Arroyo Monthly May 2013

FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREAMAY 2013

DESIGN PASADENA 2013The Showcase House Unveiled

THE POWER OF PAINTHow to Make Colors Pop

THE ARCHITECTURAL LEGACYOF ELMER GREY

WHERE HAS ALL THEFLOWER FOOD GONE?

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ABOUT THE COVER: Photo of Schumacher's Ravello RÉcamieR chaise longue from the 2013 Pasadena Showcase House of Design by Tommy Ewasko

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arroyoVOLUME 9 | NUMBER 5 | MAY 2013

05.13 | ARROYO | 7

DESIGN PASADENA 2013 12 DESIGN FOR LIVING

Pasadena’s 49th Showcase House of Design is a rich pastiche of styles and colors.—By Bettijane Levine

39 WHAT’S PAINT GOT TO DO WITH IT? A lot, if you choose the right colors to freshen up your home’s décor. Someexperts get you started.—Elizabeth McMillian

45 50 SHADES OF GREYPasadena’s underappreciated architect Elmer Grey designed buildings acentury ago that are icons of the Los Angeles--area landscape.—By Michael Cervin

DEPARTMENTS11 FESTIVITIES L.A. Children’s Choir’s “Gala Bel Canto,” Literary Pasadena book

party and more

21 ARROYO HOME SALES INDEX

56 KITCHEN CONFESSIONS April showers bring May flower sandwiches.

59 WINING AND DINING The Royce morphs into a high-end steakhouse.

62 THE LIST “Wild West Days” at the Arboretum, Sleepless in Seattle — TheMusical opens at the Pasadena Playhouse and “Jews in the Los AngelesMosaic” comes to the Autry

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EDITOR IN CHIEF Irene Lacher

ART DIRECTOR Kent Bancroft

JUNIOR DESIGNER Carla Cortez

PRODUCTION Richard Garcia, Rochelle Bassarear

COPY EDITOR John Seeley

CONTRIBUTORS Leslie Bilderback, Michael Cervin, ScarletCheng, Mandalit del Barco, Lynne Heffley, Noela Hueso, Carole Jacobs, Kathy Kelleher, Carl Kozlowski, RebeccaKuzins, Bettijane Levine, Elizabeth McMillian, Brenda Rees,John Sollenberger,Nancy Spiller, Bradley Tuck

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Dina Stegon

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Brenda Clarke, Joseluis Correa,Leslie Lamm

ADVERTORIAL CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Joanna DehnBeresford

ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Richard Garcia, Rochelle Bassarear

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Andrea Baker

PAYROLL Linda Lam

ACCOUNTING Alysia Chavez, Monica MacCree

OFFICE ASSISTANT Ann Weathersbee

PUBLISHER Jon Guynn

SOUTHLAND PUBLISHING

V.P. OF FINANCE Michael NagamiV.P. OF OPERATIONS David ComdenPRESIDENT Bruce Bolkin

CONTACT US

[email protected]

[email protected]

PHONE(626) 584-1500

FAX(626) 795-0149

MAILING ADDRESS50 S. De Lacey Ave., Ste. 200, Pasadena, CA 91105

ArroyoMonthly.com

©2013 Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 50 YEARS SINCE DESIGNERS LANDSCAPED THE FIRST

Pasadena Showcase House of Design by replanting flowers they’d dug up from

around the Santa Anita Racetrack at the end of racing season (with permis-

sion, of course). In 2013, a stylish army of designers from 27 firms accom-

plished a complete overhaul of an Arcadia manse, which included doubling

the size of the main kitchen, adding a small one to the pool house as well as

an outdoor kitchen, adding a balcony to the guest suite and much more. In

the real world, such a massive remodel would take years, organizers note. But

for one of the country’s oldest and largest house tours, the whole shebang

was accomplished in a mere 90 days.

You wouldn’t know it from the home’s lavish rooms, six of which we’re

delighted to bring you for the first time in Arroyo’s spring design issue. That’s just

a taste of the visual delectables served up by the Pasadena Showcase House

of the Arts, which organizes this much-anticipated annual fundraiser for local

music and other arts programs. That’s where your $35 or $45 ticket goes, so feel

free to indulge. And while you’re there, check out the onsite restaurant and

shops. Call 714-442-3872 or visit pasadenashowcase.org for details.

You might pick up design ideas there for your own castle. Elizabeth

McMillian gets you started on your home facelift with advice from the experts

about choosing paint colors — the easiest way to revive your décor. And

Michael Cervin returns with the latest entry in his occasional series of Arroy-

oland architect profiles — Elmer Grey, who designed The Pasadena Playhouse,

just one triumph in a brilliant but underappreciated career.

—Irene Lacher

arroyoFINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREA

EDITOR’S NOTE

10 | ARROYO | 05.13

(Clockwise from top left) Dick Van Dyke, LACC Artistic Director Anne Tomlinson, Ashley Brown, Leonard Maltin and Richard Sherman

Eileen Leach, Twyla Meyer and Elizabeth Patterson

Steve Kronauer, Tomlinson and Roy Meuller

Steve, Ann and Ezra Sunshine

Mandy and Steve Brigham with Diana Landis

Marianne Hall, Helen Bing and Mary Ann Moberly Collins

Ed, Caroline and Sara Nowak

Pasadena Showcase house volunteers and awardees

Mary Blodgett and (from left) Seth, Carlton and Issac Calvin

Naomi Hirahara and Larry Wilson

Jill Ganon, Colleen Dunn Batesand Petrea Burchard

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FESTIVITIES

05.13 | ARROYO | 11

The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus honored another child (at heart, anyway) at the

Pasadena organization’s “Gala Bel Canto” on April 10 — Richard Sherman of the

Sherman Brothers, who wrote the seemingly immortal score for Mary Poppins. After

dinner at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, fans of the 1964 Disney movie (and who

isn’t?) savored a rare treat — Sherman and Mary Poppins star Dick Van Dyke sing-

ing Sherman’s Oscar-winning song Chim Chim Cher-ee. Also honored were LACC

supporters Mary Blodgett and Carlton Calvin of San Marino...In case you were

wondering, yes, there is a literary Pasadena, and Prospect Park Books captured it

in its new volume of short stories reassuringly titled, Literary Pasadena. Publisher

Colleen Dunn Bates entertained many of her contributors, including Denise Ham-

ilton, Lian Dolan and Larry Wilson, at a backyard book launch party on April 11 at

her Pasadena home... Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts recently granted

$28,000 to 10 talented young musicians at its annual Pasadena Showcase House

Instrumental Competition Finals at The Colburn School.

