A Song and More Covid-19 Tips - Ah-ah, _Oh - oh.

Have you seen Disney’s Frozen 2?

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You know the song Into the Unknown, Ah-ah, _oh – oh…?

I bet your kids do?!

Well, Your Monrovia Planners have a New Rendition!  

We beat you to it, Weird Al Yankovic!

Ah – ah, _ oh – oh.   Safer at Home.  __ Ah – ah,_ oh-oh.

Safer at HOmE. Safer at Home.  Safer at HoOOome

Ah-ah, _ oh-oh.

Happy Monday, Community of Monrovia! You may be thinking, what on earth has gotten into those Monrovia Planners…?  Well, it has been quite a week for us and undoubtedly for you too! 

Although this time of COVID-19 feels like we are all going Into the Unknown, we must persevere and remember, we are in this together!

Your Monrovia Planning team has been working remotely (also known as at home) for one entire week now...And, we are forging ahead into another work week. 

The initial thought of working from home sounded horribly lonely to us. But now that we have an entire week under our belt, we are feeling UNSTOPPABLE!! 

Although we are not physically at City Hall, we are still connected and available to you! We continue to exist to serve you, the people of Monrovia, to create a community that offers a premiere quality of life!   

So, you may be thinking…how are you doing this?

Well, since a many of us never learned how to whistle, we instead find joy in SINGING while we work!

Try singing with us!  

Safer at HOmE, Safer at Home, Safer at HoOome…. 

Ah-ah,_oh-oh.

We have also been singing:

Working from HOmE, Working from Home, Working from HoOOME… Ah-ah, _oh-oh.. Ah-ah,_oh-oh.

In all seriousness, we know that Covid-19 is a serious public health emergency. This time of unknown and uncertainty has created much anxiety – for all of us. 

Part of doing our best to create a community that offers a premiere quality of life is doing our best to lift you up!  This week, your planners want to share what we learned while working and just being at home…All… Day…Long! 

Here is this week’s top five list of creative things to do at home!

Stay Connected!  The planning team is using Zoom, Facetime, e-mail, text, and phone to stay connected. The technology we have at our fingertips is great! If there is a young-in in your household or a millennial in your office, they can help get you set-up. My tween has been invaluable during this time! 

Learn a new skill, like sewing! My daughter and I pulled out grandma’s sewing machine on Saturday and tried it out! Grandma showed us how to thread a bobbin! And after all that bobbin thread-in we managed to sew a few face masks under her supervision.  These masks are great to use when you go out to the grocery store. If you know how to sew, make a few masks for your neighbors. Leave them on their doorstep with a little note! 

Make Waffles!  This past Christmas my parents gave me a waffle maker. I will be honest…the first thought I had on December 25^th was…What on earth will I ever do with a waffle maker? My family always buys frozen waffles from Ralphs.  Well, now that grocery stores are out of frozen waffles, you can bet your bottom dollar that I am using that waffle maker!!  Did a loved one give you waffle maker for Christmas? Maybe it is time to send them a Thank You Card?

Pulling Weeds can be FUN! After this last week of rain, you may now have more weeds in your garden. With our gyms closed, pulling weeds is a creative way to build upper body strength. It will allow you to also work in some squats. If you have a lot of weeds, pulling them will help pass time…and once you get started, it may just become your new pastime!

Pulling weeds like the one on the far left are the type that build upper body strength.

Set-up Your Home Office! Home offices come in all different shapes and sizes. Find a place in your house that brings on creative energy! Here are some pics of your planners’ home offices! This is where we are working to continue to serve you with your planning needs.

We miss seeing you in person.

Be well, Stay Safe, and Stay Home!

 

Top 5 Monrovia-Centric Safer-At-Home Activities

It’s a new day in Monrovia. Well, let’s be real here, it’s a new day all over the world. The first global pandemic in over 100 years is here, and it is no cause for celebration. If you’re anything like us, you’re feeling pretty unsettled right now, wondering what to do, how to do it, and for how long...it's overwhelming, we get it!

We want you to know that we are all in this together, and though City of Monrovia operations have been transformed over the last week or so, we are still here and thinking about how best to serve you, the people of Monrovia, during this time. So, with that, we have come up with a top 5 list of activities that will support the community, and hopefully somewhat ease your worries.

