Arroyo Monthly December 2006

arroyo M O N T H L Y

DECEMBER 2006

Winter

wonderland Caltech’s

Kenneth Libbrecht explores the science of

snowflakes

Holiday events at Descanso Gardens Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services Looking back at the Tournament of Roses’ chariot races

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E D I TO R’ S N OT E t’s December, and where I come from that means snow. The exquisite snowflake photographs by Caltech’s Kenneth Libbrecht on our cover reminded me of the beauty of New England winters.

With the holidays right around the corner, I’m finding the days passing by even more quickly. There’s just not enough time to get everything done: make plans with family and friends, prepare for dinners and parties and do all that shopping.

The holiday season isn’t all about shopping, but let’s face it: you will be buying some gifts. Why not make them meaningful this year?

Look inside this issue for some inspiring ideas: Our spotlight charity Hathaway-Sycamores is selling calendars featuring artwork by children in its programs. The Pasadena Symphony’s boutique at the Pasadena Senior Center, held in conjunction with the 39th annual Holiday Look In Home Tour (the topic of our Nesting story), is the perfect place to shop for gifts that give back.

The nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife is offering Arroyo readers a discount on wildlife adoption packages. Your donation helps protect animals and the environment, and the gift recipient gets a cute plush animal as a reminder of the good deed done in his or her honor. Look at our shopping pages for more information.

If there is another cause that’s close to your heart, look it up online and consider a charitable donation as a gift. It’s a great way to truly capture the holiday spirit in a present.

Our List of events also includes ways to give back. Another option is to support stores that donate to charity or help nonprofit organizations.

For instance, items purchased from museum gift shops support the arts.

And don’t forget, with local toy drives and gift trees, you can make the holidays memorable for a special child.

Happy holidays!

Julie Riggott

THANK YOU, PASADENA for voting Linden Optometry

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ARROYO MONTHLY PUBLISHER Dale Tiffany • EDITOR IN CHIEF Julie Riggott • ART DIRECTOR Agnes Carrera CONTROLLER Michael Nagami • HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Andrea Baker ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Leslie Lamm • ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Linda Martin ACCOUNTING Ellen Biasin, Laila Abdanan, Vanessa Gomez, Tracy Lowe, Angela Wang ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Fred Bankston, Carolyn Dyer, Elizabeth Guzman, Rebecca Haussling, Bill McBee, Hillorie Rudolph, Charlie Spradling ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Jake Belcher ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Jackie Gibson CONTRIBUTORS Teena Apeles, Jenine Baines, Jacqueline Fox, Greg Gillooly, Rebecca Karpeles, Carl Kozlowski, Brenda Rees, Hank Schlinger, John Sollenberger, Tracy Wilcoxen EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Tracy Spicer • COPY EDITOR Bliss ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Yvonne Guerrero, Jay Cribas, Maricela Estrada, Joseph Mendoza, Duke Raul PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Germana, Christopher Rainone, Evans Vestal Ward GROUP PUBLISHER David Comden

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

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ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 5

ARROYO VOLUME 2 ~ NUMBER 9

M O N T H LY

14 CULTURE “Winter Is Alive”: Descanso Gardens provides tranquil beauty as well as festive entertainment for the holiday season.

— By Brenda Rees

16 CHARITY “One Child at a Time”: With William Martone at the helm, Hathaway-Sycamores takes a personal approach to helping the 10,000 children and families it serves annually.

— By Carl Kozlowski

54 PERSONALITY “Crystal Clear”: Caltech’s Kenneth Libbrecht knows exactly what he wants to do: study snowflakes. — By Julie Riggott

54

14 Strollers Bugaboo ~ Peg Prégo Combi ~ Bumbelride ~ Britax Strollers & Car seats ~ MacLaren Baby Jogger ~ Graco ~ Snap-n-Go

Furniture Pali ~ Muniré ~ Camelot ~ Dutailer Glider Chairs

Trendy Diaper Bags

64

OiOi ~ Fleurville ~ Skip Hop Bags

Bedding Banana Fish ~ Lambs and Ivy ~ Kelly Kouture Luxury Line ~ Cocala ~ Kids Line

DEPARTMENTS 8 GIVING BACK Circle of Huntington Hospital, Habitat for

Special Financing Available Baby Registry Open 7 days a week

Humanity, California Philharmonic and ChocolateBox

22 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH Jumping on the brain wagon 24 INTERIOR DESIGN Holiday decorating at home

• Quality Simmons & Sealy Mattresses • Mustela Care Products for Baby and Mom • Madela Breast Feeding Products

401 North Central Ave, Glendale (Corner of Central & Lexington)

53 BOOKS Deanne Stillman’s “Joshua Tree: Desolation Tango” 58 HISTORY Between 1904 and 1915, the Tournament of Roses held Roman chariot races instead of football games

60 TABLE TALK Chef Sara Levine of the new Vertical Wine Bistro 61 MERRIMENT Modern Spirits from a Monrovia couple 64 SHOPPING Gifts galore

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66 THE LIST Pasadena artist Daniel Douke and Distinguished Speaker Robert Redford

Kids Furniture and Accessories

70 NESTING Festive flourishes at the Holiday Look In Home Tour 72 LIFESTYLE The first annual Celebration of Oneness Cover Photo: Snowflakes photographed by Kenneth Libbrecht, professor of physics at Caltech Cover design by Agnes Carrera

6 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

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giving back The Disco Inferno dining room

Carmen Montgomery Castaneda, Huntington Hospital CEO Steve Ralph and Rose Wen

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THE CIRCLE OF HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL hosted its 15th annual benefit at Art Center College of Design’s Wind Tunnel. The event, Disco Fever, drew a record crowd of more than 600 attendees who enjoyed a fabulous evening of disco dancing and dining that emphasized the importance of The Circle’s current mission: fighting breast cancer. At the conclusion of an elegant dinner, Circle President Rose Wen introduced the evening’s honoree, Dr. Steven Applebaum. Applebaum, a medical oncologist and hematologist, has been instrumental in providing state-of-the-art care to women in our community battling breast cancer. In all, it was one of the most memorable and hugely successful fund-raising events that The Circle has sponsored to date.

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Constance G. Zahorik Breast Center at Huntington Hospital. For more information, please visit www.thecircleofhmh.com.

Reagan Caldwell and Pinky Photos by Nick Boswell

Phillip Matthews, Lois Matthews, honoree Dr. Steven Applebaum and Dr. Chien Fang Applebaum

8 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

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ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 9

giving back

Zena Andriani, Marissa Dodge and Carrie Rhymer paint baseboards

Tyler Wehrle and Michael McGlashan

ON OCT. 7, 15 STUDENTS AND NINE ADULT LEADERS TRAVELED TO TUTWILER, Miss., to build a house for Habitat for Humanity under the auspices of the La Cañada Presbyterian Church. The team joined another group of (front) Pete William, Joel Drenckpohl and Matt Shupper (back) Matt adults from the church, under McGlashan and Cameron Wehrle the leadership of Bob Hiller, to build a new house and complete construction on four other houses. "We've built 19 homes there, a small subdivision," said Bob Hiller. "We go down there to build a house, but I think God sends us down there to build something else." That was evidenced by the relationships the students built with the kids in the community. Every afternoon when the students returned from the job site, they were greeted by local kids to play games, sing and just hang out together. “I love seeing the students give up cell phones, television and sleep to work really hard to help create hope for a family,” said Bob McGlashan one of the adult leaders. “You see their hearts really come out, as they help someone less fortunate than they are.” For more information about LCPC, call (818) 790-6708 or visit www.lacanadapc.org.

Stewart Forgey, Marissa, Carrie and Zena hang out with the kids

Matt McGlashan, Amanda Morris, Tyler Wehrle, Joel Drenckpohl, Michael McGlashan, Pete Williams, Matt Shupper, Marissa Dodge, Jordan Sukys, Zena Andriani, Daniel Nydam, Emily Michael, Chris Porter, Carrie Rhymer and Sean Stewart

10 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

Maestro Victor Vener, the California Philharmonic and California Philharmonic Chorale are joined by noted singers Robert MacNeil, Elissa Johnston, Suzanna Guzmán and Cedric Berry

CAL PHIL AT THE AMBASSADOR began its third season with “Show Boat” on Nov. 2, bringing timeless music back to Pasadena’s legendary Ambassador Auditorium. Under the baton of Maestro Victor Vener, the California Philharmonic, California Philharmonic Chorale and singers Elissa Johnston, Suzanna Guzmán, Robert MacNeil and Cedric Berry gave a thrilling performance of the Broadway classic. The program also featured music from “Oklahoma!,” “On Your Toes” and “Victory at Sea.” A postconcert reception honored the artists and sponsors. The evening was sponsored by le bijou Luxury Jewelers. Featured artists were sponsored by redwhite+bluezz Wine Bar & Grill. For more information, call (626) 300-8200, or visit www.calphil.org.

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ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 11

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The ChocolateBox Café filled to capacity for an evening of sweet charity

SWEET CHARITY With an Oct. 12 launch celebration that boasted more than 200 attendees, ChocoRevelers relax outside of the café lateBox Café treated area leaders, family, friends and passersby to handmade, luxury Belgian truffles, ganaches, imported Italian gelato and champagne. A significant portion of proceeds from the evening’s sales benefited the La Cañada Flintridge Educational Foundation, a working group of individuals, businesses, foundations and community organizations committed to providing private financial support for the public schools of La Cañada Flintridge. The Foundation was established in 1978, making La Cañada Flintridge one of the first communities in the nation to form a foundation to support its local public schools.

ChocolateBox owners Zareh and Harmik Baghdasarian wanted their entrée into the neighborhood to inaugurate the café as a local hangout, where all are welcome and community comes first.

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{

C U LT U R E

Winter is

alive

Descanso Gardens provides tranquil beauty as well as festive entertainment for the holiday season.

w 14 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

BY BRENDA REES

ITH AN INFLUX OF VISITORS TO SOUTHERN California this holiday season, it’s not just residents who have been gussying up their homes to welcome extended family and friends. Plenty of seasonal preparations have taken place at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge, where workers have been busy trimming trees, installing festive chili ristras and creating a special holiday-themed location for the Big Man in Red. Yes, plenty of merriment will kick off the monthlong “Gifts From the Gardens” celebration at Descanso beginning the weekend of Dec. 1 through 3.

First up is Winter’s Night on Dec. 1, when guests are welcomed to experience the gardens after dark and enjoy a holiday buffet. From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., strolling carolers and magicians will brighten the colorful landscape.

Naturally, Santa will be stopping by in a handsomely decorated spot near the Rose Pavilion. Bring your own camera and snap a shot of St. Nick with his young and older friends. In fact, the garden will have special holiday vignettes set up in various locations that will complement any family and holiday portraits.

A unique treat for visitors of all ages will be the Enchanted Railroad, which will offer evening rides through the gardens and under a trellis decked out with twinkling lights.

On Dec. 2, families can sit down for brunch with Santa and hash over their wish lists with the jolly fellow.

Later, kids can do crafts, and everyone can enjoy seasonal music from Providence High School’s Resonance Ringers Bell Choir from 1 to 3 p.m. Flamenco-styled guitarist Robert Earl Longley plays holiday classics from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 3.

Santa will also be on hand from noon to 4:30 p.m. both weekend days for visits and photographs.

Remember to bring your own camera since no photogra—Continued on page 20 pher is on site.

{

CHARITY

One

child at a time

With William Martone at the helm, Hathaway-Sycamores takes a personal approach to helping the 10,000 children and families it serves annually.

g 16 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

BY CARL KOZLOWSKI Photos courtesy of Hathaway-Sycamores

ROWING UP IN ALBANY, N.Y., WILLIAM MARTONE HAD WHAT was once the typical American upbringing, with three generations living under one roof. He had a peaceful, happy childhood that could match any one of the images in Norman Rockwell’s carefree portraits of American life.

But when he went away to college during the Vietnam War, Martone became a sociology major and volunteered as a Big Brother.

Helping mentor boys who were from broken homes made him realize that there were plenty of families who weren’t as fortunate and happy as his own, and that realization has informed the rest of his life: helping downtrodden kids find ways to be uplifted.

As the president and chief executive officer of HathawaySycamores Child and Family Services, Martone has helped make a profound impact on the lives of countless children and their families.

After all, the 850-person staff he leads — a staff that grew substantially last year after Hathaway Children and Family Services merged with the Sycamores to pool the two organizations’ vast but differing resources — serves 10,000 children and their families annually throughout Southern California.

As his organization helps families through comprehensive services, including residential treatment, foster care, adoption, mental-health services, school-based services, vocational education and an array of intensive in-home programs, Martone realizes that the problems before him and his staff are vast. But he also believes that there is plenty of light at the end of the tunnel for the people they are able to assist.

“I think that the field over the 30-plus years that I’ve been involved continues to evolve and improve. Our knowledge base has improved over that time and our understanding of what goes on with kids, and technology and medicine are improving to help kids with physical and mental problems,” says Martone. “I think trends may start in certain areas, and you may have pockets of practice that vary by geographic area, but if that practice is successful, it’ll be replicated quickly across the nation. We’re paying so much attention to kids in so many ways that things are getting better and are bound to keep going that way.”

Martone’s initial foray into helping kids wasn’t a smooth one. He graduated from college in 1971, and while he wasn’t in danger of being drafted thanks to a high draft number, he did have to compete for work against thousands of conscientious objectors who were performing their alternative community service in social programs. But once the war ended, he was able to advance quickly because so many of the objectors quickly left as their obligations were over. After 10 years in Albany and another 11 with a Chicago-based agency, he finally worked his way west to his current position in 1994.

While he’s seen a general collapse in the nuclear family structure and believes that many social problems have been compounded by the fact that traditional family support networks are disappearing as people move across the nation for work opportunities, Martone has also noticed some positive trends.

“One good thing that’s still evolving is the philosophy that focuses on kids’ strengths as opposed to deficits. If we have an understanding of what works well with specific kids and families, it gets us further much more quickly,” says Martone.

“Technology has helped us understand the brain better, which helps us see if a child has a mental illness and how best to regulate or modulate what’s going on for them. Whether that’s depression or schizophrenia, there’s a variety of problems kids are faced with, and we think that change will help.”

One area that Martone believes still needs a lot of focus is the plight of kids in the child welfare system, especially when children are left to grow up entirely in foster care or residential treatment facilities. He and his staff believe in using this system as a tool where —Continued on page 18 ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 17

{

CHARITY

One

child at a time

With William Martone at the helm, Hathaway-Sycamores takes a personal approach to helping the 10,000 children and families it serves annually.

g 16 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

BY CARL KOZLOWSKI Photos courtesy of Hathaway-Sycamores

ROWING UP IN ALBANY, N.Y., WILLIAM MARTONE HAD WHAT was once the typical American upbringing, with three generations living under one roof. He had a peaceful, happy childhood that could match any one of the images in Norman Rockwell’s carefree portraits of American life.

But when he went away to college during the Vietnam War, Martone became a sociology major and volunteered as a Big Brother.

Helping mentor boys who were from broken homes made him realize that there were plenty of families who weren’t as fortunate and happy as his own, and that realization has informed the rest of his life: helping downtrodden kids find ways to be uplifted.

As the president and chief executive officer of HathawaySycamores Child and Family Services, Martone has helped make a profound impact on the lives of countless children and their families.

After all, the 850-person staff he leads — a staff that grew substantially last year after Hathaway Children and Family Services merged with the Sycamores to pool the two organizations’ vast but differing resources — serves 10,000 children and their families annually throughout Southern California.

As his organization helps families through comprehensive services, including residential treatment, foster care, adoption, mental-health services, school-based services, vocational education and an array of intensive in-home programs, Martone realizes that the problems before him and his staff are vast. But he also believes that there is plenty of light at the end of the tunnel for the people they are able to assist.

“I think that the field over the 30-plus years that I’ve been involved continues to evolve and improve. Our knowledge base has improved over that time and our understanding of what goes on with kids, and technology and medicine are improving to help kids with physical and mental problems,” says Martone. “I think trends may start in certain areas, and you may have pockets of practice that vary by geographic area, but if that practice is successful, it’ll be replicated quickly across the nation. We’re paying so much attention to kids in so many ways that things are getting better and are bound to keep going that way.”

Martone’s initial foray into helping kids wasn’t a smooth one. He graduated from college in 1971, and while he wasn’t in danger of being drafted thanks to a high draft number, he did have to compete for work against thousands of conscientious objectors who were performing their alternative community service in social programs. But once the war ended, he was able to advance quickly because so many of the objectors quickly left as their obligations were over. After 10 years in Albany and another 11 with a Chicago-based agency, he finally worked his way west to his current position in 1994.

While he’s seen a general collapse in the nuclear family structure and believes that many social problems have been compounded by the fact that traditional family support networks are disappearing as people move across the nation for work opportunities, Martone has also noticed some positive trends.

“One good thing that’s still evolving is the philosophy that focuses on kids’ strengths as opposed to deficits. If we have an understanding of what works well with specific kids and families, it gets us further much more quickly,” says Martone.

“Technology has helped us understand the brain better, which helps us see if a child has a mental illness and how best to regulate or modulate what’s going on for them. Whether that’s depression or schizophrenia, there’s a variety of problems kids are faced with, and we think that change will help.”

One area that Martone believes still needs a lot of focus is the plight of kids in the child welfare system, especially when children are left to grow up entirely in foster care or residential treatment facilities. He and his staff believe in using this system as a tool where —Continued on page 18 ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 17

O N E C H I L D AT A TIME —Continued from page 17

people can intervene on a temporary basis when serious problems erupt, but the end goal should always be to return the children to their families when possible, or at least dependable people in the general community.

“Oftentimes, children entered our welfare system and got lost because Mom or Dad got incarcerated or moved and lost track of their family.

Now we have tools like the Internet where we can go with the little bit of information we have in a child’s records and find extended family members and begin establishing connections,” explains Martone. “Family members may be on the East Coast while the kid is in California, and they’ve wondered where the kid went, and they’re often willing to help, which can vary from just letting the kid know that there’s somebody else out there that’s a family member to actively providing a home.

“Some of these kids feel the traditional orphan feeling that ‘I don’t have anybody; there’s nobody I’m connected to in this world.’ Then they discover there’s a grandma or an aunt and they can build these connections. Some may be a permanent resource, a visiting resource or just send cards on holidays and birthdays, but they let kids know they’re not alone in the world.”

Ultimately, Martone believes that the lessons derived from working with troubled youths travel both ways, and in fact he has learned how to be a better listener and more sensitive parent to his own three children, who are now adults. Just as he learned to listen attentively to each of his own children as they were growing up, he believes that the key to maintaining hope amidst the youthcare crisis in California and the nation is to address each child individually.

“We really need to focus on one child at a time: What can we do to help this child, this family? Because if you get too far afield, it seems insurmountable,” says Martone. “Nationally, [there are] over a half million kids in the foster care system, and California has 90,000 of them.

If you tackle all of that, it’s overwhelming and frustrating, but if we can think of one Johnny at a time, it becomes more manageable. This is a field for people who are truly dedicated and here not for the money, but to make a difference and save lives.” AM CARL KOZLOWSKI writes regularly for Pasadena Weekly, the national business magazine Worthwhile and the Web magazine www.arrivistepress.com. He also has had articles published in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and The Progressive.

18 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

Gifts from the heart Taking care of the needs of more than 10,000 kids and their families annually does not come cheaply, so like so many other charitable endeavors, the Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services program turns to the community for help. After all, as William Martone points out, California’s foster care system has only received four cost of living adjustments in the past 16 years, meaning that the system is now 20 percent behind in the cost of living for the state.

2007 Children’s Art Calendar One big way to help the program raise funds this holiday season is to purchase the 2007 Hathaway-Sycamores Children’s Art Calendar, which features children’s artwork created by boys ages 14 to 18 who have participated in the agency’s Masters-in-Residence art therapy program. Kevin Myers, a La Cañada native, is the agency’s 2006 Master-inResidence, who has been working with the boys on the ceramic column sculptures featured in the 2007 calendar. This program, which is funded in part by Citibank Pasadena, provides structured year-round art classes for the boys, ages 6 to 17, who reside at the Altadena campus. The calendars make great holiday gifts and may be purchased for just $10 by calling (626) 685-2124.

standing meals at Pasadena’s top-rated restaurants while helping to raise funds for children served by Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services. The win-win proposition comes courtesy of Dinners From the Heart, an innovative, community-wide fund-raising collaboration with approximately 40 of the area’s leading restaurants. Advance reservations are necessary, and can be made by calling (626) 685-2124. Donations range from $50 to $150 per person, and some of the participating Pasadena-area restaurants include Arroyo Chop House, Smitty’s Grill and Parkway Grill.

Wish Trees If you are interested in fulfilling a special holiday gift wish for one of the children served

by Hathaway-Sycamores, please contact Andi Sica at (626) 395-7100, ext. 2516.

Mentoring and Foster Parents Finally, if you’re able to offer an even greater level of assistance by mentoring potential adoptive families or by being a foster parent, the folks at Hathaway-Sycamores will be thrilled to hear from you.

If you have experienced adopting a child, or you have been adopted, you can help families through this process as a mentor in the Fost/Adopt program. The agency provides training and a stipend for participants in the mentoring program. For information, please call Jorge Razo at (626) 395-7100, ext. 2308.

Foster and adoptive parents are always needed for children of all ages. Some children need temporary loving care until they return home and others need permanent adoptive loving homes. The agency provides all training, certification and financial support. For more information, call Lisamarie at (626) 395-7100, ext. 2753.

Dinners From the Heart On Feb. 22, local residents can enjoy out-

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WINTER IS ALIVE —Continued from page 14

For the rest of the month, visitors can take part in workshops and enjoy activities such as wreath-making. Would-be birders are encouraged to check out the free Sunday morning bird walks with Karen Johnson from the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society.

All in all, organizers hope that the garden will become a place of refreshment and respite from the holiday frenzy.

“Even though it is winter, there is still plenty of beauty to be found in the garden,” says Kim Gosney, manager of public programs.

“People want a place to recover from the mall, the traffic and all the other headaches around,” she adds, pointing out the tranquil spots nestled in the garden among the blooming camellia bushes and colorful gingko trees. “We want people to come and decompress and enjoy the beauty of nature with their family and friends.

Here, they can take a breath.” AM Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. Regular December hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, and $2 for children 5 to 12 years old. Enchanted Railroad tickets are $2. Free parking. Call (818) 949-7980, or visit www.descansogardens.org.

BRENDA REES has written for various publications including the Los Angeles Times, L.A. Parent, Westways Magazine and the Tidings. She lives in Eagle Rock with her husband and daughter as well as with assorted cats, fish, tortoises and other critters.

Photos courtesy of Descanso Gardens

Celebrate winter at Descanso A Winter’s Night Enjoy the gardens and a holiday buffet from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec.1. Price for admission and food is $47 for adults, $15 for kids, and free for children 3 and younger. For reservations, call (818) 790-3663.

Johnson of the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society at the Bird Observation Station and learn about seasonal waterfowl and check out ring-neck ducks, wild mallards, herons and egrets. Free.

Santa’s Brunch Seatings are at 9, 10:15 and 11:30 a.m.

Dec. 2. Price for admission and food is $42 for adults, $15 for kids, and free for children 3 and younger. For reservations, call (818) 7903663.

Sunday Bird Walks Walks are scheduled for 8 to 10 a.m. Dec. 10, 17 and 24. Bring binoculars for a walk with Karen Johnson of the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society to find some of the 130 species that can be seen regularly at the garden.

Free.

The Wintering Birds of Descanso From 10 to 11 a.m. Dec 2, join Karen

Ginger Lane for Family Fun Workshops At 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Dec.

20 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

9, families can learn about the spicy plant by cuddling up on quilts to hear gingerbread stories, discover the history of ginger and look at real ginger plants. Then, make your own gingerbread dough, decorate a gingerbread man, and take home a plant. Cost is $12 for adults and $10 for children. Recommended for ages 4 and older. For reservations, call (818) 949-7980.

Holiday Wreath Workshop From 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 7, come dressed to work and bring pruning shears, wire cutters and pliers to create a wreath with fresh evergreens, pine cones, ribbons and ornaments.

Cost is $25 plus $30 materials fee. For reservations, call (818) 949-7980.

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B E H AV I O R A L H E A LT H

Jumping on the

brain wagon

If behavior doesn’t start in the brain, why are researchers looking there first?

BY HANK SCHLINGER, Ph.D.

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22 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

Soda P referen ing est Inv ck Sto

IN THE OCTOBER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH column, I warned against explanations of behavior that appeal to cognitive ghosts (e.g., mind), which are no more scientific than appealing to spirits or the planets.

Nowadays, scientists and non-scientists alike believe they can circumvent the Cartesian dilemma and explain behavior in terms of the brain.

Reinforcing this belief are burgeoning technologies, such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), that have encouraged a new legion of researchers and a surge in brain-based explanations of behavior. Everyone, it seems, has jumped on the brain wagon. But there are problems that will prevent it from going as far as many think it will.

To begin with, it is not uncommon for those with only a cursory understanding to explain behavior in terms of brain structures. For example, some say that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder represents a problem of executive functioning. But executive function is neither a structure nor a process in the nervous system, and, thus, it is simply not a scientifically adequate explanation of ADHD or any other behavior.

