talbotlucas.org: a word to the wise is sufficient

wallace's kind of concept car

Wallace did not attend the preview of the Toyko auto show, but he does approve of Honda's concept car and its friendliness toward the canine traveler. (But Wallace does have family members who live in Japan, so maybe the corgi model is one of them.)

Wallace thinks there's far too much emphasis on baby seats, in-vehicle DVD systems, and GPS devices. More room for corgis! Wallace would also like a view, and he'd definitely want good air circulation, but at least this is a step in the right direction.

Perhaps we won't tell Wallace that there aren't any plans to actually manufacture this particular concept car for the market...

"do dogs think?"

That's the title of an excerpt from Jon Katz's latest book, Katz on Dogs, and it's available on slate.com.

And the answer? Yes, but probably not like we do.

daycare for wallace, pt 1

Since Wallace has been with us practically 24/7 since the day he joined our family, we realized some time ago that we should find a place where he could stay for a day, overnight, or for several days and nights should we need to be out of town or otherwise canine-free.

We started to ask fellow dog-owners in the neighborhood for recommendations. We checked out the places that were written up in various dog-friendly publications and the Los Angeles media. And I became more nervous with each investigation. I couldn't swallow the idea of Wallace being in a cage or a crate with only a few breaks during the day. That's a 180-degree change from his normal life, and not something I wanted to try. It's not that he needs pampering or constant coddling, but he needs some stimulation and interaction. A few of the services that come to your home to check on the dog and walk/feed/play with him weren't impressive, and some seemed to be rip-offs. So...we're trying the one place that make us relax and think, hey, this might be ok after all: L.A. Dogworks. We were immediately and positively impressed when we first visited a few weeks ago. Wallace had an "evaluation" to make sure he knew how to behave appropriately when introduced to a park full of off-leash dogs of all shapes, sizes, and breeds. (He did very well.)

So today is his first all-day session. The house is strangely quiet. Wallace definitely has a presence, and it's missing. I keep looking at the clock. I've vacuumed, sent off a few resumes, washed the breakfast dishes. I'm working on a friend's book proposal, and testing the baby beta of Terrence's software application. I might also have time to run a few errands and organize some of the mess that's colonized my desktop (literal and electronic). I've posted the latest news to slowfoodla.com.

If I keep this up I might actually have a productive day...

the "neighborhood" winery

Not quite our neighborhood, but close enough.

If you've visited the Getty Center and wondered who owned all the grapevines that are visible from its heights, now you know.

Our wine budget is tight this year, but if we find ourselves flush in the future we might try the Moraga Cabernet. Luckily, the only two shops that carry it are within walking distance (The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills) or a short Vespa ride (Wally's in Westwood). Now if we can work on that budget...

For another look at a local private vineyard, check out the New York Social Diary's visit to Michael McCarty's Malibu compound. (Scroll down the just past the photo of Elton John's post-Oscar party.) Michael McCarty is the proprietor of Michael's in Santa Monica and NYC (where it is one of the favorite lunch spots for publishing and media types). If you have any doubt that McCarty is serious about growing good grapes, check out his information about the vineyard's development.