Laughs Legendary

IT’S JUST AMAZING TO SEE HOW MANY GREAT COMICS HAVE BEEN THERE. IT’S REALLY LIKE YOU’VE GONE BACK IN TIME TO 1960 WITH THIS ROUTE 66 COMEDY CLUB THAT BECAME THE LEGENDARY ICE HOUSE”

Johnny Buss, OWNER OF THE ICE HOUSE

Village — we’re going to sponsor their Jazz Festival for the entire summer this year,” he says. He also plans to host many charity events at the club. As far as stand up comedy, Buss has refrained from being the opening act since he reopened The Ice House this spring, but is willing to step on stage and do his bit at some point in the future. “There’s no question,” he laughs. “It’s going to happen.”

NOW EXHIBITING: MUSEUMS

Pasadena’s museums are world-class. The Norton Simon Museum is your chance to see artists such as Degas, Picasso, or Rembrandt alongside rare European masterworks and a stellar collection of South and Southeast Asian art. Now through August 14, see All Consuming: Art and the Essense of Food, an expansive new exhibition all about food. The summer programming also includes film screenings, workshops, discussions, and an annual garden party on June 10 in the museum’s sculpture garden, which is inspired by Monet’s garden at Giverny. nortonsimon.org

The Pasadena Museum of History offers rotating exhibitions such as Community Stitches: Quilt Design & Stories, which highlights over 180 years of American quilt making. You can also take a docent-led tour of the historic Fenyes Mansion, see the Finnish Folk Art Museum, or deep dive into Pasadena history at an upcoming event or walking tour. p asadenahistory.org

The only university museum in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to the arts and cultures of Asia and the Pacific Islands, the USC Pacific Asia Museum launched a new initiative to decolonize and deconstruct Orientalism after the pandemic, reprogramming its exhibitions to bring in contemporary thought. On the second Sunday of the month, admission is free as special programming featuring performances and workshops takes over the museum. pacificasiamuseum.usc. edu

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is a cultural and education center boasting an extensive research library of rare books and manuscripts, a world-renowned art collection, and 16 stunning botanical gardens. Enjoy afternoon tea by the rose garden at the newly renovated tea room, relaxing music in the dramatic 15acre Chinese garden, family friendly summer activities, educational discussions, and more. huntington.org

Pasadena’s Armory Center for the Arts offers a wide range of art classes and workshops for children and adults, housed in a historic building that was once used as a National Guard armory. This summer through June 11, dive into the Exposure: Native Art and Political Ecology exhibition, which documents international Indigenous artists’ responses to the impacts of radiation and toxic waste on Native peoples and the environment. armoryarts.org