Dunkin’ Donuts store opening in Santa Monica on Sept. 2nd!

OK, forget what I just said about today totally sucking, I just got word from a donut-loving friend of mine that my beloved Dunkin' Donuts is finally coming back to the Southland!

That's right, amigos, after a failed attempt a few years back, Dunkin' Donuts will be opening their first of four stand alone Los Angeles store in Santa Monica on Sept. 2nd at 5:00am. Not only will they be giving out super cool Dunkin' Donuts swag bags to the first 100 people in line, but, the first person in line will win free coffee for a year!

And as anyone who has eaten their donuts can tell you, the coffee is the real star of the show at DD! Especially that crazy good iced coffee pictured here…yum! So, if you need to find me in the next few days, I think you know where to look. I'll be that crazy sunburnt guy in the front of the line!

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Library Store on Wheels in the news!

Hot on the heels of being named one of Wuztwhat's Seven Havens for Booklovers in Los Angeles, The Library Store made the news again this week when the store's mobile truck (and Mrs. Yeti herself!) appeared on Thursday's 6:00PM news on KNBC 4.

Featured in a segment on a proposed bill to streamline and simplify the permit process for mobile vendors and retail trucks, The Library Store on Wheels was just one of three trucks in the piece, but, they definitely got the most screen time. I think they have the coolest-looking truck too, but, perhaps I'm a bit biased.

Either way, kudos to Mrs. Yeti and everyone on her rocking Library Store team on yet another awesome TV appearance. Keep on mobile trucking, guys!

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“It’s oh so nice to go traveling…”

One of the best things about taking a nice, long road trip every summer to Grants Pass, Oregon (by way of Santa Cruz, CA) is that being away from Los Angeles for any extended period of time always reminds me of just why I love L.A. so much in the first place. Yes, I admit it, I love L.A., probably more than anyplace I've ever lived.

In fact, having been down here for over twenty-two years now, Mrs. Yeti and I have officially lived in L.A./Burbank longer than we've ever lived anywhere else. And though we love to get away, something about this crazy, sprawling urban jungle just makes us feel excited and alive. Maybe it's because we were both born down here, who knows? But for us, L.A. is home, and as we drove over the Grapevine on Sunday night and caught our first glimpse of the shimmering lights of the San Fernando Valley in the distance, I'm not embarrassed to admit that we both got more than a little choked up.

I'm not sure if that was because we were relieved that some of the more dramatic episodes from our trip were behind us, or the simple fact that we were just happy to be home. But for whatever reason, we practically kissed the ground when we arrived!

And today, as Greta and I grabbed lunch at a totally 80's Taco Bell on Ventura Boulevard — which is one of my two favorite thoroughfares in L.A., BTW, Wilshire Boulevard being the other — I spotted a dude with the long grey hair and tight, studded jeans of a faded rock star enjoying a Meximelt while a crazy-eyed trannie demanded the key to the restroom at the register, and I just smiled from ear to ear. Oh, L.A., how I've missed you. It really is good to be home!

 

 

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Dove Men+Care’s “Call for Dads” TV Spot

Greta and I have been watching this sweet, beautifully produced TV spot from Dove Men+Care all week, and everytime we watch it, we cry. So, in honor of my upcoming fifth Father's Day as a dad this weekend, I figured I'd share this awesomeness with you guys as well.

Honestly, they had me at the title, but the fact that I know one of the dad's in the clip from my old Westside Dad's Meetup Group makes the clip that much more special. My buddy Trevor is the bald dude kissing his tow-headed little boy, Miles, near the middle of the commercial…you can't miss them. I think that's them in the insect costumes later on too. Either way, congrats, guys!

And to the rest of the weary, hard-working dads out there (stay-at-home and otherwise!) Happy Father's Day and enjoy the clip!

