South Pas Arts Crawl

My new hometown is hosting its annual Arts Crawl on Saturday, February 11th.  The South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce is hosting this free event.  So don't judge this town by it's size - it's got a big love of art and community!

See you out and about.  Oh, and don't miss Menchie's special pricing that night.  Don't worry, you'll stroll off the calories.

It's a Neighborhood Night-on-the-Town

Art. Music. Food and Fun!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2012 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Businesses and artists in South Pasadena are sending a pre-Valentine’s day gift to the community in an evening Arts Crawl. In the free event, art and music lovers will enjoy gallery openings, see new paintings and prints, hear live music, and get creative with interactive art experiences. A celebration for the newest gallery to open on Fair Oaks Ave. will take place, inside the South Pasadena Mercantile Company. And Charlie Chaplin’s “Modern Times”, a black and white classic, will be played on the side of the Iron Works Museum, courtesy of Videothéque.

Arts Crawl is organized to provide a showcase for local artists and musicians, and to highlight the city’s unique business district. All attractions are within a short walk, so patrons can easily park and walk to each spot. Restaurants will be open, and Food Trucks will be on the street.

Most of the galleries and businesses are on Mission Street, with others on Hope Street, Fremont Ave. and Fair Oaks Ave. Shops and boutiques will stay open late and offer special sales in what’s being billed as a “neighborhood night-on-the-town”. Many stores will offer specials and discounts in anticipation of Valentine’s Day shoppers.

Participating Businesses and Organizations

Abuelita's Knitting
BOOK 'em Mysteries www.bookem.com
Battery Used Books
Buster's Ice Cream & Coffee Stop www.busterscoffee.com
Camille Frances DePedrini
City of South Pasadena - Public Library
Common Thread Studio www.commonthreadstudio.com
Curio Emporium, The www.thecurioemporium.comDe Milo Design Studio www.demilodesign.com
Dinosaur Farm www.dinofarm.com
Edmond Thompson Antiques
Eleven 8 www.collectioneleven8.com
Ellen's Silkscreeening  www.ellenssilkscreening.com
Family Fair www.familyfaircandyandgifts.com
Firefly Bistro www.eatatfirefly.com
Fremont Centre Theatre www.fremontcentretheatre.com
Fremont Gallery www.fremontgallery.com
Friends of the Rialto
Heirloom Bakery
Kaldi Coffee and Tea
Kidd's Jewelry
Laurie Hendricks Gallery www.lauriehendricksart.com
Livin' Art www.livinart.com
Mamma's Brick Oven Pizza & Pasta www.mammasbrickoven.com
Marz.
Menchies Frozen Yogurt www.menchies.com
Mike & Anne's Restaurant www.mikeandannes.com
Mix n' Munch Cereal & Grilled Cheese www.mixnmunch.com
My Sweet Cupcake www.mysweetcupcake.net
Reimagine Your Home www.reimagineyourhome.com
Rue de Mimo www.ruedemimo.com
SOPA Studios www.sopastudios.com
SPACE www.spaceartscenter.com
Salon 1032 www.salon1032.com
SoPas Gallery
South Pasadena Arts Council www.sopasartscouncil.com
South Pasadena Chinese-American Club www.spcc-web.org
South Pasadena Mercantile Company www.spmercantile.com
South Pasadena Music Center www.southpasadenamusic.com
South Pasadena Preservation Foundation www.sppreservation.org
Tah Gallery www.tahgallery.com
Videotheque www.vidtheque.com
Viva Dulce Marina www.vivadulcemarina.com
Zinnia - A Space for Contagious Creativity www.zinnia.biz

Galleries & Studios

Fremont Gallery will present The Art of Mark Strickland, an exhibition of paintings by the artist who teaches at Disney and Art Center College of Design. Reception for the artist and book signing from 6pm to 9pm at Fremont Gallery, 812 Fremont Avenue, Suite 100 (across the street from Carrow’s Restaurant).

Laurie Hendricks Gallery will present recent plein air and studio paintings, with a free print offered with the purchase of a painting that night. Artist Laurie Hendricks will host a reception from 5pm to 9pm at the gallery at 1518 Mission Street (inside Reimagine Your Home).

