Claremont Metro Station

The last thing Sandra and John took us to see was very nearly my favourite place of all, for several reasons.  It was beautiful,

it was historical - built in 1927 (the interwar period!) and it had to do with travelling by train!

Claremont Metro Station just took my breath away!

Apparently this decorative style is called 'churrigueresque', which is 'Spanish baroque'.   I think it is absolutely gorgeous, in small doses, just like they used it here.

I've not figured it out, but apparently one can get to the airport in LA via

 not to mention the Pacific Ocean.  Definitely worth exploring further, I think!

I was quite sad to be leaving the next day by plane to Dallas.

Sad to be leaving Sandra and John, sad to be going by plane and not train.

However, we had a schedule to keep.

More around Claremont

So, what else did we do while we were visiting Sandra and John? 


One day we drove up around Rancho Cucamonga and they showed us where they lived before they sold up and moved into Claremont.  That was on the way back from visiting Mount Baldy. 


There was a cycling race (Stage 7 of the Tour of California) from Claremont up Mount Baldy, which Bill was sad to have missed.

We stopped by Bed, Bath and Beyond to pick us some coffee.  We were both staggered at the number of choices available.



We also played our photo shopping game,

Clever idea, not that I need this.

spotting things Amy Dacyzcyn

Tell me, please, people aren't really this lazy!

might have tagged

You still have to turn the page yourself...

'yuks' or 'yeas'.

Erm...it's not the skillet that makes you skinny.

One afternoon we met up with some of John and Sandra's friends in the village square for tea.  It was just a bit cool so we ended up in a pastry shop near there.   Whilst out in the square I was trying to get a shot of some kids riding a horse - no doubt part of the festival I showed you yesterday.  What I accidentally got was a rather good photo of Bill.

Festival

So, what else did we manage to do?  Well, there is a festival in Claremont village every Wednesday evening.  There was live music, stalls set up by local businesses,

And a petting zoo.  They had it all:  ducks, chickens, a dog, goats, turkeys, a llama, rabbits and piglets. 

There was a man who tried to pick up one of the piglets and it went scuttling and squealing to another part of the enclosure.  There was something so cute about that squeal that I almost paid money to go in there and chase it down, but I resisted the temptation.

There were two fences around the animals, no doubt to keep people from sticking their fingers in, but it also made taking photos pretty challenging.  Never mind, it was fun.

Claremont Property Porn

I love the architecture in Britain; I think it's one of this country's best points.  That said, most of the housing tends to be pretty boring.  In a given area the houses all look pretty much the same, using similar building materials and a narrow range of designs.   There are sound reasons for this and I can name some places in the US that really could have done with some planning control, but that is a rant for another day.

Today I want to share some of the loveliness that is Claremont, CA.

I appreciate that not all of these are terribly special houses.  It's just that they look loved.



I'm not even sure what 'Harvard Steps' is about; is it a house? a business? a college building?  It just struck me, that's all.

There is a wide variety in the size and in the materials used, though almost all were frame houses rather than brick or stone.  Perhaps it is this that allows such variable design to be possible.  It's probably easier to change the outside appearance of a frame house to differentiate it from its neighbours.

And of course the lush trees add a huge amount of character to the area.

One could practically build a liveable house in some of those giant old trees!

It wasn't just me that was struck by it all; Bill snapped a fair few photos himself:

I'm not big on river rock as a building material as a rule, but it seemed to be a popular feature around here and I have to say it works in small doses.  I wonder if it was part of the arts and crafts design? 

 I love this 'suite' of porch furniture.  All the shaded porches around here speak to the wonderful outdoor life that is possible in a pleasant climate.

I think small windows in unexpected places give a bit of mystery to a place.  They make me think there is an attic full of old chests to explore.

Every area has its fixer-uppers; I've been told I fall in love with houses for their potential.   Some folks have ended up with spectacular homes, finding and fixing the right house in the right location.

My own experience is that these projects are better left to more industrious types, but I can still dream.

Also, I can tell you, this philosophy applies far better to houses than to men.   Never, ever, fall in love with potential, only what is already there.  People just don't make good projects.

Ceramic Art

Ceramics aren't really my thing, that is to say I've never given them much thought.  Except for dishware and the odd vase or knick-knack, I wouldn't say I have much of it around.  [Pause, while I get up and go around my house.  Clay-based items are actually quite ubiquitous, I just never noticed.  I'm such a dozy person.]  Then again, looking up the term, "ceramic" is about the process (heating and cooling) rather than the material. 



So, when Sandra waxed enthusiastically about this museum in Pomona, I wasn't too sure about it.  However, one follows the hostess's lead in these things (sort of like eating what's put in front of you) and if 50-some years has shown me anything, it is that keeping an open mind is paramount to having an interesting life. 



Sandra is a volunteer at AMOCA and she's taken some classes, so it's clearly her thing.  Also, in one of our rambles around Claremont we dropped in on a friend of hers, Marjorie, who was kind enough to give us some tea and a tour of her house.  I'm quickly warming to the idea that a smaller house is a blessing, particularly if it's in the right location.  Marjorie and her late husband, both artists, lived in Mexico for over 20 years.  The house tour was more to show us her husband's works, paintings built up with layers of shellac, I think it was, resulting in an almost tile-like effect.  They were very striking and I could see why she wanted to keep them.



