Peace Pole

I'm thinking of not telling you where this is. Some people will know, of course. But this is the sort of urban art the authorities love to remove, and I think it's kind of nice. It's human. Anyone can make one.

Bellis and I think there's something to it. She led me there, and there is where both of our dogs got confused. They suddenly couldn't hear us. I think Boz was faking, but maybe not.

Commute, 8

We're heading east on Silverlake Blvd. in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, approaching the corner of Reservoir St. This mural is on the back of what I think is still Tom's Burgers. Tom's is on a corner-shaped spit because really, where Silverlake meets Reservoir it also meets Parkman Avenue which, if we turn left on it, takes us behind ourselves to Sunset Blvd, under which we've just driven.

I love that sentence, even if you don't.

I didn't find out the name of the artist, but I did find Jubilee.


Update:
Thanks to Adele for discovering the name of the artist: Dcypher CBS. 

Commute, 1

Last week folks reacted positively to the Anawalt elephant. I see a lot of interesting things on my Wednesday commute to Hollywood. I don't get to photograph all of them because I'm driving, but if and when traffic stops (and it does, oh yes it does), I pass my wait time taking pictures of the good stuff. So perhaps Thursday is a good time to post the shots I get on the Wednesday drive.

I took this one on Santa Monica Blvd. somewhere around the junction of Hollywood and Silverlake (the areas, not the boulevards). I haven't been down Santa Monica Blvd. lately so I'm not sure if it's still there. I'm glad I got it when I did.

I had this photo for a while before I noticed what was extra special about this artwork.

Side Street Madonna

The stretch of Orange Grove Blvd. between Los Robles and Fair Oaks has Mexican restaurants, a Latin grocery, a hair salon and more. People live here, work here, get stuff done here. It's all a bit tattered--the only shiny thing besides the church is the new plant nursery on the corner of Orange Grove and Marengo. There's always a lot going on.

Google's street view photo, showing the north side of Orange Grove between Worcester and Marengo, must have been taken before I moved to Pasadena. The photo shows small homes. Now it's all storefronts.

The side streets go north and south into the neighborhoods. Just north of Orange Grove on a street called Worcester, a faded Madonna waits and watches in a meditative pose. I've driven by many times, and didn't notice until I finally stopped that she has little plastic stars glued into her thick, chipping paint. Someone must have thought the stars had value; many of them are missing.

Art like this abounds in Los Angeles, where Catholic Latin America makes its second home. Altadena Hiker did a couple of posts a while back featuring photos of murals along a downtown commute. East of West L.A., is always finding urban religious icons with which to haunt us. (Just look under "previous posts" and click on what intrigues you.)

Some of Pasadena's hidden treasures are more hidden than others.

Zen Monday: #134

I don't write much blog copy on Zen Monday, because on Mondays I pretend I am a Zen Master.

Please experience the photo and tell us, in the comments, what you've learned.

(Your first Zen Monday? Tell us what the photo makes you think of. There's no right or wrong. There are no prizes. Just have fun.)

Holy Hopscotch

You'll probably have to enlarge this one.

I found this chalk work in front of the David Allan Hubbard Library of the Fuller Theological Seminary as I traversed the campus yesterday.

This calls up everything from philosophical arguments to historical discussions to cheap jokes, not to mention high praise for whoever did this fine work. Don't even get me started.

Wait--yes, please do.



P.S. Don't forget the bloggers' potluck today. You're invited. Don't worry, it's not as pagan as it looks.

Creative Record

An impression of a leaf in mud on the sidewalk. Gone with the rain, its image fleeting as a thought quickly written then erased.

It reminded me of a picture John took of last summer's sidewalk art, created in the same spot by a neighborhood Mondrian. With only sun to wash it away it faded slowly, and we got to enjoy it for a long time. But now it's gone just the same.

I love photography for many reasons, not the least of which is memory-keeping.

Hey, cool: today PDP is mentioned on The Greensward: Civitas.

Zen Monday: #78

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 highly 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--if I know what it is.

Put a Fork In It

Update Friday morning: just received this bulletin from Phil:
Due to major traffic and safety concerns, people dropping off non-perishable items for food drive MUST enter Bellefontaine off Fair Oaks and proceed West. We want this to be safe and successful with no danger of accidents or the city shutting us down.
BTW, we are in desperate need of volunteers for both days. Please call Phil or email him if you can assist on either day for shifts 8-11 or 11-2, Phil @ AgentPhil.com or call 626 644-3227.

