Best of Pasadena July/Aug 2022 Issue

PASADENA Summer’s Best Strawberries I Sustainable Travel I The Cars You Can Buy Now

B E S T O F PA S A D E N A 2 0 2 2 I S U M M E R ’ S B E S T S T R AW B E R R I E S I S U S TA I N A B L E T R AV E L I T H E C A R S YO U C A N B U Y N O W

JJULY ULY / AUGUST 2022

JULY/AUGUST 2022

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CA L L OR VI SI T U S O NLI NE TO DAY TO S CHE DULE YO UR COMPL IMENTARY DESIGN CONSULTATION LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT NORTHERN & SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CA L I FO R N I AC LO S E TS . C O M

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JULY/AUGUST 2022

4 EDITOR’S NOTE

ART & DESIGN

6 CONTRIBUTORS

20 22 24

7 MASTHEAD 9 NEWS AND NOTES 14 FAMILY

Niki de Saint Phalle, Seated Nana Nana, 1965

22

Devon DeJardin Niki de Saint Phalle Sam Kupiec

TO DO

26 28 32

Slides

HOME DESIGN AND REAL ESTATE

San Diego Sustainable travel

Overprogramming and summer toys

HEALTH

18 DIALOGUE Philanthropy Revolution: Lisa Greer and Kate Gale

40 42

Sunblock Smoke alarm drops, vegan dental products, itch-fighting alternatives

45 48 50 52 54

On the Market Vacation Homes The Expert: Bella Casa Gardening: Greenhouses Home Tour

FOOD

69 70

The Ingredient: Strawberries Trends: tequila, dinner and a show, South Bay’s food scene

FEATURE

81

Best of Pasadena

WHEELS

94

Cars to buy in Pasadena right now

LAST LOOK

96 Lawson and Fenning

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85

Back to Business at Pasadena’s Women in Business Luncheon

ON THE COVER: Illustration by Julia Kerschbaumer

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: SHAWN BISHOP; COURTESY NIKI CHARITABLE ART FOUNDATION,SANTEE ©NIKI CHARITABLE ART FOUNDATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PHOTO: LAURENT CONDOMINAS, YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

CONTENTS

46

Chloé ©2022 South Coast Plaza

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S ULTIMATE SHOPPING DESTINATION Alexander McQueen · Audemars Piguet · Balenciaga · Bottega Veneta · Burberry · Cartier · Celine · Chanel · Chloé Christian Louboutin · Dior · Dior Men · Dolce&Gabbana · Fendi · Gianvito Rossi · Givenchy · Golden Goose · Gucci Harry Winston · Hermès · Isabel Marant · Loewe · Louis Vuitton · Max Mara · Moncler · Moynat · Panerai · Prada Roger Vivier · Rolex · Saint Laurent · Salvatore Ferragamo · Stella McCartney · The Webster · Thom Browne Tiffany & Co. · Tod’s · Vacheron Constantin · Valentino · Van Cleef & Arpels · Versace · Zimmermann partial listing

San Diego FWY (405) at Bristol St., Costa Mesa, CA SOUTHCOASTPLAZA.COM 800.782.8888 @SouthCoastPlaza #SCPx55

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E DITOR ’ S NOTE

S

ALL GOOD THINGS

ometimes I wish we called this the “Some of the Best of Pasadena” issue, as we never feel we have enough pages to cover everything great about our city. With the region offering so much—both new and established—it’s impossible to celebrate everything properly. So we’ve called upon some of our local experts, leaders, and aficionados for help to share their favorites.

From the design duo behind furnishings haven Lawson Fenning to a former Rose Parade president, we not only highlight some of the region’s best shops,

restaurants, and monuments, but also some of the people behind the businesses and brands we cherish.

As this issue hits newsstands and lands at your front door, summer will be in full swing, and this year that feels extra special. After the last two summers of trepidation and uncertainty, I think we all feel a bit more comfortable getting out of the house—whether that means to drop the kids at summer camp or to take that long-haul trip abroad.

To that end, we’re also honoring summer and all of the tastes, smells, and style that come with it. Bathing suits,

sunblock, strawberries, tequila, dining on the beach in the South Bay … we’ve touched upon a bit of everything that brings a splash to the season.

Whether it’s poolside with a margarita or on a long-anticipated journey, we hope you enjoy the issue.

SAMANTHA BROOKS

Editor in Chief

DOOK PHOTO

Should your summer travel take you near or far, Beyond Green’s property portfolio of sustainable resorts has something for everyone. Shown here: &Beyond Bateleur Camp. For more, see page 32.

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SUITE INDULGENCE AT THE LANGHAM Enjoy up to 20% off our best rates for Suites this summer!* Join us for fun in the sun all season long, with the return of The Langham Afternoon Tea on weekends and daily resort activities and amenities for guests including s’mores by the fire, bicycle rentals, swimming, fitness classes and more.

Experience our Executive Suite to enjoy access to the exclusive privileges of The Langham Club. Located on the 8th floor and overlooking the Horseshoe Garden with sweeping views of San Marino and the t valley beyond, Club guests may enjoy an elevated experience including culinary presentations throughout the day.

*Valid through September 30, 2022

CONTRIBUTORS

Jennifer Ashton Ryan

Ning Chao

“SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER” PG. 14

“HOT COMMODITIES” PG. 40

After attending UCLA, Jennifer Ashton Ryan became an editor for Robb Report and saw the world, reporting on new villas, resorts, and islands from Thailand to Chile’s Atacama Desert. Now travel includes three small children, so priorities have changed, but reporting remains the same: Listen well and stay curious.

“I’m looking forward to beachcombing on the Point Reyes National Seashore with my niece and nephew and rediscovering L.A. museums with my kids.”

A former writer and editor at Marie Claire, InStyle, Elle, Vogue, and Glamour, Ning Chao now divides her time between driving, writing articles, and figuring out what to feed people. She lives in Hancock Park with her husband and two kids.

“In my family, summer means stone fruits. Happiness is a bowl of O’Henry peaches, Madeline Gold apricots, or Emerald Beaut plums with basil, burrata, white balsamic, and fresh baguette on the side.”

Anush Benliyan

Carole Dixon

Andrea Richards

“AULD LANG SYNE” PG. 54

“AGAVE GOLD” PG. 70

“WHEEL AND DEAL” PG. 94

Anush Benliyan is a lifestyle writer and editor whose work has been featured in C Magazine, Elle Decor, Robb Report, and more. She lives in Pasadena with her husband, their infant son, and their mischievous dachshund.

“This year we’re soaking up our baby boy’s first summer. I’m looking forward to days by the pool, Sno Con Amor gourmet ice pops from Altadena Beverage & Market, taking refuge from the heat at Norton Simon, and celebrating my grandmother’s 90th birthday with an ouzo-fueled alfresco dinner party.”

Carole Dixon’s international career in film, television, and publishing has spanned several continents. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Travel + Leisure, and the Beverly Hills Courier, among others. Favorite projects have included producing Food for Thought in London with the legendary A. A. Gill.

“As much as I love an island escape, I’m really looking forward to returning to London this summer, where I lived for many years, to see old friends and visit all the new restaurants that I missed over the past few years.”

Andrea Richards is the author of five books: Library of Esoterica: Astrology, Los Angeles Restaurants, Los Angeles Cocktails, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Los Angeles, and Girl Director: A How-To Guide for the First-Time, Flat-Broke Film and Video Maker.

“Thanks to all the advances in science: travel! After two years of not being able to, I’m excited for an Aperol spritz with an old friend in Venice, a tomato sandwich on the coast of North Carolina with my family, and introducing my kids to the Hollywood Bowl on its 100th birthday.”

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NING CHAO: JANE HOULE; CAROL DIXON: INNIS CASEY PHOTOGRAPHY

On what they’re looking forward to this summer…

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER

Shelby J. Russell srussell@lamag.com

VICE PRESIDENT, CUSTOM CONTENT

Mitch Getz mgetz@lamag.com EDITOR IN CHIEF

Samantha Brooks samanthalbrooks@gmail.com ART DIRECTOR

Mary Franz

MANAGING EDITOR

Sara Smola sara@pasadenarose.com PHOTO EDITOR

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Jennifer Gunn jgunn@pasadenamag.com Dominique Jackson djackson@pasadenamag.com Shana Wong shanawong@me.com NEW YORK SALES OFFICE

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Celebrate Everything

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Anush Benliyan, Linda Brooks, Ning Chao, Tom Dibblee, Carole Dixon, Lynda Lin Grigsby, Andrea Richards, Jennifer Ashton Ryan, HOUR MEDIA CEO

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PA S A D E N A

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COMFORT ZONE

The new, expanded, ready-to-wear line from L.A.-based Donni features the summer basics your closet needs.

I

n 2009, former visual/image consultant Alyssa Wasko founded Donni when searching for a creative outlet to cope with grief following the passing of her father, Donald. While the L.A.-based brand was initially known for its signature oversized scarves, Donni has since expanded to include a curated offering of ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, and jewelry. Rooted in both comfort and philanthropy, Donni has donated proceeds from each product drop to various organizations, raising more than $40,000 in 2021 alone for charitable initiatives, including the Marsha P.

Clockwise from top left: bubble button down, jersey tank, two-way zip hoodie

Johnson Institute, Girls Inc., and Black Girl Ventures.

This season, Donni launched its summer/ pre-fall 2022 collection, featuring tailored, ready-to-wear silk separates, including button-downs and vests, as well as a continuation of its new line of basics. Designed and produced in Los Angeles, the easy-towear, airy pieces are perfect for summer living. Think tanks, tube tops, Henleys, baby tees, and cargo sweatpants and shorts that are equally ideal for lounging around the home or brunching at Superba. $98–$297; shopdonni.com —SARA SMOLA

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NEWS + NOTES

WEB SUIT > Swimsuit shopping just got more forgiving, thanks to local beachwear brand Cupshe, whose website features thousands of styles, from barely there bikinis to long-sleeved one pieces in sizes XS to XXL. The new Summer Glow Up collection features 36 new styles in a rainbow of bright pastels, ranging from lime to lilac.

Strategically placed cutouts and ties are designed to flatter and improve fit, but nothing beats being able to try on in the privacy of your own home. Hilary Duff, Olivia Culpo, and Eva Longoria are already fans. From $11; cupshe. com — N I N G C H AO

> Hit the road this summer with luxury electric travel trailer Living Vehicle Creative Studio, an off-grid, solar-powered workspace for creative professionals. A game-changer for remote workers seeking adventure without sacrificing vacation time, each Creative Studio is outfitted with a top-tier range of hardware that can include options such as Apple’s Pro Display XDR, Studio Display, and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro or M1 Max. For the ultimate studio experience, the Creative Studio can be configured with the new M1 Ultra, the world’s most powerful chip in a personal computer, so you can work from the mountains to the ocean to the desert and everywhere in between, effortlessly. Living Vehicle starts at $299,995, Creative Studio Package starts at $23,995; livingvehicle.com — S . S .

TATA HARPER X ART OF TEA > Monterey Park–based Art of Tea and Tata Harper Skincare launched their new collaboration of two caffeine-free, herbal beauty blends, Float Like a Butterfly and Flourish Like a Flower, made with high-performance botanical ingredients designed to support a healthy immune response, counterbalance stress, and boost vibrancy. “I’ve always believed that healthy skin goes beyond skincare,” says founder Tata Harper. “This time, I wanted to turn inward and focus on a practice that would help cultivate healthy skin from the inside out.”

Float Like a Butterfly’s adaptogenic blend of butterfly pea, tulsi, lemongrass, rose, and ginger was created to combat daily stressors, while Flourish Like a Flower’s phytonutrientrich blend was designed to enhance the body’s purification process and support a healthy immune system. $45/each; tataharperskincare.com — S A R A S M O L A

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LIVING VEHICLE CREATIVE STUDIO: SHAWN PARKIN

GO OFF-GRID

SAVE THE DATE > These local events offer a fun way to beat the heat.

SUMMER SIPPING

JULY 8–10, AUGUST 26–28 Celebrating its 10th season, the flagship 626 Night Market returns to Santa Anita Park. The family-friendly festival will feature more than 250 food options, crafts, games, music, and entertainment attractions. $6/ ticket; 626nightmarket.com

TOP RIGHT: COURTESY 626 NIGHT MARKET; BOTTOM RIGHT: FACEBOOK.COM/ROSEBOWLSTADIUM

> For those seeking the perfect picnic accompaniment or go-to glass this summer, Frank Family Vineyards released its new 2021 Leslie Rosé. Crafted with Pinot Noir grapes and full of fresh aromatics and vibrant flavors, it’s perfect for sipping at a backyard soirée, under the stars at a Pasadena POPS concert, or simply at home. The name pays homage to Leslie Frank, the woman behind the winery’s marketing and branding initiatives and the curation of one of the most welcoming hospitality experiences in Napa Valley. She also coordinates the Frank family’s charitable giving initiative, Frank for a Cause, which has raised over $100,000. $50/bottle; frankfamilyvineyards.com — S . S .

July 9, July 23, August 13, August 27 The 2022 Rusnak Summer POPS Series kicks off at the L.A. Arboretum, led by Principal Pops Conductor Michael Feinstein.

From Gershwin to Aretha Franklin to Judy Garland, the POPS will play it all. Tickets start at $25; pasadenasymphony-pops.org

BELLE OF THE BALL > La Salle College Preparatory recently hosted its signature event, the Crystal Ball Award and Scholarship Dinner, dedicated to developing and supporting many of the school’s initiatives and scholarships. This year’s theme, “Together We Shine,” celebrated La Salle’s diverse and inclusive community, the end of the pandemic, and school unity. 2022 Crystal Ball honoree Gina Zhang was recognized for her exemplary work in the community, as well as her leadership position on the Board of Regents, advising the school president on global perspectives, cultural education, and cultural consciousness. lasallehs.org — S . S .

August 13 The Rose Bowl’s 1920s themed Party of the Century 100th birthday celebration will be held on its iconic field, hosted by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation. Tickets start at $750; partyofthecentury.org — S . S .

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NEWS + NOTES

FOOD NEWS

QUICK BITES

Sizzling Summer Food News

K

it Romano-Llobet, a native of Pasadena, has opened Dos Besos on Union Street in Old Pasadena with her husband, chef Alejandro Llobet, who hails from Barcelona and previously ran a local paella catering company. “We created a little piece of Spain in Old Town,” Alejandro says. The restaurant features traditional seafood and squid-ink paella, but also an Iberian grilled pork belly version with mushroom and asparagus, as well as a rare noodle rendition of the dish.

BY C A R O L E D I XO N

Tuck into tapas made with authentic Spanish products jamón ibérico and Manchego cheese aged 18 months, along with entrees of whole Mediterranean seabass baked in rock salt, Spanish octopus, and New Zealand rack of lamb.

COMING SOON: Burt Bakman of SLAB BBQ fame has confirmed a new Pasadena spot will be on Arroyo Parkway as soon as August.

Dos Besos

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De Buena Planta

SLAB BBQ The Marlou

In the ever-growing plant-based space, Wolfie’s Nashville Hot Chicken has landed York Blvd. in Highland Park with a beer garden. BeeWali’s Vegan AF has a brick-and-mortar spot in Eagle Rock after its former pop-up status serving Mediterranean to Indian fare.

Westside transplants to Silver Lake include De Buena Planta, a plant-based Mexican restaurant from Venice with a tuckedaway mezcal bar, and gluten-free Santa Monica bakery Breadblok is now on Griffith Park Blvd.

Silver Lake institution Fred62 has launched a new bar program with female-owned Wines of Impact that includes boozy milkshakes, micheladas, and low-ABV options.

Award-winning chef Michael Mina has expanded with Mother Tongue on La Brea in Hollywood. Designed by Martin Brudzinski (Pendry West Hollywood), the restaurant is located inside HEIMAT, the world’s first social fitness club, and will feature global cuisine rooted in wellness and sustainability.

Also expanding to Hollywood, Saffy’s on Fountain is a casual day-to-night spot by chef Ori Menashe and wife-partner Genevieve Gergis of Bestia and Bavel fame.

Big news at the Row DTLA: Pizzeria Bianco from Phoenix, where people are willing to wait hours for one of the six pies on the menu, has landed in the old Paramount Coffee space.

ALSO IN THE ARTS DISTRICT: kensho‐ group from Hollywood has opened kodō in the old Firehouse space, and just added the daytime rykn cafe for coffee and casual lunch plus wine tastings in the afternoon. Nearby, Damien has added weekend brunch to its Mexican menu offerings with a burrito omelette, and Soho

Warehouse now has a ground-floor Greek Turkish restaurant, Mandolin Taverna, that is also open to the public.

MORE NEARBY NEWBIES: Ukrainian-owned Hi Bakery, which features matcha cakes, pastries, cookies, bagels, and vegan chocolate-chip bread made with zucchini, uses stone-milled sprouted flour exclusively and only works with organic farmers.

Bike Shed Moto Co. is a London import in a sprawling, renovated brick warehouse with leather sofas and motorcycles interspersed throughout the bar, lounge, and restaurant. If you want gear, there is a retail store, along with a barbershop and tattoo parlor.

Over on Flower Street, The Marlou and The Burrow Bar & Kitchen are new spots at the O Hotel, both helmed by chef Marcos Spaziani—you might recognize him from the current season of Below Deck Sailing Yacht on Bravo TV—and his partner in the popular ML Eats food truck, chef Louis Huh.

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SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER Where is the balance between making the most of their time off without overscheduling?

BY J E N N I F E R A S H TO N RYA N

I

’m sitting on the front porch of a farmhouse in Paso Robles, California, watching my kids play while on a group family vacation this past spring. Among five families traveling together are a dozen kids ages 2 to 10. Several of them have grouped up to navigate a zipline hanging over the lawn between two maple trees.

To ride, kids climb a ladder leaning

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against a tree trunk, swing their legs over a few high branches, and grab the rope from another child. For everyone 5 and over, this isn’t a problem. My youngest, who is 4, wants to ride, and I make no effort to assist. From 100 yards away, I watch her make it up the ladder while an older child balances in the tree to give her a hand. She does the leg swing move on her own, reaches

for the rope, and glides down the line to resounding cheers from the friends she’s met only yesterday.

“Son, remember those are your only pair of shoes,” a mom yells from the porch as her son hurls a sneaker into the air to knock a football from a tree branch.

“You can back off him this weekend,” her husband says. “Let him be one of the tribe.”

The husband recounts his own childhood, biking in rural Pennsylvania with his buddies after school. They’d travel 3 miles to the river with no directions beyond a time to return home for dinner. He remarks that in raising his own kids in Los Angeles, the need for supervision is constant.

From my viewpoint on the farmhouse porch, all looks right with childhood— kids mixed in age navigate challenges, make their own rules, giggle, yell, cry, and recover with each other instead of with adults. We’re around, but we’re not required to play referee or even camp counselor. Yet back home, school’s out in a few weeks and you know what I do not have planned? Downtime and free play. My kids are doing dance camps, gymnastics camps, chess camps, and vacation Bible schools. The sign-ups started in March with a flurry of group texts to coordinate with friends, and I suddenly had all 10 weeks scheduled.

When the instructor of my parenting class advised against summer overprogramming, I pulled out my iPhone calendar to review. Was I doing this wrong?

Judging from the farmhouse scene and the camp-tuition hit to my bank balance, I might be. But that day in class when I heard the argument for boredom, what I really felt, to be honest, was mad.

Two summers ago, I had no choice beyond under-programming because there was no programming. Everything had been canceled and parents went from raising our young children with a village to being the sole providers of everything.

I do not want or need another summer of that, so I choose programming. Yet this

COURTESY JENNIFER ASHTON RYAN

FA M I LY

farm stay is reminding me that it doesn’t need to be either or.

When I think back to my most vivid memories of playing as a kid, my parents are not featured. I would walk 10 houses up the street where the neighbor kids’ backyard morphed into imaginary realms with tree-stump thrones and caverns in the ivy. In the springtime I’d cross the street to look for ladybugs among a field of yellow blooms. Yet, this childhood in Sacramento, California, in the 1980s was far from the independent reality I imagined my traveling companion experiencing in Pennsylvania.