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T his year’s Pasadena Showcase House of Design was originally con-ceived by one of the unsung heroes of early 20th-century Californiaarchitecture: Roland E. Coate, Sr. It’s the second time the Pasadena

Showcase House of the Arts — the nonprofit organization that overseesthe project — has featured Coate’s Monterey Colonial–style estate in Arca-dia (the first was in 2000), and with good reason: The architect helped in-vent what’s known as the quintessential indoor-outdoor, SouthernCalifornia–lifestyle home. His airy, high-ceilinged rooms open onto nature,huge windows flood the house with light and many of the 17 rooms flowinto each another, presaging the open-floorplan mandate so popular today.(The Showcase House redesign also include nine bathrooms, the poolhouse, the garage and nine outdoor spaces.)

Coate (1890–1958) was among a group of brilliant local architects —along with Myron Hunt, Elmer Grey, Irving Gill, Gordon Kaufmann andReginald Johnson — whose work predated and then coexisted with their Cal-ifornia colleagues, Richard Neutra and R.M. Schindler, who became famousfor their masterful midcentury modern homes. This year’s Showcase House isa grand example of why some experts say that Coate and his group were, insome ways, as significant as Neutra and Schindler, although they neverachieved equal recognition. Architectural historian and author Sam Watterstold the Los Angeles Times that houses by Coate and his peers are “enormouslysignificant,” because they were based on “original thinking about this city, its climate, its func-tionality. They were contemporary and unique.” Watters rejects the notion that SoCal mod-ernism began with Neutra and Schindler and that everything else was just a copy of what hadbeen built before somewhere else. Early L.A. was an Eden of eclectic, inspired California de-sign, he said. But publicity was given almost exclusively to the two modernist superstars,whose luster has dimmed the legacy left by less heralded masters such as Coate.

Coate was primarily a residential architect for the wealthy elite — Frank Capra andBarbara Stanwyck among them — but he also designed such institutions as the All SaintsEpiscopal Church in Pasadena (1923), the Hale Solar Laboratory at Caltech (1924) andthe Pasadena Town Club (1931). And when he or one of his fellow lesser-known archi-tects built a Mediterranean villa here, Watters said, “it was just as modern as what Neutraand Schindler did. It was designed for our climate, our indoor-outdoor life. Nobody hadever seen it in America before.” Some of the greatest so-called “traditional” houses fromthe period are really tradition turned upside-down, he explained. “American Colonial, forexample: People think they’re California copies of all those houses in Connecticut. Not atall. They were abstractions, interpretations, specifically designed for California life. Youwalk right into a room that is the precursor of what we today would call a great room,with big windows so you can see the gardens from everywhere.”

This year’s two-story Showcase House is certainly a case in point. It was built in 1941for furniture tycoon C. Lawrence Barker, whose Barker Brothers stores dominated the retail mass-market home-furnishings scene in Southern California until 1991, when thefirm went out of business. The Barker house has multiple patios and access to the out-doors from many rooms. The property was first built on 4.5 acres at a cost of $70,000, andwhen the property was sold in 1959, it was subdivided down to its current size of 1.79acres. It retains many garden areas, a spa, tennis and basketball courts, a pool and a fullyequipped pool house containing sauna, two baths and a full kitchen.

Open to the public through May 21, the home is currently filled with imaginativelyfurnished rooms, each created by a different Southern California designer. Some roomsare traditional, others modern and some an eclectic mix of styles and eras. Furniture, walltreatments, floors, lighting fixtures, art and décor of all sorts have been trucked in by 27design firms that volunteer their time, talent and funds to whet the design taste of thethousands who will wander through, in search of new trends and ideas.

The Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts is an all-volunteer organization that hasdedicated itself to raising funds — $18 million, so far — to bring arts enrichment, particu-larly music education and programs, to the public. This is the 49th Showcase House, oneof the largest and oldest home tours of its kind in the nation.

The 49th Pasadena ShowcaseHouse of Design is a rich pastiche

of styles and colors, as well as a testament to one of Southern

California’s underappreciated architects, Roland Coate.

STORY BY BETTIJANE LEVINE INTERIOR PHOTOS BY TOMMY EWASKO

Design for Living

A babbling brook meanders through the Showcase House front lawn as part

of Pacific Outdoor Living’s design for “The Enchanted Entry.”

05.13 | ARROYO | 13

–continued on page 14

THE LIVING ROOM There’s plenty of light and energy in designer Maya Williams’ 22-by-30-foot living room, with its cream, pale blueand soft green color motif, its light-reflective elements and abundant seating for guests. Walls painted celadon arebroken up by panels of rare, hand-painted wallpaper depicting bamboo and birds. The paper — purchased by thehome’s original owners in the 1940s and discovered, untouched, in the garage 12 years ago — is from Gracie, aprestigious 150-year-old décor firm in New York. “My goal was to showcase the paper, to furnish the room in keep-ing with the home’s age and architecture” with a design that’s elegant, upbeat and au courant, Williams says.

The room’s sole pop of bold color is emerald green, seen in window treatments and an emerald velvetloveseat. The silver-hued carpet, Williams says, is “a very rich, shimmery, faux silk.” The 10-foot ceiling has “thesubtlest metallic finish, which I wanted just to help capture light,” the designer adds. All paint is by Dunn-Ed-wards. Four opulently upholstered seating groups, with silk, linen, damask and velvet fabrics by F. Schumacher,are in pale shades of blue, green and cream. Two back-to-back, eight-foot-long, tufted linen sofas, custom de-signed by Williams, occupy the room’s center. Another seating arrangement embraces the Steinway piano, itsfocal point a graceful chaise from Schumacher with wood frame finished in palest gold and upholstered inchampagne-colored silk. White pagoda cabinets are by Oscar de la Renta.

