Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Superfluous Detail: Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

I love superfluous architectural details (you know I do) - those flourishes that seem to have no structural significance, but are there simply for the sake of entertaining the eye. This one's above the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at 18 S. Fair Oaks in Old Town Pasadena.

I've searched the whole web over for more information on this building, but haven't found it. If you know anything, please share.

I noticed during my research that there's an OldTownPasadena.com and an OldTownPasadena.org. Surely they're not competitors? I'm so confused. Hey, but the org folks are going to have a blog. I look forward to that. And they put me on their blogroll! I am their fan.

20 comments:

magicpolaroid said...

hello Petrea, thanx for visit my blog and kind comment! like this one!

USelaine said...

So pretty! I love arches. Willits needs more arches. And bas relief. Thanks for sharing it.

"press"

Skrip said...

I'm gonna be totally drunk and biased, but that is the Goddess of Pomona up there.

cieldequimper said...

Very nice photo of a beautiful façade.

Dina said...

Nice. It could almost be some building transported from Jerusalem.

Katie said...

I think most places would be much more boring without superfluous details on buildings. This beauty looks nice against the blue sky.

Desiree said...

Love it!

Virginia said...

Actually I like these details a lot and I like to SAY superfluous as well.

Linda Dove said...

I love architectural details...even sprung from their sites and treated as objects. Very cool photo!

Petrea Burchard said...

I like arches too. I'm a sucker for them in fact.

Skrip, All the goddesses look alike to me. We'll have to ask Margaret, our goddess expert.

Dina, When I was a kid I assumed that different places in the world would be like different planets, but ultimately there are more similarities across the globe than differences, I like to think. (Though I love the differences.)

Ha ha, Virginia! Now you know why I post these.

Linda, that's a good point: salvage stores are great places to shop for things like this that lose their provenance and find new spots to shine in homes and gardens. We've got at least one good one in Pasadena. Idea for a post...

John Sandel said...

superfluous
superfluous
superfluous

Anonymous said...

throw down the gauntlet, will you? Maybe I can find some info...

Christie said...

Oh, I want some coffee now! It is so beautiful, I may go there just for coffee even if it was horrible. (but with architecture like that, how could they make horrible coffee?)

Maria said...

maybe we can get a group to meet for coffee and have a little field trip.

Cafe Observer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cafe Observer said...

That's another of your xcellent ideas, Maria! Your place or our's? As long as it's doggy friendly.

There appears 2 be a lot of McDonald's admirer's responding here.

Petrea Burchard said...

Maria, there's talk on PDP. We'll do it.

Christie, the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is a chain around here. Do you have it? I like them a lot better than Starbucks.

Laurie Allee said...

Well this is just gorgeous. I'm not placing where this is on Fair Oaks... enlighten me so that I might go by and oogle in person!

Petrea Burchard said...

Laurie, It's just south of Colorado on the east side of the street. On the alley (Mercantile Place).

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Best regards
Darek Wish