Arroyo Monthly November 2007 by Southland Publishing

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arroyo M O N T H L Y

NOVEMBER 2007

Pasadena’s Islamic Fantasy

Suzan-Lori Parks

Resurrects Ray Charles at the Pasadena Playhouse

Charlie Parker

His Wild Idyll at the Zorthian Ranch

Winter Whites

A Wine Lover’s Guide

ARROYO ~ FEBRUARY 2007 ~ 3

ARROYO VOLUME 3 ~ NUMBER 9

M O N T H LY

12 THEATER “Resurrecting Ray”: The late singer returns for an encore in playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ new musical, “Ray Charles Live!” at the Pasadena Playhouse. –By André Coleman

16 BOOKS “Selling History”: Michael Sharpe is out to keep the world’s great books in private hands–instead of library basements. –By Carl Kozlowski

20 CULTURE “Yardbird in Lotusland”: A new recording captures Charlie Parker’s wild idyll at Altadena’s Zorthian Ranch in 1952. ––By Kirk Silsbee

51 DÉJA VU “An Islamic Fantasy on Orange Grove Avenue”: A couple commemorates a romance born in Cairo with a Moorish-style palace in turn-of-the-century Pasadena. —By Sam Watters

16 DEPARTMENTS

8 FESTIVITIES Pasadena Weekly, the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, the House Ear Institute, Locks of Love

24 THE ART OF SCIENCE A new paradigm for autism 59 TABLE TALK The dawn of the super supermarket 60 OBJECTS OF DESIRE Home for the holidays? An arsenal of dandy products to fortify you for all that togetherness

63 THE LIST The Japanese Garden Festival at Descanso Gardens, Michael Maltzan at SCI-Arc, sleight of hand at CalTech and more

66 FITNESS The iron people of Pasadena 68 MERRIMENT Winter whites 70 TASTE TEST Cool jazz and fine food at redwhite+bluezz

COVER ART: The stables of Eva and Dr. Adalbert Fényes’ home on Orange Grove Avenue, 1902; a watercolor by Eva Fényes reprinted with permission from “Houses of Los Angeles: 1885-1919,” by Sam Watters (Acanthus Press; October 2007) ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 5

E D I TO R’ S N OT E

Passion combined with experience results in perfection. For over

asadena is a place where the past co-exists easily with the present. That’s probably truer for this city than it is for its neighbors to the west, which, in a constant hunt for the next great thing, forget about the last great thing. We like our ghosts. After all, they have such fabulous taste. Consider the Moorish-style palace built by Eva and Dr. Adalbert Fényes, which is lovingly remembered by USC School of Architecture instructor Sam Watters in his new book “Houses of Los Angeles: 1885-1919” (Acanthus Press), which is excerpted in this issue. The couple had such an eye for detail that they adorned their interior Algerian court with a stuffed peacock. We continue mining treasures from the past with Kirk Silsbee’s vivid portrait of jazz great Charlie Parker’s 1952 recording session at Altadena’s legendary Zorthian Ranch, ground zero for the area’s own Bloomsbury Group of artists and scientists. Then there is the story of Pasadena investor Michael Sharpe, for whom the best of the present is culled from history. Over the past 20 years, he has assembled a world-class collection of rare books and documents, which includes such greatest hits as the Dead Sea Scrolls (okay, just a piece) and the entire 14-volume, first-edition set of Lewis and Clark’s travelogues. Carl Kozlowski talks to him about his passion for collecting and his new rare-book store, which offers $8 million in treasures. Finally, André Coleman talks to Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks about her book for “Ray Charles Live! A New Musical,” which opens on Nov. 9. Parks talks about bringing the late R&B legend to life with this highly theatrical production at the Pasadena Playhouse, which could be the perfect venue for the show’s world premiere. As everyone knows, everything old is new again in Pasadena. –Irene Lacher

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ARROYO MONTHLY EDITOR IN CHIEF Irene Lacher PRODUCTION MANAGER Yvonne Guerrero ART DIRECTOR Joel Vendette • ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Stephanie Piechowski CONTROLLER Michael Nagami • HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Andrea Baker OFFICE MANAGER Joe Beauvais CONTRIBUTORS Jenine Baines, Joe Beauvais, Jake Belcher, André Coleman, Steve Coulter, Bob Ecker, Mandalit del Barco, Noela Hueso, Carl Kozlowski, Arlene Schindler, Kirk Silsbee, John Sollenberger COPY EDITOR John Seeley PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Germana, Christopher Rainone, Evans Vestal Ward ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Fred Bankston, Dana Bonner, Hilary Chen, Andrea Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Guzman, Leslie Lamm, Rochelle Reiff, Cynthia Wagner, Noelle Watkins ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Maricela Estrada, Carla Marroquin TRAFFIC MANAGER Jake Belcher • jakeb@pasadenaweekly.com ACCOUNTING SUPERVISOR Angela Wang ACCOUNTING Archie Iskaq, Tracy Lowe, Ginger Wang ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Roylin Downs PUBLISHER Jon Guynn

CONTACT US ADVERTISING publisher@arroyomonthly.com • EDITORIAL editor@arroyomonthly.com PHONE (626) 584-1500 • FAX (626) 795-0149 MAILING ADDRESS 50 S. De Lacey Ave., Ste. 200, Pasadena, CA 91105 www.ArroyoMonthly.com ©2007 Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

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FESTIVITIES

When 600 guests—Pasadena Weekly staffers and business and community leaders—gathered at the Paseo Colorado on Oct. 11 to toast the stars of the publication’s Best of Pasadena 2007 issue, the drinks they sipped were poured with a degree of excellence unsurpassed within the city’s borders. So spake the alternative weekly’s readers of the handiwork of Best Bartender Marie Meek, who so memorably plies her trade at redwhite+bluezz Wine Bar and Grill. Other notables recognized at the event were Local Personality of the Year Victor Vener, the California Philharmonic Orchestra’s music director, and Citizen of the Year Colin Hurren, a philanthropist and CEO of Skin Deep Laser MedSpa, both of 3 whom received a plaque from Jon Guynn, publisher of Pasadena Weekly (as well as this magazine). Public Employee of the Year Cynthia Kurtz, Pasadena’s city manager, and Public Official of the Year, Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, accepted their awards from Editor Kevin Uhrich. Seventeen area restaurants provided eclectic bites, and the Ryan Cross Trio served up a set of hot jazz. A raffle for 6 gifts donated by Pasadena businesses benefitted the Ronald McDonald House.

1. Victor Vener and Jon Guynn; 2. Cynthia Kurtz; 3. Kevin Uhrich, Calendar Editor John Sollenberger and Deputy Editor Joe Piasecki; 4. the Ryan Cross Trio; 5. Associate Art Director Stephanie Piechowski and fiancé Nick Seeby; 6. Guynn, Mayor Bill Bogaard, Uhrich; 7. Traffic Manager Jake Belcher and Associate Publisher Roylin Downs; 8. Sales Representative Rochelle Reiff and Office Manager Joe Beauvais; 9. Colin Hurren and Guynn Photos by Hilary Chen

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The South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce honored 10 business and community leaders at its fourth annual “Awesome Ostrich Awards” installation dinner on Oct. 12. In a moving tribute to the late Amedee O. “Dick” Richards, who founded the South Pasadena Farmers’ Market as well as the chamber, the group gave a standing ovation to his widow, Clara, and the rest of the Richards family, as his grandson Vince accepted the “Essence of South Pasadena Lifetime Achievement Award” on Richards’ behalf. Other honorees included “Ambassador of the Year” Casey Houghton of the South Pasadena Directory, who received a giant ostrich-egg trophy for her success in recruiting new chamber members. Also commended were South Pasadena Entrepreneurs of the Year Mark and Marinel Robinson, who transformed the former Ultimate Outlet building into a retail store and school, and Walter Zooi, who launched the South Pasadena Mark and Marinel Robinson (left) and Walter Zooi. Music Center and Conservatory in September. 8 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 9

FESTIVITIES

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More than 200 supporters of the Pasadena Symphony Association celebrated the opening of the orchestra’s 80th anniversary season on Oct. 13 with a pre-performance dinner titled, “An Evening of Shakespeare, Passion and Love.” Gerri Lee Frye, Shelly Reisch and Benjamin Oberman returned to reprise their roles as gala chairs at the event held at a private club. Frye also endowed the opening-night performance, which featured works by Philip Glass and Hector Berlioz, in honor of her mother. The gala began with a cocktail reception regaled by pianist Dondi Villamayor. Diane Rankin, president of the Board of Directors and a former flautist for the symphony, then invited guests to dinner and introduced Mayor Bill Bogaard, who toasted the mostly volunteer orchestra. The dinner was underwritten by Wells Fargo. Riboli Family Wine Estates donated libations.

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1. Mayor Bill Bogaard; 2. Sue and Bill Shieff; 5 3. Cindy Shilkret, Herb Rankin and Rachael Worby, music director of the Pasadena Pops; 4. Edith and Jack Roberts; 5. Gerri Lee Frye, Pasadena Symphony Music Director Jorge Mester, Shelly Reisch and Benjamin Oberman

First time on the market in over 40 years! 1 Dr. John House of San Marino greeted guests as they sipped Oronoco mojitos and milled around the sprawling Brentwood backyard of überdeveloper Rick Caruso (of the Grove fame) on Sept. 26. The occasion was an alfresco fundraiser for a Los Angeles research institute dedicated to hearing disorders, founded by and named after the doctor’s father, 2 Dr. Howard House. The House Ear Institute gala continued with dinner, followed by a performance by Ellen Degeneres. San Marino’s Bradley Whitford and Jane Kaczmarek acted as puckish MCs. “I want to say, from the bottom of my heart,” Whitford said 3 1. Jim Boswell and Rick solemnly, “and I Caruso; 2. Bradley Whitford, know I speak for a Wallis Annenberg and Jane Kaczmarek; 3. Darrien lot of people here, Iaccoca, Tony Thomopolous and Cristina Ferrare I just want to say, I really want this house. And I mean that.” The benefit celebrated the completion of the institute’s Wallis Annenberg Research Center, built with a $10 million donation from Annenberg, who addressed the crowd.

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1 1. Left to right: Hair Profile owner Marian Gotanian, stylists Michele Cecere, Shara Shahouni and RayAnn Chi; 2. Donor Dalia Copli and event coordinator Amy Sinclair.

Hair Profile of La Cañada Flintridge hosted a cut-a-thon on Sept. 23 to benefit Locks of Love, which provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children stricken with long-term hair loss stemming from medical conditions, fire or psychological trauma. Fourteen girls from Marantha High School donated as much as 12 inches of their hair to the nonprofit.

ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 11

T H E AT E R

RAY THE LATE SINGER RETURNS FOR AN ENCORE IN PLAYWRIGHT SUZAN-LORI PARKS' NEW MUSICAL, “RAY CHARLES LIVE!” BY ANDRÉ COLEMAN

12 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

My interview with Suzan-Lori Parks started over a sushi platter around the corner from the Pasadena Playhouse, where her new play, “Ray Charles Live!: A New Musical,” opens on Nov. 9. Another project, “365 plays/365 days,” for which she’d written a new play every day for a year, was winding down, and she was also working on a new novel. Still, the sushi was what was on her mind. “You’ve never had it before?” she asked with an infectious smile, as the plate of raw seafood was placed before us. “Usually, you pour the soy sauce on it, but I don’t eat the soy sauce.” I swallowed a big piece of salmon wrapped in ginger, and my face twisted with displeasure. “You can say it’s yucky, and then I can just eat it all,” Parks said with a smile. “It’s high in protein and doesn’t have a lot of carbs.” That may be the best way to describe Parks: She doesn’t seem to come with the fake sugary additives that give most encounters with divas an unpleasant aftertaste. Instead, she tells it like it is and takes pride in simple things like learning the banjo and the slide guitar. Parks, who’s married to blues musician and former Muddy Waters sideman Paul Oscher, doesn’t

tart herself up in an expensive hair weave or heavy make up, preferring the more casual look of dreadlocks and a nearly bare face. But make no mistake about it: The playwright—winner of a $500,000 MacArthur “genius” grant in 2001 and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2002—cuts a formidable figure. “This isn’t your average work-for-hire situation,” Parks said of her commission to write a musical about Charles, once dubbed the only genius in show business by Frank Sinatra. “I feel that when I’m asked to do the job, I am called–for lack of a better word–by the spirit of the original artist. When they said they were going to do a musical and they needed someone to write it for the stage, I felt that a lot of people would be interested in it. I wasn’t intimidated at all.” Not even by the likelihood that the musical would be compared to the celebrated 2004 biopic “Ray,” which earned Jamie Foxx a best actor Oscar for the title role. “The movie was kind of a beautiful parade or float,” said Parks, 44. “It’s the story of Ray Charles passing you by. I’m more interested in doing the —continued on page 14

Photo: Ray Charles by Howard Morehead for Ray Charles Enterprises, Inc.

