End-of-Summer Road Trip to the High Sierras

July 26, 2011 Another Walk Through San Gabriel

I liked this shot.  Lots of things in the picture.

Harold Harper Field at Muscatel and Broadway.  Behind this field is the Temple City Sheriff's Station.

This is the park where John and Charlie Pullman used to play little league baseball.

I do like the organization and the neat rows of potted plants and trees at nurseries.

I am amazed by the size of some of these nurseries.  This one takes up a full city block.

Lots of plastic pots and fertilizer.

Soil and dirt, gravel, and sawdust.

Looking east, standing just east of Walnut Grove.

I am looking west, standing on the east side of Walnut Grove.

Local artists.

This used to be Kragen Auto.  Now O'Reilly has purchased the chain.

5633 Noel Drive, Temple City, CA.  This is where Pa and Lily lived back in the early 1960's before moving to the Golden West apartment upstairs, end unit in the back.

How To Fight a Traffic Ticket

Here is a list of reliable facts on traffic tickets and traffic schools for California.

City of Pasadena phone number is 626-744-8723.  The receptionist explained to me that the only way to obtain a copy of the Traffic & Engineering Survey is to go into the offices and show them a copy of my citation.  She was very nice, helpful, and willing to address all of my concerns and answer all of my questions.  She referred to the survey as the ENT Report.  The address to the City of Pasadena Department of Transportation is 221 East Walnut Streeet at Marengo on the Northeast corner of Marengo and Walnut on the 2nd Floor, Room 210.  Walk up the stairs and turn left; it's just down the hall on your right.  The head of the department is Mary Bedrozian.  They close at 5:30pm.  

courtesy notice from the Courthouse is mailed to you within 21 days.  When using the mail, allow 10 days for PROCESSING.  That means that it takes 10 days for the courts to process your paperwork.  It does not mean that your bail takes 10 days to get to the courts.

The Pasadena Police Station phone is 626-744-4241.
LA Superior Court Directory.
The Pasadena Courthouse phone is 626-356-5265.  The courthouse is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Mon through Fri, except court holidays. Their phone hours are 8:30 to 10:30 and 1:30 to 3:30, Monday through Friday.  Well, this is unbelievable, or should I say exactly what is to be expected by a government agency: not only are the hours limited on the Courthouse phone, but when I called here at 8:56am on Wednesday, the phones are busy.  So they say they have phone hours, but there is still no access.  I've redialed 6 times--still busy.  So far, the line has been busy for 30 consecutive minutes.  Well, at 10:01 I finally got through.  The receptionist was pretty helpful and thorough.  I asked if by asking for an extension that I would lose traffic school privileges.  She said  no.  I asked her if I could take care of the insurance card requirement prior to my appearance date of 10/24.  She said no, that I would have to bring proof of insurance to my court appearance.  Oh, well . . . .
Bail amount & Non-refundable administrative fee.  Traffic school is eligible only once every 18 months.
What happens if you choose to apply for a . . . ?
I did receive an extension by phone on Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 11:45am.  I need to pay my ticket by Monday, October 24, 2011.
My signature on the ticket is a promise to appear.  A courtesy notice is sent within 21 days.
Proof of repair has to be done by a specific date.

Fight Your Speeding Ticket via TBD or  Trial By Declaration 

Trial By Declaration #2

#1  Begin the steps to take care of your ticket now.  Waiting to process the ticket and organize your defense two weeks before your appearance date imposes a stupid disadvantage on you.  Don't do that to yourself.
#2  Never use the Ticket Assassin that you find online.  He is a con-man.  Even if you follow the free downloadable forms he sends you for "free," the actions that he suggest could burn you and get you into legal hot water.  His big "difference" is that he tells you to fight your ticket by mail, using the "Written Declaration of Not Guilty" to fight your ticket in court absentia.  It feels like a set-up because you're not there if there is a misunderstanding by the clerks, the officers, the judge.  By fighting the ticket by mail as Mulroy suggest and sells it that you'll be saving time, you may be doing time if your letter misrepresents the law, your actions, or the citing officer's testimony.  Be careful, and avoid this scam.  It sounds tempting.  He's got a nice website, and people complaining about him appear as only losers.  You're not a loser and much smarter, and therefore you, your intelligence, your persuasive skills, and rhetoric will kick ass in court.  Okay, go with that, Sparky.  He charges $25 and guilts you into paying appealing to your moral principles, and then the guy fails to keep his end of the bargain.  Check the gadget column to see what others have said about him.