Additionally, some researchers who aren’t even neuroscientists make claims about the brain’s role in behavior. For example, recent articles reported on a study that claimed to provide “evidence that autism affects the functioning of virtually the entire brain.” But the researchers didn’t study the brain at all; they measured the performances of children with and without autism on a variety of behavioral tasks and made inferences about underlying brain structures.

A bigger problem, however, is that many neuroscientists — giddy with excitement about new imaging technologies and keen to vie for the millions of dollars available for brain-imaging research — are making claims that are simply not supported by the data. What’s more, they are being aided and abetted by an uncritical media.

In the past several years, we’ve heard that

Waving

imaging research has revealed why people vote for one candidate or another, prefer Coca-Cola or Pepsi, gamble, take risks and make economic decisions. The marriage of brain imaging and economics has given birth to a whole new discipline, called neuroeconomics. According to the Center for the Study of Neuroeconomics at George Mason University, the goal of this new discipline is to build a biological model of economic decision-making, or, as the title of a recent Los Angeles Times article put it, “Searching for the Why of Buy.” While fMRI can indicate which areas of the brain are more or less active during certain behaviors, it cannot explain the behavior. A symposium at the 2005 American Association for the Advancement of Science referred to those who make such “fanciful” and “misleading” claims as the “cognitive paparazzi.” William Uttal of Arizona State University has called the efforts to use fMRI to look for the localized areas of the brain, such as the decision-making or gambling areas, “the new phrenology.”

Even if the data supported the claims being reported, there is a more fundamental problem with looking in the brain for why we do what we

do: The ultimate causes are not in the brain.

For example, if I wave to someone, we could show that a particular area of my motor cortex becomes active. But do the neurons there cause me to wave? Not in the sense that cognitive neuroscientists want us to believe. Also, you can see how ridiculous it would be to call this the “waving area” of the cortex because every behavior would then have its own area — a phrenological nightmare.

So what causes me to wave to someone?

Obviously the person has something to do with it.

But why don’t I wave to everyone? The answer is that certain consequences follow when I wave to people I know (e.g., they wave back or say “hi”) and different consequences follow when I don’t know them (e.g., they usually don’t wave back or have a perplexed look on their face). These environmental consequences are the ultimate causes of my waving. The neurons in the relevant part of the motor cortex and other parts of the brain mediate the action. The same is true for all behaviors, including those involved in gambling, taking risks or making decisions.

The brain is indeed an important link in the chain of behavioral causation. The recently announced collaborative effort between Caltech and UC Berkeley in which neuroscientists use relatively simple organisms, such as fruit flies, and experiment directly with brain cells to see how they affect complex behavior is a productive way to proceed.

But we cannot ignore the primary causes of behavior: the moment-to-moment interactions between environmental events and our behavior.

Scientists will need to understand these interactions to truly understand why we do what we do and, maybe more importantly, to change it. AM Dr. Schlinger, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), is a faculty member in the psychology department at California State University, Los Angeles. Contact him at hschlin@calstatela.edu.

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Relief is in sight for those suffering from back pain due to herniated or degenerative discs, joint problems, arthritis and sciatica. Dr. Joseph Maloof is using a new machine, the DRX-9000, a breakthrough in the treatment of back pain. He is the first doctor in Montrose to use this state-of-theart technology. The DRX-9000 enables the discs in the spine to be gently decompressed, relieving pressure on the pain producing nerves in the low back. Each patient’s treatment program is specific for his or her condition.

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Take Inventory and Consider a Theme Get out those boxes and see what is still in good repair. Angels with one wing missing, tangled tinsel and lights that don't work anymore ought to go. You probably do have special items that truly are nostalgic treasures. They Holiday decorating by Roberta Martin, may need some repair Allied ASID or sprucing up, but make those judgments with a very critical eye. Once you see what you have to work with, does any theme seem to be developing? If so, start there with your list of where to fill in, replace or add on. Themes, from seashells to birds, visually share who you are and your interests with your holiday guests.

Choose Areas to Adorn Most of us can't embellish every corner, so we need to plan where we will work our magic. The front door or entry area needs to say, “Welcome! Come in and enjoy!” Many people think of wreaths, but you can choose something representative of whichever festival your family celebrates. Bright pots of cyclamens, poinsettias and sweet-smelling paper whites by your door or just inside give a natural and fragrant welcome. Inside, make room for your Christmas tree, a dining table centerpiece and decoration for the fireplace. The idea is to adorn, not overwhelm, so remember to leave room for your guests.

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THE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US, PROMPTING MILLIONS OF Americans to pull boxes from the attic, run to craft stores and generally load up on all things shiny. We're all trying to create a feeling of warmth, of magic, of childhood memories.

Winterize Your Furniture Maybe your home is not decorated in a color palette or pattern compatible with winter decor. This might be a good time to think of slipcovers on floral sofas or white felt or linen tablecloths over your skirted corner tables. You can also develop your holiday decor to suit your color preferences. Who says that Hanukkah has to be blue and white? Or that Christmas decor should be the traditional red and green? AM Lee Mink, ASID, heads Lee Mink & Associates Interiors in Pasadena, which provides residential and commercial design, space planning and customdesigned furnishings services. She can be reached at (626) 796-3900 or lee@leeminkinteriors.com.

ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 25

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26 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

FOR SALE

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Impeccably maintained and updated 3 bedroom, 1 bath home close to popular Montrose shops and restaurants.

• Wood burning fireplace.

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Offered at $739, 000

FOR SALE

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Beautiful traditional home on over 1/2 an acre of one of Flintridge’s most desirable streets. Excellent floor plan featuring 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with plenty of character and details throughout.

Highlighted Features: • Formal Dining and living room with bay windows, fireplace and built in bookcases.

• Kitchen features Miele® cook-top and dishwasher, double convection oven, built in desk, breakfast bar, and breakfast nook.

• Master Suite with French doors, soaking tub, dual sinks and dual closets • Downstairs bonus room perfect for media room • Park-like backyard with pool and spa • Hardwood floors • 2 car attached garage

ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 27

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A RT,

ANTIQU ES & JEWELRY

Aarnun Gallery Fine Picture Framing — The holidays are nearly here!

And to help you prepare, Aarnun is jam-packed with beautiful small paintings, framed antique prints, unusual desk frames and one-of-a-kind jewelry. Mark your calendar for our Annual Winter Show which continues through the holidays with featured artists Erin Rosen, Jennifer McChristian and Barbara W. Davis. Join us in celebrating the holiday season and the work of these fine artists. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wed. - Sat. 603 E. Green St. Call (626) 793-4805.

G. H. Wilke & Co. was founded in Arlington Heights, Ill., in 1929, during the Great Depression. Depending on chickens and produce as payment from the local farm community, the store thrived and grew.

Through successive generations, the store has remained steadfast in its commitment to quality and honesty. Dario Pirozko’s finesse at the goldsmith bench has won him many fans. Tracy Wilke maintains the family connection and assists with selections. G.H. Wilke has been in San Gabriel since 1946 and welcomes any questions you may have concerning their favorite topic: jewelry. 612 W. Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel. Call (626) 284-9444.

Lany’s Antiques & Fine Jewelry — The expression for Lany’s? “I dare you to go there just once!” This is the epitome of a jewelry addict’s heaven. Lany acquires her jewelry and antiques from a variety of fascinating sources and sells each at wholesale prices. There’s a multitude of unusual pieces of every imaginable design, stone —continued on page 30

WINTER SHOW WINTER SHOW Continues Through Saturday, Nove ber 4th The Holidays Please join us

“Spring Canopy”(detail) by Erin Rosen Oil on panel 12” x 9”

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WEDNESDAY - SATURDAY 10 - 5 626.793.4805 603 EAST GREEN STREET, PASADENA • IN THE PLAYHOUSE DISTRICT

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LARGE selection of Fine & Antique Jewelry

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Thanks again to all Pasadena Weekly readers who voted us runner-up to Tiffany’s among the best Pasadena jewelry stores. Check out Tifanny’s, and then compare our prices and quality!

CASH for DIAMONDS Buy & Sell Estates 1009 E. Green St. Pasadena 626-578-7141 Tues-Sat 11:00 – 5:00

A RT,

A N T I Q U E S

—continued from page 29 and setting. You’ll also find small “accessory” antiques and personal items that make thoughtful and very affordable gifts this holiday season. So please come in, but don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tues. – Sat.; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Sunday in December; or by appointment. 1009 E. Green St., Pasadena. Call (626) 578-7141.

John Moran Auctioneers — Expertly serving clients since 1969, John Moran Auctioneers is a full-service auction house offering quality objects and complete personalized dedication. Monthly estate and fine furniture auctions are where collectors, dealers, decorators and others gather to buy the finest antiques, silver, American Indian, oil and watercolor paintings, jewelry, unusual accessories and much more! They also hold an auction (three times per year) for exceptional California and American paintings.

Consignment and the purchasing of estates. 735 W. Woodbury Road, Altadena. Call (626) 793-1833, or visit www.johnmoran.com.

Wayne Jason Jewelry Designs — With a strong background in design, Wayne Jason opened his store in 1987 and realized he could give his customers magnificent jewelry at better prices by manufacturing on the premises. As an expert at his own designs, Wayne takes great pride in his ability to transform your old jewelry into new pieces to enjoy! He carves wax molds to alter them before casting, guaranteeing your complete satisfaction. From $30 sterling silver earrings to an $8,000 diamond and tan-

&

J E W E L RY

zanite pendant, Wayne Jason Jewelry Designs is your one-stop shop for all occasion gifts. 105 W. California Blvd. (tucked away in the Orangewood Shopping Center). Call (626) 795-9215, or visit www.wjasondesigns.com.

Tirage Gallery — Located in the heart of Pasadena’s art and antique district, Tirage Gallery features one of the largest selections of plein air paintings and representational fine art in the Western states. With more than 60 nationally recognized artists in scheduled, themed exhibitions, Tirage Gallery offers an extensive variety of oil paintings, pastels and watercolors of landscapes, urban impressionism, still life, interiors and figurative imagery, along with sculpture and fine art commissioned portraiture. As a full-service gallery, Tirage is a specialist in corporate collections and site-specific artwork. It also provides custom framing, fine art restoration and curatorial services. One W. California Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 405-1020, or visit www.tirageart.com.

Thomas R. Field — The most beautiful room settings of American antiques and folk art are found here. Field’s national clientele knows this furniture complements many styles — English, French and more — giving an eclectic feel to traditional as well as the most modern of homes.

The company’s philosophy is “objects of art fit anywhere.” Celebrate the American Heritage with grandfather clocks, paintings, sculptures and weathervanes. Certified appraisal services and estate dispositions. 1127 Mission St., South Pasadena. Call (626) 799-8546.

THOMAS R. FIELD American Antiques

www.thomasrfieldantiques.com The only shop in Southern California offering a full range of 18th and 19th century American antiques and folk art.

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FEATURING ONE OF THE LARGEST SELECTIONS OF TRADITIONAL FINE ART IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

"Evening Light" by Martha Saudek, oil on canvas 18" x 24" “Reflections”, Arthur Egeli, oil on canvas 30” x 30”

www.tirageart.com One West California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91105 (626) 405-1020

Lany’s Antique

&FINE JEWELRY

LARGE selection of Fine & Antique Jewelry

Voted Best Antique Store in Pasadena

Thanks again to all Pasadena Weekly readers who voted us runner-up to Tiffany’s among the best Pasadena jewelry stores. Check out Tifanny’s, and then compare our prices and quality!

CASH for DIAMONDS Buy & Sell Estates 1009 E. Green St. Pasadena 626-578-7141 Tues-Sat 11:00 – 5:00

A RT,

A N T I Q U E S

—continued from page 29 and setting. You’ll also find small “accessory” antiques and personal items that make thoughtful and very affordable gifts this holiday season. So please come in, but don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tues. – Sat.; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Sunday in December; or by appointment. 1009 E. Green St., Pasadena. Call (626) 578-7141.

John Moran Auctioneers — Expertly serving clients since 1969, John Moran Auctioneers is a full-service auction house offering quality objects and complete personalized dedication. Monthly estate and fine furniture auctions are where collectors, dealers, decorators and others gather to buy the finest antiques, silver, American Indian, oil and watercolor paintings, jewelry, unusual accessories and much more! They also hold an auction (three times per year) for exceptional California and American paintings.

Consignment and the purchasing of estates. 735 W. Woodbury Road, Altadena. Call (626) 793-1833, or visit www.johnmoran.com.

Wayne Jason Jewelry Designs — With a strong background in design, Wayne Jason opened his store in 1987 and realized he could give his customers magnificent jewelry at better prices by manufacturing on the premises. As an expert at his own designs, Wayne takes great pride in his ability to transform your old jewelry into new pieces to enjoy! He carves wax molds to alter them before casting, guaranteeing your complete satisfaction. From $30 sterling silver earrings to an $8,000 diamond and tan-

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J E W E L RY

zanite pendant, Wayne Jason Jewelry Designs is your one-stop shop for all occasion gifts. 105 W. California Blvd. (tucked away in the Orangewood Shopping Center). Call (626) 795-9215, or visit www.wjasondesigns.com.

Tirage Gallery — Located in the heart of Pasadena’s art and antique district, Tirage Gallery features one of the largest selections of plein air paintings and representational fine art in the Western states. With more than 60 nationally recognized artists in scheduled, themed exhibitions, Tirage Gallery offers an extensive variety of oil paintings, pastels and watercolors of landscapes, urban impressionism, still life, interiors and figurative imagery, along with sculpture and fine art commissioned portraiture. As a full-service gallery, Tirage is a specialist in corporate collections and site-specific artwork. It also provides custom framing, fine art restoration and curatorial services. One W. California Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 405-1020, or visit www.tirageart.com.

Thomas R. Field — The most beautiful room settings of American antiques and folk art are found here. Field’s national clientele knows this furniture complements many styles — English, French and more — giving an eclectic feel to traditional as well as the most modern of homes.

The company’s philosophy is “objects of art fit anywhere.” Celebrate the American Heritage with grandfather clocks, paintings, sculptures and weathervanes. Certified appraisal services and estate dispositions. 1127 Mission St., South Pasadena. Call (626) 799-8546.

THOMAS R. FIELD American Antiques

www.thomasrfieldantiques.com The only shop in Southern California offering a full range of 18th and 19th century American antiques and folk art.

Certified appraisal services...estate dispositions Purchasing and brokering fine examples of American antiques and folk art.

1127 Mission St. South Pasadena 91030 (626) 799-8546

FEATURING ONE OF THE LARGEST SELECTIONS OF TRADITIONAL FINE ART IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

"Evening Light" by Martha Saudek, oil on canvas 18" x 24" “Reflections”, Arthur Egeli, oil on canvas 30” x 30”

www.tirageart.com One West California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91105 (626) 405-1020

Adob e D esign — This store is the ultimate destination for handcrafted treasures from around the world, as well as beautiful accents for your home and gifts for every person on your shopping list. Adobe features an extensive line of holiday candles that are perfect to dress up your holiday tables, along with unique handforged iron house blessing boxes from Jan Barboglio. Owner Sue Stranger has designed the most beautiful necklaces made from cultured pearls flaunting antique pendants from Tibet. Amazing hostess gifts from Paris are sure to be the hit of the party! Dinnerware designed by artisans in northern Italy is classic with forms that harmonize with a multitude of settings. Ming Dynasty pieces, 19thcentury elm wood stools and Italian pewter are featured in this one-of-a-kind paradise. Be prepared to stay a while! Adobe Design, 852 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 952-2004.

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Botanicals — Surround yourself and the ones you love in natural elegance this holiday season with Botanicals.

Beautiful amaryllis, festive topiaries, fragrant paper whites and charming fresh flower arrangements are sure to bring some much needed holiday cheer to any household! Decorate your home with fragrant candles in cranberry fig and Tuscan currant scents. And Botanicals helps relieve some holiday stress with its new specially wrapped gifts that are good to go! A gorgeous collection of vintage button bracelets just arrived, perfect for adding some seasonal sparkle to someone’s wrist. This December, Botanicals is giving away a stunning piece of Nicholas Mosse Pottery. With just an email, it could be yours! Known for her superb customer service, Julie will help you take care of everyone on your list! Holiday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Botanicals, 1341 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 7907110, email customerservice@shopbotanicals.com or visit www.shopbotanicals.com.

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Foothill Blvd Cowgirl Princess — Serving the stylish needs of both men and women for more than 15 years, Krissy will be your own personal shopper, guiding you in the right direction this holiday season! Be the hit of the party this year in a sleek wrap dress by Stilleto, which comes in both solids and prints. Slip into the hottest denim trends with January Jeans —which are flying off shelves for only $88! — and J & Company Jeans, or a pair of leggings, which are all the rage this season!

Hanky Panky panties, trendy jewelry and adorable handbags are in stock and make the perfect gifts! Celebs are flocking to this boutique for Amy Tangerine T-shirts and the coveted Sky line. Whether it’s a casual ensemble or all-out glamour, Cowgirl Princess is your one-stop shop during the holidays! Cowgirl Princess, 1357 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada, Call (818) 952-4157.

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Emily’s — This quaint LC boutique just had one stellar open house, which has garnered even more buzz! For the holiday season, Emily’s offers tons of potential stocking stuffers that are sure to make anyone’s day, from feather pens and cozy slipper socks to gift certificates. Check out some of today’s trendiest labels, such as Billy Blues, 3J Workshop and Jessica Alba’s favorite T-shirts from LinQ. Chic C&C California and Frankie B jeans are in high demand, as well as Besso bags, which can frequently be seen on the arm of Lindsay Lohan. Be sure to grab a pair of the oh-so-coveted YMI jeans, and receive a free YMI denim bag or vest with your YMI purchase while supplies last! Emily’s, 954 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 952-9996.

Penelop e’s Café, Books & G aller y — Amid all the holiday hustle and bustle, take some time to unwind while enjoying a gourmet quiche, soup or salad in a gorgeous outdoor patio with a rustic brick fire place and soothing fountains. Penelope’s is the perfect destination not only for relaxing, but also for checking off your holiday shopping list. Its unique selection of books, custom-made jewelry, beautiful handbags and Sisters Sweaters make great gifts! While you’re there, check out the amazing photography on display by Vic Iorillo, a graduate of Parsons School of Design who’s had an impressive 35year career in film and television.

Definitely put this place on the top of your shopping destinations for the season! 1029 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge. Call (818) 790-4386, or visit www.penelopescafe.com.

2) Trifles — Join the parade! We’re marching to Trifles to find the perfect gifts.

Handmade art pieces and collectable treasures will inspire you to take a journey of inspiration and fantasy. Susan, Nayiri, Janet and Daphne create an atmosphere that makes you feel like you are coming home to visit an old friend. A unique selection, gift certificates and custom one-of-a kind gift wrapping are available, so stop in and say hi to your new friends! Holiday hours in December are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 12:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Trifles, Emily’s, 1375 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 952-0990.

Frockx — It’s time to spoil the ones you love, as well as yourself! Frockx has you covered with fabulous finds from hot designers like Nanette Lepore, Twisted Heart and more! You’ll find great stocking stuffers like lip glosses, candles, frames, jewelry and belts — all of which will make a stylish statement! Bath and body products from Mor’s and Lucky Chick also make fabulous one-of-a-kind gifts!

Holiday partygoers will die for all the great selection of adorable dresses and suits, as well as topnotch jeans from Hudson, Freedom of Choice, Union and Live. Pair those jeans with Michael Stars tops and Laurie B sweaters for the ultimate fashionable look! Two new designers have also been added to Frockx fantastic shoe department. And be sure to stop by on Frocktail Friday for a shopping excursion filled with drinks and 15 percent off the color of the day! The personable Frockx staff is ready to find the ideal gift, outfit or shoe to make your holiday memorable! Frockx, 1111B Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 949-4429.

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adies — and brave gentlemen — start your engines! The holiday season is officially underway, meaning there’s tons upon tons of shopping to be done. The Ladies of La Cañada are here to help you with all your gift-purchasing needs, from a hard-to-shop-for husband to that best friend who seems to have everything! This season, eliminate some holiday stress with the gorgeous custom gift wrapping and superb customer service offered at each LC store.

And don’t forget to stop by the Farmers Market, across from Memorial Park, open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturdays. This is the time to eat, drink and be merry, and this one-of-a-kind, friendly shopping district allows you to do it all!

— Charlie

Intimo — Properly fitting undergarments are essential, yet often overlooked. Stop by and visit Kathy, who’ll help you find just the right size! Women of all ages visit this boutique, shopping sideby-side for underwear, sleepwear and adorable gifts. Need to find something for a stylish jet-setter? Intimo carries a beautiful cashmere travel set that includes a blanket, eye mask and booties. And chic items from Vera Wang, Cosabella,Wendy Glez, Natori, PJ Salvage and Betsy Johnson are sure to delight fashion fanatics! And Intimo is bride central for those perfect pieces for their special night. Intimo offers helpful service and stylish items that will definitely change the way you shop for undergarments forever! Intimo, 637A Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 790-2479.

1) Eiji’s Florist — San Gabriel Valley’s premier florist, Eiji’s is the go-to florist for those in the know. Its one- of-a-kind creations are seen at the most spectacular weddings, on school teachers’ desks and every where in between. Let the staff at Eiji’s help create a lasting impression for you. Call (818) 790-5766.

10) Wynn’s — With its sophisticated approach to dressing, Wynn’s offers classic designer lines from Europe that will add style to your collection without the fly-bynight trends. For the finer approach to cutting-edge fashion, Wynn’s brings us Longchamp handbags and the ever popular Yansi Fugel interchang-eable pieces.

Customers rely on the dedication of the staff and are surprised when they reference pieces purchased seasons ago! Luxury, loyalty and an overall stunning collection— what more could you ask for? Call (818) 790-6033.

Adob e D esign — This store is the ultimate destination for handcrafted treasures from around the world, as well as beautiful accents for your home and gifts for every person on your shopping list. Adobe features an extensive line of holiday candles that are perfect to dress up your holiday tables, along with unique handforged iron house blessing boxes from Jan Barboglio. Owner Sue Stranger has designed the most beautiful necklaces made from cultured pearls flaunting antique pendants from Tibet. Amazing hostess gifts from Paris are sure to be the hit of the party! Dinnerware designed by artisans in northern Italy is classic with forms that harmonize with a multitude of settings. Ming Dynasty pieces, 19thcentury elm wood stools and Italian pewter are featured in this one-of-a-kind paradise. Be prepared to stay a while! Adobe Design, 852 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 952-2004.

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Angeles Crest Hwy

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Botanicals — Surround yourself and the ones you love in natural elegance this holiday season with Botanicals.

Beautiful amaryllis, festive topiaries, fragrant paper whites and charming fresh flower arrangements are sure to bring some much needed holiday cheer to any household! Decorate your home with fragrant candles in cranberry fig and Tuscan currant scents. And Botanicals helps relieve some holiday stress with its new specially wrapped gifts that are good to go! A gorgeous collection of vintage button bracelets just arrived, perfect for adding some seasonal sparkle to someone’s wrist. This December, Botanicals is giving away a stunning piece of Nicholas Mosse Pottery. With just an email, it could be yours! Known for her superb customer service, Julie will help you take care of everyone on your list! Holiday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Botanicals, 1341 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 7907110, email customerservice@shopbotanicals.com or visit www.shopbotanicals.com.

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Foothill Blvd Cowgirl Princess — Serving the stylish needs of both men and women for more than 15 years, Krissy will be your own personal shopper, guiding you in the right direction this holiday season! Be the hit of the party this year in a sleek wrap dress by Stilleto, which comes in both solids and prints. Slip into the hottest denim trends with January Jeans —which are flying off shelves for only $88! — and J & Company Jeans, or a pair of leggings, which are all the rage this season!

Hanky Panky panties, trendy jewelry and adorable handbags are in stock and make the perfect gifts! Celebs are flocking to this boutique for Amy Tangerine T-shirts and the coveted Sky line. Whether it’s a casual ensemble or all-out glamour, Cowgirl Princess is your one-stop shop during the holidays! Cowgirl Princess, 1357 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada, Call (818) 952-4157.

Ve r

Emily’s — This quaint LC boutique just had one stellar open house, which has garnered even more buzz! For the holiday season, Emily’s offers tons of potential stocking stuffers that are sure to make anyone’s day, from feather pens and cozy slipper socks to gift certificates. Check out some of today’s trendiest labels, such as Billy Blues, 3J Workshop and Jessica Alba’s favorite T-shirts from LinQ. Chic C&C California and Frankie B jeans are in high demand, as well as Besso bags, which can frequently be seen on the arm of Lindsay Lohan. Be sure to grab a pair of the oh-so-coveted YMI jeans, and receive a free YMI denim bag or vest with your YMI purchase while supplies last! Emily’s, 954 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 952-9996.

