Don't Build Your Home on the Former Hanging Grounds

James and I went to San Diego last weekend, and my legs still hurt from all the walking we did. We spent most of Saturday around Old Town, eating pretty terrible Mexican food (just trust me, it wasn't good), wandering around the shops, cemetery and Victorian houses, and finally ended up on a ghost tour of the Whaley House, one of the most haunted homes in the US. The land, former hanging grounds for criminals, was purchased by Thomas Whaley, and he built his family home on it, knowing full well that hangings had taken place here. He'd even witnessed a few in his time. It's like he wanted to tempt fate. (Would you ever purposely build a home for your family over the spot where numerous people had died a violent death?? Yeah, neither would I.)

Not surprisingly, there are all sorts of weird and tragic things that happened to the Whaley family and all sorts of strange goings-on today.

Guests on the tour were encouraged to take flash photography to try to capture ghosts on the tours. While dim lighting, reflection and  flash bombardment can explain some of the creepy photos that have been taken in the past, it can't explain everything...

It kind of a little bit looks like there's something to the right of the window.

This is the courtroom. There is apparently a vortex in that corner over where the jury would have sat.

Something in the window?

Nothing much happened to us on the ghost tour. We were warned that we could feel short of breath, begin coughing for a few minutes, feel the itch of rough rope around our necks, have our bare legs and feet licked by a ghost dog, and be groped by a pervy theater ghost (seriously) - James did feel a little itchy on his throat, and my ankles felt a slight chill, but that's about it. Our guide was great, he did things to purposely make you jump, and a few of the women screamed and yelled because they'd been scared. I'd totally go back and do the ghost tour again, but I'd wait until after dark - really up the creep factor. And then I wouldn't be able to sleep for a month.

The Rose and Crown, London 2007

PS. This is the only ghost picture I have, taken 7 years ago at The Rose and Crown pub in Stoke Newington, London. All those light trails? Ghosts.

Me and My "Creepy Friends" in Pasadena

James and I journeyed up to Pasadena last Sunday to the Rose Bowl Flea Market. If you've never been, and you like digging through piles of old stuff to find hidden treasures, then this is exactly for you. If you dislike digging through piles of old stuff to find hidden treasures, then this is exactly NOT for you. It's held every 2nd Sunday of the month in the parking lot of the Rose Bowl. I've been once in May when it was slightly too hot to fully appreciate all of the old jewelry, artwork, cameras, mounted antlers, furniture, shoes, train sets, etc, but January was perfect. Especially January in California, when one day is in the 50s and a few days later it's in the 70s. (Whilst I'm contemplating wearing floaty dresses and sandles, my lovelies in England are posting pictures of snow and ice - wish I were there to see it, there's just something so magical about England in the snow!)


This booth was filled with old cameras and lenses and typewriters. The irony of taking a picture of it with my cell phone wasn't lost on me.



Imagine this scene times 1000. That's how big this flea market is.

 

This man walked right in the middle of my picture. But I like it. Yeah, you go, Unobservant Man!



We also met these guys, whom my aunt calls my "creepy friends".

 I walked away with a gold necklace of a person riding a penny farthing bicycle, an overpriced mustard seed charm, and 3 round chandelier crystals that I intend to make long necklaces out of. I was very very tempted by an old camera simply for the quality of the dirt on the viewfinder (for my TTV photos), but decided that the two viewfinder cameras I have is already enough. Plus there was no one around to ask pricing, and I'm terrible at haggeling (plus I hate it), so I would have probably paid too much for it anyway. Ah, regrets.

Another great thing about the Rose Bowl Flea Market is that the Gamble House is 5 minutes away. The Gamble House was designed by Greene & Greene and is a really gorgeous example of Arts & Crafts architecture and design. The only way to go inside is on a docent-led tour. I had been in high school on a field trip (A friend and I also got yelled at by a docent at another museum on that same trip for standing too close to the artwork. To be fair, it was a tiny painting and we were trying to see the brushstrokes. I think of that every time I go into an art museum.), but James has never been, and we both figured it was high time we take a tour.


A very dark Gamble House




You're not allowed to photograph the inside of the house, but this art glass door is spectacular from inside.



Yet again, a very dark Gamble House

 All of the furniture was designed for the house, and one thing that I thought was really cool was that each piece was finished the whole way around. Even if one side was designed to always be facing a wall, it would still be completley finished. Greene & Greene included motifes that were carried throughout the rooms, like climbing rose vines, and the motif would be repeated everywhere - fireplaces, andirons, chairs, the headboards and footboards of beds - amazing. They'd include these tiny details that just made the piece. In the dining room, they had designed twin art glass sconces, and on the inside of each was a tiny bat, which was a motif carried in from another room in the house. It's well worth a visit if you're in the area.

By the way, we finally took our Christmas tree down. Except it took us until Wednesday to do it. And we were still using the lights on it. (Cue horrified gasps.) We survived, no bigs. And now, I am watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Cause that's just how we roll around here.

Days of Bliss

Do you ever get those days where you're just so relaxed and refreshed and your mile-long to-do list is miles away from your mind? Yeah, they're pretty rare, aren't they? Today has definitely been one of those days, made even more ideal by this beautiful warm southern California weather we're having.


Fullerton Courtyard

Initially I thought it would been another of the endless catch-up days that my Wednesdays (or most days off) turn out to be, filled with grocery shopping, errands, scrounging up enough quarters to do the never-ending laundry. Instead, although the grocery shopping, some laundry, and a few errands did get completely, it turned out to be one of the most peaceful days James and I can remember having in months.
It started, as all good days do, at the DMV. (Do you sense the sarcasm here? Good.) In a few short weeks I will have a brand-spankin' new license, complete with my married name. It only took me just over 3 years to do that part. (Guess this means I'm officially married...) James kindly accompanied me to the DMV (because we seem to visit a lot of government buildings together - DMVs, social security offices, immigration offices...), and rather than go home once I'd done my paperwork, we just started driving.


Fullerton Train Station

And wound up in downtown Fullerton, a really quirky area with great restaraunts, bars, cafes and shops. With such a stunningly sunny, warm day, how could we resist a stroll and a bit of lunch?

Best discovery ever! James bought Branston pickle...

My Asian Chicken Salad - I know, it's really dumb to photograph the meal you're about to eat, but come on, it was sooo goooood!

 Rounded out the day with a bit of reading (finished "The Woman in Black"), a glass of wine in our tiny yard, and a good old nap on the sofa. Aaahhhh.....blissful.