I swam for UCLA, so you can imagine that, as a college athlete, I erred on the side of being at swim practice rather than bored at home. After school, I drove to the pool. Before I could drive, I went there by carpool. And, before that, I came home from elementary days and my mom would take me to violin lessons or gymnastics or the racket club, where my sister and I swam with no agenda beyond repeating handstands

and underwater somersaults for hours on end. And it’s telling to think back to all of those violin lessons and practices because I’ll be the first to admit that I never played the violin for fun.

But being in the water at the same age, while my mom sat nearby but engrossed in her book, I found through play something that I absolutely loved. By age 10, I begged to join swim team year-round.

I know my kids’ camps this summer will be fun. And I’m also taking stock of what our family needs this summer. I would like to facilitate more moments like this one I’m enjoying on the porch—nothing scheduled, I’m not entertaining them, we’re not under stayat-home orders, and I’m not refreshing my browser for a grocery delivery time slot. I’m not raising my kids in a rural county in 1970. It’s not 2020, or even 2021. Now it’s 2022 and I am a bona fide pandemic parent raising Generation COVID. It’s the time when my kids get to climb trees and figure out how to get the football back down. It’s childhood.

hen It ’s th e ti m e w cl im b tr e e s my k id s g et to t h ow to g et a n d fi g u re o u a ck d own . th e footba ll b .

It ’s ch il d h oo d

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FA M I LY

STAYING COOL

Toys, treats, and a shady place to play for making the most of long summer days.

BY J E N N I F E R A S H TO N RYA N

SUMMER COLORS > Visit Descanso Gardens in La Cañada to see purple, pink, and neon green—but the bright colors aren’t coming only from the flowers. Adam Schwerner’s immersive “Your (Un)Natural Garden” exhibition, through January 8, 2023, features painted snakeways arching over oak trees and walking paths. The exhibit extends to the gardens’ indoor exhibition spaces, where you are encouraged to touch everything you see. Painted golf balls and rope look like spaghetti and meatballs in the formal dining room, so help yourself. Walk with open arms through a foyer filled with feather boas hanging from the ceiling. Upcoming live performances at Descanso include Into the Woods by the Pacific Opera Project and the Ensemble Shakespeare Theater Company’s What You Will. Check online for tickets. descansogardens.org

TOWER 17 > For days off school or work, the modern, vintage Candylab appeals to all ages. Set up the new Santa Monica Tower ($27), and pair the attraction with a new Classics car design such as a one-of-a-kind Woodie made from recycled skateboard decks ($100) or the Woodie Redux ($38), complete with veneer paneling and a magnetic neon surfboard to mount on the roof.

The lifeguard towers painted teal or pink join other icons of Americana in the STAC lineup. Among the wooden block sets shaped like roadside attractions are the midcentury Lone Cactus Hotel ($45) and Soft Serve Shack ($30). candylabtoys.com

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> Nomad Ice Pops of San Gabriel makes for a no-guilt dessert stop any day. Inspired by allnatural paletas in Guatemala, the popsicles made from whole fruit come in flavors such as Strawberry Mint, Balboa Banana with Chocolate, Arnold Palmer, and Peach Tamarindo. Visit the shop on South Mission, order online for delivery, or hire the company to cater a pool party or BBQ. You can rent a retro popsicle cooler to put out for guests to help themselves, and for larger parties, Nomad will send a serviced cart. Custom orders can include alcohol, as well as a unique ice pop shape, packaging, and stick design. nomadicepops.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY: DESCANSO GARDENS; NOMADICEPOPS.COM; CANDYLABTOYS.COM

FROZEN ON REPEAT

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11/4/2022 3:30 pm

DIALOGUE

ON PHILANTHROPY

LISA GREER IN CONVERSATION WITH KATE GALE >

L.A.-BASED philanthropist and author Lisa Greer wrote Philanthropy Revolution (philanthropyrevolution.com) in hopes of ending the frustrating and ineffective practices she noticed as a donor and nonprofit board member. On July 27, Greer will join Kate Gale, co-founder and managing editor of Red Hen Press, for a conversation at its Pasadena headquarters (free and open to the public), where they will further explore Greer’s mission to save giving. Here, Greer speaks to Gale about the future of philanthropy. —P R O D U C E D BY S A R A S M O L A

Lisa Greer

Kate Gale

money or not. Share your organization’s accomplishments as well as challenges. Donors are unlikely to believe that everything at your organization is perfect, and if you say it is, they will likely not trust you.

KG: Nonprofits get stuck with their

Kate Gale: Now that more than 50%

of donors are women, the game has changed. What do you think is the most significant change for nonprofits, now that there are more nuanced conversations with women donors?

Lisa Greer: Nonprofits need to understand that the world has changed and they must adjust to that. With women controlling one-third of the world’s wealth (and growing), it is rarely acceptable to ask a woman to have her gift approved by a man, such as her husband. Women, like any group, are individuals, and their thoughts, feelings, and methods will differ depending on the person involved. They, like most donors, don’t want to be looked at as piggy banks.

KG: How would you like to further change the world of philanthropy?

LG: We need to look at every piece of the process and determine if our methods and practices make sense anymore.

If they don’t, we need to create a more intelligent process based on the present time, culture, and realities of the 21st century. Nothing about the way fundraising is done should be sacrosanct.

KG: Many nonprofits feel “stuck” and don’t know how to build a

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relationship with their donors or ask for help. What would you advise?

LG: Think about yourself as a donor.

When you give someone your pitch, think about how you would react if the same pitch was given to you.

Would you find it compelling or off-putting? Also, be honest. If you ask a potential donor for a meeting, be honest about your intention to ask for

boards too. We want a great board, but often we only collect the people we have around us. What’s your advice for building a great board?

LG: Boards need to (a) represent the communities that the nonprofit is helping, demographically, (b) bring a variety of viewpoints and types of experience to the table, and (c) be careful to appoint members who are passionate about your cause and are willing to provide various types of resources to support the organization. This does include money—whether it be from the board member directly or indirectly.

KG: We used to think that men like

Carnegie and Rockefeller moved the philanthropic world, but now women have the checkbooks. How does the world of philanthropy spin differently with women at the helm?

LG: Women tend to be more likely to want to “get their hands dirty,” and to volunteer their time in addition to their money. Women are much more likely to give online than men, tend to be more collaborative, and giving circles are much more likely to be women-based. A form of a giving circle at Dartmouth recently saw 104 alumni women give their alma mater more than $1 million each!

ART & DESIGN

Giants are not what we think they are, 2022. Oil on Canvas.

84 x 120 inches

Angeleno artist Devon DeJardin takes his spiritual guides to New York’s Albertz Benda. BY LY N DA L I N G R I G S BY

H

eroes, according to author Joseph Campbell, often follow the same story arc—they answer a call for adventure, delve deep into the wilderness of the unknown, and emerge on the illuminated path home, transformed with new understanding.

In the story of his own life, Devon DeJardin struck out from his native Portland, Ore., to make a splash in the art world in Los Angeles with iterations of geometrical figures he calls “guardians.”

Does art imitate life or vice versa?

“I’d say that often our real life ‘guardians’ come in forms we don’t recognize,” DeJardin says. “Challenges that force us to learn new skills. Losses that teach us emotional resilience.”

“Giants,” the Los Angeles–based artist’s first solo exhibition in New York City, runs June 30 to August 5 at the Albertz Benda Gallery. The exhibit tells a story

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of confronting and conquering “giants,” spiritual guides composed of shapes that give the illusion of three-dimensionality and appear occasionally in conversation.

“The geometrical figures in Devon’s work possess a totemic power, exuding calm and serenity through the dramatic interplay of light and shadow,” says Thorsten Albertz, co-founder of Albertz Benda.

In his career as an artist, DeJardin has often garnered attention due to his age. A 28 years old, he’s been described

by Albertz as “sagacious” and skilled beyond his years. Call it self-taught or unencumbered by a formal art education, DeJardin lives his art school experience from his studio in the DTLA Arts District and retreats to the beaches to recharge.

“The main place I feel most connected is by the ocean,” he says.

The guardians were created in Los Angeles and inspired by DeJardin’s study

CO U R T E SY D E VO N D E JA R D I N

CONJURING GIANTS

of world religion at Azusa Pacific University. His previous solo exhibition was at Denk Gallery in the Arts District.

For his New York City debut, expect to see bronze and brass sculptures. “There is something special about being able to physically place a ‘guardian’ into spaces both indoor and outdoor,” DeJardin says.

In this part of his story, DeJardin is on a sojourn, but he is slowly developing a new body of work. The hero will return home—transformed.

“This life is short,” he says. “It is temporary, and it is a hell of a battle. I find joy in my existence and the life I have been given.” devondejardin.com

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PATRON A SAINT MCASD inaugurates its new galleries in La Jolla with a celebration of French American feminist artist Niki de Saint Phalle, sponsored by luxury skincare company La Prairie.

BY N I N G C H AO

Clockwise from right: Pioneering artist Niki de Saint Phalle frequently worked with a specific shade of cobalt blue, which La Prairie took for its now-iconic skincare line. Pirodactyl over New York, 1962.

Bathing Beauty, 1967.

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fter shuttering for the pandemic, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego reopened in April with its first curated exhibition, “Niki de Saint Phalle in the 1960s.” The show features two of the artist’s signature series: the Tirs “shooting paintings” and the female sculptures she called Nanas. Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, Saint Phalle grew up in New York City before moving to Paris in 1952, where she suffered a nervous breakdown and began painting as therapy. The sole female member of the Nouveau Réalisme Group (others include Christo and Yves Klein), Saint Phalle relocated to San Diego in the 1990s, where she lived until her death in 2002.

“While local audiences are familiar with Saint Phalle’s later fantastical works of public art, we in Southern California have had less exposure to her radical work of the 1960s, which put into circulation strikingly original representations of female agency and volition that resonate strongly in our own moment,” explains Jill Dawsey, PhD, senior curator at MCASD. “Saint Phalle had an important relationship to this region.

In the early 1960s, she staged several shooting sessions in Los Angeles, in what

were among the earliest instances of performance art in Southern California.”

Like Klein, who invented his eponymous ultramarine in 1956, Saint Phalle is known for her use of blue. Her calling card was cobalt, which she described as “the color of joy and luck.” In 1982, Saint Phalle was developing her own fragrance in New York in a shared design studio where La Prairie’s team was simultaneously creating its skin care line.

Inspired by Saint Phalle’s use of cobalt, La Prairie chose the striking shade for its now iconic Skin Caviar Collection.

As a tribute to this fateful encounter 40 years ago, La Prairie is lead patron of the new exhibition. “This collaboration with MCASD is a meaningful opportunity for us to share Niki’s philosophy with the world and associate her spirit— pioneer, perseverant, strong, feminist— to the one of La Prairie,” says Nicholas Munafo, president of La Prairie North America (laprairie.com). “We are particularly proud to be able to support the life, oeuvre, and cultural legacy of the artist we consider to be a pivotal encounter for our house.”

The exhibition runs until July 17. mcasd.org

TO P L E F T: G U G G E N H E I M A B U D H A B I . © N I K I C H A R I TA B L E A R T FO U N DAT I O N . A L L R I G H TS R E S E RV E D ; TO P R I G H T: P R I VAT E CO L L E C T I O N , U SA , CO U R T E SY O F G A L E R I E M I T T E R R A N D, PA R I S . © N I K I C H A R I TA B L E A R T FO U N DAT I O N . A L L R I G H TS R E S E RV E D. P H OTO : R E B E CC A FA N U E L E , 2 0 1 4

ART & DESIGN

ART & DESIGN

PIGMENTS THAT BLOOM Fall in and drift away in Sam Kupiec’s layers and colors.

BY LY N DA L I N G R I G S BY

A

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il Soreno I, 48 x 30 inches

artist is an Angeleno by way of Pasadena, where, until the tender age of 6, she lived across the street from the Caltech Athenaeum. In the fluidity of memory, the first bite of a juicy Pie ’N Burger hamburger transports her back in time.

Now Kupiec calls Playa Vista home, where she often takes her paintings on a journey through her studio on sawhorses in a series of recumbent positions. The process is intuitive—pour the paint and “reach for the demands of the canvas” rather than plan or premeditate.

“Every mark is a reaction to the previous and what’s coming through tells me where to go next,” she says. “I flood the canvas with paint and water, allowing pigment to pool, bloom, or roll across

the surface of the canvas, guiding the paint with a palette knife or other types of tools.”

The slightest flick of a wrist creates vast differences among her works. Kupiec is fascinated by the way layers and colors influence each other, and it shows.

“Her layering process makes each piece look like you could fall into it and drift away forever,” says Pearson McGee, creative director and owner of Santa Ynez General (santaynezgeneral. com), a retail space in the bucolic wine country of in the Santa Ynez Valley that is carrying Kupiec’s work through July.

Take in the contours of her work as an entry point for your own emotions, urges Kupiec. You may come away feeling breathless. samkupiec.com

CO U R T E SY SA M KU P I E C

trip to Paris once left Sam Kupiec breathless. Wandering through the glass-and-metal structure of the Centre Pompidou, she came upon the works of Pierre Soulages, “the painter of black and light,” which stole her breath and words. How do you accurately describe the inspirational spark that sets the course of an artist’s life?

You don’t. Just paint.

“A few weeks later, my mum dropped off a canvas at my apartment and there hasn’t been a day that I haven’t painted since,” says Kupiec, 30. “I wake up feeling excited to paint and go to bed thinking about what I’ll create the next day.”

Kupiec’s work is a meditation on textures and tones found in nature and an homage to a childhood spent on hiking trails with her dad and brothers. The

PROMOTION

Join us at The Bloc for the first in our series of whiskey festivals across the southland!

Take a deep dive into the world of whiskey – meet master distillers, sip the finest selections, learn fresh cocktail recipes and experience new labels. Enjoy gourmet hors d’oeuvres, live music and unique experiences that will complement the bespoke tasting atmosphere.

Friday, August 19, 7 – 9 p.m.

The Bloc, DTLA 700 West 7th Street Tickets are on Sale Now at

lamag.com/whiskeyfestival Tickets coming soon for the following events

September 22, 7–9 p.m.

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October 2022

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TO DO

F O R T H E DAY

SLIDING INTO SUMMER Find the thrill of the fall this summer. Beyond the schoolyard and the public playground, Angelenos of any age can find the short, sweet elation of riding down these premier slides. BY J E N N I F E R A S H TO N RYA N

STO P A N D D R O P

Rock climbing gym Sender One (senderoneclimbing.com) started in Southern California in 2012, opening its first full-service location in Santa Ana in 2013 and soon adding a second gym near LAX. Among traditional climbing walls measuring up to 50 feet and extensive bouldering courses, Sender City is in a colorful corner of the gym with climbing routes themed

>

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a red skydiving jumpsuit over your clothes and lie down at the bottom of the slide facing friends and family members, who can cheer you on. An operator from the gym passes over a handlebar attached to a rope tow, then hold on tight and you’ll magically float straight up to 30 feet above the floor. At any point yell “stop,” and that’s as high as you go.

The only way down is to take a breath, let go, and scream. so you can scale a complex of skyscrapers, ascend a rope web like Spider-Man, or navigate glowing foot and hand holds in the dark. As much as the attractions appeal to children, they also prove challenging for most adults.

And there’s more. Redand-white checkered stripes like racing flags frame a shiny, slippery, silver Drop Slide rising vertically alongside the climbing walls. To ride, put on

G R E AT E X T R E M E S

> Waterslides are the main event at Great Wolf Lodge (greatwolf.com) in Garden Grove. Attached to a 603-room hotel, the water park includes 14 slides for guests with day passes or overnight reservations. The 105,000-square-foot indoor park is the largest Great Wolf property among 18 locations nationwide.

Apart from a resort-style swimming pool, everything at Great Wolf is indoors, where it’s always a balmy 84 degrees. Book a cabana or deck seating for the day and venture to the multilevel play structure Fort Mackenzie.

Walk up the ramp to the fort’s highest platform, called Totem Towers, and choose among the three-story slides to make your way down. Even higher is Albert Falls, where you ride an inner tube with a friend to descend either of the four-story slides that curve around outside the building before turning back in and dropping into a plunge pool.

Up the ante again at the Howlin’ Tornado, which launches from the highest platform at Great Wolf. From six stories up, drop into a redand-yellow, funnel-shaped slide that you ride on an inner tube with up to three friends.

The more weight the better to make it as high as possible up the walls. But no doubt the day’s biggest thrill—if you dare—is a 20-foot free fall called Wolf Tail. To give it a try, open the door of an upright plastic tube and step inside. The floor will suddenly drop out from under you, and then after the initial drop, your stomach will turn over again on a 360-degree loop.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: DANIEL BERMAN; GAVIN LIVELY; GARY LEONARD

Above: Sender One, left and below: Great Wolf Lodge

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TO DO

THE WEEKEND

Here and bottom right: Mission Pacific

HEAD SOUTH AND ESCAPE TO NORTH COUNTY

A

world away from Los Angeles, beyond the master plans of Orange County, before the bustle of downtown San Diego, there is North County. It’s San Diego, but it’s not the zoo, Sea World, La Jolla, or Coronado. There’s no baseball stadium. But there is a thoroughbred club for horse racing and a manageably sized theme park—Legoland—and the biggest attraction of all, the waves—for swimming, surfing, gazing. The businesses supporting such a lifestyle remain refreshingly one-off and thoughtful. As you move down the coastline, each beach town breeds a vibe of its own, as do the resorts in this handful of recommendations. BY J E N N I F E R A S H TO N RYA N OCEANSIDE Kids Surf Family Beach (Oceanside)

TO STAY:

Mission Pacific and Seabird Sister resorts for the foodies or families.

During the pandemic, sister six-story hotels built atop two parking lots forever changed the waterfront. Walking into the 161-room Mission Pacific hotel is like arriving in the eclectic living room of a private home filled with live plants, wood-framed furniture, and natural-color linens. High/ Low functions as its all-day kitchen, and fine-dining Valle showcases cuisine from Baja California’s Guadalupe Valley. Grab a snack at High Pie in the Top Gun House (yes, the actual cottage shown the 1986 and 2022 movies) on the walk next door

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TOP: JASON DEWEY

>

TO DO

THE WEEKEND

Alila Marea Beach Resort

to the 226-room The Seabird, styled like a California beach house with bright white tongue-and-groove walls and a beachy mix of old and new paintings and photographs.

The heart of the hotel, which is especially welcoming to families with children, is the expansive pool and adjacent Shelter Club restaurant and lounge, open to guests of both hotels. missionpacifichotel.com; theseabirdresort.com TO D O :

1. Hop between Oceanside’s two rooftop bars. Begin at the loungy Rooftop Bar at Mission Pacific for a sunset Champagne toast with ceviche and quesatacos. Then walk a few blocks to the new 10-room Brick Hotel, where the Cococabana Bar’s specialty is Caribbean cocktails.

2. Survey the lauded dining scene at Dija Mara, which earned a Michelin New Discovery mention in 2020 for Balineseinspired dishes by local chef Jason Ambacher. The next night, try Wrench and Rodent for sushi and local beers.

3. The shopping center concept that has been reimagined and rebranded

Tremont Collective

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as collectives makes for oases of gentrification. The Tremont Collective warehouse conversion houses nine local businesses. Look for Freeman Collective in “South O” opening later this year.

CARLSBAD TO STAY:

Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa Country-club feel with convenient access to top attractions.

Fresh from a $50 million overhaul, the 327-room Park Hyatt Aviara makes for a sleek, amenity-filled escape with no need to leave the resort, apart from traveling companions insisting on a visit to Legoland.

The 200-acre golf resort on the expansive Batiquitos Lagoon opened in 2010. For some travelers, the family pool and green waterslide complex can occupy a large part of a weekend. For everyone else, there are separate adult pool facilities, two new Topgolf Swing Suites to play indoors, tennis courts, and a par-72 Arnold Palmer signature course at the Aviara Golf Club.

