Showing posts with label Shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shopping. Show all posts
Posted by
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Filed Under: Florists, Ivy's Flower Station, Shop Reviews, Shopping
Valentine's Day came only two weeks after my first date with Matthew, and, as young college students, we were both unsure about how to handle the holiday—to what extent we should declare our feelings, how to tiptoe around the "L" word. He chose a single, long-stem rose. I still have the flower, dried now, 14 years later.I don't care if Valentine's Day might be a corporate hoax designed to leech our hard-earned dollars. I love that it is a holiday whose sole purpose is to declare our love: our love for our husbands and wives, our children and friends, our love for each other, even if it's through exchanging simple gifts of beauty.
Ivy's Flower Station offers such lovely creations. Each bouquet is a unique artistic creation, specially designed by Marianne the owner, and she will make a lovely bouquet for even the smallest of budgets.
Marianne possesses a joyful kindness that is reflected in the shop, a converted gas station originally built in the 1930s. Marianne opened in Kenneth Village four years ago and made a concerted effort to retain the original details. Paint peels over red Chinese lanterns; a large wooden counter reminiscent of 1950s soda pop stands invites walkers-by to place orders; and goldfish swim in a square pond over the mechanic's pit, reflecting Marianne's sense of humor.
Besides flowers, the store also offers handmade cards and gifts, and just the charm of the shop makes you want to spoil your loved one with such unique little tokens.
Unfortunately, my husband doesn't play on the Internet as much as most of us do. If any of you reading this knows Matthew, tell him he can go to Ivy's Flower Station for Valentine's Day this year. Who knows? He might be getting a little something from there, too.
Ivy's Flower Station
1435 W. Kenneth Road
Glendale, CA 91201
818.500.7599
www.ivysflowerstation.com
Price Range:
$10.00 and up
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. until they run out of inventory
Sunday: Closed
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Posted by
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Filed Under: Food, Grocery Stores, Guest Bloggers, HK Market, Jons Marketplace, Seafood City, Shopping, Super King
[This is a guest post by Kendyl Young. Kendyl is a longtime local realtor, and runs Kendyl's Open House, a hyperlocal blog about real estate and the communities of Glendale, La Crescenta, and La Canada, above the 134. Kendyl's Open House features the best real estate deals and up-to-the-moment community happenings every day.]We live in an area of amazing culinary diversity, and this is completely reflected in our grocery stores. Now, I'm not even going to address the intimate family markets that populate so many of our corners. These are often hidden gems of ethnic yummies and super fresh backyard produce.
This post is about the supermarkets that cater to our diverse cultures and, frankly, kick the major chains' butts from here to you-know-where.
They all share common traits. First, there is the produce. The produce is amazing. Large. Beautiful. Cheap. Did I say cheap? Okay, when Ralphs has red bell peppers at $4.29 a pound, these markets often have them at $1.29. Sometimes even 2 pounds for a dollar. There are items not available at the major chains—Persian cucumbers, Mexican papayas, and cactus paddles are just a few examples. And everything seems fresher and tastes better.
A word to the wise: avoid shopping mid-morning on weekends. There are crowds of very sturdy people who have a single-minded focus on getting the very best tomato or cucumber from that pile over there. They will knock you down in a New York minute if you get in the way. They are NOT rude (mostly)—they are as oblivious to you as a crowd of sorority honeys would be at Barney's annual sale. Move aside. Your life (and shin bones) are more valuable.
Second, there are the items catering to ethnic cooking. Special vegetables, spices, condiments, and prepared foods. Often you can strike up a conversation with a casual shopper and find out what that strange green veggie is, how it is prepared, and what it tastes like. Everyone likes to talk about their food! I love to buy snacks and drinks labeled in other languages. I've had some real stinkers, but most are just amazingly good.
Third up are the meats, poultry, and seafood. Now, I'm sorry for all you die-hard Middle Americans out there. I know that the cuts of meat that Anthony Bourdain refers to as the "nasty bits" are off limits for you. You are just missing out. My motto is "eat first, ask questions...never." In these markets, I've seen ox tail (so very very very good), whole fish, chicken feet (also delectable), undefined cow innards, and whole sheep's heads (beyond MY comfort level, but who am I to judge?). The great thing is that, unlike the Chinese markets of my youth, none of this stuff smells!!!! It is all as modern and aesthetically pleasing and American as you could want.
