Originally published on 3 January 2019 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
London University | Courtesy Photo
The road to college
Happy New Year! By this time, winter break is over and students are heading back to school I hope your children got the opportunity to de-stress and refresh, enjoyed time away from school, and just delighted in being teenagers. The years between middle and high school aren’t that long and, once gone, will never come back. Give your children the chance to relish this period in their lives.
It amazes me how much driving parents do during the school year taking their kids to school, after-school sports practice and events, AP or SAT classes, weekend music lessons, etc. If all that running around makes parents stressed out I can only imagine how it must be for children who are juggling all these activities on top of going through puberty.
Parents can help their children by showing their support and guiding them through their high school years. Starting preparations for college admissions in 9th grade, instead of during the spring of your children’s junior year makes this process more manageable.
Private high schools have counselors to give personal attention to students during the college application process. But many public schools do not have the staff for individualized guidance and it falls largely to parents to help their children.
There are independent counselors you can consult for advice as you and your children navigate the admissions process. Sometimes just having someone you can call to answer some of your concerns or questions takes off much of the burden.
Greg Kaplan, a Southern California native, offers counseling via Skype. He has written a book called Earning Admission: Real Strategies for Getting into Highly Selective Collegesthat enlightens you on the process; he also offers college counseling workshops in the San Gabriel Valley.
An educational service called CollegeVine, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, whose counselors are current university students, is also a good resource. These peer mentors can give your children the most current information about what the colleges are looking for since they are still in school themselves. Consultation is also done via video conferencing.
FRESHMAN
Typically, the beginning of the year marks the halfway point in the schoolyear. First semester grades would soon be released, if they had not been sent out yet. If your 9th graders’ marks are not great, they would need to use the second semester to better them as it’s the end-of-year grades that show on the transcript. A student’s GPA is a very important, if not the single most influential, component of the college application.
Make sure your children are continuing their extra-curricular activities in arts or sports, with concentration on one or two where they excel. Finding something they are truly passionate about and doing it throughout their high school years show their commitment. My daughter realized she loved acting only when she reached 11th grade. Thus, she didn’t have enough time to engage in it, and her resume reflected that.
SOPHOMORE
This is your student’s second year and by this time he/she should have fully transitioned into high school. He/she needs to put extra effort into weak subjects and solidify grades for the second semester. Your children should continue their focus on academic performance skills, sports participation and arts involvement. They should also start studying for the PSAT (www.collegeboard.com). Taking a practice PSAT in 10th grade gives them the chance to identify weaknesses then work on them before taking the NMSQT (www.nationalmerit.org) in 11th grade. At my daughter’s alma mater, students meet with their grade level dean in the winter of 10th grade to discuss year-end testing options and junior-year course options.
Sophomores enrolled in Advanced Algebra and Pre-Calculus register to take the SAT II Math Level 2 exam in June of their sophomore year. Those enrolled in Functions, Trigonometry and Advanced Algebra (FTAA) take this same exam in June of their junior year, after completing the Advanced Topics and An Introduction to Calculus-Honors (ATIC-Honors) course. Sophomores who are thinking of going into science, medicine, architecture, and engineering are encouraged to take the SAT II exam in Chemistry in May or June of their sophomore year. Your student should also start lining up summer activities.
JUNIOR
The second semester of junior year is significant as it is the beginning of the college application process. From their research, students are now ready to start planning a visit to colleges. They can even do their initial campus virtual tours online www.campustours.com, www.CollegeProwler.com, www.SmartCollegeVisit.com, www.YOUniversity.com. Counselors usually recommend that students use their spring break to go to several different types of schools. A good list should include a small liberal arts college, a medium-sized research university, and a large state university to let them have a feel for what “small” or “large” school means.
Your children should be able to experience firsthand if a large city like New York makes them feel alive and vibrant, or if it totally overwhelms and scares them. They need to experience if a campus with 20,000 students is the right setting for them. While they don’t necessarily have to visit the schools they are actually considering applying to, this trip should give them ideas about what they are looking for in a university. Once they’ve established the elements they are looking for, they can start making a record of schools they would put on their list of colleges to apply to.
As much as I am tempted to say “Tell your kids to breathe a sigh of relief because the hard part is over,” the reality is that they will be anxious because all that’s left now is the wait. And, oftentimes, the waiting is more difficult than the application process. Just be there for your kids to remind them that they have done a great job and they should let the admissions professionals do theirs.
The months from January through March can still be a time for your children to do something to help their cause. Mid-January is when high schools get their first semester grades finalized. If your student’s mid-year report is particularly spectacular, this could be a very good development especially if he/she is applying to a highly selective college. When your children’s high school sends the grades, have your children follow up with an email to the area representative telling them about their hard work and interest in that college.
If your children have been deferred at a college when they applied through early action or early decision, it is advisable for them to send in an additional teacher recommendation, but only if this supports their application. Likewise, if your student has received any notable honors or made any significant achievement, he/she should let the admissions officers know by email.
Having done all these, you and your children will now just have to wait patiently for the process to play itself out.
Originally published on 28 December 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
2018 Craftsman Weekend Asian Influence Tour | Courtesy photo / Pasadena Heritage
Old Pasadena is a bustling place that has become a dining, shopping, and entertainment destination for people of all ages. There was a time, however, when this corner of the city was a rundown area and no one had reason to wander into it. And were it not for the Pasadena Heritage, the city’s original downtown and its historic buildings would have disappeared altogether.
Patty Judy, Pasadena Heritage’s Education Director, describes, “In 1977 concerned citizens from various walks of life were seeing some of the historic structures in the city being demolished or being threatened for demolition to make room for generic properties and large corporate buildings. The plan to bulldoze Old Pasadena, including structures there like the Parsons headquarters, was of particular interest to them. Additionally, they noticed that neighborhoods were endangered – craftsman houses were being torn down, new development were sprouting, and the climate of the area was changing.
“It should be noted that this was also the time when the National Historic Preservation Association and California Preservation Foundation were being established. So there was a movement already going on throughout the country which sort of filtered its way here.
“Bill Ellinger, who was an architectural historian working oversees and came back and saw what was happening, and Claire Bogaard, whose husband Bill would later become Pasadena’s mayor, were two of those who actively advocated for an organization to preserve the city’s architectural treasures. As I heard it, someone said ‘Anyone who wants to join us can come to Claire’s house and they will be the first board.’ They adjourned to the dining room and that was their first board meeting. Thus, Pasadena Heritage was born.
Historic architect William W. Ellinger III Old House lecture | Courtesy photo / Pasadena Heritage
“They raised money by having tours of neighborhoods like Prospect Park and Old Pasadena – they did a little bit of advertising, set a table on the street, and people just walked up. They didn’t presell tours as we do now. For the Colorado Street Bridge, it started as a bridge party to raise funds; today it’s a celebration party.”
Many of us aren’t aware of Pasadena Heritage’s existence at all, which is regrettable because its impact on our surroundings is sweeping. As Judy elaborates, “People don’t understand why Pasadena looks the way it does and how much that has to do with our influence. I think it might be a shock for people to know how many meetings we go to with the City or how many times we meet with developers and how much sway we have.
“On the other hand, some people think we can do more than we actually can. We hear people ask why we allow developers to construct new condominiums or apartments in a particular location. They don’t understand that zoning laws allow such construction and we can’t legally bar them from building.”
Indeed, the organization’s breadth of involvement in Pasadena’s environs is too staggering for a single article to encompass. But several of its noteworthy accomplishments are highlighted here.
Pasadena Heritage’s first National Register of Historic Places Nomination in 1978 was for the Civic Center; including City Hall, the Central Library, the Civic Auditorium, the former YMCA and YWCA, and other historic buildings in the 1925 Bennett Plan that envisioned Pasadena as ‘The Athens of the West.’
The following year the organization saved its first endangered house – the Parsons House, designed by Alfred and Arthur Heineman – which was moved to Altadena and restored. In 1982 it spearheaded Pasadena’s adoption of the Landmark District Ordinance. Neighborhoods can apply for special status and design guidelines to protect their history and character. This local landmark designation is the best way structures can be ensured of protection from being destroyed.
It lobbied to save the Main Post Office on Colorado Blvd. in 1983 when the Lincoln Avenue postal facility was proposed. In 1984 one of Pasadena’s oldest bungalow courts, Gartz Court, was set to be demolished and Pasadena Heritage stepped in. It partnered with the City and moved the six-unit construction to a new location. The charming Myron Hunt-designed building was restored and updated and sold as affordable housing.
