Annoying!

The answer is, "No, it does not."

Alex, the question is, "Does Langer's really need to add to Los Angeles' visual blight by installing one of those inflatable waving men on the edge of its parking lot?"

I See the Seashore

Spent the weekend before last in the Bay Area and was fortunate enough to visit Half Moon Bay on Saturday. I met up with friends for lunch at Sam's Chowder House. As you can see, the view from Sam's is stunning. And the food was surprisingly good too.

Sam's is configured to take advantage of the ocean views.

Even Sam's Chowder House has gotten into the mobile restauarnt craze. You can follow them on Twitter.

Spring has sprung! The trees and flowers at the San Jose Sheraton Hotel were blooming.

On Sunday I had lunch at the famous Woodside restaurant Buck's.

What a hoot! The walls are covered toys, art and memorabilia. The food was excellent and the staff couldn't have been nicer to me. (They even sent over a free piece of coffee cake since I had to wait a little while for a table. You had me at "free.")

Buck's is known as the homey restaurant where Silicon Valley billionaires meet in shorts and sandals to cut multi-million dollar deals.

Here's all you need to know about Woodside: the grocery store across the street from Buck's only carries the New York Times, no local newspapers.

I was in the Bay Area to attend the California Republican Party convention in Santa Clara. There's something so sad about campaign signs after the convention's over.

What To Do With Too Much Time On Your Hands

This is How to Walk to Work

Beware of Flying Gondolas

After the convention wrapped up last Sunday I headed over to Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant for their Sunday brunch, held in an Assembly Hall behind the main restaurant.

Maybe my expectations were too high, but I didn't think it was very good. There certainly were lots of food choices but the quality was disappointing.

The highlight was when Snoopy came by for a visit. Apparently he was dressed as a Gondolier because March is "International Food Month" at Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant's Sunday Brunch. I supposed some of the food selections were "Italian." I remember meatballs.

In the early 1970s Walter Knott -- ever the patriot -- built a brick-by-brick replica of Independence Hall across the street from the rest of Knott's Berry Farm.

When I was younger I couldn't imagine why anyone would take time away from the rides at Knott's Berry Farm in order to tour this building.

Come to think of it, I still don't get it.

Snapshot in Time

Stopped by a 7-11 in Cerritos today to buy a newspaper.

The guy in front of me was trying to use a 1999 Susan B. Anthony coin to pay for his purchase.

The clerk hadn't seen one before and wasn't sure how much it was worth or even if it was a U.S. coin.

The clerk asked me if I recognized it. My mini-lecture on the American Suffrage Movement led to the acceptance of the coin as legal tender.

And sales at the Cerritos 7-11 resumed.

Major Nostalgia Meets General Memories

I'm spending this weekend at a convention at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park.

I have many, many fond memories of visiting Knott's Berry Farm, America's first theme park, with Grandmother Green. She really liked the Old West theme of Knott's Berry Farm's Calico Ghost Town.

I still remember the diorama that depicted a family struggling to move west in a covered wagon (they made it with just "one cup of water" left) that reduced her to tears.

And I remember begging to go into the Calico Ghost Town Saloon. It took several trips before she finally relented. I remember her going up to the bar to order a sarsaparilla. About the time the Can-Can Girl Show began we had to leave. I'm sure we spent some extra time in the Church-by-the-Lake that day.

I poked my head inside Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant. This restaurant is that prompted the development of a theme park at Knott's Berry Farm. (Walter Knott began building attractions to entertain the crowds waiting to get into his wife's restaurant.)

I don't remember ever eating here with Grandmother Green. I don't think she liked to pay restaurant prices for food plus I'm sure she thought her fried chicken recipe was better than Cordellia Knott's anyway.

Here's something new! They've opened a Pink's at Knott's Berry Farm. And last night there wasn't even a line. That's something you never see at the original location on La Brea Boulevard.