Happy 120th, Monrovia!

Did a little P-shop work on this one as the sky was so washed out. Looked like a fun ride!

JailHouse Inn, Sierra Madre

I stopped into Lucky Baldwin's pub in Sierra Madre the other day and spotted this cute B&B in a back alley. The tromp l'oiel is so fetching! I think the flowers on the left look especially real....

Tickets!

I love this ticket booth, which I photographed at a Cinco de Mayo carnival. I'd love to Photoshop this on a barren landscape!

Streamline Travel Home

I love old metal script lettering. Spotted this on a vintage RV parked in north-east Monrovia. The light was fading so my shot of the whole vehicle didn't come out very well. Perhaps I will get another one in the future. The back end of the car as a great shape.

Fun at Public Storage with an exercise ball

This blue ball rolled out of my friend's storage unit the other day, and while I was waiting, I decided to snap some pics of the bright orange doors. The complimentary colors just called out to be photographed together, hence the beginning of my "blue ball" series (click on the image to see more pics on my Flickr page). These shots made me think of that old TV series "The Prisoner." Perhaps I will find other Monrovia locations to photograph this exercise ball. Might as well put it to some sort of use, since I haven't been doing any sit-ups lately.

Wild Times at Tidal Wave

Stopped in Tidal Wave after a movie at the Krikorian. Couldn't resist. The off-tune voices belting out the hits from yesteryear sucked us in. A whole crowd of twenty-somethings that seemed to know each other had been imbibing the inhibitions out of themselves for hours, and no one seemed afraid to grab the mic and give it a try. Someone had a birthday, but I never found out who. It was the closest thing to fun nightlife I've experienced here in Monrovia, so I'll likely be back next Saturday, or the one after that.

I've been to the Brass Elephant, as well as the 4th Dimension, and this was the most fun. The Brass Elephant had an air of desperation about it that frightened me a bit (a drunk lesbian wouldn't leave me alone), and the 4th Dimension is too pool focused for my taste, but good for certain situtations. So, I say a bit of drunken Kareoke revelry is all right with me. More than all right. I might even try it sometime!

Sweet Face

Saw this little guy parked on the street yesterday. What great coloring and eyes!

Storybook House

I love storybook houses. This one came up for sale when I was in the market for a house, but by the time I had inquired about it, the owners had changed their minds. :(

The Sphere

I love the quirky mysterious quality of this sphere. It resides on California Street near the train tracks. Looks like maybe it just floated down from space and is ready to dock with the mothership, if it could only escape from its chainlink yard...

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Found a Cinco de Mayo carnival in South Monrovia tonight. Thought the plushies looked rather festive!

Magic Shaving Powder

I think they must use the same packaging as they do for scouring powder! This cracked me up. Spotted on the shelves at Pavilions on Foothill...It's MAGIC!!

Dreaming of a late-night eatery

Tonight a friend and I set forth on foot from the house at 8:45, intent on eating dinner. I called ahead to Futami, and they said they stopped serving at 9 or 9:15. If I got there in ten minutes, I asked, would the kitchen still be open? Yes, I was told. Well, when I got there I stepped inside only to be faced with a handwritten "CLOSED" sign, that must have just been taped to the wall. Surely it wasn't there ten minutes ago when I had called. I peeked around and saw a few diners. None of the staff glanced my way. I wrinkled my nose and stepped back the way I had come in. I was mildly peeved, but shrugged it off, thinking that it would be simple to walk down Myrtle and find another restaurant open.

Most restaurants serve until 10 or 10:30, I mused. I thought of Tidal Wave. CLOSED. Walked past Bella Sera, but didn't go in as I had eaten there recently and wasn't in the mood for Italian. Passed Mundial. I was, however, in the mood for Rudy's or Sweet Garlic. Damn! Both CLOSED. We knew that there wasn't much more ahead except for the burger stand and so turned around and walked back. Mundial it would be. The sign on their door didn't indicate a closing time, but one of the Mundial staff said the kitchen was closed. My hungry friend was watching a couple place their appetizer order. He pointed out this fact to the stone-faced gatekeeper, and the man begrudgingly said he would ask the kitchen. He didn't crack a smile. He came back and quietly got us menus. I felt a twinge of guilt, as if I was keeping him from his family, or some important task he would have to postpone.

We sat down and I stared across at the quiet street. "Monrovia sure gets quiet early," I said. "It could use a bit more foot traffic, but not so much that it would change the character of life here." That got me thinking about the Gold Line again. I often wonder if it will be as vitalizing as I imagine it could be. I often compare Monrovia to Pasadena, at the very early stages of its transformation, but now I think that it has gone overboard, especially with chain stores, sheer volume of visitors and lack of parking. I used to love going there, but have done so less and less in the last couple of years.

Monrovia still has that homey, small town feeling. I hope that never changes. I just want to be able to eat dinner after 9. Too bad I'm not into Wings or I'd go to the Wing Stop, "Open 'til Midnight."

Men waiting

Funny little men that all look alike wait in this shop window for a new home!

Dog Wash Express

Another from the Monrovia neon collection....!