“In 1985 we adopted a Greene & Greene Initiative when an out-of-state buyer stripped the Robert R. Blacker House of its custom light fixtures,” states Judy. “We had to get an emergency ordinance that resulted in strengthening the city’s zoning with added protections for Greene & Greene structures. A higher level of designation – the Historic Treasure (now Historic Monument) – was also created to protect interior features.”
The Huntington Hotel is now the Langham Pasadena | Courtesy photo / Pasadena Heritage
As much as Pasadena Heritage would like to preserve all historic structures, the interest of the building’s owners could prevail. One such occurrence took place in 1986 when the demolition of Huntington Hotel on South Oak Knoll Avenue, which dates back to 1906, was being discussed. Pasadena Heritage nominated it to the National Register of Historic Places. While the hotel was eligible, it was not officially listed because the owners objected. A local referendum narrowly approved a new hotel and the historic tower was demolished in 1988.
However, Pasadena Heritage enjoyed numerous other victories. Judy recounts, “In 1993 the Castle Green Exterior Restoration and Historic Structure Report, funded by a $693,000 grant to Pasadena Heritage from the State Office of Historic Preservation, was completed and won a California Preservation award. The Report is still used to guide restoration of the former hotel, which has been converted as privately owned condominiums, and our easement protects the building.
“In December of that year, the Colorado Street Bridge officially reopened after a three-year project to seismically upgrade, repair, and restore it. In July 1994, Pasadena Heritage’s famous party on the bridge returned after a four-year hiatus, and record crowds turned out to celebrate.”
The organization was the recipient of a plaudit in 1995 when Old Pasadena received one of the first Great American Main Street Awards from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It also won support from the State Office of Historic Preservation to save the last 12 Vista del Arroyo Bungalows remaining along the east bank of the Arroyo.
In 1996 Pasadena Heritage moved to the 1893 Madison House on South St. John Avenue which was received as a bequest. Two years later it established Heritage Housing Partners (HHP) as a subsidiary affiliate to purchase, rehabilitate, and resell historic homes as affordable housing. This effort was supported by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which had fostered a similar program in the East and the South.
Heritage Housing Partners began work in 2000 on the 1910 Merrill House designed by Greene & Greene, the fourth single-family home it rehabbed. The house, the former residence of Samuel Merrill, an important early environmentalist, was obtained from the bank at a deep discount and allowed for a larger restoration budget.
In 2001 Pasadena Heritage’s efforts helped save a cluster of 1928 Spanish Colonial Revival commercial buildings on Green Street at Madison Avenue from demolition and subsequently became home to the California School of Culinary Arts.
“We started noticing that some mid-century architecture were also in danger,” Judy adds. “Normally the National Trust doesn’t consider something as historic until it’s 50 years old but in 2001 we asked for a special exception for the 1958 Stuart Pharmaceutical Co. building. We got it listed on the National Register when it was acquired by the MTA and was going to be converted into a parking lot. Happily, it is now a local historic landmark and is occupied by A Noise Within, the renowned classic repertory theater company.”
The expansion of the Pasadena Convention Center was the focus of Pasadena Heritage’s attention in 2003 because its centerpiece is the Civic Auditorium. It participated in the development of a new design concept that complemented the building.
In 2005 the organization strongly opposed plans to attract the NFL to take over the Rose Bowl because the project would destroy the original National Landmark stadium. The City Council rejected the NFL plan in June, but supporters managed to put the issue on the ballot in 2006. Fortunately, a massive community effort led to its ultimate defeat.
The Pasadena City Hall | Courtesy photo
Pasadena City Hall was once again in the spotlight in 2007 when it reopened after extensive seismic upgrade and restoration work. Pasadena Heritage was involved in the planning for the massive undertaking and served on the project oversight committee.
One of the structures Pasadena Heritage has been watching closely was the YWCA. Judy relates, “Since our founding, we’ve urged the restoration of the former YWCA. We felt it was important principally because it was designed by Julia Morgan, who had a prolific career. She designed more than 700 buildings in California, most notably the Hearst Castle in San Simeon. She also did the Fairmont in San Francisco, the Berkeley City Club, the Riverside Art Museum, the Hollywood Studio Club, the Herald-Examiner Building in Downtown L.A., among many others.
“Neglect over the years had kept the building on our Preservation Watch List. In 2010 the city finally took the major step of invoking eminent domain and then moved forward to secure and stabilize it while completing the lengthy acquisition process.
“Then in 2014, the YWCA was under review to become a Kimpton Hotel, a great adaptive use for the historic building. However, the proposal met with controversy because the adjacent green space would be built upon. It remains on our Advocacy Watch list to this day.”
Judy clarifies “Our goal is not to stop new development but to make sure that it is consistent with the look of the neighborhood. For example, there’s a new development in El Molino which is next to a turn of the century Victorian home. We wanted to have a green space between houses so we sat down with the developers and they redesigned the project to fit with the historic structures in the area.”
“HGTV is our biggest enemy,” confesses Judy. “They want to update historic buildings, although in doing so they take out what makes the structure important. They just tear down all the walls in the house, but they’re there for a reason. While we can’t dictate what homeowners should do in the house’s interior, we try to educate the owner of a historic home.
“Recently, there was a house that was purchased by a celebrity who wants to change all the windows so our Preservation Director met with them to tell them which ones they can change and which ones they can’t, and why. We try to get there before they get the permit to make any alterations.”
There is never a dearth of new projects and one that Pasadena Heritage will be keeping an eye on is the Fuller Seminary. According to Judy, since the seminary’s sale, they’ve had meetings with the Women’s Club and the University Club because they will be affected when the development starts. Another upcoming project is the First Congregational Church on Walnut and Los Robles. The organization has had conversations with the new owners about how much of the building will have to be preserved.
The Rose Bowl | Courtesy photo
“It’s not only the old part of the city that we have an interest in as we have proven when we intervened in Stuart Pharmaceutical’s plight,” Judy points out. “We’ve been watching East Pasadena. In fact, we’ve held commercial tours there because there are several mid-century buildings in the area. And we’re thinking of maybe doing a ‘60s Tour’ at some point. The Neptune and Thomas-designed Avon Building on East Foothill Blvd has been sold to Home Depot and we have urged the retention of the 1947 building.
“The Space Bank site, also on East Foothill Blvd., which is eligible as an historic district due to its association with Cold War-era weapons research, has received City approval. The developer, Trammel Crow, has agreed to mitigation measures that include retention of some historic features and interpretive displays.
“The ‘Ability First’ building on Kinneloa was designed by a very prominent mid-century architect and they’re planning on doing new development. My daughter works there and the director knows I’m with Pasadena Heritage. So he asked how involved we were going to be and I said ‘Well, we’re going to have an eye on it and we’d appreciate it if you could include this person and this person in the early stages.’
“We didn’t ignore East Pasadena at all. In fact, sometime in the 1990s we produced a video called ‘East Pasadena.’ We know there are several interesting communities in that locale like Chapman Woods. We’ve also been working in the Hastings Ranch area, developing an Awareness Project but we have yet to figure out what it’s going to be. Some of the homes there look similar to each other and we’re trying to decide if we could do a home tour there. But be assured that we’re there and we’re attempting to get more people interested.”
To make everything happen, Pasadena Heritage has a large support group: six full-time staff members; a board of 17 people; several committees; and hundreds of volunteers. It holds several events in any given year including The Craftsman Weekend, which is the longest and consists of bus and walking tours, workshops, lectures, receptions, and Contemporary and Antique Decorative Arts and Furnishings sale. The Bridge Party is a one-day activity and most of the other events are two- to three-hour tours or presentations. It hosts a Summer Gala during the years when there’s no Bridge Party.
“Since 1977 the Neighborhood Walking Tour have been the bread-and-butter events for us,” Judy discloses. “These tours are limited to the exterior, except during Craftsman Weekend when we try to get at least one homeowner to show us the inside, which is always a treat for our guests. Every once in a while we get a surprise when a homeowner invites us to come in and to see their new fireplace. With the Old Pasadena Walking Tour we have an arrangement with Castle Green to show their lobby and the first floor.”
Judy mentions that The Pasadena Architectural Legacy Walking Tours – Hillcrest Neighborhood and the Civic Center District that includes City Hall, Pasadena Library, and Civic Auditorium – will take place this Saturday, December 30.
She then remembers, “We recently held a Fountains Tour, which is really fascinating. We found out there are 16 or 17 fountains within walking distance of each other – two Batchelder tile drinking fountains by the YMCA/YWCA; one at the Civic Center; one next to the police station; one outside the Library; a fountain landscape at the Pasadena Mutual Savings and Loan Building at Garfield across Union designed by Ruth Shellhorn who also created the central landscaping at Disneyland; one at the courtyard of Western Assets Plaza; one at Westin Hotel. And then there was that Batchelder tile fountain that Pasadena Heritage saved from a home, which just sat in Claire Bogaard’s garage for a long time, and is now at Plaza Las Fuentes.”
