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.

Being Have

Yesterday I attended a movie at the Central Library with Miss Havisham, her Secretary, Mary Kathleen O'Looney, Mademoiselle Gramophone and Dr. Burchard. We're usually a raucous crowd, but not only were we at a movie, we were at a movie at the library, so we were doubly quiet. As my Uncle Max used to say, we were "being have."

The movie was Miss Potter starring Renee Zellweger (love her!). Because the film was about a writer and her books, they showed it at the library for free. YES. FREE MOVIES at the library at 1PM on Wednesdays. A comfortable, intimate theatre, quiet crowd, small screen and a bunch of my friends. You can't beat it. We sat right up front and it wasn't screamingly loud like in the multi-plexes. Heavenly.

The photo above is a view of City Hall from the children's section of the library. After the film we all piled in there. (As it was a school day, the room was devoid of children. Thank goodness we didn't have to set an example.) We asked for the Beatrix Potter books and they had a good selection. Mary Kathleen nosed through The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck (the Secretary admonished her to read with her mouth closed), Miss Havisham seemed interested in The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse, and Dr. Burchard checked out a copy of The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin for further study.

I became completely absorbed in The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies. The librarian did not have to shush us.

ICE for USElaine

This blog thing is more than posting photos and jabbering about them. Through blogging I've learned about my town, made friends and expanded my life. Many folks I've met are in the Pasadena area; many more are virtual acquaintances, scattered throughout the world. I'm old enough to find it amazing that I can talk to friends in Paris, Pakistan and Persia every day. I don't know if we're all on our best behavior or if people are just generally good. I think it's the latter.

One person I've come to admire is USElaine of Willits Daily Photo. With straightforward prose she tells vast stories in few words, letting her readers' minds fill in the shading. She's similarly skilled with the camera. A simple, straightforward image can have many facets - of time, thought or possibility. She posts a jewel so often that Benjamin Madison of Victoria Daily Photo coined the phrase USElaine's gems to describe her style.

This ice house stands in the parking lot at Webster's in Altadena. When I took the shot I thought of USElaine and wondered, "How would Elaine shoot this?" I decided she would shoot it straight on and let the shadows do their thing.

The First Cut Contest: Page 20

"The windows faced Garfield Street and the courthouse, an unadorned concrete rectangle lined with soulless windows."

Thus, with a touch of noir, Pasadena novelist Dianne Emley describes Pasadena's Superior Court building in her Pasadena-centric novel The First Cut. Pasadena Pasadena Pasadena!

Did you know we're having a contest? Read The First Cut, answer a few easy questions about it and win a copy of Cut to the Quick, the second book in Emley's Nan Vining Thrillogy.

Here are the rules, which I first posted last week:
1. Read The First Cut. (It's available at Vroman's or your favorite book store. You can read a description of the book on Dianne's website.)
2. Answer four easy questions about the book, which are posted below.
3. Email your answers to me (link at upper left of blog) by the January 27th deadline.
4. Feel free to email me any questions you have about the contest, or post your questions in the comments section.

Three winners will be drawn from the correct entries. Each will win a copy of the second book in the Nan Vining Thrillogy! It's called Cut to the Quick, and it'll be released as a paperback original on January 27th.

READY FOR YOUR QUESTIONS? Here we go:
1. What word is written on the refrigerator magnet Nan receives from T.B. Mann?
2. What's the name of the nightclub owned by John Lesley?
3. What song is played at Frankie Lynde's funeral?
4. What does Frankie's voice say to Nan on the CD that Emily records?

And the bonus question:

5. How many times has Nan's mother been married?

I don't know why it's a bonus question. You don't have to answer it to win. I couldn't. Dianne asked me that one and I had no idea. But you get brownie points if you know it. Maybe we'll use it as a tie-breaker.

We're on, people. Let me hear from you, and let's have fun!

Zen Monday: #30

Zen Monday's the day you experience the photo and tell us what you think, rather than me telling you what the photo's about.
There's no right or wrong. If the photo evokes something in you, that's all it is.

Change

It's sacrilege, I'm sure, to leave Pasadena at Tournament of Roses time. But John and I aren't religious so we skipped town and went to the beach for a couple of days. (If you'd like to see hometown Rose Parade posts, check out West Coast Grrlie Blather or East of Allen.)

So. Tomorrow's Monday. Back to the grind. Back to normal.

But not really.

