Arroyo Monthly December 2014

FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREADECEMBER 2014

CHEFS on HolidayDishing Up Memories and Recipes

Zombies from South PasadenaStargate Studios’ Very Special Effects

Actor John Michael HigginsA Face You Know(His Name, Not So Much)

Holiday Gift and Event Guides

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ENTERTAINING AND ENTERTAINMENT 36 CHEFS’ HOLIDAYS

Three top Arroyoland chefs share their seasonal traditions and recipes. —By Bettijane Levine

10 A VISUAL VISIONARYSam Nicholson pushes the boundaries of special effects at Stargate Studios in South Pasadena.

—By Tariq Kamal

16 A FAMILIAR FACEEagle Rock actor John Michael Higgins has made a career out of play-ing memorable comic characters.

—By Ilsa Setziol

31 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Who cares about keeping up with the Kardashians? These artisan gifts make a unique statement.

—By Irene Lacher

DEPARTMENTS9 FESTIVITIES Blue Ribbon, Five Acres, Arcadia Chamber of Commerce

and more

20 ARROYO HOME SALES INDEX43 KITCHEN CONFESSIONS Gift holiday hostesses with a spice blend you

create yourself.

46 THE LIST Christmas classics take the stage, LA Master Chorale reprises Messiah, Caltech presents Irish Christmas music and more

ABOUT THE COVER: Photo of gingerbread cookies courtesy of Patina Group

arroyo VOLUME 10 | NUMBER 12 | DECEMBER 2014

8 | ARROYO | 12.14

EDITOR’S NOTE

Chefs’ lives aren’t all glamor,

despite their relatively recent

elevation to the world of ce-

lebrity. Most work when other

people are working and when

other people aren’t working.

For many, the holidays are still

a bust for their personal lives.

While most people are unwrap-

ping presents with family, they’re

prepping in the kitchen.

Unless they’re the boss,

that is. A big plus of being a chef/owner is the freedom to be home

on Christmas. That’s certainly the route taken by three top chefs in Ar-

royoland who shared their holiday memories and recipes with Bettijane

Levine. Read on for tasty reminiscences and favorite dishes of Patina’s

Joachim Splichal, Michael Mina of Bourbon Steak and Sean Lowenthal

of Little Beast.

Entertaining is a staple of our year-end issue, as is entertainment.

This year, we check in on two industry vets whose work you’ve doubt-

less enjoyed — even if you don’t know their names.

John Michael Higgins may not be a name that springs to your mind,

but you’ve probably seen him in numerous fi lm, TV and stage com-

edies. Ilsa Setziol visits him in Eagle Rock and unearths the serious intel-

lectual behind the humor, the guy who avoids the Hollywood scene

and prefers reading books to watching television.

And Tariq Kamal talks to Sam Nicholson, whose acclaimed South

Pasadena–based visual effects company has worked on some of TV’s

biggest hits, including Grey’s Anatomy and The Walking Dead. Ever

wonder where zombies come from? Now you know.

—Irene Lacher

EDITOR IN CHIEF Irene Lacher

ART DIRECTOR Nadeen Torio

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Carla Cortez

PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Tim Oliver, Kristin Skaggs-Kirby

EDITOR-AT-LARGE Bettijane Levine

COPY EDITOR John Seeley

CONTRIBUTORS Leslie Bilderback, Michael Cervin, Scarlet Cheng, Carole Dixon, Lisa Dupuy, Lynne Heffl ey, Tariq Kamal, Kathy Kelleher, Rebecca Kuzins, Brenda Rees, John Sollenberger, Nancy Spiller

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Dina Stegon

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Brenda Clarke, Joseluis Correa, Leslie Lamm

ADVERTORIAL CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Bruce Haring

ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Tim Oliver, Stephanie Torres

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Andrea Baker

PAYROLL Linda Lam

ACCOUNTING Alysia Chavez, Kacie Sturek

OFFICE ASSISTANT Ann Weathersbee

PUBLISHER Jon Guynn

SOUTHLAND PUBLISHINGV.P. OF FINANCE Michael NagamiV.P. OF OPERATIONS David ComdenPRESIDENT Bruce BolkinCONTACT US ADVERTISING [email protected] [email protected] (626) 584-1500 FAX (626) 795-0149MAILING ADDRESS 50 S. De Lacey Ave., Ste. 200, Pasadena, CA 91105ArroyoMonthly.com

©2014 Southland Publishing, Inc.All rights reserved.

arroyo FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREA

10 | ARROYO | 12.14

Sam Nicholson pushes the boundaries of special effects at Stargate Studios, his global visual effects company in South Pasadena. BY TARIQ KAMAL

You’ve seen Sam Nicholson’s work if you’re a fan of CBS’s Grey’s Anatomy or The Walking Dead, AMC’s highly rated and critically praised post-zombie apocalypse drama. “Seven-and-a-half-million people watching, and all those zombies are

coming out of South Pasadena,” Nicholson quips.South Pasadena is home to CEO Nicholson’s Stargate Studios, the virtual production

and visual effects company he founded in 1989. From his offi ces at the corner of El Centro Street and Meridian Avenue, Nicholson has direct access to his company’s 1,000-plus computers in seven offi ces around the world. It’s the most effi cient and productive way to run the company, which employs more than 200 artists and technicians. More than half work full-time at the company’s headquarters — a rare arrangement in a fi eld known for employing armies of freelancers — while the rest clock in at satellite offi ces in Atlanta, Berlin, Dubai, Malta, Toronto and Vancouver. Nicholson says working remotely allows him to hire from a larger talent pool, educate artists on the latest software and techniques and maintain a high standard of quality.

Companies like Stargate enhance the viewing experience by producing effects that would be diffi cult or impossible to capture live. For The Walking Dead, for example, Star-gate’s artists and technicians used techniques such as “compositing,” in which visual effects are combined with live-action fi lm to depict everything from computer-rendered charac-ters, vehicles and buildings to beheadings and blood spatter. For less effects-heavy shows, such as NBC’s The Offi ce and Parks and Recreation, Nicholson’s team could be tasked with inserting backgrounds in the windows of cars as the characters “drive” around town, for example, to create the illusion that the show was shot somewhere else. Those are leaps from effects around since the earliest motion pictures, when fi lmmakers used large-format paintings in place of backgrounds.

For fi lmmakers with limited budgets, Stargate’s digital effects can help keep down pro-duction costs. The studio’s camera crews and Nicholson himself travel the world to shoot far-off locales, then add the footage to the company’s ever-expanding “virtual backlot,” a growing library of locations. “It is the ultimate control for runaway production. If you’re on a tight budget or schedule, it’s a godsend,” Nicholson says. “Transportation is not getting cheaper, but our ability to digitize the Vatican? We can do that.”

Bill Russell, a longtime colleague and vice president for camera products at ARRI, the world’s largest manufacturer of motion picture cameras, says Nicholson’s innovative eye has made him the go-to guy for testing ARRI’s products in development. “The best way I can describe him is as a futurist,” Russell says. “He is always dreaming, always thinking ahead, always wondering, ‘What if?’ And [he’s] certainly a creative individual all the way around. He’s a futurist and, ultimately, he’s a storyteller.”

Nicholson took an unusual path to his career. Rather than attend fi lm school like so many of his peers, he studied painting and photography as an undergraduate and graduate student at UCLA. “Without a fi ne arts understanding, I don’t see how you can be a good photographer or cinematographer,” he says. “It’s the art of taking what you see, literally or in your mind’s eye, and the ability to create that through multiple photographic elements.”

Nicholson broke into the fi lm industry in 1979, as a member of the lighting crew for the fi rst Star Trek movie. He would go on to earn credits as a cinematographer, visual effects supervisor or opening title designer on blockbuster movies such as Star Trek II:

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Photo Op: Colorado Street Bridge (Pasadena Series) by Sam Nicholson

12.14 ARROYO | 11

A Visual Visionary

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The Wrath of Khan, The Running Man and Twister, as well as a long list of hit TV series, including Max Headroom, ER and 24, to name a few. He won Emmy Awards for his work on TNT’s Battleground and NBC’s Heroes.

Yet Nicholson says he remains a still photographer at heart. He has tested and experi-mented with the latest digital imaging equipment from a long list of manufacturers in addition to ARRI — including Sony, Canon and Panavision. He creates stunning digital images, many of which can be found at samnicholsonfi neart.com, by applying many of the same sensibilities — and many of the same techniques — utilized in fi lm. A photo of pedestrians navigating a rainy sidewalk can be enhanced by adding blurring, color satura-tion and texture to better depict the photographer’s perception of the scene.

–continued from page 11

–continued on page 14

Photo Finish: (top) Zebra (Africa Series), (bottom) Girl on the Spanish Steps (Umbrellas Series), both by Nicholson

12.14 ARROYO | 13


Sam Nicholson

Nicholson donates 25 percent of Stargate’s profi ts to Hillsides, a Pasadena charity that offers counseling and educational programs to at-risk youths. Not surprisingly, he says he wears his affi nity for Southern California — particularly South Pasadena, where he lives with his family — on his sleeve. From his home on San Rafael, overlooking the Arroyo, the commute to Stargate Studios takes only four minutes. It’s an advantage he shares with his employees, who enjoy a relaxed lifestyle and good schools. He moved the company to South Pasadena in 2001, after stops in Venice, Hollywood, Burbank and Glendale.

“The proximity is an obvious advantage, but the lifestyle is even more important,” he says. “I fi gured if our work was good enough and our artists were good enough, the world would come to us.” In fact, clients who visit the offi ce often comment on the neighbor-hood’s bucolic, tree-lined streets — not to mention the weekly South Pasadena Farm-ers’ Market adjacent to Stargate Studios. “They can fi nd a parking space,” Nicholson observes. “They can shop for fresh vegetables on Thursday. They say they can’t believe that L.A. has this to offer. It’s a wonderful place to live and a wonderful place to work.”

His industry is a little trickier. Asked whether we are living in a golden age of visual effects, Nicholson says that, although today’s technology makes any effect possible, the business itself is a “gladiator pit.” Globalization has put Stargate Studios in direct competi-tion with companies such as India’s Prana Studios, which employs thousands of artists and technicians, who are paid a fraction of American wages. “And the studios are happy to use them,” he says. “It’s a shame...Their fi rst option should always be to shoot in California.”

Indeed, as a 35-year veteran of the industry, Nicholson has observed fi rsthand the fl ight of projects from Southern California to other states and countries that offer tax incentives to fi lmmakers. Until recently, few tax incentives were available to producers who wished to remain local. “We have managed to keep the highest level of artistry and engineering in South Pasadena, but it’s for shows produced outside of the state,” Nichol-son says. “How we have managed to keep people busy and employed is by sending them all over the world.”

Nicholson believes that, with the help of lawmakers in Sacramento, L.A.–based pro-duction could make a comeback. Meanwhile, Stargate Studios will continue to produce visual effects for properties both foreign and domestic, and Nicholson will stick to the formula that has made his company a success: skilled artistry and technical profi ciency in an ideal location. “We’re still alive after 25 years,” says Nicholson. “I owe it to the integ-rity of our artists, the generosity of our clients and the vision of future technology.” ||||

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You know this guy. At least you’d think you did, if you ran into him on the streets of Eagle Rock, his hometown. He’s a lawyer? Shrink? Publicist? Works with dogs?

