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Design Pasadena 2012
WALLACE NEFF THE FATHER OF “CALIFORNIA STYLE”
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arroyo VOLUME 8 | NUMBER 4 | APRIL 2012
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DESIGN PASADENA 2012 10 SIMPLE LUXURY A foothills manse borrows great style from the past. — By Bettijane Levine
15 MICHAEL MALTZAN TAKES ON ART CENTER The prominent L.A. architect will help transform the school into a cutting-edge hub for budding artists and designers. — By Bettijane Levine
25 STORAGE SOLUTIONS FOR VINTAGE HOMES What you don’t see can be just as crucial to good design as what you do. — By Noela Hueso
32 THE FATHER OF “CALIFORNIA STYLE” Architect Wallace Neff’s love of Mediterranean design helped define SoCal’s landscape. — By Michael Cervin
DEPARTMENTS 9
FESTIVITIES Los Angeles Children’s Chorus and The Pasadena Conservatory of Music
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE A preview of the 2012 Pasadena Showcase House of Design
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KITCHEN CONFESSIONS Calling out celeb chef Paula Deen for promoting spectacularly unhealthy eating
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WINING AND DINING Vertical Wine Bistro’s new chef, Laurent Quenioux
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THE LIST The Huntington’s Japanese Garden returns, The Heiress opens, a rare Greene & Greene home tour and more
ABOUT THE COVER: Photo of foothills estate by Michael Arden
04.12 | ARROYO | 7
EDITOR’S NOTE
WALLACE NEFF IS STILL HOT. Just last month, a 1922 Neff home near the Altadena Town & Country Club, asking $1.249 million, went under contract just days after being listed for the first time in 40 years. The noted architect — who spent much of his youth in his grandfather’s Altadena mansion, opened a Pasadena office and settled in San Marino — left behind more than 75 structures in Arroyoland, a veritable banquet of design for fans of historic preservation to savor. But his impact doesn’t stop there — Neff’s passion for Mediterranean design has helped define the larger regional landscape, earning him the sobriquet of “the father of California style.” For our Design Pasadena 2012 issue, Michael Cervin looks back at Neff’s life and inspirations, which continue to influence his successors. One of those is Everardo Garcia of Pasadena’s Lim Chang Rohling & Associates, who naturally looked to Neff’s legacy when he was commissioned to design a home for recent arrivals from China that would be appropriate for their new Pasadena-area neighborhood. We tour the elegant home, which seamlessly meshes traditional Mediterranean style with modern conveniences like a sun-filled great room. Owners of actual Neffs and other vintage homes may have to make their own domestic tweaks to accommodate the way we live now, but fear not: Noela Hueso asked designers and closet experts to suggest ways to tuck away the sheer mountain of stuff we accumulate these days. We also have a sneak peek at the 48th Pasadena Showcase House of Design. Brenda Rees spoke to some of this year’s designers about fabulous touches from their Showcase rooms that you can borrow for your own showplace.
— Irene Lacher
EDITOR IN CHIEF Irene Lacher ART DIRECTOR Kent Bancroft
GLENDALE 333 N. Brand Boulevard between California & Lexington (818) 246-ENVY (3689)
PASADENA - HASTINGS RANCH 3707 East Foothill Boulevard Hastings Ranch shopping center near Whole Foods (626) 351-9100
PASADENA - SOUTH LAKE 345 S. Lake Ave. #205 NOW next to Trader Joe’s OPEN (626) 240-1060
JUNIOR DESIGNER Carla Cortez PRODUCTION MANAGER Yvonne Guerrero PRODUCTION Rudy Luthi COPY EDITOR John Seeley CONTRIBUTORS Joanna Beresford, Leslie Bilderback, Michael Cervin, Scarlet Cheng, Mandalit del Barco, David Gadd, Lynne Heffley, Noela Hueso, Carl Kozlowski, Bettijane Levine, Brenda Rees, Kirk Silsbee, John Sollenberger, Nancy Spiller, Bradley Tuck
arroyo FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREA
SOUTHLAND PUBLISHING V.P. OF FINANCE Michael Nagami V.P. OF OPERATIONS David Comden PRESIDENT Bruce Bolkin CONTACT US ADVERTISING dinas@pasadenaweekly.com
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ACCOUNTING Alysia Chavez, Monica MacCree OFFICE ASSISTANT Gina Giovacchini PUBLISHER Jon Guynn 8 | ARROYO | 04.12
©2012 Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
FESTIVITIES Lena Kennedy, Denise Nelson-Nash and Elisa Callow
Carol Bramhall, Alison Lifland, Gretl Mulder and Arnie Mulder
LACC Chair David Scheidemantle, James Conlon, Anna Christy, Brad Alford and Joanne Crawford-Duner
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus honored L.A. Opera Music Director James Conlon, soprano and LACC alumna Anna Christy and cor-
Roy McCurdy and Toby Holmes
porate partner Nestlé USA at “Gala Bel Canto” on March 9. The dinner benefit drew some 200 supporters to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown L.A., raising $187,000 for the Pasadena-based chorus’ artistic, educational and scholarship programs. Noted mezzo-soprano Suzanna Guzmán of Pasadena served as master of ceremonies… The Pasadena Conservatory of Music launched its new Jazz Department with “Jazz on Hill,” a faculty concert and reception at the school’s newest recital hall on March 11. Jazz Department Chair Ray Briggs and fellow jazz faculty members Gary Fukushima, Toby Holmes, Sherry Luchette, Roy McCurdy and Damon Zick were on hand to greet the 150 guests who attended.
PHOTOS: Lee Salem (LA Children’s Chorus); courtesy of The Pasadena Conservatory of Music
Suzanna Guzmán, Grant Gershon and LACC Artistic Director Anne Tomlinson
LACC chorister Camilla Higgins of Pasadena and San Marino resident Nancy Annick
LACC members perform at Gala Bel Canto
Dr. Ray Briggs, pianist Gary Fukushima, saxophonist Damon Zick and trombone player Toby Holmes 04.12 | ARROYO | 9
SIMPLE LUXURY A foothills manse borrows great style from the past to meet the needs of a busy 21st-century family. BY BETTIJANE LEVINE PHOTOS BY MICHAEL ARDEN
THIS SIMPLE, STATELY HOME IN THE SAN GABRIEL FOOTHILLS MAY trip the memories of architecture buffs. Reminiscent of an Italian villa or a 1920s design by iconic California architect Wallace Neff, the 21st-century residence exudes the serenity and warmth that comes from superbly achieved proportions and dignity of detail — rare qualities in many new homes that claim Mediterranean style as their inspiration. The plain façade, with its sun-blushed color and tall arched windows, is framed by old oaks and a garden approach that includes olive trees, Italian cypresses, roses, rosemary and lavender. Set on 1½ acres, the Pasadena-area home looks like it might have actually been built during California’s architectural Golden Age a century ago — a time when tycoons had money to burn on mansions and the San Gabriel Valley was blessed with designers of taste and talent. In fact, the 11,200-square-foot house with seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms was designed and built in 2009, offering views of gardens and courtyards from French doors and arched windows in every room. “It was one of our easier projects,” says Everardo Garcia, a principal of the Pasadena architecture firm Lim Chang Rohling & Associates. His clients were a young couple with three children, newly arrived from China and willing to let him design anything he deemed appropriate. “They said they were new to this way of life and new to what is acceptable,” Garcia says. “They asked us to come up with something that would be appropriate for their status and for the neighborhood — a house they could be proud of.” –continued on page 12
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LEFT: The simple yet timeless composition of this façade is embellished by a dramatic custom-made cast-stone frontispiece surrounding the entry door. TOP RIGHT: The view from the living room to the dining room embraces the rear outdoor entertainment spaces beyond. BOTTOM: The family room and kitchen are the largest rooms in the house; they’re connected by thematically consistent arches and columns.
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TOP: The stairs’ sinuous double curve, the arches’ comfortable proportions and the painted wood paneling add warmth to the grand foyer. BOTTOM LEFT: The home’s warm neutral tones are continued in the living room. BOTTOM RIGHT: The wood-paneled library is a retreat for conducting business or quiet conversations.
–continued from page 11
Communicating with the help of partner Adele Chang, who’s fluent in Chinese, they told Garcia they planned to do a lot of entertaining, especially for business associates, and wanted indoor and outdoor areas to accommodate that, along with guest suites for visitors. But their primary concern was their children. The house had to be functional and comfortable for them, with informal spaces for the family to enjoy time together. Garcia found the design solution in a Mediterranean mix — “a blend of Italianate with Spanish Colonial. We were very much influenced by Wallace Neff, and especially by the homes of that period built in San Marino.” The first floor of the L-shaped house is divided between public and private wings. Enter the grand foyer, with its 19-foot beamed ceiling, and the eye is directed through a series of arched-ceiling rooms to windows that open onto fountains and the great outdoors — a vista 12 | ARROYO | 04.11
that immediately warms the vast entry space. “The house is so large and the ceilings so high,” says Cee Atcheson of Objekt Design in Corona del Mar, who worked on the project with partner Don Cordova. “We wanted it to flow perfectly, and so we did all the walls in one color: warm ivory.” The floors of the public rooms are limestone; the 12-foot ceilings vary between vaulted and cove. “We decided on traditional European[-style] furniture throughout,” Atcheson says. “The furniture is all custom-made to fit the room scale, with most of the fabrics from Italy.” Cushy, oversized upholstered seating helps create a sense of coziness, further enhanced by the warm burnished-wood tones of accent pieces and the public wing’s palette of cream, ginger and rust. Turn right from the entry reception hall into the private wing, and you enter an oval vestibule that leads to the great room, where the family spends most of its time. The
“
ABOVE: Designers were inspired by the iconic examples of Wallace Neff. TOP RIGHT: The artificial turf putting green sits amidst a drought-tolerant garden comprised of Jerusalem thorn tree, peppermint tree, California live oak, agaves, kangaroo paw, pride of Madeira and other plants. BOTTOM RIGHT: An outdoor kitchen with an arching metal trellis and classical columns provides comfortable poolside dining.
open-concept design uses arches to define the family room as a space separate from the large kitchen and intimate morning room with barreled ceilings. The great room opens onto the terrace and pool beyond 9-foot-tall arched French doors, maximizing the indoor-outdoor atmosphere. From the family room one can also enter the children’s study or the home theater, which Garcia says has “a sound system equal to that in any theater. We didn’t put in any of those clunky usual theater chairs — just great comfortable sofas and chairs that you can relax into while viewing.” Wander up the exquisitely curved grand staircase to arrive at a circular foyer that leads to the bedrooms and an upstairs family room with a 13-foot vaulted ceiling, a wet bar and a powder room. The master bedroom, with its partly covered terrace overlooking the grounds, includes a 600-square-foot sitting room and a bath suite with his-and-hers water closets, dressing rooms, a large gray marble shower and a tub set into a windowed alcove with a panoramic view. The usually budget-conscious family splurged selectively for the children, on the little girl’s room — a fantasy factory boasting a custom canopy with hand-painted fabric and an antique mirror suspended from the ceiling — and a $60,000 Steinway grand piano
custom-made from a single tree, which the company holds onto for future repairs. Landscape architect Rob Pressman, president of Burbank-based TGP Inc., says he worked with Garcia from the project’s inception, when the main house, pool house, tennis court and putting green were sited so as to preserve the many beautiful old birch, ash and oak trees. His job was to design a landscape and hardscape that would optimize the views from every window and create a series of outdoor experiences. “We created a meandering path that travels from the front of the house throughout the property, so that guests and family have a variety of different landscape experiences or zones through which they can wander,” Pressman says. He also planted Japanese maples, flowering shrubs and groundcover amid existing trees to create a wooded glen, and a shade-tolerant garden with flowering Rhaphiolepus and magnolia trees. A putting green with artificial turf is adorned with drought-tolerant California succulents. If the estate sounds a bit grand, Garcia says it’s really much more livable than that. “These clients are not ostentatious. They are family-oriented and down to earth. We kept the whole thing simple, subtle and elegant because that was appropriate for the area and for who they are.” |||| 04.11 | ARROYO | 13
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MICHAEL MALTZAN HIRED TO DESIGN ART CENTER’S NEW MASTER PLAN The prominent L.A. architect will help transform the school into a cutting-edge hub for budding artists and designers.
