Tibet-born mountaineer and photographer Karma Tenzing Bhotia trained in Austria as a chef, and he brings a gourmet sensibility (rich cream sauces, lovely presentation) to Tibetan and Nepali cuisine. Reminiscent of both Chinese and Indian food, but with more subtle flavors, the menu spans the Himalayas, from lowland curries and dals to highland yak, noodles [...]
Gale Kohl, owner of the eponymous Gale’s Restaurant on Fair Oaks, and her friends have put together a quietly remarkable fundraising night, A Taste of Art, for the past few years. The warm and bustling restaurant is transformed overnight into an art gallery, with dozens of works for sale at eminently reasonable prices. The parking lot [...]
If Randy Newman lived in Altadena, he’d write a song called “I Love North Lake.” Our stretch of Pasadena’s iconic avenue is in many ways the mirror image of South Lake. Where they have upscale chain stores, we have quirky mom and pop shops. Their spiffy houses on tidy lots contrast with our farmhouses, old [...]
A “lacuna” is a hole, an empty place in a stone or bone — and a metaphor for The Lacuna‘s central character. Harrison Shepherd moves through Mexico and America in the first half of the 20th century, aching to be a part of a family, and a nation, but never quite fitting in.He’s too bookish for [...]
I am an oozing, drooling undead groupie for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, so I rushed out to buy Seth Grahame-Smith’s latest mashup, Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. The premise is deliciously dumb: In addition to his other accomplishments, Honest Abe is a hunter of vampires, who are depicted in “historic” photos throughout the book in [...]
Put on your overalls and grab your wellies; Danny’s Farm is having a Barnyard Benefit this Saturday. Located high in Altadena, Danny’s Farm was inspired by a young man named Danny Gott, who has an incredible fondness for animals as well as autism.His parents, former Dodger pitcher Jim Gott and his wife, Cathy, created this [...]
Writer Tracy McMillan, in high heels and a teased-out afro, is somehow both regal and gangly, with an open face, porcelain latte skin and huge eyes. Her friendly, goofy smile disarms you; her razor wit and keen intelligence keep you massively entertained-slash-enlightened — much like her amusing, amazing memoir, I Love You and I’m Leaving [...]
Christopher Slatoff looks like a sculptor. Standing over six powerful feet tall, with a cherubic yet introspective face framed by a shaggy, graying coif, he’s somewhere between Michelangelo’s David and Moses. Chris, who has a BA in sculpture and once made a living traveling the world’s beaches sculpting sand, is a professor at both Art [...]
This is the twelfth year that the one-day-only event Art on Palm will offer all comers a chance to stroll down one of Altadena’s prettiest streets on a beautiful day — and shop. Artwork shown by 30 artists from around Southern California, including ceramics, painting, jewelry, woodwork, glass and photography, will be available (Mother’s and [...]
On Sunday morning, head for the Mt. Wilson Bicycling Association’s Save the Trail pancake breakfast and fundraiser at the top of Lake Avenue in Altadena. Held at the Cobb Estate (the trailhead for Mt. Lowe trail), this is the 21st annual fundraiser held by the group, which is dedicated to the responsible use of trails [...]
