I'm noticing swathes of seagulls soaring over our neighborhood of late.

Is this just me? Have they always been there?

It's magnificent to watch a flock of them fly by, tilting and turning in the sun.

The sea must be close by.

From ChabadSOLA.com:

Chabad of SOLA & Kesher Events present:

PURIM ON THE RED CARPET – The Ultimate SOLA-bration…

WHEN: Wed. March 7th at 9:30pm

WHERE: SOLA – 1627 S. La Cienega, Los Angeles, CA 90035

WHO: The entire community. Everyone is welcome!

COST: $10 at the door, & free drink ticket for those in costume

Evening Entertainment includes:
- Full cash bar
- Live DJ and dancing
- Food for Purchase
- Megillah reading on the hour
- Chill out room/ hookah lounge
- Lots and lots of l'chaims

Put this one in your calendar: Pre-Pesach Shabbaton on the 23 rd of March. Services at 6.45 and meal at 7.30pm at @ SOLA – 1627 S. La Cienega

I just heard about a home invasion on Holt and Cashio.

The residents had left their place and when they came back, some men were in there stealing stuff.

I don't believe anybody got hurt.

I saw a big poster for this special on the north-east corner of Olympic and Robertson.

I took advantage of it today and was very happy with the service at smilemakersdentistry.com. 310-358-1200.

I had not seen a dentist in 15 months but at that price, I had no excuse.

I do have a problem with grinding my teeth at night and it is wearing away the enamel.

Alexander Technique has something to say here:

Alexander Directions
Let my jaw, lips, tongue, eyes and forehead melt
To let my neck be free
To let my head balance forward and up
To let my back lengthen and widen
To let my knees direct forward from the hips and ankles and away from each other
To let my shoulders widen to the sides
Note: Directions are a sequential set of instructions that help to lengthen the spine, free up the breath, and create mental and physical ease. Directing is the process of thinking, wishing, ordering, projecting or seeing the above series of movements. Although directing may cause physical change, it is important to try not to “do” the directions. Directing is a mental process. Physical changes may occur as a result of directing, but the main focus is the thought. Finally, the sequence of directions is important, since the optimal physical pattern can only occur with the initial freedom of the neck and head.

If you have a problem with clenching and grinding, see if you can catch yourself starting to clench as you begin to unwind during constructive rest or as you drift into sleep. This is a very important moment and takes quite a lot of practice to notice. Alexander Lessons can dramatically heighten your awareness of your body, and can help you to prevent clenching in the daytime and grinding at night. Once you are able to notice the beginning stages of clenching and grinding as you slip into sleep, you have the opportunity to retrain the habit. This approach has worked for both myself and for my students.

Saturday night.

Helicopter and all
High speed
Wow
Wtf!?
West of Robertson

1 block south of Pico between sherbourne and Shenandoah.

Dave* emails: The crime spree in Pico Rob continues — I heard there was theft from an auto last night on the 1400 block of Crest Drive between Alcott and Cashio. The robber smashed in the window of a new Honda and stole a frumme yid's briefcase.
Whats going on with a patrol in the area? What's the deal with all the crime in Jewville lately?

I heard a lot of gunshots around midnight last night as the hood welcomed in the new year.

I hear there was a big police presence at the 18th St/La Cienega Blvd mall in the early morning hours of Sunday.

The gun shots came from the ghetto area near the mall. I think kids were just firing into the air to celebrate the new year.

Orthodox Jews were mugged and one was hurt and sent to the hospital last Shabbat. The man who was hurt was walking Friday night near Crescent Heights, east of La Cienega Blvd, and Airdrome.

So I expected this Shabbat there would be a major police presence in the community. I heard the police were pursuing these mugging cases and there was political pressure on the police to do something. Yet I didn't see police around this Shabbat in Pico-Robertson.

An Orthodox Jew walking to shul on Airdome, a block west of La Cienega, found two black teenagers in white t-shirts walking beside him. One pinned his arms and the other went through his pockets.

"Give us your money," one said.

"I don't have any money. It's my Sabbath," said the Jew.

The boys ran off. Their getaway car was parked on Holt.

They drove over to Pickford and La Cienega. When the Jew spotted them, they drove away fast.

This case is getting a lot of police and political attention.

YICC.com emails:

Dear Friends,

Please forward this to your neighbors and anyone else you think would find this information useful. While this may not have happened in your neighborhood, it is much too close for comfort.

As reported:
We just heard from our friend who was mugged on Friday night on
La Cienega and Pico. He lives in Crestview. Two other men were accosted, with their children present, as well in the past month.

The perpetrators in all three incidents were black gang members. Which gang, he could not identify.

In one incident, the man faced his assailant, in another he was grabbed by men in a car and frisked for money. In this person's case, he was attacked and beaten in front of his son (we have subsequently verified that this man who davens at Chabad of Beverlywood was taken to Kaiser's ER and needed 15 stitches). All three were religious Jews who carry no money on Shabbat.

PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS AND KEEP SAFE!

Sunday Chanuka Chassidic Song Festival!

This Sunday Dec 25. 2:30-5:00 pm. La Cienega Plaza (Corner of La Cienega & 18th)
MOSHAV BAND!
Help build a lego Menora!
Children's rally!
Grand Menora Lighting!
A Joint project of:
Chabad of Beverlywood 310-836-6770 www.chabadofbeverlywood.com
The Chabad Garden School 310-288-5920 www.mygardenschool.com
Chabad of SOLA 310-739-1890 wwwchabadsola.com
The Jewish Montessori Preschool 424-288-4633 www.chabadsola.com