Let me help you out here. John Michael Higgins is an actor. Perhaps you recognize him from one of Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries — Best in Show, A Mighty Wind or For Your Consideration. He was the adorable Scott Dolan, a fl amboyantly gay dog handler in Best in Show. He and Jane Lynch played sweater-vested, color-worshiping members of the New Main Street Singers in A Mighty Wind. Back in the day, Higgins was privy to Ally McBeal’s love-life angst as her shrink, Steven Milter. Or maybe he looks familiar as Elaine’s balding boyfriend on an episode of Seinfeld. Or super-serious, duck-behind-the-sofa attorney Wayne Jarvis on Arrested Development. Perhaps the zoo inspector in Cameron Crowe’s We Bought a Zoo? He also costarred with Fran Drescher on TV Land’s Happily Divorced sitcom. The list goes on.

Robert Walden, his Happily Divorced co-star and a three-time Emmy nominee, calls Higgins “a very, very strong actor” who will easily outshine performers who can’t keep up with him. “He’s as inventive and committed and solid with delivery as anyone I’ve ever worked with.”

And yet, Hollywood has, to a certain extent, pigeonholed him. Not surprising in an industry that often resorts to typecasting. “They’ve responded to one thing he does really well, which is this big comedy,” says his wife, Margaret Welsh, a yoga instructor and former actor herself. “He’s frustrated because he knows he can do other things.”

After the success of Best In Show in 2000, Hollywood frequently wanted Higgins to play gay characters. As a straight man, it put him in an awkward position, especially when the characters were supposed to be funny. Some in the gay community objected to his depiction of dog handler Scott Dolan, calling it stereotyped. “Which I was astonished by,” says Higgins, 51. “I thought Michael McKean and I were the only happy couple in the entire movie.” Having grown up in the theater, Higgins had plenty of gay friends. “I wasn’t exaggerating anything, I was just doing what I had observed,” he explains. The complaints ultimately faded away and the character remains much beloved.

Higgins now charges more to play gay parts. “Gay pays,” he and Welsh joke.

Higgins is a born actor. “I always say it chose me,” he says. “I just knew how to do it from the minute I could stand up and speak — I would pretend to be somebody else, put on little shows.”

His precocious performances surprised his parents — a Naval offi cer and a school and hospital administrator — who appreciated the arts but didn’t have any experience with that pretend stuff. Funnily enough, being a Navy brat prepared Higgins for an actor’s peripatetic life. “We moved almost every year — anywhere in the U.S. where there was a big gray boat in the water,” he recalls. Again and again, he had to adapt to a new setting, a new set of players. “You have to be able to make friends fast and drop them permanently if necessary,” says the reedy-voiced actor.

A frequent mooring, however, was Washington, D.C., where his father, Captain E. C. Michael Higgins, worked at the Penta-gon and eventually the White House on the National Security Council staff, under Presidents Ford and Carter. There young Michael started what would become extensive training at the Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland. At age 9, he began studying acting, voice, dance and mime. Higgins consid-ers the mime training especially valuable. “Knowing where your body is in space, isolating pieces of it and controlling focus with

your body is, besides listening, the whole ballgame for an actor — at least this actor,” he says. Higgins began performing professionally in fi fth grade and later appeared at such venues as D.C.’s Folger Theatre, renowned for its productions of Shakespeare and other classics.

By college, Higgins had so much experience under his belt, a theater degree seemed redundant. Plus, he’d become interested in other kinds of narratives, so he studied English literature at Amherst College. His stage work informed his reading — and vice versa. “You have to inhabit each character as you read,” he explains. As an actor would,

Higgins explored literary characters’ motivations. “You can’t call Cleopatra a spoiled child,” he explains. “[She’s] a child who has needs that may not agree with the people around her.” Throughout his career, Higgins has focused his acting on the story. “That’s the difference between a good actor and a bad actor,” he says. “One is telling a story and the other isn’t — he’s showing off or, whatever his choices are on stage,

they’re not related to the story.” Novels, which often explore the nuances of human psychology and

social interactions, are fertile soil for actors whose work involves em-bodying different characters. “Acting is largely a feat of listening and empathy, of the ability to imagine the interiority of someone else by unbiased observation and imagination,” Higgins says. The story “just blossoms” when actors really listen, he adds. This empathy and attentive listening is readily apparent in Higgins’ work. It’s part of what makes many of his characters so likable.

To this day, Higgins is an obsessive reader, though he’s now more interested in nonfi ction. “I don’t care about fake people anymore, because I have children,” he says. Periodicals like The New Yorker, The Atlantic and The New York Review of Books are fi xtures in the capacious Craftsman home he shares with his wife, his two elementary-school-age kids, a high-strung blue-nose pit bull named Jimmy and three free-range pet rats. His

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intellectual prowess and dressing room habits amuse and awe his fellow actors. “He writes music arrangements,” Walden says. “He can do this while listening to The New York Times read aloud from Audible, which he speeds up…so he can get through the paper even faster.”

At Amherst, Higgins sang with the Zumbyes, an a cappella group. He wrote vocal arrangements for A Mighty Wind and still performs with musician friends, albeit not as often as he’d like. “I’m left driving around singing middle harmonies in the car,” he la-ments, “imagining the parts above and below.”

After college, he moved to New York City, a base from which he landed roles in equity theaters across the country, as well as in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. In 1991, he appeared in the Tony-nominated production of David Hirson’s La Bête. A couple of years later, he originated the title role in the Off-Broadway production of Paul Rudnick’s Jeffrey, a hit comedy about a gay actor/waiter. He also played the lead in director Stephen Wadsworth’sproductions of The Marivaux Trilogy by 18th-century French playwright Pierre de Marivaux. His Harlequin was a whirlwind of physical comedy. Originated at the McCarter Theater in Princeton, N.J., one of the plays, Changes of Heart, was restaged in 1996 at L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum, where the production and Higgins’ acting were critically acclaimed. Strang-ers in L.A. still stop Higgins to rave about that performance.

He returned to the Taper in 2005 to play Donald Rumsfeld in David Hare’s Stuff Happens. By then, he was already living in L.A. and well into a successful fi lm and televi-sion career. Higgins had come west to portray David Letterman in the HBO fi lm The Late Shift (about the scuffl e to succeed Johnny Carson) and then relocated permanently. Right out of the gate, he thrived in Hollywood. “I think he’s done well because he’s dili-gent and consistent and very talented,” says Welsh.

Indeed, he laid out fi rm parameters when he took on the role of Peter Lovett, the gay ex-husband of Fran Drescher’s character on Happily Divorced (2011–13), a sitcom loosely

based on her real-life marriage. “I told them in the beginning, ‘I’m not going to fl ounce,’” he says. “This character had lived as a straight man for his whole life and now suddenly he’s going to be fl ouncing around? It doesn’t make sense.” In the series, Peter and Fran are divorced but still living together because they can’t afford to separate. The show’s strength lay in the tender relationship between the two, as well as its cast of show-business veterans (including Walden and Rita Moreno as Drescher’s parents). The show was canceled after two seasons, but it demonstrates how well Higgins, who usually plays supporting charac-ters, can carry a show.

In addition to a wider range of roles, Higgins would like do more university speaking and teaching. “I think I get more out of it than the students,” he says. “It helps to have to explain yourself.” Welsh says she hopes he’ll get to play a double agent in a spy movie.

When not working or chauffeuring his kids, he likes to hang out with his wife, go to concerts (classical mostly) and, yes, read. “I have little interest in Hollywood parties, events or culture,” he confesses. “It all bores me senseless.” In fact, Higgins rarely watches fi lm or television. “And I don’t like talking about it,” he says.

A friendly guy at heart, Higgins can sometimes seem aloof. Perhaps it stems from what he identifi es as an occupational hazard of constantly observing people. “You end up being a spy on your own life, or this person’s trying to explain something to me and I’m watching the mechanics of it,” he says. Welsh chalks it up to a combination of “distraction fueled by anxiety and a typical actor’s paradox that he’s sort of a quiet, private person who would rather read books or fl oat on the periphery of a social situation.”

What could a talented and successful actor have to feel anxious about? “I struggle as all freelancers struggle with anxiety and the fear that the whole thing was an illusion — that a reasonable person could never make a living as an artist,” he says.

Perhaps Higgins should sit down with himself, call up one of his therapist characters, and have a chat. After all, he is a good listener. ||||


20 | ARROYO | 12.14

The Arroyo Home Sales Index is calculated from residential home sales in Pasadena and the surrounding communities of South Pasadena, San Marino, La Canada Flintridge, Eagle Rock, Glendale (including Montrose), Altadena, Sierra Madre and Arcadia. Individual home sales data provided by CalREsource. Arroyo Home Sales Index © Arroyo 2014. Complete home sales listings appear each week in Pasadena Weekly.

RECENT HOME CLOSINGS IN THE PASADENA WEEKLY FOOTPRINT source: CalREsource arroyo ~HOME SALES INDEX~

™

HOME SALES oct.2013

oct.2014

AVG. PRICE/SQ. FT.

-31.12%

+4.17% 556

383H

OM

ESSO

LD

HO

MES

SOLD

ALTADENA OCT ‘13 OCT ‘14Homes Sold 47 35Median Price $550,000 $629,000Median Sq. Ft. 1509 1440ARCADIA OCT ‘13 OCT ‘14Homes Sold 46 36Median Price 877,500 $1,115,500Median Sq. Ft. 2025 1920EAGLE ROCK OCT ‘13 OCT ‘14Homes Sold 30 22Median Price $599,250 $675,000Median Sq. Ft. 1324 1908GLENDALE OCT ‘13 OCT ‘14Homes Sold 127 106Median Price $509,000 $592,500Median Sq. Ft. 1330 1457LA CAÑADA OCT ‘13 OCT ‘14Homes Sold 26 18Median Price $1,145,000 $1,492,000Median Sq. Ft. 1996 2765PASADENA OCT ‘13 OCT ‘14Homes Sold 209 122Median Price $610,000 $625,000Median Sq. Ft. 1430 1408SAN MARINO OCT ‘13 OCT ‘14Homes Sold 17 8Median Price $1,725,000 $1,713,750Median Sq. Ft. 2706 2091SIERRA MADRE OCT ‘13 OCT ‘14Homes Sold 20 13Median Price $825,500 $779,000Median Sq. Ft. 1873 1786 SOUTH PASADENA OCT ‘13 OCT ‘14 Homes Sold 34 23Median Price $867,500 $1,000,000Median Sq. Ft. 1774 1911 TOTAL OCT ‘13 OCT ‘14 Homes Sold 556 383Avg Price/Sq. Ft. $503 $524

