Arroyojan2014

FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREA JANUARY 2014

Riding Herd on Fitness The Goats of San Marino

PURPLE HAZE Is smog still making us sick?

YOGA PLUS Rock out, dangle or spin while getting your om on TOASTING OLD OAK CELLARS Pasadena’s only winery turns one

4 | ARROYO | 01.14

arroyo VOLUME 10 | NUMBER 1 | JANUARY 2014

31 36 39

HEALTH AND FITNESS 11 UNFRIENDLY SKIES After years of progress, is Southland air still making us sick?

—By Ilsa Setziol

15 THE GOATS OF SAN MARINO Seven “real housewives” find strength, sisterhood and adventure by scaling the heights as a herd.

—By Bettijane Levine

31 YOGA 2.0 Get your cobra pose on with second-generation yoga classes that incorporate dance, spinning, rock ’n’ roll or simply Mother Nature.

—By Samantha Bonar

DEPARTMENTS

TOP PHOTO: Bryan Tutt

9

FESTIVITIES Fezziwig’s Festive Holiday Tea at A Noise Within and National Charity League, Pasadena Chapter’s Rosebud Luncheon

20

ARROYO HOME SALES INDEX

36

KITCHEN CONFESSIONS There’s always room for ice cream sandwiches in SoCal.

39

WINING AND DINING Pasadena’s only winery, Old Oak Cellars, toasts its first anniversary in the Crown City.

42

THE LIST Piano prodigy Umi Garrett with the Pasadena Symphony, Pacific Asia Museum welcomes the Year of the Horse and more

ABOUT THE COVER: Photo courtesy of the Goats of San Marino. From left: Kelly Wilkniss, Louise Wardlaw, Lynn Allen, Connie Harding, Mary Blodgett, Patti Koch and Valerie McAndrews

01.14 | ARROYO | 7

EDITOR’S NOTE

I REMEMBER MY INTRODUCTION TO THE LOS ANGELES AREA IN 1989 A LITTLE TOO WELL. The air was so putrid I could smell it as soon as I stepped off the plane, the curtain of smog so dense that the mountains famous for ringing the city had to be taken on faith.

Perhaps I was feeling a tad too young and immortal in those days or I might have had serious pause about the toxins I was about to inhale for years to come.

Of course those days are long gone and the skies are considerably clearer, but as Ilsa Setziol reports, it’s still way too soon to relax. For Arroyo’s health and fitness issue, Setziol spoke to health and environment experts to determine where we currently stand on air quality — what risks we’re taking and what important changes still need to be made.

Need a bit of inspiration to start on those January fitness resolutions? Look no farther than the Goats of San Marino: a band of seven mid-life women in tip-top shape whom I was delighted to meet at a benefit honoring one of them. Bettijane Levine talked to these merry mountain climbers and discovered how being part of a herd helped them surpass their fitness goals — and benefit from something even more important.

You don’t need to climb Mt. Whitney, as the Goats did, to get in shape.

Yoga has been the go-to mind-body fitness technique in this country for seemingly eons, but if that hasn’t appealed, you might want to give it another look.

Samantha Bonar reports that numerous variations on the ancient practice have been cropping up of late that will have you rocking, dancing or hanging upside down, all in the name of creating a better you.

And when you’re done with all that, kick back and relax with Scarlet Cheng’s story about Pasadena’s only winery — Old Oak Cellars, which just celebrated the first anniversary of its permanent home in the Crown City.

—Irene Lacher

EDITOR IN CHIEF Irene Lacher CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kent Bancroft ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Carla Cortez PRODUCTION MANAGER Richard Garcia PRODUCTION DESIGNER Rochelle Bassarear COPY EDITOR John Seeley CONTRIBUTORS Leslie Bilderback, Samantha Bonar, Michael Cervin, Scarlet Cheng, Carole Dixon, Lynne Heffley, Noela Hueso, Tariq Kamal, Kathy Kelleher, Rebecca Kuzins, Bettijane Levine, Elizabeth McMillian, Brenda Rees, John Sollenberger, Nancy Spiller ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Dina Stegon ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Brenda Clarke, Joseluis Correa, Leslie Lamm ADVERTORIAL CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Joanna Dehn Beresford ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Richard Garcia, Rochelle Bassarear

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 EDITORIAL editor@arroyomonthly.com PHONE (626) 584-1500 FAX (626) 795-0149

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Andrea Baker

MAILING ADDRESS 50 S. De Lacey Ave., Ste. 200, Pasadena, CA 91105

PAYROLL Linda Lam

ArroyoMonthly.com

ACCOUNTING Alysia Chavez, Kacie Sturek OFFICE ASSISTANT Ann Weathersbee PUBLISHER Jon Guynn 8 | ARROYO | 01.14

©2014 Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

FESTIVITIES Kelly Ehlert, Resident Artist Deborah Strang, Abigail Marks and Diana Gonzalez-Morett

A Christmas Carol cast members

Councilmember Gene and Joanne Masuda

Betsy Ulf, Co-Producing Artistic Director Geoff Elliott and emcee Fritz Coleman

University of La Verne Professor Alfred Clark

A Noise Within repertory theater company raised a glass to Christmas past with its second annual Fezziwig’s Festive Holiday Tea on Dec. 8. Guests savored champagne, scones, toffee pudding and other seasonal delights from Peggy Dark & the Kitchen for Exploring Foods at tables ringing the theater seats, Resident Artist Stephen and Melanie Rockwell

where they moved for a matinee performance of A Christmas Carol. The benefit raised $48,000 for the company’s Classics Live! Education Programs… The National Charity League, Pasadena Area Chapter saluted the young women

Elaine and Elizabeth Chang

chosen as Senior Presentees for this year’s Rose Gala at its annual Rosebud

Cheryl, Hannah and Howard Kaufman

Luncheon on Nov. 10. Chapter President Paula Knop welcomed 14 girls and their parents, while Rose Gala Chairmen Stacey Fortner and Sarah Shelton introduced them as they received a “practice bouquet” in anticipation of the June 2014 festivities. The event at a private club in Pasadena was organized by Janie Herzog, Courtney Hotchkis, Catherine Marcussen and Carol Watkins.

PHOTOS: Michele Molizo (Rosebud Luncheon); Kathy Christie (A Noise Within)

Robert and Emily Woolway

Suzanne, Madeleine and James Holder

Catherine Marcussen, Carol Watkins, Stacey Fortner, Sarah Shelton, Courtney Hotchkis, Janie Herzog and Paula Knop Katie and Courtney Kelly

Janie Herzog

01.14 | ARROYO | 9

UNFRIENDLY SKIES After years of progress, is Southland air still making us sick?

BY ILSA SETZIOL

IF YOU’VE LIVED IN THE PASADENA AREA LONG ENOUGH, YOU REMEMBER THOSE SUMMERS WHEN YOU COULDN’T SEE THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS FOR DAYS ON END. FROM THOSE MOUNTAINS, YOU’D LOOK OUT ON A BROWN PALL OF POLLUTION SHROUDING THE L.A. BASIN. –continued on page 12

Darker days for Los Angeles 01.14 | ARROYO | 11

“We have done miraculous things through cleaner cars, better fuels, cracking down on refineries.” ~ Joe Lyou, Coalition for Clean Air

The skies are clearer and cleaner now: The number of unhealthy air days in Southern California has been cut in half since 1976. And there hasn’t been a smog alert in over a decade. “We have done miraculous things through cleaner cars, better fuels, cracking down on refineries,” says Joe Lyou, who heads the nonprofit Coalition for Clean Air. The progress comes despite the region’s topography and growing population, both conducive to smog.

But — cough, cough — many of us are still breathing bad air, and changing that will require even greater efforts to clean up the way we live, commute and do business in Southern California. The metropolitan L.A./Riverside/San Bernardino area continues to have the nation’s most severe air pollution problem (tied with the San Joaquin Valley). In 2012, the region exceeded federal health standards for ozone on 111 days. The state estimates that, every year, Southland smog — primarily ozone and particulates — causes 5,000 people to die prematurely, shortening some lives by as much as a decade. The monetary cost in lost lives, hospitalizations, lost workdays, etc., is estimated at a hefty $14.6 billion.

Part of our predicament is that the more public health officials study air pollution, the more health impacts they find, often at lower levels of exposure. “So the standards have gotten tougher over time,” says Lyou, also Governor Brown’s appointee to the board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), a local regulatory agency. “The goalposts have been moved.”

The Pasadena area fares better than spots further inland or near the ports, racking up fewer than 20 bad ozone days a year — down from about 100 in the early 1990s. But if you’re unlucky enough to live, work or go to school near a freeway, you could be breathing unhealthy air day in, day out. (It’s not certain how far one must be from a freeway to be considered safe, but California recommends that residences and businesses maintain at least a 500-foot buffer.) And just a few smoggy days can be dangerous — even deadly — for sensitive people, according to Dr. Daryl Banta, medical director of Pulmonary and Respiratory Services at Huntington Hospital. “I see it quite frequently,” he says. “When 12 | ARROYO | 01.14

the air quality is bad, a lot of patients come to my office for coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing.” Some, he says, are even sick enough to be admitted to the hospital. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable. A number of studies, including USC’s long-term Children’s Health Study, have found that children who live in highly polluted areas are more likely to become asthmatic, especially if they exercise outdoors frequently. The USC study also revealed that kids living in the most polluted parts of Southern California had lower lung capacity than kids breathing cleaner air.

Another concern, according to Dr. Banta, is the possible link between particulate pollution — a mixture of microscopic solid particles and liquid droplets — and an increased risk for stroke, heart disease and possibly even lung cancer. “The lungs provide some form of defense from air pollutants,” he says, “but not 100 percent.

Some particles will penetrate deep into the lungs, causing dangerous irritation and inflammation.” Other studies have correlated air pollution with birth defects and low birth weight. Dr. Banta adds that even people with no history of asthma or chronic bronchitis can experience respiratory problems on polluted days, including heightened vulnerability to cold and flu viruses.

For Southern Californians to breathe easy, nearly every source of air pollution must get cleaner, experts say. “We need to think about a virtually-zero-emission society,” says Sam Atwood, spokesman for the AQMD, adding that this would involve “transportation and all other sources of pollution being virtually zero emission.”

Regulators hope rules and incentives in the works will ensure the region meets the current ozone standard within a decade, and a forthcoming, more stringent ozone standard by 2032. (The area is expected to meet the particulate standard in two years.)

The road to clean air, though, will be steep and congested. To hit the ozone target, Atwood says the region will have to reduce some pollutants by an additional 80 percent, although the agency acknowledges in its 2012 Air Quality Management Plan that some of

INSET PHOTO: Courtesy of South Coast Air Quality Management District

–continued from page 11

6 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO CLEAN UP THE AIR 1. Buy a cleaner car.

California law requires 15 percent of new cars sold in the state by 2025 to be zero emission — that is, produce no tailpipe pollution. A variety of choices, including hydrogen fuel-cell cars, are coming to California dealers. Compare them at driveclean.ca.gov and cleancarchoices.org.

