I wrote about Joan Whitenack a few weeks ago who heads the Foothill Unity Center for our nice list. Now on to the Foothill Unity Center itself.

The center takes care of folks in the foothill communities of the San Gabriel Valley. Aside from feeding and clothing those families in immediate distress, they also provide other service such as dentist check ups and free haircuts by working with other groups in the SGV.  Events such as the Thanksgiving and Holiday Distribution Parties as well as the Back to School reach into the thousands the number of families they help.

Aside from donations of food, cash and other emergency type supplies they are in need of labor to help in the Monrovia and Pasadena Centers.  That would include not only sorting donations as they arrive, but labor in the warehouses to package the stuff for distribution to those in need. Even those with social working talents are needed to help with preparing files to track what help is best needed for their clients to ensure they get it.

All year long they are in need of food donations, toiletries, packing material and stuff for distribution to their clients. They need cash too to help fund their activities such as transportation and clothing vouchers. This time of year they need help with their Holiday Distribution Event. This year it is to be held on December 19 and 20 at the Ayers Hall in the LA Arboretum with the preparations for the event taking place on the 18th. Volunteers are needed prior to the event to help with wrapping, sorting and decorating. On the days of the event they need adult volunteers to help with the distribution. Finally they need help with tear down on the 21st. For more information on the specifics of where they need help for this event visit their web site HERE.

Help them fulfill their mission statement however you can.

Foothill Unity Center, Inc. envisions a community where. . .

All have their basic needs met, including the need to give
All get the necessary support to become self-sufficient
All are treated with love and dignity … all the time

We provide critical support, in the form of food, clothing, motel vouchers, and referrals/advocacy to our neighbors in crisis. As the need for food brings people to us, we listen to their problems and help them find solutions. We work with other agencies to provide long-term shelter, counseling, medical, educational, employment and spiritual assistance depending on the person’s needs.

In this way, Foothill Unity Center helps people return self-sufficiency. All services are provided with love and dignity, regardless of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, physical or emotional disabilities or veteran’s status.

If you have someone on your list that has everything, consider making a gift to the Foothill Unity Center in their name this Holiday Season.

For more complete information on the Foothill Unity Center visit their web site.

Monrovia Center: 415 W. Chestnut Ave., Monrovia 91016 Phone: (626) 358-3486 / Fax: (626) 358-8224 Hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm Monday through Friday.

Pasadena Center: 191 N. Oak Ave., Pasadena 91107 Phone: (626) 584-7420 / Fax: (626) 584-7422 Hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm Monday through Friday.

With the proliferation of HD DSLR’s and the ability to post on YouTube its bound to happen again.  Just in case you live under a rock and missed it 2 men were knifed during a brawl at the Rose Bowl that took place during the tailgate parties prior to the USC/UCLA game on Saturday (first story HERE).  ”hcineceros” was there and caught it all on video.  The video lead to an additional 3 arrests today according to the Pasadena Star News just a bit ago.  All this because a football hit a mercedes.


Hat Tip to the Crime Scene blog for finding this and another video of the incident.

Doesn’t it make you wonder how many other videos exist of the event and what if any additional evidence will be gathered in the process?

First on my “nice list” has to be Joan Whitenack of the Foothill Unity Center. The center serves the poorest of the poor with many services here in the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley. It is no small feat, but director Joan Whitenack gets it done with the help of volunteers, grants, schools and other non-profits in the area. To quote Bill Beebe, president of the Monrovia Association of Fine Arts that awarded her their Renaissance Award, “She’s got a nice smile, but there’s no saying no to Joan.”

Not saying “no” to Joan has worked wonders. What started out as a small effort by a local Church in 1980 has grown to a large incorporated non-profit with two service centers through the efforts of Ms Whitenack. The service centers are located in Pasadena and Monrovia. There they serve families and individuals in crisis to give them immediate aid then help them get on a path to recovery.   They even run a “pet food bank” to help them out with taking care of the pets as noted on a recent episode of the Ellen DeGeneres Show!

