Americana at Brand: First Impressions

The Franklin Avenue 3 wasn't originally planning on visiting the Americana at Brand this weekend; the idea of battling the traffic and crowds didn't appeal. Yet we couldn't resist, especially since we needed to return a few things at the Galleria.

So we parked at the Galleria -- free, after all -- and eventually made it across the street to the Americana. A few early thoughts... first on the plus side: I like the fact that it has more of a city vibe than the Grove; perhaps that can be chalked up to the residential spots above the retail. Perhaps it's also because the Americana opens up to Brand, an actual honest-to-goodness street. I also like the higher ceilings in much of the retail, which also brings a nice urban feel to Glendale.

What's more, the Americana is close enough to Franklin Avenue H.Q. that we will indeed be taking public transportation (the Glendale Beeline) there.

Now, the cons: C'mon, Rick Caruso, enough with the ego. Caruso's name is everywhere -- so much that several awnings are emblazoned with a "C" rather than an "A" (for "Americana") or even "E" (for the Excelsior residential condos and rentals). Also, as L.A. Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne notes, a debate over what's public space and what's not is inevitable. Because this was sold to Glendale voters as "Glendale's Town Center," and Glendale's redevelopment agency actually owns the two-acre green space at the center of the Americana, does Caruso have the right to severely restrict what is and isn't allowed there?

Hawthorne writes:

It will be intriguing to watch how the Americana's shared space--particularly the park--evolves and is used over time, particularly by residents of the complex. Will they treat it as their own front yard--which it basically is? What about the kids who live--and grow up--there? What if they want to ride a bicycle or skateboard there--will they be allowed to?

According to Dave Williams, Caruso's executive vice president for archi- tecture, they will not. "The open spaces will be handled the same way they're handled at the Grove," he told me. "Operationally, we have a safety threshold we want to maintain." That means no bikes and no skateboards, no dogs heavier than 25 pounds, plus a slew of other restrictions.

My guess is that those restrictions will prove to be more of an issue in Glendale than they've been at the Grove. It may not happen right away, especially if the first wave of residents includes more twentysomethings than families.

But as the Americana evolves, those residents may start to wonder why a public park at the foot of their apartment buildings is patrolled by Caruso's security team (if indeed that's what happens). If the private cops, who will be backed up by a substation staffed by Glendale police, start breaking up pickup soccer games or taking away skateboards, they may even start resenting it.

Some pics from our Saturday visit:


Check out that big camera stationed above the stoplight. Yes, You Are Being Filmed. Now go spend some money.


Cheesecake Factory? Check. Pacific Theatres? Check. Barnes & Noble? Check. Yup, it really is "The Grove East."


Jewel City Diner. (Trivia: Unless you live in Glendale, betcha didn't know "Jewel City" is the town's nickname.) Too bad this isn't a West Coast outpost of the Shake Shack -- damn, I'd be there every weekend.


Americana's don't-confuse-it-with-an-Eiffel-Tower-replica spire.


Residential, retail and Bellagio-style fountain.


Old timey ice cream. Wait, so is the Americana supposed to invoke 1930s, uh, Americana?


Meanwhile, across the street... the Glendale Galleria has added a few banners to what had been a random entrance -- but is now the gateway to the mall from the Americana. Inside, on Saturday the Galleria was jam-packed with people. Perhaps, for all of Galleria owner General Growth's handwringing, it's not going to hurt the mall. For starters, as the Galleria makes sure to stress, the original mall still boasts most major retailers, including Banana Republic, Gap, Apple, Target, etc.

Signs of Problems at the Americana?

Glendale resident Gerry Rankin has a bone to pick with Americana at Brand developer Rick Caruso -- and Glendale's city council -- asking in Sunday's Glendale News Press:

How does a developer who doesn't even live in this town get all the power in the world to change the landscape here? Is the City Council even awake?

The Americana, just a few years old, is already showing some cracks -- and doesn't appear to be anywhere as successful as Mid-City's The Grove. Take all the empty storefronts, some of which have never been filled since the Americana's 2007 opening. Boarded-up walls on the Americana have promised that Panini Cafe was "coming soon" to the corner of Brand and Colorado -- but four years later, Panini Cafe is nowhere to be found. Instead, the sign is peeling (above) and looks terrible.