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THE LIBRARYThe designers’ goal for this 16-by-22-foot library was “tocreate a warm and sophisticated space that could beowned by a well-traveled individual.” Michael Fullen andLysey Grieve of the Michael Fullen Design Group optedfor a palette of charcoal grey, chartreuse and citron, thefurnishings an eclectic mix of old and new. The original1941 wood cabinetry was left in place and painted char-coal grey with a lacquer finish. The floor is the originalwide-plank oak, and the walls are lacquered in high-gloss Charcoal Smudge by Dunn-Edwards. But the highpoint is overhead. “The ceiling should not be missed,”says Fullen. “It was designed and hand-cut by Mark Boisof Wallcraft Studios, who cut a hexagonal and squarepattern into grasscloth, lacquered it bronze and installedit as a mosaic. It truly reflects back in time but also hasa contemporary polish.”

The library table is made of reclaimed teak from In-donesia, and the room’s occasional tables are of forgediron, concrete and cast stone. Coverings for the contem-porary sofa, the pair of wing chairs and the antique oc-casional chairs are all from Jim Thompson Fabrics. Thefireplace, retrofitted with a blackened-steel surround andhearth, takes a bow to art and nature with a forged steeland iron sculpture of a bird in its nest alongside a largegranite egg. “Since it is a library, we chose to lightstrictly with lamps, both table and floor,” Fullen says.“The high-gloss walls play beautifully into the lamp-lighting scheme. The room is filled with direct and indi-rect reflective light, creating a rich warm glow. Welayered woven shades and drapery for daytime lightcontrol.”

05.13 | ARROYO | 15

TEENAGE GIRL’S ROOM To create this room, Dona Dockendorf of Tocco Finale in San Marino imagined the mindset of a spe-cific kind of girl: smart, sophisticated, well-traveled, accustomed to family outings at five-star hotels.“She loves songbirds, nature and shopping; maybe wants to be a fashion designer or somethingelse creative. I did a bedroom she can enjoy now and also grow into.” Dockendorf chose shades ofivory teamed with subtle mauves, lilacs and lavenders, spiked with touches of citrine. The walls, withpaint by Dunn-Edwards, are dusky lavender; the carpet, a creamy monotone etched animal pattern.

The room’s focal point is a sumptuous, lofty bed any girl would love to sink into. It’s layered withopulent fabrics from Kravet. The massive ivory raw silk–tufted headboard is Dockendorf’s design. Thelayered duvets and pillows are crafted from silk charmeuse, velvet and toile in ivory, plum and laven-der. Hand-painted Chinoiserie wallpaper on a tall screen behind the bed features delicate blossomsand birds against an ivory background, a motif echoed in delicately patterned Kravet fabric on anantique settee and chairs, which are from Dockendorf’s own collection. The antique glass-toppedtable in the seating area, also from the designer’s collection, features a bronze base of sculpturedbirds. –continued on page 17

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05.13 | ARROYO | 17


THE MASTER BATH This spacious symphony in pale mar-ble is larger and more opulent than theoriginal, says Rachel Duarte of DavidReaume Construction in Pasadena,who designed the space with Reaume.“We took six feet from a bedroom be-hind the old bath and reconfigured theentire space.” The room’s centerpieceis an “Amalfi” freestanding tub made ofvolcanic limestone by Victoria + Albert,sourced from George’s Pipe andPlumbing in Pasadena. Flanking theentry are his-and-hers sinks with mirror-TV medicine cabinets by ElectricMirror, which feature audio and videoembedded in their mirrors and can belinked to a home entertainment sys-tem. “You can shave or apply makeupwhile watching TV or listening tomusic,” Duarte says. Refrigerator draw-ers are embedded in white wood cus-tom cabinetry by Expressions in Woodin LaVerne — “useful for champagnewhile soaking,” she adds.

An elegant trellis-patterned wain-scot looks like mosaic tile or wallpaperbut is actually laser-cut marble — arecent innovation in bath décor fromthe Jet Set Collection by WalkerZanger. The crystal chandelier is fromModern Lighting in Temple City, andthe shower room is a kind of sanctuaryall by itself. Custom marble benches18 inches deep face each other in thisfive-foot-by-five-foot all-marble room,with steam shower, rain shower water-fall and hand-held options available.From above, ThermaSol’s Serenity Light& Music System offers therapeuticmusic and light shows.

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05.13 | ARROYO | 19

GUEST SUITE SITTING ROOMDesign Details of Sherman Oaks dubbed the airy parlor outside the guest bedrooms“Journey’s End,” because “it’s now a kind of peaceful retreat to enjoy at the end of aday,” says design partner Karen Tandy. Originally designed primarily as a pass-through to the bedrooms, the space is only about 11 feet wide and 22 feet long.Contractors removed the garden-facing wall and replaced it with accordion-folding,floor-to-ceiling glass doors that slide out of view entirely, leaving the room totallyopen to the air. “It’s as if you’re outside while you’re inside,” Tandy says. She and part-

ners Julie Lomeli, Laurel Crary and Carey Yount commissioned Los Angeles artistLucy Jensen to paint a nature mural. Silvery walls with an umber glaze were customcreated by Altadena faux finisher David Grant. Instead of “just another sofa,” Tandysays, they fashioned a swing from an Indonesian bench with legs removed, andhung it from handsome custom-made chain links by New Century Iron in Sun Valley.The furniture, upholstered in pale, neutral shades, is from Artistica Home Furnishingsin Ventura. “The colors in the garden are all anyone needs,” Tandy says.