S
BY BETTIJANE LEVINE OTED LOS ANGELES ARCHITECT MICHAEL MALTZAN HAS signed on to reimagine physical space at Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design by transforming a newly acquired building as well as existing ones into a 21st-century mecca for aspiring artists and designers. The nationally renowned 82-year-old college, where Ansel Adams once taught photography, has purchased a vacant U.S. Postal Service building and parking structure next door to its campus on South Raymond Avenue. Maltzan’s firm has been retained to design a new master plan calling for renovating and reconfiguring the new building along with the two existing campuses on Raymond Avenue and Lida Street five miles away. Art Center’s South Campus The new building will allow the college to reorganize and re-prioritize the school’s spatial and technological assets, creating a campus that is not just up-to-date, but futuristic, says Jered Gold, Art Center’s director of communications. “We don’t teach the same now as we did just a few years ago,” he says. “Technology, and therefore methodology, has advanced. We are adding graduate and undergraduate programs and updating existing ones. Frankly, we need more elbow room.” And they’re getting it, thanks to gifts from alumni, he says. Maltzan, 52, has already left his mark on Pasadena with the design of Kidspace Children’s Museum, one of several museums that have become a specialty. Maltzan’s other prestigious arts institution projects include the UCLA Hammer Museum, the Museum of Modern Art’s Queens, N.Y., campus and Harvard Westlake School’s Feldman Horn Center for the Arts. His firm has also designed numerous other award-winning structures, both public and private. Maltzan began his L.A. career in 1988, working for Frank The U.S. Postal Service property recently purchased by Art Center Gehry. He went solo in the ’90s and quickly earned prominence with his designs, which included luxurious private homes, such as a Although Maltzan’s architecture is often described as “inspirational,” Pasadenans saucer-like house for artists Lari Pittman and Roy Dowell in the San Gabriel Foothills won’t see any soaring new structures at the Art Center. All renovation will take place and a 28,000-square-foot pad for agent Mike Ovitz in Beverly Hills. inside the existing buildings. But Peter Erni, Maltzan’s project director for the Art Perhaps more relevant for Art Center’s purposes, however, is Maltzan’s stature as an Center job, offers a ray of hope for design fans: “It’s true that our key focus is to maxiinterpreter of design for groups whose needs are unique. His first solo commission, for mize all available space in the existing buildings and the new building — and to figure example, was a sculptural white stucco compound for Inner City Arts, an after-school out what program will go into which building.” On the upside, he says with a wink in arts program on L.A.’s skid row. The building “demonstrated an unusual sensitivity for his voice, “there’s this little low-profile parking structure next to the postal building and those who taught and worked there,” declared The New York Times. Acclaim for that dewe’re looking to make use of that. I think there just may be an opportunity to create sign led to Maltzan’s selection by the Skid Row Housing Trust to design what became a something iconic there.” |||| critically acclaimed series of apartment buildings for the area’s homeless.
PHOTO: (Top) © Crystal Jean Photography/Art Center College of Design; (Bottom) Courtesy of Art Center
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arroyo HOME & DESIGN SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
RETURN, RENEW, RETREAT PASADENA SHOWCASE HOUSE OF DESIGN REVITALIZES A CLASSIC SPANISH VILLA
PHOTO: Courtesy of the Pasadena Showcase House of Design
BY JOANNA DEHN BERESFORD IN “THE WASTELAND” T.S. ELIOT DESCRIBES APRIL AS “THE CRUELEST MONTH, BREEDING LILACS OUT OF THE DEAD LAND, MIXING MEMORY AND DESIRE, STIRRING DULL ROOTS WITH SPRING RAIN…” THE POEM HAS BECOME SOMEWHAT OF AN ICON, A VIVID EXAMPLE OF EARLY 20TH CENTURY LITERATURE AND SENTIMENT; AND IT’S DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. ELIOT LACES THE LINES WITH ALLUSIONS TO HISTORY, MYTHOLOGY AND EXOTIC WORDS AND PHRASES. THE TONE AND CONTENT OF THE POEM EMANATE A WEARINESS AND DESPAIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE PERIOD, BUT THE LAST, BROKEN LINE FORESHADOWS ELIOT’S EVENTUAL SPIRITUAL RENAISSANCE.
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“SHANTIH…SHANTIH…SHANTIH,” HE WRITES, ECHOING THE TRADITIONAL ENDING OF AN UPANISHAD. “SHANTIH” CAN BEST BE INTERPRETED AS MEANING “THE PEACE THAT PASSETH UNDERSTANDING.” THE POEM WAS PUBLISHED IN 1922, IN ENGLAND, JUST 5 YEARS BEFORE JOHN WINFORD BYERS DESIGNED AND BUILT THE ROBBINS HOUSE, A SPANISH COLONIAL REVIVAL STYLE RESIDENCE IN LA CANADA, AND THE 2012 SELECTION FOR THE PASADENA SHOWCASE HOUSE OF DESIGN. THE POEM, THE HOUSE, AND THE SHOWCASE OCCASION EMBODY THE BEAUTY OF RITUAL AND REBIRTH, OF CONTEXT AND RENEWAL. –continued on page 19
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PHOTO: Courtesy of L2 Interiors
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–continued from page 16 Out of the old stories come the new ones. The Pasadena Showcase House of Design project was inaugurated in 1948 as a fundraising effort for members of the community who wanted to contribute to the presence and advancement of classical music in the
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Pasadena region. By 1965 the Showcase, originally known as The Pasadena Junior Philharmonic Committee, began to present the Showcase home, replete with cookies, coffee and neighborhood parking. Over the years local vendors and local culinary artists offered their products and services, and today the Shops at Showcase and the buffet style restaurant enhance the experience for everyone. The Pasadena Showcase House of Design has become one of the largest, oldest and most successful ventures of its kind in the United States, and more than 18 million dollars in gifts and grants have been awarded to local musical, cultural and educational programs and individuals since the organization’s inception. Located in La Canada Flintridge, and bordered by the Angeles National Forest –continued on page 21
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PHOTO: Courtesy of L2 Interiors
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–continued from page 19 and the cities of Pasadena and Glendale, the Robbins estate was depicted by the Los Angeles Times in 1927 as a picturesque, 16-room Spanish villa gracing a roughly 2-acre site of land. The home, originally built as a winter home for Hunter Savidge Robbins, his wife, Margaret, and their children has inhabited by two subsequent owners. The residence is historic and well preserved, but also provided ample opportunity for local designers to reimagine and refurbish. –continued on page 23
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PHOTO: Courtesy of L2 Interiors
—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—
–continued from page 21 The breezeway encountered by Jason Lai and Stephanie Leese of L2 Interiors, for example, was unadorned. Gated glass doors enclosed the space, which included terra cotta floors, an arched ceiling, the crude, original lighting system, a dog bed and a couple of plants. Lai and Leese, principal designers for L2 Interiors, in collaboration with the homeowners, dedicated themselves to transforming this corridor that connects kitchen and fam–continued on page 35
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Storage Solutions for Vintage Homes What you don’t see can be just as crucial to good design as what you do.
PHOTO: Angel Herrero de Frutos/Photos.com
BY NOELA HUESO FACE IT — MOST OF US OWN A LOT OF STUFF. Even if we’re not candidates for the next episode of Hoarders or in need of Public Storage, it’s a fact that we have many more possessions than people who lived at the turn of the 20th century, when a middle-class clothes closet containing three dresses and two pairs of shoes was considered full. Closets in homes built from 1890 to 1939 — prior to the rise of rampant consumerism — were, for the most part, much smaller and certainly more basic than those of today. In fact, it wasn’t until after World War II that closets were regularly used in the U.S. Until that time, freestanding armoires and chests were the common storage method. (While larger closets can be found in a few vintage Arroyoland mansions, they were designed to accommodate a handful of billowy ball gowns and travel trunks, says Sue Mossman, Pasadena Heritage’s executive director. Much more typical of historic homes are closets with minimal usefulness — either too shallow or, in some cases, too long and narrow — given how we live today.) So what should 21st-century owners of older residences do when they’re faced with matchbox-size or awkward spaces to store all their belongings? Not surprisingly, it depends on how much money you want to spend. Cynthia Bennett, whose design-build firm has been in business in South Pasadena since 1981, says that while she’s not typically hired to do just a closet remodel because it’s not cost-effective, a room addition — involving site plans, permitting, the laying of foundation and addition of a roof — is a perfect time to create a closet as elaborate as your imagination (and your wallet) will allow. That could range from a 6-foot-long space with French doors and built-in shelving to a cavernous walk-in closet with customized types of storage, such as islands and extra drawers. Other fun and useful touches include accent and utility lighting, built-in bars and spaces for
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“SPACE PLANNING IS THE KEY,” BENNETT SAYS. “YOU MIGHT HAVE OPEN SPACE UNDER STAIRS OR BEHIND A WALL THAT COULD BE USED FOR STORAGE.” computers and TVs. “We’re doing an addition on a large house right now for a television personality,” Bennett says. “We’re taking one of two closets off the upstairs master suite and enlarging it. It’s becoming huge, with beautiful flooring, mahogany built-ins, an island in the middle, the works.” Spare bedrooms are sometimes converted into walk-in closets, though Bennett cautions that house size should figure into that decision. “I have another client who took two of his four bedrooms and made them into walk-in closets for himself and his wife,” she says. “I didn’t recommend it because it’s bad for real estate resale values, but he doesn’t care. It’s suitable for him. If it’s a big house, certainly that’s a solution, but if you have an 1,800-square-foot house, like he does, it’s a risk.” Not everyone has an extra bedroom — or the budget — to spare for a walk-in closet, of course. The simplest way to create space in an existing closet without tearing down walls is by “double hanging,” says Kay Wade of L.A.–based Closet Factory, referring to the dual-level bars that allow a second layer of clothing to hang in a tight spot. But putting in the bars alone may not be enough; some teardown may still be necessary. “When you’re dealing with old-style closets that have sliding doors and cabinets up above them, you don’t have the height needed for double hanging; most of those interiors are only about 70 to 78 inches (the minimum required is 84 inches),” says Wade. “What we’ve done in many cases is take the whole framing out where the cabinet and doors are to create more space that goes up to the ceiling, typically 96 inches.” Interior designer Ericka Klein, who works with general contractor and interior designer Judy Taylor at Judy Taylor Interior Design in Pasadena, recalls one project she recently completed in a 1920s Spanish-style house. “The house had a long and narrow closet that went way back to Neverland with clutter,” she recalls. “I took out part of the wall, opening up the space from the side, and installed two matching period-piece doors I found at Architectural Salvage, in keeping with the design of the house. Built-in shelves were added on either side and above the doors for storing seasonal items. Because of the doors, the closet seems bigger now without it actually being bigger.” When bedrooms in old houses lack closets, harkening back to the era of armoires and chests, homeowners may want to put them in — but not only for convenience. “It’s very important to have a closet in every bedroom [for home resale],” Bennett says. “Otherwise it doesn’t count as a bedroom.” While the Closet Factory’s solution in such cases may be to build a whole unit on 26 | ARROYO | 04.12
an available wall, Bennett takes a different approach. “You might build a window seat and then create a closet on each side so they look like built-ins,” she says. “That’s not taking up a lot of room but it gives homeowners quite a bit of closet.” For any size home, “space planning is the key,” Bennett says — and don’t think everything needs to be stored in bedroom closets. “You might have open space under stairs or behind a wall that could be used for storage. Using those spaces might mean that you take something out of the bedroom that doesn’t need to be there, like seasonal ski equipment or bike gear.” Though Bennett and Wade agree that an updated (or altogether new) closet increases a home’s value, Taylor sees it as a different kind of lure for buyers. “I wouldn’t say that adding a closet increases a home’s value,” she says, “but you might get a buyer looking at it who says, ‘Oh wow, this is nice. I’d like to buy this because this or that has been done to the closets.’ ” There’s another, somewhat cathartic, benefit to updating your closet: It gives you the opportunity to get rid of clutter. “Once you’re in the middle of renovation, people are forced to clean house,” Klein says. “All of a sudden you see boxes going out to the Salvation Army. When they see everything is so nice and new and fresh, they don’t want to put the old stuff back in.” ||||
PHOTO: Marko Berici / Photos.com. ILLUSTRATION: Courtesy of Cynthia Bennett.