Drive a little further south on St. John Avenue from yesterday's photo and you'll come to the Fork in the Road.

Today's photo was taken by Phil Coombes, pictured at right. I myself have avoided photographing the Fork.

This is not because I don't like the Fork. Hell, everyone likes the Fork. But everyone has also photographed the Fork, talked about the Fork, written articles about the Fork. (This is because Phil is some kind of genius publicist.) I figured I didn't need to add anything about the Fork. But now the Fork is about to be the location of Put the Fork in Hunger, "Pasadena's largest food drive ever," so I'm on the bandwagon. Um--plate.

Ken Marshal (the Fork's creator, whom you know from the Coffee Gallery Backstage), Bob Stane (formerly of the Ice House and now of the Coffee Gallery Backstage) and Phil Coombes, (local real estate broker, AgentPhil.com) are the oomph behind this project to benefit Pasadena's Union Station Homeless Services. Union Station puts on an annual Thanksgiving Dinner at Central Park. This year they're expecting 5,000 people, and I don't suppose it'll surprise you to hear their food banks are extremely low.

Ken, Bob and Phil are asking for your help. This Saturday and Sunday, November 21st and 22nd between 8am and 4pm, just drive by the Fork in the Road where Pasadena and St. John Avenues meet south of Bellefontaine. It's just south of Huntington Hospital (you'll want to stay in the left lane whether you take St. John heading south or Pasadena heading north). Drive by slowly and hand your non-perishable food items to the volunteers in the bright orange t-shirts and holding outreach bags.

(I don't know what an "outreach bag" is, either. Don't worry about it. I suspect it'll be obvious when you get there. It's not like there'll be people at the fork wearing bright orange t-shirts and holding a variety of bags to confuse you.)

Ken, Bob and Phil are also looking for volunteers to help on both days this weekend, "especially high school students looking to put in service hours." For further information or to volunteer, contact Phil @ AgentPhil.com or call 626 644-3227.

Right now my browser's napping so I'll give you more links tomorrow. I think you've got enough information for marking your calendar and for putting non-perishables on your grocery list. Wouldn't it be great if all of Pasadena turned out for this event? A traffic jam, yes, but a fun one.

Red Light

I had a long wait at the light. How could I not take a picture? This was my break between errands on a busy day where it seemed I had too much to do. My Zen moment, if you will.

This weekend I'll attend a gardening tea and go to the farmer's market. That's all. Nothing else. Nada. I'm going to lounge around like a goddess on a mountaintop and let Boz feed me grapes.

What are you doing this weekend?

Barack and Wayne and You and Me

I thought about simply encouraging you all to get out and vote today. I thought about not mentioning my choice in a candidate, although anyone who reads this blog knows I'm voting for Barack Obama. Then I thought, if I can inspire one person to go vote, I've got to do it. And if I can't inspire you, maybe Wayne Nelson can.

Several months ago Mr. Nelson hired artist Harmon Mandigo to paint this mural on his Altadena clothing store, Wayne's Fashion. The Pasadena Star-News did a story about the mural and quoted Nelson as saying, "I figured I'd do whatever I can to help..." (I'd like to read the rest of the article but the charge for reading archived articles on the PSN website is unbelievable, outrageous, even despicable. But I digress...)

Timothy Rutt of Altadenablog was the first to post about Wayne Nelson's mural. I found it while tooling around Angela Odom's State & Lake. (I particularly like her photo.) I hurried on over to be third in line.

Nelson's small shop at 2808 N. Lincoln Avenue in Altadena is a busy place. The shelves are piled high with all things Obama. When I arrived the store was packed with customers buying Obama t-shirts, hats and buttons. People want to represent. But Nelson was able to take a minute to pose with his prized mural. He even took a picture of me with it.
We are excited, Wayne and I. We are two seemingly different people brought together by our hopes for America. We like Obama's message of hope and tolerance. We like his world view. We like the way he's taken the high road during his campaign, unlike the other candidate who degraded his own once-decent reputation by stooping to lies, insults and racial slurs.

We believe a President Obama can return America to decency in the eyes of the world and in our own, and lead America down the high road as a great nation once more.

Tragicomic

A great deal of clean-up has been accomplished in the Arroyo Seco north of the Colorado Street Bridge. There's more to do, but that doesn't mean other stretches of the Arroyo aren't worth exploring.

