Friday, June 9th, 2017
Busy Friday and across the land!
June 9th started as do 10 months worth of weekdays do these last 20! years....alarm at 0600, shower, dress, coffee, breakfast, car, school, teach all day. It was the first day of finals for this school year so naturally, I had to proctor two exams. They were literally next door to the Band Room so easy-breezy. I had asked for an been granted the ability to use both my Special Needs days and an one and half of Personal days in order to fly out to California to witness the Graduation of my lovely step-daughter, Keely.
So it was that about 1300 that my erstwhile pal (and Ellie's Mom!), Laura picked me up with Ellie in tow and drove us to the Airport. While I am perfectly capable of getting our minor Ellie on an airplane by herself...(there are a number of steps that are complicated but not impossible), but God bless her, Laura offered to accompany us and help out. Were checked both our bags on my American Airlines flight (Spirit, which Ellie was flying, charges for every bag!), and then got Ellie all squared away with her lanyard and what not. Ellie and I breezed through security (TSA recheck is the great!). After a decent lunch with a nice IPA, Laura and Ellie were off to the Spirit terminal while I was headed toward the American terminal. We were on different flights since Ellie's was booked after mine.
It was an uneventful flight and once I landed, Kim (who had already met Ellie at her gate), met me. We retrieved bags and headed out to the car and off to Pasadena CA; a beautiful city to which I have not been since 1992!
First stop? Finally, In and Out Burger!
Ou Air B and B was serviceable, comfortable enough and close to Keely's house up the mountain in Altadena. A few quirks? It was a 1920s Bungalow and the upstairs had been converted into a sort of apartment. A windy path around the back of the house and then up 19 steps (19? most houses I've ever been in have 14 steps in one story...the little risers were a little tricky to negotiate!). The big head scratcher was that the bathroom (commode, sink, shower, tub were in the same space as the "kitchen". The counter, coffee machine, refrigerator, plates and what not were in the same smallish space. I believe very strongly in the old adage, "don't crap where you eat", but there it is. Air B and B hipster economy at work. Again, perfectly serviceable but unusual/weird?
Saturday, June 10th 2017
She did it!
Saturday morning dawned overcast and misty. I say this because it was the ONLY day that wasn't essentially 72 degrees with 5% humidity and absolutely, positively gorgeous weather for humans. Seriously, it was stunningly perfect EVERY SINGLE DAY. No wonder it's the most populous state and about 150 years, an ultimate destination.
We headed out to brunch with the Altadena gang and while the food was decent, it was of course all about reconnecting and saying howdy to Keely, Joe, Erin, Lucas, Elanor and Mom-Mom. Kim and Joe's mother had traveled to California the week prior on June 5th and had been out there doing pre-graduation festivities with the folks. i.e. Play performances, Rose ceremony, end-of-the-year things, parent dinner etc. (that is how Kim was able to meet and take charge of Ellie the night before).
After brunch, it was back to the Bungalow, changed of clothes and off to the
Pasadena Waldorf School for the Commencement Ceremony.
The setting was breathtakingly beautiful: a hand made wooden stage, chairs set up in a glade with a very old and gnarled live oak spreading it's bows over the stage and first few rows. The sun was thinking about setting behind us and a light breeze was occasionally ruffling the papers at the rostrum. For sure, the most beautiful setting I've ever seen for a Graduation!
The ceremony was full of Waldorf goodness as awards were given, speeches were made and then , each graduate (all 10 of them!), were conferred their diplomas and each were afforded a chance to say a few words. As teens will do, some were better/more considered than others but step-fatherly pride aside, Keely's was easily the cleverest, funniest and most entertaining. Go super-teen!
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| Keely (in blue) and the Graduates |
Post ceremony, a reception was a few steps away up towards the main school building. This afforded opportunities for schmoozing and meeting folks. I finally met Keely's music teacher and we had a nice chat. Erin gave me the 50 cent tour and we had a lively discussion about the set up of the Waldorf system. Fascinating. All kinds of kinds y'all and all are valid!
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| Ellie pens good wishes to Keely |
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| Sisters! |
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| Proud Mother and Graduate! |
After about and hour, we all headed out to a Graduation party in the hills above Los Angeles. It was just what you'd think. High above the city, sunset, lights twinkling, architecturally beautiful home with a pool, drinks, Papusas! (Salvadorian plata style savory pancake-tortilla things), interesting conversation with the potter-owner and others. Downright magical.
