A Warm New Year's Wish

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on a cold night in 2011

To those from other places currently gracing Pasadena with your visit, be it for the holidays, the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Rose Bowl Game or merely lunch, welcome. 

I hope the weather warms up for you. A frosty night is no big deal in many parts of the world, but in Pasadena on New Year's Eve, if you camp out on Colorado Blvd., air horns and silly string are not going to keep you warm. 

Does anyone recall a (relatively) recent Tournament of Roses Parade when it rained? 2006, maybe. I remember those poor majorettes in their skimpy costumes, their booties filling with water, gamely tossing their batons but unable to catch them because the rain kept getting in their eyes. Everyone was freezing, even the horses. 

It won't be that way this year. The forecast says things will warm up a couple of degrees for Thursday, parade day. It'll be sunny, if a bit crisp. That's OK. When you're marching 5 miles, you tend to heat up. At least, so I imagine.

Happy 2015 to us all. I mean it.

*****

The "grandaddy of them all"—all City Daily Photo blogs, that is—has posted its final photo after ten years. Today Eric Tenin is retiring his groundbreaking Paris Daily Photo, which serves as an archive of inspiration to me and other bloggers. Thank you, Eric. I already miss you. 

Me and John atop Notre Dame Cathedral in May of 2006. We fell in love with Paris. About a month later I found Paris Daily Photo and I've been a fan ever since.

Bad Photos of the B2 Bomber

Here's what my iPhone's zoom lens made of the B2 when it was circling with its buddy over the mountains. (Yes, there were 2 B2's.)

It headed our way. I waited.

It was a lot faster than these pictures.

Couldn't hear it 'til it was almost on me.

I knew it was going to fly over the eucalyptus tree but I didn't have time to move to a better spot.

Then it was over me.

Then it was gone.

A lot of people waited on the bridge. In other words, it's likely that much better photos are available.

The Other Pasadena

New year's day is a big deal here in Pasadena. The Tournament of Roses Parade. The Rose Bowl Game. Just three more days.

White-Suiters, those insiders in the ToR organization who volunteer countless hours for the planning, organization and implementation of these events, sometimes grow up in the tradition, and their children follow after them. It is time-honored stuff, almost as old as Pasadena itself. I know people who've never missed a Rose parade.

I might see one myself some day, though I haven't done so yet. Crowds, noise and cold are not my cup of tea.

Alas, I blaspheme.

At least for the next few days I live in "the other Pasadena"--the one seeking a route to the grocery store without bumping into a parade float, hiking in the mountains north of town on game day, and looking for a restaurant so far from Colorado Blvd. that only the locals know about it.

And that's fine. In fact, it's downright fabulous. I want everyone to have a wonderful time! I look forward to the pictures!

Revival

I took this photo from my car Thursday, while sitting in traffic on south Fair Oaks Avenue.

Old Town Pasadena was stopped up like my Aunt Tildy used to get after eating too much of Uncle Rory's Christmas cake. ("I can't help myself," she'd say, "it's the sprinkles!")

I got stuck in the middle of Old Town, then found my way out, then drove around instead of through it, to get to south Fair Oaks for more of the same. Most of the time Pasadena's an easygoing place, but this time of year along with Christmas and New Year's, we have the Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl game, and everything is packed. It's fine, really. Really. It's fine.

So I got to sit in traffic and take this picture of the outdoor display area of Revival Antiques. It's a beautiful store, with gorgeous furniture, art and lamps inside. Outside, the unique pieces that can hold up to the weather wait to be visited. It might be chilly for us natives right now, but I'll bet at least our Wisconsin visitors will find the weather refreshing, and probably those from northern California, too. I just hope they don't mind the traffic.

An America Thing

I took this photo last year in one of the Tournament of Roses float decorating tents in the Arroyo Seco. I never posted it because of its glaring imperfection--the large white barrier front and center. But while looking through last year's photos I came across it and found these girls so compelling I decided to go ahead and show it to you.