Aside from helping hundreds of families with their basic needs they have several special events through out the year. Among them are the
Back to School event where more than a thousand children receive hair cuts, dental exams, back-to-school supplies, clothing and even a keepsake art project.

Their mission statement says it all.

Foothill Unity Center, Inc. envisions a community where. . .

• All have their basic needs met, including the need to give
• All get the necessary support to become self-sufficient
• All are treated with love and dignity … all the time

We provide critical support, in the form of food, clothing, motel vouchers, and referrals/advocacy to our neighbors in crisis. As the need for food brings people to us, we listen to their problems and help them find solutions. We work with other agencies to provide long-term shelter, counseling, medical, educational, employment and spiritual assistance depending on the person’s needs.In this way, Foothill Unity Center helps people return self-sufficiency. All services are provided with love and dignity, regardless of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, physical or emotional disabilities or veteran’s status.

All this happened through the energy and vision of Ms Whitenack to be able to help those in need in the foothill communities in the San Gabriel Valley.

Monrovia Center: 415 W. Chestnut Ave., Monrovia 91016 Phone: (626) 358-3486 / Fax: (626) 358-8224 Hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm Monday through Friday
Pasadena Center: 191 N. Oak Ave., Pasadena 91107 Phone: (626) 584-7420 / Fax: (626) 584-7422 Hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm Monday through Friday
More information on how to Volunteer, donate or help however you can at the Foothill Unity Center Web site.

Lisa Barrios helps customer with making baby's first foot print in clay.

Lisa Barrio’s owner of Paint “n” Play Studio and Gallery in Monrovia is just the kind of small business typified by the article done this morning by Julia. “PnP” as it is affectionately referred to here in Monrovia, is a small business centered on art you create yourself. It is much more than a small business, it is also a gathering point for many in the community for a variety of reasons, chief which is the personal touch you get from Lisa when you do business with her.

Small Business Saturday is a big deal here in Old Town Monrovia and for Lisa as well. She has a special deal in place for Saturday only, $5 of any Holiday item you purchase, or make including the treasured by many “legacy prints”. (Get a coupon HERE).

According to Barrios she is happy to see Small Business Saturday getting attention for many reasons.

“It is the small business that gives most back to the community it serves. They are the first ones asked to help by non-profits and charities for donations as they know a small business has a heart and doesn’t have the red tape and ‘rig-a-ma-role hoops’ to jump through that a large corporation does”.

A legacy print is a hand print in clay done of a loved ones hand (or foot in the case of infants) into unfired clay then it is fired,  painted and decorated with the help of the PnP staff. These treasures are permanent and can be passed down for generations to come.

Completed "Legacy Prints"

Details: Paint “n”Play 2 Art Studio and Gallery, 418 S Myrtle Avenue, Monrovia CA 91016 626/256-4848  Web Site HERE

Want an alternative to the traditional big box gift? Like art and love to meet the artist who created it? Look no further than my corner of LA for 5 Gallery or Shop Receptions on Saturday 11/28. All of these gallery’s are holding their event in conjunction with the Small Business Saturday that Julia blogged about earlier today.

Friends of Dorothy is having its Grand opening weekend with associated ribbon cuttings and reception. See the work of artist Susan Dobay and City Art Photography. Opening at 10AM and goes until 10PM. Get yourself some fresh Christmas Cookies and Hot Cider.519 South Myrtle Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016, (626) 932-0110.

Irish Gardener will have my favorite paper artist, Beth Butterfield there with several samples of her work. Also there will be Frances Pampeyan a plein-air oil artist who shows in several galleries in the area.  They will be serving light appetizers and wine during their reception that will start at 6:30 and end when patron stop coming in, call that “open ended extended hours”.  504 S Myrtle Ave, Monrovia, CA 91016, 626-357-5000.

Segil Fine Arts will be open until 9PM. They will be running their “2nd Saturday” event (never mind its not the second Saturday). This event involves you eating at a locally owned fine dining restaurant in Old Town Monrovia (my faves Cafe Opera and Cafe Massilia) and bring in your receipt for 10% off you purchase in the gallery. 110 West Lime Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016, (626) 358-5563.

