Tidings Of Comfort

Last week, we spoke briefly about the Lighting Ceremony at Christmas Tree Lane and the wonderful holiday feeling of the community coming together for the celebration.  That feeling was also found recently at Altadena's 125th birthday party.  It would have been the thread running through last Friday's holiday edition of Webster's monthly food truck event, too, had not the horrific event in Connecticut (and rainy cold weather) happened.

 Part Of The Crowd At This Years Lighting Ceremony At Christmas Tree Lane. 

 When something devastating occurs, the natural instinct is to huddle down in the safety of your home, surrounded by familiar and loved people and things.  For those who did come, we thank you, and we hope you enjoyed our Christmas carol sing-along.  We hope you had a bit of fun eating at the food trucks and joining us in the store.  We are happy that we could help provide a safe haven and yes, a place of community, to turn to when times are hurtful and confusing.  A place where people know you, that's been there forever - a place that you draw comfort from.

No one can wave a wand and make everything back to normal again.  The families of the victims of this heinous shooting rampage are bearing an unimaginable loss, and we here, across the miles, mourn with them.  Explanations and platitudes aside, there's little comfort in that Connecticut town tonight.  Our cries to God to bless the families there, and ease their pain, reverberate across the states and the world.  In a crisis like this, we are all one and we are all family.  Healing will come slowly, but it will come.

The message of Christmas is particularly poignant this year. From the bottom of our hearts, Scott and I wish you a joyous holiday and may you be enveloped by love, faith and hope for now and for the future.  We'll be taking a blogging break and will be back after New Years Day.  Enjoy, everyone!

Lori and Scott

Christmas 2012 Webster's Fine Stationers - ceramic Santas and Elves by Altadena artist Patrick Gothard

Altadena Sparkles!

A cool and rainy welcome to December to you all, as we forge head-on into thick of holiday season 2012!  There are so many festive events happening all over town, that my head is spinning - particularly after our Famous Annual Holiday Open House on Saturday!

With great food (and an appearance by Earl Rothwell of Earl's Gone Wild Barbeque sauce and now a brilliant red pepper jelly that's fabulous with cream cheese and crackers); poetry, spoken word, and some music thrown in for good measure with our friends Aldonia Bailey and Amin El; and a book signing with author Margaret Finnegan, it was certainly a day to remember! 

 

Jazz artist and poet Amin El

We were honored to host three other local artists - Karen Bagnard, whose brand-new drawing "Angel Of Christmas Tree Lane" was debuted at our Open House; Mary and Patrick Gothard of Gothard Art, whose art and textiles hang in our store; and Leslie Aitken of LA General Store Design Studio, who held a trunk show of her oh so soft and trendy scarves, wraps, hats, and wristlets.  Our good friend, graphic artist Jeanine Colini, whose cards we carry at the store, made a valiant effort to attend, and we're so happy that she made it, although she almost missed it!

Leslie Aitken, Seamstress Extraordinaire!

 

 

 

Margaret Finnegan, Author Of The Goddess Lounge

And now we have a week to rest (ha!) until Saturday, December 8th, when Altadena gathers to witness the annual lighting of Christmas Tree Lane.  You'll find Karen's cards at the boutique and art sale prior to the lighting, starting at 2:00 pm, but if you just can't wait to have one (or two!), you can find them at WFS - and remember, 50% of net proceeds of this special card will go directly to The Christmas Tree Lane Association.

Have a lovely week ahead, friends, and we'll talk again next Sunday!

Lori and Scott

Fun For The Season Of Sparkle!

After all the excitement of last week, you'd think that Altadena would slow down and catch its collective breath, but such was not to be!  Everyone in town seems to be planning something - celebrating the end of election season, perhaps?  We think it's more that there's a bite of coolness in the shade now, evening's shadow comes sooner.  Now that Halloween is over, we've realized that the holidays are inescapably upon us - where did that year go?