Chef Richard Blais just opened Ember & Rye for steak and seafood, and a new

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partnership with outfitter Adventure IO can get you off property with pro athletes. hyatt.com 1. Legoland is just 10 minutes by car, and resort guests have early parking access, Lego-themed amenities, and preferred pricing on theme-park tickets.

2. Venture off property for fine dining at one-star Michelin restaurant Jeune et Jolie.

The modern French menu by chef Eric Bost is served in four courses for $105.

3. At the Aviara Golf Club, book one, two, or three days of instruction with Kip Puterbaugh at the Aviara Golf Academy, known as one of the country’s top schools for its caliber of instructors and advanced coaching technology.

E N C I N I TA S TO STAY:

Alila Marea Beach Resort Sleek, modern clifftop retreat.

At its heart, Encinitas remains a surf town.

Walk the beaches to watch locals ride reef and point breaks, including Swami’s, accessed via a steep stone staircase below the gold-domed Self-Realization Fellowship. Downtown, a bustling commercial district along Pacific Coast Highway is home to an eclectic mix of retail and dining options, both independent and franchised. On the quieter, north end of Encinitas, find Alila Marea Beach Resort perched atop an oceanfront cliff. Opened in March 2021 with 130 rooms and three dining options, the Zen-like resort pulls off a sleek aesthetic using wood, concrete, and stone.

All through the three-story compound, which curves along the natural shape of the coastline, decorative elements complement rather than distract from ocean views.

Take in the views outdoors from a poolside

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Del Mar

Casa Valencia Rancho Valencia Lobster Tacos

Here: Park Hyatt Aviara’s golf course. Left: The property’s smoking ember cocktail

cabana or relax further by closing your eyes in Spa Alila. alilahotels.com TO D O :

1. Buy a surfboard. Order a custom shape and design from Greg Sauritch Surfboards, a local shaper since 1975. Board shops here date to the Golden Age of surfing: Bing was founded in 1959, Hansen Surfboards has remained family owned since its start in 1961, and Encinitas Surfboards opened on the 101 in 1975.

2. Enjoy a beach day at Moonlight State Beach, a local favorite for the playground on the sand, volleyball nets, firepits, and picturesque ocean bluffs. Don’t miss the come-as-you-please, community-driven Dave’s Rock Garden at the corner of B and 2nd streets.

3. Shop Cedros Avenue Design District in neighboring Solana Beach, which stretches 2.5 blocks. Many of the 85 stores and restaurants are housed in curved Quonset huts built in the 1950s for storing scientific instruments.

R A N C H O S A N TA F E CASA VALENCIA: OLIVER PATERSON

TO STAY:

Rancho Valencia Luxurious accommodations for indoor and outdoor pursuits.

Fresh off of an expansive renovation last year, Rancho Valencia features 45 stunning landscaped acres with just 49 private casitas—each with secluded outdoor

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spaces, many of which contain hot tubs and fireplaces—as well as three large homes available for rent (The Hacienda, as well as the recently added Spa House and Casa Valencia). The newly enhanced spa is an oasis of relaxation, while a new salon makes getting ready for special events seamless. Chef Alex Bloom’s menu takes in the region’s bounty of fresh produce and sustainably sourced seafood and meat, while an on-site garden and chicken coop also contribute to the farm-to-table menus. ranchovalencia.com TO D O :

1. Take advantage of the property’s coveted tennis program. Adults and children of all ages can participate in clinics, classes, and even one-on-one private training.

2. The nearby Torrey Pines Golf Course overlooks the Pacific, providing stunning views and terrain.

3. Surrounding the property are miles of horseback-riding trails. Have the property arrange for an afternoon of riding. Or, should horseback not be your preferred method of transport, utilize the resort’s Bentley Test Drive program, where you can take a Bentley on a four-hour cruise and even have the hotel pack you a picnic lunch.

DEL MAR TO STAY:

Fairmont Grand Del Mar Italianate golf course retreat with

exceptionally fine dining. > Olive trees line the long drive through golf course greens, transporting visitors from North County to Northern Italy. The red-tile roof of the Mediterranean resort gradually comes into view. This main building houses 249 finely appointed guest rooms outfitted with ornate marble bathrooms and traditional two-poster beds.

The inland property spreads across 400 acres with tennis courts, four swimming pools (including a pool-front sand area for building sandcastles), junior golf academy, and (just added) archery facilities.

Throughout the summer, the resort sets up a twilight cinema, but at least one evening should be dedicated to dining at San Diego’s only two-star Michelin restaurant.

Chef William Bradley at Addison maps out a nine-course tasting menu ($298) showcasing regional ingredients and California wines. fairmont.com TO D O :

1. You can leave on foot from the resort to hike the adjacent Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

2. Drive 10 minutes to the beach to enjoy a walk through the stunning Torrey Pines State Reserve or plan a picnic with sundowners at Powerhouse Park.

3. A summer tradition since 1937, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club runs a robust horse-racing season at the fairgrounds from late July through September.

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PA S A D E N A

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TO DO

EXTENDED

&Beyond Mnemba Island

BEYOND SUSTAINABLE

We all want to travel with environmental and cultural sensitivity in mind, but where should we go and how do we do it? Beyond Green has the answers.

BY SA M A N T H A B R O O K S

G

etting rid of single-use plastic is great, but there’s more to becoming a sustainable resort than insisting on refillable water bottles. Launched in April 2021, Beyond Green currently includes a collection of 30 properties across the globe, each of which has met a strict criteria of more than 50 sustainability indicators, with a focus on the company’s three pillars: environmentally friendly practices; protection of natural and cultural heritage; and the social and economic well-being of local people. Here’s a look at just a handful of the top-tier properties around the world where you don’t have to sacrifice saving the planet in order to broaden your horizons.

poachers and remove 50,000 snares in the last 20 years.

From $790/person; andbeyond.com

& B E YO N D M N E M B A I S L A N D

Location: On a private island less than one mile long, a five-minute boat ride from Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Accommodations: 13 open-air cottage-style bandas.

To do: Go on an underwater game drive for snorkeling or diving in warm, clear waters. Spot the tiny, shy, and harmless suni antelope on the island.

Initiatives: Along with the Africa Foundation, &Beyond has created Oceans Without Borders, an initiative that helps care for the ocean, marine wildlife, and coastal communities.

From $1,320/person; andbeyond.com

Location: Gobi Desert, Mongolia Accommodations: 40 yurts To do: Archery, mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, and stargazing.

Initiatives: The lodge is dedicated to dinos—protecting illegal extraction at nearby paleontological sites—and dogs, preserving the Bankhar, a unique indigenous mastiff breed, through the Mongolian Bankhar Dog Project. From $1,400; threecamellodge.com

I N T E R CO N T I N E N TA L B O R A B O R A R E S O R T & T H A L A S S O S PA &Beyond Bateleur Camp

& B E YO N D B AT E L E U R C A M P

Location: Maasai Mara, Kenya Accommodations: Two adjacent camps each offer nine luxury tent suites with plush beds, soaking tubs, and private bars.

To do: Lounge at the pool, luxuriate in the spa, shop in the on-site boutique, and of course go on game drives. It’s not unusual to see lions, elephants, black rhinos, giraffes, and an array of birds, all in a single day. Cheetahs and leopards are more elusive, but you might get lucky and spot one.

Initiatives: Along with the Africa Foundation, the camp sponsors the Emurutoto Health Centre for nearby rural residents, and works with the Mara Conservancy, which has helped apprehend 5,000

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Location: Facing the main island of Bora Bora and Mount Otemanu.

Accommodations: 84 overwater villas To do: With Sea Narea, take part in local coral conservation by creating your own baby coral.

Initiatives: Supporting Polynesian culture and locals, the resort offers two Polynesian shows per week, provided by a third party to support the community; all roofs are made with pandan trees, sourced locally.

From $900; intercontinental.com

A R I ST I M O U N TA I N R E S O R T

Location: Aristi, Ioannina, Greece Accommodations: 26 rooms and suites.

To do: Visit the Zagori villages and Vikos-Aoos National Park, which features more than 150 hiking routes and the world’s deepest gorge.

Initiatives: Aristi helped found the Zagori Excellence Network,

&BEYOND BATELEUR CAMP: DE WAAL RAUTENBACH; &BEYOND MNEMBA ISLAND: DOOK PHOTO

T H R E E C A M E L LO D G E

Aristi Mountain Resort

comprised of local hotels, restaurants, and tour companies, to promote sustainable tourism at Zagori’s 46 villages.

From $130; aristi.eu

A S H F O R D C A ST L E

Location: County Mayo, Ireland Accommodations: 88 rooms and suites, as well as one Hideaway Cottage.

To do: Set on a 350-acre estate, the 800-year-old castle estate has fishing, falconry, shooting, golf, cycling, and kayaking—as well as an indoor cinema.

Initiatives: The castle team works to preserve the biodiversity and natural habitats on the estate with the introduction of a bug hotel and apiaries in the gardens and bat boxes throughout the estate.

From $550; ashfordcastle.com

InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa

T H E R A N C H AT L AG U N A B E AC H

Location: Within a canyon in Laguna Beach, California.

Accommodations: 97 rooms and suites.

To do: Golf, spa, on-property farm tours, hiking, and nearby beach activities.

Initiatives: All glass bottles get crushed into fine sand that is used to replenish the golf course bunkers, creating 100 tons of sand per year and preventing the purchase of environmentally problematic sand from outside sources.

From $400; theranchlb.com

INTERCONTINENTAL BORA BORA RESORT & THALASSO SPA: TIM MCKENNA; BLANCANEAUX LODGE: GUNDOLF PFOTENHAUER

ISLAS SECAS

Location: A remote island off Panama’s Pacific Coast, in the Gulf of Chiriqui.

Accommodations: 7 casitas can host up to 24 guests.

To do: Marine safaris, e-foiling, surfing, diving with manta rays, whale watching, and rejuvenating at the garden spa with treatments that utilize local ingredients.

Initiatives: 100% of the property’s energy is solar generated; 100% of food waste is composted; 100% of wastewater is reused for irrigation; and the property supports a privately funded marine and wildlife conservation.

From $2,500; islassecas.com

Islas Secas

B L A N C A N E AU X LO D G E

Location: Maya Mountains, Belize Accommodations: 20 cabañas and villas.

To do: Located within a biodiverse rainforest, the property is prime for exploring waterfalls. Venture out to the Mayan city of Caracol and architectural site of Xunantunich.

Initiatives: Blancaneaux grants academic scholarships and muchneeded supplies like laptops to students in the nearby community of San Ignacio. There’s also an organic garden pollinated by resident honeybees that occupies 3.5 acres and provides most of the lodge’s fruits and vegetables.

From $340; thefamilycoppolahideaways.com

Three Camel Lodge Blancaneaux Lodge

B E N T WO O D I N N

Location: Wilson, Wyoming—about 15 miles southwest of the Jackson Hole airport.

Accommodations: 10 rooms To do: Explore the nearby Grant Teton National Park to see moose, elk, and other roaming wildlife. Bike the Jackson Hole path to explore nearby museums, galleries, and restaurants.

Initiatives: The inn helped co-found 1% for the Tetons, which funds area conservation projects and supports local and global environmental organizations.

From $370; bentwoodinn.com

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COMING IN THE SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 ISSUE OF PASADENA MAGAZINE Each year at Pasadena Magazine, we survey the local medical community to seek their opinions about who among them deserve recognition as the best of the best. In partnership with Professional Research Services who conduct the balloting, we compile and publish a listing of those medical professionals whom their peers have elevated for recognition.

FOR COMPLETE CONTACT INFORMATION, VISIT PASADENAMAG.COM ADDICTION MEDICINE Itai Danovitch Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles D. Drew Pinsky Dr. Drew Pinsky MD South Pasadena

ADOLESCENT MEDICINE Martin M. Anderson UCLA Health Los Angeles Marvin Belzer Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Claudia Borzutzky Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Johanna Olson-Kennedy Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Michele Roland Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Diane Tanaka Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Allison Yim Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; San Marino Pediatric Associates San Marino Saraleen Benouni Allergy Asthma Care Center, Inc. Los Angeles Varaz Bozoghlanian Allergy Asthma Care Center, Inc. Los Angeles Melinda Braskett Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Reyneiro Castro Huntington Asthma & Allergy Center Pasadena Joseph Church Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Jonathan Corren Jonathan Corren M.D. and Associates Los Angeles Marine Demirjian Allergy and Asthma Treatment Center Glendale

Robert Eitches Tower Allergy Los Angeles Kevin Farnam Adult and Children Allergy Asthma Center Pasadena Ronald Ferdman Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Maria I. Garcia-Lloret UCLA Health Los Angeles

Alan R. Green Alan R. Green, MD Glendale Brian K. Greenberg Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; The Pediatric Group of Southern California Agoura Hills Marc Meth Century City Allergy Los Angeles Stuart Y. Min Min Allergy & Asthma Center Alhambra Peck Ong Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Sonal Patel Huntington Asthma & Allergy Center Pasadena Jonathan Tam Methodist Hospital of Southern California; Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Flora A. Vardanian Allergy and Asthma Specialist Doctors, Inc. Pasadena Karl von Tiehl Methodist Hospital of Southern California; Bowtie Allergy Specialists San Marino

ANESTHESIOLOGY Frederic R. Bushnell Shriners for Children Medical Center Pasadena Pasadena Andrew J. Costandi Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles

Andres Falabella Pacific Valley Medical Group Arcadia Shahbaz Farnad Miracle Mile Medical Group Los Angeles David Mahjoubi Ketamine Healing Clinic of Los Angeles Los Angeles Rebecca Margolis Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Marla Matar Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Johnathan L. Pregler UCLA Health Los Angeles Kyle Sanders Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Gary Scott Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles

BREAST SURGERY Jennifer Baker UCLA Health Los Angeles Maggie L. DiNome UCLA Health Los Angeles Neel R. Joshi Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles Maria E. Nelson Keck Medicine of USC Glendale Amy Polverini Methodist Hospital of Southern California; City of Hope South Pasadena Stephen F. Sener Keck Medicine of USC Los Angeles Jeannie Shen Methodist Hospital of Southern California; UCLA Health Pasadena Alicia M. Terando Methodist Hospital of Southern California; Keck Medicine of USC Los Angeles

CARDIAC SURGERY Abbas Ardehali UCLA Health Los Angeles

Craig J. Baker Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; Keck Medicine of USC Los Angeles Robbin G. Cohen Keck Medicine of USC Pasadena Fardad Esmailian Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles Fernando Fleischman Keck Medicine of USC Los Angeles Ali Gheissari Methodist Hospital of Southern California; Advanced Cardiothoracic Surgery Los Angeles Cynthia Herrington Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles Danny Ramzy Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles Richard J. Shemin UCLA Health Los Angeles Vaughn A. Starnes Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; Keck Medicine of USC Los Angeles Alfredo Trento Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles

CARDIOLOGY Arash Bereliani Beverly Hills Institute for Cardiology & Preventive Medicine Beverly Hills Michael Broukhim Pacific Heart Institute Santa Monica Steven Burstein PIH Health Los Angeles Kirk Y. Chang Los Angeles Chris Christodoulou Methodist Hospital of Southern California; California Cardiovascular Care Medical Group, Inc. Pasadena Nikhil Daga Methodist Hospital of Southern California; Foothill Cardiology Medical Group, Inc. Pasadena

Azhil “Alex” Durairaj Methodist Hospital of Southern California; Foothill Cardiology Medical Group, Inc. Pasadena Yaron Elad Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles Gregory M. Giesler Methodist Hospital of Southern California; Southern California Heart Specialists Pasadena Antreas Hindoyan Keck Medicine of USC Pasadena Hsin Yi Grace Huang Methodist Hospital of Southern California Arcadia Ray V. Matthews Keck Medicine of USC Los Angeles Andreas Mauer Methodist Hospital of Southern California; Southern California Heart Specialists Pasadena Leigh C. Reardon UCLA Health Los Angeles R. Fernando Roth Methodist Hospital of Southern California; Foothill Cardiology Medical Group, Inc. Pasadena Amir H. Sadrzadeh Rafie Glendale Heart Institute Glendale Michael D. Share Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles Amir Solhpour Glendale Heart Institute Glendale Karol E. Watson UCLA Health Los Angeles Payam R. Yashar Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles Kristal B.Y. Young Methodist Hospital of Southern California; Southern California Heart Specialists Pasadena

COLON AND RECTAL SURGERY Moshe Barnajian The Surgery Group of LA Los Angeles

Kyle Graham Cologne Keck Medicine of USC Los Angeles Marjun Duldulao Keck Medicine of USC Los Angeles Phillip Fleshner Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles Andreas M. Kaiser City of Hope Duarte Kevork Kazanjian UCLA Health Los Angeles Mary Kwaan UCLA Health Los Angeles Sang W. Lee Keck Medicine of USC Los Angeles Anne Y. Lin UCLA Health Los Angeles David Magner David Magner, MD, FACS Beverly Hills Youssef Nasseri The Surgery Group of LA Los Angeles Joongho Shin Keck Medicine of USC Los Angeles Karen Zaghiyan Karen Zaghiyan MD Los Angeles

CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE AND PULMONARY DISEASE Brooke Chandrasoma Huntington Pulmonary Medical Group Pasadena Ching-Fei Chang Keck Medicine of USC Los Angeles Scott S. Oh UCLA Health Los Angeles Ayman Saad Huntington Pulmonary Medical Group Pasadena Curtis C. Sather Optum - HealthCare Partners Pasadena Tisha S. Wang UCLA Health Los Angeles

S EP T EM B ER /O C TO B ER 202 1

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SoCal

STAYCATION Get your R&R this summer with a luxurious Staycation getaway sure to remind you why you live here.

SP ECIAL P RO MOT IO NAL SECT IO N

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SoC al STAYCATION

SUMMERTIME OASIS AT

THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS Soak up the remaining summer sun and lounge poolside with three unique pool experiences.

Upbeat music, poolside cocktails and uninhibited views of Las Vegas Boulevard make Boulevard Pool a standout destination.

Located right above The Strip, Boulevard Pool has the best views of the city.

The Chelsea Pool is inspired by the surrounding desert landscape. Nestled between the two Cosmopolitan towers, it offers a more relaxed, canyon-like feel. Book a daybed for the next level in luxe. Extending out over the edge of the pool, you can take a break from the heat, anytime, with a single step.

Or if you prefer a more private experience, cabanas include a dedicated server, a stocked fridge and other creature comforts.

Swim, eat and vibe at Marquee Dayclub.

Anchored in music, the Dayclub features live DJ performances and bottle service from morning to night. Sip on signature cocktails and an exclusive menu of poolside bites.

And, Boulevard Pool transforms with something for everyone. On Mondays, you can even see classic and blockbuster films on the oversized marquee screen. Every Thursday, Sunset Cocktail Hour is back.

See the lights of Las Vegas come to life with live music, curated margaritas and delicious small bites. On Fridays, rise with the sun and relax into the weekend with a poolside, yin-style yoga class or up your energy with a bodyweight HIIT class, both while witnessing the city come alive.

Make Waves, Steal Glances with 25% off your two-night or more stay.

Book now at cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

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SP ECIAL P RO MOT IO NAL SECT IO N

NOTHING IS off THE TABLE

JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT of WRONG

SoC al STAYCATION

CHUMASH CASINO DESTINATION: FREEDOM RESORT

Always game responsibly. Call 1-800-Gambler if you can’t.

Must be 21 years of age or older. Copyright ©2022 Chumash Casino Resort 38 PA S A D E N A J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

It’s time to revel in the vibrancy of summer. To take in all the boundless energy and inspiration the season has to offer. To find yourself escaping to the natural beauty of the Santa Ynez Valley. Enjoy the easy drive up the coast to Santa Barbara wine country, where you’ll discover lush, rolling hills and a kaleidoscope of bright colors. At the heart of this oasis, a truly extraordinary destination awaits: Chumash Casino Resort.

SP ECIAL P RO MOT IO NAL SECT IO N

We invite you to experience the Chumash difference.

The moment you walk through our doors, you feel it. The vibe. The people. t s ust different. here s a sense o reedom that encourages you to simply relax and enjoy yourself. gaming is your happy place, you ll eel right at home on our worldclass casino oor, eaturing the latest slot machines and innovative games. lus, you can test your skills at any number o e citing table games as well as in our high-stakes poker room and our brand new hybrid Stadium Gaming pit.

