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by Timothy Rutt
The Webster's parking lot was a good place to get your goat (or sheep or rabbit) as Danny's Farm returned to Altadena Friday night. The former local fixture, code-bombed all the way to Cal Poly Pomona by county zoning regulations, is now the sponsor of Fancy Food Truck Fridays. More after the jump.
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Let's get this doggie home:
Black dachsund missing since Wednesday from vicinity of Marengo and Las Flores. We are very worried about her as she is elderly and moves slowly. Please contact Kim at 626-827-4947.
UPDATE 10/17: Kim writes us:
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by Timothy Rutt
We were checking out the Town Council's new web site and found out they've got a contest going on they didn't tell us about: choosing a flag for Altadena.
Now, none of the choices are terribly inspiring -- generally variations of a white field with the town seal in the middle and eight gold stars in some arrangement, like the example to your right. The one with the sage-colored field seems to be ahead right now.
You have until Nov. 18 to vote, but that got us to thinking: the town seal, while it's been around since Hector was a pup, more or less, needs something, too. The deodar cedar and golden poppy are appropriate, we think, but maybe it needs something more up-to-date: purple sage for Zane Grey, perhaps. Or an image of the library. A naked Zorthian nymph. A large RV that somebody living in Pasadena stores on Altadena Drive and moves every three days to avoid a ticket. Maybe a food truck?
What do you think the Altadena flag and city seal should look like? Comment away!
UPDATE 8:45 AM: Apparently we found this out BEFORE the official announcement (we LOVE it when we do that!). The official press release from Town Council is after the jump.
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by Timothy Rutt
As part of the "Latin Wines for a Passionate Evening" wine and food pairing event at Webster's Fine Stationers on Saturday, Alta-poet Linda Dove, author of O Dear Deer (Squall Publishing) and In Defense of Objects (Bear Star Press), will read from new and recently published work starting at 6 PM. She will be joined by local poet Judith Terzi, author of Sharing Tabouli (Finishing Line Press) and The Road to Oxnard (Pudding House Press). The reading will be preceded by a wine-and-food pairing event, “Latin Wines for a Passionate Evening,” from 4-6 PM, and wines will continue to be poured throughout the poetry reading. The authors will be available after the event to greet audience members and sign copies of their books.“I’m so excited to be able to share my work at Webster’s, whose owners work tirelessly to support this community, and, in particular, our community of writers,” Dove said. “It’s the perfect local venue at which to introduce my new book because the poems are, in a sense, local too, in that they originated out of my time serving jury duty in downtown L.A.”
Linda Dove holds a Ph.D. in Renaissance poetry and taught literature and creative writing for many years. Her full-length collection of poems is In Defense of Objects (Bear Star Press). Poems have been nominated recently for a Pushcart Prize and as a finalist for the Robert H. Winner Award from the Poetry Society of America.
Webster's Fine Stationers is at 2450 N. Lake Ave. The event is free and open to the public. For a complete schedule of upcoming readings, please visit www.lindadove.com.
Photo of Linda Dove by Robert Welkie.
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The Altadena Town Council will hold its monthly meeting this coming Tues., Oct. 18, starting at 7 PM at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr.
A couple of highlights: Assemblyman Anthony Portantino will offer his State of the State address (and it should be a good one!); and the Altadena representatives on the Pasadena Unified School District redistricting committee will also give a report.
The new Business of the Month award will go to Webster's Community Pharmacy and Webster's Fine Stationers in CT 4601.
The council will also consider a replacement for the unexpired term of former councilmember Alice Wessen in CT 4603.02.
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The city of Pasadena's autumn edition of ArtNight is tonight (and we're going after food trucking at Webster's), and we found a couple of extra reasons to go to the Pasadena Central Library:
For more info: www.artnightpasadena.org.
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by Timothy Rutt
Before you show up at the Altadena Historical Society's tour of East Mariposa Street on Sun., Oct. 23 (details here), come to the free pre-tour lecture this Monday, Oct. 17.
AHS President Jane Brackman says "we’ll share all the new research we’ve dug up about the people who lived on Mariposa Street. The lecture will include plenty of rare pictures, interesting facts and good stories, including how most of the people who built the grand homes were interconnected either through business, relatives, friends or hometowns.
The lecture starts at 7:30, and it's free. It will be held at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr.
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by Timothy Rutt
On Oct. 25, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider prohibiting large trailers and similar vehicles from parking on Altadena streets.
The amendment to the vehicle and traffic code has been brought up at several Altadena Town Council meetings, in part because, in some neighborhoods, RVs and other large vehicles not owned by residents are parked on the street for days at a time, creating a nuisance and generating complaints.
The amendment to the county code affects "non-conforming" vehicles, i.e. greater than 8 feet side, 7 1/2 feet high, or 20 feet in length.
For more information, contact Jalaine Madrid of the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Traffic and Lighting Division, 626-300-4708.
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Learn about the latest tools for space exploration including robotics to explore other planets and stars and the search for life in the cosmos at the program "Space Exploration: What’s Up" with Dr. Randii Wessen at the main Altadena Library on Friday, November 4 at 7:00 p.m. This free program sponsored by the Friends of the Altadena Library is suitable for all ages and will take place in the library’s Community Room.
Dr. Wessen, a “rocket scientist” based at Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Lab, helps design future robotic missions to explore other planets and telescopes to see other stars. Previously he was a member of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Mars Odyssey, Cassini, Galileo and Voyager flight teams. He is a Fellow of both the Royal Astronomical Society and the British Interplanetary Society, and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. And Asteroid 31664 (Randiiwessen) is named in his honor.