I took this photo several months ago. This graffiti of Comedy and Tragedy, the theatrical masks, was just south of the Devil's Gate Dam near the 210 Freeway overpass. I haven't been by in a while so I don't know if it's still there. I hope so. I'm not a graffiti lover, but I like these two with their sinister expressions.

The Mystery Plays opens in one week, so I've got theatre on the brain. Rehearsals are entering that final-week fever pitch.

Sorry for the late posting today. There's one thing I dislike - I dislike it extremely, about Pasadena. That's that we have only one choice in a cable company: Charter Communications. What a sad excuse for a business. I look forward to the day when we're free to choose something else. Anything else.

Arf Imitates Art

There's plenty of graffiti around town. Some of it's interesting, even good. I haven't posted much because I think of it as vandalism. No matter how artistic it is, it's still defacement of property and I don't want to promote it. I'm interested to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Boz is an artist. He vandalizes the Arroyo all the time. I found biodegradable/compostable dog waste bags at Whole Foods, so once he's completed an art project we take it to the nearest art receptacle. There are plenty of them, conveniently but discretely placed along the path in the Lower Arroyo Park.

Three Graces

"Three Graces," by artist Peter Fink, perches atop the Trio Apartments at the corner of Colorado and El Molino Blvds. downtown. Fink created the piece specifically for this building, although he apparently designed another "Three Graces" for Birmingham, England. It's only fair, as the artist is British.

The Brits are accustomed to public art—at least Londoners are. Take a stroll around London and you're practically tripping over art, bumping into it at every turn: gorgeous architecture, well-tended parks, grand statues, innovative sculptures. Sure, American cities have great architecture and parks. But other public art is only beginning to become more common.

In Pasadena, art decorates the streets, yards and parks from CalTech to the Art Center College of Design. Pasadena Cultural Affairs has put together eight public art walking tours you can take in the downtown area. ("Three Graces" is on tour #5.) There's more art beyond downtown; here's a map of other sites.

Theme Day: Graffiti/Street Art

The City Daily Photo Blog community has theme days on the first of each month. When I heard the March theme would be Graffiti or Street Art, I knew what I wanted to photograph.

When you cross the 210 Freeway on Orange Grove Avenue, you're greeted by this audacious utility box. The city usually eliminates graffiti immediately; anything resembling a gang slogan doesn't stay put for long. But this has been there a while. Either it's sanctioned, or someone on the clean-up crew has a soft spot for it, like I do.

Below, please find the other City Daily Photo blogs participating this month. There are lots of them! Try clicking on a few you've never visited before. Have an adventure.

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, Aliso Viejo (CA), USA by Rodney, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Bucaramanga, Colombia by Fernando, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Chicago (IL), USA by U R us, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Cologne, Germany by April11, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Detroit (MI), USA by Taittems, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Evry, France by Olivier, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Jsaltao, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montréal, Canada by Douber, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by MumbaiIteanu, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK by Cassie & Chris, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Radonvilliers, France by Deslilas, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rome, Italy by Giovanni, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation by Lark, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Terre Haute (IN), USA by Zann, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Wrocław, Poland by Loompi, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn

Known for Our Architecture

It might surprise you to learn that across the street from this gem is a lovely, new-looking church. You might also be surprised that this "building" is on the main drag, Colorado Blvd. Yep. Rose Parade route. Bet the TV cameras missed this view. (Double-click to look at the posters close-up. Cigarette packs with sharks!)

From the looks of the lot, soon this will all be a memory. The empty house behind it is enclosed by the same chain-link. It appears a tear-down's a-comin'.

Pasadenans would say this photo's not fair. They'd be right. In recompense, I promise to put up a shot of at least one gorgeous local building this week.

Fraser Alley Art

Along about World War II, downtown Pasadena wasn't looking so good. By the late 1940's, nobody was much interested in opening new businesses there, and things deteriorated. This might have been a good thing for Old Town Pasadena, because nobody bothered to renovate the buildings and they retained their historic character.

By the mid-1990s, however, revitalization was well underway. Now Old Town is known for great shopping and dining. It's also known for its historical buildings. Oh--and did I mention its pretty alleys? I think I must have said something before about pretty alleys.

This garage door is in Fraser Alley, which runs parallel to Colorado Blvd. on the south. Click on the photo to enlarge it and see the stenciled artwork peeking back at you.