Penelop e’s Café, Books & G aller y — Amid all the holiday hustle and bustle, take some time to unwind while enjoying a gourmet quiche, soup or salad in a gorgeous outdoor patio with a rustic brick fire place and soothing fountains. Penelope’s is the perfect destination not only for relaxing, but also for checking off your holiday shopping list. Its unique selection of books, custom-made jewelry, beautiful handbags and Sisters Sweaters make great gifts! While you’re there, check out the amazing photography on display by Vic Iorillo, a graduate of Parsons School of Design who’s had an impressive 35year career in film and television.

Definitely put this place on the top of your shopping destinations for the season! 1029 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge. Call (818) 790-4386, or visit www.penelopescafe.com.

2) Trifles — Join the parade! We’re marching to Trifles to find the perfect gifts.

Handmade art pieces and collectable treasures will inspire you to take a journey of inspiration and fantasy. Susan, Nayiri, Janet and Daphne create an atmosphere that makes you feel like you are coming home to visit an old friend. A unique selection, gift certificates and custom one-of-a kind gift wrapping are available, so stop in and say hi to your new friends! Holiday hours in December are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 12:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Trifles, Emily’s, 1375 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 952-0990.

Frockx — It’s time to spoil the ones you love, as well as yourself! Frockx has you covered with fabulous finds from hot designers like Nanette Lepore, Twisted Heart and more! You’ll find great stocking stuffers like lip glosses, candles, frames, jewelry and belts — all of which will make a stylish statement! Bath and body products from Mor’s and Lucky Chick also make fabulous one-of-a-kind gifts!

Holiday partygoers will die for all the great selection of adorable dresses and suits, as well as topnotch jeans from Hudson, Freedom of Choice, Union and Live. Pair those jeans with Michael Stars tops and Laurie B sweaters for the ultimate fashionable look! Two new designers have also been added to Frockx fantastic shoe department. And be sure to stop by on Frocktail Friday for a shopping excursion filled with drinks and 15 percent off the color of the day! The personable Frockx staff is ready to find the ideal gift, outfit or shoe to make your holiday memorable! Frockx, 1111B Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 949-4429.

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Rinetti Ln

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L

adies — and brave gentlemen — start your engines! The holiday season is officially underway, meaning there’s tons upon tons of shopping to be done. The Ladies of La Cañada are here to help you with all your gift-purchasing needs, from a hard-to-shop-for husband to that best friend who seems to have everything! This season, eliminate some holiday stress with the gorgeous custom gift wrapping and superb customer service offered at each LC store.

And don’t forget to stop by the Farmers Market, across from Memorial Park, open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturdays. This is the time to eat, drink and be merry, and this one-of-a-kind, friendly shopping district allows you to do it all!

— Charlie

Intimo — Properly fitting undergarments are essential, yet often overlooked. Stop by and visit Kathy, who’ll help you find just the right size! Women of all ages visit this boutique, shopping sideby-side for underwear, sleepwear and adorable gifts. Need to find something for a stylish jet-setter? Intimo carries a beautiful cashmere travel set that includes a blanket, eye mask and booties. And chic items from Vera Wang, Cosabella,Wendy Glez, Natori, PJ Salvage and Betsy Johnson are sure to delight fashion fanatics! And Intimo is bride central for those perfect pieces for their special night. Intimo offers helpful service and stylish items that will definitely change the way you shop for undergarments forever! Intimo, 637A Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Call (818) 790-2479.

1) Eiji’s Florist — San Gabriel Valley’s premier florist, Eiji’s is the go-to florist for those in the know. Its one- of-a-kind creations are seen at the most spectacular weddings, on school teachers’ desks and every where in between. Let the staff at Eiji’s help create a lasting impression for you. Call (818) 790-5766.

10) Wynn’s — With its sophisticated approach to dressing, Wynn’s offers classic designer lines from Europe that will add style to your collection without the fly-bynight trends. For the finer approach to cutting-edge fashion, Wynn’s brings us Longchamp handbags and the ever popular Yansi Fugel interchang-eable pieces.

Customers rely on the dedication of the staff and are surprised when they reference pieces purchased seasons ago! Luxury, loyalty and an overall stunning collection— what more could you ask for? Call (818) 790-6033.

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Dining, Shopping Entertainment in

from

flutter

designer fine jewelry denim to dresses h a n d b ag s & fa s h i o n ac c e s s o r i e s h o l i day & home décor

The Beauty Lounge — This Salon is the epitome of tranquility, with soft colors, stately pillars and high ceilings mirrored in the marble and streaming fountain. The friendly staff and master hair designers offer a myriad of services, including all types of styling and conditioning for the hair, as well as facial care, microdermabrasion, acne and enzyme facials, Brazilian bikini waxing, eyebrow design (for both men and women) and many rejuvenating treatments.

Open Mon-Sat 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

39 N. Arroyo Parkway (parking in nearby structures). Call (626) 792-HAIR.

2006

Pasadena Weekly

FULL SERVICE SALON 39 North Arroyo Parkway, Old Pasadena

Call 626. 792-HAIR

“Voted Best Boutique and Best Customer Service in Pasadena for 2006!”

Villa SORRISO Italian • Seafood • Steaks ristorante & bar www.sorrisopasadena.com

F WIT & WH O S

Y

54 W. Green St. (betwn. Delacey & Fair Oaks) Old Pasadena | (626) 449-3224

Violet’s Cakes — With the façade of an Old World European pastry shop, Denise Weber, with her sister, husband

The Ultimate Luxury

Voted Best Bakery

S IM

Lula Mae Boutique — A very unique shop filled with gifts of style, wit and whimsy.

Honored this year with the coveted Pasadena Weekly “Best of Pasadena” award for both “Best Boutique” and “Best Customer Service,” Lula Mae is the place to find those one-of-a-kind treasures for family and friends. From vintage necklaces and flower hair pins to the ever-popular Robeez leather baby slippers. You’ll also find a selection of fascinating fashion items as well. Open 7 days a week. 100 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Call (626) 304-9996, or visit www.lulamae.com.

Old Pasadena G Hair by Fredy Arboleda and Photo By Jessie DeLeon

Wi s h L i s t

GIFT

Hol iday

Flutter — In Old Pasadena on Green Street, Flutter continues to offer the latest trends in contemporary classic designs. This lifestyle boutique, with its elegant ambience carries everything from casual separates to beautiful evening gowns, unusual accessories, unique gifts and designer fine jewelry. Select from such designers as Nicole Miller, Kay Unger, Badgley Mischka, Lockheart handbags, Suzy Landa jewelry and more.

Visit Verona's shoe salon for unique shoes. 54 W. Green St. (between DeLacey and Fair Oaks avenues). Mon-Th 10-6, Fri, Sat 10-7. Call (626) 4493224.

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experience villa sorriso We think SIMPLE, SIMPLE; but we always end up overdoing it.

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

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Late Night Menu • Live Music • DJs • Dancing Zebra Lounge • Martini Bar • Banquet & Catering 168 W. Colorado Boulevard, Old Pasadena • 626.793.2233 Va l e t P a r k i n g Av a i l a b l e

and daughter, prepare their “awesome” cupcakes before your eyes at the family-owned and operated bakery. Denise describes the cupcakes “as a little bit of heaven.” Choose from 40 different types of cakes and fillings for custom children’s birthdays, weddings and daily splurging. Open Tuesday through Saturday.

21 E. Holly St. Call (626) 395-9821.

Silver Me — Here is the jewelry boutique you’ve been looking for! Silver Me has an exclusive collection of pieces from talented silversmiths and jewelry designers to give you an expensive look at very affordable prices. Open Mon-Sat 11:30-6, Sun 12-5. 2 E. Holly St. Call (626) 2053696.

The Majestical Roof — Who knew that tucked away in a little courtyard in Old Pasadena lies a hidden jewel, a boutique with a mission? The Majestical Roof is the only shop in Old Pasadena that features work made exclusively by independent designers and artists from the Los Angeles area. “Shop with a conscience!” says co-owner Yvonne Russo, former actress and motion picture producer, who with business partner Christina Bernal, opened Majestical’s doors on Sept. 16, celebrating with 300 of their friends. “We want to preserve the integrity of independent artists and get the public thinking about where their products come from.” Russo continues. Products like OBIA, a handmade herbal bath and body line by Jesus Iribe, are what the boutique is all about. “I created my product with special recipes passed down from generations.” says Iribe. “The name OBIA is made up of the initials of my brother and sister’s names.” The Majestical Roof guarantees all work and can custom make handbags, belts, tees and jewelry. 88 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Call (626) 844-8886.

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Dining, Shopping Entertainment in

from

flutter

designer fine jewelry denim to dresses h a n d b ag s & fa s h i o n ac c e s s o r i e s h o l i day & home décor

The Beauty Lounge — This Salon is the epitome of tranquility, with soft colors, stately pillars and high ceilings mirrored in the marble and streaming fountain. The friendly staff and master hair designers offer a myriad of services, including all types of styling and conditioning for the hair, as well as facial care, microdermabrasion, acne and enzyme facials, Brazilian bikini waxing, eyebrow design (for both men and women) and many rejuvenating treatments.

Open Mon-Sat 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

39 N. Arroyo Parkway (parking in nearby structures). Call (626) 792-HAIR.

2006

Pasadena Weekly

FULL SERVICE SALON 39 North Arroyo Parkway, Old Pasadena

Call 626. 792-HAIR

“Voted Best Boutique and Best Customer Service in Pasadena for 2006!”

Villa SORRISO Italian • Seafood • Steaks ristorante & bar www.sorrisopasadena.com

F WIT & WH O S

Y

54 W. Green St. (betwn. Delacey & Fair Oaks) Old Pasadena | (626) 449-3224

Violet’s Cakes — With the façade of an Old World European pastry shop, Denise Weber, with her sister, husband

The Ultimate Luxury

Voted Best Bakery

S IM

Lula Mae Boutique — A very unique shop filled with gifts of style, wit and whimsy.

Honored this year with the coveted Pasadena Weekly “Best of Pasadena” award for both “Best Boutique” and “Best Customer Service,” Lula Mae is the place to find those one-of-a-kind treasures for family and friends. From vintage necklaces and flower hair pins to the ever-popular Robeez leather baby slippers. You’ll also find a selection of fascinating fashion items as well. Open 7 days a week. 100 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Call (626) 304-9996, or visit www.lulamae.com.

Old Pasadena G Hair by Fredy Arboleda and Photo By Jessie DeLeon

Wi s h L i s t

GIFT

Hol iday

Flutter — In Old Pasadena on Green Street, Flutter continues to offer the latest trends in contemporary classic designs. This lifestyle boutique, with its elegant ambience carries everything from casual separates to beautiful evening gowns, unusual accessories, unique gifts and designer fine jewelry. Select from such designers as Nicole Miller, Kay Unger, Badgley Mischka, Lockheart handbags, Suzy Landa jewelry and more.

Visit Verona's shoe salon for unique shoes. 54 W. Green St. (between DeLacey and Fair Oaks avenues). Mon-Th 10-6, Fri, Sat 10-7. Call (626) 4493224.

g

experience villa sorriso We think SIMPLE, SIMPLE; but we always end up overdoing it.

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

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Late Night Menu • Live Music • DJs • Dancing Zebra Lounge • Martini Bar • Banquet & Catering 168 W. Colorado Boulevard, Old Pasadena • 626.793.2233 Va l e t P a r k i n g Av a i l a b l e

and daughter, prepare their “awesome” cupcakes before your eyes at the family-owned and operated bakery. Denise describes the cupcakes “as a little bit of heaven.” Choose from 40 different types of cakes and fillings for custom children’s birthdays, weddings and daily splurging. Open Tuesday through Saturday.

21 E. Holly St. Call (626) 395-9821.

Silver Me — Here is the jewelry boutique you’ve been looking for! Silver Me has an exclusive collection of pieces from talented silversmiths and jewelry designers to give you an expensive look at very affordable prices. Open Mon-Sat 11:30-6, Sun 12-5. 2 E. Holly St. Call (626) 2053696.

The Majestical Roof — Who knew that tucked away in a little courtyard in Old Pasadena lies a hidden jewel, a boutique with a mission? The Majestical Roof is the only shop in Old Pasadena that features work made exclusively by independent designers and artists from the Los Angeles area. “Shop with a conscience!” says co-owner Yvonne Russo, former actress and motion picture producer, who with business partner Christina Bernal, opened Majestical’s doors on Sept. 16, celebrating with 300 of their friends. “We want to preserve the integrity of independent artists and get the public thinking about where their products come from.” Russo continues. Products like OBIA, a handmade herbal bath and body line by Jesus Iribe, are what the boutique is all about. “I created my product with special recipes passed down from generations.” says Iribe. “The name OBIA is made up of the initials of my brother and sister’s names.” The Majestical Roof guarantees all work and can custom make handbags, belts, tees and jewelry. 88 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Call (626) 844-8886.

PASEO COLORADO echoes the old world charm of a bustling Mediterranean town, where people gather to shop, dine and be entertained. Specialty retailers, fine and casual dining, theatres and luxury residential apartment homes reside here. Located along three city blocks, Paseo Colorado is anchored by Macy’s Department Store, Loehmann’s, Pacific Theatres’ Stadium 14 Complex, Gelson’s Super Market, Amadeus Day Spa & Salon and Equinox Fitness Clubs. Visit www.PaseoColoradoPasadena.com for shopping and dining details as well as movie show times and special events.

D’Vine Wine of Pasadena — Under the watchful eye of experienced winemakers, this Tuscan-themed shop is the epitome of the “neighborhood winery.” A large tasting bar and comfortable tables invite you to sample and enjoy the vast selection of custom premium wines. Tour the winemaking facilities and if you’re so inclined, become a winemaker yourself! D’Vine provides on-site “Make Your Own Wines” using your tastes and ideas, combined with proven techniques and expertise — a great gift idea! Custom and personalized wine labels, a retail shop and a beautiful array of Joey Carman Photography (featured for the next three months for viewing or purchasing) are here. Other artists are invited to exhibit. Open Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. and Sun. 1 p.m. - 10 p.m.

260 E. Colorado Blvd. #221 (upper level). Call (626) 793-8898, or visit dvinewineusa.com.

TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY The City of Pasadena and Paseo Colorado officially kick-off the holiday season with the lighting of the City’s tree and spectacular musical performances.

Highlights of the free event include: • A special holiday performance by Cheryl Conley and the Pasadena Jazz Institute • Mayor Bogaard and Santa Claus arriving on the Pasadena Firefighters Association’s 1909 Seagrave antique fire truck • The lighting of the City’s spectacular Washington Noble tree • A performance by a very special Singing Santa Claus • A live performance by Pasadena Playhouse • Informal photos with Santa Claus (parents are encouraged to bring their cameras) • Fresh popcorn and hot chocolate provided by Pacific Theatres and Starbucks.

PASEO COLORADO - GARFIELD PROMENADE (Colorado Blvd. & Garfield Avenue)

Apostrophe Book Store — Owners Lisa Somerville and Valerie Kingsland have done a brilliant job with this independent bookstore, one of the few around! All the books you want to give or read—from the latest bestsellers to your favorite backlist titles—can be found in colorful sections, with every book 10 percent to 60 percent off the publisher’s price. You’ll find books on cooking, travel, sports, pets, architecture, art, history, mystery, science fiction, health, nature and science to name a few! And don’t pass the huge selection of wonderful children’s books.

Everything you need for this holiday season in wrapping paper, Christmas card sets, address books, stationery, – including Vera Wang—journals and gifts are also available. So come in to Apostrophe Books, browse, read and enjoy! 289 E. Green St., Paseo Colorado, Ste. 5. Call (626) 744-9630.

— With a sophisticated atmosphere, this contemporary and elegant shop has a sexy freshness, both in structure and presentation. Sasan’s philosophy exemplifies an exciting change: There’s a new awareness of incorporating elements of design into personal necessities and image. The service is very personalized, and the relationships that come from it are nurtured into a very loyal and responsive clientele. The main focus in apparel is the Hugo Boss complete collection.

Sasan now offers designs for both men and women, including labels such as Theory, Ted Baker, Torres from Spain and Alberto. Open Mon. – Sat. 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. 340 E. Colorado Blvd, Ste. 113. Call (626) 356-3891.

Amadeus Spas — Excerpts from the Amadeus’ Mission Statement best describe the wonderful experience you’ll find here, “to provide a sanctuary for our guests where they can experience soothing and rejuvenating services and products in a relaxing and elegant atmosphere…...We will create an uplifting and bonding environment where our guests’ and staffs’ needs are anticipated and met with the utmost professionalism”.

Come in and enjoy a myriad of body scrubs, massages, waxing, facials, and expert personalized hair color and cut; styling and makeup for the finishing touch. Two convenient locations await you. 799 E. Green St. (Playhouse District) Call (626) 578-3404 and 260 E. Colorado Blvd.

(Paseo Colorado Mall) Call (626) 529-0381 or visit www.amadeusspa.com.

PASEO COLORADO echoes the old world charm of a bustling Mediterranean town, where people gather to shop, dine and be entertained. Specialty retailers, fine and casual dining, theatres and luxury residential apartment homes reside here. Located along three city blocks, Paseo Colorado is anchored by Macy’s Department Store, Loehmann’s, Pacific Theatres’ Stadium 14 Complex, Gelson’s Super Market, Amadeus Day Spa & Salon and Equinox Fitness Clubs. Visit www.PaseoColoradoPasadena.com for shopping and dining details as well as movie show times and special events.

D’Vine Wine of Pasadena — Under the watchful eye of experienced winemakers, this Tuscan-themed shop is the epitome of the “neighborhood winery.” A large tasting bar and comfortable tables invite you to sample and enjoy the vast selection of custom premium wines. Tour the winemaking facilities and if you’re so inclined, become a winemaker yourself! D’Vine provides on-site “Make Your Own Wines” using your tastes and ideas, combined with proven techniques and expertise — a great gift idea! Custom and personalized wine labels, a retail shop and a beautiful array of Joey Carman Photography (featured for the next three months for viewing or purchasing) are here. Other artists are invited to exhibit. Open Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. and Sun. 1 p.m. - 10 p.m.

260 E. Colorado Blvd. #221 (upper level). Call (626) 793-8898, or visit dvinewineusa.com.

TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY The City of Pasadena and Paseo Colorado officially kick-off the holiday season with the lighting of the City’s tree and spectacular musical performances.

Highlights of the free event include: • A special holiday performance by Cheryl Conley and the Pasadena Jazz Institute • Mayor Bogaard and Santa Claus arriving on the Pasadena Firefighters Association’s 1909 Seagrave antique fire truck • The lighting of the City’s spectacular Washington Noble tree • A performance by a very special Singing Santa Claus • A live performance by Pasadena Playhouse • Informal photos with Santa Claus (parents are encouraged to bring their cameras) • Fresh popcorn and hot chocolate provided by Pacific Theatres and Starbucks.

PASEO COLORADO - GARFIELD PROMENADE (Colorado Blvd. & Garfield Avenue)

Apostrophe Book Store — Owners Lisa Somerville and Valerie Kingsland have done a brilliant job with this independent bookstore, one of the few around! All the books you want to give or read—from the latest bestsellers to your favorite backlist titles—can be found in colorful sections, with every book 10 percent to 60 percent off the publisher’s price. You’ll find books on cooking, travel, sports, pets, architecture, art, history, mystery, science fiction, health, nature and science to name a few! And don’t pass the huge selection of wonderful children’s books.

Everything you need for this holiday season in wrapping paper, Christmas card sets, address books, stationery, – including Vera Wang—journals and gifts are also available. So come in to Apostrophe Books, browse, read and enjoy! 289 E. Green St., Paseo Colorado, Ste. 5. Call (626) 744-9630.

— With a sophisticated atmosphere, this contemporary and elegant shop has a sexy freshness, both in structure and presentation. Sasan’s philosophy exemplifies an exciting change: There’s a new awareness of incorporating elements of design into personal necessities and image. The service is very personalized, and the relationships that come from it are nurtured into a very loyal and responsive clientele. The main focus in apparel is the Hugo Boss complete collection.

Sasan now offers designs for both men and women, including labels such as Theory, Ted Baker, Torres from Spain and Alberto. Open Mon. – Sat. 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. 340 E. Colorado Blvd, Ste. 113. Call (626) 356-3891.

Amadeus Spas — Excerpts from the Amadeus’ Mission Statement best describe the wonderful experience you’ll find here, “to provide a sanctuary for our guests where they can experience soothing and rejuvenating services and products in a relaxing and elegant atmosphere…...We will create an uplifting and bonding environment where our guests’ and staffs’ needs are anticipated and met with the utmost professionalism”.

Come in and enjoy a myriad of body scrubs, massages, waxing, facials, and expert personalized hair color and cut; styling and makeup for the finishing touch. Two convenient locations await you. 799 E. Green St. (Playhouse District) Call (626) 578-3404 and 260 E. Colorado Blvd.

(Paseo Colorado Mall) Call (626) 529-0381 or visit www.amadeusspa.com.

CREATE YOUR OWN CUSTOM UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE 100’s of frame styles and 1000’s of designer fabrics and leathers to choose from!

WE MAKE IT ! ANY WAY YOU WANT IT !

SAVE DURING OUR BIGGEST

SALE OF THE YEAR! 3 WEEK DELIVERY GUARANTEED!

Happy Holidays

Custom Designed Sofas, Sectionals, Chairs, Sofa Beds Slip Covers Reupholstery Accessories Drapery & Bedding

Your home...

Y O U R C A S T L E Sofa Interiors — Creating your own custom upholstered furniture can be an exhilarating experience at Sofa Interiors. You can choose from a wide variety of frame styles, designer fabrics, leathers, drapery and bedding. Here is custom-crafted furniture of exceptional quality at unbeatable prices with your complete satisfaction guaranteed. The potential is limitless! Before you buy a sofa or have one reupholstered, stop by one of the Sofa Interiors showrooms first. Whatever your taste, Sofa Interiors can help you achieve your dreams.

Experience the difference! There are a number of locations in the Southland, including Studio City, Valencia and Pasadena (see ad for exact locations). Call for a free consultation with this ad. Courtesy to the trade. For more information, visit www.sofainteriors.com.

“Your Personal Shopper Team” — Amy Lee, with Countrywide Home Loans, and

Shannon Ewing, with Re/Max Tri-City, serve clients in the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles County. With nearly two decades of expertise in lending and real estate transactions, “Your Personal Shopper Team” will deliver results and service you can count on.

Whether you are a first-time buyer or a seasoned real estate investor, their objective is to make their clients’ dreams come true: from condos to castles, vacation homes, investment properties and commercial properties. Call for pre-approval for new purchases, refinance, equity line of credit and complimentary consultations and market analyses. Contact Shannon (Realtor) at (626) 737-2053, or Amy (loan consultant) at (626) 272-7449.

Divine’s Furniture — Although Divine's has been Monterey Park's best-known landmark since 1932, it is the San Gabriel Valley's bestkept secret. It offers a wide selection of American and European fine-quality furniture

Introducing your

Personal Shopper Advantage

Specializing in the acquisition and representation of Condos — Castles.

IF YOU FIND A BETTER OFFER WE’LL MATCH IT OR GIVE YOU $200 GUARANTEED.

FACTORY DIRECT SHOWROOMS

PASADENA

GLENDALE

626.795.7099 644 East Colorado

818.502.1211 5406 San Fernando Rd.

STUDIO CITY

VALENCIA

818.487.2708 12344 Ventura Blvd.

661.254.9090 27051 McBean Pkwy.

www.sofainteriors.com

Amy Lee Home Loan Consultant

Shannon J. Ewing Realtor

TRI-CITY 818.265.2402 or 626.272.7449 801 N. Brand Blvd., Ste. 190 Glendale home.countrywide.com/amylee amy_lee@countrywide.com

626.737.2053 740 E. Green St. Pasadena www.shannonjewing.com shannonjewing@charter.net

Countrywide Financial Corporation is America’s #1 home loan lender* and a member of the prestigious Standard & Poor’s 500 and Fortune 500.Equal Housing Lender. © 2006 Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. 4500 Park Granada, Calabasas, CA 91302. Trade/servicemarks are the property of Countrywide Financial Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. Licensed by the Department of Corporations under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. For California residents and properties only. Some products may not be available in California. This is not a commitment to lend. Restrictions apply. All rights reserved. *Source: As ranked for 2004 by Inside Mortgage Finance (Jan. 28, 2005), Copyright 2005.

and antiques and one of the largest selections of Tiffany-style lighting. Browse in its large showrooms to get decorating ideas. Real quality can be purchased at reasonable prices with the help of Divine’s experienced and knowledgeable staff. Come see what you've been missing. 802 E. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park.

Call (626) 280-8484.

Carson-Magness Landscaping — From the overall exterior vision to the implementation and construction, this magnificent team makes a name for itself with its handcrafted, hands-on detailed approach. Complete exterior design services include horticulture to structures, such as pergolas, loggias, outdoor kitchens, pool house, bar and bath and even outdoor furnishings! In the spirit of being commissioned to create a piece of artwork, Melissa Carson, Barry Magness and their team bring their rich and varied backgrounds in painting, sculpture, water design and lighting

to each one-of-a-kind project. Barry specializes in the lusty organic with walkways, walls and original water features of metal, glass, wood and fire. The clean, understated elegance of Melissa’s artistic studies reflect her brilliantly placed foliage, flowers and trees for the deepest and most subtle impact. Together they create the most extraordinary masterpieces of mystery and romance. Barry Magness and Melissa Carson were selected as designer advisers at the 2006 Pasadena Showcase House of the Arts. Call (818) 241-2128, or visit www.carson-magness.com.

