The Year of the Girl

I don't often take pictures of people. It's only because I'm chicken to ask. But these Girl Scouts made it easy.

You've probably seen the Girl Scouts out and about, selling cookies in your neighborhood or at the grocery store. It's that time of year and as the sign behind them says, "some things should never change." This group was at the back door of Vroman's Bookstore on Colorado Blvd.

Because I love cookies I was glad to see them. But because I don't need cookies, we struck a deal. I bought two boxes and the girls let me take their picture (with permission of available parents and a scout leader, of course). Then one of the girls told me I could donate my cookies to American soldiers overseas. Perfect! Now a few lonely soldiers know the Girl Scouts and their patrons are thinking of them.

The Girl Scout Cookie program is huge; it supports many worthy programs, from leadership projects to summer camp. Did you know the Girl Scouts organization is 100 years old this year? Yep. It's The Year of the Girl.

You can buy your cookies from these very girls this coming Saturday, outside Vroman's.

Love Isn't About Presents. But A Gift Basket Might Help.

near the courtyard at Vroman's Bookstore

I thought I was going to post about something else today. Then I heard Vroman's Bookstore is doing a Valentine's Day promotion that almost makes me nostalgic for the misery of my single days. Almost. I mean, those were some bad days. The nights weren't so great, either.

At either Vroman's store, on Colorado Blvd. or Hastings Ranch, you can enter a "drawing to win a holiday basket...filled with books and gifts totaling up to $200," basically by tearing up a photo of the one that done you wrong.

If you kept the photos, that is.

I didn't. There's nothing left of those bad relationships except the emotional muscles I built from the steep learning curve I climbed. However, for single folks who deserve a happy Valentine's Day and who are sick of being left out (I dreaded February 14th for years), it might be more than satisfying to rip the schmuck's photo in half and have some nice tchotchkes and a few good books to show for it.

(There were good relationships, too. From those I kept the memories. I might even have the photos, but as they're not digital I have no idea where they are.)

Tea and a Madeleine

My friend and I went to Vroman's Bookstore last night for a signing of Why we Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman. You're sorry you missed it. If these two artists are half as delightful together on the page as they are in person, the book is going to be a treasure.

I did take pictures of Handler and Kalman, but the shots I got are not complimentary and I have a personal rule: I don't do that to nice people. I assume they're nice. They're certainly entertaining.

They sparked a great conversation between me and my friend that continued down the stairs and through the store as we browsed, selected more books and made our purchases. (Have you ever waited in line to buy books at Vroman's? You don't have to. There's never a line at my favorite check-out counter by the Zeli entrance.)

Which brought us to Zeli Coffee Bar, a there-when-you-need-it spot for a coffee or, if it's almost closing time, a cup of chamomile and a madeleine. And a conversation that ran the gamut from Lemony Snicket to Michael Pollan to Las Vegas to financial planning to controlling parents to world travel to Hurricane Rose.

What subjects did you cover in your last heart-to-heart?

Guest Author: Victoria Patterson and "This Vacant Paradise"

Today I'm honored to host guest author Victoria Patterson, the South Pasadena writer whose novel, This Vacant Paradise, was published March 4th. Victoria will be appearing at Vroman's this Thursday, March 24th at 7pm.

 

For the most part, my fiction takes place in Newport Beach, but I live and write in South Pasadena. A tour of the places in South Pasadena (and surrounding areas) where I’ve written, and where my story collection, Drift, and my novel, This Vacant Paradise, came to life, would take quite some time, especially considering the seventeen years we’ve lived in South Pasadena. 

           
For years I worked at the South Pasadena Library (and I still do at times).  I’ve staked out every quiet and isolated work area at S. Pasadena Library, my favorite being the upstairs conference room, although that didn’t last long, considering there was just solitary me. The downstairs partitioned workspace desks near the teen section are great—while said teens are at school—except during “Storytime”(which I used to take my kids to), when the massive avalanche of toddlers’ feet boom from overhead.

Buster’s Coffee on the corner of Meridian and Mission was a mainstay, though ultimately I knew too many people, and would end up visiting and talking rather than working.

For close to three years, I worked at the coffee shop at Vroman’s, and I actually wrote an essay about it.

Pasadena Library, check. Starbucks, check.

For a long time, I worked at Caltech library, on one of the upper floors, with its spectacular view of the mountains. But then it was discovered that a Hummer-graffiti-terrorist civilian was also taking advantage of the library, and Caltech became understandably more restrictive.

This is a small sampling—I could go on and on, because South Pasadena (and Pasadena, San Marino, Alhambra, Sierra Madre) is home to my writing, even if the writing takes place elsewhere. 

Chris Cleave

I was at Vroman's last night, obviously. I might not have gone had my brother not asked me to get a book signed for him. He likes this author, Chris Cleave. I hadn't heard of Cleave but I like my brother and plan B involved doing nothing, so I went.

