Did Christmas in Sierra Madre die a little this week? Perhaps you could hear it, a faint wisp of a wail on the winds that sent shivers through so many, yet with few really knowing why? I can only hope that Bill Coburn doesn't know about this. Because nobody loves Christmas more than Bill.Frosty the Snowman has been a beloved Sierra Madre tradition for some time now. And every year like clockwork Frosty shows up in the back of a couple of pickup trucks, as fluffy and pure as the mountain snow he comes from. And in the caring hands of the dedicated folks who have honored this tradition throughout the years, these inchoate snows of the San Gabriels are shaped into a figure known and beloved to children everywhere, Frosty the Snowman. Or, as we are known to call him here, just Frosty.
There is an excellently delineated photo montage to be found on the Sierramadrenews.net site called "Frosty Comes to Town." It captures everything that is special about this occasion, and in its gentle way helps to define who we are as a town.
Which is why I was personally stunned and dismayed when I read the following on Pasadena Star News columnist Larry Wilson's Public Eye blog:
The ugliest snowman - I don't know if some intrepid Sierra Madreans went up to Baldy and got a truckload, or if this is the crushed leftover slush from a late night at the Buccaneer, but this old boy at Baldwin and the Boulevard is the sorriest snowman in the San Gabriel Valley, so far as I can tell. Of course, maybe he's the onliest snowman in the SGV, too. And it's true that the lime eyes are a nice touch. This morning he was melting away in the wind and picking up all kindsa grit from the air... Merry Christmas anyway!
Now we here in Sierra Madre have gotten used to taking shots from Larry Wilson. From the infamous "stroller mom" column earlier this year, to the time he accused us of having no "American Americans" in town. Yes, I know, it has been hard. But we've all learned how to handle these kinds of things.
But why did he have to go after Frosty? Why?
Well, he went after Frosty, because, Larry is just Larry. Seriously, is anyone surprised?
ReplyDeleteHe should have attend the annual Dickens Village if he wanted something to write about. Usually Dickens village is a great event for the city. I don't know what has happened; but for the last two years, it's been a disjointed event. Vendors all over the place...streets not blocked off...even the police I spoke with said they had wanted to the streets to be blocked for everyone's safety...apparently it's not their decision.
Dicken's village three years ago was AMAZING...Santa in Kersting...snow blowing from the rooftops, singers walking about happiness in the air...maybe they can duplicate that sometime.
Merry Christmas to all!
The word that I heard on Dickens Village is that there was a dispute on who would pay for Police overtime necessary to close the streets. The Chamber feeling that it was an expense the City should pick up entirely. The City had offered to pay 2/3s. I think there was an article on The Tattler about it.
ReplyDeleteWe take our pictures with Frosty every year. The kids love it. And then there are the snowball fights!
ReplyDeleteYes, I read that too about the police overtime. However...the police were there anyway! I say if your going to put on an event...do it right.
ReplyDeleteIt was the dishelved dickens village....
You just have to wonder about old Larry, I think his town envy is really showing, maybe he would like it better if it looked like a Condo. Maybe he's never seen an aging snowman.
ReplyDeleteYesterday I was at Beantown with my daughter. An out of towner asked directions to Laurel Ave. He commemted how how wonder our town was...and especially thought Frosty was charming.
ReplyDeleteWe were able to ban smoking in the dining areas. How about banning Larry Wilson too?
Wow, Larry the Grinch has hit a new low.
ReplyDeleteI agree with 8:03.....we need the Stroller Moms to demand a ban on Larry the Grinch, he scares the little kids!
I just looked at "Public Eye," and there he says he wants to move to Sierra Madre? All that development in Pasadena, is it chasing him out?
ReplyDeletebecause Larry Wilson is a smarmy schmuck (and clearly, a scrooge too) - did he say he wants to move to Sierra Madre? Yikes!!
ReplyDeleteI think the snowman looks a lot like Larry!
ReplyDelete:(
Larry lives in an insulated, regulated world, where there is no such thing as natural physical laws, i.e. sunshine on snow=melting, or natural social interactions, i.e. strangers passing on a street not greeting one another. Larry lives in Larryland, and guess who's the american american king?
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ReplyDeleteUs Twiddlers will get a late Christmas present come April.
ReplyDeleteOur little snow man is our little snow man. And that is just that way it is. If you do not like him, smile and walk on. There will be more snow next year for you to play with, Larry. Then you can make your own snow man for the front of your town.Merry Christmas to everyone and continued Happiness to all. Especially to Sir Eric for bringing us Light and Joy.
ReplyDeleteDon’t let Larry yank your chain, make a claim of distain,
ReplyDeleteLet him sink right down the drain as we adore our Frosty.
So what if Larry has lots of hair, we don’t care, we don’t care—
We love our baldy, baldy guy— snowy warm-hearted Frosty.
Someday we're going to need to make a list of all the things Larry hates about Sierra Madre. I think it will probably include just about everything.
ReplyDeleteIsn't a mullet a fish?
ReplyDeleteI think Larry resents Frosty because our snowy friend is so very tall. Even Larry's best pair of elevator Florsheims can't help him when Frosty is in town.
ReplyDeleteLarry had better watch out. The Chamber of Commerce in Sierra Madre can play a little rough. He could find himself waking up with Frosty's head in his bed.
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ReplyDeleteNo comment.
ReplyDeleteOnly in Sierra Madra....Come on na! Merry Christmas everyone and a Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteEM - You crossed the line with that one. Can it be "EM" stands for "Enquiring Mullet?"
ReplyDeleteI would like to wish all the readers a very Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteIncluding you, Larry Wilson.....just please don't hang out in Sierra Madre, you make our "stroller moms" nervous, and you hurt Frosty's feelings.
:)
Merry Chrismas! Even to you, Mullet.
ReplyDeletewarmest wishes brave tatts,
ReplyDeleteDear larry wilson, a sooted frosty snowman has more ethics and integrity than you. And he told me to tell you no more gingerbread for you ever.
Big hugs to the maundrys
the more I think about it, I think Larry Wilson IS Frosty the Snowman.
ReplyDelete"A jolly, happy soul" on the outside,
a heart (and conscience) of pure ice on the inside.
Larry is a human being with feelings and a dad.
ReplyDeleteI think you made him cry.
It's his day off. Hopefully he's off viewing art and talking to really fascinating Pasadenans. Or listening to his Depeche Mode 12" remixes.
ReplyDelete11:25 - How do you think Frosty feels?
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ReplyDeleteDon't make me call your mother.
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