Everything Glendale

Filed Under: City Services, Composting, Events, Green Living, Workshops

I have an ash tree on my front lawn. I know this now, but, four months ago when my father-in-law asked me what kinds of trees I have on my property, I was embarrassed to admit that I didn't know.

My husband's family lives in a woody suburb of St. Louis and have been composting for decades. I was excited to tell them that I'd be joining the new locavore movement: buying produce only from farmer's markets, starting my own vegetable garden, and keeping my own compost bin. When my father-in-law highlighted the fact that I didn't know the first thing about quality of foliage that I would be adding to this bin, I thought I was in trouble.

When we returned from our Midwest retreat, I decided attempt composting anyway. And I was nervous. Not only did I not know what trees were on my property, I was an English major in love with all things poetic and metaphysical, and I here I was venturing into the natural world of the sciences. I had picked up one introductory book on composting and was immediately frightened by the specialized technical vocabulary of words like "aeration" and "actinomycetes" and "nematodes" and even some murderous terms as "thermal kill." I never realized composting could be dangerous.

Fortunately, I live in a city that is at the forefront of the eco-movement—and a user-friendly version at that. Each year, the City of Glendale offers composting workshops, "in order to make composting as convenient as possible."

The workshop alleviated any anxiety I held about composting. The presenter definitely reminded me of the many biology and chemistry teachers whose classes I nearly failed. His seriousness about composting was intimidating at first; when he summarized the scientific theories behind the process, my eyes glazed over. But he was also insistent about composting's ease and value. He offered a few sample "recipes" for a typical bin and insisted that you could throw yard waste in haphazardly and still produce quality compost in eight to ten months in a simple home composter.

And, of course, the best part is the free stuff. For an hour's worth of attention, each participant receives a free compost bin and a pitchfork. You can choose between a home composter or a Smith and Hawken Biostack. When I looked them up later, I found that the home composter sold for at least $100 and the Biostack for $129. Unfortunately, on the day I attended, they ran out of pitchforks, so I had to purchase my own. (Get in line early!)

So, my compost pile is built. All I had to do was dump my grass clippings, leaves, and kitchen waste into the bin. And find out what kind of trees I own.

I asked my next-door neighbor if she could identify the tree on our front lawn.

She said, “Oh, sure. That's one big-ash tree.”

Now I know.

City of Glendale Composting Workshops

Friday, March 13, 2009
11:30 a.m.

Saturday, March 14, 2009
9:00 a.m.

Integrated Waste Management Section Yard
548 W. Chevy Chase Drive
Glendale, CA 91204
818.548.3916
www.ci.glendale.ca.us/public_works/backyard_composting.asp

See website for more information on worm composting.

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Filed Under: Community Happenings, Events, Hoover High School

51st Annual Hoover Tour of Homes

Saturday, December 13, 2008
10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

For more information, call Julie Iezza at 818.843.7966.

Tickets:
$20 Advance
$25 Day of event

A Glendale tradition, the Hoover Tour of Homes gives the public an opportunity to view some of the city's most historic private homes up close and personal. Professional holiday decorations by local florists provide a festive and whimsical touch to this Hoover High School fundraiser.

Advance tickets available at:

• Beverly Ann Flowers & Gifts, 1150 N. Brand Boulevard, Glendale CA 91202
• Kenneth Village Flowers & Gifts, 1040 W. Kenneth Road, Glendale, CA 91202
• Ivy's Flower Station, 1435 W. Kenneth Road, Glendale, CA 91202

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Filed Under: City Services, Green Living, Hazardous Waste

I have a large container of antifreeze that's been sitting in the trunk of my car for, like, years, and I've been meaning to get rid of it. (I mean, I'm no scientist, but after a certain amount of time doesn't that stuff release deadly toxins in the air? I don't know.) But I'm environmentally conscious enough to know that I shouldn't just pour it down the drain. However, I've never really looked into how to dispose of it properly.

Well, I just stumbled across Glendale's Household Hazardous Waste Program, which encourages residents to take waste such as paint, oil, chemicals, pesticides, and batteries to the city's Environmental Management Center. Here are the details:

Household Hazardous Waste Program

Wednesdays and Saturdays
9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Environmental Management Center
780 Flower Street
Glendale, CA 91201
818.548.3862
www.ci.glendale.ca.us/public_works/hazardous_waste.asp

Serves residents of Glendale and La Cañada. The service area also includes the Glendale annex communities of La Crescenta and Montrose, households that pay their utilities to Glendale Water and Power. ALL participants are required to bring a proof of residency or a copy of their utility bill. Call for a pre-recorded message on types and quantities of waste accepted as well as who is eligible to use this city service.

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Filed Under: Downtown Glendale, Events, Pacific Theatres, The Americana

Last month, I was but one of the thousands lucky enough to get into The Americana at Brand to witness its first Christmas tree lighting. It's amazing how they were able to close the "doors" to an outdoor event, but they did—and without any riots.

The Americana was packed full of people, so I squeezed my way to the front of Pacific Theatres, which was relatively empty, given how there was a line of Glendale's Finest nearby. I staked out my piece of wall, plugged in my earbuds, and settled down to wait for my husband.

Unbeknownst to me, he was on the other side of a line of security guards, unable to get in. So I waited for more than an hour, getting thirstier and thirstier. But I was hesitant to move from my plum spot—not only because this was where I told my husband I would meet him, but also because I didn't want to lose my piece of wall.

So, unwilling to venture forth through the crowd in a quest for icy cold water, I got thirstier and thirstier. By this time, I had been there for an hour and a half.

But then, what did I see? Angels coming forth from the theater, bearing gifts of bottled water!

Theater employees came out and passed water out to several of us and didn't even charge us! Which they could have, because by this time I was willing to pay up to $10 for a bottle. An employee also let me borrow his cell phone so I could call my husband and let him know where I was.

These simple, kind, and generous gestures inspired me to admit something I rarely do: I guess all people don't suck! Thank you, Pacific Theatres at The Americana. You have won a loyal fan.

The fact that Santa later floated down to light the Christmas Tree while harnessed to a giant white balloon was just icing on the cake. Santa's all right, but the real Christmas Spirit was at Pacific Theatres.


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Filed Under: Downtown Glendale, News, Shopping, The Americana

I'm going to kick off another week with yet another post about The Americana at Brand (I know, I know!) because I just read an article on a U.K. news site that covers the rise and fall of "lifestyle centers" and focuses on Glendale's $400 million complex. It amuses me to no end that U.K. readers would be interested in my little corner of the globe, but I suppose The Americana is such a lavish display of American consumerist showboating that everyone's probably heard about it by now.

Anyway, the article gives a short history of The Americana, criticizes developments such as this, and gets into the recent fireworks controversy. The most interesting stuff, though, is a side story that has to do with a man who lived in the Providence Place Mall in Rhode Island for four years!:

There are cheaper ways to live in a mall than spending $2 million on a condominium at The Americana. Take Michael Townsend, 37, an artist from Providence, Rhode Island. He used breeze blocks to build a fully furnished 750 sq. ft. apartment in the parking garage of the Providence Place Mall - using the public lavatories to get running water. He managed to live in the place rent-free for four years before the security guards noticed. “I was surprised at what he was able to accomplish,” admitted the local police chief, referring to Townsend's sofa, TV and PlayStation. “But what he did was clearly criminal. The mall is private property.”

To me, this sounds like an invitation by the Times Online for people to squat at The Americana. If I were younger and less paranoid, this is something that I would definitely do because how fun would it be to shower in that fountain?

Read the entire article here.



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