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| At the Party |
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Nice house....
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| "When the Lights Go Down, In The City...." |
Sunday, June 11th 2017
The Rose Bowl and Hollywood
Another beautiful day and and we were off to the world famous Rose Bowl Flea Market.
We walked all the way around and in and lolly-gagged at the food area before realizing the real flea was outside the grounds! Oh my SO many antiques and curios and what-nots! It was really interesting and the people watching was superb. Kim bought the perfect handmade earrings and Ellie got a new patch for my old jean jacket which she wears all the time now. Also, what are the chances? Of the dozen or so people we actually know in Pasadena, Ellie and Kim ran across three of Keely's classmates at the flea also!
Among the interesting things, here was a lone musician with an electric 'cello and prerecorded backing tracks atmospherically playing pop tunes dressed in a kilt with a 19th century British helmet. Go California!
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| Rock the 'Cello! |
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| At the flea.... |
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| Inside the famous Rose Bowl |
After, we drove around Beverly Hills and wound up on Hollywood boulevard. We walked up and down the West Coast's version of Times Square. It was (unbeknownst to us), LA Pride day. Ellie was dissapinted that we'd missed it but we did see
Gruaman's Theatre, the Stars in the street and all manner of tourists, hucksters, street corner evangelists, anime Pride groups and God Bless America, every kind of kind. Over on Melrose, we found the famous Cat Cafe,
Crumbs and Whiskers and apparently, Kim and I have been there before? Leaving the downtown, we found the
Spadena House too. Wow California, just wow....
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| Ellie and Ella |
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| Pride! |
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| Grauman's |
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| We've been here before? |
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| The Spadena House |
On the way back to Pasadena, we last minute decided to try to see the famous Hollywood sign. Thank you internet, we found a high vantage point and snapped away.
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| ISO 60 110mm f 5.6 1/400th |
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| Happy Hollywood Girls! |
Back in Pasadena around dinner time, we endeavored to find a restaurant called "El Cholo".
I had two very interesting seat mates on the flight out the night before; a young woman astronomer from the Canary Islands who works at the
Mount Wilson Observatory and a nuclear engineer. Smarty-pants row! The engineer told me the best margaritas in Pasadena were to be found at
El Cholo. The dinner was also fantastic!
We chowed and collapsed exhausted and a little bit jet-lagged after dark.
Monday, June 12th 2017
Eaton Canyon and Old Pasadena
It goes without saying, but here was another perfect weather day....
We started our day with a Keely led tour of the amazing Eaton Canyon Natural Area. I remarked on several occasions that back East, a Natural Area like this would be a National Park or at least a State Park. Because the landscape and topography out West is so mind-bogglingly epic, something as amazing as Eaton Canyon is merely a Natural Area. It's all always perspective isn't it?
The flora and fauna of desert California is like no other place I've ever been; the various sages, chaparral, yuca, oak, sycamore, lizards, birds and all the rocks and washes and arroyos and mountains were all markedly different that anything on the East coast. That seems obvious but seeing it and touching it and smelling it up close is a quite memorable experience. Who knew purple and white sage smell subtly different? Who know yuca, when in bloom shoots pistils 15 feet into the air, festooned with pale yellow blooms? It's an alien landscape and harshly but incredibly beautiful.
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| The gorgeous Eaton Canyon |
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| On the trail at Eaton Canyon |
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| Denizen of the Canyon |
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| Keely and the Yuca |
After our hike, we ventured into Old Pasadena for lunch at
Frida Taco and had a very delicious repast. Best crunchy tacos ever! Post lunch, we walked around a bit and checked out the downtown. Keely pointed out the pink line down the middle of Colorado Blvd. It is the guide line for the
Rose Parade Floats! Also, we crossed a crosswalk where jaywalking, diagonally across the intersection was allowed. There was the usual brick footpath box but then a giant X across the street for encouraged diagonal passing. Amazing....
We explored a pawn shop with a couple of nice instruments, a bespoke soap and shampoo place called Lush and walked to a park (with more than five homeless people napping in the shade...my heart breaks for them, and, they are the smart ones...one could sleep outside year round in Pasadena) and were amazed to see the architecture of the
Castle Green Hotel and Apartments. It was very southwestern/Spanish/Moorish/Victorian and beautiful. The small palm groves were also magnificent in the late afternoon light.
