Shirley Palooza Four Pt. 1: The Pasadena Tour

I joined the 4th annual Shirley Temple Palooza festivities with the Shirley on Location Tour which began at the Los Angeles Arboretum. If you’ve never been, you need to go. The grounds are beautiful with peacocks meandering (and squawking) everywhere.



Last year, Melissa (aka “The Colonel") and I had scouted a number of exterior locations used in Shirley Temple movies. This train depot was used in her 1940 movie "Young People." The gang posed in front, where Shirley had waited with her movie family over 70 years ago.





Lunch at the historic Raymond 1886 was a huge hit (see yesterday’s post for more about this fantastic little gem of a restaurant!).



As soon as we finished lunch it was "chop, chop" onto our next destination, the house used in Shirley’s 1934 hit “Bright Eyes."



Little Shirley pushed her dolly cart up this very driveway with costar Jane Withers.





If you think Shirley is a forgotten relic today, you’re wrong. When “The Colonel” asked the workers installing security cameras at the house if they’d heard of her, the heavily tatted man of the team began singing "On The Good Ship Lollipop." So there.

Next up: a house used in deleted scenes for 1936’s “Poor Little Rich Girl.”



When we first arrived, the gates of the house were locked, as it is currently a construction site.



Shirley was smiling down on us though, and as good fortune would have it, a worker was walking down the driveway about to open the gate. Seizing the opportunity, I ran over to him to ask if we could check out the property for just five minutes. He hesitantly smiled as he fumbled the gate’s lock. One of our gals quickly announced that we “had no guns” and then Melissa announced to him that we were part of Shirley’s Army, proudly showing her button. The talk of guns and army changed the man’s smile to a look of fear. Hushing all military talk, I begged one more time. Seeing the five women with me converging on the gate, he knew he didn’t stand a chance, so he let us in.

It was pretty amazing to walk down the driveway of this once beautiful estate that had been ravaged by fire and Father Time.







The very wall that Shirley posed on for publicity photos:





Our little afternoon tour had been a huge success. Look at those smiles!



I’ll leave you at the Wrigley Mansion as a teaser for the next installment!



See more Pasadena photos at my main website.

The Raymond 1886

On a recent trip to LA (more on that in later posts!), a group of us were touring Pasadena and needed a lunch spot. I picked The Raymond 1886, where I’d dined a few years back. What a great choice! Tucked away in a hillside, this place is a hidden historical treasure.

The Raymond Hotel was built in 1886 by Walter Raymond, a Boston native, so that other rich folk from the east could flock to the west coast and vacation during the harsh winters. It lasted until 1931 when the Great Depression forced it to close, like so many other businesses. Although the hotel itself was torn down (progress at its worst!), the caretaker’s cottage has lived on and found new life as The Raymond 1886.



The bar area, where you can enjoy a DELICIOUS mule expertly crafted by one of the Raymond’s mixologists.



Next time I want to try The Forbidden Peach!



Beautiful details abound throughout this historic space:



The weather was cooperative and we were able to dine out on the patio. What a treat!



One of the other dining rooms:



In case you couldn’t tell, I HIGHLY recommend this place. The food was delicious, and EVERYONE in our group loved their lunch. The service is excellent, too. What a great experience!

See more Raymond 1886 Restaurant photos at my main website.