World Caravan — Enter this magnificent store and discover another world. World Caravan offers eclectic furniture and accessories from every corner of the globe. The choices are endless! Hand-knotted rugs and unique accent pieces are arranged in artful vignettes that make it easier to visualize.

—Continued on page 40

Divine’s Est. 1932

Largest Selection of Tiffany Style Lighting

Antiques and Fine Quality Pre-owned Furniture • Drexel • Karges • Henredon • Baker • John Widdecomb • Stickley • and many more

Open 7 days a week 802 E. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park

626-280-8484

divinefurniture.com

designers welcome

CREATE YOUR OWN CUSTOM UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE 100’s of frame styles and 1000’s of designer fabrics and leathers to choose from!

WE MAKE IT ! ANY WAY YOU WANT IT !

SAVE DURING OUR BIGGEST

SALE OF THE YEAR! 3 WEEK DELIVERY GUARANTEED!

Happy Holidays

Custom Designed Sofas, Sectionals, Chairs, Sofa Beds Slip Covers Reupholstery Accessories Drapery & Bedding

Your home...

Y O U R C A S T L E Sofa Interiors — Creating your own custom upholstered furniture can be an exhilarating experience at Sofa Interiors. You can choose from a wide variety of frame styles, designer fabrics, leathers, drapery and bedding. Here is custom-crafted furniture of exceptional quality at unbeatable prices with your complete satisfaction guaranteed. The potential is limitless! Before you buy a sofa or have one reupholstered, stop by one of the Sofa Interiors showrooms first. Whatever your taste, Sofa Interiors can help you achieve your dreams.

Experience the difference! There are a number of locations in the Southland, including Studio City, Valencia and Pasadena (see ad for exact locations). Call for a free consultation with this ad. Courtesy to the trade. For more information, visit www.sofainteriors.com.

“Your Personal Shopper Team” — Amy Lee, with Countrywide Home Loans, and

Shannon Ewing, with Re/Max Tri-City, serve clients in the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles County. With nearly two decades of expertise in lending and real estate transactions, “Your Personal Shopper Team” will deliver results and service you can count on.

Whether you are a first-time buyer or a seasoned real estate investor, their objective is to make their clients’ dreams come true: from condos to castles, vacation homes, investment properties and commercial properties. Call for pre-approval for new purchases, refinance, equity line of credit and complimentary consultations and market analyses. Contact Shannon (Realtor) at (626) 737-2053, or Amy (loan consultant) at (626) 272-7449.

Divine’s Furniture — Although Divine's has been Monterey Park's best-known landmark since 1932, it is the San Gabriel Valley's bestkept secret. It offers a wide selection of American and European fine-quality furniture

Introducing your

Personal Shopper Advantage

Specializing in the acquisition and representation of Condos — Castles.

IF YOU FIND A BETTER OFFER WE’LL MATCH IT OR GIVE YOU $200 GUARANTEED.

FACTORY DIRECT SHOWROOMS

PASADENA

GLENDALE

626.795.7099 644 East Colorado

818.502.1211 5406 San Fernando Rd.

STUDIO CITY

VALENCIA

818.487.2708 12344 Ventura Blvd.

661.254.9090 27051 McBean Pkwy.

www.sofainteriors.com

Amy Lee Home Loan Consultant

Shannon J. Ewing Realtor

TRI-CITY 818.265.2402 or 626.272.7449 801 N. Brand Blvd., Ste. 190 Glendale home.countrywide.com/amylee amy_lee@countrywide.com

626.737.2053 740 E. Green St. Pasadena www.shannonjewing.com shannonjewing@charter.net

Countrywide Financial Corporation is America’s #1 home loan lender* and a member of the prestigious Standard & Poor’s 500 and Fortune 500.Equal Housing Lender. © 2006 Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. 4500 Park Granada, Calabasas, CA 91302. Trade/servicemarks are the property of Countrywide Financial Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. Licensed by the Department of Corporations under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. For California residents and properties only. Some products may not be available in California. This is not a commitment to lend. Restrictions apply. All rights reserved. *Source: As ranked for 2004 by Inside Mortgage Finance (Jan. 28, 2005), Copyright 2005.

and antiques and one of the largest selections of Tiffany-style lighting. Browse in its large showrooms to get decorating ideas. Real quality can be purchased at reasonable prices with the help of Divine’s experienced and knowledgeable staff. Come see what you've been missing. 802 E. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park.

Call (626) 280-8484.

Carson-Magness Landscaping — From the overall exterior vision to the implementation and construction, this magnificent team makes a name for itself with its handcrafted, hands-on detailed approach. Complete exterior design services include horticulture to structures, such as pergolas, loggias, outdoor kitchens, pool house, bar and bath and even outdoor furnishings! In the spirit of being commissioned to create a piece of artwork, Melissa Carson, Barry Magness and their team bring their rich and varied backgrounds in painting, sculpture, water design and lighting

to each one-of-a-kind project. Barry specializes in the lusty organic with walkways, walls and original water features of metal, glass, wood and fire. The clean, understated elegance of Melissa’s artistic studies reflect her brilliantly placed foliage, flowers and trees for the deepest and most subtle impact. Together they create the most extraordinary masterpieces of mystery and romance. Barry Magness and Melissa Carson were selected as designer advisers at the 2006 Pasadena Showcase House of the Arts. Call (818) 241-2128, or visit www.carson-magness.com.

World Caravan — Enter this magnificent store and discover another world. World Caravan offers eclectic furniture and accessories from every corner of the globe. The choices are endless! Hand-knotted rugs and unique accent pieces are arranged in artful vignettes that make it easier to visualize.

—Continued on page 40

Divine’s Est. 1932

Largest Selection of Tiffany Style Lighting

Antiques and Fine Quality Pre-owned Furniture • Drexel • Karges • Henredon • Baker • John Widdecomb • Stickley • and many more

Open 7 days a week 802 E. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park

626-280-8484

divinefurniture.com

designers welcome

w di Ne n

M

c er

St S ao r e vi wi ng de s

se

ha

BE E INSPIRED D FOR R THE E HOLIDAYS!

Your home...

Y O U R C A S T L E —Continued from page 39

Reasonable prices. 170 S. Lake Ave. Call (626) 578-1137.

170 0 S.. Lake e Ave.,, Pasadena,, CA A 91101 (at Lake and Cordova) • Parking in the rear

Tel:: 626-578-1137

Mon 10-6 • Tues-Sat 10-7 • Sun 11-6 www.worldcaravanstores.com

Boston Brick — Over the past 13 years, Boston Brick & Stone has grown to be the most reliable chimney inspection and repair contractor in the greater Los Angeles area.

Named "Best of LA 2005" by Los Angeles Magazine, Boston Brick & Stone specializes in chimney repair and chimney inspection and offers complete construction and restoration of chimneys and fireplaces, as well as the unique design and execution of impressive landscaping projects, driveways, block walls and custom stone, concrete and brick work.

Boston Brick & Stone is a member of Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, the Pasadena-Foothills Association of Realtors, the Arcadia Association of Realtors, the Burbank Association of Realtors and the Southland Regional Association of Realtors.

2005 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 2967700, or visit www.bostonbrick.com.

Basic Chic — Basic Chic is a furniture design warehouse that features fashion-forward styles and prices up to 50 percent less than retail. If you like the home furnishings you see at popular stores, you'll love what you find at Basic Chic and the money you will save. The showroom highlights fashionable collections of sofas and tables, bedroom suites, dining furniture, armoires and more! We offer the classic stylings of traditional favorites and sleek, contemporary moderns. Designs at Basic Chic can furnish the country cottage or California bungalow. Bring in your window shopping wish list and catalogs and we will help you find the right styles for you. Style+Value=Basic Chic Glendale Tile and Tops — Clients who expect the best possible customer service will not be disappointed when they consult the

experts at Glendale Tile and Tops, who listen to the needs of their customers and provide just the right blend of services, products and customer guidance. They specialize in prefabricated granite kitchen and vanity tops, as well as custom flooring including travertine, granite, marble and porcelain and custom cabinetry, and they happily offer free estimates.

Stop by the showroom and let the experts at Glendale Tile and Tops walk you through the steps of choosing just the right product for you. Call (818) 242-2988.

Plaza Kitchen & Bath — Finally, a large, gracious showroom of semi-custom to custom cabinets, plumbing fixtures, lighting, counter tops and hardware is here! Experts Nick Eden and Peter Bedros with 18 years experience a piece cater to a wide variety of tastes, from very contemporary to elegant traditional. The manufacturers on display include cabinets from Dynasty, Omega and Durasupreme;

Your ultimate source for fine home products

plumbing fixtures by Mico Designs and Jado; bath tubs by Water Dance, Finishing Touch and Aquatic Industries; as well as counter tops of granite, limestone and travertine. Designers welcome. Open Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 676 Green St. Call (626) 396-1772, or visit www.plazakitchenandbath.com.

Expression in Wood — Since 1977, this exceptional manufacturing company has specialized in magnificent traditional cabinetry, priding itself on customer service, attention to detail and quality that exceeds the expectations of its clients. Kitchen cabinetry is a specialty. It also designs and builds bathrooms, libraries, entertainment centers and every type of cabinetry for your home or office. The finished product is an “expression in wood.” 248 Kruse Ave., Monrovia. Call (626) 303-8000, or visit www.expressioninwood.com.

KITCHEN CABINETS COUNTER TOPS LIGHTING

—Continued on page 42

PLUMBING FIXTURES

Southern California’s

Most Respected Masonry Specialists!

APPLIANCES

GLENDALE TILE & Tops

HARDWARE SEASON SALE

FIXTURES, FAUCETS, BATH CABINETS AND OTHER EXCELLENT GIFT IDEAS! FAUCETS AVAILABLE FROM MICO, HANSGROHE AND MORE

Chimneys • Walls • Driveways • Planters • Patios • Walkways • Landscaping Brick • Block • Stone • Concrete

PRE-FABRICATED GRANITE KITCHEN & VANITY TOPS • Custom Cabinets

Available Flooring • Travertine • Ceramic • Granite • Porcelain General Contractor Lic # 783578 B, C-29

2005 Lincoln Ave. • Pasadena (626) 296-7700 • (626) 797-7848 Fax • www.bostonbrick.com

Visit our Showroom Glendale Tile and Tops 113 West Los Feliz Road Glendale 91204 818-242-2988

Colorado Green

Lake

El Molino

210 Fwy

CABINETS AVAILABLE FROM RON BOW (VANITY CABINETS), ROBERN (MEDICINE CABINETS), OMEGA DURASUPREME AND MORE

676 East Green Street. Pasadena, CA 91101 (corner of El Molino and Green)

Phone: (626) 396-1772 Fax: (626) 396-0963 www.plazakitchenandbath.com

O mega Cabinetry

w di Ne n

M

c er

St S ao r e vi wi ng de s

se

ha

BE E INSPIRED D FOR R THE E HOLIDAYS!

Your home...

Y O U R C A S T L E —Continued from page 39

Reasonable prices. 170 S. Lake Ave. Call (626) 578-1137.

170 0 S.. Lake e Ave.,, Pasadena,, CA A 91101 (at Lake and Cordova) • Parking in the rear

Tel:: 626-578-1137

Mon 10-6 • Tues-Sat 10-7 • Sun 11-6 www.worldcaravanstores.com

Boston Brick — Over the past 13 years, Boston Brick & Stone has grown to be the most reliable chimney inspection and repair contractor in the greater Los Angeles area.

Named "Best of LA 2005" by Los Angeles Magazine, Boston Brick & Stone specializes in chimney repair and chimney inspection and offers complete construction and restoration of chimneys and fireplaces, as well as the unique design and execution of impressive landscaping projects, driveways, block walls and custom stone, concrete and brick work.

Boston Brick & Stone is a member of Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, the Pasadena-Foothills Association of Realtors, the Arcadia Association of Realtors, the Burbank Association of Realtors and the Southland Regional Association of Realtors.

2005 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 2967700, or visit www.bostonbrick.com.

Basic Chic — Basic Chic is a furniture design warehouse that features fashion-forward styles and prices up to 50 percent less than retail. If you like the home furnishings you see at popular stores, you'll love what you find at Basic Chic and the money you will save. The showroom highlights fashionable collections of sofas and tables, bedroom suites, dining furniture, armoires and more! We offer the classic stylings of traditional favorites and sleek, contemporary moderns. Designs at Basic Chic can furnish the country cottage or California bungalow. Bring in your window shopping wish list and catalogs and we will help you find the right styles for you. Style+Value=Basic Chic Glendale Tile and Tops — Clients who expect the best possible customer service will not be disappointed when they consult the

experts at Glendale Tile and Tops, who listen to the needs of their customers and provide just the right blend of services, products and customer guidance. They specialize in prefabricated granite kitchen and vanity tops, as well as custom flooring including travertine, granite, marble and porcelain and custom cabinetry, and they happily offer free estimates.

Stop by the showroom and let the experts at Glendale Tile and Tops walk you through the steps of choosing just the right product for you. Call (818) 242-2988.

Plaza Kitchen & Bath — Finally, a large, gracious showroom of semi-custom to custom cabinets, plumbing fixtures, lighting, counter tops and hardware is here! Experts Nick Eden and Peter Bedros with 18 years experience a piece cater to a wide variety of tastes, from very contemporary to elegant traditional. The manufacturers on display include cabinets from Dynasty, Omega and Durasupreme;

Your ultimate source for fine home products

plumbing fixtures by Mico Designs and Jado; bath tubs by Water Dance, Finishing Touch and Aquatic Industries; as well as counter tops of granite, limestone and travertine. Designers welcome. Open Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 676 Green St. Call (626) 396-1772, or visit www.plazakitchenandbath.com.

Expression in Wood — Since 1977, this exceptional manufacturing company has specialized in magnificent traditional cabinetry, priding itself on customer service, attention to detail and quality that exceeds the expectations of its clients. Kitchen cabinetry is a specialty. It also designs and builds bathrooms, libraries, entertainment centers and every type of cabinetry for your home or office. The finished product is an “expression in wood.” 248 Kruse Ave., Monrovia. Call (626) 303-8000, or visit www.expressioninwood.com.

KITCHEN CABINETS COUNTER TOPS LIGHTING

—Continued on page 42

PLUMBING FIXTURES

Southern California’s

Most Respected Masonry Specialists!

APPLIANCES

GLENDALE TILE & Tops

HARDWARE SEASON SALE

FIXTURES, FAUCETS, BATH CABINETS AND OTHER EXCELLENT GIFT IDEAS! FAUCETS AVAILABLE FROM MICO, HANSGROHE AND MORE

Chimneys • Walls • Driveways • Planters • Patios • Walkways • Landscaping Brick • Block • Stone • Concrete

PRE-FABRICATED GRANITE KITCHEN & VANITY TOPS • Custom Cabinets

Available Flooring • Travertine • Ceramic • Granite • Porcelain General Contractor Lic # 783578 B, C-29

2005 Lincoln Ave. • Pasadena (626) 296-7700 • (626) 797-7848 Fax • www.bostonbrick.com

Visit our Showroom Glendale Tile and Tops 113 West Los Feliz Road Glendale 91204 818-242-2988

Colorado Green

Lake

El Molino

210 Fwy

CABINETS AVAILABLE FROM RON BOW (VANITY CABINETS), ROBERN (MEDICINE CABINETS), OMEGA DURASUPREME AND MORE

676 East Green Street. Pasadena, CA 91101 (corner of El Molino and Green)

Phone: (626) 396-1772 Fax: (626) 396-0963 www.plazakitchenandbath.com

O mega Cabinetry

Your home...

Y O U R C A S T L E —Continued from page 41

Kazoyan Brothers — In 1902 and in the spirit of superb quality, H. Khozoyan — the father of the two Kazoyan Brothers — set the standard for this time-honored family business to evolve into a longstanding Pasadena tradition. In 1966, Mr. Kashani joined Kazoyan Brothers and ultimately purchased the business 20 years later. Kazoyan Brothers offers their customers fine imported oriental rugs in various sizes from Iran, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Kazoyan Brothers has always lived up to its motto: “Offer the best quality with courteous service at the right price, and always stand behind your product.” Designers and their clients are welcome. Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; closed Sundays. 1706 E. Walnut St., Pasadena. Call (626) 793-1211 or (323) 681-6570.

Tile NCounters Inc. — If you’re in the mood to redesign your kitchen or bathroom, then

Tile NCounters has you covered, specializing in granite, marble and quartz. Choose from a variety of ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, glass mosaic and handmade tiles. This store offers free estimates, granite and marble installation and fabrication and access to granite yards with qualified staff. There are plenty of samples in the amazing new showroom to help you select just the right ambiance. Tile NCounters also features shower enclosures and heated floor systems you may want to consider for that extra bit of luxury! Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday through Thursday; and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday. 3512 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale. Call (818) 957-7069.

Suzy’s Design Furniture — Whether you’re style is traditional or modern, Suzy’s 25,000square-foot showroom is filled to the brim with thousands of stylish pieces. This fabulous furniture store can create one-of-a-kind

upholstered or custom-stained pieces in a matter of 10 days and features designer lines of youth furniture. Suzy’s known to have superb customer service to make your life easier and furniture shopping more fun! 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. 4111 San Fernando Road, Glendale. Call (818) 956-9060, or visit www.suzysdesign.com.

Shaw, Moses Mendenhall & Associates — Almost 20 years ago and with the affiliation of more than 70 companies, Ted Shaw had a vision of becoming a major, multifaceted company that could serve all the insurance and financial needs of their clients. That vision became the reality of an all-encompassing company. For insurance, they’re able to combine policies and get the very best rates and premiums available for everything from personal insurance (auto, homeowners, flood, earthquake) to commercial (property, liability,

Building your Insurance and Financial Future...

workers compensation) to life and health (medical, dental, long-term care) and much more.

As a top-tier financial institution, they can customize investment strategies for creating, preserving and transferring your business and personal wealth. Their mortgage group, Stratz & Company, can also secure all your real estate loans for buying, refinancing or building.

With all this under one roof, why go anywhere else? 625 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Ste. 158, South Pasadena. Call (800) 877-7813.

Sav-On Carpet — Established in 1958 and in the same location since 1960, Sav-On Carpet & Drapery has served hundreds upon thousands of clients throughout Southern California. Though its residential services are primarily focused in Pasadena and Los Angeles, its commercial markets extend to Santa Barbara, San Diego, Riverside, Chino, Yucca Valley and even Las Vegas. Feel assured that when —Continued on page 44

Visit our 25,000 Sqft.

Showroom featuring Modern,Traditional and Youth furniture Luxur y Mattresses Accessories showroom

...One Block at a Time.

You shouldn’t have to go from company to company to ensure that all your insurance and financial needs are being met. Likewise, you deserve more than a one-sizefits-all solution.

What this means for you is true one-stop shopping for everything from your personal car insurance to your mortgage refinancing to your company’s worker’s compensation insurance. Plus, our long-standing relationship with the carriers and ability to combine policies allows us to get you the very best rates and premiums available.

You’ll receive custom solutions for all your insurance and financial needs including: • Commercial Insurance • Personal Insurance • Life & Health Insurance • Financial Planning • Mortgages, Loans and Refinancing Call us today: (626) 799-7813 and see why we stack up so well.

Custom made Furniture ready in 10 days!

SUZY’S design furniture OPEN 7 DAYS 4111 San Fernando Rd. Glendale

SHAW, MOSES, MENDENHALL & ASSOCIATES

818-956-9060

Shaw, Moses, Mendenhall Insurance Thomas V. Humphreys Wholesale Stratz & Company Financial Services

www.suzysdesign.com or email: showroom@suzysdesignfurniture.com

License# 0D94511

Your home...

Y O U R C A S T L E —Continued from page 41

Kazoyan Brothers — In 1902 and in the spirit of superb quality, H. Khozoyan — the father of the two Kazoyan Brothers — set the standard for this time-honored family business to evolve into a longstanding Pasadena tradition. In 1966, Mr. Kashani joined Kazoyan Brothers and ultimately purchased the business 20 years later. Kazoyan Brothers offers their customers fine imported oriental rugs in various sizes from Iran, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Kazoyan Brothers has always lived up to its motto: “Offer the best quality with courteous service at the right price, and always stand behind your product.” Designers and their clients are welcome. Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; closed Sundays. 1706 E. Walnut St., Pasadena. Call (626) 793-1211 or (323) 681-6570.

Tile NCounters Inc. — If you’re in the mood to redesign your kitchen or bathroom, then

Tile NCounters has you covered, specializing in granite, marble and quartz. Choose from a variety of ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, glass mosaic and handmade tiles. This store offers free estimates, granite and marble installation and fabrication and access to granite yards with qualified staff. There are plenty of samples in the amazing new showroom to help you select just the right ambiance. Tile NCounters also features shower enclosures and heated floor systems you may want to consider for that extra bit of luxury! Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday through Thursday; and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday. 3512 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale. Call (818) 957-7069.

Suzy’s Design Furniture — Whether you’re style is traditional or modern, Suzy’s 25,000square-foot showroom is filled to the brim with thousands of stylish pieces. This fabulous furniture store can create one-of-a-kind

upholstered or custom-stained pieces in a matter of 10 days and features designer lines of youth furniture. Suzy’s known to have superb customer service to make your life easier and furniture shopping more fun! 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. 4111 San Fernando Road, Glendale. Call (818) 956-9060, or visit www.suzysdesign.com.

Shaw, Moses Mendenhall & Associates — Almost 20 years ago and with the affiliation of more than 70 companies, Ted Shaw had a vision of becoming a major, multifaceted company that could serve all the insurance and financial needs of their clients. That vision became the reality of an all-encompassing company. For insurance, they’re able to combine policies and get the very best rates and premiums available for everything from personal insurance (auto, homeowners, flood, earthquake) to commercial (property, liability,

Building your Insurance and Financial Future...

workers compensation) to life and health (medical, dental, long-term care) and much more.

As a top-tier financial institution, they can customize investment strategies for creating, preserving and transferring your business and personal wealth. Their mortgage group, Stratz & Company, can also secure all your real estate loans for buying, refinancing or building.

With all this under one roof, why go anywhere else? 625 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Ste. 158, South Pasadena. Call (800) 877-7813.

Sav-On Carpet — Established in 1958 and in the same location since 1960, Sav-On Carpet & Drapery has served hundreds upon thousands of clients throughout Southern California. Though its residential services are primarily focused in Pasadena and Los Angeles, its commercial markets extend to Santa Barbara, San Diego, Riverside, Chino, Yucca Valley and even Las Vegas. Feel assured that when —Continued on page 44

Visit our 25,000 Sqft.

Showroom featuring Modern,Traditional and Youth furniture Luxur y Mattresses Accessories showroom

...One Block at a Time.

You shouldn’t have to go from company to company to ensure that all your insurance and financial needs are being met. Likewise, you deserve more than a one-sizefits-all solution.

What this means for you is true one-stop shopping for everything from your personal car insurance to your mortgage refinancing to your company’s worker’s compensation insurance. Plus, our long-standing relationship with the carriers and ability to combine policies allows us to get you the very best rates and premiums available.

You’ll receive custom solutions for all your insurance and financial needs including: • Commercial Insurance • Personal Insurance • Life & Health Insurance • Financial Planning • Mortgages, Loans and Refinancing Call us today: (626) 799-7813 and see why we stack up so well.

Custom made Furniture ready in 10 days!

SUZY’S design furniture OPEN 7 DAYS 4111 San Fernando Rd. Glendale

SHAW, MOSES, MENDENHALL & ASSOCIATES

818-956-9060

Shaw, Moses, Mendenhall Insurance Thomas V. Humphreys Wholesale Stratz & Company Financial Services

www.suzysdesign.com or email: showroom@suzysdesignfurniture.com

License# 0D94511

FOR ALL OF YOUR

Happy Holidays

Residential • Commercial • Industrial • Lic. No. 245730

Your home...

Y O U R C A S T L E —Continued from page 43

choosing Sav-On, you’ll get nearly 50 years of experience and a level of expertise that’s practically impossible to match! Sav-on Carpet, 3740 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena.

Call (626) 795-8045, or visit www.savoncarpet.com.

46 Years Location SAV-ON Same

CARPET & DRAPERY CO. 3740 E. Foothill Blvd. (Between Rosemead and Michilinda) Pasadena • 626.795.8045

Rest assured Cypress Air can handle all your heating and air-conditioning needs. Its friendly, helpful, professional staff is just a phone call away. Serving the entire San Gabriel Valley and portions of the Inland Empire, the factory-trained technicians have more than 40 years experience in the heating and air industry. This family-owned and operated business is one of the oldest in the area. Cypress offers competitive rates while ensuring high quality and is licensed, bonded and insured. The technicians are radio dispatched and factory-trained, dealer authorized and CFC certified, as required by

EPA. Its main objective is — and has always been — to increase its quality reputation while maintaining controlled growth and competitive prices. And customers are always No. 1.