There's change coming. The year feels new. We're putting one foot in front of the other, not knowing what the ground looks like until our foot lands on it. We can't see where we're going until we get there. It's scary.

Change is the one thing we can count on. It's necessary. Things do not stay the same, they never have. We know change is good, but it can be overwhelming.

This is probably why we cling to beloved traditions like Christmas trees and the Rose Parade. It's why our garages fill up with old relics that never get used or even looked at. It's why we stick to routine, it anchors us.

It's like sleeping in your own bed after you've been away for a few days. It may not be the greatest bed. The pillow may be lumpy. But it's what you're used to, and that's a comfort.

Eaton Walk

At Eaton Canyon you park near the Nature Center, cross the wash and turn left to hike the many paths. At least it seems that's what most people do. The hike to Henninger Flats is especially popular. Or this time of year folks can walk in the wash itself. Later, after we have more rain (please), they can splash in the water.

If, however, you turn right past the wash, you cross under this archway. Pretty soon you'll find your way to a sign marking the entrance to Moist Canyon.

Boz and I like Moist Canyon, which right now is a name more than a description. I understand part of the canyon's near a Pasadena Police Department firing range but so far, we've found it to be quiet. And it's very good for sniffing.

Johnson Lake

Pasadena's been crowded. That's okay. Many of my friends and neighbors look forward to Tournament of Roses time. I don't mind it, but I tend to seek a break from the crowds in out-of-the-way places.

This place is so out-of-the-way it's private. I had to sneak a peek through branches overhanging the "No Trespassing" sign. Club House Drive, the street that accesses Johnson Lake, is gated. That gate looked locked to me.

I found Johnson Lake on the Thomas Guide map but it wasn't labeled. Google doesn't have it on their maps, though if you select the satellite photo it's there. It's secluded, sedate, serene - the opposite of Old Town at New Year's.

Thanks to WCGB and The Scout for the tip.

For the next 48 hours I'm not sure what my web access will be. I hope I'll have a chance to respond to comments, so go ahead!

Theme Day: Best Photo of 2008

I first posted this shot on 9/21/08. I called it Bad Year, because UCLA was in the process of losing a football game to Arizona. Now, due to the world economic crisis, the words take on a different meaning.

It's hard to choose a favorite or "best" photo. One reason I chose this is it's different from my usual. It pushes at the edges of my envelope.

Today marks the one year anniversary of Pasadena Daily Photo. I began this blog on January 1st, 2008 with a murky shot of the Rose Bowl Stadium. Since then I've learned much about blogging and about photography. I've made friends with kind souls all around the world. This has been an overwhelmingly good experience, and it's been all about envelope-pushing. I embark on my second year vowing to push harder.

Today in Pasadena the Goodyear blimp rides again over the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl Game, flying as high as our hopes.

I wish you a happy new year.

There are 151 City Daily Photo Blogs participating in this theme day. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Pasadena's New Year's Eve

What's that I see across the dark Arroyo? Over there, on the other side of the freeway. Why, it's the Rose Bowl Stadium, all lit up on a cold night.

On this New Year's Eve, as on every other New Year's Eve in Pasadena for the past 118 years, Pasadena awaits the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl Football Game.

That doesn't mean we just sit around all evening. We have company! Folks are here from out of town! We have to entertain.

So the bars and restaurants are full. Colorado Blvd. is a [no tents allowed] campground all the way from Orange Grove Blvd. in the southwest to Sierra Madre Blvd. in the northeast. It's five miles of solid partay.

Not everyone is celebrating. Tournament officials are busy putting on the finishing touches. The Rose Queen and her Court are presumably getting their beauty sleep (if they're not too excited). I imagine there are some nervous college football players tossing and turning somewhere out there, too. Float decorators are still poking posies into chicken wire, or however they do it these days. Glue guns?

I hope you have a fun and safe New Year's Eve. Here in Pasadena everyone has something to do. The weather has warmed up and it looks like tomorrow's going to be a glorious day for football and roses.

The First Cut Contest: The Fun Begins

In Dianne Emley's thriller The First Cut, the body of LAPD Officer Frankie Lynde is found beneath the Colorado Street Bridge. And no, she didn't jump.

A job for the LAPD? Nope. The bridge is Pasadena territory.

It's the first day back on the job for Emley's heroine, PPD Detective Nan Vining. Vining's had some time off after a close call of her own and her attacker is still out there, waiting. In tracking down Frankie's killer Nan feels more than sympathy for the dead officer. She can almost hear Frankie's voice. Or maybe what she hears is real.

