Bookmarks: Seeing Sierra Madre With Adele

Yesterday, Adele and I met for a cup of coffee at Bean Town in Sierra Madre. Then we took our cameras for a stroll. It's always a pleasure to see Sierra Madre with Adele, because she sees it not only with her camera but with loving eyes and a knowledge of her town's history and architecture.

Plus, Sierra Madre has a Little Free Library. This one's at 288 E. Laurel Avenue, a beautiful street for a stroll.

So I stuck in a copy of Camelot & Vine, and Adele and I took pictures as though it were Halloween, Disneyland, and Christmas morning all in one.

I've mentioned before that the idea of the Little Free Library is to take a book and leave a book. But Adele says the people who own this LFL say it's okay if you don't have a book to leave. Go ahead and take one. The important thing is that you read.

Speakinawhich:

This weekend, the Neighborhood Church (that's the one next to the Gamble House) is having what's billed as its last Book Faire. It's 10am to 3pm, and admission is free. I don't know why it's the last one, but I'll bet you could find some bargains.

Seeing Sierra Madre

The other day I enjoyed the company of:
Sierra Madre,
Bean Town coffee,
and
Adele,
not necessarily in that order.

Adele is the host/writer/photographer/historian at Seeing Sierra Madre: One Photo at a Time. She and I met at Bean Town for a cup, then headed north on Baldwin Avenue with our cameras. Right away, we came to this cute shop called Belle's Nest. Take a look at their website and just let the slide show play for you.

I might post more Sierra Madre pics from time to time. Adele and I aren't territorial. Meanwhile, check out her blog. She includes a lot of local history in her posts. I enjoy seeing Sierra Madre through her eyes.

Bean Town (#3 in a Quest)

As part of my quest for the ideal coffee shop, here's one for Karin, the Altadenahiker. Her favorite coffee shop in the Pasadena area isn't in Pasadena at all. It's Bean Town in Sierra Madre.

Our Karin has excellent taste. I'm not crazy about this photo; it doesn't convey the comfy, cozy homeyness of Bean Town. The decor is eclectic, with old signs, vintage furniture and exposed brick walls. The service is friendly and fun. The music playing the other day was orchestral, which I don't mind because it doesn't interfere with concentration (or conversation, if that's your preference). And the coffee is downright tasty.

When I first arrived Monday afternoon, though the outside tables were crowded, inside I had several tables to choose from. As the afternoon progressed, however, the place filled up. A woman approached and asked politely if she could share my table. I didn't want to be rude so I said yes, thinking "I'll never be able to concentrate with another person here." I was wrong. She sat down, we exchanged pleasantries, she opened her laptop and got to work. A perfectly workable situation.

I did ask her, "Is it often this crowded?"

"Usually lots of laptops," she said.

To sum up Bean Town: great coffee, great atmosphere. Free Wifi, though it was really slow at first and I gave up on it. I don't know if the speed picked up later. It's a bit far for me to drive on a regular basis so it probably won't become my daily grind. But I like Bean Town. And Sierra Madre loves it.