RESURRECTING

ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 13

R E S U R R E C T I N G R AY

Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks

next thing than revisiting something I already had an experience with. “That could have worked for a play, but I wasn’t interested in doing anything like that. The movie told his life, but the play gets to know the man. It could have been exploitive, but that’s why I got involved, because I was the best person for the job. I wanted to make contact with Mr. Ray Charles and find out why he wanted to make a play.” At a meeting with the play’s licensing producers — Howard and Karen Baldwin and Stuart Benjamin, who had also produced “Ray” — Parks said that she had no intention of adapting their movie to the stage. After a long pause, they agreed with her alternate approach. Parks steeped herself in the source material for the film, Charles’ autobiography, “Brother Ray: Ray Charles’ Own Story” (Da Capo Press: 2003); interviewed his longtime manager and business partner, Joe Adams; and began to search for a premise. She found it in a fantasy about the artist’s life after death. In the play, Charles returns from the afterlife to record another live album. He tells the audience he’s back so that he can work again, but this album is unique because he has invited everyone he has known to sit in on the recording session. The taping turns into a family reunion of sorts, with Charles telling his tales only to have his guests clash with him and each other over their respective 14 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

versions of events. The show stars Brandon Victor Dixon, who earned a Tony nomination for his role in “The Color Purple,” singing Charles’ immortal tunes, including “What’d I Say,” “Georgia on my Mind,” “Hit the Road Jack” and “I Got a Woman.” Parks’ plays are almost magical. She plays with words, ideas and perceptions, while interpreting powerful subjects like street life, relationships and, of course, race, demonstrating a deftness that has thrilled critics. Time Magazine said, “Her dislocating stage devices, stark but poetic language and fiercely idiosyncratic images transform her work into something haunting and wondrous.” Parks won a Pulitzer Prize for “Topdog/Underdog,” a play about two brothers named Lincoln and Booth who sort through their lives in a tiny boardinghouse. Described as a cross between hip-hop music and Greek tragedy, the play had successful runs offBroadway and on. After one performance, actor/musician Mos Def ran backstage to congratulate the cast and immediately began raving about the talented man who wrote the piece. Except that “he” was actually a woman. “I don’t like being labeled,” Parks said. Indeed, labeling her is almost impossible to do when you consider that she took a phone sex job as research to write the 1996 film “Girl 6” for director Spike Lee. She also adapted Zora Neale Hurston’s turbulent novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God” as a 2005 teleplay for producer Oprah Winfrey. “The Great Debaters,” a film she co-wrote, based on the true story of a black college debate team that took on Harvard in the 1930s, will be released by the Weinstein Co. on Christmas Day, with Denzel Washington starring and directing. Other plays include “Imperceptible Mutabilities in the Third Kingdom,” “Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World,” “The America Play,” “Venus” and “In The Blood.” From November 2002 to November 2003, Parks wrote a short play every day, about everything from deities to things she saw out of a plane window. The result was “365 Days/365 Plays.” “She’s audacious, highly theatrical,” said “Ray Charles Live!” director Sheldon Epps, who is also artistic director of the Pasadena Playhouse. “She

has both technique and heart, more than many other writers. She has a real sense of integrity about being true to her characters.” Parks’ inspirations reach as far back as she can remember. Born in Kentucky, the middle child of three, her earliest memory consisted of sitting in the backseat of a car, watching trees go by. She says the lingering image led to her first book, the road novel “Getting Mother’s Body” (Random House; 2003), about a black Texas family that travels to Arizona to dig up a woman’s grave. Parks’ father, an army officer, did two tours of Vietnam and moved the family to Germany in the early 1970s when he returned to active duty. In 1981, Parks entered Mount Holyoke College, where faculty member James Baldwin inspired her to become a writer. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a double major in English and German Literature. In 1989, the New York Times declared her the “year’s most promising playwright.” She was only 26. In 1997, Parks met her husband in New York, where Oscher was giving music lessons. One of his students was a sports-medicine doctor, whom Parks had consulted because of knee problems. One day, Oscher called her out of the blue to say he’d heard that she wanted to learn the harmonica. Parks said she wasn’t interested and hung up the phone, but the next day, Oscher called back. They talked for eight hours, and he invited her to a club to hear him play. Parks said that as soon as she saw him tuning his guitar, she knew she’d found her husband. “We don’t remember the anniversary half the time,” she said. “It’s July 24, so we just say 24/7, and now we don’t forget it.” Parks may be the one resurrecting Ray Charles, but Oscher was more excited to see the movie “Ray” when it came out. She vaguely remembers liking the film, but she acknowledges that it introduced younger people to his music. And now, with “Ray Charles Live!,” she will introduce them to his soul. “Ever since I got into theater, people have been saying, ‘Theater is dying,’” Parks said between bites of sushi. “It was reborn a long time ago, and it looks different. I think theater is alive and kicking. If we sit around lamenting the fact that it’s no longer like the golden age of Broadway, then we assume that it is dying. But if it’s dying, this is certainly a long death.” AM Previews begin Oct. 31. The show opens on Nov. 9 and runs through Dec. 9. at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. Molino Ave., Pasadena. Tickets cost $125. Call (626) 356-7529 or visit www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.

Photo: Suzan Lori-Parks by Stephanie Diani

—continued from page 12

Photo: Suzan Lori Parks by Stephanie Diani

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ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 15

BOOKS

Selling History MICHAEL SHARPE IS OUT TO KEEP THE WORLD’S GREAT BOOKS IN PRIVATE HANDS – INSTEAD OF LIBRARY BASEMENTS. BY CARL KOZLOWSKI | PHOTOS BY TERRY KONRATH

Step into the home of Michael Sharpe, and you’ll find yourself admiring far more than the furniture or the color schemes. The Pasadena resident’s décor includes a highly unusual showstopper: a $25 million-collection of some of the greatest literary works of all time. That’s because Sharpe has spent nearly two decades assembling bibliographical booty, which includes an actual page of the Gutenberg Bible, a piece of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the complete firstedition works of such icons as Mark Twain and Charles Dickens. And now, after filling a two-story, cherry-wood room of his expansive house on South San Rafael Avenue with the momentous tomes, he has relocated much of his singular collection to a shop on South Marengo Avenue. There he plans to transform his hobby into a crusade: resurrecting the city’s noble pastime of rare-book collecting. “Pasadena has a great tradition of book collectors, but it went away and we’re bringing it back,” says the garrulous and bespectacled Sharpe, 54. “We’re filling a void that’s affecting all of Los Angeles, since some of the other great stores, like Heritage Books, have closed in recent years. The Internet has changed collecting, has eliminated the 16 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

middleman somewhat. But people aren’t going to buy a $20,000 or $50,000 book on the Internet, because you want to know you can trust your dealer. Bookshops can be intimidating to people, since you think that you’re surrounded by scholars and think you can’t relax, so here we’re creating a superfriendly atmosphere where you can feel at home.” Indeed, the shop was once someone’s home— that of the late Col. George Gill Green, who owned the Patent Medicine Business and built the Old Pasadena landmark Castle Green. The large Craftsman house projects warmth and comfort, with cushy seats that invite visitors to browse its eclectic offerings at their leisure. “Lots of great bookstores focus on a certain theme or era, but we’re doing it all: early printing, first-edition literature, gorgeous travel books, Americana,” says Nat Des Moraes, Sharpe’s business partner and the store’s manager. “We’re starting at the top end of the market, while most people have to start small in a garage. Since Michael already had this wonderful collection, we lifted from that to start.” Kevin Mulroy of USC’s Doheny Memorial Library says that Sharpe is already notable in the rare-books field. “Michael looks like he is going to

become one for the next great collectors of California History books,” he says. Some of Sharpe’s finds are on display at the library through Dec. 15. Sharpe – a father of three who lives with Marna, his wife of 28 years – still seems filled with the same boyish enthusiasm he developed for literature as a child in the Northern California foothills town of Valley Springs. Books were his ticket out of a working-class childhood. “My life was definitely different then than it is now, because we grew up in the country working hard and did every kind of manual job you can think of,” recalls Sharpe, whose father worked for the phone company and mother for an answering service. “My brother even slept in the closet because we had so little room in the house, but we were all happy together. I’d run up the hill to my grandfather because he was an educated guy and a steady voice in my upbringing, and I’d sit at his feet while he read great books to me.” Now Sharpe’s personal collection of precious historical writing — which he launched over 20 years ago with a first edition of Mark Twain’s “Adventures of —continued on page 18

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S E L L I N G H I S TO RY

—continued from page 16

Huckleberry Finn” — extends far beyond the classics. He has acquired such esoterica as a $50,000 pamphlet of gold-mining rules from the heyday of the Gold Rush and a first edition of the Hippocratic Oath published in 1525 in England. His other treasures include first printings of Homer’s “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” published in Greek in 1488, a first edition of Adam Smith’s “Wealth of Nations” from 1776 and great science and mathematics books such as Euclid’s “Geometry,” from its first Latin printing in 1488, considered immensely valuable as “the first printed edition of the basis of geometry.” Sharpe, a professional investor, acknowledges that he has read the literature but not the science and math books, which he acquired mainly for their historic and monetary value. He believes that books are the next great investment trend and has moved from his personal search for “rare and fine copies of great works, whether in literature, science or Western Americana,” to hunting for stock for the store. “Top-quality books double in value every five years,” says Sharpe, senior national sales director for the investment firm Primerica Financial Services. “People can invest in them like they do in art and show them off. They just need to be educated.” Sharpe opened his store in October with $8 million in inventory, much of it from his personal collection, including works by Twain and Dickens and a first edition of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” which has a price tag of $150,000. (Sharpe is holding onto many of his most precious gems, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls fragment.) Des Moraes augments both the store’s holdings and Sharpe’s own as the head of a search team of four staffers who constantly hunt for more great works through an international collection of dealers “who are aware of what I look for and keep me informed of what becomes available.” “At some point I started doing searches six to seven hours a day,” Sharpe says. “You get on the Internet to get an initial sense of what’s available or go to Sotheby’s [auction house in London]. People get to know you, and eventually I wanted to meet more people in the book world, so we decided to open the store.” With the store’s first catalog out, Sharpe has already sold one of the few existing clay tablets, circa 1500 BC, inscribed with the Babylonian heroic poem “Gilgamesh” for the princely sum of $450,000. It’s easy to dismiss such high-end collecting as “like a disease,” as Sharpe himself jokingly describes it, but the bookseller firmly believes that he and his fellow collectors are helping the world. “We’re keeping these books available to be loved and admired somewhere, whether in a private home or on tour for all to see,” Sharpe explains. “Otherwise, most of these books would wind up donated to university libraries and hidden away in library basements, all but forgotten and unseen, except by an occasional scholar. My grandfather taught me to love books too much to allow that to happen to them.” AM Michael Sharpe Rare & Antiquarian Books is located at 569 S. Marengo Ave., Pasadena. Visit www.sharperarebooks.com or call (626) 405-2934. 18 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 19

C U LT U R E

Yardbird in Lotusland

A NEW RECORDING CAPTURES CHARLIE PARKER’S WILD IDYLL AT ALTADENA’S ZORTHIAN RANCH IN 1952. BY KIRK SILSBEE

When alto saxophonist Charlie Parker flew into Los Angeles at the end of May 1952, the trip stirred many emotions for him. Parker had been there for a six-week engagement seven years earlier. At the time, he quickly won over the town’s small band of dedicated modern jazz partisans and made many new friends. Though they went to extraordinary lengths to ensure his safety and comfort, Parker had a bumpy ride in the Southland. He short-circuited his system with drugs and alcohol, then suffered a mental and physical breakdown. He passed through the psychiatric ward of the county jail and logged a sixmonth stay at Camarillo State Hospital. Six weeks turned into a hellish year. When he first arrived in December of 1945, Los Angeles was a balm to the senses: The mild weather, palm trees and wide-open spaces were a dramatic contrast to the constricted, electrical intensity of New York. But the triumph of bringing the 52nd Street band he co-led with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie into Billy’s Berg’s, a Hollywood nightclub, faded as the wildly enthusiastic audiences thinned out over the six-week engagement. L.A. closed up at midnight, unlike the “all-night, all-frantic” city—the jazz world’s sobriquet for New York. (Parker had had to rewire his Kansas City circuitry to accommodate the city’s manic pace when he moved to there.) The worst part was never being able to secure a steady supplier of the heroin he needed. His hardscrabble searches for opium derivatives and their substitutes took the Yardbird, as he was known, down Southern California’s meanest streets. He was a target for a police department that enforced a Jim Crow policy with brutal zeal. Police seemed to zero in on him when they saw him in the company of white musicians. He was arrested outside of Berg’s twice—once with Harry “the Hipster” Gibson, and once with Gerry Mulligan. After his release from Camarillo in 1947, Parker crammed several lifetimes into the next five years. He returned to New York where he quickly reestablished himself as the undisputed instrumen20 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

tal virtuoso of modern jazz, setting up shop at 52nd Street’s Three Deuces. He also recorded a large chunk of his discography, which amount to the sacred texts of bebop. Bop represented the higher mathematics of American music, using advanced chords and harmonies, usually heard in 20th century classical music. Tempos could be taken at withering speeds, keeping all but the most accomplished musicians off the bandstand. Parker criss-crossed the country numerous times, with Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic tours and as a bandleader. He astounded Paris, had a New York nightclub named in his honor (Birdland), returned to Europe as a conquering hero, married and separated from his third wife, bedded countless women and ingested enough narcotics to kill a football team. But by the time he returned to L.A. in 1952, it was an older Parker who opened a two-week stand at the Tiffany on Eighth Street in the mid-Wilshire district. At 32, when most men still retain a semblance of youth, Parker looked middle-aged. At a recording session for Granz on June 5, he was grouped with several of the older titans of jazz saxophone: Benny Carter, Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges and Flip Phillips. He was bloated, his jacket barely buttoning around an expanding waistline. Sitting down during playbacks, he resembled a tired Buddha. Charlie Parker would be dead in less than three years. The Tiffany gig went well enough. A band of local musicians was cobbled together for Bird, anchored by Harry Babison, one of the most advanced bassists in all of modern jazz. It was also

Jazz legend Charlie Parker

the first important job for a callow young trumpeter named Chet Baker. Closing time was the shank of the evening for Parker, and he was always looking for action: food, drugs, drink, sex and kicks. One night, some young fans—David Brunk and UCLA psychology major William Claxton among them— spoke to him between sets. Claxton brought along his camera and snapped a few pictures. The fans found Parker friendly, and when they discovered he was hungry, they took him in hand. With no restaurants open after midnight, they took him to the La Crescenta home of their friend Dick Lang. Lang’s parents were away, and the retinue spent the weekend at the feet of the Yardbird, rapt as he held court: eating, drinking, pontificating and swimming. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Claxton’s celebrated career as a photographer of jazz artists began right there at the Tiffany. Pasadena may have had an old-money patrician bedrock, but it had its wilder corners, to be —continued on page 22

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LOTUSLAND

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22 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

Artist Jirayr Zorthian, owner of the Zorthian Ranch, circa 1956

technology and subsequent fidelity of those tapes leave much to be desired, 50 years later we can hear the spirit of Charlie Parker, recently issued as “Charlie Parker at Zorthian’s Ranch July 14th, 1952,” on the rare Live Recordings label. Peals of laughter punctuate the music, while shouts of “take it off!” indicate a clothing-optional party. Trumpetiste Clora Bryant attended, and her memories are clear. “I drove Frank Morgan out there,” she recalls in a recent interview. “We worked together at the Club Alabam, and he was underage.” The house band at Central Avenue’s Alabam included Texas tenor Don Wilkerson, whose featured number was a version of Illinois Jacquet’s immortal solo on “Flyin’ Home,” performed with a lissome backbend. “Frank didn’t have a car,” she continues, “so I drove him to work. He told me about this party for Yard, and I drove him out there.” “When we walked in,” she says, her voice gaining volume and incredulity, “Donald Wilkerson was buck naked by the pool! He was

playin’ ‘Flyin’ Home’—doing his backbend—and I said, ‘My Lordy, what kind of party is this?’” Parker didn’t have to be persuaded to remove his clothes either, but the scene wasn’t the bacchanale it must have seemed at first blush. “It wasn’t about sex,” says Brunk. “It was about music. Bird just wanted to be relaxed when he played, and that was how he felt most comfortable.” Still, it must have been one hell of a party. AM The Zorthian Ranch will be open to the public on Saturday, Nov. 10, as part of Altadena Heritage’s 2007 Home Tour - “Artists of Altadena: the First 100 Years.” Other stops include the Elena Kellogg studio; the Lynne McDaniel/Doolittle house; the Richard Davies home; the Griffith/Dadd home and “folly bowl” garden; and the Sabine Meyer zu Reckendorf home and studio. The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and tickets cost $25 ($15 for members). For tickets and information, call (626) 797-0054 or visit www.altadenaheritage.org.

