La Cañada locals keep cool in water

On Wednesday afternoon, as outdoor thermometers throughout the city registered temperatures in the upper 90s, local kids — and some parents — took advantage of the cooling effects of the swimming pool at La Cañada Flintridge Country Club.

PHOTOS: Pool keeps children cool as temperatures soar

Those who didn’t dive in for some underwater adventures sought refuge offered by the poolside shade canopies.

Also drawing visitors were local eateries where cold desserts are on the menu. At Rita’s, in the 400 block of Foothill, workers who are used to a bit less traffic on weekdays than they typically see on weekends saw a spike in the number of guests Wednesday, the first day of a heat wave that forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expect to continue for at least another 10 days.

“We had a good number of people come in today,” said Caira McNeely-Wells, a Rita’s team member who said the best seller Wednesday was gelati — a mixture of Italian ice and frozen custard. “It’s a pretty happy environment,” she said during a brief phone interview. “People usually leave here with a smile on their face.”

-- Carol Cormaci