So, here is a list of some of my favorites in Glendale and surrounding areas:
Jons Marketplace
1717 W. Glenoaks Boulevard
Glendale, CA 91201
818.244.2575
www.jonsmarketplace.com
600 E. Colorado Boulevard
Glendale, CA 91205
818.956.0999
www.jonsmarketplace.com
This is my first choice, partly due to location, partly due to the outrageous produce. Seasonal fruit and Persian cucumbers are the standouts in a sea of amazing offerings. If the price is really low, the items are sometimes misshapen or irregular. This does not affect the taste! Bulk spices and enticing juices and snacks labels in Armenian are also very good. Watch out for the sturdy peasant-looking women of all ethnicities. They can be dangerous if you try to get that choice tomato before they do!
Hours:
Monday-Sunday: 7:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Super King
2716 N. San Fernando Road
Los Angeles, CA 90065
323.225.0044
www.superkingmarket.com
2260 N. Lincoln Avenue
Altadena, CA 91001
626.296.9311
www.superkingmarket.com
Too bad this market is a bit of a drive. I would go there every day if it were closer. The San Fernando Road location was formerly the flagship store for Hughes Market. It is spacious, modern, and huge. The produce here is better, more diverse, and even cheaper than Jons! Yesterday I got 4 huge artichokes, 2 for 99 cents, and Kobachan squash, a dollar each. Such a score. Oh, I also got 6 ounces of ground cinnamon for $1.69. I thought the meat looked very fresh.
Hours:
Monday-Sunday: 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Seafood City
Eagle Rock Plaza
2700 Eagle Rock Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90041
323.543.2660
www.seafoodcity.com
This market caters to the Filipino population and specializes in seafood (duh). The selection is amazing, and, while it is no Fish King, the quality is very good. There is a definite fishy smell going on here, but nothing like the smells of my youth. There is an entire WALL of frozen lumpia—that delectable Filipino eggroll—and the greens and vegetables are closer to my Chinese heart than the veggies at Jons or Super King. Weekends are an absolute hoot—they always seem to have some sort of event that involves loudspeakers, cheesy music, and announcers speaking a mixture of Tagalog and English.
Hours:
Monday-Sunday: 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
HK MarketIn these uncertain economic times, maybe we should rediscover a well-cooked meal in the comfort of our own homes, surrounded by the people we love. It's a thought, huh?
831 N. Pacific Avenue
Glendale, CA 91203
818.247.4949
The flagship store is located on Pacific. This is a large, modern building, and the offerings are a bit mind-boggling. Produce, like in all these markets, stand out for its diversity, freshness, and price. Things are not as cheap as Jons or Super King, but still very good. I find the Koreans have the most ginormous Napa cabbages in the world. They also love huge Fuji apples and Asian pears. On the far left side of the store are the prepared foods and Kimchee offerings. Thanks to my friend June, I have been tutored in what to buy and eat and it is very exciting food. I recommend the delectable fried chicken wings in the hot case. Sweet, spicy, salty, and crunchy. Totally addictive.
Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sunday: 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
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Posted by
Monday, January 19, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Filed Under: Barnes and Noble, Blockbuster, Borders Books, CVS, Downtown Glendale, Glendale Exchange, Glendale Fashion Center, Ice Cream, Longs Drugs, Mervyn's, News, Shopping, The Americana, Thrifty Ice Cream
The closing of all Circuit City stores across the nation, including the one on Maryland and Broadway, is the latest big news of the worsening economy. (I'm generally an optimist, but 34,000 lost jobs can't be good.) This leaves downtown Glendale looking a bit bleaker—witness the gutted space where the Mervyn's used to be, and the Exchange shopping area is becoming a dead zone. Now, Glendale Avenue is going to take a couple of hits.The Longs Drugs on the lower level of the Glendale Fashion Center across from Ralphs will be permanently closing its doors on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. CVS bought Longs last year, but decided to shut down this location rather than changing the name. This sucks for me because Longs is within walking distance of my house, and the Rite Aid up the street is not (though the siren song sung by Thrifty Ice Cream may be enough to entice me to walk the few extra blocks).
As if that weren't enough to dampen my neighborhood spirit, the Blockbuster on Glendale and California is closing on February 15, 2009. (Last day to rent is February 8; last day to return is February 19.) Which means I have to drive to the Pacific location or Colorado location for DVDs or stay home and read—I don't like any of those choices.
