NEWS AND NOTES

PARK IT HERE

Inspired by its famed adjacent racetrack, the new Le Méridien Pasadena Arcadia is a tribute to its surroundings.

BY SARA SMOLA

From nearly every west-facing floor of the six-story LE MÉRIDIEN PASADENA ARCADIA, guests have unobstructed views of the iconic Santa Anita Park. But the 87-year-old racing and entertainment venue isn’t just a nearby attraction, it’s also the inspiration for much of the interior elements at the property, which aims to cater to travelers as much as locals. Inside, the thoughtfully designed 234-room hotel gives a nod to Arcadia’s prominent equestrian-centric legacy through sophisticated interiors complemented by the brand’s signature midcentury modern design. Details like horse-bit motifs on lighting fixtures and textiles blend seamlessly with expanses of glass and streamlined furnishings.

The onsite European-Asian fusion restaurant Mélange is helmed by chef Mako, formerly of Spago, Nobu, and his own eponymous eatery in Beverly Hills. The ground-floor bar, Longitude 118, features one-of-a-kind private labels and international spirits. For a lighter afternoon, you can visit the dedicated tea space, featuring an array of premium teas. More than 14,000 square feet of meeting and event space spanning five separate rooms (including three private dining rooms), as well as an additional 1,800 square feet of indoor function space, making it ideal for weddings, meetings, and celebrations—something we can all look forward to in the year ahead. From $200; le-meridien. marriott.com

Prints Charming

Originally founded by sister-duo Hopie and Lily Stockman in 2013 with just a small collection of scarves, Block Shop Textiles has since expanded into apparel and home items, all reflecting the brand’s signature playful, geometric patterns and bright, bold colorways.

For those with DIY in their DNA, the Atwater Village–based studio recently launched its first small-batch upholstery fabric collection, which features 10 art deco–inspired designs meticulously block printed by hand in Jaipur, India, on heavyweight linen and cotton using AZO-free, nontoxic pigments. From $240 for 2 yards; blockshoptextiles.

com —SARA SMOLA

Basket Case

Pasadena Picnic Co. launched earlier this year with the aim of providing a safe way to meet up while supporting neighborhood vendors. The brainchild of Kaiy Smith-Biesman (owner of the Old Pasadena’s charcuterie and cheese board company Stems) and Lena Kelly (a marketing and event production pro), the turnkey service offers three tiers of curated picnic packages: Basic ($249), Bold ($449), or Boujee ($649), as well as a fully customizable picnic experience (from $650). The team can set up in any backyard or park in the Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley area. Every month, they highlight local businesses, like Semolina Artisanal Pasta and Little Flower. pasadenapicnicco.com

—ANUSH BENLIYAN

TRUST THEM

Following the success of their weekly pop-up at the La Peer Hotel in Beverly Hills, Chef Brian Ogawa and Jazmine Valte joined forces to create the Home-AKase by Soosh! dining experience, featuring curated, customizable omakase menus to be enjoyed in the comfort of home—setup and cleanup included.

Beyond sushi takeout, Ogawa takes it up several notches, bringing a sophisticated level of skill and expertise as one would expect from a former Matsuhisa and Nobu head sushi chef with more than 20 years of experience in the kitchen.

Menus start at $400 per person, with optional add-ons to suit your needs, including a Japanese BBQ chef, custom sake/wine pairings, dessert bar, and premium offerings such as uni, otoro, shaved truffle, and caviar. From $400; soosh.la —S.S.

SMART SIPS

Female-founded, mission-driven wellness brand Clevr o ers delicious, nutrition-rich instant latte mixes loaded with adaptogenic herbs, probiotics, and superfoods for Zenlike focus and long-term energy—and none of the jitters that often accompany ca eine. The SuperLattes come in four fl avors: Matcha, Co ee, Chai, and an anti-infl ammatory concoction called Golden, made from single-farm turmeric, resulting in its rich namesake hue.

In keeping with its “feel good, do good” mission, Clevr exclusively sources organic or non-GMO ingredients; its shipping materials are both 100% post-consumer recycled and 100% recyclable; and each month it donates a percentage of revenue to organizations fi ghting for food justice in the US. $28/11.8oz bag; clevrblends.com —S.S

Not Just Another Dress

If there was ever an excuse to shop for a cause, this is the one. Nonprofi t social innovation project Ni En More (Not One More) merges political activism, fashion, and art to create change for women living in vulnerable conditions in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. While Ni En More is much more than a fashion brand, the organization’s core sewing project plays a signifi cant role in creating jobs, helping to create confi dence and skills that contribute to long-term fi nancial independence for at-risk women.

The nonprofi t promotes a safe work environment, fair wages, education, and job training through sustainable production of oneof-a-kind, handmade garments, individually colored with botanical dyes to create wearable pieces of art with watercolor-inspired prints. Its dreamy silk robes ($420), bohemian dresses ($300), and chic cotton tees ($80) are the staples you’ll live in season to season. nienmoreshop.com —S.S.

