April 2010 Archives
Image: Dr. Erica Miller, left, and Danene Birtell with Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research work Friday to help a Northern Gannet bird, normally white when full grown, which is covered in oil from a massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico, at a facility in Fort Jackson, La. (AP Image)
The still-spreading Gult Coast oil spill is threatening to become a full-fledged environmental disaster that may eclipse Exxon Valdez in cost and impact. [WaPo]
- Today, the Obama administration put pressure on BP America to do more to stop the leak and clean up its aftermath. [NYT]
- Experts and volunteers are scrambling to aid the wildlife affected by the spill. [Discovery News]
- NASA's Earth Observatory team is tracking the oil spill's progress by satellite. [Discovery News]
Saturday, May 1
- Doo Dah Parade
It's that time again; Pull your crazy hat out of the closet for the 34th occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade. It's the best free fun you could imagine, and by fun we mean hanging with the zaniest of the Pasadena underground as they shed their inhibitions (Ed. note: Did they have any?) kinda like your crazy aunt Margie did that one time after imbibing too much sherry on Thanksgiving. On Doo Dah day, they're not-so-underground anymore, invading the normally-staid Pasadena streets in the form of more than 1,000 marchers, each of them wearing their wacky, wacky hearts on their sleeves. Take in your perennial favorites like the Men of Leisure and the BBQ & Hibachi Marching Grill Team along with the regal new Queen Erica Valentine, the Electric Squirrels, Martinis in the Morning and the Howdy Krishna. This year, the parade moves eastward for the first time in its colorful history.
Saturday, 11 a.m., kick-off at Colorado Boulevard between Sierra Madre and San Gabriel boulevards, free, (626) 590-1134, pasadenadoodahparade.info, live-streaming at doodahlive.com
Last week, Pasadena's Langham Huntington Hotel celebrated the reopening of its Huntington Spa, which had been closed to undergo renovations.
More photos after the jump.
Nose Diving is a feature column, in which a novice wine writer fumbles toward grace.
My feet are dangling freely as we coast, hang-glider style, over the vast expanse of California below us. It's a gloriously sunny day as we float by the majestic Golden Gate Bridge; seconds later, we're looking down on the winding Redwood Creek watershed.
Then, it's on to Napa. I think, "Mmm, let's stop for a drink."
And how fortuitous: Outside this popular simulator ride at Disney's California Adventure -- Soarin' Over California, it's called -- the theme park's fifth annual California Food & Wine Festival is just kicking off.
Organizers of Los Angeles Walk Now for Autism Speaks announced today that the Saturday event at the Rose Bowl raised more than $1 million.
Thousands of walkers turned out to raise money and awareness for autism research.
More photos after the jump.
Continue reading Photos: Los Angeles Walk Now for Autism Speaks at the Rose Bowl.
Last Thursday was a good one for celebrity sightings -- and signings -- in Pasadena.
Tim Gunn was doling out fashion tips at Kate Spade in the One Colorado complex, and Raquel Welch was signing copies of her book "Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage" at Vroman's Bookstore.
The book is partly Welch's own autobiography -- beyond the surface image of enduring sex symbol -- and partly her philosophical take on topics like love, sex, style, health, body image, career, family, forgiveness and aging.
(Getty Images)
- The Hubble Space Telescope is celebrating its 20th anniversary. In the spirit of the occasion, the famous telescope has captured this phantasmagorical image deep within the Carina Nebula. Not too shabby for a telescope with two decades under its belt. NASA and the Hubble 20th Anniversary Team describe it best: "This craggy fantasy mountaintop enshrouded by wispy clouds looks like a bizarre landscape from Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' or a Dr. Seuss book, depending on your imagination. The NASA Hubble Space Telescope image, which is even more dramatic than fiction, captures the chaotic activity atop a three-light-year-tall pillar of gas and dust that is being eaten away by the brilliant light from nearby bright stars. The pillar is also being assaulted from within, as infant stars buried inside it fire off jets of gas that can be seen streaming from towering peaks." [NASA and Discovery News]
Image: Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 observed the pillar of gas and dust within the Carina Nebula, 7,500 light-years away in the southern constellation Carina. (NASA, ESA, and M. Livio and the Hubble 20th Anniversary Team)
Architectural historian and writer Dana Hutt reconstructs in a May 1 lecture the story of Lloyd Wright, eldest son of Frank Lloyd, who moved to Los Angeles before his father had even built his first structure in the city.
