How To Have The Perfect Beach Day

The beach is a care free, laughter filled, sand in your shoes and leave your hair natural kind of place. You don't need to dress up or put on your best dress shoes. All you need is a good beach towel, an interesting book and a retro pair of shades. You can spend your day in the sun and let the rays beam down on you until you're a nice shade of golden brown. You can walk around and venture into the little shops and boutiques looking for that one of a kind piece that a small corner in your apartment is missing or you can spend your day in the ocean. You can ease your way into the cold salty water and before you know it your shoulder deep into the ocean, not knowing what's below you, awaiting the adventure that the ocean brings.

To have the perfect beach day, here's what you need:

1.) A nice early start to the morning 
I'm not trying to cramp your style by setting up a schedule, but waking up with the sun is the best feeling in the world. Take your time, lay in bed, drink a nice cup of coffee, tea or if you're like me, just some plain cold water. Start your morning out with a short meditation and breathe in the warm summer air.

2.) Pack a beach bag or backpack
Bring a towel, some sunscreen, coconut oil in place of tanning oil, snacks, a book, a pair of cheap sunglasses (just in case you accidentally step or sit on them) and an extra shirt because we all know that somehow the clothes you come to the beach in will end up getting soaked, filled with sand or stained with sunscreen.

3.) Walk around the town
Every beach town has cool stores and restaurants that are often unique to that specific area. Venture away from the beach for a while and peak into the boutiques and small stores. Rent a bike or skateboard and ride around town.

4.) Stay till dark
If you're having a beach day, you might as well turn it into a beach night. Get a bon fire going, roast some marshmallows, play some music and tell stories with your friends and family. The beach at night is so calming and relaxing.

The beach is one of my favorite places. You can walk along the bike path, surf, play volleyball or lay on your beach towel all day sipping on lemonade and snacking on cherries.

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

Summer

Summer is a time for sun. Summer means laughter, water in your hair, sand in between your toes and watermelon juice running down your chin. Summer is about feeling care free, light and happy. Hot warm nights are perfect for running in the ocean or skateboarding down sunset boulevard. Hot mornings are great for a fruit smoothie and a dip in the pool, a bike ride or a movie.

My summers have changed as I've gotten older. Growing up I spent my summers at the beach eating ice cream and working on my tan. My house was constantly buzzing with 17 year old boys sprawled out on the couch, chairs and the floor eating the entire refrigerator.

When I got a full time job and then a career, my summer turned into three months filled with work, just like any other time of the year. I miss the days of my hair curling from the salt in the ocean and running down the beach listening to music, but that does not mean I don't appreciate where I am in my life now. Though sometimes I feel like I'm looking out at the beautiful summer days through a window.

When I think of summer I think of the song "Don't Worry Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin. He sings "in every life we have some trouble but when you worry, you make it double. Don't worry, be happy."

I love the heat. I love summer. I love the feeling of the strong sun beating down on my face. My summers have changed, that is true, but summer is still my favorite time of year. This is a reminder to myself to get out and enjoy the sun while it lasts.

Don't Worry Be Happy music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-diB65scQU

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

Airplane Emissions Are Causing Pollution

Yesterday the Environmental Protection Agency issued "a scientific assessment known as an endangerment finding, which determined that emissions from certain kinds of plane engines contribute to pollution that fuels climate change and creates health risks for Americans." Commercial jets are often connected to emissions that have carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide or other compounds. The EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said that this will lead to "aircraft engines that will produce less pollution-not just greenhouse gases, but less pollution and potentially noise pollution."

U.S. regulators are going to partner "with the International Civil Aviation Organization to set global CO2 emissions standards next year." As stated by the Environmental Protection Agency, commercial aircraft contributes about 3 percent of all U.S. emissions.

"The Center for Biological Diversity and Friends of the Earth, represented by the environmental law group Earthjustice, petitioned the EPA in 2007 to regulate carbon emissions from aircraft under the federal Clean Air Act." Earthjustice also sued in 2010 to try and force "regulators to set standards on green-house gas pollution from planes."