Maybe you’re simply looking to relax and eat well. Make an appointment for rejuvenation at The Spa, boasting wonderful massage therapies and skin treatments. And round out your day with a reservation at Willows Restaurant and Bar for steaks, seafood, and an amazing wine list.

hen you re ready to call it a night, we have something special in store. Unwind in a guest room that’s designed to put your mind at ease with a spa-like bathroom and plush bedding that invites you to a soundful sleep.

There’s always a win at Chumash Casino Resort. Make every stay your own.

Welcome to Freedom.

3400 East Highway 246, Santa Ynez (800) 248-6274 | chumashcasino.com

Welcome to Freedom SP ECIAL P RO MOT IO NAL SECT IO N

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H E A LT H

HOT COMMODITIES Searching for the perfect sunscreen? We’ve got you covered. BY N I N G C H AO

A

ccording to a World Health Organization report, up to 90% of visible signs of aging can be attributed to sun exposure. This includes everything from fine lines and freckles to sagging and skin discoloration (brown or white spots). “The sun emits UV rays daily—rain or shine—and UVA rays can penetrate windows,” explains local dermatologist Ivy Lee, MD. “Daily sunscreen use is essential to minimize your skin cancer risk and premature aging and optimize skin health.” She estimates that most of us only use 25% to 50% of the recommended amount of sunscreen. “For the face and neck, one-third to onehalf a teaspoon of sunscreen is ideal; Most adults should use about 1 oz.—a shot glass—of sunscreen for the entire body,” says the Pasadena native.

That’s why the best sunscreen is essentially the one you’re willing to use. “The most important selection criteria for sunscreen is its ease of use,” Lee adds. “How it feels on the skin. How well it blends into your skin tone.” While the American Academy of Dermatology recommends a sunscreen with SPF 30 or more for daily use, Lee suggests that Southern Californians choose a higher SPF (50+) “to compensate for the reality that most of us do not apply an adequate amount.”

Ready to up your sunscreen game? Here are our favorites:

→

The A Method Protection Powders ($44–$49, theamethod.com): Containing only titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxide, and mica, these 100% mineral brush-on sunscreens are perfect for scalp shielding and reapplication on the go (especially for kids). “For sensitive skin, babies, or individuals with eczema or rosacea, I recommend mineral formulas because they tend to be less irritating,” says Lee. The A Method’s shades range from Fair to Espresso to cover a variety of skin and hair hues.

→

Bare Republic Clearscreen SPF 100 body spray, SPF 100 body lotion, SPF 100 face lotion ($13–$15, gobareoutside.com): Slather or spray on an invisible veil of skyhigh protection packed with moisturizing seed oils (carrot, raspberry, grape).

“Chemical sunscreens function as a sponge and absorb ultraviolet radiation,” explains Lee, who recommends applying sunscreen at least 15 minutes before heading outside.

→

Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield Glow SPF 50 ($69, colorescience.com), Total Protection Brush-On Shield Bronze SPF 50 ($69), and Total Protection Color Balm Endless Sunset Collection ($73): Masquerading as makeup, Colorescience’s high-SPF mineral powders and sticks redefine sun protection.

All contain iron oxides, which protect against visible light, says Lee.

→

Coola Dew Good Illuminating Serum Probiotic Sunscreen ($46, coola.com): From sunny San Diego comes a nongreasy serum with a luminous finish.

→

Elta MD UV Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 46 ($39, skinstore.com): Recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation and always a dermatologist favorite, the No. 1 bestseller on Skinstore.com won’t cause breakouts.

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Everything you’ve loved and more →

ILIA C Beyond Triple Serum SPF 40 ($64, iliabeauty.com): A favorite of makeup artists, the Laguna-based brand’s latest tinted mineral SPF contains niacinamide and encapsulated vitamin C for brightening.

→

La Roche Posay Anthelios 70 UV Correct ($35, laroche-posay.us): The antiaging chemical formula has niacinamide to fade sun spots and high SPF to keep them at bay.

→

Naturally Serious Mineral Sun Defense Moisturizer SPF 30 ($34, naturallyseriousskin.com): Packed with antipollution antioxidants such as green tea, pomegranate, and goji berry, this hydrating formula has avocado oil and a universal tint to help with blendability.

→

Naturopathica Lavender & Turmeric SPF 50 ($68, naturopathica.com): According to Lee, “zinc oxide blocks the widest range of UV radiation.”

Naturopathica combines the micronized mineral with antioxidant golden turmeric for a non-pasty finish.

→ Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Serum

SPF 60+ ($17.50, at drugstores): Barely there chemical protection is water resistant for up to 80 minutes.

Huntington Health + Cedars-Sinai Exceptional local care, now connected to a world-class health care system.

Learn more: HuntingtonHealth.org/TrustedCare

→

Sisley Sunleÿa SPF 50+ ($325, sisleyparis.com): A longtime editor favorite, this shea butter–based cream contains rhodochrosite—a rare, rose-hued crystal treasured for its healing properties.

→

Skinceuticals Daily Brightening UV Defense SPF 30 ($56, skinceuticals.com): Proven to reduce discoloration by 24% in 12 weeks, a potent cocktail of niacinamide, tranexamic acid, and phenylethyl resorcinal target discoloration while chemical UV filters prevent future damage.

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H E A LT H

N E W S A N D N OT E S

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

CHEW ON THIS After three years in development, musician, interior designer, and style icon Lenny Kravitz’s Los Angeles–based, vegan, cruelty-free, and recycle-ready dental care line TWICE just launched, with clean formulas such as nano-hydroxyapatite Oral Wellness Toothpaste ($7, target.com) and alcohol-free, nano-silver and coconut oil– spiked Oral Wellness Immunity Rinse ($15, smiletwice.com). So how did Grammywinner Kravitz become a chief creative officer for teeth? Co-founders Cody and Julian Levine’s father, Jonathan Levine, DMD, is Kravitz’s dentist, and the two are committed to bringing health and dental care to those in need—10% of TWICE’s profits go to the GLO Good Foundation to provide free dental care and education to under-resourced areas such as Kravitz’s beloved Bahamas. Every year, GLO Good partners with Kravitz’s Let Love Rule Foundation to sponsor a free medical and dental clinic in Gregory Town. In 2019, 1,200 Gregory Town adults and children were treated by over 75 volunteers. Now that’s something to smile about.— NING CHAO

Summer is wildfire season in California, and this year’s flame forecast is alarming.

Scentless and invisible, airborne smoke particles can travel thousands of miles and cause inflammation and speed up aging, especially in the skin, according to a UC San Francisco study published last summer in JAMA Dermatology.

Pour Moi Smoke Alarm Drops ($45, pourmoiskincare.com) contain moss stem cells, organic hemp seed oil, and Swiss stone pine extract “to hydrate and create a shield-like sunscreen, catching every smoke particle so it doesn’t penetrate the epidermis,” explains Ulli Haslacher, who founded Pour Moi’s climate-targeted line in San Bernadino five years ago (fun fact: while Pasadena qualifies as desert, coastal cities like Santa Monica have humidity and are considered monsoon desert).

An independent 2022 study shows that Smoke Alarm Drops have 100% efficacy on the epidermis and dermis and protect from all types of smoke (think fireplace, tobacco). The serum can be mixed with moisturizer, sunscreen, or makeup, or applied directly on skin. Consider it fire insurance for your face. —N .C .

BUG IN THE SYSTEM

→ The invasive Aedes mosquito is here

to stay, surging in population during summertime and more aggressive than previous species. If your bites have become immune to cortisone or calamine, Pasadena-based Banish skincare offers an itch-fighting alternative. Fighter Gel ($39, banish.com) not only works on acne but also bug bites, using aloe, arnica, peppermint, and antioxidants like green tea and gotu kola to soothe redness, swelling, and inflammation.

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→

→ The Organic Skin Co.’s Task Force Nine

($30, theorganicskinco.com) is another option, with turmeric and calendula to calm eczema rashes as well as insect bites.

For those who need to physically restrain themselves from scratching, the two Australian dads who introduced BuzzPatch mosquito repellent stickers now have MagicPatch, which uses kinesiology technology (like the therapeutic tape athletes swear by) to lymphatically drain itch-inducing mosquito saliva ($36 for three packs of 27 patches, naturalpatch. com). The patches are chemical free and waterproof, promising up to seven days of scratchless protection. —N .C .

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S P O N S O R E D CONT E NT

ASK THE EXPERT

JOHN C. LIPHAM, MD

Chief of Upper GI and General Surgery Keck Medicine of USC

ACID REFLUX: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Q: What’s the one thing you wish that every patient knew?

The one thing I wish every person knew, whether they’re my patient or not, is that heartburn is not a harmless annoyance.

Chronic acid reflux can lead to real damage to the esophagus and even cancer. About 30 percent of Americans have acid reflux, and most don’t understand how serious it can be.

Q: Do you recommend over-the-counter antacids for acid reflux?

I don’t for everyone, and not for long term. Antacids mask your symptoms—which means they can be masking the warning signs that something is wrong. Antacids reduce the amount of acid in your stomach, but they don’t stop the reflux itself. Fluids from the stomach still reflux up into the esophagus and still cause damage.

There’s no real warning sign that something is wrong until you have trouble swallowing. But at that point, a tumor is likely already at stage 3 or 4. You don’t want that. Esophageal cancer is very treatable if you catch it early on.

Q: What should a patient with chronic reflux do?

Q: What about your program are you most proud of?

I recommend a screening endoscopy. That allows us to spot a potential problem early on. If you can get your reflux under control with diet and lifestyle changes and have no damage, great. Leave it alone and come back for another screening endoscopy in three to five years.

Three heads are better than one, and that’s what you get with us. We take a multidisciplinary team approach, which means we work closely with other experts—gastroenterologists, oncologists, and radiation oncologists—to make sure every patient gets a personalized plan and the right care.

If we catch something in the pre-cancerous or even early invasive cancer stage, we can treat it endoscopically, without the need for surgery. If we catch something at a later stage, we have much better options than were available to patients even 10 years ago.

Minimally invasive or robotic surgical techniques allow us to get the same or better results as a traditional open surgery with much less time in the hospital and a much easier recovery.

I am also proud of our volume. We have one of the highest volumes for reflux and esophageal cancer procedures on the West Coast. For surgery programs, there’s a direct relationship between a higher volume and positive outcomes. With a high volume, there’s just more likelihood that you’ve seen everything and you’re ready for anything. When everyone on the team is highly experienced, you get the best possible care.

Q: What about patients who can’t control reflux with diet and lifestyle changes?

For those patients, we have plenty of options—some of which our program took the lead in developing. We have the LINX device and other minimally invasive options where we can fix the valve, stop the reflux, and get you off long-term medications. Many of these procedures are outpatient—they take just an hour to perform, and the recovery time is short. We’re also actively running clinical trials for new techniques.

We make sure everyone gets personal care from a team of experts.

Upper GI and General Surgery Keck Medicine of USC 1450 San Pablo Street, Suite 6200 Los Angeles, CA 90033 (323) 442-6868 surgery.keckmedicine.org

ON THE MARKET

LOCAL PRO PE RTIE S WO RTH A LOO K

720 SOUTH SAN RAFAEL AVENUE, PASADENA

t

CHRISTOPHER STINNER PHOTOGRAPHY

he Spanish word encantado means enchanted or delighted, and this authentic midcentury ranch home truly embodies its namesake.

Known as Casa Encantado, this dual-parcel compound on the bank of the southwest Arroyo Seco offers breathtaking views of the San Gabriel Mountains and iconic Pasadena landmarks such as the Colorado Street Bridge and La Loma Bridge. The property’s creative touches result in a one-of-a-kind, truly enchanting experience full of delights for all ages.

The home’s single-floor, ranch-style design became a staple in Southern California in the 1940s, recognized for its signature characteristics of flat-plane roofs, expansive glass windows, and open floor plan. Since its build date in 1947, the sprawling, 6,154-square-foot main residence has

BUILT: 1947 LOT: 2.55 acres

been meticulously maintained and stays true to its original time period. With the surrounding lush environment in mind, the home seamlessly integrates elegant simplicity and natural elements throughout. Earthy-hued tile floors lend an organic feel to the space while windows bring the outdoors in. Surrounding outdoor spaces are ideal for entertaining.

Tucked behind a gated entrance and sited on two-and-a-half acres, the property provides refuge from prying eyes and serves as a welcoming respite from the city’s bustle with its towering trees and meandering pathways. For the kids (or kids at heart), an on-site multilevel treehouse with a porch and slide offers a place to play and is just a short walk away from the property’s resortlike, lagoon-shaped pool and spa. — SA R A S M O L A

INTERIOR:

6,255 square feet BEDS/BATHS: 5/7 AMENITIES: Highlights include a woodpaneled library/ office space, guest home with studiobedroom, sitting area, kitchenette, bathroom, and private entrance, and a surplus of outdoor recreational offerings: a putting green, children’s tree house, and pool.

WHAT SETS IT APART:

Available for the first time in 40 years, this dual-parcel compound offers breathtaking views and no shortage of acreage with its second, buildable parcel spanning over a half acre for expansion opportunities.

INQUIRIES:

$9.8 million; Rita Whitney, theagencyre.com

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ON THE MARKET

LOCAL PRO PE RTIE S WO RTH A LOO K

kitchen’s Bianco Carrara marble countertops and backsplash, island with seating for seven, inset soft-close cabinets, and appliances from Wolf, Sub-Zero, and Miele. The butler’s pantry showcases a new mahoganytopped custom bar, U-Line ice maker, and a hammered-nickel sink with a Rohl faucet.

INQUIRIES: $6.495 million; Gus Ruelas,

theagencyre.com

607 Foxwood Road, La Cañada Flintridge 607 Foxwood Road, La Cañada Flintridge

BUILT: 1929 LOT: 1.18 acres

230 Marathon Road, Altadena

Pearson, compass.com

BUILT: 1917 LOT: 0.84 acres

WHAT SETS IT APART: A unique blend of

INTERIOR: 7,402 square feet

Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Deco architecture, the estate is thought to be a collaborative design by L. G. Scherer and Cyril Bennett. Occupying two parcels, the 13,000-square-foot interior has been redesigned and remodeled extensively with thoughtful details, including reproduction Batchelder tile, Edgar Berebi hardware, and 1920s French and Argentine light fixtures.

375 Linda Vista Avenue, Pasadena

INTERIOR: 2,218 square feet BEDS/BATHS: 4/3 AMENITIES: The kitchen and main bath have

been tastefully remodeled, the light-filled great room boasts vaulted ceilings, and a cozy fireplace and wall-to-wall accordion glass doors lead to a deck overlooking the backyard.

BEDS/BATHS: 8/8

WHAT SETS IT APART: Behind the Craftsman-

style main house, a one bed/one bath ADU with a separate address can be used as a rental or home office or to host family and friends. Olive trees, lavender, sage, and wildflowers surround the backyard pool and spa to create the ideal outdoor oasis.

AMENITIES: Designed by J. Constantine Hillman, the elegant estate’s highlights include a saltwater pool, expansive outdoor kitchen, five-hole putting green, sunroom, mudroom, office, and customdesigned guitar room.

WHAT SETS IT APART: Home chefs and

entertainers will appreciate the gourmet

230 Marathon Road, Altadena

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BEDS/BATHS: 5/9 AMENITIES: The expansive grounds feature several fountains, a waterfall, koi pond, custom-tiled infinity pool and spa, and lanai, while standout spaces include a pub, theater, gym, sauna, and attached one-bedroom guest apartment with its own entrance.

BUILT: 1947 LOT: 0.26 acres

INTERIOR: 13,295 square feet

INQUIRIES: $8.995 million; Gina Olivares, 607foxwood.com — S . S .

375 Linda Vista Avenue, Pasadena

TOP: ERIK GRAMMER; BOTTOM RIGHT: SHAWN BISHOP

INQUIRIES: $1.549 million; Maureen

ON THE MARKET

VAC AT I O N H O M E S

871 Sand Point Road, Casa Blanca, Carpinteria

871 Sand Point Road, Casa Blanca, Carpinteria DESTINATION: This Sand Point beach villa

is one of eight distinctive Moorish-style residences in the prestigious gated Casa Blanca enclave, just a few miles from Montecito.

RESIDENCE: The 5,200-square-foot villa

boasts panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, Channel Islands, and Santa Ynez Mountains. An expansive primary suite hosts an office/gym, walk-in closet with dressing room, and bathroom with jacuzzi tub. A private guest suite has its own exterior entrance, bedroom with en suite

bath, separate living space, and kitchenette.

TO DO: Highlights include an indoor pool

in the historic 1920s George Washington Smith–designed natatorium, tennis court, and direct beach access.

INQUIRIES: $14.75 million; Cristal Clarke, montecito-estate.com

swimmable beaches and features Jack Nicklaus’ famed Cove Club Course.

RESIDENCE: The five-bedroom, 5,054-square-foot Sol House offers panoramic ocean and golf views from both the upper and lower floors. Outside, a shaded ground-floor terrace leads to a private pool and outdoor shower.

TO DO: Owners can enjoy a members-only

Sol House, Cove Club at Cabo Del Sol, Mexico

beach club, four pools, and golf at Cove Club Course, as well as tennis, pickleball, and Argentinian paddle courts.

DESTINATION: Located in the heart of the

INQUIRIES: $8.6 million; coveclubcabo

Gold Coast between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, Cove Club is tucked along one of the region’s most beautiful

delsol.com

Horizon Residence, One Green Way at Quinta do Lago, Portugal DESTINATION: Nestled among Ria Formosa

Natural Park, pristine golf courses, and the Algarve coastline, Quinta do Lago is one of Europe’s most sought-after beach and golf destinations.

RESIDENCE: This six-bedroom villa brings high-spec comfort and 21st-century living to the next level with smart technology

by Control4, an integrated invisible sound system, solar panel area, and underfloor heating. Additional highlights include a gym and spa area, wine cellar, cinema room, private elevator, rooftop terrace with heated pool, and chef’s kitchen that extends into an outdoor kitchen with a barbeque.

Horizon Residence, One Green Way at Quinta do Lago, Portugal

TO DO: Amenities include world-class golf

courses, clubhouse, on-site restaurant and rooftop bar, and dedicated concierge. The community’s state-of-the-art fitness facilities

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Lime House, Pink Sands Resort, Bahamas

include a high-tech gym, tennis court, swimming pool, cycling, group classes, personal training, and a recovery suite.

INQUIRIES: $8.9 million; quintadolago.com

Lime House, Pink Sands Resort, Bahamas DESTINATION: Set along 3 miles of pink

sand beach, this private Harbour Island paradise offers the ultimate experience in convenience and ease.

RESIDENCE: Created by architecture firm FGS Design, this two-bedroom, 2,115-squarefoot cottage is designed with expansive outdoor living spaces, dark hardwood floors, generous windows, and a plunge pool.

TO DO: Exclusive resort amenities include

beachfront yoga classes, serenity pool, tennis courts, and massage services; offsite activities include horseback riding, snorkeling, scuba diving, and deep sea fishing.

SO CAN YOU.

INQUIRIES: $2 million; pinksandsresort.com —S.S.

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R E A L E S TAT E

THE EXPERT

The founders of luxury home staging and design studio Bella Casa share tips on how to get a home ready for market and some of their local go-to decor shops. BY SA R A S M O L A

F

ounded in 2001 by Sierra Madre residents Wyatt and Renée Sullivan, Bella Casa (bellacasala.com) is one of California’s leading home-staging firms, staging over 500 properties a year in the Los Angeles area, as well as San Francisco. While buying and selling several homes of their own, the Sullivans experienced the effect that well-crafted spaces have on buyers and combined their knowledge of interior design, renovation, and real estate to create a staging company that stands out.

Bella Casa’s impressive portfolio includes the former home of In-N-Out Burger heiress Lynsi Snyder at 340 Old Ranch Road, Bradbury ($16.25 million), and 1405 Afton Street ($3.73 million), a Buff & Hensman modern marvel in Pasadena’s Linda Vista neighborhood that sold for $1 million over asking price.

