Entropy, 4

I haven't been able to get out much with my camera over the last couple of weeks, what with the holidays and Boz's surgery. So I hope you don't mind me digging into my (vast and growing) archives for this pair of pictures from the photo safari John and I took on Thanksgiving day.

If you pay for tickets to the Tournament of Roses Parade, and if your seats are along North Orange Grove Blvd., and if you're sitting near the top of the bleachers, you might be able to look behind you and see this curious view. In the foreground is a shallow and (at Thanksgiving it was, so I'm going to say it's still) empty pool, leading your eye to the empty Hulett C. Merritt mansion which is flanked by a pair of unfortunate (and hopefully empty) buildings that were added during the Ambassador College years.

It's hard to notice all this from the street because it's set back, but it's just south of where Orange Grove intersects with Colorado Blvd., right near the center of parade action in which, just FYI, our Pasadena PIO Ann Erdman will be sitting on a float this year!

In the picture you see John, doing pretty much what I was doing when I took the top picture.


11am:
Speaking of Ann Erdman, who is going to be IN THE PARADE, her office just sent out this press release. 

TRAFFIC SIGNALS TO BE ALTERED FOR 2012 ROSE PARADE

As an annual prelude to the Tournament of Roses Parade, 15 traffic signals will be altered so that tall floats needing clearance can make their way safely through Pasadena intersections. Alterations will begin this week.

Each year at this time signal mast arms extending over travel lanes are removed or replaced with shorter signal mast arms or with poles that have no mast arms.

Signals with left turn arrows will be removed at
·        Colorado Boulevard at Arroyo Parkway, eastbound and westbound approaches
·        Colorado Boulevard at Marengo Avenue, eastbound and westbound
·        Colorado Boulevard at Garfield Avenue, eastbound
·        Colorado Boulevard at Euclid Avenue, westbound
·        Colorado Boulevard at Lake Avenue, eastbound and westbound
·        Colorado Boulevard at Hill Avenue, eastbound and westbound
·        Colorado Boulevard at Sierra Madre Boulevard, eastbound

Long signal mast arms will be removed at
·        Orange Grove Boulevard at Green Street, northbound and southbound
·        Colorado and Orange Grove boulevards, eastbound
·        Sierra Madre Boulevard at Walnut Street, southbound
·        Sierra Madre Boulevard at Orange Grove Boulevard, southbound
·        Sierra Madre Boulevard at Pasadena High School student parking lot, westbound
·        Sierra Madre Boulevard at Washington Boulevard,  westbound and northbound
·        Washington Boulevard at PHS, administration parking lot, northbound
·        Orange Grove and Del Mar boulevards, northbound and southbound

The Pasadena Transportation Department urges motorists to drive safely during this period of traffic signal changes and increased pedestrian activity.

For more information call (626) 744-6900.


You might also find useful these safety tips sent out the other day by the Public Information Office.

PASADENA FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS ISSUE TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE ALONG ROSE PARADE ROUTE

As the 123nd Rose Parade approaches on Jan. 2, the Pasadena Fire Department and Pasadena Police Department are issuing safety tips for the thousands of overnight campers who will line the route on Jan. 1.

The parade route will be a safer place if everyone follows the rules and regulations intended for the safety of all parade-goers.

What You Can Do:

·        Overnight camping is permitted only on the night of Sunday, Jan. 1.

·        A permanent position on the sidewalk may be maintained along the parade route beginning at noon on Jan. 1.  The “Blue Line” is the honor line.  All persons and property such as blankets, chairs, etc., must remain on the curb until 11 p.m. on Jan 1.  At that time spectators may move out to the honor line.

·        Small, professionally manufactured barbeques elevated at least one foot off the ground are allowed on the parade route, 25 feet from buildings and other combustibles.  A fire extinguisher must be readily available.

·        Minors under the age of 18 may be on the parade route from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. only if they are under the supervision of adults.

·        Dress for cold weather.  Children and seniors may need extra layers of clothing to avoid hypothermia.

·        Drink healthy fluids and consume nourishing meals to avoid dehydration.

·        Report any suspicious activities and packages to emergency authorities along the parade route.

·        In case of emergency call (626) 744-4241 from a cellular phone or 9-1-1 from a landline phone and know the cross streets from which you are calling.


