Double Rainbow

This was shot Wednesday by Dan Rix, our city engineer in the Public Works Department. His office is on the third floor at City Hall.

Mystery History -- Solved!

Julie wins with her 11:39 a.m. Tuesday guess "When the circus came to town...."

In the photo above, the tents are all set up in the Arroyo Seco for the Clyde Beatty and Russell Brothers' Combined Circus, which was in town for two days in May 1944.

Here's an excerpt from a Pasadena Star-News article published May 4, 1944:

Highlighting the two-hour, star-studded program is Clyde Beatty, world's foremost wild animal trainer, who appears in person at every performance with the world's largest group of performing jungle-bred lions and tigers.

Daring death twice daily...Beatty presents a startling and thrilling exhibition exemplifying man's dominance over the most savage, cruel, bloodthirsty and ferocious beasts of the jungle...

...Additional thrills are provided by the world-renowned Flying Concellos exemplifying the poetry of motion in the air in a sensational exhibition of aerial agility on the flying trapeze; Miss Estrelita, top-ranking exponent of thrilling heel and toe patches at dizzy heights; the Great Olveras, world's most astounding head balancing perch act; Mario, unrivaled and amazingly versatile genius of the tight wire, and scores of other aerial, arenic and trained animal exhibitions punctuated by the absurd antics of a comical contingent of clowns.

Here's a photo from the article:


Caption: Clyde Beatty, world's foremost wild animal trainer, who dares death twice daily in the Clyde Beatty and Russell Bros. Combined Circus battling 40 ferocious, blood-thirst, jungle-bred lions and tigers in a mammoth steel arena.

And a photo from a May 2, 1944, article:


Caption: An aerial ballet girl files the toenails of Big Margaret, one of the star pachyderm performers of the New Clyde Beatty and Russell Brothers Combined Circus coming to Pasadena Friday and Saturday of this week. According to attendants, the elephant really likes the treatment.

Circuses that feature "wild or exotic animals" are no longer allowed to set up shop in public rights of way per the Pasadena Municipal Code, which also outlaws rodeos in public areas. The amendment to Title 8 of the code was approved by the Pasadena City Council on Feb. 5, 2001.


Many thanks to Pasadena Public Library.

Mystery History

Where are we? And what's happening?

The first person to guess correctly will win a fabulous prize!

I'll have the full scoop on Thursday.

Looking for Something to Do?

Monday, Dec. 20, at 6:30 p.m. -- A District 6 town hall meeting will highlight proposed road safety improvements in the Madison-Cordova area.


Wednesday, Dec. 22, at 1 p.m. – This week’s film in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Pasadena Central Library, 285 E. Walnut St., is the American Ballet Theatre production of “The Nutcracker” (1977, G) featuring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland in the tale of a girl who falls asleep on Christmas Eve after a party and dreams herself into a fantastic world where toys become larger than life and the nutcracker prince defends her from the mouse king. (626) 744-4066.


Thursday, Dec. 23, at 3:30 p.m. – Watch as the pages of the popular children’s book “The Spiderwick Chronicles” come to life on the movie screen at La Pintoresca Branch Library, 1355 N. Raymond Ave. (626) 744-7268.



Friday, Dec. 24, and Saturday, Dec. 25 -- City of Pasadena administrative offices, libraries and community centers will be closed.

Please note all events listed above are free.

Mystery History -- Solved!

Bellis wins with her 10:02 a.m. Tuesday guess "Construction of a water tunnel at Devil's Gate dam?"

In the 1934 photo above, an unidentified man stands at the entrance of a water tunnel at the dam.

Here's the dam under construction in 1920:


Before construction began, Devil's Gate looked like this (see the devil's profile?):


I've done other Mystery History contests about Devil's Gate in the past. Learn more about its history here.


Many thanks to Pasadena Public Library.

Mystery History

Where are we? And what's happening?

The first person to guess correctly will win a fabulous prize!

I'll have the full scoop on Thursday.

Memory Card Full

I'm really bad about deleting photos from my camera, even after I've uploaded them to the computer. Yesterday I got the "Memory Card Full" message, so I decided to share some with you from the past few weeks and months.

In the photo above, this merry threesome -- Nancy Melekian, Jan Sanders and Judy Kent -- and I had dinner together at Celestino on Saturday night. They all wore red, which was definitely photo-worthy. I didn't get the memo, so I showed up in fuchsia.


U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff was the guest in the elected official's chair last month for a KPAS "City Beat" taping. Left to right are "City Beat" producer/director Stuart Johnson, Schiff, your favorite host, André Coleman of the Pasadena Weekly and Frank Girardot of the Pasadena Star-News.

I was the auctioneer and Huell Howser was the MC at the Pasadena Senior Center's gala benefit. I only wore my fancy chapeau during the live auction and for this photo. You can come visit it in my office anytime!

The official crowning of the Rose Queen and her court is an elegant and exciting event every year. Here's Tournament of Roses President Jeff Throop and his wife Angel with the lovely young women at the close of the ceremony.


Ritch Wells, the City of Glendale's PIO, retired last month. I was asked to say a few words at his farewell party in the Community Room at the Glendale Police Department, which I was so happy to do. I presented him with a Pasadena City Hall tapestry blanket (on the table at right), then tearfully gave him a big hug. I sat on the interview panel for the Glendale PIO position about 15 years ago when Ritch was hired. The Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank PIOs meet for lunch quarterly to discuss shared issues and have a little fun. Ritch is now the alumni member of the group!


In October there was a Pasadena First: Buy Local open house where local business representatives met with city staff who provided advice on departmental purchasing needs.


Brian Biery and I used to work very closely together during the years when he headed up the Neighborhood Connections Office. After all, I'm all about community outreach and that office is all about neighborhood outreach. Now Brian is the director of community organizing for the Flintridge Center. We had lunch at the Pasadena Sandwich Company recently. He was checking my latest blog post when I shot this.


Joyce Wong was the graphic designer in the Public Affairs Office for a few years. She moved back home to Hong Kong to care for her ailing mother about five years ago. Ruby, in her 90s, bounced back and is in better shape than any of us, and Joyce decided to stay in Hong Kong anyway. She was visiting here a couple of weeks ago, and Linda Centell and I met her for dinner at Mijares.


Daryl Evans, the radio color commentator for the Los Angeles Kings, and the team mascot Bailey, addressed the Pasadena City Council in support of a new ice rink.


Ten PIO pals and I who have known each other about 25 years get together in Palm Springs every year to catch up with each other and enjoy some R&R. Here's the gang earlier this year having breakfast at our hotel before hitting the pool area. Starting at left front are Heather Morris, director of communications for the Port of Long Beach; Dave Liebler, director of public affairs and member services for the California State Association of Counties (CSAC); Sheri Benninghoven (leaning forward), former director of communications for the League of California Cities and now president of SAE Communications; Judy Rambeau Franz, former assistant to the city manager/communications for the City of Santa Monica (retired); Scott Summerfield (with our server), former PIO for the City of Newark and now principal at SAE Communications; Tom Manheim, director of communications for the City of San Jose; Karen George, former PIO for the City of Fremont and now PIO for the Anoka-Hennipen School District in Minnesota; yours truly; and Norm Franz, Judy's husband.

Not shown (because they couldn't make it this year) are Sue Schlerf, assistant city manager for the City of Reno; Mike Maxfield, former PIO for the City of Claremont (retired); and Debbie Thornton, former communications manager for the League of California Cities and now marketing director for Unify Corporation.