On the Town: Pasadenans celebrate Apple Store reopening

Only second to the Super Bowl celebrations was the excitement generated by the reopening of the Apple Store this week on Colorado Boulevard in Old Pasadena. Apple fans had to wait several months for their favorite Apple store to be renovated and expanded. They weren’t disappointed. The grand-opening event on Saturday (Feb. 4) brought out a line of Apple aficionados that wrapped around the block. Many of them weren’t planning to buy Apple products, they simply wanted to be a part of the party.

As the doors opened at 10 a.m. sharp and the hoards pushed in, two lines of Apple specialists dressed in their bright blue shirts high-fived each customer. Little Apple fan Gracie Goodwin, 1, wasn’t shy in fist-bumping Apple specialist Brandon Nuckelt. Waiting for their own fist-bumps were Gracie’s aunt Anna Goodwin, Anna’s brother Bill Goodwin and his son, Gracie’s brother, Billy Goodwin, 3. The Goodwin family from Pasadena had stood in line for 1½ hours.

Each customer received a black Apple T-shirt with the signature Apple logo printed next to “Pasadena.” Making sure there would be enough Apple product and free T-shirts for them, Arcadia residents Alejandra Wells and Emilio Gardea began lining up at 6 a.m. They made it.

Burbank resident Scott Davenport makes a point of going to “a lot of Apple store openings over the years.” He wanted to get his free T-shirt. Pasadena resident Terry Goble, standing toward the front of the line, was anxious to get in so she could take in a free talk on how to use Apple gear.

On this Super Bowl weekend in Pasadena, it was the Apple Store that easily took center stage.

The Camellia Festival at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge was actually a three-ring circus. In honor of the delicate flower were faerie tours, a camellia walk and talk, a camellia curator lecture and tea time, with teas from the Chado Tea Room in Pasadena.

On Saturday, hundreds of camellia lovers visited Descanso, but the fairies could only be seen by morning’s first light. Catching a glimpse of fairy dust were Glendale resident Sophie Gross, 5, in sequined faerie wings and her friend Scarlet Parod, 4. Sophie’s mom Lisa Schulz and Scarlet’s mom Claire Armstrong hovered closely.

Pasadena’s Chado Tea Room was popular for its free tea samples. Customers lined up for the samples passed out by tea room employee Fernando Estrado. The tea samples represented just a few of the Tea Room’s offerings of more than 300 tea varieties. The Chado Tea Room is at 79 N. Raymond Avenue.

At $8 for an adult ticket, $6 for seniors and students and $3 for children, the few dollars transported Descanso-goers to a world of faeries and flowers — a peaceful respite from the daily grind.

Don’t miss Descanso’s Tram Tour of Love and That’s Amore Dinner on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.

RUTH SOWBY may be reached at ruthasowby@gmail.com.