According to Dan Rutherford, aviation program director for the nonprofit International Council on Clean Transportation, new aircraft designs can potentially decrease fuel usage by almost a quarter by 2024 which is more than the required amount.

"Monday's action continues the Obama administration's push to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from a wide array of sectors. Last week, the White House announced new initiatives aimed at making a switch to electric vehicles more attractive for the nation's drivers." Government officials also took a trip to Vienna over the weekend "as part of an international effort to phase out hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs-powerful agents that are most often used in refrigerants in car and home air conditioners."

Washington Post Article White House Takes Aim At A Fast-Growing Source Of Emissions: Airplanes: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/07/25/white-house-takes-aim-at-a-fast-growing-source-of-emissions-airplanes/

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

Don Knotts Remembered With A Bronze Statue

If you have ever heard of the Andy Griffith Show, then I'm sure you've heard of Don Knotts. I grew up with the Andy Griffith Show and I still watch it today.

Don Knotts played the character Barney Fife. Without him, I don't think the show would be half as funny or memorable. He was a great actor and comedian who won five Emmy awards. Though he had a hard childhood and a hard adult life, he was still a great man who has become an iconic character and symbol of the 1960s.

Over the weekend a statue of Don Knotts was unveiled in his hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia. He has been bronzed and placed on a bench outside the town's Metropolitan Theatre. Don's daughter Karen was there to unveil the statue.

Don Knotts would have been 92 on July 21.

Hollywood Reporter article: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/don-knotts-statue-unveiled-his-914170?facebook_20160725

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

The Beach Sunset

Last night my two daughters and I drove to the beach and watched the sunset. We watched the sun go down from the walking path above the beach which in my opinion has the best view. I grew up at the beach, ran at the beach, cleared my head at the beach and made great memories at the beach. The salty air has a special place in my heart.

For a minute, while the sun was setting and the cars driving down below were stopped, all you could hear was the crashing of the waves, people laughing and the sound of hands hitting a volleyball over a net. It was like time stopped and all I could focus on were the pink clouds in the sky and the falling sun. 

The salty air, the sound of conversations and the smiles spread across our faces were enough to make my night. 

Humans Are Moving To The Water

Pack your bags, we're moving to cities built on water. "By the year 2050 about 70% of the world's population of 10 billion people will be living in cities, according to the United Nations."

Jason Pomeroy, the founder of the architecture firm Pomeroy Studio believes that climate change and rising sea levels will lead humans to build on water.

"Not only will waterborne communities solve problems of inner-city densification and be energy efficient, Pomeroy believes they could be flood, earthquake and weather proof."

Living on water is not a new idea. Italy and Thailand have been living on water for a very long time. Pomeroy suggests "creating floating communities of self-contained futuristic-looking pods, which create their own energy."

The Netherlands has already begun experimenting with floating communities and "the Ijburg neighborhood of Amsterdam is home to a community of 75 multistory "houseboats"-that look nothing like boats-supported by buoyant underwater concrete tubs."

Water might be the next place we're going to build homes and buildings. Gather your floating devices and inflatable pool floaties because the next stop is the water.

CNN Article Living On Water: Are Waterborne Cities More Resistant To Climate Change: http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/20/asia/water-cities-jason-pomeroy/index.html

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

General Motors Is Driving Into The Future

I read an article in the July/August issue of Departures Magazine titled General Motors Speeds Ahead that explained how GM wants to eliminate "waste in the manufacturing process, a proposition that has both limited landfill output from GM's plants and netted the company $1 billion via wast-management efforts." GM chairman and CEO Mary Barra also explained that she wants to reduce the weight and increase the efficiency in all of the new GM product releases.

The Chevrolet Bolt is going to be the "world's first affordable long-range electric vehicle when it goes into production later this year, with the ability to go 200 miles on a charge."

General Motors is driving down the road of driverless cars, electric vehicles and reducing their carbon footprint. 

My Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

A Heat Wave Is Coming

Has anyone noticed how hot it's been lately? I know it's summer. Summer is typically characterized as a season filled with sun, sun and sun, but when was the last time Los Angeles temperatures went over 100 degrees?