And yet... Caruso felt the need to acquire and tear down a hotel and old building next door in order to expand the Americana. He promised more retail and more jobs for Glendale -- and then turned around and announced days later that he was actually swiping Nordstrom from the Galleria. No new retail or jobs. Oh, he has promised to find a suitable tenant to replace the Nordstrom location at the Galleria... but we'll see if he has any luck, as the area faces a glut of empty storefronts. (Borders, at the corner of Brand and Broadway, is set to close any day now. Across the street, the old Mervyn's location at the Galleria has been vacant for years.)

Could the bloom be off the Americana rose? The anonymous folks behind the blog Caruso Is Unfair seem to think so. Granted, they appear to be disgruntled kiosk shop owners stuck with exorbitantly high rents.

But they do bring up some interesting points: According to the blog, several kiosks, including Nestle's Toll House, Kurtosh Bakery, Stewies Snowcones, and Primo Cafe, have gone under, while the eateries owned by Caruso (including Jewel City Diner and Delucas) are doing much better. The blogger also claims that the kiosks are unbearable in the summer, due to the heat, and that the rents remain high.

As for retail, "There's Kitson's which had a drawn out legal battle, and moved from their gigantic location next to Barnes & Nobles and downsized to a smaller shop and STILL couldn't make it. There was Lara's Closet who took over Kitson's spot and couldn't last too long and which is now occupied by Sephora. At least Hurley's was smart enough to sign a short term pop up lease and left without getting stuck there for years. There was Peek, which turned into Fan Clothing which was then booted off to the limbo land of Caruso Ave to make way for Kaitlyn."

Also gone: Paperchase, Martin + Osa, and Ruehl. Luring away Nordstrom is a huge coup for the Americana -- but it doesn't change the Glendale landscape at all. (Apparently KTTV's Jillian Reynolds recently criticized Caruso's Calabasas Commons development, prompting a response. Read about it here.)

UPDATE: The Glendale News-Press reports that Caruso paid the owners of the Golden Key Hotel a whopping $16 million to take over the property. I'm wondering if Caruso so needed the land in order to lure Nordstrom over (adding a critical anchor department store to the Americana) that he was willing to open the pocketbook that wide.

ALSO: Tropico Station points out that the Americana is now starting do go downscale, luring away a Fantastic Sam's franchise and an AT&T dealer to fill some empty space. Both of those stores were lured from a strip mall across the street, so it doesn't even mean new jobs.

One Month to Americana

It's still the worst-named shopping center out there (well, other than Westfield's insistence in calling all of its malls "Westfield"): The Americana at Brand.

But what the hell... we're hoping the arrival not only injects a little more excitement and status to Glendale, but perhaps juices property values as well.

The L.A. Times checks in on how things are going. For starters, Glendale residents are concerned about the coming traffic -- but that's balanced by their interest in seeing this thing finally open:

Some critics are quick to point out that traffic from the Galleria and other shops can already bring Brand Boulevard to a crawl. But backers argue that the residential portion of Americana might prompt those residents to walk to shops in the area rather than drive.

Glendale is looking longingly to the Grove, an earlier Caruso development near 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue in L.A. that is one of the more admired outdoor shopping plazas in the region.

Caruso, in an interview Monday, said the Americana could have an even bigger effect on Glendale, because the 15.5-acre project is much larger and includes housing.

"As great as the Grove is," he said, "this is a pretty remarkable project."

Where the Grove is meant to evoke 1940s Charleston, S.C., the Americana is meant to remind consumers of an even earlier time: "A massive elevator shaft, with exposed steel beams, is supposed to hearken back to the industrial era, said Executive Vice President Dave Williams of Caruso Affiliated. A trolley that loops around the project and onto Brand is from 'a little bit earlier era' than the Grove's trolley, which travels back and forth along a linear track."

Caruso also added a few touches that came out of his experience with the Grove: The central courtyard, for example, is much larger. And stores have more of a unique identity, as opposed to looking too mall-like.

