Acacia Inn of Pasadena - An Exclusive Residence for the Retired, 811 East Washington Blvd., SYcamore 4-1131, All Private Rooms with Baths and Patios, Delicious Meals, Daily Maid Service, Nurse for Emergencies, Monthly Rates - BROCHURE ON REQUESTThis postcard is from about 1958, notice the brilliant blue sky, and the note on the back "Where I live, Oats." The Acacia Inn is now the Arbor Vista and they unfortunately destroyed their historic neon sign recently, although they did use the original frame for their new sign.
Lake Washington Village looked almost like a resort town in the old photographs. I like the copy "An Exclusive Residence for the Retired", and it's true that a movie theater, drug store, soda fountain, dime store, bank, beauty parlor, restaurant, park with tennnis courts and other amenities were only 5 minutes or less by foot away.
Hopefully, in our old age we will have things so nice and easy.
By the way, take a look at Cafe Pasadena's Pasadena History posts. Then and now, they're great: http://cafepasadena.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/pasadena-history-corner/
Wow. I can hardly believe the Arbor Vista ever looked like this. I can't even tell what angle this was taken from. Great post card.
ReplyDeleteHi Petrea,
ReplyDeleteThe photo was taken from the sidewalk on the southwest corner of the property.
I've had to reevaluate where we live, where are neighborhoods are located, since I've seen that Zillow now has a walkability index. With our neighborhoods, adjacent to El Molino Avenue, a pleasant north-south axis for walking, we are only 30 minutes away walking from the premier Arts District in Pasadena, the Playhouse District, with the Pasadena Playhouse, the Laemmle 7 Movie Theater, many coffee houses, restaurants (El Portal being a favorite for food and ambiance), Target for all sorts of shopping needs (an extra plus that it is located in the historic Robinson's Department Store building), and with just a little bit more foot power, we have all of South Lake. It may be another decade before the Lake Washington Village Arts District gets off the ground, but in the meantime we have the Playhouse within easy walking distance and beautiful Washington Park right outside our doorstep. I'm very thankful to be here.
Thanks for your generous praise of my blog, TA. I hope my few readers also ck your great Lave Avenue blog!
ReplyDeleteI could very easily walk around here but I'm still a creature of the auto habit. way too much.
Sometimes postcards are the best or only source to the past. I have a couple which of course I can't recall where I put them!
Nice of Zillow to have a walkability index, but their property values are generally far off enough that I don't hold their numbers in high regard. I've been walking a lot in the neighborhood lately; we have some beautiful streets and hidden treasures. If by walkability they mean shopping, it's okay with me if that's far away.
ReplyDeleteSo I happened by the Arbor Vista and now I can see how the photo was taken--with a wide angle lens!
Walking is the elixir for health and longevity.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to list Trader Joe's as being about 35 minutes by brisk walking from Washington Park to South Lake and Del Mar, going down El Molino Avenue.
Our Lake Washington Village neighborhoods have complained about not having a Trader Joe's near, but in reality we're not far away. I like Zona Rosa as a coffee house, as well.
The sky is so blue and clear behind the Acacia Inn! They picked a good day to take this shot.
I like Zona Rosa too. The only problem is there are several I like to spread my coffee dollar around here. And if you're gonna talk coffeehouses then you need to ask Petrea about her unending search for the perfect one, for her.
ReplyDeleteI like Zona Rosa, too. It's almost too popular! But on certain days it's pleasant to write there, as long as they don't play the music too loud.
ReplyDelete