Good Eats

Need a healthy dose of old-school diner goodness? Shakers is the place. In a world that changes so fast it gives you whiplash, Shakers is a wonderful constant. It's like South Pasadena's home base where you can go to regroup, relax and cure what ails you with a heaping plate of eggs and hash browns.

I was doing just that this past weekend when I asked the waitress about another South Pas staple restaurant, Wild Thyme. It's owned by the same family who brings us Shakers as well as Central Park Grill in Pasadena. Wild Thyme is being renovated and will reopen with a new name and a new menu. I was told it's going to be called Canoe and it will serve Hawaiian food. I'm not sure what Hawaiian food is exactly, but I'll give the proprietors benefit of the doubt. They haven't let me down yet. (Although, I'm going to miss Wild Thyme's Italian chopped salad. Sigh.)

A Many Splendored Thing

Even the rooftop of Wild Thyme has been struck by Cupid's arrow! It's a good thing. As I've said before, I love Valentine's Day. My husband proposed to me on Valentine's Day, so I'm particularly sentimental. I love every hokey, over-the-top, shameless bit of it. (And the chocolates aren't bad, either.)

I know, you don't have to tell me, I've heard it all before: Valentine's Day is just a promotion created by Hallmark and we should know better than to join in. Moreover, every day should be Valentine's Day, and we don't need society telling us when to express our love. Please! It's like saying not to watch the Superbowl because you're a football fan all season.

So, my fellow romantics, here's to making such huge, lovesick fools of ourselves today even Nicholas Sparks would tell us to cool it. Here's to giving our children a reason to shake their heads at us and say, "gross." Here's to dozens of overpriced roses and countless recitations of sonnets. Here's to smooth jazz and aftershave. To champagne and caviar. To short skirts and long nights. To rekindling fires and stirring flames. And if you find yourself without a special Valentine this year, here's to realizing that Cupid is a sneaky little bugger who thrills at the idea of catching you off guard.

So here's to being off guard. And open. And when you reach into that little box of Sweethearts candies, here's to getting the one that says True Love.

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all.

Caption this photo... (#10)

This really needs a good caption...

Anyone?

Loquats in the Shade

As San Diego Farmgirl recently pointed out, citrus trees can be found in most Southern California yards. But this is the first time I've seen them in window boxes under an awning. Leave it up to one of my favorite restaurants, Wild Thyme, to make great use of this space. (I'll bet loquat jam would be great with those famous crepes...)

Circles

It's the first of the month, and that means it's Theme Day for participating bloggers in the City Daily Photo community. This month's theme is Circles/Spheres. I chose this beautiful quilt hanging on the wall of Wild Thyme, one of my favorite South Pas restaurants. The cafe is owned by the same family who runs Shakers -- another great local eatery. Although name Wild Thyme alludes to the menu's well-seasoned fare prepared in a traditional French style (get the crepes!) -- I'm reminded of that wonderful rambling speech by Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream:

I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows,
Where ox-lips and the nodding violet grows;
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight;
And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in...

Okay, so you won't find nodding violets or sweet musk-roses here, but you might just dance with delight after a yummy meal in this bistro's cozy, comfortable setting. Which brings me full circle -- and how apropos, given the current theme. I don't know the history of this lovely quilt, but it always captures my attention. Although it's a traditional textile, it's also quirky and magical and eclectic. (Kinda like South Pasadena.)

Be sure to circle around the other City Daily Photobloggers, and have a look at the many creative and diverse images from all over the world.