"We appreciate your PATIENT during this process" should have been a giveaway." LOL
There seems to be one at Ralph's on Carrillo, too
Myron Hunt, the architect of La Arcada Plaza AND the Pasadena Rose Bowl (among other structures.)
La Arcada. Myron Hunt, architect
I have never been — and fully appreciate your travel journal. What an enjoyable read of morning coffee. I admire the details and approach you take to life and have a better understanding of Phoenix because of it. Thank you.
Terrific story on Phoenix
Enjoyed your report a lot
In La Arcada
I can’t believe a pug growled at you. The cool thing about solo travel is that you get complete agenda control. Sounds like the type of trip that I might have enjoyed.
Since in many cases, on many sites, it is unaffordable to even build unaffordable ('market') housing, how could it be affordable for a developer to build affordable housing? It's not. Let the Housing authority build the affordables. And let developers build the unaffordables. Maybe if we get enough unaffordable units built they will be more affordable, LOL! Everyone hates the greedy developers. It's understandable. But we kind of need them. They do take big risks and so at times there are big rewards. I think it takes a lot of guts and ambition to pull these things off. Profit is their scorecard and that is what motivates them. Perhaps we can teach community ethics in business school. Maybe not worshipping money, talent, success, fame as a society is a better start than name calling or shaming. We need to create people who just want to be part of a community, rather than simply use it - or be on top of it. I heard it's lonely at the top so that's better for them as well. I think we need to come together on this and meet in the middle, rather than stay in our silos or stuck in the corners.
Regarding the apartment building on Milpas/Gutierrez, it’s a monstrosity that will be a blight on the community for decades to come if the people don’t speak up. There has been no thought given in the design process to enhance the neighbourhood with the design of this development. The historical aesthetic requirements that other areas of Santa Barbara require to new builds appear to not matter in this area of the city and that is a shame!
…couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve even made the drive to SB specifically to shop TCP when I temporarily relocated to a city south of ours. It was always the Jewel in the local grocery scene, and a genuine “farm to table” concept/experience for local growers and consumers alike. It will be greatly missed. 
Every time you discourage apartment owners, you encourage hotel-building. A simple grasp of opportunity cost would teach the city council that their actions do not match their words.
It's amazing how city council constantly talks about affordable housing being our number one priority, then nearly every piece of legislation they approve will either increase the cost of living in SB, increase the cost to provide rental housing, or discourages the development of new housing. City Council, do you want to know why housing is so expensive in Santa Barbara? It's you!
Well put
Agreed with Bob 1. Never set foot in La Paloma any more.
I was just at La Paloma last week and lord, the carnitas are so good, I’ll be sorry to see them go.
Yes.......the Paradise menu I long for. I have loved La Paloma but still miss a Paradise Burger
Wow, this is a trip down memory lane. I grew up about two blocks from the Chase bank building, and graduated from Arcadia high school. This was in the 1970's, across the street from the bank was an original style Jack in the Box with the metal "Jack" on a pole next to it. That was our high school hang out after games. The corner with the hotel was a dirt field, later some office buildings with grass courtyards. Those grass courtyards were another great place for us to hang out and dream of living in places like SB. The other corner that you photographed with Camelback in the background was desert. Another play area, not so much in the summer since everyone had pools.
Lucky for me I had some close friends from grade school and high school that decided to move here, we had discovered the allure of SB when we visited friends going to college here. In the 40 years I've lived here I've been back almost as many times. Have to agree with your friend J., at this point in life I would much rather drive up the coast and explore more of CA.
I agree 100%
I see Shelton continued this design into the lights of the new pedestrian underpass walkway. Cool!
La Paloma would have done itself a favor by keeping the Paradise Cafe menu. It was a popular place and everyone I know misses it and has moved on.
Thank you for going and this report so I don't have to. I think I would just stay in PS instead.
Phoenix, like LA is an enigma. You can find everything and nothing at the same time. You can walk among the most beautiful scenery in the world, and then find yourself in an urban concrete hellscape without a single path. The beauty of the Sonoran cannot be understated but that beauty is mostly on the edges of the Valley with North Scottsdale pulling the most weight. Food is among the best in the nation (pizza is a blood sport) but its also full of the most mediocre stuff you can imagine - cheddar cheese, mayo and an black olive on a slice of white bread anyone?
A city made up mostly of emigrants from the cold and random carpet baggers from afar, Phoenix struggles from a hodgepodge of design, poor urban planning and lagging infrastructure, while its people offer up an ethos that straddles the freedom of the west with a strong side of hearty independence that stems from life before AC and federal water.
Next time try a stay at the Hermosa Inn with a dinner at Lon's to enjoy some Old Phoenix or find your way up north to Cave Creek and enjoy the quiet scenery of the Sonoran. If you can, go in the spring and witness what is arguably the most beautiful arrival of the springtide in all the world. There are few places as beautiful as the Sonoran Desert in the spring. Truly magical and awe inspiring place full of peace, quiet and abundant life.
Where is everyone going to park their cars who move in to the new (unappealing) apartment building on Gutierrez at Milpas?????
Menu looks very inexpensive..
