Old Town Report (7/14/16 Issue)

Old Town Monrovia. – Courtesy photo

It’s so easy to take the good in our lives for granted and so easy to focus on what’s irritating us. But there are times, and this is one of those times, we have to stop, take a collective breath, and say “Thank You” where it’s due. So I’ll start this column with a huge “Thank You” to both our wonderful Monrovia Police Department and to our amazing Monrovia Fire Department. It can’t be easy to both “Serve and Protect,” especially in today’s world. We love you.

I was thinking a lot about “Thank You’s” this week, so here’s another round of thanks to everyone who loves Old Town. I do believe our town is rather unique: it has a “feel” of friendliness that I have never experienced anywhere else. I actually suspect that the fact that we are very different in so many ways – our tastes, our backgrounds, our political opinions – is one of the biggest reasons we are so congenial. No one gets to be the big cheese around here for very long. I love that too.

Ah, the term big cheese made me think of cheese, big time: cheese from Myrtle Tree Café, from The Saltner (which should be open this week), and from the almost open Bottega at Bella Sera. Then there is the non-traditional guacamole with goat cheese from the Peach Café on Friday nights. And, we have some new happenings for the little cheeses in our Old Town family: check out Dream Big Children’s Center at 612 S. Myrtle (in the breezeway behind Pinkberry). Their flyer says “Play, Explore, Create,” but you really need the visual to know what that means.

When I walked in on Saturday (their first official day open) the first thing I saw was a toddler in a yellow vest and hard hat busy constructing something in the first playroom; as I continued walking I saw several other play rooms with big open windows, a party room, a changing room, a rack of child-size costumes, and a row of peddle-riding toys.

And, along the kid-friendly line, last week I had a meeting with the owners of a new business preparing to open in Old Town. Shh … it’s top secret right now, so don’t tell anyone … but I will share with you that it is a concept new to our area, but the idea was on the list of businesses our Business Attraction had in mind a couple of years ago. Another dream coming true!

Our Old Town Merchant Co-op had a good meeting last Thursday at Rudy’s. The folks from Raw Inspiration came to brief us on their plans for the Monrovia Street Fair, beginning August 19. Though the layout it not yet final, it looks like the farmer’s market will be in the middle, the kid’s area and related products on the north end, and the prepared food area at the south end (where the kid’s area is now) and retail vendors in between. Thanks to Melissa Farwell and Katie Rogers from Raw for listening to our concerns and answering our questions (and thanks for not making us use white tablecloths)!

More things to remember: The Sow House (“sow” as in “farm to table” not as in “pig”) has live music; Bella Sera has great music on their patio, and The Diplomat has music on the weekends.

And don’t forget the arts: Saga Fine Art on East Lime has exhibits which change monthly, featuring art in oil, watercolor, pastel, and pencil by gallery artists – so go visit them!

And Stan’s Bike Shop, though not technically in Old Town (but close enough to be called a “Friend of Old Town”) is working on a “Tour de Taco” Summer Bike Ride event this month. Check them out here for more details.

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