The younger Wright designed buildings and landscapes in the vein of his father's pioneering modern style, but the stamp of Southern California and its brash vitality was all his own.
Photo, at top: Lloyd Wright's Journey's End/Gainsburg House in La Cañada Flintridge. (Credit: Michael J. Murray)
More photos plus lecture and tour details after the jump.
Continue reading Lecture and tour: Lloyd Wright, architect of sunshine and shadow.
Altadena jewelry maker Ellen Dinerman will be part of Sunday's Art on Palm showcase, featuring ceramics, glass, textiles, painting, collage, woodworking, photography and jewelry by 30 local artists and designers.
Dinerman's work has roots in nature: Many of her pieces are inspired by the natural world, refashioned in silver or brass and accented by stones and beads.
She told Michelle Mills of the Star-News: "Sometimes I see something and I think, 'What a fabulous shape!' and I can see how it would be an interesting shape translated into another material. Then I take the actual seed and make a mold of it."
Dinerman is also a featured jewelry designer for the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, where her organic-inspired designs feel, well, natural.
Visit ellendinerman.com and shop online at etsy.com
More photos after the jump.
Continue reading Botanical jewelry at Saturday's Art on Palm showcase in Altadena.
"If getting fashion right were easy, everyone would look fabulous. This is a pretty good-looking Kate Spade crowd, but not everyone does look fabulous."
-- Tim Gunn, telling it like it is, at Kate Spade yesterday in Old Pasadena
Make it work, people!
More at the Star-News.
Friday, April 23
- "DIRT!" at the Raymond
A movie screening at the historic Raymond Theatre is nothing to pass up. For the first time in decades, the theater will be open for a screening of "DIRT!" to kick off Greening the Earth Day and Armory Family Arts Festival, which gets into full swing on Saturday. (Details below.) DIRT!" is a documentary about the life-giving wonders of soil. The screening is sponsored by Conscientious Projector.
7 p.m. tonight, Raymond Theatre, 128 N. Raymond Ave. Free.
Staff photographer Walt Mancini captured these images from the now-open-to-the-public Showcase House in a series of visits, just before and just after the design overhaul was completed.
The Showcase House runs through May 16. Advance tickets strongly recommended. Purchase tickets online, or by phone, (714) 442-3872. On April 24 and May 15, park at the Parsons Corporation, 100 W. Walnut. All other days, parking and shuttle from Pasadena Rose Bowl, Lot I, 360 North Arroyo Blvd. pasadenashowcase.org
More photos after the jump.
Continue reading Photos: Scenes from the 2010 Pasadena Showcase House of Design.
This boutique is your ace in the hole for unique gifts.
When a social engagement presents itself, rest assured your gift for the hostess will surpass all the others; Present it with a demure smile, and watch the compliments roll in.
Owner Marcia Ellinger has a penchant for the uber-eclectic, and makes it her mission to stock novelties you won't find anywhere else.
Gorgeous stationery, fine beauty products, original playthings for the tots: The shelves overflow with possibilities. "That's why people love coming here," Ellinger says.
More photos after the jump.
Continue reading Shop the block: Marz, 1512 Mission St., South Pasadena.
The Rue De Mimo way, as they say, is to love and to be loved -- in great clothes.
Mimo Boghossian and Paulette Ledyard have a spirited flair for fashion, blending urban styling with colors, shades and textures inspired by an international design sense.
Here, you'll find one-of-a-kind collections of clothing, shoes and accessory pieces rooted in a cosmopolitan sensibility, and with a dash of bright whimsy. Rue de Mimo's hand-curated assemblages -- which manage to be both chic and full of winning personality -- are designed for the sophisticated belle.
More photos after the jump.
Continue reading Shop the block: Rue de Mimo, 1514 Mission St., South Pasadena.
For special occasions, there is a haven for weary shoppers called Camille DePedrini, its owner the namesake. Camille has a message for the huddled masses: "Shopping should be enjoyed," she proclaims.
Her boutique is a beacon of hope, filled with natural light, playful garments and sophisticated textures. A designer with a background in wedding gowns, formal wear and even millinery, Camille's know-how translates into a sense of permeating calm.
