Pasanita

I had glimpsed this building before I knew what it was. It's set back from Altadena Drive, easy to miss. I admired it's cloister-like structure. And then I sort of forgot about it until I read a fascinating post at Avenue to the Sky. (Check it out. He's even got old newspaper clippings.)

It was once called the Artist's Guild Building and the Pasanita Apartments. It housed a pottery school and a popular dining and dancing venue in the 1920's and 30's, according to blogger Thal Armathura. I tried to find more information about the building online, such as the architect and when it was built, but I struck out. I like the California mission style, though. Very pretty.

It's not clear to me when the structure was altered. The Pasadena Jewish Temple purchased the building in 1942, and somewhere in there the north wing of the building seems to have been either shortened or somewhat drastically remodeled. But for the most part, from what I can tell, the building remains in beautiful condition.

This building is not listed as a historical property in Pasadena. It makes me wonder what else is out there, set back back from the street, easy to miss and almost forgotten.

Summer Entertainment

Summer is finally here. I know because as the day dwindles with the heat, folks show up on our lawn much like they did last summer. It's not exactly the same. The kids are a bit bigger. There are some new ones. Some of the ones from last summer are no longer around. Boz hears their voices and lobbies to go outside to see them. I drop my work and out we go.

Boz is a known person in our neighborhood. He likes everyone, but he's partial to people his size. When I brought out his toothbrush and toothpaste the other evening, his friends gathered around to watch the excitement. This is something people my size don't ordinarily think of as entertainment.

One of the dads took this shot and I love it. It reminds me of a favorite photo from last summer when we sat on the lawn and read stories. I don't know if the kids remember that, but the grown-ups do. Now that was entertainment.

All Smiles

Some of our City Council members had a long night on Monday. Not only did they have a Council meeting that lasted until past midnight, but it was preceded by the swearing in of Pasadena's new Chief of Police, Phillip L. Sanchez.

I have a feeling they preferred the earlier event.

I won't go over the details of Chief Sanchez's career--feel free to click the link and read about him. I'll just tell you the atmosphere in the City Hall courtyard was festive Monday night. As I walked through on my way to the Council chamber, I watched Sanchez float from group to group, lifted by the high spirits around him. Everyone wanted to talk to him. Everyone wanted their picture taken with him. And everyone--everyone--was smiling.

On the second floor balcony I stopped to grab this shot of the Chief posing with a group of very young people--cadets? recruits?--too young to be officers yet, but well trained and excited to be in the man's presence.

A lot of hope greets Chief Sanchez. May he continue to sail on the buoyancy that surrounded him Monday night.

Update from Janet Pope Givens, Public Information Officer of the Pasadena Police Department:
"Today’s photo in the City Hall courtyard is with Pasadena Police Explorer Post 19. Indeed, too young to be officers, but very enthusiastic learners and workers. We have a total of 32 of these young people who attend an academy, and after graduating, volunteer and continue police tactical and operational training. They work hard and they play hard. Our lobby has a case of numerous trophies they’ve won over the years in interagency competitions. But in between the training and the working they, along with their police advisors, go on lots of group trips for enrichment, education and fun!"

Thanks to Ann Erdman, Pasadena PIO, for the Explorer link.

Be You

When you're you, there's no competition.

Happy birthday to my wonderful father-in-law, Sandy.

And happy Fete Nationale to mes amies Francais.
(I apologize for Blogger's undiplomatic behavior. It refuses to allow me a circonflexe or a cedille.)

The City Council Meeting Was...

...mixed.

The Council was divided on some things, although thankfully they all saw the wisdom of not building a soccer field in a lake.

The other Hahamongna soccer field, however, may still go forward even though not one single person advocated for it at the meeting.

I could write miles and miles of compelling arguments against building that other field (it's called Field #2 in the Hahamongna Watershed Park Master Plan). The City Council heard them all.

Because the meeting went on until after midnight, because I'm posting late, because I have to get up early, because I have a long day today, I won't write all those arguments here now. Bellis, Roberta (Pasadena Latina), Gina (Mendolonium) and Pasadena Adjacent were there last night and I hope they'll add to today's discussion. I hope you will, too.

Zen Monday: #103

Once again it's Zen Monday, 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 competition, no right or wrong. We're here to have fun.

I look for a photo worth contemplating or, failing that, something odd or silly. And unless I absolutely must say something I stay out of the comments box to avoid influencing the discussion. I don't want you thinking I'm into mind control or anything.

An Ocean

When I moved to Hollywood I imagined life in the fast lane: you know, I'd be a movie star and date incredibly rich men. I'd live in Beverly Hills where my neighbors would be as fabulous as I was. When I wasn't working on my next Oscar-winning film I'd summer on exclusive islands in the south Pacific, sun myself on white sand beaches and dip my toes in warm ocean waters.

I pictured all kinds of wild stuff. I didn't picture this.

Yesterday's exclusive island was a back yard, where we dipped our toes in an ocean of green grass. The kids played in a rented bounce house while the adults shared ample potluck food and drink, and talked of the usual things: work, home, kids, life.

I don't suppose cave people had a bounce house, but I imagine them squatting around the fire, sated after a meal, watching the kids play like cubs while they talked of the usual things: the hunt, the cave, kids, life.

It's deeply satisfying to be a part of this turning of the Earth, this slow twist of the spiral arm of the Milky Way, though this wasn't at all what I pictured. It's better. And my neighbors are even more fabulous than I could have imagined.