GROCERY SHOPPING
There are not many times I choose to travel all the way to the corner of Los Positas and State Streets to do my grocery shopping, after all it’s a full 3 miles away from my house!
But at this corner is a newly renovated strip mall/shopping plaza, Loreto Plaza, that is home to Gelson’s Market. I’m not sure how long they have been in Santa Barbara, but I know they have been in California since the early 50’s, and I would have to classify this supermarket as an upscale higher-end grocery store.
Which is really not where this blog post is leading to – guess I’m good like that . . . . adding extraneous stuff to a post . . . but eventually I get back to the story line, which today is about the little shops in this strip mall and the recently completed renovations. Perhaps because Gelson’s is the largest retailer here, it’s easy to get side tracked!
driving in to Gelson's Market from Los Positas
the front of the market
I call this the bell tower, but there is no bell ~ perhaps it is the watch tower! or perhaps it's all form and no function ?
I just found the renovation refreshing and in keeping with Santa Barbara’s architectural style, so I just had to photograph the different features of some of the shops. I was even stopped by several people who thought I was photographing for Gelson’s new Grand Opening, so that was an unexpected plug for me!
juat an entry door with vines growing around it, obviously not affected by the renovations, and I liked the wood against the stucco with the red curbing and blue sidewalk leading into it
morning glory (I think) overhang
the flower on the vine
architectural detail: facades
Pacific Company - I loved the long shadows created by the late afternoon sun
a faux-painted red half-column
copper drainage pipes
Federal Drugs
the Federal Drug storefront
bike parking
around the corner and trhough the arches
looking up
looking down
back through the arches from the opposite direction
It’s all about the details and the things we stop to take notice of . . .