Photos of Central Downtown Paso Robles at Dusk

I Love Downtown Paso Robles at Dusk

The sun is no longer bright and the signs of the businesses around the park are beginning to light up. People walk in the park because in summer and early autumn it's cooler than in the daytime. On this October 1 walk, even the moon was making an appearance. Below is a popular attraction, the Park Cinemas Theater.

Park Cinemas Theater, Paso Robles, © B. Radisavljevic

Here's a slightly different view available as both poster and postcard from Zazzle.

Poster: Park Cinemas Downtown Paso Robles, CA PosterPostcard, Park-Cinemas, Paso Robles, CA Postcard

Parking in Downtown Paso Robles Around the Park

Good luck with that. The more popular Paso Robles becomes, the harder it is to find a parking place with a block or two of the park. At night on weekends it's almost impossible. Very few businesses supply parking, so most parking is on the street. I circled the park twice and even contemplated parking at the library and walking three blocks to get to Studios on the Park Saturday night. I finally found a place two blocks away on Park and 11th Street in a handicapped space (Yes, I have a placard) beside the park. As I walked toward my destination, I saw others still looking for a parking place.

Parking is scarce in Paso Robles on Saturday night, © B. Radisavljevic

An Old-Fashioned Sweet Shop

Got a sweet tooth you want to indulge while strolling around downtown? Try Powell's. Last time I looked it had all the candy bars and sweet treats the stores used to carry but are hard to find in stores now. I thought they'd stopped making them until I visited the Powell's SLO Sweets Candy Store.  Evidently the name is in transition. You'll find the store on the corner of 11th Street and Pine. It's in an historic building that used to house the Municipal Bathhouse around 1905.  Do you see the moon lurking behind the palm tree?

The Candy Store, © B. Radisavljevic

Pine Street at Dusk

There isn't room in this post to show you all the buildings on Pine Street between 11th and 12th across from the city park. I will show you these. As you cross Pine Street on 11th, you will be in front of the Park Cinemas. (Top photo) Walk west toward Studios on the Park and these are some businesses you will pass.

Red Scooter and Good Times (hidden behind tree) © B. Radisavljevic 

The Red Scooter is a deli open for breakfast and lunch. I've never tried it. After checking out their menu, I just may try it soon.  I've had lunch several times at the Good Times Cafe and been satisfied. It resembles a fifties burger hang-out. Or you could eat at the Paso Robles Inn across from the park on Spring Street for a more formal atmosphere. The food there is delicious. If you walk around the streets surrounding the park you'll find almost any kind of food you desire being served at one of the many restaurants on 11th Street, Pine Street, and 12th Street.

Walk a bit further on Pine Street past Good Times Cafe and you'll be in front of Pappy McGregor's Irish Pub. If you eat there you can choose sidewalk dining or eat inside. I've haven't eaten there since it was the Crooked Kilt years ago. It's only a few yards more from there to Studios on the Park -- my destination for the evening. I was not looking for food, but for a feast of art for my eyes.

Pappy McGregor's and Studios on the Park on Pine Street, © B. Radisavljevic

Souvenirs from Downtown Paso Robles

Clock Tower Downtown Paso Robles Postage




These are some other scenes you will find downtown very near the park. At Zazzle you will find even more Paso Robles designs. There are also more  product options for these designs. 

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Poster: Sidewalk Dining in Paso Robles, California PosterClock Tower Downtown Paso Robles PostcardPostcard: Superior Court, Paso Robles, California Postcard

The Paso Robles City Park at Dusk

Since the park covers two city blocks in the center of downtown, I will not even attempt to get all of it in this post. Its most famous landmark is the historic Carnegie Library, now the home of the Paso Robles Historical Society. Did you see the statue of Paderewski in front of it? Paderewski loved Paso Robles. We outgrew the original library and build a new one. Tour the new library here. It's across the street from the park and shares a building with the City of Paso Robles City Hall.

Historic Carnegie Library in City Park, © B. Radisavljevic 

The other structure most Paso Robles locals think of in connection with City Park is the bandstand. It's used for special events and for the summer concerts in the park. It's also where some teens hang out in the afternoon. I'll devote an entire post to it soon. But to close this post I'll just give you one shot of it. See how tall the trees are in comparison? To the left is a glimpse of our brand new playground. We will also devote a future post to that.

If you don't live in Paso Robles, what first impression do you get of it from these photos of our downtown?


