Still Rehearsing

In San Marino, our sunny neighbor to the south, work continues on The Mystery Plays at the Stillspeaking Theatre. At this point the set, like the play, is a work in progress. With its steep rake and different levels, we're having to learn how to walk on it. One actor will even ride a bike on it. Oh yeah.

It may not look difficult but working on a set like this reminds me of why actors have to be in good physical condition. A steep slant is no big deal if you only have to stand on it for a few seconds, but moving about quickly on it is quite another thing. And we're going to be doing some of that in the dark. The point is to give the audience an exciting theatrical experience.

Here, Sara Ceballos and Justin Dew rehearse a scene while Dariean Henderson prepares for his entrance. Right now we're the StillTryingToRememberOurLines Theatre, but that's part of the process. When the show opens November first we'll be oh, so ready.

Altadena's First Water Park

Some of you may remember Case, who first commented on my post about Cinema 21 on Washington Blvd. As a kid, Case lived behind the Cinema in a 1920's bungalow long since torn down. Case shared his story with us on my September 24th post, and many of you asked for pictures of his bungalow.

He didn't have photos of the bungalow, but he did have this one of a different house, which came with another bit of local history:

"This one is the ~Ranchero Modurne~ on Wapello & Tonia in Altadena, where we moved to in 1959. As I have been told, the Pool used to be a Public Pool of sorts, and the house was built about 25 years [after the pool was built]. Being the first owners, the day we moved in, there were 20-30 neighborhood kids & their parents in the pool.... and in the House, and using the bathroom, and making Sandwiches in the Kitchen, and even storing Beer & Sodas in the Fridge, leaving puddles of water everywhere! Of course, the pool you see in the pic is the rebuilt one we put in many years latter. The original pool had rounded corners that sloped gently to the bottom. You could actually run water down the deep end corner when the pool was being filled, and slide down it into the bottom on your bottom with a cool splash. Pasadena's First Water Park! Eventually, the public got it drummed into their heads that the pool was no longer "Open". Especially when we started charging them! Ha Ha... And Yes, that's Snow on the Gabriels!"

Case, thanks for a great story and a fun photo to go with it.

Elevator

These roofers told me they had to get their equipment to and from the job via ropes because they didn't have an elevator. I had fun taking pictures of them. They were friendly guys. Resourceful, too, I thought, using ropes to raise and lower their tools. I watched them send down ladders, shovels, brooms and bags to their counterparts at the truck below.

As I post the photo I'm thinking, if the only way to get the equipment up there was with ropes, how did the men get up there? There must have been a stairway. Too much trouble with a ladder, I suppose?

In the Shadows of the Rose Bowl

Today is Blog Action Day 2008. This year's theme is poverty.

In a speech he made in July of 2000, Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard said, "the vast majority of Pasadena residents cannot afford the median priced home that exists in our community today." And that was before the housing price boom.

Things have certainly changed since then. The most recent statistics I found were cited in an article by Peter Dreier in Pasadena Weekly from September, 2007. At first the numbers make it look like poverty levels are decreasing in Pasadena. But at closer examination, Dreier discovers that there are fewer poor people in Pasadena because they're leaving. They can't afford to live here. Yep, Pasadena is a prosperous community.

I wonder how things will change in the days to come. I wonder, as the world's financial crisis plays out, if we'll need to do more than just write checks to charity to keep our communities afloat. Maybe the crisis will be a crisis by definition: short-lived. Maybe we'll all be fine. Or maybe poverty will hit home. What will we do? Serve food? Build homes? Get our hands dirty? Will someone do that for us if we're in need?

I've heard pundits call it "the American financial crisis." What they fail to understand is that we're part of the world. Our economy is global. Our society is global, too. If society is global, then poverty has already hit home.

What will we do? What will you do? What will I do?

Every Day is Hump Day

You may have seen speed humps. You may have found them annoying. I used to. But I began to see speed humps from a different point of view when I moved to a residential street that some drivers seemed to think made an ideal speedway.

When our street was presented with the opportunity to get speed humps, a few like-minded neighbors joined us in canvassing the block to get the necessary votes to acquire them. It was hard work and the vote wasn't unanimous. But most of us love our speed humps because they've helped make the street quieter for us stodgy grown-ups and safer for the kids.