What will become of you, Glendale Avenue? As much as I love The Americana, I thought it was a pretty crappy move to close the Barnes & Noble in the Glendale Fashion Center and move it to The Americana, especially since there's a Borders just a block away. It's good planning for The Americana, but bad planning for the structure of a city. I live between downtown Glendale and Glendale Avenue, and things seem a bit off-balance. I don't like that feeling.
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Posted by
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Filed Under: Celebrities, News, Shopping, Vanessa Anne Hudgens
Even though High School Musical's Vanessa Anne Hudgens looked all shopped out last week, she returned to Glendale on Monday to go mattress shopping. Zac Efron was once again nowhere to be seen. Doesn't he get a say as to the firmness and bounce factor of her new bed?All the reports I checked about this celebrity sighting (which did not indicate whether or not she jumped up and down on beds like I would) did not identify the mattress store. Click the picture to enlarge, and see if you can identify the shop. I don't know. Is it one of those mattress stores on Central? Does anybody have the slightest clue?
For more Vanessa Anne Hudgens mattress-shopping pics, go here.
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Posted by
Friday, December 12, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Filed Under: Celebrities, Downtown Glendale, Kitson, News, Shopping, The Americana, Vanessa Anne Hudgens
What the hell is going on this month at The Americana that's drawing the Hollywood elite? Not allowing Britney Spears to hog up the Celebrities-Shopping-in-Glendale spotlight, High School Musical's Vanessa Anne Hudgens was also spotted at Kitson yesterday, looking, shall we say, a little underwhelmed. Maybe she didn't stay around for the fabulous fountain show? That would've put a smile on her face! (Or is she already jaded at 19?)I have never been in Kitson. I don't know what it is. I don't even know where at The Americana it's located. But if Hollywood keeps this up (and perhaps sends a smiling Zac Efron to shop and pose), I might have to investigate further.
The Americana at Brand[Source: Just Jared Jr.]
889 Americana Way
Glendale, CA 91210
818.637.8982
www.americanaatbrand.com
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Posted by
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Filed Under: Britney Spears, Celebrities, Downtown Glendale, Food, Kitson, News, Shopping, The Americana
We don't typically get many celebrity sightings this far east of Hollywood, but The Americana at Brand is enough of a glittery paradise to draw the likes of Britney Spears, perhaps the mother of paparazzi bait. She was seen buying some toys and pajamas for her boys and jeans for herself at Kitson last week. Earlier that day, surrounded by security, she ate at Katsuya, a Japanese restaurant. No news on her chopstick-wielding abilities. (Why don't journalists observe the things I want to know?)And that's about as Hollywood as this blog is going to get. Unless Britney Spears returns to Glendale. And shops at Ross. And eats at Panda Express. Now that I'd like to see—her digging into a big plate of orange chicken. While admiring her marked-down skirt.
The Americana at Brand[Sources: E! Online and People.]
889 Americana Way
Glendale, CA 91210
818.637.8982
www.americanaatbrand.com
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Posted by
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Filed Under: Downtown Glendale, Events, Farmers' Market, Food, Green Living, Montrose, Shopping
[Editor's Note: Hot off the heels of Olivia's terrific post about everything Montrose has to offer comes Kathy's write-up about the farmers' markets in Downtown Glendale and Montrose. Great minds think alike!]When was the last time you ate an apple? And not a grocery store apple, those tasteless fruits flown in from New Zealand and China. I'm talking about a farm-fresh apple, one that has been picked mere days, if not hours before, one that is so ripe, so sweet, taste buds secrete fountains of approval. What's that? You don't live on a farm? Either do I, but I eat farm fresh produce at every meal, and I gather my harvest right here in Glendale on Thursdays and Sundays at our very own certified farmers' markets.
The Thursday market takes place on Brand Boulevard, right north of Borders. Compared to other markets, this one is not the best, but it is certainly respectable, with a good amount of vendors. You will find mounds of beautiful produce, a local baker selling fresh bread and cakes, and a representative from CSUN supplying heirloom vegetables and potted plants. Unfortunately, the sidewalk is a tight squeeze, and the umbrellas catch the cigarette smoke of passersby (how is this healthy living?), but hopefully that will change after the recent smoking ban. You'll find free parking in the building behind the market—just tell the cashier as you are leaving and they won't charge you.