Camille encourages shoppers to bring in fashion pieces they already have, so she can mix, match and get the most mileage out of your new finds.Camille and her staff also make the casual-to-dressy transition feel effortless.
More photos after the jump.
Continue reading Shop the block: Camille DePedrini, 1516 Mission St., South Pasadena.
>>LIVE
The Dervaes family went green -- before going green became chic.
It was about a decade ago that Jules Dervaes decided to try to go off the grid and become almost fully self-sustained in the family's 1917 Craftsman house and small property in North Pasadena.
Read more about their adventures, their approach to homesteading and sample some of their recipes in this report by Natalie Haughton, food editor of the Los Angeles Daily News.
(Photo by John McCoy / Staff)
>>THINK
- A bone to pick: Was the Donner Party's legendary cannibalism just a myth? A new study of the bones found at the Donner's campsite in California's Sierra Nevadas suggests the snowbound pioneers may not have eaten each other after all. [DISCOVERY NEWS]
Image: James F. Reed and his wife, Margret W. Keyes Reed, seen in this file photo taken in the 1850s, were survivors of the tragic Donner Party. (AP Photo)
>>INSIDER
There's lots more where these lovely photos -- of Rose Magazine's fashion play date at the Arboretum -- came from.
Check them out after the jump.
Continue reading Photos: Outtakes from the Rose Magazine fashion shoot at the Arboretum.
>>GO
SATURDAY, April 17
- Earth Day at Descanso
Spring is in full bloom at Descanso, from the lilacs to the roses, so there's no better place to celebrate Earth Day. From 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., a butterfly appreciation corner will spotlight one of nature's most colorful creatures, including demonstrations and hands-on activities for the whole family. "Green" displays on the main lawn will range from compost tea making to organic gardening and more. Live, family-friendly entertainment scheduled throughout the day, and Patina Catering offers eco-friendly barbecue with local, organic foods from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Bring a blanket and settle down for a picnic among the trees.
9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, Earth Day events are free with admission. Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge. descansogardens.org
Continue reading Weekend guide: Earth Day at Descanso and a show-stopping Showcase House .
>>GO
After working with the folks at Crowned Studio in Pasadena to create the cover look for April's issue of Rose Magazine, owner Andrea Auman invited our photographer in to the East Green Street hair salon to capture some of the styling magic that goes on there each day.
Above, Crowned stylist Nela Velazquez works with client Karla Hill on a busy Thursday in the salon.
More photos after the jump.
Continue reading Photos: The height of hair styling at Crowned Studio in Pasadena.
>>INSIDER
Our spring cover shoot took place at the beautiful Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens in Arcadia, where we encountered plenty of preening peacocks in full plumage. On occasion, it seemed they were either trying to flirt with or upstage our very talented model Laura.
Make-up artist Rose Lopez created the spring look you see on Laura, and hair stylist Constance Whaley from Pasadena's own Crowned Studio gave her romantic, goddess-like curls.
And we were lucky enough to consult Pasadena fashion maven Elisa Bruley of Elisa B. The spring frocks you see in our fashion spread came from her hallowed shelves.
Click through the jump for lots more behind-the-scenes photos.
Continue reading Behind the scenes: Rose Magazine's April cover shoot at the Arboretum.
>>INSIDER
Use the arrow bars at the right and left to turn the pages. Click into any page for the fullscreen view.
>>PLAY
Dodger Stadium was awash in blue today for the season home opener, which means our freeways are now awash in red.
But the view from the stands was pretty close to idyllic. Were you there, on this sunny day, taking it all in?
Continue reading Photos: Scenes from Dodger Stadium on opening day.
>>GO
The third annual L.A. Heritage Day was held Sunday at the Heritage Square Museum, nestled along the Pasadena Freeway near the Arroyo Seco.
The day was an opportunity to step inside some of the historic structures now located at the museum. Each has been relocated to Heritage Square to be saved from demolition and to be preserved as a record of Southern California's early development and architecture.
Continue reading Photos: L.A. Heritage Day at the Heritage Square Museum.