The girl's hand touches a fire hydrant that looks like it's seen better days, and that it has. The hydrant, called "the Heroes' Hydrant," was displayed near where the LA County Firemens Benefit and Welfare float was being decorated. The nearby sign said, "This is an actual hydrant removed from the World Trade Center rubble (near building 7) donated to the County of Los Angeles Fire Museum Association by our friends from FDNY" (Fire Department of New York).

The moment moved me and put me in mind of many things then, as it does now: how thoughtful these girls seemed to be, despite how young; how much I have to be grateful for; and how the Tournament of Roses Parade is not just a Pasadena thing but an America thing.

You can visit the Heroes' Hydrant and other artifacts of firefighter bravery at the Los Angeles County Fire Museum.

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.

 

Weirdly Good

That place in the Arroyo where we walk the dogs, go running, play soccer and ride our bikes is once again about to be out of commission for a few days. The time between Christmas and New Year's is prep time in Pasadena. Cafe Pasadena called it a "weird" period and I'm glad he did, because now I know I'm not the only one who feels that way.

It's not a bad thing, it's just a--well, a weird thing. It's actually nice, in a weird way, to know that all these folks are coming to town for the parade and the big game, and that places so familiar to us are places they've seen only on TV. I once knew them from TV as well, long ago.

If you're coming from out of town, don't get any weird ideas. I took the photo in September. It's colder now. Not Wisconsin cold. Oh god, no. Not even Oregon cold. We'll all be bundled up in our parkas but don't mind us. You guys might want a sweater.

Bring It

Well yay, we did not have another big horrible storm this weekend. Fingers crossed, I post at midnight and you never know what'll happen while I'm sleeping. But it looks like we can stop talking about "Hurricane Pasadena" as my neighbor called it, and move on to what's really important: the Tournament of Roses.

The giant logs on my street can wait. This is solely my opinion, of course. I don't know how the Hurricane Pasadena neighbor feels about it, or the California Cyclone neighbor, or the San Gabriel Gale neighbor (have at it, you have a thesaurus) or any other neighbor for that matter, I'm just talkin'.

The bleachers are up and they're not coming down 'til January. We are getting spruced up (spruce, okay, bad word choice)--we're (shut up! I'm not going to say that!)--my inner devil wants me to say "pining for yew to visit" but I'm not going to say it--we're going to be ready! Yes, Pasadena will be ready on time for the Tournament of Roses, both parade and game, and our fair city will look better than ever because this year every single tree has been trimmed for the occasion.

Inner Light

The Pasadena Presbyterian Church is at the corner of Colorado Blvd. and Madison Avenue, a prime Tournament of Roses Parade viewing spot. For the parade, the church had bleachers in its front yard. All along Colorado Blvd. every year, every space that can fit more than two super-deluxe adult derrieres gets bleachers.

I took the photo December 30th, two days before the parade. I like it, hate to waste it, so here it is. The cyclone fence is there to protect the church grounds from revelers. The revelers are not bad people, they don't come here to destroy, but there are just so many of them. So businesses along the parade route put up cyclone fencing or plywood to protect windows and landscaping from super-deluxe revelry.

We're facing south in this photo. The Pasadena sun is always in the southern part of the sky, and it hangs especially low in winter.

Here's another view of the church, taken from the roof of the Pasadena Professional Building at the north end of the same block. This part of the church is at the lower left of that photo.

Pasadena's quiet now. John and I went out last night and--without having to wait for it--got a table at a restaurant less than a block from Colorado Blvd. That's impossible between Christmas and New Year's Day, but a normal Pasadena Monday.

The post title: I like it, hate to waste it, so here it is. It may be relevant to the photo, but it has nothing to do with the prose.

All These Things And More

Yesterday:

while the blimp rolled and hummed above the stadium; while the prop jet circled the San Gabriel Valley and more small planes flew higher; while crews cleared Colorado Blvd. of tons of parade debris, while thousands enjoyed the 127th annual Rose Bowl Game with its excitement and noise...