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| Castle Green est. 1898 |
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| Palm Grove, Central Park, Pasadena CA |
I have to say, my memory of Pasadena from oh so long ago 1992 did not fail me. It is truly one of the most beautiful cities in America. I have thought that about a few places I been: Savannah GA, Annapolis MD, New Hope PA, Paris FR...there are beautiful places to live, there are.
We desired a drink in that beautiful place and tried to have one in the plaza at El Cholo. A large group of 17 people had just left and they had pretty much taken up the space and the staff. We climbed the steps to the Brazilian steak house and had a drink on the outdoor patio. After, we drove down to the BevMo in search of
Ancho Reyes, (trust me, it's delicious and worth the hunt), and spent some time at the Guitar Center fooling around with instruments (as one does). Keely was lost in the reverie of some nice basses, Ellie was happily strumming their ukuleles and Kim was perusing the sheet music and keyboards. Quite the musical unit that night. We took Ellie for her first In & Out that night. She fell hard for the fries....
Four tired people collapsed to sleep soon thereafter....
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| SoCal Classic: Double-Double, Animal Fries and a shake |
Tuesday, June 13th 2017
California State University Long Beach & Altadena
On that Tuesday, we set out to see where Keely would be attending University. We waited long enough to leave that the trip down to Long Beach through the desert was mostly traffic jam free.
Parking near the famous sports arena/Pyramid, we walked all the way over to the Japanese Garden which it turned out, was just down the way from Keely's dorm come this fall. It is a breathtakingly beautiful Japanese garden with mature plants and flowers, rock gardens, tea house and nearly tame, gigantic Koi that literally eat their Koi snacks right out of your hand.
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| Kim at the Pyramid |
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| The Japanese Garden |
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| The tame Koi pond |
After some time reveling in that, we walked up the small incline and after some discussion, Keely's soon to be house-abuela invited us into the lobby and chatted us up. She also put the grown-ups miss at ease knowing she'd be looking out for Keely.
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| Keely's new home this fall, Los Cerritos Dormitory |
I had had it in my mind that we'd try to have lunch in one of the three restaurants aboard the legendary Queen Mary ocean liner berthed at the Long Beach waterfront. Alas, nearly 30$ a head admission to the museum-cum-ship is required to even get to one of the restaurants.
Still, she was beautiful to see and the waterfront is amazing. MANY huge gantry cranes stretch into the sky hinting at the enormity of the port. The Navy left years ago but that port is certainly still plenty busy and very historic.
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| The Historic Queen Mary, berthed in Long Beach Port |
Keely consulted her (recently former) math teacher regarding a good place to have lunch and she pointed us to
Roe in Belmont Shore, a "suburb" of Long Beach proper. We all had amazing, fresh seafood and for me, the best fish tacos I've ever had! Highly recommended!
There is a many block long commercial strip all along 2nd street there with every kind of restaurant, store or service you could want.
During lunch, (outside of course), I noticed several different people and groups seemingly coming back from a a beach somewhere. Hair still wet, chairs and towels and kids in tow. As we were leaving, I walked the 30 steps to the end of the block and lo and behold, there was a beach right there!
Keely's teacher called it "Horny Corner" due to the party debauchery perpetrated by the CSULB students during holidays but especially July 4th. We hung out and put our feet in the Pacific and checked out the afternoon scene. Which among other amazing things, contained a man on a stand up paddle board with one dog chilling' between his legs and another making like Rose on the Titanic.
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| Feets in the Pacific! |
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| Dog, Man, Dog paddle! |
After, we walked up ins street for some nitrogen infused ice cream at the
Creamistry.. (see earlier post from Alexandria VA awhile back). It was, and still is, the smoothest ice cream I've ever had...om nom nom!
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| Nitrogen Ice Cream! Yum! |
After an uneventful and sleepy drive back to Keely's house on the hill, we were treated to the cries of the famous Altadena Peacocks. On the way home, we hit the Aldi and the CVS for some provisions. By the way, you can't mistake or forget the "song" of the Altadena Peacocks and it was ringing in our ears as we fell asleep, exhausted but placed with our field trip to Long Beach and Keely's soon-to-be home away from home.
Wednesday, June 14th 2017
Bungalow Courts, La Brea, Cat Cafe's, old apartments, Catalina Jazz!