>>INSIDER
Rose Magazine's April issue -- focusing on the women of Pasadena and the best of all things spring -- is out tomorrow, April 14. Inside you'll find:
- Picnic perfection from Nicole's Gourmet Foods and a saké primer
- Q&A with Onil Chibas, chef and owner of Elements Kitchen, Café and Catering
- Spring fashion from Elisa B. and a shop-the-block adventure, South Pasadena-style
- All our regular departments -- GO, PLAY and THINK -- with the best of upcoming events
- [Feature] As the Pentagon tackles possible changes to "don't ask, don't tell," here's what you didn't know: It impacts women much more than men. Local service members told us about their experiences serving under the controversial law, and what they think about the current debate
- [Feature] Local institutions have a long legacy of unlocking access to the important biblical texts encoded in the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls. Now, a San Gabriel Valley university has acquired five original Dead Sea Scrolls fragments, and Southland scholars are using innovative technology to further push open that gate of access
- The Jewels of Pasadena: Women of Distinction finalists who will be honored at our April 29 gala at the Pasadena Hilton
If you're already a Star-News subscriber, you'll receive a copy of the magazine with your paper delivery. You can also subscribe just to Rose Magazine to receive all future issues.
The magazine is also available in public places around town, like the Convention Center, and at the Star-News office, 911 E. Colorado Blvd.
Need more assistance? Just contact us.
>>GO
Sunday's Star-News carried a story on the Gallery Nucleus fashion illustration exhibition we recommended recently in our weekend guide.
Caroline An reports:
Twenty-five artists from Europe, South America, Asia and Pasadena are represented in the exhibit ... Just as varied as the artists' backgrounds and experiences are the different media hung on the walls -- from paint to watercolor to ink to textiles.The artists have worked with top fashion designers, including Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs. Their works have been published in high-end publications such as Vogue, Elle and Nylon."We wanted to get a basic consensus of where contemporary fashion illustration is currently at," (Nucleus' director Wade) Buchanan said.
More photos and exhibit details, after the jump.
Continue reading Focusing on fashion illustration at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra.
>>EAT
There's a new Market in the Park on Sunday mornings in Monrovia's Old Town. Staff photographer Eric Reed was there yesterday to catch all the fresh-produce-buying, sweet-flower-smelling, baked-goods-savoring action at the inaugural event.
It's the second farmers market for the city, which holds a family-oriented festival and market on Friday evenings, too.
Sundays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 100 block, West Lima Avenue, adjacent Library Park. (626) 303-6600
Continue reading Photos: Scenes from the Monrovia farmers market.
>>LIVE
At a sneak preview yesterday, officials at East Los Angeles College unveiled the very-nearly-complete, $66 million Performing and Fine Arts Center in Monterey Park. [Full story, Star-News]
The new center, slated to open in July, includes three multi-level buildings to house the Vincent Price Art Gallery, recital hall and drama theater. (The college's current Vincent Price gallery, endowed by the actor and art collector, is the first institutional museum to serve East Los Angeles, and it contains more than 2,000 pieces of art.)
>>THINK
- Space shuttle Discovery docked at the International Space Station early Wednesday, after a rare antenna breakdown that knocked out radar tracking. Today, a pair of astronauts completed a spacewalk to disconnect an old, empty ammonia tank outside the station, and they prepared a new one to replace it. [Star-News]
>>GO
"Stitches"
A group exhibition at the Armory Center for the Arts opening Saturday will have you bobbin and weaving. Curated by Sinead Finnerty-Pyne, "Stitches" highlights 12 culturally diverse artists who approach craft, textile and fiber art in an unconventional manner. In a versatile -- and sometimes obsessive -- art form, the works use materials ranging from yarn and thread, to found objects and recycled clothing. Contemporary artworks approach the homespun techniques of sewing, knitting and weaving, including two-dimensional and freestanding sculptural works, along with large-scale installations.
Opening reception Saturday, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Suggested donation, $5. Runs through June 6. Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Caldwell Gallery at the Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond Ave. 626-792-5101, armoryarts.org
>>INSIDER
AOL News is reporting today that the 17,000-piece International Banana Museum collection has found a home, after being cast into proverbial exile by the Hesperia Recreation & Parks District, which decided it needed back its rent-free city space.
The museum was first opened in Altadena by "Top Banana" Ken Bannister. It's been in Hesperia since 2005.
The museum was first opened in Altadena by "Top Banana" Ken Bannister. It's been in Hesperia since 2005.
(The photo of Bannister, above, was taken in 1998 in Altadena. He's holding a banana putter.)