Glendale officials are optimistic that Americana shoppers will spill out onto Brand, and help revitalize that street as well. I'm not as optimistic; people have a way of not exploring environs outside of their intended destination. We'll see. The Americana at Brand opens at the end of April.

Happy Americana at Brand Day

(Flickr pic by Fezmonger.)

It's finally arrived -- the opening of Glendale's Americana at Brand. After years of promise, Glendalians finally get their first taste of Life. Style. Caruso. today. (Most egocentric tag line out there?)

Well, some residents got their first view of it last night, during the gala opening celebration -- while others of us, ahem were not invited.

At around 11 p.m., we heard all the commotion outside -- and realized that it was the Americana fireworks, as promised. Guess that letter from the Caruso folks paid off after all.

BUT, as the Atwater Village Newbie notes, that's FAR later than the "between 7 and 9:30 p.m." time frame promised in the letter. Plus, the fireworks freaked out non-Glendale residents who live closeby but didn't get a letter. Several angry posters at the AVN site note that the fireworks spooked dogs, woke babies and caused some to dial 911. Given the recent spate of shootings in Northeast Los Angeles, setting off fireworks at 11:15 at night was pretty cruel.

The event itself featured perfs by Tony Bennett, the Four Tops, the Temptations and Natalie Cole. The Glendale News-Press covers the event in todays paper:

For many in attendance, the star-studded event represented the start of a new era in Glendale defined by a high-class destination that some still insist is out of place on Brand Boulevard.

"Some may say that this project is too elegant, that it's too sophisticated for Glendale," said Rick Caruso, president and chief executive officer of Americana developer Caruso Affiliated. "Well that's just dead wrong."

Uh, thanks, uh, for sticking up for us?

In an address to the audience — his face portrayed on giant video monitors on both sides of a raised stage — Caruso had the jurors stand to rousing applause and then took verbal jabs at General Growth, singling out the mall owner for its staunch opposition to the Americana.

"The reason we're not celebrating our second anniversary is because we had a neighbor..." Caruso said. "Everybody's got somebody in their life. Hillary's got Bill. I've got General Growth."

Gotcha.

Americana Goes Upscale

As construction continues on the Americana At Brand -- scheduled to open in 2008 -- news continues to emerge about which stores plan to join the new Rick Caruso "The Grove"-style shopping center.

H&M will be among the retailers joining the new development, according to a Caruso Affiliated press release (via Curbed LA):

Among its line-up of internationally renowned retail concepts, The Americana at Brand will showcase such names as Lacoste, known for its famous crocodile logo, offering casual luxury apparel and accessories for men, women and children; Juicy Couture, the "Chanel" of the contemporary world of fashion for men and women; Martin + Osa, the newest entrant to the retail scene providing a fusion line of modern, casual active wear and outdoor apparel; and H&M, the Swedish apparel retailer recognized around the globe as the leading purveyor of fast, hip fashions for the entire family, which will open a two-level flagship location.

"For The Americana at Brand we specifically targeted the most cutting-edge concepts and innovative retailers to establish a distinct one-of-a-kind fashion district in the heart of Glendale," said Todd M. Russell, senior vice president of retail leasing and marketing for Caruso Affiliated. "By assembling shops and boutiques that are not on every street in Los Angeles, we have delivered on our promise of creating a singular lifestyle and shopping destination that will be a regional draw."

The Americana at Brand is a $320 million urban in-fill mixed-use development set on 15.5 acres in the heart of Glendale, which is within minutes of Los Feliz, Silverlake, Pasadena and downtown Los Angeles. Bounded by Brand Blvd., Central Avenue and Colorado Street, the 900,000 square foot development, features 475,000 square feet of retail comprised of 75 shops and boutiques, an 18-plex cinema and a variety of casual and fine dining options, and will offer 238 apartments and 100 condominiums.

Also expected: an Urban Outfitters location, and a "state-of-the-art Pacific Theatres 18-plex cinema."

Americana at Brand Update

Things are busy these days at the Americana at Brand construction site in Glendale. Here are a few shots of the progress going on at the Rick Caruso shopping center, which is set to open next year. This is the view from the fourth floor of the Glendale Galleria parking lot.