Chris has two books out right now: Little Bee and Incendiary. He read from the latter and it sounds riveting. I haven't read his books (yet) so I can't recommend them, but the woman next to me in the signing line afterward told me that "Little Bee" was the only book everyone in her book club liked.

Cleave drew a good crowd, but not so huge that he couldn't take a moment to chat with everyone who had a book signed. I swore to myself I wasn't going to tell him I'm a writer. With two books published and a third one almost finished, what's he going to say to every wannabe writer he meets? "Good for you, that's very nice, good luck in everything you do"?

It slipped out, and while I was ruing my blabbermouth he asked me what stage I'd reached with my book. I murmured "uh, finished, working on synopsis, it's very hard, blah blah." He gave me suggestions for how to approach the synopsis and was so kind and encouraging (as opposed to condescending) that by the time I headed for the cash register I had forgotten I was supposed to be kicking myself.

I learned a couple of things: attending such events might be a good use of my time at this stage of my career, and being a nice guy sells books.

Because I hadn't planned to buy one for myself, but I did.

Retreat

I stopped at Vroman's yesterday. Wednesday afternoon. Middle of the work day. Parking lot packed.

This requires patience. You wait in a line of cars (you have no choice, you're stuck now) while someone backs out of a space. The line moves on and finally it's your turn, your space, the furthest one in the lot, between two SUVs, both of which were parked by people who have apparently never parked a car before. On the return trip, a monster pick-up truck follows you to your space. You try to wave him off because--well, finally he sees he's never going to fit in there and he speeds off, burning frustrated rubber.

It has begun. Christmas/New Year's time, Pasadena is a busy town.

It's good, though. Three clerks worked the back registers at Vroman's and more registers granted angels their wings throughout the store. Employees (that means "people who are employed") helped customers find the things they wanted. Commerce, in my town, in an independent book store, is just fine with me.

I'm glad to leave it to others from this point onward, though. I bought what I hope is the last Christmas present I need to get. Now I think I'll retreat to the less popular mountain trails or my favorite spots in the Arroyo Seco (far north and/or south of the Rose Bowl) until after the first of the year.

Unless someone else wants to do the driving.

Jonesing for a Good Read

I never seem to have my laptop with me when I stop by Jones Coffee Roasters on South Raymond Avenue, so I've never done a Quest-type review of the place. There's a small seating area in the cavernous space, the rest of which seems to be devoted to what the folks at Jones are devoted to doing: roasting great coffee.

My Coffee Shop Quest once had me looking for good places to sit with my laptop and get some work done, but lately I've been working at home. I can't tell you if Jones is a good spot for a laptop or not, but I'll tell you what: pick up a copy of Dianne Emley's new book, Love Kills, when it comes out next Tuesday, May 25th. Then take your book to Jones, buy a cup of coffee, have yourself a sit and enjoy an absorbing read. One of the scenes takes place right at Jones Roasters.

No, it's not the murder scene.

Yes, sweet, pretty Dianne Emley, who comments here on Zen Mondays and is also a blogger, writes sinister crime novels, often with scenes set in Pasadena's gritty underbelly (or lint-filled belly button, as it were).

Dianne will be at Vroman's the evening of May 25th to talk about and sign Love Kills, the fourth Nan Vining thriller. Stop by and say hi. If you buy a copy that evening and mention Pasadena Daily Photo while Dianne's signing your book, she'll send you a free copy of The Deepest Cut, the third book in the Nan Vining series, recently out in paperback.

As I said the other day, I love writers of all kinds. I especially love the wonderful writers I've met here in the San Gabriel Valley. Dianne Emley's been a friend to Pasadena Daily Photo since early on and she's always nice to my readers! Thanks, Dianne.

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books

Here's a photo taken outside Pasadena: an overview of one small section of the gargantuan Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on the UCLA campus.

The fun part: going down the Janss steps. The good-for-me part: going up them.
plunging into the crowd was the insane part.

I went Saturday with my brother and sister-in-law. They had a list of signings to attend, so we ran the gamut of fun/good-for-us/insane several times over. We met Michael Connelly, Kate DiCamillo, Nick McDonnell, Dave Eggers and T.C. Boyle (at the Vroman's booth!). See? There's always a Pasadena connection. Michelle Huneven was there, too. She's the Altadena author whose novel, Blame, was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Had I known, I'd have brought my copy of Blame for her to sign. I was thrilled to stop by the booth of Glendale's Abril Armenian Book Store, buy A Gift in the Sunlight by my friend Kay Mouradian, and have her sign it.

The Festival will host about 400 authors--of all genres and degrees of fame--over the weekend. If you go today you could meet Po Bronson, Elizabeth George, Antwone Fisher, Pico Iyer and/or a local author you already know.

Wear sensible shoes. Have patience with the crowd. And watch out for readers of all ages underfoot.

No Nose In the Air

This tower of wine glasses decorates (and functions) at the Nose Wine Cellar, where I was treated to a glass of prosecco and hors d'oeuvres after Saturday's poetry reading at Vroman's.