The address of the main Altadena Library is 600 East Mariposa Street, 91001. For more information, visit www.altadenalibrary.org or call 626-798-0833.
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Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is a traditional Mexican holiday when family and friends gather to honor and remember loved ones. Halloween and Day of the Dead crafts include: trick-or-treat bags, decorations, Mexican paper flowers, and sugar-skull decorating.
Come to the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St., on Fri., Oct. 28, at 3:30 PM to start your Halloween in a traditional way. This free program is sponsored by Friends of the Library.
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On Sat.,Oct. 22, Webster’s Community Pharmacy will host a very special trunk show featuring “Designer Drug Jewelry” by Altadena artist Susan Braig. Her unique eye for design will inspire you to look at life’s most painful instances in a new way.
The high cost of battling this deadly disease inspired Susan’s analogy of her prescriptions as “little jewels.” Since then she has recycled donated expired gel caps and tablets to use as gemstones and found items to create earrings, bracelets, tiaras, necklaces and rings at her studio in Altadena. Her jewelry has served as part of her health care reform activism as well as her efforts to recycle. Susan points out that her jewelry is wearable since, “All pills are denatured with glue and varnishes, so they are no longer usable as drugs or medical supplies.” The demand to showcase her jewelry at craft/trunk shows and outside orders has helped to fund some of the medical bills that have accumulated in her battle with cancer.
Webster’s Community Pharmacyco-owner, Meredith Miller commented: “We’re excited to host this incredible innovator at our pharmacy! Come to our special Trunk Show to meet Susan in person and hear her story first-hand, as you help to support breast cancer research.”
To honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month, partial proceeds from Pills For The Cure will benefit the Susan G Komen Foundation of LA County. In addition to Susan’s jewelry, the pharmacy has a unique selection of “For The Cure” gifts and collectibles available for sale. Many of these items are also supported with a charitable donation to breast cancer research.
Fast Facts:
Pills For the Cure-Jewelry Trunk Show: Oct. 22 from 12-3 PM
Hosted by: Webster’s Community Pharmacy, 2450 N. Lake Avenue, Altadena CA, Corner of N. Lake and Marcheta
Complimentary refreshments, entry and parking.
For more information: 626-797-1163
Pictured: some examples of Susan Braig's jewelry.
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LizAnne Keigley, Richard Large and Eric Harris in "The Chimes" at Mountain View Mausoleum and Cemetery during the 2010 Wicked Lit. Photo by Daniel Kitayama.
Theater troupe's production at the cemetery and mausoleum remains the place to go for a good scare
by Timothy Rutt
Wicked Lit returns to Altadena this Halloween season with two three-play performances about things horrific, uncanny, or just plain scary. The short plays will be presented in probably the best place in town to do it: Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum.
But the venue creates a major challenge: how do you turn a graveyard into a theater?
According to Jeff G. Rack, it's difficult, but the location is worth it to create the Wicked Lit experience.
Rack, along with Jonathan Josephson and Paul Millet, are the three playwrights/producers/directors responsible for Wicked Lit. Rack also wears the hat of set designer, and he's the one who figures out how to create a theatrical experience in a place where the dead rest.
Wicked Lit held its first Halloween performance in 2009, at the reputedly-haunted Greystone Mansion in Los Angeles. "It was a great space, and we were looking at doing other shows there," Rack said, "but they were doing reconstruction and remodeling so it wasn't available to us last year."
The plots thicken
One of Wicked Lit's actor fans had performed in a show at Mountain View, a "walk through time" event sponsored by the Pasadena Museum of History where actors portrayed historical characters buried in the cemetery. Through that connection, they met Jay Brown, one of the owners of the cemetery.
"it was a nice match -- I mean, Jay was really excited about what we were doing," Rack said. "Jay's feeling and our feeling too is that he wanted to have people come to the space when they weren't in mourning and grieving, because it's a really beautiful mausoleum. I mean, the architecture and the history that's there and in the cemetery, it's something that he wanted people to see in a different way.
"Anyway it was a great match between us ... it's been a really nice partnership."
Brian David Pope and William Joseph Hill in The Cask of Amontillado, 2010. Photo by Daniel Kitayama.
The Wicked Lit performances aren't usually the kind where you take a seat and watch a play: the audience frequently gets up and walks to different locations for a total immersive experience. The space also dictates the writing of the plays.
Continue reading "At Mountain View, Wicked Lit urns applause" »
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A busy weekend for sure, but keep checking back as we're constantly finding more to do ....
Thurs., Oct. 13
Fri., Oct. 14
Sat., Oct. 15
Sun. Oct. 16
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The Pasadena Community Orchestra will have its first annual chamber music benefit at a private home in Altadena on Sun., Oct. 23, starting at 4 PM. $50 admission for wine, hors d'oeuvers, and music, featuring Schubert's "Trout" quintet. For more information, click the graphic.
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The Power of One returns to the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St. on Mon., Oct. 17, at 7 PM.
Power of One, written by Traude Gomez and featuring the photographic work of Brian Biery, was the subject of a library discussion in June. Monday, join Gomez, Biery and others as they discuss the inspirational and innovative ways they have contributed to the community. Be ready to speak about your initiatives and bring information about them so that others can learn from you too!
