Looking Back at Montrose, CA OR The Way We Were

Back before we headed off across country, we lived in a town just outside LA. It seemed a little... gauche to begin a blog with how much I liked where I lived.

But now it's a retrospective! That makes it nostalgic!

So this week, I'd like to tell you about my old neighborhood.

Technically a "Small-Town-Turned-Business-Park"...

...But it was always a woman neighborhood to me.

Anyone who visited me while we lived there knows I have to begin with one place:

The local Coffee Bean.

Quiznos was around the corner, not in the same place.
Though people sometimes came in asking for subs...

I've fond memories of this Coffee Bean (See? Nostalgic!), since I wrote three scripts while vibrating from their coffee.

I spoke often to the various employees there, and while it was corporate policy to get to know the regulars, I always got the sense that they would have done it anyway. There was always people hanging around, chatting, and genuinely enjoying one of the prime neighborhood gathering grounds.

And there were several. See, the bulk of Montrose's commercial district was on two long, tree lined blocks.

Well, trees and sculpted lamps.

Along the streets were enough restaurants for one to easily and enjoyably plow through more than their monthly dining out budget in two weeks. (Ask me how I know!)

Oddly, many of them involving an animal and adjectives...

Sometimes more than one!

But I also need to point out some awesome landmarks in the form of unique, independent shops, the kind which are hard to find in a modern major city.

Like the small bowling alley...
...seemed to have something filming there once a week.

Or incredibly awesome toy stores.

But I also feel the need, especially given my authorly proclivities, to mention one of our favorite shops:

Though I'm still not sure why
"Your Family Bookstore" is in quotes...

To give you an idea how much we loved that shoppe (yes, shoppe), we would find ourselves in there at least every other week... Even when we were trying to avoid it to save money!

I will be honest, there are many things I enjoyed in this neighborhood, bordering on too many to put here. But mostly I'm able to look at things for the standpoint of moving forward. Of enjoying what was there when I had it, but also able to enjoy what I have now.

Except one thing. One thing that I miss about our old place so. incredibly. much.

Allow me to demonstrate:

This was the view down our street from in front of our apartment.

The roses and lawn? Not part of my building. We had concrete.

See that thing in the distance with the red things above the windows?

Let me give you a closer look:

Trader Joe's is usually awesome.
Being half a block away only makes it AWESOMER.

Seriously, there was something just... divine about looking in the fridge, seeing nothing, running to the store, and coming back with tasty Trader Joe's food five minutes later. (Seriously. We timed it once.)

I know, I was spoiled, so it's probably better for me to be a little more self-sufficient. You know, like planning grocery shopping more then ten minutes before you need the food.

But I would like to end with a tiny rant about many of the people you frequented Montrose...

....Specifically the people who liked frozen treats. (And who doesn't?)

This was the local frozen yogurt place, located on the corner across the street from the earlier Coffee Bean.

What? It's yogurt so it's healthy, right? Entirely zero calories?

Right down the street was a place that opened before we moved to Montrose. Home of exceptionally tasty Danish ice cream.

See, "is" is Danish for ice cream, so it's pretty clever!
.....It took us months to figure that out.

We could never understand why people would pay for "healthy" yogurt that they could get a hundred places when a just down the street was a unique place with incredible ice cream that reminded us every time of the gelato we found in Italy.

Oh well. We did our part. By which I mean we bought enough ice cream that the people working there would wave to us when we passed on the street.

.....In retrospect (or nostalgia?) it's probably better for us that we moved away.

Or at least our waistlines.