Sycamore Gallery will be open with the works of Robert Rodriguez as the featured artist. 116 East Lemon Avenue,Monrovia, CA 91016, (626) 357-6200.

Paint n’ Play 2 Art Studio and Gallery will host its reception from 6:30-10:30 and will include free wine and munchies while you peruse the art and talk with the 10 artists,among them one of my favorite photographers doing LA Land marks, Stephen Coleman. (As a bit of shameless self promotion and disclosure be advised that one of the 10 includes me). Concurrently the Monrovia Association of fine arts will be hosting its annual Holiday Party and will have numerous artists there for you to chat with as well.

Some of you may remember eecue from his time here as one of the writers on blogging.la and the amazing images he captured of Los Angeles and environs.  Those images and many other are part of a solo show being opened this weekend at the Indigo Gallery in Pomona this Saturday.  (Details at the end of the story).

For those of you who haven’t seen his work the opening image is one of his taken of the city during a wild fire in Griffith Park.  His subject matter ranges from the grand skylines to the simple folk that inhabit downtown.  Each image in my not so humble opinion is enough to stop you in your tracks and draw you in.  He works in both traditional imagery as well as High Dynamic Range so you will see quite a range of super real to the surreal in his work.  You can get a better sample of his work at his web site HERE.

DEETS: Opening Reception Nov 12, 2010.  Additional reception Nov 27 and Dec 11, 6-9PM.  Indigo Gallery, 558 W. 2nd Street, Pomona CA.  MAP HERE.

Click the image to embiggen.  Image courtesy of Dave Bullock and used with his permission.

Old Cars and fun at Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design Sunday 10/17/10, 10AM-6PM. The Car Classic ‘10 will take place on at Art Center’s Hillside Campus. The event was moved from its historical July date to ensure cooler temperatures and allow attendees to spend even more time enjoying the beautiful cars, world-famous speakers, and inspiring student work.

This year’s Car Classic will celebrate the thrill of motion, capturing the joy and excitement of various modes of transportation that allow us to move well beyond our own abilities. This years keynote presentation will be by alumnus Frank Stephenson, design director for McLaren Automotive. They will also do the LA Premiere of the new McLaren MP4-12C. Another speaker will be Jeff Zwart, an automobile photographer, director who recently set a new record racing up Pike’s Peak in a Porsche 911 GT3.

Sorry folks, but this isn’t a free event, rather it will cost you $60 at the door or $50 online (Alumni will save $20 if they order online). The proceeds from this event will go to a variety of funding for scholarships for their undergraduate, graduate and public programs.

To purchase tickets you can contact them via email at carclassic@artcenter.edu or call 626/396-2304.

Details:Sunday October 17, Art Center College of Design Hillside Campus, 1700 Lida Street, Pasadena, CA
Additional info on their website HERE.

Pic by me of a “million dollar T-bird” from a recent Barret-Jackson auction.

Celebrate the Arts, a juried fine art event, now in its 47th year, takes place this weekend October 9 &10 in Monrovia’s Library Park. This event is presented by the Monrovia Association of Fine Arts (MAFA) There will be artists representing painting, sculpture (including wearable sculpture like jewelry) and photography to mention a few in the event. Of course it wouldn’t be a Celebration of the Arts without some music and that there will be scheduled throughout both days of the event.

The Featured Artist this year is Ginger Van Hook, a talented photographer working in silver based media as well as digital, the latter she ventures into digital art with. One of her explorations this last year has been floral in the vein of the impressionist painter Monet. In a recent email exchange with here I got this information on this exploration.

“I will be exhibiting Waterlilies and Lotus Flowers in a tribute to Claude Monet’s gardens. I went in search of local Japanese Gardens in Los Angeles to photograph and found several. This series is from Kenneth Hahn Park (Doris Japanese Gardens) between La Brea and La Cienega. Additional gardens in the area include The Japanese Garden in Van Nuys, the UCLA Hannah Carter Japanese Gardens, Descanso Gardens in Glendale and the Arboretum in Arcadia, just to name a few.”