2. Check before you burn.

Our region’s fireplaces and other woodburning stoves emit four times more fine-particulate pollution than area power plants do. Check airalerts.org to know when wood burning is prohibited. Better yet, convert your wood stove to gas.

3. Buy energy-efficient appliances.

Look for those Energy Star labels.

“When the air quality is bad, a lot of patients come to my office for coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing.” ~ Dr. Daryl Banta, Huntington Hospital 4. Electrify your yard. the measures and technologies for that task have yet to be developed.

The AQMD has been tightening the screws on local industry for years, and state regulators have cleaned up car emissions considerably. But Southern California is bedeviled by sources of pollution it can’t directly regulate: chiefly, the diesel-spewing goods-movement industry. “You look at the fact that more than 40 percent of all the goods imported into the U.S. from anywhere come through the ports of L.A. and Long Beach, and it starts to sink in why it’s important that ships, trains and trucks be as clean as possible,” Atwood says.

And pollution from goods movement (transportation of retail products from manufacturing site to point of sale) doesn’t just linger in communities near the ports and the 710 freeway — it also blows inland, contributing to smog in the San Gabriel Valley.

So far, federal rules for trucks and trains and international regulations on ships have fallen far short of what’s needed, according to clean-air experts. That’s left state and local regulators picking up the slack however they can. California now requires ships visiting state ports to burn cleaner fuel within about 200 miles of its shores. AQMD is paying businesses for diesel engine upgrades and helping to bring clean technologies to market.

The agency recently allocated $18.7 million of state funds to retrofit or repower 172 diesel engines — trucks, construction equipment, small marine vessels — with cleaner technology. Also in the pipeline: a possible 710 freeway lane designated just for clean trucks, and a pilot program retrofitting trucks so they can tap into overhead electric lines when near ports. “We don’t have the luxury of allowing any source of pollution to go uncontrolled,” says Lyou. “If we can’t do transportation and land-use decisions properly, if we can’t get people in clean cars, we’re never going to attain federal ozone standards.”

In one year, an older gasoline-powered lawn mower pollutes as much as a new car driven 22,000 miles. Choose cordless electric mowers and blowers.

5. Clean up the air in your home.

Look for less-polluting house paints, finishes and sealants that are low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

6. Curb consumption.

To cut port pollution, choose products that will last longer.

Visit CleanAirConnections.org for more ideas.

–continued on page 14 01.14 | ARROYO | 13

“Now every two weeks, people who work with me, we bike to work.” ~ Michael Cacciotti,

Despite the popularity of the Toyota Prius, cars are projected to be the region’s fourthlargest source of smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) this year, emitting 35 tons a day.

“Angelenos need to do everything they can,” says Lyou. “[We] have to drive the cleanest cars, we have to make electrons available for charging our cars.” To free up space on the electric grid, he says, we need to invest in energy efficiency at home, as well as in home solar systems.

One man doing his part is South Pasadena City Councilman Michael Cacciotti, the San Gabriel Valley’s representative on the AQMD board. When not driving his electric car, you can find him riding the Metro Gold Line or biking to the gym. Five years ago, he launched a bike-to-work day. “Now every two weeks, people who work with me, we bike to work,” he says. Cacciotti also traded in his gas-powered lawn mower for a clean and quiet electric model. It doesn’t get much use these days, though, as he’s converted his yard to drought-tolerant native plants. That cuts down on water and all the energy (i.e., pollution) it takes to transport water from far away. A remodel of his house employed paint that is low in smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs). “You will pay a premium,” he says, “but you won’t be inhaling those fumes, which we know cause respiratory problems.”

If Southern California fails to meet clean air standards, the federal government could impose sanctions — withhold highway funds, say, or require “no-drive” days. But for Lyou, whose son has asthma, that’s not the most important reason to take action. “You have to clean up the air so children have a chance to live long and healthful lives,” he says. “They have a right to breathe clean air.” |||| For hourly updates of Southland air quality, visit AQMD.gov.

14 | ARROYO | 01.14

INSET PHOTO: Bill Glazier

South Pasadena City Councilman

The Goats of San Marino Seven “real housewives” find strength, sisterhood and adventure by scaling the heights as a herd.

BY BETTIJANE LEVINE –continued on page 17

The Goats in the Grand Canyon, where they hiked from the South Rim to North in one day. Clockwise from left: Mary Blodgett, Kelly Wilkniss, Lynn Allen, Louise Wardlaw, Valerie McAndrews, Patti Koch, Connie Harding

01.14 | ARROYO | 15

–continued from page 15

ALL I KNOW ABOUT GOATS I LEARNED FROM HEIDI, THE

From left: Valerie McAndrews, Connie Harding, Kelly Wilkniss, Patti Koch, Lynn Allen, Mary Blodgett, Louise Wardlaw

FICTIONAL CHILD WHO LIVED HIGH IN THE SWISS ALPS. THE GOATS WERE LOVABLE CHARACTERS, TOUGH BUT GENTLE. THEY BOLTED UP THE STEEP, CRAGGY MOUNTAINSIDE EVERY DAY UNTIL THEY REACHED A PLATEAU, WHERE THEY FROLICKED AMID WILDFLOWERS AND ATE SWEET GRASSES UNTIL NIGHT FELL AND THEIR HERDER CALLED. Fast forward to San Marino, 2014, more than a century after Heidi was published.

Here, a group of seven women have formed what they laughingly refer to as a “herd,” informally naming themselves “the Goats.” Their tale is sometimes hilarious, always inspirational, reminiscent in some ways of the children’s book written so long ago. In the book, Heidi found health, joy, freedom and friendship in her Alpine escapades.

The Goats of San Marino say they’ve found similar bliss through extraordinary physical adventures that have made them stronger and healthier, and have bound them together as lifelong friends — adventures that none of them, as individuals, would have even dreamed of before they met.

It was sheer serendipity that they came together at all, says Goat Kelly Wilkniss, a practicing attorney until 2004 when she retired and moved to San Marino to take care of her family and do volunteer work. She’d been exercising regularly at the South Pasadena YMCA five years ago when she happened upon two women — also Y regulars — chatting in the foyer. “I didn’t really know them, but we’d seen each other around,” Wilkniss recalls.

“One woman called out, ‘We’re going to climb Mt. Whitney. Do you want to come?’”

“It was so casual,” she continues, “sort of like ‘let’s have lunch.’ I said yes. I was flattered that they’d asked me. Then I went home and Googled Mt. Whitney and I was terrified.

I saw this gigantic snow-covered mountain: the highest peak in the continental U.S., an elevation of 14,500 feet.”

Wilkniss is one of seven San Marino women — all wives and mothers (with a total of 21 children between them) between 40 and 50, and retired from various professions — who coalesced into the Mt. Whitney climbing group: Lynn Allen, Mary Blodgett, Connie Harding, Patti Koch, Val McAndrews, Louise Wardlaw and Wilkniss. Most hadn’t known each other before. Only one, retired attorney Blodgett, had experience mountain climbing. One had a fear of heights. Most had never slept in a tent, nor had they attempted such a monumental physical task.

McAndrews remembers that she, too, joined the climbing club with no particular expectations. “We all, coincidentally, exercised at our local YMCA. We started training in the hills here in Pasadena. We hiked behind the Santa Anita Mall. We hiked Mt. Lowe.

We went to Palm Springs and hiked Mt. San Jacinto. We were almost all brand new to this; we were all busy with our families and volunteer work, but we managed to train once a week. We researched the Internet on what we needed for the climb, talked to experienced climbers to find out what we were getting ourselves into. We went to REI [sporting goods store], bought hiking boots, backpacks and other gear. We trained for about five months on a weekly basis.”

On Sept. 17, 2009, the group drove to Mt. Whitney, set up tents at an elevation of 8,000 feet and stayed the night to get acclimated to the altitude. They awoke at 3:30 the next morning and hit the trail by 4, wearing little lamps on their heads because it was still

The Goats on a Half Dome hike in Yosemite

–continued on page 19

01.14 | ARROYO | 17

–continued from page 17

dark. They reached the summit in eight hours, signed their names in the register at the stone hut there maintained by the Smithsonian Institution. “We were thrilled,” McAndrews says. “Only a few who attempt this climb actually do reach the top, and most don’t do it in one day, as we did. We rested, enjoyed the vista for about half an hour, then did the hard descent down. We tore down the tents, drove into Lone Pine and went out to celebrate with a dinner of steak, potatoes and wine.”

In the five years since, the band of seven sisters has climbed the Half Dome in Yosemite (elevation 5,000 feet) and hiked from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim to its North Rim in one day. They’ve hiked the canyons around Laguna Beach and Emerald Bay and competed in a local triathlon. “That was hilarious,” recalls Wilkniss, “because most of us are not great swimmers. I thought I was going to drown in the Rose Bowl pool.”

Wilkniss says the athletic accomplishments are important to them, but something even better has grown out of their exploits. “Rarely do you find a group of that many women who just gel the way we did,” she says. “Everybody brings something different to the table.

Everybody is appreciated for just who they are.” Says McAndrews of their joint adventures: “We share everything on these hikes. We talk, we vent, we celebrate, we support and help each other. There’s no doubt we are going to [accomplish our goal], even if it means we have to carry each other. We are all different and have very different family lifestyles, but what we have in common is that we are all mothers, wives, college grads, voracious volunteers in our community. And we’re all healthy, although some more than others. That’s what’s really nice about this [group]. We have one woman who’s afraid of heights. We are sensitive to this — we help with the hurdles that each of us may have. I would never have had the courage, the perseverance to do any of this on my own. But we are seven women strong, and we assist each other.”

Wilkniss agrees that relationships are the most rewarding part of being a Goat: “The best thing about this has been the friendship and personal growth that comes from what we try to do. It’s really cool for my daughters to see this, to know that we plan and then we achieve. They get a sense of how special and important female friendship is, and how when you set your mind on something you can do it.”

Adds McAndrews, “I know I couldn’t have done any of [these challenges] without my group of supportive women. I tell people if you have something on your bucket list, grab a good friend and go do it together.”

Wilkness, in her blog at mysoulfulhome.com, summed it up this way: “At a stage when life becomes predictable, friendships take a back seat and laughing so hard it hurts doesn’t happen all that often, I have found adventure, acceptance and side-splitting silliness. The Goats have enhanced my life in so many ways. I know they each have my back on the trail and off, and I have theirs.”

