Happy Kwanzaa

On Christmas day, John and I took a long walk with the camera. I love walking with the camera, but I especially love walking with John. His eye opens mine. His suggestions inspire me.

We found a lot of sights to enjoy including these cement pavers embedded in the median alongside El Molino just north of Washington. Someone had decorated them with positive thoughts.

Today is the first day of Kwanzaa. The (non-religious) holiday continues until January 1st. I enjoyed reading about it on several sites. Did you know the African spelling is "Kwanza" and the additional "a" at the end reflects the African American celebration? Now you do.

Kwanzaa celebrates seven principles. One of them is depicted here. The others are just good ideas for regular days.

Happy Kwanzaa!

Good Will Toward You

In America it's politically correct to say "Happy Holidays" from late November through December because people of so many cultures and religious backgrounds live here. I'm not a Christian myself but I don't mind hearing "Merry Christmas," nor do I worry much about getting the greeting right as long as people are of good cheer. Greeting each other kindly and wishing each other goodness is what's important.

This is the day we mark on our calendars to commemorate the birth of someone who has had a monumental influence on our culture, regardless of whether or not you believe he existed. If we did as he asked us to do, this Earth would be a peaceful place indeed. I think he'd want us to greet each other kindly and wish each other goodness.

Goodwill starts in our hearts. From there, it can go everywhere. So Merry Christmas, whatever you celebrate.

Memory and Christmas Tree Lane

Hmm. Now that I upload the photo it looks a little abstract. But click to enlarge it and you see it's a tree-lined street. Not just any street, but Santa Rosa Avenue in Altadena, better known as Christmas Tree Lane.

I parked myself and my tripod in the gully at the end of a driveway to get this picture and the homeowner took a peek to see what I was doing. "Oh, you're filming," he said.

"Just taking pictures. Is it okay?"

"Oh sure."

"I wonder if you get tired of all this traffic," I said.

"Oh no! I don't mind," he said. "It's all about the Christmas spirit."

A couple of miles east there's a home where every Christmas decoration you can imagine is packed into one yard. It's bright enough to light the neighborhood, and you can hear the electricity buzz. People crowd around taking pictures and loving it, and I'm glad they do. But it's not my cup of tea.

I go for the simplicity and silence of Christmas Tree Lane. Just a mile or so of deodar cedars strung with old-fashioned lights. People drive slowly and dim their lights. It's quiet and kind of magical.

Those cedars were planted in 1885. A tree gets pretty tall in 125 years. I love this Altadena Historical Society photo of Christmas Tree Lane in the early 1900s, back when the trees were young.

Read the LA Times article or the links above first, to get a sense of the history. Then have a look at the Woodbury House. The Woodbury brothers founded Altadena and one of them planted those deodars (scroll down for old photos and a mention of the nursery where the trees were first planted). The house is still there. Well-hidden, but still there. And so are the beautiful trees and the sweet town those brothers planted.

Sparkly and Cold

I finally went out last night and got pictures of twinkly lights. What I won't do for you! It was freezing! The web said 50 degrees, but it was blustery enough for a substantial wind chill factor. Plus there's the Petrea chill factor, which subtracts another fifteen degrees. We're talkin' cold.

Last Christmas I went downtown for photos. This time I headed north. I was looking for the Star of Palawoo. I found it, but with houses and trees in my sight lines I couldn't figure out how to get a good angle on it. You'll get a better view either by driving up to Loma Alta just west of Marengo or by viewing the Altadena Weather Cam at night. It's worth it--well, it is if you bundle up. Such a pretty thing.

I opted for this pretty thing for today's post. These folks on New York Drive just east of Allen put up their Tour Eiffel every year, and every year I enjoy seeing it sparkle by the road. It's also a nice reminder that it's snowing and/or raining in Paris right now, depending on whether or not the temperature manages to get above 32 degrees.

Winter Dining

Despite the cool weather the poinsettias in front of Pinocchio's Pizza on North Lake Avenue looked festive yesterday. The cloudy skies made the white table cloths look all the more crisp.

Note that Big Mama's Rib Shack has poinsettias in their planters, too. And someone has planted more with the sidewalk tree.

I could use some good soul food right about now. And John and I are on a quest for the best pizza in town. Have you eaten at either of these establishments? Help us out. What's your review?