Among the musicians performing at this years Celebrate the Arts will be local indy rock band Secret Citizen. The video attached was filmed entirely in the Malibu hills. The band is gathering quite a following here (and behind the OC where they play more often than not). This is your chance to see them locally. They will be playing at 4Pm on Saturday 10/9. Enjoy the video “Caroline”.

There will also be a silent Auction to benefit MAFA. Artists participating in the show, and members at large will be donating pieces for this auction. The proceeds will go to fund the many art projects that MAFA has going all year such as the After School Art program, local galleries and other events in the surrounding communities.

Deets: Celebrate the Arts, October 9 & 10, 10AM-6PM, Library Park 321 S Myrtle Avenue, Monrovia CA 91016 MAP HERE .  MAFA web site with Celebrate the Arts information HERE.

Just a little disclosure here, I’m on the board and serve as Vice President of MAFA. Sadly I won’t be in the show this year due to kid activities this weekend.

Mark your calender for ArtNight Pasadena on Friday, Oct. 8, from 6 to 10 p.m.  It will have something for every taste when 14 of the city’s most prominent arts and culture institutions open their doors for free. There is a lot of depth to this event. So what are you looking for? Cool comic strips or old masterpieces? Sound art or classical music? Modern Chinese design or graffiti art? You will find it here.

ArtNight Pasadena kicks off Pasadena ArtWeekend, a three-day, six-event, citywide arts festival. Saturday’s offerings include Art of Food from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on South Lake Avenue, ArtHeritage parade from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning at Los Robles Avenue and Howard Street and ending at La Pintoresca Park, ArtWalk from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Playhouse District and ArtRhythm from 5 to 9 p.m. at Paseo Colorado. On Sunday, ArtPerformance will take place at the Levitt Pavilion in Old Pasadena. For more information visit www.PasadenaArtWeekend.com or call (626) 795-9311.

You also have a choice in transportation: Metro Gold Line, walking, bicycling tour or free shuttle buses available at each of the venues. Best Gold Line station is the Memorial Park Station that is 1 block east of the Armory Center for the Arts. From there you can catch the various shuttles and buses quite easily.

ArtNight Pasadena’s featured exhibitions and performances include:

Alliance Française de Pasadena
34 E. Union, Kendall Alley
“Paris,” an art exhibit by the recognized Los Angeles-based painter Roberto Gutierrez whose black-and-white canvases and gray watercolors give a nostalgic feel to the City of Lights.

Armory Center for the Arts
145 N. Raymond Ave.
“Steve Roden: In Between, A 20 Year Survey,” the first survey of the artist’s work in all its divergent forms, including sound. Plus, NewTown’s “Convergences” presents 11 artists who integrate digital media, sculpture and installation.

Art Center College of Design
1700 Lida St.
“ENERGY,” an exhibition where left brain and right brain intersect and natural forces can be seen through the prisms of science, art and history. Also, recent work in the student gallery.

Kidspace Children’s Museum
480 N. Arroyo Blvd.
Lineage Dance, exploring the famous Kidspace Ant Climber with a playful look from a bug’s point of view in a site-specific dance. Also, art projects exploring the elements of the earth, and family dance time.

Lineage Performing Arts Center
89 S. Fair Oaks Ave.
Nonstop live music and contemporary dance performances, including Lineage Dance’s latest piece, “Defining Moments.”

Norton Simon Museum of Art
411 W. Colorado Blvd.
Two exhibitions, “Hiroshige: Visions of Japan” and “Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel: An Artwork by John Cage,” plus centuries of masterpieces on permanent view.

One Colorado
North side of Colorado Boulevard between Union, Fair Oaks and DeLacey.
“Three Founts,” a site-specific, fanciful fountain in the courtyard, drawn from Pasadena history by artist Lynn Aldrich. Also, new Artist in Residence, Carly Steward, in “The Artist Studio.”