HOME�SALES�ABOVE�� ADDRESS CLOSE DATE PRICE BDRMS. SQ. FT. YR. BUILT PREV. PRICE PREV. SOLDALTADENA 2101 Midlothian Drive 10/28/14 $3,257,000 4 5558 1931 $1,750,000 10/31/20002010 Midwick Drive 10/24/14 $2,000,000 5 3699 1922 $2,008,000 10/24/20142073 Crescent Drive 10/16/14 $1,500,000 2868 1996 $175,000 03/31/19941879 Meadowbrook Road 10/27/14 $1,450,000 5 3574 1925 $570,000 12/01/19992820 Maiden Lane 10/29/14 $985,000 3 1674 1942 $611,000 08/02/20131954 Holliston Avenue 10/15/14 $950,000 3 1941 1937 $481,000 05/04/2000924 East Mt. Curve Avenue 10/24/14 $835,000 3 1963 1928 $385,000 04/22/20101796 East Mendocino Street 10/31/14 $830,000 2 1752 1950 1260 Pleasantridge Drive 10/22/14 $825,000 3 1912 1972 ARCADIA 957 Hampton Road 10/06/14 $4,000,000 5 4269 1937 $2,730,000 06/09/20102222 South 2nd Avenue 10/10/14 $3,280,000 5 6981 2004 $636,000 09/23/2003850 West Orange Grove Avenue 10/02/14 $2,670,000 5 3565 1957 $1,025,000 07/23/20032230 South 6th Avenue 10/31/14 $2,610,000 $2,180,000 01/08/2014332 Danimere Avenue 10/06/14 $2,355,000 3 1459 1950 $745,000 07/23/20121215 South 1st Avenue 10/14/14 $2,080,000 4 4062 1989 $1,410,000 07/20/20111510 South 4th Avenue 10/16/14 $1,930,000 2 1345 1938 1643 Rodeo Road 10/31/14 $1,877,000 5 3023 1950 $612,000 08/31/1998808 Magnolia Lane 10/29/14 $1,758,000 5 3957 2001 $723,000 12/28/20001624 South 6th Avenue 10/22/14 $1,700,000 3 1652 1946 1747 Alta Oaks Drive 10/31/14 $1,588,000 4 2652 1952 $512,000 06/23/1994501 East Sandra Avenue 10/22/14 $1,500,000 3 2539 1976 $545,000 07/11/20012209 Cielo Place 10/17/14 $1,435,000 5 2935 1965 1312 South 10th Avenue 10/06/14 $1,400,000 4 1920 1952 1621 Old Oak Lane 10/23/14 $1,375,000 4 2303 1973 34 East Winnie Way 10/22/14 $1,290,000 3 1467 1956 $807,500 08/19/20131502 South 2nd Avenue 10/16/14 $1,200,000 2 1785 1957 1636 La Ramada Avenue 10/03/14 $1,165,000 4 2517 1953 1400 South 5th Avenue 10/30/14 $1,146,000 3 1968 1956 $225,000 09/13/19851022 South 9th Avenue 10/23/14 $960,000 4 2146 1958 $688,000 07/05/20121047 Loma Lisa Lane 10/06/14 $939,000 3 2062 1976 $750,000 12/30/20051715 Watson Drive 10/09/14 $917,500 3 1444 1951 $127,000 10/23/19841306 Standish Place 10/06/14 $890,000 3 1856 1969 $740,000 08/20/20101100 South Santa Anita Avenue 10/08/14 $860,000 3 1896 1963 $570,000 07/27/20101606 South 5th Avenue 10/15/14 $830,000 3 1622 1954 203 South 3rd Avenue #B 10/31/14 $788,500 3 2350 2005 $729,000 04/10/2006EAGLE ROCK 2055 Escarpa Drive 10/28/14 $1,235,000 5 2404 1923 4908 Mt. Royal Drive 10/27/14 $1,024,000 5 2386 1918 2253 Hill Drive 10/14/14 $825,000 4 2149 1959 5218 Argus Drive 10/14/14 $810,000 3 1741 1925 4046 York Hill Place 10/28/14 $750,000 4 2042 1930 $225,000 06/01/1999 GLENDALE 1623 Hillcrest Avenue 10/30/14 $2,135,000 4 4291 1951 $1,550,000 05/13/20041910 Melwood Drive 10/15/14 $1,375,000 3 2019 1940 $775,000 12/21/20001627 Don Carlos Avenue 10/10/14 $1,349,000 4 2792 1936 983 Calle Canta 10/08/14 $1,280,000 4 3343 1990 $620,000 08/19/19921615 Hillside Drive 10/21/14 $1,278,000 4 2953 1942 1226 North Louise Street 10/22/14 $1,250,000 180 1909 1734 Hillside Drive 10/30/14 $1,250,000 7 3320 1929 1909 Niodrara Drive 10/09/14 $1,204,000 3 2426 1950 $1,100,000 10/08/20081514 Valley View Road 10/14/14 $1,128,500 4 2595 1935 $852,000 09/09/20111630 Puebla Drive 10/23/14 $1,095,000 4 2423 1959 $750,000 06/05/2012291 West Kenneth Road 10/23/14 $1,070,000 3 2391 1950 $289,000 10/10/1996222 Edwards Place 10/30/14 $999,000 4 2504 1967 $830,000 11/03/20113535 Las Palmas Avenue 10/15/14 $965,000 4 2479 1937 $410,000 05/24/2002969 Calle Del Pacifi co 10/15/14 $950,000 3 2397 1989 $475,000 04/10/19983450 Sierra Glen Road 10/01/14 $931,000 4 2132 1956 $435,000 01/19/20001828 Calle Suenos 10/30/14 $923,000 3 2524 1990 2655 Risa Drive 10/30/14 $900,000 4 3069 1958 $1,160,000 01/14/20033501 Fallenleaf Place 10/08/14 $895,500 4 2498 1985 $431,000 06/21/19962547 Altura Avenue 10/16/14 $885,000 5 2651 1922 $272,500 05/31/19911152 Sonora Avenue 10/31/14 $875,000 5 2839 1927 $170,000 07/15/19983520 Paraiso Way 10/06/14 $861,000 3 2244 1956 $663,000 07/08/20101414 Dixon Street 10/30/14 $860,000 4 4272 1927 $660,000 03/09/20102724 East Chevy Chase Drive 10/31/14 $860,000 4 3385 1977 $225,000 12/17/19793310 Vickers Drive 10/16/14 $850,500 2 1790 1953 $589,000 10/28/20031369 Winchester Avenue 10/22/14 $850,000 3 1607 1923 $785,000 05/22/20072852 Pinelawn Drive 10/21/14 $846,500 4 1908 1971 $985,000 12/16/20052551 Sleepy Hollow Drive 10/31/14 $810,000 4 2748 1968 $680,000 07/16/20101510 Arboles Drive 10/09/14 $805,000 2 1805 1937 $795,000 02/16/20051331 Branta Drive 10/22/14 $800,000 4 2530 1968

12.14 ARROYO | 21

ADDRESS CLOSE DATE PRICE BDRMS. SQ. FT. YR. BUILT PREV. PRICE PREV. SOLD GLENDALE1662 Larco Way 10/09/14 $777,000 3 1757 1956 $425,000 01/18/20021320 North Pacifi c Avenue 10/24/14 $775,000 2 1393 1941 $525,000 10/16/20091470 East Mountain Street 10/31/14 $775,000 5 2556 1928 2276 Hollister Terrace 10/31/14 $760,000 2 1538 1936 711 East Mountain Street 10/16/14 $760,000 3 2625 1923 LA CAÑADA4321 Chula Senda Lane 10/21/14 $6,900,000 5 9669 2006 721 Berkshire Avenue 10/28/14 $6,430,000 6 7906 1924 $3,733,000 06/11/2003375 Berkshire Avenue 10/15/14 $5,300,000 5 8533 1990 $2,000,000 10/25/1991655 Hillcrest Avenue 10/21/14 $3,180,000 4 3899 1953 $1,355,000 11/07/19975347 Vista Lejana Lane 10/15/14 $2,125,000 4 3858 1964 $609,000 11/30/19954849 Fairlawn Drive 10/01/14 $1,825,000 4 4031 1984 $89,000 04/19/19844937 Angeles Crest Highway 10/07/14 $1,800,000 5 3728 1945 $685,000 03/21/20034926 Palm Drive 10/29/14 $1,699,000 4 2765 1923 $1,395,000 07/22/20095437 Castle Knoll Road 10/23/14 $1,689,000 5 2765 1960 $727,500 07/19/1991484 Berkshire Avenue 10/01/14 $1,295,000 3 2742 1953 4048 Hampstead Road 10/01/14 $1,280,000 2 2775 1951 $1,312,500 05/14/20041000 White Deer Drive 10/30/14 $1,280,000 4 2140 1967 4523 Alta Canyada Road 10/31/14 $1,240,000 3 2373 1980 $789,000 01/09/20042015 Lombardy Drive 10/15/14 $1,175,000 3 1674 1951 $255,000 12/12/19854826 Daleridge Road 10/21/14 $1,102,000 2 1610 1949 $182,000 05/10/1984736 Galaxy Heights Drive 10/20/14 $995,000 3 1932 1974 $790,000 04/29/2011608 Durwood Drive 10/21/14 $975,000 3 1933 1955 $900,000 10/17/20134641 Crown Avenue 10/22/14 $900,000 3 1647 1955 $805,000 04/04/2005PASADENA 581 Madre Street 10/10/14 $2,420,000 3 3128 1952 $85,000 09/20/1974474 South Arroyo Boulevard 10/10/14 $2,300,000 5 3305 1930 630 Prospect Boulevard 10/01/14 $2,296,000 6 4536 1911 $2,300,000 11/22/20062025 Glen Springs Road 10/28/14 $2,219,000 4 2958 1964 $938,000 01/09/20041080 Glen Oaks Boulevard 10/21/14 $2,200,000 5 3438 1952 345 East Colorado Boulevard #401 10/15/14 $2,150,000 3 3580 2007 345 East Colorado Boulevard #206 10/01/14 $2,000,000 3 3560 2007 581 Garden Lane 10/17/14 $1,625,000 3 2446 1950 $1,120,000 12/18/2003160 Glen Summer Road 10/20/14 $1,625,000 4 3189 1931 $609,000 06/25/19981455 Old House Road 10/09/14 $1,325,000 3 2562 1951 $92,500 05/25/1979345 West Bellevue Drive #1 10/28/14 $1,249,000 2 1877 1978 $595,000 07/10/2002918 South San Gabriel Boulevard 10/30/14 $1,235,000 4 2012 1951 2445 Vista Laguna Terrace 10/31/14 $1,100,000 4 3916 1936 42 Yale Street 10/29/14 $1,100,000 8 3584 1955 $375,000 05/10/2011920 Granite Drive #503 10/22/14 $1,025,000 3 1910 2009 1602 North Harding Avenue 10/31/14 $998,000 3 2517 1939 $880,000 06/19/2009870 North Mar Vista Avenue 10/31/14 $960,000 3 1217 1914 $435,000 12/11/20123645 Cartwright Street 10/28/14 $960,000 3 1551 1951 $685,000 12/06/20131969 Oakwood Street 10/22/14 $947,500 4 2436 1978 1635 Loma Vista Street 10/10/14 $930,000 3 1993 1921 $850,000 08/31/20051040 South Orange Grove Blvd. #18 10/22/14 $905,000 2 1456 1963 $655,000 06/17/201167 Palmetto Drive 10/01/14 $900,000 3 878 1902 1224 North Altadena Drive #B 10/14/14 $885,000 5 2009 1950 $282,500 05/20/19991913 Kaweah Drive 10/14/14 $848,000 3 2689 1990 $375,000 05/20/19962861 Paloma Street 10/07/14 $839,000 3 1662 1947 $550,000 08/30/20122024 Queensberry Road 10/24/14 $824,000 3 1478 1926 $361,000 03/17/20001095 North Mar Vista Avenue 10/08/14 $822,500 3 1450 1914 $288,000 12/11/19921990 Fox Ridge Drive 10/01/14 $820,000 3 1972 1953 1146 Wotkyns Drive 10/31/14 $805,000 2 1436 1924 $608,000 08/08/20031889 Oakwood Street 10/10/14 $805,000 4 2112 1945 $685,000 10/09/20122450 Paloma Street 10/28/14 $800,000 2 1503 1940 $645,000 12/09/20042747 East Villa Street 10/03/14 $798,000 4 1906 1941 $670,500 09/13/20051645 East Villa Street 10/23/14 $782,500 3 1444 1922 $640,000 04/10/20082665 Deodar Circle 10/22/14 $780,000 2 2089 1940 700 East Union Street #203 10/22/14 $775,000 2 1390 2006 $741,500 05/20/2008565 Mercedes Avenue 10/16/14 $775,000 3 1608 1937 $271,500 08/03/19981733 North Raymond Avenue 10/30/14 $770,000 6 3056 1907 $825,000 07/13/20051964 East Woodlyn Road 10/30/14 $759,500 4 2100 1928 2126 Casa Grande Street 10/03/14 $755,000 3 1976 1928 700 East Union Street #207 10/30/14 $750,000 2 1210 2006 645 North Raymond Avenue 10/20/14 $750,000 4 2705 1902 $542,000 07/30/2013267 South Roosevelt Avenue 10/22/14 $750,000 3 1348 1925 $675,000 06/28/2005SAN MARINO1940 Kerns Avenue 10/17/14 $2,500,000 4 2822 2013 $2,380,000 04/04/20141571 Wembley Road 10/15/14 $2,320,000 4 2927 1949 $698,000 02/10/1994815 Plymouth Road 10/14/14 $1,950,000 4 2356 1935 $1,480,000 09/02/20112950 Monterey Road 10/27/14 $1,837,500 4 2517 1927 $650,000 12/17/20011335 Vandyke Road 10/17/14 $1,590,000 3 1578 1941 572 South Berkeley Avenue 10/15/14 $1,390,000 3 1518 1925 $1,040,000 05/06/20092885 Huntington Drive 10/08/14 $1,000,000 2 1496 1952 $367,000 11/22/19991358 San Marino Avenue 10/21/14 $800,000 2 1826 1952 $555,000 04/05/1991SIERRA MADRE110 Rancho Road 10/31/14 $1,800,000 3 2544 1936 747 Canyon Crest Drive 10/22/14 $1,030,000 3 2789 1980 1975 Liliano Drive 10/10/14 $1,001,000 4 2392 1959 $640,000 07/29/1993440 Gatewood Terrace 10/15/14 $950,000 3 1846 1960 $155,000 04/20/198474 West Alegria Avenue 10/15/14 $906,000 4 1896 1966 164 Grove Street 10/10/14 $790,000 3 1480 1924 $480,000 06/25/2010210 Mariposa Avenue 10/28/14 $779,000 4 2086 1939 304 North Sunnyside Avenue 10/15/14 $775,000 3 1590 1958 SOUTH PASADENA300 Orange Grove Avenue 10/15/14 $3,000,000 6 4530 1928 $2,400,000 05/31/20071122 Stratford Avenue 10/15/14 $1,675,000 3 2601 1908 $1,795,000 06/19/20082045 Primrose Avenue 10/24/14 $1,630,000 4 2200 1924 $910,000 05/25/20041429 Monterey Road 10/15/14 $1,590,000 4 5124 1923 $1,385,000 02/08/20131619 Fletcher Avenue 10/31/14 $1,520,000 3 2217 1908 $1,260,000 05/20/2009306 Los Alisos Street 10/03/14 $1,312,000 3 2247 1971 1740 Monterey Road 10/31/14 $1,265,000 4 2728 1925 $345,000 09/27/19961750 Via Del Rey 10/10/14 $1,204,000 4 1966 1964 1615 Lyndon Street 10/10/14 $1,105,000 4 1911 1921 $866,000 03/15/2006703 Orange Grove Terrace 10/07/14 $1,102,500 3 1966 1958 1333 Mountain View Avenue 10/17/14 $1,063,000 2 1546 1968 $320,000 06/22/1993840 Bank Street 10/02/14 $1,000,000 3 1336 1949 $352,000 12/17/20021848 Peterson Avenue 10/14/14 $988,000 4 3144 1985 $470,000 09/20/20011910 Hill Drive 10/15/14 $950,000 4 2636 1941 $598,000 07/05/2002664 Monterey Road 10/17/14 $945,000 3 1858 1946 $346,000 03/29/20021314 Fremont Avenue 10/08/14 $759,000 2 1128 1904 $301,000 03/01/2002