Zen Monday: #77

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 is what it is, whatever that means to you.

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 brilliantly intellectual path of the 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.

The Horned Man of Pasadena

My little book of pagan holidays (you'd be amazed what I keep handy for research) says the winter solstice is always on December 21st. That's true this year but sometimes it's the 20th, and since here at PDP the 21st is a Zen Monday (which isn't so much pagan as accepting of what is, pagan or otherwise), and since I'm still mustering up my Christmas spirit, I went looking for a horned god instead of a Santa for today's post.

The horned god, or horned man, or green man goes back thousands of years and crosses many cultures. Something of him permeates my thinking and my writing even now. He's hard to find yet he's everywhere. Although I didn't see him in the gardens last time I visited the Huntington, that doesn't mean he's not there. In fact, the pagan gods have long lurked around the fringes of Pasadena.

The horned man has existed since long before Christmas was invented. He'll last as long as humans live on earth. The winter solstice will outlast us, perhaps, remaining long after our holidays have come and gone.

Oh, sort of frazzled. You?

Christmas is in less than a week. I'm not ready. That's why I'm posting a photo of the swings at Washington Park instead of the Christmas tree at City Hall or the decorations at Christmas Tree Lane or the Balian Mansion in Altadena.

I'm notorious for this, but at least I'll have gifts in the mail to my family before New Year's this time.

Are you ready?

Women's City Club Business Boot Camp

Standing: Lori Webster, Jennifer Hamilton, Diana Manchester, Jane Neff Rollins, Author Nada Jones, Susan Kitchens, Anne Louise Bannon. Sitting: Donna Chaney, Elke, Margit Holakoui, Randi Burton. The women model scarves hand-made by Burton.

I've been going to Business Boot Camp where the barracks are swell, the mess hall ain't half bad and I never have to say "Sir, yes sir!"

When the Pasadena Women's City Club "Women in Business" Committee was looking for something more active than a speaker lunch, member Donna Chaney of Chaney Financial Services was considering a business planning workshop. She came across a book called Sixteen Weeks to your Dream Business: A Weekly Planner for Entrepreneurial Women by Nada Jones and Michelle Briody. Donna says, "My interest met [the committee's] and bootcamp was born."

Donna couldn't have known what a huge project she was getting herself into. But she did know she'd need a partner and she asked Lilli Cloud of Blue Feet to help. Both business-savvy women lead a large group of women at varying levels of savvy as we've devoured the book, embellishing with input from experts within the group and without. We're learning about budgeting, web design, branding, marketing, business plans, you name it. And at last week's meeting Nada Jones, one of the book's authors, surprised us with a visit. (She's even in the photo, which I took long after the meeting when most people were already gone. My apologies to those who missed posing. We'll do it again.)

Among the many things we've learned is the difference between PR and advertising. For example, if I post about a business, that's PR and I get to say what I want to say. If someone buys an ad on the blog, that's--well, that's an ad. I've made a proposal to the group: if a member chooses, I'll post about her business here on PDP. Once I've had my say, if she's still brave enough to advertise on PDP, maybe she will. See how I'm grokking this? (Hey, I'm blogging with integrity here.)

A new session of Business Builders Boot Camp will start in April, 2010, with further information coming out in February. But if you're interested, you don't have to wait. Contact Donna Chaney at 626-768-0080 or donna (at) chaneyfinancialservicesinc.com. You don't have to be a member of the Women's City Club to join.

Opportunity

Recently I went to a weekend seminar at the Crowell Public Library in San Marino and the seminar leader didn't show up. I had scheduled time on a Saturday, driven all the way down (my god, it must be five whole miles!) and even brought along pen and paper. Guess I should have called first.

In such situations there's always a choice: get angry about my time being wasted or look for the hidden opportunity.

Either choice can make sense depending on the circumstances and I'd be lying if I said I'd never chosen the former. But this situation was loaded with possibilities: a library, pen and paper for starters. And I always have at least one camera with me.

I ended up going for the hidden opportunity. The Crowell Library has its share of photo ops but since it was Saturday I chose to skulk around nearby Henry Huntington Middle School. Something about an empty school takes me back to my own school years. I wandered and dreamed. It was time well spent.

iSmax of Santa

At Seattle Daily Photo, Kim does a regular "iPhone Wednesday" feature. I keep meaning to give it a try. (Hey, she said I could, so it's not stealing.) But except for my pseudo-Monets I haven't knocked my own iPhone socks off yet.