Image courtesy of the archives at the Pasadena Museum of History

sure. Jack Parsons, the genius rocket scientist who also moved in occult circles and hosted sex and “magick” rituals in his backyard on South Orange Avenue, was part of a freethinking group of artists and intellectuals. (Parsons was blown to bits in a chemical explosion on June 16, 1952.) Among them were physicist Richard Feynman and Julie MacDonald. She was a Pasadena debutante who opted for the bohemian life of an artist. (It was Feynman who introduced her to Parker’s music via a 78-rpm record of “Chasing the Bird.”) A tall, imposing, big-boned woman, she swept into rooms in flowing dresses. Schooled at Chouinard Institute (which later morphed into the California Institute of the Arts), she was already becoming a sculptor of note. They all gathered for parties at the 45-acre ranch of Col. Jirayr Zorthian, in the hills of Altadena. Zorthian was an Armenian immigrant who’d survived Turkish massacres, studied art at Yale, left WPA murals all over the country and served as a World War II intelligence officer. He was also a fine painter who specialized in erotic subjects, and his rambling home on 45 wild acres became a kind of living assemblage art project. Weekends were party time at the Zorthian ranch. Visitors who gathered around the pool over the years would include notables like William Saroyan, Andy Warhol, Buckminster Fuller and Bob Dylan. The October 1963 Playboy Playmate—a Zorthian model—was photographed at the ranch. Its host evolved into a satyr who reveled in sensuality, slept outdoors and advocated daily sex in the open air. Although Parker stayed with David Brunk and his wife, MacDonald clearly made an impression on the Bird. They kept intimate company for a couple of days, which involved a string of wideranging conversations. On a humid night, he remarked on the cicadas outside. “My God,” he mused, “if we could hear all the sounds around us, we’d soon go mad.” Asked what his favorite song was, Bird named the Gershwins’ “The Man I Love.” MacDonald was puzzled. “But you’ve never recorded it,” she said. “No,” he responded enigmatically, “and I never will.” MacDonald would later sculpt a limestone head of Parker from memory, which looked somehow ancient and modern at the same time. Zorthian held a gathering in Parker’s honor on July 14. Brunk drove Parker to the ranch that day and had the good sense to bring along a tape recorder. He played a lengthy and informal jam session with local musicians, including his alto saxophone protégé, Frank Morgan. Even though the

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T H E A RT OF SCIENCE

A New Paradigm for Autism A STUDY LINKS THE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER TO MATERNAL INFECTIONS BY STEVE COULTER

I was introduced to the hotly debated topic of autism by a salesman at Sit ’n Sleep. My wife was three months pregnant and getting over a nasty respiratory infection. She’d just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Needless to say, we were a little freaked out. It’s no wonder that the salesman got our undivided attention when he mentioned that his child had an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) – which he directly attributed to childhood vaccinations. I have since discovered that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) dedicate several pages on their website to this very topic, the upshot being that there is no concrete evidence linking childhood vaccines to autism. Regardless, one thing is certain: The diagnosis of autism in children is on the rise. A report released in February by the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network found that “about 1 in 150 8-year-old children in multiple areas of the United States had an ASD.” Autism is a developmental disorder that adversely affects communication and 24 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

behavior. Little did we know that it was actually my wife’s respiratory infection that caused the greatest risk for autism in our unborn baby, according to the findings of a Caltech study recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience. “Our paper investigates how the mother’s immune response actually influences the development of the fetal brain,” said Paul Patterson, Caltech’s Biaggini Professor of Biological Science. Patterson, who has a nephew with autism, coauthored the study with Stephen Smith, a graduate student in biology at Caltech; Jennifer Li, now a graduate student at the University of California Medical Center, San Francisco; and Drs. Krassimira Garbett and Karoly Mirnics, both of the Department of Psychiatry and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University. The research was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the McKnight Foundation, Cure Autism Now and Autism Speaks. To understand how a mother’s response to an infection might affect the brain of a developing

child is simple enough. It’s almost winter, so picture a bunch of kids having a snowball fight suddenly ganging up on little Jenny. The snowballs are flying at her so fast that she can barely defend herself, but she does manage to unleash quite a few snowballs of her own. In the frenzy, she doesn’t realize that one of the snowballs she threw had a big rock packed inside of it, until it hits her little brother square in the forehead and knocks him unconscious. Now imagine that Jenny is the human immune system. The incoming snowballs are an infection to which the immune system responds by throwing back proteins called “cytokines.” For the most part, these proteins are sniper-accurate and don’t do any more damage than intended, but every once in a while, a rock slips through and wreaks havoc. In pregnant women, that dirty snowball is a specific cytokine known as IL-6. Jenny’s little brother is a fetus with the genetic predisposition for autism. Patterson and his team had already shown that triggering flu-like symptoms in pregnant mice resulted in offspring that exhibited behavioral abnormalities. They were able to pinpoint IL-6 as the culprit after exposing more pregnant mice to cold-like symptoms, but they’re still unsure what it is about IL-6 that increases the risk for autism. “Not every woman who gets a flu or cold during pregnancy has an autistic child,” Patterson said. “There are two reasons for that: the severity of the infection, and also, genes are important. We know that there is a strong genetic component, and if the woman or child doesn’t have the right set of genes, presumably [the child is] not susceptible.” Despite the overwhelming evidence that genetic predisposition still plays a huge role in the development of autism, Patterson recognizes that his findings might cause concern among expecting mothers this flu season. To them, he has this to offer: “Prevention is the best option. Keep washing your hands constantly after you have been in public places, and avoid spending time with people who are sick.” Sometimes the simplest advice can be more comforting than the world’s most comfortable mattress. AM

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Y O U R H OM E . . . YOUR CASTLE —Continued from page 33

In the Playhouse District 37 years, same location LIC# 283612

Your kitchen is not just a place where meals are prepared. It's the heart of your home, where your family comes together. It's a gathering place where a thousand memories will be made.

“We e understand.” From m Design n to o Completion Our single location provides you with a product showroom, along with your designer and licensed contractor at your service.

~Ask about our 2 week completion guarantee~

—Continued on page 36

Kitchens &Baths Custom

Cabinets Countertops

Flooring Fixtures & Tile

Visit our comprehensive showroom at: E. Foothill Blvd.

S.. Myrtle

626)446-5956

E. Huntington Dr.

S.. Mayflowerr Ave.

Call now for in-home consultation

S.. 5th h Ave.

Next to Expo Design Center

S.. Santa a Anita a Ave

411 W. Maple Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016

E. Duarte Rd. "CA Lic # 889326"

B R I design

D G E studio

STICKLEY • LEXINGTON • HOOKER • STANLEY • DREXEL HERITAGE

Y O U R H OM E . . .

Y O U R

—Continued from page 34

money you will save on new furniture for your home. Ferguson Bath & Kitchen — Make sure to visit the Pasadena Ferguson showroom which has been serving Pasadena for 15 years. Let Ferguson showroom staff, Sarah and Antaya help you with your appliances, sinks, faucets, tools, accessories, environmentally safe tankless water heaters, and commercial and residential lighting needs. Ferguson Pasadena is your one stop shop from underground, to finish. Ferguson Pasadena is small, but flexible. Visit www.ferguson.com

Kitchen and Bath Design Custom Furniture Complete Interior Design Services

The Glabman Family has been bringing exquisite taste and expertise to the Home Furnishings field since 1900. Four generations of our family have proudly offered

a unique complement of selection, service and satisfaction. We expect to spoil you for every other furniture store with our quality, selection and price. The family has built its relationships with craftsmen from around the world for one purpose; to help our clients create engaging spaces that add beauty, comfort and joy to their lives. Please join us for our special sale event for a limited time, we are offering all furniture at “below designer wholesale prices” including special orders on all furniture lines, select floor samples for immediate delivery, art, lamps mirrors and accessories. Don’t miss out on this unusual opportunity. Glabman Furniture - 525 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena 626-683-3660 Historic Lighting-Our long dedication to the Arts & Crafts revival has been inspired

C A S T L E by the original Craftsman movement centered in the Pasadena, area. Our showroom blends quality production home furnishings with representation of individual artisans. Our close relations with noted local craftsmen, allow us to offer individual pieces not readily available elsewhere. Lighting & interior design services available. Working from architectural plans and photographs or actual site visits, we can assist clients with their Craftsman and Bungalow style projects, both old and new. Historic Lighting 114 East Lemon Avenue, Old Town Monrovia 626-303-4899 Nott and Associates is the “Design Build” father-and-son team of Tom and Jeffrey Nott. This family team specializes in custom homes in Pasadena and the greater Los Angeles region. Tom Nott studied architecture at the University of Southern

California, and since then has worked on major projects throughout southern California. His work spans decades, and includes projects for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, the L.A. Subway, and countless commercial parks. Jeff began working in the field at age 12, graduated from UCSB, and has worked with many well known designers in Beverly Hills and Bel-Air building custom homes. Together for 30 years, they have completed over 120 projects in South Pasadena alone. Nott and Associates provides complete design through construction services, caring for your vision and appreciating your budget. www.NOTTASSOCIATES.com 626.403.0844.

Our Entertainment Centers will make your new Television look even better! Save Now on our Large Selection of Quality Entertainment Centers, Just in Time for the Holidays! Selected Consoles in Stock & Available for Immediate Delivery! Quantities Limited!

Rosekay Remodelers — Your kitchen is not just a place where meals are —Continued on page 38

Making Beautiful Trees Since 1992

Your Tree Preservation Experts

• Fine pruning of trees & shrubs

Featuring consoles, home theater systems, pop-up plasma, expandable wall systems, pocket armoires & many more. Designed for Plasma, DLP & LCD television systems. Special savings on selected wall units, quantities limited.

• Oak tree experts • Fruit tree & hedges • Stump removal

Visit Our Website at

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fine homefurnishings since 1937 • interior design Arborist Michael Barker St. Lic #670561, ISAWC #1180 Licensed & Bonded

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FREE ESTIMATES

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www.canadatreecare.com ADVERTISEMENT

B R I design

D G E studio

STICKLEY • LEXINGTON • HOOKER • STANLEY • DREXEL HERITAGE

Y O U R H OM E . . .

Y O U R

—Continued from page 34

Kitchen and Bath Design Custom Furniture Complete Interior Design Services

The Glabman Family has been bringing exquisite taste and expertise to the Home Furnishings field since 1900. Four generations of our family have proudly offered

Rosekay Remodelers — Your kitchen is not just a place where meals are —Continued on page 38

Making Beautiful Trees Since 1992

Your Tree Preservation Experts

• Fine pruning of trees & shrubs

• Oak tree experts • Fruit tree & hedges • Stump removal

Visit Our Website at

www.Fedde.com

• Arborist reports • Dangerous trees removed safely

fine homefurnishings since 1937 • interior design Arborist Michael Barker St. Lic #670561, ISAWC #1180 Licensed & Bonded

Diane Bedford, allied member ASID 1030 E. Green St. #104 . Pasadena . 626-799-9019 bridgedesignstudio.com

FREE ESTIMATES

2350 EAST COLORADO BLVD. PASADENA • 626-796-7103 32 NORTH SIERRA MADRE BLVD. PASADENA • 626-844-1160 OPEN DAILY 10-6 • SUNDAY 12-5

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Create Your Own Custom Upholstered Furniture 100’S S off frame e styless and d 1000’S S off designerr fabricss and d leatherss to o choose e from!

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Y O U R H OM E . . . YOUR CASTLE —Continued from page 37

Custom Designed Sofas, Sectionals, Chairs, Sofa Beds Slip Covers Reupholstery Accessories Drapery & Bedding FAC CT TO ORY RY D DIIR RE EC CT T S SH HO OW WR RO OO OM MS S FA

PASADENA

GLENDALE

626.795.7099 818.502.1211 644 East Colorado 5406 San Fernando Rd.

STUDIO CITY

VALENCIA

818.487.2708 12344 Ventura Blvd.

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www.sofainteriors.com

ASID

prepared. It's the heart of your home, where your family comes together. It's a gathering place where a thousand memories will be made. Visit our comprehensive showroom at 411 W. Maple Avenue, Monrovia, CA, next to Expo Design Center. Call now for in-home consultation. Ask about our 2 week completion guarantee. For more information call (626) 446-5956. Soft Forest was founded with the idea of producing environmental friendly and high-quality bamboo fiber products. Bamboo fiber linens are not only softer and more absorbent than cotton, they are also naturally anti-bacterial and allergen free. We offer a great selection of holiday gifts including bath towels, bathrobes, bedding sets, and much more. Please visit us inside The

Commons at 146 S. Lake Ave., Suite 106, Pasadena. If you have any questions, please call 626-796-1805 or visit us online at www.softforest.com. Are you looking to purchase a quality product at a great price? Do some homework before you purchase a sofa or have one reupholstered make sure you have a complete disclosure on warranties on sofa frames, springs, cushions and workmanship. Sofa Interiors specializes in custom made furniture hand crafted in kiln dried hardwood which comes with a lifetime warranty. Furthermore, our cushions come with a 5yr, 10yr, or a lifetime warranty. Whatever your taste demands, we can produce it. Call us today and find out how we can put our expertise to work for you. Quality craftsmanship for our 20 years with complete satisfaction guaranteed.

