Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Tuesday, February 3, 2015 -- Mattie died 282 weeks ago today. 

Tonight's picture was taken in March of 2003. This is one of my favorite photos that I took of Mattie. He was 11 months old and as I was getting down at his level he really wanted to get my attention and grab the camera. Mattie was fascinated by cameras and electronic gadgets and his style in relating to the world was big and bold. 


Quote of the day: You can’t use up creativity.  The more you use, the more you have. ~ Maya Angelou

This afternoon my parents took me to a restaurant called Tam O'Shanter. The restaurant has been around for 90 years and I know my parents have been to it many times, but today's was my first visit. It is an experience in many ways because people who dine there are regulars. So diners seem to know the servers (who have been there for decades), they know how one has to place an order at the restaurant, and the outfits worn by the servers are indeed memorable! The walls are lined with family tartans and other Scottish antiques, so it gives you a feeling that you have been transported across the "pond." 

The Tam O'Shanter Inn was established by Lawrence Frank and Walter Van de Kamp, founders of Van de Kamp's Holland Dutch Bakeries who went on to found the Lawry's restaurant chain. They commissioned  Harry Oliver to design the building. He constructed the  Storybook Style building aided by movie studio carpenters. The Tam O' Shanter Inn opened in June 1922, and was a great success. The owner said, "Every piece of wood which was used in this structure was thrown into fire first with the result that we never had to paint it and it got more beautiful as the years went by." 

It was remodeled in 1968 and renamed the "Great Scot," but has since been brought back to the its original name "The Tam O' Shanter Inn." The restaurant's decor still features English and Scottish medieval weapons, kilts, and family Coat of Arms and Medieval Family Crests.

I felt compelled today to know exactly what a tam O'shanter is, so I looked it up! Tam O'Shanter is the bonnet that was first worn throughout northwestern Europe during the 15th century. It is made of wool and has a toorie (pom-pom) in the center. It also has as a main hallmark the clan  tartan  woven right into its woolen threads. This distinguishes it from other bonnets such as the beret. Although brimless, the Tam o'Shanter, like all Scots bonnets, has an external hatband.

My mom snapped a photo of my dad and I in the "snug." Which was the waiting area of the restaurant!

Outside of the restaurant were these glorious cyclamen in bloom in FEBRUARY! It seems almost impossible to imagine, considering I am coming from a place where there is nothing green outside and it is frigid. Meanwhile here is it in the upper 70s. 

Today we also visited the Americana. The Americana is a large outdoor shopping community in Glendale, California. Some people may consider it a mall, but it really is so much more. It is like a small city with 75 retail shops, 100 condominiums and 238 apartments, restaurants, and a movie theater. 

Can you see the statue? This gold-leaf statue was chosen by the complex's developer, Rick Caruso. It rises from the center of the fountain's smaller pool. The statue is a replica of Donald De Lue's 1949 Spirit of American Youth sculpture in France, a memorial to Americans who fought at Normandy in World War II.

I just had to take a photo of this because this is the street entrance to the condo, which includes a valet, bellman, and of course a chandelier! Only in LA! I have never seen a glass chandelier hanging outside like this before, exposed to the weather. 

The lawn or commons area in the Americana is two acres and is a beautiful space. Here you will find people sitting on blankets, children playing, people reading, and dogs running around. It truly is a wonderful sight to see in February! This commons area is surrounded by shops, condos, and restaurants. 

Another special feature is the Waters of Americana, an animated fountain. Mattie would have loved this fountain! The musical fountain, located in the center of the Americana performs every hour. It is like watching a concert in a way. It is a water and light show, with the water moving gracefully to the music. It is a special sight to observe and almost hard to imagine especially when so many of us on the East coast are stuck dealing with grey, cold and depressing days.