Next Door New Year's Eve

Tonight, we attended a small New Year's Eve get-together hosted by our new neighbors, the Trimbles/Boehms.

It was Riley's first NYE party, but he worked the room like an old pro. Charming women. Shouldering into card games. Weaving sprawling tales of urban adventure on the LA Metro. Quite the three-year-old rogue.

Blonde curls and a cookie buzz and the world is yours.

Sayonara Crown City

Tomorrow, the final dusty residuals of the P3's home life will be SUV'ed from Pasadena municipal limits. Just in time to initialize the new year in a new place.

Here's hoping your 2007 starts as cleanly.

Peace And Love, Yo

Season's greetings to all.

Merry Christmas. Happy Hannukah. Festive Kwaanza. Lovely Atheist Gimmee-Gimme Day.

It all plays.

We enjoyed a So. Cal. Santa Day today. Sunny. Blue skies. High in the 70s. A bright Christmas. Riley opened a few presents from relatives. Kirsten made delicious tomato soup. Chris posted a blog entry.

Here are a few pictures that capture some of the day's vibe:





As the Orange County punk band The Vandals like to shout, apropo of all the above:

Oi to the Punks!

Oi to the Skins!

Oi to the world and everybody wins!

O Breakfast Tree

The P3 took a brief respite from moving yesterday. We walked to Old Town Monrovia, checked out what's there, then saw Charlotte's Web at the nearby theater. Chris and Kirsten agreed there are many promising restaurants in the vicinity. Riley was taken by a store specializing in expensive model trains.

This morning, Riley and Chris picked oranges from our backyard tree, then played some soccer. We can do that sort of thing now.

Page One, Chapter One

We moved big, heavy furniture into the new house yesterday. We slept the night there. We'll have our first dinner there tonight. Probably pasta with marinara. Editor's note: Pasta with marinara it was. Tasty.

It's officially a home. That makes us happy.

Really happy.

The Big Hand-Off

Today's the day.

New house keys should be in our possession by sundown.

And so begin our Monrovian days.

Second Person Narrative

Prior to making "Citizen Kane," Orson Welles planned to adapt Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" for the screen using the still-radical-for-film technique of second person narrative.

Jay McInerney, celebrated author and 80s NYC bon vivant, garnered acclaim for his novel "Bright Lights, Big City" in large part for its use of second person narrative.

Well, la-di-da.

Riley uses second person narrative to give me his blow-by-blow account of everything he does.

Everyday. All day long.

Example:

"You are playing with your train and you are making the gate go down. And you are making the cars stop. You are seeing a blinking light now.

Probably you are hungry for a breakfast bar. A raspberry breakfast bar. You are going to eat it with your mouth."

This is Riley talking to himself about himself.

Ah, the fine line between the grating and the hilarious.

Christmas Is Coming

Riley and I kicked off the month of December by spending both weekend days with friends.

On Saturday, we went to the Tot Lot Christmas party, which was really just an excuse for the Tot Lot moms to eat and drink all sorts of yummy stuff: Pulled pork sandwiches, spanokopita, pesto pasta salad, cookies, mocha truffles, etc. The moms also had a gift exchange, and I went home with a lovely pair of earrings compliments of my friend Rebecca.

No Santa or gifts for the kids, but they didn't care. They had a great time just running and playing together.

On Sunday, we went to our friend Angie's house. She graciously offered to shoot holiday photos of all the Tot Lot kids. Her husband, who is a director of photography and documentary shooter, set up a black backdrop and professional lighting in the garage.

Angie took a ton of photos! I have my work cut out for me to decide which ones are best, but I hope to send at least one nice 8 x 10 to both sets of grandparents in the not too distant future. After the photo shoot, Angie and I munched on pizza and had a nice chat, while Riley and her son Henry watched the movie Cars on the big screen TV.

New developments on the P3 homefront: We are set to close escrow on Friday, December 15th, and will begin moving that weekend. We'll send change of address information to friends and family soon, but you can still reach us at our Pasadena address and phone number through the end of the month.

More Pics Of The Monrovia House

Here are more photos of the P3's prospective new house. The listing agents staged some furnishings to give folks an idea of what it might look like when occupied.

This is the front porch area:



This is the living room, dining room and kitchen:





This is the front bedroom, bathroom and back bedroom:





And this is the backyard and back view of the house:

Singing With Daddy

Captured: Father and son, musically categorizing the utterances and location variances of Ol' MacDonald's livestock.