Judy has been Pasadena Heritage’s Education Director for 10 years and a volunteer for 20. In that time she says the most difficult thing she’s had to do is to convince homeowners that their house is significant enough that other people would want to see it. She says, “A lot of houses in Pasadena have architectural importance and it’s my job to tell them why. Although I’m not an expert, I’m just a fan, I have enough contacts like historians, researchers, and architects who have the knowledge and expertise to show them what makes their home remarkable.”
2018 Pasadena Heritage Colorado Street Bridge party | Courtesy photo / Pasadena Heritage
Throughout its 40-year history, Pasadena Heritage has achieved several milestones. It marked the 20th anniversary of its Craftsman Weekend in 2011. In 2012, it celebrated ‘35 Years of Preservation’ as the theme of the summer’s Colorado Street Bridge Party. Last year, it commemorated the four decades of its founding and co-hosted a very successful California Historic Preservation Conference scheduled with multiple programs throughout the year. A major ‘40 Years Celebration’ was held in October of 2017 in the original Exhibition Hall at the Civic Auditorium.
Its yearly Educational Programs and Architectural Legacy Tours have gained a massive following, drawing visitors from across the country. The newly created Old Pasadena Pub Crawl, which was sold out soon as it was announced, will be offered every month starting next year.
When Claire Bogaard and other caring citizens decided to put their heads together to save Old Pasadena from demolition all those years ago, they did not foresee how that singular resolve would affect the most extraordinary projects that uphold the integrity of structures.
And the work hasn’t ebbed – there are ever more buildings needing to be rescued from the wrecking ball. Today Pasadena Heritage continues its mandate of protecting the city’s rich architectural history and preserving the landmarks that make Pasadena the unique and charming place that we’re proud to call our home.
Originally published on 18 December 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
Marissa Jaret Winokur as Glinda, Mackenzie Ziegler as Dorothy, and The Youth Talents of Los Angeles as The Munchkins in Lythgoe Family Panto’s ‘The Wonderful Winter of Oz’ | Courtesy photo / Philicia Endelman
In keeping with their Christmas tradition of adapting the classics into family Panto events, the Lythgoes premiere ‘The Wonderful Winter of Oz’ at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium from December 15 to December 30, 2018.
This star-studded presentation headlines singer, actress, and dancer Mackenzie Ziegler as Dorothy, Tony Award winner Marissa Jaret Winokur as Glinda, Jared Gertner as The Scarecrow, Phil LaMarr as The Tin Man, and Yvette Gonzales-Nacer as The Wicked Witch of the West. The ‘Wonderful Winter of Oz’ is directed by Bonnie Lythgoe, choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha D’umo, with book by Kris Lythgoe, and Michael Orland serving as musical arranger and supervisor.
A holiday version of America’s favorite modern fairy tale done in the style of a traditional British Family Panto, Dorothy gets swept away by a ‘freak’ blizzard on Christmas eve and lands in a world of munchkins and witches. Featuring songs from Imagine Dragons to Earth, Wind and Fire, it promises to delight people of all ages.
Gertner, who was in last year’s ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ is thrilled to be involved once more. He says, “I’m revisiting the role of Scarecrow which I played in 8th grade. In high school, I also did ‘The Wiz’ so this world has been with me for a long time. But Panto is a little bit bawdier and crazier so it would be exciting to find out how to play a character with no bones in his body.
“This is a story that made me so happy; I don’t think there’s anybody out there who doesn’t have an attachment to the story so I’m anticipating really great response from the audience. I was in their Panto last year, a fairy tale that’s familiar to everyone, but this is more immediate because it was a film made within the last century.”
“My son, who was two-and-a-half years old then, came to watch last year’s Panto and he absolutely loved it,” adds Gertner. “The thing about Panto is that people from 2 to 92 will enjoy it and I had never been involved with something like that. I think, in America, the closest thing we have to this performance style is the children’s theater.
“But this isn’t geared specifically for children – it’s for everyone – it just happens to be fun for kids. There’s humor in it that adults won’t get but kids will, and there will be jokes that children won’t cackle at but adults will. They also put contemporary music from the last 30 to 40 years, so on top of the story, the jokes, the slapstick, and the dancing, there are songs you hear on the radio.”
Phil LaMarr as The Tin Woodman, Mackenzie Ziegler as Dorothy, Juan Pablo Di Pace as The Lion, and Jared Gertner as The Scarecrow | Courtesy photo / Philicia Endelman
In addition to being The Scarecrow in the show, Gertner will also be hosting a segment called ‘The Golden Ticket.’ Gertner explains, “For an extra bit of money, you could buy your child a golden ticket. At the end of the show, I’ll bring them on stage and interview them. As you must have surmised, anything goes; we don’t rehearse it or discuss it beforehand. It’s a tradition they’ve done every year which, I think, is what people talk about the most.
“It’s really funny, when they told me last year that I was going to do this, I thought they would give me guidance before the show, but they didn’t. So I had to figure it out along the way. But it never was a disaster because kids are fun, open, and suggestible so I was able to steer the conversation where I wanted it to go.
“There was one day when I had a kid who was hard to manage and just kept saying rude things to me. But the interesting thing was, the audience was on my side – I could look at them and roll my eyes, and they were with me.”
The Lythgoes knew what they were doing when they asked Gertner to do the ‘Golden Ticket’ again this year. As Gertner says, “I think they chose someone with improv experience. That really helps because the kids who come up on stage could be as young as 4 and you never know what they’re going to say. One other thing that works for me is that I have a three-and-a-half year old at home and I spend all day playing with him and his friends … so interacting with kids that age feels right to me.
“While the danger with audience interaction is you don’t know which way it could go, it’s also an interesting challenge. I will let them steer a bit but I will be in control. That way, everyone feels they’re getting an original experience. The show changes when someone from the audience comes on stage … it becomes something different and fresh. I could never let my guard down but I enjoy the ride at the same time. I’ve been on Broadway and all over the world but doing the ‘Golden Ticket’ is one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had on stage.”
‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ brings an extra dose of excitement for Gertner. He discloses, “Kermit the Frog plays the wizard. Everyone loves Kermit – he’s an icon and an institution. And the thought of being on stage with Kermit makes me giddy. I sing ‘Rainbow Connection’ to my son, so it’s something close to my heart as well.”
When families watch this year’s ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ at the Civic Auditorium, they will go on a fantastic adventure along with Dorothy as much as they will relive their happiest childhood memories of growing up with Kermit and the Muppets. All of which makes for a Christmas experience that is at once exciting and heartwarming.
Originally published on 11 December 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
Shown left to right: Jeff Gardner, Simon Helberg, Rebecca Mozo, Rob Nagle, and Ryun Yu in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play’. – Photo by Brick Patrick
There are some movies that so embody the spirit of Christmas that we want to watch them every year. One of those films is Frank Capra’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ which is now considered one of the best motion pictures ever made.
‘It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,’ will be part of the largest holiday celebration in the history of the Pasadena Playhouse. On stage from December 12 through December 23, it was adapted by Joe Landry from the celebrated 1946 film.
Simon Helberg, whom most of us know as Howard Wolowitz in the CBS award-winning smash hit ‘Big Bang Theory,’ stars as the despondent George Bailey who’s contemplating suicide. His guardian angel intervenes and shows him what his town would have been like had he never been born.
Actor, director, and producer Cameron Watson, who directed last year’s Pasadena Playhouse radio play ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ will once again be at the helm. He distinguishes each production, “Last year’s show, which is an iconic holiday story, is a lighter piece viewed from a child’s perspective and we used some animated backdrops, like the Christmas cards, to underscore that.
“On the other hand, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is a pretty dark tale which starts with George Bailey ready to jump off the bridge. The roles are meatier and the characters are more complex in this piece. While we’re treating it as a traditional play, we’re doing something unexpected but will be supported by the story.”
“Joe Landry took all the materials from the script and put them into this radio play format,” Watson explains. “It’s faithful to the movie in a very clever way. One really fun thing about doing a radio play is seeing actors’ versatility. There are only five performers in this play that has about 45 parts. Two actors will be playing the roles of George Bailey and Mary, George’s wife. The three others portray close to 20 characters each, from the cab driver to the various children. And they’re going to do that with merely their voice, there’s no costume change.
“It’s such a treat for audiences to see what went on behind the scenes of a radio play in the old days. They can visually paint the story for themselves; they get to imagine what this cab, for instance, looks like; they can envision the bridge that George Bailey is standing on. I love that it makes for a very open canvas.
