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

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

Congratulations to the AAC For A Fabulous Event!

The evening of Friday, May 15th, the Altadena Arts Coalition's North Lake Avenue Open House brought people out in droves to have fun while re-discovering the delights of the area....and what a party it was! I'm so proud of the founding members of the AAC and their efforts in this endeavor - it just goes to show you what a little creativity and a lot of hard work can do. What's surprising is how well it went off with only a few short weeks of planning, due to the combined talents of Ben McGinty, Lance Anderson, Molly Tierney, Chef Jeff Kline, Ms. Dragon and all the other members who pitched in! Extra kudos to to Ms. Dragon, who spent many hours compiling names and addresses of the businesses involved and printing the maps that were handed out for the evening....all your hard work is genuinely appreciated.

Thanks are also in order for those whose contributions made the evening magical. All our Altadena/Pasadena Bloggers: Karen Bugge (AltadenaHiker), Susan Carrier (OpenMouthInsertFork, TheOrangeCat and CancerBanter), Petrea Burchard (PasadenaDailyPhoto), Tim Rutt (Altadenablog) and Bill Westphal (AltadenaWeatherCam)....all of you rock and thanks so much for lending us your expertise for the evening! Readers, you can find links to all these wonderful blogs below in my blogroll. Thanks to Steve Salinas of Altadena Hardware for fashioning and providing the brackets to hold the banners Scott made and also for rockin' the crowd with his band, The Dispositions....you guys were great! Thanks to Karen and Robert Myers of Karen's Hallmark for donating the balloons that marked each participating business - from New York to Altadena Drive, that was a lot of balloons, and we appreciate it. Special thanks also to Pierre Dupuy, who drove his Jitney up, down and around North Lake Avenue for hours, ferrying people to the different activities. Thanks to all the businesses who participated....this was the first of many events to come and they'll just get better with your help. And lastly, thanks to our Altadena residents....you are the ones who attended and made this an evening to remember....we appreciate it and hope you'll spread the good word about your local businesses!

Be sure to check out all our local blogs....there are pictures posted now and more to come, so don't miss out.

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!