SOPA Studios, a shared workspace housing the studios of ten resident artists, including that of founding director Lisa Marsh, will host an open house. The collective exists to both support and nurture established and emerging artists. SOPA Studios is at 1025 Hope St. (behind Mike and Anne’s Restaurant).

At SoPas Gallery, Gallery Director Tom Field hosts an opening for an amazing exhibit of mixed media pieces by artist Elisa Hamilton. SoPas Gallery is inside the Chamber of Commerce at 1121 Mission St. (across from Mission Wines).

SPACE Arts Center, has three attractions: the works of Stephanie Mercado, hands-on art activities for all ages, and an original art auction of Valentine’s by more than 17 local artists in the newly expanded SPACE Arts Center. SPACE is at 1506 Mission St. (across from South Pasadena Music Center & Conservatory).

The new SPMC Gallery the premiere opening at the new gallery by Scott Gandell will present recent paintings by Lidia Shaddow. There will also be a caricature artist on hand. The South Pasadena Mercantile Co., an interior design service and home décor showcase opened January 26th at 1106 Fair Oaks Ave. St. (south of Oxley).

Zinnia, near Mike & Anne’s on Mission Street, offers a special exhibition specifically created for the Arts Crawl: Petite Valentine.

Live Music

Firefly Bistro will have live music with a guitar trio.

Kaldi, the coffee shop by the library, now under new ownership, will feature live music by Tisa Adamson, singing and performing with local musicians and friends Brie Darling and Randy Mitchel. The gallery wall will showcase the artwork of Lesley Paige Rutherford.

An Evening of Jazz will be presented in the Community Room. The free concert showcasing Wind & Wire, Jen Oikawa, and Elliott Caine will be presented by the South Pasadena Public Library, The Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library and the South Pasadena Arts Council (SPARC). Wind & Wire will play at 6:00 p.m., Jen Oikawa at 7:00 p.m., and Elliott Caine at 8:00 p.m.

Fremont Centre Theatre will present Gary Stockdale, a 2-time EMMY-nominated composer, who has composed music for television shows such as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch; To Tell the Truth; and more. As a performer and singer, Gary has appeared on NBC, and he was an original member of the Brian Setzer Orchestra. The show starts at 8:00 p.m. The theatre is at 1000 Fremont Ave., near the outdoor garden café Fiore.

South Pasadena Music Center & Conservatory's Eclectic Kids Chorus, directed by Sally Dworsky will perform, as well as the V.R. Smith Group, vocal and cabaret classic jazz at its finest, featuring: V.R. Smith, vocals; Jim Silagyi, piano; Isla Eckinger, bass; Gary Foster, alto sax and Chuck Manning, trumpet. SMMC&C is at 1518 Mission Street.

Live music will be found in many locations including Firefly and Salon 1032.

Special Activities

Book ‘em Mysteries, 1118 Mission Street will offer marbleized paper demonstrations and book signings by authors, and DeMilo Design at 1401 Mission Street, (actually on Fremont Ave. in Suite 103) will be operating letterpress printing presses and creating samples. Abuelita’s Knitting & Needlepoint will have a spinning and knitting demo. The Dinosaur Farm, with several new mini-boutiques inside, will present the music of Michael Genier and the paintings of Lynette Serembe. The South Pasadena Preservation Foundation will keep the Iron Works Museum open for tours with Docent Bill Hilliard, and on the outside wall a free, classic movie will be projected on the wall.

Sales and Specials

Many of the 42 merchants and restaurants will offer specials and sales, to be announced in-store on the day of the event. From Vive Dulce Marina by the Gold Line to Mamma’s Brick Oven Pizza on Fair Oaks Ave., patrons will be in for special treats. Ellen’s Silkscreening will have a Valentine’s T Shirt sale, and Edmonds Thompson Antiques at the corner of Fair Oaks Ave. and Oxley will offer 20% off any item in the store. Marz, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt and Buster’s Ice Cream & Coffee Stop will all have special pricing.

Hosted by the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, participating local businesses and arts organizations, Arts Crawl is sponsored by Collins, Collins Muir + Stewart, LLP, Athens Services and Kevin Bourland, John Aaroe Group Realty.