...we had this.

One of the many things I love about Pasadena: that all this can happen in the same town at the same time.

Happy New Year, the Pasadena Way

photo by John Sandel

Please do click on this panorama to enlarge it. John took it with his iPhone inside the Rosemont Pavilion last night, while volunteers and professionals worked feverishly to finish a dozen Tournament of Roses parade floats.

Actually, not feverishly. Fever implies heat and it was chilly in there. But they were working hard. It is estimated that 80,000 volunteer hours will go into this year's Tournament of Roses parade and festival.

Thanks to our friend Terry Griest, a white-suiter and sometime PDP guest photographer, we were treated to a VIP tour. We didn't have to wait in long lines and were were able to get down on the main floor of the pavilion to see the floats up close.

The panorama gives you an idea of the enormity of the place and the work going on there, but it's only an idea. The Rosemont Pavilion houses 12 floats; there will be 47 floats in Saturday's parade. Every surface of the floats is decorated with organic matter, from flowers to coffee beans to kidney beans to carrots. I was intrigued by a plant called "silver leaf," used to decorate the shining armor of a knight on the Bayer company's "Camelot" float.

Here's our tour guide David (thus the term, "white-suiter"). When you see this eagle in the parade it will be at the head of a float ridden by Native American singers and dancers of tribes from all over the United States. And it won't be wearing that plastic shower cap.

If you're camping out on Colorado Blvd. tonight, stay safe and warm, ya nuts!

Here's a photo of how things looked at about 2:00 this afternoon along Colorado Blvd. John was driving and I shot this out his window. Things were just beginning to get a little insane.

Happy New Year from Pasadena!

Elbow, Elbow, Wrist, Wrist

I took these photos yesterday afternoon from my car at the corner of Colorado Boulevard, waiting to make the left turn onto North Orange Grove. See? Red light. Perfectly safe.

Workers were still preparing for Saturday's Tournament of Roses festivities. Most of the bleachers are ready, but this pavilion needed a few final touches.

It wasn't until I got home and uploaded the photos that I realized the guys in yellow were the only ones working. I had several pictures of the gentlemen behind the white fence practicing their parade waves.

 

Because of the comments, I decided to add a couple of extra pictures to give an idea of what things are looking like around town:

Just south of our featured gentlemen, the press pavilion at Colorado and Orange Grove is complete.

Several miles east: how do the employees at Fedde's Furniture get in the front door of the store every morning?

Glad to See You

I hope the tourists arriving in Pasadena for the Tournament of Roses parade and the Rose Bowl game are enjoying themselves and finding lots to do. Although I'm glad they're here I admit, since the Rose Bowl is west of me and Colorado Blvd. is south, unless I'm forced in other directions I'm going only east and north until next Monday.

It's nothing personal. Some of my best friends are Texas Christians and cheeseheads. I'm just not one for crowds.

The Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia (east) is looking beautiful these days, and since it's so big there's room for a few extra people. Isn't that bench inviting? I sat on it.

I made the unfortunate mistake of putting my glasses in my back pocket before sitting down. Even my titanium frames couldn't survive the ordeal, so I was forced to take a drive down Lake Avenue yesterday (south). I would have waited until next week but my glasses were making me dizzy, so I stopped in at Moda Optique to have them adjusted. Hratch said business was good but the Texas and Wisconsin fans are not knocking down his doors. Apparently they brought their glasses from home and haven't sat on them yet.

Small Business

Ben Wideman of Pasadena--that's THE Ben Wideman, y'all--is the winner of Friday's PDP/PPM book giveaway! Ben was one of several people to guess correctly that the President of the 2004 Tournament of Roses was Michael K. Riffey. John and I recently enjoyed meeting Mr. Riffey on a plane. It takes a nice guy and a dedicated one, too, to put in all those volunteer hours to make the Tournament of Roses the special event that it is. In fact, it takes a lot of nice people to make it happen.