Many women have asked if they can join the Goats. They can’t. It’s not that they’re excluding anyone. It’s simply that they’ve become a kind of close-knit family, and no one wants to tamper with their unique dynamic. But if there are any TV honchos out there looking to make an inspirational movie, or a real Real Housewives series, they ought to look in on the Goats of San Marino — a loving group of daring women who are much more than the sum of their parts. ||||

The group poised to chow down at base camp on Mt. Whitney

The Goats regroup after the LoziLu Women’s Mud Run

01.14 | ARROYO | 19

arroyo

™

SPONSORED BY

~HOME SALES INDEX~ HOME SALES

nov

nov

2012

2013

+7.4% ALTADENA HOMES SOLD MEDIAN PRICE MEDIAN SQ. FT. ARCADIA HOMES SOLD MEDIAN PRICE MEDIAN SQ. FT. EAGLE ROCK HOMES SOLD MEDIAN PRICE MEDIAN SQ. FT. GLENDALE HOMES SOLD MEDIAN PRICE MEDIAN SQ. FT. LA CAÑADA HOMES SOLD MEDIAN PRICE MEDIAN SQ. FT. PASADENA HOMES SOLD MEDIAN PRICE MEDIAN SQ. FT. SAN MARINO HOMES SOLD MEDIAN PRICE MEDIAN SQ. FT. SIERRA MADRE HOMES SOLD MEDIAN PRICE MEDIAN SQ. FT. SOUTH PASADENA HOMES SOLD MEDIAN PRICE MEDIAN SQ. FT. TOTAL HOMES SOLD AVG PRICE/SQ. FT.

NOV ’12 39 $460,000 1588.5 NOV ’12 29 $725,000 1869 NOV ’12 14 $527,500 1242 NOV ’12 96 $474,250 1489 NOV ’12 16 $1,040,000 1988 NOV ’12 128 $531,000 1500 NOV ’12 10 $1,545,000 2494 NOV ’12 6 $528,000 1355 NOV ’12 13 $845,000 1552 NOV ’12 351 $432

HOMES SOLD

351 313

AVG. PRICE/SQ. FT.

RECENT HOME CLOSINGS IN THE ARROYO FOOTPRINT

HOMES SOLD

-10.8%

HOME SALES ABOVE $750,000

NOV ’13 31 $542,500 1281 NOV ’13 22 $877,500 2157 NOV ’13 8 $550,000 1149 NOV ’13 90 $580,000 1610 NOV ’13 19 $1,090,000 2053 NOV ’13 114 $615,500 1443 NOV ’13 10 $1,740,000 2323 NOV ’13 14 $685,000 1352 NOV ’13 5 $645,500 1656 NOV ’13 313 $464

ADDRESS ALTADENA 1960 Minoru Drive 1938 Glen Allen Lane 2026 New York Drive 2490 Ganesha Avenue 581 Devonwood Road 1735 La Paz Road ARCADIA 725 Carriage House Drive 710 East Norman Avenue 2020 Oaks Place 433 East Camino Real Avenue 1555 Hyland Avenue 1902 South 6th Avenue 1306 Green field Avenue 2216 South Santa Anita Avenue 1050 Whispering Oaks Drive 2531 El Capitan Avenue 2501 South 2nd Avenue 590 South 3rd Avenue #A 351 California Street #A 600 South 2nd Avenue #B 346 East Forest Avenue 823 North Santa Anita Avenue GLENDALE 1819 Deermont Road 1356 Doverwood Drive 314 View Crest Road 931 Calle Canta 153 South Pacific Avenue 1617 Moreno Drive 1960 El Arbolita Drive 947 West Glenoaks Boulevard 724 Prospect Drive 1028 San Rafael Avenue #B 4102 Ocean View Boulevard 815 West Mountain Street 859 West Kenneth Road 1042 Thornwood Street 1665 Cumberland Terrace 682 Luton Drive 1331 Highland Avenue 3156 Beaudry Terrace 1363 Greenmont Drive 206 West Chevy Chase Drive 1133 Cordova Avenue 1345 Selvas Place 2926 Graceland Way 1229 Highland Avenue 1611 Virden Drive 517 Woodbury Road 2404 Sylvan Lane 2840 Hermosa Avenue

CLOSE DATE

SOURCE: CalREsource

PRICE BDRMS. SQ. FT.

11/01/13 11/27/13 11/01/13 11/06/13 11/22/13 11/01/13

$1,650,000 $1,650,000 $1,025,000 $960,000 $840,000 $830,000

11/12/13 11/14/13 11/01/13 11/01/13 11/27/13 11/13/13 11/14/13 11/25/13 11/20/13 11/06/13 11/07/13 11/07/13 11/27/13 11/27/13 11/22/13 11/27/13 11/04/13 11/13/13 11/05/13 11/06/13 11/27/13 11/08/13 11/22/13 11/01/13 11/13/13 11/22/13 11/22/13 11/05/13 11/14/13 11/01/13 11/21/13 11/08/13 11/08/13 11/01/13 11/01/13 11/07/13 11/27/13 11/08/13 11/26/13 11/20/13 11/27/13 11/01/13 11/08/13 11/14/13

YR. BUILT PREV. PRICE

PREV. SOLD

$635,000 $1,800,000

10/15/1997 02/01/2006

$540,500 $225,000

05/10/2013 04/29/1988

$438,000 $405,000 $750,000 $385,000 $150,000 $950,000 $1,089,000 $710,000

08/02/2002 03/13/1997 01/23/2004 02/04/1999 08/29/1996 02/08/2011 10/28/2005 01/09/2004

$280,000

06/30/1997

$389,000 $725,000

04/27/2001 02/05/2008

$635,000

01/14/2005

$628,000

08/05/1999

$490,000 $629,000 $682,000 $543,500 $1,010,000 $1,050,000 $560,000

06/16/1994 11/13/2002 04/19/2013 08/16/1990 08/15/2006 04/20/2005 09/16/2002

$1,020,000

04/26/2005

$322,000

12/31/1987

$799,000 $749,000 $360,000 $888,000 $198,000 $691,000 $395,000

03/24/2006 09/27/2011 09/17/1997 09/07/2005 09/25/2013 06/29/2004 02/20/2013

$739,000 $775,000 $631,000

12/10/2004 04/24/2007 10/21/2009

$445,000

05/24/2004

5 3 3

2040 2970

1937 1928

5

2443

1928

$3,180,000 $2,050,000 $1,580,000 $1,550,000 $1,450,000 $1,438,000 $1,366,000 $1,270,000 $1,100,000 $970,000 $900,000 $855,000 $820,000 $805,000 $760,000 $750,000

6 5 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 3 3 4 3 3 3

5905 4416 2540 2664 2724 2958 2301 2552 3122 1343 1335 2224 2484 2089 1568 1818

2002 2003 1956 1983 1949 1986 1960 1947 1976 1950 1941 1997 2000 2007 1940 1948

$1,500,000 $1,410,000 $1,277,000 $1,250,000 $1,200,000 $1,175,000 $1,175,000 $1,142,000 $1,125,000 $1,057,500 $1,000,000 $960,000 $940,000 $905,000 $899,000 $882,000 $875,000 $855,000 $855,000 $850,000 $810,000 $810,000 $800,000 $790,000 $784,500 $778,000 $775,000 $760,000

3 4 2 5 8 6 3 8

2614 2790 3049 3272 3939 3488 2596 3584

1962 1981 1959 1994 1951 1972 1936 1944

4

3212

1927

2224 2094 1958 2506 1493 1891 2172 1776 1996

1922 1987 1956 1929 1925 1974 1958 1906 1927

2422 2428

1965 1935

2170 2474 2334

1930 1925 1949

8 4 3 3 4 2 3 3 0 4 4 3 3 3 3 4

The Arroyo Home Sales Index is calculated from residential home sales in Pasadena and the surrounding communities of South Pasadena, San Marino, La Canada Flintridge, Eagle Rock, Glendale (including Montrose), Altadena, Sierra Madre and Arcadia. Individual home sales data provided by CalREsource. Arroyo Home Sales Index © Arroyo 2013. Complete home sales listings appear each week in Pasadena Weekly.

20 | ARROYO | 01.14

HOME SALES ABOVE $750,000 RECENT HOME CLOSINGS IN THE ARROYO FOOTPRINT ADDRESS

CLOSE DATE

SOURCE: CalREsource

PRICE BDRMS. SQ. FT.