Pacific Asia Museum
46 N. Los Robles Ave.
“China Modern: Designing Popular Culture 1910-1970,” an exhibition that demonstrates how different political and social ideas are transmitted via everyday products, advertising and graphic design.

Pasadena City College
1570 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena’s hidden treasure of contemporary art at PCC’s Shatford Library: 24 original works from the Artist in Residence program, 1987-2010. Plus, in the College Art Gallery, an exhibition of work by influential graphic artist Edward Fella.

Pasadena Museum of California Art
490 E. Union St.
Three exhibitions: “CDB 2010: Action/Reaction,” showcasing design from California; “Desire: Six Los Angeles Artists,” featuring contemporary art about desire; and an installation by artist Megan Geckler in the Project Room.

Pasadena Museum of History
470 W. Walnut St.
“Pasadena Patron: The Life & Legacy of Eva Scott Fenyes,” the world of art, live music and dance from Pasadena’s Gilded Age, and one of early Pasadena’s most influential women.

Pasadena Central Library
285 E. Walnut St.
“Art of the Book” as seen through graphic novels, paintings, photographs, and theatrical and musical performances, and craft-making. Also, “The Word: Between the Lines,” works by Pasadena Society of Artists members.

Pasadena Symphony
Ambassador Auditorium
131 S. St. John Ave.
Harpist Alison Bjorkedal and others create an intimate musical preview of the 2010/11 season at the Pasadena Symphony’s new home, Ambassador Auditorium. Also, venue tours and special ticket offers.

Shumei Arts Council
2430 E. Colorado Blvd.
“The Dalai Lama and His People,” photography and book signing by Don Farber. Also, Makoto Taiko drumming at 6:30, 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 p.m.

For more information call the ArtNight Pasadena Hotline at (626) 744-7887 or visit their WEB HERE. For accessibility information or written materials in alternative formats, call (626) 744-7249. To join ArtNight bicycle tours visit www.cicle.org.

Names can be deceiving and although Kang Kang Food Court has the words “food court” in its name, it’s not like the food court you’ll see at your local mall. But in concept, Kang Kang is like a food court in that it has a huge selection of food– it’s a small restaurant in a shopping center in the SGV with a giant “fast food” menu featuring hundreds of cheap and delicious items from all over Taiwan and various regions of China.

If you come here, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the choices, but I’ll make it simple for you– it’s the Shanghai pan-fried dumplings/buns that this place is really known for. The Shanghai Sheng Jian Bao (上海生煎包) is Kang Kang’s signature dish; you can see patrons chowing down on them at every other table. And as the banner over the doorway proudly proclaims, it was one of the L.A. Times’ Top 10 Recipes of 2009.

These gems are filled with pork, wrapped in a thin dough, pan-fried to perfection and topped with black sesame seeds and green onion. When cooked, the pork filling creates a hot “soup” that fills the inside of the bun. But be warned! Your first instinct may be to take a giant bite into a piping hot dumpling. If you do this, your bun will explode into a hot mess and the inside of your mouth will be instantly scalded! Trust me, I’ve seen it happen. I’ve also been the victim of squirting bun soup juice, so be kind to your fellow eaters and learn the method to eating them so that you don’t lose the soup (the best part!).

The first thing to do is to be careful not to poke a hole in the dumpling while you’re picking it up with your chopsticks. Once you’ve picked up the dumpling, rest it on the spoon (which you’re holding with your other hand) so you can take a small bite on the top of the bun (just enough to make a hole in the dough). Then slowly (carefully) suck the soup out of the dumpling– or if you like to play with your food like I do, up-end the dumpling soup into our soup spoon. The buns are served with a black rice vinegar so after the soup is gone, you can then dip the bun into vinegar and carefully enjoy the rest of the hot dumpling.

It’s kind of ironic that the Shanghai Sheng Jian Bao are not made before 11am at Kang Kang because they are actually a common breakfast food in Shanghai. They’re also often sold as dian xin (點心) (or snacks) and are rarely found as a dish in a main meal in China. But at Kang Kang, they can be the centerpiece of a meal.

