Quality and Persistence -- an unbeatable combination

Pastrami and rye was on the menu. Ham and wry was on the podium. That was the scene at 7th and Alvarado streets Friday as a lunchtime crowd celebrated the survival, against all odds, of the neighborhood's most unlikely business.

Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant was marking its 60th anniversary on the corner opposite MacArthur Park, outlasting a Jewish customer base that long ago moved out and an unfortunate drug-dealing culture that moved in. He can joke about it now, so 94-year-old Al Langer was savoring the moment as Los Angeles officials praised him for hanging in there as they struggled for years to turn the neighborhood around. The street corner will be designated "Langer's Square" on Langer's 95th birthday, Jan. 23, City Council President Eric Garcetti announced.

Nilsson 1941-1994

Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994) was an American songwriter, singer, pianist, and guitarist, most popular during the 1960s and 1970s. For most of his recordings, he did not use his first name, and was credited only as Nilsson. He had some spectacular successes, including two Grammy Awards and two Top 10 singles. One of his most well-known recordings was "Without You", a haunting melody that many of us can never forget.

Happy Birthday to Billy Williams

Billy Williams who demonstrated one of the sweetest swings you ever saw for the Chicago Cubs was born on this day in 1938. He was voted "Rookie of the Year" in 1961 and was an all-star in 1962, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1972 and 1973. He still works with the Cubs organization today.

How much is ten inches of rain ??

In 1976 a 10-inch, mid-June rainfall in Houston, TX made it impossible for the Astros and the Pittsburgh Pirates to play ball in the Astrodome this night. With the parking lot under water and boats the only way to get to the stadium gates, the game was canceled.

A Moment of Glory is all too Brief

On this day in 1938 John Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds became the first pitcher in the major leagues to toss two, consecutive, no-hit, no-run games. He led the Reds to a 6-0 shutout win over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Vandermeer had no-hit the Boston Braves just four days earlier. The win over Brooklyn was also the first night game played at Ebbets Field. (FYI: These two games were the only no-hitters Vander Meer threw.)

It was a dark and stormy night . . .

It was a dark and stormy night back in 1752. Since there was nothing on TV worth a darn and, since he had been wondering if there really was electricity up in those dark clouds, Benjamin Franklin tied an iron wire to his kite and let it sail. He flew the kite from a long piece of twine tied to a silk ribbon on the end. Franklin attached a metal key where the twine and silk met.
Ben, not being a total dummy, flew the kite high in the wind, but stood in a doorway so the silk ribbon (and he) would not get wet. His idea was that any electricity overhead would be attracted to the wire on top of the kite. It was lucky for Franklin that no actual lightning bolt struck the wire or Ben would have been toast! However, as lightning began to flash, he put his hand near the key and sparks flew. The test was a success!

Franklin used his discovery to start a new business. He made and sold lightning rods. These metal rods were attached to the tops of buildings. A wire ran down the side of the structure to the ground. When lightning struck the top of the rod, it ran down the wire and safely to ground without doing damage to the building. Benjamin Franklin’s kite flying and, subsequently, lightning rods have prevented many buildings from going up in smoke.

Survivor: the hare-raising episode

SPOKANE, WASH. — The only surviving pair of endangered pygmy rabbits to have been released in a program to increase their numbers in the wild have dodged coyotes, badgers, hawks and owls — and found time for love.

Scientists announced Thursday that the rabbits had bred.

"We were worried. It took them a little while, but they did what rabbits do best," Rodney D. Sayler, a Washington State University conservation biologist, said from Pullman.

The rabbits, slightly larger than a hand, eat sagebrush and are the only rabbits in the United States that dig their own burrows.

From the Associated Press

Strolling Gardens encourage the walker to slow down and allow the landscape to reveal itself

Japanese gardens -- and the men who tend them -- have long inspired L.A.'s suburban soul. The contributions of these vanishing pioneers are coming to light in an exhibition opening Sunday at the Japanese American National Museum.

"Landscaping America: Beyond the Japanese Garden" opens Sunday at the Japanese American National Museum with a party from noon to 3 p.m., free with museum admission.

Where: Japanese American National Museum, 369 E. First St., Los Angeles

When: June 17 to Oct. 21

Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday;11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday

Price: $8 adults, $4 students (with ID) and children (6-17)

Information: (213) 625-0414 or http://www.janm.org

Thanks for the Memories, Rick

In 1984 Rick Sutcliffe was traded from the Cleveland Indians to the Chicago Cubs. Sutcliffe had been 4-5 for the Indians, but ended the season 16-1 with the Cubs. He led the Cubbies to the National League East Division title and won the Cy Young award.

