Pasadena Weekly 12.29.22

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EXECUTIVE EDITOR Christina Fuoco-Karasinski christina@timespublications.com

DEPUTY EDITOR Luke Netzley lnetzley@timespublications.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Thea Eskey, Caleb Jones, Christopher Nyerges, Morgan Owen, Jordan Rogers, Leah Schwartz, Ellen Snortland

ART ART DIRECTOR Stephanie Torres storres@timespublications.com

ZAC REYNOLDS Zac@TimesPublications.com (626) 360-2811

A girl can dream, can’t she?

By Ellen Snortland Pasadena Weekly Columnist

Writing a weekly column is a privilege. It’s also sometimes a pain in the patoot. Imagine having to come up with topics that might interest someone other than yourself. I sit in my office chair daydreaming, staring out the window, hoping for crows to visit our fountain. I am dithering, barely writing.

My window lets me admire our indestructible garden of drought-tolerant plants. I walk out to see if I can smell petrichor, a scent that is a reliable indicator of rain coming. We still have vegetation “trash” I’ve collected in the front of the yard. To Hugel, or not to Hugel? We also stash our tree detritus out by the fence to deter the dogs from getting through. That’s important, as outside the garden’s boundaries is the almost freeway-like traffic of Altadena Drive.

I’ve written this column for 30 years and I never run out of ideas. That said, let me remind you of a T-shirt I saw years ago: “Watch what you say: I’m a writer.” There’s also Anne Lamott’s invaluable wisdom: “If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.”

It’s de rigueur to do a 2022 round-up, but I barely have the strength. That in and of itself is a ringing indictment of the year we’ve just had. It’s also customary to make a list of New Year’s resolutions. I can’t do that either, since my 2022 resolution was to never make another resolution as long as I live. Resolutions are like candles. They shine bright until the wax melts onto your favorite antique table, causing you to curse the candle and vow to not light one again … until you forget and do it again. Do not be tempted!

I have also promised myself that I will refrain from giving unsolicited advice to people … except in my column! If you are reading my unsolicited advice, consider it a solicitation of what I think. Here goes:

Instead of resolutions, make promises and manufacture some “No kidding” consequences if you don’t keep them … then tell someone who can hold you to account. For example, “I promise to eat healthily for six months, and if I break my promise, I will eat 10 spiders.”

Making promises is far more powerful than namby-pamby resolutions. Resolutions are typically obliterated when said “resolver” misses one gym visit, eats one slice of pie, or picks their nose in their car. This is especially true if there are no consequences for breaking the resolution.

However, if you make a promise to another person to never pick your nose in the car, and you vow that if you break it, you have to stand on the corner of Lake and Colorado and pick your nose every time a car goes by? Hoo-boy, now you’ve got some real “skin” in the game! Or, in this case, boogers in the game.

I’ve intentionally built my promise-making and promise-keeping muscles over the years so that, usually, promising another person I’ll do something is enough. I also get some added oomph by giving myself a star that I paste onto my progress board. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I work for stars! Enough of my Lutheran Sunday School goody-goody two-shoes legacy remains intact that affixing metallic stars on a prominently displayed sheet still does it for me.

Digital companies have also figured this out. Services like Wordle and Duolingo keep tabs on their users’ “streaks” and provide bragging rights and rewards to keep you going. My Duolingo Norwegian streak is now at 1,105 days straight — woo-hoo!

Speaking of Duolingo, I have an image of their staff somewhere in digital land laughing their asses off. Or, in Norwegian, “ler ræva av seg.” Really, Duolingo? You’ve taught me to say phrases in Norwegian like, “I do not eat spiders,” “I am the cheese,” and “pull my finger,” but you haven’t yet taught me how to say the days of the week or the months or even weather conditions? Really? I

suspect that Duolingo subscriptions skyrocketed during The Great Lockdown, and they had to hire a bunch of out-of-work Norwegian comics to fill in for actual linguists. Although it’s possible that “Norwegian comic” is an oxymoron.

I am skittish about wishing you a better year in 2023. During 2022, every time I said, or even thought, “It can’t get any worse,” it did. Although there were also glimmers of hope, such as Sen. Warnock eventually triumphing over what was a dead heat against a barely sentient Herschel Walker.

For a bigger dose of hope, I’ll end with the shimmering image of Drumpf finally facing consequences. Maybe he could take a jet out of the country and beg for asylum with the Russians. Or maybe all the MAGA maniacs could get hit by a lightning bolt of common sense. Frankly, I hunger to see Drumpf in shackles, wearing an orange outfit that goes nicely with his face. That idea just yanked me away from staring out my window, wondering what I’ll write about today. A gal can dream, can’t she?

Happy New Year!

2023 marks the 30th year that Ellen Snortland has written this column. She also teaches creative writing online. She can be reached at ellen@beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at vimeo.com/ondemand/beautybitesbeast.

Being in print is a lot more meaningful than grouching on Facebook. Send compliments, complaints and insights about local issues to christina@timespublications.com.

We want to hear from you!

FEATURE

Will the real golden chia please stand up?

By Christopher Nyerges Pasadena Weekly Contributing Writer

The use of chia seeds in the diet has grown in popularity in the last few decades. It’s a nutritious seed that can be added to coffee, drinks, puddings, desserts and lots of other foods.

Inez Ainge wrote in an article, “Native Chia” (1967), that “chia has been proclaimed a high-energy food not only because it contains a high percentage of protein (30%), but because it also contains a natural enzyme which acts as a catalyst for the protein.”

A nutritional analysis done in 1964 shows 20.2% protein, 34.4% oil and 5.6% ash, as well as significant amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and traces of other minerals common to most seeds.

This golden chia is a native to Southern California and the Southwest generally, and it is not the chia commonly sold in all health food stores, so let’s try to clear up that confusion.

Golden chia — salvia columbariae — received significant public attention in the 1950s and ’60s, due to the writing of Harrison Doyle, mostly in Desert magazine.

He authored the self-published book “Golden Chia: Ancient Indian Energy Food.” He also cultivated the seed for sale, and encouraged others to do so. Doyle writes, “As a boy in Needles, California, I played with the Mohave Indians my own age. I ate their foods, ran long distance races with them, rode their colorful Indian ponies bareback, whacked a tin can around the yellow silt flats in the ancient game of shinny. I remember some of the Indian boys telling me (I was interested in long-distance running at the time) that Indian runners sometimes ran all the way in to the coast on trading expeditions with the Coast Tribes, carrying gourd shells containing water and a handful of chia seeds to sustain them.”

Harrison also frequently mentioned the writing of Dr. J.T. Rothrock, botanist and surgeon of the Wheeler United States Geographical Survey of 1875. Rothrock wrote that the chia was cultivated as regularly as corn by the Nahua races of ancient Mexico.

Of the seed, Rothrock writes, “An atole, or gruel, of this was one of the peace offerings to the first visiting sailors. One tablespoon of these seeds was sufficient to sustain for 24 hours an Indian on a forced march.” Harrison pointed out that this was most likely referring to Indian runners and traders in the desert Southwest.

As a result of the writings of Doyle, health food stores wanted to provide the seeds to their customers.

Though there had been some attempts to cultivate the native chia, a related plant, salvia hispanica, had already been in production in Mexico, and so this was the readily available seed that met the demand from health food stores. To this day, salvia hispanica is the majority of the “chia” that is sold in markets. Salvia hispánica seed resembles a tiny mottled pinto bean, usually dark gray or black but occasionally gray or nearly white. The native golden chia — S. columbariae — has a brownish or goldish-tan seed that is almost pyramidal in shape. Both seeds will form a gelatinous outer layer when soaked in water, nearly white.

Most objective studies indicate that whether you’re using the commercial chia (salvia hispanica), or whether you’re one of the rare ones who either grows or collects their own native chia (S. columbariae), you’ll be getting a top-quality nutritional seed either way.

Doyle reported in his book that he conducted several tests on himself of the native vs. the non-native commercial chia seeds. In general, he said, the golden chia seed produced a pronounced feeling of excess physical energy that he didn’t experience from the non-native seeds.