1886 Bar's 1 Year Anniversary Celebration

My favorite meeting place is having its 1 Year Anniversary.  Beautiful space, outdoor dining and drinking on several patio areas, mixologists that can mix it up with the best of them, tasty dinner or bar snacks, and only two blocks from my house.  Really what could be better?

I like it so much I've been known to refer to it as my second living room.

Find info on the event here - The Raymond Restaurant - 1250 South Fair Oaks Ave, South Pasadena.  626-441-4770.

See you there?

PS - Brunch there is amazingly tasty.

South Pas Arts Crawl 2011

Come one, come all to the South Pasadena Arts Crawl!   Tonight - 5-9 pm.

Then you can have some delectable make your own concoction froyo at Menchies afterwards. Yum.

255 Hillside Rd - Reginald Johnson, Architect

An amazing Reginald Johnson estate in South Pasadena.



Award winning South Pasadena architectural Masterpiece designed by Reginald Johnson in 1920 and meticulously restored.The Paxton House features elegant French doors, patios and courtyards which give this home a sense of a European Villa.The Paxton House is a prime example of Reginald Johnson's Early California style of design.The property features an entry hall with original Terra Cotta floors and 20th Century lighting sconces.The living room and library boast antique paneling that has been restored to its original beauty.Adjacent to the living room is an impressive loggia, truly a stunning indoor/outdoor room. The Grand kitchen and eating area is superb for serious cooking joined together with the perfect area for gathering and relaxing.Master bedroom suite and four additional large bedroom suites complete the upstairs living space.The home also includes a grand formal dining room,media room and home gym. One bedroom Guest House measures an additional 672 sqft.An elegant Masterpiece!

 Listing courtesy of Dorothy Korostoff, Sotheby's Intl Realty

Mid Century Modern Fixer - Be Still My Reno Heart

Why is it that every time I see a mid-century modern fixer I want to rush right in and save it?  I wasn't born with a hammer in my hand, but my reno heart got fluttering when I saw this house come up in the MLS.  It's in South Pasadena and is a 3 bedroom, 1 bath house in the Monterey Hills area available for sale at $525,000.  I'm already picking out tile, paint colors and furniture.  Way ahead of you!

 100 Oak Hill Terrace, South Pasadena

The fine print:  This 1951 MCM Fixer is not my listing, but I'm available to show anyone who has the desire for a groovy modern fixer house in "Mayberry", CA.  Especially if you can pronounce clerestory windows. 

Great Schools Widget

South Pasadena schools

California schools

I want this widget for my site

A hopefully handy widget to get you to greatschools.com to check on schools in and around LA.

The Schools Issue

Ivanhoe Elementary School

I'm often asked by buyers about schools and home-buying and the age-old Los Angeles area conundrum.  Where to buy, what school, where can I buy and get a good school and still afford a home.  Price + Good School Scores = impossible?  Ah, maybe a handbook needs to be written about that subject!  Although things change so quickly that the handbook would be out of date faster than you can say, "now I need to think about Middle School."

So this is the first in a series of informational postings on schools in LA County and hopefully this will help my clients, and you, who may be navigating this very issue.

Two good websites to use to find schools and to get test scores and parent ratings are: www.schoolfinder.com  and www.greatschools.com.   Some parents are also using Yelp.

To find out about LA County school boundary changes start here: http://www.laschools.org/employee/mpd/boundary-changes/  to find out what school an address is in try here: http://search.lausd.k12.ca.us/cgi-bin/fccgi.exe?w3exec=schfinder0

For greatschools.com link to the top-rated LA schools click here: http://www.greatschools.org/california/los-angeles/.

More postings coming up on schools in South Pasadena, Pasadena, Glendale and more - so stay tuned!
















  

House of Honey debuts in South Pasadena

House of Honey

On one of South Pasadena's best street for strolling and shopping and just down from the Thursday Farmer's Market Tamara Honey has just opened the fabulously cool design shop, House of Honey.  It marries vintage objects and furniture with her innate sense of modern eclectic style.  The front is a carefully arranged shop which you wish was your house and the back features her elegant design showroom where you can meet with Tamara by appointment. It is a real treat for the eyes and your home. One more great reason to visit Mission Street in South Pas!

1518A Mission Street in South Pasadena.  626-441-2454 for appointment.