“We did ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ last year as the original radio play, which was a Lux Radio Theatre, and it was remarkable. It had the same commercial breaks that were in the radio play from the 1940s. This one will have some built-in commercial breaks as well except that Joe crafted it so that there’s a little more structure to it.”
“The other good thing about a radio play format is that it’s a short production,” continues Watson. “It’s not a lengthy commitment for actors because it doesn’t require extensive preparation – they don’t have to memorize lines, they’re reading the script. We’ll rehearse it in one week and then the show starts. That short commitment gives us more opportunities to find the best talents. It’s such a privilege for a director to be working with the finest people in the industry.”
Asked whether this scheme makes his job easier or harder, Watson replies, “I can’t say if it’s easier or harder to direct; I think there’s a purity to the process because it’s all about the text and the words. Our mission is to make the words come alive. In a sense my task as a director is more important than if I were directing a traditional play.
“My focus is to make sure the actors really mine all the emotion in the role so that when they play the 15 or so characters, the audience knows exactly who it is. Each actor has to use a voice specific to a character so the audience isn’t confused, and that requires a different skill set. So I think I have a technical job that I wouldn’t have to do if it were a full production.”
As a Christmas offering, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ doesn’t appear to be geared for children. Watson recalls, “I remember watching the movie as a young boy and being scared when George was ready to jump off the bridge. That was scary for children to see because the sense of mortality isn’t something they are aware of yet.”
However, Watson quickly assures, “While it might look dark at first glance, when we get to the part of the story that’s somber, there will be a surprise that I think children will be enchanted by.”
Watson adds, “I was reading it again last night as I prepared for rehearsals and, not unlike last year’s radio play, it’s all about believing in Santa, or in hope, or in whatever we hang our beliefs on. Furthermore, it has a message of self-worth, of how much we matter – to our family, to our friends, to each other. That, in a small way, we are connected to people and we are important … that kindness is important. And I think that’s why the story has withstood the test of time. I get very moved by it; the play is very emotional to me.
“I emphasized to the actors that we have to tell this story from our hearts. Even if it’s a radio play, there will be plenty of sounds that will help the audience envisage what’s going on, for them to have a good time, and to enjoy the play. The actors have to treat it as the most important thing in the world, like it’s the first time the story is being told and that it’s truthful. Because it’s a radio play, there’s a tendency for it to be taken lightly, and actors have to really work hard to impart the message at its core.”
“Oftentimes, we go through life without being aware that a small, kind gesture – a warm hug, a friendly touch, a ‘hello’ to someone we see on the street – is important. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is a story that reminds us that all of us, not matter how insignificant we think we are, have a contribution to make to society,” Watson wisely pronounces.
In our increasingly rancorous and deeply divided society, the lesson of George Bailey’s life takes on a greater significance. It makes us recognize that while, individually, our existence might not seem important enough to make a difference in the world, just as it takes millions of stars to light a dark sky, the good things we do in our little sphere of influence could very well make a world of difference.
Originally published on 26 November 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
Jay Wallace (left) and Jer Adrianne Lelliott (right) flank Melissa Bautista and Mateo Alfonso | Photo By May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News
This weekend, California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV) and mediaV, a Santa Monica-based production company, will jointly premiere a retelling of William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor.’ Renamed ‘The Merry Lives of Windsor High,’ it will be held on Friday and Saturday, November 30 and December 1, at the Duarte Performing Arts Center.
This production is the first ‘Incubator Project’ developed by the partners, an incredible one-of-a-kind collaboration that gives students of CSArts-SGV’s Musical Theatre Conservatory the opportunity to be the first to originate and produce a series of brand-new rock musicals.
MediaV founders and philanthropists Russell Meyer and Marcy Shaffer have pledged a gift of $50,000 to CSArts-SGV over the next two years to support the creation of two world premieres, with the intention to continue collaborating over the next several years. Using the works of William Shakespeare as source material, the Incubator Project will create modern and relevant musicals that would subsequently be offered for public license and performance.
“We are thrilled to be given the opportunity to create and contribute original works to the catalog of musicals available today,” pronounces CSArts-SGV Chair of Theatre Jay Wallace. “We hope the material will gain momentum and be performed by high school, college, and community programs across the country.”
Jer Adrianne Lelliott, who directed last year’s CSArts-SGV’s production of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ will be directing ‘The Merry Lives of Windsor High.’ A theater actor since early childhood, she played Chip in the original Los Angeles cast of Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at age 12. She attended film school at Loyola Marymount University and upon completion returned to theatre. She earned her MFA in Acting at Cal State Fullerton, after which she started working professionally in regional theatres all over the United States.
The founding artistic director of Coeurage Theatre Company, Lelliott’s theatrical directing highlights include Carla Ching’s Blackbird, as well as Vieux Carré, The Woodsman, and Andronicus for Coeurage.
Lelliott’s television credits include Sweet Justice, Picket Fences, Journey of the Heart, Melrose Place, Walker Texas Ranger, Life with Louie, The Practice, Ambushed, Safe Harbor, Providence, 7th Heaven, Disappearance, Smallville, The Handler, NCIS: Los Angeles, and Ctrl Alt Delete, among many others. Film credits include Jack, Ambushed, Diplomatic Siege, Betrayal, Race You to the Bottom, Driftwood, and more.
Students in rehearsal | Courtesy photo / CSArts-SGV
Distinguishing between the two productions she helmed at CSArts-SGV, Lelliott states, “Last year’s was straight-on Oscar Wilde, a dead playwright, so the script was set in stone. While this year, the script is continually developing and revising as we go.
“Jay and I have been talking since spring, planning with the creators and writers. There have been numerous phone calls and face-to-face meetings. They were here two days ago to see our progress and making script changes as they watched students in rehearsals.”
That so much is riding on this Incubator Project is not lost on the students. Pasadenan Melissa Bautista, who’s in 11th grade and attends the Musical Theatre Conservatory, says, “My parents understand that being a junior and participating in a production is a big responsibility so they could be knocking on my door at 3 am to check if everything’s fine.
“I constantly juggle between doing homework and going to rehearsals. We have a buffer from 4:45 to 5:30 so that’s usually the time I do homework. I also eat snacks and drink water to replenish my energy. We’re not always on during rehearsals so I use the in-between times, too.”
“It’s very much about time management,” inserts Wallace.
Concurs Mateo Alfonso, a 9th grade student from Monrovia who’s also in the Musical Theatre Conservatory, “My parents know that if I get into a show I’ll be in rehearsals until 8:30 pm and that’s just a commitment you have to make when you dedicate yourself to the Arts and you’re doing what you love.”
“In this musical, I play Tess, the coffee girl who works at the brewery,” describes Bautista. “She’s a senior and she’s trying to raise money to go to college; she’s also the friend that everyone goes to for advice. She just happens to be caught in the middle of all the drama.”
“Tess loves her friends with all her heart, a trait that’s close to me as a person,” Bautista continues. “But as kind-hearted as she is, she’s sassy and sarcastic at the same time. She stands up for herself, which is something I aspire to.
“In previous roles I was someone flighty. But this time, my character is very down to earth, a great advice-giver, and a very supportive friend. This gives me the opportunity to be seen as someone who’s not just an airhead, or that high-pitch voiced, quirky girl, but someone with more substance.”
Alfonso couldn’t say much about his character beyond, “I play the role of Oliver who’s a senior and a soccer fan; he’s the twin brother of Olivia. I would like the audience to see what a high schooler is really like. Playing the character of someone who’s shy, I relate to him. However, unlike the role I portrayed last year who holds a lot inside, in this musical my character shows that you don’t have to pretend, you just have to be yourself.”
Getting in character | Courtesy photo / CSArts-SGV
Asked if she gave Bautista and Alfonso direction on how to act like senior students on the show, Lelliott remarks, “First of all, I’d like to commend Mateo for doing a great job of talking around a major spoiler. But to answer your question, they’re giving me pointers! Actually, what’s important to us and the creators is that it reflects our campus and students. They chose our school because they wanted our population so when they present the work to other colleges and universities they can show the crème de la crème. Most of the characters in the play are high school seniors with the exception of one; we have one 8th grader who cracked that age criterion and managed to get in the play.”
“I directed it just like I would professional theatre,” asserts Lelliott. “These young people are as professional as some of the adults I work with; their training is excellent. It’s collaborative as to who they are. I also cast all 26 of them for specific reasons – they were as close as possible to the characters they play and we want their personalities to shine through.
“But beyond that, I gave them notes as to how they could make clear their objectives, staging – making sure the audience can see their faces and hear their voices, and technique. The good thing about teaching and then directing them is that we have a shared vocabulary, so when I say ‘You have to raise the stakes here,’ they know what that means.”
