Stan's Vac & Sew

Stan's Vac & Sew, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

Boy, there are times when the local shop is just what you need. A friend of mine decided she wanted to buy a nice vacuum. Her old one just wasn't cutting it anymore. It smelled funny when she used it, and it would spit stuff back at her. Clearly the relationship wasn't working from the vacuum's point-of-view either. Anyone who spits at me would be outta here pronto.

So...she decided to do what another friend did and get the vacuum du jour, a Dyson. Sure, it was pricy, but that va va voom cyclone thingie would do the job, fer shur. Before I had time to comment, she had run out to Target and gotten her coveted appliance. On top of this, she loves purple, and this thing came in her color! I was there when she brought it home and offered to take it out of the box and put the pieces together. The problem was the plastic on the front was all scratched and broken. It had a cheap look to it and this didn't help matters. She would just have to return it.

RICCAR, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

I decided to research this brand a bit, and discovered that for her needs—hardwood floors—an upright vacuum was the wrong way to go. She needed a canister model. She didn't mind spending a bit more if it was an amazingly good machine, and so I steered her to a Miele. People raved about them on just about every review site I could find. And where did they have them? Yep, the neighborhood shop, Stan's Vac & Sew.

So we headed over there today and were given every sort of demo you can imagine. I felt as if I was a spectator in a trade show. This guy really knew his vacuums, and he wasn't afraid to tell us which one was more machine than we needed, and which one wouldn't help us at all. And so, the one we got didn't end up being purple, but it was called Aquarius, which happens to be her sign. Must have been fate.

To top things off, we only have a few blocks to go if we ever have a problem, and know where we can always buy bags. So I was hoping that this shop wouldn't go out of business like some of the other small shops along Myrtle. Our salesman said, "As long as they don't raise our rent!" Let's hope not. I'd like these guys to stick around for awhile. They have been there since 1963, so chances are they'll stay a bit longer.

Thread Rainbow, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

They also have a selection of high-end sewing machines. When my cheapo model breaks, I know where I'm going to pick out a new one!

Stan's Old Town Vacuum & Sewing
312 S. Myrtle Avenue
Monrovia, CA 91016
626-357-2667

Out with the (not so) old, in with the new

Moving Sale, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

The other day I was walking down Myrtle and stopped dead in my tracks. The pet store was empty. No more puppies playing and squirming behind the glass.

No more pups, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

Part of me was sad but I knew that it was probably a good thing as many of them were out of the Midwest where puppy mills are thriving. And so, I became philosophical about it. Mostly, though, I was shocked. It seemed so sudden. Had I been out-of-it not to notice that they were pulling up stakes?

The last shop I really didn't want to see go was the guitar shop on the corner of Myrtle and Olive. At the time I thought it was a singular event. Now I see that it was a harbinger of things to come.

I walked on. Less than a block away, across the street, I got another jolt. The train store was gone. The train store? WOW.

The trains have gone, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

What was happening? That place was practically a landmark along Myrtle. I know that some businesses were complaining during the construction, but was it really that bad? They just couldn't make it? I started hearing murmurings about rents going up. I emailed the city but haven't heard back yet.

And so a few days passed. I walked into Old Town last night for dinner, and noticed the going-out-of-business signs in the window of Mystic Sisters. Damn. Ok, so it was kind of a kooky store, but it was part of Old Town, and had flourished for many years.

50% off, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

I stepped inside Mystic Sisters and asked the woman behind the counter about it and she said the rent had been hiked to $6000 per month from somewhere in the mid-$4000s. "Amori is gone, too," she said.

RIP Amori, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

Today, I decided to walk around and see what really had changed. Lo' and behold she was right. Amori has closed its doors, and so has the candle shop. Ice Spice, the humble little Indian place next to the Theater is now going half-Mexican under new ownership. And, oddly enough, the candy shop is now selling Tamales.

For Rent, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

The Thai place I liked, Sweet Garlic, moved out and thank goodness another Thai place is coming in...I hope they taste as good...and it looks as if the new dress shop, Senta Bella, couldn't make it either.

Coming Soon, originally uploaded by Living in Monrovia.

I know that with improvements come eventual price hikes, because the neighborhood is nicer and more desirable, but I hope, and pray, that we won't become like Old Town Pasadena, and lose too many more of our mom-and-pop stores.

Closer to Reality

I picked up a brochure for Colorado Commons when walking along Myrtle the other day. This is a full color rendering inside and it's the most realistic looking of any I have seen so far. I'm excited to see it closer to being finished!

Merchant Meet

Perhaps I will do a weekly "Merchant Meet" post. I think it's nice to put a face on the shops we all walk past. After all, we are a small town and that's part of its essence. I sincerely hope that Monrovia doesn't ever allow chain stores to clutter up Old Town.

With that said, I'll introduce you to Michele Morrison, owner of All About Beauty, a fairly recent addition to Old Town. She has been open for about a year and a half, and this is her first beauty shop. She does all the things you would expect: hair, facials, waxing, eyelashes, etc. In addition she'll give you stellar advice if you'd like to go on your own and color your own hair, like I did. :)

Stop by and say "Hi" to Michelle.

All About Beauty
121 South Myrtle
Monrovia, CA 91016
626-357-7865

Artist in Residence Program

The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa has invited our local art gallery, Segil Fine Art, to coordinate an exciting new project called the Artist in Residence Program, which is currently taking place in the Hotel Lobby and will be held throughout the year. The gallery's goal is to provide hotel guests with an enriching experience while watching, and engaging with artists painting and displaying their work between the hours of 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Meet the Artists: Tuesday, February 6, 6-7:30 p.m.

For more information contact the gallery at (626) 358-5563.

excerpted from American Towns

Adam's Pack Station

For those of you who love the outdoors and music, it's time to check out Adam's Pack Station up at Chantry Flats. They have recently started offering more services to the general public, and will be having live music on May 26th at 3 p.m. and have events planned most weekends though the end of the year.

The Forest Service recently granted Pack Station operators a resort permit, which will make the station a nice place for both hikers and more casual nature lovers, according to the station's website. "This will allow us to make the station itself a destination with food service, live music, workshops & seminars, story telling, and we will make full use of our outfitters permit...our tours will educate the public and provide a wilderness experience unique to all of the Angeles National Forest," the site reads.

For more information about the Adam's Pack Station, visit their website or call (626) 447-7356. Their spring hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., weekends 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. They are located at the top of Santa Anita Avenue, three miles above the Chantry Flats entry gate.

Hope to see you there!

In the Red Zone

IMG_5268, originally uploaded by Stan7826.

This is from a series on Flickr about curb couches. These two happen to be waiting on Colorado Blvd. in Monrovia. See more of Stan Schwarz's images in this series by clicking on the photo.

LIM video

I'm still thinking of doing some videos of Monrovia, and of interviewing shopkeepers along Myrtle, etc. and posting on the site periodically. I would be interested in hearing your ideas about what you might like to see in future videos.