According to a Time article I read titled Why This Summer Is So Hot-And Why The Future Will Be So Much Hotter, a huge heat wave is hitting the United States this week. "Meteorologists say heat waves like this one hit the northern hemisphere every year-even if they do not typically cover such a broad area-but in the coming decades Americans should expect stronger and more frequent hot spells."

This year's heat wave is "caused by hot air traveling up from west to east, bringing warm temperatures throughout the week." Temperatures will be anywhere from 110 degrees in Arizona to 105 degrees in different parts of the Midwest.

This is the starting point of many hot summers to come. "Recent research has shown that average summer temperatures post-2050 will regularly top today's records, unless there are efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions." Global warming is causing an increase in heat waves and climate change will make them more common. "Scientists already anticipate that 2016 will be the hottest year on record."

Time Article Why This Summer Is So Hot-And Why The Future Will Be So Much Hotter: http://time.com/4411768/heat-dome-heat-wave-summer-weather/

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

Hotels Are Becoming Beekeepers

Many hotels are becoming beekeepers and "have joined the urban bee-keeping trend, bringing their own honey direct to their tables." "A number of factors, including disease, pesticides and habitat degradation are attributed to diminishing bee numbers and the losses are significant." Bees immensely contribute to our environment and have an economic value of about $167 billion. I wrote a blog post on the declining bee population, I'll link it at the end of this post.

On the roof of the Waldorf Astoria in New York, about 360,000 bees produce over 300 pounds of honey annually. The hotel uses this honey in their hotel menu and in their hotel spa. Their garden also consists of fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables and edible flowers.

"With home-harvested honey, the hotel created Waldorf Buzz beer last year in partnership with the Empire brewing Company; a yet-unnamed new brew with lemon verbena and hops from the on-site garden is slated to be launched this fall."

In the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Paris, 50,000 bees live on their rooftop. "Paris has been a pesticide-free zone for the past 10 years, making the French capital an attractive urban environment for honey bees." The hotel offers their honey on the hotel menu. If guests partake in the hotel's eco-initiatives such as reusing towels, guests can receive a free jar of honey.

These are just two out of the five hotels that the CNN article Buzz Worthy: 5 Top Luxury Hotels That Have Taken Up Beekeeping mentioned. To read about the other three hotels click the link at the end of this blog post.

Bees Are Going Extinct Blog Post: http://ridewithmark.blogspot.com/2016/05/bees-are-going-extinct.html

CNN Article Buzz Worthy: 5 Top Luxury Hotels That Have Taken Up Beekeeping: http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/02/travel/honey-bee-hotels/index.html

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

Clean Energy In Africa

Renewable energy plants are being developed all over Africa, but about 620 million Africans live without a reliable source of electricity. Caroline Kende-Robb, the executive director of Africa Progress Panel explained that "Africa's population is expected to double by 2050 and the demand for clean energy has never been greater."

A majority of Africans use wood and charcoal to cook which makes the indoor population an issue. "600,000 people in sub-Saharan Africa die every year from indoor population." Investments go towards large-scale plants. About 5% of households in sub-Saharan Africa use some form of solar lighting. "Renewables could help supply cheaper energy to regions where people have to set aside a large trunk of their income to pay for power." Some pay 60-80 times more per energy unit than people in London.

CNN Article The Clean Energy Megaprojects Powering Africa: http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/15/africa/africa-renewables-superpower/index.html

My Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

Bio-Bean

70 million cups of coffee is consumed per day just in the U.K. and the coffee grounds from each of those cups end up in landfills. Bio-bean is a company that is decreasing coffee's carbon footprint by turning coffee grounds into biofuel pellets. 25 year old founder and CEO Arthur Kay explained that "each year in the U.K. there's about 500,000 tons of wasted coffee grounds."

Bio-bean collects coffee grounds from over a thousand different coffee shops, restaurants, offices, train stations and shopping centers from over 300 locations across the U.K. Bio-bean's factory processes about 1 in 10 cups of coffee that is produced in the U.K., which is bout 7 million cups a day.