A crane in operation, with the Galleria (including the future Target store) in the background.


The view toward Brand.


Looking south -- notice the Los Angeles skyline peering out in the background.

H&M's flagship Southern California store (at 28,000 square feet) will be located at the Americana (still hate that name, by the way), as well as a Pacific Theatres 18-plex cinema. Other tenants include Anthropologie; A/X Armani Exchange; Art of Shaving; Aveda Lifestyle Salon; BCBG Max Azria; Chico's; Kiehl's; Lucky Kid - the Lucky Brand Jeans store for children; Juicy Couture; Planet Funk; Play; Puma; Sigrid Olsen; and Urban Outfitters.

Big Dogs Not Allowed at the Americana?

The Americana at Brand's recent ad campaign has featured illustrations of stylish women walking their dogs across the shopping center's courtyard. (Above, a screen grab from the Americana website... but ads have also run in the Glendale News-Press that illustrated Americana patrons with much larger dogs.)

That's why it's kind of strange that this Glendale News-Press letter writer hit so much resistence when she tried to walk her dog at the Americana:

I live one block from the Americana and have been looking forward to its opening. I saw it to be a place that we could walk to in the evenings with the family and our dog and enjoy the surroundings. Wednesday night we took the dog (a Great Dane) for her walk over to the Americana.

We were stopped by a rent-a-cop and were told we had to leave the Americana because our dog was too large. We pointed out to this young man that no signs were posted at any of the entrances that no dogs were allowed, let alone the size of the dog.

He informed us that if you cannot carry the dog you cannot bring the dog in.

And so begins the debate over what's allowed and what isn't at the Americana -- and whose land is it, anyway.

Rate-A-Restaurant #315: Deluca's Italian Deli

Restaurant: Deluca's Italian Deli

Location: 781 Americana Way (Glendale's Americana at Brand)

Type of restaurant: Italian Deli



We stipulated: We were at the Americana on a Friday night for an event at the Barnes & Noble, and it was getting late -- too late to find a sit-down restaurant, but time to get something quick.

They stipulated: "Deluca’s Italian Deli serves up flavorful, authentic sandwiches, antipasti and bakery treats in a fresh, modern setting. Enjoy Italy’s finest imported meats and cheeses as well as local artisanal specialties, all priced for everyday eating."



What we ordered: PANINO CAPRESE (Fresh imported Mozzarella, sliced tomato, roasted bell peppers and basil on a toasted baguette; $7.50), rigatoni from the deli case ($7.50)



High point:  The one sandwich was good enough for both Maria and I (we weren't that hungry), while Evan and Nathan could share the pasta.

Low point: They gave us the wrong sandwich first -- mozzarella with prosciutto. It was Friday, so we were supposed to be no-meat for Lent, and realized Deluca's error when we took a bite! But thankfully they made us a new sandwich and let us keep the wrong one (and bring home).



Overall impression: While the market items (imported from Italy) are as pricey as you might expect, I was impressed with how economical our meal was -- rare for an upscale deli like this. I like that Deluca's is around, and is probably a nice resource for people living at the Americana. Given the Americana's turnover rate -- many of the shopping center's inaugural restaurants (including the ones funded with Rick Caruso seed money) are now gone -- I wonder how long Deluca's has left in its life. But for now, I'm glad we tried it.

Will we return: Perhaps, if we're at the Americana and again looking for a quick bite to eat.

Sad Sod at the Americana

Flickr pic above by fellow Glendalian Scott Lowe (let's get together soon, guys!), who's been chronicling some of the mishaps so far at the Americana at Brand.

Last week, Maria and Evan hit the Americana -- only to be told to stay off the grass. Apparently the sheer number of people trampling over the grass has already forced the shopping center to rip up the grass and plant new sod -- possibly twice. We returned on Saturday night, and the fence was down -- but the new sod was already looking sorry. Perhaps they ought to think about installing the fake stuff -- would probably fit the manufactured-town-square theme a bit more anyway.