What You Can’t Do

·        Appearance in the parade is prohibited for any entries/marchers that have not been approved by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses.

·        Tents, sofas and boxes of any type that can be used as stools or seats are prohibited along the route.

·        Unoccupied chairs are not allowed.

·        Bonfires are strictly prohibited and considered illegal burns.

·        Fireworks are prohibited except as part of scheduled official events.

·        No items may be sold along the parade route without a permit.

·        No public areas – sidewalks, curbs, gutters, streets, ramps – may be cordoned or roped off.

·        No ladders or scaffolding may be used as elevation for viewing the activities.

·        It is illegal to buy, sell or give away horns on the parade route.

·        Pets are not recommended along the parade route because they are easily frightened with sudden, loud noises.

·        Selling space along the parade route, other than grandstand seating, is illegal.

·        Throwing any projectile into the parade, including seemingly harmless items such as tortillas, marshmallows, flowers, etc., is prohibited. Silly String and similar products are prohibited as well.

·        Vehicles obstructing emergency lanes will be towed.

·        Walking in the street is not permitted during the parade.

·        Open containers of alcohol are illegal on public streets, sidewalks and all other public areas.

·        Sale, possession and use of illegal drugs will not be tolerated.

Enhanced security measures will be in effect on the parade route and very evident. Because of large crowds, Pasadena police officers will resolve problems quickly and remove from the scene anyone who violates the law or disturbs the peace.

The Pasadena Fire Department responds to more than twice the number of calls on parade day than on average days. These calls include reports of hypothermia, illegal burning, miscellaneous medical issues, assaults and alcohol-related incidents.

For more information about safety along the Rose Parade route visit www.visitpasadena.com and click on Visitor Hotline, visit www.cityofpasadena.net/police or call the Pasadena Fire Department at (626) 744-7276.

 

Entropy, 3

I promised to reveal the location of our mystery mansion today. As I said in comments (somewhere in the last two days) it's smack dab in Pasadena. Smack dab. The address is 386 W. Green Street.

You don't notice it from Green because a plain wall faces the street. There's a parking lot behind the house. When we were there a guy had parked there to walk his dog on the Ambassador Campus, of which this is the northernmost building. If you haven't explored the area all I can say is, you should. You can't see anything interesting from Orange Grove or Del Mar or Green or St. John. But park the car and walk in the park-like area bordered by those streets and you'll walk in Pasadena history.

I can't begin to know why other buildings on the Campus have been kept up and this one hasn't. The property is in transition--it's been sold to a developer whose plans are undergoing the city's review process. I don't know which owner let this building go, the previous one or the current one.

Stand on the back porch, where I took the photos from yesterday and the day before, and you can see the bleachers where the TV cameras will be perched in a couple of weeks for the Tournament of Roses Parade.

Entropy, 2

Here's the flip side of yesterday's photo. Those small black spots are bees, swarming around their hive.

Feel free to name this place in the comments if you know it. If it doesn't come up today I'll do the big reveal tomorrow.


Oh! I also want to mention that the Fork in the Road guys are doing a holiday toy drive this weekend, all weekend. Info is here.


A couple of storm updates from Ann Erdman, Pasadena PIO:

RESIDENTS ASKED TO KEEP STORM DRAINS CLEAR DURING GREEN DEBRIS PICKUP

With a chance of rain in the weather forecast beginning Sunday and city crews busy collecting green windstorm debris placed at curbside by residents, city officials are concerned that blocked storm drains could lead to standing water or flooding in some areas.

To avoid this additional complication, residents are asked to check whether water in their street could reach storm drains and, if not, to clear a path for it by moving storm debris as needed. Also, as previously requested, green debris should be unbagged.

The city has also established green-debris drop-off locations at Eaton Blanche Park, 3100 E. Del Mar Blvd., and Robinson Park, 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave., which are reserved for Pasadena residents only. The sites, originally intended to be open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Dec. 16, will also be open Sunday, Dec. 11, as well. Green debris cannot be dumped on the ground and must be placed inside the large bins on site.

Proof of residency, such as a utility bill or identification card, is required to drop off material. No private contractors are allowed to dispose of green materials at the park locations.