"Bio-bean mainly converts coffee into biomass pellets and briquettes which can be used for anything from warming pizza ovens to heating entire buildings." Bio-bean's factory can process 50,000 tons of coffee waste per year. "Most of the pellets are sold back to the coffee shops where they came from, creating a circular economy which is more sustainable than when products are made, used and disposed of."

Coffee logs, which are intended to replace traditional wood fires in homes will be available soon. Bio-bean is also looking into biodiesel and the team is "investigating how coffee waste could power cars, buses and even their own bio-bean collection truck." Bio-bean has 25 employees and recently won a Virgin Media business award.

According to Kay, "for every ton of coffee grounds, you would release a couple of tons of Methane and CO2." He added that "two and half years ago, this was a sketch on the back of a napkin and today it's a ground-out reality which could power the future."

CNN Article Caffeine Fix: Wake Up To Recycled Coffee: http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/08/world/coffee-recycling-bio-bean/index.html

Bio-bean: http://www.bio-bean.com/

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

Tires Are Destroying Forests

There are so many conversations about electric cars and what has to be done to make cars more eco-friendly, but what about the tires attached to your car? In an article in Time titled Don't Let Your Tires Destroy The World's Forests, it explains how "the cars we drive every day, as well as the large trucks, buses and planes that transport cargo and people, rely on rubber that mainly comes from exotic tree plantations in mainland Southeast Asia." The rubber plantations are causing the destruction of Asia's remaining forests.

90% of natural rubber grows in Southeast Asia. "Since the 1970s, the region has lost hundreds of millions of acres of natural forest, mostly to make way for infrastructure and the production of commodities, including rubber."

In 2014 53 of the world's largest companies signed the New York Declaration on Forests. They pledged to "eliminate deforestation from their supply chains. Hundreds of companies from the Consumer Goods Forum have made the same pledge."

Last week Michelin created a new zero deforestation policy. "Michelin has been working with World Wildlife Fund since early 2015 to show that natural rubber can be produced responsibly. We are working in landscapes like Thirty Hills in central Sumatra to design deforestation-free, wildlife-friendly plantations that provide sustainable income for local communities. We are working across global supply chains to ensure that no more natural forests are destroyed because of the every-growing demand for tires." Thirty Hills is an area in Indonesia threatened by the production of palm oil, rubber and timber. This area is one of the few places left where tigers, elephants and orangutans co-exist.

Time Article: http://time.com/4391096/rubber-deforestation/

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/mwcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

Sunday In Venice

On Sunday my family and I drove into Venice. We walked into the Rose Cafe, which was remodeled since the last time I was there. The Rose Cafe opened in 1979. When I walked into the newly remodeled cafe it looked modern, current and new. We sat down and looked through the menu. I got a hamburger and fries. I wasn't expecting much, but when I took my first bite and tasted the caramelized onions my taste buds exploded. The fries had currie sprinkled on top of them and even though it made me sneeze, they were really good. We got some cookies and a piece of banana bread in their bakery section on our way out.

One of my favorite places is Abba Kinney. I feel like the street is constantly changing and every time I go there I notice a new store or mural. We walked up and down Abba Kinney, ventured into a couple stores and then hopped back into the car.

Our Sunday wasn't filled with adventure but it was occupied by good food, sun and smiles.

Water Clouds: WISE 0855

Astronomers have found clouds filled with water outside of our solar system. This is the first discovery of water clouds and the "remarkable find was located 7.2 light years from Earth on a brown dwarf-a type of low-mass star-called WISE 0855." It is the coldest object outside of the solar system and looks very similar to Jupiter.

"NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) first detected WISE 0855 in 2014. It wasn't until recent observations over 13 nights and about 14 hours, using Hawaii's Gemini-North telescope and the Gemini Near Infrared Spectrograph, that researchers say they were able to get a clear enough picture of its infrared spectrum."

WISE 0855 has water vapor and clouds. Both Jupiter and WISE 0855 have large amounts of water vapor and have similar temperatures. "The brown dwarf likely has a less turbulent atmosphere than Jupiter, however. That's because it does not heavily absorb the toxic gas phosphine like Jupiter does."

"The atmospheric findings appear to further blur the line between planets and brown dwarfs, which are often called failed stars."