Montrose's Sunday market is a favorite of mine—they have a beautiful selection of vendors, many who are certified organic or grow without pesticides. One vendor in particular sells fresh goat cheese from Soledad that is truly out of this world; they offer amazing flavors like garlic-dill and lavender. The market also includes hot-food vendors, pony rides, a live brass band, and games for kids. It makes for a lovely Sunday morning. The one warning I would give is to make sure that another festival (like Octoberfest or Halloween) isn't taking place on the Saturday before; twice over the past six months, we have arrived only to find no market (and left practically in tears).
I started shopping the farmers' markets exclusively after reading Michael Pollan. In his book, In Defense of Food, he argues for the benefits of eating real food: food your great-great-grandmother would recognize, and food that is local and fresh. Pollan explains that the widespread use of industrial fertilizers and the fact that food is picked when it is not yet ripe and then shipped overseas means that grocery-store produce is lacking in both taste and nutritional quality. He notes, "You now have to eat three apples to get the same amount of iron as you have gotten from a single 1940 apple."
Walk yourself down to Brand Boulevard, pick up an apple—or an orange or a tomato or plum—and take a big bite, knowing that you're supporting a local farmer and living the good life.
Glendale Certified Farmers' Market
100 Block of N. Brand Boulevard
Between Broadway and Wilson
http://www.farmernet.com/events/one-cfm?venue_id=808
Hours:
Thursday
9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Montrose Harvest Market
Honolulu Avenue and Ocean View Boulevard
http://www.farmernet.com/events/one-cfm?venue_id=614
Hours:
Sunday
9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
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Posted by
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Filed Under: Events, Farmers' Market, Food, Montrose, Parks and Recreation, Shopping
Montrose is one of the best kept secrets in Glendale, and many of us who live there would like to keep it that way, so if you’re reading this, keep it to yourself, OK?When I moved to L.A. from the U.K. three years ago, I imagined I'd be living in a brash city. Then I found Montrose and felt like I'd walked into a Frank Capra movie.
Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains on the northern edge of Glendale, this small bedroom community is a bit of a rarity. Part of the City Of Glendale since 1913, it's home mostly to families and a few older citizens. In the early days, Angelenos, including many Hollywood movie stars, would ascend to Montrose's then-"country" heights for clean air and spa treatments.
Now, even though Glendale has reached out in every direction so there are no discernable boundaries, Montrose still offers an escape of sorts to a kind of small-town America where the main street was the hub of the community and you couldn't walk down it without seeing someone you knew.
That main street, Honolulu Avenue, has changed little in character, still featuring a variety of independent stores and restaurants, the only chains in the main strip being Coffee Bean and Subway.
So untouched since the 1950s and '60s are some store fronts that Montrose is often featured in movies and TV shows for its architecture and small-town feel.
The focal point of the week is the Sunday Harvest Market, for which a good part of Honolulu Avenue is closed off. A jazz band adds to the atmosphere as shoppers browse and stop off for brunch at popular haunts like The Black Cow and Montrose Bakery.
The market runs from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. every Sunday and features 70 to 80 stall holders selling fresh produce, mainly from the Santa Barbara and Santa Paula areas, plus original arts and crafts, books, bric-a-brac, and bakery items. There's a petting zoo and seasonal pony rides for the kids.
Montrose's annual Christmas parade attracts some 10,000 visitors from miles around. I took a friend and her family this year, and she was bowled over by the great community atmosphere and the size of the parade—it takes a good two hours for all the marching bands, floats, and vintage cars to get from one end of Honolulu Avenue to the next—pretty impressive for one little town.
Montrose is also well-known for its large number of restaurants, many with outdoor dining. There's everything from sushi to Mexican, Italian, American, and beyond.
But there's more than shopping and dining here. A stone's throw away in neighboring La Crescenta, the Deukmejian Wilderness Park has great trails and stunning views, plus a picnic area.
And in next door La Canada, Descanso Gardens is a beautifully landscaped 160 acres of public gardens to enjoy for just $7. It features a café and a tranquil Japanese tea garden.
Montrose is also only six miles south of the Angeles National Forest so everywhere you look, nature's on the doorstep.