(They're not "speed bumps," by the way. Speed bumps are slim and high, like what you find in parking lots. Speed humps are long and low, to slow traffic on residential streets. We learned all the cool traffic pacification lingo.)

So imagine my joy when the other morning I heard John call out, "photo op!" and I ran outside to find Oscar Alvarado, Miguel Rojas and Steven Adams refreshing the paint on our beloved speed humps. It was a quick job, one-two-three.

One: they said, "Sure, you can take pictures!" and placed stencils on the street.

Two: while Mr. Alvarado held the stencil in place, Mr. Rojas sprayed the paint.

Three: while Alvarado and Rojas replaced the stencils on the truck, Mr. Adams sprinkled something on the wet paint. I figured it was something to help make the paint dry. But later, John showed me what Steven Adams had sprinkled. We found a few teeny, tiny glass beads left behind. They stick to the paint to make it glow when headlights shine on it.
We love our speed humps. Now, when I come upon them while driving in town, I know what the residents went through to get them and why. And I slow down and enjoy their quiet street.

These gentlemen were awfully nice to let me take their picture. They were efficient, too. Bonuses all around!

Zen Monday: #20

On Zen Monday you experience the photo and tell me what it's about, rather than me telling you what to experience from viewing it.
There's no right or wrong answer. The only rule is the truth. If the photo evokes something in you, then that's the answer.



(note to speed hump kings: tomorrow.)

Pie Night

You don't know a sugar high until you know Pie Night.

John and I first lived together in a rented home in Altadena, where we got married in the back yard. We lived there, across the street from our friends the Schwartz family, for a year and a half before we bought our Van Nuys house and moved away. By the time we moved back to the Pasadena area two years later, Pie Night at the Schwartz home had become an annual fall event. It's casual. Just come--and bring a pie.

Last night it was cold and blustery outside. It's full-on autumn here. Just right for our third Pie Night.

The Schwartzes have been around here for about ten years. Michael's a frisbee artist and JPL scientist (oh I know, isn't everybody?) and Susan's the Executive Director of P.E.N, the Pasadena Education Network. Natalie Rose is a budding ballerina/actress and Molly's not sure about future plans yet, but she can swing from a tree on her rope swing about nineteen different ways.

The guy in the picture is named Dave. He was gonna get him some pie. I got me some, too, let me tell you. Several varieties. And homemade cre-->me brulee.

Took a while to come down.

Taking Shape

It's high time for another shameless plug.

Rehearsals are well underway for "The Mystery Plays" by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa at Stillspeaking Theatre in San Marino. Director Donald Shenk is busy putting the cast (that includes me) through its paces. At this point we're still stumbling through blocking and lines. But each step feels more certain. Each line feels more like our own words. The show is taking shape.

Part of that shape is the set. Set designer Nadia Morgan and technical director Josh Coleman were in the theatre last night, starting to put it together. I've seen a mock-up and it looks great. It's innovative, unique. I won't describe it; hopefully I'll bring you a photo of it when it's ready.

I can't wait to inhabit that set. When you get on the set and it looks like something, the excitement starts to build and you begin to itch for an audience.

You guessed it: Nadia and Josh are also the building crew. Here's Nadia, putting the beginning touches on the Mystery.

The Golden State

I'm not a participant in Skywatch Friday but every so often I get a good sky shot. This was taken looking west (duh) over La Canada Flintridge toward the Glendale hills.

Glendale doesn't border on Pasadena; we've got Eagle Rock between us. (Eagle Rock's officially part of Los Angeles, but really it's its own community.) La Canada Flintridge borders Pasadena on its east side, to our northwest.

I've set rules for myself. I post photos here taken only in Pasadena or its bordering communities (unless someone else is doing the City Daily Photo blog for that community). So for example, if I wanted to post a photo I'd taken in Glendale, I'd put it on Overdog. I took a photo in Hollywood that I like, so I posted it there. (Like Eagle Rock, Hollywood's officially part of Los Angeles, but unlike Eagle Rock, it seems fitting.)

I haven't taken any photos in La Canada Flintridge. A project to put on my list.

Dam Dusk

Another night shot today—or to be accurate, a dusk shot.

Atop the Devil's Gate Dam there's a bridge —or to be accurate, the dam bridges the Arroyo Seco and one can walk across it, or ride a horse or bike. At dusk one might cross again, returning.