Ben wins a copy of Helen of Pasadena, the new comedy romance novel by Lian Dolan. Lian visits Minnesota, Portland and Seattle next week, so if you're in the neighborhood stop and say hello! And check back here Friday when I have more books to give away, thanks to Prospect Park Media.

Since yesterday was Small Business Saturday I put all the contest entry names in a (clean) poo bag (fits in my pocket better than a hat) and headed up to Altadena. I had small business to do at Altadena Hardware and Webster's Fine Stationers.

At Altadena Hardware they're rearranging the shelves and I still found everything I needed.

At Webster's I bought birthday gifts, Christmas gifts and stuff for myself. In the photo, Scott Webster shows off free trade scarves. (If you're thinking of getting me something, I like them all.) Before I left the store I asked Lori Webster to help me take care of one last small bit of business: she drew the winning name from the poo bag and the rest is history.

PDP/PPM Books Contest, week 6: Helen!

On a recent airline trip to see the in-laws, John and I were honored to be seated next to a past president of the Tournament of Roses Association. He was on a public relations/scouting trip to visit universities--their football teams and especially their marching bands. Until I met this gentleman, I had no idea that a Tournament of Roses president first serves for years in other capacities before becoming president. Example: Lance M. Tibbet, a Tournament volunteer for the past thirty years, was recently elected to the Executive Committee. It's preordained that he will be president in 2018.

The dedication of these folks is unprecedented. That's why nobody else gets to wear a ring like this one, from 2004.

So which past president of the Tournament of Roses Association did John and I have the pleasure of meeting?

That's today's contest question. It's a fitting one because it's time to kick off the holiday season and because in Pasadena the holidays culminate with the Tournament of Roses. It's also fitting because of today's prize.

Contest rules:

1. Email the answer to the contest question to me. (This one's a little tougher than in weeks past, but I've given you all the information you need to Google it.) There's a link to my email in my profile at the upper left. You have until midnight tonight, Pasadena (Pacific) time. Answers in the comments section will be rudely ignored but probably not deleted.

2. That's all you have to do.

3. I'll put all the correct answers into a hat and tomorrow I'll find a willing stranger to draw the winning name. I'll announce the winner in Sunday's post.

4. PRIZES!
Oh baby! I know some of you have been waiting for today. I'm giving away my one and only, brand new copy of Prospect Park Media's Helen of Pasadena by local Satellite Sister, Lian Dolan. Whet your Helen appetite--and find out why today's contest question fits today's prize--by reading chapter one here.

And come back next Friday because I'll be giving away a copy of At Home Pasadena, the lovely, hardcover coffee table book about beautiful living in our beautiful town.

Big thanks to Colleen Dunn Bates and everyone at Prospect Park Media!

PS. Several bloggers have contributed to Karin Bugge's piece about pet adoption today on Altadena Patch. I have a little blurb in there about Boz, which will be continued here tomorrow.

Zen Monday: #79

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. And I stay out of the comments box for most of the day to avoid influencing the intellectual path of the (usually highly erudite) discussion.

As I post each new Zen Monday photo I add a label to last week's to identify it if necessary.

Silly

The town board of Huntington, Long Island voted to ban the sale of Silly String within 1,500 feet of parade routes because the stuff stains the finish on their fire trucks.

But at our Parade, Silly String is a time-honored tradition. After all, our floats are biodegradable. What can a little bit of polyisobutyl-methacrylate and sorbitan trioleate hurt? I'm askin' 'cause I don't know.

You ought to read the Wikipedia article. Silly String has some interesting uses. And did you know it's banned in Hollywood on Halloween? It takes a lot to get banned in Hollywood on Halloween.

Well, shoot. I was going to go dressed as a Rose Parade attendee this year.

