Man, I can’t believe we haven’t done a post on the Huntington Library in all of the history of ACO! Huntington Library is a lovely oasis nestled in Pasadena. I have many a sweet memories of sneaking in to the park grounds with friends, wandering from garden to garden, napping, reading, seeing and enjoying. It’s a stunningly beautiful location with [...]

Culture Club 101 is a Pasadena-based food co-op that specializes in almost forgotten foods and preparations inspired by Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions. I like to go in for their homebrewed kombucha, their local eggs, delicious coconut truffles, delectable fromage blanc or their bliss bars (which are so very blissful). I’m lucky enough to have a couple [...]

For all things amazing I look to the TED website.  TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design and so much more) is a small non profit dedicated to ideas worth spreading.  It features an enormously broad range of speakers that will  inspire you to create, learn and communicate.  I try and stop by at least once a week [...]

Helix aspersa, commonly known as the garden snail, is a terrestrial  mollusk related to clams and shellfish.  It is a gastropod, can live up to 15 years and is both male and female. Garden snails have a protective shell, which they will withdraw into in case of disturbance or dry weather.  They will also hibernate [...]

Meditation Mount is located in Ojai, California – a very quick and easy ride from Los Angeles.    They have a lovely international garden of peace that is open to all for walking and meditation.  They suggest you contemplate these ideas while in the garden; right human relations, good will, group endeavor, unanimity, spiritual approach [...]

The last couple of months I have been walking around the pasadena area, looking down and stopping to collect dead insects along the streets.  The image is a selection of some of my favorites. There are over a million different species of insects! Starting from the bottom middle and going counter clockwise: 1.  Ten Lined [...]