Huge Selection Quality Products Competitive Prices Ferguson Bath & Kitchen serving Pasadena and surrounding communities for over 15 years takes pride in providing our customers with a huge selection of quality lines that include Kohler, Kallista and Rohl.

START to FINISH The Shortest Distance Between You and Your Dream Home is Nott & Associates. We’ve Been Designing and Building Homes for Over Thirty Years and Would Like to Build Yours, from Start to Finish.

Let our Ferguson showroom staff, Sarah and Antaya help you with your appliances, sinks, faucets, tools, accessories, environmentally safe tank-less water heaters, and commercial and residential lighting needs.

$250 off any purchase-Minimum $2500. Mention this ad for discount- Expires 12/31/07

American Society of Interior Design Industry Partner

Make Your Backyard An Oasis

Ferguson Bath & Kitchen Gallery is your ONE STOP SHOP - From Underground to Finish Visit Our Showroom Today! 157 Vista Ave, Pasadena

Tom and Jeff have built beautiful homes in the San Gabriel Valley for over 30 years.

TOM NOTT A.I.A Architect 626-403-0844

626.795.9551

JEFF NOTT General Contractor 626-403-2146 LIC#B746905

Craypo’s Pool & Spa Call For an Estimate: 626.355.6145

C53-801805

Sierra M

Vista Ave.

(1 block E. of Sierra Madre Blvd & Walnut)

lvd. re B d a E.Foothill Blvd E. Walnut St.

1508 MISSION ST., SOUTH PASADENA

E. Colorado Blvd.

nottassociates.com

Create Your Own Custom Upholstered Furniture 100’S S off frame e styless and d 1000’S S off designerr fabricss and d leatherss to o choose e from!

3 Wk.. Delivery

Y O U R H OM E . . . YOUR CASTLE —Continued from page 37

Custom Designed Sofas, Sectionals, Chairs, Sofa Beds Slip Covers Reupholstery Accessories Drapery & Bedding FAC CT TO ORY RY D DIIR RE EC CT T S SH HO OW WR RO OO OM MS S FA

PASADENA

GLENDALE

626.795.7099 818.502.1211 644 East Colorado 5406 San Fernando Rd.

STUDIO CITY

VALENCIA

818.487.2708 12344 Ventura Blvd.

661.254.9090 27051 McBean Pkwy.

www.sofainteriors.com

ASID

$250 off any purchase-Minimum $2500. Mention this ad for discount- Expires 12/31/07

American Society of Interior Design Industry Partner

Make Your Backyard An Oasis

Ferguson Bath & Kitchen Gallery is your ONE STOP SHOP - From Underground to Finish Visit Our Showroom Today! 157 Vista Ave, Pasadena

Tom and Jeff have built beautiful homes in the San Gabriel Valley for over 30 years.

TOM NOTT A.I.A Architect 626-403-0844

626.795.9551

JEFF NOTT General Contractor 626-403-2146 LIC#B746905

Craypo’s Pool & Spa Call For an Estimate: 626.355.6145

C53-801805

Sierra M

Vista Ave.

(1 block E. of Sierra Madre Blvd & Walnut)

lvd. re B d a E.Foothill Blvd E. Walnut St.

1508 MISSION ST., SOUTH PASADENA

E. Colorado Blvd.

nottassociates.com

40 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

C ALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA MOSAIC The newest in a line of fabulous JLP cookbooks is finally here! We’re welcoming our newest edition with a grand launch party for members, family, friends, and fans of the Junior League of Pasadena, Inc. Get the JLP’s 82nd year off to a great start as we celebrate in style!

• Hors d’oeuvres and formal

luncheon menu chosen from California MOSAIC

Culinary- themed silent auction • Get a start on holiday

shopping with the lovely table décor presented by local retailers

• And, of course, you can buy single copies of California MOSAIC and order cases!

ORDER BY PHONE

626.796.0244

Saturday, Novemberr 10th 11:00 0 am m – 3:00 0 pm a Anita a Frontt Runnerr Room Santa

OR CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS

TICKETS $100 per person

DON'T MISS OTHER UPCOMING COOKBOOK EVENTS....

Saturday, December 1st at Noon Open House at Motif - Food and Shopping Monday Evening, December 10th Vroman's Bookstore

www.juniorleaguepasadena.org ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 41

Fancy That!

La Canada

La Canada’s Newest Destination for Distinctive Gifts, Home Accents and Seasonal Décor

Penelope’s Café has much to be thankful for; their wonderful customers, of course. When you step inside, you’ll be thankful that they’ve created this pretty, comfy little oasis right in the heart of La Canada. Enjoy a warm coffee drink or hot tea by the fireplace indoors, or enjoy these milder temperatures we’re having outdoors with friends for lunch. Cozy and casual with great food and beverages - come on over and discover La Canada’s best-kept secret!

Aborn handmade Italian picture frames and mirrors and the exclusive Mata Ortiz Pottery you may have seen in museums. Whether you need the perfect gift for a loved one, hostess, teacher or bride to be look no further! And put away your wrapping paper! Eye catching gift wrapping is included. Stop in today and see for yourself! Pamper yourself with a manicure and pedicure at Madame Jolie. Or if a waxing’s what you need look no further. Book your appointment today and walk out rejuvenated and a Madame Jolie V.I.P!

The Apple Cart, with the striped awning on Foothill Boulevard in La Canada, is currently creating their adorable miniature Christmas scenes using Byers’ Choice, Ltd. carolers to help you get into the spirit of the season! Save lots on your holiday shopping at their trunk sale, featuring pretty and original Heather Moore jewelry (which makes a great gift personalized) on November 30.

Mention the Arroyo and receive a FREE Holiday Ornament with Purchase 838 1/2 Foothill Blvd. La Cañada Ca. 818.790.6525

Triangle, a fashion lounge is the newest boutique in La Canada. Opened just a month and they carry everything from casual to cocktail. It’s hard to make a choice on what to buy because you keep finding more that you love. You don’t need to make the drive through traffic to Pasadena or the West side just to find the latest designers. Stop into Triangle and enjoy your shopping experience. For the month of November, Triangle will match your sales tax by offering you a store credit to be used in the month of December.

Love Shopping? Stop by Fancy That! Open just in time for the Holidays, this great new shop features unique gifts for every budget - Vietri Italian Dinnerware, Beatriz Ball handmade metalware, Tizo Design frames and serving pieces, Martin

Christmas is on its way at the Apple Cart Stop in and see our fall décor and magical collection of holiday items. We have a large variety of Byers Carolers, Christmas collectibles and beautiful holiday dishes. Please join us Friday night Nov. 30 for our trunk show featuring a bounty of Heather Moore jewelry! Special orders and personalized jewelry need to be ordered early to ensure delivery by Christmas. As always, we offer free Christmas wrapping.

Specializing in: • Nail care • Skincare • Waxing Ask about our V.I.P Card which gives the customer 5% back on all nailcare services

The Apple Cart 1518 Foothill Blvd. La Canada, CA 91011 (818) 952-3342

Open Mon-Sat 9:30 – 7:00 707 Foothill Blvd #1., La Canada Ca, 91011 • 818.952.5591

Thanksgiving is a time to thank you for visiting us throughout the year.

OP NO EN W

s ’ e p o l e Pen

CAFE • BOOKS • GALLERY 1029 Foothill Blvd, La Cañada (at Chevy Chase Drive)

818.790.4386 • A D V E R T I S E M E N T

www.penelopescafe.com

montrose Fall is upon us, and winter is just

and wanting to look just right? The

around the corner. At Gianni

girls at Merle Norman are ready to

Couture on Verdugo Blvd. at

give you that beautiful Holiday glow!

Honolulu in Montrose, you’ll find

Call now to reserve a time.

superior quality and extraordinary Italian and French couture in all the

Among the many gorgeous cloth-

very latest in seasonal fashions.

ing lines at Tender Treasures,

You’ll find the utmost in personal-

they have a huge selection of

ized attention when you’re shop-

Cut Loose women’s clothing (see

ping for the perfect outfit for holi-

beautiful quilted jacket, pictured).

day parties or cocktail gatherings,

You’ll find the Mommy and Me col-

in both men and women’s attire.

lection, too, which is a super-cool

You’ll love the store’s divine lighting

bunch of long- and short-sleeve

and cozy, classy ambience, too!

graphic tees for both moms and their little ones. You’ll love Tender

The Holidays are here! And at Merle

Treasures’ gorgeous designs of

Norman we have gifts for everyone

pashminas and scarves of every

on your list. Beautifully wrapped and

type, too. Check out the website to

ready to go! Going to a Holiday party

see all this great stuff!

A Storee forr Women n & Children Tenderr Treasuress featuress a largee selection n off Cut Loosee Women'ss Clothingg forr Fall. Tenderr Treasures 2280 Honolulu Ave. Montrose, CA 91020 818-248-2260

www.tendertreasures.com

Old Town Monrovia 407 S. Myrtle Ave. (626)357-2299

Montrose 2341 Honolulu Ave. (818)249-1743

One Day Only Bare Escentuals Make Up In-Store Event! Nov 14th save 15% on all idBareEscentuals. See website for more details.

Tuscany Spa offers individually customized state-of-the-art skin care as you luxuriate in the Old World Tuscan ambience. Enjoy complimentary tea and biscuits at the end of each service. Tuscany Spa Offers: • Chromolite IPL Laser Hair Removal • Tuscany Signature Apothecary Facial • Tuscany Diagnostic Facial • Non-Surgical Face Lift with Epicuren

• Full Hour Swedish Body Massage • Jade Stone Massage • Aqua Detox Ionic Foot Treatment • Healing Infrared Sauna

Hermina Lathe, CEO, proudly serving her community for over 23 years

Tuscany Spa Skin and Body Clinic 2210 Florencita Ave., Montrose (818) 248-5500 www.tuscanyskinspa.com

The Active FX is the newest arsenal in the fight against aging. The Active FX is a Cardon Dioxide laser that used to treat hyper-pigmentation, skin tightening, fine lines and wrinkle, and acne scars. The Active FX will cause layers of aged skin to be removed and promote the underlying collagen to generate faster. Results are dramatic and immediate. In the past, these dramatic results could only be obtained with a laser treatment requiring weeks to months of downtime. In just one treatment and minimal downtime, years will be removed from you face. Please call Amae Laser Skin Solutions to see if this treatment is right for you. Call (626) 572-4000. Mary Konyalian, RN, of Glendale Laser Center has THE best hands in the business for laser treatment. She even offers evening and Saturday appointments for your convenience. Glendale Laser Center is located

Titan (Skin Tightening) Active FX (CO2 Laser) Hair Removal Vein Removal Skin Rejuvenation

• • • • •

Photofacials Botox Radiesse Restylane Juvederm

• • • • •

Acne Acne Scars Melasma Fine Lines Wrinkles

Gwen On 2 — A soft & flowing hairstyle is essential to preparing for those busy & rapidly approaching autumn and winter months. Relax in a warm & inviting setting as Gwen on 2. Gwen & her colleagues will work tirelessly to perfect the best style for each bone structure, hair type, personality and physical stature on each of their clients. Enjoy an icy martini or a steaming cup of coffee as you enjoy the peaceful view of the foothills from Gwen's second story salon in Sierra Madre. By appointment only (626) 355-4255 Hair Profile — “From the moment they walk in, “says owner Marian Gotanian; I

want my clients to know they’re going to receive a beauty experience unlike any other. She cites “pampering” as a major component of the Hair Profile Experience. “If they’re coming in for an evening appointment and want to relax with a cocktail or glass of wine absolutely! If they want champagne — we’ll have it chilled and ready for them. Everyone wants to be treated special and feel like they’re a celebrity.

Medaesthetis-Time may be a great healer, but It is a lousy beautician. Your someday is now!. Renew yourself. Defy age. We have first class equipment that allows us to serve you the best. Our Profect Camera System provides our clients with the ability to see and understand their skin care need and follow the results of their treatments. Med Aesthetis is one of the most advanced centers for all you skin care needs. Dr. May Araki is dedicated to providing the most effective treatment possi-

10%

ble and creating an environment that clients feel the comfortable in. Our staff will make sure this is the case as well!

• Medical Grade • Facials Chemical Peels • Microdermabrasion (Vibraderm)

Full Service Salon Offering: Hair Design Services Eyelash extensions Hair Extensions Skin care & Make up

Pira Sadeghi, D.D.S. has been in private practice for the last 15 years in California, practicing in the fields of general and cosmetic dentistry. She is a graduate of the prestigious Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies in cosmetic and full mouth rehabilitation, TMD and occlusion programs and specializes in diagnosing and treating patients with TMJ, head, neck and facial pain disorders. Dr. Sadeghi’s philosophy is a conservative, nonsurgical approach to the treatment of neuromuscular disorders. Dr. Sadeghi practices at two locations: 727 E. Broadway in Glendale and 1501 W. Colorado Blvd. in Eagle Rock. Call (323) 255-9001.

* Ask about our Beauty Boot Camp

(818) 790-1392 711 Foothill Blvd, Suite H La Canada-Flintridge, CA 91011 www.hairprofile.com

Hermina Lathe of Tuscany Spa is pleased to welcome you into the pretty —Continued on page 46

Now open Sundays, 10 – 3

• • • • •

inside the office of Dr. Bardakjian’s Plastic Surgery Center, right next to Glendale Memorial Hospital. Buy a session in advance and she’ll give you a sweet discount. Warmth and professionalism is what you’ll find in Mary’s caring hands!

ad hist t on ge nti Me and FF

! ou

Health&Beauty

Discover a Ne w

Skin Rejuvenation: Acne Treatments, Microdermabrasion and Laser Hair Removal

Acoustic Wave Therapy: Non-invasive procedure using gentle waves, increasing blood flow and reducing the appearance of cellulite!