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THE POOL HOUSEJan Ledgard of Yorkshire Kitchens in La CañadaFlintridge wanted to re-create a 1960s cabana. “Iwanted it casual and comfortable for when you’re soak-ing wet and just out of the pool,” she says. The concretefloors, stained a tortoise-shell shade, are fine for wetfeet. Two loveseats and two chairs, upholstered in water-proof outdoor fabric, are grouped in front of the fire-place, which retains its original pewter hood. Thefurniture bones are made of steel, sourced from OutdoorElegance in La Verne, custom-covered in white, andcolor-spiked with grass-green pillows. The mural byPhillip W. Cohen to the right of the fireplace depicts a’60s bathing beauty holding a beach ball with mirror in-sert. Cohen says the image is of his friend, actress JulieNewmar, a ’60s stage and screen star known for playingCatwoman in the Batman TV series. A rare color photo-graph from the same era, of women lounging poolsidein Palm Springs, is by Slim Aarons. ||||

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22 | ARROYO | 05.13

arroyoHOME SALES ABOVE $750,000RECENT HOME CLOSINGS IN THE ARROYO FOOTPRINT SOURCE: CalREsource

ADDRESS CLOSE DATE PRICE BDRMS. SQ. FT. YR. BUILT PREV. PRICE PREV. SOLDALTADENA1864 Midlothian Drive 03/19/13 $1,450,000 82858 Winterhaven Lane 04/02/13 $1,255,000 3 2498 1953 $740,000 10/08/2002760 Millard Canyon Road 03/12/13 $1,175,000 5 3886 1998 $622,000 11/30/19983690 Giddings Ranch Road 03/21/13 $1,174,000 5 3311 1998 $1,100,000 12/23/20042215 Kengary Lane 03/04/13 $1,100,000 4 2707 1948 $310,000 05/02/1991827 West Heritage Oak Court 03/15/13 $970,000 5 3878 19981348 New York Drive 03/12/13 $950,000 3 2420 1925 $745,000 09/15/20102175 North Altadena Drive 03/05/13 $915,000 3 2361 1939 $382,500 04/27/2001615 Chaparral Court 03/26/13 $899,000 5 3348 1999 $1,100,000 06/08/20073551 Giddings Ranch Road 03/08/13 $869,000 4 2844 1997 $610,000 06/25/20022294 Winrock Avenue 04/02/13 $852,000 3 2276 1961 $173,500 01/14/19871855 Midwick Drive 03/28/13 $851,000 3 2289 1952 $530,000 07/13/20002012 Craig Avenue 03/26/13 $765,000 3 1376 1940 $639,000 12/30/2010ARCADIA241 Whispering Pines 04/04/13 $5,780,000 7 8066 1981 $2,000,000 09/07/20001004 Singing Wood Drive 04/03/13 $3,750,000 5 4456 1950 $181,500 01/15/19752515 Louise Avenue 03/08/13 $3,500,000 6 8211 1995 $1,548,000 06/27/20031915 South Santa Anita Avenue 03/07/13 $1,508,000 4 4165 1990 $670,000 02/19/1999312 East Longden Avenue 03/29/13 $1,500,000 2 1732 1923 $1,010,000 09/14/2012339 East Floral Avenue 03/21/13 $1,410,000 5 3155 1997 $1,153,000 05/19/20051548 Marendale Lane 03/07/13 $1,375,000 3 2339 19542225 Greenfield Avenue 03/05/13 $1,351,000 4 2826 1951 $673,500 01/02/20041500 South 1st Avenue 04/03/13 $1,350,000 7 3154 19361141 Highland Oaks Drive 03/05/13 $1,299,000 3 2343 19521537 Hyland Avenue 04/02/13 $1,260,000 4 2567 1948 $1,100,000 07/15/20102420 South Santa Anita Avenue 03/28/13 $1,250,000 4 2859 1951 $383,000 12/23/19982507 Greenfield Avenue 03/08/13 $1,225,000 3 2633 19371610 Perkins Drive 03/28/13 $1,198,000 2 1354 1936300 East Rodell Place 04/02/13 $1,100,000 3 2046 1948 $936,500 05/11/20061210 Valencia Way 03/22/13 $1,049,000 4 2680 2001 $200,000 01/06/19941115 Mayflower Avenue 03/08/13 $1,009,000 3 2352 1959 $487,000 06/29/20012069 Vista Avenue 03/28/13 $980,000 3 2197 1962 $96,000 07/01/19761108 Louise Avenue 03/25/13 $955,000 3 1773 195833 Lucille Street 03/25/13 $938,000 6 3639 1983 $950,000 05/17/20062649 Foss Avenue 03/25/13 $925,000 3 2134 19501041 Asder Lane 03/01/13 $905,000 3 2737 19501630 South 1st Avenue 03/18/13 $900,000 3 2003 1952 $568,000 08/01/20032702 South 10th Avenue 03/25/13 $900,000 4 1944 1951 $323,000 07/14/1998211 East Forest Avenue 04/02/13 $800,000 5 1675 1939 $337,000 03/21/2002188 West Foothill Boulevard 03/19/13 $780,000 2 1817 1945 $285,000 10/02/1995GLENDALE1625 Grandview Avenue 03/28/13 $1,250,000 $550,000 05/04/1993154 Allen Avenue 03/27/13 $1,200,000 2 1644 19521725 Ben Lomond Drive 03/05/13 $1,015,000 4 2420 1928 $1,000,000 04/07/20091645 Cleveland Road 03/07/13 $850,000 3 2561 1962265 West Kenneth Road 03/21/13 $810,000 4 2594 1956 $320,000 04/18/1986720 Cumberland Road 03/27/13 $780,000 4 2335 1929 $400,000 05/28/19982733 Sleepy Hollow Place 03/01/13 $1,435,000 3 4189 2001 $894,000 06/26/20013610 Shannon Way 03/22/13 $1,040,500 6 3060 1969 $1,050,000 01/29/2007360 Mt. Carmel Drive 03/12/13 $995,000 4 3252 2002202 Edwards Place 03/08/13 $780,000 3 2112 1967 $168,500 10/16/19781234 Imperial Drive 04/03/13 $1,385,000 7 $1,275,000 08/13/2004830 Moorside Drive 03/15/13 $1,280,000 3 3405 1979 $635,000 10/01/1998910 Chudleigh Lane 04/02/13 $1,070,000 4 2917 1967 $1,125,000 12/27/20071323 Cordova Avenue 03/07/13 $975,000 5 3868 1928 $555,000 09/16/19991961 Rimcrest Drive 04/04/13 $925,000 3 3190 19801112 North Maryland Avenue 03/05/13 $803,000 6 3630 19381733 Hiawatha Drive 03/22/13 $1,565,000 5 4534 1994 $1,210,000 07/18/20032157 Haven Drive 03/06/13 $1,275,000 4 3550 1991 $532,500 12/08/19973216 Beaudry Terrace 03/19/13 $1,050,000 4 4212 19751410 Sunshine Drive 03/21/13 $891,000 3 2055 1975 $608,000 05/24/1991920 Calle Simpatico 03/05/13 $838,000 4 2528 1990 $994,000 06/08/20051307 Oak Circle Drive 03/01/13 $815,000 3 1853 19481637 Santa Rosa Avenue 03/22/13 $804,000 4 1893 1936 $480,000 01/19/20001341 Branta Drive 03/26/13 $780,000 3 2054 1968 $935,000 12/27/20052201 El Arbolita Drive 03/25/13 $775,000 2 2110 1971 $735,000 03/10/20081750 Canada Boulevard #A 03/27/13 $750,000 4 2476 1955