“I would say that this is a broader philosophy of how we approach all our productions here. There should be a collaborative effort, we should show respect, we have a mutual language. We certainly value having a polished professional product and the shows we have mounted, thus far, have demonstrated that. However, process is probably the most vital component to everything that we do. Our philosophical goal throughout the conservatory and theatre acting is our growth, whether as artists or as individuals. It’s up to us as the leaders at CSArts-SGV to inspire them to achieve their potential through the process.”
Speaking of the process, Lelliott discloses, “Tonight, we’re just working on songs. There are 20 songs, bookended with big company musical numbers. In between there are quartets, trios, duets, solos, and reprises. My musical director and choreographer are there; I’ll put the students up, we have a running order. They’ll get notes specifically for vocal and choreo.
“Tomorrow, there won’t be any music, we’ll just be concentrating on staging scenes. Sometimes it will be like a three-ring circus, where I’ll be working on acting with students, while the musical director will be doing songs with them, and the choreographer will be working with other students on the dancing.”
“The reason ‘Hamilton’ is so much better than everything else that came out on Broadway is that the producers gave it extra time, which doesn’t usually happen with union contracts,” expounds Lelliott. “They didn’t just go in with a script and put on the show, it was an evolving process.
“That’s the same thing here. While we didn’t make major revisions, the writers came in and we all watched it and we were thrilled with it. Then we decided we could streamline the opening number to make it even faster. We’ll turn in a show in 90 minutes, with no intermission. People can see the show then grab lunch afterwards.”
“I think one of the things that we considered is what’s happening in the world right now,” Wallace says further. “Some of the revisions that were made were to make it more relevant to the audience.”
Lelliot clarifies, “The show doesn’t really touch on social issues. I’m going to riff off what Mateo said earlier – it touches on them by not touching on them. What people will see up there is a really diverse, inclusive cast. It will honor, even as we shatter, a lot of archetypes and stereotypes in a school setting – the jocks, the cheerleaders, and the brains. We’ll see more three-dimensional characters and, in so doing, I suppose there will be an undercurrent of social justice, if you will. But the real justice of it, really, is that we’ll be presenting a more idyllic world which is what CSArts-SGV embodies – a beautiful culture – and how well that works when we don’t label people.”
Rehearsing the songs with the choreography | Courtesy photo / CSArts-SGV
This first incubator project has another outcome, explains Wallace, “Something interesting I want to touch on is that this is also linked to a course that we’ll offer in the spring which will be led by the person who will direct next year’s incubator project. Students will develop the actual product as well as get exposure to what it’s like to put on a brand-new musical, to promote it, to learn how to be marketing savvy. An important part of that course will be workshopping next spring’s incubator so by the time we get into the Fall we’re ready to rock and roll, literally.
“We’re exploring how we can tap into the youth who may not be trained in those, but who are so innovative. We’d like to utilize that to build a framework together that will become the foundation of future incubator projects, so when these students graduate our school they’ll have a major head start on collaborating and originating new material.”
When queried how he found a teacher to teach the course, Wallace replies, “I started from the creative side – who would be the most ideal person to lead the incubator project. It’s important that it’s always somebody who has experience in generating their own product, in promoting their own image and product; someone who has an understanding of the means to engage on a collaborative effort. And, first and foremost, someone who can connect with students.
“This opportunity for us to originate a musical and to collaborate with professional talent, is almost unheard of even at the collegiate level, and certainly not at the high school level. I’d be very surprised if there were anything like this anywhere in the country. The shakers at media V deserve a lot of credit for that vision and for coming to us to partner with them. It’s a real sign of reinvesting in youth and theatre arts, specifically musical theatre, and allowing these students to develop through that process. It’s extremely unique and, quite honestly, a blessing. And to do this in the second year of our school is just insane.”
As the chair of the theatre department, Wallace is aware that the onus to make a success of the project falls squarely on him, “My philosophy is ‘This is my challenge and my opportunity. Embrace it.’”
It is that spirit of ownership that Wallace displays that has made such a tremendous success of all CSArts-SGV’s theatre productions. Bravo!
Originally published on 20 November 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
The chicken wings are a favorite among diners at Bone Kettle | Courtesy photo
By Brianna Chu and May S. Ruiz
Old Pasadena is a commercial district on the westernmost part of the city comprising 22 blocks where an eclectic mix of enterprises happily co-exist. There are museums and hotels, hotels converted into residential apartments and office spaces. There are a multitude of businesses – clothing retailers and coffee shops, dining venues and dress accessories stores, cosmetics shops and cinemas, jewelry and kitchen stores, nightclubs and sports bars, tech-selling stores and telecommunications service providers – housed in beautifully restored, historic buildings. You name it, it’s there.
Bone Kettle, an Indonesian fusion restaurant on North Raymond Avenue, has recently joined the numerous food establishments in this melting pot Pasadenans refer to as Old Town. It is co-owned by the Tjahyadi Brothers, Eric and Executive Chef Erwin, who immigrated to the San Gabriel Valley from Indonesia with their parents over two decades ago. They arrived with practically only the clothes on their back, except for an English dictionary to help them get by in their adopted country, and a few Indonesian cookbooks to remind them of home.
After 20 years, Chef Erwin went back to Indonesia on a quest of self-discovery. Through his travels in his birthplace, he reconnected with his childhood as he once more smelled the fragrance of spices that flavored the complex dishes he grew up with.
That reminder of his heritage inspired Chef Erwin to open a restaurant which deliciously blends heirloom recipes from his mother’s and grandmother’s cookbooks with local California ingredients and French classical techniques. His training at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena and apprenticeships under Wolfgang Puck and Trey Foshee have prepared him for the intricacies of creating unforgettable dishes. Thus, Bone Kettle was born.
Chef Erwin | Courtesy photo
“Living in the San Gabriel Valley, we would frequent Pasadena,” Chef Erwin informs us by email on his choice of restaurant location. “And it’s always been a dream to open in Old Town. It’s charming and rich in history; we love all the old buildings. Being here makes us feel like we’re part of not only a community but of something bigger.
“Because of the emergence of ever more Asian restaurants in Pasadena, we felt the city is prime for our food. At the same time, we felt compelled to represent our cuisine in our own authentic voice and perspective.”
And the community has been exceptionally welcoming, discloses Chef Erwin. “The reaction has been positive and overwhelmingly warm. We love it when customers are able to make a very personal connection and relate the cooking experience with their own. They appreciate that Bone Kettle is a family-run restaurant for Pasadena families and friends. In turn, we are enjoying getting to know our diners and making new friends.
“We want our patrons to remember their dinner at Bone Kettle as something that reflects the highest standards of quality food, with imaginative dishes of great flavors,” adds Chef Erwin. “I hope that through the food we serve, they see that we passionately care about the guest experience. And that, ultimately, we are able to tell our story.
Brianna’s review below speaks to Chef Erwin’s love of food and culinary mastery.
When my old high school friends and I met up after we all graduated to share our experiences over the past four years, we noticed that despite the disparate locations in which we studied, all of us missed the range of food available here in Los Angeles County. Even just in the Pasadena area, we do not lack for diversity of cuisines; the Bone Kettle in Old Town exemplifies the broad variety of food which we enjoy.
Bone Kettle’s modern interior | Courtesy photo
You can expect an Indonesian and Southeast Asian food experience when coming to the Bone Kettle, a small, family-owned restaurant and bar with a modern and chic atmosphere on Raymond Avenue. It’s only about a year and a half old, and full of surprising contrasts. While it has a young and modern feel not only in its decor, but also by its playlist – when we came in, there was relaxed electronic music softly playing – the restaurant feels homey and comfortable, too, as the head chef’s father served us plates that his son had just made, explaining to us what the dish was.
May and I aren’t particularly big fans of alcohol, so we ordered two non-alcoholic drinks: the dragonfruit lychee lemonade, and a raspberry and yuzu drink. The dragonfruit lemonade tastes entirely like lychee and dragonfruit, which definitely brought me back to my childhood eating dragonfruit and lychee jellies. The raspberry and yuzu drink was a gorgeous ombré of light lilac into deep magenta and tasted as close to candy as actual fruit can, while also having an incredibly refreshing and fragrant taste.
We were pleasantly bombarded with samples of many of Bone Kettle’s small sharing plates. Shortly after we sat down, two dishes were placed on our table. While slightly spicy, the papaya and shrimp salad was also tangy and delightfully crunchy. Tips of salty, fall-off-the-bone tender oxtail with freshly fried and crisp slices of potato followed, in perfect contrast to the salad.