Change Of Venue For The P3?

The P3 had rapid, major developments in our housing status last week.

Long story short, we saw a house for sale last Sunday (pictured); we were pre-approved for a loan on Tuesday; we made an offer to purchase the house on Thursday; and our offer (or, rather, our acceptance of the sellers' counteroffer) was accepted yesterday. Contingent upon the house passing inspection without any major defects, the P3 will be moving to Monrovia, California. We are cautiously excited about 1.) buying our first home, and 2.) finally breaking into the Southern California housing market. To learn about our new locale, check out the City of Monrovia's official website, and a blog Kirsten found called Living in Monrovia.

Susan M. - if you are keeping track, Monrovia is 8 miles closer to Indiana than Pasadena.

Birthday Express

Grandma Linda surprised Riley this week with a belated birthday gift of a train! He played with it non-stop the day it arrived, even cutting his nap short so he could get back to the business of being an engineer. I'd say this gift was a hit!

Other notable events on this day in particular: Uncle Pat's birthday and the 18th anniversary of the P3 parents' first date.

Happy Birthday, Cousin Holly!

The only time we look at the calendar these days is to put a "potty" sticker on it. Tonight, as Riley was adding a sticker to the calendar to mark his evening achievement, we noticed that it was his cousin Holly's birthday. Sorry about the context, but we do wish you a happy birthday, Holly! Riley wants to know if you are having a party and if he can come.

Blogging Schedule

Those of you who check The Pickenblog daily (i.e., Susan) may have noticed that our posts occur on a somewhat less than daily basis. Generally, the majority of our activity occurs over the weekend, so it is probably safe to say that new posts will appear on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Occasionally, we may blog more often than that, but we will try to add new material at least once a week.

Riley Is Three

Riley's third birthday was Saturday, November 4. He had two birthday requests.

The first: to go to "a Snoopy park" (Camp Snoopy, Knott's Berry Farm).

He began asking to go there back in June when he saw TV commercials for the place. At the time, Chris told him he was too little, but maybe he could go when he was three. Riley is like a little elephant and does not forget things like that. "Maybe" turned into "when I am three" in his mind.

Riley's second request was for a yellow birthday cake with a blue 3 on it. We have no idea what prompted such a specific cake order. Anyway, Riley got both of his wishes and then some.

On Saturday morning, Riley opened presents from Grandfather, Grandmother (Kirsten's parents) and Aunt Kate. This was the first time he managed to open gifts on his own. He had fun tearing into the wrapping paper, though at first he tore it in tiny confetti sized pieces. Riley is sometimes an oddly cautious child.

He got a toy clock from his grandparents that teaches him how to tell time. He loves the clock and wants to take it everywhere with him, although we do not encourage him to discuss his clock with others since his pronunciation of the word omits a key consonant. He also got a great book from his aunt called On The Day You Were Born. He calls this his "person" book because of the illustration of a person floating above a globe on the book cover.



Kirsten and Chris accompanied Riley to Knott's Berry Farm in the afternoon. Riley's curiosity about the amusement park was immediately piqued when he had to walk underneath an old wooden rollercoaster on his way into the park. Once inside, he looked around in wide-eyed wonder.

The P3 spent the next four hours on rides like Lucy's Tug Boat, the Camp Snoopy Bus, Red Baron's Plane, and G8 SK8.

Editor's note: At least three hours were spent in lines.

Riley's favorite part of the afternoon, however, was probably the musical revue. We got some great pictures, and Riley left with a souvenir T-shirt and a Woodstock puppet.

Click the link below to learn a little about the amusement park, Knott's Berry Farm:

Official Home of a Snoopy Park

Susan's California Visit

As you may have guessed from the last blog entry, Kirsten's mother just visited the P3. We ate well, relaxed, explored a few new LA-area destinations (Paradise Cove, Newcomb's Ranch, the Cheese Store in Silverlake) and returned to a couple of familiar locales (Xiem Clay Center, Lacy Park). Meals included Spanish tapas at Bar Celona, clam chowder on the beach at the Paradise Cove Beach Cafe, homemade pizza (a P3 tradition!), breakfast in the San Gabriel mountains, spring rolls and Crying Tiger beef at Chadaka Thai, spinach ravioli with antipasto, and garbage burritos at Mijares.