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

HOME & DESIGNARROYO

ANYTHING GOES IN KIDS BEDROOM DESIGNSCreate a space that works by

talking to your child, the client.BY BRUCE HARING

A BEDROOM IS A SANCTUARY. IT’S A PLACE WHERE YOU GO

TO RETREAT FROM THE WORLD, RELAX, AND TAKE COMFORT

AMIDST FAMILIAR AND RELAXING FURNITURE. That’s the typical worldview of a bedroom. But it gets a tad more

complicated when you’re deciding what to do to redecorate the room

where your child (or children, if you have more than one sharing the

space) spends the night. That room needs to be a combination of func-

tional, fun and restful, no easy task when your client (the child) probably

has a limited sense of their own personal taste and changes their mind

quite a bit.

Your goal, as the bedroom designer, is to make the room memo-

rable and a place where your child will want to spend time. But it also

has to serve as a place to do homework, as a lounge for visiting friends,

a creative space and a place to dream, and a dressing/sleeping room.

Living up to that multitude of challenges is a task that has humbled

many a parent. But the good news is there are ample possibilities to

create a bedroom that your child will be proud to showcase and use as

a base of operations for all of their activities. All it takes is a little imagina-

tion and a lot of thoughtful discussion. –continued on page 24

22 | ARROYO | 12.14

12.14 | ARROYO | 23

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—


First: keep in mind that it’s your child’s room, not yours. You may have

endless ideas for what should be in it, the color, and the layout. But you will not

be the one living there, and, as such, it’s probably wise to have a conversa-

tion with the child. Keep it short and to the point, ask about colors and specifi c

features (bunk bed or fl at? Chair or couch? Desk or work station? Bed by the

window or the wall?). The idea is to get a basic sense of what your child likes.

You’ll both be happier if there’s some early input. Children are blunt, and won’t

hesitate at the new bedroom’s “reveal” to let you know that they hate it, so it’s

best to consult, even with the smallest child.

Scott Montgomery of Scott Montgomery Design in La Canada Flintridge

says “there’s no set rules” when it comes to decorating a child’s bedroom.

While he notices that there’s a trend toward more “whimsical” design, anything

goes. Determining what works and what does not for a client is something “you

either know or you don’t know,” he says.

Montgomery and associate Michael Hernandez tackle the challenge of

children’s bedroom design by doing a thorough pre-interview. They sit down

with a client and fi nd out what they’re envisioning for the room. “Then you take

bits and pieces of what they like and transform it into something that works

together,” Hernandez says. “Clients will often have a vision, or they will see

something in a magazine and say, ‘This is what I want.’ You dissect that and

add your own touches to that.”

Never copy, Hernandez says. Designing a bedroom is a personal matter,

and while it looks good in the magazine, it may not work in your home or for

your child.

BASICS OF YOUR DREAM BEDROOM1) Comfort is your biggest concern. You may love a look that comes straight out of the

Museum of Modern Art, but raising a child in that environment may not be right for

your family. Keep in mind that there’s a reason traditional styles have stuck around for

centuries.

2) Second on your checklist of priorities is safety. Sharp edges, shelves or furniture that

can fall and block the door, or obstacles that can cause falls when it’s the middle of the

night and your child needs a drink of water are musts to avoid. Keep the room layout

simple, with a well-defi ned path to the door.

3) Storage, storage, storage. As we all know, children are kings and queens of clutter,

so you’ll want to have ample storage in the sanctuary. Yes, we understand that most

children will leave things scattered no matter what is available, but the axiom about

“a place for everything and everything in its place” is a time-tested idea that will build

life-long habits of organization for your budding genius. Dual-purpose beds with sliding


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24 | ARROYO | 12.14

12.14 | ARROYO | 25


storage shelves are great ways to fi nd utility in space that’s normally wasted. A bed that

folds out can serve as a great couch for guests during the day and a perfect sleeper at

night for extra guests.

4) Color scheme is one of the biggest considerations when designing a child’s room.

Too bright, and you’ll keep your child up at night with the glare from the walls. Too dark,

and you might be raising the next Kierkegaard. One compromise – go with a traditional

white or beige wall, then infuse it with an appropriate and strategically placed splash of

color that accents the activities in that particular sector of the room. But anything goes,

says Michael Hernandez: “I love a black room. I’ve actually seen kids’ rooms done in

black. You just have to feel the temperature of your client.

5) Themes are a big trend in children’s rooms. Enhance your motif with wall graphics

that refl ect a particular passion. You can stage the room so that your young athlete

can imagine herself winning the Olympics, or encourage scientifi c exploration with an

ocean theme. Just don’t create clutter by going overboard on the accessories. It’s a

living space, not a museum, so a subtle hint at a theme is far better than an over-the-

top display that looks like a Las Vegas family restaurant. A wall hanging or two, perhaps

some appropriate color splashes, and you’ll convey the message without overwhelming

the space.

6) Study space is needed. Homework starts earlier and earlier, and there’s more and

more of it, so make sure you have an uncluttered, well-lighted workspace for your child.

This is where your storage genius comes in handy, as homework projects often require

colored paper, assorted crayons and markers in various colors, glue, scissors, staples

and other items that can easily be scattered across a household. Find a small storage

container and make it the home for these items, which are to be exclusively used for

homework. The night before a child’s project is due makes an advertising agency before

the presentation seem sane, so thank us later for this tip. Should you include electronics?

“Yes,” says Michael Hernandez.

7) The furniture in your child’s space serves several purposes. A good comfy chair or sofa

is a must, as it’s great for reading, talking to your child, or even (dare we say it) quietly

planning the week’s activities. Overstuffed couches, a cushy oversized chair, or even a

futon are a perfect match with your child’s needs.

8) What’s the budget? Scott Montgomery says it’s really about the client’s needs and

expectations. It can be anywhere from $2500 to $50,000. But it can be less or more.

AMH&D


26 | ARROYO | 12.14

12.14 | ARROYO | 27

28 | ARROYO | 12.14

HOLIDAYFROM

12.14 | ARROYO | 29

GIVINGA TO Z

30 | ARROYO | 12.14

12.14 ARROYO | 31

Holiday Gift GuideWho cares about keeping up with the Kardashians?

These artisan gifts make a unique statement.

BY IRENE LACHER

Sharon Gellerman hand-dyes and signs color-ful silk scarves to order, so each is one of a kind. The San Luis Obispo–area artist, inspired by the landscapes of her native Israel and the colors of the California coast, describes the centuries-old pro-cess as marbling and offers scarves in seven sizes.$58–$118, colorvibedesigns.com

Pasadena woodturner Joel Feinblatt carves his 4½-inch-tall Lotus Bowl from a single piece of alder, using a complicated process of carving and fi nishing that takes months. $695, greenwoodartist.com

Mount Washington artists Kat and Roger, a.k.a. Kat Hutter and Roger Lee, make color-ful graphic vases that work equally well in contemporary, modern or Craftsman homes. The vases range from 4 to 8 inches high.$60–$150, Mohawk General Store, 24 Smith

Alley, Pasadena; Pasadena Museum of

California Art, 490 E. Union St., Pasadena

These 18-karat-gold stud earrings are hand-carved to resemble burl wood and sur-rounded by a half-carat worth of champagne diamonds. They’re from Baxter Moerman, a.k.a. the duo of Matthew Baxter and Mat-thew Moerman, who create “modern classic jewelry” in San Luis Obispo. $2,200, baxtermoerman.com

32 | ARROYO | 12.14

AND AROUND TOWN...Artisanal L.A. is partnering with the City of Pasadena on a Holiday City Market on Dec. 6 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Some 150 artisans will offer a curated selection of handmade goods throughout Old Pasadena (artisa-nalla.com)...More handmade crafts will be for sale at a holiday boutique

on Dec. 4 and 5 from 4 to 10 p.m. at The First Church of the Nazarene in Pasadena, 3700 E. Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 351-9631 (paznaz.

org)...Handmade items by Baxter Moerman, Oso and Bean, Sharon Gellerman and Joel Feinblatt will be available at the Contemporary Crafts Market

June 5–7, 2015, at the Pasadena Convention Center (contemporarycraftsmarket.com).