Personal effects are neatly hidden by a wall-length storage system. BELOW: Bennett’s plans for a large dream closet
Come out & join the fun! Check out our game schedule online at www.mypgsa.org
Email: pgsa@mypgsa.org | text/voice message: (626) 807-9780 04.12 | ARROYO | 27
arroyo
RESOURCE GUIDE ARCHITECTS HARTMANBALDWIN DESIGN/BUILD HartmanBaldwin Design/Build is a fully integrated Architecture, Construction and Interior Design Company specializing in upscale remodels, additions, historic restorations and new custom homes for highly discerning individuals that are passionate about their home and lifestyle. We pride ourselves in being chosen by clients who look for a full service firm that will provide them with outstanding design services, cutting-edge materials and products, quality construction that is sustainable and energy-efficient, as well as a relationship that goes beyond the duration of a project. Call (626)486-0510 www.HartmanBaldwin.com. JAMES COANE & ASSOCIATES Since 1994, James V. Coane, has specialized in: custom residences, estates, historic renovations and expansions, residential and apartment interiors, multi-family residential, corporate interiors, retail and small commercial building design. American Institute of Architects award winners, and named Best Architect by Pasadena Weekly, their projects have been in Architectural Digest and other magazines and used as locations for filming and fashion shoots. Well-versed in historical and modern architecture and design and known for attention to detail on all projects. Visit jvca.com or call (626)584-6922. NOTT & ASSOCIATES Since 1994, James V. Coane, has specialized in: custom residences, estates, historic renovations and expansions, residential and apartment interiors, multi-family residential, corporate interiors, retail and small commercial building design. American Institute of Architects award winners, and named Best Architect by Pasadena Weekly, their projects have been in Architectural Digest and other magazines and used as locations for filming and fashion shoots. Well-versed in historical and modern architecture and design and known for attention to detail on all projects. Visit jvca.com or call (626)584-6922.
CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS CHELSEA CONSTRUCTION Chelsea Construction is a full service design and construction company, specializing in luxury home remodels, custom homes and commercial construction. Our full time staff provides one stop comprehensive contracting services with cost efficient solutions and quick turnaround for our clients. Since the company’s proud beginnings in finish carpentry, window installations and crown moldings our precision and craftsmanship has evolved into an award winning team that focuses on detail, quality and service. Call us at (818)9494595 and visit us online at www.chelseaconstructioncorp.com MARK HOUSTON ASSOCIATES For the past 24 years, Mark Houston Associates has provided residential design and construction services for clients throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Projects range from custom homes and remodels, kitchens and baths, interiors and landscapes. The client is a key member of our team at Mark Houston Associates. We strive to create a residential environment that reflects our client's unique personality, values and vision while insuring client satisfaction. Mark Houston & Associates, Inc., 135 W. 28 | ARROYO | 04.12
Foothill Blvd., Ste. 5, Monrovia, CA 91016 (626)357-7858 Fax (626)357-2049 www.markhoustonassociates.com
DINING & NIGHTLIFE ZUGO’S CAFÉ Owners, Chez and Sherry Grossi have built their menus and food preparation using Chez's mother Palmira's ethos: fresh, quality ingredients prepared from scratch. All entrees are served with a side salad and fresh bread which is baked throughout the day. Their wine list is extensive featuring award winning wines from around the world. While dining at Zugo’s you feel like you’re in a café in Italy. Lunch and dinner Tuesday- Sunday and breakfast on the weekends. Zugo’s Café 74 Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 91024. (626)836-5700 Fax (626)836-5723 www.zugoscafe.com
FITNESS ULTIMATE FITNESS BREAKTHROUGH Get rid of unwanted fat and get that lean, tone and firm body you’ve always wanted WITHOUT diets that never work, spending hours at the gym or doing boring cardio. Are you FINALLY frustrated with trying everything under the sun only to wind up back where you started with your fitness goals or maybe even a step further back than when you first started? We’ve got the solutions! Call us today for a free trial and see for yourself! Ultimate Fitness Breakthrough, 145 Vista Ave., Pasadena (626) 407-3150. www.ultimatefitnessbreakthrough.com
GIFT BOUTIQUES FANCY THAT! At Fancy That! we love all the soft, fluffy, bright and bouncing things of Spring. We have Easter bunnies, chicks, wreathes, florals and table top decorations to warm your nest. Our inspired Willow Tree Angels & Figurines, Blessing Bowls and delicate, lit cherry blossom stems, spring garlands and florals will bring the promise of the season into your heart and home. It’s blossom time at Fancy That! Come share the joy. Fancy That! 2575 Mission St. San Marino (626)403-2577 www.fancythat.us.com POSH ACCESSORIES Posh Accessories is your one stop headquarters for all the latest clothes and accessories! You’ll find the perfect outfit, beautiful bracelets, earring and cocktail rings to die for! Choose from Trina Turk jewelry, Lockheart handbags, Lollia perfumes and candles, Charlotte sweaters, and so much more! Enjoy complimentary Posh gift wrapping for all your gift purchases. 838 Foothill Blvd., La Canada, CA 91011 or 2537 Mission Street, San Marino, CA 91108
HEALTH & BEAUTY AURORA LAS ENCINAS HOSPITAL Behavioral health care treatment options are offered for patients with psychiatric, chemical dependency, or co-occurring disorders. Psychiatric services include inpatient, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs. has remained committed to quality care and service to the community for over 100 years, and grown to include 118 licensed acute care beds, plus 38 residential treatment beds. Please call (626)795-9901 or (800)792-2345 and ask for the Assessment & Referral Department.
BEAUX CONTOURS The future of body sculpting and contouring has arrived at Beaux Contours! Our facilities and staff are geared towards giving you the look you have always wanted. Whether it is a more defined mid section or a tighter jaw line, our physicians are here to help you. With multiple years of combined experience, our physicians will work with you to give you exactly the look that you have been searching for. Call our office today to schedule your complimentary consultation. You may also visit our website: www.beauxsurgery.com. Hope to see you in our offices soon!! CHRISTINE WON, M.D. What is Concierge Medicine? It’s a type of practice that allows you to spend 30 minutes for office visits (rather than 8 minutes in a traditional practice). You’ll be treated like a person instead of a number. We’ll focus on preventive care to maintain your good health through a comprehensive annual physical that includes extensive blood tests, EKG, metabolic test and much more. Call us for info and how to join at (626)793-8455. DR. GREGORY VIPOND, MD FOR VIP FACIAL ARTISTRY Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery have the power to restore, enhance and correct. In the right hands, it can boost your selfesteem and outlook on life, give you a wealth of confidence, and transform how you are seen and treated by others. Dr. Gregory Vipond’s goal for every patient is for them to leave his office without appearing to have ever seen him by restoring and enhancing a patient’s natural beauty. Call today for a complimentary consultation. (626)357-6222 www.drvipond.com 51 N. Fifth Ave., Ste., 202, Arcadia, California 91006 DR. MARILYN MEHLMAUER Having smooth, youthful skin is the first step to feeling great about your appearance. Dr. Marilyn Mehlmauer offers a wide variety of solutions for any problem areas on your face. Whether you have lines, wrinkles or acne, we have a remedy to restore the elasticity and refine the appearance of your skin. Visit us and explore our facial rejuvenation treatment options. Call and schedule your consultation today, (626)585-9474. DR. JACKLIN POLADIAN, M.D. You don’t have to pay a fortune to receive the medical care that you deserve. With Dr. Jacklin Poladian, your every medical need is thoroughly addressed in a timely manner. Whether you have a chronic condition that requires continual management or you have an acute illness and want to be seen immediately, you will be taken care of like it should be. Make an appointment and start taking care of your health today. (626) 200-4500. 301 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Suite 403, Pasadena, CA 91214. (626)200-4500 Fax (626)795-0704 healthcare@drjacklinpoladian.com MASSAGE ENVY As noteworthy studies continue to demonstrate the therapeutic benefits of massage, more and more people seek the restorative and preventative results of regular massage practice. In the same way that people from all walks of life seek the healthy advantages of routine exercise, proper diet and spiritual or meditative alignment, they also turn to the kinds of treatments offered at Massage Envy, in order to maintain a balanced and productive lifestyle. Massage Envy, 3707 E. Foothill Blvd., Hastings Ranch, Pasadena, CA 91107 (626)351-9100
VANITY MEDICAL AESTHETICS “Thinking about cosmetic surgery, but concerned about the cost and possible complications? Disappointed by expensive department store skin care, touted to eliminate wrinkles and clear blemishes? We at Vanity Medical Aesthetics promise affordable medical aesthetics and great service. As the premier Med Spa, we have the reputation, experience, technology, training, and focus on safety to create the red carpet experience you deserve. Not only will you look your best, you will feel your best.” (626)2849589 www.vanitydoc.com
INTERIOR DESIGNERS BONITA INTERIORS Bonita Interiors believes in living comfortably chic. Perfection is not something we strive for. We strive for interesting, eclectic and individual interiors. Our environments reflect the people who live there. Everything and anything goes as long as there is a certain "sense" to it all. Our furniture brings the “designer” into your home at an affordable price. Visit Bonita Interiors at the Pasadena Antique Center. We’re the largest retail space on the 2nd Floor. Ask for Angela DickersonLee. 480 S. Fair Oaks Ave. Pasadena, CA 91105. (626)975-2714 angela@bonita-interiors.com www.bonita-interiors.com CAROUSEL FLOORS This family-owned, 38-year-old company provides a superb selection along with remarkable service. For hardwood, select from all the top names, including Appalachian Hardwood Floors, pre-finished or finished by expert craftsman. For linoleum, Marmoleum is a natural, eco-friendly, stylish flooring with multiple patterns. Carousel is a Mohawk Color Center, carrying Fabrica, Karastan, Masland and Schumacher to name a few. Free consultations; designers welcome. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat.; or by appointment. 676 E. Green St., Pasadena. Call (626)795-8085. CYNTHIA BENNETT & ASSOCIATES, INC. Cynthia Bennett & Associates has been a celebrated design and build firm for almost 30 years. They specialize in innovative kitchen and bath design, general construction, historical renovation, project management and interior design. With all areas of residential design and construction being taken care of by Cynthia Bennett and Associates, Inc., each detail will be thought of and coordinated. Call for a consultation at (626)799-9701. DAY OF DESIGN WITH TERRI JULIO Day of Design with Terri Julio — Imagine the opportunity to consult with a professional designer for an entire day. Now you can for a fixed flat fee. Let Terri’s expertise be the first thing you call upon when considering any project. It is a worthwhile investment and a good dose of prevention considering valuable dollars and time can be lost when improvements go awry. Call (626)447-5370 or visit www.terrijulio.com. MODERN LIGHTING Modern Lighting has been serving Southern California’s lighting needs since 1946. With all types of fixtures in every price range, you’ll find what you want. If not, we do custom design. We have stocks of light bulbs to compliment your fixture and we continually watch the marketplace for the best buys. Our staff has decades of lighting experi-
