🚀 go-pugleaf

Well they've changed the parking lot deal recently so it's not as bad but
you're right, it's a dump.

It's also a real shame, there were a couple of years during the transition
between skid row and retail hell that it was a pretty cool place. I met a
guy there playing guitar on the street who speaks over 12 languages fluently
and who one night was given an ovation by members of the Los Angeles Guitar
Quartet who happened to be passing by,for his unbelievable playing.

Met a group of guys who formed a band that played on the streets who went on
to record 2 cd's and now tour Europe every year.

Ate some very nice food at places like Tommy Tang's and Chopstix. Hell even
the Rose City Diner had some history and context and it was owned by a local
guy. Now it's gone along with Market City and a host of other locally owned
places.

Saks closes and Tiffany's opens, who was the genius in charge of that
decision.

No more movie theatres, virtually no live music,little wanna be fascists
running around writing parking tickets and forcing out any "undesireable
elements", what was the the best coffee house is now so crammed with junk
trying to squeeze every last dollar out of every square foot of usable space
that's it's a chore to get up to the counter to order.

A shame.

John

"The Real Bev" <bashley@myrealbox.com> wrote in message
news:433C9B5F.3227DE13@myrealbox.com...
> John Emmons wrote:
> >
> > You can thank the Alhambra city council for that. They encouraged
mindless
> > "development" at the expense of long time retailers. And the folks who
live
> > there got to help pay for it all.
> >
> > Like those of us in Pasadena got to help pay for the godawful mess now
known
> > as "Old Pasadena". Which will always be "Old Town" to anyone who can
> > remember the 90's...
>
> In the words of the immortal Bette Davis, What a dump!  It was easier to
get
> to Goldstein's in Arcadia than the one in The Dump (including ordinary
> downtown).  I think the last time I went into the old mall was in 1995
when
> Radio Shack had a free-with-coupon cordless phone on sale.  I've been in
the
> new mall once -- I was on jury duty and was looking for a place to eat.
Baja
> Fresh or something like that.  Overpriced slop.  What a HUGE dump.  I
suppose
> if you work downtown you might be tempted to eat somewhere in The Dump,
but
> driving there deliberately is reserved for the insane.  A friend was
totally
> pissed off when he parked in the parking lot, looked for 20 minutes or so
for
> a place to eat, found nothing of interest, and had to pay the $5
> flat-fee-after-5:00 parking fee.  One more customer lost forever.
>
> Pasadena would be a PERFECT place for a Fry's, but NOOOOOOOO!
>
> > "The Real Bev" <bashley@myrealbox.com> wrote:
> > > "Dave C." wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Your system sounds impressive, like a textbook case of working
smarter
> > > > > instead of harder.
> > > >
> > > > Yup, it sure sounds like he's a smart business operator.
Unfortunately, the
> > > > idea to quit your job and open a BBQ restaurant won't work for
everybody.
> > > > It's not a bad idea . . . it's just that, when everyone owns their
own
> > > > restaurant, there will be no customers.  Call it the food pyramid
scheme.
> > > > :)
> > >
> > > That's a problem in Alhambra, a local largely-Asian community.  Over
the years
> > > the department stores and shops have moved out and restaurants have
moved in.
> > > The restaurants are generally very good -- chains like Tony Roma's and
> > > individual ethnic restaurants, mostly Asian -- but there's nobody to
eat at
> > > them.  Now they're trying to change the mix back to general shopping,
but the
> > > "nice" dress shops and stores that  my mom liked to shop at are gone
forever.
>
> --
> Cheers, Bev
> $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
> Don't tax me. Don't tax thee. Tax that man behind the tree.