Huffington Post article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/water-found-outside-solar-system_us_578240c7e4b0c590f7e9b48c?ir=Science&

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/mwcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

The Apple Pan

On Saturday my daughter and I went to the Apple Pan. On Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles, the Apple Pan has been serving unbelievably great hamburgers and french fries since 1947. I've been going to this small hamburger restaurant since I was 16. You walk in and the smell of delicious hamburgers and salty french fries hit your nose. The restaurant is one long rounded counter, with red spinny chairs and plaid wallpaper. Everyone who works there moves fast and efficiently. At the Apple Pan there is a system. You wait in line by the walls at the door until someone is done so you can take their seat and experience the out of this world food.

I haven't been to the Apple Pan in years because I changed my diet and cut out greasy foods like hamburgers and french fries. On the occasion I still eat a good burger or indulge in some ice cream but I mostly stick to vegetables. My youngest daughter had a craving for a burger so we hopped in my car on Saturday around 12:30. We got a parking spot right away, walked in and about five minutes later we were sitting down. I have always liked the left side of the counter.

I didn't get a hamburger because I knew I was going to regret it later. My daughter got a hickory burger with fries and a Dr. Pepper and I opted for a 7-Up. Even the sodas taste better at the Apple Pan. Within five minutes after ordering our food the fries and hamburger were sitting in front of us. She took her first bite and said "why have I never gotten this burger before?" She always ordered a more plain burger, but as she's gotten older her taste buds have changed and I think after this she will never go back to a plain burger at the Apple Pan.

To finish off our meal we got a slice of apple pie and vanilla ice cream. The Apple Pan has the best apple pie. It tastes great cold so of course we brought the leftovers home.

While we were eating one of the chef's came up to us. I've known him for 25 years. He knows all of my daughters and it was great to see him.

The Apple Pan has a special place in my heart. I used to go there constantly, get two hickory burgers, fries and an apple pie. There is no denying that I could eat more than a lot. Walking into the small restaurant instantly makes me feel like I'm at home. I feel comfortable and at ease. It is one of my favorite places that hold a lot of memories for not only me, but now for my daughters too.

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

Three Twins Ice Cream: Ice Cream For Acres

I was at Whole Foods yesterday browsing the ice cream isle. Underneath the Ben & Jerry's section there was an ice cream brand called Three Twins Ice Cream. I picked out the chocolate malt flavor, threw it into my basket and finished the rest of my marketing.

We got home and ripped open the pint of ice cream. We dipped our spoons into the soft ice cream and our eyes widened as we tasted the chocolate malt flavor. I began reading what was on the container. I read:

"The chocolate malt was undeniably a part of the fabric of this country's soda fountain days. While poodle skirts and cars that get eight miles per gallon might have gone out of favor, the flavor that a chocolate malt delivers is timeless. I hope that you'l enjoy our ice cream-form take on it as much as my brothers, who both claim it as their favorite. As always, your purchase supports the preservation of at least six square feet of land through our global conservation initiative. Ice Cream For Acres. By partnering with some great non-profits, we're protecting threatened habitats with each pint sold."

Without knowing it I bought a product that is helping the environment. I was only focused on the ice cream, but this brand is a lot more than just ice cream flavors.

"In 2011, Three Twins launched an innovative land conservation initiative called Ice Cream for Acres. Through the program, you help protect rainforest land, sensitive habitats and other significant spaces, whenever you purchase Three Twins Ice Cream." By buying a pint you will protect 6 square feet of land and if you purchase a quart you will save even more. Three Twins Ice Cream opened up a store in Santa Monica, San Francisco, Larkspur, San Rafael and Napa. Each single-serve cup you purchase will save at least 2 square feet of land.

"We started Ice Cream for Acres to conserve land, but also to demonstrate how such a seemingly insignificant choice such as which ice cream to buy can have a meaningful impact."

Three Twins Ice Cream: http://threetwinsicecream.com/about/

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/mwcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

Glaciers Are Melting In Alaska

Last week a landslide spread across a glacier in southeastern Alaska. Paul Swanstrom, a sightseeing pilot first saw the slide on June 28 when "part of a mountain gave way near Lamplugh Glacier, in Glacier Bay National Park, about 100 miles northwest of Juneau."