Private contractors removing windstorm-generated green debris for Pasadena residents may dispose of it at the Eaton Wash spreading disposal site at the northeast corner of Washington and Sierra Madre Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Only green material originating from Pasadena will be accepted at this site. To dispose at the Eaton Wash spreading site, contractors will be required to provide company name, address and client information. Contractors may also take green waste to the Scholl Canyon landfill at 7721 N. Figueroa St. in Los Angeles, where it will be used as alternative daily cover.

# # #

Ann Erdman
Public Information Officer
City of Pasadena
Public Affairs Office
100 N. Garfield Ave., Room S228
Pasadena CA  91109
(626) 744-4755
Cell: (626) 375-2742
www.cityofpasadena.net/publicaffairs
Facebook:  Pasadena PIO
Twitter:  pasadenapio




PASADENA WATER AND POWER CREWS REPAIR LAST OF DOWNED POWER LINES

After working a week of emergency 32-hour shifts to restore electricity to its customers, Pasadena Water and Power crews have now repaired overhead power lines and placed them back into service. Crews are still focused on a few customers who have private-property damage.

Homeowners with electrical damage on private property should contact electrical contractors for repair and make sure the electricians are properly licensed and bonded. More information is available on the Contractors State License Board website at www.cslb.ca.gov.

PWP urges any homeowner still without power to report the outage at (626) 564-0199 or (626) 564-0299 so the situation can be properly and safely assessed and repaired.

City Manager Michael Beck praised PWP crews for their expertise and tireless efforts on behalf of customers.

“The men and women of our publicly owned PWP deserve the many thanks they’ve received from customers in the field,” said Beck. “Our power is so rarely disrupted that we too often take for granted that our lights and heat come on at the flip of a switch. Our power stays on for years at a time because these same crews are out there every day keeping electricity flowing to our homes and businesses. They do outstanding work.”

Beck also thanked the many other city employees, including police and fire personnel and public works crews, who put in exceptionally long hours to protect residents and property from dangerous situations caused by tree- and debris-related damage. In addition, he thanked the county of Los Angeles and the cities of Burbank, Glendale, Anaheim and Los Angeles for sending power teams and public works crews to supplement Pasadena’s response.

“Mutual aid works,” he added.

Beck reiterated that the city’s coordinated emergency response to the windstorm worked exceptionally well, with city departments working seamlessly with each other.

To further secure the reliability of the community’s electric grid, PWP crews will be working in coming months to make permanent the quick and temporary repairs they made to restore power.

In the meantime, everyone involved with directing and implementing the disaster response will debrief, revisit events, highlight successes and look for areas for improvement.

Three public meetings will be scheduled in January when residents will be invited to share their experiences. Beginning Monday, Dec. 12, a page on the city website at www.cityofpasadena.net will also be available to take public input.

Entropy, 1

Whenever we have a free day, John and I like to explore. You start out with a vague plan and it always, always changes. That's the beauty of it.

On Thanksgiving day we discovered a place I had never noticed before. You may have seen it, but in my six years in Pasadena I had probably driven by it a thousand times without knowing it was there.

A bit of a mystery for today. More to come.

Zen Monday: #172

Zen Monday's the day you experience the photo and give us your thoughts rather than me telling you what I think the picture's about. There's no competition, no right or wrong. We're here to have fun.

I look for something worth contemplating or, failing that, something odd or silly. Or all of the above, if I'm lucky.

Your Weekend Calendar

How will you do it all this weekend?

It's

the culmination of the AxS (Arts and Science) Festival, running through October 16th (most events are free, some suggest reservations);

13th annual Latino Heritage Parade and Jamaica Saturday the 15th (free);

the 20th annual Craftsman Weekend put on by Pasadena Heritage, 14th-16th (not free but a Pasadena classic);

and

Pasadena's Arts Weekend, all weekend, all free.

I'm so torn I may have to leave town. I wish they'd check with each other (or with me!), but perhaps they're all vying for the most beautiful weekend with the best weather. In that case, everyone wins.

Cold Confection

I came across this gate back in April, then came across it again last night while looking through my photo files. It's on the property that once belonged to the Merritt Mansion and is now part of the Ambassador Campus. When you step through the gate, a little stairway takes you from the lower garden to an upper garden. I posted about the Merritt upper garden last May, soon after I wandered there taking photos.