Franzle Custom Cabinets — It all started with a $120 table saw, some lumber and a vision. Since 1980, Franzle has specialized in finely crafted kitchen cabinets, entertainment centers and custom-made furniture with state-of-the-art machinery. From traditional to contemporary, Franzle works closely with homeowners, designers and general contractors to achieve a one-of-a-kind desired look. Featured in American Bungalow magazine, Franzle has satisfied the tastes of countless high-profile clients, including Will Smith and Ray Charles. No matter your design preferences, Franzle can meet the demands of the ever-changing customer! Call (818) 768-3972.

e l z n a r F

C U S TO M H O M E S PE C I A LT I E S ATION

C FABRI

ETRY

IN M CAB CUSTO

10 YEAR Compressor Warranty

Reliable & Efficient "The Quietest Furnace In Its Class" • We carry Tankless Waterheaters for never-ending hot water • Full line of Indoor Air Quality Products/Your "Clean Air Specialist"

6 Months Same As Cash Financing • NO Interest • NO Payments O.A.C. •

CALL

FOR NOW

EE A FR

SUL CON

TAT I

ON!

Serving The San Gabriel Valley Since 1964

626.963.9810 Monday - Saturday PLUMBING • HEATING • AIR CONDITIONING lic. no. 302865

ON LLATI INSTA

EN KITCH E T E L COMP ODELING IAL MERC M REM O L & C NTIA E D I RES

Norm Franzle (818) 768-3972

LIC # B449368

Pacific Pavingstone — For over nine years Pacific Pavingstone has been adding beauty and value to its customers’ homes with the use of paving stones. Its commitment to customer satisfaction is evident in more than 1,000 customer referrals. This family-owned company’s professionalism and customer dedication have been recognized in the Inc. 500 as one of the fastest-growing companies in America two years in a row. Pacific Pavingstone uses only highly trained and experienced crews — no subcontracting.

What this means to customers is the absence of the ordinary nightmares that can occur when dealing with home improvement contractors. Pacific Pavingstone’s artistry has been featured on Home and Garden TV and at the House Beautiful’s Celebrity Showcase Design House and the Pasadena Showcase House of Design six years in a row! Call (818) 244-4000, or visit www.pacificpavingstone.com.

Custom Driveways, Patios, Walkways, Court Yards, & Pool Decks

Carpet Drapery :: Sheet Vinyl Linoleum :: Hardwood Floors Laminate Floors :: Blinds Shades

Founded in 2000 by Greg Powell, Architecture Plus was established with the intention of creating a company that would produce quality architectural projects. With a talented staff, Architectural Plus is flexible in the project delivery system, giving clients valuable options in changing economic conditions. It offers full-service architectural, engineering and designing/building on institutional, as well as residential and commercial, projects. Architecture Plus also offers construction management, which allows clients to select the specific subcontractors and suppliers to best fit their needs. Its mission statement is to make your dreams and visions a reality. If you’re ready to build your mini-Getty or Gamble House, give Architecture Plus a call! Architecture Plus, 4936 Angeles Crest Highway, La Cañada.

Call (818) 952-8143, or visit architectureplus.org.

ARCHITECTURAL NEEDS

Greg Powell, AIA

President

818-952-8143

w w w. a rc h i t e c t u re p l u s . o r g

Making Life Better . . .

PACIFIC custom driveways and patios

818.244.4000

www.pacificpavingstone.com Lifetime warranty against cracking and earthquake resistant

One stone at a time

Paving stones are 4 times stronger than poured concrete

Call for a

FREE Estimate

We have our own crews, trained to deliver the highest quality Featured on HGTV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and the Pasadena Showcase House of Design six years in a row!

FOR ALL OF YOUR

Happy Holidays

Residential • Commercial • Industrial • Lic. No. 245730

Your home...

Y O U R C A S T L E —Continued from page 43

choosing Sav-On, you’ll get nearly 50 years of experience and a level of expertise that’s practically impossible to match! Sav-on Carpet, 3740 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena.

Call (626) 795-8045, or visit www.savoncarpet.com.

46 Years Location SAV-ON Same

CARPET & DRAPERY CO. 3740 E. Foothill Blvd. (Between Rosemead and Michilinda) Pasadena • 626.795.8045

Rest assured Cypress Air can handle all your heating and air-conditioning needs. Its friendly, helpful, professional staff is just a phone call away. Serving the entire San Gabriel Valley and portions of the Inland Empire, the factory-trained technicians have more than 40 years experience in the heating and air industry. This family-owned and operated business is one of the oldest in the area. Cypress offers competitive rates while ensuring high quality and is licensed, bonded and insured. The technicians are radio dispatched and factory-trained, dealer authorized and CFC certified, as required by

EPA. Its main objective is — and has always been — to increase its quality reputation while maintaining controlled growth and competitive prices. And customers are always No. 1.

Franzle Custom Cabinets — It all started with a $120 table saw, some lumber and a vision. Since 1980, Franzle has specialized in finely crafted kitchen cabinets, entertainment centers and custom-made furniture with state-of-the-art machinery. From traditional to contemporary, Franzle works closely with homeowners, designers and general contractors to achieve a one-of-a-kind desired look. Featured in American Bungalow magazine, Franzle has satisfied the tastes of countless high-profile clients, including Will Smith and Ray Charles. No matter your design preferences, Franzle can meet the demands of the ever-changing customer! Call (818) 768-3972.

e l z n a r F

C U S TO M H O M E S PE C I A LT I E S ATION

C FABRI

ETRY

IN M CAB CUSTO

10 YEAR Compressor Warranty

Reliable & Efficient "The Quietest Furnace In Its Class" • We carry Tankless Waterheaters for never-ending hot water • Full line of Indoor Air Quality Products/Your "Clean Air Specialist"

6 Months Same As Cash Financing • NO Interest • NO Payments O.A.C. •

CALL

FOR NOW

EE A FR

SUL CON

TAT I

ON!

Serving The San Gabriel Valley Since 1964

626.963.9810 Monday - Saturday PLUMBING • HEATING • AIR CONDITIONING lic. no. 302865

ON LLATI INSTA

EN KITCH E T E L COMP ODELING IAL MERC M REM O L & C NTIA E D I RES

Norm Franzle (818) 768-3972

LIC # B449368

Pacific Pavingstone — For over nine years Pacific Pavingstone has been adding beauty and value to its customers’ homes with the use of paving stones. Its commitment to customer satisfaction is evident in more than 1,000 customer referrals. This family-owned company’s professionalism and customer dedication have been recognized in the Inc. 500 as one of the fastest-growing companies in America two years in a row. Pacific Pavingstone uses only highly trained and experienced crews — no subcontracting.

What this means to customers is the absence of the ordinary nightmares that can occur when dealing with home improvement contractors. Pacific Pavingstone’s artistry has been featured on Home and Garden TV and at the House Beautiful’s Celebrity Showcase Design House and the Pasadena Showcase House of Design six years in a row! Call (818) 244-4000, or visit www.pacificpavingstone.com.

Custom Driveways, Patios, Walkways, Court Yards, & Pool Decks

Carpet Drapery :: Sheet Vinyl Linoleum :: Hardwood Floors Laminate Floors :: Blinds Shades

Founded in 2000 by Greg Powell, Architecture Plus was established with the intention of creating a company that would produce quality architectural projects. With a talented staff, Architectural Plus is flexible in the project delivery system, giving clients valuable options in changing economic conditions. It offers full-service architectural, engineering and designing/building on institutional, as well as residential and commercial, projects. Architecture Plus also offers construction management, which allows clients to select the specific subcontractors and suppliers to best fit their needs. Its mission statement is to make your dreams and visions a reality. If you’re ready to build your mini-Getty or Gamble House, give Architecture Plus a call! Architecture Plus, 4936 Angeles Crest Highway, La Cañada.

Call (818) 952-8143, or visit architectureplus.org.

ARCHITECTURAL NEEDS

Greg Powell, AIA

President

818-952-8143

w w w. a rc h i t e c t u re p l u s . o r g

Making Life Better . . .

PACIFIC custom driveways and patios

818.244.4000

www.pacificpavingstone.com Lifetime warranty against cracking and earthquake resistant

One stone at a time

Paving stones are 4 times stronger than poured concrete

Call for a

FREE Estimate

We have our own crews, trained to deliver the highest quality Featured on HGTV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and the Pasadena Showcase House of Design six years in a row!

YOU’LL RECEIVE CONVENIENT TRAVEL-SIZES OF:

T

LUXIVA® Delicate Balance Calming Cleanser Inspirations® Body Wash Inspirations® Body Cream

5) Gourmet a go go — Gourmet a go go offers

LUXIVA® Creme Blush LUXIVA® Creme Eyelites *FREE with the purchase of two or more Merle Norman cosmetic products.

Cosmetic accessories not included.

Offer valid while supplies last at participaing Merle Norman Cosmetic Studios beginning November 15, 2006.

Limit one per customer.

Montrose 2341 Honolulu Ave 818-249-1743

MONTROSE

“fresh food fast” to dine in or to take out. Gail and her crew can help make your holidays simple by catering any size party or simply by having delicious food ready for pick up on your way home. This unique shop offers hot entrees, spa cuisine, salads, paninis and a variety of frozen hors d’oeuvres and entrees. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming with an open kitchen filled with mouthwatering aromas! Gourmet a go go was just voted best new restaurant and best caterer in Glendale. This should definitely be a stop on everyone's list! 2263 Honolulu Ave., Montrose. Call (818) 2482100, or visit www.gourmetagogoonline.com.

3) Posh — Posh has officially kicked off the holi-

day shopping season! With deliveries arriving daily, you're sure to find the perfect evening bag, shoes and jewelry for all your holiday parties, not to mention gifts, gifts and more gifts! You'll find Trina Turk sweaterbags, red patent leather bags by Francesco Biasia, Betsy Johnson watches, wraps and scarves.

Don't forget Isabella Fiore handbags and the new Lovecat wallets, as well as designer perfumes, candles and more! Posh has accessories for every style and every budget! Stop in and make Posh your one-stop holiday shopping destination! Posh Accessories, 3519 N.Verdugo Road, Montrose. Call (818) 541-7674.

6)

407 South Myrtle Ave. 626-357-2299

1) Merle Norman — Stop in for a free beauty consultation and pick up a free gift, but be forewarned that you won’t be able to stop there. Kim Kelly and Kris Kline in Montrose and Olga West in Monrovia have all your beauty needs covered; it’s like having a personal makeup artist, skin consultant and beauty magazine editor all under one roof! Sharing information on the latest skin care and the newest trends in makeup, you will not find a more beautiful, fun place to relax. You should never be too busy to be beautiful, and now Kim, Kris and Olga make it convenient and affordable. Stop in for the cutest gift sets and stocking stuffers, and remember to ask for your free gift wrap. Merle Norman, 2341 Honolulu Ave., Montrose. Call (818) 249-1743. Merle Norman, 407 South Myrtle Ave., Monrovia. Call (626) 357-2299.

2) Tender Treasures — For more than 23 years! Offering a large selection of casual, whimsical clothing and accessories for women and children like the New Tea Collection, Flax, Barefoot Dreams and the must haves of the Pandora Jewelry Collection. This is the perfect place to get an adorable baby gift for the new mommy or register for your own baby shower. Visit www.tendertreasures.com.

Honolulu Ave Verdugo Rd

Ocean View Blvd

Bella — Searching for the perfect gift for your fashionista friend this holiday season? This clothing and accessory hotspot offers everything from trendy tees to the oh-so-comfortable and stylish PJ Salvage pajama sets. And nothing can bring more holiday cheer than finding perfectly fitting jeans! Tracy and her trendsetting staff will help you search through the hottest denim labels, including Red Engine Denim and Oprah’s favorite iT jeans. Cute stylish items from Sugar Lips, Miss Me Girls, Rebelette and The Myth of Jade are arriving just in time for the holidays! Bella also offers soothing bath and body products, like the ever-so-popular sugar scrubs by LaLicious, as seen in Lucky and Us Weekly magazines. And don’t forget to check out Bella’s “Tween” section (sizes 7 through 14) to find the hottest labels for those chic fashion-savvy girls on your list! Bella, 2225 Honolulu Ave., Montrose. Call (818) 957-6057.

Old Town Monrovia

he Christmas spirit is in full swing this season in Montrose! The city transforms into a Winter Wonderland with the Montrose Shopping Park Association’s rendition of an Old-Town Christmas. The 30th annual Montrose Christmas Parade will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 2, with Grand Marshall Mickey Rooney leading regional school bands, celebrities and dignitaries down Honolulu Avenue, as well as Santa Claus in his famous Glendale P.D. helicopter! Other holiday fun includes the Martini Kings and Turner Trio jazz bands on hand performing classic holiday tunes from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. Ride in a horse-drawn trolley ride or take your little one for a pony ride along Honolulu Avenue during the weekend. And Santa and Mrs. Claus will be spreading holiday cheer and strolling the streets of Montrose! On Sundays, visit the Montrose Harvest Market, which features 45 food and produce booths that offer a variety of antiques, toys and arts and crafts. Montrose is the place to be if you’re looking for festive family-oriented fun and activities to liven up the holidays!

—Megan and the kids

8)

An Occasion To Celebrate — An Occasion to Celebrate — Bring holiday cheer to your loved ones this season by sending them one-of-a-kind gorgeous cards! Teresa Woolsen creates memorable stationery, announcements and invitations with exquisite handmade fabrics and materials. She and her staff whip up unforgettable cards to announce the arrival of a new baby, an upcoming wedding or shower or a fabulous New Year’s Eve soiree. Best of all, they make their creations within your budget! The selection is huge and well worth the trip! An Occasion to Celebrate also offers a wonderful selection of invitation lines from around the country.

Event planners have come to depend on An Occasion to Celebrate for faster, easier and more cost-effective services, and now you can too — just in time for the holidays! An Occasion To Celebrate, 2409 Honolulu Ave. Ste. 4, Montrose. Call (818) 248-9991, or visit www.invitations.la.

4) Barolina — This quaint European bakery is

A Store for Women and Children Featuring NEW Autumn Flax for 2006 Now available in our store and on our website www.tendertreasures.com Tender Treasures 2280 Honolulu Ave. Montrose, CA 91020 818-248-2260

like the ones you’d find strolling down the streets of Paris, Brussels or Stockholm! And you’re in luck because Berolina’s is right in your backyard in Glendale! With various brioche, pastries, muffins, scones and croissants, this is the place to go for one delicious breakfast! And Berolina also offers mouthwatering lunch options like sandwiches, paninis, soup of the day and salads, as well as delectable European-style cakes and other desserts. Berolina features a daily list of handcrafted artisan bread made with the finest incredients, such as sun-dried tomatos and kalamata olives. The bakery also creates specialty items like a hand-baked, all-butter stollen.

Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Berolina, 3421 Ocean View Blvd. Glendale. Call (818) 249-6506, or visit www.berolina.com

7) Frank’s Famous Kitchen — Everything coming out of this

kitchen is made from fresh ingredients, so there’s no feeling guiltly when dining out at Frank’s. They offer a variety of comfort foods from boxed lunches, meatloaf, spaghetti and homemade soups to chicken pot pie just like mom used to make. Indulge in Frank’s famous cookies, from traditional chocolate chip to peanut butter toffee, as well as the world-famous warm cinnamon rolls that you should definitely arrive early for! Make it a la mode with your choice of 26 flavors of Dr. Bob’s handcrafted ice cream, or ask for a scoop in a tall glass of old-fashioned soda fountain drinks. Frank’s also gives back to the community by raising money and donating food to local charities. Holidays are the biggest season for Frank’s catering, so order early for the perfect family feast! Frank’s Famous Kitchen, 3315 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale. Call (818) 249-6100, or visit www.franksfamous.com

9) Kimmel-Meehan — Style shouldn’t just be reserved for women. Thanks to Kimmel-

Meehan, the men in your life can sport all the hottest labels from an amazing selection of casual and corporate styles. Reyn Spooner’s surfing Santa shirt is a festive holiday find, as well as classic yet easygoing pieces from Tommy Bahama and Tori Richards. There’s Ryan Michael’s hip western styles and sleek striped shirts from Tailor Byrd that are sure to make a fashionable impression at holiday dinners this season! Kimmel-Meehan offers one-of-a-kind personable service, and gets to know each of their clients by name and style preference. So spruce up your man’s winter wardrobe by introducing him to Kimmel-Meehan’s variety of fashionable clothing. Kimmel-Meehan, 2227 Honolulu Ave., Montrose. Call (818) 249-5085.

YOU’LL RECEIVE CONVENIENT TRAVEL-SIZES OF:

T

LUXIVA® Delicate Balance Calming Cleanser Inspirations® Body Wash Inspirations® Body Cream

5) Gourmet a go go — Gourmet a go go offers

LUXIVA® Creme Blush LUXIVA® Creme Eyelites *FREE with the purchase of two or more Merle Norman cosmetic products.

Cosmetic accessories not included.

Offer valid while supplies last at participaing Merle Norman Cosmetic Studios beginning November 15, 2006.

Limit one per customer.

Montrose 2341 Honolulu Ave 818-249-1743

MONTROSE

“fresh food fast” to dine in or to take out. Gail and her crew can help make your holidays simple by catering any size party or simply by having delicious food ready for pick up on your way home. This unique shop offers hot entrees, spa cuisine, salads, paninis and a variety of frozen hors d’oeuvres and entrees. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming with an open kitchen filled with mouthwatering aromas! Gourmet a go go was just voted best new restaurant and best caterer in Glendale. This should definitely be a stop on everyone's list! 2263 Honolulu Ave., Montrose. Call (818) 2482100, or visit www.gourmetagogoonline.com.

3) Posh — Posh has officially kicked off the holi-

day shopping season! With deliveries arriving daily, you're sure to find the perfect evening bag, shoes and jewelry for all your holiday parties, not to mention gifts, gifts and more gifts! You'll find Trina Turk sweaterbags, red patent leather bags by Francesco Biasia, Betsy Johnson watches, wraps and scarves.

Don't forget Isabella Fiore handbags and the new Lovecat wallets, as well as designer perfumes, candles and more! Posh has accessories for every style and every budget! Stop in and make Posh your one-stop holiday shopping destination! Posh Accessories, 3519 N.Verdugo Road, Montrose. Call (818) 541-7674.

6)

407 South Myrtle Ave. 626-357-2299

1) Merle Norman — Stop in for a free beauty consultation and pick up a free gift, but be forewarned that you won’t be able to stop there. Kim Kelly and Kris Kline in Montrose and Olga West in Monrovia have all your beauty needs covered; it’s like having a personal makeup artist, skin consultant and beauty magazine editor all under one roof! Sharing information on the latest skin care and the newest trends in makeup, you will not find a more beautiful, fun place to relax. You should never be too busy to be beautiful, and now Kim, Kris and Olga make it convenient and affordable. Stop in for the cutest gift sets and stocking stuffers, and remember to ask for your free gift wrap. Merle Norman, 2341 Honolulu Ave., Montrose. Call (818) 249-1743. Merle Norman, 407 South Myrtle Ave., Monrovia. Call (626) 357-2299.

2) Tender Treasures — For more than 23 years! Offering a large selection of casual, whimsical clothing and accessories for women and children like the New Tea Collection, Flax, Barefoot Dreams and the must haves of the Pandora Jewelry Collection. This is the perfect place to get an adorable baby gift for the new mommy or register for your own baby shower. Visit www.tendertreasures.com.

Honolulu Ave Verdugo Rd

Ocean View Blvd

Bella — Searching for the perfect gift for your fashionista friend this holiday season? This clothing and accessory hotspot offers everything from trendy tees to the oh-so-comfortable and stylish PJ Salvage pajama sets. And nothing can bring more holiday cheer than finding perfectly fitting jeans! Tracy and her trendsetting staff will help you search through the hottest denim labels, including Red Engine Denim and Oprah’s favorite iT jeans. Cute stylish items from Sugar Lips, Miss Me Girls, Rebelette and The Myth of Jade are arriving just in time for the holidays! Bella also offers soothing bath and body products, like the ever-so-popular sugar scrubs by LaLicious, as seen in Lucky and Us Weekly magazines. And don’t forget to check out Bella’s “Tween” section (sizes 7 through 14) to find the hottest labels for those chic fashion-savvy girls on your list! Bella, 2225 Honolulu Ave., Montrose. Call (818) 957-6057.

Old Town Monrovia

he Christmas spirit is in full swing this season in Montrose! The city transforms into a Winter Wonderland with the Montrose Shopping Park Association’s rendition of an Old-Town Christmas. The 30th annual Montrose Christmas Parade will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 2, with Grand Marshall Mickey Rooney leading regional school bands, celebrities and dignitaries down Honolulu Avenue, as well as Santa Claus in his famous Glendale P.D. helicopter! Other holiday fun includes the Martini Kings and Turner Trio jazz bands on hand performing classic holiday tunes from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. Ride in a horse-drawn trolley ride or take your little one for a pony ride along Honolulu Avenue during the weekend. And Santa and Mrs. Claus will be spreading holiday cheer and strolling the streets of Montrose! On Sundays, visit the Montrose Harvest Market, which features 45 food and produce booths that offer a variety of antiques, toys and arts and crafts. Montrose is the place to be if you’re looking for festive family-oriented fun and activities to liven up the holidays!

—Megan and the kids

8)

An Occasion To Celebrate — An Occasion to Celebrate — Bring holiday cheer to your loved ones this season by sending them one-of-a-kind gorgeous cards! Teresa Woolsen creates memorable stationery, announcements and invitations with exquisite handmade fabrics and materials. She and her staff whip up unforgettable cards to announce the arrival of a new baby, an upcoming wedding or shower or a fabulous New Year’s Eve soiree. Best of all, they make their creations within your budget! The selection is huge and well worth the trip! An Occasion to Celebrate also offers a wonderful selection of invitation lines from around the country.

Event planners have come to depend on An Occasion to Celebrate for faster, easier and more cost-effective services, and now you can too — just in time for the holidays! An Occasion To Celebrate, 2409 Honolulu Ave. Ste. 4, Montrose. Call (818) 248-9991, or visit www.invitations.la.

4) Barolina — This quaint European bakery is

A Store for Women and Children Featuring NEW Autumn Flax for 2006 Now available in our store and on our website www.tendertreasures.com Tender Treasures 2280 Honolulu Ave. Montrose, CA 91020 818-248-2260

like the ones you’d find strolling down the streets of Paris, Brussels or Stockholm! And you’re in luck because Berolina’s is right in your backyard in Glendale! With various brioche, pastries, muffins, scones and croissants, this is the place to go for one delicious breakfast! And Berolina also offers mouthwatering lunch options like sandwiches, paninis, soup of the day and salads, as well as delectable European-style cakes and other desserts. Berolina features a daily list of handcrafted artisan bread made with the finest incredients, such as sun-dried tomatos and kalamata olives. The bakery also creates specialty items like a hand-baked, all-butter stollen.

Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Berolina, 3421 Ocean View Blvd. Glendale. Call (818) 249-6506, or visit www.berolina.com

7) Frank’s Famous Kitchen — Everything coming out of this

kitchen is made from fresh ingredients, so there’s no feeling guiltly when dining out at Frank’s. They offer a variety of comfort foods from boxed lunches, meatloaf, spaghetti and homemade soups to chicken pot pie just like mom used to make. Indulge in Frank’s famous cookies, from traditional chocolate chip to peanut butter toffee, as well as the world-famous warm cinnamon rolls that you should definitely arrive early for! Make it a la mode with your choice of 26 flavors of Dr. Bob’s handcrafted ice cream, or ask for a scoop in a tall glass of old-fashioned soda fountain drinks. Frank’s also gives back to the community by raising money and donating food to local charities. Holidays are the biggest season for Frank’s catering, so order early for the perfect family feast! Frank’s Famous Kitchen, 3315 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale. Call (818) 249-6100, or visit www.franksfamous.com

9) Kimmel-Meehan — Style shouldn’t just be reserved for women. Thanks to Kimmel-

Meehan, the men in your life can sport all the hottest labels from an amazing selection of casual and corporate styles. Reyn Spooner’s surfing Santa shirt is a festive holiday find, as well as classic yet easygoing pieces from Tommy Bahama and Tori Richards. There’s Ryan Michael’s hip western styles and sleek striped shirts from Tailor Byrd that are sure to make a fashionable impression at holiday dinners this season! Kimmel-Meehan offers one-of-a-kind personable service, and gets to know each of their clients by name and style preference. So spruce up your man’s winter wardrobe by introducing him to Kimmel-Meehan’s variety of fashionable clothing. Kimmel-Meehan, 2227 Honolulu Ave., Montrose. Call (818) 249-5085.

San Marino Ma no come visit

Saturday's Child is an upscale children's clothing and shoe store located in beautiful Mission Village. They feature classic, traditional clothing for boys and girls, infant through size 16. From dressy to casual, sleepwear to shoes, christening and exquisite smock dresses to a famous bow selection, their goal is to help you find the perfect outfit for any occasion.

The owner Diana prides herself on their customer service and a pleasant shopping atmosphere.