YR. BUILT PREV. PRICE

PREV. SOLD 05/24/2002

LA CAĂ‘ADA FLINTRIDGE 5300 Alta Canyada Road

11/27/13

$2,100,000

4

3953

1949

$1,330,000

830 Greenridge Drive

11/14/13

$2,075,000

4

4333

1984

$1,000,000

12/30/1998

1210 Journeys End Drive

11/14/13

$1,875,000

4

3172

1948

$945,000

07/17/2001

$1,005,000

06/14/2004

5049 Angeles Crest Highway

11/01/13

$1,680,000

3

4035

1937

5301 Harter Lane

11/22/13

$1,330,000

3

2512

1966

5440 La Forest Drive

11/21/13

$1,300,000

4

1852

1954

4581 Viro Road

11/06/13

$1,201,000

3

1142

1946

$980,000

06/21/2005

4384 Beulah Drive

11/20/13

$1,200,000

2

1520

1953

$424,000

09/19/1990

4124 Lanterman Lane

11/08/13

$1,100,000

3

2155

1966

$848,500

05/21/2004

2263 Colmena Street

11/26/13

$1,090,000

4

2992

1963

$735,000

10/13/2011

5383 Godbey Drive

11/14/13

$1,065,000

3

2396

1973

$340,000

10/23/1997

4913 Angeles Crest Highway

11/20/13

$1,055,000

3

2053

1962

5815 Briartree Drive

11/06/13

$1,010,000

3

2352

1966

$905,000

07/02/2004

350 Mellow Lane

11/06/13

$925,000

3

1432

1956

$466,000

12/07/1999

1080 South Oak Knoll Avenue

11/05/13

$2,650,000

5

4875

1915

$2,200,000

04/29/2011

283 South Grand Avenue

11/26/13

$2,350,000

250 South De Lacey Avenue #501A 11/27/13

$2,088,000

3

2770

2007

677 Burleigh Drive

11/07/13

$1,800,000

3

3069

1441 Rose Villa Street

11/08/13

$1,680,000

3

2653

210 North Grand Avenue

11/13/13

$1,625,000

4

1455 Sierra Madre Villa Avenue

11/22/13

$1,600,000

741 South Euclid Avenue

11/25/13

1650 Pleasant Way 1090 Linda Glen Drive

PASADENA $800,000

11/20/1997

$2,000,000

07/07/2009

1993

$465,000

12/11/1991

1921

$1,538,000

04/10/2007

2968

1906

$460,000

10/08/1998

4

3988

1988

$400,000

08/17/1995

$1,560,000

3

2654

1921

$365,000

04/29/1997

11/22/13

$1,550,000

6

3723

1929

$550,000

04/24/1991

11/27/13

$1,438,000

4

2654

1973

$335,000

09/23/1985

686 South Euclid Avenue

11/01/13

$1,370,000

3

2253

1919

$228,000

10/11/1985

3830 New Haven Road

11/27/13

$1,300,000

3

2510

1948

$575,000

02/25/2003

920 Granite Drive #201

11/22/13

$1,285,000

2

1860

2009 $850,000

06/19/2013

$725,000

07/22/2004

$680,000

08/18/2011

1240 North Arroyo Boulevard

11/04/13

$1,281,000

3

2144

1961

920 Granite Drive #109

11/13/13

$1,255,000

3

2380

2009

155 Cordova Street #504

11/01/13

$1,170,000

2

1920

2010

831 North Fair Oaks Avenue

11/14/13

$1,000,000

2

4131

1946

807 South Orange Grove Boulevard 11/08/13

$1,000,000

2

2184

1975

91 North Oak Avenue

11/25/13

$980,000

3

1312

1921

1645 Carriage House Road

11/14/13

$970,000

3

2340

1960

2715 San Pasqual Street

11/05/13

$965,000

3

1870

1940

$94,500

08/08/1977

3636 Thorndale Road

11/08/13

$915,000

3

2363

1943

$740,000

08/05/2009

1110 Pine Bluff Drive

11/07/13

$900,000

3

1545

1954

$617,000

04/08/2011

1940 Canyon Close Road

11/27/13

$879,000

2

1747

1953

$730,000

11/09/2009

$385,000

10/24/1994

2475 Vista Laguna Terrace

11/25/13

$877,000

3

3168

1935

334 South Greenwood Avenue

11/27/13

$860,000

3

1985

1925

522 La Paz Drive

11/14/13

$832,000

2

1530

1939

$350,000

07/23/1990

1700 Whitefield Road

11/01/13

$829,000

5

2604

1912

$630,000

01/22/2009

1562 North Altadena Drive

11/08/13

$810,000

6

2128 Brigden Road

$649,000

03/29/2013

11/01/13

$760,000

3

1595

1972

720 South Orange Grove Blvd #8A 11/01/13

$750,000

2

2120

1964

1164 Romney Drive

11/22/13

$750,000

3

1785

1959

1050 Winston Avenue

11/12/13

$3,330,000

$358,000

11/19/1997

2131 Homet Road

11/22/13

$3,061,500

$923,000

10/16/2009

1960 Del Mar Avenue

11/06/13

$1,888,000

SAN MARINO

4

2784

1938

2317

1929

1833 West Drive

11/27/13

$1,850,000

4

1905 Kerns Avenue

11/07/13

$1,830,000

8

$1,360,500

03/01/2007

$1,100,000

11/17/2011

2830 Somerset Place

11/08/13

$1,650,000

4

2311

1942

$1,080,010

06/20/2005

2717 Monterey Road

11/14/13

$1,650,000

4

3227

1930

$819,000

10/10/2002

3

2328

1951

2255 Brentford Road

11/07/13

$1,629,500

2710 East California Boulevard

11/26/13

$1,500,000

590 La Mirada Avenue

11/26/13

$1,338,000

800 Auburn Avenue

11/22/13

$1,195,000

331 Ramona Avenue

11/13/13

340 Toyon Road

11/13/13

$106,500

06/06/1978

$258,000

10/05/1979

$460,000

12/28/2000

$1,050,000

02/20/2009

2

1500

1929

$1,160,000

5

2888

1925

$700,000

04/24/2002

$1,100,000

4

2262

1962

$980,000

09/19/2012

SIERRA MADRE

126 East Mira Monte Avenue

11/05/13

$925,000

4

2052

1907

$139,000

02/12/1982

147 West Grandview Avenue

11/12/13

$835,000

3

1352

1947

$430,000

03/27/2001

823 Oneonta Drive

11/27/13

$1,095,000

3

1868

2007

$175,000

06/28/2002

1911 Leman Street #C

11/20/13

$838,000

3

1686

2008

$772,000

10/28/2008

SOUTH PASADENA

01.14 | ARROYO | 21

ARROYO HOME & DESIGN SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

HOME WINTERIZING A prescription for comfort and cost savings all season long

22 | ARROYO | 01.14

HOMEOWNERS WILL PAY 13 PERCENT MORE THIS YEAR TO HEAT THEIR HOMES WITH NATURAL GAS, THE U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION PREDICTS.-PRICES FOR HEATING WITH PROPANE, ELECTRICITY AND HEATING OIL ALSO WILL REMAIN HIGHER THAN FIVE-YEAR AVERAGES. WITH THIS IN MIND, IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR HOMEOWNERS TO ACT NOW TO ENSURE THEIR HOMES ARE ENERGY-EFFICIENT. 窶田ontinued on page 25

01.14 | ARROYO | 23

24 | ARROYO | 01.14

PHOTO: BPT

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

–continued from page 22 To help homeowners combat high utility bills during the fall and winter months, Bobby DiFulgentiz, an energy efficiency expert with Lennox Industries, suggests some practical tips for winterizing your home, minimizing energy loss and maximizing your comfort this winter.

EXAMINING THE EXTERIOR Begin by examining your home’s exterior walls for cracks or holes, paying extra attention to gaps around external doors and windows where warm indoor air can escape or cold air can seep inside. Because 10 to 15 percent of heat loss occurs from cracks of this nature, Lennox suggests sealing air leaks with caulk or weather stripping.

While outside, homeowners also should inspect the roof to ensure all shingles are intact and flashings around chimneys, skylights, antennas and vents are well sealed.

“With high winds, snow and ice, the winter months can be particularly strenuous on the roof of a house,” says DiFulgentiz. “Be sure to replace broken, curled or missing shingles, and use roof caulking to patch any holes to prevent heat loss before cold weather begins.”

Finally, homeowners should consider planting a few trees and shrubs of various heights to serve as “wind breaks” that will protect the house from cold, northerly winds. Home landscaping designed with “wind control” in mind can reduce winter heating bills by 25 percent, according to the Department of Energy.

INSPECTING THE INTERIOR Continue your winter preparations by heading indoors and scheduling an appointment with a qualified heating professional to inspect your home’s heating system. According to DiFulgentiz, an annual, pre-season maintenance check-up for a furnace or boiler will help ensure the system is operating efficiently. This will also give you extra time to make any necessary repairs, if needed. You also may consider replacing the system, reducing the potential for a breakdown in the middle of winter.

“If your furnace is more than 15 years old, you should consider replacing it with a newer, more energy-efficient model,” says DiFulgentiz. “New, high-efficiency furnaces can help cut monthly heating costs by as much as 45 percent.”

In fact, high efficiency furnaces, like the Dave Lennox Signature™ Collection SLP98V variable speed gas furnace from Lennox, can save homeowners hundreds of dollars each year, compared to older, less efficient furnaces. The SLP98V, for example, is 98 percent efficient, which means 98 percent of the energy it uses goes directly to heating the home.

In addition to the home heating system, homeowners need to have fireplaces and chimneys inspected and cleaned annually. It’s also important to close the fireplace damper when not in use to prevent warm indoor air from escaping through the chimney.

Finally, take a look inside the attic to determine if additional insulation is needed. The amount of insulation needed will vary based on the region of the country and the home’s design, but generally if there is less than five inches, it’s a good idea to add more.|||| To learn more about home energy efficiency and how to save money on utility bills, visit www.ItPaysToLiveSmart.com.

Story courtesy of BPT. 01.14 | ARROYO | 25

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

LOCAL BUSINESS PROFILES MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS AT LOCAL BUSINESSES WHOSE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ARE TAILORED TO YOU!

■ BIKRAM YOGA PASADENA - p 27 ■ CALIFORNIA LASIK CENTER - p 27 ■ EYELID REJUVENATION ARCADIA - p 28 ■ ARCADIA RETIREMENT VILLAGE - p 28 ■ LAS ENCINAS HOSPITAL - p 29

26 | ARROYO | 01.14

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

BUSINESS PROFILE PROFILE

BUSINESS PROFILE PROFILE

Michell C. Shultz, MD Board Certified Ophthalmologist & Eye Surgeon

CALIFORNIA LASIK CENTER

BIKRAM YOGA PASADENA Bikram Yoga Pasadena, the original “Hot

humidity. Clients investigate the studio

Yoga” studio in the San Gabriel Valley,

because they’re curious, they want to

recently unveiled a state-of-the-art ex-

lose weight or reduce stress – and they

pansion and remodel of a facility that was already renowned for its community and teaching excellence. Val Sklar Robinson, owner and veteran Bikram

stay because they realize an entire matrix of healing benefits.

The Bikram series is meant to help you feel better. It is designed for all body types, ages, and levels of fitness.

Dr. Shultz has received many honors

tures and conducts ongoing investiga-

throughout his 20-year career. He was

tions for AMO Surgical, Bausch & Lomb

voted viewer’s choice 2010 & 2011 Best

Surgical and Pharmaceuticals and Aller-

Ophthalmologist in Southern California

gan. He also continues to perfect the

by KCAL9/KCOP Best of LA TV, one of

clinical care of LASIK and cataract pa-

LA’s Top Docs 2011 & 2012 and one of

tients alike. His FDA-regulated investiga-

America’s Top Ophthalmologists for

tions on the latest innovations in the

more than ten years running.

field have included: PermaVision ™

Dr. Shultz has received many honors

Wavefront LASIK, hyperopic LASIK, multi-

voted viewer’s choice 2010 & 2011 Best

focal cataract surgery, Wavefront

Ophthalmologist in Southern California

cataract surgery, Intacs for Keratoconus,

by KCAL9/KCOP Best of LA TV, one of LA’s

and the Artisan phakic IOL.

Top Docs 2011 & 2012 and one of Amer-

Shultz is uniquely qualified to counsel his

than ten years running.

patients from both their perspective and that of an accomplished surgeon.

Board Certification – 1993 National

never started a regular work out regime,

Board of Medical examiners & 1998

people who come and do the introduc-

American board of Ophthalmology

tory month soon realize the potentially

Society Affiliations – American Acad-

life changing benefits. “As long as you

emy of Ophthalmology, Fellow American

breathe normally through the nose, try

Society of Cataract and Refractive Sur-

the right way and do the best you can,

gery, Member American College of

you will see the benefits” says Val. 2089 E Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 304-9642 www.bikrampasadena.com.

says Val, “people’s lives are changed from the inside out.” Bikram Yoga

Yoga instructor, has created a luxurious,

celebrated their 15 year anniversary in

spa-like environment, equipped with

November 2013 and to have been

cutting-edge heating, ventilation and

voted Best Yoga Program in the

flooring, full-amenity changing rooms

Pasadena Weekly in 2013. Val is thrilled

with showers and lockers, and anti-mi-

to have been given this honor 4 of the

filtered water system.

Bikram Yoga is a unique and intensely therapeutic, 90-minute, 26-posture yoga series. Sessions are performed in a 105-degree room of 40%

ber Southern California College of Op-

intro month special ($49) to first time,

Pasadena is very excited to have just

crobial, ultra clean surroundings and a

Ophthalmic Surgeons, Founding Mem-

Bikram Yoga Pasadena offers the and local students. “In just a month,”

last 6 years.

For information about the Intro month special, class packages, further benefits and photos of their studio, visit the website: www.bikrampasadena.com.

Look•Love•Feel•BETTER.