I'm keeping it short today. My schedule's full with auditions, play rehearsals and keeping up with regular life. I'm overwhelmed—or to be accurate, I'm whelmed (but happily so).

Los Robles Nightfall

Los Robles is the name of the street. "Los robles" is also Spanish for "the oaks," which these obviously aren't. Maybe not so obviously. It was dark. I'm working on my dark photography. These are palmas--uh, palms.

I understand certain trees are protected in Pasadena. I've heard if you cut down a Live Oak, even if you planted it yourself, you're subject to legal action. Anybody know the answer? I couldn't come up with the search string that would tell me.

We have a Tree Protection Ordinance which isn't specific about which trees are protected, so maybe they're all protected. That's more trees than people. Our population is under 150,000, yet Hometown Pasadena estimates 205,000 trees in Pasadena. I know it's at least 205,001 by now because the book came out in 2006 and John and I have planted a Chinese Elm in our yard since then.

Palm trees are not indigenous to southern California. But I ramble on.

Serendipity, Orange Grove Avenue

I was trying to figure the best way to get a picture of this building at 837 E. Orange Grove Avenue in Pasadena. It looks like a nice building, with its reflective windows framed by green tiles. I thought it might be worth a photo. It's empty right now and I don't see much about it on the web; it might have been a real estate office at one time.

Sometimes when I'm considering a subject I do a wide shot, then move in closer to find the best detail shots--kind of like in movies and TV when they shoot a master of a scene, then move in for two-shots and close-ups.

So this was the master. And this woman rode through on her Vespa or whatever it is and I had already clicked. I didn't realize she was smiling until I put the shot up on the computer screen. Aren't I lucky she came through? It makes a photograph out of something that, before her arrival, was only a reference for my files. I like that the photo is mostly greens and blues, even the woman's motorcycle, except for the pinks and tans around the woman herself. And there's that one-way sign so you can't miss her! But what I love most is that she's smiling.

It was all so serendipitous. Those who follow Glimpses of South Pasadena will know why I thought of Laurie.

Zen Monday: #19

On Zen Monday you experience the photo and tell me what it's about, rather than me telling you what to experience from viewing it.

Paint Job

I was struck by the paint job on All Tune & Lube at 1280 East Walnut. I don't know much about them; the place looked awfully clean and closed for a weekday morning. I looked them up online and found a couple of excellent reviews, but not recent ones. All I can tell you is the paint job is apparently part of the franchise.

I took this picture Friday. We had a bit of rain Saturday (yay!). Big, heavy clouds spent their entire day rolling around the mountaintops. I wanted to get photos of them but my entire day was over-committed. If only it weren't so dangerous to take pictures while driving.

Psycho-Cross

Think you're tough? Oh, you probably are.

Not me. Not like these people. They're practicing for a kind of bicycle racing called Cycle-Cross.

This part doesn't look that hard. You jump off your bike, lift it over the logs and jump on again. What the camera doesn't capture is that you're going at break-neck speed.

Our local group, SoCalCross, practices on Wednesday evenings in the same place where Boz and I like to walk. Thankfully these guys are nice about dogs and Boz sorta knows to stay out of their way. Still, it's a good idea to watch out if you're walking at Hahamongna Watershed Park on a Wednesday evening. These bikers are fast!

I understand from an insider that new riders are welcome to train with them. Are you man or woman enough? Not me. I'm sticking with wide tires and baskets.

Form

It doesn't cross a river. It's not a train trestle. Its main purpose is to carry automobile traffic across a deep arroyo, the Arroyo Seco, from Pasadena to Los Angeles and vice versa. I believe its secondary purpose is to be beautiful.

Yet I never tire of the Colorado Street Bridge. I don't get tired of photographing it, crossing it or gazing at it. In fact when it's in my view I can't take my eyes off it. It's one of the prettiest bridges I've ever seen.

Some have said that form must follow function, but to follow it exclusively is to be deprived of opportunity for beauty. I'm a fan of the odd superfluous detail, myself.

Clouds

Clouds are no big deal in most parts of the world but we haven't seen them here much lately. Except this week. This week we've seen quite a few. We even had a few drops of rain the other day, but the only picture I got of that was taken in Burbank over by Warner Bros., so if you want to see it you'll have to look at Overdog.