ALTADENA MAR ‘12 MAR ‘13HOMES SOLD 23 54MEDIAN PRICE $460,000 $523,000MEDIAN SQ. FT. 1582 1376ARCADIA MAR ‘12 MAR ‘13HOMES SOLD 22 39MEDIAN PRICE $558,250 $938,000MEDIAN SQ. FT. 1470 2153EAGLE ROCK MAR ‘12 MAR ‘13HOMES SOLD 10 16MEDIAN PRICE $470,000 $437,500MEDIAN SQ. FT. 1172 1273GLENDALE MAR ‘12 MAR ‘13HOMES SOLD 108 143MEDIAN PRICE $382,500 $500,000MEDIAN SQ. FT. 1371 1489LA CAÑADA MAR ‘12 MAR ‘13HOMES SOLD 21 28MEDIAN PRICE $900,000 $1,205,000MEDIAN SQ. FT. 2052 2005PASADENA MAR ‘12 MAR ‘13HOMES SOLD 120 174MEDIAN PRICE $449,500 $525,000MEDIAN SQ. FT. 1350 1384SAN MARINO MAR ‘12 MAR ‘13HOMES SOLD 13 11MEDIAN PRICE $1,500,000 $1,590,000MEDIAN SQ. FT. 2431 2033SIERRA MADRE MAR ‘12 MAR ‘13HOMES SOLD 11 19MEDIAN PRICE $562,000 $715,000MEDIAN SQ. FT. 1450 1598SOUTH PASADENA MAR ‘12 MAR ‘13HOMES SOLD 9 21MEDIAN PRICE $560,000 $737,500MEDIAN SQ. FT. 1674 1467TOTAL MAR ‘12 MAR ‘13HOMES SOLD 337 505AVG PRICE/SQ. FT. $401 $449

~HOME SALES INDEX~HOME SALES

AVG. PRICE/SQ. FT.

+49.9%

+11.8%

mar

2012

mar

2013

337

HO

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SO

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505

HO

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SPONSORED BY

continued on page 39

™

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 2013.

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GOETHE, WHO WAS NEITHER ARCHITECT NOR MUSICIAN, DE-

SCRIBED ARCHITECTURE AS “FROZEN MUSIC,” A SOMEWHAT

APT METAPHOR IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ANNUAL PASADENA

SHOWCASE HOUSE OF DESIGN, WHICH OPENED APRIL 21

AND RUNS THROUGH MAY 19. THE ALL-VOLUNTEER PASADENA

SHOWCASE HOUSE FOR THE ARTS, FOUNDED IN 1948,

ADOPTED THE PSHD IN 1965, AND THE EVENT HAS SINCE THEN

BECOME ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL

HOUSE AND GARDEN TOURS IN THE NATION. MOTIVATED BY

THEIR SHARED “BELIEF IN THE POWER AND BEAUTY OF MUSIC,”

PSHA MEMBERS SELECT REGIONAL DESIGNERS, BUILDERS

AND ARTISTS EACH YEAR TO DEDICATE THEIR TIME, TALENT AND

RESOURCES TO THE COLLECTIVE RENOVATION OF A UNIQUE

AREA HOME. SHOWCASE PROCEEDS SUPPORT A MULTITUDE

OF PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE MUSIC EDUCATION, EXPLORE

THE HEALTH AND HEALING EFFECTS OF MUSIC, AND BRING

MUSIC TO A WIDE AND DIVERSE AUDIENCE.

05.13 | ARROYO | 25

PASADENA SHOWCASEHOUSE OF DESIGN 2013

MUSIC, ARCHITECTURE, AND ACELEBRATION OF LIFE

BY JOANNA DEHN BERESFORD

Wooden boxes with succulents by Jacob Maarse

arroyoSPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENTHOME & DESIGNSPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENTHOME & DESIGN

PASADENA SHOWCASEHOUSE OF DESIGN 2013

MUSIC, ARCHITECTURE, AND ACELEBRATION OF LIFE

BY JOANNA DEHN BERESFORD

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–continued from page 25

This year’s Showcase home was originally designed by Roland E. Coates. A prominent

architect with East Coast credentials, Coates specialized in infusing traditional architectural

expression with a fresh and distinctive sense of the California culture and environment. Al-

though he designed a number of churches and other local public structures, including the

Pasadena Town Club and Caltech’s Hale Solar Laboratory, Coates was primarily a residential

architect. The Showcase home, built in Arcadia in 1941 represents his signature Monterey

Colonial style. The home has been remodeled several times since its original construction,

and was in fact selected as the 36th showcase home in 2000. This year many of the design-

ers involved in the Showcase project shared a vision: to reinvent the space in a way that hon-

ors its history, the existing elements of landscape and architecture, and the residents who

call this house a home.