ence. Feel free to contact us if our service is what you are looking for. Call (626)286-3262 SIERRA CUSTOM KITCHENS Sierra Custom Kitchens is a full service design firm that specializes in kitchens and bathrooms. We also design fine furniture cabinetry by Wood-Made, one of the premier cabinetry companies in the industry. We have a 1,800 square foot showroom located on the east side of Pasadena and we feature traditional, transitional and contemporary displays. No matter what style you are looking for, we will be able to accommodate your design with a plethora of different styles and finishes. 2534 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. (626)792-8080 sierracustomkitchens.com
INTERIOR SPACES RAGER'S ABBEY FLOORING Peace of mind - knowing you made the decision for your home's floor covering needs. Rager's Abbey Floor Covering brings together design & fashion with just the right flooring product. Rager's Abbey Flooring & Window Coverings has been family owned & operated in the same location for over 20 years & has earned a reputation as a professional flooring company . Before you shop anywhere else, come in and see the latest fashions in flooring. Chances are, we have exactly what you're looking for! For a free consultation call 626-446-6753. 52 E. Huntington Dr. in Arcadia. www.ragersabbey.com WALLBEDS “N” MORE We are proud of our reputation for meeting and exceeding customers' expectations. We have the largest display of Murphy Wallbeds in California. We are your Murphy Wallbed specialists and will take you through every step of the purchasing process to ensure you choose a bed that matches all your requirements. We will work with you, from beginning, organizing the room layout, choosing the bed style, wood and added features, to final delivery and installation. Call (626)233-8544 or visit www.wallbedsnmore.com
JEWELRY, ART & ANTIQUES ARNOLD’S FINE JEWELRY It’s a busy time at Arnold’s Fine Jewelry. Bruce Arnold and his seasoned staff work with patrons in choosing just the right gifts from diamond heart pendants to watches and rings. They also personalize jewelry by engraving graduation gifts sure to please lucky high school and college grads. If you have something special in mind or an estate piece that needs updating, Bruce will custom design a piece of jewelry. 350 S. Lake Avenue. Hours are 10-6 Tuesday-Saturday. (626)795-8647. BONHAMS & BUTTERFIELDS AUCTIONEERS & APPRAISERS With resident Specialists well versed in the fields of European and American Furniture and Decorative Arts, 20th Century Design, Hollywood Memorabilia, Jewelry, Books and Manuscripts, Asian Art, California Painting, Prints and Wine, Bonhams & Butterfields Los Angeles is well equipped to appraise individual items, diverse collections and entire estates. To make a private appointment to receive an auction estimate, please call 323-850-7500. Please check our website for
forthcoming auctions at www.bonhams.com JOHN MORAN AUCTIONEERS A full-service auction house for over 40 years, John Moran Auctioneers is internationally recognized as a leader in sales of exceptional antiques, fine art, jewelry and eclectic estate items. In addition to monthly Estate Auctions, Moran’s conducts tri-annual California and American Art auctions featuring top 19th and 20th century Impressionist and Western artists. For information about consigning, purchasing at auction, estate services, appraisals, and free walk-in Valuation Days, please call (626)793-1833 or visit johnmoran.com. WAYNE JASON JEWELRY DESIGNS Wayne Jason Jewelry Designs has been in business since 1987, in the same location in the city of Pasadena, California. Wayne designs most of his own jewelry and manufactures it on the premises, eliminating a middleman. Wayne Jason Jewelry Designs offers unique, often one of a kind, top quality jewelry pieces at a value well below the competition. Most of our designs can be made in any color gold, 18-karat or 14karat, with any stones. 105 W. California Blvd., Pasadena (626)795-9215
OUTDOOR LIVING A.SARIAN POOL CONSTRUCTION A pool builder that stays with you after the pool is built. There are many pool builders; however there is only one that backs up the pool after it is complete. With over 30 years of experience the Sarian brothers know how to construct a pool so it is not only superior in design but will ensure form will follow the function. With the help of their father Gary, Andy and John started a company that is based on three solid principles: high quality product, fair price and they deliver what they say. In the words of one customer, “I had no idea you guys were so good at such a reasonable price.” (818)625-2219 GARDEN VIEW LANDSCAPE Specializing in landscaping, nurseries and pools, Garden View Inc. can take you from a design idea to a finished, detail-oriented garden. Garden View & their clientele are recipients of 60 awards from the California Landscape Contractors Association. The intent of the company is to provide high-quality interrelated outdoor services. The synergy between having their own designer/project managers, in-house crews, their own large nursery, and being a licensed pool builder provides for efficiency, competitive pricing, quality and schedule control. Call (626)303-4043. HUNTINGTON POOLS & SPAS Huntington Pools & Spas designs and builds custom pools, spas, and outdoor spaces. We create spaces that complement your home’s overall landscape and architecture using a combination of engineering, form, and fit. Our philosophy is that each project should have a unique balance and connection to the property's overall landscape and architecture. We view each of our waterscapes as a unique work of art and use only top industry professionals, select finish products, and proven technologies. (626)332-1527 www.huntingtonpools.com
OLD CALIFORNIA LANTERN Recognized as one of the leading companies in the historical lighting business, Old California Lantern Company’s focus is decorative lighting inspired by the rich history and architecture of California. There are over 1,400 items in the Old California Lantern product line (including mailboxes, portable lamps, desk accessories and garden lighting) with many born through the company’s extensive experience in custom commercial and residential lighting projects. Their goal is to create lighting and accessories that will live for years as family heirlooms. (800)577-6679/(714)771-5223 www.ldcalifornia.com PASADENA PATIO The Ultimate in casual outdoor furnishings await your visit to Pasadena Patio. You will see a number of sample stone wall treatments using different types of stone and applications. Complete outdoor fireplaces can also be viewed and see several lines of outdoor furniture. While you visit Pasadena Patio you will see a complete outdoor room constructed right inside the store. We look forward to your visit and serving you all of your outdoor needs. 78 S. Rosemead Blvd., Pasadena CA 91107 (626)405-2334 www.pasadena-patio.com TEAK WAREHOUSE Today’s hottest outdoor trend is the outdoor living room ... a favorite for hotels & resorts for years and now available for residential settings. Why go to an expensive resort for the weekend when you can turn your back yard into one? Invest in something that will bring comfort and style for the long run! Teak Warehouse boasts over 16 varied collections of deep seating, offering teak and wicker at the best prices in California. 133 E. Maple Ave., Monrovia. Call (626) 305-8325 or visit www.teakwarehouse.com TOM’S PICTURE PERFECT LANDSCAPE We accommodate all size projects from the small backdoor patio to the estate garden. Your go to company for all jobs such as construction, water, lighting, stone layout and irrigation. You will receive hands on customer service that includes daily visits to your project by Tom for optimum communication. Our goal is to ensure that the final project is exactly what you expect. No subs ever. All work is done from start to finish by Tom’s certified landscape professionals. Call (626)443-3131 for more information. VEGA+BERNIER DESIGN GROUP Bringing Design to Life is our mantra for every landscape project. With your needs and desires in mind, our design team creates diverse landscapes, outdoor living spaces, container gardens, green roofs and living walls that allow you to escape the distractions of modern life and return home to heart of who you are. Specializing in Mediterranean, California native and drought-tolerant landscape design, Vega+Bernier uses sustainable design/build practices that are both budget-friendly and minimally invasive to our environment. Please visit us at www.vegabernier.com/land or call (626)795-5494 for a personal design consultation.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LAW OFFICE OF C.R. ABRAMS Estate planning and probate are two legal areas that people approach with drea.
Moving the valuable things of one person’s life safely into the hands of others is a task fraught with pitfalls. One false move – one badly worded document – and assets don’t go where they were supposed to go. This is one time you need a really good lawyer. The Law Offices of C.R. Abrams serves individuals and their families in every aspect of estate planning, probate, estate and trust administration, resolution of trust and estate disputes, and guardianship proceedings. Cal for more information or to learn about a FREE Living Trust Seminar near you. (877)322-9778 or www.crabrams.com
REAL ESTATE DICKSON PODLEY Richard Langstaff is an effective Realtor who works hard for his clients. Representing clients in the sale of their Architectural and character homes for over 20 years in the Pasadena area. Richard Langstaff states The greatest satisfaction in my business comes from getting results for my clients. I believe that the client’s goals and needs are always the key and the first priority. Podley Properties Richard Langstaff (818)9495750 SOTHEBY’S, LIN VLACICHLin Vlacich of Sotheby’s, a 25-year veteran in the real estate profession, is known for her reputation and success as a leader in the San Gabriel Valley brokerage community, as well as for high professional ethics, superior negotiating skills, innovative marketing plans and extensive knowledge of real estate sales. Committed to excellence in representing buyers and sellers throughout Pasadena, San Marino, South Pasadena and the surrounding communities. Call (626)688-6464 or (626)396-3975 or email vlacichs@aol.com
SENIOR RESOURCES FAIR OAKS BY REGENCY PARK Regency Park Senior Living, with over 40 years’ experience, is renowned in Pasadena for its luxurious, beautifully-appointed senior communities. The Fair Oaks by Regency Park is Pasadena’s most luxurious independent and assisted living senior community. Here residents enjoy a lifestyle of relaxed elegance and the opportunity to select from a broad array of services and activities—from fine dining and daily housekeeping to assistance with any of the activities of daily living. 951 S. Fair Oaks Ave., South Pasadena. (626)921-4108. Visit us at www.regencypk.com for more information PROVIDENCE ST. ELIZABETH (PROVIDENCE ST. JOSEPH’S) Providence St. Elizabeth Care Center is a 52 bed skilled nursing facility. We offer an array of health care services for residents to enjoy themselves with family and friends. To complement our reputation for caring, our specially trained staff works in partnership with residents, families, doctors, referring hospitals, and health professionals to make sure residents' needs are met. As a skilled nursing facility, Providence St. Elizabeth is staffed 24 hours a day by licensed professionals specially trained in geriatric medicine. For more information or to tour Providence St. Elizabeth Care Center, please call (818)980-3872. 04.12 | ARROYO | 29
—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—
Education
& ENRICHMENT AND SUMMER CAMPS
Best Life Yet! Dr. Leslie A. Loubier, Psy.D. will offer a new course in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) starting April 14, 2012. Mindfulness develops the potential to experience each moment, no matter how difficult or intense, with serenity and clarity. MBSR provides tools that can be used to enhance an overall sense of well-being, as well as the ability to cope with pain, chronic disease and mood disorders. This program offers an immediate and deliberate shift in one’s health orientation. Best Life Yet! Consulting, www.BestLifeYet.net or call (818) 249-4300.