Documentary photographer and community activist Biery will lead the discussion. Speakers include journalist and author, Traude Gomez; “Drugstore Cowboy” Jim Avedikian, of Phoenix Pharmacy; “Mover and Shaker” Sue Black, of the Sue B. Dance Company; “Ms. Diversity” Gerda Govine, of the Pasadena Commission on the Status of Women; “Time Traveler” Elizabeth Pomeroy, writer and teacher at Pasadena City College; and “Public School Supporter” Tom Selinske, founder of the Pasadena City College Flea Market.
Gomez-Rhine has explored a variety of human interest topics, from fashion and art to education and botany, by using a range of writing styles. Most recently she has completed writing projects for the Pasadena Educational Foundation, the Music Center of Los Angeles, and The Huntington Library.
Biery’s work has been featured in numerous publications. He has lived in Guatemala as a Peace Corps Volunteer and works on organizing projects in the communities of Pasadena and Altadena.
This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. For more information: (626) 798-0833 or www.altadenalibrary.org.
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by Timothy Rutt
Each year, the Los Angeles Community Garden Council (LACGC) organizes the “Gathering of Community Gardens,” a free event that brings together a wide range of people involved with greening efforts and related activities across the county.
The Gathering includes an educational conference with various workshops, a panel discussion, and a keynote address.
The fifth anniversary event this year, called "From Farm to Fork," will be held at the Loma Alta Park Community Center and Altadena Community Garden at Loma Alta Park, 3300 Lincoln Ave. on Sat. Oct. 22, from 8 AM-4 PM.
The day will include a variety of workshops (in English and Spanish) that cover topics such as compost and soil, mushrooms, seed saving, bread baking and the Cottage Food Law, restaurant-related agriculture, fostering leadership and culture sensitivity in community gardens and much more! Networking, special guests, and information booths will also be featured throughout the day.
The event is free but donations are appreciated. Breakfast snacks and lunch will be provided by El Patron. This is a low-waste event, and they are askingparticipants to bring plates, cups and eating utensils. Food will be provided on a first come, first served basis.
For more information, : www.lagardencouncil.org; Twitter: LAgardens; Facebook: Los Angeles Community Garden Council. Here's a link to the Facebook event: http://on.fb.me/oipg4J
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The Community Advisory Committee for the Pasadena Unified School District/SELPA Special Education Dept. will hold its October meeting on Mon., Oct. 17, 6:30-8:30 PM at the Edison Professional Development Complex, 119 W. Palm Avenue, Altadena.
This month's topic: "Students Rights and Responsibilities: Does the IEP Process Drive You Nuts? Help for Parents and Caregivers."
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Altadena sheriff's detectives are investigating a report of a possible attempted rape Sunday night on Lake Avenue between New York Drive and Sacramento Street.
According to Sheriff Lt. Joseph Dempsey, at about 10:06 PM on Oct. 9, a suspect approached a female in her 20's on the 1900 block of Lake Avenue:
The suspect exposed himself to the victim and then grabbed her. The suspect attempted to pull the victim toward the bushes. The victim was able to free herself and punch the suspect. The suspect ran away from the location.
The suspect was described as a male African American, 5 ft. 8 ins. to 5 ft. 10 ins.,, 130 to 150 lbs, black hair, brown eyes, in his 20’s.
Image: Crimereports.com
(Fixed headline -- looked at the wrong calendar!)
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by Timothy Rutt
One casualty of the major remodel of the Altadena Sheriff's Station is a 12 year tradition: The Haunted Jail.
The Haunted Jail was an annual project of the Sheriff's Support Group of Altadena, a spooky Halloween visit through the station's otherwise-unused jail cell. But now that the station has been remodeled -- including windows and a new coat of paint for the jail -- the ghosts have been chased out, according to SSGA's Robert Klomburg.
"Simply put, our 12 year tradition of mounting the Haunted Jail is, well, over." Klomburg writes in the SSGA's website. "There will be no Haunted Jail this year, or any year in the future. While the Posse and SSGA will miss putting on this annual event, we feel it is more important to have a fully functioning Sheriff's Station."
The jail has been unused for many years, as it doesn't come up to current standards. Arrestees are taken to the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station, and the cells will be put to other uses.
Pictured: Deputy Mary DeBella at the remodeled jail cell, the former site of the Haunted Jail.
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This photo of Frank Malina standing next to a WAC Corporal missile was taken in 1945. Malina and his fellow Caltech associates became known as the "Suicide Squad" because of their rocket experiments during this time. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The 75th anniversary of the first rocket experiments at the site that became NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., will be celebrated with a special free, public screening of the new documentary, “The American Rocketeer” at the California Institute of Technology’s Beckman Auditorium on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. This never-before-seen film is one installment in a three-part documentary series chronicling the early history of JPL. All three
installments will air on KCET Los Angeles in November.
On Halloween day in 1936, a group of Caltech students, led by Frank Malina, conducted the first stand-up rocket engine test in a dirt gulch known to the residents of Pasadena as the Arroyo. Little did they know that this day would go down in history as the beginning of what is now JPL, the world’s leading center for robotic exploration of the solar system and beyond. The 90-minute episode takes viewers on a journey through Malina’s life using personal letters, video footage, drawings and paintings to reveal an extraordinary story of how JPL came to be.
“This is a very personal story about a person few even know,” said Blaine Baggett, JPL’s director of communications and education. “Yet Malina was a major pioneer in American rocketry. This film attempts both to shed light on his important contributions, while revealing the reasons why he has been forgotten. The time is long since past that the public should know the name Frank Malina.”