1.   Stay connected. The City’s website has a one-stop-COVID-shop that is incredibly informative and helpful! Check it out here. Also, your City Manager, Dylan Feik is committed to keeping the community informed through update emails, which he is sending out multiple times per week. You can read all of his updates and sign up to receive his emails here.

2.   Support local businesses. There are tons of ways that you can help to support Monrovia businesses at this time. Just because you can’t go in and browse in a shop does not mean that you can’t buy their merchandise. Many of our merchants have robust online ordering and delivery systems and several restaurants would be happy to pack you up a meal to go! Also, our friends at the Foothill Unity Center are still serving the public and are asking for your help. You can view a list of restaurants serving to-go patrons and a Foothill Unity Center wish list under the Support Local Restaurants and Organizations dropdown here. Additionally, the Chamber of Commerce has information and resources for small business owners. You can reach out to the Chamber at their website.

3.   Take a healthy break. It seems like we are all plugged in all the time these days. When you start to get overwhelmed, take a break from the news and social media. Enjoy the view of the lovely Monrovia Foothills or take a walk or jog around your neighborhood and look for local landmarks. You might find the quintessential Craftsman house or some sidewalk poetry written by a Monrovia resident on your walk! Just remember to keep at least 6 feet from others and please be careful out there! It is all of our jobs right now to stay healthy and injury-free so as not to put any additional strain on our local first responders, urgent care centers, and hospitals.

4.   Watch your favorite Monrovia TV show or movie. Yes, we know, there aren’t any shows actually set in Monrovia. BUT, there are a few that have been filmed around town in the past few years. Offerings span every genre. For you lovers of thrillers, Birdbox starring Sandra Bullock is still available on Netflix. Not feeling something quite so end-of-the-world-ish right now? We totally get it. The comedy starring Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler, The House, is on Amazon Prime. Want a little 1990s throwback drama? The new TV show Little Fires Everywhere with Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington is just beginning its run on Hulu...and for that deep 1990s dive, look for the series Picket Fences which shot for four seasons here.  To get your fill of Monrovia eye-candy check out IMDb which lists over a hundred Monrovia based shows and movies.  Sounds like a marathon to us!

5.   Take care of each other. Finally, the absolute best thing that you can do for your Monrovia community is taking care of yourself, your family, and each other. Remember that we are all a little stressed and anxious right now.  And if we put love in all of your interactions we will get through this together.

Still have time on your hands?  It might be time to revisit all your favorite of our blog posts, perhaps starting with the post that started it all. 

Thank you for being supportive of your community during this strange and unsettling time. We are confident that we will emerge from this with a new understanding and appreciation for each other. Be well, Monrovia!

The Third Neighborhood Treasure...

Introducing (drum roll please) the finalized artwork for the third Neighborhood Treasure!

The Neighborhood what???

Please allow us to remind you…

Neighborhood Treasures is a program that celebrates Monrovia’s (often unsung) heroes for their contributions to the community through public art. These art pieces are unique to the specific person being honored and will enrich the lives of those who view it and improve neighborhoods just by its presence.

Is this a great program, or what???

We know you must be asking yourself a myriad of questions:

“Are there only three Neighborhood Treasures?”

“How do I find out about all the Treasures?”

“Who is this mysterious third Treasure?”

All good questions and we can’t wait to answer each and everyone…

First, there are four Neighborhood Treasures celebrated to date – click here to learn about the first, second and fourth Treasures (and see their amazing artwork.) Though this is the third Treasure, it is the fourth art unveiled. And lastly, the third Treasure is Bettie Mae Scott, not to be confused with Bettie Mae Page!

Sounds like are talking in circles, but here’s the whole point of this post…

Bettie Mae Scott was a World War II WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) who died while serving her country. In October 1943, she entered the Army Airforce Training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. Bettie Mae was killed while flight testing a BT-13 Valiant aircraft. She was one of only thirty-eight WWII WASPs killed while in the service of their country.

To read Bettie Mae’s entire bio click here.

Stay tuned for information on the fourth and fifth Treasures coming soon! How soon you ask??? Real soon.

Can’t wait that long – here’s a click here.