Update as of 12:04PM:

Pasadena's Public Information Officer, Ann Erdman, corrects me even on weekends! (And I'm grateful.) She says:

"Silly String is actually illegal along the Rose Parade route, and at other special events in the public right of way, but enforcement is difficult because officers can't be at all places at all times and they often have bigger fish to fry.

Title 3, Chapter 3.22.020 (Interference with Special Event Prohibited) of the Pasadena Municipal Code reads, in part: "To drop, roll, throw, toss, squirt or propel any gaseous, liquid, semisolid or solid substance or object toward or among the participants, vehicles or animals in the special event."

Read tortillas, marshallows, Silly String, etc."

Horse Crazy

Horses have been part of the Tournament of Roses Parade since its beginning in 1890. This year is no exception: 23 different equestrian groups will prance down Colorado Blvd. with the floats on New Year's day.

As kids, my siblings and I watched all the big holiday parades--the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with its huge balloons, the Hollywood Christmas Parade and its movie stars, and finally the Rose Parade with its flowery floats. The horses have always been my favorite part.

I was a horse-crazy kid. We had two horses, first Pandora from 1963 to 1967, then Brandy from 1967 to 1971 (about when my interest in boys beat out my interest in horses). My sisters and/or brother may correct me on this but I did the most riding--I rode across meadows and down the country roads between our town of DeKalb, Illinois and the little surrounding towns, through fallow fields and alongside the Kishwaukee River. I rode through the NIU campus, and more than once visited the drive-through of the local Jack-in-the-Box.

There are several stables in the Pasadena area. Boz and I often see these guys riding at Hahamongna Watershed Park. They're about the age I was when we sold Brandy, maybe a little older. They said they ride out of the Altadena stables. They seemed sweet, just happy to be out on their horses.

I wonder if they ride absolutely everywhere, like I used to do? Though I've seen people riding horses on N. Lincoln Avenue, Pasadena's too urban to ride a horse through the drive-through at Jack-in-the-Box. But we've got so many miles of trails these guys aren't missing a thing.


City of Pasadena Holiday Hotline is up and running at (877) 793-9311 for answers to any and all questions about the Rose Parade, Rose Bowl Game and BCS final game. Volunteers are standing by through Jan. 7. More info at VisitPasadena.com.

Rose Bowl Enochlophobia

I have a confession to make: I love being out and about in Pasadena all year 'round, except during Tournament of Roses week.

I often drive through the Arroyo near the Rose Bowl Stadium on my way home from Hollywood or the San Fernando Valley. But not today. People are down there getting ready for the game and the parade. I don't know how many people are there. It might be fifty, but in my imagination it's fifty thousand, stomping around in those huge, white tents and sipping camp coffee in rumbling RVs while they do whatever it is they do to get ready for the big New Year's party Pasadena throws every year. I'm certain if I drove through I'd get stuck down there and not be able to get out fast enough. I'm terribly impatient. So today I took the Colorado Street Bridge, which was fine.

Colorado Blvd. is lined with bleachers waiting to accommodate parade-watching patoots. All of Pasadena welcomes the tourists and I do, too. You can feel the excitement in the air. (Even if you couldn't feel it the bleachers oughta tell you something's up.) It's all great, it really is.

I'm no party pooper. I want this year's parade and game to be the biggest and best ever. But tomorrow I'm going out one last time. I'm going to run a couple of errands and stock up at the grocery store, and I'm not going out again until January 2nd.

Update per Pasadena PIO: City of Pasadena Holiday Hotline is up and running at (877) 793-9311 for answers to any and all questions about the Rose Parade, Rose Bowl Game and BCS final game. Volunteers are standing by through Jan. 7. More info at VisitPasadena.com.

Still Here

I saw remnants of bleachers piled near Pasadena City College on Tuesday. The crews are cleaning up. But these bleachers remained intact yesterday. They're the biggies, the ones you see on TV, right across the street from the Norton Simon Museum.

I think this is Pasadena's equivalent of not being ready to take the Christmas tree down yet.