Everything Glendale

Filed Under: Activities, Burbank, Christy Marsden, Exercise, lulemon athletica, The Americana, Yoga, Yoga Blend

Christy Marsden, the owner of Yoga Blend in Burbank, often cites Sutra 1.33 when reminding her students of one of the goals of yoga. It states, “If we can be pleased with others who are happier than ourselves, compassionate toward those who are unhappy, joyful with those doing praiseworthy things, and remain undisturbed by the errors of others, our mind will be very tranquil” (Desikachar).

I love that one of the great revelations of this ancient philosophy is to simply join happy people in celebration, to be near those who are doing what you want to do.

Indeed, Yoga Blend is in Burbank, but happily, they are giving me an excuse to review their beautiful studio because they are coming to Glendale for five dates in the month of May, offering free yoga classes on the lawn at The Americana. Yoga Blend is more than just a studio; Christy has created a welcoming community of kind teachers who delight in offering their extensive knowledge of yoga to newcomers and experienced yogis alike. And how lovely that they are partnering with lulemon athletica, a Canadian yoga apparel store whose shirts don’t roll above my belly during down-faced dog.

At Yoga Blend’s classes, you will find no intimidation, no competition or rivalry. Just simply yoga.

I encourage you to join the celebration at the Americana this month, to get to know the caring teachers of Yoga Blend.

But, if you’re still anxious about the prospect of turning upside-down in the midst of Glendale’s public center, you might turn to the subsequent Sutra 1.34, which states, “The practice of breathing exercises involving extended exhalation might be helpful” (Desikachar).

In other words, just breathe.

Yoga Blend
1921 W. Magnolia Boulevard
Burbank, CA 91506
818.954.YOGA
www.yogablend.com

lululemon athletica

The Americana at Brand

233 S. Brand Boulevard

Glendale, CA 91204

818.241.3251


www.lululemon.com/glendale/glendale

Schedule of Free Yoga Classes at lulemon athletica Glendale:


Sunday, May 10, 2009: 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
 with Christy Marsden and Nicole Honnig 



Sunday, May 17, 2009: 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
 with Bekah Finch



Sunday, May 24, 2009: 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
 with Nicole Honnig

Wednesday, May 27, 2009: 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

 TRIBAL BLEND with Christy Marsden 



Sunday, May 31, 2009: 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
 
with Keric Morinaga


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Filed Under: Celebrities, City Politics, News, Paul Krekorian, The Americana

We haven't done a news roundup for a couple of weeks now, so there's a lot to catch up on. Here's some noteworthy items that you may have missed:

• That roar you may have been hearing at night isn't in your dreams. The Glendale Police Department has issued a warning to residents to be on the lookout for a mountain lion that's been roaming the Verdugo Mountains.

• While Westfield is cutting the hours of its shopping centers across the country, The Americana at Brand will defy economic forecasts by keeping its normal hours.

• Our friendly neighborhood Assemblymember Paul Krekorian authored tax-credit legislation that aims to lure production on films and TV shows back to California.

• Time published a cool obituary of Glendale resident and punk rocker, Lux Interior, frontman of the Cramps.


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Filed Under: Celebrities, Education, Miley Cyrus, News, Nicollette Sheridan, Shia LaBeouf, The Americana

• Did you know there's a firearms dealer in Glendale that converts old weapons into props for major motion pictures? Cinema Weaponry just made a deal to take the Santa Barbara SWAT team's old firearms in exchange for new ones.

• If the economic stimulus package that just passed the House of Representatives last week is finalized, the Burbank and Glendale unified school districts will receive a combined boost of $33 million over two years.

• Okay, so the reason why Shia LaBeouf seems to be always be "news" in Glendale is because almost every day he walks to his neighborhood liquor store to pick up an Arizona Iced Tea, like last Monday and last Tuesday. But let's give Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday a Shia LaBeouf break and point out that...

• Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) was mobbed by screaming fans at The Americana at Brand and...

• Nicollette Sheridan was photographed on the set of Desperate Housewives in Glendale.


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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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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
889 Americana Way
Glendale, CA 91210
818.637.8982
www.americanaatbrand.com

[Source: Just Jared Jr.]


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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
889 Americana Way
Glendale, CA 91210
818.637.8982
www.americanaatbrand.com

[Sources: E! Online and People.]


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Filed Under: Downtown Glendale, Events, Pacific Theatres, The Americana

Last month, I was but one of the thousands lucky enough to get into The Americana at Brand to witness its first Christmas tree lighting. It's amazing how they were able to close the "doors" to an outdoor event, but they did—and without any riots.

The Americana was packed full of people, so I squeezed my way to the front of Pacific Theatres, which was relatively empty, given how there was a line of Glendale's Finest nearby. I staked out my piece of wall, plugged in my earbuds, and settled down to wait for my husband.

Unbeknownst to me, he was on the other side of a line of security guards, unable to get in. So I waited for more than an hour, getting thirstier and thirstier. But I was hesitant to move from my plum spot—not only because this was where I told my husband I would meet him, but also because I didn't want to lose my piece of wall.

So, unwilling to venture forth through the crowd in a quest for icy cold water, I got thirstier and thirstier. By this time, I had been there for an hour and a half.

But then, what did I see? Angels coming forth from the theater, bearing gifts of bottled water!

Theater employees came out and passed water out to several of us and didn't even charge us! Which they could have, because by this time I was willing to pay up to $10 for a bottle. An employee also let me borrow his cell phone so I could call my husband and let him know where I was.

These simple, kind, and generous gestures inspired me to admit something I rarely do: I guess all people don't suck! Thank you, Pacific Theatres at The Americana. You have won a loyal fan.

The fact that Santa later floated down to light the Christmas Tree while harnessed to a giant white balloon was just icing on the cake. Santa's all right, but the real Christmas Spirit was at Pacific Theatres.


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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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Filed Under: Bamboo Panda, City Politics, City Services, Community Happenings, Events, News, The Americana

I was having dinner at Bamboo Panda (an okay Chinese restaurant run by, I believe, Koreans on Brand Boulevard) a couple Saturdays ago when the sky started exploding. When I got up and peeked outside, I saw that it wasn't some apocalyptic byproduct of the then-raging wildfires, but an elaborate fireworks display at The Americana that was set off to celebrate the shopping complex's tree-lighting. (The event, by the way, really cheesed off City Council members, who said going ahead with the proceedings in a time of emergency was "dumb-headed" and "ill-advised.")

There will be less controversy, I'm sure, at the Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at City Hall on Wednesday—unless, of course, I decide to streak around the tree. Here are the details:

Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony

Wednesday, December 3, 2008
7:00 p.m.

Glendale City Hall
Perkins Plaza
613 E. Broadway
Glendale, CA 91206

This holiday celebration features choral music, lighting of the City Hall tree, and a special visit from Santa Claus! Free parking is available in the Civic Center Parking Structure (enter off of Wilson). Hot chocolate and candy canes will be served. In case of rain, the event will be cancelled.

Or maybe I'll try to pants Santa. Dare me to?


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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.




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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."]





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