IMPROVE YOUR BODY CONFIDENCE TODAY! Call to schedule an appointment and learn more about AWT

Med Aesthetis, 207 S. Santa Anita Ave, Suite 335 San Gabriel • (626) 943.9707 www.medaesthetis.com

One Day Only Bare Escentuals Make Up In-Store Event! Nov 14th save 15% on all idBareEscentuals. See website for more details.

• Full Hour Swedish Body Massage • Jade Stone Massage • Aqua Detox Ionic Foot Treatment • Healing Infrared Sauna

Hermina Lathe, CEO, proudly serving her community for over 23 years

Tuscany Spa Skin and Body Clinic 2210 Florencita Ave., Montrose (818) 248-5500 www.tuscanyskinspa.com

Titan (Skin Tightening) Active FX (CO2 Laser) Hair Removal Vein Removal Skin Rejuvenation

• • • • •

Photofacials Botox Radiesse Restylane Juvederm

• • • • •

Acne Acne Scars Melasma Fine Lines Wrinkles

10%

ble and creating an environment that clients feel the comfortable in. Our staff will make sure this is the case as well!

• Medical Grade • Facials Chemical Peels • Microdermabrasion (Vibraderm)

Full Service Salon Offering: Hair Design Services Eyelash extensions Hair Extensions Skin care & Make up

* Ask about our Beauty Boot Camp

(818) 790-1392 711 Foothill Blvd, Suite H La Canada-Flintridge, CA 91011 www.hairprofile.com

Hermina Lathe of Tuscany Spa is pleased to welcome you into the pretty —Continued on page 46

Now open Sundays, 10 – 3

• • • • •

ad hist t on ge nti Me and FF

! ou

Health&Beauty

Discover a Ne w

Skin Rejuvenation: Acne Treatments, Microdermabrasion and Laser Hair Removal

Acoustic Wave Therapy: Non-invasive procedure using gentle waves, increasing blood flow and reducing the appearance of cellulite!

IMPROVE YOUR BODY CONFIDENCE TODAY! Call to schedule an appointment and learn more about AWT

Med Aesthetis, 207 S. Santa Anita Ave, Suite 335 San Gabriel • (626) 943.9707 www.medaesthetis.com

Health&Beauty —Continued from page 45

paradise that she’s created there. In business for 23 years, Hermina and her talented and skillful staff understand the joy head-to-toe pampering can bring to a person’s spirit, never mind the health benefits you’ll receive from all of the services they provide. Mark your calendar – November 14th Tuscany Spa is holding an in-store event featuring Bare Escentuals where you’ll save 15% on all idBareEscentuals. Do not miss this wonderful event! When you walk into the office of Dr. Tahani and Dr. Garret you are sure to walk away smiling! Dr. Garrett, who graduated from Northwestern University School of Dentistry, continues to seek advanced and updated training on all procedures and techniques. He has also served as Associate Clinical Professor at USC Dental School for over 25 years. Dr. Tahani is a graduate of Boston University School of Dental Medicine and has taken many courses in esthetic den-

tistry. He is also certified by the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation. He has a very gentle touch! “Be sure to ask about Lumineers, the safe, painless porcelain veneer.” Judy Caspe’s focus is natural beauty through modern sciences. As human beings, our aging bodies, as well as our spirits, naturally require maintenance due to the daily stresses we must endure. Z Med Spa offers clinically advanced treatments designed to maintain, restore, and optimize your natural beauty as well as recharge your spirit. Come to Z Med Spa…an oasis in the city of Pasadena with reasonable prices and beautiful surroundings where clients enjoy state of the art, soothing rejuvenation treatments in a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere, while experiencing the absolute highest caliber of hospitality and client service. They are a hidden paradise. Hope to see you soon! 1167 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, (626) 441-4906.

Voted Runner-Up Best Spa

Z Med Spa Offers Results-Oriented Treatments

General, Cosmetic,

Implant Dentistry • Zoom • Lumineers • Invisalign

—Continued from page 25

Mention this ad and receive

10% OFF YOUR FIRST VISIT

3043 Foothill Blvd, Suite 10, La Crescenta, CA 91214

www.lacrescentadentistry.com

ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM HEAD, NECK, & FACIAL PAIN? You may have TMJ Disorder.

We Can Help!

COMMON SYMPTOMS • Thermage • Active FX • Botox • Restylane • Radiesse • Revage 670 • Laser Hair Removal

• Chemical Peels • Vitamin Shots • IPL and Laser Genesis Treatments • Therma Skin Radio Frequency Facials • Diamond Tipped Microderms

• Sapphire Dermabrasions • Ultra Sound Skin Scrubber Facials • Couples Facials • Couples Massage • Body DeTox Wraps • Waxing

Open 7 days a week 1167 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, Ca. 91105

(626)441-4906 spatalkla@aol.com • www.zmedspa.com

Chronic Headaches - Ringing Ears - Ear Congestion Facial Pain- Clicking Jaws - Neck Pain Clenching & Grinding - Dizziness We listen to your needs and we utilize all our 15-years of experience, knowledge & technology to customize your treament.

Eagle Rock 1501 W. Colorado Blvd (323) 255-3500

Glendale 727 E. Broadway (818) 240-5888

www.tmjhelpcenter.com

www.cosmetic-dental-center.com

ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 47

Shopping “VOTED BEST BOUTIQUE IN PASADENA 2007”

Simply Fresh has always been known to bring the hippest & freshest ideas in HOME – GIFT – GARDEN. With a keen eye on design, they search the globe for what’s unique & beautiful to uplift your senses. From freshly scented candles & bath to groovy hipster CDs, Fabulous Fashion Accessories, to Charming Home and Garden Decors, people are always amazed at the wide variety of eclectic selections. No wonder they won the “BEST BOUTIQUE” again this year by Pasadena Weekly. Discover why they have been so well loved for the last 7 years! Simply Fresh! 2628 Mission St. San Marino, (626) 441-7250. Hodge Podge is heading into the holiday season with a collection of elegant home accessories and fabulous items to delight and tantalize. During the month of November, the doors will be open on Sundays from 12-4pm, and as always, gift wrapping is beautiful and free. Look for a great selection of Dept 56, Brighton

Collectables, and Ju-Ju Be diaper bags. On November 30th Holiday on the Drive will be a great opportunity to get the most treasured gifts that San Marino has to offer. Come by, park for free, and visit “Stitch in Time” for needlepoint, knitting supplies and classes. Thanksgiving and Christmas never looked so good. Hodge Podge is at 2465 Huntington Dr., San Marino. (626) 793-5252. Forget Melrose — Lady, an adorable store, offering new and vintage clothing and accessories is located right in Eagle Rock just 2 blocks down from Colorado on Eagle Rock Boulevard at Chickasaw. Lady has a clean, upscale feel, offering literally something for every style. It’s a cozy, hip place where you’ll have a great shopping experience if you’re looking for carefully selected clothing that’s reasonably priced and where you’ll get one-on-one fashion consulting by the adorable and talented Camille de Soto.

Hodge Podge Comee Shop

Necessities and Gifts Holiday & Home Decor 2465 huntington dr. san marino 626-793-5252 ADVERTISEMENT

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ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 49

South h Pasadena’s

Newest Bed & Breakfast

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A Multii Media a Musicc Theatree Experience 335 Monterey Road South Pasadena 323•478•7300 www.arroyovistainn.com *Includes breakfast for two and taxes. Valid until November 11, 2007.

IF YOUR ENTIRE LIFE LASTED ONLY 8 DAYS... VIDEO GUEST ARTISTS Adapted & Directed By Zina Bethune Produced By Theatre Bethune & Jamie Nichols MICHAEL YORK & LEE MERIWETHER November 9th- 11th 2007 Friday & Saturday 8:30PM • Saturday & Sunday 2:30PM • Sunday 7:30PM Tickets: $25-$40-$45 Students, Seniors, Children, DRC, Group & Family Packages VIP Reception Sponsor: Acclaimed Chef Joseph Antonishek, Minx Restaurant & Lounge 50 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

216 North Brand Blvd., Glendale Box Office: 818-243-2539 www.AlexTheatre.org

DÉJÀ VU

An Islamic Fantasy on Orange Grove Avenue A COUPLE COMMEMORATES A ROMANCE BORN IN CAIRO WITH A MOORISH-STYLE PALACE IN TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY PASADENA. BY SAM WATTERS | PHOTOS COURTESY OF ACANTHUS PRESS

Eva Scott Muse Fényes (1849–1930) was the daughter of Leonard F. Scott, the founder of the East Coast-based Scott Publishing Co. and a descendant of the first governor of Massachusetts, John Winthrop. She and her second husband, Dr. Adalbert Fényes de Csakaly (1863–1937), met in Cairo in 1895. He was a Hungarian physician, and she was an American heiress returning to Egypt, a country she first visited in 1869 with the Hudson River School landscape painter Stanford R. Gifford. They married in Budapest in 1896 before returning to America and settling in Pasadena that same year. Although the exoticism of the Middle East had appealed to Americans since the first decades of the 19th century and was much in vogue in the 1880s, the Mediterranean climate of Southern California and the couple’s North African romance must have determined the Fényes’ decision to build a Moorish-style house. In February 1897, Eva Fényes purchased a 150-by-210-foot lot at the northwest corner of South Orange Grove Avenue and Ellis Street. She hired Greene & Greene to draw up plans for a residence, but the architects declined the job, unwilling to work in an exotic style. She communicated with a Parisian designer who proposed to manufacture in France the paneling and ornamentation for une maison Mauresque. The sketches in a March 1897 letter from France were broadly Arabian in plan but Napoleon III in spirit, with a central patio on the first floor leading to a salon de concert in the rear to be decorated with palms, statuary and painted ceilings. By the time the letter arrived, Eva Fényes had settled on the Los Angeles firm of Dennis & Farwell. Throughout the 12 months of construction, Eva Fényes and Lyman Farwell, a fellow Middle East enthusiast, were in almost daily communication regarding the smallest details. She painted a watercolor of an early version of the house, possibly as a guide for the architects, whose final plans followed the spirit and basic configuration of Fényes’ painting. At the southeastern cor—continued on page 52 ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 51

I S L A M I C FA N TA S Y

—continued from page 51

Top: Entrance hall. Bottom: Library with view to ballroom. Opposite page: Interior Algerian court

ner of the residence, an ornamented ribbed onion dome, with the Ottoman crescent moon and star at its peak, rose above a two-story block. Dr. Fényes’ one-story waiting room and office on the north side facing Orange Grove was connected to the main house by a domed porte-cochere. Through this arched entranceway, past the kitchen wing, was a Moorish-inspired wood-and-stucco laundry and stable with a square two-story tower enclosing a water tank. The details of the main house—black-and-white arched window surrounds, a carved wood overhang above the second-story bay and shallow terra-cotta tile eaves inspired by Tunisian and Moroccan precedents—were exotic refinements to a sand-colored, stucco suburban villa. Using photographs taken by Eva Fényes in the winter of 1893, the architects copied an Algerian entrance for the front door and hallway designs. To provide readable drawings for the interior’s carved and gilded arabesque moldings and wall panels, Farwell consulted popular pattern books published for Western designers. “I have studied the Entrance frieze the most,” wrote Lyman Farwell in May 1897, “—have consulted the best authorities in Turkish, Moorish, and Arabian decoration (such as Owen Jones Grammar of Ornament).” North African houses were organized around a two-story wust al-dar, or patio open to the sky, often with a central fountain. For the elaborate carved and painted interior Algerian court integrated into the Fényes house by the first-floor stairway, the architects and client turned to photographs of Algerian public buildings, including the governor’s summer residence and the archbishop’s palace at Tunis. They hired Los Angeles’ influential Colonial Art Glass Company, managed by Walter H. Judson (1872–1934), to manufacture an intricate octagonal roof dome made of “opalescent and meridian glass.” The interiors of the more-than-30-room house were eclectic, with a Louis XVI/Adam-style ballroom, a Moorish-inspired library, a neoRenaissance dining room and a floral boudoir and bedroom for Mrs. Fényes’ daughter, Leonora S. Muse. A Louis XV-style salon was to the left of the entrance, decorated in shades of green, and above this room and below the southeastern corner dome was Mrs. Fényes’ yellow First Empire bedroom. Eva Fényes oversaw the decorating of the house, ordering furniture, carpets and portieres from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and from New York and Los Angeles. To complete the exotic interior patio, she purchased, after much communication with a supplier in Salt Lake City, a taxidermy peacock. Eva Fényes was a talented and prolific artist who befriended musicians and local Arroyo Seco landscape painters. She helped Charles F. Lummis establish the Southwest Museum and recorded in watercolor California’s endangered Spanish adobes and missions of particular interest to the Arroyo Seco intellectual community. Her paintings of the Fényes’ Orange Grove villa provide a rare glimpse in color of a 19th-century Islamic fantasy. By spring 1901, the roof of the Fényes patio was beginning to leak, as were the areas below the parapets and around the chimney. At great expense, the art-glass dome was repaired by Judson, but the leaks persisted. In November 1903, the Fényes sold their Moorish villa partially furnished for under $10,000, less than the $10,500 spent to build the house. The house was resold, and in August 1915, the estate burned to the ground, reportedly for insurance money, the house being then valued at $30,000. Only the small one-story wing housing Dr. Fényes’ office survived, and it was moved in 1917 to nearby Loma Vista, where it has been preserved as a private residence. AM Reprinted with permission from “Houses of Los Angeles: 1885–1919,” by Sam Watters, published by Acanthus Press (October 2007).

52 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 53

Gifts and Shopping P.I.M.

Lula Mae

Stress and lack of time is the number one reason why the Holidays can be a burden. So let our helping hands bring the “Sparkle and Spirit” of the Holidays to your home. Holiday decorating can include the use of your own decorations or if needed purchasing new items. It’s that simple. Let’s us help you create the magical feelings of the holiday season. Need a room make-over for the holidays? We can provide a quick mini make-over that will make your home festive and inviting for the holidays. Are you ready for your holiday parties? It all starts with proper planning. We can help organize and plan your party so you can enjoy the celebration. Let us take the hassle out of the holiday shopping. Give us your list and we will do the shopping for you.