Kirsten already blogged about Friday's trip to Paradise Cove. On Saturday, Susan, Kirsten, and Riley began the day by driving 27 miles into the Angeles National Forest along the Angeles Crest Highway to weekend biker hangout Newcomb's Ranch. It's amazing that mountains in excess of 5,000 feet are just 20 minutes from the P3 household!

Susan then tagged along to Riley's Tot Lot Halloween party. Riley had bat wings, but he refused wear them even after Kirsten and Chris both put them on and ran around the house simulating bat flight. Instead, Riley chose the simple "costume" of a grey t-shirt with a bat graphic. By the way, that meant no trick or treating for Riley this year. "No costume, no treats," said mean old mom Kirsten. (Chris, however, raided the P3 candy bowl on Halloween and introduced Riley to the pleasures of Reese's peanut butter cups.)

Editor's note: "Allegedly raided."

After a couple of hours surrounded by ladybugs, butterflies, cows, pirates, and devils, Susan and Kirsten delivered Riley home to his crib. With leave from Chris, they drove to the north side of Pasadena to the Xiem Clay Center. It was the opening day for a sculptural ceramic exhibit by Tomas Owen called This Sensuous Earth. Great stuff!

As it turned out, Riley chose not to nap Saturday afternoon. But he graciously accomodated Susan and Kirsten by sleeping on the banquette throughout their entire meal at Chadaka Thai. It's a rare gift for either of the P parents to have a child-free meal at a nice restaurant!

On Sunday, Kirsten and Susan planned to seek out some of the unique shops in Silverlake, but they were waylaid by a plumbing crisis. (The less said about that the better!) While Kirsten attempted to find a plumber who would respond within an hour on a Sunday, Susan took Riley for a walk through the neighborhood. Unbeknownst to Susan, Riley had long ago memorized the route to a nearby park.

Kirsten ended up finding a very nice plumber while Riley took advantage of the opportunity to lead his unsuspecting grandmother to his secret playground destination. When they returned to the house, the plumber not only fixed the pipes but also befriended Riley by making cat noises.

After running water and flushing toilets were restored to the turn-of-the-20th-century P3 abode, Kirsten, Susan, and Riley had just enough time to drive to the gourmet cheese store in Silverlake to sniff out goodies for dinner. In addition to the spinach ravioli mentioned above, Susan bought some wonderful gruyere, olives, pepperoni, and crackers. (Another cheese did not make it to the table due to an overpowering aroma.) She and Kirsten happily nibbled, chatted, and polished off a bottle of wine, safe in the knowledge that the house had a working restroom.

Kirsten, Susan, and Riley spent Monday shopping in Old Town Pasadena, playing at Lacy Park, and stalking praying mantises.

A Day At The Beach With Granmudder

It was supposed to be 90 degrees in the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys on Friday, so Kirsten, Susan, and Riley headed to Paradise Cove in Malibu. It was a beautiful day, and they practically had the beach to themselves!



Riley loved jumping in the waves and chatting in the warm sun with his grandmother. Around noon, he proclaimed it time to eat, so the threesome walked about 15 feet over to the Beach Cafe. They had lunch watching the waves and wiggling their toes in the sand.

Pasta!

Uh oh. Spaghettio.

Happiness Is...

New "Blue's Clues" pajamas!

Editor's note: The photo to the right depicts toddler ecstacy-spazz-attack frozen in time. To better grasp its content, shake your head in apoplectic motion while viewing.

Nice Weekend Spot

Several years ago, Chris and I took a trip up California's Central Coast. We stayed a couple of nights in Cambria and took a jaunt over to Paso Robles to check it out and, hopefully, sample some wine from the local vineyards. I found a couple I liked a lot on that trip: Katherine's Vineyard Chardonnay from Cambria Wines and Tobin James Dream Weaver, a sparkling wine. For those partial to red wines, my friend Melissa just gave me a bottle of Rabbit Ridge Allure de Robles, which I would recommend as well.

By the way, Cambria is a great little beachside town about halfway between LA and San Francisco--lots of galleries, good restaurants, and a totally laid-back vibe. It's just down the road from the magnificent "Hearst Castle" and an elephant seal breeding ground. We' ve been twice now; I just wish it were a little closer so we could make it a regular destination.