What are the benefits of having a home professionally staged versus using the homeowner’s own furniture?

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THE EXPERTS WYATT AND RENÉE SULLIVAN

> Staging instantly updates a home and often is the reason why it sells. It has been proven that staged homes sell for 25% to 50% higher and much faster than unstaged homes. Most of our staged homes sell for over asking, and we have had several of our staged homes go for a million dollars over asking.

Is there a specific style that is selling better in the Pasadena area?

> One of the things that makes Pasadena

so incredible is the varied architecture it encompasses. These homes vary tremendously in style and therefore need to be furnished specific to each property’s unique features. At Bella Casa, each home staging is curated as if it were a custom interior design using the company’s vast collection of high-end and eclectic furniture, art, and decor to accentuate and accommodate these different styles—from boho chic, which is great for many Bungalow Heaven homes, to elegant transitional for Pasadena’s more

stately Madison Heights and Rose Bowl area historic homes.

What’s your best advice for someone who’s about to put their home on the market?

> Paint and stage! Staging can instantly update an older home or one with architectural flaws, and also showcases how a buyer may utilize the space. Today, a home is marketed via photography that is presented on various online platforms.

The pictures attract the audience before a potential buyer ever steps foot in a property, making home staging a necessity in today’s marketplace.

What are some staging mistakes to avoid when selling?

> Poorly staged homes can hurt a property

if the furniture is dated, the wrong style, or over staged and cluttered with cheap furniture or decor. There is a fine line with staging to showcase a home’s space without taking away from its natural architecture, allowing a potential buyer to visualize themselves and their family living in the home.

What are your favorite local homeware and decor destinations?

> We often shop for eclectic and whimsical accents at the Rose Bowl Flea Market and small boutiques throughout Pasadena and San Marino to find specialty items—such as candles from Serafina, small antiques and throw pillows from Maude Woods, and Salutations Home for tableware and linens.

Physical distance can keep you safe and healthy. But if an emotional distance forms between you and those closest to you, it may be due to drug or alcohol use. Partnership to End Addiction works with you to establish the connections that can help save lives and end addiction.

Get support to help your child at DrugFree.org

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GARDENING

Bloom Greenhouse

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

W

hat if you could have a garden void of critters and pests while producing a variety of vine-ripened tomatoes and peppers, strawberries at Christmas, and your favorite flowers and herbs all year long?

Climate change is affecting how our agricultural industry grows crops. Using controlled-environment agriculture to conserve resources with the help of grow-light technology, growers have successfully constructed large-scale indoor facilities, producing high-quality fruits and vegetables throughout the

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year, without the back-breaking effort of vertical growing, and many are using hydroponics. Growers are working with seed companies to meet consumers’ preferences for flavor, texture, and color. This enhanced growing environment is available for the hobby greenhouse gardener from complete kits and DIY structures to custom-designed glass houses.

It takes four seasons to establish a productive greenhouse. But with the right preparation and patience, you’ll be on your way to enjoying your favorites for years to come.

BLOOMGREENHOUSEOK.COM

Creating an enhanced gardening environment can alter your plant-growing potential. BY L I N DA B R O O K S

tk

Tips to Start Growing

< From top: Vertical growing in a polycarbonate tunnel structure provides easy access to pick tomatoes. Samsung’s programmable grow light system. Cold frame by Juwel.

IDENTIFY YOUR PURPOSE: Do you want

to extend the growing season of your favorites, expand a living space to entertain and display your prized plants, create a space for your children to explore the rewards of growing their food, or make a centerpiece of your garden?

thumb is 40% venting area split equally between roof and walls (louvers) to total floor space. Automated venting can be temperature-sensor controlled.

Regulated fan systems create air flow, prevent disease, and promote pollination. Shade cloth comes in degrees of sunlight reduction. Damping down— hosing off flat surfaces—reduces heat, creates humidity, and reduces plant water loss through transpiration (sweating), indicated by curling leaves. Add a heater, depending on your location.

PICK YOUR STRUCTURE: If you search online for greenhouses, you may become overwhelmed by deciphering the many different varieties: temporary pop-ups, freestanding, lean-tos (attached to the house), cold frame (does not use heat), conservatory and orangery (which can be attached and incorporate a living space), or one of the popular polycarbonate-covered hoop tunnels you might have noticed along the 101 in Camarillo.

INSTALL GLAZING: Glazing is the window material. Poly film is the least expensive but short lived. Polycarbonate is durable and lightweight in various thicknesses. Twinwall and triplewall for insulation is better than glass, and UV stabilizers extend the life. Glass is elegant, is easy to clean, and can complement the architectural design of your home, but it’s heavy and will limit your frame to treated wood or metal. Commonly used horticultural glass is less expensive but is not toughened glass. Dynamic glass changes from transparent to opaque, either with a flick of a switch or on its own, based on the sun’s radiation.

TOP: HOMESTEADING.COM

CHOOSE THE BEST LOCATION: To max-

imize available sunlight free of foliage, consider first southern exposure (eastwest setting), then southeast or east exposure, then southwest or west. A deciduous tree can filter shade from the hot summer sun and allow light in winter. Select level ground and access to electrical and water.

DON’T FORGET VENTILATION AND HEAT: The amount of venting is a ratio

determined by floor space. The rule of

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR GREENHOUSE Powder-coated metal in white versus darker colors will help minimize heat.

Secure the structure for a flush doorway threshold that’s wide enough for a garden cart.

Use an expandable frame so that you can grow over time.

Consider a ceiling height that’s easy for work access and hanging plants.

When it comes to flooring, look for something that will drain. Pavers are easy on your feet and will absorb daytime heat to release at night.

Opt for a built-in gutter system to divert water from the base and collect in it a barrel.

Combine containers and raised beds and group plants with similar requirements. — L . B .

ADD GROW LIGHTS: Select lights based on the volume or quality of light-containing photons, which is what produces photosynthesis, not the brightness. Plants also need darkness to rest. Photosynthetically active radiation has a wavelength range of 380 nm to 760 nm for photosynthesis. Blue supports greenery; red works for flowers and fruit; and yellow reaches the base of the plant. NASA research on growing food in space has revolutionized the effectiveness of LED grow lights by creating “light recipes,” a mixture of spectrum wavelengths/colors for specific crops.

TAKE PEST CONTROL MEASURES:

Inspect new plants and soil, maintain a tight seal when vents close, remove standing water, and use beneficial bugs (ladybugs) and organic neem oil.

THEN COMES THE FUN PART— PURCHASE YOUR PLANTS: Be selective.

Flowering plants require pollination. If you don’t have neighborhood bumblebees, consider self-pollinating plants like tomatoes, peppers, or legumes. Strawberries utilize air flow. Large-leaf plants might shade others and have a detrimental effect on photosynthesis. Make sure you use planting mix instead of potting soil, so that there’s more nutrients in a reduced amount of space.

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AULD LANG SYNE

A magnificent Scottish-inspired landmark continues to charm interior designer Annsley Strong with its ever-unfolding history and character.

W O R D S B Y A N U S H B E N L I YA N

✜

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y P E T E R C H R I S T I A N S E N VA L L I

HOME TOUR

I

f walls could talk, then the sprawling castle— yes, castle—that rests atop a knoll in La Cañada Flintridge would have quite a story to tell. Designed by architect Arthur B. Benton—who took inspiration from the 19th-century Skibo Castle in the Scottish Highlands—the storied property was originally built from 1910–1911 as a summer house for California Lieutenant Gov. Albert J. Wallace and his wife, Alice. Its former nickname, “The Pink Castle,” came from the unmissable shade of bubble-gum pink exterior paint that a later owner insisted on as an act of rebellion against her husband; it’s now painted gray.

Over the next century, the estate passed through many hands and was abandoned numerous times before interior designer Annsley Strong and her husband, George G. Strong Jr., purchased it in 1992. With a passionate dedication to honoring its history and charm, the couple has carefully preserved, restored, and reconstructed the 10,000-square-foot home over the last 30 years, reinstating its reign as the grande dame of La Cañada.

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HOME TOUR : Auld Lang Syne

PREVIOUS SPREAD Left: The wooden front door of the grand entryway is original, as are the rectangular windows straight ahead, which feature German bottle glass.

Because the home was deserted a few times in its history, a lot of pieces were stolen or vandalized, and later replaced, like the sidelights seen here.

Top right: The infamous pink façade of the four-story home was painted gray by the previous owners, John and Wendy Anderson. Before they took ownership, Annsley and George would stop by the estate with their four kids on Sunday nights after dinner to peek through the gates when it was still pink. The home sits on a single acre (the Strongs own the surrounding 69), but it was once on a plot of 225 acres with fruit trees and vineyards.

Below right: The pool was added in 1987 by the Andersons, who tapped landscape architect Paul Berry for the build. Today, the Strongs’ goal is to make the property entirely sustainable; most of the water except for the lawn has now gone to drip.

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THIS SPREAD Opposite top: Annsley retrofitted the home with unique and rare pieces from auctions, including this antique Trumeau mirror. The German quarter-sawn oak wood paneling is seen throughout the home.

Opposite bottom: In the dining room, checkered Carrara marble floors set the stage for one-of-a-kind pieces that Annsley has collected, including the dining table she purchased with her mother, an avid antiquarian, at an auction in San Francisco. “Once we bought this house it was really more about what went well with what I was doing design-wise and what the space would accommodate,” Annsley says. The secretary on the back wall is from the Los Angeles home of publishing executive Harrison Chandler. Annsley purchased the buffet on the right for $16 (plus $3 for delivery) at Goodwill when she was “a poor student,” and refinished it with her mother. The artwork hanging above is one

Annsley painted herself. “Pretty much everything in here comes with a story,” she says.

Top: The plaster-carved ceiling in the living room was there when the Strongs arrived. “Because it is of Scottish heritage, it is replete with references in the carvings— the thistle, the acorn, the rampant lion, knots,” explains Annsley. “That became a jumping-off point for design in order to stay true to the architecture.” The intricate carving—which Annsley had painted green as a nod to the Scottish thistle—watches over more pieces acquired at auction, including the Henredon sofas (reupholstered) and Korean side chests. The planter is from the Copley estate in La Jolla, and the Daniel Kelly painting on the right wall was purchased in Japan, where the expat artist lives and works. According to lore, the house was a secret haunt of a USC fraternity, and the center of the living room is believed to have been set ablaze once during a raging frat party.

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Left: After a trip to Montreal during which she took a tour of the Notre-Dame Basilica, Annsley was struck with inspiration and commissioned artist Michael Sullivan to transform the ceiling above the grand staircase into an ode to the church The ribbing was stained to match the quartersawn oak, and the plaster surface was painted with a design based on the basilica’s ethereal blue ceiling, the repeat of the arched windows, and Scottish motifs.

Below left: “That bathroom was a disaster,” says Annsley of the primary,

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HOME TOUR : Auld Lang Syne which was lavender and had piping that ran along the surface of the floor. With the renovation, they incorporated an homage to the green vine in the home’s garden-themed grand window (seen above).

Below: The fireplace in the primary bedroom was covered when the Strongs bought the home. “We didn’t know it was there,” says Annsley. “I was planning to put a fireplace in the room anyway, so we pulled the paneling away, and there it was.” They also uncovered a blocked-off

window, which Annsley noticed as she walked the grounds making plans.

“I couldn’t figure out where it went to on the inside of the house,” says Annsley.

They opened it up, and it now looks into a concealed closet, located behind the yellow chair in the corner. One secret that the Strongs have not yet unearthed is a hidden passageway. “We have found one, but there’s supposed to be another,” she says. “We know where it should be, but we can’t push anything to get it to open.”

It’s yet another intriguing part of this magnificent castle’s story.

INTERIOR DESIGN Annsley Strong of Strong Studio Designs strongstudiodesigns.com ARCHITECTURE Arthur B. Benton; Alexander Tan of ML Architecture mlarchitecture.com CO N T R AC TO R Joseph M. Dobson

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LAUNCHING OCTOBER 2022

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FIRST ISSUE AND NEWSLETTER TODAY AT

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2022

FACES o f PASADEN A

Pasadena is a vibrant place, served by a group of professionals who are making a difference in our community. In this special section you’ll find the “faces” behind these successful businesses and how they serve the people of Pasadena.

Pasadena magazine is proud to present the “Faces of Pasadena.”

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T H E FAC E OF W E A LT H M A N AG E M E N T

JOHN ODELL, CFP

®

ARROYO INVESTMENT GROUP/CAPITAL RESEARCH+CONSULTING PRINCIPAL

ur two firms oversee more than billion in client assets. Arroyo Investment roup manages client portfolios with a minimum of 00,000 while working closely with a client’s trusted group of professional specialists such as accountants, attorneys, and third-party administrators. Capital esearch Consulting designs, implements, and monitors corporate government retirement plans. With so much litigation in the retirement plan arena, employers hire our firm to establish proper processes adhering to the highest industry standards while providing a tremendous employee benefit.

Managing wealth re uires prudent mentoring and validation. When seeking a wealth manager, first, find someone who is a CF . nly 0 of financial professionals hold this highly regarded certification. ou can find a CF in your area on the CF website. ext, ensure your wealth manager’s performance numbers are I verified. nly , 00 firms worldwide adhere to I standards, the highest standards in the investment industry. Firms not adhering to I standards cannot assure prospective clients that their historical track record is both complete and fairly presented. A list of I -verified managers can be found on the I website. If your wealth manager is not a CF with a I verified track record, find one that is It makes me proud to see our I -verified investment returns outperform their benchmarks with less risk. In our business, that is nirvana. he best part of my ob is working with a client over a long period of time and watching their life dreams become reality

15 South Raymond Avenue, Pasadena 626.844.1441 ArroyoInvestmentGroup.com CapitalResearchandConsulting.com jodell@arroyoinvestmentgroup.com

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2022 FA C E S

OF PA S A D E N A

T H E FAC E O F PL A ST I C & RE CO N ST RU CT I V E SU R G E RY

BRENT MOELLEKEN, MD, FACS BRENT MOELLEKEN, MD PLASTIC SURGEON

Just developed and perfected, Dr. Moelleken now offers the LBAM, a breast augmentation technique using his trademarked LiveFill.

Fundamentally different from fat injection or transfer, the LBAM is for subtle augmentation of the breasts in women not wishing to have synthetic breast implants.

The LBAM joins many of Dr. Moelleken’s other innovations like Live Fill, Ultrashort Incision Cheek Lift, the 360 Face Lift, the Hybrid Tummy Tuck, and numerous other trademarked procedures for obtaining a more natural appearance ... without the classic signs of surgery.

For those patients wishing to have minimally invasive procedures, Cloud Med Spa Beverly Hills is a minimally invasive extension of his surgical practice. In Cloud Med Beverly Hills, Dr. Moelleken’s team has created a unique, comfortable and serene environment for patients.

A variety of nonsurgical solutions include stateof-the-art lasers and radio frequency-based technologies, platelet rich plasma (PRP) for face and hair loss, along with an array of treatments for skin rejuvenation, body contouring, and skin resurfacing.

Dr. Moelleken’s work has been published in numerous medical journals and has been presented nationally and internationally. He is also very active in charity work through his own About Face Surgical Foundation, as well in other foundations that serve veterans and the LGBTQ community. r. Moelleken has offices in everly Hills and Santa Barbara. He trained at Harvard, Yale, UCSF, and UCLA, where he is an associate clinical professor of surgery in the Division of Plastic Surgery. When not working in his private practice or teaching UCLA plastic surgery residents, you can find r. Moelleken cycling in the mountains or spending time with his wife, kids, and their three dogs.

120 South Spalding Drive, Suite 110, Beverly Hills 310.273.1001 | drbrent.com | @drbrentmoelleken SP ECIAL P RO MOT IO NAL SECT IO N

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T H E FAC E OF O RT H O DO N TI CS

ROBERT H. HAMBLETON, DDS LINDSEY H. MACFARLANE, DDS, MS HAMBLETON & MACFARLANE ORTHODONTICS

Dr. Hambleton is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and is a past president of the Southern California component of the Edward H. Angle Society of Orthodontists.

Dr. Hambleton has for more than 20 years been an associate clinical professor in graduate orthodontics at the University of Southern California. He is the president of the Dougherty Tanaka Foundation, which helps support USC Orthodontics.

Additionally, he is a past USC Graduate Orthodontics Alumnus of the ear. e is also a member of the acific Coast ociety of Orthodontists, the American Association of Orthodontists, the San Gabriel Valley Dental Society, the California Dental Association and the American Dental Association.

Dr. Hambleton received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1976. He graduated from the University of Southern California Dental School in 1981 and from the Graduate Orthodontic Department of the University

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of Southern California in 1986. Dr. Hambleton is married with four grown children. He is also involved in professional, community, and sports related organizations.

Dr. MacFarlane is a diplomate of the American Board of rthodontics. he is an affiliate member of the dward . Angle Society of Orthodontists. Dr. MacFarlane, who is Dr. Hambleton’s eldest daughter, was born and raised in Pasadena and graduated from Westridge School. After graduating with her undergraduate degree from Boston College, she earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Southern California in 2008. She went on to receive her Master of Science degree in craniofacial biology and a certificate in orthodontics from the University of Southern California in 2011. Dr. MacFarlane is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists, the acific Coast ociety of rthodontists, the American ental Association, the California Dental Association, and the San Gabriel Valley Dental Society. She and her husband have four boys. They are thrilled to be living in Pasadena, where she is also involved with various organizations within the community.

200 South Oak Knoll Avenue, Suite 201 Pasadena, CA 91101 626.795.0634 | hambletonorthodontics.com

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T H E FAC E O F F I NA NCE

DOMINICA HENDERSON, CFP , BFA ™

®

HAUSSMANN FINANCIAL

Dominica Henderson, CFP™, BFA®, provides personalized advice for today’s complicated economic environment. As a Certified Financial lanner™, Dominica is bound by ethical standards to provide advice free of conflicts. erving as a fiduciary to you means she must act in your best interests. Dominica will educate you on how to anticipate the challenges of volatile financial markets, interest rate changes, or potential income tax increases. Conducting seminars emphasi ing her knowledge of pension and savings plans for retirement planning, tax reduction strategies, insurance applications, and college funding are offered as part of her broad-based financial advice.

My priority is to determine the financial services that best fit my clients’ goals and ob ectives, then define the right set of financial solutions.

As a Certified Financial lanner™ and Independent Investment Advisor, she is often approached with various financial scenarios from a wide array of clients and prospective clients.

My best advice that I would suggest to new and seasoned investors is to know that generic advice is not necessarily meant for you. In essence, what may generally be true’ may not be true for you, so be certain to have an established relationship with a Certified Financial Planner™ who can tailor your strategy to work towards the goals and values you have in place for your family. ominica says that the best part of her ob is knowing that her work as a trusted Investment Advisor to all her clients shapes their future and the future of their next generation. aussmann Financial is a financial advisory firm that has been serving business owners, professionals, executives, and retirees since 1990. Their advisors hold multiple professional designations and rely on extensive professional experience. Collectively, the team of investment professionals at Haussmann Financial as of une 0 manages 00 million in client assets.

221 East Walnut Street, Suite 135, Pasadena, CA 23201 Lake Center Drive, #300, Lake Forest, CA 800.773.8700 dominica@haussmannfinancial.com | haussmannfinancial.com Podcast: “Haussmann Financial”

Securities offered through Securities America, Inc.; A Registered Broker/Dealer; Member FINRA/SIPC Dominica Henderson, Registered Representative, CA Insurance License #0F46549 Advisory services offered through Haussmann Financial, Inc. a Registered Investment Advisor.

Haussmann Financial and the Securities America companies are separate entities.

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T H E FAC E OF E Y E R E J U VE NATI O N

WARREN C. STOUT, MD OCULOFACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY

Dr. Stout’s Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery practice is devoted exclusively to the eyes.

Over the last 30 years, he has performed more than 15,000 eyelid surgeries. He is an internationally recognized expert on cosmetic and laser surgical techniques.