At Lula Mae, the gifts of style, wit and whimsy are fabulous forces of fun. The selection of items that dance together on the crowded shelves is second to none. Lula Mae has the perfect gift for those who have everything, from baby clothes to bath and body, from paper goods to books, handbags, jewelry, accessories, candles, and special holiday treats. Yes, literally the coolest gifts in Pasadena… Nay, the West Coast…Better yet, the Northern Hemisphere. The treat that is Lula Mae, is not measured in the amazing gifts purchased, but in the spiritual journey that your inner child takes while you browse the displays. There are gifts and goodies for every taste and palate, and nostalgia is served up by the truckload. Take the trip, and find yourself stepping inside Lula Mae, at

P.I.M. 301 E. Colorado Blvd., Ste. 709, Pasadena (626) 440-8841

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G.H. Wilke

Angelo Shoes

G. H. Wilke began in 1929 when watchmaker Gilbert H. Wilke purchased a jewelry store in the farming community of Arlington Heights, Illinois during the Great Depression. Moving successfully through subsequent decades and uprooting to CA in 1946, Gil kept his eyes on his goals. Satisfying customers, being part of the community and behaving with professional integrity were his hallmarks since the inception of his business. Tracy R. Wilke and Dario Pirozko are now guiding G. H. Wilke & Co. into further realms of custom design, estate and antique jewelry and an eclectic blend of contemporary styles. Our customers just call us “my candy store”.

Angelo Shoes has the finest names in designer shoes and handbags, for all occasions and looks. The knowledgeable and friendly staff will help you pick out the right shoe for any event. If you are looking for chic, elegant couture heels, Angelo Shoes carries: Etro, Missoni, Fendi, Casadei, Guiseppe Zanotti, Sergio Rossi, Rene Caovilla, Luciano Padovan, Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix. Come into Angelo Shoes and dance out in style!

Angelo Shoes

G.H. Wilke & 612 W. Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel (626) 284-9444

415 S. Lake Ave. #102, Pasadena 120A N. Brand Blvd., Glendale

Eaton’s Gifts and More

Accessories • Apparel • Baby • Bath & Body Books • Candles • Gourmet • Home Décor • Jewelry Kids • Kitchen • Pet Monday- closed • Tuesday-Thursdays 11am-6pm Friday 11am- 7pm• Saturday 11 am -6pm • Sunday 12-5pm

WE ARE READY! Start your holiday gift buying now to get the best selection. Personal and corporate orders always welcome. Private appointments available.

For a fun and memorable experience, we offer free private shopping parties, please call for details.

Savor The Flavor 11 Kersting Court, Sierra Madre, CA 91024 (626)) 355-5153 FAX: 355-7781 www.savortheflavor.net

Eaton’s Gifts and More 111 E. Lime Ave., Monrovia (626) 599-1000 www.eatonsgifts.com

Extended Holidays Hours, Call us for details A

Savor the Flavor

Hoping to appeal to everyone, we opened our store with a desire for people to find a gift for anyone. There has been such a positive reaction thus far, with one customer after another commenting that ours is that store they have been searching for in their immediate area and that it is so nice to have something like Eaton's in their backyard. How great not to have to travel west to find that special gift. Not only is it finding that perfect item, but when our customers find that special gift presentation touched off with sprigs of fresh lavender, they are already looking forward to their next visit. Come see us at:

Happy Holidays. We look forward to seeing you.

Savor the Flavor 11 Kersting Court, Sierra Madre (626) 355-5153 www.SavorTheFlavor.com S

T VERDUGO MONTHLY July 2007 55

Gifts and Shopping P.I.M.

Lula Mae

P.I.M. 301 E. Colorado Blvd., Ste. 709, Pasadena (626) 440-8841

OF WIT & WHIMS S T F Y GI

Pasadena’ss favoritee onee stopp shop Wee thinkk SIMPLE, SIMPLE;; butt we alwayss endd upp overr doingg it.. MORE IS MORE!

100 N. Fair Oaks, Old Towne Pasadena, (626) 304-9996, www.lulamae.com

100 NORTH FAIR OAKS AVENUE • OLD PASADENA • 626.304.9996 OPEN 7 DAYS

G.H. Wilke

Angelo Shoes

G.H. Wilke & 612 W. Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel (626) 284-9444

415 S. Lake Ave. #102, Pasadena 120A N. Brand Blvd., Glendale

Eaton’s Gifts and More

WE ARE READY! Start your holiday gift buying now to get the best selection. Personal and corporate orders always welcome. Private appointments available.

For a fun and memorable experience, we offer free private shopping parties, please call for details.

Savor The Flavor 11 Kersting Court, Sierra Madre, CA 91024 (626)) 355-5153 FAX: 355-7781 www.savortheflavor.net

Eaton’s Gifts and More 111 E. Lime Ave., Monrovia (626) 599-1000 www.eatonsgifts.com

Extended Holidays Hours, Call us for details A

Savor the Flavor

Happy Holidays. We look forward to seeing you.

Savor the Flavor 11 Kersting Court, Sierra Madre (626) 355-5153 www.SavorTheFlavor.com S

T VERDUGO MONTHLY July 2007 55

“I used to like school.”

E D U C A T I O N

Hillside School and Learning Center in La Canada has more than three decades of experience at creating programs that respond to the individual learning needs of children. This isn’t learning just to get a grade, or learning to just get by. It’s learning for success! Hillside School will restore and build confidence in your child!

t u b , y r It I ca n’tp. keep u

THE TRUTH IS:

Your child won’t tell you that he or she is having trouble. Since 1977 parents have been using Huntington to help their children reach their full potential. Huntington will pinpoint your child’s academic strengths and weaknesses and tailor a program to

The Huntington Learning Center is a nationally recognized leader in the field of improving a child's basic study skills through remediation and enrichment programs. Students are given individual attention by certified teachers using personalized programs tailored to improve skills in a child's trouble areas. For more information call (626) 798-5900.

Private Tutoring for

improve grades and increase confidence and motivation. We can help. Your child can learn. We’re nearby and affordable. Call Huntington today.

SAT/ACT/ PSAT

Reading • Writing • Math • Spelling • Phonics Study Skills • State Testing Prep • Confidence Motivation • Self-Esteem • SAT • ACT

1-800 CAN LEARN

Your Center Location Here 1832 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena, 91104 000-000-0000 Independently franchised and operated. Accredited by The Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation. ©2006 Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.

626.798.5900

HLC2150

A N D

HLC2150

E N R I C H M E N T mitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. For more information call (626) 799-9121 or visit www.mayfieldsenior.org. Pasadena Waldorf School is delighted to announce the opening of our preschool. We offer a warm, beautiful, home-like environment where your child’s imagination will be nurtured. The days are filled with practical and artistic activities, storytelling, games, and play. Call for more information, (626) 794-9564.

KidsArt teaches a classical, realistic drawing and painting program using charcoal, pastels, watercolors, acrylics, oils & more. Students ages four years old through adults, are taught to draw and paint subjects such as still-life, the figure, landscapes, cartoons, animals, anime, and more on an individualized basis. Visit our website at www.kidsartclasses.com or call the studio nearest to you to schedule a FREE INTRODUCTORY CLASS, La Cañada (818) 2482483, Monrovia (626) 358-7800, or Pasadena (626) 577-7802.

Precision Pilates at the Annex, a division of Ballet Petit Performing Arts Center, offers mat classes and private sessions on Reformer and Cadillac apparatus. More than just the latest trend, the Pilates movement and exercise philosophy transforms the way the body looks, feels and performs. It helps to build strength, and develop a sleek, toned body. Pilates creates body awareness, good posture and graceful movement. It improves flexibility and agility. Pilates is so much more than exercise. It’s the coordination of mind, body and spirit. For the very best training for students of all levels, by a Body Arts and Science International certified instructor, call (818) 790-7879 or (818) 790-5775.

At Mayfield Senior School of the Holy Child Jesus, prospective students and their families are invited to attend Mayfield Senior School’s Open House on Sunday, December 2 from 1-4pm, where they can meet the faculty, visit with student leaders and see student athletes and artists in action. Founded in 1931 by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, Mayfield Senior School is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 22 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which encourages com-

YouthInkwell Writing Center offers students the opportunity to enhance their writing abilities through creative and analytical writing courses. Instructors engage students in active discussions as part of the writing process. Subject matter revolves around social issues and concerns within the community. Students are motivated to ask questions and develop their ideas. This method empowers students to express themselves clearly and effectively. Students learn that writing is a powerful tool that can implement positive change in the world. For more information call (626) 449-6884.

Pasadenaa Waldorff School Established in 1979

Ballet Petit Performing Arts Center Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre, Acting, Voice, Mommy & Me

Parent-Toddler Program • Preschool through 8th grade Music, Art & Drama • Spanish & Japanese • Academic Excellence

Call for Tour Information JOIN US FOR OUR 22ND ANNUAL ELVES' FAIRE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. 209 East Mariposa Street, Altadena (626)794-9564

Classes for Toddlers to Adults (Extensive Adult Program) Pilates Division -Mat and Apparatus

818.790.5775 Special Fosse Classes 457 Foothill Boulevard, La Cañada www.balletpetit.net

Taught by Jennifer Nairn-Smith

HILLSIDE SCHOOL AND LEARNING CENTER WHERE PROFESSIONALS GO WHEN THEIR CHILDREN NEED HELP

• 30 years Experience in Helping Children • Educational Therapy & Tutoring K-12th grade • WASC Accredited School 7th-12th grade • College Counseling Contact the School at (818) 790-3044 • www.HillsideForSuccess.org

“I used to like school.”

E D U C A T I O N

t u b , y r It I ca n’tp. keep u

THE TRUTH IS:

Private Tutoring for

improve grades and increase confidence and motivation. We can help. Your child can learn. We’re nearby and affordable. Call Huntington today.

SAT/ACT/ PSAT

Reading • Writing • Math • Spelling • Phonics Study Skills • State Testing Prep • Confidence Motivation • Self-Esteem • SAT • ACT

1-800 CAN LEARN

626.798.5900

HLC2150

A N D

HLC2150

Pasadenaa Waldorff School Established in 1979

Ballet Petit Performing Arts Center Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre, Acting, Voice, Mommy & Me

Parent-Toddler Program • Preschool through 8th grade Music, Art & Drama • Spanish & Japanese • Academic Excellence

Call for Tour Information JOIN US FOR OUR 22ND ANNUAL ELVES' FAIRE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. 209 East Mariposa Street, Altadena (626)794-9564

Classes for Toddlers to Adults (Extensive Adult Program) Pilates Division -Mat and Apparatus

818.790.5775 Special Fosse Classes 457 Foothill Boulevard, La Cañada www.balletpetit.net

Taught by Jennifer Nairn-Smith

HILLSIDE SCHOOL AND LEARNING CENTER WHERE PROFESSIONALS GO WHEN THEIR CHILDREN NEED HELP

We offer a unique selection of babies’ and children’s products exquisitely designed that bring a sense of style and an appreciation for design into nurseries and children’s rooms. We offer services such as nursery and children’s room design, baby shower registry, gift baskets & gift wrapping.

Furniture • Bedding Décor • Travel Clothes • Care Toys• Gifts

$25 OFF PURCHASE OF $250 OR MORE.

$50 OFF

PURCHASE OF $500 OR MORE. EXPIRES NOVEMBER 30, 2007

TUESDAY – SATURDAY 10AM – 6PM SUNDAY & MONDAY BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

www.GlendaleAMDS.com 818-242-5672 231 1/2 N. Brand Blvd. Glendale, CA 91203 Between Wilson & California

58 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

(626) 588-2810 956 HUNTINGTON DRIVE SAN MARINO

TA B L E TA L K

The Dawn of the Super Supermarket WHOLE FOODS OPENS A HUGE EMPORIUM FOR CONSUMPTION OF ALL KINDS IN PASADENA. BY IRENE LACHER

It’s the end of a long day. You’ve dropped your kids off to play at “Kids’ Alley” so that you can check your email, try on eco-chic shirts, shop for CDs and design a bouquet for your mom from a selection of 100 varieties of flowers. You’ve watched the game while grazing at a wine-and-tapas lounge and drowned your sorrows in white- and dark-chocolate fountains. Ready for your massage? Oh, by the way, did we mention that you’ve done all that at a supermarket? Or should we say a super supermarket? Whole Foods is unveiling the local version of the next generation of supermarkets on Nov. 7 with the opening of a new, two-story, 76,770-square-foot store at 465 S. Arroyo Parkway–the natural-and-organic-food chain’s largest store in the Western U.S. The store offers an extensive banquet of palate-pleasers: in-store dining at Asian and Italian eateries; fresh donuts made hourly; a “custom catch” program allowing customers to order fish with marinades and seasonings; a tortilla machine; fresh-roasted nuts; a wine department with 1,200 selections; a tapioca-andrice-pudding bar; an aisle of fresh and frozen baby food; a 6,000-square-foot produce department with 500 different items... Need we go on? We think not, which is why we’re turning the page over to Dave Gonzalez, the überstore’s team leader, so he can explain Whole Foods’ concept for a “Disneyland of grocery stores.” It seems as though your supermarket is morphing into an everything market, somewhere people can go to shop for all their daily needs– and then recover. Is that what you’re trying to do? A lot of our customers have tight schedules. They can shop for clothing or have a massage or dinner, pick up their vitamins and bring home hot food for the family. If you’re shopping with your significant other, one of you can hang out in the lounge and try wines from around the world and watch sports on the plasma TV. Instead of going to a bar, let’s go to the grocery store and have tapas and cheese and olives. The other thing we’ll be looking at is becoming a meeting place for Sunday brunch. How many stores do you know where you can meet your friends, kick off your shoes and have some wine? Why did you choose Pasadena for your largest store in the West? This community was ready for a store like this. These are our customers: They’re educated, they travel and understand quality foods. It’s a tight community, which we like. We’re very community oriented. We give back. We adopt schools. There was a need for a grocery store like this. What will the next generation of supermarkets look like? It depends on what our customer is demanding. One store we opened in Texas has a full spa. Every community, every region is different. AM ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 59

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OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Home for the

holidays?

