Fountain entrance

The water fountain at the front of the Embassy Suites in Downey sets the scene for a romantic entrance. It has a European feel to it and the soft sound of the water spilling over the fountain sets the scene.

“Human nature is like water. It takes the shape of its container.”
 ~ Wallace Stevens

Makeovers

It's been quite some time since I've been inside the Embassy Suites Hotel, and I was surprised to see that the interior atrium has been completely remodeled. Gone are the cascading waterfall, tropical foliage, koi ponds, and turtles. The feeling now is much more open, and the breakfast buffet looked quite enticing.

But oddly, from above, the planter areas reminded me of a couple of amoebas.

What's your newspaper style?

You know all those quizzes that pop up on Facebook or in magazines? They ask you about your style in some facet of your behavior, and then tell you what this means about your personality. Well, I think there should be a quiz to tell you what your newspaper reading style says about you.

In just a few minutes of people-watching at the Embassy Suites Hotel on Sunday morning, I observed two very different newspaper styles. The first one, above, is relaxed. There's no rush here. The completed (or unwanted) sections of the paper get tossed aside.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are those who read on the go. Life's short, there are a million things to get done, there's not a moment to waste. If you can multi-task while reading the paper, so much the better.

What's your newspaper style?

Relaxing in the suites

I took a ride over to the Embassy Suites to look at their lobby. I always enjoy going there to see the atmosphere they have created in the midst of a busy inn. Next to the Firestone Grill Restaurant, the koi fish pond, with its cascading waterfall, has a way of relaxing even the most stressed of us.

I wonder if they are any good to eat?

Stationery—now and then

This is Neil's Stationers at La Reina and Firestone Blvd here in Downey. They have been there since 1955 serving Downey's office supply needs.

136 years ago the Central Hotel was on this corner serving visitors' needs for hospitality as they came to the bustling commercial center growing up in Downey. John Gately Downey and Maston Duke Crawford built the hotel in 1877, which lasted until it burned down in 1900.

The room of change

Our third major city to stay in this vacation was Brugge, Belgium. Here Bonnie and Joan are checking in with our hostess, Mirielle, at the Hotel Van Eyck. She told us her story of how she came to own the hotel. She came here some years ago and stayed in the same spare room Bonnie and I were going to stay in and while here she knew her life was going to change. She went back home, quit her job as a school teacher and several weeks later came back to Brugge and bought this hotel. She has never regretted her move.


This is the staircase up to our room.

An elevator with a view

Yesterday the sky was clear and blue, with lots of puffy clouds—the perfect day, I thought, for a great view of the Los Angeles skyline. So I went to the top of the Embassy Suites Hotel (the highest point in Downey, remember?). But the view was disappointing.

However, the view on the elevator ride up to the eighth floor (OK, I was feeling lazy) was surprisingly appealing. The light from the skylights lit up the entire atrium.

The Viking Motel—now and then

Back in 1962, the 24-unit Viking Motel on Firestone Blvd. was nearing completion. Now, very little has changed on the outside, but the motel has been converted to apartments.

Photo courtesy The Downey Conservancy/George Redfox

View from above

Embassy Suites in Downey is a beautiful hotel. I really like how they have designed the interior - like a courtyard and open on the inside to all the levels. 

Looking down from the 8th floor, this picture is of a cozy-looking little eating area set in a gazebo on the ground floor level. While I have admired it several times, I've yet to have the chance to actually eat there.  

The suite life

I have always liked the architecture for the Embassy Suites on Firestone. It has a charming appeal both inside and out. This view is from a couple of months ago befoe the leaves were back on the trees, but I thought it was a fun perspective.

With a red hat which doesn't go

Meet some of the Rosy Reds, a local chapter of the Red Hat Society. The ladies were killing time, as I was, in the beautiful lobby of the Embassy Suites Hotel until the start of "Funny Girl" at the Downey Theater next door.

Queen Aloha Lindi of the Rosy Reds

In Society parlance, the woman who starts the local chapter is known as the queen. The queen of the Rosy Reds is Queen Aloha Lindi.

The Red Hat Society gets its inspiration from the poem Warning by Jenny Joseph, written in 1961. Here is an excerpt:

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
...
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

You can read more about the Red Hat Society at  How it started.

See it my way

This is a view from the Embassy Suites' highest stairwell looking down onto the roof top. A different view than we're used to.

Hazy days of March

I have a European vacation planned for this summer, and I'm determined not to leave any tower unclimbed. So in preparation, I've started climbing the stairs at the Embassy Suites Hotel. Embassy Suites, at 8 stories, is probably the highest building in Downey. I walk up once (with one rest stop), then down, then up (with two rest stops), then down. When I can do that without the rest stops, I'll add another round.

And my reward? A spectacular view of downtown Los Angeles. The LA skyline is about 10 miles away to the west. On the rare clear day, you can actually see the mountains that lie behind those buildings. Today? Not so clear. But if I keep this up, one of these days, I'm going to get a great picture!

Oh Christmas Tree

I love this time of year; even businesses get into the holiday spirit! I passed by the Embassy Suites tonight and had to make a U-Turn to grab this picture of the front entrance.

Suite reflections

I was driving down Firestone the other day when I noticed how clearly Embassy Suites is reflected in the windows of the Wells Fargo building next door. I don't know how I've missed this, but it gave me a reason to go back today to find out if late afternoon would be a good time to capture it. As usual, I can never decide which picture gives the best "sense" of the place...



I really like mission-style feel of the building. It is appealing.

 

Click here to see the beautiful night time view of the entrance to the hotel from a previous post.

Embassy Suites

I have always thought the Embassy Suites on Firestone in Downey was a beautiful building. I like the Spanish style architecture and think of it as a reflection of our heritage in this area. But, how did I miss this really beautiful entrance. I've driven past it a thousand times, but one night a week or so ago, I was looking for a picture, for something new, and I saw the lighted entrance with "new eyes."

It never ceases to surprise me how much I miss of what is right in front of me when I'm not really looking for it. I think that's one of the things I have appreciated about doing this blog: learning to see more of what surrounds me everyday and trying to capture and share it.