Having undergone LASIK himself, Dr.

ica’s Top Ophthalmologists for more

From triatheletes to someone who has

BIKRAM YOGA PASADENA

corneal inlays, custom cornea and

throughout his 20-year career. He was

MICHELL C. SHULTZ, M.D.

tometry, Preceptor Alpha Omega Alpha,

100 E. California Blvd.

Medical Honors Society

Pasadena, CA 91105 (800) 432-2020

Academic Position – UCLA, Jules Stein Eye Institute – Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology Hospital Affiliations – Northridge Hos-

Having served as peer review editor

pital Medical Center (Active)

of Cataract and Refractive Surgery

Freedom Vision Surgery Center

Today (2007 – 2013), Dr. Shultz continues

Awards –

to publish articles on the most cutting

2011 – LA’s Top Docs 2011

edge technologies and techniques in

2001 – Present – America’s Top

laser refractive and cataract surgery. Dr. Shultz’s reputation is known industry wide, and he is often invited to lecture locally and abroad. Dr. Shultz both lec-

Ophthalmologists 2010 – Best Ophthalmologist Southern California 2010 – KCAL9, KCOP 13 Best of LA TV 01.14 | ARROYO | 27

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

BUSINESS PROFILE PROFILE

BUSINESS PROFILE BUSINESS PROFILE

EYELID REJUVENATION ARCADIA AFFORDABLE ASSISTED LIVING FULL SERVICE SENIOR COMMUNITY

Dr. Beauclair has been performing eyelid cosmetics for over 25 years. He trained under the eye plastic surgeon who pioneered the technique now used around

John P Beauclair, M.D.

the world for lower lid bag removal. His

At Arcadia Retirement Village, a fam-

enjoy private and semi-private, fur-

ily-owned and operated senior com-

nished spacious rooms, with balconies

munity, we consider all of our

and patios. They also like to stroll the

medical training was at the University of

at all call attention to the eyes. In fact

residents and staff as an extension of

landscaped courtyards, visit the onsite

Southern California.

the comments of friends should not be

our own family. We genuinely believe

salon, and spend time in the Activity, Li-

“did you have your eyelids done?” but

that we have been given this great

brary and Hobby Room. Living options

the cosmetic benefits of eyelid lifts are

rather, “you look great, did you have

honor to take care of your loved

at Arcadia include chef-prepared nutri-

the most striking of any facial procedure,

your hair done,” or, “you look like you

ones in their Golden Years. Perhaps

tious meals and accommodation of

rested well last night.” All that flows from

this is why our residents so often de-

specialized diets; 24-hour trained and

the more attractive and alert look that

scribe the Retirement Village as “a

passionately dedicated staff supervi-

an eyelid lift gives.

Hidden Treasure of Arcadia.”

sion and emergency call systems;

Dr. Beauclair noted early on that

There have been many advance-

EYELID AND FACIAL

Our mission is to provide affordable

housekeeping and laundry services; a

ments in eyelid surgery in the last few

assisted-living options as we strive for

multitude of activities, outings and

years, both in technique and instrumen-

the independence, wellness and en-

events; church services, transportation

tation. Methods of removing lower lid fat

richment of seniors through personal-

to and provision for in-house medical

bags have changed, as have the meth-

ized plans to meet their unique needs.

appointments; and other concierge

ods of handling excess lower lid skin.

Arcadia Retirement Village residents

services.

Located in the lush, beautiful com-

And one of the major improvements has

AESTHETIC SURGERY

been the emergence of RF devices to

munity of Arcadia, our community is lo-

John P Beauclair, M.D.

more elegantly and precisely remove ex-

cated just minutes from the Arboretum,

622 W Duarte Road.

cess skin.

the Santa Anita Race Track, the Hunt-

Ste. 103 Arcadia 626.445.4873

medicine today, among them anti-aging

tablishments, medical offices,

strategies, biotechnology advances,and

laboratories and so much more. We are

stem cell therapies. We will benefit with a

a fully licensed and accredited facility

better quality of life. But the satisfaction especially considering the amount of

of patients who just look better (to them-

surgery involved. But over the years, pa-

selves and to others), and the renewed

tients have voiced one concern. They

confidence that creates, is also worth

don’t want that “deer in headlights” look

pursuing. Dr. Beauclair says: ìOur staff

that some celebrities have. It turns out

has always been devoted to the best in-

that a surgeon experienced in precise

terests of our patients. The smile of the

measurement, and having an aesthetic

patients when they look in the mirror is

sense, will create a result that does not

what we strive for.

28 | ARROYO | 01.14

ington Library, shopping and dining es-

There are many exciting advances in

AFFORDABLE ASSISTED LIVING FULL SERVICE SENIOR COMMUNITY 41 Hugus Alley, Pasadena 607 W. Duarte Rd. Arcadia, CA 91007 (626) 447-6070 www.arcadiaretirementvillage.net

and we look forward to welcoming you to Arcadia Retirement Village, where our work is not just a job, it is a calling; and where our facility is not a resort, an institution, or a hotel – it is your home!

For more information please visit our website at www..net, or call Administrator Maya or Marketing Director Debra at 626-447-6070

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

BUSINESS PROFILE

LAS ENCINAS HOSPITAL Las Encinas Hospital, a behavioral health

“Our facility has had a long-standing

atric facilities in California are ranked as a

facility located in Pasadena, offers a wide

commitment to the accreditation process

Top Performer in The Joint Commissions

range of behavioral health care services,

and to positive patient outcomes”, adds

Annual Report on Quality and Safety. Hos-

specializing in the treatment of psychiatric

Jerry Conway, CEO of Las Encinas Hospi-

pitals receiving Top Performer designation

and chemical dependency issues. The fa-

tal. Mr. Conway praised the work of the

must achieve a performance rate of 95

cility provides a variety of inpatient and

independent psychiatrists and hospital

percent or more for each measure.

outpatient treatment programs including

employees who provide daily treatment

inpatient detox, rehab, residential treat-

for the patients at each facility. “We have

nizes hospitals for “their exemplary per-

ment and intensive outpatient therapy.

some of the top-ranked psychiatrists in

formance in providing evidence-based

Aurora Las Encinas Hospital has remained

Southern California in our hospital notes

interventions in the right way and at the

committed to quality care and service to

Conway. He adds; “Our nurses, social

right time.” Psychiatric hospital rankings

the community for over 100 years, and

workers, therapists and other employees

were based on the following measures:

grown to include 118 licensed acute care

all do a tremendous job providing the

beds, plus 38 residential treatment beds.

highest level of care,”

The hospital is licensed by the State of Cal-

Las Encinas Hospital has been named

The Joint Commission report recog-

• Justification for administering multiple anti-psychotic medications • Ratios for use of restraints and seclusion • Creation and transmission of

ifornia and accredited by the Joint Com-

as a Top Performer for hospital-based inpa-

mission. Residential treatment is licensed

tient psychiatric care by The Joint Commis-

and certified by the State of California De-

sion, the leading accreditor of health care

partment of Alcohol and Drug Programs.

organizations in America. Las Encinas Hos-

available 24-hours a day, seven days a

Aurora Las Encinas Hospital is a Medicare

pital received recognition for their perform-

week at the hospital. Please call 626-795-

and Medi-Cal provider, and is contracted

ance on key quality measures achieved

9901 or 800-792-2345 and ask for the As-

with most major insurance companies.

during the year 2012. Only seven psychi-

sessment & Referral Department.

continuing care plans Free, confidential assessments are

LAS ENCINAS HOSPITAL 2900 E. Del Mar Blvd.

Pasadena, CA 91107 www.lasencinashospital.com (626) 795-9901 (800) 792-2345

01.14 | ARROYO | 29

Yoga 2.0

SHOULD YOGA ROCK? SHOULD IT SPIN? SHOULD IT DANCE? SHOULD THERE BE

Get your cobra pose on with second-generation yoga classes that incorporate dance, spinning, rock ’n’ roll or simply Mother Nature.

BY SAMANTHA BONAR

WALKING WITH YOUR WARRIOR ONE AND DUMBBELLS WITH YOUR DOWNWARD DOG? According to a slew of nontraditional yoga classes and studios sprouting up around Arroyoland, the answer is a resounding yes. The reaction of traditional yogis who typically revere the spiritual benefits? It may surprise you. “I say whatever the motivation, if it brings them to the mat so that they can have a deeper experience of themselves, that’s the perfect introduction for that person,” says Pete Lee, who teaches kundalini yoga, a Sikhbased tradition.

Indeed, YogaWorks Pasadena touts its cardio-flow yoga class by noting its earthbound payoff: “Your ultimate goal may be enlightenment, but it never hurt anyone to develop a hot booty along the way.”

Similar sentiments led yoga celeb Colleen Saidman Yee to create her Calorie-Killer Yoga DVD, which comes out in March.

“As I get older, I realize the benefits of including cardio and strength into my asana practice,” she told Arroyo Monthly.

“It doesn’t hinder the practice leading to or becoming meditation.” (But she cautioned that not all yoga-hybrid classes are created equal: “The main problem is not enough study for some of the hybrids and the result is poor alignment and very poor sequencing, which can lead to injury.”)

Crunch in Burbank also provides booty aid in its AntiGravity Yoga class, which incorporates dance, Pilates and calisthenics in a trapeze-like hammock.

Yes, a hammock. New York City–based Unnata Aerial Yoga takes the concept even further by combining traditional yoga with aerial acrobatic training using a soft fabric trapeze, which makes inversions easier. According to the Unnata website, by supporting the weight of the body, the fabric trapeze or hammock helps students quickly achieve advanced traditional yoga –continued on page 33 01.14 | ARROYO | 31

32 | ARROYO | 01.14

PHOTO: Bryan Tutt

–continued from page 31

postures that would otherwise take years to learn.

Prefer a more streamlined workout? Try a BarWorks class (a strength-building class that incorporates ballet barre work to complement one’s yoga practice) or Yoga With Ropes (which incorporates a rope wall to enable deeper release into the poses), all offered at the Pasadena studio.

Meanwhile, Rock It Workouts in Pasadena offers Yoga Rock: “We mix incredible music with incredible sculpting fusions that work to balance your mind, body and soul,” according to the Rock It website. It also offers vigorous Rock Your Buti classes in Buti Yoga, which fuses yoga, tribal dance and plyometrics (a training technique that boosts strength by making muscles exert maximum force in as short a time as possible, such as repeated Karen May, instructor at Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden jumping). Derived from the Marathi word Buti, meaning “the cure to something hidden or kept secret” (but serendipitously beally with an awareness brought on through the integration of yoga to any practice.” ing a homonym for booty), its objective is “to guide women through movement, nutrition In fact, there is no one “true” yoga. Yoga has gone through innumerable permutations and wellness that supports the female spirit — transforming lives from the inside-out… since hatha — the style most familiar to Westerners today — first emerged in India about Buti combines various styles of hatha yoga with tribal-influenced dance sequences to 1,000 years ago. According to kundalini yoga instructor Helen Huber, who teaches at keep the heart rate up, free the female spirit and help women form a tribe or sisterhood,” Pasadena’s Awareness Center, the original purpose of yoga was to prepare the body for according to the Buti website. sitting in meditation for long periods of time. “It is said that the purpose of yoga is to get to Then there’s Pasadena’s YogaHop, which bills itself as “the home of high energy, fun the meditation at the end of the set,” she says. “Also, separate meditations are encouraged yoga… YogaHop yoga offers a celebratory twist by featuring music of the hip-hop, rock for specific purposes to enhance a person’s yoga practice. Usually a meditation is to be done and pop worlds jamming out of booming speakers, headset-microphoned teachers and all daily for a specific purpose for 11 to 31 minutes.” the energy of a dance party. The result is an East meets West yoga style that’s athletically Even though yoga comes from India and is an integral part of the Hindu tradition, it’s fulfilling and spiritually soothing,” the website says. never been one size fits all. As Debra Diamond, the curator of a new exhibit about yoga On the tamer side, Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge offers members-only at the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries in Washington, D.C., told Public Radio classes that combine a 25-minute fitness walk and 60-minute yoga class. At Rancho Santa International’s The World, there have been deep rifts among devotees of different sects Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont, both members and nonmembers can attend throughout yoga’s history. “Yoga has been very fluid and it has permeated all corners of outdoor yoga classes.