 

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“Country: Portraits of an American Sound” at the Annenberg Space for Photography

Last weekend, we headed to the Annenberg Space for Photography in Century City to check out their spanking new exhibit, “Country: Portraits of an American Sound” and lemme tell ya, it kicked ass. Seriously, even people who don’t like country music will enjoy the very cool array of photographs on display. And if you love old school Grand Ole Opry stars like Ernest Tubb, Loretta Lynn, George Jones and Patsy Cline as much as we do, well, prepare to be dazzled.

Featuring work from a number of photographers covering the country music scene in Nashville and beyond, the show spans the post WWII period straight on through to today. One of Greta’s favorite shots was a very recent portrait of that little firecracker Kasey Musgraves. Musgraves took home the Grammy for Best Country Album earlier this year for her boot-stompingly good major label debut “Same Trailer Different Park.” And of you haven’t heard her music yet, well…you will!

My favorite pic was the insanely cool Tammy Wynette shot featured on the poster below and an action pic of Loretta Lynn jumping for joy after hearing that she’d been asked to join the regular cast at the Opry. Classic! And if you love Johnny Cash like we do, there are some great photos of him through the years as well. Honestly, every photo in the show is amazing and the documentary the Annenberg produced in conjunction with The Country Music Hall of Fame is positively riveting. Seriously good stuff all around.

And those with wee ones will appreciate the show’s super cool hidden item game which encourages kids to find items from a brochure in the photos on display. Greta loved it and actually, it was fun for adults too. In fact, some of the items were so difficult to find that we had to ask for help.

So, if you live in the area (and even if you don’t!) get thee to the Annenberg Space for Photography and check out this little gem of a show for yourself. The cost of admission is free and parking, with museum validation, is only one dollar. So, how can you lose?

I should warn you though, this show will fuel your desire for country jams like never before, we’ve been playing nothing but Dolly, Emmylou Harris and Porter Wagoner all week…it’s been awesome!

Greta’s Holiday Haircut

Believe it or not, it’s been nine months since Greta last got her hair cut. We were keeping it long for my sister’s wedding in September, and then I guess we just kind of forgot about it when the holiday insanity set in. So, last weekend, we headed to Floyd’s 99 Barber Shop for what has now become Greta’s semi-annual haircut.

And though her favorite hairdresser, Miss Rose, was no longer working there, a very cool gal named Ashley did a bang up job on Greta’s hair. So, everything worked out fine. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the finished product (except for the last shot below, where it’s mostly hidden by her hood!) but I did get lots of pics of Greta in Ashley’s chair. So, enjoy!

Oh, and if you live in the are and are looking for a cool, inexpensive place to get your kid’s haircut, I highly recommend Floyd’s. They might not have little airplane seats and stuff for the wee ones, but, they have a chill, rock ‘n roll vibe, are super friendly and Greta loves all the music posters and stuff on the walls. Floyd’s has locations all over L.A., so, find one near you and check them out. And in the meantime, enjoy the pics!

The Library Store on Wheels @ Renegade Craft Fair L.A. (Dec. 14-15)

We will probably be too busy decorating our Christmas tree and working on getting our cards in the mail to be able to attend, but, the super fun Renegade Craft Fair is in town this weekend. And this year, which marks the fourth year that Renegade has come to Los Angeles, the Library Store’s rocking Library Store on Wheels will be there as well, so, how can you lose?

So, if you live in the area and are craving some unique, one-of-a-kind gifts for the folks on your Christmas list or, hell, even for yourself, get thee to the Los Angeles State Historic Park and get shopping! Tell them the Yeti sent you…

Greta & Katana

When I told Greta today what I was thinking about blogging about tonight she insisted that I include some pictures of her and her BFF Katana. If you read my previous post, you know why some of the older pics here just about break my heart wide open. Oy, here I go again…talk amongst yourselves…

As you can see from the pics, these two really were peas in a pod and that’s really hard to find, and when you’re both only children, well, it’s kind of magical. The term “sisters from another mother” comes to mind. Anyway, this is just a sampling of the many adorable  pics of these two that you can find on the West L.A. Stay-At-Home-Dads new Facebook page, so, if you’re looking for more cuteness, check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WestLAstayathomedads/

And in the meantime…enjoy the pics and safe travels to Katana and her family!