Doesn't that sound downright snobbish? Squinch up your nose and say it out loud: "a glahss of prossickoo and oh dewves ahfter the pewetry reeding. Dahling."

That has nothing to do with the Nose, which isn't snobby at all. It's a nice place to eat and have a glass of wine (or a tower of glasses of wine). I didn't get to stay very long, but after a bite of cheese I regretted that.

The Nose is at 696 Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena inside Arcade Lane, a sweet little arcade of shops and dining spots. Worth a look, and there's parking behind (enter on Green Street).

Hot Jazz

I'm one of those people who almost always needs a sweater in the evening, so I treasure these summer nights when I can be sleeveless outside. It's hot during the day, but to me it's worth it to have evenings when I don't shiver.

Here's a good way to spend a couple of hours on warm a Sunday evening: the Playhouse District's 6th Annual Free Jazz Summer Concert Series, Sunday nights, 5-7 pm in the courtyard at Vroman's.

I took this photo last Sunday, July 12th. Nick Mancini's Quartet was scheduled, but this was definitely a trio. So if you're particular about which group you're going to see I recommend you give a call first (there's a number listed at the link). Otherwise, just go. The music's going to be good, and you'll get to sit outside without a sweater.

Dianne Emley, Pro

Do you believe it? I was actually out again last night. After dark and everything.

John and I went to Vroman's to celebrate the debut of The Deepest Cut, the third book in Dianne Emley's Nan Vining thrillogy. If you follow Pasadena Daily Photo you know I profiled Dianne here last November with the first of her Nan Vining books. We followed that with a contest to win the second book, and now the third one's here.

I've enjoyed learning from Dianne about her process. As an actor, it took me a long time to understand that acting must be approached as a business as well as an art. As a writer, I'm learning much more quickly. Dianne approaches writing like the business it is, and she's a pro.

Last night she read from The Deepest Cut, then fielded questions from a full house about everything from publishing to process. The discussion went overtime, then we all lined up to get our books signed.

Many thanks to guest photographer Bob Reiter for this shot. It makes me laugh that Dianne and I both whipped off our glasses to get our picture taken.

And many, many thanks to you, Dianne.

You're Invited

Save the date! It's the San Gabriel Valley Blogger's potluck picnic, coming up on March 28th (that's March! I'm giving you lots of notice) from 12-4PM at Farnsworth Park in Altadena. Everyone's invited and that means you! You don't have to be a blogger to come. Fans, friends, commenters and lurkers are welcome. Bring a dish to share. See you there!

That's not the only invitation today. You'll remember our friend Dianne Emley and the recent contest here at Pasadena Daily Photo to win her book Cut to the Quick. Dianne will discuss and sign The Deepest Cut, the third book in her Nan Vining thrillogy, this Wednesday at Vroman's at 7PM. I'll be there and I hope you will, too. Be sure and say hello!

Speaking of friends, I'd like to say a word to blog followers, official and un: thank you! (okay, two words.) Your visits, comments and emails are much appreciated.

Zeli Coffee Bar (#6 In a Quest)

At 3:20 on a Monday afternoon, doesn't it seem like people should be at work? Well, they are. They're at coffee shops with their laptops. Or at least they're at Zeli, packed in and bustling. I thought maybe I went at the wrong time of day, but the reviews at Yelp.com tell me maybe not.

Zeli Coffee Bar, at 695 Colorado Blvd., is an adjunct to Vroman's Bookstore. It should be perfect - you buy your book then slink into the coffee shop and sit down for a read. Zeli has couches, tables, and a bar facing the window onto Colorado Blvd. Plenty of outdoor tables, too, but it was too cold for me to sit outside yesterday.

So I ordered a latte and found myself a chair in the corner. There was no table available so I had to prop up my laptop in my actual lap. That thing gets warm! (The laptop. Then the lap.) I was crowded, crunched and personally toasted. There was no place to put the papers I needed to read from, so I stuck them on top of my purse beside the chair on the floor and glanced down to refer to them when I needed to. When I had a chance I moved to the couch which was more comfortable, but dirty and torn.

With all that movement and all those bodies, people were working intently and being relatively quiet. Upstairs at Vroman's there's an extensive, wonderful kids' books section and several moms came in with little kids. I thought, "Oh no," but even the kids were civilized.

Music: nice, instrumental, eastern European. But I was stuck under the speaker, so too loud where I was sitting.
Service: impersonal but efficient.
Wifi: free and fast.

Coffee: bad. I mean BAYAD. I like my coffee hot, but it was still too hot to drink ten minutes after I got it. When it was finally cool enough to dare a sip, it was flavorless - flat - blah. Overcooked? I don't know. My guess is if they hadn't burned it it might have had some taste, but I'm not an expert on how to make it, that's supposed to be their bailiwick. Maybe water that hot is good for tea.

I love Vroman's. LOVE LOVE LOVE Vroman's. It's the best bookstore I've ever been in. EVER. Powell's is wonderful but overwhelming. Vroman's is just right. Zeli is beneath Vroman's standards.

Onward. The Quest continues.