I'm always poking around on Hometown Pasadena, the brainchild of local publisher, editor, writer and whirlwind Colleen Dunn Bates. You can't help but scare up something great there because Colleen's got a little bit of everything. Last week she hooked me with this: Hometown Pasadena Five to Appear. It was an invitation to the open house for Granite Park Place, the new luxury condos currently under construction at the corner of San Pasqual and Lake. If you RSVP'd and showed up you not only got a peek inside the new condos, you got a free, signed copy of the latest edition of the book version of Hometown Pasadena.Well, dayum. I wanted my free book.
I've featured these condos before. First here, then here. Obviously I was unprepared for the swank.
(Whether or not the interior design of the model is to your taste, you have to admit the dining table is out of this world. At least admit I need it in my house. It's ceramic or clay or something glazed. It probably cost at least as much as my car. I mean as much as my car cost new.)
The real estate personnel were gracious. Paul Sunshine of Domineum Marketing (right rear above), greeted me upon my arrival. He knew darned well I was not going to buy a condo. He knew I was not with the Pasadena Star-News but a mere blogger. He saw my blue jeans. Yet he gave me a friendly tour of the model condo.
While most people were down the hall chowing down on their beautifully catered bento box lunch, I shared the model condo's living room with no one but the string quartet. I took pictures while they serenaded me with a medley from Camelot. I wonder if the condos come with...? No, no, surely not. But one would have a string quartet if one were going to live in a luxury condo, doesn't one agree? In short, there's simply not a more congenial spot. Hey, I know my swank.Judging from the number of unavailable units in the building, Granite Park Place is selling like Zhu Zhu Pets, even with the high price tag. Let's hope its presence perks up business on South Lake Avenue.
And oh yes! A coup! I got my free book! Signed by all five authors. Dayum.
22 comments:
very impressive :))
:D nice work petrea, you got the books, you took nice pictures! :D
The bento box presentation is damn swanky! And I'm glad Paul Sunshine was every bit as lovely as his name implies. Yay on the free book score!
Dayum, I love learning American English through your writing.
How fun, I love visiting models.
I agree, that table is fabulous!! I had to enlarge your photo and drool over it.
LL
Hi Aysegul, you know I love historical homes but they did a nice job with this place.
Grazi, Italo. They enticed me with the book.
Shell, the room they decorated for lunch was all done up with those boxes. And the tea was scrumptious.
Dina, just because you heard it here I wouldn't assume that everyone is using it. You know, give it time to catch on.
Rest assured, Lori Lynn, I cleaned up before I moved on.
I am finally working on making an improvised dining area in our small place, and that table would be perfect! *drool*
Hope the free book you got is awesome!
Also my captcha word is "masala" - now I want Indian food at 9am. They shouldn't let those be actual words. :D
That's klass with a capital K! ;-)
Word ver: flempic. Is that pic by Victor Fleming? Or what you use to get the flem out of your teeth after eating what is inside the bento box lunch?
Oh, very nice. Yes please!
Thanks for the very nice words, Petrea. It was good to see you there, and your photos are lovely! Most of us were skeptical that they could sell these condos, given the state of south Lake, but they are selling, so hopefully it will have a ripple effect that will perk up the neighborhood. I do know that there will be a new restaurant in the weedy, empty Madre's space one of these days.
The bento box lunches sure look swanky , Petrea, and I love the photos you took.
Hopefully the sales will start a ripple effect....praying it extends all the way up to North Lake!
A "mere blogger?" Ha!
Amy, the free book is Hometown Pasadena (link in the post). They don't pay me to advertise, I just like it. It's a guidebook to all that's local and I've found it invaluable.
Kali, is that good?
I'll see if I can arrange it, Marley.
That's good news, Colleen. I think the condos can't help but be good for the area. Those who buy them have to have money, and if nothing else will want to buy a coffee or breakfast in the neighborhood. It's an excellent start, good for the local economy. I'm an expert on these things. That's why I drive a 2001 Altima that rattles.
I hope the effect ripples, too, Lori.
Just missed you, Michael. Ha! What, do you think my readers are going to go buy these things?
Okay listen, if you read this post and you even go look at one of those condos, much less buy it, please let me know. Just make an anonymous comment here. Ooh, I'd just love to know. And let us know what you think.
That table is to die for. Never seen anything like it (and I'm a shelter porn junkie!)....
If they'd had knights dancing on the round table, I'd have signed up for a condo there and then.
We just passed this development on Thurs. Seems it's taking 4ever to finish. If nuttin else, it may bring a few more shoppers to that area.
I totally missed this one! Loved the pix! Mostly, I'm upset about missing out on the latest copy of the Hometown Pasadena book.
Okay, Linda, I had to Google "shelter porn." I did an image search, just to be sure. Yes. Me, too. In my fantasies. And I think that table would work just fine.
Bellis, they had the Camelot music. I was THIS close.
It does seem like a while, Cafe, and I had to sign a release to enter the building because it's still an active construction site. Condos are being sold before completion.
Hi Irina! Oh, you would have loved it. You didn't miss the book, just the freebie. You can still get the book at Vroman's or on Colleen's website, or at Amazon, etc.
I got an invite, and now I'm kicking myself that I missed it.
Especially love the beautiful presentation of the Bento boxes.
I'll bet they'll leave the model open until they sell them all, Susan, so there may be other chances. But the bento boxes are probably gone.
They call it Irving Gill "style" and it's not even close. Disappointed. Very boxy and dense.
http://travelphotobase.com/s/CAXIG.HTM
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