He is the doctor chosen by doctors. He has 30 years of experience caring for men and women of all ages and ethnicities, including a subspecialty in Asian eyes. He gives each patient thoughtful and unhurried attention where procedure options are thoroughly discussed. Through a combination of training, experience, and artistic talent, he delivers a natural appearance tailored to everyone’s overall goals.

Dr. Stout completed his Oculofacial Plastic Surgery Fellowship at the University of Miami, which is ranked No. 1 by U.S. News and World Report; his Ophthalmology Residency at USC Doheny Eye Institute; and his Internal Medicine Internship at USC. e is affiliated with untington Memorial Hospital, Keck School of Medicine of USC, the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Dr. Stout is an Adjunct Clinical Professor at Keck School of Medicine of USC, who has also been recognized as a Top Doctor in America by U.S. News & World Report and a Top Doctor in Pasadena, Los Angeles and in Leading Physicians of the World. He is most honored by physicians and happy patients referring their loved ones and friends.

Pasadena Towers 800 East Colorado Boulevard, Suite 260 Pasadena 626.449.6494 stoutlaser.com

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T H E FAC E O F I NS U RA NCE

VICTORIA ALSABERY

VICTORIA ALSABERY INSURANCE AGENCY PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER aised in outhern California, ictoria has been in the financial services and insurance industry for over years. he graduated with a business administration degree from Mount t Mary’s niversity. As an agency owner for Farmers Insurance in ld own asadena, ictoria’s approach is personali ed, honest and professional to help her clients find the best coverage for their personal and business needs.

With her risk management experience, ictoria will help you to understand your insurance options to protect what’s important to you whether it’s for your home, auto, life, business and more. ictoria is passionate about helping her clients and making a positive difference in our community. he en oys running, traveling and volunteering with various non-profit organi ations in asadena. ictoria is a member of the ational atina usiness Women Association, the Assistance eague, and the Chamber of Commerce of asadena. he lives in Altadena with her husband, twins oah and Charlotte, and their chocolate labrador, ucy.

88 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 107, Pasadena 626.683.4979 | valsabery@farmersagent.com | agents.farmers.com/ca/pasadena/victoria-alsabery

T H E FAC E O F RE A L E STATE

PAMELA HILLINGS TEGTMEYER REAL ESTATE AGENT

amela is known for her outstanding client care, excellent communication skills, superb networking, knowledge of real estate in the an abriel alley and follow through to help her clients achieve their goals. er professional manner and successful sales records are why people have wanted to work with her for nearly two decades. he also gives back to the community which has always been a top priority including past president of the unior eague of asadena, member of American Women for International nderstanding and as an eti uette expert taught manners to children in need in the community to build their self-confidence.

In 0 amela received the prestigious International terling ociety award for the top of Coldwell anker ealty agents worldwide she has closed 00 of all transactions. est advice go the extra mile 388 South Lake Avenue, Pasadena 626.833.3868 Pamela.Tegtmeyer@cbrealty.com | pamelahillings.com SP ECIAL P RO MOT IO NAL SECT IO N

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T H E FAC E OF BE AU TY

JENNIFER BOQUECOSA

HARMONY NAIL & THREADING SALON OWNER ennifer has been in the nail industry for nearly three decades. er first shop was Contempo in Hastings Ranch, where she quickly made lasting friendships with her clients. After selling that business in 2006, she opened Harmony in Old Pasadena, which soon grew to a second location in DTLA. Now the expansion continues with Nailtique in Sierra Madre, which is slated for later this year.

Despite competition in the industry, the housing crash of 2008, and the COVID-19 pandemic, the one thing that has endured is the amazing relationships she’s developed with her clients.

These are people from different backgrounds who struggle with adversity and celebrate victories just like the rest of us. This is what makes each client so special and so relatable … and it’s the basis of Harmony’s success.

54 South Pasadena Avenue, Pasadena 626.578.1807

T H E FAC E OF CO M M E RCI A L RE A L E STAT E

COLLEEN CAREY LEE & ASSOCIATES FOUNDING PRINCIPAL

Colleen Carey is a founding principal of Lee & Associates-Pasadena, a full-service commercial real estate brokerage firm. ee provides brokerage services for all commercial disciplines including office, retail, multi-family, industrial, and investment services. Colleen speciali es in office, retail and land—sales and leasing.

Colleen has been a member of the Pasadena Community since 1984 when she was transferred from the Bay Area by General Reinsurance Corporation. he managed the C A office until she left in to refocus her energies on an industry that would accommodate her entrepreneurial spirit and allow her to spend more time with her children. She co-founded the Lee Pasadena Corporation in 2018—20 years after she entered commercial real estate.

Colleen has served on many nonprofit boards and is currently president elect for both The University Club of Pasadena Board of Governors and the Playhouse Village Association Board. She has two grown daughters.

626.240.2782 ccarey@lee-associates.com

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FOOD

THE INGREDIENT

SUMMER SENSATION Tis the season for strawberries

BY C A R O L E D I XO N

COURTESY OF JIM SULLIVAN

A

ny top chef—from Wolfgang made with Harry’s Berries strawberPuck to Ina Garten—will ries, whipped coconut, pistachio, concur that Harry’s Berand pistachio oil. Nearby, at Hotel ries is the best of the best when Figueroa’s latest dining venue, Sparasterid’s it comes to the summer’s eagerly row, you can try panna cotta with shortcake awaited strawberry. coconut, balsamic Harry’s Berries Based in Oxnard, the company strawberries, and lavender biscotti. was founded in the 1960s and is famous for organic berries with an SALADS: Pickling green strawberries unrivaled sweetness. Smith Brothfor salads is also a thing. At KA’TEEN in ers restaurants in Pasadena swears by Hollywood, chef Wes Avila uses pickled these strawberries’ sweeter and juicier strawberries for his tuna aguachile as they taste and incredible aroma compared to other add a sweet and tart note—slivers of fresh tuna strawberries. rest on a bed of vivid green, citrusy marinade with “We only harvest our berries at their peak ripeness and our seasonal produce. “The strawberries are not from a particular growing location is the ideal combination of weather and soil brand,” says Avila. “We use green, unripe strawberries and composition combined with our organic growing practices,” pickle them in a house pickling solution. They are pickled for says Kris Gean, Harry’s Berries’ operations at least 24 hours before use and live in the manager. pickling solution thereafter.”

TOP STRAWBERRY Some of the world’s best fruit comes from In the South Bay, staple Italian eatery DESSERTS IN this area in Ventura Country, and it looks Love & Salt has a popular beets and burrata PASADENA like its annual Strawberry Festival will finally salad with marinated beets, pickled green Pie ’N Burger return in May 2023 after a few missed seastrawberries, pistachio, and garden flowClassic strawberry pie is made with fresh fruit when sons due to the pandemic. ers that screams summer. in season.

As for local farmers markets, you can find Harry’s Berries at the Victory Park location of COCKTAILS: kodō has taken over the old Arroyo Chop House the Pasadena Certified Farmers’ Market from Firehouse hotel building in the Arts DisSeasonal strawberry April through October. trict with an izakaya-robata concept that shortcake is made with a golden scone biscuit warmed includes a rare Awayuki strawberry-infused and filled with strawberry SWEETS: At the new asterid by Ray Garcia at gin from Japan that is used in a cocktail compote made with Harry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, the chef uses Harwith lime soda and topped with diced berBerries, topped with housemade whipped cream. ry’s Berries strawberries along with hibisries, called the “Bara- Bara Strawberry.” cus angel food cake and vanilla cream for Next door, Yangban Society features Fair Oaks Pharmacy his shortcake dessert that is already a menu the California Strawberry Collins, a new This 1915 landmark serves favorite. “Simply put, Harry’s Berries are the canned cocktail (perfect for a picnic) with creamy strawberry milk shakes at the retro soda best,” says Garcia. “They have the perfect a custom label from local Korean American fountain counter. balance of sweetness with just a touch of artist Cha Yuree. acidity on the finish. These attributes provide For a splurge, Providence in Hollywood Little Flower a versatility that make the berry the star of offers a $100 margarita made with Casa The strawberry rhubarb muffin is made with sour our shortcake dish. We use them fresh, in a Dragones Joven, Grand Marnier Cuvée du cream batter, fruit compote coulis, as well as in ice cream form.”

Centenaire, poured over a hand-cut, gemwith a crisp topping; also try Also in DTLA, hemp-friendly Gusto Green shaped ice sphere and finished with Harry’s the strawberry almond tart. recently added a semifreddo to the menu, also Berries strawberries.

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AGAVE GOLD

Time to break out the salt and limes— local restaurants, bars, and shops are bursting with artisanal tequilas. BY C A R O L E D I XO N

W

hether you prefer inventive cocktails, sipping it straight, or a rare bottle to take home, here is where you can find the finest tequilas locally.

BRANDS ON THE MOVE: L.A.-based El

Sativo offers a single-estate, organic,

kosher blanco, reposado, and añejo made with sweet agave and stone fruit. Plus every bottle sold gives back to Ocean Conservancy. You can find it locally at

Sage, De Buena Planta, and Encanto (Los Feliz), or grab a bottle at Showcase Wine & Spirits on Lake Avenue.

The award-winning has five smooth expressions derived purely from aged blue agave in Jalisco, Mexico, and the stunning bottle with a gold-cross emblem can be found at Wally’s, Soho House, Spago, and Total Wine & More on Colorado Blvd.

LALO, the new blanco-only tequila by Don Julio’s grandson Eduardo “Lalo”

Damian

González, can be found in Pasadena at top Mexican eateries, from Maestro to Mijares. It’s made by using a yeast strain adapted for Champagne.

The recent launch of Mijenta’s highly anticipated Añejo Gran Reserva, from the highlands of Jalisco by Maestra Tequilera Ana Maria Romero Mena, is a sustainable artisanal brand that also features blanco and reposado. It can be found locally at NeueHouse Hollywood and DTLA. EXTENSIVE LISTS: El Portal in Pasadena

carries 90 tequilas at its bar Cantina Verde, from Don Artes to Don Julio 1942.

Salazar in Frogtown has an impressive selection of over 40 tequilas by the glass with something for every palate, including local 123 Organic, a favorite of gin drinkers. Every ArteNOM is numbered based on the agave distillery—its Selección 1146 Añejo is a superior bottle 70 PA S A D E N A

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Jalisco and Tamaulipas, such as Don Lorenzo Ocho, which is so popular it’s hard to keep in stock.

Celebrating 25 years in business, El Carmen carries more than 300 labels from over 175 producers. Some of the rare and vintage collection includes 1800 Colección Extra Añejo, Selección Suprema de Herradura Extra Añejo, and Vintage Corralejo Añejo and Reposado.

UNIQUE COCKTAILS: In terms of rare

first aged in French oak then finished in American whiskey barrels. In terms of local distillers, they recommend IXÁ Silver from Greenbar as a great blanco for serving neat.

Damian in the Arts District features 25 distinct tequilas primarily focusing on family-owned brands. The Fuenteseca Cosecha tequilas are standouts as is the limited release of Casa Dragones Añejo, used in the “Ride or Die” cocktail.

The latest top import, Alma de Cocina Mexico, at The Grove, carries 100 different bottles of mostly additive-free tequila between the taqueria downstairs and more formal second-floor dining room, including all Casamigos expressions, and specializes in high-end añejos and brand-specific flights.

Las Perlas in DTLA is known for agave spirits and has expanded to West Hollywood with dozens of top labels from small-batch, artisan-crafted tequila from

tequila, Mírame is home to Arette’s Gran Clase Extra Añejo that’s been aged 10 years and is extremely limited, but the restaurant has three of the 122 total bottles. Behind the bar, the “El Viejo Grunon” is made with Cabal Añejo, Alma Tepec, cardamom, and nobacco.

Two of the most delicious drinks we found using LALO blanco: the “Tequila & Passion Fruit” at asterid by Ray Garcia. Bar Director Chris Chernock adds pineapple, passion fruit, hibiscus, and falernum. At Gracias Madre, West Hollywood, the “Clarified Margarita” uses LALO with clarified lime cordial, orange bitters, citrus saline, and lime. It’s a sipping cocktail that martini lovers can appreciate.

Gracias Madre: Clarified Margarita

BUY THE BOTTLE: Everson Royce Wine & Spirits carries LALO, La Gritona, Don

Abraham, Joel Richard Extra Añejo, and many others.

Mírame: El Viejo Grunon

AN EXPERIENCE IN MEXICO: “A Taste of

Culture” is Clase Azul’s immersive experience into the flavors of Mexico with an intimate eight-seat, multicourse tasting menu paired with tequila, at The Shoppes at Palmilla in Cabo. Clase Azul’s Tequila Gold is slow cooked for 72 hours in traditional clay ovens, blending Clase Azul Plata, a special reposado tequila matured in first-use French oak casks, and an 8-year-old extra añejo aged in American whiskey casks and finished in sherry casks. Locally, you can find Clase Azul at Camphor in the Arts District and Sparrow at Hotel Figueroa.

Asterid: Tequila & Passion Fruit

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Verse

DINNER AND A SHOW

T

he old-school dinner and a show is on the rise at some pretty cool places. Perfect for date night or a fun gathering with family and friends, here are some fun new spots and a few old classics where the food is not an afterthought.

The Tap Room at The Langham Huntington is fully open again with live music Friday and Saturday nights. Guests can sip The Winston House

Gilded Age cocktails (inspired by the HBO series), and nibble on lobster rolls, Tap burgers, and soft pretzels with smoked gouda and beer cheese dip.

For contemporary American fare from flatbread to pasta, salmon, and rib eye, The 72 PA S A D E N A

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BY C A R O L E D I XO N

Mixx on East Colorado offers a variety of

live acts from pop to rockabilly and Latin jazz, Thursday through Sunday.

Verse in Toluca Lake is the best of both worlds: Dine on a top-notch menu in a space acoustically engineered by a Grammy-winning artist for optimized listening to live jazz trios and DJs. De Buena Planta in Silver Lake has a delicious, plant-based Mexican menu with Impossible chorizo tacos and tequila-mezcal bar, and offers live music on the leafy patio on Wednesdays plus DJs on weekends.

Sundays in the Arts District means live Brazilian jazz at Caboco during the Feijoada Feast, where the traditional hearty stew with a variety of meats is the main event. Not far away, Proabition DTLA has live entertainment every week, from DJs to fire dancers on Wednesday nights, and the menu spans seafood platters to fried chicken.

And, across town, Venice Beach’s Winston House has live music in several spaces.

The front lounge is for listening to live DJs, but the back room is where the stage features the Winston house jazz band and upstairs is a great perch for viewing the action below. The best part, you can order drinks and dinner featuring lobster fried rice and duck tacos from any of the three spaces.

5 OLDIES BUT GOODIES The Barkley Restaurant and Bar has been serving South Pasadena since 1951. Expect live jazz along with New York steak and fried zucchini enjoyed in dimly lit booths.

Cicada Club has been a top American restaurant in downtown Los Angeles for decades, and now the menu pays homage to old haunts such as the Trocadero and Mocambo with namesake salads. Live entertainment ranges from big-band acts to swing and Sinatra classics with an orchestra—and dancing.

El Cid on Sunset in Silver Lake still has flamenco dancers and paella on the menu.

Vibrato Grill in Bel Air (opened by the legendary Herb Alpert) has a dinnerjacket vibe in the evening for crab cakes and shrimp cocktails with some of the best jazz in town.

The Baked Potato in Studio City has been an institution since the ’70s, with live jazz and 24 different spuds on the menu.

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FOOD

B E YO N D PA S A D E N A

RYLA

The South Bay Food Scene Sizzles This Summer

BY C A R O L E D I XO N

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uring the summer months, many Pasadena natives set out for staycations and day trips to the South Bay for much-needed respite from the heat, and also some of the best food L.A. County has to offer, from high-end steak houses to casual beach bites.

The buzziest new place comes from the Simms Restaurant Group family and chef-owner David LeFevre, who helms Manhattan Beach’s legendary haunts Fishing with Dynamite, M.B. Post, and The Arthur J. For the latest venture, the group has opened RYLA—a Japanese Taiwanese spot just a block from the beach in Hermosa. Longtime LeFevre collaborator and executive chef Ray Hayashi and his wife, Cynthia Hetlinger (who both worked with Michael Cimarusti at Providence) are running the kitchen where Hayashi’s childhood cuisine is married with the best local California ingredients.

Hayashi was born in Taipei and grew up in the South Bay with his parents, who were also in the restaurant business. His mother’s and grandmother’s

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influence shows up in some dishes on the menu, such as the Hokkaido milk bread with a tobiko nori spread.

Other must orders include the hot chicken karaage, truffle fried rice with Chinese sausage and the Agedashi Meiji tofu with Santa Barbara uni and salmon roe. In an interesting twist, the white

RYLA: hot chicken karaage

TOP: WON HO FRANK LEE; LEFT: RON DE ANGELIS

THE BEACH CITIES

sesame Caesar with traditional little gems, anchovy, and parmesan also includes a surprising “secret” ingredient: peanut butter in the dressing but it (oddly) melds beautifully. For dessert it’s matcha tiramisu or brown butter mochi cake.

The end result is a great spot to meet friends for a drink in the bar-lounge, take your family for an early dinner out on the patio, or tuck into a cozy banquette in the main dining room with a date.

Another top toque and restaurateur in the South Bay, David Slay, is also on the move further south with Slay Hermosa, a more casual arm of his Slay Steak &

Slay Italian Kitchen exterior, Slay Steak and Fish House interior, Cioppino dish

Fish in Manhattan Beach, and designed

by Theresa Fatino of SLS, W, and Andaz West Hollywood fame.

Slay restaurants—including Slay Italian Kitchen, which is also in Manhattan Beach—have become local staples in just a few short years. All use fresh veggies from the Slay Estate & Vineyard in Santa Barbara County, and feature Slay and Slayer wines—Rosé, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir—grown and produced on the Central Coast.

Top dishes at Slay Italian Kitchen include broccolini with a tonnato sauce with tuna, pureed with olive oil, capers, and garlic; burrata drizzled in a

pepper-and-strawberry sauce and housemade “jam of the day”; pizza with a two-day fermentation that renders a dense sourdough crust; and the signature nine-layer lasagna, hand-rolled and baked with bechamel and Bolognese.

For the new Hermosa venture, Slay partnered with The Bottle Inn and Martha’s in the old El Gringo two-story space with an ocean view. The menu has a lower price point and more casual California cuisine, with salads, seafood, and veggies grown on the Santa Barbara farm.

Slay, who grew-up in St. Louis working in his father’s restaurant (also called Slay’s) remains involved in day-to-day

operations and is actively in the kitchen at all his restaurants—and logs about 7 miles a day walking between them to personally greet customers.

OTHER TOP SOUTH BAY SPOTS

MAR’SEL AT TERRANEA RESORT: MEGHAN BOB PHOTOGRAPHY

by locals that features fancy street tacos with high-quality ingredients and good drinks.

El Sombrero has been a familyowned classic Mexican staple for 30 years. The staff is friendly and it’s near the beach with an outdoor patio and strong margaritas.

MANHATTAN BEACH The all-white décor of Esperanza Cocina de la Playa, designed by Gulla Jónsdóttir (Kimpton La Peer), is a beautiful setting for strong fruity margaritas, ceviche, and Mexican fare.

For taco Tuesday, head to Tacolicious, a casual spot loved

For burgers and beer on tap, sitting outside at Simmzy’s near the Manhattan Beach pier is the move. It’s owned by the Simms Group, so the quality is top notch.

If you find yourself in the Manhattan Village mall shopping for beach gear, Joey Manhattan Beach is great for poke bowls, and Handel’s Homemade Ice

Cream nearby is consistently voted No. 1 in town.

an East Coast vibe and endless mimosas.

HERMOSA From breakfast to brews, Hennessey’s Tavern is a popular local Irish pub with beach views.

Francophiles should make a beeline for Dominique’s Kitchen for French bistro fare.

RANCHO PALOS VERDES For a fine-dining, multicourse, Mediterranean-focused dinner overlooking the peninsula, award-winning mar’sel at Terranea Resort is the perfect spot for sunsets.

REDONDO For fun tapas and other delicious Spanish food, Gabi James in Redondo is a must.

