Paseo Spring Fest Post Card click to embiggen

I’m not a fan of malls, but I am a sucker for a good fine art event.  At least Paseo Colorado is a semi-open mall.   Paseo Spring Fest promises to be among the better ones as it is a juried event, meaning the artists have to be reviewed by a jury panel to ensure they are accomplished at what they do.

During your time at the art show if you need a break and feel the need for a little libations do stop in at the Bodega Wine Bar.

Parking is fairly good at the Paseo.  It is about 6 blocks, an easy walk from the Gold Line Memorial Park Station which is a pretty good option if you are mass transit enabled.

Details: Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun 11AM-6PM, 280 E. Colorado Blvd.Pasadena, CA MAP HERE

pay dragon logo

It launched this morning.  PayDragon is a free app for your iphone or android.  It hooks you up with a participating food truck or restaurant, lets you order and prepay cutting down the hassle of lines and worry if you have cash on hand.  Actually it does quite a bit of nifty stuff for you…

• QR reader: scan codes with participating PayDragon merchants to instantly begin a transaction
• A discover tab: locate nearby participating merchants
• A game layer: earn points toward incentives from merchants
• Exclusive deals: take merchants up on sales and food deals
• Facebook integration: tell your friends about the great meal you just enjoyed
• Receipts for transactions: keep track of purchase activity
• Notifications: receive alerts when an order or item is ready to pick up

Participating vendors include the sweets chain Beard Papa and a number of LA-based food trucks such as The Bun Truck, CambalaCHE’s,Auntie’s Fry Bread, Chunk n Chip, The Grill Sergeant, The Wien, and Rounds Premium Burgers.

You can get your free download for your iphone HERE and your Android HERE.  I’ve been told by the good folks that other formats…Blackberry and Windows are being worked on.

Pasadena Earth and Arts Festival poster, click to embiggen

You’d think I live in Pasadena given how often I post about the place, I don’t, but they always have something of interest going on.  This Saturday its the 10th Annual Pasadena Earth and Arts Festival to be held in and around the Armory Center for the Arts across from Memorial Park.  Here’s the run down of things that will be at this FREE festival:

• huge eco-market place with exhibitors private and public helping you to live green
• The Green Truck and Coolhaus food trucks for sustainable noshing
• First ever sustainable beer garden with a biodegradable “little red cup” featuring the beer from Craftsman Brewing Company and Eagle Rock Brewery
• Fallen Fruit will be there with its jam making wisdom.  Feel free to bring in your found fruit from public spaces or your own back yard.

For gawds sake take public transpo to the Gold Line and exit Memorial Park Station…you’ll be right at the park and only a very short walk to the Armory Center.  Show your metro pass or ticket at the Transportation Booth and they will have a gift for you…well a gift as long as the supply lasts.  Beats the difficulty in finding parking in the area which can be expensive when you do find a space and don’t forget that PPD does patrol hard for scofflaws.

Details:Saturday April 14, 2012 11AM-5PM, 145 Raymond Street, Pasadena CA, MAP HERE

Parking is tough (and expensive and extensively patrolled for scofflaws) in that area.  I strongly suggest that if you are mass transit enabled do so and get yourself onto the Gold Line and take it to the Memorial Station and walk the couple of blocks it takes to get there.

Details: April 14, 2012, 5-11:30PM, Oakland Avenue, Pasadena  MAP HERE. 626 Night Market Web Site.

Full press release after the break.

ASIAN NIGHT MARKET COMING TO PASADENA

The San Gabriel Valley is home to a large and diverse Asian population, which boasts many excellent ethnic restaurants and businesses that are largely unknown to those outside the area. But they will finally get the exposure they deserve when Pasadena hosts Southern California’s only Asian Night Market on Saturday, April 14, from 5 to 11:30 p.m. on Oakland Ave. between Colorado Blvd. and Union St. Admission is free.

Dubbed the “626 Night Market,” in reference to the area code of the San Gabriel Valley, the event will feature an authentic Asian street fair experience, which is a fixture of Asian communities. The 626 Night Market aims to provide greater exposure for these hidden businesses and fun for people of all ages by bringing a staple of Asian culture and commerce to Pasadena.

“With a lively downtown that includes the Pacific Asia Museum and Pasadena Museum of California Art, Pasadena is the perfect location for the 626 Night Market,” said Economic Development Director Eric Duyshart. “Businesses will get great exposure here. That’s good for Pasadena and the greater San Gabriel Valley region.”

The 626 Night Market will feature more than 70 local restaurants and businesses. Mouth-watering food selections range from Hong Kong Egg Waffles and Taiwanese Crepes to Chinese Teas and Dragon Whiskers Candy, not to mention stinky tofu.

Retail vendors will sell Asian-inspired clothes and shoes, unique cell phone and tablet accessories, toys, cosmetics, jewelry and more. Many vendors are independent start-ups and first-time entrepreneurs pursuing their small-business dream, which bolsters the local economy.

Parking will be available in public lots near the event on Union St. and Oakland and Madison avenues. Visitors are also encouraged to go green and take public transit, including the Metro Gold Line to nearby Memorial Station.