Christopher Nyerges/Contributor

Doug Haipt/Contributor

Christopher Nyerges examines a chia plant in the local mountains.

The golden chia plant with its round seed capsules.

Using the chia seeds

Indigenous people of the Southwestern collected the seeds by bending the stems of the mature plants and shaking them into a finely woven basket. In a solid stand of the plant, a surprisingly large amount can be gathered in a short time. When I locate such a place, I usually just shake the heads into a small plastic collecting bag. You can then shake the seeds through a fine mesh screen to remove all foreign particles.

The seeds can be made into drinks by simply soaking for a few minutes in either hot or cold water or fruit juice and drinking as is. I add about a teaspoon to my daily coffee.

Almost tasteless, the seeds, when so used, are inexplicably refreshing. The Pomo Indians ground the seeds into meal and used as flour for small cakes or loaves. Today, many people mix the chia flour half and half with wheat flour to make bread. The seeds, like any other edible seeds, can also be sprouted and eaten as a fresh vegetable.

For dishes such as cereals, mush, and soups, add two tablespoons of seeds per cup of water. As the mixture warms (chia doesn’t need to be cooked as do most cereal grains), the water will become mucilaginous. This tapioca-like food can be eaten as it is (or sweetened to taste with honey) or can be added as a smoothening agent or extender to pancake batter, biscuits, bread, ice cream, pudding, coffee, cold drinks and more.

Medicinal

The seeds, when eaten, are useful in gastrointestinal disorders and as an emollient. When drunk in tea or eaten, the seeds also aid bronchial and throat troubles. The seeds can be crushed between the fingers to produce an oil (generally called chia oil) for the skin.

Daniel Moerman, in his monumental “Native American Ethnobotany” describes many of the edible and medicinal uses of the native chia. Among the Native Americans of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, a decoction made from the fresh or dried leaves has been used to relieve stomach troubles. The fresh leaves of all members of the mint family, including chia, abound in volatile oils contained in resinous dots in the leaves and stems.

Recognizing the golden chia plant

Mostly oblong-ovate in overall outline, each leaf varies from one to several inches long. Each leaf is bipinnately divided; that is, the margin is indented into segments along a common axis, and each segment is further pinnately divided. The leaf surface is finely wrinkled and covered on both sides with tiny fine hairs. The leaves, mostly basal, grow in opposite

pairs — generally two or three pairs of leaves per stalk.

The small, typical mint-family flowers are blue, two-lipped, about half-inch long, and clustered into round whorls along the stalk(s). There are usually one to four whorls per stalk, with numerous sharply pointed purplish bracts at the base of each whorl. The plant is usually in flower from March through June, though sometimes a few random plants will be found flowering into summer.

The seeds are best collected in July and August when recently matured, but before strong winds or rains have shaken them onto the ground.

Golden chia, salvia columbariae, is native to California and is commonly found in the high-desert regions (1,500 to 4,000 feet elevations). The plant is found in the deserts, chaparral areas, foothills, and yellow pine belts of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.

The commercial chia (S. hispanica) is native to Mexico and South America.

Christopher Nyerges is an educator, and author of 22 books, several of which have chapters on the native chia plant. More information can be found at schoolofself-reliance.com.

The flowering heads of the golden chia.

Helen Wong/Submitted

C

WELCOME TO PASADENA•

Mayor Gordo writes to visitors

Dear city of Pasadena visitors, Whether this is your first time visiting our great city founded in 1886 or a return trip for you, welcome on behalf of the city council, the city staff and the more than 140,000 residents who call Pasadena home.

Each year, Pasadena welcomes thousands of visitors, and during your stay, I hope you will take the time to explore and enjoy all that our city has to offer. There are historical landmarks across the city, some dating back more than a century. Take pictures in front of the majestic city hall, tour the Wrigley Mansion and grounds, or be amazed at the works in the Norton Simon Museum. See the childhood home of the great Jackie Robinson or take the children to the Kidspace Children’s Museum. We are home to one of the world’s leading universities, Caltech, as well as its Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In the mood for some nature? Take a walk in the Arroyo Seco or visit the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. And when you get hungry, visit one of our more than 650 restaurants and then browse the unique and exciting stores that call Pasadena home.

Of course, many of you are here for the world-renowned Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl Game, held this year on Jan. 2. Take some time to visit the incredible parade floats in the days leading up to the parade as an army of volunteers prep the immense floats with millions of roses and flowers. Get to the Rose Bowl Stadium early to take in the wonder of one of the nation’s most iconic landmarks and settings in sports, celebrating its 100th birthday this year.

I am sure that you will find that Pasadenans are warm and welcoming so please do not hesitate to ask questions, get directions or otherwise meet your hosts.

Enjoy this comprehensive special edition of Pasadena Weekly and welcome to the city of Pasadena. Have an amazing time!

Sincerely, Mayor Victor M. Gordo

Mayor Victor M. Gordo

‘The Granddaddy’ evolves with early CFP expansion

By Jordan Rogers Pasadena Weekly Staff Writer

At the end of November, the Rose Bowl and College Football Playoff came to terms on an agreement to allow early playoff expansion starting in 2024. Currently at just four teams, the College Football Playoff (CFP) under the new format, will expand to 12 teams.

While that wasn’t supposed to begin until 2026, the CFP board of managers shifted its focus to 2024 instead, meaning the six “contract bowls” — “The Granddaddy of Them All” being one of them — would have to amend its contracts with the CFP to allow early expansion.

After plenty of negotiation between the CFP and Tournament of Roses — the entity that annually puts on the Rose Bowl — an agreement was made.

“We’re extremely pleased to have come to an agreement with the CFP Board of Managers on early CFP expansion,” said Laura Farber, Rose Bowl Committee Management chair.

“We’re happy that the Rose Bowl game will continue to be part of the college football postseason; we think it’s absolutely wonderful. As this is all evolving, there was a decision that it was important for us to be part of that system.”

Any time in negotiations, there is plenty of back and forth. The negotiation between the College Football Playoff and the Rose Bowl was no different. Farber said one of the major hold ups in the negotiation was navigating that the Rose Bowl is the only bowl game with a separate broadcast contract.

“It wasn’t the smoothest process,” she said. “But as we said from the start, we’ve always been supportive of the playoff and there was no intention of keeping early entry into the expanded playoff from happening.”

Despite the at-times rigidness of the negotiations, Farber is pleased to “be on the front end” of the new-developing 12-team playoff format.

The Rose Bowl was scheduled to have two traditional Rose Bowl games in 2024 and 2025, but the early expansion agreement cements the Rose Bowl as a CFP quarterfinal destination for those two seasons.

Because of that, the Rose Bowl may not necessarily be played on its traditional day of Jan. 1. Farber said the intent is to keep the game played on that day but that the Tournament of Roses will be flexible with the CFP as far as scheduling goes.

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The Rose Bowl Stadium was built in 1922 and designed by local architect Myron Hunt.

Regardless of day in which the Rose Bowl takes place, however. Farber knows the game itself will have success in viewership and attendance, as the game has been played on different days in the past.

As part of the BCS National Championship system, in 2002, the Rose Bowl was played on Jan. 3, and in 2006, it was played on Jan. 4.

“Both of those games were wildly successful and brought in millions in economic impact for the city of Pasadena,” Farber said. “We’re keeping that in the front of our minds as we go through this process, which will continue to unfold in the upcoming year.”

Another aspect to the Rose Bowl’s traditionality is its yearly matchup between Big Ten and Pac-12 schools. Though this upcoming Rose Bowl will be the last scheduled matchup between the two conferences, the new format could allow a matchup between the two in later years.

“We still look forward to the opportunity to host Big Ten and Pac-12 matchups in the new system,” Farber said.

Underneath the umbrella of Tournament of Roses is the Rose Parade. Similar to the Rose Bowl, the Rose Parade is also held on Jan. 1. Despite the Rose Bowl not consistently being played on its traditional day, Farber said the Rose Parade will not change.

In 2002 and 2006, the parage was still held on Jan. 1 despite the Rose Bowl being played on a different day.

