Friday, April 24, 2009

Why I Take the Stairs

I really enjoyed this post on the Old Pasadena Blog about some of the creative ways the Pasadena Museum of History shares its photo archives around town. (Love the PMH!)

The post mentions the Delacey Street Garage, and that's where I took this shot. (Love the Delacey Street Garage!)

I mean I like that you can park free for 90 minutes in Old Town. We ought to have something like that in other parts of town. It would be a boon for businesses. The city recently put in some odd sort of parking meter-type thingies on Lake Avenue south of Colorado Blvd. I stood in front of one of them with another woman one day trying to understand it and we both finally gave up. I could probably figure it out, but who has that kind of time to spend learning how to use a parking meter?

I'm probably old-fashioned, but mostly I'm just really impatient.

23 comments:

Laurie Allee said...

Okay, so I'm vindicated for my own Lake parking meter confusion...

This is such a great image within another great image.

Susan C said...

I hate when parking a car becomes an IQ test. But I love when taking the elevator exposes me to Pasadena history.

Petrea Burchard said...

Ha Laurie, I'm glad it's not just me. I don't mind paying a meter but geez. I wonder if they're making any money off those things, or if they're scratching their heads wondering why the revenue is down...

Merci, Laurie and Susan.

Katie said...

What a fun way to share the photo archives. Art in unexpected places is such a treat. Sounds like you have some cheap parking in Pasadena, if you can figure out the machines. Near where I work in SF is a place to park with a big $2.00 sign which can be read from blocks away. What you can't easily see is that's only for 20 minutes.

Jean Spitzer said...

Fascinating photo; makes me look again. I usually avoid parking lots and meters if possible, so I walk a lot, even when I've driven some place.

Shell Sherree said...

Wow, I love this, Petrea! A beauty of a black & white on the lift doors, against the candied pink and happy yellow - and they even give you some free parking? What a photo of yours and what a place! {Hope your computer is finally in the pink.}

Margaret said...

Although free parking is always better, I do prefer the Lake Avenue type ones because I don't have to worry about having change.

Trish said...

love the history! and yet they put this on an elevator, but put the sticks or whatever they are outside the auditorium? This is what confuses me about public art!

we recently went to Berkeley, where they seriously have an IQ test to figure out how to use cash OR credit OR debit to pay for your 2 hours of parking on a public street. I think it must be an entrance exam to Cal---can you FIND a parking place and then pay for it correctly? If so, we'll give you a chance at studying at Cal.

another locality decided to end the free after 6pm parking downtown---and since then, except some free tickets we were given to a play, we have not ventured there, even if it is only a $3 flat fee, just too much of a hassle to stand in line to pay for it, then wait in line for people to get out of the garage. And they wonder why spending in downtown is down?!?!

Petrea Burchard said...

Hey, Katie, have you ever passed the IQ test Trish is talking about? I'll bet you have. Trish, Katie lives in Berkeley and she's one smart cookie.

I don't know what you mean by the sticks and the auditorium, however! Good thing I don't have to park in Berkeley.

Jean, I take stairs but you trump me by walking everywhere.

Shell, they're pretty aren't they? Rose Parade Queens, I'm sure. They always look a little old to me in the B&W photos (relatively, I mean--like in their thirties instead of teens and twenties). Maybe because their lipstick is so dark.

Margaret, did you just know? I'll have to learn to use it eventually, because I'll have to park there for longer than just use of the ATM.

John Sandel said...

I love old photos. They give me a lift.

Anonymous said...

I've not seen this. Do you remember what floor it's on? There is also a senior citizen housing apartment on the south side of Colorado (theater area?) that has one of these photo decals on it. (Trish: photo decal transfer process invented by 3M) I think it's very sweet how they used pink color scheme to frame the rose court of yesteryear.

Christie said...

Parking meters, schmarking meters. We have them everywhere in our town as parking is at a premium. I do like the fact that if you choose to, you can pay your parking meter with your cell phone. Haven't tried it, but it is an interesting concept. I wonder, does it just add to your cell phone bill or what? I just keep lots of change in my car for the meters and I'm good.

Patrizzi Intergarlictica said...

I like this placement, too.

The queens look older back then because they were older. Now they are picked from 17 and 18 year old HS students. Then, they were picked from local colleges.

Bellis said...

My favorite confusing pay system is at the car park at the corner of Oak Knoll and Union. The machines are so hard to understand that many folks are late for the movies at the Laemmle. Just watch the knot of puzzled people around the pay machines - it's quite an entertainer sport.

Bellis said...

oops. I think I meant entertainment sport. I wish we could edit these posts after we've posted them. :o)

Cafe Pasadena said...

Ditto, P, on them arcane, insane, parking meters on So Lake!! Even if you pay, you can't be sure you're paying for your spot!!!

Trish said...

P---your blog photo from January at: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7z3fbbERTPE/SXfjTD4E0OI/AAAAAAAAByQ/iULrnHTk4gw/s1600-h/12209CivicCenterPerspective.jpg

those things on the left side of the model. I call 'em sticks, I think the artist called 'em Lightfield. Tomatoe, Tomahto.

Am sure Katie is well versed in parking on that side of the Bay.

and...kick John for the "lift" comment...puns abound! ;-)

Amy said...

Free parking in Old Town? Amazing!

This kind of find makes parking garages and stairs worth it anyway. It would be such a pleasant surprise after slogging up smelly stairways (I find that they are always smelly even in the nice areas).

Virginia said...

Love this photo, P. What great POV!!! meters? Well move down here if you dare. Put a quarter in downtown, and you get one or two hours. OF course they should PAY us to go downtown but that's another story.
V

Katie said...

I pay $30/year for a neighborhood sticker, so luckily I don't have to deal with Berkeley parking meters. And a good thing too, since from what Trish says they sound impossible! There's lots of free parking on the weekend in the neighborhoods, so if you're willing to walk a little, there's no reason to pay.

Petrea Burchard said...

J+Punmaster.

PA: It's at the top of the first flight of stairs in Fraser Alley. I don't know the senior housing place--do you mean the one at Colorado and Mentor that's going to be made into a hotel? I need to post about that one.

Christie, it would be cool to have the option. I suppose it's asking too much.

Miss H: College women? Man, that is old.

Daisy, I've puzzled over that one myself. I always forget how to use it, so I have to learn it again every time I come back. (I know I sound like a ditz but let me put it this way: I keep other things in my brain and don't use it for stuff like this.)
P.S.: You can delete your own comment and rewrite it if you want to, though it's not necessary unless it's really horrible. Use the little trash can icon in the lower left corner.

I say, Cafe, is that so? Then maybe someone else paid for me already.

Trish: I know where he got it, too: today his mom sent me a whole email full of of great puns.

Ah yes, Amy. One lot at the corner of Green and Raymond and this one at Delacey and Green. There may be others I don't know of (chime in, please). And though I know what kind of smell you're talking about, in my experience these stairways aren't smelly.

Oh Virginia. We've got to get you to Pasadena. If you came here for a visit we'd celebrate with Virginia Days. The whole town would join in the festivities. Free parking for everyone!

$30 a year isn't bad, Katie. I think I told you (when you were here for Katie Days) that we can't park overnight on the street in Pasadena. Do that one night and that ticket is way more than $30.

Anonymous said...

yes, thats the one.

Frasier Alley...is this the parking garage across from the art store?

Petrea Burchard said...

This is the one straight south of Tiffany Jewelers, PA. The one across from the art store (and Distant Lands, yeah baby) is at Raymond and Green. Also free for 90 minutes.