If you want to dine on the harbor but away from the bike path, The Portofino Hotel & Marina is a great perch for brunch at BALEENkitchen with

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DON’T MISS AN ISSUE! SUBSCRIBE TO PASADENA MAGAZINE pasadenamag.com/subscribe

PASADENA WHAT TO FEED YOUR FAMILY I HOW TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH I VALENTINE’S DAY

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022

IN EVERY ISSUE OF PASADENA MAGAZINE:

Your Guide to Health and Wellness in 2022

Restaurants & Dining Events & Activities Philanthropy & Society Shopping & Retail Arts & Culture Home Décor & Real Estate

RETREATS FOR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLNESS

NEW SPAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH DR. DAVID AGUS

CHEF&

RESTAURANT PROFILES Ø

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&

CHEF

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ALEXANDER’S STEAKHOUSE RICHARD ARCHULETA | EXECUTIVE CHEF

Alexander’s teakhouse is a fine dining interpretation of the classic American steakhouse with hints of a apanese influence and focus on wagyu.

Chef ichard Archuleta has honed his craft with hard work and professional training, under the tutelage of influential mentors like eaneorges, oel obuchon, and osiah Citrin. e has a passion for cooking meat over wood and charcoal and for the relationships he has built with local farmers and foragers who guide him through the cornucopia of fruits and vegetables at the height of each season. Chef ichard is a certified level-one sommelier and has risen through the ranks of several Michelin rated restaurants.

Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena is opened for dinner service Monday through hursday to 30 p.m. and Friday through unday to 0 p.m. with a special ocial our menu offered in the bar unday through hursday to 30 p.m. orth os

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obles Avenue, asadena, CA

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| alexanderssteakhouse.com pasadena

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CHEF

RESTAURANT PROFILES

IAN GRESIK

EXECUTIVE CHEF | OWNER

Chef Ian Gresik, a Los Angeles native, brought his farm-to-table style of California cuisine to the beautiful city of Pasadena with the opening of his restaurant, “The Arbour.” Chef Gresik’s lifelong culinary journey began at an early age in his native Southern California, where he attended the prestigious California School of Culinary Arts Le Cordon Bleu and graduated at the top of his class. Since then, his culinary career has been taking him back and forth between pastry and savory roles in kitchens across the United States and abroad in France and Spain, providing him with almost 20 years of culinary experience. Gresik was the former chef of the award winning Drago Centro in downtown Los Angeles. Prior to Drago Centro, he worked as the pastry chef at Patina restaurant and was the youngest pastry chef in the US with a Michelin star. A chef with many hats, Gresik’s commitment to perfection is something you can literally taste.

The Arbour | 527 South Lake Avenue, Suite 120, Pasadena, CA 91101 | 626.396.4925 | thearbourpasadena.com | Open daily 4:00pm-10:00pm

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JOSE ACEVEDO EXECUTIVE CHEF

Cocinas y Calaveras co-owner and executive chef Jose began his extensive career training in the kitchen with Wolfgang Puck and the Hillstone Restaurant Group before taking the helm at Irvine’s Taleo Grill in 2004. Hailing from Guanajuato, Mexico, Chef Jose’s early years were spent perfecting the art of his native culture’s cuisine.

In 2010 Chef Acevedo began working with longtime friend Jesse Gomez at Yxta Cocina Mexicana, where he oversaw the creation of signature dishes and specials that would become the inspiration for the Mercado menu, a concept he and Jesse

created together. After opening Mercado in Santa Monica in 2012, it was named one of the top ten best new restaurants by Los Angeles magazine.

Westways revered Chef Jose’s work, noting that “Taleo Grill might just be the best upscale Mexican restaurant in the region.”

In his off time, he en oys dining out, golfing, and spending time with his beautiful children. You can follow him on Instagram @ chefelmexicano.

Mercado Pasadena is open for dinner seven days a week and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays 140 South Lake Avenue, Suite 101, Pasadena, CA 91101 | 626.345.5778 | cocinasycalaveras.com

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BEST OF

PASADENA For our annual Best of Pasadena issue, we looked to

best offerings covers cherished institutions as well as

the region’s in-the-know leaders for their go-to retail

new, up-and-coming spots. While “best” may be a

stores, restaurants, coffee shops, hiking trails, and

subjective term, we think you’ll find yourself nodding

everything in between. Our 2022 lineup of Pasadena’s

in agreement with more than a few.

83 Michelle Huneven, Novelist

84 Rick and Elise Wetzel, Founders, Wetzel’s Pretzels and Blaze Pizza

85 Glenn Lawson and Grant Fenning, Co-founders, Lawson Fenning 87 Michael Cimarusti, Chef/Owner, Providence

86 Annaly Bennett Interior Designer

88 Viet Thanh Nguyen, Writer

89 Gerald Freeny, Life Member, Board of Directors, Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association 90 Cheryl Liu Mang Vice President, Southern California Children’s Museum 91 Albert Tate Founding and Lead Pastor, Fellowship Church

92 Editors’ Favorites

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BEST OF PASADENA

Here: Sweetgreen.

Top left: Rose Garden Tea Room. Below: Paper Source.

W

hile studying alternative medicine at The Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico, Steve Schwartz discovered his passion for the alchemy of blending herbs and botanicals. In 2004, Schwartz founded Art of Tea (artoftea. com), sourcing only highest-quality ingredients to create award-winning artisanal blends. Headquartered in Monterey Park, Art of Tea is now a leading purveyor of organic and specialty teas and has cultivated collaborations with prominent cultural institutions, chefs, and restaurants, including LACMA, The Getty, The Peninsula Hotels, and The Huntington.

Recently, Schwartz released his first book, Art of Tea: A Journey of Ritual, Discovery, and Impact, which delves into his personal backstory and how he transformed the challenges of his upbringing into a life mission to create impact through tea. Here, the master blender spills the tea on his local favorites. —Sara Smola Steve Schwartz: One of my favorite ways to unwind after work is to visit Sequoia Park. It’s a hidden park above our

headquarters in Monterey Park that overlooks the Pasadena mountainside in one direction while facing the ocean on the other side. It’s an incredible vantage point that showcases the breadth of what this region has to offer.

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While there are a few places that know how to sling tea very well, the Rose Garden Tea Room at The Huntington Library is a real treat. The feeling and combination of experiencing a perfectly brewed pot of tea in a beautiful setting is truly transformative. I love Copa Vida and Home Brewed Bar. For a quick pick-me-up, Copa Vida has wonderful pastries and well-thought-out craft iced teas on draft. Other favorite standbys include Houston’s and Sweetgreen.

I love the various Pasadena hiking trails and exploring the native plants that grow in the area. My favorite trail is Eaton Canyon Trail. It’s an opportunity to do some responsible foraging that can inspire new blends. I always look for wild California sage and wild fennel when it’s in season.

I can’t wait for the Enchanted Forest to open back up at Descanso Gardens. It’s such a unique and special place that showcases the creativity within Southern California, as well as the beauty of our giant oak and native horticulture.

One of my favorite shops is Lather in Old Pasadena—it is a great modern apothecary with products such as soaps, candles, and skin care intentionally made with natural ingredients and essential oils. Another favorite shop is Paper Source for staff and customer thank you cards.

P O R T R A I T: DA N E D E A N E R

Steve Schwartz Founder, Art of Tea

Michelle Huneven Novelist

O

n the east side of Altadena, where aging mansions from the turn of the century share fences with a hodgepodge of bungalows, novelist Michelle Huneven lives at the end of a long driveway in a house that seems to be a feature of its garden as much as a place to live. She has a chicken coop.

She has a writing studio that looks like an extra-tall shack. A canopy of citrus envelopes her kitchen. A James Beard Award–winning food critic, Huneven’s fifth novel, Search, came out in April.

P 0 R T R A I T: CO U R T N E Y G R E G G ; T H E H U N T I N GTO N L I B R A RY: A N TO N I O B E C E R R A / U N S P L A S H

—Tom Dibblee

Michelle Huneven: The architects Fung

& Blatt in Highland Park did our kitchen.

We’re still really close friends with them.

If you can be close friends with your architect after a job this big, that’s saying something. The kitchen plays with inside and outside in the most spectacular way.

Sometimes I write in my studio in my garden, and sometimes I go to The Huntington, where I have library privileges. I put on a lot of clothes because it’s cold in there to preserve the books. There are all those scholars. They’re really concentrating and focusing, and I just vibe off that. It gets me very focused and quiet, and I can work. They don’t even let me

take a friend in to show them the room.

That’s how sacrosanct it is, which is why the focus is so strong.

I grow a lot of things from seed, but when it comes to plant stores, I like Lincoln Avenue Nursery. I like Ramon.

He’s always helpful. Even if you come in with a question and don’t buy anything, he’ll always talk to you. They have a really good selection, and their plants are healthy.

For groceries, I love Super King. Everybody’s there. I sometimes just feel like I’m in the river of life at Super King. I always fall into conversations. I’ll talk to some old Armenian guy about how to cook okra. I got into a conversation with a chef in line because I had 13 pounds of lamb shoulder all cut up in a huge bag, and we started to talk about the food industry.

I do a taco crawl with my food-writing students at UCLA. We start in the Piñata District. The Piñata District on Saturday morning is wild. It’s just a scene of all these street vendors. A guy comes from up north; he makes Oaxacan string cheese and some fresh Mexican cheeses that are just superb. There are all of these people making regional tacos from all over Mexico.

Middle: Lincoln Avenue Nursery.

Above: Tacos from the Piñata District.

Below: The Huntington Library and Gardens.

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BEST OF PASADENA

Rick and Elise Wetzel

Founders, Wetzel’s Pretzels and Blaze Pizza

E

ntrepreneurs Rick and Elise Wetzel may have founded Wetzel’s Pretzels (wetzels.com) and Blaze Pizza, each of which has hundreds of locations, but the duo does not consider themselves to be restaurateurs. Having risen through the ranks at the Nestlé USA office in Glendale, where they met, the Wetzels primarily consider themselves to be marketers who love creating and building brands. Their newest project, Taco Social, will take an eclectic approach to the taco, with creative spins on the L.A. staple like banh mi,

shrimp po’boy, and Nashville hot chicken tacos. The first Taco/ Social opens this fall in Eagle Rock. —Tom Dibblee The Wetzel’s: Pasadena is a

tentpole of the San Gabriel Valley. Once you’ve set up shop in Santa Monica, downtown, and West Hollywood, this is the place you’re going to drop a restaurant. Examples are True Food Kitchen, Shake Shack, and Granville, which has a great location on Lake Avenue, with some of Here: Gus’s BBQ. Left: Taco Social.

Below: Agnes.

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Pasadena’s best rooftop dining.

All these restaurants in town—Agnes, Entre Nous, Union, Bacchus’ Kitchen, AltaEats—are chef-run restaurants. That’s different than 20 years ago. That chefrun scene was not there back then. Now we have dining options close to home that are as good as the Arts District and Westside.

One concept we wish we’d come up with ourselves is Kitchen United Mix on Madison Avenue. We love what they’re doing over there, especially the new Kitchen United MIX that combines several restaurants under one roof.

Local restaurants with strong brands that could grow beyond the Pasadena area include Gus’s BBQ and Jones Coffee Roasters. Gus’s is such a great blend of really good barbeque served in a family setting, and their cast-iron cornbread with pepper jelly is worth the trip alone.

Jones is a third-generation family coffee grower that roasts its own beans and runs great neighborhood cafés, each with its own cozy, eclectic vibe. We love to walk over to the Raymond location and grab a cup with friends.

Pasadena is kind of this Midwestern town plunked down in the middle of the L.A. metropolis. The Rose Bowl was created as a marketing stunt to get people from Michigan and Wisconsin and Ohio to come out here in January and see how nice the weather is. The place where we go to see the Midwestern vibe in action is Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream for sure. We’re still waiting for Culver’s to come to Pasadena!

Glenn Lawson and Grant Fenning Cofounders, Lawson Fenning

S H OW R O O M : YO S H I H I R O M A K I N O

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or a decade, Glenn Lawson and Grant Fenning called Now when we’re in the area, we love Osawa for great JapaPasadena home, living in San Rafael Hills in a 1940s modnese home cooking and, believe it or not, Houston’s. Despite it ern home and later a midcentury residence in Altadena being a chain, that dimly lit dining room with a nod to the Arts designed by architects Kenneth and Robert Gordon that they and Crafts history of the neighborhood always draws us in. restored. It’s no doubt that Pasadena’s timelessly compelling The ceramicist Victoria Morris is one of our favorite local artarchitecture sank into their creative minds while they were furists. She is continuing the legacy of craft that is synonymous with niture design students at ArtCenter in the late ’90s. They chose Pasadena. Another favorite ceramicist, Jude Pauli, is pushing a space in Old Pasadena as their first studio, from which they the boundaries of ceramics with her amazing sculptural work. launched furnishings and accessories brand Lawson-Fenning When it comes to art shows, ArtCenter Student Gallery and (lawsonfenning.com). Now, the brand has grown to occupy the Armory Center both have great programming and put on a two-story Melrose Avenue flagship space for their original well-curated shows. pieces and reimagined vintage pieces, and the designers have Pasadena Architectural Salvage is really one of the best each chosen to settle in nearby Los Feliz. This season, don’t design stores in the U.S. It is a trove of 20th-century archimiss their debut collection with tectural pieces. Also, Mik Hollis has taken the institution to CB2, which celebrates classic CaliThe Lawson Fenning showroom; the next level with a beautifully fornia style, as well as their exclusive Osawa; Pasadena Architectural one-of-a-kind lighting and furniture curated selection of pieces at HolSalvage; Victoria Morris Pottery; Lawson and Fenning at CB2. pieces created with Santa Fe ceramilis Pasadena. cist Natan Moss. —Samantha Brooks When it comes to vintage, The Huntington Collection is one of Lawson and Fenning: Pasadena has our all-time favorites, and Revival one of the most varied and best-preAntiques is great for hard-to-find served ranges of 20th-century archiand unique pieces. We like the scale tecture in the world, so it’s hard to and ease of the Pasadena City Colpick a favorite architectural spot, lege Flea Market over Rose Bowl’s. but the Craig Ellwood–designed It’s easy to shop and always has ArtCenter Hillside Campus’ main some good finds. building is among the best. The For museums, Norton Simon is simplicity of a glass bridge over the perfectly sized, and its permanent canyon still inspires awe. A truly collection is just fantastic, particimportant architectural masterpiece. ularly with 20th-century AmeriWhen we were in school, our can sculptors like Peter Voulkos, go-to hangout spots were Pie ’N DeWain Valentine, and Donald Burger, Connal’s, and El Portal.

Judd.

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BEST OF PASADENA

Clockwise: Pasadena Civic Auditorium; Old Pasadena; The Huntington Library cactus garden; a Bullock’s Wilshire ad; Maude Woods.

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asadena art and architecture are in Annaly Bennett’s blood. Her grandfather, Cyril Bennett, designed a number of buildings around town, including the Pasadena Playhouse, Raymond Theatre, and Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Her father became an architect as well, and Bennett herself is a residential interior designer (annalybennett.com). Outside her design practice, Bennett serves on the board of Pasadena Heritage, which preserves historic properties, and as acting president of Pasadena Art Alliance, which raises money to support visual contemporary arts organizations in Pasadena and greater Southern California. —Tom Dibblee Annaly Bennett: Old Pasadena is a favorite place to spend time. Pasadena

Heritage was instrumental in preserving the buildings along Colorado Blvd, which were threatened to be demolished in the ’80s. We’re so lucky that we have this vibrant, historic commercial center.

The Pasadena Civic Auditorium is my grandfather’s most prominent building. His architectural firm, Bennett and Haskell, won a design competition for that building in 1929, which was the final component of the city’s beaux arts urban plan, along with the spectacular Main Library building and City Hall.

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I love the old Bullock’s building on Lake, which is now Macy’s. It still has a lot of its original character. There are some beautiful old tapestries, woodwork, and cabinetry in the building that give it a very grand feel. It’s nice to see these interior details and spaces be preserved for the future.

Pasadena is also incredibly fortunate to have a parkland, the Arroyo Seco, on its western edge—a physical link to downtown Los Angeles and the place where the Tongva people settled in this area.

A hidden gem at The Huntington Library is the cactus garden. Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved coming here and looking at all the different shapes and forms. It’s thrilling. Every time of year, there’s always something different to see.

The specimens are huge and dwarf the human form. It’s like walking under the sea; you feel like you’re in an exotic landscape.

My favorite Pasadena design source is Maude Woods on Holly Street. The store has an eclectic array of furnishings, from very traditional to very contemporary. The owner has an incredible eye. Maude Woods is elegant, fun, and interesting, and a great place to find something special, whatever your taste is.

PA SA D E N A C I V I C AU D I TO R I U M : V I S I T PA SA D E N A .CO M ; H O L LY B U I L D I N G : O L D PA SA D E N A .CO M ; C AC T U S G A R D E N : OX A N A M E L I S / U N S P L A S H

Annaly Bennett Interior Designer

Michael Cimarusti Chef/Owner, Providence

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hef-owner Michael Cimarusti— of two-Michelin-starred, James Beard Award–winning restaurant Providence in Hollywood and the more casual seafood staple Connie & Ted’s in West Hollywood—has lived in South Pasadena for over a decade with his wife, Crisi Echiverri, a former pastry chef and currently operations manager for their restaurant group. Cimarusti was ahead of the curve with his on-site rooftop garden at Providence, where he grows a bounty of veggies, herbs, and edible flowers, and practices sustainability measures from zero-waste chocolate to cocktail programs. He made Providence into one of the most enduring sustainable seafood destinations in the country. —Carole Dixon

AG N E S : JA KO B N . L AY M A N ; T H E R OYC E : P E D E N A N D M U N K

Michael Cimarusti : My favorite neighborhood go-to spot is Gus’s BBQ. It’s

simple and they have a great cobb salad and good sandwiches.

The Neapolitan-style pizza at Settebello in Old Pasadena is one of my favorite local dishes. Or I just order a white pie and when it comes out of the oven, they put prosciutto on top and a heaping pile of arugula. I also like Union in Pasadena and I’ll go to Triple Beam [by Nancy Silverton] in Highland Park anytime for pizza and Hippo next door for dinner.

For takeout we head to Golden Deli in Alhambra or Chang’s Garden in Arcadia.

For the best breakfast, we’ve been going to El Huarache Azteca in Highland Park for 15 years. It’s close to home, consistent, and delicious. I get the Super Huarache served with two sauces, green and red, that are fairly spicy. If I go in the morning, I get a fried egg on top and it’s the perfect breakfast.

The new restaurant I’m looking forward to going to is Piccolo. They are from the Westside but just opened in South Pasadena. Also, Agnes—my wife loves it and has been there several times.

Unfortunately, they are closed on Sunday and Monday [chef’s days off] so I may never get to eat there!

For a classic establishment, I’d go to the Arroyo Chop House or one of the sister restaurants, the Parkway Grill, and order a grilled steak or a chop. We don’t have many cocktail bars in Pasadena, but in Highland Park, Café Birdie and Otoño are great.

The best restaurant interiors are at The Langham Hotel and lounge, and I also like The Royce for a good steak.

For the freshest produce , I go to the South Pasadena Farmers Market on Thursdays or Bristol Farms in my neighborhood. They have great produce

and meat, plus it’s well maintained and friendly. But the best produce is at Cookbook in Highland Park, and I go every week for my favorite bread—the seeded baguette from Gjusta in Venice.

For meat and fish, Howie’s in San Marino is awesome. They have everything from lamb to A5 Wagyu beef. It’s like going to Harris Ranch at The Original Farmers Market—old school, great butchers, and very high quality.

For brunch on Sunday, I go to Nicole’s in South Pasadena. They have excellent cheeses. I pick up a bunch of stuff and bring it back to the house. They have a wholesale wing called Gourmet Imports and we buy a lot from them like chocolates, specialty salts, oils, and vinegars.

For wine, Mission Wine and Spirits has an excellent selection. The owner, Chris Meeske, is a master sommelier who used to work at Patina. You’re not going to find a better selection or more knowledgeable staff.