OR MAKE YOUR OWN...Experiences, that is. Splurge on a six-course white-truffl e tasting menu at Patina in downtown L.A. But you’d better hurry — this is a banner year for the subterranean delicacy, and even at $310 per person, the extravagant meal is available only as long as the season lasts...Trace the roots of your family tree with a DNA test that will put you in touch with your closest genetic matches. Family Tree DNA (familytreedna.com) claims the world’s largest ancestry database, and test prices start at $169.

STOCKING STUFFERSArtisans in Moradabad, India, use recycled bicycle chains to craft this

5-inch diameter picture frame, perfect for industrial-chic décor.$20, Ten Thousand Villages

Oso and Bean’s charming Lotería Cards Flask is wrapped in bright colors and the fanciful

images of Mexico’s game of chance. $20, etsy.com’s Oso and Bean shop

This 6-inch-tall wood carving of a polar bear, an unusual subject for Mexican folk crafts, is handmade by Armando and Moises Jimenez, grandsons of Oaxaca’s master woodcarver Manuel Jimenez. $278.50, The Folk Tree, 217 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, (626) 795-8733, the-folk-tree.myshopify.com/

The aptly named Elegance Chopstick Set is handmade by Mai Vietnamese Handicrafts artisans. Four pairs of wood chopsticks with rests are presented in a silk-covered folder that closes with traditional frog fasteners. $49, Ten Thousand Villages, 567 S. Lake Ave., Pasadena, (626) 229-9892, tenthousandvillages.com

The nostalgic Girl With a Rose Pillow cover, designed by Maureen Smullen of Glendale’s Oso and Bean, straddles that fi ne line between traditional and contemporary décor, enhancing both. Digitally printed on cotton and linen, the cover fi ts a standard 18-inch pillow insert, which can be purchased separately. $52, etsy.com/listing/194695970/pillow-cover-girl-with-rose-fi ts-18

12.14 ARROYO | 33

34 | ARROYO | 12.14

EducationA DIRECTORY OF LEARNING OPTIONS


Aa Bb Cc

12.14 | ARROYO | 35


Barnhart

Barnhart School offers a private elementary and middle school education for children

in kindergarten through 8th grade from the Arcadia, Pasadena, Sierra Madre and

other San Gabriel Valley communities. Distinguished programs of Barnhart School are

the Writers’ Workshop, the 7th grade Biotech project sponsored by Amgen, Spanish

at all grade levels with a conversation club in 8th grade, early literacy emphasis, the

Virtues character development program, and continued integration of technology,

arts, and physical education.

240 W. Colorado Blvd., Arcadia. barnhartschool.org (626)446-5588

OPEN HOUSE IS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 FROM 11AM – 1PM

Drucker School of Management

The Drucker School of Management in Claremont offers a world-class graduate man-

agement education through our MBA, Professional MBA, Executive MBA, Financial En-

gineering, Art Business, and Arts Management degree programs. Our programs infuse

Peter Drucker’s principle of management as a liberal art along with our core strengths

in strategy and leadership. We offer individualized, fl exible course scheduling, an in-

novative curriculum focusing on values-based management, and the opportunity to

learn from world-renowned faculty.

To learn more, visit us at www.drucker.cgu.edu

High Point Academy

Since 1965, High Point Academy has offered a whole-child approach to education

with emphasis placed on core subjects as well as technology, art history, instrumental

and choral music, daily PE, foreign language, green living and community service.

HPA is co-educational and serves students in grades kindergarten through eight.

We invite you to learn more about us at www.HighPointAcademy.org and would love

to have you join us for a tour!

Lycée International de Los Angeles

Students at LILA (Lycée International de Los Angeles), an international French school

with fi ve campuses: Pasadena, Burbank, Los Feliz, Orange County, and West Valley,

benefi t from a full bilingual immersion program. A bilingual education paves more

pathways in the brain, resulting in better academic performance. LILA is a preschool

through 12th-grade school committed to academic excellence in a nurturing and

intimate environment that encourages personal initiative, creativity and curiosity.

Students are challenged through the rigorous and well-balanced bilingual curricula

of the French and International Baccalaureate institutions. LILA aims to develop con-

fi dent, caring, and open-minded critical thinkers who will thrive in a diverse competi-

tive world.

www.lilaschool.com - (626) 695-5159 [email protected]

Pasadena Waldorf School

Pasadena Waldorf School ignites a life-long love of learning; the arts -infused cur-

riculum advances from play-based early childhood classes to a vigorous academic

program through middle and high school. Lively lessons inspire creative thinking, and

students distill concepts of knowledge through joyful learning experiences. Call the

Admissions Offi ce (626)794-9564 to tour the school many a parent has said is “the kind

of school I wish I went to.”

209 E. Mariposa St., Altadena 91001 www.pasadenawaldorf.org

Michael MinaMichael Mina, 45, discovered a precocious penchant for cooking at age 15 after emigrating from Egypt with his parents at age 2. He spent his high-school years toiling part-time in the kitchen of a little French restaurant near his home in Ellensburg, Washington. At 22, Mina won national critical acclaim for his innovative cuisine as head chef at Aqua, a swanky seafood restaurant in San Francisco. And now, little more than 20 years later, he has parlayed his talents into an epicurean empire. As head of the Mina Group, he oversees 21 fi ne-dining establishments that dot the country’s upscale zip codes — a diverse group of high-concept eateries with specialties that range from seafood and steak to Mediterranean. He has won Michelin stars, James Beard awards and numerous “best chef ” and “best restaurant” citations. When the power elite meet in Washington, D.C., for example, they tend to gravitate to Mina’s Bourbon Steak at the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown, where President Obama and wife Michelle have twice chosen to celebrate their wedding anniversary. He lives on three pastoral acres in the Bay Area with his wife, Diane, and two teenage sons.

You have new restaurants opening across the country and tremendous responsi-bilities. Do you get time to spend the holidays with your family?In my early years, I had to work on holidays. And now, when you’re building new projects, you try to make sure you’ll have free time at the holidays to be with family. But sometimes construction falls behind and you have to work. In my family, we’re very big on holidays, and I try always to be there. Christmas is more intimate than Thanksgiving, when we have 60 or 70 people, usually those we work with who can’t get home for the holiday. But Christmas is smaller, more family-oriented.Do you dine at home? What’s the menu like?We have a very set Christmas Eve tradition that we’ve been doing for many years. My wife’s mother — my mother-in-law — started this, and it had been going on for years even before I met my wife. I sort of got adopted into the tradition. Every Christmas Eve my mother-in-law would make crab cioppino from scratch. Unfortunately, she passed away some years ago at a young age. And so we’ve kept the tradition going. Every year for Christmas Eve we make her crab cioppino from scratch. We get very dirty, break crabs open with our hands and have a lot of fun. And all day long the whole house smells like this beautiful crab and tomato stew. Then everybody comes over at about 4 p.m. and has cioppino. What happens Christmas Day? What do you serve for dinner, and who cooks?On the morning of Christmas Eve, while we’re making cioppino, I also prep my prime rib for Christmas Day. And I get everything else ready for that meal, so that on Christmas Day I just have to literally turn on the oven and throw everything in. Then our family can spend the day opening presents and relaxing and just being together, and then we have the prime rib dinner.Do your kids have any favorites? Do they and your wife do any of the cooking?We all cook together. It has worked out great with the two children. My younger son loves pasta and we always do egg noodles with the cioppino. He makes those. He cooks them with olive oil and garlic and herbs and chili fl akes, and he’ll grate all his cheese and cut all his herbs and cook all his pasta himself. He does the pasta for Christmas Eve. My older son helps for Christmas Day, with prepping the prime rib, chopping potatoes, cleaning the vegetables. My wife cooks both days.What side dishes do you serve with the prime rib?It’s usually very straightforward and traditional. Baked potatoes, roasted vegetables, a little bit of beef jus from the drippings.And for dessert?I usually bake a big apple crisp. It’s one of those things I can prepare ahead so we can relax.Your parents must be very proud of your success, especially when the president came to your restaurant for dinner.(Mina laughs.) I’ve cooked for three presidents, and for President Obama twice. My parents weren’t so proud when I announced I wasn’t going to college, but to cooking school instead. We are Egyptian, and that didn’t go over too well. But I think it’s all just perfect now.

Chefs’ HolidaysThree top Arroyoland chefs share their seasonal traditions and recipes.

BY BETTIJANE LEVINE

We thought it might be fun to look in on a couple of Arroyoland’s most renowned chefs to learn how they celebrate the holidays. On luxury yachts cruising exotic waters? At fantastic family feasts catered by their very own restaurant kitchens? Maybe with caviar, truffl es and a table full of A-list friends? We chatted with San Marino’s Joachim Splichal, who has some 60 Patina Restaurants dotting both coasts and a new one in Tokyo, and with Michael Mina, whose fi ne-dining empire recently expanded into

Glendale, with Bourbon Steak Los Angeles at the Americana at Brand. And for the lowdown from a talented chef and fi rst-time restaurant owner, we talked with Sean Lowenthal, proprietor of The Little Beast in Eagle Rock. They all served up surprisingly heartwarming answers. And some favorite holiday recipes to match.

36 | ARROYO | 12.14

Joachim Splichal What Frank Gehry is to architecture, Splichal is to food. He is the master chef who helped transform the culinary landscape of Southern California, and whose talents took wing nation-wide. So it’s fi tting that his fl agship Los Angeles restaurant, Patina, is housed in Gehry’s Disney Hall. For much of his early life, Christmas was just another hard day at work, he says. Born in Germany, he started toiling in hotel kitchens at age 18, in Canada, Morocco, Israel, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland. He then trained at La Bonne Auberge, a Michelin-starred restaurant on the French Riviera. At 23, he started winning awards for his work at The Hotel Negresco’s Le Chantecler restaurant in Nice, where he was named France’s “Youngest and Most Creative Chef.” He’s been accruing awards ever since, both local and international. Splichal arrived in California in 1981 and held executive chef jobs until opening his fi rst Patina Restaurant in 1989, and then a series of Pinots — bistros and cafés in museums and cultural centers along the coast. He lives in San Marino with his 18-year-old twin sons, Nicolas and Stefane. Splichal says he named his award-winning L.A. steakhouse, Nick + Stef ’s, for them.

With 60 restaurants to oversee, can you take time off for the holidays?For many, many years, I had to work on all the holidays. Now I take it a little bit easier. I take holidays off and celebrate with my kids and have an incredibly great time.Do you travel or stay at home?Traditionally we stay in town during Christmas and New Year’s, and we get together with a couple of friends and cook together an incredible meal.What, for you, would be a traditional Christmas dinner?I’m German, and we have our particular delicacies for the holidays. If I would cook at home for Christmas, we have a dish we do in the south of Germany, where I’m from. It’s rack of venison roasted in the oven with juniper berries and pepper, and we serve it with spaetzle. Those are little noodles that are a specialty of where I’m from. And I would serve it with roasted Brussels sprouts, Jerusalem artichokes, celery-root mousse and winter carrots.