Drucker School of Management The Drucker School of Management in Claremont offers a world-class graduate management education through our MBA,
Executive MBA, Financial Engineering, and Arts Management degree programs. Our programs infuse Peter Drucker’s principle of management as a liberal art along with our core strengths in strategy and leadership. We offer individualized, flexible course scheduling, an innovative curriculum focusing on values-based management, and the opportunity to learn from world-renowned faculty. To learn more, visit us at www.drucker.cgu.edu.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church School Our church welcomes all families and children to share the Word of God. We have a Youth Group and Sunday School. Our preschool and K-6th classes emphasize reading and mathematics in preparation for the annual S.A.T. tests given to each grade.
Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church and School Preschool and K-6, Minutes from South Pasadena 75 Years of Worship with Youth Education All Families and all ages of Children are welcome, Services Sunday 10:00am
Youth Group • Communion Class • Sunday School
PASTOR ERNEST H. KING Good Shepherd Lutheran School
OPEN ENROLLMENT-CALL FOR FREE TOUR Experienced Teachers, Small Classes
www.GoodShepherdLA.org
6338 N. Figueroa St., Highland Park 323-255-2786
Mindfulness-Based
Stress Reduction
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 8-Week Program Teacher: Dr. Leslie Loubier Learn life-long tools to help you take an active role in managing your health & wellness
Leslie A. Loubier, Psy.D. Best Life Yet! Consulting 30 | ARROYO | 04.12
Session Option 1: April 14th thru June 2nd, 2012 Saturday Mornings, 9:00 - 11:30AM Session Option 2: April 17th thru June 5th, 2012 Tuesday Evenings, 7:00 - 9:30PM
To register call 818-249-4300 or visit www.BestLifeYet.net
—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—
Aa Bb Cc Computers are used by all the grades. Day Care is also available. Please call (323) 255-2786 to arrange a tour. More details, and the tuition rates are on www.goodshepherdla.org. Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 6338 North Figueroa St. LA, Ca 90042, (626) 226-6818 www.goodshepherdla.org
High Point Academy HPA has incorporated efforts to preserve the planet through earth-friendly practices into everyday curriculum. Students are taught to separate trash and learn how landfills affect the environment. The Lunch Bunch club studied problems created by trash and came up with practical solutions that students could incorporate at school and at home. Lunch Bunch submitted their results to Lexus Eco Challenge 2010-
2011 and was awarded a $10,000 grant. They were also honored with Pasadena’s Outstanding Recycler award. 1720 Kinneloa Canyon R., Pasadena. (626)798-8989 highpointacademy.org
Summer Art Academy Cooking Camp comes to La Canada High School this Summer! Starting June 18th, the Cooking Academy invites your child to take an exciting culinary journey during our various, one-week summer Cooking Camp sessions, each taught by an experienced Le Cordon Bleu trained chef. Don’t wait, classes will fill quickly as it is out second year in La Canada! Enroll online at http://www.summerartacademy.com and create a freshly baked family memory today! Call us at 866-507-COOK for more information!
High Point Academy Co-Ed KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADES SINCE 1965 WASC and CAIS Accredited
High Point Academy offers a balanced approach to education with emphasis on the development of the whole child. Service, technology, athletics, arts, music, foreign language and green living are embedded in our curriculum.
www.HighPointAcademy.org 1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road, Pasadena 91107 • 626.798.8989 04.12 | ARROYO | 31
The Father of
“California Style” Arroyoland architec t Wallace Neff’s grea t love of Mediterranean desi gn became a definin g feature of Southern California’s landscape.
The G. Parker Toms home, 1861 Lombardy Road. Picturesque Pasadena, circ a 1925.
WHEN GROUCHO MARX STEPPED INTO Wallace Neff ’s office many years ago, he told Neff he wanted a modern house with a flat roof but questioned how water would drain off it. “You use gutters,” Neff replied. “That’s the house for me,” quipped Marx. “I came from the gutter and I’d feel at home in a place like that.” Neff is known for building houses for early Hollywood’s elite, including three of the four Marx Brothers and Charlie Chaplin, but he also devoted much of the latter part of his career to affordable housing, a reflection of the immense diversity and humanity of his projects. Considered the father of “California style” architecture borrowed from Mediterranean edifices, Neff grew up in the Arroyo, where he led a privileged life but didn’t lose sight of why residential architecture matters to people who couldn’t afford to hire him. Neff ’s grandfather, Andrew McNally of Rand Mc32 | ARROYO | 04.12
Nally map publishing, had founded Rancho La Mirada (later incorporated as La Mirada) in the late 19th century, renaming more than 2,200 acres of a vast Spanish land grant. Neff was born there in 1895, although he spent much of his boyhood at McNally’s opulent Victorian mansion in Altadena, which laid the groundwork for his appreciation for architecture. By the end of his life, Edwin Wallace Neff had designed more than 75 projects, mainly custom homes, in and around Pasadena, Altadena, South Pasadena and San Marino, as well as hundreds more elsewhere in California and as far away as Maui and Washington, D.C. “He was a talented pragmatist graced with a sure sense of composition and a refined sense of detail,” says Robert A.M. Stern, who runs the prominent 250-person firm Robert A.M. Stern Architects in New York. “He underSt. Elizabeth Catholic Church.
–continued on page 41
PHOTOS: (Far right) Harold Parker (St. Elizabeth Catholic Church), (Top and far right) courtesy of the Archives, Pasadena Museum of History.
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–continued from page 23 ily rooms and leads to the garage court. “We wanted to create a comfortable, cozy and inviting space for the owners and their guests,” explains Lai. “We designed a spa-like environment where they can enjoy a cocktail, relax over coffee and the morning paper, or just sit down for a moment to feel the breeze while putting on their shoes.” The L2 renovations include custom railing and base molding, antique-like custom tile, complimentary furnishings, a unique chandelier that incorporates the ironwork themes, curves and beading of the existing doors – and their most ambitious accomplishment: a hand-painted mural that extends over the arched ceiling like a garland of Spanish flowers, colors, and detail. The mural process involved collaboration with a local artist, Carol Da-Cruz, of The French Brush. Together they incorporated stencils, drawings, paint and glaze to create an authentic, Sistine Chapel-esque quality in the breezeway. ”By the time we finished, our necks and backs were about to break,” admits Lai, –continued on page 37
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–continued from page 35 adding that the palette and patterns of the mural, like the tiles and other details within the space, resonate with the existing tiles and themes of the home. Cynthia Bennett, of Cynthia Bennett and Associates, faced a similar challenge in renovating the writer’s retreat. Like the breezeway, the retreat was separate from the main house and guest quarters, full of potential, and relatively unfinished when she arrived on the scene. Her goal: to create a meditative, inspirational arrangement of contemporary, clean and calming colors and accents, with the most practical and unobtrusive ad-
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vances that technology can provide. Fortunately, like the L2 designers, Cynthia was not working alone. The writer’s retreat features a touch-screen inspiration wall that provides light, sound, images and stimulating or motivating quotes, to visitors and residents. This innovative technology represents an evolving aspect of Bennett’s enterprise, CBA Home Performance. CBA Home Performance provides smart and green technologies and retrofits for new and existing homes in the region; and this CBA division happens to be helmed by –continued on page 39
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Fireplace in progress by Cynthia Bennett & Associates
–continued from page 37 Cynthia’s son, Michael Fehmers, a 12-year veteran of the industry. Cynthia also works in collaboration with her daughter, interior designer Carolien Fehmers, whose contributions include fabric, color and furnishing choices. This year Cynthia Bennett’s piece de resistance can perhaps be found in the plaster relief sculpture of trees that surrounds the fireplace. The mantle-free carving features a fireproof plaster similar to cement and correlates with other objects in the room: an exotic wood desk with handsculpted iron base; sofa/daybed under the windows; plush chairs by the fire; built-in plaster bookshelves. Like most things in life, the Pasadena Showcase home is both old and new; as the month of April is both kind and cruel. And ultimately redemptive. The Showcase effort celebrates music, art, life, generosity and community. Each Showcase home uniquely resonates with all of these affirming virtues, as do the designers, artists, volunteers, residents and ghosts of home and happiness past who contribute to the affair. Don’t miss an opportunity to participate in this legendary event. Visit the Pasadena Showcase Home between April 15 and May 13, 2012. For more information visit the website: www.pasadenashowcase.org.
Photos by: Klugmann Photography and Beryln Photography
Photos by: Klugmann Photography and Beryln Photography
04.12 | ARROYO | 39
40 | ARROYO | 04.12
The Bubble House, Pasadena.
–continued from page 32
PHOTO: (Top) Judy Gordon, courtesy of the Archives, Pasadena Museum of History.
stood what needed to be done for both the good of his clients and the public realm, and he pursued these twin objectives with taste, finesse and invention.” Neff ’s ability to identify with a variety of architectural styles sprang in part from the five years he lived in Europe as a child. Neff ’s parents moved the family there when the impressionable boy was just 9 years old. Hours spent standing in the shadows of some of Europe’s finest buildings fostered Neff ’s affinity for the styles he later incorporated in his designs. By the time he was 20, in 1915, he’d decided he wanted to be an architect and was admitted to M.I.T.’s architectural program. In January 1922, he opened an office in Pasadena. One of his first projects was St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Altadena, which has a medieval Span-
ish Revival motif, a design scheme he explored throughout his career. The prominent elements of St. Elizabeth also defined much of Neff ’s early work: a Spanish tile roof, dramatic double-arched wood doors, broad sweeping walls with curved accents, exaggerated window sills, iron gratings and gabled ceilings supported by rough-hewn trusses. On his marriage in 1923, he built a small unassuming home in Altadena with arched cloister-type windows, a turreted entrance and, unusual for that era, an attached garage. Five years later, he expanded his tastes and flexed his design muscles in building a new family home on Orlando Road in affluent San Marino — a restrained and balanced amalgam of Spanish and Italian influences with a nod to Pueblo Revival. The house won a Southern California AIA Honor Award and was featured in Architectural Forum in 1934.