The Malina story and the other two episodes in the series were produced, written and directed by Baggett, a national Emmy-award winning documentarian.
Seating at the public screening of “The American Rocketeer” is first-come, first-served. Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium is located at 332 South Michigan Avenue in Pasadena (Michigan Avenue south of Del Mar Boulevard). For directions and parking information, please visit:
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~ope/techinfo/beckman.shtml .
The series, collectively called “Beginnings of the Space Age,” will make its television premiere on KCET over three evenings, as follows: “The American Rocketeer” on Nov. 3 at 9 p.m.; “Explorer 1” on Nov. 10 at 9 p.m.; and “Destination Moon” on Nov. 17 at 9 p.m.
Caltech manages JPL for NASA. More information about JPL is online at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov . Information on how to follow us via social media, including Facebook and Twitter, is at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/social .
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by Ann Erdman
Public Information Officer, City of Pasadena
Enjoy a free evening of art, music, culture and cool as Pasadena’s most prominent arts and cultural institutions swing open their doors for this fall’s ArtNight Pasadena on Friday, Oct. 14, from 6 to 10 p.m..
At 15 different venues, your senses will come alive as you view, listen, touch, taste, and even “twist and stomp the night away”! ArtNight Pasadena features everything from modern dance at ARC Pasadena and a spectacular light installation by artist Jorge Pardo at One Colorado to a musical kaleidoscope at Pasadena Central Library that will have you twisting and stomping with hits from the 1950s to the ’80s (great for the kids!).
There’s something for all ages, so it’s a great opportunity to bring the whole family out on the town in search of inspiration and entertainment – all for free! There will be plenty of time to visit venues all over town, thanks to the free shuttle service the city of Pasadena will provide at each location. Walking is also an option as many of the venues are clustered downtown. You can even join an ArtNight bicycling group by visiting www.cicle.org. And for easy treats at modest prices, trendy food trucks will be located at some venues.
ArtNight is an ongoing partnership among many cultural institutions and the Cultural Affairs Division of the Pasadena Planning Department. For more information visit www.artnightpasadena.org or call (626) 744-7887. For accessibility and alternative formats call (626)744-7062. ArtNight is part of Pasadena ArtWeekend. For a full listing of the weekend’s events and venues call (800) 307-7977 or visit www.pasadenaartweekend.com.
Continue reading "ArtNight Pasadena this Friday at 15 venues" »
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Marshall Fundamental High School's Marching Band and Color Guard Boosters are holding a "Boosterpalooza" (of course) on Saturday and Sunday at the Marshall campus, 990 N. Allen in Pasadena.
There'll be a yard sale, a car wash, e-waste recycling, and even lunch for sale, all in one place, to support the two groups.
The fundraiser will run from 8 AM-3 PM.
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Blotter information provided by Lt. Joseph Dempsey of the Altadena Sheriff Station.
Tues., Oct. 4
10:22 AM – A robbery occurred in the 400 block of Figueroa Street. The victim was walking eastbound on Figueroa St. and was approached by three suspects who were inside a black 1990’s Honda Accord. The driver, suspect #1 male, Hispanic, 20-25 yrs, shaved head, brown eyes, 5’9”, 160, exited the vehicle with a handgun and demanded the victim’s bag. Suspect #1 grabbed the victim’s bag while suspect #2, front passenger, male, Hispanic, 20-25 yrs, 5’9”, 170, shaved head, white tank top, yellow shorts, exited the vehicle and stood watch as suspect #3, male, African American, 20-25 yrs, 6’0”, 190, shaved head, black –shirt, and blue jeans, remained in the rear passenger area of the vehicle. The suspects were last seen travelling eastbound on Figueroa and out of view. Loss: black tote bag, brown wooden box, gold necklace, gold bracelet, gold wedding bands, white iPhone, personal documents, currency.
Wed., Oct. 5
Between 7:30 PM and 12:30 PM, Thursday – A burglary from an unlocked garage occurred in the 700 block of E. Mariposa Street. Loss: blue Graco air compressor, silver Graco paint sprayer, black/yellow Dewalt cordless drill, black Yamaha shelf stereo, microwave, mountain bike.
Thurs., Oct. 6
Between 9:00 AM and 10:45 AM – A residential burglary occurred in the 2700 block of Raymond Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the residence by removing the window screens. Loss: none.
Fri., Oct. 7
Between 12:30 PM and 10:00 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 3600 block of N. Fair Oaks Avene. Suspect(s) entered the residence via the unlocked rear door. Loss: gold Rooster pin, gray duffle bag, coconut oil.
Between 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 500 block of E. Alameda Street. Suspect described as male, Caucasian, 25-30 yrs, 5’11”, 165 black hair, black eyes, beard, long sleeve tan shirt. The advised deputies that he had returned home and confronted the suspect who was standing at the doorway of the guest house. The suspect stated he was homeless and looking for food. Loss: none.
Sat., Oct. 8
Between 10:00 AM and 6:15 PM – A petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 1100 block of Meadowbrook Rd. Loss: none.
Mon., Oct. 10
3:31 AM – A grand theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 1800 block of Layton Street. Loss: silver Apple laptop, black/silver JVC portable DVD player.
Between 6:00 PM and 10:00 AM, Sunday – A grand theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 2000 block of E. Crary Street. Loss: black Dell laptop, black Garmin GPS, white Sony digital camera.