But John has. I love his reverse Santas. He photographed them with his iPhone inside and out of La Galette, a delectable pastry shop in Sherman Oaks.

I decided they're acceptable for Pasadena Daily Photo because John's from Pasadena and because the shots are so great. Then I begged him to let me post them.

John calls them "Recession Xmas" and "Smax Noissecer."

Worth the Lack of Effort

I'm peeking out from behind the door at Merit Dry Cleaners toward the sidewalk rack outside Ritzy Rags resale shop. Though I love resale shops I haven't been in Ritzy Rags yet. From the Yelp reviews it sounds like the kind of place where you have to dig. I don't mind digging, that's part of the experience. A bit of effort usually brings results.

Merit Cleaners I can vouch for. We became customers when we lived in Altadena in 2001/03. Moved away to Van Nuys (V'Ennui) for exactly two years. (Came back to the Dena as fast as we could. We were smitten). I tried two dry cleaners near my Pasadena home and each of them wrecked a beloved item of clothing, so I figure Merit is worth the short drive up the hill. (Effort, results. See?)

Plus I get to be in Altadena. I always find something there to charm me. (That part's effortless.)

Zen Monday: #76

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 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.

There is No Joy in Pooville

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;

The dogs are running somewhere, and somewhere cats don't bite,

And somewhere it's not raining, and somewhere children shout;

But there is no joy in Pooville -- Boz refuses to go out.

My apologies to Ernest Thayer.

Gold on Lombardy Road

I shot this on Lombardy Road in San Marino before the rain hit. It's probably all mushy now.

I hadn't meant to go that way but I was doubling back to go somewhere else, and figured I'd try a different route than my usual.

Note to self: unusual route = better chance of striking gold.

Chanukah in Pasadena

Pasadena's got a church just about everywhere you look. They're in brightly painted houses obtrusive and un, strewn throughout residential neighborhoods and business districts, competing for attention with liquor stores, shopping malls and each other. If you're a Christian, by gosh by golly and by God, we've got whatever you need.

If you're a Jew I hope you can find a home in one of two local synagogues which, as far as I can tell, go quietly about the business of worship, service and Pasadena life.

I realize Chanukah isn't the biggest Jewish holiday, but not everybody's a Christian. So I always hope for signs of acknowledgment that Christmas isn't the only thing going on in December. I've seen a couple of small, shiny store displays of Chanukah candles and paper plates--attempts at appeasement, if you ask me. I hoped to photograph something better for today. I remembered seeing this menorah last year in the parking lot of Chabad of Pasadena at the corner of Walnut and Wilson. I was lucky. It was there last night. I hope they light a big candle in it tonight.

The Pasadena Jewish Temple has Hanukkah services today. Chabad of Pasadena will host a Family Chanukah Celebration at City Hall on Sunday from 3-5 PM.

The best Chanukah/Hanukkah gift I can give you is a visit to Jerusalem Hills Daily Photo. There you'll find Dina, a Jewish transplant from my old stomping grounds in Chicago (whom I met on the web), living a life of study and generous open-mindedness one doesn't expect to find, especially in the Middle East. Dina works on archaeological digs, most recently in Tiberias on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Think of the things she touches, right there where the ancients walked. They were just like us and we will one day be just like them.

Happy Hanukkah.

A couple of updates from Ann Erdman, Pasadena's Public Information Officer:

Lamanda Park Branch Library (140 S. Altadena Dr.) will host Chanukah fun and festivities with musician/singer Shulamir Rosner on Monday, Dec. 14, at 3:30 p.m.

There will be a Christmas tree-lighting celebration at La Pintoresca Branch Library (1355 N. Raymond Ave.) today at 5 p.m. and Allendale Branch Library (1130 S. Marengo Ave.) Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

La Pintoresca Branch Library will host a Kwanzaa celebration with tasty dishes prepared by members of the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority on Monday, Dec. 18, at 10 a.m.

Ann adds further:
By the way, there's a wonderful exhibit in the Children's Room at Pasadena Central Library featuring origami designs created by the community of students from Weizmann Day School (Jewish), Saint Mark's School (Episcopal) and New Horizon School (Muslim) as part of an ongoing relationship of respect and fellowship. Everyone can marvel at the display through Dec. 31.