Speaking of the holiday season, we've been privy to some exciting event information ourselves! The Chamber Of Commerce is planning a celebration in tandem with Altadena's Fancy Food Truck Friday, on December 14, as the food truck event (held in Webster's parking lot) comes to a close for the year. This will be a grand community party, with Santa for the kids, the animals of Danny's Farm, carolers.....and the business owners of North Lake Ave. and Altadena's Chamber Of Commerce might have a funtastic surprise for you in store!  Make sure you check this blog, or our wonderfully local Altadenablog for more news about it in a week or so.

Ghosts Of Christmas Past At Webster's Fine Stationers!

There's more fun in store (get it, that's a pun.....) at WFS in the next few weeks, as well!  You'll meet local author Margaret Finnegan, who wrote the uproarious comedy The Goddess Lounge, at our Holiday Open House on December 1.  We'll be having an Inner Goddess party, with special giveaways for those who come dressed as their favorite female deity, and we'll indulge in some heavenly goodies normally reserved for those who reside in myth and legend!  You'll be entertained and inspired in word and song by Aldonia Bailey and friends and you're welcome to add your voice to theirs.  Many of the artists we represent will be on hand to discuss with you their books; art; jewelry; gourmet foods and body care; and of course, stationery.

We'd also like to remind you that WFS will be collecting canned and packaged foods and unwrapped holiday toys for Union Station Homeless Services again this year.  When we think of the devastation on our nation's East coast, I know that we feel we have to do something to help.  Their need is immediate, and so are the needs of the many homeless families in the northeastern San Gabriel Valley.  Please consider donating a toy or some canned food - our crew members will collect it all and Scott and I will personally take it to Union Station.  We thank you for your kindness!

All in all, it's shaping up to quite a busy Fall and Winter - I think I need a good night's sleep!  Have a great week ahead, friends, and we'll talk again next week,

Lori and Scott

We Are Wealthy In Our Friends

Like most business owners, Scott and I have met many people.  Some met during the course of each day, some while at networking events, classes or through our friends.  I love meeting new people - each one offers a new opportunity for a relationship of one sort or another and I relish the anticipation of discovery.

More than what for us is normal, we've met so many that have become wonderful friends.  Over these past few years, we've had the pleasure of knowing them and experiencing their kindness.  For us, it's a testament to the goodness of humans, which is the basis of our holiday traditions.  As wild and crazy as things may get, we can always count on our friends to surround us with warmth and support.

May all of you be surrounded this season with the wealth of your friends and family.  May you be at peace and enjoy every moment of whichever holiday you celebrate.  We are grateful for you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.....Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa, everyone, we wish you happiness!

We'll be taking a holiday hiatus and will be back shortly after the new year.  Until then, stop by the store if you can and say hello.

Let There Be Light!

Have you ever visited a place so beautiful that it literally took your breath away?  It's those moments that we humans live for, it's what inspires us and what keeps us looking for that next "fix" of fabulous.  Without them, we are bereft and without hope.

Scott and I had one of those moments last night, as Altadena's Christmas Tree Lane Association flipped the switch and Santa Rosa Avenue exploded into a million points of colored light!  Seemingly suspended in the dark night as you gaze down the road, it's as if the entire length of it was made to be Santa's runway.  Of course, according to the history of Christmas Tree Lane, it wasn't a runway for a sled and its team of flying reindeer.  But it was a mile-long driveway for a home that was never built, and I'm sure that Mr. Nash would've let Santa use it for takeoff, should he have needed it.

Christmas Tree Lane is such a wonderful attraction for Altadena to have, and it's a testament to the hard work of the Association members and volunteers who make it happen.  We are so proud to be a supporter of CTLA and we were very worried a week or so ago that the lighting ceremony wouldn't take place.  A brutal windstorm swept through the San Gabriel Valley with hurricane force - somehow, the atmospheric conditions made that wind possible, and the damage it left behind was considerable.  Two trees were lost on Santa Rose Avenue, bad enough, but all up and down this street with the lovely Deodar Cedars, large branches had broken, falling and pulling down the carefully placed light strings that had just been placed.  So much debris littered the street and yards of the homeowners there - would there be enough time to get it all repaired and cleaned up before the ceremony on the 10th? 

