The final stop in our Pasadena Tour extravaganza was the Tournament House, formerly known as the Wrigley Mansion. Yes...that Wrigley...as in chewing gum. Who knew that gum chewing could help you build a gorgeous mansion like this?!? Built in 1906, William Wrigley, Jr. bought it in 1914. The family loved watching the Rose Parade FROM THEIR FRONT PORCH. Wow. A year later, Wrigley bought the house next door, leveled it, and planted a beautiful garden in its place. His family presented the estate to the City of Pasadena in 1958 with the understanding that it would become the permanent headquarters for the Tournament of Roses, thus the name Tournament House.
And naturally there are roses in the garden, like this GORGEOUS one! Please hold the tour while I snap this photo…
While it is a functioning building that is a bustling hive of activity, the luxurious residence is still a site to behold.
A massive renovation of the mansion began in 2000, involving seventeen members of the Pasadena chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers who were asked to redecorate a specific room in the house, using historic photos of the rooms for inspiration.
Today, free tours are given every Thursday from February through August. DEFINITELY worth a visit. Did I mention the tour is FREE??
Can you guess who was Grand Marshall THREE times? Melissa, aka “The Colonel,” knew and quickly answered correctly: Shirley Temple! 1939:
Fifty years later in 1989:
and again in 1999:
Want to see a ticket from the 1939 Rose Bowl Football Game? Of course you do.
The year I marched in the parade (1980), Frank Sinatra was Grand Marshal:
My High School Marching Band:
Me on alto saxophone:
Just missing rush hour traffic, the group departed and I checked into the Chateau. Ahhhhhh....relaxation and a tiny nap. That bed looked damn good after our long day of touring.
Dinner that night was at a Peruvian restaurant on Melrose Avenue, Rosaliné:
Melissa and I thoroughly enjoyed the drinks (just check out these three hand-crafted cocktails sent over to us by Max, the manager)…
…food, and atmosphere (as well as the company of Max).
The beet salad was the only thing I bothered to shoot; we were having such a great time and savoring all of the delicious flavors of the other appetizers and entrées to think about snapping photos!
How do you top a day like that? How about a VIP Tour of Paramount Picture? Stay tuned for Part 3!
See more Pasadena photos at my main website.
2 comments:
Your adventures are awesome.
I would tend to agree.
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