Street View: Julia Child

I hadn't known until the popularity of Julie and Julia that Julia Child was born in Pasadena. Commenter Markowsky mentioned her childhood home on another post. He quotes this link describing House and Garden's Book of Houses: "Of interest is the house Reginald Johnson designed in Pasadena for John McWilliams Jr. McWilliams was a Pasadena pioneer and the father of Julia Child. This was her family's first home, located at 625 Magnolia Avenue, Pasadena."

Markowsky looked up the address on Google. He said, "it appears to be an apartment complex at the intersection of California and Magnolia." I love Google, but knowing that Street View is one area where Google isn't perfect, I had to see for myself. There is indeed an apartment building on the corner, but 625 is a large and lovely house, and it's pleasant to imagine Julia McWilliams growing up there.

And Google does come through with an interesting excerpt from Appetite for Life, the Biography of Julia Child, by Noel Riley Fitch. (Thanks to Lori Lynn of San Pedro Daily Photo for pointing me in that direction.) I also found the commenter who sent me searching. He turns out to be Michael Markowsky, an innovative and talented Canadian artist who has lived in Pasadena and exhibited at Pasadena's Armory Center for the Arts.

And this tidbit: the post referred to exists no longer, but look at the comments. I wonder who winky_the_tinkler is?

Really. Such interesting people pass through Pasadena. I imagine the people who currently live in the house sick and tired of being so interesting.