True teamwork is hard to find, but it was found in spades in our community - it was found right at Christmas Tree Lane!  Kudos go to all those involved with the restoration of the light strings, the clean up and setting up for what was a fantastic event - an event sorely needed by all of us.  For it is without beauty we grow melancholy, and with the events of last few weeks, beauty has been hard to come by.  

Photo courtesy of Altadenablog

Here's hoping you all have a wonderful week coming up!  Be sure to like us on Facebook and look for the announcement of our special holiday wine pairing next Saturday. Watch for news of a special benefit on Sunday for Altadena Community Church.  We're also planning an Ugly Christmas Sweater shopping extravaganza the week before Christmas!  Hang onto your hats, friends, the season is upon us!

Lori and Scott 

Hope For Christmas - A Holiday Tale

Once upon a time, there was a small pharmacy located in a town just outside of a large city. The people it served were happy and, like in many small towns, most everyone knew everyone else.

As time passed, the little pharmacy grew. Operated now by the son of the founder, it matured into several different departments, each one connected to the other. The people could buy greeting cards and gifts; they could peruse the magazines or eat at the lunch counter. They might wander through and decide they needed a pen; there was a place to mail your letters and ship your packages. The townspeople rejoiced, for there were no other stores like it for miles around. The son of the founder rested, thinking no store compared.

As he was resting, nefarious businessmen plotted and schemed and opened a new type of store. This new store, the SuperStore, was a breakthrough in the land! Groceries, home goods and office needs - all in one place and at low, discount prices! Why go anywhere else, when this new store was sort of convenient and the prices so alluring?

The townspeople now rejoiced in the new store. The SuperStore was the place to be, they had all the stuff - but there was something missing. The son of the founder of the little pharmacy, now a big, grown-up store, wondered why the townspeople deserted him. He couldn't quite put his finger on what the problem was. He consulted with many people, but he didn't like the answers. The son of the founder grew weary.

The thing missing from the wonderful SuperStore was caring, knowledgeable employees who give excellent customer service. The nefarious businessmen who thought up the SuperStore didn't give a fig for customer service. "We don't pay 'em enough to care", they thought. That was their mistake and could be their downfall, just as growing weary was the son of the founder's Achilles Heel.

The son of the founder looked around and decided that things needed to change. For the first time, he thought of putting the store back to the way it was in the beginning. A small pharmacy surrounded by other small stores, who could be separate. At his decree, the stores were divided and operated by different people. The townspeople were confused and angry. They didn't want to walk out of one building and into the next. They wanted to walk through the stores like they always had! So many of the townspeople boycotted the stores.

The son of the son of the founder, who bought one of those stores, was very hurt. "Did the townspeople forget that I served them at my father's store for 35 years?", he wondered. "And why doesn't my father tell anyone how proud he is to pass the reins of this store onto me?" The son of the son of the founder wanted to show his father that he indeed had learned while working for him. He wanted to create the best little store he could with what he had purchased. Sadly, the son of the son of the founder was hampered by events that he had no control over. Still, he labored on, convinced his fortunes would soon change.