“The Rose Parade is the beginning of a new year; it’s America’s New Year celebration,” Farber said. “That’s what it symbolizes. It will remain on Jan. 1, and we don’t have to get permission from anyone to do that. That’s a tradition that we hold dear and that we have every intention of maintaining.

“There will be opportunities for all kinds of things on the game side that really won’t have any impact on the on the parade side.”

The Rose Bowl certainly has its own allure and ability to bring revenue to the city of Pasadena, but with a CFP label on the game each year moving forward, all that gets magnified.

“We think it’s fantastic for the city of Pasadena,” Farber said.

“The Tournament of Roses has always worked closely with the city on the annual Rose Bowl game and the Rose Parade. We believe that the importance of keeping the Rose Bowl game as part of the expanded 12-team playoff is there. And the reality is that it was possible that the Rose Bowl game could have been excluded from the playoffs after 2026 and that wasn’t something we could let happen. We believe it would have had huge adverse reactions for the city of Pasadena, the Tournament of Roses and the future of the Rose Parade.”

Although there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the CFP expansion with how everything is going to shake out, Farber maintains that the Rose Bowl always wanted to be part of it.

“What we’ve done is taken the first step of many, and we’re going to continue to work with the CFP and be good partners as we look ahead,” she said. “What is good for the Tournament of Roses is good for the Rose Bowl and is good for the city of Pasadena. We want to keep the Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, and we want to be part of the College Football Playoff.

“College football is evolving. If we don’t evolve with it, we will be left behind. We have to be ready and willing to evolve as the sport changes.”

The Rose Bowl continues its iconic ways

By Caleb Jones Pasadena Weekly Contributing Writer

The Rose Bowl needs no introduction. Fans, players and coaches in the college football community revere the Rose Bowl as one of the most prestigious events in the sport.

The Rose Bowl is the oldest-running bowl game, which has earned it the nickname “The Granddaddy of Them All.” Since its inception in 1902, the Rose Bowl has provided some of the sport’s most iconic moments.

This year’s Rose Bowl pits the Utah Utes against the Penn State Nittany Lions in their first meeting. It kicks off at 2 p.m. local time Monday, Jan. 2. But get ready: The festivities start early. The parking lots open at 4 a.m., followed by the 9 a.m. FanFest. Game ticket holders are allowed into the stadium at 11:30 a.m., with pregame activities starting at 1 p.m.

The Utah Utes head into the game after defeating the USC Trojans to claim the PAC 12 Championship. The Utes made their first Rose Bowl last year, but fell short, losing to Ohio State 48-45.

The Utes are back and have another chance to secure their programs first Rose Bowl win again this year.

The Utes come into the game with a record of 10-3 and feature a dynamic offense led by quarterback Cameron Rising. Rising has put up 2,939 yards of passing with 25 touchdowns to only seven interceptions.

Standing in their way is the Big Ten’s Penn State Nittany Lions, who are making their fifth trip to the Rose Bowl. Penn State finished its regular season with a record of 10-2 to land in third place in the Big Ten East. The last time Penn State played in the Rose Bowl was in 2017 when it lost to USC 52-49.

Penn State is led by quarterback Sean Clifford who has 2,543 yards with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Nittany Lions also feature a two-headed monster in the backfield. Running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen finished the regular season with over 800 yards and combined for 19 touchdowns on the ground.

Ja’Quinden Jackson

Clifford Sean

The Rose Bowl’s history spans over 100 years from its first game on Oct. 28, 1922.

Penn State/Submitted

University of Utah/Submitted

Christopher Nyerges/Contributor

Upcoming Events

Have an event for the calendar? Send it to christina@timespublications.com.

The Light the World Parade

DEC. 29

Check out the lights and colors of the Light the World Parade as it comes to Pasadena. The floats have been featured all over the world, including Athens, as well as the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. While the parade is free for anyone to come and see, donations are appreciated.

Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green Street, Pasadena, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free, bit.ly/LighttheWorldParade

Decorating Places: Float Viewing

DEC. 29 TO DEC. 31

The public can get a sneak peek at the Rose Parade floats while volunteers put the final touch on them. This gives spectators a chance to see how floats are made. Guests are invited to tour the facility and see for themselves how intricate and floral elements can be used to make a decoration complete.

Rosemont Pavilion, 700 Seco Street, Pasadena, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., $20, sharpseating.com

Play and Learn

DEC. 30

Take the kids out to play and give them the time out of the house they need. Join for educational games, puzzles, a wide variety of music, coloring and fun with friends.

Villa Parke Community Center Branch Library, 363 E. Villa Street, Pasadena, 10:30 a.m. to noon, free, cityofpasadena.net/library

Back to the ’80s End-of-Year Live Show and Dance Party DEC. 30

Celebrate the coming of 2023 by taking a trip back to the 1980s. Listen to The Krows and a special performance by DJ Speedy as they play rock Español, Cumbia, classic ’80s-era pop and more.

The Mixx, 443 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, free admission, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., themixxclub.com

Bandfest

DEC. 30 TO DEC. 31

Get a sneak peek at the Rose Parade bands and the award-winning shows that led to their selection. Check out musicians, dancers and auxiliary performers as they perform their 5.5-mile march down

Colorado Boulevard.

Robinson Stadium at Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, check website for times, $20 admission, bit.ly/BandfestPasadena

Noon Year’s Eve Celebration DEC. 31

If midnight’s too late for the kiddos, try Noon Year’s Eve with crafts and activities. Count down and celebrate 2023 in an exciting and bedtime friendly way. Santa Catalina Branch Library, 999 E. Washington Boulevard, Pasadena, 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., free, cityofpasadena. net/library

Noon Year’s Eve at Southern California Children’s Museum DEC. 31

Celebrate Noon Year’s Eve with the kids at the California Children’s Museum, a premiere place to find open play and interesting objects for children to enjoy. There’s a confetti drop at noon, activities, a dance party and surprises.

Southern California Children’s Museum, 459 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., $16, socalkids.org/nye

NYE Extravaganza with Devotional DEC. 31

Join the New Year’s Eve Extravaganza with a futuristic dance party and a live show with the ultimate Depeche Mode tribute: Devotional. Listen to “Personal Jesus,” “Behind the Wheel,” “Blasphemous Rumours” and other hits. Free champagne will be served as the new year clocks down, and dinner and cocktail specials will be around all night long. The Mixx, 443 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., free admission, themixxclub.com

Get Real! Virtual Reality at PPL JAN. 1

Discover the strange and blossoming world of virtual reality without the need to purchase an expensive headset of your own. Discover the planet Mars in a walking tour, visit the International Space Station, or learn the art of guided meditation. Intended for teenagers 13 and older.

Jefferson Branch Children and Teen Services, 1500 E. Villa Street, Pasadena, free, 4 to 5 p.m., cityofpasadena.net/library

Continued from page 16

Pasadena City College Flea Market

JAN. 1

With more than 400 collectors and countless intermingling shoppers, the College Flea Market promises a little something for everyone, ranging from high-end antiques to typical rummage sale items.

Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., free admission, 626-585-7906, pasadena.edu/community/flea-market

Rose Parade

JAN. 2

For millions around the world, the Rose Parade is an iconic New Year tradition. For over 5 miles, the parade features riders on horseback, floral decorated floats, bands, tournament-entered floats made by the community, and nonprofits. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, 8 a.m., ticket prices vary, tournamentofroses.com

Rose Bowl Game

JAN. 2

The 2022 season finishes strong with the classic Rose Bowl game live from Pasadena. Utah and Penn State battle it out for the first time.

Rose Bowl Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena, 2 p.m., ticket prices vary, tournamentofroses.com

Club Mudd

JAN. 5

Kids ages 6 to 10 are encouraged to join in on Club Mudd. Here, they’ll learn the ins and outs of making animals out of clay, learning the basics of shaping and manipulating clay into something interesting, coming home with a beautiful art project for the shelf.

La Pintoresca Branch Library, 1355 N. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, 4:15 to 5:45 p.m., free, cityofpasadena.net/library

Great Literature Discussion Group

JAN. 5

Join the literature discussion group for weekly chats about the value and quality of classic pieces of great literature.