One of my favorite views is driving up the Glendale Freeway and seeing Downtown L.A.'s skyscrapers in my rear view mirror. Then I look ahead to the welcoming foothills I'm driving towards and thank my lucky stars I discovered this gem of a town.
Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains on the northern edge of Glendale, this small bedroom community is a bit of a rarity. Part of the City Of Glendale since 1913, it's home mostly to families and a few older citizens. In the early days, Angelenos, including many Hollywood movie stars, would ascend to Montrose's then-"country" heights for clean air and spa treatments.
Now, even though Glendale has reached out in every direction so there are no discernable boundaries, Montrose still offers an escape of sorts to a kind of small-town America where the main street was the hub of the community and you couldn't walk down it without seeing someone you knew.
That main street, Honolulu Avenue, has changed little in character, still featuring a variety of independent stores and restaurants, the only chains in the main strip being Coffee Bean and Subway.
So untouched since the 1950s and '60s are some store fronts that Montrose is often featured in movies and TV shows for its architecture and small-town feel.
The focal point of the week is the Sunday Harvest Market, for which a good part of Honolulu Avenue is closed off. A jazz band adds to the atmosphere as shoppers browse and stop off for brunch at popular haunts like The Black Cow and Montrose Bakery.
The market runs from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. every Sunday and features 70 to 80 stall holders selling fresh produce, mainly from the Santa Barbara and Santa Paula areas, plus original arts and crafts, books, bric-a-brac, and bakery items. There's a petting zoo and seasonal pony rides for the kids.
Montrose's annual Christmas parade attracts some 10,000 visitors from miles around. I took a friend and her family this year, and she was bowled over by the great community atmosphere and the size of the parade—it takes a good two hours for all the marching bands, floats, and vintage cars to get from one end of Honolulu Avenue to the next—pretty impressive for one little town.
Montrose is also well-known for its large number of restaurants, many with outdoor dining. There's everything from sushi to Mexican, Italian, American, and beyond.
But there's more than shopping and dining here. A stone's throw away in neighboring La Crescenta, the Deukmejian Wilderness Park has great trails and stunning views, plus a picnic area.
And in next door La Canada, Descanso Gardens is a beautifully landscaped 160 acres of public gardens to enjoy for just $7. It features a café and a tranquil Japanese tea garden.
Montrose is also only six miles south of the Angeles National Forest so everywhere you look, nature's on the doorstep.
One of my favorite views is driving up the Glendale Freeway and seeing Downtown L.A.'s skyscrapers in my rear view mirror. Then I look ahead to the welcoming foothills I'm driving towards and thank my lucky stars I discovered this gem of a town.
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Monday, December 01, 2008
Monday, December 01, 2008
Filed Under: Downtown Glendale, News, Shopping, The Americana
I'm going to kick off another week with yet another post about The Americana at Brand (I know, I know!) because I just read an article on a U.K. news site that covers the rise and fall of "lifestyle centers" and focuses on Glendale's $400 million complex. It amuses me to no end that U.K. readers would be interested in my little corner of the globe, but I suppose The Americana is such a lavish display of American consumerist showboating that everyone's probably heard about it by now.Anyway, the article gives a short history of The Americana, criticizes developments such as this, and gets into the recent fireworks controversy. The most interesting stuff, though, is a side story that has to do with a man who lived in the Providence Place Mall in Rhode Island for four years!:
There are cheaper ways to live in a mall than spending $2 million on a condominium at The Americana. Take Michael Townsend, 37, an artist from Providence, Rhode Island. He used breeze blocks to build a fully furnished 750 sq. ft. apartment in the parking garage of the Providence Place Mall - using the public lavatories to get running water. He managed to live in the place rent-free for four years before the security guards noticed. “I was surprised at what he was able to accomplish,” admitted the local police chief, referring to Townsend's sofa, TV and PlayStation. “But what he did was clearly criminal. The mall is private property.”To me, this sounds like an invitation by the Times Online for people to squat at The Americana. If I were younger and less paranoid, this is something that I would definitely do because how fun would it be to shower in that fountain?
Read the entire article here.
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Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Filed Under: Downtown Glendale, Pacific Theatres, Shopping, The Americana
[Read Part 1 if you haven't done so already. The following post continues my fascination with The Americana, and was originally posted on Bamboo Nation, right after the shopping complex's grand opening in May 2008.]As you know, The Americana at Brand, that bastion of America's consumer hopes and dreams, just opened in my backyard this past weekend. I am happy (or sad?) to report that I have already visited there five times—count 'em, FIVE TIMES!