Here: The dining room at The Royce.

Above left: Agnes.

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BEST OF PASADENA

Clockwise: Milkcow; Bone Kettle; Blaze Pizza; Vroman’s Bookstore; nostalgic comics.

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uthor Viet Thanh Nguyen moved to Pasadena in 2018 after initially favoring Silver Lake, “where a police helicopter once came, hovered over me, and spoke to me on its bullhorn as I weeded my hillside.” When not teaching English at USC, he writes in a room with a view of his garden.

“Why would I write anywhere else?” says the father of Ellison, 8 (named for Ralph Ellison) and Simone, 2 (named for Simone de Beauvoir, Nina Simone, Simone Weil, and Simone Signoret). On the wall hangs a framed certificate recognizing his 2016 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, awarded for his best-selling debut novel, The Sympathizer, which is now being adapted into an HBO series starring Robert Downey Jr. —Lynda Lin Grigsby Viet Thanh Nguyen: For a good bookstore, I’ve only been to Vroman’s. My

son loves it there and always walks out with a stack of books. There’s a great children’s section on the second floor.

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book together—Chicken of the Sea, about bored chickens who become pirates—we did our book launch at Vroman’s. I regret that I haven’t yet made use of the wine bar.

For good pizza, Ellison’s No. 1 is Blaze Pizza. He loves the pepperoni; I love the spicy special. We used to go to Mi Piace with him because its booths are family friendly, but since we added Simone, our options are a little more limited. She can’t sit still for too long, so Stoney Point, a very homey, family Italian restaurant next to Little Flower, is our go-to family dining option. We can sit outside, the kids can run around as needed, and the parents can steadily consume cocktails.

For adult guests, I like to take them to Bone Kettle, where the bone broth and nasi goreng are delicious. The bone broth soups recall the greatest soup ever invented, phở, which I grew up eating every Sunday after church.

If you’re a comics lover, as Ellison is, go to the Comics Factory, and follow that with a visit to the nearby Milkcow Cafe for ice cream or boba tea.

P O R T R A I T: B E B E JACO B S ; CO M I C S : E R I K M C L E A N / U N S P L A S H

Viet Thanh Nguyen Writer

Gerald Freeny Board of Directors, Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association

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erald Freeny first got involved with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association—which puts on Pasadena’s Rose Bowl and Rose Parade—as a volunteer on the parade route at age 28. His grandmother instilled in him the value of service, and he thought this would be a way to give back to the community and meet new people. Volunteering for the association became a centerpiece of Freeny’s life. While making his career in law enforcement, he rose through the association’s ranks, first becoming a member then serving on a variety of committees before becoming its first Black president in 2018. Freeny is now a life member of the Tournament of Roses Association’s board of directors. —Tom Dibblee Gerald Freeny: There’s nothing like being at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. You’re part of America’s New Year’s celebra-

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tion, and you’re going to the greatest collegiate football game in the nation, the granddaddy of them all. The Rose Bowl is just awesome. I’ve had the opportunity to be everywhere in the Rose Bowl, from the press box to the seats to the field,

and no matter where you are, you’re going to have a great seat and a great time.

Watching the Rose Parade in person is not the same as on TV. Depending on the weather, sometimes you can smell the roses. I can remember being young and camping out there to save myself a place to watch the parade. That’s just fun. It’s just fun to be out there.

The Tournament House is in the Wrigley Mansion. That’s our headquarters. In there, you can see the history of Pasadena—the participants that have been in the parade, the football room where you can see all the helmets from the Pac-12 and Big Ten. There’s information on every game that’s been played at the Rose Bowl. The Tournament of Roses is a family, so it’s just about being a part of the family and being there in the house.

My grandmother was a strong believer in giving back to the community. She always taught us to make sure you volunteer and give back. When I joined the tournament in 1988 as a volunteer, I was just looking forward to meeting new people.

I never dreamed that I would be president one day.

Gerald Freeny participating in the Rose Parade. Above: Wrigley Mansion.

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Cheryl Liu Mang

Vice President of the Southern California Children’s Museum

Clockwise from here: Lost Books; Carrisa Potter’s Pasadena map at Homage; Brookside Park.

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times, taking Sensory Play classes, and having birthday parties there. When the Mang family isn’t at the museum, you’ll likely run into them at one of the following locales. —Jennifer Ashton Ryan Cheryl Liu Mang: After the museum,

we’ll often pick up Venezuelan empanadas and eat them in the park together.

They have a different texture than empanadas from Mexican restaurants because they are made with corn dough and fried. We love the family-owned shop Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine on Colorado near Lake.

Brookside Park behind the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center is hands down our favorite park for kids because it’s tucked back away from any cars or roads.

There’s a big open field for the kids to run in and the Pirate Park Playground lends itself to pretend play.

Our favorite local attraction is the Children’s Garden at The Huntington Library.

We can beat the heat there in the summer with all of the water play available, and the kids never want to leave the magnetic sandpit. We always pay a visit to Ms. Pixie the Elf in the rose garden (look for the tiny door and sign in one of the trees).

When I’m out shopping with the kids, we’ll go to Montrose to wander the maze of shelves at Lost Books. We can find used books stocked among the new selections in the children’s section to keep down the cost of our frequent visits. I love the gift shop Homage on Fair Oaks when I’m shopping alone. They carry the most delightful Pasadena Map by artist Carissa Potter.

If we’re out for breakfast, we’ll stop at Lunasia Dim Sum House across from The Paseo. Growing up in Hong Kong and subsequently Vancouver, I would go to dim sum with extended family every Sunday. Lunasia serves my favorites, including har-gaw, pan-fried spicy noodles, and egg-custard tarts, all day. Little Flower Candy Co. is our favorite for lunch, especially if we order ahead for pickup and then eat down the street at the small neighborhoody San Rafael Park.

For pizza we grab Mamma’s Brick Oven Pizza & Pasta on Fair Oaks in South Pas. It’s New York–style pie and we appreciate the vegan options for my daughter’s dairy allergy. And then we’ll do dessert at Wanderlust Creamery in Old Pasadena. Our family favorite is the sticky rice and mango (another dairyfree option), but it’s hard to choose since their flavors are inspired by travel and many (like kinder bueno and ube) are nostalgic for me.

LO ST B O O K S : J E N N I F E R A S H TO N RYA N

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native of Hong Kong and Vancouver, Cheryl Liu Mang is living her best Los Angeles life. Exploring Pasadena through the eyes of her two young daughters (ages 3 and 6) informs the programming and collaborations she brings to the Southern California Children’s Museum (socalkids. org). Mang discovered the space while searching for age-appropriate activities for her then 1-year-old. Years later, her girls have basically grown up at the museum, riding surfboards and sliding through the Wild California exhibit on playdates, dancing at bilingual circle

Albert Tate

Founding and lead pastor of Fellowship Church

S E RV I C E : Y E M I KU KU ; FACEBOOK.COM/ROSEBOWLSTADIUM; IN-N-OUT BURGER: KEVIN LANCE/ UNSPLASH; CHICKEN AND WAFFLES: MIGUEL DOMINGUEZ/UNSPLASH

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lbert Tate moved to Pasadena 17 years ago to attend Fuller Seminary and start a job at Lake Avenue Church.

After five years, he launched the gospel-centered, multiethnic, intergenerational community Fellowship Church in Monrovia. Now, through his new book, How We Love Matters, he is leading a call to face the racism that exists in the church and teach readers how they can start to practice relentless racial reconciliation. Here, Tate shares his favorite local places to start that work of meeting face to face and building relationship over meals and shared interests. — Jennifer Ashton Ryan Albert Tate: I have four children, two boys and two girls,

and the best place to catch up with them is The Huntington Library because it is just breathtaking to watch on a walk. If I’m meeting someone new, and this is obviously a special person because this is a very special place, we go to Arroyo Chop House. If I’m taking my wife out on a date, we go to the Great Maple because she loves desserts and they’ve got a doughnut

with a maple bacon glaze that’s just amazing.

If I’m meeting friends, we’ll go to the Rose Bowl because it’s a fun place to watch some football. My favorite venue for live music is Lake Avenue Church, the Christmas Eve service. It’s some of the most majestic music you’ll hear. The best ticketed event in town is the Rose Parade. The best view in America is right here in Pasadena.

For exercise, I go to the Rose Bowl. I prepared for a half marathon walking the 3-mile track. To shop for clothing, it’s Nordstrom at the Santa Anita mall. If I need to buy a gift, I’ll get a gift certificate to Parkway Grill.

For family breakfast it’s got to be The Peach Cafe in Monrovia because they’ve got a waffle with bacon in it. For brunch though, it’s Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles. For a late-night snack, In-N-Out. Dessert? BJ’s Pizookie.

Clockwise from top: Albert Tate’s book-signing; Fellowship Church; In-N-Out; chicken and waffles; BJ’s trio Pizookies; the Rose Bowl.

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Editor’s Favorites

Our Pasadena Magazine team shares their Pasadena picks from the last year…

Samantha Brooks, Editor in Chief The Pasadena Showcase House debuted the week after our May/ June design issue shipped, and I couldn’t wait to see the final product. So many great spaces, but the Young Gentleman’s Quarters by Hermogeno Designs, the Pool House by The Art of Room Design, and of course the kitchen by Jeanne Chung especially spoke to me.

When I was working on last year’s holiday gift guide, I couldn’t resist doing a little shopping myself. I bought a rustic wooden bowl at Hollis for our kitchen countertop, and it looks just as good empty as it does cradling lemons and limes.

We are truly blessed with an array of amazing dining options, but if it were my last day on Earth, there’s no way I’d be able to pass up the cheeseburger at Houston’s.

“Borderlands,” the new permanent collection installation at The Huntington, is a fresh way to refocus the eye on some important pieces as well as interweave in new works.

I try to abstain from sweets as much as I can, but I will definitely get weak in the knees for SusieCakes’ Celebration Cake. Birthdays just feel incomplete without it.

Sara Smola, Managing Editor North Pas coffee spot Lavender & Honey is single-handedly responsible for my afternoon pick-me-up—and the extra 5 pounds on my waistline—thanks to its carb-laden pastries and tartines.

While working from home has been nothing new to me, being confined to a single space for over a year was highly motivating for me to step up my bedding game. I know I’m not supposed to work where I sleep, but Parachute’s cozy linen set makes it near impossible to get out of bed.

After living in sweatpants for so long, I’m finally adding some new pieces to my wardrobe. San Marino boutique Serafina carries ready-to-wear dresses from my favorite labels, like Ulla Johnson, Cara Cara, and Mille, that are perfect for the upcoming weddings and vacations on my calendar.

Altadena Beverage & Market has become my go-to for locally made provisions and hostess gifts. On a recent visit, I picked up bagels and a bottle of Sādhanā

by Cellador Ales.

Viewing Norton Simon’s virtual exhibit “Representing Women: Gender and Portraiture in 17th-Century Europe” was inspirational in seeing how far my gender has progressed—while also serving as a reminder of how much further we still need to go.

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Clockwise: Parachute, Sādhanā, Tatsu Ramen, Epic Tomatoes from Descanso Gardens bookstore, Jones Coffee Roasters, Robeks, SusieCakes, Stained Glass from Pasadena Architectural Salvage

superstar Tartine had opened a small outpost on Green Street.

I daydream about the Morning Buns.

Another new find, seriously good strip mall ramen at Tatsu Ramen on Arroyo Parkway.

Finally, Eaton Canyon, where I learned to love hiking. I once made the perilous climb to the backside of the waterfall, where my daredevil boyfriend picked up a rattlesnake with his bare hands. Not recommended but memorable!

Jennifer Ashton Ryan, Editor/Writer, Family I’m renovating a 1912 craftsman, so Pasadena Architectural Salvage is on my weekly rounds for finding hardware, lighting, and old doors.

My daughter has taken a few acro classes at The Vault Dance Studio on Palmetto, and I’ve been very impressed with owner Christina Bircher, both her expertise and the positive effect she has on her students.

For a takeout option that doesn’t spike my blood sugar, I’ve been ordering the Berry Blast from Robeks.

I go to Jones Coffee Roasters on Raymond when I have an hour with my laptop because I can always find an open seat in its large open-air area.

Tacos Poncitlan finally opened on Allen and the Tacos Dorados plate has my number. The dish comes with three hard-shell potato tacos topped with carnitas, salsa, and purple cabbage.

Carole Dixon, Writer/Editor, Food

COFFEE: NATHAN DUMLAO/UNSPLASH; ROBEK’S: DOUGLAS BAGG/UNSPLASH

Dora Dalton, Copy Editor A former Pasadena resident, I now live in North County San Diego. When I get back up to see family, I enjoy visiting old favorites and discovering new ones. When you no longer have access to Vroman’s, you realize what a rarity a truly great bookstore is. I could spend hours here browsing—and the children’s section is unbeatable.

Norton Simon remains one of my favorite museums ever. The best place for a meditative afternoon, starting with Rodin’s moving The Burghers of Calais.

I was excited on a recent visit to see that San Francisco

Ironically, there is always something new to see in Old Pasadena and fun finds walking through all the small side streets.

I really like Agnes for trying new cheese and stocking up on wine and artisan chocolates.

When I’m back in the car, I like taking Colorado Blvd. all the way to Glendale and Eagle Rock or Highland Park without getting on the freeway. It’s much more scenic and I always discover a cool shop or café along the way.

One of those is Mini Kabob for a grilled chicken skewer on a bed of rice and veggies. It’s in a small house on a residential street, so you need to know where to look, but it’s the best food you will ever eat in your car—plus it’s owned by the nicest family who are all there working every day.

Also family owned, when researching a mole story last fall, I was surprised to find a sublime (off-the-menu) version at Mijares using banana peel in the chocolate recipe passed down through many generations. I also discovered (past the sprawling interiors) that it has a quiet back patio perfect for a casual Friday long lunch.

When I have writer’s block, a wander around Descanso Gardens is always inspiring. I found a great gardening book in the gift shop last time, Epic Tomatoes, which I bought for my brother who plants the best ones every year.

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COFFEE: NATHAN DUMLAO/UNSPLASH; ROBEK’S: DOUGLAS BAGG/ UNSPLASH

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WHEEL AND DEAL

Ongoing supply-chain shortages means you need to get creative to buy a new car. BY A N D R E A R I C H A R D S

Alex Leyva, Sales Manager, Kia of Alhambra Best-selling car pre-pandemic: Kia Soul or Kia Optima Most in-demand car currently: K5 Easiest car to get now: “We have a few Kia Niros in stock and

also the new 2023 Kia Sports. Right now, if I look outside, I only have seven cars out—it’s very tough to tell you which one has the best availability, because probably I have one or two of each.”

When do you think inventory will go back to pre-pandemic levels?:

2019 Toyota RAV4 Limited HV

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uring the first year of the pandemic, the inventory of new cars in the U.S. dropped to a third of what it was before lockdown, and car dealerships, usually cacophony of colorful, new vehicles, began looking like barren swaths of asphalt. The causes of the scant supply were many, from labor shortages to lack of raw materials, especially computer chips. As a result, in 2020 the auto industry endured one of its worst declines in new car sales since the 1980s. And much like the virus, supply-chain shortages have not let up. Shopping for a car is yet another reminder— as if you really needed one—that we are not yet living in a post-pandemic era.

Still, the world keeps turning and the wheels need to as well, so what’s a person in need of a new car to do? We polled several local dealerships to find out—and while each reported that they are still in the midst of low inventories, they suggested ways to keep moving.

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“I don’t have an answer for that because it depends on the production of chips.”

Best advice for shopping for a car right now: “If you’re interested in a vehicle, you have to come to a dealership and work your deal before—agree to the numbers—and once the vehicle gets here, the car is yours. By the time the car arrives to the dealership, that car is already sold. So, if you want a car, go to the dealer and expect to wait a month or two for that car to arrive.”

Desiree Castillo, Sales Consultant, Lexus of Glendale Most in-demand car currently: “The hybrids because of the gas

2021 Kia K5 GT-Line

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THE CALIFORNIA CYCLEWAY

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2019 Lexus ES 300h

prices. There’s a high demand on hybrid and electrics.”

Easiest car to get now: “Right now everything is high demand because of the chip shortage and the market. The new normal is we get a couple of cars in and the majority are already pre-sold.”

When do you think inventory will go back to pre-pandemic levels?: “There’s no time estimate.”

Best advice for shopping for a car right now: “It’s challenging but

I would say now is a good time to buy. I know that people say that the market is up and that everything’s really expensive, but the rates are going to go higher. We don’t know what’s going to happen in the future—and if you need a car at the moment, why wait?”

he difficulties around finding a new car and the expense in keeping it on the road have some drivers looking into other modes of transportation, such as public transit and bikes. Alan Purnell, owner of Pasadena Cyclery (pasadenacyclery.com), which has been in business since 1976, says “anytime gas goes up to $5 a gallon, bike sales go up.” Much like the demand for hybrid and electric cars, bike sales have increased during the pandemic, not only to counter the gas prices, but also because cycling allows both safe exercise and, as Purnell puts it, “some pleasure in life.” Bike sales also face supply-chain issues, and while some of Purnell’s e-bikes are on backorder, his shop currently has “more bikes than we’ve ever had.” For cyclists who use public transportation, he suggests a folding bike. Biking around Pasadena is “getting better and better all the time,” thanks to bike lanes, he says.

In 1900, Pasadena unveiled the world’s first elevated bikeway, planned as a 9-mile, raised wooden path built specifically for bicycle traffic to connect Pasadena to downtown Los Angeles. Only about a mile of the path was built, starting at the Hotel Green and ending near The Raymond Hotel, but this lost relic remains evidence of the city’s penchant for creative solutions to getting around. —A . R .

Chad Najjar, General Manager, Toyota of Pasadena

COURTESY OF THE ARCHIVES, PASADENA MUSEUM OF HISTORY

Best-selling car pre-pandemic: Toyota RAV4 Most in-demand car currently: RAV4 Hybrid and the Prius mod-

els, including the Prius Prime (plug-in hybrid) Easiest car to get now: “We have a shortage of all of them, but the non-hybrids—something like a Highlander non-hybrid, or a Toyota 4Runner, which is not a hybrid—or even a Camry non-hybrid or an Avalon non-hybrid. Those are a little bit more available, but Camry and Avalon are in short supply.”

When do you think inventory will go back to pre-pandemic levels?: “There’s not a defi nite answer yet, not even from the

factory or the manufacturer. They’re telling us the rest of this year is going to be pretty tough. Next year they’re hopeful that it will improve, but they don’t really have an idea of how much.”

Best advice for shopping for a car right now: “Start right away. We allow you to reserve a vehicle that is incoming—it could be a week or two, it could be four to six weeks, but it you’ve already put your name on it, it’s yours. If it arrives at the dealership and it hasn’t been reserved, it usually sells the same day.”

Dobbin’s Cycleway: looking towards Hotel Green

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fter a two-year hiatus, Pasadena, along with Keck Medicine of USC, hosted its annual Women in Business Luncheon at NOOR on June 2.

This year’s exuberant return fostered connections and community spirit while highlighting the accomplishments of women in our region.

The event included a networking hour with complimentary headshots provided

by Cadillac, a shoppable Clare V. mini boutique, and the opportunity to connect with US Bank. After mixing and mingling, attendees sat down to a catered lunch

by NOOR and bite-sized “bundtinis” from Nothing Bundt Cakes, then listened to welcoming messages from Pasadena’s publisher Shelby J. Russell and Shawn Sheffield, Keck Medicine of USC’s chief strategy officer.

A Q&A session moderated by NBC Los Angeles’ California Live co-host Danielle Nottingham featured panelists Kristin McGrath, executive director of the Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Lisette Gaviña Lopez, chairman of the board and managing director of F. Gaviña and Sons, parent company of Don Francisco’s Coffee. — S A R A S M O L A

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RUSH VARELA PHOTOGRAPHY

1. The Q&A session 2. Shawn Sheffield and Tammy Capretta 3. Ingrid Kuo and Sue Clark 4. Remi Brosseau and Abigail Clemons from Clare V. 5. Swag bags 6. Lisette Gavina Lopez and Lillian B. Gavina.

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