Lamanda Park Branch Library, 140 S. Altadena Drive, Pasadena, 10 to 11 a.m., free, cityofpasadena.net/library

Video Game Club

JAN. 5

Join fellow teenagers for games on the Nintendo Switch. Drop by any time with no registration required.

Hastings Branch Library, 3325 E. Orange Grove Boulevard, Pasadena, free, 4 to 6 p.m., cityofpasadena.net/library

Pasadena Bead & Design Show

JAN. 6 TO JAN. 8

Taking on the image of an old-world bazaar, the Bead & Design Show returns to Pasadena, bringing with it hand-cut gems, antique beads, silks, pearls, silver, textiles, dyed clothing and all manner

of jewelry. More than 200 artisan exhibits are on display, and workshops are available for anyone looking to be a part of the art that goes into high-quality craft projects.

Hilton Pasadena, 168 S. Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., $10 admission, beadanddesign.com/shows/ pasadena.php

Phoebe’s Ukulele Workshop JAN. 7

Learn more about the craft of ukuleles with this weekly course. Ukuleles are provided and checked out, so kids can practice without having to already have their own.

La Pintoresca Branch Library, 1355 N. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., free, cityofpasadena.net/library

The Yoga Expo LA JAN. 7

Get fit and share a mutual love of yoga with others at the Los Angeles area’s best gathering hub for yoga aficionados. The expo features countless exciting classes with local and national teachers, all ready to help students new and old. Enjoy a marketplace filled to the brim with healthy food and brand-name accessories. Feel the buzz of good energy as yoga empowers the mind and body of those who participate.

Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green Street, Pasadena, ticket prices

vary, theyogaexpo.org

Pasadena Grows: Native Wildflower Scatter Seed Mix

JAN. 7

Learn about botany, as well as how native wildflowers grow, as well as which ones are native to the area. Figure out how to identify flowers and how to make a scattering mix designed to help botanists start their own little spring wildflower meadow.

Hill Avenue Branch Library, 55 S. Hill Avenue, Pasadena, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., cityofpasadena.net/library

Rose Bowl Flea Market

JAN. 8

For over 50 years the Rose Bowl Flea Market has been the most well-attended and vendor-profitable flea market in the country. The market is known all over the world because of its quality of vendors.

Rose Bowl Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena, $20 for VIP early admission from 5 to 8:30 a.m., $10 for general admission from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., rosebowlstadium.com

Tuesday Musicale of Pasadena

JAN. 10

Enjoy a free musical concert before an audience in the resonant halls of the church.

Altadena Baptist Church, 791 E. Calaveras, Altadena, 12:30 p.m., free, 626797-1994

THE FUTURE IS IN OUR HANDS

At Foothill Transit, we know we all have unlimited potential to make a difference. That’s why we’re happy to celebrate 2023 Rose Queen® Bella Ballard as she looks to space for answers while studying astrophysics, and why we’re investing in the region’s largest fleet of zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell buses here on Earth.

30-year volunteer becomes Tournament of Roses president

By Morgan Owen Pasadena Weekly Staff Writer

In her first year as a Rose Parade volunteer, Amy Wainscott was assigned to the Formation Area Committee with the job of staying up through the night to prepare the parade route by installing barricades and protecting the floats from spectators. This year will be the first Rose Parade in 30 years where Wainscott will be able to walk the parade route herself as the president of the Tournament of Roses Association.

“My family is all coming in from Wisconsin to enjoy the festivities, and I think that seeing them that day, knowing that I’ve made my family proud, that’s going to be one of my favorite moments of the year. And, of course, going down the parade route. I’m sure my face will be sore from smiling, and my arms will be tired from waving,” Wainscott said.

True to Charles Holder’s description of why he started the Rose Parade, Wainscott remembers watching the Rose Parade as a kid mired in snow and the cold of a Midwestern winter.

“January 1st, there’s not much going on,” Wainscott described. “There is a lot of snow, it’s really cold and it’s part of the tradition to get up in the morning and turn on the Rose Parade. And then later, you would watch the Rose Bowl Game.”

Wainscott didn’t become involved with the Rose Parade until she was 27 and working in California with a construction management company. The company she worked for provided services for the Tournament of Roses Association. She said it was the people and building relationships with the volunteers that drove her to become a “white suiter.”

“I remember my first year I was stationed at Green and St. John,” Wainscott recalled. “There was a man that was playing the bagpipes all night long. I remember I brought a little portable heater with me, and I had my snacks and was just trying to stay warm overnight. It’s a rite of passage to work the formation area when you first join the tournament.”

After her first year, Wainscott began to work her way through different committees and up through the ranks. By 2004, she was a member at large on the Executive Committee, and by 2013 she had become the first woman to become chair of the Operations Committee. The Operations Committee, Wainscott explained, is the most “intense” and “prestigious” of the committees whose job is to execute the parade on Jan. 1.

Following her time as Operations Committee chair, Wainscott was elected to the Executive Committee, starting her 9-year journey to becoming president of the Rose Parade. Once a volunteer is

elected to the Executive Committee, they become the vice president. Each year after, they cycle through one of the management positions, including secretary and treasurer.

“It’s definitely a long process, I’m not going to lie,” Wainscott said. “But I think it’s really smart the way we do these assignments. We have 32 committees in the association, so every year you will oversee four or five of these committees. By the time you’re president, you have a very global knowledge of what all the committees do within the organization. Some moments take you out of your comfort zone, so it’s nice to have that background as you become president,”

Wainscott’s journey to becoming president included 2021. Sinnce the parade was canceled that year, her term was moved back another year. Wainscott said that before the pandemic, the theme she intended to choose was “Unsung Heroes,” but with COVID-19, “we got to see that theme play out in real time,” she said.

Instead, Wainscott selected the theme “Turning the Corner,” which has a special meaning to her.

“I’m one of those goofy ‘white suitors,’ so for me, it’s the television corner,” Wainscott mused. “It is watching the floats turning that corner and having some little girl trying to catch their eye as they’re turning. … I think it’s the moment that you turn and you’re facing the sunrise — you’re facing all of these people that are so anxious to see the parade coming down the street. That’s what turning the corner was for me.”

This year, however, Wainscott won’t be wearing a white suit. It’s a tradition that the president, and only the president, wear a red suit.

“Last year was a little bittersweet,” she recalled. “I remember getting my white suit ready for parade day and realizing that was going to be the last time I was going to wear my white suit.

“(Putting on my red suit for the first time) was a heart pounding moment for me. To have last year’s president help me put my jack on and turn over the reins to me on the third Thursday of January — it was a life changing moment for me.”

This year’s parade day, however, doesn’t mark the end of Wainscott’s journey with the Tournament of Roses. Once she passes the torch to the next president, Wainscott will become the immediate past president, whose job is to sit on the Rose Bowl committee. After that, presidents get a break. They aren’t gone, though, said Wainscott, but “maybe I’ll catch up on some reading.”

Amy Wainscott wearing the traditional red suit reserved for past and present presidents of the Tournament of Roses Association.

Kathy Schuh/Tournament of Roses Association

The history of the Tournament of Roses

By Morgan Owen Pasadena Weekly Staff Writer

Pasadena’s first Tournament of Roses took place on Jan. 1, 1890. The floats were horse-drawn carriages, the flowers were local and the sporting events that followed were foot races, polo matches and a tug of war that garnered 2,000 spectators.

The event was conceived by Professor Charles F. Holder as a promotional celebration for the Valley Hunt Club, a group of Midwestern and East Coast socialites. Holder was a naturalist, and the parade aimed to show off California’s Mediterranean climate, specifically the mild winters to attract more people from the east to move to California.

“In New York, people are buried in snow. Here our flowers are blooming, and our oranges are about to bear. Let’s hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise,” Holder said at one of Valley Hunt Club’s meetings.

Over the next few years, the parade expanded to include motorized floats, marching bands and more. The games immediately following the parade also grew to include ostrich races, bronco busting and even a race between a camel and an elephant.

