Thursday, December 29, 2011

Entropy, 4

I haven't been able to get out much with my camera over the last couple of weeks, what with the holidays and Boz's surgery. So I hope you don't mind me digging into my (vast and growing) archives for this pair of pictures from the photo safari John and I took on Thanksgiving day.

If you pay for tickets to the Tournament of Roses Parade, and if your seats are along North Orange Grove Blvd., and if you're sitting near the top of the bleachers, you might be able to look behind you and see this curious view. In the foreground is a shallow and (at Thanksgiving it was, so I'm going to say it's still) empty pool, leading your eye to the empty Hulett C. Merritt mansion which is flanked by a pair of unfortunate (and hopefully empty) buildings that were added during the Ambassador College years.

It's hard to notice all this from the street because it's set back, but it's just south of where Orange Grove intersects with Colorado Blvd., right near the center of parade action in which, just FYI, our Pasadena PIO Ann Erdman will be sitting on a float this year!

In the picture you see John, doing pretty much what I was doing when I took the top picture.


11am:
Speaking of Ann Erdman, who is going to be IN THE PARADE, her office just sent out this press release. 

TRAFFIC SIGNALS TO BE ALTERED FOR 2012 ROSE PARADE

As an annual prelude to the Tournament of Roses Parade, 15 traffic signals will be altered so that tall floats needing clearance can make their way safely through Pasadena intersections. Alterations will begin this week.

Each year at this time signal mast arms extending over travel lanes are removed or replaced with shorter signal mast arms or with poles that have no mast arms.

Signals with left turn arrows will be removed at
·        Colorado Boulevard at Arroyo Parkway, eastbound and westbound approaches
·        Colorado Boulevard at Marengo Avenue, eastbound and westbound
·        Colorado Boulevard at Garfield Avenue, eastbound
·        Colorado Boulevard at Euclid Avenue, westbound
·        Colorado Boulevard at Lake Avenue, eastbound and westbound
·        Colorado Boulevard at Hill Avenue, eastbound and westbound
·        Colorado Boulevard at Sierra Madre Boulevard, eastbound

Long signal mast arms will be removed at
·        Orange Grove Boulevard at Green Street, northbound and southbound
·        Colorado and Orange Grove boulevards, eastbound
·        Sierra Madre Boulevard at Walnut Street, southbound
·        Sierra Madre Boulevard at Orange Grove Boulevard, southbound
·        Sierra Madre Boulevard at Pasadena High School student parking lot, westbound
·        Sierra Madre Boulevard at Washington Boulevard,  westbound and northbound
·        Washington Boulevard at PHS, administration parking lot, northbound
·        Orange Grove and Del Mar boulevards, northbound and southbound

The Pasadena Transportation Department urges motorists to drive safely during this period of traffic signal changes and increased pedestrian activity.

For more information call (626) 744-6900.


You might also find useful these safety tips sent out the other day by the Public Information Office.

PASADENA FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS ISSUE TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE ALONG ROSE PARADE ROUTE

As the 123nd Rose Parade approaches on Jan. 2, the Pasadena Fire Department and Pasadena Police Department are issuing safety tips for the thousands of overnight campers who will line the route on Jan. 1.

The parade route will be a safer place if everyone follows the rules and regulations intended for the safety of all parade-goers.

What You Can Do:

·        Overnight camping is permitted only on the night of Sunday, Jan. 1.

·        A permanent position on the sidewalk may be maintained along the parade route beginning at noon on Jan. 1.  The “Blue Line” is the honor line.  All persons and property such as blankets, chairs, etc., must remain on the curb until 11 p.m. on Jan 1.  At that time spectators may move out to the honor line.

·        Small, professionally manufactured barbeques elevated at least one foot off the ground are allowed on the parade route, 25 feet from buildings and other combustibles.  A fire extinguisher must be readily available.

·        Minors under the age of 18 may be on the parade route from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. only if they are under the supervision of adults.

·        Dress for cold weather.  Children and seniors may need extra layers of clothing to avoid hypothermia.

·        Drink healthy fluids and consume nourishing meals to avoid dehydration.

·        Report any suspicious activities and packages to emergency authorities along the parade route.

·        In case of emergency call (626) 744-4241 from a cellular phone or 9-1-1 from a landline phone and know the cross streets from which you are calling.


What You Can’t Do

·        Appearance in the parade is prohibited for any entries/marchers that have not been approved by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses.

·        Tents, sofas and boxes of any type that can be used as stools or seats are prohibited along the route.

·        Unoccupied chairs are not allowed.

·        Bonfires are strictly prohibited and considered illegal burns.

·        Fireworks are prohibited except as part of scheduled official events.

