. Usually I get theatre tickets, but they have lots of stuff, and in lots of other areas too, including Vegas shows! If you sign up, please tell them I referred you and I will get a discount on my next purchase.

See my review at:

http://www.goldstar.com/events/hollywood-ca/watson-adventures-haunted-hollywood-scavenger-hunt.html#review_418647?page_by_id=418647





We called our team "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." They give an extra point for the most clever team name. We did not win. Considering we were on Hollywood Blvd., maybe we should have been "The Four Ho's of the Apocalypse." 
(Originally written in April, 2008)

Things have been kinda wild lately, in our own backyard. So I have been learning new things!

A month ago we had the trees trimmed. One of the trimmers came to me with a twig with a nest and a baby hummingbird still in it! He said they found it in the pile of cuttings, and wanted to know if I knew what to do. Carefully, we put it into a protected spot in the tree, and I secured the twig with some string.

Then I went and looked for advice on the internet. I got in contact with a specialist and we spoke on the phone. She told me that the mother would come back and find the baby. The baby would call every few minutes to let her know where it was. They instructed me to watch with binoculars for 40 minutes to see if the mother showed up. And because the visit may be only a few seconds, I had to not take my eyes off the nest until I saw the mother. She showed up after about 30 minutes.

This photo was taken about a week later. As you can see, the baby had almost outgrown the nest. Not long after she took her first flight. (Since she is not brightly colored, I think she is a girl.) Fledgling hummingbirds leave the nest, but cannot fly very far at first. The fledgling hides in bushes after short flights. The mother finds it to feed it, and then teaches it the lessons it needs to survive as it also improves its flying skills.

Sometimes I would be out back and hear her calls to her mom. I was picking some tangerines and she must have been in the tree. Suddenly she burst past me and flew over to another bush. I haven't heard the calls lately, but I think I spotted her today. Who knows. I hope she sticks around.

Then last Saturday, the dogs tangled with an opossum. After getting them out of the backyard, it was lying there as if it were dead. I didn't want to touch it. So I went inside, consulted the internet and read that it was probably faking. Sure enough, I went outside to check, and the possum was gone. But I heard some strange noises, like tiny sneezes.

I found a baby possum on the ground near the garage. It was partially hidden by a board, so I left it and consulted the internet again. I wanted to make sure it was a possum and not a rat. Apparently, that funny huffing noise which seemed like tiny sneezes is all the sounds they make. I called the humane society and found out that possums are not like hummingbirds. Mother opossums do not come back for babies that have dropped off them! I was going to have to bring it in for rescue.

But I remembered I had heard the funny huffing noise in another area of the yard. So I fixed up a shoebox and used an oven mitt to pick up the baby and put it in the box. But even though I looked all over, I couldn't find the other baby. It had stopped making the noise, and I wasn't exactly sure where it came from.

So, I let the dogs into the backyard, held the box with the baby possum down where they could see and sniff it. I told them there was another one and I needed them to find it for me. I expected my beagle, Sebastian to find it and bark at me to let me know where it was. I was following him when my other dog, Phoebe came to me with the baby possum in her mouth! I told her to put it down, and she did. It was unharmed! I picked it up and put it in the box with the other possum baby. Phoebe got lots of praise for being such a good and clever dog.

I took a few photos of the baby possums. They really are cute. Look at that face! They do not carry rabies and help gardens by eating snails. They also kill and eat vermin. Well, the adults do. They are marsupials; related to koala bears and kangaroos, not rats. I put the box on a heated pad and took them to the Humane Society in Pasadena. They have a whole possum rescue program where volunteers raise the babies. Later they go into a habitat to learn how to survive, and then they are released into the wild.

I got home and was cleaning up in the backyard when I heard that huffing noise again! Oh no. I asked at the humane society how many babies are in a litter, and I was told, as many as fifteen! Phoebe couldn't even find this one. I finally saw it, on the other side of the back fence in our neighbor's yard. So I fixed up another box and went around the block to get it.

They weren't home, so I knocked on the door of the people who lived next door. When I told the guy what I was there for he said "Oh, we have one, too." Then he took me into his backyard, and on the ground was another baby possum. He picked it up and put it into the box, then he hopped the fence, and found the one I had seen. I have attached a photo of the two of them cuddled together. I noticed that they seemed sickly when I first picked them up, but once they got warm, they were very lively (and hard to photograph.} I made another drive to Pasadena. They were going to keep all four siblings together. I hope they do well.

Every time I go into the back yard now I am so aware of the sounds of the birds and the other animals. Who knew we had so much wildlife in LA?

Well, hope you like the stories and enjoy the photos. And if you come across a baby hummingbird or possum, now you know what to do.