Up until 1883, the Valley Hunt Club held the parade on Jan. 1. But in 1883, New Year’s Day fell on a Sunday. Parade organizers and churches were concerned that the floats and bands might disturb horses tethered along Colorado Boulevard during Sunday services, so they instituted a new rule that if Jan. 1 fell on a Sunday, the Tournament of Roses would take place the next day.

By 1885, the parade had become too large for the Valley Hunt Club to manage, and the Tournament of Roses Association was formed to take charge of the festival. The nonprofit has coordinated the parade every year since.

In 1901, the first automobiles entered the Rose Parade, but organizers relegated them to the back of the line in fear of spooking the horses. In 1920, during the 31st Rose Parade, all the floats were powered by electric or gasoline engines, marking the end of the horse drawn era. The Valley Hunt Club, howev-

Modernized floats as they appear today from the 2015 Rose Parade. Innovations in wire construction allowed floats to become bigger and bigger over time.

Motorized float from the 1920 Rose Parade.

A horse-drawn carriage from the first Rose Parade in 1890.

er, still enters a flower-decorated carriage every year.

The first year the Rose Parade was followed by a football game was 1902, but the game was less popular than the Tournament of Roses Association had hoped. In a match between Michigan and Stanford, Michigan won 49-0. In response to the public’s lack of enthusiasm, football was replaced with a chariot race.

In 1916, chariot racing was deemed too dangerous, and football got a second chance. This time, the sport grew in popularity, and the first Rose Bowl Stadium was built in 1923 to host the annual tournament.

Since then, the Rose Bowl has garnered many firsts. In 1927, it was the first sports event to be transmitted across continents, and was the first time college football was telecasted locally in 1948, nationally in 1952, and coast-to-coast in color in 1962.

The Rose Parade route has been along Colorado Boulevard for most of its history, though the length has expanded to accommodate for increased popularity and size of the floats. Each year, the parade has hundreds of thousands of live spectators and even more who watch the parade broadcast on the news.

The Tournament of Roses association crowned the first Rose Queen in 1905, Hallie Woods, but the pageant did not become a solidified tradition until 1930. Since then, the Tournament Association has crowned a Rose Queen every year aside from 2021. Today, women aged 17 to 25 can compete to be part of the Rose Court if they meet the qualifications.

“Something I found interesting is that at one point, (The Tournament of Roses Association) tried to (add men to) the royal court,” Tournament of Roses president Amy Wainscott said. “For a couple of years in the 30s, they had kings (too). That seemed like it didn’t work well for them, so they went back to a court of all young women.”

Each year the Tournament of Roses elects a president who will be responsible for selecting that year’s theme and grand marshal. The president also approves the list of floats, equestrian units, Rose Queen and Royal Court, and bands. They also wear a traditional red jacket.

This tradition dates back to the first Rose Parade, where Charles F. Holder, one of the Rose Parade’s co-founders, was appointed as the first president. Other notable

presidents include Libby Evans Wright, the first woman, in 2005 to 2006, Richard L. Chinen, the first Asian American, in 2014 to 2015, and Gerald Freeny, the first African American, in 2018 to 2019.

The grand marshal position also dates back to 1890. This position is largely ceremonial, and the appointee is usually someone well known. For example, the grand marshal in 2022 was Lavar Burton. Shirley Temple was the grand marshal three times in 1938, 1989 and 1999. Other notable grand marshals have been Bob Hope, Walt Disney, John Wayne and Jane Goodall.

Themes didn’t become an annual tradition for the Rose Parade until 1927. Before then, there had only been a theme immediately following the end of WWI in 1918 and 1919. Both were patriotic. Since 1927, the president has selected a theme for the parade each year. Some examples of past themes include “Fairy Tales in Flowers” (1931), “The Great Outdoors (1981) and “It’s Magical” (2006).

In 1958, the Wrigley family gifted their home in Pasadena to the Tournament of Roses Association to use as a permanent headquarters for the Rose Parade. Now, nearly 935 volunteers work year-round out of the residence to coordinate the annual New Year’s celebration.

The Rose Parade has only been canceled four times. Three times for WWII in 1942, 1943 and 1945, and once due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. However, in 2021, the Tournament of Roses Association produced a live telecast entitled “Rose Parade’s New Year Celebration presented by Honda” in lieu of a live parade. The Rose Parade returned in 2022 in full force, despite the ongoing pandemic.

Today, it takes more than 80,000 hours and 935 members of the Tournament of Roses Association to execute Pasadena’s annual Rose Parade.

In the future, Wainscott said she hopes her grandchildren will be able to enjoy the Rose Parade.

“(People) always have that smile on New Year’s Day,” Wainscott said. “I hope we will be relevant and (that the parade) will be something that people want to see every year — that they’ll want to have the Rose Parade in their life for generations to come.”

Gabby Giffords to lead the Rose Parade

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Pasadena Weekly Executive Editor

Former Arizona State Rep. Gabby Giffords was named the 2023 grand marshal by Tournament of Roses President Amy Wainscott.

Giffords’ remarkable recovery from traumatic injuries epitomizes the 2023 theme, “Turning the Corner,” according to Wainscott.

The announcement was a celebratory event on the front steps of Tournament House in Pasadena, 80 days before the Rose Bowl Game and Rose Parade presented by Honda, both on Jan. 2.

“It’s a tremendous honor to serve as the grand marshal of the 134th Rose Parade,” Giffords said in a statement.

“I love the theme of ‘turning the corner’ — the idea that we all can make a conscious decision to go in a different direction, toward something better. This philosophy of moving ahead is one that I’ve tried to embody both in my personal journey of recovery since being shot in 2011 and in the fight for gun violence prevention that has become my life’s work.”

Wainscott said she is looking forward to hosting Giffords.

“We are just over the moon thrilled to have Gabby as our grand marshal,” she said.

“It all starts with our theme, ‘Turning the Corner,’ and I can’t think of anybody who is more of a hopeful, optimistic person that embodies that theme.”

There’s a second Tucson tie to this year’s parade. The Catalina Foothills High School marching band is going to participate in the parade.

“It’s a great coincidence that we have the high school and Gabby Giffords in our parade,” Wainscott said. “They’re under the direction of Renee Shane Boyd, who is another incredible female.”

To choose Catalina Foothills, Wainscott traveled to Tucson in the spring. She also encourages the community to help fund the band’s trip to Pasadena.

“We visit all of our bands and bring awareness to the community that they’ll be traveling to Pasadena,” she said.

“They have to pay their way to get to Pasadena. We were there this spring and we were able to visit with the students who are amazing musicians and the boost-

ers, the administrators at the school and the community. (Artist) Diana Madaras had a fundraiser and Gabby said she knew her. It all came full circle for us.”

Giffords was the youngest woman elected to the Arizona State Senate, represented the community in the Arizona legislature from 2000 to 2005, and then in Congress from 2006 to 2012.

On Jan. 8, 2011, at a “Congress on Your Corner” constituent event in Tucson, Giffords was shot in the head by a gunman who killed six people and injured 12 others. She stepped down from Congress in January 2012 to focus on her recovery. Giffords embarked on a path to regain her ability to speak and walk.

“The idea of ‘turning the corner’ also resonates from a national perspective,” Giffords said.

“Our country has faced multiple years of a deadly pandemic and political rancor. Yet medical advances and bipartisan compromise have helped us to take steps toward a better future, even if these steps aren’t always as quick or as sure as we would like them to be, but I’ve learned the importance of incremental progress — and that progress starts with having the courage to hope, and then to act on that hope.”

In 2013, after the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, Giffords co-founded the organization now known as Giffords.

During the past several years, the organization has made gun safety a kitchen table issue for voters. Giffords has worked hard to pass legislation in states across the country and at the federal level. This summer, Giffords was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down,” a documentary from the filmmakers behind “RBG,” premiered this year and is now available to stream at home on demand.

“I’m extremely grateful to follow in the footsteps of the many distinguished grand marshals in the parade’s history and to blaze my own path forward,” Giffords said.

“Thank you so much to Tournament of Roses President Amy Wainscott and to the board of directors for this privilege, and I look forward to being at the parade on Jan. 2.”

The 2023 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Grand Marshal Gabby Giffords.

