Pop Culture Commute

Someone* once told me told my writing and humor rely too heavily on pop culture references. I am not trying to disprove that notion now. It's true -- I look for such references everywhere I go.

These are the unintentional bits of popular culture I encounter every day as I drive to work -- all of the below are the names of subdivisions. And after nearly three years of making this commute, I still chuckle nerdily to myself almost every time I notice these neighborhood signs.

In geographical order (and order of importance):

Haley's Mill
Haley Mills played both twins in The Parent Trap and the title role in Pollyanna. Of course, I remember her best as Miss Bliss in Saved by the Bell. This neighborhood is not technically on my way to work, but I pass by signs advertising it as soon as I get out of my own subdivision.

Elan Hall
Chef Ilan Hall won season two of Top Chef on Bravo. I thought he was super-hot for the first few episodes of the season. Now I find the townhomes in his eponymish subdivision much more handsome. 

Knott's Landing 
Knots Landing is an old soap opera that I have never watched. Still, when we were house-hunting, I looked closely at this neighborhood, just because I thought it would be cool to live in a place with the same name as an old soap opera that I have never watched (and they have a little lake!). As it turned out, I couldn't afford a home in Knott's Landing any more than I could afford a home in Knots Landing.

RiverSong
Dr. River Song is a companion to the Doctor in the current series of Doctor Who. That's all I'll say about her, lest I reveal spoilers.



Does anyone else encounter these sorts of things? Do you care when you do? I'd love to hear other examples.


*It was Tila Tequila.**

**This is not true.