Our temperatures have hovered around 98 degrees Fahrenheit for several days now. If you're a Centigrade person, hey! 98 is hot! Tomorrow a ten degree drop is predicted. By Saturday, it's supposed to be 70 degrees with "a few showers." We're talking a 30 degree temperature drop with rain. I've got my umbrella ready but I'm going to need a coat!

There's a term for folks like me: weather wimp.

By the way, it was USElaine who inspired me to post this.

Theme Day: Lines

The first of each month is theme day for the City Daily Photo blogs community. Today's theme is "lines." Hey, any opportunity to plug my show!

I've just begun rehearsals for "The Mystery Plays," an evening of two interrelated one-act dramas at the Still Speaking Theatre in San Marino, which borders Pasadena on the south.

Here Chad C. Wood, Justin Dew and Dariean Henderson learn blocking and LINES while Donald B. Shenk directs during our first "on-our-feet" rehearsal. The show runs November 1st through the 23rd. I'll be posting more about it.

In the meantime, there are lots of City Daily Photo blogs showing off their lines today.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
or click on them individually here:
Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Aspen (CO), USA by IamMBB, Auckland, New Zealand by Baruch, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Bandung, Indonesia by Eki Akhwan, Bandung, Indonesia by Harry Makertia, Bandung, Indonesia by Bunyamin, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Birmingham (AL), USA by VJ, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Ilse, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by agrajag, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by JSB, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Cavite, Philippines by Steven Que, Château-Gontier, France by Laurent, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Chateaubriant, France by trieulet, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Ram N, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Edwardsville (IL), USA by Mdflores, Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA by Gigi, Franschhoek, South Africa by JSB, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hangzhou, China by Chanin, Helsinki, Finland by PPusa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Honningsvag, Norway by J., Hyde, UK by Gerald, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Islip (NY), USA by Bettye, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jakarta, Indonesia by Santy, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Karwar, India by Yogesh, Knoxville (TN), USA by Knoxville Girl, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, La Antigua, Guatemala by Rudy, Lakewood (OH), USA by mouse, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Madrid, Spain by Tr3nta, Mainz, Germany by JB, Manila, Philippines by Heyokity, Manila, Philippines by Hilda, Manila, Philippines by Anthony, Melbourne, Australia by John, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Middletown (MD), USA by Bernie, Milton, New Zealand by Milton Daily Photo, Milwaukee (WI), USA by karl, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Scott, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Molfetta, Italy by saretta, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Muizenberg, South Africa by Pentaxjunkie, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Delhi, India by Delhi Photo Diary, New York City (NY), USA by Kitty, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Palos Verdes (CA), USA by tash, Paris, France by Elsa, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pensacola (FL), USA by P J, Petoskey (MI), USA by Christie, Philadelphia (PA), USA by Andrew Foderaro, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Sharon, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Prague, Czech Republic by kakna, Quezon City, Philippines by ann pablo, Quincy (MA), USA by slim, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea by Jules, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Reykjavik, Iceland by Vírgíll, Riga, Latvia by Riga Photos, Roanoke (VA), USA by Tanya, Rome, Italy by Giovanni, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by Burd Zel Krai, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Schenectady (NY), USA by Buck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sequim (WA), USA by Eponabri, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Singapore, Singapore by Zannnie, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, South Pasadena (CA), USA by Laurie, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Tamarindo, Costa Rica by David, Telluride (CO), USA by mtsrool, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Test City (MA), USA by , Torun, Poland by Glenn, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by D.C. Confidential, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,

Trucker Joe's

The history page of Trader Joe's website doesn't reveal much except that the company's been around since 1958 (when they were called Pronto Markets). I've always thought they began in southern California. In recent years Trader Joe's has expanded to the east coast, the Chicago area and--well here, look at the map. Trader Joe's is no longer California's own grocery chain.

The manager at my TJ's asked me not to take photos inside. He didn't mention it, but I know grocery stores are extremely competitive and he may have thought I was a spy for another chain. It's too bad, because every Trader Joe's store has the most wonderful, whimsical chalk signs listing specials, recipes and nutrition information. I wish I could show them to you!

Update: Ben Wideman alerted me to Wikipedia's entry about Trader Joe's, which says that the first store with the Trader Joe's name was the Pasadena store on Arroyo Parkway.

Zen Monday: #18

On Zen Monday you experience the photo then tell me what it's about, rather than me telling you what to experience from viewing it.