"The slide caused seismic tremors that first registered at magnitude 2.9, according to data from the Alaska Earthquake Center." It was later recalculated and the magnitude was actually 5.5. A peak on the west side of the glacier seemed to be the cause of the slide. The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory "estimated the slide involved more than 165 million tons of material."

As warmer temperatures cause more glaciers to melt, it will also cause more slides. "Glaciers buttress the mountainsides that surround them; when the ice disappears, the slopes lose some of their support, and erosion or earthquakes can cause them to collapse."

New York Times Article As Glaciers Melt In Alaska, Landslides Follow: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/06/science/alaska-landslides-glaciers-melt.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/mwcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

The Importance Of Taking Pictures

We are living in a time surrounded by pictures. Posting pictures, taking pictures, posing for pictures, planning pictures in advance. Everywhere you turn there is a social media outlet waiting for you to post a picture of your lunch, you and your friends or the sun setting on the beach. With that being said, I don't think many people understand the importance of a picture.

Today, a picture is taken so that it can be posted and everyone can see that you're doing something important or fun or "picture worthy." Before there was Facebook, Snapchat or Instagram, taking a picture was meant for the sole purpose of having the memory to look back on. Graduations, important events, Sunday afternoons and summers at the beach all called for the flash of cameras and the winding of film.

At my parents house there are two boxes filled with pictures that my daughter and my dad are currently sorting out to put into albums. I sat with them a couple of times and flipped through all of the pictures that were spread out on the table. I left with a content feeling in my stomach and a smile on my face. Some of the pictures that I held in my hand brought up great memories that I had forgotten about. Seeing the amount of pictures that my parents took of me growing up, of them with their friends at my childhood home and the many pictures at birthday parties made me feel warm and fuzzy. I'm glad that my parents always had a camera in their hands. 

Pictures should be taken so that forty years from now, you can look back and remember the memory fondly. Pictures should be taken to cement the memory in your mind and in your hands. Pictures should be taken without the thought of "where am I going to post this?" and "what filter should I choose?"

It might sound old fashioned, but photo albums are important to have, even in 2016. Yes, you can upload all of your pictures to your computer and back them up on a hard drive, but having the physical copy of a picture in your hands feels so much stronger than looking at it through a computer screen. I suggest you get some photos printed and stick them in a photo album. In twenty years from now, you'll be happy you did. 

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/mwcars

My Instagram: Markbuysdamagedcars

The Broad Museum

On Sunday my family and I drove into downtown L.A. to visit the Broad Museum. We got there at 3:45 and waited in line for our 4 o'clock reservation. We got tickets for the Cindy Sherman: Imitation of Life exhibit which actually turned out to be pretty interesting. We spent an hour or so in the museum, walking through the massive table and chairs to looking at different paintings. It's a massive museum and a great way to spend a couple hours on a hot day.

The Broad was a great experience and if you're in the downtown area I recommend you go and see it for yourself. There were many interesting and creative pieces that made you think.

After the museum we went to dinner nearby. After a great meal we walked out of the restaurant and saw a vegan ice cream truck outside of the museum. We all got a scoop of vegan ice cream and enjoyed what was left of the sun before it set. Sunday was a great day filled with feel good memories and delicious food. 

Happy Independence Day

On July 4, 1776 America became an independent nation. Celebrated with fireworks, sparklers and parties that consist of food shaped like the American flag, it is easy to say that the fourth of July is never a small celebration.

Growing up I spent my 4th of July's at the beach. My family and friends and their family and friends would gather at our beach club and spend the entire day running into the ocean, eating hamburgers and fries and laying out in the sun getting a tan. The smell of sunscreen and tanning oil was a familiar, comforting scent that reminded me of summer, sun and smiles. Fireworks would go off as soon as the sun set and we would gather around the fire roasting s'mores.

This 4th of July I want to encourage you to start your own tradition or take part in one that you already have because Independence Day is meant to be celebrated with friends and family, doing something that you love and smiling and laughing along the way.