My suggestion is to come in, order a combo from the food line (you’ll see when you get there), order the Shanghai pan-fried dumplings at the cashier when you pay for your food and enjoy the combo items while they pan-fry your dumpling goodness. If you can find a table, eat there instead of ordering them to go– the dumplings are better fresh (though they do travel well), and you get tea with your meal if you eat in. A 3-item combo (which comes with rice and soup) + an order of 8 pan-fried dumplings will run you $11. And you’ll probably have leftovers!

And although Kang Kang also does a decent Xiao Long Bao/XLB (小籠包), if you’re here for the pan-fried dumplings, don’t make the mistake of ordering the steamed dumplings which are also sometimes called “Shanghai Dumplings” at other restaurants. (Well, if you’re hungry, you can order both!)

If you have room after all this, check out their shaved ice bar / drink menu. Perfect for hot days in L.A.

Kang Kang Food Court (Pacific Square)
27 E. Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-308-3898
CASH ONLY

This is a post in Blogging.LA‘s Menu Mining Series.

Oh so delectable Mushroom Burger Basket at Jake's Roadhouse

Sometimes you just crave a burger with something different. Something a little old school like a Mushroom Burger and Jake’s Roadhouse in Monrovia is the place to get it. When ever I get the urge I make tracks for that place, parking in the area be damned and satiate that urge.

What makes it so special? Aside from a very good cooked to order burger with the usual trimmings, it is packed with oodles of mushrooms. Oodles as in more than the bun can contain and they spill out into the basket leaving you with nibbles of sauteed-buttery-garlicky-salty mushroom slices. It is nirvana on a bun as far as I’m concerned. Others in the area may have similar on their menu, but none over pack the plate with those slices of fungi goodness like Jake’s.

Its affordable too. The Mushroom Burger Basket with your choice of fries or onion rings can be had for under $10. Toss in an iced tea and tip and I’m in heaven for under $15 which is quite the deal in itself. Of course you don’t have to just take my word for it, try it yourself if you happen to be in Old Town.

Lastly, you don’t go to Jake’s for a fine dining experience, rather you go there for great food, great service at a reasonable price. While you’re waiting please eat the peanuts and toss the shells on the floor. It’s that kind of a place. They do a pretty good BBQ Rib and Tri-tip too,  but this is about my favorite item on their menu and the subject of this post.

Jake’s Roadhouse, 622 S Myrtle Ave, Monrovia, CA 91016-3406 (626) 599-9453

Sometimes – a lot of the times, actually – I don’t prefer pho.  It took me a little while to come out and just admit this, because the follow-up is always, “But you’re Vietnamese!”  Accusations aside, this is a relatively recent confession: a few months ago, I suggested to my mom that we get pho for dinner.  Her exact words were: “AUGH not pho, I don’t like pho that much.”  All of a sudden, the CFL light bulb turned on (slowly), and I realized, I too, can freely admit that I don’t like pho as much as everyone presumes I should.  Don’t get me wrong – the piping hot soup definitely hits the spot at certain times: late nights, or as breakfast on a cold or hungover morning.  But, as a general rule, you’re more likely to find me slurping up a big bowl of bun thit nuong rather than a big bowl of pho.

Golden Deli, in the heart of San Gabriel Valley, is supposed to be the best Vietnamese place this side of Orange County, and it really is really good (I haven’t tried enough of the Vietnamese joints in the SGV to make a judgment call – yet).  A page or two of the menu is dedicated to pho; if you’re feeling a bit adventurous, skip a few subheadings down to Bun – Rice Vermicelli. Right there, you’ll find number 34, Bun Thit Nuong: charbroiled pork atop cold rice noodles (vermicelli), which itself sits on a bed of crispy lettuce, carrots, and other veggies.  It seems like such a simple dish, but it nonetheless is hard to get exactly right: the pork can’t be too fatty, the noodles can’t be too thick, and the bowl can’t be too overwhelmed by the greens.  Golden Deli’s version avoids all these dealbreakers.  And it’s only $4.75(!!!).