#3  This is a helpful site.  I wished I'd have known this:
When you are pulled over by the cop and want to beat a speeding ticket in California, ASK THE COP TO CHANGE THE COURT VENUE TO THE COUNTY SEAT, explaining that it is more convenient for you and write down "COUNTY SEAT PLEASE" next to your signature on the citation.  If you know the county seat isn't the address listed on the ticket, write "COUNTY SEAT REQUESTED BUT REFUSED BY OFFICER."  When asked by the cop about your driving, the only thing you should say is, "I was driving safely."  Do not say anything else to confirm any alleged traffic offense.

#4  Next, get an engineering and traffic survey for the street where you were caught from city hall. There will be one for every street where RADAR or LIDAR tickets are permitted. You will use any mistakes found in the traffic survey at trial to fight the speeding ticket.

Kalbi Burger @ Wilshire & Wilton

Well, I did it.  I drove all the way  into Los Angeles at Wilton and Wilshire to experience the great Kalbi Burger.  It was okay.  Better than average, yes, but not by much.  By average I mean that it had more flavor than a 3pm chili-cheeseburger at a grease grill recessed off the road in San Pedro, where the chili has been heating since 10am.  Kalbi's is not a grease grill per se.  The grill is camouflaged by plants, mirrors, stools, and a countertop that over looks the grill.  You want to get close to the frier?  Eat at the grill.  On space, the place makes a good ergonomic effort to accommodate as many people as they can.  I was there at 1:15 on a Wednesday, and there were 2 people at the counter, 2 guys eating at one of the narrow tables, me eating at a circular table bar of 20" in diameter, and one woman waiting for her to-go order.


What Was Good?
The dressing was pretty good.  The toppings were fresh; chilled, at least.

Service?
Service was pretty good.  The young many who took my order was congenial and eager to answer my questions about the burger.  So I appreciated the attentiveness.

First Impressions?
Was that I was eating an Asian burger.  I was looking for flavor in the meat.  There was none.  In his video interview posted at his site, the owner states that he loved the chuck from McDonald's when was a kid, but the chuck is tasteless.  Nor do I taste the short-rib; the combination or blend of the two did nothing to enhance flavor.  So no flavor.  Now the burger meat at Counters in fantastic.  That by far is a better burger.

Price?
The clerks encourage you to get the combo; in fact, they tell you that it is cheaper to get the combo.  Not so.  Plus, if you do get the combo, you're getting items that you really don't want or need.

Overall Estimate?
2.5  Disappointing.  The sauces and the styles are not that unique to make me want to eat there again.  That is the true measure of a good burger by asking myself, "Would I come back?"  To Kalbi, the answer is an unambiguous no.

Richard @ San Gabriel Automotive

Richard of San Gabriel Automotive in San Gabriel at 900 East Las Tunas Drive at the southeast corner of Las Tunas and Charlotte.  Call him at 626-287-5708.

Richard has been here at this site for at least 15 years.  I know.  I knew the previous owners, who were a young, blond Christian family.  Richard knew the previous owners.  He may have even worked with them.  But when Richard took over operations 15 years ago, little did we know that San Gabriel residents were getting one of the finest mechanics and businessmen in the area.  I owned a 1986 red Toyota truck that rarely needed maintenance, but when it did I brought it to Richard.  Richard was reliable.  When he told you that he was going to fix something, he fixed it.  You drove away from his garage satisfied and happy that your vehicle was running better.  You got what you paid for.  I've been to the automotive centers at dealers where I've often driven away in regret after paying way too much money.  I drove that 1986 pick-up into the ground.  It had a total of 275,000 miles on it before the engine went kaput.  It was Richard who suggested that I purchase an engine from overseas and simply install a renovated engine.  I decided against it.  I decided to buy a new car.  In 2000, I bought a 4-door, 1998 burgundy Ford Contour, which I liked.  It had power, which I liked.  I read reviews.  Driver and Power compared the Contour to the midsized and mid-class Honda Accords.  Honda had a great reputation for durability.  Comparing Contours to Hondas was a stretch, but one never knew.  So I went to a dealer and bought the car.  I drove it home.  In fact, I drove it directly to the Northwood's Inn to have dinner with Pam to share my excitement.  Little did I realize that American cars, particularly Fords, have terrible engines.  When the engine runs, Fords have power.  When the engine runs, the car is comfortable.  I had one problem after another with that car's engine.  I took the car to Richard each time.  Richard shook his head at me, saying "Michael, you've got too many problems with that car.  No good.  Taurus is better."  He was right.  When I first got that Contour I drove it up to Portland, Oregon to visit an old friend there, and then into Washington and into Vancouver, Canada to meet up with a friend from Garfield.