Bouncing Around Town

Riley went to a birthday party on Saturday for his friend Ben. The lucky birthday boy had two bouncers in his backyard. One of them even had a climbing wall. Riley didn’t attempt to scale Mt. Bouncy, but he did have lots of fun jumping around inside with his little friends. He also took his first crack at a piñata. Too bad I didn't get a picture of him actually whacking the darn thing.

Riley is going through an independent phase. He wants to climb into the car by himself, feed himself messy stuff like soup and birthday cake, push elevator buttons, turn on/off his bedroom light, get in/out of bed, and spell out his own name on his computer games. Woe to the person who tries to do one of those things for him. He will cry as though the opportunity to do that particular thing will never come again in his lifetime.

On Sunday, Kirsten and Riley took Kirsten's friend Deena to IKEA to help her furnish her new apartment. While at IKEA, Riley and Kirsten received an impromptu dinner invitation from Kirsten’s friend Melissa F. (not to be confused with Kirsten's friend Melissa N.). Chris was going to make turkey burgers for dinner, but he had a deadline to meet and it was to his advantage to have the house to himself, so Kirsten and Riley accepted Melissa's invitation.

Before the day was over, it seemed like Kirsten had driven all over the city, what with going to Deena’s house in Westwood, to IKEA in Burbank, back to Deena’s house in Westwood, then home to Pasadena, and then to Melissa’s house in Sherman Oaks. She was worn out, but Melissa made all sorts of comfort food (ribs, homemade mac and cheese, broccoli, cornbread, and pumpkin pie!), and there was plenty of good wine. All of Kirsten’s road weariness just evaporated!

Riley had fun too. Melissa’s daughter Olivia had a cool new sandbox, and the TV was playing kid favorites Curious George and Monsters, Inc.

My Wife Made Me Do It

So, the head of the Commission Kirsten works for, whom some of you may recall was the Los Angeles County District Attorney at the time of the O.J. Simpson criminal trial, got himself some unwanted attention this week.

Read about it here.

5 Is 8 Today!

Happy birthday to my nephew Howard Charles the 5th! I hope you have a lot of fun today! Cousin Riley wants you to know he liked the pictures you sent and he'll write you back soon.

How To Post A Comment

I've received a few questions regarding how to properly post comments on this blog. Here's how you do it:

TO WRITE A COMMENT:

• Beneath every post is the word "comment." Mouse-click on this word.

• This will open another page. On the right, you'll see a box wherein you can type in any message.

TO SIGN AND POST YOUR COMMENT:

• Select the "Other" option in the "Choose an identity" list below the comment box.

• This will bring up a "Name" window wherein you can type your signature. You can leave the "Your Web Page" window blank.

• Finally, to post your comment with signature, mouse-click the "Publish Your Comment" button.

By the way, we appreciate the comments we've received. It's gratifying to know we're reaching you across the Great Digital Divide.

Toxin Or Treat?

From the LA Times Wire Reports:

Biochemical experts, firefighters and police were called to investigate a small pile of jello discarded beside a road after a wedding party in Germany.

"Passersby called police after finding a pool of flabby red, orange and green substance," a police spokesman in the eastern town of Halle said.

Fears of toxic waste led to the closure of a wide area Sunday, and experts wearing chemical warfare suits spent two hours examining the substance before identifying it. (emphasis added)

A fire brigade spokesman said the bridegroom was located and agreed to clean up the mess.

Good $10 - 11 Wine

Try Pepi wines. Don't be dissuaded by the screw cap. You can actually find good wines with a twist off cap. They are becoming increasing popular, and you don't have worry about finding that elusive corkscrew. I've had the Pepi Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot before. Last night, I tried the Pinot Grigio. It was very nice -- crisp, with a warm finish on the tongue.

Film And Tar

The P3 had a busy Sunday. While Chris stayed home to record music in an otherwise quiet house, Kirsten and Riley began the day by attending the Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art with Kirsten's co-worker/boss Deena and her two children.

They saw seven short films, the best of which was The Mantis Parable -- a story in which a caterpillar trapped in a jar seeks help from a praying mantis to no avail. The mantis later finds itself in the same situation but is rescued with the help of a butterfly(presumably, the former caterpillar). This was a truly impressive project, especially since it was the director's first film and he did all of it by himself (story, animation, music) in his spare time over 18 months while his wife and children slept. (Echoes of the P3 household?) He won numerous animation and short film awards for it. Riley loved it, but he already has an affection for caterpillars based upon The Little Einsteins movie.

