Altadena Above It All

Getting up to speed on kpcc’s new community adventure, The Freeway.

KPCC is just launching this listener-led community of facebook.

I’m one of the select co-hosts. Take a look at my first post and tell your stories!

Hahachacha

A day of blogging about Hahamongna Park

My first visit to Hahamongna  Watershed Park was nearly 20 years ago. An old boyfriend, his kids and I stopped in there to play Frisbee Golf (until we learned we couldn’t use the word Frisbee without violating the all important copyright/patent rules). Had to call it disc golf.

I just discovered there is actually a group called PDGA—the Professional Disc Golfing Association—and Hahamongna is on their site.  It’s very lightweight sporting activity but does demand good aim. And luck.

A few years later I moved to Altadena from the Westside. I’d forgotten about Hahamongna until I started driving around the area to get my bearings. “Oh my God,” I thought when I saw the park again. “That’s the place we played Frisbee golf!” See, you can’t get brand names out of your head if you want to. Kleenex anyone?

Since then I’ve enjoyed years of the dramatic flooding, the changing look of the trees in the basin, the sounds of wildlife and the gorgeous sunsets looking over the area from the ridge at the East entrance to JPL. It is such a gift to have an area so rich with life other than human. Don’t we get enough of people already? Don’t thousands of kids play soccer at the Rose Bowl, just a stone’s throw away? Why place sports fields in a WATERSHED park that regularly floods? That is its purpose. Overflow rain gathers and is channeled through Devil’s Gate. Standing on the bridge watching and feeling the force of millions of gallons of water shoot through that cement gate is more exciting than standing on Hoover Dam.  

I apologize for not having photos today. Many technical and life challenges at the moment. My other blog, Altadena Daily Photo, does have shots of the basin during fires and snow. And thanks to Karin Bugge, Barbara Ellis and Petrea Buchard, many other bloggers are devoting space to this topic today as the Pasadena City Council prepares to vote on the park July 12. Please read these other blogs and find out about all the issues yourself.

Altadena Hiker
A Thinking Stomach
East of Allen
Finnegan Begin Again
LA Creek Freak
Mendolonium
Mister Earl’s Musings
My Life With Tommy
Pasadena Adjacent
Pasadena Latina
SaveHahamongna.org
Selvage
The Sky Is Big In Pasadena
Webster’s Fine Stationers Web Log
West Coast Grrlie Blather

Mini honeymoon to Yosemite

Many of you know that my husband died on April 23. Here’s some information about him you may not know. Just more to appreciate about him.

Steven Beattie Patrick 1950-2010

Design engineer Steve Beattie Patrick, whose visionary work with Walt Disney Imagineering, Jet Propulsion Laboratory and his own company, Interactive Design Engineering, ranged from projects such as the Mars Rover to theme park rides to concert stage effects for performers Madonna, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, has died at the age of 59 after a year-long battle with kidney cancer. 

Mr. Patrick was born on December 2, 1950 near Kyushu, Japan to Haruko Ota–from Kobe, Japan–and Roy Beattie Patrick–originally from Laramie, Wyoming and living in Japan while serving in the U.S. Army. The Patrick family moved to the U.S. in 1957, first to Boulder City, Nevada (where Roy Patrick’s father was Sheriff), eventually settling in the San Fernando Valley. Mr. Patrick graduated from California State University at Northridge in 1975 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts.

Under the mentorship of Walt Disney Company Legend Bob Gurr, he subsequently designed ride vehicles for Disney’s EPCOT Center, then worked at Universal Studios where he designed the simulator motion base for both “Back to the Future” (now “The Simpson’s” ride) and “Earthquake L.A.” As a senior engineer with Disney Imagineering he was instrumental in the development of theme park equipment, special effects and animatronics robots. He was an active member of the Themed Entertainment Association. 

“The outstanding thing that everyone liked about Steve is he was always ready to do anything; his being there really made a difference,” says Bob Gurr, who developed more than 100 designs for Disney attractions including Autopia, the Matterhorn Bobsleds and Monorail systems. “I remember we were working on the flying saucer for the closing ceremony of the 1984 Olympics here in Los Angeles. We had five weeks to design, engineer and build the whole thing,” Gurr continues. “Well, at that time Steve had this little Alfa Romeo convertible. We were both gear heads, and he was always there with that Alfa, saying ‘Okay, I got these parts, now what do you want?’ He had that basic attitude at Disney, and in his own business. He was always learning new stuff; loved to pick up on anything new.” 
 
In 1992, Mr. Patrick formed Interactive Design Engineering (IDE), and provided engineering for consumer companies and online platforms such as Xulu, as well as designs for the entertainment industry–concert tours and theatrical equipment–and continued his work with theme parks, including Universal Studios Japan. He was the head of the engineering team for Designs International of Dallas, Texas; the company won Best New Ride at the 1993 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Show for its “Mini Family Himalaya” ride. This success was followed at the 1995 IAAPA Show where their “Thunder Air” won Best New Ride.

With Designs International, Steve was head of engineering for Sega Projects, working on Joylopus in Japan and Sega World at Piccadilly Circus in London. Friends and fellow “gear heads” at the company included industry leaders Don Hood (former head of GM and Chrysler design studios, best known for his design of the Hemi ‘Cuda) and Bill Bannard (president of Aston Martin for 25 years). Designs International CEO Marshall Gardner describes Mr. Patrick as: “A very rare soul who thrived working on great projects and mechanical systems with the best talent around–and Steve was unquestionably one of the best!” 

