As a huge sports fan I take offense to this. Tailgating, with alcohol, is part of the experience. Of course there are always people who drink too much and become belligerent and want to start a fight with anyone for any reason, but that can happen anywhere.

What everyone needs to remember is tailgating is about celebrating the commonality that is your team, which makes it a community. When you have a shared community you have respect, or should have, and that means respecting your fellow fans and the fans of the other team. I’m all for good natured ribbing of the rival team especially if they come into your stadium all decked out in their teams gear. It’s expected and if you don’t know this you’re very very naive. Remember though, mean-spirited barbs and violence is never appropriate.

Okay, end of my rant. Do you guys agree with me or the City of Anaheim?

Unfortunately, I can’t imbed this particular video from the ABC7 website (it was shot earlier than the live shot I saw), but click here to see the video/story.

The City of Irvine is taking a proactive approach in enlisting the help of residents in the prevention and transmission of influenza (flu) this season.

Click this link for information regarding the transmission, signs, symptoms, and tips on how you and your family can stay healthy, which will in turn contribute to a healthy community.

In addition to this letter, more information is available on the City’s web site www.cityofirvine.org and the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) web site http://ochealthinfo.com

Thank you for making your health and the community’s well being a priority.

Community Services Department
City of Irvine – One Civic Center Plaza
Irvine, CA 92606
949-724-6600
cs@cityofirvine.org

My new version of autumn/fall. The sun setting over Dana Point Harbor

Obviously living in Orange County many of these things don’t occur. We may only have two seasons, as a lot of people like to say … summer and not summer. However, it doesn’t take away from the best part of experiencing all four seasons as they do in other parts of the country. In my opinion, the best part of the seasons changing is the anticipation of the change regardless if it is traditional or not. And in my case, wearing a whole different wardrobe. I’m a sucker for any kind of black turtleneck sweater.

I’m totally digging the cooler weather we’re experiencing this week. While we don’t have trees bursting with vibrant colors and it’s not quite turtleneck sweater weather yet it is light sweater weather and  the air is crisp and cool. I can live with that.

So, OC Metbloggers, what is your favorite season? Do you share my affinity for black turtleneck sweaters?

Even the Ralph's in South Orange County root for the Steelers!

For a minute I thought I was in a Giant Eagle.

Go Steelers! They need all the help they can get. They’ve shit the bed the past two games.

image courtesy sodahead.com

I’m sure many of you know my fellow Metblogger Jon has a bit of a thing for Disneyland … as I’m sure many of you do too. I’m now going to say two things that most of you need to be sitting down for – thank goodness that you’re on your computer, the odds are in my favor you’re not going to collapse from a standing position. However, you may want to hold onto your desk – One: I’ve NEVER been to Disneyland, Disney World or any other Disney owned theme park; Two: I don’t really like Mickey Mouse or any of his cohorts. I’m a Scooby Doo kinda girl.

To leave a comment or vote in the poll read on …

I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m telling you all what some might consider a deep, dark secret – I have a sneaky suspicion there a born and bred Southlanders out there who agree with me on both admissions. Let me explain why I’m opening myself up to the verbal flogging that is sure to come. It all began a couple of months ago when I met my fellow bloggers for the first time and they were having Disney discussions. I came clean because I had nothing to contribute to the conversation. They were all appalled and no one more so than Jon. We met-up again last week and Jon’s shock and persistence only intensified since our last meeting.

Jon has extraordinary enthusiasm for all things Disney and just wants to share that enthusiasm with a neophyte and naysayer, such as myself. His enthusiasm truly is extraordinary. Seriously, he actually bounced (BOUNCED!!!) at the thought of taking me to Disneyland.

If you’ve read my author bio or some of my other posts, you know I’m from Pittsburgh. “My” amusement park is Kennywood and of course I’ve been to other amusement parks, but I’ve just never had a desire to make the trek to Florida to go to Disney World* even when I’d hear my school friends talking about family trips they took, over Christmas break or Spring break (the K-12 kind, not the college kind) or summer vacation. I just always had the impression that Disney is trying to be the anti-amusement park, you know, all that goody-goody crap … no alcohol, no grit, perfectionism to the Nth degree, it’s “the happiest place on earth,” etc.

I’m not exactly sure why I have such an aversion to all things Disney. I think now, it’s more an attitude of “can I go my whole life without setting foot in a Disney theme park?” and just avoiding it ’cause everyone is telling me how great it is. It’s kind of like when someone says don’t look you automatically look or don’t read that it’s the first book you go out and read, you know heard mentality. So instead of going I steadfastly refuse to go. It might help that I don’t have kids, but that doesn’t stop many adults I know from going.

So, here’s my proposal to you, our readers, tell me why I should go to Disneyland and I’ll seriously consider allowing Jon to escort me around and we’ll blog about it of course. If you really want to convince me to go you have to prove your point, none of this generic crap like “it’s fun” or “everyone likes it” or “everyone has to go once” or anything even remotely pedestrian. Not only will I not go, I might even throw-up in my mouth a little bit. I should also warn you I’m pretty jaded and cynical, which I’m sure you’ve figured out by now. So please, if you want me to go convince me via the comments section.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

* When you live on the East Coast this is the Disney you go to. I guess because it’s you can drive to it. However, that fact is debatable. My family (sister, mom and dad) took one and only one trip to Florida via the car. Everyone was miserable. This is not a hard and fast rule either, of course I know people that would fly (or drive, god forbid) to California.