The Library Store on Wheels rolls on!

If you think I’ve been busy after my recent bout with Hobbit fever, you can’t imagine how busy Mrs. Yeti has been getting her store’s new Library Store on Wheels…well, on wheels! It’s been a long, hard journey for Mrs. Yeti (aka Christine Romero) and her co-pilot Sarah Lancaster, from concept to actual execution, but, yesterday morning they finally took their award-winning Library Store on the road and Angelenos ate it up!

And we, for one, could not be prouder of the ladies behind the wheel. Sarah and Christine worked their butts off to make this happen, and their artful attention to detail shows in every nook and cranny of this rocking new Library Store truck. Or so I hear. I haven’t actually seen the truck in person yet, but, I do know that Sarah even designed the linoleum pattern on the floor herself! Cool, huh?

The Library Store on Wheels will be rolling across the southland for the rest of this week and part of next week as well, trying to hit as many different corners of the vast L.A. Library system as they can. For a full schedule of which branch they’ll be parked at each day — they’ll even be parked outside Hollywood’s Amoeba Records on Wed. 12/19 — please visit the Library Foundation’s blog here. You can also follow their every move at The Library Store on Twitter.

Greta and I will be touring the truck for the first time today at the Sherman Oaks library. So, if you’re in the neighborhood drop by and say hello. Or better yet, do some holiday shopping and buy some of the fun, eclectic stuff that The Library Store has to offer.

I mean, hey, Christmas is right around the corner…

Greta’s Bookshelf: “Press Here” by Hervé Tullet

Anyone who has ever been to our place can tell you that we have an s-load of books. There are books in the kitchen, the dining room, the bathroom, and don’t even get me started on the bedrooms. Greta actually has so many kids books in her room that we have to rotate them out.

It’s kinda crazy, but, all three of us love to read (or, in Greta’s case, pretend to read) and re-read our favorite books, so, honestly, I can’t imagine life without them. To tell you the truth, I kinda distrust people with no books in their house. I don’t care if you keep them in the closet, but, you best have some books somewhere if you wanna hang these Yetis.

Anyway, Mrs. Yeti and I started collecting kids books before we even dreamed of having an actual kid. If we found one (or twenty) that we loved, we bought them. And we rarely, if ever, get rid of them. Hell, one look at the bookshelf in Greta’s room and you’ll see that many of the books there were ours when we were kids. Sure, they moved up a few shelves when Greta started eating them as a baby, but, those vintage kids books hold a place of honor in our home and our hearts.

So, whenever we read a new kids book that moves us as much as those old classics did, well, we just have to tell the world about it. So, without further ado, I give you: “Press Here” by Hervé Tullet.

Mrs. Yeti has been selling this book in her store for a while now, but, Greta and I are new converts to the wonders of “Press Here” and let me tell you, it’s a very fun read. I don’t want to give too much away, but, this very creative book is interactive in the extreme.

It all starts with the first page’s simple command to “Press Here” and quicker than you say “Twister: The Novel” you are turning the book on its side, tilting it to the left, then to the right, shaking it really hard and even blowing on the pages at one point. If you don’t have fun reading this book to your kids, you must just hate fun. Seriously, we were cracking up, it’s a very cool read.

And aside from now having an iPhone App, this book is so cool it even has its own trailer on YouTube. Ha! Top that Frog and Toad! Just kidding, I love the Frog and Toad books. My brother and I used to fight over who got to be Frog and who got to be Toad before we started reading them. Yep, he’s a book nerd too. You should see how many books he and his wife have…crazy!

Anyway, if you have a toddler in your house (or even if you don’t!) you must check out this book today. But make room on your shelf first, because, trust me, you’re gonna wanna own this one.