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SERVES 10

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil8 large garlic cloves (6 fi nely chopped,

2 whole)3 jalapeños, seeded and minced2 red bell peppers, fi nely chopped1 large onion, fi nely chopped1 large bay leaf2 tablespoons tomato paste½ cup dry red wineOne 28-ounce can peeled tomatoes,

fi nely chopped, juices reservedFour 8-ounce bottles clam broth1½ cups waterSalt and freshly ground pepper½ cup packed basil leaves½ teaspoon crushed red pepper4 steamed Dungeness crabs, about 2

pounds each (see note below)2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed2 pounds fi rm, white-fl eshed fi sh fi llets,

such as halibut, skinned and cut into 1½-inch chunks

2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 pounds mussels, scrubbed1 pound sea scallops, halved vertically

if largeCrusty bread, for serving

METHOD

1. In a very large soup pot, heat a quarter cup of the olive oil until shim-mering. Add the chopped garlic, jalapeños, bell peppers, onion and bay leaf, and cook, stirring occasion-ally, over moderately high heat until softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute longer. Add the chopped tomatoes and their juices and cook over moderately high heat until slightly thickened, about

5 minutes. Add the clam broth and water, season lightly with salt and generously with pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until the broth is reduced to about 8 cups, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a mini food proces-sor, combine the basil leaves with the whole garlic and process until the garlic is fi nely chopped. Add the remaining half-cup of olive oil and the crushed red pepper and process the basil purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Working over the sink, pull off the fl ap on the undersides of the crabs. Remove the top shells and discard. Pry out the brownish insides and pull off the feathery lungs and discard. Rinse the crab bodies in cold water and quarter them so that each piece has body and leg.

4. Add the crabs and clams to the pot. Cover and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the clams begin to open, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the crabs to a large platter. Add the fi sh, shrimp, mussels and scallops to the pot, pushing them into the broth. Return the crabs to the pot, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the clams and mussels are fully open and the fi sh, shrimp and scallops are cooked through, about 8 minutes longer.

5. Ladle the cioppino into deep bowls and drizzle each serving with some of the basil purée. Serve with crusty bread and pass the remaining basil purée separately.

MAKE AHEAD: The Dungeness crab cioppino can be prepared through step 1 and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

NOTE: Have the fi shmonger steam the crabs for you.

Judith’s Dungeness Crab CioppinoFor Christmas Eve dinner, my mother-in-law, Judith Tirado, always prepared cioppino — the San Francisco seafood stew that owes its origins to fi shermen from Italy’s Ligurian Coast. She’d spend the whole day infusing the broth with basil and tomatoes. Though she’s no longer here with us, we carry on the tradition by making her hearty, briny recipe, full of crab, shrimp and clams. —M.M.

12.14 ARROYO | 37


Sounds delicious. But you say you would cook that if you were at home, meaning that you don’t cook at home for Christmas?No. We go to our friends, and the lady of the house cooks.When did that start?About 10 years ago. We have a very strong friendship with our neighbors, the Schaefer family. They have three boys, I have two boys and they all grew up together. So we do it at the Schaefers’ house. Lilia is an amazing chef, absolutely amazing. For Christmas, she always does a big turkey with all the different trimmings and roasted vegetables.So you don’t have to do any cooking?(He laughs.) That’s why I love to go there.Isn’t it traumatic for her to cook for such a world-famous chef?The fi rst time they invited us she was freaking out, asking, “What should I do? What should I do?” But then her food was so very, very good. I loved it. And she’s been cooking for me for 10 years now, and it’s always incredible. I love to go there.So the chef takes a holiday at Christmas?You got that right.

Sean LowenthalSean Lowenthal, 37, has won enthusiastic reviews since he opened The Little Beast restaurant in a 1911 Craftsman bungalow in Eagle Rock about 18 months ago. Both the setting and menu are classic and simple. “We serve progressive American comfort food — seasonal modern cuisine that’s fresh, vibrant and delicious,” Lowenthal says. But opening an eatery is a risky business, and only the most dedicated and fearless will survive, he notes. Born in Atlanta, he earned his degree in culinary arts at The Art Institute of Colorado. Then came the mandatory years of what he calls “blood, sweat and tears” while he gained experience and sophistication in a series of other restaurateurs’ kitchens. On his way up, he was chef at the Greenbriar Inn in Boulder, Colorado, and then spent two years as sous-chef at the Chateau Marmont in L.A. Until he opened his own place, he says, he rarely got to spend Christmas at home. He and his wife, Deborah, live in Eagle Rock with their 11-year-old son, Miles, lovingly nicknamed Little Beast. The restaurant was named for him. What are some holiday traditions at your home?For the last 15 years I’ve had to work every holiday. That’s the life of a chef. At the Chateau Marmont and the Greenbriar, for example, they’re open on Christmas and I had to work. In the restaurant business you work when other people do not, and that tends to be holidays, weekends and nights. Hotel restaurants, especially, have to be open all the time. At the Marmont I didn’t work one Christmas because it fell on my day off. That was a treat.So when you opened your own place, it was a relief for you? You can take the holiday off?(He laughs.) Yeah, exactly. The Little Beast is not open Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.And you’ve built no family traditions for that time of year because you’ve been working?I have things I do that are special and will do when I have the holiday off. I want to spend it with family, make something semi-traditional and seasonal. I love to make turkey, and each time I try to make it better than I ever have before — and a really great sauce to go with it. I also like to do more nontraditional sides, like Brussels sprouts, maybe farro salad, maybe a green-bean salad instead of green-bean casserole. Or I might do butternut squash gratin instead of mashed potatoes. I think the sides should be more exciting than the turkey. Even if you make a really killer turkey, the sides are going to blow it out of the water. If I don’t do turkey, I like to do roasted rack of lamb or a whole roasted fi let mignon.Do your wife and son leave the work to you, since you’re the expert?No, we like to do it together. It’s fun. My son likes to help with the prep work and to be part of the whole process of cooking. He doesn’t want to be a chef. He wants to be a hockey player.

MAKES 20 TO 25 COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups all-purpose fl our¾ teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon baking soda1/8 teaspoon salt ½ tablespoon ground ginger¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon1/8 teaspoon ground cloves3 tablespoons unsalted butter¼ cup dark brown sugar½ large egg¼ cup molasses1 teaspoon vanilla½ teaspoon fi nely grated lemon zest

(optional)

METHOD

1. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together fl our, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves until well blended.

3. In a large bowl (a KitchenAid mixer is great for this), beat butter, brown sugar and egg on medium speed until well blended.

4. Add molasses, vanilla and lemon zest, and continue to mix until well blended.

5. Gradually stir in dry ingredients

until blended and smooth.

6. Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic; let stand at room tem-perature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours. (Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in that case, return to room temp before using.)

7. Reheat oven to 375°. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

8. Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly fl oured surface. Sprinkle fl our over dough and rolling pin.

9. Roll dough to a scant quarter-inch thick. Use additional fl our to avoid sticking.

10. Cut out cookies with desired cutter. (The gingerbread man is our favor-ite, of course.)

11. Space cookies 1½ inches apart.

12. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7 to 10 minutes. (The lower time will give you softer cookies — very good!)

13. Remove cookie sheet from oven and let cookies stand until they are fi rm enough to move to a wire rack.

14. After cookies are cool you may decorate them any way you like. I usually brush them with a powdered sugar glaze when I am in a hurry, but they look wonderful decorated with royal icing.

38 | ARROYO | 12.14


Joachim’s Gingerbread Cookies

12.14 ARROYO | 39

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taste select fl avors from our area's best restaurants


PORTA VIA1 W. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91105626-793-9000 • www.portaviafoods.com

The elevator pitch to describe Porta Via might be to call it

an East Coast deli, only spacious with California style. Best

part: this friendly spot is as capable of preparing your fam-

ily’s dinner as it is your yummy lunch.

Opened seven and a half years ago on California Blvd.

near Fair Oaks by veteran restauranteur Victor Ciulla and

his partner, John Weithas, Porta Via is informed by the

delicatessens John experienced growing up in Rumson, NJ,

and the cooking of Vic’s Sicilian grandmother, who lived

across the street from his boyhood home in Pasadena. Two years ago, they

opened a second location in San Marino.

The menu includes the standard fare one expects from an authentic deli—a

wide variety of sandwiches and Panini, side dishes and various salads—but

Porta Via stays open until 7 pm, way past lunch, to accommodate a tasty take-

home menu of pastas, poultry, seafood and meats, including leg of lamb and

fi let mignon.

I was pleased with Friday’s special sandwich, the crab salad with shrimp on

a toasted brioche and my fresh side of farro with cranberry and arugula. My

nephew tried the Italian sub, which

he rated “pretty strong” with its mix of

high-end cured meats, and Porta Via’s

heralded potato salad, accented by

fennel pollen. The bread on both sand-

wiches was perfect, fresh and tasty.

To gauge their dinner entrees, we

sampled Porta Via’s signature Italian

Sausage Lasagne, which Ciulla—who

previously ran such popular Pasadena

eateries as Twin Palms and DeLacey’s

Club 41—notes is spiced with Arrabiata

sauce. The result: hearty and fl avorful.

Ciulla’s grandparents came from

the same Sicilian town where the cannoli was born, so while too full for dessert,

we took home a couple to try later. Glad we did; sweet yet light, they hit the

spot.

Cuisine: Ample variety of sandwiches and Panini (including daily specials

on weekdays), salads and Antipasti. Wide variety of pastas and Italian favor-

ites, plus meat and fi sh entrees. Desserts; wine and beer.

Vibe: A New York deli that says “Welcome to California,” more spacious and

welcoming than the East Coast and Chicago spots that inspired Porta Via’s

concept. The shaded outdoor seating is particularly inviting. – Geoff Mayfi eld

SERVES FOUR

INGREDIENTS

1 pound Brussels sprouts2 tablespoons butter, unsalted1 tablespoon shallot, minced1 garlic clove, minced¼ cup pistachios, toasted and

coarsely groundZest from 2 lemons, blanched and

shockedSalt and pepper, to taste

METHOD

1. Remove the outer leaves from each Brussels sprout and discard any that are blemished. Continue to separate the Brussels sprout leaves, using a small, sharp knife to cut away the core. It’s easiest to cut them in half,

cut out the core and then peel away the leaves.

2. Once the leaves are ready, heat a large sauté pan on medium to high heat, and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the garlic and shallot and slightly brown them.

3. Once the milk solids of the butter start to brown, add the Brussels sprout leaves and cook, stirring often. Try not to overcrowd the pan — this causes them to steam, not caramelize. You might need to cook in separate batches.

4. While stirring the Brussels sprout leaves over medium to high heat, they will begin to brown slightly. Now season with salt and pepper and taste. Add the toasted pistachio and lemon zest, toss and serve family-style as a side dish for the holiday feast.


How do make your “killer turkey” that’s really moist?I debone the turkey. Then I make a make a stock with the carcass, and I brine the rest of it. I take it out of brine and dry it off, and then I pan-roast it on the skin side until it’s crispy. Then I throw it in the oven on the skin side for about 45 minutes. It comes out fantastic.What about dessert?When I do dessert for a meal like this I try to keep it super simple and more traditional. I usually do an apple pie and another kind of fruit that I wrap in puff pastry and bake in the oven. It’s like a pie, but it’s not a pie crust. More like a strudel. Along with it a whipped cream, ice cream and a dessert sauce.Is the new restaurant doing well enough so you can relax and take some signifi c ant time off this year?We are pleasantly surprised with how well it’s doing. But it’s always frightening opening a restaurant. It’s labor-intensive and capital-heavy, and the possibility of failing is really great. It’s a very competitive business. But we feel really happy, and yes, we’re taking eight days off and renting a house in Breckinridge, Colorado, in the mountains. And we’re going to have Christmas dinner in the house. After working every holiday for so many years, this is something I’m really looking forward to.Why Colorado, and what’s the plan?It’s where I went to college and where I started my career. I lived there 13 years. My fam-ily is all spread out, some there, some in Georgia, Florida, Idaho. A whole group of us are going to get together at this rented house. My mom will meet us there. My wife’s mom and dad will be there, along with my cousin and his wife and kids and some uncles. Just a whole great group. We’re going to cook together, do the turkey and some great sides and desserts. It will be a blast.