Andrew McNally’s Victorian mansion in Altadena, where Neff spent much of his boyhood
Neff hit his stride in the mid-1920s, when Spanish Colonial Revival and California Style were all the rage; he designed Spanish-style homes for movie stars like Judy Garland, Cary Grant and Claudette Colbert and was adept at Mission, French and Italian vernaculars. His single most famous celebrity house from that period and for decades to come was Pickfair, the 56-acre home of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford in Beverly Hills, even though Neff did not design the original structure. It was originally a hunting lodge built in 1910, which Fairbanks commissioned Neff to transform into a 42-room mansion (a remodel that went on for a decade). Pickfair became Neff ’s showpiece and calling card. The profile of Neff ’s elegant and sometimes dramatic Spanish Revival and Mediterranean homes reflects Mission and European roots, as well as the lifestyles of his affluent clientele. But his portfolio continued to evolve to suit changing tastes, embracing styles ranging from classical and Regency to rustic Normandy, modern, Mission Revival, even Tyrolean, incorporating sweeping curved outdoor staircases, lavishly landscaped grounds, columned façades and towering chimneys. Neff ’s particular talents lay more in his overall vision than in parsing a project’s nuts and bolts; he was immensely skilled at formulating ideas and presentation drawings that wowed clients. He would then turn over his ideas to skilled draughtsmen to translate into structural drawings. Though well-equipped with social skills, he didn’t enjoy constantly being surrounded by other people; even family life took a back seat to design work, so much so that he and his wife separated in an amicable split. When the Great Depression years saw Spanish influences fade and modernism take over, Neff was able to move seamlessly to new architectural styles and forms. Unlike some architects pigeonholed by a particular style, Neff could combine in his houses a sense of tranquility, dynamism, –continued on page 42 04.12 | ARROYO | 41
–continued from page 41
whimsy and proportion, regardless of style and motif. That many of his San Marino homes were largely built on speculation allowed him the freedom to create as he wished, untethered to the demands of fussy clients. Making a dramatic shift from his earlier work, Neff began to explore low-income housing in response the growing needs of GIs returning home from WWII. In 1946, Neff devised a method of making what he called “airform houses,” also called “bubble houses,” based on sketches he’d originally drawn up in the 1930s. These were structures built by pouring concrete over an inflated Goodyear-rubber balloon. Neff described the bubble houses as “a revolutionary method providing for a low-cost, labor-saving process of extremely rapid construction of permanent houses and buildings.” This innovative and inexpensive mode of building didn’t catch on in the U.S., though many were constructed in Egypt,
Brazil, Pakistan and West Africa. To Neff, the bubble houses were aesthetically appealing. “Beautiful flowing lines and curves come into being without effort,” he wrote in Architectural Forum magazine. “The absolute absence of girders, columns and jigsaw trusses startles the imagination.” The bubble house, free of any interior load-bearing supports, was completed in less than 48 hours; the home’s curved interior walls were 7 feet high, while the domed ceiling stretched to 12 feet, giving the tiny house a spacious feel. In addition to the domed structures, Neff also designed “honeymoon cottages” (a name coined by Mary Pickford), which were also mass-produced and portable. At the time, Neff said he was “possessed by the thought that there should be a demand for small homes of real charm within the reach of people of limited means.” But it was the airform concept that most seemed to captivate his imagination. He told a Pasadena Historical Society meeting in The Berg residence, Pasadena.
The Doane residence, Pasadena.
42 | ARROYO | 04.12
1977 that he believed his bubble houses had “tremendous possibilities.” He was correct that possibilities existed, but the realities of changing residential needs after the war required larger homes for GIs and their burgeoning families. Another problem in building airform houses was the difficulty in obtaining local building permits. One bubble house, built for Neff ’s brother, Andrew, in 1946, still stands in Pasadena on South Los Robles Avenue. Today it is the last standing Neff bubble house in the U.S., a reminder that he was never a conventional architect. “I always thought people would come rushing in by the thousands to buy the houses,” Neff told the society, “but it never happened.” During Neff ’s lifetime, plans for about 400,000 bubble houses led to the construction of fewer than 2,500 buildings. According to Wallace Neff 1895-1982: The Romance of Regional Architecture, the catalog for the Huntington Library’s 1989 exhibition of his work, Neff was seeking not only to make a major modernist statement with the bubble design, but also to “resolve the dilemma of being an architect close to affluent clients and a designer for a mass of anonymous clients with low budgets.” Yet it was his association with the wealthy that afforded him the time to craft living quarters for a mass clientele. Neff continued to work until the early 1970s when he was in his late 70s. As his health declined, he faced physical challenges but always sought to make certain his clients were satisfied. For example, in 1973 when he could no longer drive, he took a bus from Pasadena to Santa Barbara to oversee a residential project. With the dream of bubble houses burst and long forgotten, it will always be Neff ’s earliest structures that remain emblematic of California’s history, be they Spanish Colonial, Mission or California-Mediterranean manses — massive custom homes with intimate appeal. They might be grand, but never pretentious. Neff houses reflect his own considerable humanity, proven by the fact that clients rarely abandoned the homes he built. In his 55year career, Neff won seven awards from the American Institute of Architects. In 1982, he passed away at age 87, leaving an indelible mark on Pasadena and the state. ||||
PHOTOS: Courtesy of the Archives, Pasadena Museum of History
The Bourne residence, Pasadena.
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Objects A PREVIEW OF THIS MONTH’S PASADENA
of
Desire
SHOWCASE HOUSE OF DESIGN BY BRENDA REES
THE 2012 PASADENA SHOWCASE HOUSE OF DESIGN TAKES OVER THE ROBBINS HOUSE, A SPANISH COLONIAL REVIVAL MANSE DESIGNED BY JOHN WINFORD BYERS AND BUILT IN WHAT IS NOW LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE IN 1927. DESIGNERS PARTICIPATING IN THE 48TH SHOWCASE HOUSE, BENEFITING THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC AND ARTS EDUCATION, BORROWED INSPIRATION FROM CENTURIES PAST AND FUTURE, AND AS FAR AFIELD AS CENTRAL ASIA. HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN:
WALL OF FRAMED ART SLEEPING PORCH INTERIOR DEVINE, PASADENA Riffing on a “thrill of the high seas” theme, this guest room juxtaposes mythical and fantastic images with Old World maps, black-and-white ship prints, nautical views and maritime paintings in a grand 3-D explosion. “This eclectic collection will be displayed on a layered wall and hung with ship ropes, tied with different shipping knots,” says designer Matthew Betcher about the splashy framed art wall. Inspired by the three ships originally painted on the room’s wood-paneled Murphy beds, the giant artwork — 14 feet wide and 7 feet tall — will be layered “like a lady’s charm bracelet of images,” says Betcher.
Framed Art Wall, $800–$2,000 (depending on quantity and quality of prints used), Interior Devine, interiordevine.com
HAND-PAINTED BORDER VESTIBULE/BALCONY KELLY SUTHERLIN MCLEOD ARCHITECTURE, PASADENA LA CORNUE CHATEAU 150 STOVE/RANGE THE KITCHEN PARKER WEST INTERIORS, SOUTH PASADENA
This 30-foot-long seating area leading to the upstairs master bedroom fea-
“La Cornues are the Bentleys of appliances,” says designer Gregory Parker of Parker West Interiors.“It’s not only a chef’s
hand-painted border. Inspired by decorative Spanish tile patterns and posi-
dream, it’s visually spectacular.” Clad in brilliant blue with stainless-steel trim, the 5-foot-long stove/range reigns in its own
tioned at chair-rail height, this border “decides the temperature of the rest
kitchen niche, a throne alcove that can be seen from any point in the kitchen. Handcrafted with enough extras to satisfy
of the room,” says designer Kristin Pipal of Kelly Sutherlin McLeod Architec-
celebrity chefs, the Chateau 150 boasts two standard vaulted ovens (one gas, one electric), griddle space, burners and pot
ture. “There was a lot of hand-painting in the homes of the 1920s. It’s rare
filler — plus plenty of luxurious charm. Parker enlisted Hollywood Iron Works to craft a brushed-steel hood for the range.
to find original hand-paintings in period homes anymore because of plas-
La Cornue Chateau 150 Stove/Range, $36,000, Snyder Diamond, snyderdiamond.com
ter repairs [and] people painting over them. The technique works well in
tures antique Moroccan rugs, 1920s Spanish light fixtures and contemporary oil paintings — all thematically bound together by an 11-inch
unique shapes and spaces — which is exactly what we have here.”
Hand-Painted Border, $3,200, Kelly Sutherlin McLeod Architecture, ksmarchitecture.com 44 | ARROYO | 04.12
TELEVISION EASEL THE CASITA DESIGN MARK CUTLER, L.A. In today’s transient and ever-changing society, why would anyone want to bolt a television to the wall
RALPH LAUREN PRESTON CHANDELIER THE CARD ROOM DAVID REAUME CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN, PASADENA
when you can place it in a stylish holder that can be
Strong and sturdy, this massive testosterone-infused light fixture is perfect
television stand. A 45-inch set fits snugly in the
for the stately man-cave setting. Presiding over four orange velvet and em-
stained-wood structure and “is the first thing you see
broidered wing chairs, a 300-cigar humidor and a handcrafted multi-
when you walk into the room,” says Cutler.“It’s an ele-
wood table, the antique brass chandelier manufactured by Visual Comfort
gant solution to the problem of how to furnish a very
features sharp arrow-like motifs topped with 12 black silk shades.“The
small space.”
room is very traditional, but the light fixture has a current feel to it,” says
Television Easel, $1,045, Restoration Hardware, restorationhardware.com
wheeled anywhere anytime you need it? Inspired by the art studio aspect of the casita, designer Mark Cutler is using a repurposed artist’s easel as a flat-screen
Rachel Duarte, a designer at David Reaume Construction and Design.
Ralph Lauren Preston Chandelier, $1,890, Modern Lighting, modernlightingtemplecity.com
ELECTRONIC “INSPIRATION WALL” WRITER’S RETREAT CYNTHIA BENNETT & ASSOCIATES, SOUTH PASADENA While most of Showcase House delves into the past, an “inspiration wall” in the up-
PHOTO: Justin Officer (suzani)
stairs writer’s office is reminiscent of the futuristic big screens Tom Cruise operated
ANTIQUE SUZANI GUEST BEDROOM COPPER GYER DESIGN, SANTA MONICA
the future,” says Cynthia Bennett of the 55-inch touch-screen computer that will be
During a recent trip to Istanbul, designer Copper Gyer found this colorful piece of cultural needlework, a
sion, this tricked-out Visio screen will be positioned at the end of the room, right near
traditional embroidered suzani, and discovered she couldn’t leave Turkey without it.“The grid pattern is
the writer’s desk. When the user is faced with annoying writer’s block, s/he can reach
broken up with different designs of sun, moon, disks, vines and leaves…but it’s so abstract that it’s almost
up and tap an image that will expand to fill the entire screen and offer inspiration.
paisley,” says Gyer. Also made throughout Central Asia, suzanis are typically created by female family and
Inspiration Wall, $3,700, Cynthia Bennett & Associates Home Performance Division,
friends for a young girl’s dowry and the décor of her marital home. Here the suzani is used as a daybed
cynthiabennett.com
with the flip of his hand in Minority Report.“This is a demonstration of the computer of loaded with 50 colorful images. Constructed by Bennett’s new Home Performance Divi-
throw — adding a bit of history to the space.“It’s an unexpected surprise,” says Gyer.
Antique Suzani, $3,000, Copper Gyer Design, coppergyerdesign.com
Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts runs from April 15 to May 13. Tickets cost $30–$40. Call (626) 578-8500 or visit pasadenashowcase.org. 04.12 | ARROYO | 45
KITCHEN CONFESSIONS
Deen-ile Southern cooking celeb Paula Deen gets called out for promoting spectacularly unhealthy eating --- years after her own diabetes diagnosis. BY LESLIE BILDERBACK | PHOTOS BY CLAIRE BILDERBACK
Behold, the latest example of a good girl gone bad — Paula
I doubt any of Deen's fans believed she was an expert on diet and lifestyle, but there is an entire segment of society that thinks this nice lady with the cutesy Southern
Deen, Food Network star and recently outed diabetic. Diagnosed
drawl was telling them it's okay, y’all, to top off a garlic bread--lasagna sandwich with deep-fried cheesecake. Being a pig is funny, especially when you can laugh at yourself
with type II diabetes several years ago, Deen kept quiet and con-
(which Deen does with reckless abandon). She's so fat and happy, it's contagious. And that contagion is spreading like hot caramel on a stick of butter, giving her fans the go-
tinued to grace our TV screens with down-home preparations of
ahead to indulge hilariously. The problem, America, is that we have indulged our way into the ER.
things like The Lady's Brunch Burger (a decidedly unladylike con-
Deen's critics are calling her out for contributing to the fat-is-fine mentality. Culinary agitator and dueling celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain told TV Guide Magazine that
coction of hamburger patty, bacon and fried eggs sandwiched
Deen was "the worst, most dangerous person to America… and her food sucks.” The Li’l Fat Girl (her term, not mine) retorted in the New York Post that she plays to a demo-
between two glazed donuts). 46 | ARROYO | 04.12
graphic composed of people unable to spend "$58 for prime rib and $650 for a bottle
of wine.” (Although apparently she thinks “real America” can afford the $85 bottle of Chardonnay she offers at her restaurant.) "My friends and I cook for real Americans who worry about feeding their families and paying their bills on time." (Presumably she's referring to medical bills.) Deen further defends herself by touting her charity work, which includes "feeding over 10 million people by providing food banks with meat products." The "meat products" in question are provided by Smithfield, the company highlighted in the 2008 documentary Food, Inc. for selling factory-farmed pork products and hiring low-wage undocumented workers, working them hard for a short period, then alerting immigration agents, who round them up, no questions asked. Is there not another company out there willing to donate, Ms. Deen? Pork is not inherently bad (although there are good reasons half the world refuses to eat it). But company ethics aside, Smithfield products are loaded with preservatives and cholesterol, and a 2-ounce serving has enough sodium to choke Rhett Butler's horse (690 milligrams, nearly half the recommended daily adult limit).