Fruits of My Labors

I'm learning how to white-balance with my new-to-me camera. It's taking some doing.

Both of these images are altered; I had to do the work in post because I didn't get it right in the first place. The one on the left is the most accurate. Not perfect, though. Still a little too green.

What I want to show you is a tiny fragment of the clementine harvest. These two baskets hold about 150 clementines between them (yes, I counted). If the light wasn't all blown out you'd be able to see the still-overloaded
tree through the window. I haven't made a dent in it.


Here are the originals.










(Update: thanks to Altadenablog for the reminder to turn off your sprinklers.)

Local Literary Lights

Before I moved here I didn't know many published authors. But in Pasadena you can practically see at night by the literary lights.

First I'll tell you about Roberta Martinez so you can immediately mark your calendar for an event at Vroman's Bookstore tomorrow evening. Roberta and her friend Patrick Conyers will present and sign their books. Roberta's book, Latinos in Pasadena, "chronicles the legacies of Mexican Americans and other Latino men and women who lived and worked in Pasadena. The Latino community has been an integral part of the San Gabriel Valley, and here is a book that gives it its rich due."

Full disclosure: I've met and enjoyed a lively email exchange with Roberta Martinez. I haven't read her book (yet), but with over 200 vintage photos it's just my thing and it's on my Christmas wish list. Roberta's got about six brains. And I know and she knows and you know that Latinos in Pasadena are people whose time has come.

I don't know Roberta's co-presenter Patrick Conyers, nor have I read his book, Pasadena 1940-2008. However he co-authored the book with Cedar Phillips, who wrote Early Pasadena. (Gotta love Arcadia Publishing for going with a good idea.) John gave me Early Pasadena for my birthday this year and I devoured it. (That's a figure of speech. I didn't actually eat it. I read it voraciously.) I'm a happy reader when you give me archival photos and accompany them with historical information.

And if you do those things with style you might just be Michele Zack, who recently published Southern California Story: Seeking the Better Life in Sierra Madre. Disclosure again: I know Michele. I haven't read her latest book (yet) but I read her previous one, Altadena: Between Wilderness and City (published by the Altadena Historical Society). I loved that one, too. Michele has a knack for digging up juicy little (or big) secrets a town might want to forget but really, really, ought to remember.

I think I could feature a local author every week and never repeat myself. Pasadena's crawling with 'em. Someday I'll even feature myself.
...

Hey, why not today? Full disclosure: here comes a plug! My story, Belinda's Birthday, is in the running to be Story of the Year at the Rose City Sisters Flash Fiction blog. The story with the most unique page views wins, so go take a look. In fact, three other local bloggers--Susan Carrier, Desiree Zamorano and Margaret Finnegan--have published wonderful stories at Rose City Sisters. All are bright literary lights with whom I'm proud to share a similar flash fiction url.

Leave a comment if you've got something to say. And thanks for supporting your local literati.

Optimistic

According to Google (and where else would I get my weather information?) it got to as low as 37 degrees in Pasadena sometime in the last 24 hours. I bundle up so much you'd never know I lived in northern Illinois for much of my life. The only person in our family who dislikes the cold more than I do is the dog, and he's a soCal native.

It rained quite a bit yesterday. Southern California's in its third year of drought and we do need rain, just--not all at once. Autumn's Station Fire left very little vegetation in the mountains above town. Instead we've got thousands of acres of ash. Mix that up with a few days' worth of downpour and you get mudslides.

We're used to "fire season." We're used to ash. We're even used to mudslides. But the Station Fire was the biggest in the recorded history of the Angeles National Forest, and this year the ash could come charging down the mountains in torrents of mud the likes of which haven't been seen in these parts before.

Could. Not necessarily will.

It's supposed to be sunny today. We'll have more rain later in the week. But I'm optimistic, which is easy for me to say because I live in a part of town that's not in any danger (fingers crossed). The most I have to worry about is that the dog refuses to go outside without an umbrella and since he lacks opposable thumbs (to cross his fingers or carry his umbrella), guess who gets to bundle up in all her winter finery and accompany him.

Altadenablog is always a good place to check for updates on severe road and weather conditions in the mountains.

Zen Monday: #75

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.

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 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.