4: Vroman's Courtyard, Pasadena

4: Vroman's Courtyard, Pasadena
Designed by: Mike Rosell
Piano type: Full upright
Playability: Great
Weather: 48°F, partly cloudy
How I got here: Metro Gold Line, carpool

By now, I've made it a point to pay a visit to the nearest street piano to any location or event I was headed to. I met up with some friends at the 626 Night Market, an Asian-style nocturnal street bazaar and food court situated on Oakland St. in Pasadena. By most accounts, it was an extremely overcrowded event and many people were disappointed that food vendor lines were either too long or the menu items had run out.

Intending to circumvent any traffic or parking woes, I rode the Metro Gold Line there and walked a few blocks from the Memorial Park station. Though the extremely-packed crowds had settled by the time my friends and I got there, the lack of available food was an issue.

The event ended at 11:30 p.m. and as we left the area, I mentioned that there was a street piano nearby. A few of them were curious about it, and some needed explaining about the whole project:"Well there's this public art project where there's 30 pianos placed around town..."

Though it was stil in walking distance, I hitched a ride with some of them and we headed towards the vicinity of the Target store on Colorado, where we converged on the back parking lot. Heading there, we saw it: bright and blue in the courtyard of the Vroman's bookstore.

Two of my friends, Tom and Erin, had me sing and play music at their wedding, so they were well-familiar with my musical exploits. Another friend, Brian, took numerous pictures with his DSLR camera.

The piano had a couple song books and a Beethoven bust on top. One of them was a (simplified) Beatles song book, so I played a few Lennon/McCartney classics. The keys on this one were also in excellent condition and the tone was probably the best-sounding yet, since it was a full upright rather than a spinet. Although it might have been tuned sharp due to the cold weather. My fingers were a bit numb playing in the cold air!

I played some improvised doodlings, as well as a haphazard version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" (at the request of Tom):




When all was said and done, we seemed to have more fun here at the street piano than at the 626 Night Market.