Rose Parade judge highlights conservation, sustainability

By Thea Eskey Pasadena Weekly Contributing Writer

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses’ commitment to sustainability and conservation extends from the Jan. 2 parade to the judges.

Each year the Tournament of Roses selects three judges to grant awards based on criteria including float design, floral presentation and entertainment value. The winners are unveiled on New Year’s Day.

One judge, Nicole Cavender, brings a unique perspective grounded in her work as the Telleen/Jorgensen director of the Huntington Library’s Botanical Gardens.

Cavender’s background in plant biology and horticulture is deeply informed by biodiversity and sustainability.

“I think about sustainability as it relates to human well-being, human survival, the future and biodiversity is an important, key metric … for us to view sustainability,” she said.

“We are part of the evolution of life. We came about because of the changes in biodiversity, and we depend on biodiversity and the functioning of biodiverse systems for our health, our survival, our food, everything. We sometimes forget the big picture.”

Cavender said she’s excited to be chosen as a judge because she strives to promote awareness around plants and their roles in humans’ well-being.

The 2023 theme for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses is “Turning the Corner.” Cavender said she’s looking for various characteristics in the winning float.

“I’ll be really interested in those floats taking the theme into something very meaningful for society, for nature, for the interaction between people and nature,” she explained.

Cavender said the smallest individual actions can make a huge difference in promoting sustainability and conservation for communities like Pasadena.

“I think the biggest thing we can do is become aware of the key issues,” she said, “Climate change affects everyone globally, but it affects differently depending on where you are.

“In the west, what is right in front and center of us is the climate is affecting our everyday life. It is affecting our water security. It is affecting our rainfall and our snowfall. It is affecting our fire. It is costing us a lot more money. We need to develop solutions.”

Nicole Cavender is the Telleen/Jorgenson director of the Huntington Library’s Botanical Gardens and one of three judges for the 2023 Rose Parade.

Donate Life floragraphs honor sacrifice

By Morgan Owen Pasadena Weekly Staff Writer

Adecade ago, Kimberly Payne went through one of the most difficult experiences of her life. Her 16-month-old grandson was declared brain-dead in the hospital after a beating at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend.

At that painful moment, Kimberly’s daughter donated Malaikye’s organs. Six years later, Malaikye was honored with a floragraph on Donate Life’s 2018 Rose Parade float.

Each year since 2006, Donate Life has used the Rose Parade to honor those who have donated their organs by creating portraits out of natural, parade-approved materials, such as coffee, seeds, cinnamon and other flora.

Once selected, families of the honoree are invited to Southern California to create the floragraph, which will be placed on the final float. In 2021, despite the parade’s cancellation, Donate Life maintained the floragraph tradition by creating a living sculpture to display along the parade route.

“(Donate Life has) a bunch of leaders there, including the float crew chief to help and guide you through the process. And there’s a bunch of tears and a bunch of laughter while making the floragraph,” Kimberly said as she explained the process. “For me, it was absolutely healing to be able to work through the tears and laughter and come out the other side with this beautiful floragraph.”

After the parade is finished, the honoree’s family is allowed to keep the floragraph. Kimberly said Malaikye’s floragraph sits at the end of her front hall so that it is the first thing someone sees upon entering her home.

Kimberly explained that Donate Life’s float-decorating process isn’t just about honoring donors and their families with the floragraphs. Through Donate Life’s Rose Parade unit, Kimberly has made lifelong connections with families of other donors and donor recipients.

Although its meaning didn’t click right away for Kimberly, this year’s theme, “Turning the Corner,” has special meaning to those whose loved ones have donated organs, she said. According to her, all donor families are working toward turning their corner from grief to love.

“I never thought I would be able to talk about him with a smile on my face, but I was shocked by the recipients and how in awe they are of donor families. At that point, I went from a lot of grief and anger to really appreciating the fact that my daughter said yes to organ donation.

“Once I met all of these people, I was able to say, ‘who am I to say that Malaikye was taken just too soon. Maybe he was put on this earth specifically to save those four people,’” said Kimberly, referring to the four individuals who received a heart, liver and kidneys from her grandson. “That’s when I know I turned my corner.”

Since 2017 when Kimberly first became involved with Donate Life’s Rose Parade float decorating process, she has returned each year to help work on floragraphs for honorees whose families could not make it out to Southern California.

Although there is something special about having a floragraph made by the family, she said, it isn’t always possible for those who live states away. Instead, volunteers make the floragraph without the eyebrows, which is then sent to the families to finish and returned to California.

This year, Donate Life’s float celebrates 20 years of Rose Parade participation and

Donate Life’s 2023 float, “Lifting Each Other Up,” before decorating.

will honor 59 organ, eye, and tissue donors and recipients. The float will be titled “Lifting Each Other Up” and feature an Asian Street Dragon as the centerpiece. The float will include a group of 20 living donors and recipients and 39 floragraphs representing organ donors no longer with us.

“That float means so much to many. Sometimes it’s the first time people are introduced to organ donation because they hear about it when they watch it on TV for the first time. It’s just a feeling of such an immense amount of pride, love, spirit, and connection to other people,” Kimberly said as she became emotional describing the feeling of seeing Donate Life’s float coming down Colorado Boulevard in past years.

The most important thing to Kimberly, she said, is to get people talking about organ donation while they are happy and healthy. That way individuals can make those decisions and share them with loved ones before a potential tragedy. That is the legacy Kimberly is trying to build for Malaikye, and she hopes the Donate Life Rose Parade Float will inspire people to donate their time and maybe more.

Donate Life California 1-866-797-2366 donatelifecalifornia.org info@donatelifecalifornia.org

Late deputy, mom honored by Donate Life

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Pasadena Weekly Executive Editor

Deborah Edenhofer and her son, Tyler, were connected by football. The single mother encouraged him to cheer on her hometown Buffalo Bills during his formative years in Glendale, Arizona.

Football is bringing them together one more time as the late Tyler will be honored on the Donate Life America float in the Rose Parade on Monday, Jan. 2. It will air on NBC and Peacock starting at 9 a.m.

The float will feature a floragraph of 24-year-old Tyler, who was an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper for 54 days when was allegedly killed by Isaac D. King near I-10 and Avondale Boulevard, west of Phoenix, in July 2018.

“It makes me happy and sad,” Deborah said about the Rose Parade honor. “I was amazed. It was beautiful. I felt like he was there.”

Tyler is one of 44 organ, eye and tissue donors from across the United States who will adorn the float. He restored vision for two people and help 20 others with his cornea and tissue donations.

Nico Santos, media relations specialist for the Donor Network of Arizona, said Deborah has worked tirelessly to promote organ donation since Tyler died.

“Deb reached out to local media on her own after her son passed and told his story and why it was important to her,” Santos said.

“She’s taking her son’s story to the national and global level, if you think about the Rose Parade. We’re continuing to share her story. We’re asking people to register just like he did.”

Santos said placement on the Donate Life America float is a thank you for giving the gift of life.

“He said he’s always thinking of me and things we can do to help promote what Tyler did,” Deborah added.

“We need to get other people to be donors. The Donor Network is so supportive. They invited me to go to the D-backs game and throw out the first pitch. I was so excited. I got all decked out in Tyler’s stuff. I was so proud. I went out there, threw the pitch and, a couple weeks later, they asked if I wanted to participate in the Rose Parade.”

Serving the community

As a child, Tyler had a rough time in school, Deborah said. While in Arizona, Tyler attended Cactus High School in Glendale, Arizona, but graduated in Kentucky.

“Getting him through high school, as a single parent, was a bear,” she said with a laugh. “It wasn’t challenging enough for him. He never wanted to go. I did get him to graduate.”

Afterward, he joined the Navy and “never missed a day, never missed a beat,” she said. He served four years in Guam and was trained as a welder.

“One day he came home from work and said, ‘I don’t want to do this the rest of my life. I want to serve my community,’” Deborah recalled.

“I said, ‘OK. Are you going to be a firefighter? Police officer?’ He said, ‘No, I want to be a trooper.’ I was just amazing. I stuck with him 100%. He graduated the academy on May 4, 2018.”

