I Say Dodworth, You Say Dodsworth?

Yesterday's photo of the Dodworth Building was different from today's in many ways.

Yesterday's photo was taken by me in 2010, looking at the north face of the building on Colorado Blvd. Today's photo was taken by Terry Griest in 1984, looking at the building from the northeast. Terry's our graphic designer friend from the Bay Area who used to live in Pasadena. I'm so glad she continues to check in here. In the 1980's she did a thorough study of Old Town for a college project, took a lot of pictures and saved them. Terry has contributed to the blog twice before. Lucky for us!

About today's photo, Terry says,
"Here's what I wrote in 1984:
'Originally classical when built in 1902, it was twice remodeled, most recently after the 1929 street widening. What exists now is a combination of the original Classic style of the arched entrance on Fair Oaks, some Spanish Colonial in the tile roof and ornamentation, and even some Moderne in the slim vertical pilasters.'
I think that is college-essay-speak for 'superfluous details.'
I never noticed until today that the Cheesecake Factory spot used to house a T.V. rental joint. Only 25¢ a day!"

The 1929 remodel refers to a time when many buildings along the Old Town stretch of Fair Oaks lost their facades for the sake of widening the road.

This structure's been cleaned up nicely since the '80s. This is my recent shot of the eastern face of the building, which I grabbed as we scurried by on the Pasadena Heritage Old Town Walking Tour. I wonder what the interior's like.

I'm still not sure if the building is the Dodworth or the Dodsworth and I'm not the only one. Google (scroll to the map) and Wikipedia both have it as Dodsworth, as did my guide on the Tour.

It's one of Pasadena's venerable architectural treasures no matter what you call it.

Update, 10/26/10: I happened to notice as I drove by the other day, that the sign painted on the door says "The Dodsworth Building." So go figure. 

Superfluous Details: Dodworthy

Designed by J.J. Blick, the Dodworth Building has stood at the corner of Fair Oaks and Colorado, directly south of the building I featured yesterday, since 1902. Right now it houses the Cheesecake Factory (warning: talking website).

Get a load of all those superfluous details!

The Pasadena Heritage Old Town Walking Tour is informative, and it's fast. That means it's not really a photographer's tour. I ran past a few cool places, snapping this way and that and thinking, "I'll have to come back and get a decent photo of this place." I've got one or two more, I think.

Update: I first posted this as the "Dodsworth" building. I received an email from S. correcting me. It is the Dodworth building. This explains why I had trouble finding information about it on the web! I assume when people email rather than comment that they prefer anonymity, but thank you, S., for setting me straight.

Update, 10/26/10: I happened to notice as I drove by the other day, that the sign painted on the door says "The Dodsworth Building." So go figure.

Third Time's a Charm

Where are my manners? I promised you this photo last November! That kind of lateness is soooo unfashionable.

You probably forgot, like I did. I'll refresh your memory.

Last November we were talking about Owl Drug, which was once in this building at the corner of Colorado Blvd. and Fair Oaks. (You can still see the Owl Drug tiles at the entrance to J. Crew.) I posted twice about it, with pictures and information sent in by knowledgeable Pasadenish. But the most recent photo I had at the time was a 1980's, run-down version of this 1930 "zig-zag modern" structure that replaced one of Pasadena's earliest buildings, the 1893 Los Angeles House Hotel, which burned down in 1929.

I took today's photo while on the thoroughly enjoyable Pasadena Heritage Old Town Walking Tour. The next one's in August. You can make reservations at the website.

At last, I've brought you up-to-date on the story of this building.

Too little too late?

Iced Tea and Old Lace

It's my sister Margot's birthday. I thought I'd post a photo of this genteel veranda and imagine she and I might sit and have a glass of iced tea. We haven't had a chance to sit and talk together for a long time.

And cookies.

What?

Oh, okay, cake. It's a birthday.

On May first, I took the Pasadena Heritage Old Town Walking Tour. The tour moved quickly but I learned a lot. And I did get a few photos, so I'll show them to you over the next few days.

This one's from Castle Green. And yes, we got to go inside. But I think I like the veranda best.

Happy Birthday, Mo!

Skye and More

Skye Moorhead in her studio

More and more these days you need a professional headshot. That old snapshot of you guzzling a can of PBR in your "Zeppelin Rules!" t-shirt (or was that me?) doesn't cut it for online business networking. You need a pro photographer who's got the studio, equipment, make-up artist, camera, assistant, and all the blah blah blah and dayam! It gets expensive!

Maybe not this time. I was visiting Pasadena photographer Skye Moorhead in her studio the other day and it just so happens that she'll be shooting a special Photo Day this Saturday, May 15th. There are still spaces available. For a discounted rate, you get it all because marketing genius Paula Johnson is putting it together. Paula has produced several of these photo days for Skye (this one's #6) with great results. Check out the links and see all the fantastic faces Skye's photographed.

Skye's passion is photographing people with their pets. Although they won't be there on photo day, a casual visit to Skye's studio can mean a cuddle with Otter and Augustus, her friendly Labrador mixes. Boz doesn't like having his picture taken but Skye makes you feel so comfortable I think he'd enjoy it. And I'd love to have one of her portraits of him and me.

Ooh! I just thought of this:
"More and more these days you need a professional headshot. A Moorhead shot."

Whaddaya think? Think Skye'll use it on her website? Think she'll pay me the big bucks for it? Who's the marketing genius now, huh, Paula? Huh?

Nevermind.

Zen Monday: #95

Zen Monday is the day you experience the photo and give us your thoughts rather than me telling you what I think the photo's about. There's no right or wrong. It means what you think it means, or what you want it to mean.

I look for a photo worth contemplating or, failing that, something odd or silly. Unless I absolutely must say something I stay out of the comments box to avoid influencing the discussion because when I get in there everything goes down hill.

Surprise Mom!

I know a few moms who'd be shocked if their offspring went to church today. Don't do it if it's going to cause palpitations or anything. Do what's good for Mom's heart.

New Heart Foursquare Church shares a driveway, and sometimes parking, with Masters Building Supply (yesterday's post). If you're looking for a church, you might want to take a look at New Heart's website. They've got a lot going on, and this is is one place that seems to be keeping their web presence up-to-date.

I just had to grab a shot of this sign for today. To all you moms mas, mothers, nannies, grannies, grandmothers and meemaws, Happy Mother's Day!