She also showed us some of her work.  One piece had tiny little people occupying some of the spaces in a printer's box; you know, like these.  Another piece involved small faces, caricatures perhaps, mounted in groups onto a rectangular background.  The faces are all on hinges that allow one to alter the directions they face, so that one can almost create relationships or a story line between the faces by which way they are turned.  I was really tempted to snap a photo, but wasn't sure of the artistic etiquette of that, never mind invading a complete stranger's house with a camera!  I'd never make a good journalist, would I?



So, we went to this museum.  And you know what?  It was lovely.  I looked at everything - except the coffee table books - and found several things I thought were really beautiful.  Even better, photographs were allowed, so I could share them with you.  So I was a really happy bunny. 



Eva Zeisel made these primary-coloured, geometric design dishes,pictured below, in the 1930s. 


She is originally from Hungary and is still living!  Even more, she is a presence on the internet.  If you love looking at beautiful things, you definitely need to check out some of these websites.  And of course, if you are in the area, you could always visit the American Museum of Ceramic Arts.  


I don't know if Sandra has converted me into a ceramics enthusiast, but I'm definitely joining the Eva Zeisel "a maker of useful things" fan club.  Her biography, by Lucy Young, is now on my book wishlist (Amazon, if you won't let me put the link+image where I want it, I won't put it on here at all).

Thank you, Sandra, for introducing me to Eva!

Sandra and John's House

As I mentioned before, Sandra and John live in a 700 square foot house.  When we first went in she showed us what used to be their guest room, their dining room, and their rec room (the couch, the fold-away dining table, the large screen TV all located in the front room).  I suppose if you are going to downsize drastically, a sense of humour is always a good thing to keep. 

In fact, their house has a living room; a kitchen which leads to the large fenced patio/back garden; an office with a huge desk; and a bedroom, all beautifully decorated. 

Sandra watering her thirsty roses.

The office and the bedroom are  linked by a small bathroom which doubles as a hallway in this respect.  There looked to be loads of storage cupboards, no wasted space and no clutter.  It was simple, comfortable and pretty. 

That sign says 'Welcome to Nana and Papa's'

They 'outsource' their other needs:  as I mentioned, the Doubletree is their guestroom.  They use a laundromat.  They keep their 'seasonal' items in a rented storage unit.  Sandra said she loved changing the decor for the seasons.

I can't believe we came away without photos of the meals we took in the back yard, but there it is.  We'll just claim jet lag, OK?  Picture a pleasant space enclosed by a tall wooden fence and large shade trees, a glass table covered with a lovely tablecloth and cushioned chairs.  The temperature is just between cool and warm.  One can hear neighbourhood sounds, but this is a separate world.  It was magic.

The front porch and back patio are such pleasant spaces in the renouned
California climate; I think they should count as two more rooms!

Theirs is an older styled house; I think John told me it was built in 1926. This might be one of the reasons I loved it so!

Flowers and Flutterbys!

I want to write 'The next day...' but as usual I'm changing the chronology of events. 




Bill's photo

That's called artistic license, so there. 







Ahem.  'One morning'... we met on a certain corner between Sandra's house and our hotel, convenient for heading to the Botannic Garden. 

It was really an excuse to be out in the lovely outdoors, doing more walking and talking. 




I had my camera batteries sorted by then so there is an abundance of photos, not even including Sandra's. 

Sandra said they call these 'fried egg flowers'.

She told me about their close friends and some of their experiences with family history research. 

Photo by Bill

Bill would stop and take a picture. 




Then I seemed to have to take the same picture. 


I couldn't help myself. 


Sandra talked about her and John's children and grand-children.



We talked a bit about our understanding of our shared genealogy, though we both acknowledge that Sharon is the true expert there.   

Bill's photo

She talked about her and John's life together, about what goes on at the Botannic Gardens, about what she likes to buy at their shop. 

Bill's photo

Bill bought a hat there, a lovely green one, but then left it in Oklahoma City later.  I tried on hats but none suited. 



These trees were another thing that reminded me of Australia.

There were lovely things in the shop, but nothing I felt would improve the quality of my life; at least nothing I could fit into my suitcase.

The butterfly pavilion was possibly the best part of that walk. 



We were shown all sort of things from dead exhibits of local and immigrant species;



to all the stages:  eggs (tiny little dots on a leaf), caterpillars (AKA larva),

Bill's photo

pupa (the least attractive part in my opinion, so I'm not bothered that none of our attempts to photograph them came out well) 




Bill's photo

and finally butterflies. 




Bill's photo

Gorgeous butterflies!

I only remember a couple of the many facts we were given: butteflies only live a few weeks. 



Bill's photo

They like to eat the same solution as you would put out for hummingbirds.  Butterflies also like watermelon!




Bill's photo

I took tons of photos, or attempted to.  Only a few turned out.  I work on the theory that if you take enough photos you will eventually come up with something worthwhile. 

Bill's photo - can you see the squirrel?

Thank goodness for digital photography.