WHETHER YOU’RE MAKING THE TREK OR YOUR FOLKS ARE COMING TO TOWN, HERE’S AN ARSENAL OF DANDY PRODUCTS TO FORTIFY YOU FOR ALL THAT TOGETHERNESS. BY JAKE BELCHER

GET OUT So how do you tell your loved ones that it’s time for them to head home? May we suggest the skull-and-bones place set from Z Gallerie, dinner plate, salad plate, bowls and cups subtly let them know, “Sweetie, I love you, but it is time to go.” $7.99 to $12.99 per piece. Z Gallerie, 42 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 578-1538

PARTY FOR ONE One way to steel yourself for the family onslaught may be to break out the XL wine glass. This one holds an impressive 750ml, which equals an entire bottle. It’s the onepour solution to “Only one glass, dear?” $9.99 per glass. Lula Mae, 100 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, (626) 304-9996

60 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

KNOCK KNOCK. WHO’S THERE? KNICKKNACK. So last year they got you that bulky little knickknack that seems to elude just the right place in your home? The Cubisto 3-D framing system is here to save the day. The clever design suspends objects between two pliable, transparent films, creating the illusion that they are floating in mid-air. $7.99 to $14.99 per frame. Blick Art Materials 44 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, (626) 795-4985

NOW YOU SEE IT... Do you want to impress your visitors with your intellect? Start by hiding the television. Hiddentelevision.com makes it easy with transparent mirrors, which look like, well, mirrors. Mount one on your monitor, hit the “on” button of your remote control and, voilà! The mirror seems to disappear, and it's all Simpsons, all the time. The mirror is made with a kind of optical glass that becomes perfectly clear when the TV is on. $240 to $2,000. www.hiddentelevision.com

A BLOCK OF TIME My, how time flies when you're having family fun. Wondering how many hours, minutes and seconds are left until your life gets back to normal? Check out this nifty Wood Block Clock. The time looks like it's projected onto the clock, but good luck finding a projector. The LED digits actually beam through the wood so that they appear on the front of the block. Trick the eye and fool your family with this deceptively simple timepiece, which makes a beautifully minimalist statement on a desk or bedside table. $189. Fitsu Society, 65 W. Green St., Pasadena, (626) 564-1908

SQUISHY CLEAN TIMES Need a way to show your in-laws from out of town that you’re up on all the latest in modern living? Start in the restroom with Lush’s curious Shower Jellies. Looking like a freshly cut hunk of Jell-O, these cleansing products do more than eliminate dirt from your hands. They also help soften skin and calm you down so you can get a full night’s sleep. Just explain to your mother-in-law how to use the soap. About $6 per square. Lush, 24 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 792-0901 ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 61

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{ List THE

A highly selective preview of upcoming events

BY JOHN SOLLENBERGER

THE JAPANESE GARDEN FESTIVAL AT DESCANSO GARDENS Nov. 3 & 4 — Descanso Gardens hosts a Japanese Garden Festival to add color to the season with a variety of attractions. Events are free with admission unless otherwise noted. As part of the National Chrysanthemum Society’s first Southern California convention, the Descanso Chrysanthemum Society exhibits exotic and familiar examples of the flower, which is an element of the Japanese emperor’s official seal. Plants and bouquets will be available for sale, with experts on hand to discuss their care. The Sogetsu School of Ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging, presents an exhibition, which includes a giant Ikebana installation in the courtyard, from 9 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. both days. In addition, an Ikebana demonstration takes place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

SONGSTRESS CELEBRATES ARTISTIC INDEPENDENCE AT COFFEE GALLERY BACKSTAGE Nov. 1 — Texas singer/songwriter Terri Hendrix celebrated the 10-year anniversary of her homegrown Wilory Records label with the recent release of her album, “The Spiritual Kind.” You can catch the spirit in a performance at Altadena’s Coffee Gallery Backstage at 8 p.m. Hendrix's album, which she calls a “hippie folk record,” blends acoustic folk, pop, country and jazz, with the artist playing guitar, mandolin, papoose and harmonica. Coffee Gallery Backstage is at 2029 N. Lake Ave., Altadena. Call (626) 398-7917 or visit www.coffeegallery.com.

ART FOR A GOOD CAUSE Nov. 3 — Mosaic Los Angeles, a Christian community organization, presents “Observe,” its second annual gallery event and silent auction benefiting several charitable organizations. The event, running from 6 to 9 p.m. in South Pasadena, features more than 75 inspirational paintings and art items expressing purpose, meaning, faith, hope, spirituality and humanity. Some items were created by professional artists in 40-minute sessions during Mosaic’s gatherings in Los Angeles and Pasadena. Proceeds will benefit Nightlight L.A., an organization in Bangkok, Thailand and Los Angeles, combating human trafficking and the exploitation of women and children; Serve L.A., an arm of Mosaic, which organizes volunteers to combat homelessness, poverty, illiteracy and child exploitation; and Breath of Heaven Children’s Village in Zambia, which cares for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The Observe gallery event and art auction is located at the South Pasadena Library Community Room, 1115 El Centro St., South Pasadena. Call (626) 628-9640 or visit www.mosaic.org.

THE POWER OF SCULPTURE Nov. 3 — American Legacy Fine Arts hosts an artists’ reception for the group exhibition “The Beauty and Power of Sculpture” from 5 to 8 p.m. The show features work by some of the country’s top contemporary and traditional sculptors—Béla Bácsi, Peter Brooke, George Carlson and Sabin Howard, as well as the emerging artist Karen Cope. The exhibition continues through Nov. 24. The gallery is open by appointment only at 949 Linda Vista Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 5777733 or visit www.americanlegacyfinearts.com.

The Full Moon Tea House is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, with tea service from 1 to 3 p.m. Call (818) 790-3663 for prices and reservations. A multi-ethnic group of adults and children presents a thundering Taiko drum performance from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Guests may take a turn drumming and take a photo with the instruments. An origami workshop open to all skill levels runs from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Paper is provided. The workshop is designed for children age 5 and older with an accompanying adult. A narrated Japanese sword demonstration from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Sunday showcases core Japanese samurai ideas, using dance-like movements to illustrate the practitioner's commitment to spiritual and physical improvement. Also on Sunday, a noon spotlight on mums suggests ways to select, grow and care for the flowers. Madam Fujima Kansuma’s costumed dance troupe presents a narrated Japanese dance performance in the Under the Oaks Theater from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. Call (818) 949-4200 or visit www.descansogardens.org.

ECLECTIC ENTERTAINMENT AT CALTECH While CalTech is known as a scientific brain trust, it’s also a tremendous entertainment resource for the area. Here’s a look at some upcoming events at Beckman Auditorium: Nov. 2 — The Canadian quartet Vishten performs a hearty mix of French, Irish and Scottish styles, accompanied by spirited step dancing. Hailing from Prince Edward Island in the Canadian Maritimes, the group recreates the energy of Acadian kitchen parties, informal community gatherings open to all. The performance starts at 8 p.m. Nov. 3 — The film “Ocean World,” part of the BBC's “The Blue Planet — Seas of Life” series narrated by David Attenborough, explores the tremendous variety of life five miles below the surface of the seas. The movie starts at 2 p.m. Alex Gagnon of CalTech’s Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering introduces the film and leads the post-screening discussion. Nov. 17 — Traditional Russian music and dance come to Beckman as the dance troupe Barnya performs traditional Russian, Gypsy, Cossack, Ukrainian and Klezmer dances, as well as folk and popular songs. The performance begins at 8 p.m. Nov. 30 — Sleight of hand meets comedy in magician Bradley Fields' presentation of “Out of Thin Air” at 8 p.m. CalTech’s Beckman Auditorium is located at 332 S. Michigan Ave. Call (626) 395-4652 , (888) CALTECH outside of Pasadena, or visit www.events.caltech.edu.

WHO SHOT JFK? Nov. 4 — African-American author Dr. Robert Greer appears at a reading and signing for “The Mongoose Deception,” the latest installment of his popular C.J. Floyd mystery series, at 2 p.m. at South Pasadena’s Book ‘Em Mystery Bookstore. The novel explores the John F. Kennedy assassination and his theory of an “alternative Oswald,” someone else who was meant to assassinate the President before the tragedy in Dallas. The theory holds that Oswald did not kill Kennedy but instead took the fall in one of three planned assassinations of the President. Greer’s inspiration was partly fueled by the fate of the first African-American Secret Service agent on Kennedy’s detail, whose story is not part of the book’s plot but part of his presentation. The suspense novel invites readers to re-examine the real-life mystery surrounding the 1963 tragedy in Texas. Dr. Greer is a surgical pathologist, rancher, a Chester Himes Mystery Award winner, professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and a book reviewer for Denver's National Public Radio affiliate, —Continued on page 65 ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 63

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THE LIST A SMORGASBORD OF CHINESE ARTS Nov. 3 — In conjunction with the exhibition “Rank and Style: Power Dressing in Imperial China,” the Pacific Asia Museum hosts a free family festival celebrating the arts of China from noon to 4 p.m. The afternoon will include a lion dance, double-fan dance, martial-arts demonstration, improv comedy with Cold Tofu, a feng shui lecture by Angi Ma Wong, folk dance by UCLA’s Chinese Cultural Dance Club and more. Also scheduled are such handson activities as ribbon-dance craft, lantern craft, Chinese knotting craft and calligraphy demonstrations. The Pacific Asia Museum is located 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 449-2742 or visit www.pacificasiamuseum.com.

formance, titled “Blowing in the Winds,” features the North Wind Quintet introducing children to wind instruments and presenting a fast-paced, interactive program. The Pasadena Civic Auditorium is located at 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. Call (626) 793-7172 or visit www.pasadenasymphony.org.

A MAGICAL LAND AT SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE —Continued from page 63 KUVO-FM. He works in a lab by day and writes mysteries at night. Book ‘Em Mystery Bookstore is located at 118 Mission St., South Pasadena. Call (626) 7999600 or visit www.bookem.com.

EXPLORING EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS Nov. 5 — Families are invited to attend Pasadena Christian School’s High School Fair, a free event offering enrollment information from representatives of numerous area public, private and parochial high schools. The event runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The fair is located at David Memorial Auditorium, 1492 N. Garfield Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 791-1214.

A SKEPTICAL LOOK AT THE GREAT FLOOD Nov. 11 — Creationists and scientists have many differences, including a clash over belief in the “great flood” described in the book of Genesis. Donald Prothero, a geology professor at Occidental College, presents an illustrated Skeptics Society lecture challenging creationists' belief in the biblical story as an explanation for Earth's geologic features. The lecture begins at 2 p.m. Baxter Hall is on the CalTech campus, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena. For more information, call (626) 794-3119 or visit www.skeptic.com.

A WORLD MUSIC SUPERSTAR PLAYS PASADENA Nov. 14 — Brazilian singer/songwriter Caetano Veloso comes to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium for his only Southern California concert of 2007. Veloso’s early career took a rocky path. He and his friend and fellow songwriter Gilberto Gil lived in exile in England from 1969 to 1972 because the Brazilian dictatorship took a dim view of their freewheeling songs. The program includes original rock songs from his latest disc, “Cê,” as well as highlights from some of his 30 other albums. Critics have compared “Cê” to the music of Strokes, Paul Simon and early XTC. The concert starts at 8 p.m. The Pasadena Civic Auditorium is located at 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. Call (626) 449-7360 or visit www.thepasadenacivic.com.

MUSIC WITH MEANING FROM THE PASADENA SYMPHONY Nov. 17 — The Pasadena Symphony examines the meaning of existence, from the joy of an idyllic life to the darkness of death, in a concert at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Renowned pianist Rueibin Chen appears as the featured soloist for Ravel’s Concerto for Piano in G major.The program also includes Enesco’s Romanian Rhapsody, Op. 1, No. 1 in A major and Brahms’ Symphony No. 4. The concert starts at 8 p.m. The same day, the symphony’s popular “musical circus” for kids starts at 8:30 a.m. The per-

Nov. 23 — “Narnia,” inspired by C.S. Lewis' classic children's books, opens at the Sierra Madre Playhouse. It tells the story of four ordinary children who find themselves in an extraordinary situation during World War II. The Pevensie children discover that the closet in a professor’s house takes them to a magical land called Narnia, which is under the spell of a witch. The children help fulfill an ancient prophecy while helping save the land from the witch’s rule. The play, presented by the Southern California Lyric Theater, is performed in the style of a live BBC radio broadcast from the 1940s. The show, directed by Alison Kalmus, continues through Dec. 23. The Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. Call (626) 3554318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org.