Stop in and say hi! 2529 Mission St., San Marino. Call (626) 441-8888.

paperwhites fine stationery & gifts

2491 Mission Street San Marino, CA 91108 phone: 626.441.2196 fax: 626 441.2236 paperwhites@sbcglobal.net

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Simply Fresh is the hottest holiday gift spot in town!

Sparkling with the most magical ornaments and holiday decor, the quaint cottage is filled to the brim with unique and fun gifts, along with the coolest fashion must-haves to celebrate the season! The boutique offers gorgeous free gift wrapping as well, so what more can you ask for? Forget about running around this holiday season because Simply Fresh puts the fun back in shopping. Santa’s work will be done for you, as long as you stop in and visit Michelle!

2628 Mission St., San Marino. Call (626) 441-7250.

Paperwhites Fine Stationery & Gifts — Stress free holiday shopping right in the heart of San Marino's Mission District. Quickest turn-around time in town! Order William Arthur personalized holiday cards today and send them next week!

Specializing in all types of printing including engraving, letterpress and thermography. Call (626) 441-2196.

The Smarter APE provides better ways of healthcare. For too many years, we have relied on traditional, retroactive healthcare as the primary tool for well-being, and it has gotten unmanageable for most. The Smarter APE offers self-manageable preventative measures, along with relief you can feel. The Smarter APE's devices incorporate nature's principles, along with advanced technology, engineered for a comfortable and healthy lifestyle. Come in and try all the different products for free and see how The Smarter APE can

provide you with the tools to live an easier, smarter and healthier lifestyle. deVelle — Wynn’s, located in the Plaza de La Cañada Shopping Center, has been in La Cañada for 16 years and carries colorful and casual clothing lines perfect for the Southern California lifestyle. Sister shop, deVelle, located adjacent to The Gates, is one of the newest additions to the Mission District. With its sophisticated approach to dressing, deVelle specializes in classic European clothing lines. Although Wynn’s and deVelle carry some of the same collections, the pieces are different at each store.

Investment dressing is really what Wynn’s and deVelle are all about: buying top-quality items that will last for years rather than chasing after trends. The most important aspect of shopping with Wynn’s and deVelle is the personal attention you will receive.

LAKE AVENUE j jLAKEAVENUE On Onand and around around

Always worth the drive Exquisite Cakes and Pastries made with only the finest ingredients

Specializing in wedding cakes

PastriesByNancy 0

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761 E. Altadena Dr. Altadena 626-794-9839 13033 Penn St. Whittier 562-945-3400 (corner of Lake in the Rite Aid Shopping Center) www.pastriesbynancy.com

Facets — In the serene atmosphere of the Commons on Lake Avenue, Facets sparkles with an offering of unique apparel, jewelry and accessories for the woman who loves the eclectic. The wearable art and accent pieces are selected from artists as far as Europe, South America and Asia (with many lines giving back to the local artists and their communities).

Beautiful, vibrant colors and magnificent details are the common thread that runs through all of these gorgeous things! For the holiday season, there is a myriad of gift selections from the fun and inexpensive to the truly spectacular and opulent. Gift certificates available. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun. 146 S. Lake Ave., Ste. 107. Call (626) 304-9765.

Ten Thousand Villages — As the first fair trade store in Southern California, Ten Thousand Villages carries handmade items created by artisans from more than 30 countries throughout Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. At Ten Thousand Villages, you’re not only buying one-of-akind crafts, but you’re also contributing to a worldwide movement striving to improve the livelihood of disadvantaged craftspeople in developing countries via fair trade expansion. “Shop Fair Trade. Invest in Your World.” 496 S. Lake Ave. Call (626) 229-9892.

Handcrafted in Bangladesh, India, Peru and the Philippines. $5-$74

Holiday Traditions Rediscover our unique collection of nativities and holiday décor handcrafted by skilled artisans around the world.

Holiday Hours:

Monday – Wednesday: 10 am – 7 pm Thursday – Saturday: 10 am – 8 pm Sunday: 11 am – 7 pm 496 South Lake Avenue Pasadena, 91101 626.229.9892 pasadenavillages.com

GIFTS THAT GIVE TWICE

921 Meridian Ave South Pasadena, CA 91030 626.799.8828 www.bistrodelagare.com

a sweet and chic boutique for the little ones in your life!

RESTAURANT & WINE BAR

Introducing! contemporary furniture + bedding + rugs

newborn • infant toddler •clothing • accessories • registry •crib bedding bugaboo products • gifts for mom to be... and much more!

956 mission street, south pasadena ca • 626.403.3366

Stop in for

10% OFF on any hair care services

1522 Mission St South Pasadena 626.441.8015 • 626.298.3140

921 Meridian Ave South Pasadena, CA 91030 626.799.8828 www.bistrodelagare.com

a sweet and chic boutique for the little ones in your life!

RESTAURANT & WINE BAR

Introducing! contemporary furniture + bedding + rugs

newborn • infant toddler •clothing • accessories • registry •crib bedding bugaboo products • gifts for mom to be... and much more!

956 mission street, south pasadena ca • 626.403.3366

Stop in for

10% OFF on any hair care services

1522 Mission St South Pasadena 626.441.8015 • 626.298.3140

Sierra Madre

E. Waldo Ward — E. Waldo Ward is your ultimate source for the finest in jams, jellies, marmalades and other fine foods — all made with tradition and quality in mind. Since 1891, E. Waldo Ward & Son has been manufacturing the highest quality possible right in Sierra Madre. Enjoy your visit to 273 E. Highland Ave. or visit us online.

We have “Featured Items” at www.waldoward.com, and right now it is our new Citrus Marinade & Grilling Sauce — a convenient way to marinate your chicken, fish or any meat for a quick and delicious dinner. Loaded with lots of citrus flavor and spices. You can also use this sauce with stir fry, and right now it is 10% off at www.waldoward.com. See you there!

SPECIALIZING IN UNIQUE PRODUCTS FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES...

Body Shop — Body Shop is a private fitness studio that boasts personal, one-on-one attention that is second to none. Whatever your goal may be, Body Shop will make sure those aspirations are fulfilled with constant dedication from the staff.

Living by the mantra of pilates, cardio, flexibility and strength, Body Shop provides the backdrop to help you get back into shape and live happier and healthier. Call to set up or schedule your free consultation. (626) 355-6101.

P.O. Box 824 • Sierra Madre, CA 91025 626.355.1268 • sweetsophiastore@yahoo.com

Sweet Sophia Store — Dedicated to children everywhere, Sweet Sophia combines a motherly touch with a designer’s flair to offer the best in children’s

Fabrizio Gianni ~ David Kahn ~ Michael Stars Citizens of Humanity ~ James Jeans ~ 3J Workshop Johnny Was ~ Old Gringo Boots ~ Joe’s Jeans Three Dots ~ J & Company ~ Mac & Jac Kenzie ~ Leatherock (626) 355-0024 26 North Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre, CA 91024 Located in historic downtown Sierra Madre

wear. Inspired by designer Elena Alonzo’s children, Sweet Sophia offers bedding, bags, bath and body, one-of-a-kind novelties and clothing. The best part is everything is easily accessible on the internet.

Either give her a call or visit www.sweetsophiastore.com to see the wonderful items she has to make your child the cutest kid around.

Coquette — The brainchild of two entertainment industry wardrobe stylists, Coquette is a full-service boutique. This stylish boutique is filled with designer clothes that are classic and sexy, trendy and sophisticated. Sensitive to the needs of their customers, Coquette helps women discover and develop their best look, no matter what age or size, and provides personal consultation. Come in to find beautiful evening looks, flattering casual wear and stylish jewelry and accessories.

Angels Everywear — From the moment you step into this unique boutique you will see why it is described as heavenly chic. From angelically scented candles to unique feminine clothing, footwear and accessories, Angels Everywear will clothe you for any occasion. With the holidays coming up, Angels Everywear also carries a wide variety of jewelry, pillows, body lotions and other accessories to brighten up anybody’s holiday season. Stop in and check it out for yourself. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

BOOKS

All hail,

Minerva Hoyt Pasadena socialite founded Joshua Tree National Park

BY DEANNE STILLMAN PASADENA MAY BE KNOWN FOR ITS ROSES, but it is also closely connected with the Joshua tree. While researching my new book, “Joshua Tree: Desolation Tango,” I found out that Joshua Tree National Park would not exist were it not for the efforts of Minerva Hamilton Hoyt. Hoyt was a Pasadena socialite of the early 20th century who is honored on a spectacular mural at the JTNP visitor’s center. She was a major player in civic activities and one of the original organizers of the Rose Parade.

Appropriately, the original Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, daughter of Jupiter, around whom the spring equinox was celebrated. I’m a firm believer in nomenclatural destiny, and Hoyt was indeed a modern goddess, waging a war with a goal that was very wise indeed: preserving the Joshua tree, botanical signpost of the Mojave Desert.

Hoyt grew up on a plantation in Mississippi and, in 1890, after marrying a wealthy New York surgeon, moved to Pasadena. As roads were improved and people began to travel by car instead of train, there arose a fascination with the scenery of the California desert, and city folk acquired cactus fever. It got so bad that legions of cactus-crazed crooks descended on the desert east of Los Angeles, hauling its treasures back to the city by the truckload. In the higher elevations to the east, tourists were setting Joshua trees on fire as sentinels for travelers.

Enter Hoyt, who proved that behind every formerly endangered plant lurks a great woman.

On train trips between New York and California, she became quite taken by what she called the “enchanted land” of the California deserts, and after she began living in the Golden State, she often visited the sandy expanse outside Los Angeles on horse or buckboard. After her infant son died and then, in 1918, her husband, she found solace in the desert. She was soothed by the “primeval night wind in the Joshua trees,” as she wrote in her journal, and she wanted to make sure that the desert was preserved for all time.

Realizing that she could only save what saved her by showing others its wonders, she organized a group of scientists, botanists, taxidermists and scene painters, and put together a series of startling exhibits that included cacti, flowers, birds and animals from the Mojave Desert. She took the show on the road to New York, Boston and then London. Soon she had become known as “the apostle of the cacti,” and began lobbying to make the habitat of the besieged Joshua tree a national park. After a relentless campaign of letter-writing, hobnobbing and cocktail party diplomacy, Hoyt was nearly out of funds — but she caught the ear of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. On Aug. 10, 1936, Roosevelt established Joshua Tree National Monument by proclamation, preserving 825,340 acres of stunning desert terrain forever.

In 1955, 10 years after she died, the Joshua Tree Women’s Club honored Hoyt with a plaque on a boulder at Keys View, at 5,185 feet, the highest point to which you can drive in the park. The boulder bears a quote from the woman whose only child may have died but who birthed this

park: “I stood and looked. Everything looked peaceful and it rested me.” AM Deanne Stillman’s latest book is “Joshua Tree: Desolation Tango,” a tribute to the park with photographs by Galen Hunt. Her previous book was the critically acclaimed bestseller “Twentynine Palms.”

She also writes for Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times, Slate.com and elsewhere. For more information or to purchase the book, visit www.deannestillman.com or www.uapress.arizona.edu/BOOKS/bid1715.htm.

ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 53

{

PERSONALITY

Crystal

clear

y 54 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

Caltech’s Kenneth Libbrecht knows exactly what he wants to do: study snowflakes.

That unusual interest puts him in a league of his own.

BY JULIE RIGGOTT ~ PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER RAINONE OU’D BE HARD-PRESSED TO FIND MANY PEOPLE WHO study snowflakes, let alone in a climate like Pasadena’s where it doesn’t snow and winter temperatures can soar into the 80s.

Kenneth Libbrecht, a professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology, has obviously carved a niche in this field, and made it more or less his own.

“This fits in with my hermit-like tendencies,” he says of his research with ice crystals. “I don’t want to do something someone else is working on because then I might as well stay in bed and let them find the answer. I’d rather get up knowing if I don’t do this work, then no one else will.”

Before he started his research, the only substantial scientific attention given to snowflakes was back in the ’50s. At Caltech in 1997, Libbrecht designed his own contraption for creating snowflakes so that he could study crystal growth. He also built a photomicroscope to take pictures of snowflakes, not only in the lab but also in the field. He’s taken more than 6,000 photos of the minuscule frozen wonders.

“There are plenty of people photographing wildlife, but nobody’s photographing snowflakes,” Libbrecht says of his unique obsession.

His photos are getting him a lot of attention. Without knowing it, you’ve probably seen some of his work — in your mail. This year, images based on Libbrecht’s strikingly beautiful photographs of snowflakes are appearing on holiday postage stamps.

On a warm November day, sitting in his Caltech office dressed in shorts, Libbrecht explained how he got a call out of the blue from the United States Postal Service expressing interest in his photographs. In October, he attended a dedica-

tion ceremony in New York City for the set of four commemorative stamps and received a poster and plaque. Now, 1.5 billion of his snowflakes will be floating through the mail.

It was his books that got him noticed by the U.S.P.S. His first book, 2003’s “The Snowflake: Winter’s Secret Beauty,” provides plenty of intriguing information along with photos

by Patricia Rasmussen. It won him two awards in 2004: the Benjamin Franklin Award and the National Outdoor Book Award.

Once he began photographing snowflakes in the field with his own equipment, Libbrecht compiled more images for 2004’s “The Little Book of Snowflakes” and included quotes from the likes of Henry David Thoreau, Robert Frost and, appropriately enough, Albert Einstein.

Snowflakes are visually interesting and beautiful mysteries, evidently attracting legions of curious fans. Google “snowflakes,” and you’ll instantly find Libbrecht’s Web site: www.snowcrystals.com (www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals). Almost 9 million visitors have already been there.

People often ask Libbrecht if the old saying is true: No two snowflakes are alike. Basically, the answer is yes. As Libbrecht explains on his Web site, “It’s unlikely that any two complex snow crystals, out of all those made over the entire history of the planet, have ever looked completely alike.”

“Each one has its own personality,” he says with affection.

That’s because their growth process is so sensitive to temperature and humidity. The slightest changes affect the crystals in dramatic ways. That’s why synthetic — or what Libbrecht calls “designer” — crystals are simpler and similar, but natural snowflakes are more complex.

—Continued on page 56

Kenneth Libbrecht describes the process of creating snowflakes with his freefall convection chamber.

Snowflake images courtesy of Kenneth Libbrecht

C R Y S TA L C L E A R —Continued from page 54

The images chosen for the stamps were taken in Alaska, Michigan and Libbrecht’s favorite snowflake destination, northern Ontario, where the 0 to 10 degree Fahrenheit temperatures are ideal for crystal growth.

Out in the falling snow, Libbrecht lets snowflakes land on a piece of cardboard. Scanning what he estimates to be approximately 10,000 of them at a time (a typical size is 1 mm), he uses a paintbrush to apply the “few gems worthy of photographing” to a microscope slide. Then, because ice is clear, he shines colored light on the crystals and snaps a photo.

The gorgeous images on Libbrecht’s Web site often lead people to ask why all snowflakes are symmetrical. But, he explains, “Literally one in a million is perfectly symmetrical.” And when they ask why he doesn’t publish the asymmetrical ones, he says, “Nobody wants to pay good money to see the ugly ones.”

Framed on the wall behind his desk is a beautiful, blue-tinged six-point stellar dendrite, the most well-known shape. But simple prisms, columns, needles and other unexpected shapes are quite common.

“Kenneth Libbrecht’s Field Guide to Snowflakes,” published this year, is a handy reference for those who’d like to be able to identify all kinds of crystals.

For Libbrecht, snowflake hunting was kind of 56 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

a natural extension of his bird-watching hobby.

And having grown up in North Dakota, he can easily bear the cold weather.

While Libbrecht’s work is something of an artistic endeavor, it’s also pretty serious business, involving mathematics, chemistry and physics.

He’s perfected various devices — one utilizing vapor diffusion and the other a freefall convection chamber — for growing ice crystals. Crystals are frozen water vapor, not frozen water. The work can be painstaking, observing and videotaping microscopic specks of ice that take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes to grow.

But studying snowflakes also has a certain instant gratification in that he can complete a research project in a matter of months, compared to his work with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory at Caltech. With LIGO, a project that studies gravitational waves in space, results take decades.

Studying snowflakes may not be as earthshattering as, say, helioseismology, a field Libbrecht worked in for about eight years where he studied pressure waves and “ringing” in the sun. But his findings about crystal growth will lead to applications for the computer industry with silicon and other semiconductor crystals.

Right now, he is excited about a crystal growth simulator program he has been working on for the computer, something that had been impossible to create previously.

Libbrecht’s basic research is also an important contribution given that there is very little informa-

tion out there about snowflakes. Johannes Kepler first wrote about snow crystals in 1611 and René Descartes in 1635. Robert Hooke put them under the microscope in 1665. Centuries later in 1931, Wilson A. Bentley, an American farmer, photographed snowflakes for a book. But the first systematic study wasn’t done until the ’50s by Ukichiro Nakaya, a nuclear physicist transferred to a snowy region of Japan where there were no nuclear facilities. He photographed and catalogued crystals and was the first to grow artificial ones in the lab in order to study the physics of crystal formation.

Libbrecht spoke with great respect about Nakaya’s work, excitedly pulling Nakaya’s seminal 1954 book “Snow Crystals: Natural and Artificial” from a shelf.

While studying ice crystal growth probably won’t win Libbrecht a Nobel Prize, that’s just fine with him. Actually, it has gotten him closer to one Nobel Prize winner.

When he got back from New York with his poster of the snowflake stamps, he made a beeline for the campus building where the poster commemorating the Richard Feynman stamp is on display. They are now hanging side by side. It’s the only time, Libbrecht said, he would get the opportunity to share equal billing with the eminent Nobel Prize-winning physicist.

It just goes to show that there’s room for everyone’s passions.

He says it best on his Web site, “I feel that with over six billion people on the planet, surely a few of us can be spared to ponder the subtle mysteries of snowflakes.” AM

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Hidden in the Heart of Pasadena

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C R Y S TA L C L E A R —Continued from page 54

The images chosen for the stamps were taken in Alaska, Michigan and Libbrecht’s favorite snowflake destination, northern Ontario, where the 0 to 10 degree Fahrenheit temperatures are ideal for crystal growth.

Out in the falling snow, Libbrecht lets snowflakes land on a piece of cardboard. Scanning what he estimates to be approximately 10,000 of them at a time (a typical size is 1 mm), he uses a paintbrush to apply the “few gems worthy of photographing” to a microscope slide. Then, because ice is clear, he shines colored light on the crystals and snaps a photo.

The gorgeous images on Libbrecht’s Web site often lead people to ask why all snowflakes are symmetrical. But, he explains, “Literally one in a million is perfectly symmetrical.” And when they ask why he doesn’t publish the asymmetrical ones, he says, “Nobody wants to pay good money to see the ugly ones.”

Framed on the wall behind his desk is a beautiful, blue-tinged six-point stellar dendrite, the most well-known shape. But simple prisms, columns, needles and other unexpected shapes are quite common.

“Kenneth Libbrecht’s Field Guide to Snowflakes,” published this year, is a handy reference for those who’d like to be able to identify all kinds of crystals.

For Libbrecht, snowflake hunting was kind of 56 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

a natural extension of his bird-watching hobby.

And having grown up in North Dakota, he can easily bear the cold weather.

While Libbrecht’s work is something of an artistic endeavor, it’s also pretty serious business, involving mathematics, chemistry and physics.

He’s perfected various devices — one utilizing vapor diffusion and the other a freefall convection chamber — for growing ice crystals. Crystals are frozen water vapor, not frozen water. The work can be painstaking, observing and videotaping microscopic specks of ice that take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes to grow.

But studying snowflakes also has a certain instant gratification in that he can complete a research project in a matter of months, compared to his work with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory at Caltech. With LIGO, a project that studies gravitational waves in space, results take decades.

Studying snowflakes may not be as earthshattering as, say, helioseismology, a field Libbrecht worked in for about eight years where he studied pressure waves and “ringing” in the sun. But his findings about crystal growth will lead to applications for the computer industry with silicon and other semiconductor crystals.

Right now, he is excited about a crystal growth simulator program he has been working on for the computer, something that had been impossible to create previously.

Libbrecht’s basic research is also an important contribution given that there is very little informa-

tion out there about snowflakes. Johannes Kepler first wrote about snow crystals in 1611 and René Descartes in 1635. Robert Hooke put them under the microscope in 1665. Centuries later in 1931, Wilson A. Bentley, an American farmer, photographed snowflakes for a book. But the first systematic study wasn’t done until the ’50s by Ukichiro Nakaya, a nuclear physicist transferred to a snowy region of Japan where there were no nuclear facilities. He photographed and catalogued crystals and was the first to grow artificial ones in the lab in order to study the physics of crystal formation.

Libbrecht spoke with great respect about Nakaya’s work, excitedly pulling Nakaya’s seminal 1954 book “Snow Crystals: Natural and Artificial” from a shelf.

While studying ice crystal growth probably won’t win Libbrecht a Nobel Prize, that’s just fine with him. Actually, it has gotten him closer to one Nobel Prize winner.

When he got back from New York with his poster of the snowflake stamps, he made a beeline for the campus building where the poster commemorating the Richard Feynman stamp is on display. They are now hanging side by side. It’s the only time, Libbrecht said, he would get the opportunity to share equal billing with the eminent Nobel Prize-winning physicist.

It just goes to show that there’s room for everyone’s passions.

He says it best on his Web site, “I feel that with over six billion people on the planet, surely a few of us can be spared to ponder the subtle mysteries of snowflakes.” AM

Del Mar

W E Blvd S

Granite Dr California

Blvd

San Pasqual St

Hill Ave

Snowflake images courtesy of Kenneth Libbrecht

Colorado Blvd N

Wilson Ave

906 Granite Drive Pasadena, CA 91101 626-396-9234 www.lepetitvendome.com

Los Robles Ave

Le Petit Vendome

or, visit us in...

La Cañada 958 Foothill Blvd.

Call Lynn or Ray (818) 952-4084

ARROYO

BUILDERS HARDWARE & SUPPLY LOCKS

ACCESSORIES

High Quality 1950’s Style Metal Chairs Factory List Price per chair $99

Special Promotional Price $69.99

MAILBOXES, CUSTOM PLAQUES & LOCK SETS Many products available to finish your building project or simply update your house.

LOCKSMITH INSTALLATION AVAILABLE GRANDE POST

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We’re Moving!

We will be inside Lincoln Ave. Lumber

Open Monday-Friday 8-4

626-398-8390 1464 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena (inside Lincoln Ave. Lumber) ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 57

H I S TO RY

Faster than football Roman-style chariot races helped the Tournament of Roses build an entertainment empire.

BY JOE PIASECKI MOVIES HAVE BEEN BLAMED FOR LEADING people to do dangerous and unusual things, but a century ago people were turning to popular novels for extreme inspiration.

In 1903, Lew Wallace’s classic novel “Ben-Hur” — which 56 years later actually did become an Academy Award-winning film — was what members of the then eight-year-old Tournament of Roses Association were reading.

At the time, the Tournament was looking for a significant event to thrill visitors following the already nationally renowned Rose Parade. Football had flopped as post-parade entertainment. In 1902, Michigan pounded Stanford so badly that the West Coast team actually quit in the third quarter of play, and no one dared to compete with the powerhouse Wolverines the following year. A polo match to mark the start of 1903 drew only about 2,000 people, and organizers wanted to do better.

“That book gives us the idea we need for our festival. Let us stage a true Roman chariot race. It will make modern history,” declared one tournament member about “Ben-Hur,” according to Joe Hendrickson’s “The Tournament of Roses: A Pictorial History.”

As strange as it may sound today, the idea not only stuck, it worked.

Bespectacled Tournament Director Ed Off was apparently so excited by the idea of reinventing old Rome for a day that he volunteered for the first race.

An amateur horseman, Off lost his 1904 race. But the event itself, which drew 6,500 people to a park adjacent to the Caltech campus, was a success. So Off tried again in 1905 and 1906 — each time improving his speed, but also coming closer to losing more than just a race.

During his second try, Off lost control of his two-wheeled chariot and was almost thrown from it in front of 12,000 alarmed fans. And while the determined rider finally won his race in 1906, he didn’t get long to celebrate.

At first, Off’s performance was magnificent, according to a Jan. 2, 1906, account printed in the Pasadena Daily News, which estimated the crowd to 58 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

be as large as 20,000.

“The great audience was upon its feet when the contesting charioteers came out like the gladiators in the days of Julius Caesar to test their skill and courage in the mad race around the track.

Messrs. Gaylord and Off were becomingly attired in the robes of early Roman days. … The four big horses attached to each chariot thundered like the mighty animals they were, as they strived with wild energy to distance their competitors.

The great concourse of people caught the excitement which made the blood in one’s veins fairly tingle,” reads the account.

Then everything went wrong after the horses became startled and began jumping in the air.

“In a twinkling,” the uncredited author wrote, “Off was thrown out of the chariot and the vehicle and horses were a tangled mass.”

The extent of the injuries to the man and his horses are unclear, but Off —whose racing career ended that day — would go on to become president of the Tournament.

Though brutal and potentially deadly, the chariot races were a success, and they continued until 1915.