One of the restaurant’s favorites, the oxtail dumpling, is understandably popular. The dumpling was served in deeply savory and rich but also slightly acidic sauce, complementing the succulent oxtail dumpling, whose filling dripped with au jus and marinade.
The oxtail dumplings are rich in flavor | Courtesy photo
Their kroket are fluffy and delicate, filled with an incredibly smooth paste of beef with pieces of carrot and peas, but surprisingly, it was served in hoisin sauce. The combination dumbfounded me; I could never have imagined that these two things would ever taste great together, let alone be found in the same dish, but I was pleasantly surprised by the depth that the hoisin sauce brought to the lighter, more one-toned kroket.
I managed to snag a bite of deeply umami and also somehow cheesy tartare, which was served on a shrimp cracker; after which, we were treated to shots of the restaurant’s famous bone broth – incredibly rich but eminently drinkable. Every sip is clearly imbued with the incredible flavor of bone marrow. This is not a broth that is merely a vessel for other ingredients – it has its own flavor that demands attention. When waiters circled back with second rounds of bone broth, hands from all tables immediately reached towards the tray for seconds.
Even more irresistible bites followed: Hamachi crudo with green onions and peppers and fried chicken wings. The sweetness of the fresh yellowtail made the crudo light and addictive, with a light pop of heat from the peppers. I had my eye on the tray as it went around the room and I unabashedly took the last one when it was offered.
The hamachi crudo with green onions and peppers | Courtesy photo
The fried chicken wings with Thai chilis and a sweet sauce are another of the Bone Kettle’s popular dishes, for a reason – the wing was perfectly crispy, the sweetness from the sauce woken up by the kick of the Thai chili, and the chicken was juicy and perfectly cooked. May started volunteering me to take every leftover sample of food they brought out. I protested, but mostly out of pride…
A third round of broth came out – and it was gone in a matter of seconds. As I drank the broth, I marveled at its richness, but as soon as I finished a sip, I noticed how light it was and immediately reached for more.
The penultimate appetizer was a Rendang rice fritter with a filling of short rib, slow cooked for 15 hours, and cheese. The cheese really shone through, and the pulled short rib was pillow-soft. In the cross-section of my bite, I could see each individual grain of rice used to make the coating. The rice was crispy on the outside, and not too soft within, maintaining the structural integrity of each grain of rice for some texture.
The rendang rice fritter has a filling of short ribs slow cooked for 15 hours | Courtesy Photo
The finale: a platter of drier, crunchy coconut-braised fried chicken with a spicy salsa made from an unusual set of vegetables.
As the restaurant is sandwiched between a burger joint and a barbecue place, some might think that the Bone Kettle would struggle to compete with such classic American favorites. However, I’d argue that the Bone Kettle is perfectly situated to exemplify the diversity of flavors in Southern California.
The Bone Kettle is the kind of place where I’d want to take my girlfriends to on a weekend for some good food, and catch up on our weeks. I can’t wait to go back and see what more delights they have to offer on their full menu!
Brianna Chu, a guest opinion writer for Beacon Media, was born and raised in Pasadena. She loves to cook and to eat, is a lifelong viewer of Food Network, and enthusiastically introduced the tradition of Thanksgiving dinners to her British and European friends while earning her degree at the University of St Andrews. While they absolutely hated going around the table and saying what they were grateful for every year, they also loved the excuse to get together and feast with friends enough to endure it anyway.
Originally published on 19 November 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
The chicken pot pie and salted caramel pecan pie, served in pie tins, and a cup of latte | Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News
By Brianna Chu and May S. Ruiz
The Pie Hole, located at the Indiana Colony in Old Pasadena, serves up the kinds of pies that are not found at regular cafés, diners, or restaurants. That’s because the items on its menu were created by Becky Grasley who comes from a long line of bakers and cooks in rural Pennsylvania, where pie is a way of life.
Grasley and the other women in her family showed their love through baking and marked the seasons with the pies they made. She continued this tradition with her own children, using recipes that have been passed on from one generation to the next. She baked pies after school and took them to the fair, where her apple pie won the blue ribbon.
Years later, when her children were grown, Grasly spent a Thanksgiving weekend baking countless pies for friends and family at a remote cabin. And her life-long dream of opening up a pie shop got closer to actuality.
With co-founder Sean Brennan, whose restaurant experience balanced her pie-making skills, Grasley established their first eating place in October 2011, at the Arts District in Los Angeles known as Bloom Square, in honor of a local legend and activist who owned a neighborhood convenience store. They named it The Pie Hole and it became an instant hit.
Brennan, speaking with us via e-mail, answers questions that range from where they choose to open shop to how they keep the standards in all locations. “From a real estate perspective, we look for terrific neighborhoods that don’t have great pie restaurants. Realistically, our regulars tell us where they want us to be. People invite us all the time, on social media and at our restaurants, to come to their neighborhood. And Pasadena is a perfect example – we had so many fans visiting our Arts District restaurant asking us to open in Pasadena, so we did.”
The Pie Hole in Old Pasadena | Photo by Brianna Chu / Beacon Media News
Word about The Pie Hole spread and to date there are ten locations – eight in the Los Angeles area and two in Tokyo, Japan. The Arts District, Hollywood, and Pasadena locations are owned by Grasley and Brennan and the others are either franchises or licensing agreements.
“Whether they’re owned by The Pie Hole or franchises, all of our restaurants are teams and they undergo a rigorous training program,” Brennan points out. “We start with selecting the right people – those who love coffee and pie. We always have open lines of communication and a great collaborative culture. Our chefs in Japan are constantly talking with our chefs in L.A. We also spend a lot of time visiting all of our restaurants to make sure everything is up to our standards.”
Ensuring that the quality is maintained means all pies are made with the same ingredients and undergo the same process in all their restaurants. Their founder’s recipe for Mom’s Apple Crumble, for instance, contains two pounds of Granny Smith apples. The Earl Grey Tea pie, infused white chocolate mousse with a layer of dark chocolate ganache and salted pistachios, is a house invention and a masterpiece that takes 24 hours to make.
Besides signature pot pies, individual pot pies, and hand pies, the restaurant offers galettes, breakfast quiches, and salads. Hot and iced coffee – either espresso or their own specialty blend, specialty and seasonal specialty lattes – are wonderful accompaniments to all the food items.
“We have mostly the same menu at all of the restaurants, using our Arts District shop as a culinary incubator where we test new recipes and pies,” explains Brennan. “However, we regularly add new pies and specialty coffee drinks, including the Pie of the Month and Drink of the Month. The November pie of the month is a sweet potato pie with brown butter sage in a butter crust, topped with marshmallows; the drink is spicy mocha made with our signature house blend, chocolate syrup, and ground ancho chili pepper.”
However much her business has grown, Grasley isn’t about to stop there just yet. She would like to add more locations and novel items. The Pie Hole is now open for breakfast with its new breakfast pies. Most recently, in time for pie season, it introduced Pie Holes – small, round, two-bite pies perfect for a quick snack and eating on the go. Available in four flavors, they are priced at $1.00 each or $12.00 for a baker’s dozen.
Brianna’s review below provides highlights about The Pie Hole’s food and ambience.
Tucked into the back corner of Indiana Colony’s marketplace space, The Pie Hole sits amidst the company of a juice bar, an ice cream vendor, and a tea and herb-selling stall. It’s the kind of place that seems geared towards attracting young adults who want the ready availability of caffeine, food, and WiFi of a Starbucks, but with a hipper vibe.
The café was kind enough to offer us each a savory and sweet pie, along with a drink of our choice. May opted for the classic latte and I chose a cold brew coffee; we were both very pleased with our coffees, May especially. I was given both sugar and simple syrup to sweeten my cold brew, which was a thoughtful touch.
Shepherd’s pie, banana cream pie, and cold brew coffee | Photo by Brianna Chu / Beacon Media News
We sampled some classic pies, the chicken cornbread and shepherd’s pie, and May picked the salted caramel pecan for her dessert while I selected the banana cream. The staff were friendly and helpful, and we received our food shortly after ordering.
Each pie was served in a metal pie tin, which emphasized the hip vibe – there’s a growing trend of restaurants using unorthodox objects in lieu of plates, and the trend is polarizing, to say the least, but I felt that in this case it actually made sense.
The Pie Hole’s chicken pot pie is a twist on the classic, what with the cornbread incorporated into their filling and the inclusion of red bell peppers instead of the staple carrots and peas. I hesitate to opine on the chicken pot pie, as I enjoy the traditional chicken pot pie and the red bell pepper isn’t quite my taste, but I will say that I couldn’t quite pick out the cornbread in their filling.
