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."

Fish Story

So I was standing in line to buy fish at the Farmers' Market yesterday--by the way, if you haven't tried the fish at the Saturday Pasadena Farmers' Market you're missing out. It's the freshest. And we love sisters Marilyn and Eileen and their friend Juan, who sell us delicious fish every week. The halibut is incredible--but I'm getting off track.

Where was I? Yes. So. I was standing in line to buy fish and I heard Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. Pachelbel's Canon is popular. It's not unusual to hear it at the grocery store or on the radio. Everyone's heard it, it's the 17th Century's answer to Stairway to Heaven, or it would be, if such a thing were possible. But I'm not here to talk about time travel. And anyway, I usually hear the banjo guy or the zither man or the man who sings the Mexican folk songs. It is unusual to hear Pachelbel at the Farmers' Market while waiting in line for fish.

So. There were these two guys. Young. Dillon and Graeme. Or Graeme and Dillon, I'm not sure which is which and I didn't interrupt them to ask. They stood in the parking lot playing their violins for a small but rapt audience. I grabbed a business card that said "classical-contemporary-fiddle/violin duet for any occasion....especially YOUR occasion." You can email them at scran7 (at) att (dot) net (I got their permission to post it). 

These enterprising boys sounded pretty good with the Pachelbel and I wouldn't be surprised if they could give you some Page & Plant if you asked for it. (I can't guarantee that and I didn't ask, but Jimmy was known to play his guitar with a bow, so why not?)

I lost my place in line. But I went back and waited. It was worth it. I got the picture, and the last pound of halibut.

Farmers Market, Rain or Shine

The rain let up for the Farmers Market, but attendance was slim today on both sides of the counter. Some of the farmers we usually see didn't make the drive. Who can blame them? Many come from surrounding counties, and that can be a long drive when the skies threaten and you know there won't be a lot of buyers. Plus, rain is a mighty good excuse not to get up at 3AM.

Farmers Markets happen every day in SoCal, and many of the same merchants sell at several of them. At the Saturday market in the parking lot of Pasadena High School, we can purchase fresh fish, nuts, artisanal olives, handmade cheeses, flowers, decorative plants, handmade granola and cookies and a variety of breads, as well as the seasonal fruits and vegetables you'd expect. There's another market Tuesday mornings at Villa Parke Center, and one in South Pasadena Thursday evenings.

Besides the fresh, organic food the best perk is getting to know the people who produce it. You can't beat that.