There were, however, even more accidents, including one that landed two drivers in court. In that race, two of a driver’s horses were knocked to the ground after his opponent’s horses had, allegedly, illegally collided with them. People cried foul but the judges saw nothing, according to newspaper accounts, and the question of who would receive $1,000 in prize money went briefly before a Los Angeles Superior Court judge before the charioteers decided on a rematch the following year.

Despite all the excitement and energy that chariot racing brought to New Year’s celebrations in Pasadena, Tournament leadership, hoping for more

national event coverage, decided to try East vs. West postseason college football once again.

In the final years of chariot racing, the contest began to lose some of its novelty, and participants were also growing tired of the expenses involved. In the end, only a few horse breeders — including Arcadia legend Elias Jackson “Lucky” Baldwin, on whose former estate sits present-day Santa Anita Park — could afford to sponsor a team. While drivers continued to compete for the $1,000 prize, preparations eventually cost five times as much, according to Hendrickson.

In 1963, the Los Angeles Times dedicated a special Sunday section to Pasadena, and in it one writer recalled the days when chariots roared through the city.

Those who saw those races, it was written, “will still tell newcomers, however, that no football game can match the sight of eight charging horses straining at their harnesses and dragging a decorated chariot behind. For a time, brief though it was, ancient Rome had another moment of glory in Pasadena.” AM JOE PIASECKI covers area history for Arroyo Monthly. Send topic suggestions to editor@arroyomonthly.com.

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{

TA B L E TA L K

Chez Sara, Sara

Chef Sara Levine shares her vision for the new Vertical Wine Bistro

BY REBECCA KARPELES ~ PHOTO BY MICHAEL GERMANA CHEF SARA LEVINE LIKES TO USE THE WORDS “relaxed,” “easygoing” and “unintimidating” when she describes the vibe at her absolutely stunning new Pasadena wine bistro, Vertical. These are fairly unusual choices for someone who spends her days in the company of Rothschilds, Roederers, Montrachets and Barbarescos. And those are just the wines (400 in all, 100 available by the glass).

But this native Angeleno is hardly undone by greatness. Over the years, she has worked in some of L.A.’s finest kitchens (Lucques, Zax, Pinot Bistro, Four Seasons), and is partnered in her current venture with movie producer and screenwriter Gale Anne Hurd and renowned wine expert Mike Farwell. You might expect such marquee players to produce a menu dripping in foie gras and truffles. You’d be wrong. Levine’s idea of good food is simple, rustic dishes: “things your grandmother would make.” As we chat on the rooftop of 70 N. Raymond Ave. overlooking the lights of downtown Pasadena, Levine shares with me her path to chefdom, her vision for a sustainable and locally grown pantry, and her hopes for an organic rooftop garden.

You were an anthropology major at UCLA and then went into social work. How did you end up in this business? One day, I was sitting in a restaurant up in Oakland with my dad trying to figure out if I could continue in that line of work.

Social work is really tough, often depressing. He asked what I was going to do with my life, and I told him that the only thing that ever really excited me was working in the restaurant business. I had done some hostessing or waitressing at some point. The restaurant we were eating at was virtually empty except for this one guy sitting behind us, and after a little while, he came over to our table and said, “Hi there, I’m sorry to interrupt.

There’s no one in the restaurant, so I couldn’t help eavesdropping. I have a daughter your age as well, and to me it sounds like you’d be a great cook. Let me introduce myself. My name is Jeremy Jones, and I’m vice president of California Culinary 60 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

Academy. Why don’t you come and take a tour, and we’ll hook you up?” I’d never cooked before! I went to the school and checked it out. Eventually I decided to go to New England Culinary Institute, but he definitely was my angel.

How did your cooking style and palate evolve?

I don’t come from a food world, per se, but my mom was really into M.F.K. Fisher’s books and Julia Child, Ruth Reichl. I grew up in L.A. when Nancy Silverton was starting La Brea Bakery and up in Berkeley, Alice Waters was becoming famous with Chez Panisse. And I kind of see them all

together, this group of women. That whole experience was a big influence. But we never cooked anything really fancy in our family. It was about fresh market ingredients, simple food, bistro food.

If my mom did something out of Julia Child, it took her 16 hours to make one dish!

Over the years, you’ve cooked at some of the hottest restaurants in Southern California.

How does Vertical fit into the “big picture” of your life and career? I’m sort of at a turning point in my life. I’m 34 years old. I’ve been doing this for eight years. I’ve got- —Continued on page 62

MERRIMENT

Chefs 4 Your Life

Vodka infused

with love

A Monrovia couple creates Modern Spirits.

BY GREG GILLOOLY SAN GABRIEL VALLEY HUSBAND-AND-WIFE TEAM MELKON Khosrovian and Litty Mathew are unlikely leaders of a modern revolution in distilled spirits. Their small Monrovia-based company Modern Spirits has achieved dazzling results in the mega-brand world of flavored vodkas.

Vodka is the most basic of the distilled spirits. Made from either grain or potatoes, it is colorless, odorless and virtually tasteless. It is usually offered at a throat-searing 80 proof (40 percent alcohol).

Mathew, a self-described cooking school dropout with an aversion to the alcoholic burn of high-octane vodka, had to endure lengthy Sunday dinners with her husband’s Armenian family, who enjoyed vodka. Khosrovian, eager to preserve both familial harmony and marital bliss, began concocting batches of infused vodkas in hopes of finding combinations that his wife and family could enjoy. His experiments were a huge success. Soon Khosrovian and Mathew together were creating custom infusions for friends and private clients, and in 2004 they formed the company Modern Spirits.

The idea for exotic spirit infusions isn’t new. From the Middle Ages to the present, European monasteries have produced exotic elixirs, most of which started out as medicinal concoctions but later evolved into popular beverages to be enjoyed along with or after meals.

What sets Modern Spirits infusions apart from others is their use of only natural fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. Khosrovian and Mathew make all of the vodkas themselves, sourcing fruits and vegetables from local farmers. They even hired their own “forager” to find truffles for their most exotic offering: Black Truffle Vodka. They taste a bit of every fruit that goes into every batch and refuse to use “droplets,” the chemical flavorings used in most flavored vodkas. By avoiding distillation after infusion, their vodkas have a full-bodied flavor. They also reduce the alcohol level to a more comfortable 70 proof.

Khosrovian and Mathew claim inspiration from haute cuisine, home cooking and even street food. Their current vodka infusions include Black Truffle, Candied Ginger, Celery Peppercorn, Grapefruit Honey, Pear Lavender, Chocolate Orange, and Tea. All are designed for use at mealtime.

They suggest you match an element in one of their vodkas with an ingredient in your dish — for example, Celery Peppercorn vodka with a peppercorn-encrusted steak. Or set them off against your plate’s qualities; buttery Pear Lavender vodka, for instance, would provide an interesting contrast to a sharp cheese course. Serve them chilled, but not straight from the freezer.

This kind of natural goodness does not come cheap, however. All but the Black Truffle sell for about $24 per 375-ml bottle. The Black Truffle, if you can find it, will set you back $39. Look for them in wine and spirits shops throughout the Southland. AM Greg Gillooly is proprietor of Heritage Wine & Spirits in Old Pasadena. He can be reached at greg@heritagewinecompany.com.

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CHEZ SARA, SARA —Continued from page 60

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Vertical Wine Bistro 70 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena (626) 795-3999 www.verticalwinebistro.com 5 to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday Almonds and Olives Small-plate appetizer for four 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup raw almonds, skin on 3 garlic cloves 1 sprig rosemary 1 sprig thyme 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1/4 cup unpitted kalamata olives 1/4 cup unpitted lucques olives 1/4 cup unpitted picholine olives 1/4 orange peel 4 black peppercorns 1 bay leaf 4 caperberries Heat oil. Simmer the almonds and garlic for a few minutes. Strain.

Save the oil, and let it cool.

Toss nuts with 2 tbsp. of the oil, rosemary, thyme and kosher salt.

Toss olives with 2 tbsp. of the oil, orange peel, peppercorns, bay leaf and caperberries.

To serve, place olives in a bowl, and toss with almonds.

ten to a point where it’s not just about the food anymore. Of course, I want everything to taste wonderful, but I’m beyond “How high can I stack it?” or “What flavor profile is going to work?” It’s about the fresh ingredients, it’s about nurturing your staff, supporting your local environment; it’s about the community at large and connecting the community to a product that’s healthy.

You’ve said you’d like to get to the point where everything you use is local and sustainable. How close are you? As close as I can be right now. I’m trying to figure out how I can get the produce I want directly from the farmers. We’re considering putting a garden on the roof, but that will take a while to do. I’m still using the Santa Monica farmers market, the Pasadena farmers market. All of our charcuterie comes from Paul Bertolli up north. We’re doing a lot of California cheeses, almost all of which are farmstead cheeses — the whole process continues on one farm.

I really want to take care of our environment while we cook the food, and I’m excited about introducing that concept to Pasadena.

What do you see for yourself in the future? Stay here forever! I love this place, this space, the energy and the people. I just want to develop this concept and work on the garden, get it all working and make this my home. AM REBECCA KARPELES is a food and wine writer, consultant and chef whose work has appeared in Food and Wine, The Wine Enthusiast, The Wine Spectator and many other publications. She has appeared on the TV Food Network, F/X TV and on WE, Women’s Entertainment.

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{

SHOPPING

Comfort and

giftsgalore!

BY TRACY SPICER

FESTIVE FLAPJACKS Have yourself a merry little breakfast with the Stonewall Kitchen Holiday Pancake Breakfast ($49.99). This beautifully packaged box set comes with Stonewall Kitchen’s famous farmhouse pancake and waffle mix, coastal morning coffee, wild blueberry jam and maple syrup for a delectable country-style meal you’d find in Maine. Savor the Flavor, 11 Kersting Court, Sierra Madre. Call (626) 355-5153, or visit www.savortheflavor.net.

Spread some holiday cheer this season with these festive favorites.

YEAR-ROUND TEA What to get the person who seems to have everything? If he or she is a tea drinker, look no further than Teavana’s Tea of the Month Club. Recipients receive a selection of three teas (2 ounces each), along with a description.

Choose from Asian Treasures, EuroStyle or Herbal Infusion. Teavana’s Tea of the Month Club comes in either a six-month or 12-month membership ($120 or $220). Teavana, 1153 Glendale Galleria, Glendale.

Call (818) 956-1063, or visit www.teavana.com.

{

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart.

To a customer, service. To all, charity.

To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect.

— OREN ARNOLD

{

JINGLE BELL ROCK This isn’t your ordinary rocking horse! Give the ultimate children’s gift this year with Merlin the Rocking Horse

by Silver Cross ($9,995). This hand-painted hardwood horse (55"L x 18.1"W x 40.2"H) comes with a natural saddle and leather reins and tack. Silver Cross only created 100, making Merlin a special heirloom to be passed down from generation to generation. Each is numbered with a certificate of authenticity. My Space Kids Furniture and Accessories, 401 N. Central Ave., Glendale.

Call (818) 246-5437.

64 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

SEEING RED The special edition (PRODUCT) RED iPod nano is not only the ideal gift for music lovers, but it also promotes a worthy cause: Apple will give $10 of every purchase to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS in Africa. The (PRODUCT) RED project was founded by U2’s Bono and philanthropist Bobby Shriver. Choose from either the 4GB ($199), which holds 1,000 songs, or the 8GB ($249), which holds 2,000. Apple Store, 54 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.

Call (626) 577-2685, or visit www.store.apple.com.

FEEL-GOOD FILMS “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” has impacted people of all ages and is considered the most inspirational movie of all time by the American Film Institute. And Bing Crosby crooning timeless holiday tunes in Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” is sure to uplift anyone’s spirit this season. The Classic Christmas DVD Collection Anniversary Edition ($23.98) pairs these perennial favorites, making it the ideal gift for film buffs.

Suncoast Motion Picture Company, 400 S. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. Call (626) 447-3350, or visit www.suncoast.com.

GIFT FOR THE FUTURE Make the season merry for not only mankind but also endangered animals: Consider the gift of wildlife adoption. The gift recipient receives a personalized adoption certificate and plush animal, from penguins and polar bears to sea otters and dolphins. Each donation ($25 to $65, depending on choice of animal) goes toward worthy wildlife causes, such as stopping Big Oil from opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and drilling off beaches, and keeping crucial federal protection for imperiled wildlife intact. Visit the Defenders of Wildlife Web site at www.wildlifeadoption.org. Arroyo Monthly readers can take advantage of a special 10% discount: Enter code ARY10.

TIME TO CELEBRATE Give the man in your life a gift to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. This Breguet La Tradition men’s water-resistant watch ($23,275) comes in 18-karat yellow gold with an offcentered silvered-gold dial engraved on a rose engine. This timepiece, complete with a sapphire caseback, also features handwound movement with 50-hour powerreserve function. Chong Hing Jewelers, 140 W. Valley Blvd., Ste. 119, San Gabriel. Call (626) 280-9195, or visit www.chonghing.com.

joy!

’Tis the season to treat yourself to a little R&R amidst the holiday shopping frenzy.

PEACE ON EARTH You shop, cook, clean and serve as holiday hostess. But why not give the gift of rest and relaxation to yourself for a night with Lush’s Golden Slumbers ($54.95)? This eight-piece set includes stress-relieving, soothing bath and body products, such as Dream On and Golden Slumbers bath bombs, Dream Cream, Dream Time Balm and the Sleepy Head Scalp Bar, all of which help you nestle in your bed and sleep in heavenly peace.

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, 24 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 792-0901, or visit www.lush.com.

WINTER RETREAT Nourish your mind, body and soul by lounging at the Can Can Parleur, Pasadena’s ultimate glamorous getaway.

Whether you opt for a Can Can Quickie manicure-and-pedicure combination ($60 for an hour) or the luxurious Vive le Rose treatment ($110 for 90-minute manicure; $120 for 90-minute pedicure) — complete with a pink champagne, rose petal and essential oil soak and hot stone massage — you’ll be more than ready to ring in the New Year. Can Can Parleur, 107 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Ste. 108, Pasadena. Call (626) 356-0880, or visit www.cancanparleur.com.

ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 65

{

SHOPPING

Comfort and

giftsgalore!

BY TRACY SPICER

FESTIVE FLAPJACKS Have yourself a merry little breakfast with the Stonewall Kitchen Holiday Pancake Breakfast ($49.99). This beautifully packaged box set comes with Stonewall Kitchen’s famous farmhouse pancake and waffle mix, coastal morning coffee, wild blueberry jam and maple syrup for a delectable country-style meal you’d find in Maine. Savor the Flavor, 11 Kersting Court, Sierra Madre. Call (626) 355-5153, or visit www.savortheflavor.net.

Spread some holiday cheer this season with these festive favorites.

YEAR-ROUND TEA What to get the person who seems to have everything? If he or she is a tea drinker, look no further than Teavana’s Tea of the Month Club. Recipients receive a selection of three teas (2 ounces each), along with a description.

Choose from Asian Treasures, EuroStyle or Herbal Infusion. Teavana’s Tea of the Month Club comes in either a six-month or 12-month membership ($120 or $220). Teavana, 1153 Glendale Galleria, Glendale.

Call (818) 956-1063, or visit www.teavana.com.

{

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart.

To a customer, service. To all, charity.

To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect.

— OREN ARNOLD

{

JINGLE BELL ROCK This isn’t your ordinary rocking horse! Give the ultimate children’s gift this year with Merlin the Rocking Horse

by Silver Cross ($9,995). This hand-painted hardwood horse (55"L x 18.1"W x 40.2"H) comes with a natural saddle and leather reins and tack. Silver Cross only created 100, making Merlin a special heirloom to be passed down from generation to generation. Each is numbered with a certificate of authenticity. My Space Kids Furniture and Accessories, 401 N. Central Ave., Glendale.

Call (818) 246-5437.

64 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

SEEING RED The special edition (PRODUCT) RED iPod nano is not only the ideal gift for music lovers, but it also promotes a worthy cause: Apple will give $10 of every purchase to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS in Africa. The (PRODUCT) RED project was founded by U2’s Bono and philanthropist Bobby Shriver. Choose from either the 4GB ($199), which holds 1,000 songs, or the 8GB ($249), which holds 2,000. Apple Store, 54 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.

Call (626) 577-2685, or visit www.store.apple.com.

FEEL-GOOD FILMS “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” has impacted people of all ages and is considered the most inspirational movie of all time by the American Film Institute. And Bing Crosby crooning timeless holiday tunes in Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” is sure to uplift anyone’s spirit this season. The Classic Christmas DVD Collection Anniversary Edition ($23.98) pairs these perennial favorites, making it the ideal gift for film buffs.

Suncoast Motion Picture Company, 400 S. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. Call (626) 447-3350, or visit www.suncoast.com.

GIFT FOR THE FUTURE Make the season merry for not only mankind but also endangered animals: Consider the gift of wildlife adoption. The gift recipient receives a personalized adoption certificate and plush animal, from penguins and polar bears to sea otters and dolphins. Each donation ($25 to $65, depending on choice of animal) goes toward worthy wildlife causes, such as stopping Big Oil from opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and drilling off beaches, and keeping crucial federal protection for imperiled wildlife intact. Visit the Defenders of Wildlife Web site at www.wildlifeadoption.org. Arroyo Monthly readers can take advantage of a special 10% discount: Enter code ARY10.

TIME TO CELEBRATE Give the man in your life a gift to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. This Breguet La Tradition men’s water-resistant watch ($23,275) comes in 18-karat yellow gold with an offcentered silvered-gold dial engraved on a rose engine. This timepiece, complete with a sapphire caseback, also features handwound movement with 50-hour powerreserve function. Chong Hing Jewelers, 140 W. Valley Blvd., Ste. 119, San Gabriel. Call (626) 280-9195, or visit www.chonghing.com.

joy!

’Tis the season to treat yourself to a little R&R amidst the holiday shopping frenzy.

PEACE ON EARTH You shop, cook, clean and serve as holiday hostess. But why not give the gift of rest and relaxation to yourself for a night with Lush’s Golden Slumbers ($54.95)? This eight-piece set includes stress-relieving, soothing bath and body products, such as Dream On and Golden Slumbers bath bombs, Dream Cream, Dream Time Balm and the Sleepy Head Scalp Bar, all of which help you nestle in your bed and sleep in heavenly peace.

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, 24 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 792-0901, or visit www.lush.com.

WINTER RETREAT Nourish your mind, body and soul by lounging at the Can Can Parleur, Pasadena’s ultimate glamorous getaway.

Whether you opt for a Can Can Quickie manicure-and-pedicure combination ($60 for an hour) or the luxurious Vive le Rose treatment ($110 for 90-minute manicure; $120 for 90-minute pedicure) — complete with a pink champagne, rose petal and essential oil soak and hot stone massage — you’ll be more than ready to ring in the New Year. Can Can Parleur, 107 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Ste. 108, Pasadena. Call (626) 356-0880, or visit www.cancanparleur.com.

ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 65

{ List

“iMAC” (1999) Acrylic on canvas, 22 x 22 x 11 1/4 in.

THE

A highly selective preview of upcoming events

ROBERT REDFORD SPEAKS Dec. 5 — Pasadena’s Distinguished Speaker Series features speakers who inspire, enlighten and entertain, from world leaders to Nobel laureates, authors, entertainers and others. This event features actor, Academy Award-winning director, producer and environmental advocate Robert Redford, who specializes in films with social and cultural relevance, and encourages everyone to express themselves through the arts. He founded the Sundance Institute to promote visionary screenwriters and directors and to support the international exhibition of independent films. The event starts at 8 p.m. at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. Call (310) 546-6222, or visit www.speakersla.com.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL WITH A TWIST Dec. 1 through 23 — The Sierra Madre Playhouse presents a classic tale with a twist. Dickens’ story about a miser who suddenly becomes enamored with the holiday spirit is presented in “A Christmas Carol Story,” featuring the tale done with songs. Directed by Alison Kalmus, the stage adaptation by the late Larry Davison sticks closely to the original, with the addition of singing and music from traditional western European Christmas carols. Call for show times. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. Call (626) 256-3809, or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org.

CANDLELIGHT AIDS WALK Dec. 2 — AIDS Service Center will present its 14th annual Posada, a candlelight walk of remembrance and hope to raise money for local AIDS services and to acknowledge the importance of HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs. Participants will walk through the area surrounding the Pasadena Civic Center while passing by various venues and displays, including panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Paseo Colorado will host the opening and closing ceremonies in its Garfield Promenade. Posada 2006 will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. at Paseo Colorado, 280 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Walker check-in is at 4:30 p.m. Minimum 66 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

donation is $10. Call (626) 441-8495, or visit www.theposada.org.

A PINT-SIZED PARADE AND MORE Dec. 2 — Kidspace Children’s Museum offers fun-filled holiday events throughout the month. It kicks off the season with the 19th annual Rosebud Parade, a “downsized” version of the Tournament of Roses Parade, where kids are the stars in decorated wagons, scooters and bicycles that are showcased up and down South Lake Avenue in Pasadena.

Decoration starts at 8 a.m., and the parade kicks off at 10 a.m. Registration is $6 per child ($5 for members) online at the museum’s Web site, and $9 on the day of the event.

Dec. 9 — Be sure to have your holiday shopping list in hand from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kidspace Toy Fair, a one-stop shop featuring special interactive toys, nine fabulous raffles and appearances by Dot the Ladybug and Buzzy Bee. Dec. 17 — Learn about contemporary dance styles with Lineage Dance’s fun workshops open to all members of the community from 11 a.m. to noon and 1 to 2 p.m.

Dec. 26 through 31 — The second annual Kidspace Winter Wonderland offers weekly activities, like a holiday-themed MiniIron Chef Challenge, the Kidspace Crew Follies and a special magic show. Kidspace Museum, 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena.

Call (626) 449-9144, or visit www.kidspacemuseum.org.

30 YEARS OF DANIEL DOUKE Through Dec. 16 — What’s so great about a storage box? If the box was created by Pasadena artist Daniel Douke, it’s something truly one-of-a-kind. What look like ordinary, worn-and-torn cardboard boxes — from Apple iMac, Gateway, Compaq and Castrol Motor Oil — are simulations created entirely from acrylic and canvas. He also creates stunning metal and photographic-looking works on canvas that deceive the eye. His innovative, avant-garde works have been compiled from across the country into a 30-year survey exhibition running through Dec. 16 at Cal State L.A., where Douke is a retiring professor.“Daniel Douke: Endless Instant” includes 40 of his pieces, including “Maneuver” (2005), an acrylic on canvas pastry; and “Morilla, Farmington, Cascade” (1981), a trio of different-sized packages. It’s an exhibit that must be seen to fully believe! Luckman Gallery at Cal State L.A., 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles. Call (323) 343-6608, or visit www.luckmanarts.org/luckmangallery.

TIRAGE PRESENTS HOLIDAY SALON Dec. 2 through 23 — Tirage Gallery hosts its annual Holiday Salon, an eclectic display of representational paintings and sculpture. The exhibition opens with an artist’s reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2. Tirage Gallery, One W. California Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 405-1020, or visit www.tirageart.com.

HISTORIC HOLIDAY TOURS Dec. 3 — Though Castle Green is a breathtaking site any time of year, it exudes an especially warm aura during its special holiday tour. Adorned with a 12-foot Christmas tree, vintage stockings, antique ornaments, train sets and more, it’s the ideal venue in which to feel merry and bright.

General admission is $20; children under 12 are admitted free. The tour takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. at Castle Green, 99 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 577-6765, or visit www.castlegreen.com.

Dec. 10 — The Queen Anne Cottage at the L.A. County Arboretum will open its doors for a one-day-only holiday event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Victorian-era cottage will be delightfully decorated for the holidays, and docents will be on hand to provide fascinating information about its rich history. Music and entertainment will further create a festive ambiance. Free with Arboretum admission. Los Angeles

“Nicholson” (1978) Acrylic on masonite, 12 x 19 x 10 in.

County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. Call (626) 821-3222, or visit www.arboretum.org.

Godbey Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. Call (626) 798-7222, ext.

329.

Glendale. Call (818) 243-2539, or visit www.mediacityballet.org.

YOUNG VOICES RING

FIVE ACRES OPEN HOUSE

A SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS

Dec. 3 & 10 — Don’t miss some of the area’s brightest and most talented voices as the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus performs two winter concerts this month. The first performance will take place at 7 p.m. Dec. 3, when LACC’s Concert and Intermediate Choirs will be joined by the Chamber Singers. On Dec. 10, the Concert and Apprentice Choirs will take the stage with the Chamber Singers for another inspirational choral set. Both concerts will be held at the Pasadena Presbyterian Church, 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 793-4231, or visit www.lachildrenschorus.org.

Dec. 7 — Remember what’s important for the holidays: the spirit of giving and caring about others in need. Five Acres, an organization devoted to helping kids and preventing abuse, hosts its annual Open House. The evening starts with refreshments at 5:30 p.m. At 6 p.m., children coached by volunteers from the Los Angeles Opera will perform a selection of holiday songs. Tours of the facilities begin at 7 p.m. The Tournament of Roses Queen and Court will also pay a visit.

Guests are encouraged to bring a gift to donate to the kids at Five Acres (gifts can be dropped off until Dec. 23). Five Acres, 760 W. Mountain View St., Altadena. To RSVP, call (626) 798-6793, ext. 852, or visit www.fiveacres.org.