Their shepherd’s pie is more along the lines of the classic, complete with a topping of mashed potatoes. Perhaps it was just a fluke of the batches, but we found that the shepherd’s pie tasted a tad too salty for our palate, becoming less easy to eat after running out of the accompanying side salad to temper it; and the salted caramel pecan pie fell a little on the sweet side for May.
However, the banana cream pie was everything I hoped for; a big plus for me was that the pudding tasted homemade, without the slight aftertaste of the store-bought variety. The banana slices were visible and texturally present in the pie, and the shards of toffee on top provided a welcome pop of sweetness and textural contrast. The consistent high point, for me, was the pie crusts – which were dependably buttery, flaky, and everything I’ve come to expect in a good pie crust.
The newly introduced, snack-sized pie holes | Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News
Two weeks after we initially visited, we were invited back to experience their newest offering – the rather fitting pie hole. Self-enclosed mini pie bites, these pie holes currently come in four flavors: caramel apple, blueberry, Mexican chocolate, and Nutella. For me, each pie hole is about a four bite proportion, a perfectly snack-able size.
Both the caramel apple and blueberry were excellent, slightly warm, and not too sweet – and I’m not even much of a caramel fan, either. The Mexican chocolate and Nutella bites were definitely much sweeter, but they were also served cold, so they were on the hard side. Like our last visit, the drinks were great – May loved her salted caramel latte, and my pumpkin pie latte was exactly what I thought it would be – the Pie Hole’s smoother and classier version of the popular Pumpkin Spice latte.
All in all, I would consider returning; and in fall, an afternoon outing in Old Pasadena definitely benefits from a good slice of pie.
Brianna Chu, a guest opinion writer for Beacon Media, was born and raised in Pasadena. She loves to cook and to eat, is a lifelong viewer of Food Network, and enthusiastically introduced the tradition of Thanksgiving dinners to her British and European friends while earning her degree at the University of St Andrews. While they absolutely hated going around the table and saying what they were grateful for every year, they also loved the excuse to get together and feast with friends enough to endure it anyway.
Originally published on 12 November 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
Celestino, at 141 South Lake Avenue in Pasadena, has been a favorite among diners for over 20 years | Courtesy photo / Alen Lin
By Brianna Chu and May S. Ruiz
Celestino, at the South Lake Avenue District, has been a celebrated restaurant among diners looking for authentic Italian cuisine. For over 20 years, it has attracted locals and visitors to Pasadena with its seasonal fares made with the finest and freshest ingredients.
Owner Calogero Drago, one of the famed Drago Brothers who operate several restaurants in the Los Angeles area, is legendary for his exuberance. He dashes through the restaurant, making his rounds from table to table, imbuing an atmosphere of cheerful energy and enthusiasm. It wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that he actually knows diners by name and is aware of their food preference. Because of the personal relationships he has built with diners, people travel to Pasadena to enjoy the food as much as the friendship.
However, Drago doesn’t rely on goodwill alone. Celestino is, after all, a restaurant; so he ensures that diners are never disappointed and comes up with dishes that make their experience memorable. During a recent private tasting dinner, he inaugurated his seasonal menu featuring mushrooms and truffles – those rare and coveted fungi which make for the most sublime food creations.
Calogero Drago shows’ off Celestino’s handmade pasta | Courtesy photo / acuna-hansen
And after reading Brianna’s review below, you’ll appreciate why Celestino is the acclaimed restaurant that it is.
Italian cuisine is fairly ubiquitously loved, making the search for a great Italian restaurant a challenging one. Even novice cooks can tackle some classic and comforting Italian dishes, thus raising the bar for finding an Italian spot that is truly worth going out for. Ambience, too, is especially important; we want the kinds of places we can rely upon for any occasion – birthdays, weekend dinners with family, dates – and the mere mention of Italian restaurants conjures images of candlelight, warmth, red-checked tablecloths, and great hospitality. The balance? Food that is indulgent yet not overwhelming, and of a quality that I couldn’t imagine easily replicating in my own kitchen.
These were my expectations when we walked into Celestino. For 7 pm on a Wednesday night, the cozy restaurant was already filling up, and my high hopes raised higher still when we were immediately greeted by the friendly face of its owner, Calogero Drago. We were directed to a softly lit table in Celestino’s Lake Room, which, with deep red, fresco-textured walls and flickering candlelight, fit the image of your favorite upscale Italian restaurant.
The Lake Room |Courtesy photo / TinTin Beligan
Over the course of the evening, we were treated to small plates of six different appetizers, a choice between an entreé of sole or veal scalloppini, and a dessert of panna cotta in a tasting menu prepared to showcase Celestino’s seasonal dishes.
The tasting commenced with an eggplant polpettine, a little “meat”-ball which had a crisp outer shell and surprisingly cheesy pureé of eggplant.
The following pumpkin soup subverted my expectation – the pumpkin element came from the seeds, and was not the main component of the soup. The pumpkin seeds provided texture and nuttiness to the thin, spring green soup, which also featured tender cooked squid.
Next, the burrata antipasto – accompanied by a tomato sauce on a bed of arugula. The skin of the freshly-made cheese was resilient and slightly resistant to being cut, and once my fork broke through, the texture of the cheese within was incredibly silky and creamy in taste – as buttery as its name suggests.
Tortelloni stuffed with mixed seafood and spicy tomato sauce | Courtesy photo / TinTin Beligan
The penultimate appetizer was mixed seafood tortelloni, which are the larger cousin of tortellini. Each tortelloni was handmade, Drago told us (an assertion supported by the bite of the dough), and was the perfect two-bite size proportion. The cioppino sauce in which the tortelloni were served was gently spicy: enough to warm the tongue, but certainly nowhere near overpowering to interfere with any of the flavors of the sauce itself.
Risotto and bambolotti | Courtesy photo / TinTin Beligan
When the risotto and bambolotti combination came out, the room was delighted by the simultaneous entrance of waiters holding truffles and graters in their hands. The risotto was rich and savory, and the slight sweetness and tang of the Nero D’Avola red wine was clearly present. Of course, the topping of truffle shavings added depth and earthiness to the already rich risotto. The bambolotti with gorgonzola, hazelnuts, and fresh black truffle was outstanding.
My chosen entreé of veal scalloppini was tender and delicious, but the polenta that accompanied it actually caught more of my attention, perhaps because it provided relief from the heaviness of eating the risotto and scalloppini back-to-back.
Veal scalloppini with mushroom and soft polenta | Courtesy photo / TinTin Beligan
For me, however, the dessert was quite literally the showstopper of the entire dinner. After so many courses, everyone was quite full, but the panna cotta perfectly contrasted against some of the heavier elements of the meal. The cream was lightly sweetened and both the flecks and flavor of vanilla bean shone through. The strawberries seemed to have been macerated in the limoncello, so the flavors were happily married by the time it reached us. Despite how full I was, I found the panna cotta dangerously easy to eat.
Panna cotta with strawberries and limoncello | Courtesy photo / TinTin Beligan
As we walked out to our car, we passed the kitchen, where I noticed trays of what appeared to be freshly-made tagliatelle nests on sheet pans laying on the order counter; and I wondered how I could have lived in Pasadena most of my life without ever eating at Celestino. The atmosphere is comfortable and welcoming, which seems to be a reflection of the joy and heritage of its Sicilian owner, and the food is a celebration of authentic Italian cuisine.
After some reviewing of Celestino’s online menu, it must also be noted that not all the dishes we tasted are present on the online menu, and there does not appear to be a dessert menu online either, despite the inclusion in the photo gallery of the truly excellent panna cotta. The items sampled that do seem to appear are the burrata antipasto, the truffle risotto, the veal scalloppini, and the sole (the alternate entreé choice). The lack of inclusion of these items on the menu is perhaps unsurprising, as Drago has been known to spontaneously invent new culinary offerings. To truly know what Celestino has to offer, I have a feeling you must just visit and find out yourself; and I personally plan to return just to see what new treats Drago has concocted.
Brianna Chu, a guest opinion writer for Beacon Media, was born and raised in Pasadena. She loves to cook and to eat, is a lifelong viewer of Food Network, and enthusiastically introduced the tradition of Thanksgiving dinners to her British and European friends while earning her degree at the University of St Andrews. While they absolutely hated going around the table and saying what they were grateful for every year, they also loved the excuse to get together and feast with friends enough to endure it anyway.
Originally published on 12 November 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
The Dong family (left to right) Charity, Richard, Eric, and Edward at the 33rd Annual Celebration of National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon | Courtesy photo / AFP/GLAC
Eric and Richard Dong, Arcadia residents and San Marino High School students, were named Outstanding Young Philanthropists by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Greater Los Angeles Chapter (AFP/GLAC). They received the award at the 33rd Annual Celebration of National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon held on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at the JW Marriott Los Angeles at LA Live.