Driving one evening with my friend, Steve, on  the 210 Freeway in Duarte, I was going too fast to avoid a tire sitting on the freeway.  I ran over the tire.  There was a scrape, a thud, and a grind.  I was able to drive the car off the freeway to the Mobile Station at Huntington and Mt. Olive in Duarte.  I called AAA from there.  He hitched my car up, drove my friend home in Duarte, and then drove and my damaged Contour back to San Gabriel.  I am lucky to have Richard right across the street from me.  I was able to leave the car in Richard's parking lot overnight.  After inspecting the damages, Richard found that one of the air-conditioner fans cracked and needed to be replaced.  I couldn't afford it, so I went without.  In 2006, I took a drive up to San Luis Obispo to pick up a framed print for my mom that catherine arranged.  We walked around the town and then went to lie down in the local park.  There was some kind of a festival.  It was fun to watch people.  Evening was coming on so I set out for home, but not before I stopped to pick up a chicken burrito at Baja Fresh.  From there I began my trek south on Highway 101.  The fog clung to the earth like along the craggy highlands of Scotland.  Mysterious.  As I exited the fog, I found myself passing through Goleta, north of Santa Barbara.  I was 2 miles out when my engine seized.  I pulled over and ran to a call box to call for help.  An AAA Club tow-driver arrived.  He gave me options for leaving me somewhere in Santa Barbara overnight.  And then he finally asked me how much money I had.  I asked him how much he would charge me to drive me all the way home tonight.  He said $300.  I said fine, so he drove me home.  I slept most of the way.  About 90 minutes later, after 1am, he pulled up in front of my apartment building.  I ran across the street to the Union Bank, extracted $300 in cash, ran back,  paid him, and thanked him.  The next morning Richard looked at my car and said that the rings needed replacing.  Fine.  Do you see how that car was nickel and diming me to death?   

Burgers

I am waiting to find a burger, a cheese burger with onions, tomatoes, crisp lettuce on the perfect bread, something that my sister used to make when we lived at home, or a burger that my cousin barbecued in his backyard on Golden West back in the late '60's.  Some places get it partially right.  For a flavorful patty, nothing surpasses

#1     Hamburger Hamlet in Pasadena at 214 South Lake Avenue.  Their beef has some of the best and subtle natural seasoning that I have ever tasted.  They can add avocado, bacon, extra cheese, extra sauce.  Add to that an iced cold beer, and you're swinging in heaven for an hour.  Their French fries aren't bad either, but I'll reserve that discussion for another post. 

#2     In-and-Out's burgers with 3 locations near us: one at 4242 N. Rosemead, across the street from Rosemead High School; two, 10601 Lower Azusa Blvd. in Temple City; and three, 2114 Foothill Blvd. in Pasadena.  What makes their burgers tasty is the combination of ingredients: 2 meat patties, grilled onions, 2 slices of American cheese, tomato, lettuce, and a fresh bun.  You can also get that same burger protein style, which is a sandwich without a bun.  They make it work.  In-and-Out is a fast food restaurant; hence the name, In-and-Out.  But the service isn't all that fast.  Rarely is anybody in there and out of there as the name would make us believe.  But people are okay with that.  In the old days when the restaurant first opened, the service was much faster.  You'd get in and get out under five minutes.  The store gets us in there for their great burgers and their delicious fries.  Their chocolate shakes are terrific, too.  Not only does the food taste good, but we're led to believe that because the ingredients are advertised as being fresh that we're getting a healthier burger than at one of the larger national chains like Burger King, McDonald's, Carl's Jr., A&W, and so forth.