The commencement speaker was Angela Harrolle of the 100 Club of Arizona, which strives to provide financial assistance to families of first responders who are seriously injured or killed in the line of duty.

“She gave her speech and my whole family, Tyler and I were there,” she recalled. “She said if anything happened, she would be there for us. I thought, ‘Nah. He’s a good kid, has a great head on his shoulders. He’s strong and tough.’”

Fifty-four days later he died. King is still in the Fourth Avenue Jail in Phoenix awaiting trial.

“He just wanted to serve and protect people,” Deborah said.

“He was so dedicated and loved people so much. He was very motivated. He took pride in his uniform. When he got his DPS car, it was an older one with bumps and bruises on it. Deborah said Tyler planned to scuff them out and repaint those areas.

“He would kill me right now,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t wash my car as much as he did. He was super, super motivated. I got a really good one.”

Deborah Edenhofer raised Tyler Edenhofer in Glendale, Arizona. He was shot and killed on the I-10 near Avondale Boulevard, west of Phoenix, in 2018.

Deborah Edenhofer finishes a floragraph of her late son, Tyler Edenhofer, for the Rose Parade Donate Life float.

NASCAR celebrates 75 years with its 1st Rose Parade float

By Leah Schwartz Pasadena Weekly Staff Writer

NASCAR’s first Rose Parade float will pay tribute to the new home of its preseason Feb. 5 Busch Light Clash — Los Angeles.

“I think (our float) speaks to iconic Los Angeles and Southern California events,” said Amy Lupo, NASCAR’s managing director of marketing integration.

“Our efforts with the Clash at The Coliseum are to make it not just another event in LA but a true Los Angeles event. And so it’s important that we show up in places where Southern Californians are.”

Commemorating NASCAR’s 75th season, it also honors the organization’s Dec. 14 birthday and the Coliseum’s 100th anniversary next year. The float is titled “Always Forward,” keeping with the theme of this year’s parade, “Turning the Corner.”

After moving its annual Clash to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from Daytona International Speedway in 2022, NASCAR has prioritized engaging with LA. (For race info, visit nascarclash.com.)

The float was designed in conjunction with the float design company Artistic Entertainment Services, an organization with a long history of creating Rose Parade floats. Lupo described the sport’s float as flashing back but looking forward.

The Coliseum is the float’s backdrop with racecars driving along a track. The Bill France Cup trophy takes a prominent role, with the NASCAR 75 diamond

logo affixed to the front. The float will stand 25 feet tall and 55 feet wide.

It highlights NASCAR’s new themed license plates created in collaboration with the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA). Proceeds from the plates will be donated to parks in the Fontana, California, area, home to the Auto Club Speedway and Expo Park, where the Coliseum is housed, and the NASCAR Foundation.

In true Rose Parade tradition, the NASCAR float will be adorned with tens of thousands of seeds and floral decorations. The float’s cars, track, checkered flags, and ribbons will be composed of ground green split peas, red cranberry seeds, rice, black seaweed, poppy seeds, orange lentils, and blue statice.

In the float’s rear, the Coliseum façade was created with dark and light sesame seeds, green tea leaves, and carnation petals for the Olympic flame; while the NASCAR 75 diamond logo at the front will feature yellow starflowers, red carnations, blue statice and an assortment of seeds. These elements will sit atop a base of orange, red and hot pink roses with blue floral accents.

To thank the parade’s 935 volunteers, NASCAR is donating Busch Light Clash and Auto Club Speedway ticket offers. As excitement for the parade builds, Lupo explained that NASCAR wants this year’s float to “touch parts of the community to show that NASCAR is here and we’re welcome and open for everybody.”

NASCAR joins this year’s Rose Parade with its first float, commemorating its 75th anniversary.

Tanya Tucker’s first country hit was the classic “Delta Dawn,” at the age of 13 in 1972.

Country legend

Tanya Tucker joining Rose Parade

By Pasadena Weekly Staff

Two-time Grammy winner Tanya Tucker will perform her current single, “Ready as I’ll Never Be,” as the grand finale of the 134th Rose Parade presented by Honda on Monday, Jan. 2.

As the two-hour mark approaches and the final float begins its trip down Colorado Boulevard, Tucker will arrive at The Mansion Entertainment Group float on a Black Friesian horse.

She will then be joined by Pasadena’s First AME Praise Team choir for the performance of the song, which was produced by Shooter Jennings.

Featured on her forthcoming album and in her new documentary film “The Return of Tanya Tucker – Featuring Brandi Carlile,” the song has garnered 2023 Oscar buzz. Following this performance, Tucker will ride down the 5.5-mile parade route.

Tucker’s first country hit was the classic “Delta Dawn,” at the age of 13 in 1972. Since that auspicious beginning, she has amassed 23 Top 40 albums and a stellar string of 56 Top 40 singles, 10 of which reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard country charts.

In December 2022, Tucker made her acting debut in a lead role in Paramount’s “A Nashville Country Christmas,” starring with Academy Award winner Keith Carradine.

As the presenting sponsor of the grand finale, The Mansion Entertainment Group’s historic family entertainment venue, The Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts in Branson, Missouri, will be showcased on a floral float. The theater is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2023.

ARTS & CULTURE

2023 Showcase House returns to Stewart House

By Luke Netzley Pasadena Weekly Deputy Editor

After 40 years, the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts (PSHA) will return to Stewart House for the first time since 1983 for the nonprofit organization’s 58th Showcase House. The beloved annual event will feature the work of 32 interior and exterior designers, who will fill the walls of the 1933 grand colonial estate in Pasadena starting in April.

“I’ve been going to Showcase since I was in high school,” 2023 benefit chair Matt McIntyre said. “It’s an organization I’m very passionate about and I’ve volunteered for many years as a community volunteer. … I was just very attracted to the mission of the organization, their commitment to arts and music education and the programs that they offer for students.”

Since its founding in 1948, PSHA has given more than $24 million in support of music and arts programs. During the 2021-22 program year, the all-volunteer organization contributed $500,000 to local nonprofits. The Pasadena Showcase House of Design is PSHA’s primary fundraising benefit.

“The three tenants that I’m trying to really stay focused on … that I’m working with for this year is ‘history,’ because I think the organization has such a long his-

The 2023 Showcase House will return to Pasadena’s Stewart House for the first time since 1983.

Stewart House was built in 1933 and designed by Pasadena’s Marston & Maybury.

Susan Pickering Photography/Submitted

tory in the community and at the same time respecting the history of the homes that we’re in,” McIntyre began. “‘Legacy,’ as we have a legacy of giving and we have these student programs that are very important to us as Showcase and to the communities that we serve. And then ‘community.’ Without the community, without Pasadena, without the greater San Gabriel Valley area, we wouldn’t be the successful Showhouse that we are.

“I think it’s really important to acknowledge that the Pasadena community is very dedicated to nonprofits but has been very dedicated to Showcase. And I really want to make this a special event for them. … I hope that this benefit is our most successful benefit in history, and that’s my goal.”

Stewart House will be vacated, then reimagined by designers for the first time since its feature as the 19th Showcase House. The estate, designed by celebrated Pasadena architectural partnership Marston & Maybury, has over 11,000 square feet of living space sited on two acres of manicured landscape.

“It’s a house that I’ve driven by all my life, and I’ve always thought that it was such an impressive house,” McIntyre described. “So when the homeowners were interested, that was also compelling to me. … It’s been owned by the same family for the entire 40 years. So after the ‘83 showcase house, it sold to the present family and they’ve been there nearly 40 years.’

Over the course of four months, an array of designers will enter the home and renovate over 30 interior and landscape design spaces using their own individual visions for each section.

An estimated 20,000 guests will then tour through the property, which will also include the popular Shops at Showcase, with a variety of boutique and craft merchants, as well as on-site restaurants and live entertainment.

“All of those are important elements that make benefits successful,” McIntyre said. “I want the visitor to re-experience Showcase grandeur and to really enjoy the whole of the event. We have a lot of our legacy vendors coming back … some (have been) with us for decades at this point and are wildly popular in the community.