TWENTY-EIGHT SEPARATE STUDIES WERE PUBLISHED IN 2011 CITING EVIDENCE OF ADDICTIVE PROPERTIES IN PROCESSED FOODS CONTAINING FATS, CORN SYRUP, PRESERVATIVES AND ARTIFICIAL COLORS, SWEETENERS AND FLAVORS. Deen has to know that “real America” is in trouble, and that by knowingly cooking, eating and promoting artery-cloggers on TV in the name of "entertainment," she joins a long list of enablers — the processed food industry, corporate chain restaurants, fast food, school lunch programs, hotel chains, the U.S. military and even the U.S. Depart-
California Shrimp 'n' Grits If y'all are SoCal-born and -bred, you've probably never had cheesy shrimp and grits (and never dined at the Waffle House, for that matter). Grits are a Southern staple of dried-andground hominy, eaten as a hot cereal or side dish.You'll recognize the flavor, as it is the same stuff used to make corn tortillas. Paula Deen loads her grits with ham, butter, cream, butter, cheese and butter.The uninitiated may not notice the difference in this recipe, but suffice to say it's less heart-attacky, but no less flavorful. INGREDIENTS 4 cups water 1 cup quick-cooking hominy grits ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp (41-50) 4 chopped scallions 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups chard or spinach, chopped Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon dried thyme Tabasco to taste Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD 1. Bring water to a boil, whisk in grits, reduce heat and stir occasionally until thick, about 5 minutes. Whisk in cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. 2. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side until pink. Add scallions, garlic, chard/spinach, lemon juice and thyme, and continue to cook, stirring, until greens are wilted. Finish with Tabasco, salt and pepper. 3. To serve, top a dollop of grits with a spoonful of sautéed shrimp and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
ment of Agriculture — who are all under the impression that intake of fat-, sodium- and sugar-laden foods can be easily regulated by the self-aware, and that America is free to choose whether to indulge or not. They all need to digest the next bit of disturbing food news: Twenty-eight separate studies were published in 2011 citing evidence of addictive properties in processed
• Persistent desire or repeated unsuccessful attempts to quit. (Which explains the U.S. weight-loss market's current worth, estimated at $60.9 billion.)
foods containing fats, corn syrup, preservatives and artificial colors, sweeteners and flavors. Frozen prepared foods (even the "healthy" ones), canned soups, cereals, pre-
• Important social, occupational or recreational activities given up or reduced. (Just
pared snacks, candy and beverages are more widely consumed than fresh foods and
for fun, count the number of "mobility chairs" you see in a week — the use of which,
clinically match the same consumption patterns and health problems of known ad-
incidentally, increases the risk of diabetes.)
dictive substances. Unless you live in a biosphere, these foods comprise the majority of the American diet. This addiction doesn't manifest itself in the adorable "I bet you can't eat just one"
• Use continues despite knowledge of adverse consequences. (Ahem. That's Deen and her minions.)
way, but rather, in a terrifying "you've altered my brain's dopamine receptors" way. A Yale study shows pleasure receptors react to high fat and sugar the same way they
In response to her diabetes, Deen has joined with Danish pharmaceutical firm
react to morphine and heroin. There is even brain imaging that shows striking similarity
Novo Nordisk to promote Victoza (a non-insulin injectable that controls blood sugar)
in the brain function of overeaters and drug addicts. (Note to self: Stop using the term
and offered up lightened versions of her popular recipes. But substituting fat-free
"junk food junkie.”)
sweetened condensed milk in your fudge recipe is not the answer. You need to stop
What's worse, the habits of overeaters fall eerily in line with the diagnostic criteria for substance abuse outlined in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic
creating in people the desire to eat fudge as an entrée. If you could help your 10 million “real Americans” to do that, Ms. Deen, we'd probably leave you alone.
||||
and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders: Leslie Bilderback is a certified master baker, chef and author of The Everything Family • Substance is taken in larger amounts and for longer periods than intended. (Think Ben, Jerry and the last time you watched The Notebook.)
Nutrition Book (Adams Media). A South Pasadena resident, she teaches her techniques online at culinarymasterclass.com. 04.12 | ARROYO | 47
WINING & DINING
The Kama Sutra of Cuisine Vertical Wine Bistro’s new chef, Laurent Quenioux, whips up a spring menu with an “orgy” of flavors. BY BRADLEY TUCK
There’s a saying in the wine business: “The way to make a small fortune in wine is to start out with a very large fortune.” While that might not hold true for the Mondavis of this world, who seem to have done very nicely, thank you, there are plenty of people for whom each vintage brings with it hard work and a constant struggle to balance the books. It’s almost a labor of love, and it seems to me that the same could oft be said of restaurants. We see them come and, sadly, go, with monotonous regularity. One that came and stuck around is Vertical Wine Bistro. Launched in 2008 by film producer Gale Anne Hurd, Vertical opened its doors to some fanfare, and not without good reason. Hurd is well known in the movie business, with credits on blockbusters like The Terminator trilogy, Aliens, The Abyss and The Hulk. Her resources enabled her to open a well-appointed space, with an impressive wine list to accompany the menu, originally delivered by Chef Sarah Levine. Levine later made way for Doug Weston, whose food I really enjoyed, especially when paired with beverages selected by the very talented sommelier David Haskell. But if there’s one constant in restaurants, it’s change, and Vertical now has the illustrious Laurent Quenioux making the food. Quenioux has an extensive and impressive resumé, starting in Paris at Maxim’s, then on to Nice and Antibes. He moved to L.A. in the
48 | ARROYO | 04.12
Vertical Wine Bistro 70 N. Raymond Ave. Pasadena (626) 795-3999 Verticalwinebistro.com Dinner hours: Tuesday–Thursday, 6–10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 6–10.45 p.m. Sunday, 5–9:30 p.m. Bar hours: Tuesday – Thursday, 5 p.m.–midnight Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m.–1:45 a.m. Sunday, 5 p.m.–midnight Closed Monday
early ’80s and has certainly paid his dues here. In the early 2000s Quenioux opened Bistro K in South Pasadena and in 2009 he launched Bistro LQ in West Hollywood, both since closed. LQ’s menu was certainly adventurous. Indeed, a quick peek at the restaurant’s stillfunctioning website reveals a quote from Laurent, describing his cooking as “an orgy derived from the alchemy of the flavors and the senses.” Maybe he thinks Pasadena might keel over in an orgy, but at Vertical, he has opted for a very simple, very direct style of cooking that seems to be a 180-degree turn from his previous work. He told me he was “making food that you can do at home.” I doubt that. After all, it was Picasso, who, asked why he was charging 50,000 francs for a drawing on a paper napkin that took just 30 seconds, retorted,“It took me 50 years to learn to draw like that in 30 seconds.” The point is, this so-called simplicity is actually extremely refined. Take, for instance, the endive salad on the new spring menu --- watercress, endive, Valdeón cheese, toasted hazelnuts and what I think were two small slivers of Asian pear. What a different salad it might have been had he used a different cheese. But Valdeón, a goat’s and cow’s milk cheese from Spain, has a complex flavor --- it’s saltier than Stilton, and the sycamore leaves in which it is wrapped give it a slight spiciness. Set off by perfectly toasted hazelnuts and a little bitterness from the endive, this is one of the most elegant little salads I’ve had in some time. Paired with a lovely Sancerre, Domaine Fouassier Sancerre Les Chailloux 2010, chosen by wine director and general manager Manuel Mesta, the dish was a good start to a terrific meal. Diver scallops with English peas, in a lovely broth with lardons, was a lovely surprise. Neither over-seasoned nor bland, they were just lovely, and I found myself chasing the peas around the bowl to make sure I savored every last one with crispy splinters of lardons. My favorite dish of the night was a sea bass, cooked perfectly and bursting with flavor. It was made all the more delicious by its accompaniments --- rapini and yellow beets with a
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dash of citrus oil. The citrus oil blended with the juices of the fish to create something so much greater than the sum of its simple parts. It was paired, again deftly, with a 2009 Lincourt Chardonnay from the Central Coast. This was a complex, almost funky white --- with none of the butteriness one might fear in a Chardonnay. It was bright, acidic and fruity in a complex, what-the-heck-is-it-I’m-tasting way. Truly what-the-heck was the Lamb Two Ways: Braised lamb shanks and grilled lamb chops nestled, nay, positively writhed, in a mound of incredibly vivacious spring vegetables. Flageolet beans, spring onions and leeks glistened lasciviously in a soy glaze. Meeting the tines of the fork, the shank fell apart like a heartbroken teenager, while the chop, when sliced, yielded the pink flesh of a freshly slapped thigh. Leeks were silkier than a courtesan’s knicker drawer. This was the “orgy” that Pasadena didn’t think it would be getting. A sip of the velvety, smooth Zenato Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso 2008, it was paired with, and I was ready to beckon for the smelling salts. The meal’s post-coital “cigarette” (the chef is, after all, French) was a lychee panna cotta with a salted plum gel --- something light to send you on your way. Quenioux may be making food that he can cook at home. You, on the other hand, would be wise to come to the restaurant and see exactly what years of practice makes perfect. |||| 04.12 | ARROYO | 49
THE LIST
A SELECTIVE PREVIEW OF UPCOMING EVENTS COMPILED BY JOHN SOLLENBERGER
PASADENA’S AURA ON DISPLAY
EASTER, EARTH DAY AND OTHER DELIGHTS AT DESCANSO
semble. Free with Descanso admission.
April 1 — The Blinn
Then from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, check
Rose Pavilion.
House Foundation
April 7 and 8 — Celebrate Easter with a
out hard-charging country rock by the
Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Des-
and the Women’s
Descanso Gardens brunch by Patina
Mobile Homeboys. Free with admission.
canso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge. Call (818)
City Club of
Catering. Rose Pavilion seatings are at
Also on Sunday, children can enjoy
949-4200 or visit descansogardens.org.
by vendors, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the
Pasadena host
CONFRONTING THE INEVITABLE
“Pasadena—Its Aura,” an exhibition of pen-and-ink drawings of city landmarks by local artist and
April 12 — Holding
architect Russell Hobbs, alongside narra-
On -- Letting Go be-
tives by area historians, opening today at
gins previews today
the Blinn House and continuing through
and opens April 14 at
June 30. A wine reception and
Fremont Centre Theatre. The new play by
fundraiser is scheduled for 2 to 6 p.m.
