Movable Feast

IN 1974, artist Judy Chicago launched a work in Los Angeles to redress ignorance of women's history. "The Dinner Party," an installation in the form of a banquet table commemorating important women, became an icon of the era. Now the work has a permanent home at the Brooklyn Museum, where it went on view this weekend at the new Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art. Here on the West Coast, other works by Chicago are part of "WACK!

HELEN RICHARDS says she's not a perfect gardener, but visitors to her Valley Village home might disagree. Every spring, her 85 rose bushes burst into bloom -- all types, all colors and all in containers. Richards' reason for planting her roses in pots is simple: Given the patio, swimming pool, poor soil and sprawling tree roots, she has no good ground to garden.

Tomorrow night is the beginning of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim holiday corresponding to the final day of the Mecca pilgrimage. Non-Muslims are probably more familiar with Eid al-Fitr, which ends the Ramadan fast, but Eid al-Adha -- the Feast of the Sacrifice -- is actually the more important celebration. It's also known as the Great Feast (Eid al-Kabir).

We devour the Tasmanian rock oysters, attack the Canadian littleneck clams, gorge on the New Zealand green-lipped mussels and practically inhale the Norwegian cod. A second wind carries us through the scallops, tiger prawns, salmon and yabbies, crawfish-like creatures that taste like sweet prawns. Close to bursting, we plunge into the Australian lobsters. This fresh seafood orgy is not without good reason: It isn't every day you sit down to your 500th consecutive meal on the road.

The Los Angeles Public Library operates four bookmobiles, two based at the Mid-Valley Regional Library in Reseda and two on Manchester Avenue in South-Central Los Angeles, serving about 50 schools in all. But that's only the start of the exhibits that come to schools around Southern California.

"Do your homework" is advice that I often give fellow travelers. But last spring, on a drive through southern Colorado's San Juan Mountains, I didn't follow my own advice. As a result, I sped right past the turnoff to Clear Creek Falls, later learning that they are among Colorado's most spectacular. Such missed opportunities are bound to happen if you don't put thoughtful planning into a summer drive of America's byways. Yes, planning can be tedious.