Glimpse Her While You Can

Like most City Daily Photo bloggers, Laurie Allee didn't know when she started where Glimpses of South Pasadena would take her. I think blogging takes us each to a different place, but maybe that's not the right way to think about it. More likely it's the blogger herself who steers, driving the blog like the personally-designed and -constructed vehicle it is.

Laurie has driven her blog to a leadership role in her community--not a political one (although even South Pasadena elected officials showed up at Charlie's Coffee House yesterday to celebrate the opening of her photo exhibit, South Pas: Observed)--but a social one.

Glimpses of South Pasadena has become a local forum where people speak their minds. Laurie's email box is constantly filled with requests, questions, thanks and damnation. She started something big, something South Pasadena needed--a place to talk, and sometimes even to shout.

Laurie's at the forefront of the Save the Rialto movement and you'll find some of the most poignant photos and writings about this landmark are hers. In fact, if you want to find Laurie today you won't find her at Charlie's, although her photos will be there throughout October. Today you'll find her taking part in a symposium called Encore Rialto at the South Pasadena Library Community Room at 3PM.

Laurie has also steered her considerable writing talents into a popular column called Views from the Front Porch for South Pasadena Patch (her editor was at the reception, too).
And as she gains confidence behind the wheel there's no telling where else she'll drive this thing.

Anywhere. She can take it anywhere she wants to go.

The Storied Rialto

Just because it's not Christmas doesn't mean folks--or in this case, a theatre--couldn't use a miracle.

The Rialto Theatre in downtown South Pasadena has been crumbling for a long time. South Pas residents want to see this grand old palace resurrected and put to good use. The effort is underway, and you can help by taking part in a unique project. All you have to do is share your memories of the Rialto. Quoting from the press release:

"Laurie Allee, with Glimpses of South Pasadena and SouthPasadena.Patch.com will be at the Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, June 29th [that's tomorrow] videotaping brief stories and remembrances of the Rialto Theatre...

Did you ever sneak in? Stay all night and all day? Meet your future mate in the balcony? Wear tights and throw toast at midnight? Perhaps you saw Art Clokey there live and caught an actual piece of Gumby? Maybe you heard a live rock band in the 80's? Or were in the band! Perhaps you simply saw a very special movie in a very special theatre . . . whatever your tale, we hope you'll tell...

So come on by...from 9am until noon at SoPas Gallery - 1121 Mission Street. It will be brief and informal, with very short interviews. And once the piece is edited you will see a copy, and so will the rest of the world, as we post it online to raise awareness that we all want to see - the return of the Rialto!

If you think you will attend, please let us know by emailing here."

Entropy's not for everyone, and surely it's not for the Rialto. I hope you'll share your stories with Laurie.

Theme Day: Fountains

The first of the month is theme day, and we've got a good one: fountains.

There are many interesting fountains in the Pasadena area. This one's at El Molino Viejo in San Marino. El Molino Viejo was built and operated by Native Americans who lived at Mission San Gabriel in the early nineteenth century.

I was taking pictures for an article for South Pasadena Patch without a thought for the blog. But when the boy ran by (and I just barely caught him) he turned the picture into a theme day photo.

To see what other City Daily Photo bloggers are doing with the theme, check them out here. We're 1340 blogs strong now. That's a lot of international camaraderie.

P.S. If you'll be visiting the Pasadena area, you might want to read my latest article on Patch about the Arroyo Vista Inn.

Sandals of Yucca

Before 1769, California was populated by native tribes. A huge area, from Riverside County to the coast, including the southern Channel Islands and the San Gabriel Valley, was dominated by people we now call the Tongva, also known as the Gabrielino.

I've been reading up on the Tongva for a series of articles for South Pasadena Patch. The first article posted a few days ago; it's about Tongva life before the Spanish came to build Mission San Gabriel. An Altadena version of the same piece posted on Altadena Patch today. I hope you'll read one or the other (feel free to read both). Your comments are welcome. Even if you don't comment (I realize it takes time and effort), I hope you'll read and think, and perhaps seek out further information about our Native American predecessors.

I can hardly explore the Dena anymore without an awareness of the presence of those who lived here before me. This is part of the joy of a place. The more I know about its history the more deeply I experience it.