Altadena Arts Coalition Open House May 15th

There'll be lots of community activity this week and we think that's a good thing. You've all read about how important it is to shop locally, especially during these hard times. You know how spending money locally benefits your community and that more of your consumer dollar stays in your community than if you'd spent it at a chain or a big box store. So now that you know all this, what better time is there to have a get reacquainted with your local businesses party? The newly formed Altadena Arts Coalition, comprised of galleries, merchants and small business owners, are throwing a party....an open house spanning businesses from New York Drive to Altadena Drive along North Lake Avenue....with entertainment, goodies and good times for all this Friday evening, from 4:00 pm until 9:00 pm or later! Read on about what AltadenaBlog.com has to say about it, and thanks to Tim Rutt for allowing us to use this:

"Altadena Arts Coalition/North Lake Open House 5/15/09
The Altadena Arts Coalition invites you to the North Lake Business District Open House, Fri., May 15, 4-9 PM. Many businessess will be open, and there's a full roster of events for the whole family. Come on over and meet your business neighbors:

Activities to date include:

Altadena Hardware, 849 E. Mariposa: Steve Salinas and "The Dispositions,: 6-9 PM.

Altadena Junction, 2524 & 2526 El Molino Ave: Alex Schaefer will be painting 20 minute oil portraits from life, 7-10 PM: "Sit and get painted."

Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake:

Gallery at the End of the World, 2475 N. Lake: Underground Arts Society presents the Group Show, "Spring Fever" May 15-17. Opening reception, Fri., 4-9 PM.Featuring the work of:Victor Cass Johnny Fox Barbara Kaletta Nora Koerber Dave Lovejoy Caroline Maxwell Ben McGinty Ngene Mwuara Hector Pedraza Alison Proulx Domingo Ramos Robert Rodriguez

Photography by Walt, 2455 N. Lake. Opening reception, "Emerging Photography" Emerging Photographers from around the Los Angeles Area on display for the weekend.Opening Reception Friday May 15, 2009 @ 4:00-lateSome work will be available for purchase.Photographers: Rafael Agustin Delgado Phillip Kim Daniel Paul Michelle G Aron Kearney Candace Boysen Martin Nguyen Vivian Lin Jessica Torres Hanson

Ronnie's Automotive, 2012 N. Lake: Classic car show.

Steve's Pets, 2395 N. Lake: Altadena Chamber of Commerce mixer, 5:30-7 PM.

Webster's Fine Stationers, 2450 N. Lake, Ste. B:"Blogger's Cafe," including snacks, coffee, and tea, and a chance to meet some of our local bloggers (including Altadena Above It All, Open Mouth Insert Fork, Altadenahiker, Pasadena Daily Photo, and others.) Ask questions, get advice, meet the faces behind the keyboard."

WOW....what a line up, and there's more coming! I'm very excited about this (as you can tell) because I think Altadena needs to be recognized for the unique and beautiful place it is. Ever since Old Fashioned Days fizzled out, we as Altadeneans have had no reason to all gather to support each other and have fun. Oh, there've been functions and there have been parties and benefits galore, but there has been no true public event that Altadena could call their own....until now. The Altadena Arts Coalition, the brainchild of Ben McGinty, Lance Anderson, Molly Tierny, Chef Jeff Kline, Ms. Dragon and yours truly, has great hopes that this open house will be the prelude to many more to come. We hope to engage the Altadena resident - our customers, patrons and supporters - and get them reacquainted with their local shops, businesses & art venues. Why go elsewhere when our community is so rich with everything you could possibly need?

Come join us Friday evening and let us show you how Altadena rocks! Webster's Fine Stationers will be hosting the Blogger's Cafe on Friday night. Come meet your community's most prolific bloggers....ask questions, get advice about what blogging is all about, how to blog, and why blogging is so important to the area. We'll be sampling our Wind & Willow gourmet appetizer mixes and there'll be refreshments for all!

We hope to see you Friday evening....it'll be a wonderful time with many surprises in store, and you'll never know who you'll run into up here....could be a celebrity siting or two? Hmmmm.....maybe!