We love Gerlach’s for so many reasons—the warmth of owners Lewy and Fred Fedail, the fabulous bargain wines, the really good stuff in the climate-controlled room (ask the brothers; they know their wines), the collection of ports and sherries, the small-town feel of the place—and now, thanks to Pasadena’s December 1st almost-hurricane, we have something [...]
On Colorado Boulevard just west of Pasadena sits a fetching little Arts & Crafts bungalow that’s home to a friendly, modern soul-food restaurant, Larkin’s, where the chicken is fried and you drink your wine out of Ball jars. Here’s a lovely piece on the LA Weekly’s food blog Squid Ink by our pal Jenn Garbee [...]
Thanks to Hometown Pasadena friend Claudia Bailey for pointing us to the video made by Ryan Weber, a Valley resident who works in South Pasadena. It’s his narrated drive-through of South Pas on the day after the Wind From Hell hit town. Check it out:
If you think you’d like the Renaissance Faire a whole lot more without the drunk Robin Hoods and uninhibited wenches flaunting scary corseted cleavage, gather up the kids and head to the 26th annual Elves’ Faire, a wonderfully sweet community festival that Pasadena Waldorf School has been putting on for 26 years. The school’s already [...]
Ever since we published the first version of Hometown Pasadena (the book, that is), we’ve been tossing around the idea of producing a calendar. But now there’s no need, because our friend Petrea Burchard has done it. Many of you know her as the multi-talented woman behind Pasadena Daily Photo. She shoots photographs, she writes, [...]
We don’t cover hard news here at Hometown Pasadena—we’re all about the features. And so we don’t officially endorse anyone in elections. But I feel the need to unofficially sing the praises of our pal from pilates class, Lisa Link, who’s running for the San Marino Board of Education on Tuesday. For a couple of [...]
WHY A place for chileheads to give their palate a thrill ride.
WHAT Light years beyond kung pao, the Sichuan fare at this nicely designed little storefront is the winning contender for capsicum artistry in a city filled with peppery stir fries and incendiary noodles. The fresh fish hot pot has a fan club, but don’t let it obscure the other mouth-tingling goodies, like fried chicken cubelets—as crunchy as chicharones and spicier than jalapeño kettle chips, buried under an inch-deep blanket of dry-fried chiles.
We were so sorry to have to miss a big night out with a charity close to our hearts: the Cancer Support Community‘s Ladies’ Night Out fundraiser at the Ice House last weekend. (College parents’ weekend took priority.) Our favorite hometown author Lian Dolan (Helen of Pasadena) and sister Sheila Dolan (surely the funniest 3rd [...]
Hardcover Fiction Buddha in the Attic, Julie Otsuka Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern Rules of Civility, Amor Towles Dance with Dragons, George R R Martin Pirate King, Laurie King Last Werewolf, Glen Duncan The Dog Who Knew Too Much, Spencer Quinn Perfect Suspect, Margaret Coel Art of Fielding, Chad Harbach Paris Wife, Paula Mclain Hardcover Non-Fiction [...]
Hometown Pasadena pal Debra Whitehouse came out of her La Viña house the other morning to find fresh bear tracks on the pavement. She shot a bit of video and took a photo, and she was gracious enough to share it with us. Make sure to have your sound on so you can hear her [...]