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by Timothy Rutt
Pictured: Danny's Farm's mobile petting farm will join the food trucks at a revitalized Fancy Food Truck Friday.
After a period of uncertainty because the county permit expired, Food Truck Friday is back on at Webster's, starting this Friday and through the end of 2012.
And the event will have a new sponsor: Danny's Farm.
Meredith Miller of Webster's Community Pharmacy said that Los Angeles County Regional Planning just approved a temporary use permit for the popular event, which brings six gourmet food trucks to the Webster's complex on the second Friday of each month for a community gathering.
The event is put together by the pharmacy, Webster's Fine Stationers, and Webster's Liquors.
Miller said that, to keep the cost of the temporary use permit at a reasonable level, the county requires that the event be sponsored by a nonprofit. After several months of being under the Altadena Chamber of Commerce umbrella, Fancy Food Truck Friday's will now be sponsored by Danny's Farm through the end of 2012.
Danny's Farm is a petting farm, particularly focused on autistic and other special needs children. It also provides employment for adults with special needs. Danny's Farm was located in Altadena until it was shut down by county code enforcement in January. It's now on the campus of Cal Poly Pomona.
Cathy Gott of Danny's Farm told us in an email: "We're excited to bring Danny's Farm to the Fancy Food Truck event."
Miller said that "LA Regional planning, they were very helpful with this -- they went out of their way to help us becoming successful ... [but] the negotiating we had to do, back and forth, it was quite nutty."
The permit will let the food truck event go on through October, November, and December, 2011, followed by a three month winter break. Food Truck Fridays will resume in April, and go on under the current permit until December, 2012.
"Our fee structure total cost to do this now was $592," Miller said. "$400 of that is for inspections [the county] will hold during the permit time period. The balance of that is a permit fee as a nonprofit."
Friday's trucks include Baby's BadAss Burgers, All American Grill, Greasy Wiener, Shrimp Pimp, No Reservations and Tango Mango, as well as the Danny's Farm mobile petting zoo. It runs from 5-9 PM at the Webster's parking lot.
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by Laura Monteros
Back by popular demand, Altadena Town Councilmember and all-around Renaissance man Allan Wasserman led a second motivational session at the Altadena Library on Monday evening, in "Designing Your Life: Part II".
“My wife calls me a 200 pound hummingbird,” he said, “because I flit from thing to thing.”
In all that flitting, there is direction and perseverance, however. When he wanted to pick up the sax he had laid down after high school, he worked at it hard enough to start his own band, which is still going after several years. He moved from a corporate office to an office in his home. He saved money for a trip to Italy by putting away all his five-dollar-bills for six months.
“I redesigned, I rearchitected, my life,” he said.
A large part of being able to change the direction of your life, Wasserman believes, is to make connections with other people who can help you. “We all need each other. I need you to feel good about putting one foot in front of the other,” he said.
Continue reading "Designing man: Allan Wasserman's sequel at the library" »
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by Carolyn Seitz
This year we seem to have experienced more rescues of hikers from Eaton Canyon than usual, and more hikers seem to head into the canyon or up to the falls ill-equipped or inexperienced, ending up in trouble, some of them suffering tragic results.
Capt. Steve McLean from the Altadena Sheriff's Station is asking if there is any interest from hikers in Altadena who regularly and routinely hike Eaton Canyon in helping the Sheriff's Department educate the public about hiking safety in the Canyon.
The Sheriff's Department is considering doing a training session for those interested in distributing information to hikers entering the canyon ill-equipped and unprepared.
We keep hearing that many of those who've been injured, killed or have needed to be rescued because they found themselves stuck in a dangerous situation or too afraid to move, were off the trails.
Sometimes people who find themselves in dangerous situations also put their rescuers in jeopardy and working together maybe we can influence some who enter the canyon unprepared to make smarter decisions.
If you have an interest in participating in this project, please let me know.
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Sharon Bailey Beckett, a member of the planning committee for Tech Week's Tech Symposium event at the Business Technology Center on Oct. 20, sends us this news about what to expect:
Los Angeles County’s Technology Week 10th Annual Tech Symposium & Demos at the Business Technology Center, 2400 North Lincoln Avenue, Altadena
October 20, 2011 8 AM– 3 PM
Don’t miss seven packed hours of tech rock stars, funders & thought leadership + a cool lunch!
Keynote Speaker: Tom Sarnoff, NBC/Sarnoff Entertainment
SEVEN GREAT TOPICS Explored:
I. Lean Start-up, Strategic Partnerships and Stronger Sales: Experts from Sales Rebound, Microcosm, Blue Marble Game Company, Beckett Advisors, CFO Solutions, Pan-Pacific Capital
II. Start-up Legal Challenges and Mine Fields: Experts from Sheldon Mak & Anderson, Nossaman, Christie, Parker & Hale, Law Offices of Jennifer A. Post
III. Entertainment Technology: Experts from DreamWorks Animation, NBCUniversal, DSKR Productions, Technicolor Digital Productions, FreelanceCTO
IV. Medical Device Technology: Experts from International BioScience, Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Biomedical Engineering, Schulz Media Design, TrueAngular, Katan Associates
V. Clean Energy & Green Technology: Experts from Glaser Weil Fink Jacobs Howard Avchen , Environmental Group, SensorWare Systems, Nahai Consulting Services, ROAR Asia Pacific, UCLA Engineering Institute for Technology Advancement
VI. Funding or Marketing: Fish or Cut Bait? Experts from Belz Consultants, Blaine Group, MeritUs Media, California Capital Partners, Keystone Tech Group
VII. Getting the Money to Power Business Growth: Experts from Pasadena Angels: Mark Schaefer Associates,TroyGould, California State University, Los Angeles, USC, Infinite Biomedical Technologies, Quest Executive
Continue reading "Tech Week Symposium: readying for the future Oct. 20" »
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A sectional transcender is a poet, of course (because they divide their work in sections, transcending the ordinary. Or we just wanted to offend another group of people -- we seem to be on a roll).