Today The First Cut is released in paperback. So I'm trying something new: A CONTEST! And you don't have to be in Pasadena to play.

Here are the rules:
1. Read The First Cut (available at Vroman's or your favorite book store). You can read a description of the book on Dianne's website.
2. Answer four easy questions about the book, which I'll post January 6th.
3. Email your answers to me (link at upper left of blog) by the January 27th deadline.
4. Feel free to email me any questions you have about the contest, or post them in the comments section.

Three winners will be drawn from the correct entries. Each will win a copy of the second book in the Nan Vining Thrillogy! It's called Cut to the Quick, and it'll be released as a paperback original on January 27th.

Just for fun, throughout the month of January I'll post photos from Pasadena locations mentioned in the book. I'll even take requests (or make the attempt) as long as you send me the page number. (Enlarge the photo above to see where the body was found in The First Cut.)

I plan to do more features with other local writers in 2009. If you're a Pasadena author who'd like to try an interactive something on the blog, let's talk.

I love writers, writing, books and Pasadena, so what could be better than a Pasadena writer who set her story in Pasadena? Many thanks to Dianne for her participation and support!

Zen Monday: #29

Zen Monday's the day you experience the photo and tell us what you think, rather than me telling you what the photo's about.
There's no right or wrong. If the photo evokes something in you, that's all it is.

Tournament Time

From here on in, as every Pasadenite knows, it's Rose Bowl, Rose Parade, Bowl Rose, Tournament of Roses, Parade the Bowl Rose Tournament of Posies and Parade Me Down and Bowl Me Over. And if you didn't get enough, well, how about some football?

Every available inch of Colorado Blvd. property that doesn't have bleachers on it will have bleachers on it by Wednesday night. Either that or it's been condemned. And believe me, we expect this year to be just as well-attended as any other.

Some locals live and breathe the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl Game, and have never missed either.
Some have been to several of each.
Some regale you with tales of partying all night in a tent on Colorado Blvd. in order to catch the parade with a hangover.
Or freezing in a camper at the Rose Bowl Stadium parking lot for a couple of days, just to watch their team play in the legendary game.

Some went to the parade once, as a rite of passage.

I would go if I had tickets. To the main bleachers. Over at the corner of Colorado and Orange Grove, where the media booths are. Where the sun shines. Where the parade goes by early and ends early. If it was warm.

I am not a fan of crowds or of cold, but I'm a fan of Pasadena. So I bless the Parade and the Game. As Tournament week unfolds and Pasadena welcomes thousands of parade and football fans, I welcome them, too. I hope they have a blast.

This Contest Can Be Won

Pasadena's police headquarters is a dramatic building, with high arches and fancy scroll work that would fit right in on the Walt Disney Studios lot. But there's no funny business here. Whether you like the Pasadena cops or not, they're serious about what they do. Mess with the law in Pasadena and they don't just send a squad car, they send helicopters.

Call it overkill, but it seems to be working. I was able to find a few statistics on the web that show a dramatic drop in crime in Pasadena from 2005 to 2006. I'd like to know how we've been doing since then but wasn't able to find statistics for 2007. Could be it takes a while to compile them. PIO? Anyone?*

Pasadena's finest are featured along with their headquarters in The First Cut, a novel by Pasadena novelist and crime writer Dianne Emley. I introduced the soft-looking but tough-as-nails author here on PDP November 1st. Emley's Nan Vining Trilogy is finished. The First Cut comes out in paperback December 30th, to be followed in rapid succession by Cut to the Quick and The Deepest Cut.

So heads up, book lovers, especially those who love a scary, gritty, down and dirty read. Get ready to get your copy of The First Cut, because we're going to have a contest here on Pasadena Daily Photo. Watch for the official announcement here on December 30th.

*Vanda contributed three crime maps including this one from Realtor.com, with a 2008 copyright on it. (Click her links in the comments.)

There's now an ongoing art exhibit in the lobby of the building.

A .pdf about the building's design and architects here.

Geology Lesson #1

Today John and I will be enjoying an apres-Christmas dinner with Pasadena Daily Photo's new staff member. You heard me right. I'm pleased to announce PDP now has a resident Geologist (Pasadena resident, that is). Her name is Becca and she's Sprocket's guardian.

During our dog walks I get the occasional geology lesson. Who knew there was so much geology going on in Pasadena? My god, it's happening all the time, right under our feet!