“Our basic concept was to recapture the era of the house, the classy, elegant feel of

the 1940’s, and to push for preserving and reinventing that feel,” explains Jeff Lokker, owner

and principal designer of Huntington Pools & Spas.

Jeff redesigned and rebuilt the entire Pool Area, which was, when they started, “isolated

and secluded and not very functional.” Jeff describes the existing space as small and con-

fined, so his concept involved opening the area, releasing it in a sense from the fence, foun-


—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

05.13 | ARROYO | 29

tain and specific elements of vegetation that obscured it from the home and limited its use

and appeal. He created a custom tile and iron-ornamented fireplace, and a stunning, uplit

water feature that ripples and glows along the rear wall of the patio (in part by retiring a

spent-looking cupid who looked more like he was waiting for a bus than enflaming great

passion). They also added an outdoor barbecue, and opened up the lounge areas. The ef-

fect is dramatic.

“We wanted to create a place for extraordinary entertaining, that really drew people

out of the house and provided them with a place to relax,” says Jeff.

Jason Lee, of Jason Lee Design Studio Inc., designed the Grand Patio. Like Jeff Lokker,

Jason was dedicated to creating a serene and inviting space “that showcases the brilliance

and character of the California landscape.” His vision of the Patio was inspired by mature

Sycamore trees and a raised planter, to which he added an exquisite variety of native, tradi-

tional and drought-resistant plants. Coral bells, succulents, and a menagerie of grasses

bloom under the trees, run along a sculptural riverbed of gravel and broken flagstone, and

flourish in exquisite pots and flowerbeds.




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“The inspiration of raised planter came from an intricate orchid arrangement that I saw

back in January,” explains Jason. “As soon as I saw it, I told myself ‘That’s it!’ I wanted this to be

a giant centerpiece of the house that creates peace and tranquility” for outdoor dining and

celebration.

The Grand Patio also includes an outdoor kitchen, fireplace and lounge. It’s an inspira-

tional space, designed for reflection, relaxation and magical Sunday Brunches.

A Place for Reflection, designed by Russell Wightman of LA Farm Hands, provides an-

other tranquil garden area for residents and their guests to enjoy. Russell incorporates mostly

white flowers and green plants with “an emphasis on form and texture” in his garden, in order

to complement the brick red palette of the home. An existing and neglected hedge of Mur-

reya Paniculata, for example, “was pruned to reveal the lower branches. The result is a natural

sculptural element. At night the branches are washed in light to further emphasize the form.

The plant becomes a living sculpture.”

Russell also seeks to balance modern and traditional approaches to the space. And he

focuses on simplicity in both practical and aesthetic terms. “I just hope my gardens are places




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to be used and enjoyed, not remain as

objects, only to be seen from inside the

home. I love it when gardens can be

extensions of the home. To me, that’s

when a garden is at its best.”

The tranquil reflection doesn’t

just happen outside the Showcase

house. Other designers sought to cre-

ate interior spaces that inspire a sense

of serenity in the home. Mother-

daughter team Annsely and Courtney

Strong of Strong Studio Designs, for ex-

ample, renovated The Reader’s Re-

treat, a cozy bedroom/bathroom

nestled above the garage. The Strongs

endeavored to create a space that

would “light from within,” and like Rus-

sell Wightman they addressed both

practical and aesthetic concerns in their revisions.

“The architectural appeal of the sloped ceiling suggested we embrace a room of read-

ing leisure,” says Courtney. “Those two elements, leisure and shimmer give the room its invit-

ing-with-an-edge-of-glamour personality.”

They built in shelves, drawers, and storage space to accommodate the unique configu-

ration of the rooms, then added eclectic furnishings, including an antique art deco divan

and Jacobean tortoise shell vanity. The palette features rich creams, plum and citron and re-

flective accents for an ambiance that literally glimmers with warmth.




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It’s worth noting that most of the Showcase designers contribute not only their time and

talent, but their own materials to the event, often at considerable cost to themselves and

their businesses. They do it because they love their work, because they want to share their vi-

sions with the community, and because they support the PSHA mission.

“It’s definitely a commitment,” acknowledges Jeff Hokker. “But it’s an organization that I

can truly agree with.”

“This is my first year participating,” says Jason Lee. “And it’s a huge honor.”

Russell Wightman, also a first-time participant adds, “It’s been a great experience. The

people putting on the event are wonderful. They have a wonderful vision of sharing art and

music with others, and I’m glad to contribute to the event.”

While Goethe makes a provocative comparison between music and architecture, he’s

wrong about one thing in respect to this venture at least. This architecture and the visions

and designs it has inspired, is by no means frozen. As Russell Wightman says in describing his