The Irvine Fine Arts Center presents All Media 2009, a juried exhibition open to Southern California artists. This show will feature two and three-dimensional art, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and digital media. The deadline for submissions is Monday, September 28,2009.

Click here for more more information regarding submission requirements and the entry form.

The All Media 2009 exhibition will run from November 20, 2009 through January 16, 2010 (or the 23rd … depending on which document you look at). The IFAC is located at: 14321 Yale Avenue, Irvine, CA 92604.

If your work is accepted to be part of the exhibition, please let us know. The OC Metblog readers and posters alike would love – I’m sure – to come out and show our support.

The hiking trails are easy, especially if you are just meandering and allowing all of your senses to fully absorb everything the forest has to offer. The senses go into overdrive the minute you step on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, this is especially true if you have a height thing, which I do.

Follow me after the jump for more photos and commentary.

As you can see from the photo below, it looks like you’re heading straight into the side of the mountain, when you are on your way up.  One thing, of several, that is a bit disconcerting is the rocking when the tramcar goes by the cable-holding towers. Not only is it disconcerting, but annoying too because most of the passengers yell “WHOO!” Call me a curmudgeon or a killjoy, but I think it’s stupid. Really, though, I’m just looking straight ahead and not thinking about plunging headfirst into the valley below.

The scene from inside the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. It's a little disconcerting.*

A really cool feature of PSAT cars is that the floor rotates 360°. So no matter where you are standing you get an outstanding view.*

The valley below ... a long way down. Yikes!*

All that plunging aside, as you climb higher and higher the air gets cooler and sweeter. Even though your belly, OK mine, feels a little unsteady the strangest thing begins to happen, you can already feel the tension melting away. Seriously. Maybe it’s just being over a mile and a half above sea level (8,500 feet = 1.609 848 484 8 miles) makes my brain woozy since the air is “thinner.”

Regardless, the air smells divine – a combination of wood, pine, with a little sweetness thrown in – and feels crisp and cool, which is a nice contrast to the warmth of the sun, which was quite hot. I think you can actually taste the freshness.

We packed a picnic lunch, walked away from the crowds and found a flat rock to perch on and enjoyed our sandwiches. While there we just enjoyed the sounds of the forest. You know that saying “it sounded like a train?” well, that is kinda what strong winds sounded like blowing through the trees. A milder wind just sounded like ambient freeway noise. We heard lots of birds calling and smaller animals like squirrels and those little lizards, you see all over SoCal, scurrying about. Of course you can also hear the ever-present Homo sapiens.

The husband enjoying the peacefulness and the view.

A pretty blue bird, not a Bluejay. Does anyone know what kind of bird it is?

In addition to all of traditionally beautiful scenery, I think there is a lot of beauty in dead trees. Odd, I know, but I think they are just so interesting looking.

Dead Tree Against a Blue Sky

Don't the branches look like antlers?

I’m not a photographer. I just like to take photos of things that I find interesting or to document what I saw. I was also having fun playing with my new camera.

Sap on a dead tree. Doesn't it look like candy?

Since my camera is brand new, I said to the husband, “I think I’m going to take my battery charger. I’m not sure how long it will last.” His reply “What are you gonna do, plug into a tree?” I didn’t take the charger. However, if you DO decide to take your power cables you’re in luck, it’s not a tree, but close. According to the website there is Wi-Fi access as well. Who knew?

You CAN plug-in in the forest.

So, my Orange County friends, what are your experiences in the forest? By the way, this is as close as I get to camping.

After walking around in the woods, we sat in the lodge, I don’t know if that’s what they call it, but that’s what it looks like. We had a beer on the patio and just continued to relax. We continued our relaxing with a great dinner in Palm Springs (we brought a change of clothes) and then drove home. A perfect day through-and-through.

The drive is approximately an hour and 45 minutes from Orange County. If you decide to make the trip, I recommend you bring three things: good hiking shoes, as the ground is very uneven; a jacket/sweater/sweatshirt, as the temperature is easily 20° – 30° cooler than at the base of the mountain; and lastly water.

* These three photos, of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, were taken during another trip two years ago.

The car hit some sort of electrical doodad ... I think.

I was at the Spectrum today when the electricity went out, for a few minutes. I thought it was from all of the air conditioning units working overtime. By the way, didn’t every single weatherperson say it was going to cool down? Whatever.

So anyhoo, this electrical snafu happened around 2:30 p.m. or so. When I was walking to my car, which was parked near Target, a short while later I think I discovered the cause of the short-lived power outage. I’m assuming this car crashed into what appears to be an electrical transformer is what made everything go wonky for a few minutes. However, we all know what it means to assume.

Did anyone else happen to see this? What a bummer of a way to kick-off Labor Day weekend. Speaking of … stay safe everyone!

Two more photos after the jump.

Notice the airbag and the two people sitting on the curb. Bummer!

That's the 5 freeway carpool lane above.

Not sure when it’s expected to open, but as you can see in the photo, they are already stocking the store with merchandise. The store is located in the aisle between Nordstrom and Target. It’s located in the spot that has been occupied by a million different things and I don’t remember any of them.

It’s a 100 degrees outside, football season hasn’t officially begun, Halloween is still eight weeks away and we’re already being reminded that Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus – or whatever it is you celebrate or don’t celebrate – is not about being spiritual, but about who gets the most crap. This is just the beginning of “the airing of the grievances.”

P.S. sorry for the poor photo i.e. huge shadow. Unfortunately, I can’t control the turning of the Earth.