Claremont Village WINE WALK

Its coming up quicker than you know. The 7th annual Claremont Vintage Village Wine Walk! This year there will be over 50 businesses scheduled to participate. Ive never done this before so I think it will be fun.

WHEN: September 12, 2008 from 5pm-9pm
WHERE: Claremont, CA
PRICE: $30 a person

Get more info here:

http://www.thevillageclaremont.com/08wine.html

The Walker House in San Dimas

The Walker house in San Dimas was built around 1885 as a hotel to help encourage people to settle into the area. It didnt do so well and was bought in 1889 by the Walker family. It even survived as a restaurant during the 1970s but has been in disrepair for a while now. It is finally being restored and you can find its restoration blog here: http://www.cityofsandimas.com/ps.quicklinks.cfm?ID=1535


View Larger Map

Earthquake in Southern California!

Epicenter felt from Santa Barbara to the north, San Diego to the south, and Las Vegas to the East! Wow. I felt some shaking first, but then a big big jolt, and then a bunch of rolling for a while. And I didnt even have to pay $75 at Disneyland either :) Your typical shake and bake in So Cal. Carry on people, carry on.

The Claremont Packing House

The whole region of ours here in southern California is known for its citrus. If you go to Redlands you'll still see remnants of the citrus industry. Glendora had its own Sunkist packing house, Claremont too. In fact, the abandoned packing house has been restored to include a few restaurants (I count 6), vintage clothing, baby clothes, the Claremont Museum of Art, The Hip Kitty Jazz Club, and a few other nice surprises.


Check out the website below to learn more about it! It makes for a great evening. (Dont forget to check out the Huell Howser video too)

http://www.claremontpackinghouse.com/


View Larger Map

San Dimas Citrus Grove

The photo below shows San Dimas circa 1900. Looks like mostly citrus groves.


Check out some labels I found too.

The Claremont Village

The Claremont Village is the place to go for Claremont. On Sundays ,they have the farmers market, and any day is a nice place to shop here. If you like trinket stores like what you might find in Lake Arrowhead, or say, Solvang... theres a few stores here that remind me of the same. There is one I especially like that has the best Christmas and holiday gifts. It almost feels like an antique store, but its not. Excellent decorating.

The architecture in Claremonts mini downtown is also nice.The building below houses the pizza place named "Pizza n Such". Being a pizza freak, Id say their pizza is pretty good, but the service, especially on weekends when there could be a crowd, is slow. They also serve a local beer which is good called thew Pomona Queen made by the Dale Bros. Brewery. (Although not as good as my friend Phils beer at Skyscraper Brewing Company).

Pizza N Such doesnt seem to have a website. I'll post their addy and phone #, plus use the map for driving directions.

273 W 2nd St
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 624-7214


View Larger Map

Pizza N Such isnt the #1 place to eat in Claremont but my first experience there was memorable so we always gravitate back there. It was a cold cold November night. On the weekend. The Pomona Colleges are nearby which brings downtown Claremont to life. This pizza place was packed so we stood outside in the cold for well over 30 minutes. After we finally got in and warmed up, found a booth and ordered a beer on tap. It was pretty good for a local brewery and I think I had another. Im not an NFL fan (soccers my game) but it was a nice distraction to watch some NY Jets game. The pizza we ordered... never arrived. My wife and I talked for quite a while and noticed we never got our pizza. To make a long story short, we got a new one for free and they apologized up and down for the mix up. Hey, it was busy there and the pizza was pretty darn good. We go back, but every time the service has been spotty. Sometimes its great, other times slower than a cold cheese melting down the side of some garlic bread. Oh well, pizza is pizza. Hmmm.. We should try someplace else next time. One friend of mine plays piano at the Press. I'll have to check it out soon.

The Victorians in Glendora

Every city around the foothills has its batch of Victorian style homes built at the turn of the century, or even earlier. Pasadena, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, West Covina, Claremont... the whole stretch along the foothills. Glendora also has a few gems... and Im not posting all of them now... just a couple. The first one is the Brunjes House.

and this one below is another Victorian with a Daguerreotype photo style attempting to make it look old.

Bee Break

Today is a break to take a look at the bees flying around and pollinating our garden. Is there more this year than last? Maybe about the same. Here is one I found before he gets busy today :)

A Quick Hike

These foothills offer plenty of places to go for a hike or even a jog...
As you can see below, cars arent welcome (if you didnt get the message).
But thats alright with me...

Claremonts Farmers Market

Claremont's Certified Farmers Market is every Sunday, all year round and goes from 8am until 1pm. (check the map down below)




I didnt go to take photos... next time Im there I will. Its a great atmosphere and great food. Its one of the better farmers markets east of Monrovias Farmers Market on Friday nights.

To get to the Claremont Farmers Market, try this...


View Larger Map

Bougainvillea in Glendora

The vines of the Glendora Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis and Bougainvillea glabra), which were planted at the turn of the century, cover the lower portion of twenty-five, ninety-foot tall palm trees (Washingtonia robusta) and comprise the largest growth of bougainvillea in the United States.
The plantings originally bordered two sides of an orange grove likely planted circa 1890. Such a display of tropical plants helped further the image of California as a paradise and was common to citrus ranches throughout the state from 1895 to 1940. While California’s early citrus industry has all but vanished, the Glendora Bougainvillea remain as a significant living emblem of that era.



You can find them right here on E. Bennett Ave in Glendora!


View Larger Map

A Patriotic View

A view out our front bedroom...

and another view just to the left of the window...

Claremont is Pet Friendly

At least their sidewalks are. Our doggie was thankful for the water!

The Balinese Cat

OK, so its not exactly related, but he does live in this region! Our cat is a good boy. We rescued him as a baby from the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society and he had a terrible cold when we found him. They said he would have been put to sleep the next day if we didnt rescue him. Im glad we did! He is a great cat and I was never a cat person either. Once in a while he gets into trouble though . . .

Sunflower Wallpaper

I had to put up something right away to offset those horrible Azusa photos. Here is a sunflower straight from my garden. The weather is great in our area for planting your own fruits, veggies and flowers.

Click the image full size, right click and save it. It would make a nice desktop wallpaper for your computer!

Azusa Canyon Ruined

Although not technically part of the cities we focus on, Azusa Canyon is accessed from Glendora via Sierra Madre Ave (heading west), then north on Highway 39. Or on the east side of Glendora via the Glendora Mountain Rd. We're blogging this to show you one of the reasons why we arent focusing too much on Azusa in this blog. E n j o y . . . .





I especially like that bright blue rock shining in the last picture here. I wonder if "graffiti removal" will come out to the stream if I call them?? :) Seriously though, the canyon all along the stream is like this as you get closer to Crystal Lake. Miles and miles of this. I actually cried when I saw it. Imagine the beauty if there was no graffiti.