The award recognizes individuals who exhibit a philanthropic philosophy that includes providing financial and volunteer assistance to meet community needs. Nominated by Dana Bean, Director of Development and Communications for Union Station Homeless Services in Pasadena, the Dong brothers were chosen by an AFP committee from a number of deserving candidates.
In her introduction of the awardees during the ceremony, Anne Miskey, CEO of Union Station, recalled, “We received a phone call from Richard and Eric, who were on their high school spring break. They said they heard about our organization from friends and they wanted to volunteer for us. Because they’re incredible pianists they started offering piano lessons for some of the kids in our family center. They were a big hit.
“But they didn’t stop there. Eric and Richard fund-raised from family and friends to give us a financial donation. Still, their generosity didn’t stop there. Their father, Ed, taught them how to invest in the stock market when they were young children and I asked them to talk to my kids.”
Continued Miskey, “They didn’t stop there either. With the profits they made from their investments, this past summer they established the Richard and Eric Dong Endowment Fund for Union Station. It is designed to provide scholarships for children in sports, music and the arts, leadership, and human rights promotion; to purchase books for the family library; to fund staff appreciation and recognition; and to finance the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights educational programs.”
When he took to the podium, Richard declared, “This is a great honor! How we’ve dreamed of receiving this prestigious award! And yet, when it came true, it was a surprise. We are sincerely grateful to the AFP and the committee for voting for us, and to Ms. Dana Bean and Union Station Homeless Shelter Services for nominating us. It has been our pleasure to be involved with this wonderful organization and its caring staff.”
Eric added, “National Philanthropy Day is a special day. Richard and I learned from home and the schools we’ve attended, that philanthropy is an American virtue. It is something that he and I have tried to practice since our middle-school years. We believe there is no age limit when it comes to education, leadership, and philanthropy. They’re all essential to a great country like ours.
“The words of Robert F. Kennedy, ‘Our future is not a gift, it is an achievement,’ deeply resonate in us. They empower us to help, to share, and to contribute. We are confident that together, we can make the world a better place.”
As recipients of the Young Philanthropists Award, Eric and Richard join an impressive group of community leaders who have shaped the spirit of giving and service in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Eric’s and Richard’s parents, Charity and Ed, instilled in them the values that make them such extraordinary young men. For that, we are profoundly thankful.
Originally published on 5 November 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly
Shown during the launch of ‘The Wonderful Winter of Oz’ are, from left to right: Kris Lythgoe, Becky Lythgoe, Julietta Perez, and Darrell Brooke | Courtesy photo / Kareem Cervantes
A decade ago there would have been no place to take in a Panto show in Southern California. But in 2010 the Lythgoes, known for their creativity and involvement in television hits ‘American Idol’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ changed all that when they mounted their first Panto production in North Hollywood.
In 2013 Lythgoe Family Panto took its Christmas show to the Pasadena Playhouse where it gained such a huge following that two years ago they had to move to a larger venue. This year will be their second time at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, their ninth in Southern California.
Kris and Becky Lythgoe, the couple behind the Panto company, together with Sheldon Epps, erstwhile Artistic Director of the Pasadena Playhouse and a Lythgoe Panto producer, launched this year’s ‘The Wonderful Winter of Oz’ at a party held recently at Bistro 45.
Enlightening us on why they want Panto to be an American tradition, Kris states, “I was raised in England, where there is a vehicle that introduces theater to kids called Panto. My childhood memories include seeing “The Grinch,’ ‘A Christmas Carol,’ and ‘The Nutcracker’ in Panto, which were so exciting for children because they were interactive. The shows had pop music and all the kids would be jumping up and down, swinging from the aisles and everything. It was a fun way to get them interested in theater. Now that I’ve moved here, I would like to be able to do the same thing for my children.”
Becky elaborates, “Kris came to America to start creating shows like ‘American Idol.’ In 2009, when our son was three years old and we wanted to see a show, he realized there was no affordable family show for parents to take their kids to, as his parents did in England.
“Kris’s mum used to direct Pantos and his dad used to write them back in England. So he and his mum said ‘Why don’t we do a Panto here?’ When he told me about his vision I knew exactly what to do with it. We started a company and produced ‘Cinderella,’ which we showed in North Hollywood.”
The reception for their first Panto was very warm, recalls Becky. “It was welcomed, really. There seemed to be a hunger for this kind of show where the entire family can have a great time. We have jokes and songs that kids, parents, and grandparents can appreciate and we have stars from several generations on our show.
“This is what made ‘American Idol’ popular as well – it’s multi-generational. I think American audiences revel in these kinds of shows. We’re loud people, we love to boo or clap, we love to share, we’re not shy with our opinions.”
Chimes in Kris, “I think there was a need for a family experience, especially at this time when people tend to watch YouTube by themselves. Panto brings together several generations – we might get something different from it, but we’re all watching the same show.
Epps recounts how he became involved, “They had some success in North Hollywood but they really wanted to be in a theater and producing organization, where they had more of a support system. At the same time, I had been looking for an entertainment show for the holidays that would appeal not only to children, but to families as well.
“I went to see ‘Snow White’ at El Portal and I really loved it; I thought it was great work. So I told them to come over to The Playhouse and see how it goes. We were lucky enough to have Ariana Grande for our first Playhouse show and it was a really big success. Becky is in charge of casting and she’s tenacious about going after people – making phone calls, knocking on doors, and calling on friends. That’s how she gets such a great cast which draws people to our shows.”
Becky says, “To get stars like Ariana Grande and Gordon Fisher as we had in the past, we needed to have a short run and a bigger venue. At the same time, as we’ve grown, we felt it was appropriate to partner with the city. We still collaborate with The Playhouse for an education outreach and development that is financed by the Pantos and we feel truly part of the community now.
“Pasadena is like New York to me in that it supports the Arts as much as it encourages family endeavors. So I felt this should be the heart of our work. Now we’ve expanded to Laguna, Nashville, and San Diego. As we take it nationally and extend it to television audiences, I would like to keep Pasadena as the epicenter of our ventures. We would like to make Panto a destination in Pasadena during the Christmas season much like the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game.”
Concurs Epps, “I remember the first time I mentioned Panto and people asked ‘Is that like Marcel Marceau?’ It has since become so hugely successful that it turned into a sort of Pasadena holiday tradition to the point where people say ‘We’re going to see the Panto. I don’t know what the show is, but I’m going to see it.’
“I’ve produced seven Pantos since it started at The Playhouse. Last year I directed my first Panto, ‘Beauty and the Beast – A Christmas Rose,’ our first at the Civic Auditorium, and I will be directing it again this holiday season when the show goes to Laguna Playhouse.
“What I love about this Panto is that the audience that saw it seven years ago have returned and they now have children who are coming to see it for the first time. It’s a perpetuating enterprise. That’s a far cry from when people thought of it as a mime show.”
It’s very rewarding to the Lythgoes to hear that audiences recognize their efforts at making Panto relatable. Kris states, “I’ve been here for 15 years, which is most of my adult life, so I understand American culture and the jokes. I make sure I take out the British-ness out of it to make it reflective of the American way of life.”
Asked to distinguish between English and American Panto, Kris replies, “People tell us British Panto is more boring than its American counterpart. Most of the fairytales have been adapted into Disney movies which are very popular so everyone is familiar with them. We also hire professional performers so the singing is far superior.”
Adds Becky, “We also use better props. For instance, if an actor refers to a horse, there will be an actual horse on stage or, at the very least, something resembling it. The quality of our productions is definitely higher.”
As the writer, Kris likewise has to keep coming up with interesting shows. He discloses, “While it’s getting harder and harder to decide what stories to adapt to Panto, there remain several fairy tales from The Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen. However, I’m not limiting myself to European fairy tales – ‘The Wizard of Oz’ is a very American story.”
“‘The Wonderful Winter of Oz’ is a play on the Frank Capra classic, the ultimate American fairy tale,” describes Kris. “It follows the same story line, except that Dorothy gets swept away by a blizzard instead of a tornado, and it’s interactive. We have famous actors playing the various characters but our biggest ‘get’ is Kermit the Frog who’ll be our Wizard. And the reason we wanted him is because Emerald City is green.”
Interjects Becky, “And also because Kermit sings the ‘Rainbow Connection’ and the song Dorothy sings is ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow.’ So there are those links.”
“This is the first time Kermit will be in Pasadena so we’re very excited,” states a giddy Kris. To which Becky inserts, “This will also mark the first time Kermit will be on stage to play a role other than himself.”
Not even Kermit is immune to the attractions of Panto. The Lythgoes have outdone themselves again.
A San Gabriel Valley Inquirer 