Gloriana Casey never disappoints:
ROSIE'S POEM
from gloriana casey 10-10-2011
Now Rosie's going Hollywood
from Altadena town.
Excitement---- though much paperwork,
can seem to make one drown.
When actors leap through life to film,
they find a different state.
For continuity slows down,
"It's HURRY UP and WAIT!"
Continue reading "Gaeity and thespians by sectional transcenders" »
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Join the Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy at 9 AM Saturday, Oct. 15, for a hike along the route of the Mount Lowe Railway. Learn about the railway's history with docent Lyle Hatridge, and relax at the waterfall at the end. The hike is about a mile each way. It's demanding at points, with several high narrow steps near a sheer drop and a scramble over rocks in the creek near the end. AFC strongly recommends hiking boots, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, a hat, and water. Dogs are not allowed because some sections of the trails are narrow. More information:http://www.arroyosfoothills.org/docent-led-hikes
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St. Mark's School's annual Country Fair will take place on Sat., Oct. 22, at the school, 1050 E. Altadena Drive, from 2-8 PM.
Admission is free, but there will be an assortment of activities, food, and entertainment for the entire family. Click on the graphic for more details.
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The Altadena Round Table, a group of writers from the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake, brewed up a collection of short scripts and stories for a one-time afternoon performance in the Coffee Gallery Backstage. They invite you to join them for an afternoon dubbed, “Cars, Cats and Confessions.”
Showtime is scheduled for 2:00 – 4:00 PM on Sun., October 23, 2011 at the Coffee Gallery Backstage at 2029 Lake Ave, Altadena, CA 91001. Admission is free (donations are accepted). Content is most appropriate for age 20 and over.
Questions may be directed to laurapvega5@msn.com.
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We hope you can join us for the Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group (ACTRWG) meeting tonight (Tuesday), 7 PM, at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E Altadena Drive. All are welcome.
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Silver Saturday, an annual event sponsored by those whose lives have been changed by the diagnosis of breast cancer, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Cancer Support Community – Pasadena, 200 E. Del Mar Blvd., Suite 118, Pasadena, CA 91105. The goal of Silver Saturday is to encourage other women to learn more about breast cancer, to inspire each other with hope, and to ensure that they aren’t alone. This year marks the 20-year anniversary of this event.
Registration and a continental breakfast will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the program, entitled “Living with Breast Cancer Today,” begins at 9 a.m. Featured speakers will be Drs. Dawn Hills, Christina Yeon, Martin Perez, and Judith Lowe, and physical therapist Eva Nemeth. The event sponsors are Soroptimist International of Altadena/Pasadena, Zonta Club of Pasadena, and Cancer Support Community – Pasadena (formerly the Wellness Community). For reservations and more information, please call (626) 796-1083.
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says that the "dial *72" phone scam is making the rounds again, this time with a twist:
The public is being tricked by jail inmates and others through a phone scam. This fraud has occurred off and on for many years in different parts of the country. This notice was shared with the public by the LASD earlier this year and resulted in a major decrease in victims and potential victims contacting the LASD. There has again been a sudden increase in reports of this scam.
Members of the public have been calling the Sheriff's Department and asking to talk to a specific deputy, detective, or sergeant who had just called them. The real deputy who answers the phone explains they are mistaken, as the named deputy does not exist or is not on duty.
The scam begins by the victim caller receiving a call from a person claiming to be a deputy. This imposter tells the victim that one of their family member's has been incarcerated or involved in an accident. The imposter then informs the victim caller that their family member provided the victim caller's name as an emergency contact.
The victim caller is then instructed to call a number that begins with *72 (Example: *72-323-555-1212) to get the information they will need. When the victim caller hangs up and dials the number provided, they are told they have a wrong number.
Concerned for the safety of their family member, the victim caller then calls an information line (4-1-1) and asks for a number to the Sheriff's Department. They are then connected with a real deputy.
However, since the victim caller used the prefix *72 to initiate their last phone call, they have just automatically forwarded all their incoming calls to the scammer's phone number (These include collect calls from inmates who want to avoid paying for collect calls). The billing for these forwarded calls goes to the victim caller until they turn off call forwarding on their phone (usually by dialing *73).
If not careful, Victims can be scammed out of a lot of money in collect-call fees before they find this out.
Do Not Dial *72 unless you want to forward your calls.
If you have been involved in this scam, and you have already dialed a number beginning with *72, contact your phone service provider to learn how to shut off automatic call forwarding.
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Please join the Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy this Saturday as we work to restore habitat in Altadena's Rubio Canyon. Volunteers will remove invasive plant species along historic trails in the canyon, allowing native species to flourish. Bring a lunch to enjoy in a cool, shady spot after the work day. We recommend long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and suitable shoes.
What: Wilderness restoration
When: 8:30 a.m. - noon, Saturday, Oct. 15
Where: E. Loma Alta Drive and Camp Huntington Road, Altadena
Attire: Please wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and suitable shoes.