My second trip was Friday night with Loren, Gabriel, and Donovan, and we could barely walk through the complex because EVERYBODY IN THE ENTIRE SAN FERNANDO AND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY WAS THERE! It was insane. But we did get to watch the awe-inspiring fountain show, choreographed to Bobby Darin's "Beyond the Sea."
"You know," Donovan remarked, "that's someone's job. Fountain Choreographer."
I had never really thought about that before, but whoever it is deserves to make ONE MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR!
On Saturday, I took my mom. She looked through the windows of all the fancy shops and declared, "Everything's so expensive! I'm scared just looking! Is there a Ross here?!" THERE IS NO ROSS THERE, MOM!
We went to the multiplex to see Young @ Heart, a funny and moving documentary about seniors singing rock songs, but the best part of it all was that popcorn only cost a dollar. It was a special week-long promotion. Did you hear me?! POPCORN WAS ONE DOLLAR! I said to the concessions guy, "THAT'S AMAZING!"
On Sunday afternoon, I took Brent, and he was fascinated by the idea of the trolley running though The Americana. But I don't really think anything like this could really impress him—after all, the man works at Disneyland and gets to shoot hippos on the Jungle Cruise. A little train that takes you to The Cheesecake Factory must seem petty by comparison.
You know what did have an impact though? A slight breeze during the fountain show blew several gallons of water directly above our heads. We got so completely soaking wet that it was pointless to even move out of the way—we couldn't have gotten any wetter. So we just stood there to let the show run its course and to allow the world to witness our idiocy.
Sunday evening, it was Loren, Gabriel, and Brent again, this time for Iron Man and MORE ONE DOLLAR POPCORN!
Anybody who's been around me during the past few days knows that The Americana is ALL I WANT TO TALK ABOUT! Be warned.
The Americana at Brand
889 Americana Way
Glendale, CA 91210
818.637.8982
www.americanaatbrand.com
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Monday, November 24, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Filed Under: Downtown Glendale, Shopping, The Americana
[The opinions about The Americana at Brand are as diverse as this city. I definitely come down on the "love it" side because I'm able to give into its grandeur and cheesiness. Others are not so generous. Here's a post I wrote on my Bamboo Nation blog on May 2, 2008, right after The Americana's grand opening earlier this year.]The moment I stepped onto the premises of The Americana at Brand this afternoon, a $400 million upscale outdoor shopping center and residential development, I started to cry. I immediately called up Loren and declared, "It's like heaven exists, and they decided to put it my backyard!" You see, The Americana is a scant four blocks away from my apartment, and, although I am by no means a spend-happy consumer (I rarely shop), I have a deep appreciation for what this decadent display of mass consumerism and excess represents—it's like America's hopes and dreams in physical form. Seriously. So that's why I cried. Seriously.
"I have to get off the phone now," I told Loren, "so I can wipe away my tears." And I also wanted to give The Americana, which had its grand opening on Thursday night, the full attention that it deserved. As I took it all in, I thought to myself, "I now know how all those immigrants felt when they passed through Ellis Island."
Aside from the 70+ shops and restaurants, 100 luxury condos, and 238 apartments, The Americana boasts an 18-screen movie theater (I just squealed in delight), a lavish fountain and waterfall (complete with a ridiculous fountain show every half hour), tacky bronze sculptures (public art—gotta love it), and trolleys (just in case you don't want walk around the 15.5 acre development). (And why would you want to? This is L.A.! The Los Angeles Times described it as "The Grove on steroids.")What's even more ridiculous (and lovable) about it all is that The Americana opened up right next to the Glendale Galleria, one of the biggest indoor malls in the Southland. Out of all the people I've talked to so far, only Loren has truly displayed the excitement necessary to match the cheesy awesomeness of The Americana. So tomorrow I'm bringing my mother. And when her jaw drops at the sight of it all, I will ask her, "Is this how you felt when you first came to America?"
[This post continues at "Ooh, Heaven Is a Place on Earth, Part 2; or: Visiting The Americana at Brand, Part 2."]
The Americana at Brand
889 Americana Way
Glendale, CA 91210
818.637.8982
www.americanaatbrand.com
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