After lunch with Deena and the kids, Kirsten and Riley enjoyed some great music at the Tar Fest. This festival took place on the grounds of the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits adjacent to the LACMA museum and within close proximity of a large bubbling tar pit.

The Tar Pits are a common field trip destination for LA schoolchildren. The Page Museum has fossilized mastodon, sloth, and sabertooth tiger skeletons on display which were found in the tar pits. These extinct mammals were entrapped in the tar pits and their remains were preserved somewhere between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago. The tar pits remain active and excavation of the pits is constantly ongoing.

An interesting fact about the tar pits is that there is a huge petroleum lake underneath the surrounding neighborhood of Hancock Park. Periodically, asphalt, a byproduct of petroleum, bubbles up to the surface of local streets, into sewers and under buildings.

Riley is too young to appreciate the fascinating historical aspects of the Page Museum and the Tar Pits, but he did discover the joy of rolling down a grassy hill. First, he tried lying down on the hill on his stomach feet first. That didn't work. Then, he tried reversing that position so that he was going head first. That didn't work either. Finally, he figured out that sideways was the way to go, and he was off and rolling!

The day closed with the whole family having dinner al fresco at the Yard House in Pasadena, a brewpub serving countless numbers of beer on tap, by the glass, pint, half-yard and yard. Riley opted for a custom kiddie cocktail of lemonade and cherry syrup, while Kirsten enjoyed a pint of Harp. Chris drank only iced tea, as usual, but he did indulge in their gourmet mac and cheese entree. After dinner, Chris had some more recording to do, so Riley and Kirsten spent an hour or so at the bookstore reading many a children's book.

Riley went to sleep babbling happily about his fun-packed day.

Little Spooks

I've been haunted by Chris's account of a recent dream in which a boy standing at the foot of our bed suddenly jumped on top of him. His reaction awoke us both.

Editor's note: The photo content to the left in no way resembles any apparition, real or imagined, envisioned by said dreamer.

October 5th Is...

...my brother's birthday. Happy birthday, Bill (aka Uncle Bear)! Oh, and a belated happy birthday to my Aunt Connie as well!

Month's End

It was a quiet weekend for the junior P3. Riley traveled to Storyopolis on Saturday to hear children's musician Melissa Szilagyi perform. Although he enjoyed her music in the past, on that day he preferred to roam the bookstore. He was accompanied in his explorations by his friend Henry. Henry is seven months younger than Riley, but they both share a passion for trains and cars. When we joined Henry's mother Angie and his sister Elizabeth for lunch at California Pizza Kitchen afterwards, we discovered that Henry and Riley also share a fondness for cheddar cheese rabbit crackers.

After returning home, Riley crawled into bed for a nap, and I took advantage of a child-free moment to help my mother finalize travel plans for a visit here at the end of the month. We're looking forward to your visit, Mom!

Sunday was spent tagging and transporting outgrown carseats, clothing, and toys to the LA Kids Consignment Sale . Riley did a little bit of presale browsing, while I completed the paperwork and dropoff process. He found a toy Elmo cellphone and was not at all happy when I told him we would have to come back later to shop.

Hmm... I wonder how he would feel if I made him tap his stolen coins to pay for it.

Blue Eyes, Long Lashes

A picture of the flirtiest member of the P3. This one's for the ladies.

Bad News Always Comes On Friday

Last month, I had to litigate my first case because our agency's prosecutor was unavailable. It was a horrible experience, primarily because opposing counsel was a very seasoned and very aggressive attorney. My inexperience was like a neon sign during the proceedings. As an attorney, I am very good at research and written arguments, but I am no trial lawyer (nor do I want to be).

I won't go into too many details because our Commission hasn't made a final decision on it, but we did receive a proposed decision today from the judge who heard the case. Although I managed to prove negligence on the part of the respondent for some of the violations, the judge accepted opposing counsel's arguments on just about everything else. To put the outcome in perspective, my agency charged the respondent with 194 violations and was seeking in excess of $100,000 in penalties. The judge proposed that the respondent be held liable for only 8 violations and be fined only $7,000. Now, granted, the judge is unfamiliar with the ramifications this can have on the City's political process.