Meanwhile, Evan's still bummed to see that the trolley isn't operating. I've assumed that it's been in storage because of the crowds; with so many people walking over the tracks, it would be tough to navigate around the mall. But as Scott's photograph below shows, there's something actually going on with the trolley. Here, mechanics are messing with it:



ADD: Over at Tropico Station, Scott has a few more interesting Americana nuggets:

The Americana has been getting 400-500,000(!) visitors on weekends. Remember that Glendale's entire population is only 200,000.

Glendale's 911 center was overwhelmed with 250 calls from scared residents immediately after the infamous 11:15pm Americana fireworks display.

Rate-A-Restaurant #309: Din Tai Fung @ The Americana at Brand

Restaurant: Din Tai Fung/Glendale

Location: Americana at Brand, 177 Caruso Ave. (Glendale)

Type of restaurant: Dumpling House




We stipulated: We've been to the Arcadia location of Din Tai Fung several times... but now that a new location has arrived right here near Franklin Avenue HQ, we had to check it out and see if it lived up to the original.



They stipulated: The Glendale location has come up with a solution to the problem that dogs the Arcadia location: Long, long waits for a table. I'm sure Rick Caruso couldn't stand the idea of all these people waiting outside Din Tai Fung and not shopping at the Americana, so patrons give their cell phone numbers, and go off to shop. When a table is finally ready, the restaurant will send you a text.





What we ordered: Juicy Pork & Crab Dumplings (10 pcs); Juicy Pork Dumplings (10 pcs); Vegetable & Pork Wonton w/ Spicy Sauce; Pork Chop Fried Rice; Sauteed String Bean w/ Garlic





High point:  Those dumplings, of course: Take a small bite, suck out the juice and then eat the rest of it. Repeat. But the green beans are also like crack -- right amount of crunch, and completely addictive. Also loved the spice that came with the wonton soup. Yes, we liked it all.



Low point: The texting system isn't fool proof. We received the text that a table was ready and rushed back to the restaurant -- where we had to still wait another 30 minutes. Why bother texting us if the table wasn't actually ready?




Overall impression: (Oops, corrected to remove the leftover text from the Starry Kitchen review!) An entirely different, more upscale vibe than the Arcadia location, but operates smoothly and the food is identically tasty. I think my Glendale property value just went up thanks to being Din Tai Fung-adjacent.





Will we return: Despite the texting table debacle, the dumplings (and those green beans!) are so amazing that all is forgiven. We'll be back. Many, many times.

They're Not Big On Tact at the Americana

(Pic from last May by the Atwater Village Newbie.)

Wildfires are raging all over Southern California, destroying countless homes -- and laying waste to a mobile home area in Sylmar. The smell of smoke is in the air all over the region, even several miles from where the blazes are lighting the nighttime sky.

Over in Glendale, the Americana at Brand was set tonight to light up its first-ever Christmas tree tonight, complete with Santa, a choir, Peabo Bryson, and a big fireworks display.

Surely, they'd cut out the fireworks, right? Might be tacky, given what's going on right now in the region.

Naaah. Like I said, the Americana isn't exactly known for its restraint, or tact. Back in May, its opening celebration ran long -- and the shopping center wound up freaking out the city by unleashing its fireworks display at 11:15 p.m. (see above).

This time, having been watching fire coverage all day, we both at first freaked out when we heard loud pops -- and then fire in the sky off in a distance. It took us a beat to realize that those were fireworks -- and that the Americana was behind it.

MEANWHILE, we were home to catch the Americana fireworks because -- I'm sure like many of you -- the fires forced us to cancel our evening plans. We were set to attend an early Thanksgiving meal at a friend's house in La Mirada... but the thought of Blogger Preschooler breathing in all that smoke -- and the thought of battling traffic down to Orange County -- convinced us to phone our regrets, sadly. KFWB finally convinced us once and for all, when a county fireman warned listeners to stay off the freeways if they could.

If the smoke is this noticeable in the Atwater Village/Silver Lake/Los Feliz/South Glendale area, I gotta imagine it's nearly unbearable closer to the actual blazes. How are all of you faring? Let's all send good thoughts tonight to the brave firefighters working overtime to save homes and lives.