Indian culture over time,” Diamond said. “Yoga is like a rope made up of many different A little farther afield, YAS (Yoga And Spinning) has locations in downtown L.A. and threads. Some of those threads are present at any given moment. The strength of the rope Silver Lake. Its style is geared toward “athletes,” or anyone who doesn’t want to bring spiricomes from the overlap of these traditions.” tuality into yoga. The founder, Kimberly Fowler, even has a DVD called The No Om Zone.

Hindu monks, beginning with Swami Vivekananda, brought yoga from India to the One might think that traditional yoga instructors would consider this trend as West in the late 19th century. With 18 million Americans currently practicing some gimmicky and commercial as Snoopy’s Christmas doghouse. But they are surprisversion, at what point does yoga’s true essence — which many consider its spiritual ingly open-minded. “I think a lot of people come to yoga fi rst from a fitness angle,” component — get lost? says Lee, who teaches at Yogis Anonymous, Golden Bridge Yoga, Yogaworks and “Yoga means ‘union,’” Lee explains. “It’s about connecting the mind, body and self — Equinox Fitness clubs around Los Angeles. “It’s a workout that a lot of people are the breath, movement and flow of energy. Kundalini is about strengthening the nervous having successes with, and with what the media has somehow called the ‘yoga butt’ system and all 72,000 nerves in the body. We can all relate to the phrase ‘There’s someone or ‘booty.’ Even if that’s the initial draw or motivation, what I’ve noticed is that the or something on my nerves.’ So through a yoga practice, we can release whatever is on our practice itself will open them to go deeper, beyond the booty. When they connect nerves that has taken up precious space in our bodies. with their breath, awareness and the power of meditation, it’s no longer about having “Breath brings openness and expansion, and the movements and postures help focus a yoga butt. It’s about their connection to themselves and their fullness and depth. the breath and, like a massage, nudge out the tension. Through practice we massage, Whether it’s vinyasa flow, ashtanga or kundalini, it’s all yoga and it’s all good.” nudge out and free ourselves from all the tension and limitations stored in the nerves and Yoga instructor Cara Davis agrees. “I do think that combining yoga with any other body that restrict energy flow, sanity and living a fulfilling life. That’s why yoga… is a discipline would be beneficial, in that yoga is about awareness, reminds us to breathe daily practice, just like brushing your teeth or taking a shower. Yoga is an internal cleansand teaches us to listen to our bodies,” says Davis, who teaches a combination of gentle ing of the nerves so you can flow freely in every moment of flow and pranayama yoga at Pasadena’s Neighborhood your life.”

Church, Occidental College and her private studio in YogaWorks: 277 W. Green St., Pasadena That said, Lee believes nontraditional yoga classes La Crescenta. “So integrating yoga with any practice (626) 381-9785, yogaworks.com still offer benefits as long as practitioners “keep in mind will hopefully cultivate a deeper understanding of our Rock It Workouts: 54 W. Green St., Pasadena how it connects and brings them back to their energy bodies in motion. Perhaps the appeal to many is the (626) 657-2224, rockitworkouts.com flow, connecting body, breath, mind and self. When multi-tasking aspect. Individuals are so busy, they may people get that it’s more than just a workout — that this feel getting their workout and nurturance all in a single YogaHop: 26 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena practice, whatever it may be, allows them to be more session is all they have time for. The important thing is (626) 844-7222, yogahop.com/pas/ true to themselves — that’s yoga in action.” |||| that they are doing something for themselves and ide01.14 | ARROYO | 33

34 | ARROYO | 01.14

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

Education OPEN HOUSE & ADMISSION DAYS

Crescenta Valley Adventist School The Crescenta Valley Seventh-Day Adventist School (CVAS) was established in 1924 with the intent of inspiring leaders though academic excellence in a Christian environment.

We continue this pledge with the belief that true education develops the spiritual, mental, and physical powers of each student, ensuring they are holistically prepared for their future.

Now enrolling - Kindgergarten is 50% off! Crescenta Valley Adventist School - 6245 Honolulu Avenue, La Crescenta 91214 (818) 249-1504 www.cvas.net Open House Extravangza Jan. 26, 2014 at 11 – 4pm Food Trucks, Bouncer, Games Halstrom Academy Since 1985, Halstrom Academy has been offering students an alternative to the traditional classroom structure by providing quality, full-time and part-time one-to-one education with flexible scheduling and enrollment options, and by focusing on content mastery with a technology-supported curriculum. From aspiring professional athletes and artists to unique learners such as students with social distraction issues or ADHD, students find Halstrom a place where they can reach their full potential in and out of the classroom.

5 N. Lake Ave., Suite 250, Pasadena CA 91101 (626) 500-0056 www.halstromacademy.org High Point Academy High Point Academy has been dedicated to its mission of awakening the joy of learning in each child since 1965. We feature a balanced approach to education focused on developing the whole child. Emphasis is placed on core subjects, with service, technology, athletics, arts, music, foreign language and green living embedded in the curriculum. High Point Academy is both WASC and CAIS accredited, is located in the foothills of Pasadena and serves students in kindergarten through eighth grades. High Point Academy – 1720 Kinneloa Canyon, Pasadena 91107 (626) 798-8989 – www.HighPointAcademy.com Admissions Events: Tours –Jan. 9, 21 Open Houses – Jan. 16 Justine Sherman & Associates Justine Sherman & Associates is a nonpublic agency that serves the speech-language, educational, and orofacial myofunctional needs of clients throughout the San Gabriel Valley and various regions of Los Angeles County. We provide our clients and their

Aa Bb Cc families with the therapy and support programs necessary to achieve their maximum potential by designing and carrying out customized treatment plans with specific measurable goals. These goals are achieved through individual or group therapy sessions conducted by our certified and licensed speech-language pathologists in a warm and caring environment.

Please call (626)355-1729 for a consultation or visit us at www.justineshermanslp.com Pasadena Waldorf School Provides an inspired curriculum of innovation and discovery. Our programs serve children across the entire spectrum of child development from early childhood to high school. A strong play-based emphasis in early childhood lays the foundation for the academic fundamentals of the early grades and the sophisticated cross-disciplinary college preparatory curriculum of the high school. The Waldorf approach and our dedicated and insightful teachers have contributed to a generation of adults who have “the capacity for creative and independent thought as well as the discernment to act in a free and morally responsible way”. 209 E Mariposa St, Altadena, CA 91001 (626) 794-9564 www.pasadenawaldorf.org Open House Jan. 11 Application Deadline: Lower grades – Jan. 24, High School – Jan. 17 Maranatha High School Maranatha High School is full of rich tradition including timeless core values. While anchored in our historic foundations, we embody a program that is alive with energy, situated on a stunning, collegiate campus, and looking to the future. We are committed to the highest educational standards, strategically designing curricular and co-curricular programs to engage the whole student, maximize their God-given potential, and enable them to be the change agents of this new generation. Prospective families are invited to take a “Closer Look” at Maranatha High School campus come speak with current students, parents, and faculty in a more intimate setting than an Open House. This is the perfect place to get all your questions answered! No RSVP is necessary. 169 South Saint John Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105 –(626) 817-4000 www.maranatha-hs.org Closer Look Nights – Jan. 14, 7:00 pm and Feb. 11, 7:00 pm

01.14 | ARROYO | 35

KITCHEN CONFESSIONS

Sammie Time

The It’s-It Ice Cream Sandwich

Don’t be fooled by dropping temps — there’s always room for ice cream sandwiches in SoCal.

BY LESLIE BILDERBACK

This just in: It is no longer cool to just eat ice cream. If trending is your between two cookies, but as a cookie foundation with ice cream walls and a cookie roof.

thing, you must consume frozen delights in sandwich form. Here in

Art and food together is a concept I fully support. Beachy Cream in Santa Monica offers pretty standard fare. Their flavors are not what I would call cutting edge, but it is all organic,

Southern California, and all over the country, ice cream sandwich

which is admirable. Fonuts, over by The Grove on Third Street, is home to "baked or steamed but never fried" donuts. They have started offering a scoop of house-made ice cream on

shops are popping up like Starbucks across the street from another

top of their fancifully flavored product, billing it as an ice cream sandwich (although, technically, it should be called open-faced, she said in nerd-like fashion, pushing her glasses up on

Starbucks. You can find fabulous ice creams sandwiched between

her nose). Carmela Ice Cream has also jumped onto the ice cream sandwich bandwagon.

What started out as a farmers’ market venture has resulted in two stores (in Pasadena at

everything: donuts, croissants, macaroons — you name it.

CoolHaus, which began in Los Angeles as a food truck in 2009 and has spread to 40 states, follows an architectural model. (CoolHaus/Bauhaus — get it?) Their desserts, which consist of imaginatively flavored cookies and ice creams, are explained not as ice cream 36 | ARROYO | 01.14

2495 E. Washington Blvd. and near The Grove) as well as a formidable presence in gourmet groceries and local restaurants.

Of course, the ice cream sandwich is nothing new. For centuries they have done amazing things in Sicily with ice cream and brioche. It looks more like a gelato burger than a

sandwich, but it is crazy good, stuffed with creamy gelato and eaten with a colorful little plastic spoon on some piazza. A similar thing is done throughout Southeast Asia, although the ice cream there is more likely to be flavored with yams, red azuki beans or durians. In the British Isles the ice cream is sandwiched between thin cookie wafers and will often have an interior hidden bonus of nougat or caramel.