·        No items may be sold along the parade route without a permit.

·        No public areas – sidewalks, curbs, gutters, streets, ramps – may be cordoned or roped off.

·        No ladders or scaffolding may be used as elevation for viewing the activities.

·        It is illegal to buy, sell or give away horns on the parade route.

·        Pets are not recommended along the parade route because they are easily frightened with sudden, loud noises.

·        Selling space along the parade route, other than grandstand seating, is illegal.

·        Throwing any projectile into the parade, including seemingly harmless items such as tortillas, marshmallows, flowers, etc., is prohibited. Silly String and similar products are prohibited as well.

·        Vehicles obstructing emergency lanes will be towed.

·        Walking in the street is not permitted during the parade.

·        Open containers of alcohol are illegal on public streets, sidewalks and all other public areas.

·        Sale, possession and use of illegal drugs will not be tolerated.

Enhanced security measures will be in effect on the parade route and very evident. Because of large crowds, Pasadena police officers will resolve problems quickly and remove from the scene anyone who violates the law or disturbs the peace.

The Pasadena Fire Department responds to more than twice the number of calls on parade day than on average days. These calls include reports of hypothermia, illegal burning, miscellaneous medical issues, assaults and alcohol-related incidents.

For more information about safety along the Rose Parade route visit www.visitpasadena.com and click on Visitor Hotline, visit www.cityofpasadena.net/police or call the Pasadena Fire Department at (626) 744-7276.

 

13 comments:

Bellis said...

Love the blue of the tiles! The developers of the property are planning to build condos alongside this garden and are seriously considering making a swimming pool for the residents here. They'll have to deepen it first!

I love walking my dog around the gardens of the Ambassador campus - I don't think many people realize it's freely accessible. It's like having the Huntington Library grounds on our doorstep, without the entrance fee. Just don't try to go there on January 2.

dive said...

Oooh, pretty tiles.
Bellis is right. It's really going to hurt, diving into that pool.
And that's the kind of thing that gives us Architects a bad name. No, not the admirable seventies block, but the awful mash-up of cod-classicism and colonial extravagance behind it.
Hee hee.

Petrea Burchard said...

The developers have permission to tear down some buildings on this huge property and are required to keep others. I hope they keep the mash-up and tear down the seventies block. The mash-up may not be pure anything but at least it's not ugly. And the rear elevation is especially fab.

dive said...

I'm a sucker for a fab rear elevation, Petrea.
Apologies for my facetious architectural comment but I'd just enjoyed a spectacularly splenetic rant against the BBC's desecration of Great Expectations and was still feeling mischievous.

Patricia said...

Oh how I miss Pasadena, especially this time of year. Are you going to the parade?

Trish said...

not everyone sitting in those seats pays directly for them.

but yes, if you're in the stands and manage to look at the view behind you, what's left of the college can amaze you.

LOVE the tiles!

Hoping that Boz gets to feeling better soon so you can go galavanting around these pools and others soon!

wv: ditter: I'm going to ditter around the college, take pictures of the hideous "design" of some buildings and then rest near the empty pools.

Michael Coppess said...

"Unfortunate" is a very kind description of the two buildings in the foreground.

Diana said...

When I give tours for Pasadena Heritage and we go by this beautiful Italianate garden, I always point out the mansion as being between the two waffle-iron buildings - helps them spot it immediately! And yes, Dive, they do nothing for the campus, anymore than a lot of the newer buildings at CalTech do anything for the beautiful original Mediterranean style buildings. There oughta be a law...lol

Petrea Burchard said...

Har--Dive, you're allowed to be as mischievous here as you like.

Patricia, I'm not saying I'll never go, but I'm not comfortable in crowds so I think what I'm saying is I'll go someday, when I have expensive seats and someone else takes care of the logistics.

Thanks for thinking of Boz, Trish. I will admit this is becoming a miserable convalescence for all of us.

Diana, I want to go on your tour!

Ms M said...

That is an unusual "mash up" of architectural styles. But a place with great photo opportunities (as you've been showing us).

The city sounds like it's humming with activity and anticipation for the parade.

Petrea Burchard said...

It's humming, Ms. M. I've noticed out-of-towners everywhere and I'm happy to see them. I hope they're having a good time!

Susan Campisi said...

I love the two different perspectives of this pair. I've never wanted to go to the parade before, but this year I'm considering it. It'd be great to see Ann in it!

I was in Old Town yesterday, and there was lots of buzzing and humming. I got the impression people were having a good time.

Petrea Burchard said...

And traffic today! A lot of traffic.
I did all my errands in Altadena. (If you do, take your reusable bags.)