5 Artisanal Creameries in Pasadena to Cool O with This Summer

1 Bloomfi eld Creamery Inspired by the traditional “feel-good” ice cream they grew up eating during their Midwestern childhood, owners Bijan and Leila Sadeghi scoop traditional classics as well as inventive, Persian-infl uenced fl avors like Faloodeh, a traditional sorbet made with rosewater and rice noodles, and Pink Rose, made with rose jam. bloomfi eldcreamery.com 2 Carmela Ice Cream Co. Jessica Mortarotti’s North Pasadena microcreamery churns out handcrafted ice creams and sorbets made from seasonal, local, farmers-market produce. For a true gardeninspired fl avor, try the refreshing, palate pleaser Lavender Honey—milk and cream are infused with organic lavender fl owers, then naturally sweetened with a touch of honey. carmelaicecream.com

3 Rori’s Artisanal Creamery Owner Rori Trovato partners with local farmers for the freshest, most wholesome ingredients available, like he uses in Wild Berry Chocolate Crisp, a blend of local, seasonal berries sprinkled with dark-chocolate-covered Rice Krispies. rorisartisanalcreamery.com

4 Salt & Straw A variety of inventive fl avors make their debut monthly, but menu staple Pear & Blue Cheese, a savory-sweet combo made with candied Bartlett pears and Rogue Creamery blue cheese, remains a popular pick. saltandstraw.com

5 Wanderlust Creamery Food scientist and co-founder Adrienne Borlongan draws inspiration from far-fl ung locales that translates to colorful, craveable fl avors like Ube Malted Crunch, Pandan Tres Leches, and Passion-Fruit Cacao. wanderlustcreamery.com —S.S.

QUICK BITES

Though summer is approaching, and it feels like time to work off the “quarantine 15,” it appears that comforting carbs are still on everyone’s menus. Here are some new places to dig in and indulge around town.

Everyone’s favorite Bay Area bakery, TARTINE, is continuing its L.A. expansion with a new Green Street location this summer. The new outpost is slated for a small retail location that will be bakery forward, focusing on bread and pastry offerings.

Next door to Old Pasadena staple Union, executive chef Chris Keyser is bringing New York–style pizza with an

Delucatessen

L.A. spin to U STREET PIZZA. His dough is fermented for over two days from a blend of artisanal wheat, then layered with local tomatoes, produce from Girl & Dug Farm, finished with 18-monthaged Fiscalini cheddar, and cooked in an electric deck oven for the perfect ratio of crispy, chewy crust.

DeLuca’s Italian Deli in Glendale launched a new sandwich delivery concept, DELUCATESSEN, that will bring juicy meatball and chicken Parmesan favorites right to your door, along with artisan sandwiches inspired by Tieste, Italy, from which chef Tancredi Deluca hails.

Lee Maen of Innovative Dining Group (Sushi Roku in Pasadena), and PizzaRev founder Nicholas Eckerman opened the YAKUMI experience—a premium fast-caDamien sual and affordable sushi spot near the Burbank studio corridor. Expect combination boxes and sake cups along with outdoor patio seating.

For at-home provisions, Atwater’s new WINE + EGGS bodega-style market is the perfect spot to grab organic wines, pasta, or frozen pies from La Morra Pizzeria—and it seems they have kicked off a trend. The new Sesame LA “superette” in Chinatown is stocked with pantry items, produce, and snacks from Asian artisans including owner Linda Sivrican’s Vietnamese mother, Judy Nguyen, and Top Chef winner Mei Lin, who is crafting a chili jam. Lin has also been busy since her acclaimed Arts District restaurant Nightshade closed, opening Yardbird, a spicy Szechuan chicken sandwich shop in Silver Lake.

Yakumi LA Cha Cha Chá

The sister restaurant of Mexico City’s famed Colonia Tabacalera has opened as LA CHA CHA CHÁ, a massive rooftop dining and drinking spot in the downtown Arts District. Architect-designer Lena Kohl incorporated over 150 plants amid the tables and banquettes, creating private nooks. Chef Alejandro Guzman (Michelin-starred Le Comptoir) makes ceviche, tacos, and carnitas, and the mezcal-tequila-heavy cocktails are by Bryan Tetorakis (The Varnish and Cole’s).

Nearby, the famous fish-and-chips truck with an Asian twist, YESS AQUATIC (who created UK cult favorite Koya) will open a brick-and-mortar patio space at 7th and Matteo in May. Proper Hotel, designed by Kelly Wearstler, is scheduled to open in June on South Broadway, with Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne of a.o.c. helming the flagship kitchen with

restaurants CALDO VERDE and CARA CARA.

And we are happy to report that Aaron Lindell of QUARTER SHEETS and pastry chef Hannah Ziskin of HOUSE OF GLUTEN have moved from their Glendale apartment operation (as reported in our last issue, “In-n-Out”) to the old M. Georgina space (where Ziskin used to work) at Row DTLA for a pizza/bakery concept. —CAROLE DIXON

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