Dec. 9 & 10 — Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium is the scene of a Christmas performance with a Scottish accent, as fiddler Bonnie Rideout performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 9 and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 10. The award-winning musician will be joined onstage by Celtic dancers and musicians from North America and Scotland. The air will be filled with the sounds of Scottish carols, wassail tunes, traditional Highland music and dance. Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 395-4652.

GOLF CLASSIC BENEFITS BIENVENIDOS Dec. 4 — The Second Annual Stu Nahan Golf Classic features more than 100 golfers teeing off in a shotgun format to benefit Bienvenidos Children’s Center, which provides support and services for children and families in crisis. Sports newscaster and commentator Nahan hosts the event from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. After the game, there is an awards banquet, award presentations, silent and live auction, raffle and special surprises. La Cañada Flintridge Country Club, 5500

A HOLIDAY CLASSIC AT THE ALEX Dec. 8, 9 & 10 — If it’s the holiday season, that means it’s time for “The Nutcracker.” The whole family can enjoy this classic performed by Media City Ballet, with Artistic Director Natasha Middleton-Kettebekov and the San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra, conducted by James Domine.

The story that’s mesmerized audiences for generations plays at the Alex Theatre on three days: at 8 p.m. Dec. 8, and 2 p.m. Dec. 9 and 10. Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd.,

INTIMATE OPERA PRESENTS HOLIDAY TRADITION Dec. 9, 16 & 17 — The company presents the enchanting “Amahl and the Night Visitors” at three San Gabriel Valley locations. Menotti’s holiday classic in one act recounts the story of a miracle that blesses a poor widow and her disabled son when they receive a visit from the Three Wise Men on their way to Bethlehem. Directed by LizBeth Lucca, the opera is appropriate for the entire family. On Dec. 9, “Amahl” will be performed at Harbeson Hall, Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; on Dec. 16, it will be presented at Packard Hall, —Continued on page 68 ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 67

{ List

“iMAC” (1999) Acrylic on canvas, 22 x 22 x 11 1/4 in.

THE

A highly selective preview of upcoming events

ROBERT REDFORD SPEAKS Dec. 5 — Pasadena’s Distinguished Speaker Series features speakers who inspire, enlighten and entertain, from world leaders to Nobel laureates, authors, entertainers and others. This event features actor, Academy Award-winning director, producer and environmental advocate Robert Redford, who specializes in films with social and cultural relevance, and encourages everyone to express themselves through the arts. He founded the Sundance Institute to promote visionary screenwriters and directors and to support the international exhibition of independent films. The event starts at 8 p.m. at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. Call (310) 546-6222, or visit www.speakersla.com.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL WITH A TWIST Dec. 1 through 23 — The Sierra Madre Playhouse presents a classic tale with a twist. Dickens’ story about a miser who suddenly becomes enamored with the holiday spirit is presented in “A Christmas Carol Story,” featuring the tale done with songs. Directed by Alison Kalmus, the stage adaptation by the late Larry Davison sticks closely to the original, with the addition of singing and music from traditional western European Christmas carols. Call for show times. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. Call (626) 256-3809, or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org.

CANDLELIGHT AIDS WALK Dec. 2 — AIDS Service Center will present its 14th annual Posada, a candlelight walk of remembrance and hope to raise money for local AIDS services and to acknowledge the importance of HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs. Participants will walk through the area surrounding the Pasadena Civic Center while passing by various venues and displays, including panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Paseo Colorado will host the opening and closing ceremonies in its Garfield Promenade. Posada 2006 will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. at Paseo Colorado, 280 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Walker check-in is at 4:30 p.m. Minimum 66 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

donation is $10. Call (626) 441-8495, or visit www.theposada.org.

A PINT-SIZED PARADE AND MORE Dec. 2 — Kidspace Children’s Museum offers fun-filled holiday events throughout the month. It kicks off the season with the 19th annual Rosebud Parade, a “downsized” version of the Tournament of Roses Parade, where kids are the stars in decorated wagons, scooters and bicycles that are showcased up and down South Lake Avenue in Pasadena.

Decoration starts at 8 a.m., and the parade kicks off at 10 a.m. Registration is $6 per child ($5 for members) online at the museum’s Web site, and $9 on the day of the event.

Dec. 9 — Be sure to have your holiday shopping list in hand from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kidspace Toy Fair, a one-stop shop featuring special interactive toys, nine fabulous raffles and appearances by Dot the Ladybug and Buzzy Bee. Dec. 17 — Learn about contemporary dance styles with Lineage Dance’s fun workshops open to all members of the community from 11 a.m. to noon and 1 to 2 p.m.

Dec. 26 through 31 — The second annual Kidspace Winter Wonderland offers weekly activities, like a holiday-themed MiniIron Chef Challenge, the Kidspace Crew Follies and a special magic show. Kidspace Museum, 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena.

Call (626) 449-9144, or visit www.kidspacemuseum.org.

30 YEARS OF DANIEL DOUKE Through Dec. 16 — What’s so great about a storage box? If the box was created by Pasadena artist Daniel Douke, it’s something truly one-of-a-kind. What look like ordinary, worn-and-torn cardboard boxes — from Apple iMac, Gateway, Compaq and Castrol Motor Oil — are simulations created entirely from acrylic and canvas. He also creates stunning metal and photographic-looking works on canvas that deceive the eye. His innovative, avant-garde works have been compiled from across the country into a 30-year survey exhibition running through Dec. 16 at Cal State L.A., where Douke is a retiring professor.“Daniel Douke: Endless Instant” includes 40 of his pieces, including “Maneuver” (2005), an acrylic on canvas pastry; and “Morilla, Farmington, Cascade” (1981), a trio of different-sized packages. It’s an exhibit that must be seen to fully believe! Luckman Gallery at Cal State L.A., 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles. Call (323) 343-6608, or visit www.luckmanarts.org/luckmangallery.

TIRAGE PRESENTS HOLIDAY SALON Dec. 2 through 23 — Tirage Gallery hosts its annual Holiday Salon, an eclectic display of representational paintings and sculpture. The exhibition opens with an artist’s reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2. Tirage Gallery, One W. California Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 405-1020, or visit www.tirageart.com.

HISTORIC HOLIDAY TOURS Dec. 3 — Though Castle Green is a breathtaking site any time of year, it exudes an especially warm aura during its special holiday tour. Adorned with a 12-foot Christmas tree, vintage stockings, antique ornaments, train sets and more, it’s the ideal venue in which to feel merry and bright.

General admission is $20; children under 12 are admitted free. The tour takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. at Castle Green, 99 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 577-6765, or visit www.castlegreen.com.

Dec. 10 — The Queen Anne Cottage at the L.A. County Arboretum will open its doors for a one-day-only holiday event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Victorian-era cottage will be delightfully decorated for the holidays, and docents will be on hand to provide fascinating information about its rich history. Music and entertainment will further create a festive ambiance. Free with Arboretum admission. Los Angeles

“Nicholson” (1978) Acrylic on masonite, 12 x 19 x 10 in.

County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. Call (626) 821-3222, or visit www.arboretum.org.

Godbey Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. Call (626) 798-7222, ext.

329.

Glendale. Call (818) 243-2539, or visit www.mediacityballet.org.

YOUNG VOICES RING

FIVE ACRES OPEN HOUSE

A SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS

Dec. 3 & 10 — Don’t miss some of the area’s brightest and most talented voices as the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus performs two winter concerts this month. The first performance will take place at 7 p.m. Dec. 3, when LACC’s Concert and Intermediate Choirs will be joined by the Chamber Singers. On Dec. 10, the Concert and Apprentice Choirs will take the stage with the Chamber Singers for another inspirational choral set. Both concerts will be held at the Pasadena Presbyterian Church, 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 793-4231, or visit www.lachildrenschorus.org.

Dec. 7 — Remember what’s important for the holidays: the spirit of giving and caring about others in need. Five Acres, an organization devoted to helping kids and preventing abuse, hosts its annual Open House. The evening starts with refreshments at 5:30 p.m. At 6 p.m., children coached by volunteers from the Los Angeles Opera will perform a selection of holiday songs. Tours of the facilities begin at 7 p.m. The Tournament of Roses Queen and Court will also pay a visit.

Guests are encouraged to bring a gift to donate to the kids at Five Acres (gifts can be dropped off until Dec. 23). Five Acres, 760 W. Mountain View St., Altadena. To RSVP, call (626) 798-6793, ext. 852, or visit www.fiveacres.org.

Dec. 9 & 10 — Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium is the scene of a Christmas performance with a Scottish accent, as fiddler Bonnie Rideout performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 9 and 3:30 p.m. Dec. 10. The award-winning musician will be joined onstage by Celtic dancers and musicians from North America and Scotland. The air will be filled with the sounds of Scottish carols, wassail tunes, traditional Highland music and dance. Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 395-4652.

GOLF CLASSIC BENEFITS BIENVENIDOS Dec. 4 — The Second Annual Stu Nahan Golf Classic features more than 100 golfers teeing off in a shotgun format to benefit Bienvenidos Children’s Center, which provides support and services for children and families in crisis. Sports newscaster and commentator Nahan hosts the event from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. After the game, there is an awards banquet, award presentations, silent and live auction, raffle and special surprises. La Cañada Flintridge Country Club, 5500

A HOLIDAY CLASSIC AT THE ALEX Dec. 8, 9 & 10 — If it’s the holiday season, that means it’s time for “The Nutcracker.” The whole family can enjoy this classic performed by Media City Ballet, with Artistic Director Natasha Middleton-Kettebekov and the San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra, conducted by James Domine.

The story that’s mesmerized audiences for generations plays at the Alex Theatre on three days: at 8 p.m. Dec. 8, and 2 p.m. Dec. 9 and 10. Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd.,

INTIMATE OPERA PRESENTS HOLIDAY TRADITION Dec. 9, 16 & 17 — The company presents the enchanting “Amahl and the Night Visitors” at three San Gabriel Valley locations. Menotti’s holiday classic in one act recounts the story of a miracle that blesses a poor widow and her disabled son when they receive a visit from the Three Wise Men on their way to Bethlehem. Directed by LizBeth Lucca, the opera is appropriate for the entire family. On Dec. 9, “Amahl” will be performed at Harbeson Hall, Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; on Dec. 16, it will be presented at Packard Hall, —Continued on page 68 ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 67

THE LIST —Continued from page 67

LIGHTING UP THE PASEO Dec. 1 — Kick off the holiday season in style, with an event the whole family can enjoy. In a joint effort with the city of Pasadena, the Paseo Colorado hosts its annual lighting of the official city tree. Singer Cheryl Conley will perform with the Pasadena Jazz Institute at 6 p.m. Then Mayor Bogaard and Santa will arrive aboard the Pasadena Firefighters Association’s vintage 1909 Seagrave fire truck, with the lighting of the magnificent Washington Noble tree to follow at 7 p.m. Afterward, enjoy a special, live performance by the Pasadena Playhouse, and Conley and the Jazz Institute hit the stage again from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Parents are encouraged to bring a camera to photograph their kids with Santa. Fresh popcorn and hot cocoa will be provided by Pacific Theatres and Starbucks. The Paseo Colorado, 280 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 7959100, or visit www.paseocoloradopasadena.com.

Westminster Gardens, 1420 Santo Domingo Ave., Duarte; and on Dec. 17, it will take place at the Aztec Hotel, 311 W. Foothill Blvd., Monrovia. Call (626) 274-7342, or visit www.intimateopera.net.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS The Balian House has been attracting passersby and outof-towners for years with 10,000 colored lights and ornate holiday depictions, including everything from a nativity scene to Rudolph and Santa. The three-and-a-half-acre property is located on the corner of Mendocino and Allen Avenues in Altadena.

Dec. 9 through 31 — Get in the Christmas spirit with the annual Upper Hastings Yule Light-Up. Different blocks in the neighborhood compete, transforming the area into a holiday paradise with various decorations, displays and, of course, lights. The neighborhood is bordered by Michillinda Avenue, Sierra Madre Boulevard and Riviera Drive in Pasadena.

Dec. 9 through Jan. 6, 2007 — Enjoy three blocks of brightly colored lights and decorated trees at Christmas Tree Lane (actually Santa Rosa Avenue between Woodbury Avenue and Altadena Drive) in Altadena.

PRESIDENT CARTER AT VROMAN’S Dec. 11 — After negotiating peace between Israel and Egypt and continuing to have ties with the Holy Land, President Jimmy Carter shares his knowledge of the Middle East in “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” Carter will sign copies of his new book at 7 p.m. This signing event requires a validated line ticket, which can be obtained by purchasing at least one copy of “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” from Vroman’s main store. There is a two-book limit (one book per ticket) per person. Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 449-5320, or visit www.vromansbookstore.com for other restrictions, guidelines and more information.

SUGAR PLUM TREE Through Dec. 14 — Friends of Foster Children and Westfield Santa Anita Fashion Park shoppers are sure to brighten hundreds of foster children’s days this year with the Sugar Plum Tree gift program. Four trees will be decorated in the mall with tags and themes, such as children’s wishes, general wishes for facility needs, special tags for expensive items the facilities need, and FOFC Committee wishes for supplies needed for year-round foster children projects. Shoppers are encouraged to choose a tag, pur68 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

chase the item and return with the unwrapped gift, which will be handed over to volunteers staffing the table.

Children at residential treatment centers including Bienvenidos Children’s Center, Rosemary Children’s Services and Hathaway-Sycamores are represented on the trees. Westfield Santa Anita Fashion Park, 400 S. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. Call (626) 445-4542.

THE SNOW QUEEN VISITS GLENDALE Dec. 21, 22 & 23 — The California Theatrical Youth Ballet presents its ninth annual performance of “The Snow Queen” in four performances at Glendale Community College Theatre. The perennial holiday favorite features the adventures of Gerda, who struggles to save her best friend, Kai. Tears of joy rain on an entire village, as the Snow Queen reverses an old tragedy. The production features incredible lighting, hand-sewn costumes, stunning choreography and an original music score. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21 and 22, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23.

Glendale Community College Theatre, 1500 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale. Call (818) 790-7924, or visit www.caldancearts.com.

NATIVITIES ON DISPLAY Through Dec. 31 — The Folk Tree is hosting its 20th annual International Nativities Exhibition through the holidays.

The exhibition features nativities created by artisans from Mexico, South America, Africa, India and Europe. The craft came to the Americas via the Spaniards in the 1500s, and continues to be important for Latin American families.

Each artist creates personal interpretations of the scene, which typically includes Mary and Joseph, baby Jesus in a manger, the three Wise Men and various animals. Materials and techniques reflect the artists’ native countries, and sculptures range in size from two inches to three feet tall.

The Folk Tree, 217 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 795-8733, or visit www.folktree.com.

On the horizon…

TOURNAMENT OF ROSES EVENTS Dec. 28 through 31 — Take a behind-the-scenes look and watch the final touches being given to Rose Parade floats at the Float Decorating, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 28 and 29, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 30, and 11 a.m.

to 1 p.m. Dec. 31. Float decorating will take place at four locations: Rosemont Pavilion, 700 Seco St., Pasadena; Brookside Pavilion, near Rose Bowl Stadium; Rose Palace, 835 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena; and Buena Vista Pavilion, 2144 Buena Vista, Duarte. Admission costs $5 for any two visits; children 3 and under are admitted free. For advance tickets, call Sharp Seating at (626) 795-4171, or visit www.sharpseating.com.

Jan. 1, 2007 — The 118th Tournament of Roses Parade is known as Pasadena’s world-famous annual event. This year’s theme is “Our Good Nature,” and Grand Marshal George Lucas will lead floats, equestrian units and marching bands down the five-and-a-half-mile route. The parade begins at 8 a.m. at Colorado and Orange Grove boulevards.

Jan. 1, 2007 — The 93rd Rose Bowl Game brings two championship football teams to the iconic stadium beginning at 2 p.m. The face value of a 2007 game ticket is $135, and a limited number of tickets will go on sale to the general public through Ticketmaster beginning at 8 a.m. Dec. 5. Rose Bowl Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena. Call (213) 365-3675, or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Jan 1. & 2, 2007 — Missed the parade? You can still see the floats in all their glory at the Post-Parade Float Viewing: A Showcase of Floats from 1 to 5 p.m. Jan. 1, and 7 to 9 a.m. (reserved for senior citizens, mobility impaired visitors and special tours only) and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 2 at Washington and Sierra Madre boulevards in Pasadena.

Tickets are $7; children under 5 are admitted free. Shuttle services will be available at the following three locations: Rose Bowl Stadium; Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; and Community Education Center, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena. Shuttle fees are $2 per person round trip and free for children 5 and under.

For information on any of these events, call (877) 793-9911 or (626) 449-ROSE, or visit www.tournamentofroses.com or www.pasadenacal.com.

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ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 69

NESTING

Festive flourishes

The 39th annual Holiday Look In Home Tour celebrates the season with exceptional décor.

i

BY TEENA APELES ~ PHOTOS BY EVANS VESTAL WARD

T’S THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN PEOPLE decorate their homes to reflect the spirit of the holiday season. Lights are strung, wreaths adorn front doors, candles flicker in windows, and poinsettias and Christmas trees become household must-haves. Perhaps this year you want to add a new touch to your holiday wonderland, or you simply want to see how others dress up their homes for the month. Since 1967, the Women’s Committee of The Pasadena Symphony has been getting holiday enthusiasts in the mood early with the help of talented florists and willing homeowners. Its Holiday Look In Home Tour and Boutique attracts 3,000 to 4,000 people each year and is a feast for the eyes, the ears and even the nose.

This year’s 39th annual Holiday Look In Home Tour on Dec. 2 and 3 presents the artistry of several notable area floral designers: Jacob Maarse Florists, Mary Falkingham Floral Designs, Tommy Farmer Florist Inc. and Patterson’s Topiaries, Pots and Teas. Their canvases are some of Pasadena’s most stunning residences. Visitors will experience their work in a contemporary Japanese-style home (recently named a historic landmark), an Italian Mediterranean villa, a traditional Colonial and an Italianate Craftsman. And there is no limit to the florists’ creativity, from their choice and use of items to the size and complexity of their decorations. The results are often breathtaking.

“Whatever their vision is, is what they do,” says Nicole Sokolow, chairperson of the tour.

“That’s what’s so nice about it. They don’t do the traditional Christmas or the traditional holiday floral decorations; their arrangements can be used all year ’round.”

Of course, there will be exquisitely decorated Christmas trees with pretty ribbons, colorful family ornaments and cheerful lights, but the holiday scenery does not begin or end with the tree. A wide variety of flowers and other surprising embellishments bedeck areas of the home, with fireplaces, staircases, hallways and practically

70 ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ ARROYO

Nicole Sokolow, Hank Maarse and Sue Shieff at Jacob Maarse Florists. every ledge and tabletop displaying the florists’ offerings. Intricate arrangements of varying colors and layers — incorporating flowers, vibrantly colored fruits (even pineapples), pine cones, jutting branches and other greenery — add a warm, festive feeling to each room, while other simply elegant pieces, such as miniature trees or a vase bursting with white tulips, serve to liven up an area with a cheery glow. Even the most modest trimmings, like berries hanging from the corners of family portraits, enhance the holiday ambiance.

Home entryways and backyards are also given festive touches. Appealing foliage and lovely fabrics are carefully strung above and around doorways or columns. Sometimes fresh flowers are placed in trees — tons of “enormous, gigantic, beautiful pink peonies” were scattered through Sokolow’s trees one year — or outdoor tables become imaginative sculptures resembling luscious mini-forests. It’s a challenging and exciting feat for the florists to accomplish, and many of

their loyal fans return year after year to see the amazing designs they dream up.

“It’s a unique tour experience,” notes Sokolow. “You get to see the homes, but you also get to see the beautiful design and decorations, and it changes what the home looks like and the whole atmosphere.”

The Holiday Look In Home Tour is a treat for almost all the senses. The scents of different flora and fruit fill the air, as well as the sound of music.

It is, after all, an event to benefit The Pasadena Symphony. As people tour the homes and boutique, they will be treated to music from the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, Arroyo Singers and Verdugo Hills Sweet Adelines.

The accompanying Winter Wonderland of Treasures boutique, located at the Pasadena Senior Center, will also offer an assortment of items for purchase — to decorate the home or to give as gifts to a loved one — from more than 30 vendors. Celebrate the joy of the holidays early with the Holiday Look In Home Tour and Boutique, and witness how Pasadena’s most renowned florists turn some of the area’s most beautiful homes into even more festive living spaces. AM The 39th annual Holiday Look In Home Tour and Boutique will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3. Tickets for the tour are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. (Tickets will be on sale throughout the event at each of the homes and at the boutique.) Proceeds benefit The Pasadena Symphony and its educational outreach programs.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call (626) 793-7172, ext. 11. The Winter Wonderland of Treasures boutique will be at the Pasadena Senior Center, 85 E. Holly St., Pasadena.

TEENA APELES is a Los Angeles–based writer and editor. She has contributed to Audrey, LA Weekly, Pasadena Weekly and Helio, among other publications. Her nonfiction book, “Women Warriors,” was published by Seal Press in 2004.

Floral design by Jacob Maarse Florists

LIFESTYLE

One with the

world

Celebration of Oneness offers a weekend of nourishment for mind, body, soul and planet. BY TRACY SPICER

Dave Scanlon, Sergio, Adrian, Lisa McKenna, Capt.

Bruce Davis, Eric Nelson, and Aaron Rowe Zareh Baghdasarian, Jim Matherly, Adrian, Paul Roy, and Sossi Bacham

Mark Miller, Adrian, Kiko Ellsworth,

Christine Carlo, Jim Matherly

Kiko Ellsworth, Christine Carlo, Dilana, Adrian, Michael and Sergio.

ONE IS USUALLY KNOWN AS THE LONELIEST NUMBER. HOWEVER, on Dec. 9 and 10, thousands of people will gather at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium for the first annual Celebration of Oneness.

This multimedia event is designed to uplift and inspire, encouraging participants to reflect on mental and physical well-being as well as global and environmental issues. Musical performances, film screenings, keynote speakers, informative workshops and vendors will promote various options for positive action in the world.

Stockard Channing, Lucy Liu, Olympia Dukakis and Chloë Sevigny star in “3 Needles,” one of the powerful films showcased at the event.

Directed by Thom Fitzgerald, this gripping drama tells the story of various people struggling with AIDS in North America, South Africa and China.

The director will be joined by one of the stars of the film for a Q&A session following the screening.

Celebration of Oneness also presents a screening of Lee Hirsch’s “Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony,” a riveting documentary profiling black South African freedom music and its crucial role in the battle against apartheid. The film won critical acclaim, including the Freedom of Expression and Documentary Audience awards at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival.

“Amandla!” producer Sherry Simpson-Dean, who also serves as executive director of the United Nations Association of Pasadena and co-president of the U.N.A.’s Africa Task Force for the West Coast, will present two panel discussions: “Oneness Through the United Nation’s 8 Millennium Development Goals: Case Study Africa” and “Making a Difference Through Film.”

Wahoo Fish Tacos’ Wing Lam, Craigslist Foundation’s Darian Heyman and Make the Difference Network’s Ken McBride will be a part of the informative “Collaboration: Oneness in Action” panel, which focuses on ways nonprofit organizations can work with corporations and government agencies.

Known as the first scientist to recognize the HIV virus, Michael Gottlieb will also lead a discussion panel titled “AIDS and Our Global Community” with various researchers, doctors and care providers.

Celebration of Oneness also has an impressive list of keynote speakers, including syndicated columnist, TV personality and “On Becoming Fearless” author Arianna Huffington, “Chicken Soup for the African American Soul” co-author Lisa Nichols and “Beauty Bites Beast” author Ellen Snortland.

This one-of-a-kind festival and expo will surely nourish your spirit and inspire unity. AM The festival and expo will be held on Dec. 9 and 10 at the Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. For more information or to order tickets, call (866) 706-7279 or (303) 485-5961, or visit www.celebrationofoneness.com.

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YOSEMITE ART OF AN AMERICAN ICON Yosemite: Art of an American Icon examines more than 150 years of creative vision within this spectacular landscape.

Explore Yosemite's changing image and discover how artists turned a physical place into a cultural ideal.

Enjoy works by Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Hill, Carleton Watkins, Ansel Adams, Wayne Thiebaud, Carrie Bethel, Lucy Telles, Mark Klett, and their contemporaries.

Part I: 1855—1969, Sept 22, 2006—Jan 21, 2007 Part II: 1970—Present, Nov 10, 2006—Apr 22, 2007

4700 Western Heritage Way • Los Angeles, CA 90027 323.667.2000 • autrynationalcenter.org The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation

Albert Bierstadt, Sunset in the Yosemite Valley, 1868. The Haggin Museum, Haggin Collection, Stockton, California.

ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 73

G Y F A P V ive

our

ermanent

amily

acation!

La Canada Flintridge Country Club 5500 Godbey Drive, La Canada Flintridge

Membership Inquiry Terry Bankston Director of Membership

info@lcfcc.net

(818) 790-0611

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ARROYO ~ DECEMBER 2006 ~ 75

Š 2006 Cartier