A SPACE BETWEEN TWO WORLDS Through Dec. 8 — The Southern California Institute of Architecture Gallery presents “The Dark Side of the Moon,” a huge, new site-specific installation by the architectural firm of Pasadena resident Michael Maltzan. As viewers enter the gallery, a surface descends above them, arcing across the entire 1,400-square-foot space and gradually bending toward the gallery floor. Expanding the role that this “fifth façade” has played in Michael Maltzan Architecture’s recent projects, the exhibition transforms the underside of the gallery into a unique space by positioning the structure above the gallery walls rather than within them. Above this figured space, the smooth, curving form meets visitors, encouraging them to lift their head and shoulders through this threshold into a new sphere. There they discover a new space—and sometimes each other—to an unexpected, shared experience. Visitors find themselves in two spaces at once, yet neither fully in one nor the other. Extending the experience of simultaneity that is so important to the practice’s work, this barrier at the center of the gallery creates a new, unified space, its curvilinear form highlighting the relationship between built form and the viewer—in a collective sense, not a singular one. SCI-Arc is located at 960 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles. Call (213) 356-5328 or visit www.sciarc.edu. AM ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 65

FITNESS

The

Iron People

of Pasadena

A TRIATHLON CLUB KEEPS THE CITY'S ATHLETES ON THE RUN — AND IN THE SWIM. BY NOELA HUESO Pasadena Triathlon Club member Brett Harvey has never been one to back down from a challenge. So when the club’s founder, Rich Strauss, proposed in 2005 that Harvey put together a triathlon team of high school students, the Crescenta Valley High School teacher went to work. He gathered interested kids from the school’s track and swim teams and taught them the finer points of triathlon – a demanding athletic contest that requires participants to excel in swimming, biking and running. Harvey coached them in everything from riding a bike to working on transitions between the swim, bike and run portions of a race. He brought them to club workouts, and PTC members loaned them equipment for the big day. In June 2005, a couple of weeks before school ended, eight kids participated in their first triathlon, the Los Angeles Tri Express, at San Dimas’ Bonelli Park, every one of them crossing the finish line. Pleased with the results, Harvey, 33, has repeated his threeweek triathlon “camp” every year since, with 28 kids taking part this past June alone. 66 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

“I think it’s great to expose kids to a group of adult athletes who view their continued fitness as part of a healthy lifestyle,” Strauss says. “Brett has done a great job, essentially doubling his program every year.” It’s the sort of story that highlights the Pasadena Triathlon Club’s raison d’etre, which is as much about the spirit of community and encouraging “newbies” as it is about staying fit and competitive in the sport. Strauss, 39, a veteran coach and competitor in grueling Ironman-style competitions, created the club in 2003 to bring together like-minded individuals for training and socializing. He christened it Team Crucible after his coaching firm, Crucible Fitness. (Crucible Fitness is just one of three companies Strauss owns: Ergomo Coaching Center sells specialized high-end bike parts over the Internet, and his newest venture, Endurance Nation, is a social networking-and-training platform for endurance athletes. “Think Facebook for the endurance set,” Strauss says.) From its initial membership of 18, the club has grown to more than 100 strong. A name

Couture Baskets change in its sophomore year from Team Crucible to the Pasadena Triathlon Club helped swell the ranks. “A lot of people didn’t really understand what Team Crucible meant,” recalls Peter Casciani, a club member since the beginning and PTC’s current president. “We got together and called it the Pasadena Triathlon Club in order to associate ourselves with the great city of Pasadena and everything it stands for.” For an initial $55 membership fee ($50 to renew), members can work toward specific fitness goals with the help of a variety of group workouts, bimonthly seminars and meetings, local merchant discounts and the support and encouragement of fellow “teammates.” Though PTC is run by volunteers, Strauss’ Crucible Fitness is one of three coaching entities available to help club members. Group workouts are diverse, designed to accommodate all skill levels since membership runs the gamut, from first-timers to Olympic-caliber athletes. A popular activity is the Wednesday-night brick (a bike ride followed by a run), which starts at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center; socializing follows at a local restaurant (the Barn Burner, El Portal and Amigos are three favorites). Throughout the year, a group of runners leaves from the Aquatic Center at

“Even though triathlon is very much an individual sport — it’s just you and the swim, the bike and the run — there are a lot of benefits to training together and feeling like a team,” says Casciani. 6:15 a.m. every Thursday, wending its way to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and back; at 7 a.m. on Saturdays, bicyclists meet at the Starbucks in Sierra Madre, pick up more riders in Duarte, and end up following the Rio Hondo or San Gabriel River bike paths for a round-trip ride of approximately 50 miles. An intro to triathlon class is offered for beginners the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Aquatic Center. When it comes to actual competitions, club favorites include the three Wildflower races, which take place every May in Monterey County’s Lake San Antonio, two hours south of San Francisco. Strauss specifically designs workouts that will prepare members for the challenging longer events — the long course: a .2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run; and the Olympic course: a 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-kilometer bike and 10-kilometer run. Both have killer hills on the bike and run. (The third is a mountain-bike event, with a relatively easy .25-mile swim, 9.7-mile bike and 2-mile run.) “Even though triathlon is very much an individual sport — it’s just you and the swim, the bike and the run — there are a lot of benefits to training together and feeling like a team,” says Casciani, 36, who first got the triathlon bug when he worked at the Walt Disney Co., which has its own tri team. Casciani assumed the presidency in June, and he’s proud of the way PTC helps athletes achieve their goals. He recalls how one former member evolved from a woman “who barely knew how to ride a bike, had never been in a swimming pool, [but] had run some half-marathons and marathons” to completing a half-Ironman race — a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run — in the course of nine months. “What we do is take an individual’s desire and work ethic and we marry that with pushing them to their limits beyond what they perhaps thought they could do,” he says. “Exercise is a way of life, it’s not just a new year’s resolution. Getting together with your friends and doing a 50-mile bike ride is just something that you do because it’s fun, and it’s part of your lifestyle. What that usually turns into then are people who do half-Ironmans and Ironmans because they realize, ‘Hey, I can do this, and I have a club that allows me to foster this involvement.’” AM

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For more information, visit www.pasadenatriclub.com ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 67

MERRIMENT

Winter Whites FROM COMMONPLACE CHARDS TO OBSCURE VARIETALS—GRÜNER VELTLINER, ANYONE?— WHITE WINE PAIRS PERFECTLY WITH CRISP WINTER EVENINGS IN SAN GABRIEL COUNTY. BY BOB ECKER

White wines run a huge gamut: from pale, translucent, thin Spanish albariños to heavy, oaky chardonnays and everything in between. The common denominator of most whites is that they need to be chilled (not ice cold, mind you—this isn’t Bud Light), and they are best served with fish, shellfish, chicken or by themselves. But, having said this, drink whatever you want with anything. The wine police won’t catch you. Chardonnay is the queen of white wine. Grown virtually everywhere, each region stakes its claim to making the “best” chardonnay imaginable. Some are light, some butter and oak bombs, some fruity, some highly alcoholic, some astringent and others weak and flinty. You have to try many chards to see what style suits you best. As an American traditionalist, I prefer the Robert Mondavi Reserve Chardonnay. This is the type of wine that put California chardonnay on the international map, and it is still one of the leading names in the category. Big, luscious, buttery and smooth, this is a wine for the ages. A close second is Clos Pegase’s Mitsuko’s Vineyard Chardonnay, a peachy enticing “can’t miss” wine. (You will thank me later.) A few years ago, sauvignon blancs were MIA, with only a few daring to stick up for this white varietal. But times have changed and today sauvignon blancs (or fumé blancs—same grape) are everywhere. Some fine ones hail from California, such as the Davis Bynum Fume Blanc. Others from Italy, Canada, France and Australia are noteworthy as well. But the sauvignon blancs from New Zealand are truly superb. The Kiwis are the champions of this varietal, producing steely crisp, slightly grassy and citrusy wines that are usually a great value to boot. For a treat, try the medium dry Mills Reef Sauvignon Blanc from the Hawkes Bay region. Blends: There are some white blends out there that are definitely worth sampling, such as the 68 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

refined Ariadne, produced by Napa’s Clos Du Val. Ariadne is a combo of sauvignon blanc and sémillon. Pale golden amber with hints of honey, oak and pear, this is an outstanding Bordeaux-style white blend at a pretty good price. White wine can be groovy, as is the case with Grüner Veltliner (nicknamed GruV), an Austrian grape varietal that’s pretty hot nowadays. Most often unoaked, this wine’s floral aromas and green apple flavors make it bright and easy drinking. It goes great with cheese, or even a hot dog. The Weininger Grüner Veltliner has a pleasant zestiness that’s fun and a bit wild. Pinot grigio is another popular white, quite pleasing in its simplicity. The right ones have a slight but noticeable bite of citrus, with the palest hint of toffee that works well with sushi. Some pinot gris (same grape as pinot grigio) from Oregon, New York and Washington are beginning to gain a presence, due to balanced citrus and proper winemaking techniques. Still, for my money I’d go Italian—with a Santa Margherita from Liguria or the Gabbiano from Venizia. And I’d recommend drinking pinot grigio at the colder end of chilled. Rieslings are still out there, having varied in vogue with the American palate. Among many wonderful German rieslings, my favorite is the Dr. Loosen Riesling, an amalgam of melon, spice and body. Not cloying, but sweet as a morning spring rose. American rieslings are getting much better, and my favorite domestic selection is the Cellermaster’s Riesling from the Columbia Winery in Washington. With its touch of delicate sweetness, balanced acidity, structured body and lovely color, this is a perfect pre- or post-dinner wine. There are, of course, many other white wines to sample. You can spend a little or a little more—whites are usually not that expensive. Try some new things once in a while. You’ll be glad you did. Cheers! AM

Madeleines Restaurant & Wine Bistro is Pasadena’s fine dining destination. Fine French cooking and an extensive wine selection guarantee a memorable dining event. Chef Claud Beltran and Sommelier Leslie Hempill personally select all of Madeleines wines, ensuring the perfect pairing for every meal. Madeleines wine list presents a carefully balanced selection of “Old World” and “New World” grapes, representing the finest soils and growing conditions on three continents. Wines are sold by the glass, flight or bottle, and will be the focal point of the meal, setting off the delicious recipes prepared with care in the French tradition by Chef Claud. “Madeleines is the place for Wine Lovers”, and can be found on shady 1030 Green St. Pasadena. 626.440.7087

Demystifying the Wine Experience You don’t have to worry about choosing the right wine at Wine Styles because the store is specifically designed to demystify the wine shopping experience. Organizing its selection by style and taste instead of varietals and region, Wine Styles is the ideal solution for the all wine lovers because picking the right wine can be a complicated and overwhelming process. Located at 1007 Mission Street in South Pasadena in the Alexander Building, owners and entrepreneurs Kathy Bergstrom and her daughter Sheena Gorelick are also always on hand to lend advice and point customers towards their particular style. “With so many wines now available, people are overwhelmed by the selection and can’t decide what to serve,” said Kathy. “At Wine Styles, we break down those barriers.”

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(626) 440-7087

www.madeleinesr estaurant.com

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Let the spirits move you COOL JAZZ, FINE FOOD AND A HOT EVENING AWAIT AT REDWHITE+BLUEZZ

After the past summer of sizzling sidewalks, the warm temperatures of fall seem positively balmy. But in case the thermometer climbs past 100 again, we’re chilling out with cool autumn blues and hot summer whites. The former, a lineup of fine jazz performers; the latter, one of several “wine flights” (three-vintage samplers) which can be paired with cheese and/or charcuterie and/or chocolate flights at our favorite new restaurant, redwhite+bluezz. We flew several times this past summer with United Airlines — delays, lost luggage, long lines, power and equipment failures, security scares. You name it, and it has happened to us. But our flights with rw+b have been a delight: great service, great food, wonderful audio. And we didn’t even have to upgrade to get the perks. The airlines are cutting back and the FAA is useless, but rw+b’s CEO is giving it his all. A couple of weeks ago, after our power was cut off, we escaped to rw+b and soothed ourselves with a watermelon salad (fat ruby disks pyramided on a bed of greens and drizzled with a vanilla-honey glaze — $8). Other accompaniments: a basket of delicious breads and a guitar/bass duo (Cross+Poree) of good musicians. After we cooled down, we were ready for the smoked gouda mac ’n cheese ($8). The menu annotation (panko-cornflake-crusted elbow pasta, sharp-cheddar sun-dried tomato béchamel) does not begin to capture how idiosyncratic (and delicious) this dish is. It comes to the table on an elongated platter — a series of golden brown triangles, crisp outside, molten inside. Crunchy, buttery, peppery — in a word, magnificent! Some non-flight dishes at rw+b seem deceptively simple: e.g., Snake River Farms Kobe beef burger with 30-month Grafton cheddar cheese, white alba mushrooms and a side of garlic fries ($18). Others, such as maple-mustardseared New Zealand bluenose bass with truffled 70 ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ ARROYO

mascarpone polenta, grilled pineapple and baby bok choy ($26) or free-range chicken breast with sweet-potato gratin, baby seasonal vegetables and Godiva whiteRyan Cross and Brandon Coleman of the Ryan Cross Trio chocolate beurre blanc ($19) the premises. (Actually, in Funnies’ case, it was a would do a Spago menu proud. mercifully quick suicide.) One would surmise Everything we’ve sampled so far, admittedly that the spirits of the deceased must surely only a fraction of the list, has been wonderful. Now hover somewhere, harboring ill will and wishing that the weather warrants, we’ve got our eyes set the same fate to any successor. on heavier items like butternut-squash ravioli with Undaunted by this threat from predecessors’ chablis crème, pistachio beurre noisette and fresh phantasmagorical hands, the newest ghostbusters tarragon ($19) and ancho-honey-basted salmon have set up shop equipped with a formidable array with quinoa, aubergine steaks, haricots verts of weapons. Unlike the earlier inhabitants, redand tamarind–pinot noir emulsion ($25). white+bluezz is multidimensional — and all of It’s a veritable foodie Disneyland! the dimensions are good. The result: The whole is Many dishes, from starters to desserts, are even better than the sum of its excellent parts. confettied with edible flowers. But the Take, for instance, the care in choosing the Technicolor delicacy of this garnish and the wines, the cheeses, the pairings, the flights and subtle melding of flavors don’t substitute for the musicians (who play every night and Sunday nourishment — plates are piled high with brunch-time). Or take the quality of the service, beautifully presented food, enough to keep even or the relatively modest prices, or the full bar the manliest customers busy throughout one or offering a bunch of “Dizzy’s Drinks” like the two sets of entertainment. You have to keep put(honest!) Ella Fizz-gerald, with champagne, ting down utensils to clap. peach nectar and blood-orange bitters; and the I want to clap for the single dessert we’ve Chuck Berry (you know this one has to have tried, the rw+b cube, far better than Rubik’s, blueberry liqueur, don’t you?). Or take the with layers of white and bitter chocolate wine-tasting classes. mousse, a cherry center and a dark chocolate Will prior deaths haunt this new venture, coating. To top it off — rich caramel sauce. On with yet another unhappy spirit joining those our to-do list: chocolate molten cake with already on the premises? Not a chance! Frangelico crème anglaise and ricotta cheesecake If redwhite+bluezz can maintain the high with strawberry glaze. In fact, the dessert flight quality of its food, drinks and entertainment, those (any three for $9) should just cover it for us. malevolent predecessors haunting the site will have Of course, if you believe in ghosts, you to show a lot more strength than they did in life to know the rw+b site of northeast corner of limit the success of this refreshing venture. AM Raymond Avenue and Green Street is haunted. No fewer than six prior restaurants (Stella’s, Funnies, Harry’s, Fleur de Vin, Café des Arts redwhite+bluezz | 70 S. Raymond Ave., | Old and Spencer’s) have died slow, painful deaths on Pasadena (626) 792-4441 | Full bar/Major cards

Photo by Armando Arorizo

BY ERICA WAYNE

ARROYO ~ NOVEMBER 2007 ~ 71

PASHGIAN BROTHERS Gallery of Fine Oriental Rugs ESTABLISHED 1889

e l a S

118TH ANNIVERSARY

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION 20 -50% OFF Selected Merchandise

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