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You're invited to this month's Ribbon Cutting/ Mixer for Dr. Jon M. Postajian, Chiropractor,2052 N. Lake Ave. Suite E.
This event is free to attend. Food and drinks are free, but must RSVP.
Bring a raffle item and receive a 30 second commercial for your business.
Please click on the link below to register or RSVP.
https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=mb8b4ndab&oeidk=a07e516973t8d90857c&oseq=a0153gtezylzn
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Altadenablog sponsor the Altadena Ale & Wine House, 2329 N. Fair Oaks Ave., has announced its upcoming events for October:
Tues, Oct. 11, 7:30 PM - Pub Quiz - Prizes given away - Bring a team to have some fun or join a team when you arrive
Thurs., Oct. 13, 8:30 PM: Altadena Jazz Quartet - Fabulous Music - Not to be missed!
Sat, - Oct. 15, 8:30 PM - Rumba- Flamenco Music - Gipsy King Genre.
Sat., Oct. 29 - Halloween Party - Costume Party - Raffle drawings all night long for wine and scary prizes, with drink specials.
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Unity In Diversity is the theme of a major dinner-dance celebration and fundraiser, scheduled for Sat., Nov. 5, from 6-11 PM at the Boys and Girls Club, 3230 East Del Mar Blvd., Pasadena.
Organized by Transformative Collaborations International (TCI) and sponsored by several local organizations, the Unity In Diversity Celebration will be a celebration of the rich cultural diversity that exists in the Pasadena/Altadena area.
Proceeds will benefit parent and youth educational programs for the Pasadena/Altadena Coalition of Transformative Leaders, a dynamic local organization founded in 2006 whose goal is to develop innovative and inclusive ways for civic engagement of parents and youth.
Three outstanding community heroes selected by the organization will be honored (Five Acres Executive Director, Robert Ketch; PUSD Board President Renatta Cooper; Angelica Salas, Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles) for their work that has embodied values that build bridges between communities and develop cross-cultural understanding.
According to Yoland Trevino, Principal, Transformative Collaborations International, “We live in a very diverse community and in these challenging times, it is important to come together in a spirit of celebration. This event provides a much needed opportunity to celebrate the community’s cultural strengths and to learn from and enjoy one another in a spirit of unity.” Tickets for the event, which includes dinner and will feature live dance music as well as ethnic dances, are $30 per person and may be purchased by contacting Yoland Trevino at 626-797-3379 or Gene Stevenson, Unity in Diversity Event Chair at 626-797-5798.
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The 2012 Tournament of Roses Royal Court Finalists stand together for the first time in front of media, family and friends at the Tournament House in Pasadena on Monday, October 10, 2011. From left are Sarah Nicole Zuno, Franklin High School; Cynthia Megan Louie, La Salle High School; Morgan Eliza Devaud, La Canada High School; Kimberly Victoria Ostiller of Altadena, Flintridge Preparatory School; Drew Helen Washington, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy; Hanan Bulto Worku, Pasadena High School, and Stephanie Grace Hynes, Maranatha High School (Tim Berger/Pasadena Sun)
With all the fanfare and trappings of a royal announcement, Tournament of Roses officials on Monday named the seven young women who will comprise the 2012 Rose Court.
Against the backdrop of excited screams from family and friends and music from the Tournament of Roses Honor Band, the organization’s president, Rick Jackson, made the dreams of seven finalists a reality.
The Rose Court Princesses include: Altadenan Kimberly Ostiller of Flintridge Preparatory School; Hanan Worku of Pasadena High School; Morgan Devaud of La Cañada High School; Drew Washington of Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy; Cynthia Louie of LaSalle High School; and Stephanie Hynes of Maranatha High School.
The seven young women were announced after all 34 finalists stood together one last time in the backyard of the Tournament House in Pasadena.
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Typepad, our provider, has been down for a loooong time, so we have lots of things to catch up on! Stay tuned.
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by Timothy Rutt
Yes, the Fork in the Road returns.
Altadena's sensation of 2009-10, the Fork in the Road, has been lying in state at David Smith Construction in Altadena since it was removed from the split at St. John and Pasadena Avenues in Pasadena where it was an internationally-celebrated piece of guerilla art.
Sat., Oct. 15, there will be a fundraiser potluck for the Fork, which will be restored to its place of honor on Oct. 21. Present will be Ken Marshall, the artist who created the Fork, and the Coffee Gallery's Bob Stane, in whose honor the Fork was erected on his 75th birthday.
There will be live music, drink, food (it's a potluck, so bring something) and commemorative T-shirts. The party will be at David Smith Construction, 2353 Kellogg Ct., Altadena, from 4-9 PM. The reinstallation will be Fr., Oct. 21, 11 AM.
Pictured: David Smith and the Fork after its removal in June, 2010.
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The next scoping meeting for the Devil's Gate (Hahamongna watershed) cleanout environmental impact report will be Sat., Oct. 15, at 9 AM at the La Canada High School Cafeteria, 443 Oak Grove Dr., La Canada. Written comments are due by Nov. 11, 2011.
The Arroyo Seco Foundation has prepared a "Devil's Gate EIR Toolkit" with important documents and history of the site for anyone who is interested in the issue. The downloadable docments are availabe at their website here.
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by Carolyn Seitz
Below are three pages of the preliminary crime statistics released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for all areas of the County serviced by the Sheriff for the 2011 through September 30, 2011. These statistics show you the same period of time for calendar years 2006, 2010 and 2011 for purposes of comparison.
