Work Perk

I almost posted more muted grays and I thought, "enough already!" It's time we had some color around this here blog! So here it is, apropos of nothing.

If you work at PCN, the Pasadena Community Network, with studios at Hen's Teeth Square, you have regular access to these jawbreakers. If you don't work there, maybe you need to come up with some programming.

Or you could check out their weekly meetings about citizen journalism. Citizen journalists chew gum. I prefer Smarties but I'm not a journalist.

Hens Do Have Teeth

I like the funky outdoor seating at Hen's Teeth Square. On a warm day these stools are taken up by diners munching on chicken and/or tacos. But the weather was chilly the day I took the picture.

For some strange reason I didn't go across the street and get a shot of the whole place. (Maybe I was cold.) But I did go upstairs in the rear building and get this:
It gives you an idea of the setting and architecture of of the place. It's that California Spanish look that so many modern southern California buildings try to emulate. Or imitate. But this is the real thing. If you visited early yesterday you might want to look at yesterday's post again. A couple of commenters offered information that I took the liberty of adding to the post. It turns out Hen's Teeth Square is historically and architecturally significant.

I'll go back and get that full frontal exterior shot ASAP. Hen's Teeth Square warrants it.

The Mural Wasn't Hard to Find

Hen's Teeth Square is a small shopping center nestled where Los Robles Avenue meets Woodbury Road. Pasadena comes to one of its northernmost points there; Altadena is across the street.

The square offers the popular Puebla Tacos #3, where the staff is really sweet, Pollos Puebla (possibly owned by the same folks?) and a little market, and it looks like a new, hip clothing store is going in. Plus bunches of other stuff, according to the sign.
I've never been able to figure out exactly where the police hole up in there. But the place is bigger than it looks.

I recorded a voice-over yesterday at the PCAC studios. I'll tell you more about that very soon.

I did a little research on the mural, which faces the rear parking lot. Supervised by a teacher named Alex, students from Pasadena High School's Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA) painted the mural in 2004 and/or 2005 (hey, these things take time). Go to Alex's AngryBee website and click on the bee to see a video about it. More shots here. I'm pretty certain Alex is Alex Schultz, the only teacher named Alex listed on the PHS VADA site. (Keep reading.)

The mural gives the idea of Hollywood coming to Pasadena. At the west end you see the green Hollywood hills. At the east end a production crew shoots in Pasadena's own TV studios at Hen's Teeth Square.

It must feel pretty good to drive by something of permanence that you contributed to your city.

Update from Roberta Martinez: "It is Alex Schultz. He is a teacher and a gentleman." Roberta says in an email that he and Brooke Kent head the Graphic Arts at PHS. "They are great role models for the students. They and the other teachers on the team are truly dedicated. At the end of the year there is a closing 'ceremony'. The students typically produce a video/slide show that reviews their year. These are wonderfully independent, thoughtful, and kind kiddoes; not saccharine, just basically sweet."

Another update, this one from Thal Armathura: "Hen's Teeth Square, 2053 - 2057 North Los Robles, Pasadena, designed by architect Theodore Pietsch is a designated Pasadena landmark and is reputed to be the first corner drive-in market shopping center in the country, built in 1930. There is a similar corner market scenario recreated at the Petersen Auto Museum at Wilshire and Fairfax, Los Angeles. Hen's Teeth Square is a monument to our car culture and the cornerstone of our local historic district. The name Hen's Teeth Square is original to the development and does reflect the rarity of the time of a corner drive-in shopping center."

Acronymious

Who needs Hollywood? All that beating of one's head against Hollywood's brick wall is unnecessary when our very own KPAS has a green screen (aka Chroma key) studio. (If you don't know what it is and you'd rather not read the Wikipedia article, just click here for a quick visual to give you an idea of how green screen can be used.)

I met some nice people over at Hen's Teeth Square where the studios are located. Linda Centell, Pasadena's Assistant Public Information Officer, introduced me to everybody (and she knows everybody):
E. Stuart Johnson, Live Production Coordinator, recorded and videotaped me in the sound booth. (It's strange to watch myself doing voice-over on video.)
Later, Aaron Wheeler, the Marketing & Communications Manager, was helping set up in the green screen studio while I nosed around with my camera.
Don Repella, the Executive Director of Pasadena Community Access Corporation, talked about how green screen is used. Plus we got to talking about photography.
Community Outreach Coordinator Michele Maglionico Lembo demonstrated how to break the rules.

Now I know that KPAS and PCN are two different entities. Linda told me PCAC is public access and KPAS is government access, but is PCAC the same as PCN? And what does KLRN have to do with it? And why is it when I click on the "How Can You Create Your Own Show" link on the PCN website I get nowhere? What are they trying to tell me?

Ah, just banging my head against a bright green brick wall.