Jan 2, 2016

Starting off the New Year in style with a visit to my favorite nail specialist. Christine Luong has been doing SFV Granny’s nails for several years. My job is very hard on my nails. Christine’s developed a technique for me that lasts for weeks. And they still look good regardless of all the stuff I deal with! Christine escaped with her family from Vietnam as...

Dec 31, 2015

San Fernando Valley is the recipient of two significant parkland gifts memorializing names of early LA pioneers who would have known each other. At the far southeast corner of the Valley is the “Central Park” of LA that everybody knows: Griffith Park. It’s the largest park in LA. Can you tell me the second largest park? SFV Granny was surprised when she found...

Dec 10, 2015

You have to know what you’re hunting for when you go looking for Beale’s Cut. This is the historic, super important Fremont/San Fernando Pass. But you’d never know it because it’s not marked. You’ll find it in a triangle of land between Highway 14 and Sierra Highway north of SFV in Newhall. This was the way in and out of Los Angeles during stagecoach days —...

Aug 29, 2015

Daughter Lauren and I were toodling across the southern part of the Valley, feeling like a sweet treat was much needed. We stopped by a new (to us) Lyoness Loyalty Merchant, a specialty bakery. Ooh, yummers! Owner Marianne specializes in very artsy, delicious creations for corporate and business events. But she’s got sweet treats on hand for hungry drop-ins as...

Jul 27, 2015

A hike to Nike Station along the crest of the hills bordering the south side of the valley takes you back to the days the Cold War. When SFV Granny was growing up in the sixties, we thought a nuclear attack from Russia was imminent. The Nike missile program was the response to that threat. This 10-acre shard of a park is an easy 15-minute drive from the 405...