About this photo, Becca says:
"This is a nice example of graded bedding. When water flows through the stream channel it transports material of various sizes. Fast-moving water transports relatively large sediment such as boulders, cobbles, and/or pebbles. Slow-moving water only has the energy to move small sediment such as sand, silt, and/or mud. Imagine taking a jar filled with water and sediment of various sizes, shaking the jar and placing it on a table. The larger sediments will settle to the bottom first, and as the water current in the jar continues to decrease, progressively smaller sediments will settle on top.

"As a side note, if these sediments were buried and left undisturbed, they could go through a process called lithification and turn into a sedimentary rock. And then, my friend, this beautiful graded bed would be preserved in the rock record!!"

Many of Becca's colleagues have gone off make money drilling the planet for oil. Becca's dream is to transmit her love of the planet to her students. "If one of them picks up a piece of litter and puts it in a trash can, I've done my job," she says.

Merry Christmas, 2008

If you're in town, you can view Pasadena's Christmas tree in person (or in tree, as the case may be). It stands in the entryway to City Hall. I recommend you visit after dark when the lights are most spectacular.

I don't think the city of Pasadena would mind if I wish you a merry Christmas on its behalf.

Merry Christmas! And thanks for visiting, virtually or otherwise. May your days be merry and bright.

Home for Christmas

I spent all of yesterday accomplishing about two hours' worth of errands, and still didn't get everything I wanted. But when I finally made it home I was glad to be here.

Today it's Christmas eve. For many, Christmas has become a non-religious holiday. Still, we're human and humans are tribal. We have our traditions. We need our rituals.

Maybe you can see atop our Christmas tree an old plastic star. I always thought it looked like Sputnik. I still have the original box from the 50's. The star got melted once by a too-hot Christmas bulb and how it's held together by a rubber-band. My siblings and I grew up with it atop our family Christmas trees, and I can't let it go.

It doesn't take much for me to stop and remind myself that I'm fortunate. I may not have everything I want, but I have everything I need.

I wish you peace and blessings.

Update: Find Christmas greetings from GinaB, one of my Sputnik siblings, on Overdog.

Winter Bird

Okay, my horticulturalites, what are these berries? Should I eat them? Should Boz?

They put me in mind of grade school. I liked school all right, especially drama, art, reading and French. But in other subjects my mind often wandered and I watched Cedar Waxwings outside the classroom window. There must have been berries like these growing there. Otherwise why would berries in the Arroyo Seco make me think of Cedar Waxwings and grade school in Illinois?

The holidays tend to make me nostalgic. Maybe that's all it is.

I looked up Cedar Waxwings online. I thought I remembered them snatching those red berries from snowy branches. But that's unlikely. Cedar Waxwings are rarely spotted in northern Illinois in winter, except perhaps in memory.

Zen Monday: #28

On Zen Monday you experience the photo and tell us what you think, rather than me telling you what the photo's about.
There's no right or wrong. If the photo evokes something in you, that's all it is.

Excuse me while I break with tradition to announce that today is an important day in Zen Monday history.

I've figured out/remembered where the idea came from. I thought it came from me, but it didn't. I got it from Mitch Rossow at Mitchster.com. Mitch planted the seed in my brain with this post. I didn't realize it at the time, nor did I realize that Mitch was doing a semi-regular Saturday Moment of Zen. He was first, and I still think that snowman with the yellow hat is the best Zen post ever. I'm still looking for a Zen Monday photo as good as that one. I may always seek it.

Thank you, Mitch.

Collaboration

I ran into Cafe Observer last night. Each of us was stricken, in the same moment of Pasadena night-time magic, with an inability to pass by City Hall without taking photos. So there we were in the courtyard snapping away, freezing our fingers and jawing.

This photo was taken from across Euclid Avenue in the Plaza Las Fuentes next to All Saints Church. My camera's lens refused to include both City Hall and it's reflection in one of the fountain pools. C.O.'s camera allowed both, but he needed a tripod. I happened to have one. I think I won't tell you who pressed the button. Thank you, Cafe Observer, for letting me post our photo here.

Happy first day of Chanukah, by the way. (Well, first night - the holiday begins at sundown.) I know about as much about Pasadena synagogues as I do about Pasadena churches, so I googled. The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center and Chabad of Pasadena each have events today, and Chabad of Pasadena invites the public to menorah lightings on December 22nd, 23rd and 24th at 5pm in the courtyard at One Colorado. I think that sounds fab.