Old Pasadena Blog

Dog walk bag dispenser on Green Street

Picking up after our four legged friends is part of being a responsible pet owner. In addition, the Pasadena Municipal Code requires that you clean up after your dog within five minutes, whether your pooch leaves their “business” on public or private property. So as a service to our residents and visitors, Old Pasadena Management District has installed dispensers, throughout the District, which provide pet owners with (biodegradable) bags to retrieve and dispose of pet droppings. These dispensers can be found at the following locations:

• 50 East Green Street (Castle Green Hotel)
• 33 West Green Street (Aaardvark’s Odd Ark)
• 67 West Dayton Avenue
• North Side of Dayton Avenue (Condo Complex)
• South Side of Green Street (Westgate – Sares-Regis Project)
• 54 South Pasadena Avenue (Harmony Nails)
• 84 S. Fair Oaks Avenue
• 112 S. DeLacey Avenue

Please be a good neighbor, obey the law and pick up after your pets. Thank you.

Posted by: Anna Addis, Vice President of Operations

We recently received the February newsletter from the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and found a piece written by Paul Little, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, to be particularly timely and very pertinent to the businesses of Old Pasadena.  Paul Little is on the Planning Division Committee, so he is well informed as to the importance of this revision.  Old Pasadena Management District urges the business and property owners and management to participate in the revision process to ensure that your interests and concerns are represented and addressed in the updated General Plan.  Paul says it well… here is the complete article.

Pasadena General Plan Revision Requires Attention of Business Community

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by Tony Nino, Pasadena Advertising owner
Old Pasadena Management District – Chairman of the Board of Directors

Times are hard, and doing business anywhere is a challenge, but as far as Old Pasadena is concerned, the rumors of the economy getting better seem to be true.  Like anywhere else, to take full advantage of that, you not only have to work harder, you have to work smarter and in Old Pas, we also work together.  Cooperation is what gave Old Pasadena its start in the late ’80s, and it’s what is keeping us ahead of the curve today.

This was a very good holiday season for our 21-block district.  Even though we don’t have all the figures in from all the stores, we can see that our garages were consistently at full capacity, unique visitors to our web site nearly doubled from last year, and merchants have come to us with thanks and stories.

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On Friday, January 1, 2010 at 8:00am, millions of spectators around the world celebrated the New Year with the 121st Rose Parade, themed 2010: A Cut above the Rest. With nearly a half mile of the 5.5-mile parade route and the greatest concentration of spectators along the route running through the heart of Old Pasadena, the volume of trash left behind is enormous. Yet before noon on New Year’s Day, less than two hours after the last float passed through Old Pasadena, the District was completely clean. With a team of less than 20 people, Anna Addis, VP of Operations for Old Pasadena Management District (OPMD) had the streets and sidewalks spic and span. By noon, merchants were able to open for business without their patrons having to step over trash and debris.

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As part of our Holiday Celebration which kicked off the holiday shopping season on Friday, November 27, we initiated our $1,000 Shopping Spree Sweepstakes for shoppers spending $50 or more in Old Pasadena. We received hundreds of entrees from local and visiting shoppers. An entry was awarded to every $50 spent over that weekend; so many people had several opportunities to win.

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Our wonderful Old Pasadena Holiday Celebration kicks off this Friday, November 27 with Santa’s Arrival and Tree Lighting in One Colorado Courtyard.  Saturday and Sunday, more than 50 merchants and restaurants are participating in our Holiday Open House by offering special in-store promotions, treats and events. Every $50 you spend in Old Pasadena on Saturday and Sunday qualifies you to enter our drawing for a $1,000 Old Pasadena shopping spree.  More details here.

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Jim Plotkin - Old Pasadena stakeholder

Jim Plotkin has made a significant investment in Old Pasadena and is as committed as anyone to keeping the District vital and competitive, particularly in this tough economy.  Jim started out in retail in 1964 as the owner of the Pasadena Vacuum and Sewing Company located in the Stanton Building at 80 East Colorado Blvd.  He purchased the building and then refurbished the property in 1972.  The Stanton Building is now the home of the Sprint store.

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Indiana Colony 1874 - Stereoscopic picture

1.     Present day Pasadena was settled by a group of Indianans seeking fairer weather following the exceptionally cold winter of 1872-73. The Indiana Colony was incorporated on January 31, 1874, and was later renamed Pasadena because the name “Indiana Colony” was rejected by the Postmaster General.

2.     The official paint color for all street furniture in Old Pasadena is “Tavern Square Green“, as stipulated in the Streetscapes and Alley Walkways Plan.

Original Schoolhouse

3.     The Schoolhouse parking garage is named for the Fair Oaks schoolhouse, which was relocated shortly after the turn of the century when it became exposed to the bustling activity of the developing center of town and potential danger to the children.

4.     The Old Pasadena Property-based Business Improvement District (PBID) was renewed by petition vote in 2005 for another five year term, by an overwhelming 94% approval by the property owners.  The Continuation Campaign is getting underway for the 2010 renewal.

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This year’s edition of the Old Pasadena Film Festival included a very special occasion.  We were offered the opportunity to present a recently restored version of the Mary Pickford silent film Daddy Long-Legs (1919), her 226th film appearance at the age of 27, with a newly commissioned score composed by Maria Newman.  This particular film coined Mary Pickford as “America’s Sweetheart” and one of the most beloved actresses in history.

The composer Maria Newman was born into one of the most famous and influential musical families in Hollywood. The youngest daughter of the nine-time Academy Award-winning composer/conductor, Alfred Newman (The King and I), she grew up in a family of renowned musicians and composers, including Randy Newman (Toy Story).  Ms. Newman has received numerous commissions from the Mary Pickford Foundation to compose original music for newly restored vintage classic films of the silent era.

So it was that on a balmy Saturday evening in Old Pasadena, members of the Malibu Coast Chamber Orchestra performed the exhilarating musical score to the silent film under the direction of Maria Newman.  On July 11th, the film was screened for  a capacity crowd in the Courtyard at One Colorado and the musicians received a warm standing ovation at the end of their performance.

We have received wonderfully enthusiastic praise for this event and heard from many people who treasured this magical evening. Don’t miss the last weekend of the 2009 Old Pasadena Film Festival featuring An American in Paris and Gypsy on Friday, July 24th, West Side Story and Twilight on Saturday, July 25th.

Due to the success of this first time event, Old Pasadena Restaurant Week has been extended another week until Monday, June 15th.  Don’t miss this chance to try a favorite locale or experience something new.  Either way, our restauranteurs have put together some very enticing prix fixe menu selections for you to choose.  Just check our online directory of participating restaurants and menus.  Best of all, 10% of event proceeds will go to Union Station Homeless Services.

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