Penny Time

Here's another photo from the archives. These vines grow (or grew) up the backsides of what used to be Madre's restaurant on Granite Park Place. I like the backsides of things. Don't take that the wrong way.

I don't know what it the building houses now. I haven't been getting out much lately. I could blame the economy (and I wouldn't be lying), but really it's because I've been obsessed with getting THE BOOK published. It's almost a full-time job.

However, I'll be getting out on January 12th and I hope you'll join me. We all talked about going to Penny For Your Thoughts together, a sort of PDP coffee outing. The owner, Millie, and I picked January 12th at 10:30 am. Come join us!

Penny For Your Thoughts is at 1365 N. Hill Avenue in Pasadena. There's plenty of parking in the rear. Bring extra money because besides coffee and pastries to enjoy while we're there, the store is full of treasures to take home.

New Swank on South Lake

I'm always poking around on Hometown Pasadena, the brainchild of local publisher, editor, writer and whirlwind Colleen Dunn Bates. You can't help but scare up something great there because Colleen's got a little bit of everything. Last week she hooked me with this: Hometown Pasadena Five to Appear. It was an invitation to the open house for Granite Park Place, the new luxury condos currently under construction at the corner of San Pasqual and Lake. If you RSVP'd and showed up you not only got a peek inside the new condos, you got a free, signed copy of the latest edition of the book version of Hometown Pasadena.

Well, dayum. I wanted my free book.

I've featured these condos before. First here, then here. Obviously I was unprepared for the swank.
(Whether or not the interior design of the model is to your taste, you have to admit the dining table is out of this world. At least admit I need it in my house. It's ceramic or clay or something glazed. It probably cost at least as much as my car. I mean as much as my car cost new.)

The real estate personnel were gracious. Paul Sunshine of Domineum Marketing (right rear above), greeted me upon my arrival. He knew darned well I was not going to buy a condo. He knew I was not with the Pasadena Star-News but a mere blogger. He saw my blue jeans. Yet he gave me a friendly tour of the model condo.

While most people were down the hall chowing down on their beautifully catered bento box lunch, I shared the model condo's living room with no one but the string quartet. I took pictures while they serenaded me with a medley from Camelot. I wonder if the condos come with...? No, no, surely not. But one would have a string quartet if one were going to live in a luxury condo, doesn't one agree? In short, there's simply not a more congenial spot. Hey, I know my swank.

Judging from the number of unavailable units in the building, Granite Park Place is selling like Zhu Zhu Pets, even with the high price tag. Let's hope its presence perks up business on South Lake Avenue.

And oh yes! A coup! I got my free book! Signed by all five authors. Dayum.

Zen Monday: #64

Zen Monday is the day you experience the photo and give us your thoughts rather than me telling you what the photo's about. I look for something worth thinking about or, failing that, at least something odd.

As I post each new Zen Monday photo, I'll add a label to last week's to identify it if necessary (if I know what it is).

Crane Shot

There's some construction going on down at the corner of Lake and San Pasqual. Anybody out there know what it's going to be? Right now it's all colorful cranes, hot sun and noise. (Though it's probably quiet today.) Near shopping and CalTech, it could end up being part of either one, or neither. You can awfully get close-up to it if you want to.