Should I Stay or Should I Go

Our Adams Hill neighborhood -- you remember, one of the "Best Neighborhoods You've Never Heard of" (January 2005, Los Angeles mag) -- gets some fresh ink in Sunday's Los Angeles Times. This week's Real Estate section asks the question: Do the new shopping centers popping up around town help or hurt property values?

In the case of Adams Hill, the story focuses on an entertainment reporter who bought his 1800 square foot house in 2003 for $400,000 (bastard). His house has already been revalued at $670,000 -- will the impending Rick Caruso-led Americana on Brand (a.k.a. The Grove East) push values further, especially now that the market has stalled?

From his home in the Adams Hill neighborhood, Richard Horgan has a sweeping view of downtown Glendale framed by the Verdugo Mountains. It's a lovely panorama — one that's about to change.

In the coming months, a $264-million mega-development featuring high-end shops and restaurants, a 16-screen theater complex, upscale residential units and a park will begin to take shape on a 15.5-acre patch of downtown, transforming Horgan's view as it redefines central Glendale. At the helm of the project is developer Rick Caruso, whose signature complex, the Grove, redefined the Farmers Market area.

Before it received the green light in December, Glendale residents had debated the Americana at Brand for more than two years. On one side are those worried about increased traffic and rising rents, upset that the city agreed to pay an estimated $77 million in land and improvement costs. On the other are folks thrilled by the prospect of new places to hang out and spend their cash, hopeful the venture will give local home values a bump when it opens late next year.

Horgan thinks it will help, and has put off selling his home. We're in the same boat -- do we sell now and hunt for a bigger place, or do we look into expanding our tiny house? There are compelling arguments on both sides. The LATimes story doesn't mention two more reasons to perhaps wait a little longer here in Adams Hill -- a neighborhood library and small park are scheduled to open next year within walking distance.

For now, if you've had good experience in adding an addition to your home, and know a sharp architect or contractor we oughta call, feel free to email.

One Final Thought on Rick Caruso's Glendale Land Grab

Rick Caruso wouldn't stop until he got his prize: The land underneath Glendale's Golden Key Hotel, which sits right next to his Americana on Brand shopping center.

Golden Key owner Ray Patel held out until Caruso finally made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Well, that, and the fact that the city had sided with Caruso -- and threatened to take the land anyway, through eminent domain.

The Golden Key (and another building) were the only thing standing in the way of Caruso controlling the entire block. He now plans to add 140,000 square feet of retail, the Los Angeles Times writes:

The hotel on Colorado Street and an adjacent former retail building Caruso bought earlier will be demolished to enlarge the mall. The addition will include about 140,000 square feet of shops, more pedestrian space, a cafe and a fountain, he said.

"This will really round out the original vision of the Americana," he said.

Caruso expects to spend about $50 million on the Americana addition and to upgrade a small shopping center across Colorado from the mall that he recently acquired. The Americana expansion has yet to be approved by the city, but he hopes to have it completed by late 2012.

Here's my deal: Downtown Glendale is already awash with empty store fronts. The massive spot formerly held by Mervyn's at the Glendale Galleria is still empty. Borders is about to shut its Glendale slot across the street. Up and down Brand, there are plenty of boarded up windows.

And most importantly: Not all of the Americana is filled. Actually, there's been quite a turnover of stores. One spot -- most recently held by a shave ice joint, and now a tacky AT&T dealer -- has already changed hands three times. And the Americana is not that old.

So... Caruso thinks the neighborhood needs more retail?

The Problem With Mervyn's

What went wrong with department store Mervyn's? The department store just filed for bankruptcy, and blogger Party Pauper has a theory why: Shopping there is just not fun:

Outside of cheap bras and Hello Kitty pajamas in adult sizes, there is little joy to be found in Mervyn's. At the very least, there is nothing worthwhile about the Northridge outpost...

The cash registers were obscured by massive piles of wrinkled clothing and sales people were few and far between (it took a while to actually find a competent person to ring up my purchase). Then there were the customers. There is no return rack, let alone an attendant, in the dressing room, so people just toss unwanted items on the ground (including bikini bottoms, which is another issue altogether). Out in the ladies department, I saw one woman drive her kid's stroller into a rack of clothes, knock over some shirts and continue on without so much as a glance back at the mess she made...

