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Everyone is feeling the pinch of this depressed, er, repressed econony. Have your habits changed? Do you clip coupons more than before? Are you growing your own food? Sewing your own clothes? Biking to work? Tell us here how you are coping…

Tony’s Shoe Repair, originally uploaded by claimsmantoo.

Great shot of Tony’s Shoe Repair by Claminsmantoo from Flickr!

Monrovia Post Office Patterns, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

During the day the Monrovia Post Office building looks rather ordinary; at night, however, it really takes on a different personality!

Retail spaces in the newly opened Colorado Commons development wait for occupants. Photo by infociba

Local Monrovian Carole Anne Kaufman is more than just your average, er, way-above-average, hairdresser. She can make you laugh, and, will make your jaw fall open with her ability to whistle just about any tune, even classical.

A recent write-up in the Pasadena weekly sums it up:

The 35-year-old Monrovia native will compete in the International Whistlers Convention’s championships in Tokyo in July. A hair stylist, stand-up comedienne, ordained minister and self-proclaimed “lip balm-aholic,” Kaufman added award-winning whistler to her array of titles six years ago after a friend suggested that she enter a local competition.

“At first I was excited about the idea, and I thought, ‘maybe I’ll do it,’” Kaufman recalled. “Later I wanted to back out, but I was too embarrassed to face my [hairdressing] clients if I didn’t go through with it.”

Kaufman tied for first place in that competition and has since placed first and second runner-up in the International Whistler’s Convention’s championships in 2005 and 2007, respectively. But more than her victories, Kaufman remembers these competitions for the people she met.

She would love to put Monrovia on the map by whistling her way to world champion, and to do so she is organizing a bit of a going-away soirée nee fundraiser on Saturday June, 28th from 6-10 p.m. at L.A. Party Works at 235 West Maple Avenue here in Monrovia.

Admission is only $10, and inside you will find a ton of stuff to keep you entertained: pencil drawing, live performances, reflexology, psychic readings, lots of drinks and munchies, and if you’re lucky, she might even whistle for you!

For more information, call Carole Anne at 626-358-5822 or email her.

ADDENDUM: She won!!

Love this night shot of Petrillo’s Pizza. I don’t think I’ve ever really noticed it before. Anyone recommend it?

Lovely photo by Googlesque.

Here you can see the steel framing going up on the new library. Very exciting… See for yourself!

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of all the crummy fruit being put forth by the grocery stores these days. And it costs more than ever! Is it time for Monrovia to get a community garden?

Lovely photo by Artcatcher.

Tonight at dusk as I was walking my dog, I heard the tell-tale cry of a Peacock. Typically I don’t hear these cries unless I’m close to Arcadia, as I was a few days ago, but this was right above my head here in north Monrovia. I have lived her for more than 5 years now and have never seen one in my neighborhood. Two nights ago as I was walking near Arcadia I was trying to follow the call of one nearby. I didn’t find it and was wishing that I would see them closer to my neighbhood. Oddly enough, my wish came true!

I didn’t have my camera with me, alas, but the image looked very much like the one above, by eilonwydreams.

With our warm climate in Monrovia, it seems natural to grow lots of tasty things here, which I am doing more and more of. I’m taking out grass and planting fruits and vegetables. Click on the image above to watch an inspiring video about urban homesteaders in Pasadena. I’ve recently found a great website for getting “low chill” varieties of things that nomally don’t do well here, such as raspberries and blackberries. Visit Sperling Nursery to get started. Monrovia has an average of 380 chill hours per year, which means that when you are looking for varieties of fruits that require chilling to produce well (like apple trees), it’s esssential to purchase a variety that requires fewer than 400 chill hours.

I don’t know about you, but the supermakets just aren’t cutting it with fruit anymore. The last several times I’ve purchased pears and peaches and watermelon, they rotted before getting ripe!

Here’s a nice shot of the Monrovia Airport tile mural on the Albertson’s wall by Doran B.

Thought I would start out the summer with a boat ride on the lake in Bonelli Park in San Dimas. If Monrovia had a lake, I would be on it! I think Theo looks quite fetching in his new lifejacket.

This building just got fixed up for Farmer’s Insurance, but it appears they also have office space for lease. I do love the color palette.