Castle Green Tour & Annual Mixer Summary – December 2012

ANNUAL HOLIDAY MIXER

 

The Southern California Planning Congress attended the holiday tour entitled “Dickens in the Castle” at Old Pasadena’s most dazzling Victorian, Castle Green. Holiday cheer followed nearby at The Otis Bar at La Grande Orange Café in the historic Santa Fe Depot.

The tour was a great way to kickoff the holidays, get in the spirit, and learn more about this treasured structure from the tour organizers and residents. The building was constructed in 1898 as the annex for the famous Hotel Green, and the architecture has Moorish Colonial, Spanish, and Victorian elements.

For the Tour, many units were open to the public, with some decorated festively for the holidays. We had a great time experiencing the rich history of Castle Green, and a merry time afterwards at the warm and welcoming La Grande Orange Café.

 

 

The exterior of the building has many unique features, including corner turrets, rooftop patios, and inviting balconies.

 

The building interiors also have fine details found around every corner. The cast-iron fireplaces, window details, and prized corner units with round living rooms and plentiful windows are some of the highlights not available for public viewing except during the twice-annual tours .

 

 

The bridge between the original, eastern part of the Hotel Green complex (long since demolished) and today’s residential Castle Green (the second of three buildings) is now used as a reference library. It ends at the edge of Raymond Avenue in a large circular room. Rails can still be seen in the floor where luggage trolleys were once pulled between the two former wings of the complex.

 

 

A holiday choir greeted the group in the ballroom, as we toured the ground level. The singers dressed in period attire and the grand feel and sound of the ballroom made this a true highlight.

 

 

Lighting fixtures that transport one back to the Victorian age complement the architectural features of the historic building, which include a grand staircase and ballroom. The warm glow of the lighting and seasonal music emanating from various parts of the interior enhanced the holiday mood.

 

 

 

 

Information on Castle Green, its history, and the twice-annual tour can be found on the building’s web site: 
http://www.castlegreen.com/about-the-castle-green/

La Grande Orange Café:
http://www.lgostationcafe.com/