Mervyn's is just one big reminder that you can't afford Macy's, let alone Barney's. It's a store without any dignity.

I've hit the Mervyn's at the Glendale Galleria many times, and Party Pauper got it right. The place is a disaster -- merchandise thrown everywhere, screaming kids, poorly designed displays. It's indeed quite depressing.

ADD: LA Biz Observed notes that several Mervyn's locations could be shut as a result of the Chapter 11. For the Glendale Galleria, that could be a good thing. Mervyn's doors represent the Galleria's only entrance on Brand -- and anyone interested in hitting the Galleria from the street has to go through a Mervyn's maze before finally hitting the mall. Now that the Americana has added tons of foot traffic to that part of Brand, the Galleria would be wise to construct a brand new mall opening there, coupled with new, smaller retail space, rather than attempt to find another department store to fill the void.

I've Never Been More Ashamed To Live In Glendale

(Flickr pic by Charles Song.)

I don't know what's more disgusting in the latest Americana at Brand news coming out of Glendale: Developer Rick Caruso's painfully cheesy use of the extremely overplayed (and, in this case, shamefully, cliched, pandering use) of "Proud to Be an American," or the Glendale City Council's shameful, pandering kissing of Caruso's ass.

The setup: Caruso wanted to name a street inside the Americana project "Excelsior Drive," in order to promote the "Excelsior" housing complex that's plopped on top of the Americana. The Glendale City Council objected to it, arguing that the name "Excelsior" had no relevancy to Glendale.

So instead, they decided to name it after Caruso himself. Ugh. Here's the account from the Glendale News-Press about the City Council meeting, in which Caruso stressed why the street should be named "Excelsior" -- and the unintended result:

But after a polished slide presentation of the project's progress set to Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American," and continued deliberation, some on the council took the proposal further, pushing for the Caruso name on the street sign instead.

[City Council members Ara] Najarian and [Bob] Yousefian argued that naming an avenue after the developer would be a "modest tribute" to his vision for Glendale.

"For me, naming that street Caruso Way or Caruso Lane, is, I think, very important," Yousefian said.

Councilman Dave Weaver — who earlier in the discussion had said he was against the issue having even been agendized -- quickly acquiesced to the idea, and before long, the council had Caruso back at the podium and embarrassed.

"I did not come here with that expectation, so I'm flattered and I'm honored," Caruso told the council. "If the council wants to do that, I would be honored. How could I say it's not a wonderful gesture on your part?"

To paraphrase Lee Greenwood, I can't say I'm "Proud to Be a Glendalian" after this embarrassment.

It's Rick Caruso's World, We Only Shop in It

(Pic via L.A. Daily News.)

Forget about the housing bubble. What about the Rick Caruso open-air shopping mall bubble? As the Daily News reported on Saturday, another Grove-like mall is coming to the area, this time in the Valley.

According to the paper, Caruso Affiliated, which is currently building new malls in Glendale and Santa Anita, has signed a deal to build a new one on part of the land currently inhabited by Budweiser in Van Nuys. Unlike the Grove (but more like the Americana at Brand, the new Glendale mall), the center will include residential. Notes the paper:

Caruso officials said the new residential/shopping complex, set to break ground next spring, is expected to open in fall 2009.

Discount clothing retailer H&M, which recently entered the Los Angeles market, has signed up as a charter tenant, as well as supermarket chain Tesco. Caruso said several big-box retailers are also in talks to move in.

Anheuser-Busch plans to relocate much of its Van Nuys operation to a new plant currently under construction in north San Diego county. The company, which has bottled Budweiser and other brands at the factory since the mid-1950s, said it had outgrown its existing operations and believed the land was more valuable as a mixed-use retail/residential development.

"The Van Nuys plant is located on prime real estate, close to both the Van Nuys airport and the freeway," said Joseph W. DeSanto, Anheuser-Busch vice president for corporate development. "With the San Diego facility nearing completion, we approached Caruso late last year to start discussing how to redevelop the property. We're thrilled to be in business with the company, and excited to expand our Southern California portfolio."