For those who don't want to click the links: industrialist Hulett C. Merritt was one of Pasadena's early millionaires. He built his mansion on Millionaires' Row in 1905 for a cost of $1,100,000. That gives you a general idea of how fancy the house was, and still is. It's a big, old wedding cake of a place, one of the few surviving mansions along Orange Grove Blvd. You don't normally notice it from the street, though, because it's flanked by a couple of modern buildings that were built by Ambassador College when it bought the property.

Those ill-conceived flanks look like giant ice cube trays, which conceal the wedding cake in their chilling shadows. But you can stroll on the property at Green Street and Orange Grove Avenue and discover this remnant of Pasadena's past for yourself. Do it soon; the property has been purchased. Changes will happen. Let's hope they won't be drastic unless, for example, ice cube trays are removed to reveal wedding cakes.

Wander far enough and you'll find this gate. Let it lead you to the gardens. It only takes a little imagination on your part to enjoy a glimpse of its heyday.

Did I mention I like archways? I think I mentioned I like archways.

Theme Day: Statues

They said the theme was "statues." They didn't say what the statues had to be made of.

I believe this guy on the Ambassador Campus is beating swords into plowshares. I have a feeling there's a piece missing.

This work (title unknown (Swords into Plowshares), 1992) was created in by J. Kenton Zlab. Zlab isn't the first artist to be inspired by this quote. A statue called Let Us Beat Swords Into Plowshares, created by Yevgeny Vuchetich, was given by the Soviet Union to the United Nations in 1959.

"And they shall beat their swords into plowshares" is a phrase from the Bible, specifically Isaiah 2:4 if my web search is correct. I found a cool website that compares Bible phrases from the different translations. Go ahead and try your favorites.

photo by Pasadena Adjacent
A late update to the post: Pasadena Adjacent furnished me with this photo she took of the statue when leaf man had a sword to beat into a plowshare. Sorry it took me so long to post. Thank you, PA.

There are now 1209 City Daily Photo bloggers around the world. Click here to view thumbnails for those participating in today's theme.

Maybe Koi, Maybe Not

I have more to tell you about Hulett C. Merritt and the property we've been talking about this week at what's locally known as the Ambassador Campus. But as I write it's much too late for me to formulate more than one or two coherent sentences, so I'll have to keep it short for now.

We're looking north (and perhaps a tad west) toward the second mansion of three that remain on the grounds. Pasadena Adjacent asked me the other day if there were still koi in the ponds. I didn't see any but if there are, I think they'd be in this stream that flows through the gardens from uphill to down, west to east.

Normally today I'd post the April Last Day photo. But normally I'd have my regular computer and my regular software and--well, today's not a normal day!

Empty Emissary

I was a little shocked the first time I stumbled upon this mansion. A mansion is not something one normally stumbles upon.

But there it was hidden in plain sight, invisible from Orange Grove Blvd. and the surrounding streets, yet accessible when I got out of the car and began strolling through the Ambassador Campus and stumbling upon things.

This is, or was, the Hulett C. Merritt Mansion, built on Millionaire's Row in 1905. It subsequently became part of Ambassador College in the 1950s. Still later, the whole area became the Ambassador Campus, which included three mansions, several fountains and some lovely gardens.

Now the mansions are empty. Some of the fountains are dry. The gardens, though well-tended, lie untrampled, awaiting their fate.

According to real estate blogger Brigham Yen, City Ventures has purchased the property for development. There will be some condos. But don't freak out. According to the current plans, the mansions will stay.

More tomorrow.

Jacaranda Maxima

Ben and I have been photographing jacarandas. We can't help it.

I found this tree at 300 W. Green Street, just south of the Ralph's parking lot. Well, I didn't find the tree. If you're anywhere in the vicinity of this block of Green you can't miss it. The building behind it is marked "Hall of Administration." It could either be administration for the Ambassador Auditorium or for Marantha High School, both of which are south of (behind) this structure. Ambassador kind of matches it, though.

But back to the tree. Have you downloaded Google Earth? Oh, you should. It's a fun program anyway. I learned my way around Paris with it before I even went there. You can explore the world, or just Pasadena. Check out your house, the mountain trails, or the great aerial view of City Hall. And if you type in the address above (300 W. Green St. Pasadena, CA), you'll see the most prominent feature at that address: the huge, purple jacaranda tree, photographed by satellite.