One day, not long before the Holidays (which are a very important time of year in the town), the son of the founder sold the little pharmacy. He sold it to a pharmacist who had owned a store renowned in its community nearby. The pharmacist and his wife met with the son of the son of the founder and his wife shortly after the sale. They was decided that it was time the two stores work together again, paving the way for bigger and better things in the future. The two couples rejoiced, knowing that although the transition would be hard, the many benefits to the community and to their stores would be truly amazing. --- The End

I've written this mock fairy tale to show that hope comes even in the darkest times. It's especially meaningful at this time of year. Come celebrate a new era for Webster's and Webster's Fine Stationers on December 18th, starting at 11:00 a.m. New owner Meredith Miller will be hosting a sample sale of her jewelry line "Pokerchip Girl" - vintage poker chips beautifully enhanced by hand with genuine crystals and embellishments. Simultaneously, Webster's Fine Stationers will be hosting their annual Holiday Open House, with a Champagne tasting at 2:00 p.m. For you non-drinkers, hot apple cider will be on tap, along with our signature gourmet coffee and cinnamon tea. Festive finger foods will also be served. Keep up with the information about our Holiday Open House on our Facebook page!

My friends, have a wonderful holiday season and we hope to see you on the 18th. Come by, meet Webster's Community Pharmacy's new owners and talk to them about their plans. Drop by our store and join in the cheer, for we have everything to celebrate this season! We'll be taking a blogging hiatus until after the 25th.

Until then,

Lori and Scott

A Holiday Wish For All Our Friends

The staff at Webster's Fine Stationers - Michelle, Leilana, Rosalie, Betsy, Scott and myself - would like to wish you and yours a holiday full of love, laughter, good food, good friends and warm feelings. May all good things be yours in 2009!

We'll be closing at 5:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve so we can enjoy the holidays with our families. If you need a last minute gift, need a package prettily wrapped or shipped, please come by before then to see us. We've got stocking stuffers and hostess gifts galore....dark chocolate filled candy canes, hot cocoa mixes, wonderful cookies, beautiful ornaments (which make a statement when tied onto a gift!) and cool little pocket word game books. Don't forget our beautiful Santos, hand made in the Phillapines and designed by Bethany Lowe....we have large sized Joseph & Child and the Angel Gabriel. We have medium sized "flatbacks", which can hang or fit up against a wall, of Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Francis and smaller, stand alone figures of Our Lady and the Angel of Knowledge. These items of faith make lovely, meaningful gifts for someone dear to you.

Come by and enjoy some holiday treats and hot apple cider....we've got a table out every day through the season and would love to see you! Again, my friends, may you enjoy every day of your holidays!

Renovation Story, Part III

Throughout the fall season, we all worked on painting fixtures, such as the gondolas and pegboard, in addition to planning out the addition of home & office decor. New merchandise started rollling in from our orders from the July gift show....and what a mess it was! We were just barely able to get out the Halloween things, but were really too late for it to show well and the same thing happened to Thanksgiving. Formally taking ownership of the store on October 1st, we discovered we were too busy to do it all so fast. Keeping that in mind, and aware that Christmas was quickly approaching, we made a snap descision to have a "small" open house in mid-December. Nothing like an immediate deadline to crystallize plans, eh? We called on some neighbors, Miller-Hawkins Event Planning, to help and Inger Miller pulled it all together for us. Through their wonderful services, we contracted costumed carollers to circulate through the crowd and served samples from our new gourmet lines, including Wind and Willow dips and spread mixes. The best thing that resulted from our collaboration was meeting Doyle Borden, principal of My Flower Guy, to help me pull together our displays. He and his fellow designer buddy, Ali, did such a lovely job....you see their work in the banner photo and in the smaller photos, above. Talk about meeting the nicest, most talented designers....it was truly kismet that Inger pointed us in their direction. It's not often that you contract someone that mirrors your own design sensibilities on the first try and I'm forever grateful to Doyle and Ali for being so selfless. These guys stayed for one marathon afternoon/evening decorating spree.....they even opened merchandise boxes and tagged it before placing.....I owe them a heartfelt thank you. His website and My Space addy are found in our links and I can't recommend him highly enough.....just take a gander at our Christmas photos and you'll see just how talented he is. Miller-Hawkins is also listed and if you're in the greater L.A. area, these folks can help you plan a fantastic event when you don't have the time to do it yourself. Enjoy the pics and stay tuned for more later!