More photos -- and the new home of the International Banana Museum -- after the jump.
>>GO
If your friends haven't yet turned you on to Groupon, maybe they're not such great friends.
Groupon is a collective of sorts offering daily deals in various communities, including around Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Today's deal features the historic Gamble House in Pasadena. Through Groupon, you can now purchase two tickets to a one-hour tour of the Gamble House at Westmoreland Place in Pasadena for only $10, a $25 value. Once you purchase your Groupon, you have until July 7 to redeem. This deal is only good toward the 2 p.m. docent-guided tours, which take place Thursday-Sunday and require a reservation at least one week in advance.
For more details on this deal, log on to the Groupon site and join, if you haven't already done so.
There's less than six hours to take advantage of this deal, so get to it and sign up. And don't forget to spread the word to your true friends.
(Staff file photos)
>>INSIDER
There are a record-setting four women currently in space -- two of them with ties to the Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley area -- and we wanted to know more about these trailblazing astronauts.
As the Associated Press reported, Tracy Caldwell Dyson, a native of Arcadia, was aboard a Russian rocket last week when it blasted off with two Russian cosmonauts en route to the International Space Station.
As the Associated Press reported, Tracy Caldwell Dyson, a native of Arcadia, was aboard a Russian rocket last week when it blasted off with two Russian cosmonauts en route to the International Space Station.
And Stephanie D. Wilson, formerly of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge, was aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as it launched on Monday.
Continue reading Women in space: Two astronauts have ties to Pasadena area.
>>EAT
Nose Diving is a new feature column, in which a novice wine writer fumbles toward grace.I'm standing just outside the Pasadena Convention Center, cursing my five-inch heels.
There's a lot of ground to cover here, but grumbling at a time like this seems indecent; it's not often I have the good fortune to sample wines from more than 200 California wineries.
Even better is that I've lucked into riding sidecar with the owners of South Lake Avenue's Wine Detective as they negotiate their way through the Family Winemakers of California trade tasting.
There's a lot of ground to cover here, but grumbling at a time like this seems indecent; it's not often I have the good fortune to sample wines from more than 200 California wineries.
Even better is that I've lucked into riding sidecar with the owners of South Lake Avenue's Wine Detective as they negotiate their way through the Family Winemakers of California trade tasting.
>>LIVE
This video from filmmaker Gavin Doughtie depicts Pasadena in February, but today, it could very well be Pasadena in April as those dark storm clouds once again linger overhead.
Pasadena (February) [Canon T2i/550D] from Gavin Doughtie on Vimeo.
>>INSIDER
We're back from the crucible of deadline and ever-so-pleased to announce that this month's issue of Rose Magazine will be hitting stands very soon on April 14.
Now that the magazine has been put to bed, expect to see a lot more activity from us on this blog. (Hooray!)
And don't forget to follow us on Twitter, too, where we hand-curate the best and most important picks from Pasadena-area arts, culture, science and news.
Recent Comments
viagra alternative on Sierra Madre's The Shabby Dog pet boutique is decidedly chic: It seems that most of the commenters dont even read the post till the ...
female viagra on 2011 Rose Queen wears a new Swarovski crystal-bedecked crown: I just live how you run this blog, I wish that you posted more. ...
Cheap fashion dresses on Calling all fabulous brides!: I thought it was going to be some boring old post, but it really compe ...
Launa Lemery on Click through the digital edition of Rose Magazine's April issue: Thanks for the amazing info. I find these posts have a lot of informa ...
Kate on The guide: Last-minute holiday gift ideas from Pasadena-area stores: Old Town Cooking School -Gift certificates for a lot of different Cook ...
Rachel Chappell on Walk it down to Burbank's Doggie Avenue pet shop: I had been a loyal and happy customer for 8 months. This past Friday, ...
Pasadena Homes for Sale on 'Beauty and Power': Rare bronze statuettes on display at Huntington Library: Great bronze statuettes! ...
Pasadena Homes for Sale on 2011 Rose Queen wears a new Swarovski crystal-bedecked crown: Congrats to Evanne!!! Love to to be working in such a wonderful city ...
M on 2011 Rose Queen wears a new Swarovski crystal-bedecked crown: Such a beautiful crown that befits a gorgeous queen! This crown emits ...