Three Chefs on a Field

Pasadena - Three High School chefs looking their best before Senior Night at Maranatha High School.

Colorado Blvd Circa 1981

Pasadena -- The corner of Fair Oaks and Colorado Blvd before the development of "Old Town," circa 1981.

Green Street

Green Street in Pasadena

Anita and the Yanks

Pasadena, Calif. -- If you like Irish music, especially with a sweet and sometimes edgy flair, you should come out to Novel Cafe in Pasadena, every other Friday night to experience Anita and the Yanks.

Not only is the band entertaining, filling your ears with a gentle hit of Celtic rock is a little different; plus the dinners are tasty with a well-rounded menu of desserts and drink.









The mix of bookstore ambiance, acoustic instruments and good food helps round out the end of your hard-working week.

It's OK to Be a Little Goofy

Pasadena, CA -- Last weekend we did a photo shoot for Crystal Lance, who is creating a new website, "Waking Up is Fun." It will be a daily video inspirational. Despite the cool air and cold water, Crystal had no problem jumping in.

Skywatch Friday In LA

Pasadena, CA -- A view from a trail above Pasadena. The yellow strip behind the LA skyscrapers is the sun reflecting off the Pacific Ocean. Old Pasadena and our beloved City Hall is in the foreground.

Even after nearly 50 years living here in Los Angeles, I never get tired of our views. Happy Skywatch Friday!

Mid Century Pasadena

Pasadena -- Morning light casts long shadows on a lone liquor store along Foothill Blvd. Nothing I see in this photo look extraordinary, except for that it's simple. I need more simplicity.

A Glimpse of Summer

Eight flavors tantalize the youngster, while making a single choice can be quite a chore. Summer, once again, is just around the corner. How much we have to look forward to!

The Espresso Bar

Following Petrea's (Pasadenadailyphoto) theme of Coffee Houses in the Pasadena area, I though I would post one of the best java joints from the past, The Espresso Bar.

The "E-Bar" is gone now and is currently occupied by a high-rent store. At the time (late 70s and early 80s) there was virtually no parking. One usually parked along Raymond Ave, which in those days was pretty risky. You entered through a dimly-lit alley, turned right at the railroad tracks and through a patio, past the tarot card reader to the front door.

Inside, an eclectic display of furniture, paintings and artifacts littered the room. A real wood-burning fireplace kept patrons warm as they lounged in thriftshop quality easy chairs.

When "Sam" wasn't playing the out-of-tuned upright piano, an antique jukebox spun 45s in the corner. The coffee and the espresso was fantastic. In fact, the old building reeked of premium coffee grinds. Each week--I think Thursdays--they had "Espresso Yourself Night," which was basically an open mic for musicians, poets and story tellers.

Ok, I just found a tribute website (click here) for more on the Espresso Bar.

Old Town Alley

Pasadena--Weather permitting, I like to ride into Old Town and explore. This time I was on the hunt for Pasadena's alley ways. I think there could be an entire blog on the subject. I know I could fill a few pages of photos but I try (though not always successful) to limit my daily entry to one.

Many of the alleys have a plaque on the entrance of each building providing pedestrians a brief history behind the historic passageway. One advantage to riding a Vespa is that sometimes I can find creative places to park, saving a few quarters.

Old Pasadena in the 80s

Colorado Blvd & Fair Oaks in 1986. I took this shot after learning the master plan for renovating downtown Pasadena was going forward. This part of town was borderline safe during the day and a no-walk-zone at night.