Sean’s Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Brown Butter, Toasted Pistachios and Lemon Zest

12.14 ARROYO | 41

42 | ARROYO | 12.14

taste select fl avors from our area's best restaurants


BISTRO DE LA GARE921 Meridian Avenue, Unit A • South Pasadena626-799-8828 • bistrodelagare.com

Seafood linguini in a French restaurant? That might sur-

prise you on some menus, but at the warm and cozy Bistro

de la Gare, Chef Bruno Morin’s Linguini aux Fruits de Mar

makes all the sense in the world.

A second-generation chef from the Burgundy region of

France, Morin started learning his trade early, at age 18, in

Paris at La Tour Montparnasse and later Le Pré Catelan. He

moved to Los Angeles where he honed his skills under the

tutelage of Antonio Tomasi, the Italian chef who presided

over such favorites as Ca’ Brea and Ca Del Sole.

After opening a restaurant in Chicago and working in New York, the op-

portunity to take over Bistro de la Gare a year and a half ago prompted Morin’s

return to California weather. Based on reviews in Yelp, Open Table, Trip Advisor

and Urbanspoon, diners are pleased with changes that transpired under his

management.

The chef shops each day for fresh, local ingredients, often at Farmers’

Markets. Consequently, the number of appetizer, entree and dessert specials

offered daily might outnumber options available on the regular menu. On the

night we visited, Morin suggested two of that

night’s special opening courses, both amaz-

ing: a crispy pig’s ear salad made with fresh

mixed greens and croustillant de volaille, the

latter boneless chicken wings, prepared with

curry, tarragon and eggplant.

In a less competent kitchen, a seafood

linguini feels heavy, but here, the chunks of

lobster tail mingle with shrimp, calamari, sea

scallops, mussels and porcini mushrooms in

a pasta that can simply be described as de-

lightful. My wife was thrilled with her Dos de

Saumon Rôti à l’Unilatéral: roasted salmon,

seasoned just right and served in arugula

pesto sauce with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.

For dessert, we shared a Belgium chocolate mousse, a delicious but airy

concoction that perfectly ended our feast.

Cuisine: Top notch French cuisine, with a variety of seafood and fi sh options,

plus chicken, lamb steak and pasta. An ample selection of daily specials—ap-

petizers, entrees and desserts—available each day.

Vibe: Warm and cozy atmosphere. Charming outdoor seating available

during warm times of year. You won’t mind sitting close to the next table as

you’ll be curious what your neighbors are ordering.– Geoff Mayfi eld

KITCHEN CONFESSIONS

12.14 | ARROYO | 43

is the thicker, harder stick that is diffi cult to grind and fairly mild in taste. True cinnamon is thin and crumbles easily in your hand. I prefer the softer version, not only because it is easy to grind (I just crush it and grind it in my coffee mill), but because it has a slight heat, like Red Hots candy.

Cinnamon is not my favorite, probably because my students have historically overused it in their adorable attempts to be creative. Also, when too much cinnamon is added to a recipe, it takes on a slimy texture, which is never appetizing. I do, however, fi nd it indispensable when cooking North African–style dishes. Paired with cumin, it creates an exotic and fl avorful aroma that makes me want to play it again, Sam.

Nutmeg is the fragrant pit found inside a fruit that looks a little like a fi g or a pear. First found in Indonesia by the Portuguese in the 1500s, the Dutch soon opened a can of whoop-ass and monopolized the nutmeg trade, displacing the natives and staffi ng the plantations with indentured slaves and convicts.

The nutmeg pit is covered in a lacy layer of mace, which is sold as a separate spice. Mace has a fl avor that is similar to, but stronger than, nutmeg. Under the mace is a hard shell, inside of which is the nutmeg. The center is soft when fresh, but dries rock hard, and is ei-ther grated or ground for use. It is commonly used today as a sweet spice but has historically been used in many savory applications, especially in French cuisine, where it adds a touch of sophistication to vegetables, starches, grains, eggs, custards and cheese dishes. When I was in culinary school, my chef always carried a nutmeg and tiny grater in his pocket, prepared at a moment’s notice to correct our seasoning. (When we learned that the nutmeg has hal-lucinogenic properties, we immediately spread nefarious rumors about him.) Nutmeg is my spice of choice, and I always add a hefty pinch to my mashed potatoes.

Ginger is commonly referred to as ginger root, but it is actually a rootlike subter-ranean stem known as a rhizome (she said, snorting and pushing up her glasses). If left alone, it will produce beautifully tall, broad-leafed stems and purple fl owers. In cooking, ginger is used in many forms. It is grated or sliced fresh, dried and powdered, pickled and candied. It plays a central role in Asian cuisine, both as a central element, and as part of more complex spice blends. Once it was introduced to Europe, it became an essential element of medieval cookery. My favorite use, besides in spice cake, is to jazz up boring glazed carrots.

Long before the pumpkin spice latte became a thing, fall and winter have been culinarily associated with a handful of specifi c spices.

Peppermint is taking center stage, along with the blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove commonly known as “pumpkin pie spice.” At this time of year it seems they are appearing in everything edible that is for sale. It’s nice for a week or two in early Novem-ber. But by mid-January I am personally done with these spicy scents that are, at least in America, associated with the holiday season. These spices naturally lend themselves well to the fruits and vegetables that are traditionally ripe at this time of year. The aforemen-tioned pumpkin (and its winter squash relatives), apples, pears, cranberries, persimmons, pomegranates and sweet potatoes are sure-fi re material for these spice accompaniments. But there are other uses too, and on the off chance that you were looking for something new to do with your holiday spices, or would like to utilize them in June, a closer histori-cal look at your spice rack is in order.

Le t’s start with peppermints, the quintessential holiday fl avor, but rarely seen outside of the candy cane. When fresh mint is used, it is most commonly spearmint, whose thick, wrinkly leaves are usually crammed mindlessly on top of a dessert as an afterthought by uncreative types. (Yeah, I have mint issues.) I am not a fan of the spearmint fl avor, which is, to me, reminiscent of toothpaste. The thin, smooth, darker-leafed peppermint is my mint of choice. It’s a little harder to fi nd fresh, unless you are a gardener. But even my black thumb can’t seem to kill the peppermint taking over my yard.

Although used as a sweet herb in the West, mint has long been associated with savory foods in the East. Beans, grains and meats all get the minty treatment in the Middle East, in dishes such as tabouleh, lamb, yogurt and baharat spice blend. Asian curries, spring rolls and soups also utilize mint, which offers a nice cooling effect when paired with highly spiced foods. I cannot abide store-bought mint jelly (I will refer you to the earlier tooth-paste comment), but I love lamb that has been marinating in fresh peppermint, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper. It’s also great in a simple salad with peppery arugula.

Cinnamon is actually the bark from two members of the laurel family—cinnamon and cassia. When the trees are wet from seasonal rain, the inner bark is carefully stripped by skilled workers in South Asia whose tools and techniques have been passed down for many generations. Both barks are similar in fl avor and aroma and are blended together in most pre-ground cinnamons. But tasted side by side they are remarkably different. Cassia

Spice GirlGift holiday hostesses with one of these exotic spice blends you create yourself.BY LESLIE BILDERBACK



44 | ARROYO | 12.14

KITCHEN CONFESSIONS

Clove is the fl ower bud from an evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia’s Maluku Islands (a.k.a. the Spice Islands). It is a potent nugget of volatile oil that was historically chewed as a natural anesthetic against toothaches. The popularity of clove sparked a spice race of epic proportion, and made the Maluku Islands a hot commodity, jostled among the Portuguese, Spanish, British and Dutch throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. While we use it mainly in sweet applications, the clove is a staple ingredient of curries, pick-les, sausages and savory spice blends, like Chinese fi ve-spice powder. In classic French cookery it is a crucial element of béchamel sauce, blending perfectly with onion and bay to create an essence that, unless you are in the know, you can’t quite put your fi nger on.

The clove has been burned as incense, smoked in cigarettes and jabbed into citrus fruit for pomander balls for centuries. Pomander balls are worthy of an entire essay, which I will probably subject you to sooner or later. Suffi ce to say the name comes from the French pomme d’ambre, a reference to the original pomander balls that were made from musk excreted by a variety of wildlife, and ambergris, that exotic, medieval incense that is essentially whale poop. Thankfully, modern pomander balls are made by studding citrus fruits with whole cloves. It has been an aromatic part of my family’s holiday traditions for years. I fi nd it a useful distraction when the house is fi lled with bored relatives. A bowl of cloves and a plate full of oranges are a sure-fi re way to avoid hearing that same old story. Then you can strategically place these delightfully aromatic balls around the house, with an emphasis on the bathroom.

To harness the untapped spicy potential in your own holiday home, consider whipping up one of these blends to spice up your holiday cooking, or to give as a hostess gift. Trust me, it will be a welcome change of pace from the usual bottle of wine. ||||

Leslie Bilderback, a certifi ed master baker, chef and author of Mug Cakes: 100 Speedy

Microwave Treats to Satisfy your Sweet Tooth (St. Martin’s Press), lives in South Pasadena

and teaches her techniques online at culinarymasterclass.com.

Ras el HanoutThe name of this North African spice mix means “top of the shop.” There is no specifi c recipe, as it is created by each spice merchant, and represents his best blend. This is my best blend.

INGREDIENTS¼ cup cardamom seeds¼ cup allspice beans¼ cup cumin seeds¼ cup coriander seeds3 tablespoons dried chili pod3 tablespoons black peppercorns2 tablespoons whole cloves2 tablespoons grated nutmeg2 tablespoons dried rosebuds2 tablespoons dried ginger3 crushed cinnamon sticks

METHOD

Toast each whole spice one by one in a hot, dry skillet until fragrant. It will take only about 30 to 60 seconds each. Keep them moving and be careful not to burn them. Once toasted, combine them in a coffee grinder with the nutmeg, rose buds, ginger and crushed cinnamon sticks. Pulverize into a powder, cool and then store airtight, or pack in a decorative jar for giving.

JerkUse this traditional Jamaican blend to marinate turkey, chicken, fi sh, pork or, as they do in Jamaica, goat.

INGREDIENTS½ cup allspice beans3 tablespoons coriander seeds2 cinnamon sticks½ cup dried thyme½ cup fresh grated ginger½ cup minced yellow onion½ cup minced garlic½ cup brown sugar3 tablespoons ground nutmeg3 tablespoons ground cloves3 tablespoons kosher salt2 or 3 Scotch bonnet peppers½ cup vegetable oil½ cup rum

METHODToast the allspice and coriander in a hot, dry skillet, then pulverize them, along with the cinnamon sticks, in a coffee grinder. Combine them in a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Use immediately to marinate meats (2 to 3 hours at least), or store refrigerated. This makes a great gift, but be sure to include instructions to keep refrigerated, or else the onions will begin to ferment.

Char MasalaThis toasted blend is commonly used in Indian and African rice dishes.

INGREDIENTS2 tablespoons cumin seeds1 tablespoon cardamom seeds1 teaspoon whole cloves1 crushed cinnamon stick1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

METHODToast the cumin, cardamom and cloves in a hot, dry skillet, then pulverize them, along with the cinnamon sticks, in a coffee grinder. Combine them in a bowl with the nutmeg, and store airtight at room temperature.

To make char masala rice, sauté one-half chopped yellow onion and a tablespoon of this blend in a tablespoon of ghee or vegetable oil. Add 1 cup of jasmine rice and toast it all together for 1 to 2 minutes, until browned. Then add 2 cups of water and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

12.14 | ARROYO | 45

THE LIST

46 | ARROYO | 12.14

Christmas Carol at A Noise WithinDec. 5 through 23 —

The theater company

reprises A Christmas

Carol, Charles Dickens’ beloved tale of

greed, redemption and forgiveness pitting

Ebenezer Scrooge against the Christmas

spirit of generosity and compassion. The

show opens at 8 p.m. today and continues

through Dec. 23. Ticket prices start at $48.