The first page shows you how the Altadena Station compares to all of the other Sheriff's service areas for Part I crimes. Altadena continues to experience a significant reduction in Part I crimes compared to all of the other stations, except that this month, Altadena's year to date reduction in these crimes is 32.1% and the Station on Catalina Island has experienced a 32.2% reduction in crime.
The second page gives you a breakdown for Altadena showing both Part I crimes and Property crimes. Please note that Altadena's crime statistics show a reduction in all crimes except forcible rape. As has been reported for many months, Lieutenant Dempsey has indicated that the five rapes reported earlier this year were all committed by a person or persons known to the victims. Altadena has experienced a 34.7% reduction in property crimes with burglaries down by 33.2%, larceny down by 34.7% and grand theft auto down by 40.7%.
The last page shows you a breakdown of Part 1 crimes and property crimes.
These reductions in crime are a direct result of outstanding diligent and creative work being done by the Captain and Lieutenants who provide leadership and guidance to the Deputies and Detectives who serve this community, and to the growing willingness of the residents who continue reporting suspicious activity.
Continue reading "Sheriff's report shows reduction in crime" »
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Is Altadena the center of a food revolution?
Sure, we’ve got fast-food chains and a handful of fine independent restaurants, but why is Altadena getting a reputation as a foodie paradise?
Because we have a revolution going on in backyards and home kitchens, with individual growers, bakers and craftspeople displaying a passion for good, healthy and interesting food. They raise crops, they bake, they keep goats and chickens, they carve edible fungi from their trees, and they bring a hand-crafted sensibility to what they do.
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Pictured: Rosie on the monitor, getting ready for her big moment.
by Timothy Rutt
About a month ago, our friend Gail called. She said that there was a cattle call audition that afternoon in Van Nuys for Disney and they were looking for particular types of kids -- and our seven-year-old, Rosie, filled the bill.
Showbiz isn't something our end of the family does. Sure, one brother is a producer for the “Daily Show with Jon Stewart”, and another designs computer animation for the Sesame Street people, and our oldest daughter is a musical theater geek and budding actress. But this Hollywood stuff is kind of off our radar.
Pictured: ever the trouper, Rosie carries her own luggage to the shoot.
So Mom took Rosie to Van Nuys, where she played some games and was interviewed on camera, then went home. Mom said that Rosie spent the afternoon with her finger jammed firmly in her nose. We figured that probably sealed her fate.
But two weeks later, on a Wednesday night when decent people are thinking about bed, we got a call from the casting agency. They hadn’t received our paperwork. “What paperwork?” I asked. Seems we needed to fill out a bunch of forms -- Rosie got the job.
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Jennifer Goodrich is an experienced, seasoned singing teacher who is launching new group singing classes 
at Westminster Presbyterian Church, starting Fri. Oct. 14. She teaches homeschoolers, children age 4 to 17, and holds evening classes for adults. Jennifer tells us "The classes are geared toward beginners, however, I can accommodate any level from beginner to professional."
Michael (my husband) has been a Master teacher for over 22 years and a teacher at USC and I have been teaching for over 15 years. We have a stellar reputation and a strong celebrity clientele. I feel with the right exposure, our classes can do very well here. I am open to adding more classes, locations and teachers as things take off. The classes and web site is called Let's Sing Together" www.letssingtogether.com. You can also check out www.goodrichvocal.com. That is our "mother ship" web site to get more insight into what we do as well.
Click on the flyer for more information.
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The Altadena Ale & Wine House, 2329 N. Fair Oaks Ave., will hold its first "pub quiz" on Tuesday starting at 7:30 PM. Teams of up to five people compete against each other in rounds of trivia questions for big prizes. (These things can be really fun, but then, we've won a few of 'em in our day). Check it out Tuesday night.
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The Institute of Domestic Technology has announced its upcoming fall and winter classes, all held at the Zane Grey Estate:
Sun., Oct. 23: Home Coffee Roasting: learn to roast, brew, and taste coffee using simple inexpensive stovetop equipment. This unique DIY coffee lovers class will be taught by master roaster Ian Riley of LAMILL Coffee. You'll go home with your freshly roasted beans and a stash of green ones to practice with at home.
Sat., Nov. 5: Foodcrafting Gifts for the Holidays: Foodcrafting 101 with emphasis on DIY food gifts for the holidays, inclding how to package your own gifts with the perfect containers, customized labels, and tags.
Sat. Dec. 3: Cocktail Crafting: An artisanal cocktail lover's dream class taught by Joshua McIver, director of mixology at Palate Food and Wine. We'll be gathering ingredients ranging from the apothecarian's cabinet to the "weeds" growing in your backyard.
For more information, pricing, and reservations, go to the website:
http://instituteofdomestictechnology.com/
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Michele Zack sent us this invitation to "Singing the Bawdy Electric," a fundraiser for Litfest Pasadena.
The fundraiser will be at the Castle Green in Pasadena on Thurs., Oct. 20, promising "drinks, eats, & music" early on, followed by "sensual literary surprises." Cost is $75 per person, and they're still looking for sponsors.
LItFest Pasadena is a Fringe-festival type gathering planned for March 17, 2012, and it sounds like it'll be fun. For more information, click the flyer.
ADDENDUM: Michele tells us that the CORRECT address for LItFest is:
LitFest Pasadena
PO Box 2116
Pasadena, CA 91102
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