On some days, I get the dish with egg rolls – number 35, Bun Thit Nuong & Cha Gio (only two quarters more than the bowl without the cha gio).  The egg rolls come paired and are pre-cut into bite-sized pieces for you.  The egg rolls aren’t nearly as good as my mom’s, but they are still delicious.  (The difference between a Vietnamese egg roll and a Chinese one, by the by, is that where Chinese egg rolls are stuffed mostly with cabbage and other veggies and are rolled in a thick, wheat-based wrapper, the Vietnamese version minces meat and veggies more finely and rolls the mixture in a thinner and decidedly more delicate rice paper wrapper.  I think a Vietnamese egg roll beats a Chinese one any day of the week.  You think I’m biased, but I’m really not.).  The bowl comes with a side of fish sauce – nuoc cham – which you are to pour, liberally, onto your pork and noodles.

For those looking to look beyond pho, this is a great starter: there’s nothing inherently unfamiliar in here, and it is distinctly Vietnamese.  C’mon, you can do it.  You can thank me later.

Golden Deli
815 W. Las Tunas Drive
San Gabriel Valley
Sunday: 9am – 9:30pm
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9:30am – 9:00pm (note that they are closed on Wednesdays!!)
Friday: 9:30am – 10:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am – 10:00pm

Craving Crepes? I have only one place in all of LA that can sooth the craving. That’s Cafe Massilia in Monrovia. They have a nice variety of crepes but I always go for “Crepe au Lard” when I’m there for a date day lunch with the better half. (She orders Crepe au brie, tasty too, but not superlative heaven like my favorite).

“Lard” as in lardon, en francais for BACON! Pork product at its crispy best with a wonderful melange of goodies in a melt in your mouth buttery goodness crepe. Not just a watered down pancake batter with no flavor but traditional old school crepe. (We benefit from the owners and chefs being from Provence). Rounding out the goodies in the “Crepes au lard” is mushroom, caramelized onion, sun-dried Tomato, and swiss cheese. Think of it as a BLT only wrapped in the most perfect crepe this side of heaven.

And for a bit of trivia, Massilia is the old roman name for modern Marseilles. How much more Provencal can one get?

Details: Cafe Massilia, 110 E Lemon Avenue, Monrovia CA 91016 WEB SITE HERE

They call it “Pasadena Cruisin’” but it doesn’t happen in Pasadena any more as their old location was bulldozed over for redevelopment. (As if we really needed another thrifty drug and fat mens clothing store). The tradition carried on and takes place in two SGV Locations. Every week is the Saturday morning cruise in taking place in LaCanada. Every 4th Sunday of the Month it takes place in El Monte at the airport and as an added boner vintage aircraft are part of the fun.

Deets:
Every Saturday 7-9AM, Starbucks & U.A. Theaters,1919 Verdugo Blvd.LaCanada, California 91011 MAP INFO HERE.
Every 4th Sunday starting at 10AM: El Monte Airport, 4233 N. Santa Anita Ave. El Monte, California 91731 MAP INFO HERE.

Pic by me of a 1960 Olds taken at last Saturdays Monrovia Old Car Cruise.

Foothills Pregnancy Resource Center is having a fund raiser tonight in Pasadena. They are hosting the world premiere of Johnny, the tale of a foster child who helped a family recover from a tragic loss of their own child. (More movie info HERE).  Following the movie will be a Special Question and Answer Period with Director D. David Morin and Lead Actors Mel Fair and Jerry Phillips.

The cost of admission is $10 bucks a person. The proceeds will go to help the Foothills Pregnancy Resource center with their various programs including helping mothers who chose to carry a child to term and raise it or give it up for adoption.

Details: Friday, September 17th at 7:30 PM, Gilmore Hall, The First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena, 3700 East Sierra Madre Boulevard,Pasadena, California 91107