Yes, there are a ton of ice cream sandwiches out there. But to me, nothing compares to the ice cream sandwich I grew up eating, the It’s-It. A San Francisco original, more beloved by natives than Rice-a-Roni, Willie Brown and rainbow flags combined, the It’s-It is simple and pure — two really great oatmeal cookies with vanilla ice cream, dipped in dark chocolate. (Over the years, they’ve added flavors, but the vanilla has always been the best.) The factory has been a landmark along the Bayshore Freeway since I was a kid, but the It’s-It started out in the 1920s at Playland-at-the-Beach, an amusement park that stood on the Great Highway in San Francisco, just south of the Cliff House. A happening place until the 1960s, Playland had rides that rivaled Coney Island’s — the Big Dipper roller coaster, Shoot the Chutes, the Whip and the Fun House, to which you were beckoned by the horrifying animatronic Laughing Sal. (At least it horrified me when I was little. You can go see Sal now in a museum on Fisherman’s Wharf and judge for yourself.) Operator George Whitney (dubbed "the Barnum of the Golden Gate") owned many of the rides and concessions, purchased and refurbished the Cliff House and created the It’s-It. When he died in 1958, the park slowly deteriorated; it was pretty seedy by the time I visited. It was torn down in 1972, and with it went the It’s-It. Happily for my tummy, the name was purchased in 1974 by two brothers who opened the current production facility in Burlingame, and the It’s-It has been in markets throughout the West ever since.

Now, even though lots of companies already make sandwiches, let us not overlook the fact that they are super fun and oh-so-satisfying to make at home. You can sandwich your ice cream with pretty much anything, and in that spirit I am offering some ice cream sammie ideas to get your creativity flowing, plus a few tips to make it easier — because that’s how I roll. ||||

Leslie Bilderback, a certified master baker, chef and cookbook author in South Pasadena, teaches her techniques online at culinarymasterclass.com.

Ice Cream Sammie Blueprint Just because it is winter is no reason to avoid frozen treats. Let’s stick it to the East Coast and enjoy ice cream sammies in January.

COOKIES Of course, chocolate chip and oatmeal are great, but how about a coconut macaroon with mango ice cream? Or a ginger snap with pumpkin ice cream? Snickerdoodles, pfeffernüsse, shortbread — any cookie can work, so open your mind to the sandwiching possibilities.

BARS Of course the brownie makes a terrific outer layer for an ice cream sandwich. But don’t overlook the other great bars, like the blondie, the lemon bar (be sure to face the lemon top of the bars inward for easy handling) and the seven-layer bar. And did you know that most cookie recipes can be pressed into a brownie pan and cooked as a bar?

(You’re welcome, lazy bakers.)

PASTRY DOUGH Got a little leftover pie dough? An extra cream puff? Spare puff pastry? I didn’t think so. But if you did they would make great sandwich material too. Try baking puff pastry squares with a dusting of granulated sugar. Or a thin sugar tart dough (known as pâte sucré to the pros) cut in circles. Or make cream puffs (pâte à choux), and fill them with ice cream. This is technically called a profiterole — but when you’re the cook you get to call it whatever you want.

CAKE Sliced cake makes for a great sandwich. In my pastry-chef days we made a loaf of pound cake, sliced it like bread and filled it with ice cream and fresh berries, then cut it on the diagonal and served it like a PB&J. Any cake will work, but the slices are easier to form into sammies when baked in a loaf pan. (FYI, any cake can be baked in a loaf pan.) For added stability, toast the cake slices (and cool them) before sandwiching. Try lemon pound cake with rose petal ice cream, carrot cake with ginger ice cream, angel food cake with raspberry sorbet or pumpkin spice cake with cranberry sherbet.

BREAD As I mentioned, in Sicily brioche is king of the ice cream sandwich. It works well because brioche is a rich dough, meaning it’s

made with a lot of fat. Any other rich bread makes great sandwiches as well — croissants, cinnamon rolls, raisin bread, bear claws, Christmas stollen, pannettone, Easter kulich, challa — you really can’t go wrong with any of these. Lean bread (with no added fat) will work too, but it may need help from toasting and smearing. Try sourdough toast, Nutella and chocolate ice cream, rosemary bread with apple butter and rum raisin ice cream, or how about whole-wheat toast with marmalade, orange sherbet and vanilla bean ice cream? Yes, please.

ICE CREAM Store-bought or homemade, sorbet, FroYo, sherbet or Tofutti — any frozen scoopable dessert will work in a sammie. To ease scooping, let it warm up to room temperature for 5 minutes. Scoops should be smooth and full, not icy and brittle. For the roundest scoops, use a scooper that has a lever designed to push out the scoop once it’s formed. The old-fashioned scoops made from a solid hunk of aluminum, or a soup spoon from your kitchen drawer, will not make an attractive sammie scoop.

And for the best-looking scoops, dip your tool in a glass of warm water between servings.

CONSTRUCTION TIPS If you are baking the outer portions of your sandwich (cookies, cakes or whatever), do not begin the actual sandwiching until they are completely cool. When they are hot, or the least bit warm, the ice cream will melt. When you think they are completely cool, chill them in the freezer for 10 more minutes before you sandwich (unless you’re just going to eat it yourself over the sink, as I have been known to do. In that case, the temperature is irrelevant).

If you are planning to serve your sammies to people, sandwich and freeze them 1 to 2 hours before serving time. This allows the ice cream to firm up, which prevents it from oozing out of the sandwich as you bite it, thereby preserving your dignity and probably your shirt. If you really can’t wait that long, make a little baby one for yourself to taste right away.

Don’t make your outer layer too big, and don’t overfill it. The cookie or cake slices should fit easily fit in your hand, and the scoop of ice cream should hover between 2 to 4 ounces (¼ to ½ cup). Even if you intend to serve it as a plated dessert, your hand is a good serving size indicator and will make it easier to eat, with a fork or fingers.

01.14 | ARROYO | 37

38 | ARROYO | 01.14

WINING & DINING

No Winery Before Its Time Oenophiles, rejoice! Pasadena has its own winery in Old Oak Cellars.

STORY BY SCARLET CHENG

What, a winery in Pasadena, an area not known for vineyards? Old Oak’s grapes are

Pasadena’s Old Oak Cellars may be a young winery, just celebrat-

from Northern California, mainly the famous Alexander Valley through which the Russian River flows. It’s an area known worldwide for its Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots and Zinfandels

ing its first anniversary in its first permanent home, but winemakers

— all of which Old Oak produces.

For President and Chief Winemaker Paul Overholt, the story began in 1991, when his step-

Paul Overholt and Dave Lustig each already have a couple de-

father retired and bought a vineyard in the Alexander Valley — and yes, there is an old oak on the property, now six feet in diameter, which graces the label of Old Oak wines. For many

cades of experience in the field.You can taste that expertise in the

years, while Overholt’s stepfather sold his grapes to others, Overholt thought they ought to be producing their own wines from those grapes. So in 2007 he enrolled in UC Davis’ Oenol-

buttery Chardonnay and smooth Merlot they produce.These are not

ogy and Viticulture Certification program — a demanding two-year degree requiring 185 hours of coursework.“You do viticulture,” he says, standing in Old Oak’s tasting room and

upstart wines, trying to knock you out with a one-two punch on the

facilities in an unassuming warehouse on Foothill Boulevard.“You have to learn how to grow the grapes, how to handle the grapes; then after that you go into the actual production of

first sip; rather, they build on the tongue and leave a beautiful finish.

wine. Are the grapes sweet enough? Do they have enough acid? Are they firm enough?”

PHOTOS: Floyd Stewart

–continued on page 40

Northern California’s Linde Vineyards, where Old Oak Cellars sources grapes

01.14 | ARROYO | 39

WINING & DINING

–continued from page 39

Old Oak Cellars’ winning streak at the Pacific Rim Competition in 2012

Winemakers Paul Overholt and Dave Lustig

Around him are rows of oak barrels stacked two high. Some are made of French oak and some American; each container will yield 25 cases of wine. Farther down are five very large, stainless-steel tanks, each holding 4,000 liters of various red wine varietals, which have been trucked from Sonoma to Pasadena, where it is aged and blended. The blending of each wine is a group effort, although Lustig and Overholt are the final arbiters.

They may use oak and steel tanks for the same wines — sometimes storing wine in one, then the other and then back again — to achieve the taste they want. Vice President and Winemaker Lustig points out that their Chardonnay does not go through the oak barrels at all.“I’m not a big fan of a lot of oak,” he says.The whites are vinted and bottled up north.

A tall, barrel-chested man with a full beard, Overholt speaks with some passion as he talks about his craft. He sings the praises of California geography for producing a climate so suitable for wine, with warm days, cool nights and relative freedom from severe storms.

(He points out that Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on East Coast vineyards.) “This year was a dry year relative to last year,” he says,“and what happened was that the temperature went up quickly, stayed dry and stayed warm, so the vines produced excellent grapes. We had 25 to 26 percent sugar and 3.4 PH, which is the perfect [slightly acidic] PH for winemaking.” (Wine grapes are quite high in sugar content — in comparison, the table 90 percent of American wines,” he says.“We’re the fourth-largest wine-producing zone in the world.You have France, Italy and Spain — and then you have California,” which also ranks first in U.S. wine consumption.

When Overholt finished his UC Davis course, he sought out Lustig, whom he knew to be a veteran winemaker, to join him in his new enterprise as business partner and co-winemaker. Thus, in 2009, Old Oak Cellars was born, with a focus on grapes from Sonoma County. They got a start with a gift of three tons of grapes from Linde Vineyards, owned by Overholt’s stepfather and mother, Greg and Sylvia Linde.“We picked it ourselves,” Stanislava Overholt, Paul’s wife, recalls.“We had friends help us, around 15 people — we got up at the crack of dawn to do this.”

40 | ARROYO | 01.14

PHOTOS: Top, Stanislava Overholt; bottom, Scarlet Cheng

grapes one buys at the grocery store are about 17 percent sugar.) “California produces

Northern California’s fertile Alexander Valley

“I got my degree just before we harvested,” Paul says with a laugh.

The winery’s namesake at Linde Vineyards

That resulted in their first vintage, a 2009 Merlot. It won a prize right out of the gate, a bronze at the Los Angeles International Wine Festival in 2011. Last year Old Oak enjoyed a major victory at the Pacific Rim Competition (where the judges included noted wine expert Wilfred Wong of BevMo!) when four bottles submitted won prizes. The winery scored one gold (for the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc) and three silvers (2012 Chardonnay, 2010 Merlot, 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon).“We were very happy,” says Overholt.“It validated our production technique.”

Lustig was introduced to fine wines through his sister.“My sister is a chef who worked for a very high-end restaurant in Mammoth,” he says.“I used to go with her to Napa for tastings and food pairings with wine. I found out that people make wine in their garage, and I have a garage…” He started making his own wine in the early 1990s and produced his first batch in 1992 — mostly whites, which are a little easier to produce for the home vintner, since less refrigeration and aging are required.

Of course, finding the right grapes was key. Both men visit Sonoma regularly, especially during the harvest. What do they look for? “Quality of fruit, friendliness of the owners,” Lustig says. Since Old Oak is a relatively small company, they have to find vineyards willing to sell relatively small quantities. He adds,“I’m also growing grapes in my backyard, mostly Grenache.”

Old Oak wines were initially produced in Sonoma. Last year Overholt and Lustig, both longtime Pasadena residents, established premises here to make and sell wine. They celebrated their first anniversary in permanent digs in December with a party for 75 friends, family members and customers. There was wine and food and music — and lots of cases moving out the door. Helping out were Stanislava Overholt and Nancy Scott, Lustig’s wife, as well as Lustig’s daughter, Alegra, who was ringing up the credit card sales and issuing receipts on her smartphone. It’s a family affair, but also a thriving business: they produce a modest 3,000 cases per year — prices range from $20 to $28 per bottle, with discounts for club members — but are aiming to boost their volume.