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A Brief Tour of the Paso Robles Library in Photos

The Photo Tour of the Paso Robles Library Begins at the Entrance

The September theme for City Daily Photo Bloggers is Library, so I decided to take you on a photo tour of our city library. To get to the Paso Robles Library entrance, one must pass under this massive oak tree. ( Unless one uses the street entrance on the other side of the building.) Most library visitors park in the lot, though, and enter by the oak tree entrance.

Oak Tree Near Entrance to Paso Robles  Library, © B. Radisavljevic

Once through the doors, you find yourself in in a foyer that leads into the library, the city hall, the restrooms, the conference rooms, and one of the library bookstores. You can also see across to the other entrance. It looks out to the park where you can walk across to Farmers Market on Saturdays mornings and Tuesday afternoons. Most people don't use that as a library entrance because parking is harder to find there.

Paso Robles Library Foyer, © B. Radisavljevic

Behind these glass doors are the library and the staircase leading to City Hall. The table is used for sharing literature pertaining to city events.

Doors to  Library and City Hall Access, © B. Radisavljevic 

Inside the Library: The Children's Area

As you enter the Paso Robles Library and walk past the service desk, the first thing you really notice ahead is the display wall of the children's area of the library. Here is an overview. 

Children's Area of the Paso Robles Library, © B. Radisavljevic 

The row of reading tables runs through the center of the children's area. Here's another view. The children's periodicals are on display here. To the right of the display shelf is the picture book area. We will get a better view of it in the next photo.

Children's Area of the Paso Robles Library, © B. Radisavljevic 

Picture Book Area of the Paso Robles Library, © B. Radisavljevic

You can see the Highlights magazine we used to read when even I was a child is still around.

The aquarium below acts as a wall divider between the hallway and the children's area.

Aquarium which Divides the Hallway from the Children's Area,  © B. Radisavljevic

You can look through the water to see inside the picture book area.

Today's Library's Are Multi-Media

The library gives a wall for the display of local art. The exhibits change frequently.  If you continue down this hallway, you will find CD's and DVD's to borrow. You can see one of the cases at the left corner of the photo.

Art on Display at the Paso Robles Library, © B. Radisavljevic

A library would be nothing without real books. The Paso Robles has lots of them, though they now also let you check out digital books for your reading devices. I haven't tried it yet. The picture below shows the heart of the adult section. First you see the reference desk in the center where you can ask questions and get directions to what you need.

The Heart of the Library for Adults, © B. Radisavljevic

Beyond the reference desk are the stacks. On the left side you will find fiction. On the right you will see the first cases of the nonfiction stacks. You can also see the computers near the middle. Along the wall by the window are study tables and some cubicles. The windows look out on City Park  across the street. This next photo focuses on that area by the window a bit more.

In the photo above you can also see the row of upholstered chairs where people often sit to read periodicals or books. The homeless often catch a nap here. I often sit here and read on Smart Days when I want to stay cool outside the house.

Fiction, Graphics, and Reading / Study Areas for Adults, © B. Radisavljevic

The Paso Robles Library Has a Section for Graphic Novels

The label on the prominent case in the photo above reads Graphics. When I was a child, the books in this section did not exist. The closest thing we had to today's graphic novels were comic books. Libraries did not have comic books.

This form of literature has become important in the past few years. It became a book category in bookstores in 2001. Although these are called graphic novels, they are not all fiction. Many nonfiction graphic novels can be found in classrooms today. I used to sell them when I was selling educational books. They appealed to young people whose reading skills could not handle normal books at their grade level.

The first graphic novels I carried were the classic collections of Tin Tin books by Herge. Both my husband and son loved them. They were some of the few graphic novels you might find in a library in the 1980's. If your library doesn't have them, you can find them at Amazon.

 The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 1 (Tintin in America / Cigars of the Pharaoh / The Blue Lotus) The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 2: The Broken Ear / The Black Island / King Ottokar's Sceptre (3 Volumes in 1) The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 3: The Crab with the Golden Claws / The Shooting Star / The Secret of the Unicorn (3 Volumes in 1) The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 4: Red Rackham's Treasure / The Seven Crystal Balls / Prisoners of the Sun (3 Volumes in 1) The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 5: Land of Black Gold / Destination Moon / Explorers on the Moon (3 Volumes in 1) The Adventures of Tintin, Vol. 6: The Calculus Affair / The Red Sea Sharks / Tintin in Tibet (3 Volumes in 1)

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Here are some of the nonfiction graphic novels you can find at the Paso Robles Library.