I still hope that our Commission, from their more informed position, will reject the proposed decision and order a much higher penalty. It will probably be another month before we present the matter to them, so I'll let you know how it turns out.

When Is Yet?

Today, I had this interaction with Riley:

Riley: "Mommy come home now?"
Me: "No, she's still gotta work a little. So, not yet."
A long moment passed.
Riley: "Now is yet?"

Interesting paradox for a near-three-year-old to try to wrap his head around. "Yet" arrives the very moment it no longer exists. You hear "not yet" and "still not yet," but never "yet."

It's a kind of Zeno's Paradox in a way.

You can relearn a lot about language concepts and their twisty complications when you accompany someone learning them for the first time.

I ask you: "When is yet?"

Farewell Pizza Party

A little more than 2 1/2 years ago, I was on maternity leave and struggling with the stresses of being a new mom. I was far from family and had no friends with babies or small children. Chris was working long hours as a freelance animator. Needless to say, I felt isolated and lonely. I still had my internet connection though, and that connection brought me an invitation to join an online-based mothers group called ValleyBabies. Although we initially met online, all of the mothers in that group were living in (or very close to) the San Fernando Valley. Membership in the group required online communication and face-to-face gatherings.

In one of those "six degrees of separation" moments, Andrew, the husband of one of the members, was reading internet messages from the group over his wife Holly's shoulder and noticed my last name. He told Holly, "Hey, I know a guy with that last name." As it turned out, Chris had freelanced for the company Andrew worked with down near the LAX airport. About six months earlier, Andrew had suggested to Chris that we should get together for brunch, since he and Holly lived in nearby Glendale. We never did meet for brunch, but, weirdly, Holly and I ended up meeting anyway through ValleyBabies. Los Angeles County has approximately ten million people living in it, so what are the odds of that happening?

Unfortunately, Holly and Andrew are moving away. They are going back to Minnesota to be closer to family and to be able to buy a house bigger than 1,000 square feet without spending $500,000+. To say goodbye, Chris and I invited Holly, Andrew, and their children over for homemade pizza this past weekend. Our friends Renee, Kyle, and their children (whom I also met through ValleyBabies) also came over.

We had a great time. I made three different pizzas: one with cheese, one with pepperoni and sausage, and one with onion, mushroom, black olive, red pepper, and sundried tomato. The weather was not overly warm, so we were all able to sit outside on the back deck while the children ran around. We sat, talked, and ate for several hours. It was a perfect way to spend a Sunday evening, even if it was for the slightly sad occasion of saying farewell to friends.

Wine Recommendation

Okay, so the nonadventurous exploits of the P3 family tend to be G-rated, but this Pickenpaugh (neé Mueller) does enjoy some age-restricted pasttimes. No, this isn't going to be THAT kind of post, although I did reside in the San Fernando Valley for six years (commonly known to be the home of the porn industry). Living in California, I feel it is my duty to sample the wares of local vineyards. It is also my great pleasure to have a friend in the wine biz who occasionally provides a personal introduction to decent wines. Since my parents also enjoy a good grape (though usually one from Michigan), I will share worthwhile finds. Tonight, my lucky find is a chardonnay from Mount Eden Vineyards in Saratoga, California--specifically, West Slope Chardonnay from Edna Ranch.

Click this link to learn more: Mount Eden Vineyards

Italian Circus

This week marks the Feast of San Gennaro, an Italian-American tradition originated in New York. It has spread across the country and today appeared in Los Angeles. Kirsten and Riley took the train to Hollywood to see it.

A highlight was the Zoppé Circus. This performing family, headed by star clown, Nino, has been entertaining audiences since 1842.

The Feast also included carnival rides and games and Italian foods like calzones, gelato and cannoli. Still, Riley opted for a chocolate chip cookie from the Hollywood & Highland Center across the street.

In fact, although Riley enjoyed the Circus, his favorite part of his day was the subway ride in from North Hollywood. Trains are one of his major interests.

To learn more about the Feast of San Gennaro, the Zoppé Circus and the Highwood & Highland Center, click on these links:

Feast of San Gennaro site
More about the Feast of San Gennaro
The Zoppé Circus
Hollywood & Highland Center

NOTE: We always have plenty of photos from the Pickenpaugh 3 exploits. If you'd like us to send you some, please leave a comment to let us know. We're happy to accommodate.