He began his work with Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech as an independent contractor, and was brought on as a full-time member of JPL’s mechanical section in 2001. He worked on sampling systems for the Mars Science Laboratory, and testing for JPL’s Aquarius project, which collects sea surface salinity data over the global oceans. He developed and designed mechanisms, new technology and flight instruments for various projects, and played an important role in the Space Technology 7′s Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) to be tested in the upcoming LISA Pathfinder mission, flown by the European Space Agency. Mr. Patrick received JPL’s prestigious Team Bonus Award from the Solar System Exploration Directorate as well as several Certificates of Appreciation for his contributions as a Cognizant Engineer.

In 2007, he opened the California office of Dynamic Structures, LTD, a Vancouver-based company on the forefront of the international amusement ride industry, and Canada’s leading international designer and builder of telescopes and enclosures for astronomy. “Through Dynamic Structures, Steve worked on what will be the world’s largest telescope, the Thirty Meter Telescope, a U.S.-Canadian project, and played a significant engineering role as the company developed solutions for new and exciting theme parks,” says David Halliday, Dynamic Stuctures president.
 
“Steve developed a motion theater design and worked with dear friend Les Hill of Electrosonic on the audio/visual technology. His work extended to interactive robotic rides and wave-generating machines. Steve’s talent has now been extended to the young engineers he worked with and mentored. The legacy he left will continue as these young engineers carry on his dreams to entertain the thousands of people who will find excitement through his dedication and effort.”

An avid fly fisherman, photographer and sculptor, he loved to spend time in the Eastern Sierras and national parks. Mr. Patrick was a lifelong car enthusiast and a valued member of the Porsche 912 Registry and Porsche Club of America. He was a leader of Boy Scouts of America Troupe #288 in La Crescenta, and a member of Sierra Pacific Flyfishers. He loved food, wine, music, and also enjoyed studying art, archeology and anthropology; he recently traced his paternal genealogy to 11th century England. 

Steven Patrick died on April 23 at his home in Altadena, California surrounded by friends and family members. He is survived by his wife Debbi Swanson Patrick, sons David and Christopher from his previous marriage to Mary Brown, mother Haruko Ouellette, sisters Angelique Ilo and Trish Jacobs, as well as beloved aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.                                                  

Memorial services are scheduled for July 11. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Steven Patrick’s name to The Awareness Center in Pasadena via check or to Southern California Hospice Foundation online.

Hi everyone,

Most of you know that my husband is battling cancer and things are very serious right now.

Wish I had enough time to post regularly here on all the great things going on in Altadena.

I’ll post when I can. Do go to the next Art on Palm in Altadena’s Wildwood Park on April 24. www.artonpalm.com

And of course visit Gallery at the End of the World.

Keep the arts alive in Altadena!

xoxoxo

Let’s remove the temptations.

Lieutenant Steve McLean at the Altadena Sheriff’s Station has asked that the following advisory be posted . . .
Altadena continues to experience a high number of burglaries and thefts from vehicles.

You are your own best defense.

Please do not leave your vehicle without checking to make sure that there are no cell phones, MP3 players, GPS devices, Bluetooth devices, expensive sun glasses, wallets, handbags, computers, PDA’s, satchels, backpacks, briefcases, currency or coins visible, and do not walk away from your vehicle without confirming that you’ve locked the door to at least slow down the person who wants what you’ve left visible in your vehicle.

Every day people are calling the Sheriff’s Station asking to make a report because they’ve now been victims themselves.

Please encourage everyone you know to park vehicles in garages and to lock up – out of sight – any and everything that will give criminals a reason to open the door or to smash your windows to take the gifts you’ve left for them.

Your vehicles aren’t safe even if they’re parked in your driveway.

These criminals span all age groups from teens to older adults and if you find yourself still saying to yourself that it won’t happen to you, guess again . . .

Want to talk to people who have been victims?  They also thought it couldn’t happen to them.

LOCK IT OR LOSE IT!

I spoke with Ben McGinty about this idea back in January, and here are the details via Mickie’s Zoo:

MC GINTY’S GALLERY AT THE END OF THE WORLD

IS ACCEPTING ARTISTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ALTADENA’S FIRST ANNUAL SELF GUIDED HOME STUDIO TOUR JUNE 25th 26th 27th 2010

There is a $35 fee to be listed on the map and promotion of the event, and a donation of a piece of your art for the fund raiser benefit silent auction.

The only prerequisite is that the public can access your studio easily and that your studio lies within the town of Altadena

The event will kick off Friday evening June 25TH, 6PM till 11PM with the opening of the silent auction show which will be available for bidding through the weekend.

Tickets will be $8 per person, and will include a map to the participating artists studios

The gallery will open at 9 AM Saturday for the sale of the maps and viewing and bidding on the silent auction. Artists studios to open by 9:30AM. The gallery and artists studios will close at 6pm.

Sunday the gallery will reopen at 9AM with the artists studios opening at 9AM. The tour will end at 3PM Sunday, Whereas the closing event at the gallery will commence.

The silent auction will close at 5PM At this time the highest bidders can purchase the art. Artists are encouraged to attend the Friday night and Sunday afternoon events.

THE DEAD-LINE FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS EVENT IS; MAY 23rd 2010

We here at Gallery At The End Of The World look forward to your participation in uniting our fellow artists and neighbors, strengthening our need and desire to making and surrounding ourselves with art!

For more information please contact Ben at:
626 794-4888
or e-mail
altaartistshst@gmail.com

www.galleryattheendoftheworld.com