Bullock's Department Store, Present Condition as Macy's Department Store (July 2013), Oak Knoll Shopping District, South Lake Avenue

So many of us lament about what isn't here anymore....  There are an amazing amount of remnants of the Lost World our early years.  And much of it is here in Pasadena.

Here the children's barber shop inside Bullock's on South Lake Avenue.
Virtually unchanged since the 1950's and still open for business...

Another view; notice the cheery color scheme and the attention to detail.....

What kid wouldn't like to have their hair cut here?

The World Map Ceiling Mural from the Children's Department.......

With an outstanding Art Deco light fixture, original to the design....

Display spaces in the form of cruise ship portals in the Children's Department with the barber shop just beyond........

A beautiful staircase going down to the Lost World, but very much in existence in Our Present Day World......

A wonderful artistic tapestry by a famous artist, however edited back in the day to remove female nudity!  Notice the left edge is folded over to hide the offending female....  This was required back in 1940.........

The vintage elevator bank with etched mirrors over the elevator doors.......

The Cosmetics Department with original mural on the walls, just adjacent to the Men's Department...

Part of the nautical theme of this part of the Men's Department......

The vintage mural in naive style showing the Baldwin Ranch with many details, including the original location of the Arcadia train station.......

Another delightful stairwell.......

The Ceramics and Glass Department.....Still the abode of Lladro and Lalique.......

Our founder, Mr. Bullock......

An original architectural rendering of our mercantile palace, done in the luxurious cruise ship Moderne Style, reminding one of the Normandie or the Queen Mary......

Our founder including a model of an original Bullock's delivery wagon.......

Bullock's store executives along with our founder, Mr. Bullock.  Is there such a spot in Selfridge's Department Store in London today?

Selfridge's on Oxford Street in London is a survivor similar to Bullock's (Macy's) Pasadena.....

A close-up view of the architectural rendering of our architectural mercantile palace.

I think we better spend some money here every once in a while, and not completely depend on our wealthy San Marino neighbors to keep this ship afloat.  I did write to Macy's in New York and to the local manager here about reopening the Bullock's Tea Room with fashion shows, but they've been non committal about promising to comply

I made the case that they need some events here to drive regional business to them and I hope they will listen.  Let us start a writing campaign to convince Macy's to get the Tea Room open and have events.  That should liven up this vintage cruise ship, which if we are complacent will end up sailing on to the rocks, capsize and go under.

What do you think?

THE BOOK ENDS, 2704 North Fair Oaks, Lost and Found Altadena

Once upon a time there was a book shop at the top of Fair Oaks Avenue.  It was called the Book Ends and inhabited a beautiful little cottage, Hollywood Regency in style, elegant as old Altadena was.

The address was 2704 North Fair Oaks Avenue, a place for book browsers as nice as could be found in Claremont or Carmel.  These days the old book shop quarters house what looks to be a pre-school, so the little cottage still houses a place of learning.

Here from the back of the book cover one sees the other businesses which were located at the top of Fair Oaks Avenue.  Real estate, beauty salon and garden shop.

All what we could still use today.  With a little work and restoration, this stretch of North Fair Oaks Avenue could be as elegant as it once was, although it looks fairly nice even in its present state.

Here the Book Ends Hollywood Regency cottage today, although quite hidden by shrubbery, it appears in good repair.

Another shot, this one showing the interesting architectural gem just to the north.

And a shot of the Hollywood Regency mansion on the SW corner of Mariposa and Fair Oaks, alluded to in the previous shot.

This may have been built by the same designer at the Book Ends cottage.

Quite an ensemble, the two structures, don't you think?

Here 2648 North Fair Oaks, former home to the Mariposa Garden Shop.  You probably know that Mariposa is butterfly in Spanish, but our Mariposa was named after Mariposa County in Northern California.

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a garden shop here, as A.R. Verdier had back in the 1930's, which was open seven days a week, as posted in their ad?

And here is the site of Syd Winn's Beauty Salon, specializing in permanents, hair tinting, hair cutting according to his advertisement.

Now the site of the Little Red Hen Coffee Shop, and usually has the owner's Rolls Royce parked in front.  He drove it away just as I was taking this picture.  We'll have to go back for breakfast some time; this place looks more inviting than Syd Winn's Beauty Salon.

Does anyone have any memories of this area?  Please leave a comment about what you remember!

Do You Miss the Marcell Inn? Try Julienne's Restaurant, Lake Avenue Adjacent!

Do you lament the passing of the Marcell Inn at the top of Lincoln Avenue?  Do not despair.  The spirit of Marcell lives on Mission Avenue between El Molino and Oak Knoll, the southerly extension of South Lake Avenue.  They are only open for breakfast and lunch and are well attended.  The spirit of a French inn is carried throughout, supplies pour le Picnic sur le Weekend are available, bakery with delectables, delicatessen with superb delicacies, and French gift items from jams to wines.  Enjoy!