This friendly gasoline machine has been dispensing sage advice for over ten years now.

I used to work at the nearby mall–there’s an afterschool art-education program there, and I used to teach art to kids there. Whenever I could, I’d go here for gasoline. You can find it at the corner of Woodman and Riverside Drive in Sherman Oaks (map).

It’s not the cheapest gas in town, but it’s clearly the most articulate.

Read the rest of its sagacious advice after the jump…

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There is a distinct breed of family restaurant founded in spades across the nation between the 40s and the 50s, few of which survive, that provided a Disneyana environment where the family could dine surrounded by a Yogi Bear-era “outdoor” look: faux trees, the occasional water feature, “log cabin” woodwork, abundant taxidermy. Clearman’s North Woods Inn, in San Gabriel, is one such institution.

I happened to be passing there the other day while spending quality time with the Mom. I went to Clearman’s only once, long ago, when I was in junior high school. For reasons that will forever remain elusive I had developed a passion for miniatures, along with another girl in my class, and the two of us made plans to go–or rather, made plans for our moms to drive us–down to San Gabriel where a miniature store sold itty-bitty pieces of handpainted china for lilliputian table settings to be set in itty bitty houses. Clearman’s happened to be right next door.

My friend had been there before. “You have to get the potato with the cheese butter,” she announced. Her mom, petite as a chihuahua and as perky, leaned over the table toward my mother and I. ‘CHEESE BUTTER,” she said in a low whisper… (more…)

Well, I guess that happened months ago, perhaps when people started Fairey-ing their Facebook photos. But  I wonder if this  image of a dog with the word “ADOPT,” which I snapped in Marina del Rey, adds to the universal iconography idea that might help Fairey in his lawsuit with the Associated Press.

Sometimes, I feel like I’m the only person who ever has noticed the large ‘Jesus Saves’ sign downtown. When I point it out, people often ask me how long it’s been there. I shrug. I have no idea. Seems like forever to me. It stands out to my eye, but I guess to others it’s just more sight pollution; one more ad, one more neon sign.

Today, while walking down Broadway, I saw it from a different angle. The sun hitting the sign was too perfect not to capture. (It looked better in real life, trust me.)

'Jesus Saves' from Broadway

As I walked on south, I turn around to shoot more photos of my beloved Eastern building. Imagine my surprise as I noticed the shadow of the sign on the adjacent building.

'Jesus Saves' shadow

I am not a Christian, so this is more luck of the time of day for me. But for the lady at the bus stop who saw it when I pointed it out to my husband, it seemed to mean a lot to her; like she needed it.

I’m in Northern Ireland for work reasons and spent last weekend driving up the Causeway Coastal Route. In a little village called Carnlough, I saw this sign and it made me laugh. I was tempted to make an appointment so I could feel closer to home.

Oh we love our fast cars here in LA.  This near pristine Cobra 427 was spotted at Kaiser Pasadena during the lunch hour today.  Nice to see the old car being used, and on the streets no less instead of restricted to the odd track event or horrors…trailered to car shows.

The Cobra 427 was Carrol Shelby’s effort to get an A/C Cobra homologated for racing and have something that could beat the Corvette of the era. (Homologation is the process of producing enough cars for road use so they can be used as a “stock” road car for track use).   Though he missed getting homologation completed in time for the 1965 racing season, it was eventually was and became a terror of the race tracks even into the 1970’s by private racing teams.

A couple of more pics after the jump. (more…)

I love these cheeky little trucks tossing barbs at the competition.  But I think Fresh and Easy would get more mileage (no pun) on the fact that their little trucks run on an eco-friendly bio-diesel if that was more prominent than the barbs.  Pic by me with the trusty cell phone cam, it does get bigger with a click.

I spotted this in Monrovia’s Library Park this afternoon.  Pic my me and will get bigger with a click.

When is a parking ‘tard not a parking ‘tard?  This Chevy Avalanche was taking up two nice spaces in a West Side supermarket parking lot.  On foot, I snapped this picture before I noticed that the driver was inside.  As a result of seeing me, I think, the driver then started the engine and took off.

So, does that make him a parking ‘tard?  A standing ‘tard?  No ‘tard at all?  If my rudimentary photo software would have allowed me to black out the license plate, I would have done so unless and until a “guilty” verdict was reached.  What do you think?

Does this happen anywhere else? Besides Costco, that is. I’ve lived here for almost 3 years and I’m still astounded to see these long lines for gas everyday. This am/pm is on the corner of Eastern Ave. and Huntington Dr. It’s a busy intersection and the station’s 3 egress channels are always blocked with parked cars waiting their turn.

The exit onto Eastern Ave. (not seen in the photo) is the worse. If you get gas at the channel parallel to Eastern Ave., chances are you’ll be stuck there for a long time because of cars blocking you both the exit there and the first egress on Huntington.