Under terms of the deal, Caruso will lease a portion of the Anheuser-Busch property for 50 years. The developer has also agreed to name the new development "Busch Gardens."

Many of you will remember (especially those of you who grew up here) that Busch Gardens was the name of the amusement park once located on the site. Anheuser-Busch shut the park down in 1979, ironically, to make room to expand the Budweiser factory. No word, by the way, if the building with the large "Budweiser" sign -- which can easily be seen from the 405 -- will remain.

UPDATE: More details here.

Blogger Preschooler Says The Darndest Things: Giada Edition

THE BACKGROUND: The Blogger Preschooler has a little crush on Food Network star Giada DeLaurentiis. Thanks to Maria, Evan's gotten to know quite a few of TV's culinary and domestic divas, including Martha Stewart... but he's got a special place for Giada. When Maria's watching one of Giada's several shows, Evan will cozy up next to her on the couch and watch along. (He will, however, express his disappointment when Giada is on location and not cooking in the kitchen. That's our little guy, trying to perpetuate 1950s gender roles.)

THE SETTING: The Barnes & Noble location at The Americana at Brand shopping center; Friday afternoon.

THE PLAYERS: Evan and me; Maria's busy working at home.

THE SCENE: As we walk in, Evan and I pass a table full of books from Giada and other TV chefs. The Blogger Preschooler, of course, immediately gravitates to Giada's new book, "Giada's Kitchen," and has several questions (What's she making? Why is she using a lemon? Is she making lemon squares? Etc.)

THE EXCHANGE: Mike -- "Hey, maybe we can buy this for mom for Mother's Day!"
Evan -- "No, let's buy it for me for 'Evan's Day.'"



Maybe this is where it all began: Back when he was just a Blogger Baby, the three of us pose with Giada at the L.A. Times Festival of Books in 2005.

Dear Americana Neighbor: We're Having A Party, And You're Not Invited

Gee, thanks for the head's up, Americana. Guess my invite got lost in the mail. Here's the letter we received over the weekend as an "Americana at Brand Neighbor" (bold and italics are theirs):

We are pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the Americana at Brand mixed use project on May 2, 2008 at 10AM. We hope you are as thrilled as we are when you take your first steps onto this luxurious new property that features such exclusive amenities that will surprise and delight you and your family for years to come!

As a good neighbor, we want to take a moment to personally inform you that we will be hosting a private party on the evening of Thursday, May 1, 2008. This by invitation only event will feature fireworks and musical performances staged between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. It is of great importances to us that our neighbors are informed of the event details so you will not be alarmed when you hear the fireworks or performances from your home or business.

Oh, I won't be alarmed. Annoyed, yes.

Americana Watch: More Stores Confirmed

Glendale's Americana at Brand, which is now visibly knee-deep in construction, has announced a new round of tenants -- including, as Curbed L.A. notes, another Pinkberry.

New tenants include Barnes & Noble (even though it runs a large location not far away, at the Glendale Fashion Center); Barneys New York CO-OP; Brunello Ristorante Italiano; Calidora Spa; Concept Five ("a brand new concept from collegiate-style icon Abercrombie & Fitch"); crewcuts (kid version of J. Crew); Divine Boutique; Free People; J. Crew; Kate Spade; Michael Stars; Pinkberry; Sur La Table; The Cheesecake Factory; True Religion.

Yeah, I'm not sure the area needs yet another Cheesecake Factory. And I still wish that they would change the "Americana at Brand" name!

Here's how the site looked in April.

Billie Eilish Takes Over the Glendale Galleria; Americana at Brand Memes Responds

Given how Billie Eilish grew up in nearby Highland Park, I suppose it's no surprise she knows the Glendale Galleria this well. This is quite a contrast to the way I normally see it, filled with holiday crowds.

Meanwhile, now I'm praying for Americana at Brand Memes.

Billie Eilish has just declared war on The Americana and Americana Memes! pic.twitter.com/i4FB9iE790

— Americana at Brand Memes (@americanamemes) November 12, 2020