Football Socks American Style

Pasadena -- Patriotism on the sidelines

Roadside Americana

Banning -- The road was lined with American flags, proudly waving in the gusty wind. Two men were pushing a rusty pickup truck while a woman and her grandson waited patiently for the next bus in the 92-degree sun. Next time--on a day off--I should spend a day in this town to explore. Funny how we neglect small towns while en route to another big city....

Banning is about 90 minutes from Los Angeles along Interstate 10 near Palm Springs.

Norman Rockwell Moment

Los Angeles, CA -- Norman Rockwell had a knack for drawing attention to human idiosyncrasies. Norman drew national appeal mainly because he illustrated in his paintings what many of us see in the typical American child and adult. He took a smirk, a gesture or an event and recreated it in a more endearing, animated style.

Mr. Rockwell paid particular attention to the Boy Scouts of America and was able to capture the true assents of scouting with his works in Boys' Life Magazine as well as illustrations in more than 40 books including Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.

This photo is not even close to Rockwell excellence, but the subject could very well inspire Norm to produce a winner for 2010. All that's needed is a frog, a willow stick fishin' pole and a slingshot hanging out of a pocket.

Calico Ghost Town

A Fence, a boot, a piece of Old Glory (American flag), and you've got art.

Father of the Bride House

We all have our favorite streets. Whether we are under the tyranny of the urgent or void of a time constraint, it's nice to drive through a neighborhood that makes you proud of where you live.

For those familiar with Pasadena, the arching tree-lined street of El Molino provides a plethora of storybook homes. It's no wonder Hollywood makes this street their "American neighborhood" of choice for so many movies and commercials.

This particular home was made famous in the 1991 and 1995 films Father of the Bride; it has "family" built into the mortar.