“Then the house … is colonial. We haven’t done a colonial house in a long time. It has a lot of rooms, which is nice because we can incorporate more designers. … You’re also able to attract younger or more cutting-edge designers that might just want a small space because asking somebody to take on a large space like the living room … is a pretty big commitment. It’s not for the faint of heart.”

McIntyre also expressed a hope that each of the featured designers can meet new people and expand their own businesses through the event, as their work will be exposed to a wide audience in a unique setting.

“One of the nice attributes for an interior designer about doing a Showcase House is they get to do something that’s truly reflective of them,” McIntyre explained. “They’re not really reporting to a client, so they don’t have all those layers of things that clients want. They get to be the artists that they really are.”

Public tours of Stewart House will take place from Sunday, April 23, to Sunday, May 21. Golden tickets are currently on sale and timed entry tickets will go on sale in early February. PSHA will also offer insider packages that give guests an insight into the transformation of Stewart House with access to the Empty House Party in January and Premiere Night Gala in April.

Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts’ 58th Showcase House

WHERE: Stewart House, Pasadena

WHEN: Public tours run from Sunday, April 23, to Sunday, May 21.

INFO: pasadenashowcase.org

The colonial estate will welcome 32 interior and exterior designers in April.

Everything counts with Devotional on NYE

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Pasadena Weekly Executive Editor

2022 was a year of change for Devotional singer Freddie Morales. His mother, with whom he was very close, died after a long battle with COVID-19 in February. Needing to process that, he put the Depeche Mode tribute band on a brief hiatus, returning in June.

It’s been the perfect time for Devotional, who plays The Mixx on New Year’s Eve. In October, Depeche Mode announced that it was returning with a new album, “Memento Mori,” in the spring.

“They lost Andrew Fletcher unexpectedly,” he said about the keyboardist/ founding member of Depeche Mode.

“I played the Depeche Mode Convention (in November in Hollywood) and I decided to bring out the classics, the obscure songs that Depeche Mode wouldn’t even touch today.”

Those songs include “Boys Say Go!” “Nodisco” and “Get the Balance Right!” Devotional also features the hits like “Personal Jesus,” “Shake the Disease,” “Everything Counts” and “Never Let Me Down.” New Year’s Eve won’t be any different.

“We play for 90 minutes, which is a pretty good set of 22 songs for New Year’s Eve,” said Morales, who performs the parts by Depeche Mode singer Dave Gahan. “We have a full-on visual show, too.

“There are three costume changes. I’m bringing the fashion of Depeche Mode on stage with leather jackets, the studded jackets, which makes it fun for me and the audience as well.”

Morales’ right-hand man, Brian Soto, acts as his Martin Gore, the songwriter/keyboardist/vocalist in Depeche Mode.

“He picks and chooses what he enjoys, like ‘Somebody’ or ‘Sometimes’ or ‘One Caress,’” he said. “‘The Things You Said,’ he sings that song as well. We really focus on what the fans want to hear and what Depeche Mode plays.”

Born to Mexican parents, Morales performed original music in his early teens and released his first album in his twenties. He was schooled in the business while working for the artists like Ricky Martin and Shakira.

“I got to learn about the work they did and how they put on their shows,” he said.

Morales cofounded the Depeche Mode tribute act, Strangelove, but left in 2018 when its members relocated outside of Pasadena. He quickly founded Devotional.

“I’m very passionate about this project,” he said. “I’m glad I made that decision (to leave Strangelove) and found the great musicians. With the support of (SiriusXM DJ/author) Richard Blade, the people in LA and promotions companies, I was able to play sold-out shows at the OC Fair, for instance.

“It was beautiful to come back from the COVID lockdown and perform in the masses again. The shows are an experience for us and the audience.”

Morales admitted he’s “very picky with details.” He strives for great production, focusing on Depeche Mode from 1982 to 2006.

“The experience you get with Devotional is that Depeche Mode doesn’t play anymore, but the sound takes you back to the ’80s and ’90s and what Depeche Mode used to sound like,” he said.

“The songs don’t sound the same today as they did back then, in the earlier days. The beautiful thing about being in a tribute band is keeping that history and music and recreating it. When you perform it, people are blown away. They’re nostalgic.”

Morales said passion is the key to Devotional’s success.

“There are a lot of tribute bands out there,” he said. “They all have their own style. If you really want to be on that platform to wow them, you can do it. You just need to put in that passion. You’re not going to get there if there’s no passion.”

Devotional: The Ultimate Depeche Mode Experience

WHEN: 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 31

WHERE: The Mixx, 443 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena

COST: Tickets start at $30

INFO: themixxclub.com

Freddie Morales fronts Devotional: The Ultimate Depeche Mode Experience, which celebrates New Year’s Eve at The Mixx.

Stay safe and sound with Capital Cities on NYE

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Pasadena Weekly Executive Editor

Sebu Simonian and Ryan Merchant have played plenty of New Year’s Eve concerts as Capital Cities.

Simonian is hoping that this year will rank among the most memorable when Capital Cities plays The Venice West on Saturday, Dec. 31.

“They can expect what we typically bring, which is a great show with lots of dance music, celebratory melodies and fun times,” Simonian said.

“It’s going to be a New Year’s Eve bash. We’re going to count down and celebrate life.”

Best known for their 2011 Top 10 hit “Safe and Sound,” Merchant and Simonian count The Venice West show as a hometown gig. Simonian lives in Altadena, while Merchant resides in Venice Beach.

Born in Syria to Armenian-Lebanese parents who fled Beirut due to civil war, Simonian graduated from Glendale High School and California State University, Northridge, where he studied music. Simonian loves the area.

“I just discovered a cool restaurant called Fox’s on the lake,” Simonian said. “That’s my go-to brunch spot now. Bacchus’ Kitchen on Washington, that’s another great one. Living here is peaceful and serene. It’s good for the kids.”

Simonian and Merchant met through Craigslist and quickly started writing jingles. After three years of collaborations, they formed Capital Cities. The band released its debut, self-titled EP in June 2011 via their label, Lazy Hooks.

In 2012, the band signed with Capitol Records. Its debut album, “In a Tidal Wave of Mystery,” hit stores in June 2013 and spawned “Safe and Sound.” The song’s video was nominated for the Best Music Video Grammy.

They kicked off their first North American tour with Gold Fields in April 2013 at Phoenix’s Crescent Ballroom, and later jaunted with Katy Perry. In the summer of 2018, Capital Cities released “Solarize.”

When he’s not with his kids, Simonian is writing material for the third Cap -

ital Cities album. He’s also producing and writing for several other projects.

“The new material is all over the place, which is how we like it,” Simonian said. “We are always experimenting. Generally, we’re a pop-rock act with a dance orientation. Sometimes, we slow it down. Sometimes, we speed it up. Our main focus is writing good lyrics and melodies that could stand the test of time and could be played on an acoustic guitar. We’re just in the experimental stage at the moment.”

The COVID-19 pandemic made Simonian think about his craft. He found solace in the importance of his work.

“I think, in general, as an artist, we all got a little bit of a scare from the pandemic,” he said. “It made me personally want to be more productive and put out stuff that had been shelved and sitting in hard drives.

“Life is short, and I think the more material you put out as an artist, the better — even if they’re not typical or mainstream. That spurred me to create more and release more music. It also allowed us to be more creative and more productive in the studio. That was a good thing.”

One of his side projects is Mended Mind with producer Jonah Walsh. The band will release music in 2023. In addition to that, he is writing vocals for Sarkis Mikael, an electronic dance music artist from LA.

“I love dance music, but I also love rock music,” he said. “It’s fun to try all kinds of styles and genres. You can be expressive in different ways.”

Capital Cities w/Spencer Ludwig and Moon Cougar

WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31

WHERE: The Venice West, 1717 Lincoln Boulevard, Venice COST: $75 in advance; $100 at the door; 21 and older INFO: thevenicewest.com

Capital Cities’ Sebu Simonian and Ryan Merchant live in Altadena and Venice Beach, respectively.

Each year, the volunteer Members of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses® bring America’s New Year celebration to life with the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game. A huge thanks to these 935 white suiters — we literally couldn’t do it without you.