Nonfiction Graphic Novels at Paso Robles Library, © B. Radisavljevic

The Library Helps Bring the Community Together. 

As you come through the library doors, the first thing you see on your right  is this table and bulletin board.  They explain volunteer opportunities in Paso Robles. Just past it are two other information displays -- one announcing community events, and another with hand-outs about community resources.

Volunteer Opportunity Announcements, © B. Radisavljevic

You will often see volunteer tutors with their students in the library, but I'm not supposed to take pictures of them. I didn't see any today anyway, but I often do  see them.

People  who don't have computers use those in the library.

Those who want to find cheap books to keep can find them in the library bookstores run by the Friends of the Library.

The City Council and other  groups hold meetings in the library conference room.

The library also has special programs for children to keep them interested in reading. These are often seasonal.

The Paso Robles Library is a vital service that helps every segment of our community.

How does your city's library compare? Does it offer much the same kinds of services? Does it have services we may not have?  What do you like best about your library?

If you'd like to see what other City Daily Photo bloggers around the world have shared about their libraries, check out the theme photo gallery.

To see my other posts about our library,  click one of the icons below. You will see details that I haven't included here.

 Paso Robles Library During the Holidays L is for Library

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Big Change on Pine Street by the Amtrak Depot in Paso Robles

New Parking Lot on Pine Street in Paso Robles, © B. Radisavljevic

As I was driving downtown to return some books at the Paso Robles Library yesterday, I accidently turned on 6th Street instead of 10th, and I took it to Pine so I could skip the stop signs on Park. When I got to Pine I almost thought I was in the wrong city. There was a "Do not enter" sign facing me before I turned left, and I saw that while I'd been sticking to Spring Street these past few weeks, someone built a new parking area along Pine between 6th and 7th Streets. That was quite a big change by the Amtrak Depot in Paso Robles. After I left the library, I returned to take some pictures.

I happened to arrive just after a northbound train had pulled in and was picking up  passengers. Notice the conductor taking tickets as people board. You can also see the trees reflected in the windows of the train. If you click on the photos they will enlarge so you can see them better.

Passengers Boarding Amtrak at Paso Robles Depot,  © B. Radisavljevic

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• North County Transport Center Buses
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See What the Paso Robles Library Has for the Holidays

Whether you need to do some last minute shopping or just need something special for Christmas reading, you can find it at the Paso Robles Library. As you see suggested in this poster on the wall in the library, reading is a great family activity. One can  pick out a Christmas story as suggested in the poster and make a tradition of reading it on Christmas Eve. The library has several seasonal displays scattered throughout its reading areas. Please click to enlarge any photo you want to see more clearly.

Holiday Poster at Paso Robles Library, Photo © B. Radisavljevic

If you haven't finished your shopping yet, you may find a small gift at the Friends of the Library Gift Shop. Besides all the new items inside the store, there is a wider selection than usual of used books outside the store in the hallway. If you can't find exactly the gift you had in mind, just walk around the corner to Studios on the Park on Pine, across from the park and find something unique. Here are some photos of a selection of their special gift items.

Photo © B. Radisavljevic

A little past the main door of the library, on the right wall, are the new books. If you won't be visiting family or hosting them and you have some spare time to read, you are sure to find something entertaining on these shelves. I always look here first to see if there is anything new from my favorite authors. Here is a link to my  reviews of   some of the books for adults I have found there and in other places around the library. The library may not still have all of them.

Photo © B. Radisavljevic

As I walked toward the stacks, I saw this display of holiday music, mostly associated with Christmas. This is a good way to supplement your own supply of music for a couple of weeks without having to buy more. It's always nice to have something new to listen to while you sit around the tree or work in the kitchen.

Photo © B. Radisavljevic

If you have children, you won't want to miss getting a special holiday story to read to them while they wait for Santa to arrive. Here is what was on display less than a week ago. I'm sure more books have come and gone from it since then. Be sure to click if you want to see the titles more clearly.

Photo © B. Radisavljevic

Remember to bring a few books you haven't read yet into your home for the holidays, or revisit some old favorites.

Related articles

• What Happened to the Christmas Train?
• X is for Xmas in Paso Robles