project, “The garden is alive.” AH&D



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LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE4358 Fairlawn Drive 03/29/13 $2,441,000 5 4527 2007 $2,950,000 01/22/20082051 Los Amigos Street 03/11/13 $2,325,000 $1,475,000 06/18/20074741 Hampton Road 03/11/13 $2,125,000 2 1508 1938 $572,727 04/02/2002639 Foxwood Road 03/25/13 $1,850,000 4 3739 1961 $1,800,000 07/12/20044839 Gould Avenue 03/15/13 $1,835,000 5 3771 19471211 Homewood Lane 03/29/13 $1,750,000 5 5553 1988 $1,750,000 11/17/20081113 Uintah Street 03/15/13 $1,665,000 4 3029 1951 $1,345,000 08/26/20095110 Crown Avenue 03/08/13 $1,590,000 4 3467 1978 $633,000 04/01/19974603 Indiana Avenue 03/28/13 $1,450,000 4 3432 19515047 Fallhaven Lane 03/14/13 $1,350,000 3 2603 19531451 Descanso Drive 03/05/13 $1,340,000 3 2005 19514031 Hampstead Road 03/19/13 $1,299,000 5 3487 1937 $820,000 04/25/19904912 Oakwood Avenue 04/04/13 $1,252,000 3 1997 1941 $455,000 06/23/19941705 Lila Lane 03/15/13 $1,210,000 5 2012 1960364 Knight Way 03/25/13 $1,200,000 2 2224 19535078 Commonwealth Avenue 03/06/13 $1,100,000 61537 Descanso Drive 03/28/13 $1,100,000 8 $329,000 09/19/19954902 Alminar Avenue 03/27/13 $1,025,000 4 1698 1947 $825,000 11/16/20075310 La Forest Drive 03/11/13 $1,003,000 54818 Crown Avenue 03/19/13 $997,000 3 1908 1949 $808,000 01/13/2012835 Milmada Drive 03/28/13 $987,000 2 1546 1950 $210,000 03/28/19861101 Lavender Lane 03/19/13 $985,000 3 1406 19514539 Daleridge Road 03/29/13 $925,000 3 1402 1946 $800,000 01/25/20052012 Hilldale Drive 03/01/13 $815,000 2 1801 19654817 Viro Road 04/02/13 $799,000 2 1630 1949270 Baptiste Way 04/01/13 $787,500 2 1531 1950 $479,000 07/27/2000PASADENA331 Pleasant Street 03/20/13 $988,000 2 2384 1908 $282,500 12/06/1996139 S. Los Robles Ave #B020 03/04/13 $905,000 3250 1927920 Granite Drive #211 03/04/13 $865,000 2 1550 20091404 Rutherford Drive 03/29/13 $2,095,000 3 4708 1995 $1,975,000 03/14/20071471 Normandy Drive 03/26/13 $1,895,000 4 2867 1954 $1,225,000 05/18/20071155 Linda Vista Avenue 03/18/13 $1,200,000 2 1402 1910 $683,500 04/20/2012762 North Mar Vista Avenue 03/27/13 $822,000 3 2100 1909 $759,000 01/04/20061098 Linda Glen Drive 03/22/13 $2,300,000 4 4209 2002 $2,318,000 01/12/2010260 Patrician Way 03/08/13 $1,800,000 6 $1,304,500 11/08/200590 Patrician Way 03/29/13 $1,770,000 3 3714 1949 $1,610,000 07/31/2009471 Maylin Street 03/12/13 $1,695,000 4 2950 1978 $1,595,000 05/10/2005426 California Terrace 03/27/13 $1,618,000 4 3700 19781230 Brookmere Road 03/28/13 $1,585,000 3 3516 1950 $1,235,000 12/16/20051671 Poppy Peak Drive 03/26/13 $1,250,000 3 2648 1944 $439,000 12/05/1994155 Cordova Street #301 04/03/13 $1,200,000 3 2250 201066 Los Altos Drive 03/11/13 $1,183,000 6 $590,000 05/07/19991422 La Loma Road 03/20/13 $1,155,000 5 2970 1937 $165,000 06/02/198650 West Dayton Street #201 03/27/13 $995,000 2 1857 2002 $850,000 05/03/20051619 Poppy Peak Drive 03/20/13 $917,000 6 $885,000 12/28/2004500 Tamarac Drive 03/18/13 $910,000 3 1843 1937 $835,000 08/31/2011985 Brentnal Road 03/26/13 $867,500 3 1692 1954 $729,000 04/20/2004630 S. Orange Grove Blvd #2 03/22/13 $849,000 2 1817 1964 $825,000 10/15/20091681 San Pasqual Street 04/04/13 $4,200,000 5 4542 1999 $1,750,000 10/29/1999715 South Oakland Avenue 03/21/13 $1,350,000 4 2649 1925721 South Mentor Avenue 03/15/13 $1,020,000 5 2616 1926 $325,000 11/08/19911790 Rose Villa Street 03/07/13 $1,000,000 5 1828 1923 $965,000 07/06/2012710 East California Boulevard 03/13/13 $915,000 3 2089 1929 $377,500 07/07/1989628 Michigan Boulevard 04/03/13 $3,470,000 2094 1996 $1,100,000 06/23/20061623 Hastings Heights Lane 03/27/13 $2,018,000 6 5105 1987 $2,100,000 07/21/20063817 East California Boulevard 03/29/13 $1,850,000 5 3792 1927 $500,000 11/13/1986871 El Campo Drive 03/14/13 $1,750,000 113434 Yorkshire Road 03/01/13 $1,360,000 4 2611 1937 $1,399,000 06/20/20063635 Fairmeade Road 03/15/13 $1,226,000 3 2627 1948 $610,000 06/29/20001320 Wynn Road 03/20/13 $1,085,000 3 2992 1957 $511,000 05/19/19891630 Carriage House Road 03/29/13 $927,000 3 2029 1960 $877,500 02/01/20072450 Las Lunas Street 03/29/13 $815,000 4 2066 1940 $670,000 09/10/2012439 South Grand Oaks Avenue 04/03/13 $780,000 3 1588 1925 $789,000 09/30/2005335 Bonita Avenue 03/22/13 $775,000 4 1752 1924 $889,000 12/19/20063635 Landfair Road 03/14/13 $757,500 3 2415 1950SAN MARINO688 Canterbury Road 04/02/13 $3,750,000 8 $2,940,000 03/04/20081225 Mesa Road 03/06/13 $3,520,000 91505 Euston Road 04/03/13 $1,968,000 8 $769,000 05/15/19982510 Lorain Road 03/19/13 $1,850,000 4 2104 1937 $1,368,000 08/12/2010535 Bonita Avenue 03/12/13 $1,650,000 3 2362 1916 $740,000 05/22/19982335 Brentford Road 03/14/13 $1,590,000 3 1961 1939 $1,445,000 01/15/20082750 Canterbury Road 04/01/13 $1,500,000 3 2115 1948 $202,000 09/11/19792490 Adair Street 04/01/13 $1,430,000 5 2556 1942 $220,000 06/25/19862185 Sherwood Road 03/14/13 $1,428,000 3 1830 19311925 Sharon Place 03/19/13 $1,120,000 3 1437 1940 $1,083,000 04/25/20071805 South Euclid Avenue 03/15/13 $1,040,000 3 1477 1924SIERRA MADRE49 East Alegria Avenue 03/27/13 $1,195,000 3 2372 1908317 North Lima Street 03/20/13 $1,100,000 3 2250 1911 $1,010,000 11/01/2004471 San Gabriel Court 03/29/13 $1,020,000 6 $445,000 06/03/2002655 Edgeview Drive 03/25/13 $980,000 3 2451 1951 $152,000 09/23/1983635 Edgeview Drive 03/27/13 $970,000 4 2380 195156 Monterey Lane 03/01/13 $945,000 2 977 1935 $700,000 12/22/2011436 Theresa Lane 03/20/13 $880,000 3 1807 1939 $370,000 04/26/1991SOUTH PASADENA1730 Via Del Rey 03/21/13 $1,500,000 5 3191 19641124 Donaldo Court 03/25/13 $1,125,000 4 2622 1928 $975,000 03/24/2011285 St. Albans Avenue 03/14/13 $1,065,000 3 1816 1963 $717,000 04/19/20021818 La Manzanita Street 04/03/13 $1,020,000 4 2212 19681678 Via Del Rey 03/13/13 $1,000,000 3 1846 1964 $400,000 07/27/1999298 St. Albans Avenue 03/08/13 $930,000 2 1764 1942 $849,000 12/11/20091708 La Senda Place 04/02/13 $851,000 2 1040 1924 $450,000 03/25/2011516 Prospect Avenue 03/13/13 $825,000 3 1467 19551016 Palm Avenue 03/28/13 $808,000 3 1352 19081107 Maple Street 04/01/13 $795,000 $556,000 02/01/2012