Bryan Harnetiaux tackles a couple’s
April 21. A $25 donation is requested;
dilemma when the husband falls ill and
proceeds benefit the Blinn House Foun-
must decide whether to fight for every
dation. Call for reservations.
breath or prepare for a graceful exit.
The Blinn House is located at 160 N.
The play starts at 8 p.m. Fridays and Satur-
Oakland Ave., Pasadena.
days and at 3 p.m. Sundays (except May
Call (626) 796-0560 for reception
11–13) through May 27. Tickets cost $25,
reservations. Visit womenscityclub.com
$20 for students and seniors and $34.99
for information.
for the gala opening and reception April 14. Preview tickets are half-price.
KICK YOURSELF IF YOU MISS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA DANCE CONCERT
Fremont Centre Theatre is located at 1000 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena.
April 1 — The Los An-
Call (866) 811-4111 or visit
geles Chamber Or-
fremontcentretheatre.com.
chestra presents “Fool for Dance” at Glendale’s Alex The-
RAILROAD HISTORY AT THE HUNTINGTON
with an “instrument petting zoo,” where
JAPANESE GARDEN REOPENING AT THE HUNTINGTON
children can handle and play orchestral
April 17— In conjunction with the April 11 reopening of the Huntington’s century-old
which have never been on public display.
instruments, and other activities by Kid-
Japanese Garden, Jim Folsom, Telleen/Jorgensen Director of the Botanical Gardens,
The exhibition continues through July 23.
space Children’s Museum and the Cali-
presents “An Icon Turns 100: The Huntington’s Japanese Garden.” The discussion starts
The Huntington Library, Art Collections
fornia Science Center. The concert starts
at 7:30 p.m. in Friends’ Hall. Admission is free; no reservations are required.
and Botanical Gardens is located at
at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $12 and $20.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens is located at 1151 Ox-
1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino. Call (626)
April 21 — LACO performs the West
ford Rd., San Marino. Call (626) 405-2100 or visit huntington.org.
405-2100 or visit huntington.org.
atre. American Contemporary Ballet dancers join conductor Lucinda Carver and LACO musicians in a family concert of works by Respighi and Ravel. Fun for kids starts at 1 p.m.
April 21 — The exhibition “Visions of Empire: The Quest for a Railroad Across America, 1840--1880” opens, featuring maps, photographs, illustrations, newspapers, magazines, letters and diaries from the Huntington’s collections, most of
JAPANESE WOODBLOCK PRINTS ON VIEW AT NORTON SIMON
commissioned piece by composer, pi-
10 a.m. and noon Saturday and at
hands-on nature activities while learning
anist, guitarist and vocalist Gabriel Ka-
10 and 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. The cost
about various ecosystems. Patina’s eco-
hane, son of Music Director Jeffrey
is $52, $44 for members and $19 for
friendly barbecue dishes will be avail-
April 20 — “Lessons
Kahane, plus “Three Places in New Eng-
children ages 4 to 12; admission is free
able for purchase from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
of the Cherry Blos-
land” by Ives and “London” by Haydn.
for guests age 3 and younger. The
April 26--29 — Add some green to your
som: Japanese
The concert takes place at 8 p.m. at the
reservation deadline is April 3. Visit
home with items from Mt. San Antonio
Woodblock Prints,” an
Alex Theatre and repeats at 7 p.m. April
patinagroup.com/descanso for
College’s plant sale, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
exhibition in honor of
22 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Tickets cost $24
reservations.
each day on the Main Lawn. Free with
to $105.
April 21 and 22 — Celebrate Earth Day
Descanso admission.
of Tokyo’s gift of 3,000 cherry blossom
The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N.
all weekend: At 3:30 p.m. Saturday, catch
April 29 — The spring installment of the
trees to Washington, D.C., opens and runs
Brand Blvd., Glendale. Call (213) 622-
a performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth
“Botanic Bling” sale features unique jew-
through Sept. 3. It includes rarely seen
7001 or visit laco.org.
Night by the California Shakespeare En-
elry and accessories, many handcrafted
50 | ARROYO | 04.12
the 100th anniversary
–continued on page 52
PHOTO: Eric Chan (Japanese Garden at Huntington Library)
Coast premiere of “Crane Palimpsest,” a
Jacklin Poladian, M.D. Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine
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04.12 | ARROYO | 51
THE LIST
THE HEIRESS COMES TO THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE April 24 — The Heiress by Ruth and Augustus Goetz opens at the Pasadena Playhouse, starring Richard Chamberlain, Heather Tom and Julia Duffy. The classic play is based on Henry James’ 1881 novel Washington Square. The Heiress is a masterpiece of love, deception and betrayal, leading to an unforgettable conclusion. Dámaso Rodriguez directs. Performances begin at 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays, through May 20. Ticket prices run from $29 to $100.
The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 356-7529 or visit pasadenaplayhouse.org. –continued from page 50
Easter is Hoppining!
What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest
prints by Utagawa Hiroshige, Totoya
Kingdom on Earth, a chronicle of her ad-
Hokkei, Chobunsai Eishi and Katsushika
ventures in the ancient Himalayan king-
Hokusai.
dom of Bhutan, which she undertook after
The Norton Simon Museum is located at
becoming dissatisfied with her life and
411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call
work as an L.A.--based radio journalist.
(626) 449-6840 or visit nortonsimon.org.
Free with museum admission. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
TRADITION MEETS TODAY’S STREET AT PACIFIC ASIA MUSEUM SHOW April 20 — “Gajin Fu-
Pacific Asia Museum is located at 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 449-2742 or visit pacificasiamuseum.org.
jita: Ukiyo-e in Contemporary Painting” opens at the Pacific
Fancy That! Gifts, Home Accents & Seasonal Décor Best Gift Boutique 52 | ARROYO | 04.12
2575 Mission Street San Marino | CA 91108 www.fancythat.us.com
WALKING THE WALK FOR AUTISM AWARENESS
Asia Museum and
April 21 — Autism
continues through
Speaks, the nation’s
Oct. 7. Fujita is a Los Angeles native
largest autism advo-
whose work blends elements of tradi-
cacy organization,
tional Japanese ukiyo-e art with contem-
presents “Walk Now
porary American street and pop art. This
for Autism Speaks”
is his first solo museum exhibition on the
to raise funds for research. Registration
West Coast.
starts at the Rose Bowl at 8 a.m., followed
April 22 — A family festival from noon to
by the opening ceremony at 9 a.m. and
4 p.m. celebrates the centennial of
the walk at 10 a.m.
Japan’s gift of cherry trees to Washing-
The Rose Bowl is located at 1001 Rose
ton, D.C., with free admission to all gal-
Bowl Dr., Pasadena. To register, support a
leries, hands-on crafts, performances
walker or volunteer, visit walknowforautism-
and demonstration.
speaks.org, call (323) 549-0500, ext. 765, or
April 29 — At 2 p.m., author Lisa Napoli
email losangeles@autismspeaks.org.
discusses her new book, Radio Shangri-La:
–continued on page 54
Congress Cosmetic Medical Corp.
Marilyn A. Mehlmauer, M.D.
THE LIST
Diplomate, American Board of Dermatology & Dermatopathology
Sogol Saghari, M.D. Narineh Zohrabian, M.D.
SPECIALS Fraxel or Affirm Laser (full face) $800 (for skin rejuvenation & tightening) valid until 5/15/12
–continued from page 52
111 S. Grand Ave., L.A. Call (213) 621-
Pixel CO2 Laser (full face) $850
RARE GLIMPSE OF PRIVATE GREENE AND GREENE HOMES
(for wrinkles & tightening) valid until 5/15/12
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Walt Disney Concert Hall is located at
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Great Clothing, Fabulous Fashion Jewelry, Designer Handbags, Evening Bags and Accessories
1050 or visit colburnschool.edu/tickets.
April 22 — Homes by
A HEAVENLY EVENT
iconic Craftsman ar-
April 28 — Pasadena’s Cancer Support
chitects Charles and
Community hosts its 20th annual Angel
Henry Greene will be
Gala fundraiser, “Harmony & Halos,” at
open to the public
5:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Convention
from noon to 5 p.m.
Center. The festivities include a reception,
as the Gamble House presents “Arroyo’s
silent auction, dinner, live auction and
Edge: Greene and Greene Interiors
musical performance by Vegas Pianos, a
2012,” a tour of six privately owned his-
new, interactive twist on “dueling pianos.”
toric properties designed by the firm from
Tickets cost $225.
1902 to 1915. The tour, along Arroyo Ter-
The Pasadena Convention Center is lo-
race and North Grand Avenue in
cated at 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. For
Pasadena’s Park Place neighborhood,
tickets or sponsorship information, call
features five private homes and one pri-
Meg Symes at (626) 796-1083 or email
vate garden rarely open to the public.
her at m.symes@cscpasadena.org. For
The last entry starts at 4 p.m. Tickets cost
Cancer Support Community informa-
$85, $50 for children under 12 and $75
tion, visit cscpasadena.org.
for Friends of the Gamble House.
house.org for tickets and information.
SYMPHONY CLASSICS SERIES CLOSES WITH WAGNER, SCHUBERT, STRAUSS
SHOWCASE GARDEN TOUR
April 28 — James DePreist conducts the
April 22 — Sierra Madre’s Creative Arts
season’s last two Pasadena Symphony
Group hosts its annual “Art of the Gar-
concerts at the Ambassador Auditorium.
den” tour, showcasing four residential
Works performed at 2 and 8 p.m. include
gardens in Pasadena, San Marino, Arca-
a selection from Wagner’s Götterdäm-
Call (626) 793-3334 or visit gamble-
dia and Sierra Madre, from 10:30 a.m. to
merung, Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 and
4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 in advance,
Strauss’ “Four Last Songs.” Soprano Chris-
$30 the day of the tour. Directions are
tine Brewer performs. Tickets cost $35 to
provided with ticket purchase.
$100.
Call (626) 355-8350 or visit creativearts-
The Ambassador Auditorium is located
group.org.
at 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 793-7172 or visit pasadenasym-
April 22 — Sir Neville Marriner, who be-
April 29 — The Los
les Chamber
Angeles Master
Orchestra’s first
Chorale, conducted
music director in
by Music Director
Colburn Award at the Colburn School’s
838 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada 818.952.1600 54 | ARROYO | 04.12
2537 Mission St., San Marino 626.441.2100
CHORALE MOUNTS ANDES MUSIC TOUR
came the Los Ange-
1969, will be honored with the Richard D.
New Location!
phony-pops.org.
Grant Gershon, presents the chorus’ fifth
“Celebrate Colburn 100”gala concert,
“L.A. Is the World” commission with
starting at 6:30 p.m. at Walt Disney Con-
“Andes to the Sea,” a musical ode to
cert Hall. Marriner also served as the
Venezuela and its South American
Colburn Orchestra’s resident guest con-
neighbors, at 7 p.m. at Walt Disney Con-
ductor in 2011. The evening’s program
cert Hall. Tickets cost $19 to $134.
features Rossini’s William Tell Overture,
Walt Disney Concert Hall is located at
Elgar’s “Enigma Variations” and other se-
111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Call
lections. Tickets cost $15.
(213) 972-7282 or visit lamc.org.
PHOTO: Richard Holt (Sir Neville Marriner)
CONCERT SALUTES DIRECTOR’S DEDICATION