There was magic in that voice

In 1970 the song Make It with You, by David Gates and Bread, was released. It turned out to be a number-one hit (8/22/70). Though Bread had a dozen hits, including one other million-seller (Baby I’m-A Want You, 1971); Make It with You was the soft-pop group’s only number-one tune.

"On King, mush you Huskies !!"

On this day in 1947 people gathered around the radio to listen to Sergeant Preston of The Yukon for the first time. The show, with the Canadian Mountie and his trusty dog, King, continued on the radio until 1955 (and on TV from 1955-1958). Sgt. Preston was created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, who also created The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet.

The Amazing One Amazed Them All

On this day in 1923 Harry Houdini, while in a straitjacket, suspended 40 feet in the air, amazed a large and quite disbelieving audience as he freed himself of the constraints.

"El Perfecto"

Baseball’s first El Perfecto, a perfect game, was recorded on this day in 1880 ... a perfect game being when no batter reaches a base during a complete game of at least nine innings.
A southpaw, left-handed Lee Richmond of the Worcester (Massachusetts) Ruby Legs, pitched himself to perfection with a 1-0 shutout of the Cleveland Spiders in a National League game. Five days later, on June 17, the second, official perfect game was pitched by John Ward in another National League game between Providence and Buffalo.

It was two and a half decades later before this feat was accomplished again. This time, the now famous Cy Young of the Boston Red Sox, stopped the Philadelphia Athletics in an American League game.

Perfect game days are very rare! So if you get a chance to see one, either in person or on TV, you’ll be watching history in the making.

In 1839, according to legend, Abner Doubleday, who later became a major name in book publishing, created the game we know as baseball. It happened in Cooperstown, NY which, coincidentally, is the present home of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Radio City Music Hall and the "Rockettes"

Radio City Music Hall opened to the public on December 27, 1932. Located in New York City's Rockefeller Center, this fabulous Art Deco theater is home to the The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, a New York Christmas tradition since 1933, and to the women's precision dance team known as the "Rockettes."
Upshot of Balcony, International Music Hall, Radio City, New York, New York
Samuel H. Gottscho, photographer, December 9, 1932.


High-kicking "Rockettes"

Vital Signs in a City's History

An assortment of neon signs resting on the grounds of the Boneyard Neon Museum in Las Vegas. The budding Neon Museum works to save designs that lighted up Vegas' attractions, and they hold the largest collection of vintage Vegas signs in the country.
(Robert Ziebell / Cinelandia.com)

Art on the Fly

Artist "Nall" (who once went by the name Nall Hollis) says his artistic style is surreal; he calls himself a disciple of Salvador Dalí. His work is on display inside and outside the International airport in Pisa, Italy. "The whole facade is covered with plastic reproductions of mosaics that are two stories high, and Nall’s "Wounded Dove" (shown above) sits outside the terminal.
(Pisa International Airport)

LEVIATHAN

Leviathan, watercolour painting by Arthur Rackham, 1908.

Happy Birthday !! Roy Smalley

Roy Smalley was born June 9. 1926 and played shortstop for my Chicago Cubs (1948-1953). He also played for the Milwaukee Braves (fomerly the Boston Braves and today's Atlanta Braves) and the Philadelphia Phillies. I understand today he plays mostly golf.

Happy Birthday Roy -- I'm still a fan of yours.

For more on Roy see my posting: "A Lovable Loser Who Really Wasn't" on October4, 2006. Click on the link below:

He was "Hip" before we knew what it was

On this day in 1891 Cole (Albert) Porter was born.
Some of the composer & lyricist's Broadway shows were: Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, Can Can, Silk Stockings. Some of his hit songs were: I’m in Love Again, Let’s Do It, You Do Something to Me, It’s De-Lovely, Night and Day, Don’t Fence Me In, What is This Thing Called Love, Love for Sale, I Get a Kick Out of You, Just One of Those Things, Begin the Beguine, I Love Paris, In the Still of the Night, True Love. Cole Porter died in 1964.

Tony Bennett -- One of the Great Ones

In 1962, a decade after making his first hit song, Because of You, singer Tony Bennett debuted in concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City.