For a full list of public transit options and more information about the event please visit the event website at www.626nightmarket.com or call 626-765-5066.

The 626 Night Market is co-sponsored by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and the City of Pasadena Economic Development Division.

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Today, Wednesday 3/28 bring that suspect package from another store to any Fresh and Easy and swap it out for their ground beef.  You can read all about the swap in the Pasadena Star News, their web or blog or just take it from me that its really happening.

There are a couple of caveats. You are limited to up to 2 lbs of their 80/20 stuff.  IT is only good as long as supplies last…maybe call ahead to verify they are still doing it at your local Fresh & Easy.  They have a handy store locator  HERE.

Marci of Co-op 28 and her counter of books

Me, I’d rather stick pins in my eyes than go to a mall the week before Christmas. I prefer to do most of my holiday shopping at places like Unique LA or Handmade, so how happy was I to hear about Co-op 28 in Los Feliz.

Behind a fairly unassuming store front, Co-op 28 houses a gallery and what a more pretentious blogger might call a “curated” gift shop/boutique. The shop hasn’t been open long, but it has the feel of a place that should become a neighborhood staple. You’ll recognize some of the artists/designers from Unique LA if you go there, but of course, Co-op 28 is open every day and doesn’t cost $10 at the door. Not that it’s cheap–I easily spent far more than I intended–but most things are priced as you’d expect for handmade, one-of-a-kind items. The owner Marci Siegel has put together a great collection–a rack of clothes, a table of bath items including eucalyptus bombs that steam up your shower, fun and fancy jewelry, guitar straps, clocks made from old pulp fiction novels and Dr. Seuss books, purses . . . even a selection of classic candies. Because who doesn’t want a handful of bit-o-honeys to go with that lomography print?

To make the whole thing irresistible, the shop is on Vermont right off of Prospect, which is to say, next door to Paradis, the amazing Danish ice cream shop that earns my wholehearted love for periodically featuring licorice ice cream. So go, finish your shopping, have an ice cream, chat with Marci, and avoid the mall. Merry whatever-it-is-you-celebrate.

How about a pair of Mychael Darwin jeans? According to their website, Mychael Darwin’s customers include “International Kings, World Entertainers, Hall of Fame Athletes, The Champion Los Angeles Lakers, Hollywood A-List Celebrities and Stylish Denim Enthusiasts.” Their “bespoke” jeans are custom cut to fit to your exact measurements. With extras like silk-lined pockets and “the world’s best denim fabrics” it’s no wonder that prices start at $1,200.  For a couple hundred more you can get sterling silver buttons and rivets, and eighteen karat gold or platinum hardware will set you back $3252.50 or $5232.50 respectively to start.

Normal delivery time is two weeks, so you’re looking at more of a new year’s present most likely, but for a fee, you can get a pair as quickly as 48 hours apparently.  And you know, once you’re in for a few grand on a pair of jeans what’s an added convenience charge?

More information on the art and artists can be found on Fine Art Trekkin’ Torrance and Fine Art Trekkin’ South Bay.

Deets: 9/3 & 9/4/11Saturday and Sunday Sept 3, 4 noon-6pm. South Bay Lexus.24777 Crenshaw Blvd. Torrance, California 90505

Tent City at Venice Beach

Yesterday was my annual pilgrimage to Venice Beach with the kids for their end o’ summer/back to school field trip.  (I celebrate the latter).

It is so sad to see the changes going on in Venice right now.  Where the sidewalk was once lined with artists and musicians it is now packed with EZ-up tents selling mostly swap meet type crap.  To even get to the tent city one has to wade through a gauntlet of a dozen or so “independent musicians” hawking their latest CD in a very aggressive in your face manner.

I can count on my hand the number artists left on the sidewalk of Venice Beach.  It was sad to see so few of them left.  It was even sadder to see the number musicians has dwindled to less than a handful.  I miss them all, they were the heart and soul of the Venice Beach that I have come to love over my years here.

In talking with the merchants of Venice Beach during my meander yesterday I learned a few things.  Many are not happy with the tent city that has been set up for a lot of reasons.  The tent city folks don’t pay rent and are undercutting them.  They are cluttering up the view of the ocean from the sidewalks.  They are aggressive in staking out spots in the morning, often violently which they say detract from the spirit of Venice.  A lot of reasons they aren’t happy.  Some even made mention of a movement underfoot to try and set up a permit system to help control them.

One of the more interesting changes was the number of “no photos” signs popping up all over among the tent city folks.  It was mind boggling how they can set up for sale on a public sidewalk then expect to be able to control hundreds, if not thousands of folks each day strolling past from taking pictures.

Finally, the best new thing I discovered at Venice is Schulzies Bread Pudding.  The stuff is inexpensive and really a nicely twisted up departure from the regular bread puddings out there.  I opted for the “Duff’s Peppercorn Raspberry” and was not disappointed.  A slightly spicey/peppery bread pudding with a fresh raspberry puree on top.  Add in the freshly squeezed lemonade and the day was complete for $6.50!

Schulzies

I’ll be back as I’ve always loved Venice Beach.  I do hope that they do find a way to control some of the changes that have occurred there to help bring back the old artsy vibe that I loved there.

All pics by me and get bigger with a click.