“We hope to increase it as we get a little bit better equipment and broader sources of PHOTOS: Top, Floyd Stewart; bottom, Astrid Overholt

grapes,” Overholt says.“Basically, we are going to continue producing wines from the Alexander Valley.” While the competition (and prices) for those grapes are higher, he believes it’s worth it. He tosses out a few more statistics: In the Alexander Valley an acre yields about four to six tons of grapes, whereas in the Central Valley it’s about 15 tons per acre. A ton of grapes yields about four barrels; that’s taking into consideration 10 percent evaporation. ”The angel’s share,” Paul and Stanislava chime in. |||| Old Oak Cellars, located at 2620-D E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, is open to the public every third Saturday of the month and by appointment; call (626) 794-1244 or visit inwineinc.com for hours.The wines can be purchased at the warehouse, online and through Amazon.

01.14 | ARROYO | 41

THE LIST

A SELECTIVE PREVIEW OF UPCOMING EVENTS COMPILED BY JOHN SOLLENBERGER

Celebrating New Year’s, Pasadena-Style

The evening also includes a silent

Umi Garrett

auction and VIP post-show meet-andgreet. Grammy Award nominee Bruce

Jan. 1 — The 125th

Kimmel directs, and musical direction

Tournament of Roses

and orchestrations are by Richard Allen.

Parade kicks off the 100th Rose Bowl

Tickets range from $25 to $250; the VIP

game at 8 a.m. with fabulous floats and

post-show event costs an additional $75.

brilliant bands at the corner of Green

Proceeds benefit the ALS Association

Street and Orange Grove Boulevard. The

Golden West Chapter’s care services,

2014 parade turns onto Colorado Boule-

public policy efforts, global treatment

vard, en route to Sierra Madre Boulevard

programs and cure research.

and Villa Street, five miles away. Reserved

The Pasadena Playhouse is located at

bleacher seating is usually sold out well

39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Call (626)

in advance of the parade, but free curb-

356-7529 or visit pasadenaplayhouse.org/

side viewing is available along the route.

onestarrynight.

This year’s theme is “Dreams Come True,” and the grand marshal is Vin Scully, a.k.a. “the voice of the Los Angeles

ArcAttack Blends Rock and Science

Dodgers.” The 2014 Rose Parade Queen

Jan. 24 — Caltech

is Ana Acosta of Altadena, a student at

presents cutting-

Pasadena Polytechnic School.

edge music group

Visit tournamentofroses.com.

ArcAttack --- part rock concert, part science project. ArcAttack reveals the

Jan. 1 and 2 — After the parade, take a second bite of the apple by seeing the fabulous floats up close at the end of

SYMPHONY HIGHLIGHTS

science behind the sound, exploring concepts including electricity, voltage and current, magnetism, robotics and lightning in an interactive performance.

The spectacle features the group’s robotic drummer, King Beat. Showtime is 7 p.m. in Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium.

from 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday and

PIANO PRODIGY

Tickets cost $10 for youth, $15 for adults.

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. Senior citizens

Jan. 11 — Musical prodigy Umi Garrett, a 13-year-old pianist and the youngest-ever

on the Caltech campus, Pasadena. Call

and the disabled can visit from 7 to

winner of the Chopin International Piano Competition, performs Chopin’s Piano

(626) 395-4652 or visit events.caltech.edu.

9 a.m. Thursday. Tickets cost $10, avail-

Concerto No. 1 with the Pasadena Symphony in a program that also includes Dvorák’s

able onsite and in advance through

Sixth Symphony. Newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas McGegan is

Sharp Seating. Food will be available for

scheduled to lead the orchestra. Curtain times are 2 and 8 p.m. at Pasadena’s Ambas-

purchase. Park-and-Ride Shuttles cost $3,

sador Auditorium.Tickets start at $35.

No-Newborn Nightmare @ Boston Court

free for children 5 and younger. Shuttle

The Ambassador Auditorium is located at 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena. Call (626)

Jan. 25 — The Theatre

stops are Pasadena City College, 1570 E.

793-7172 or visit pasadenasymphony-pops.org.

the route. Viewing at the corner of Sierra Madre and Washington boulevards runs

Beckman Auditorium is located on Michigan Avenue south of Del Mar Boulevard,

@ Boston Court opens

Colorado Blvd.; the Community Educa-

the play Se Llama Cristina (Her Name is

tion Center, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd.; and, on

includes “The Carnival of the Animals” by Saint-Saëns, a world premiere of Cello

A Starry Night at the Playhouse

Cristina), which continues through Feb.

Thursday only, the Rose Bowl Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Dr., Pasadena.

Concerto by Sharon Farber and Bach’s

Jan. 13 — Hollywood

on a couple who wake up in a strange

Visit tournamentofroses.com and sharps-

Concerto in C minor for Two Pianos.

and Broadway

apartment, surrounded by drug para-

eating.com.

Maestro Frank Fetta conducts. Featured

celebs come out

phernalia and an empty crib. The pair

23. The otherworldly production focuses

soloists are Ruslan Biryukov on cello and

to fight ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s

must figure out who they are --- and were

Music in Motion

pianists Yana Reznik and Rufus Choi. The

Disease, at the 8 p.m.“One Starry Night”

--- and where the baby might be. Perfor-

Jan. 5 — The Glen-

concert also features an appearance

benefit at the Pasadena Playhouse. Stars

mances are at 8 p.m. Thursdays through

dale Philharmonic

by comedian Emo Philllips. Tickets cost

scheduled to appear include Charlene

Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets

Orchestra presents

$15 to $100.

Tilton, Rex Smith, James Barbour, Daisy

cost $34, $29 for seniors, and are avail-

a “Positive Motions”

The First Baptist Church of Glendale is

Eagan, Crow Garrett, Ilene Graff, Gary

able by phone or through the website.

concert at 4 p.m. at the First Baptist

located at 209 N. Louise St., Glendale.Visit

Morgan and the Flying Morgans, Reagan

The Boston Court Performing Arts Center

Church of Glendale. The program

glendalephil.brownpapertickets.com.

Pasternak and Christy Carlson Romano.

42 | ARROYO | 01.14

–continued on page 45

PHOTO: Mark Fellman (Umi Garrett)

Tournament of Roses Parade Float Encore

01.14 | ARROYO | 43

44 | ARROYO | 01.14

THE LIST

SALUTING LUNAR NEW YEAR IN PASADENA

Jan. 18 — Pacific Asia Museum hosts its fourth annual Lunar New Year Festival, celebrating the Year of the Horse.The pan-Asian gala features live performances from China, Japan and Korea as well as crafts and demonstrations. Chinese artists and performers will appear courtesy of Zhejiang Province, the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles and ICN TV Network.The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission to the festival and museum galleries is free.

Pacific Asia Museum is located at 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 449-2742 or visit pacificasiamuseum.org.

–continued from page 42

Director Designate Matthew Halls as guest conductor and spotlight per-

is located at 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena.

formances by LACO Concertmaster

Call (626) 683-6883 or visit bostoncourt.

Margaret Batjer, Principal Cello Andrew

com.

Shulman, Principal Oboe Allan Vogel and Principal Bassoon Keneth Munday.

A Museum Free-For-All

The Alex Theatre concert includes works

Jan. 25 — SoCal

(Kernis’ solemn “Musica Celestic,” a

Museums presents

string orchestra transcription of an ada-

the ninth annual

gio movement from one of the compos-

by Mozart, Haydn and Aaron Jay Kernis.

“Museums Free-For-All,” in which some 20

er’s string quartets, has been likened to

Southern California institutions offer free

Barber’s famous “Adagio.”) Ticket prices

admission during regular business hours.

start at $25. The concert repeats at

Pasadena-area museums participating

7 p.m. Jan. 26 at UCLA’s Royce Hall.

include the Armory Center for the Arts,

The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand

Pacific Asia Museum and the Pasadena

Blvd., Glendale. Call (213) 622-7001 or visit

Museum of California Art.

laco.org.

Visit socalmuseums.org.

Mozart and More from LACO

Signs of the Zoodiac Jan. 25 and 26 —

Jan. 25 — The Los

The Los Angeles Zoo

Angeles Chamber

honors the Lunar

Orchestra season rolls along with an 8 p.m. performance featuring Oregon Bach Festival Artistic

New Year, celebrated in Asia Jan. 31, with a “Zoodiac” celebration, exploring –continued on page 46 01.14 | ARROYO | 45

THE LIST

Taraji P. Henson

RACE, RAPE AND REPORTING EXPLORED AT PASADENA PLAYHOUSE Jan. 28 — Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson stars in the Pasadena Playhouse production of Above the Fold, the story of an African-American reporter from New York who travels to a Southern university, where three white frat boys have been accused of raping a young African-American woman.The play explores tough questions about exploiting tragedy, the cost of success and the perils of ambition colliding with truth. Above the Fold opens at 8 p.m. and continues at 8 p.m.Tuesdays through Fridays, at 4 and 8 p.m.

Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 23.Tickets cost $26 to $72.

The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 3567529 or visit pasadenaplayhouse.org.

–continued from page 45

and Emmy-winning actress’ career, with

the connections between the new year

movie clips, conversations, testimonials

and the animals of the zodiac. Festivi-

and dramatizations. Also included is an

ties include food, live music, dancing

exhibit of Young’s elegant dresses and

and information about the zoo’s zodiac

other personal possessions. Tickets cost

animals. Activities are free for Greater Los

$35, $55 for VIP reserved seats.

Angeles Zoo Association members and

The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand

included in regular admission prices of

Blvd., Glendale. Call (818) 243-2539 or visit

$18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $13 for

alextheatre.org.

children 2 to 12; free for children under 2. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday.

The Los Angeles Zoo is located at 5333 Zoo Dr., Griffith Park. Call (323) 644-6042 or visit lazoo.org.

Pasadena Community Orchestra Celebrates Schumann, Mozart Jan. 31 — The Pasadena Community

46 | ARROYO | 01.14

Loretta Young Century Fete at the Alex

Orchestra pays homage to Schumann

Jan. 30 — The late

performance features Mozart’s Clarinet

Loretta Young is

Concerto in A Major, with clarinet soloist

and Mozart in a free concert at the First Church of the Nazarene at 8 p.m. The

celebrated in a Prospect House Enter-

David Nicholson. Also on the program is

tainment and Glendale Arts centennial

the overture to Mozart’s The Marriage of

tribute at the Alex Theatre at 8 p.m.

Figaro and Schumann’s Symphony No. 2.

Young’s son Christopher Lewis and his

The First Church of the Nazarene is located

wife, Linda, are joined by celebrities on

at 3700 E. Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena.

a journey through the Academy Award--

Call (626) 445-6708 or visit pcomusic.org. ||||