#3     Not the best burger around, but maybe the burger belonging to a national chain is Burger King's Whopper with cheese.  You can find one at the Temple City store at 5541 Rosemead in the KMart shopping center.  It's their meat.  There must be more fat in their beef because it tastes really good.  A Whopper with cheese is just the fix: special sauce, mayonnaise, pickles, onions, and a leaf of what passes for lettuce, all on a sesame-seed bun.  I can wolf down one of their burgers and feel completely satisfied.  My least favorite national chain is Wendy's.  I ate there once and got sick.  They kept pre-prepared burgers under a heat lamp for too long.  Their marketing department is quite good.  They made some of the most visually convincing commercials.  Tommy's Burgers in Los Angeles and elsewhere used to be phenomenal in the '60's and '70's.  Tommy's marketing department was their parking lot, where you'd see and hear customers gorging on chili-cheese burgers and fries, and sucking on the fingers before a gasp of fulfillment was heard a few feet away from you at the outdoor metal bar.  Most of the burger chain meat today is suspect.  I understand that some chains treat their meat with ammonia that kind of destroys the flavor.

#4     One of the best places that I have found for a really good burger, good meat taste, fresh bread bun, and tasty ingredients is The Back Abbey in Claremont.  It is out of the area but if you're dying to try something wonderful, that's the place that I recommend.  They advertise themselves as a kind of beer joint.  Don't let that fool you.  Take your family there for the burgers.  They are terrific.  One caveat, however, special orders are almost verboten because they want you to taste the flavors that they've concocted in their burgers before you try any other alternative.

#5     If the photos resemble anything near to what actually shows up on your plate, then the Umami Burger in Studio City looks really good.

#6     The 8 oz. Burger Bar on Melrose in Los Angeles looks pretty good, particularly their blend of meats: sirloin, tri-tip, short rib, and chuck, and they cook the burgers over a wood-burning grill.  According to their online menu, all of their meats are cooked medium rare to medium.  Sounds delicious.  I'll have to give them a try.  They are located at 7661 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, 90046.  Their phone number is 323-852-0008.  Their hours are . . . actually, they have no hours.  They are out of business.  I phoned the number shown just above and got a disconnected recording.  Too bad.

#7     Stout Burgers and Beer.

#8     R + D Kitchen

#9     Pie 'n' Burger on California in Pasadena.

#10   Lucky Devils.  Whoa!  This definitely looks rich.

#11   Hole in the Wall Burger Joint in Los Angeles.

#12   The Counter Burger all over the Southland with one next to the East Green Street Cafe in Pasadena.

#13   Cassell's Hamburgers, what Tommy's used to be?

#14   The Original Tommy's named for Tommy Koulax

#15   25 Degrees in Hollywood.

#16   Upper West in Santa Monica

#17   The Market Grill in Monrovia.

#18   Bill's Hamburgers in Van Nuys.

#19   Sean's Burgers in Silver Lake.

#20   Yuca's Hut on Hillhurst in Los Feliz.

#21   Apple Pan on Pico in Los Angeles.

#22   Ercoles in Manhattan Beach.

#23   The Oinkster Restaurant in Eagle Rock.

#24   Capitol Burgers on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.

#25   Simmzy's Pub in Manhattan Beach

#26   Bouchon Bistro in Beverly Hills

#27   Father's Office.  The online site for this place gives the appearance that it is an exclusive club with private party bookings and work parties and larger events.  Kind of interesting.  The burgers look terrific, and by the sound of it the taste is pleasing--good meats.

#28   Susan Feniger's Street on Highland in Los Angeles.

#29   Go Burger at 6290 Sunset in Los Angeles.

#30   Kalbi Burger at 4001 Wilshire in Los Angeles.   

#31   Burger Kitchen at 8048 West 3rd Street in Los Angeles.

#32   The Oaks Gourmet Market in Los Angeles.  The critics.

#33   Hinano Burger at 15 Washington Blvd. in Venice.

LAist's "10 Best Burgers" points you in the right direction.

The Burger Review, maybe the best burger review on the market.

Pizza

I created a widget for pizzas in the sidebar.  I've had Petrillo's pizza.  It was okay.  I've tried Mama Petrillo's Pizza on Las Tunas just east of Rosemead.  That, too, was okay.  So far in San Gabriel my favorite pizza comes from Shakey's.  Domino's Pizza is good, too.  There is a place called Mike's Pizza & Cosi Cafe.  I like the title.  I'll have to try their pizza.  I welcome your experienced opinion, since I, too, am looking for a really good pizza.