A Noise Within is located at 3352 E. Foothill

Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 356-3100 or visit

anoisewithin.org.

Seasonal Session of Jazz in AltadenaDec. 5 — The Altadena

Library hosts a sea-

sonal session of jazz

with a free 7 p.m. concert and sing-along

performed by Jazz Zone, a SoCal musi-

cians’ collective. Roscoe Lee Owens is

music director and emcee.

The Altadena Library is located at 600 E.

Mariposa St., Altadena. Call (626) 798-0833

or visit altadenalibrary.org. For Jazz Zone

info, visit jazzzonenetwork.net.

“Wonders of Winter” Songfest Dec. 6 — The Towne

Singers celebrate the

season at 5 p.m. with

“The Wonders of Winter” concert, a mix of

traditional and contemporary music, at

First United Methodist Church of Pasadena.

The concert includes a visit from Santa.

Advance tickets cost $20, $10 for children

3 to 10; tickets at the door cost $25, $12 for

children.

The First United Methodist Church of

Pasadena is located at 500 E. Colorado

Blvd., Pasadena. Call (818) 275-4117 or visit

townesingers.org.

Foothill Unity Center Hosts Holiday PartyDec. 6 — Foothill Unity

Center, which provides

food, case management and crisis help

for low-income and homeless residents

of the San Gabriel Valley, hosts a holiday

party from 5 to 9 p.m. at The Lodge in Sierra

Madre. The evening includes live music,

food and a silent auction. Guests are

asked to bring a donation of any amount

(cash or check), an unwrapped gift for a

child of any age and a beverage to share.

The Lodge is located at 33 E. Sierra Madre

Blvd., Sierra Madre. Call (626) 358-3486 or

visit foothillunitycenter.org.

Open House at the CastleDec. 7 — The Castle

Green opens its doors

for a holiday gather-

ing showcasing the 116-year-old building’s

grandeur from 1 to 5 p.m. The former hotel,

decked out in Victorian-era décor, offers

seasonal music, entertainment and food

and a visit from Santa. Guests can take self-

guided tours of 25 of the building’s private

apartments normally not open to the public.

Tickets cost $30 in advance, $35 at the door.

The Castle Green is located at 99 S. Ray-

mond Ave., Pasadena. Visit castlegreen.

com/tour for tickets.

Children’s Chorus Highlights American ComposersDec. 7 and 14 —

The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus

celebrates American music in a pair of

winter concerts at Pasadena Presbyte-

rian Church. The program includes works

by David Montoya, Nick Strimple, Wayne

Bisbee, Abbie Betinis, David Brunner,

Charles Ives, Terry Riley, John Adams,

Philip Glass, John Jacob Niles and Wil-

liam Billings. Performances start at 7 p.m.

both nights. Tickets cost $26 to $44, half-

price for students 17 and younger.

Pasadena Presbyterian Church is

located at 585 E. Colorado Blvd.,

Pasadena. Call (626) 793-4231 or

visit lachildrenschorus.org.

Master Chorale Sings Messiah and MoreDec. 7 — The 34th

annual “Messiah

Sing-Along,” conducted by Grant Ger-

shon, features soloists soprano Holly

Sedillos, mezzo soprano Janelle DeStefano,

tenor Benjamin Cortez and bass David

Castillo. It starts at 7 p.m. and tickets

cost $29 to $99.

Dec. 13 — “Festival of Carols” features

new arrangements of Christmas classics

such as “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”

and “Silent Night” at 2 p.m. Tickets cost

$29 to $119, $22 to $74 for children ages

6 to 12.

Dec. 14 — “Rejoice! A Cappella

Christmas” includes works by Tomas

De Vittoria, Morten Lauridsen, Matthew

Brown, Franz Biebl, Jan Sanderstrom,

Shawn Kirchner, Biovani Gabrieli, Francis

Poulenc, Ariel Quintana and Hyun Chul

Lee at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $29 to $129.

Dec. 17 — The concert version of Han-

del’s Messiah spotlights 48 members of

the chorus and four soloists --- soprano

Christina Bristow, mezzo soprano Nike St.

Claire, tenor Arnold Geis and baritone

Chung Uk Lee --- accompanied by an

orchestra. Performances start at 7:30

p.m. today, repeating at 7 p.m. Dec. 21.

Tickets cost $29 to $129.

Walt Disney Concert Hall is located

at 111 S. Grand Ave., L.A. Call

(213) 972-7282 or visit lamc.org.

TWILIGHT ZONE WITH TWIST, UPDATED SLEEPING BEAUTY AT PLAYHOUSE


Dec. 4 through 21 — The innovative Impro Theatre Company presents Twilight Zone

Unscripted: Special Holiday Edition at The Pasadena Playhouse’s Carrie Hamilton Theatre.

The company salutes Rod Serling’s science-fi ction series by soliciting audience sugges-

tions and combining them with holiday themes to create four improvised “episodes” at

each performance. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays

and 2 p.m. Sundays (no performance Dec. 11). Tickets cost $30, $20 for students.

Dec. 10 through Jan. 4 — Lythgoe Family Productions brings panto to The Pasadena

Playhouse with Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight, an updated, musical version of

the beloved Grimm fairy tale with a comedic twist, directed by Bonnie Lythgoe, ex-wife

of American Idol mogul Nigel Lythgoe, and written by their son Kris Lythgoe. Starring

Olivia Holt, Lucy Lawless, David Engel, Tamyra Gray and Ben Giroux, it features dancing,

magic, audience interaction and contemporary music by Pharrell Williams, John Leg-

end, Jessie J, Survivor and others. Performances begin today at 7:30 p.m. and continue

at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; noon, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; and noon and

4 p.m. Sundays through Jan. 4. Special additional shows include 7:30 p.m. Dec. 29

and matinees at 4 p.m. Dec. 24, 26 and 30. A family-oriented “winter wonderland” with

carolers, crafts, games, Santa and photo opportunities precedes every performance in

the courtyard. Tickets cost $34 to $125. Children’s tickets for the rear orchestra and rear

mezzanine cost $24 to $64.

The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Call (323) 401-

6162 or visit improtheatre.com.

A SELECTIVE PREVIEW OF UPCOMING EVENTS COMPILED BY JOHN SOLLENBERGER

12.14 | ARROYO | 47

48 | ARROYO | 12.14

12.14 | ARROYO | 49

THE LIST

An Irish Christmas at CaltechDec. 13 — Traditional

Irish performing

ensemble Danú

presents “A Christmas Gathering:

Féile na Nollag” at 8 p.m. in Caltech’s

Beckman Auditorium. Danú’s high-

energy performances are driven by

fi ddle, fl utes, button accordion, per-

cussion, vocalists and dancers. The

program includes new and ancient

Irish music. Tickets cost $10 to $32.

Beckman Auditorium is located on

Michigan Avenue south of Del Mar

Boulevard, Pasadena. Call (626) 395-

4652 or visit events.caltech.edu.

See Scrooge at Parson’s NoseDec. 20 and 21 —

Parson’s Nose, a

nonprofi t theater

company producing classical theater in

condensed adaptations of works by past

masters, presents its Readers’ Theater Series

production of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

The timeless story of greed and redemption

centered on the penny-pinching Ebenezer

Scrooge and his struggling employee Bob

Cratchit comes to life at Lineage Performing

Arts Center in Pasadena. Showtimes are

7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets

are a “pay what you will” price of $5 to $25.

Lineage Performing Arts Center is located

at 89 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena. Call

(626) 403-7667 or visit parsonsnose.com.



Dec. 11 — The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra launches its fi ve-part Baroque

Conversations series with a concert highlighting the beauty of the harpsichord in a

7 p.m. concert at the Colburn School’s Zipper Hall in downtown L.A. Four harpsichord-

ists join the orchestra and Music Director Jeffrey Kahane in a performance of works

by Bach and Alvinoni, plus Vivaldi’s Concerto in A Minor for Four Harpsichords and

Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Op. 6, No. 8, known as “Christmas Concerto.” A

preconcert reception begins at 6 p.m. Ticket prices start at $56. The concert repeats

at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Valley Performing Arts Center.

Zipper Hall is located at the Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., L.A.

Call (213) 622-7001 or visit laco.org.

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CELEBRATES HARPSICHORD

50 | ARROYO | 12.14

THE LIST

Break Bread with St. Nick at DescansoDec. 20 and 21 —

Descanso Gardens

celebrates the holidays with breakfast

with Santa and other activities for kids.

The breakfast, catered by the Patina

Group, features an unlimited mimosa

bar for $35. Brunch prices are $50 ($41

for members), $29 for children 12 and

younger ($20 for member children).

Seatings are at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.

both days. Reservations are required at

patinagroup.com/descanso and the

deadline is Dec. 16.

Descanso Gardens is located at 1418

Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge. Call

(818) 949-4200 or visit descansogardens.

org for information about Descanso.

Free Holiday Gala at Chandler PavilionDec. 24 — The 55th

annual L.A. County

Holiday Celebration returns to the Dorothy

Chandler Pavilion with free performances

by music ensembles, choirs and dance

companies representing the area’s

diverse neighborhoods and cultures.

Entertainment starts at noon on the Music

Center Plaza; at 2:30 p.m., theater doors

open and the event continues inside until

6 p.m. A live broadcast on PBS SoCal and

pbssocal.org runs from 3 to 6 p.m.

The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is located

at 135 N. Grand Ave., L.A. Call (213) 972-

3099 or visit holidaycelebration.org.

Rose Parade Float Decoration ViewingBefore they strut down

Colorado Boulevard

on New Year’s Day, see the fl oats as

they’re being decorated. Tickets cost $10,

available at the door or through Sharp

Seating; free for children 5 and younger.

Dec. 27 through 30 — View the decorat-

ing process at Rosemont Pavilion and

Brookside Pavilion from noon to 5 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday and

Monday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Rosemont Pavilion is located at 700

Seco St., Pasadena. Brookside Pavilion is

located at Lot I, south side of Rose Bowl

Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Dr., Pasadena.

Dec. 27 through 31 — Float-building at

the Rose Palace can be viewed from

noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday through Tuesday and 9 a.m. to

1 p.m. Wednesday.

The Rose Palace is located at 835 S.

Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Call Sharp

Seating at (626) 795-4171 or visit sharp-

seating.com.

Equestfest Shows Rose Parade Horse HighlightsDec. 29 — Equest-

fest, a family-friendly

showcase of horses and riders, offers a

preview of the equestrian units in this

year’s Rose Parade performing drills

and dances, trick riding and roping

at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

Guests can tour the stables, meet the

riders and learn about riding equip-

ment and breeds of horses. Live music

is included, and food and drink is avail-

able for purchase. Gates open at 10:30

a.m. Tickets cost $15, free for children

5 and younger; box seating and a gift

bag cost $35. Tickets are available at

the venue and through Sharp Seating.

The Los Angeles Equestrian Center is

located at 480 Riverside Dr., Burbank.

Call Sharp Seating at (626) 795-4171 or

visit sharpseating.com.

Preview of Parade’s Marching BandsDec. 29 and 30 —

Get an early look

at the marching bands scheduled to

perform in the New Year’s Rose Parade

during Bandfest at Pasadena City Col-

lege. Bandfest I runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Mon-

day. Bandfest II runs from 9 a.m. to noon

Tuesday and Bandfest III runs from 2 to

4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets to each session

cost $15, free for children 5 and younger,

and are available through Sharp Seating.

Pasadena City College is located at

1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call

Sharp Seating at (626) 795-4171 or

visit sharpseating.com.


12.14 | ARROYO | 51

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52 | ARROYO | 12.14

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Arroyo Monthly December 2014

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