HOME SALES ABOVE $750,000RECENT HOME CLOSINGS IN THE ARROYO FOOTPRINT SOURCE: CalREsource

continued from page 22

Shades of hot pink inject energyand playfulness into the bedroom.

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WHAT’SPAINT GOTTO DOWITH IT?The right colors may rev you up or

relax you, but one thing is certain:

changing them is an easy way to

freshen your home’s decor.

BY ELIZABETH MCMILLIAN

THEY CALL PASADENA INTERIOR DESIGNER JEANNETTE

CHASWORTH “THE COLOR WHISPERER.” INDEED, CHASWORTH’S

APPROACH STEMS FROM HER BELIEF IN “THE TRANSFORMATIONAL

POWER OF DESIGN AND COLOR,” AS SHE EXPLAINS ON HER

WEBSITE, THECOLORWHISPERER.COM.

40 | ARROYO | 05.13

“When I first begin selecting paint colors for a client,” Chasworth told Arroyo Monthly, “I first de-termine the ‘gift’ that the room or home should give: relaxation after a hard day, creativity and focusfor a home office or maybe even a little romance. I draw inspiration from my client’s wardrobe, favoriteartists or an accessory that ignites passion. From there, I can capture the colors of their soul. My job isto help them discover which color is going to make their heart happy and to create a cohesive palettethat celebrates their best qualities.”

For Pasadena interior designer Gabrielle Gliniak, who started as an art director in Hollywood, color isintrinsic to the emotional impact of a space. “Colors selected for various elements of a film set are carefully

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chosen to convey information about the inner life of thecharacters — their emotions, motivations and their story,”she says. “In The Astronaut’s Wife, the main character’s NewYork apartment projects the growing tension between theastronaut husband and his beautiful young wife. The luxu-rious aged wood paneling and caramel colors in the foyerfeel comfortable and familiar. As we descend into the mainroom the colors are higher in contrast. Touches of redmixed with dark gray steel and slate, shiny metal fixturescombined with a luminous glass-block wall and danglinglights portray the uneasy feeling the wife has toward her[space] alien husband. The interior is stunning but some-thing isn’t right, just like the gorgeous couple.

“In real-life design,” Gliniak continues, “the sameprinciples apply, yet with greater subtlety. Color is apowerful design element that affects our emotions and,when used appropriately in combination with other ele-ments of design, can greatly enhance one’s experience inone’s own space, [making one feel] restful, energized,pensive or happy.”

At the very least, changing up the paint color of yourhome is an easy way to freshen its look. “Paint color is one ofthe least expensive and least permanent things about en-hancing one’s environment,” says Pasadena interior designerDiane Bedford. “Once the prep work and the trim is done itis very inexpensive to change a wall color or a ceiling.”

Bedford’s own guiding principle is to have fun withcolor. “Paint it red or navy blue. Even a black or charcoalroom with light trim can be such fun and so dramatic. Ifyou don’t like it — paint it again.”

And be brave, she says. Don’t necessarily go with yourfirst instinct. “I have always been of the opinion that asmall, dark room should be painted a dark interesting color.If it is painted white or a light color, as so many people be-lieve is the proper solution, what you have is a small, darkboring room. But try a rich, deep, rosy terracotta, or even achocolate brown. Now we have a small, dark sexy room!”

“If you like blue tones for a bedroom — as those arevery restful but can often be cold or Easter egg–pastel —try a blue that is more part of the seafoam family,” Bedfordadds. “A lovely color for a bedroom is Restoration Hard-ware’s Silver Sage.”

Since color fashions — influenced by high and popularculture — change over time, keeping up with color trendsis key for designers and do-it-yourself home decorators. Ifyou want to know how your color ideas click with the de-sign of your home, you might want to check out this tomefrom nationally known expert Leatrice Eiseman, executivedirector of the Pantone Color Institute, which bills itself as“the authority on color”: Pantone: The 20th Century in Color(Chronicle Books; 2011), written with Keith Recker, offersthe color palettes of each stylistic period. Residents of Bun-galow Heaven will find a useful section on the Arts andCrafts movement, illustrated with numerous Pantone

–continued on page 4305.13 | ARROYO | 41

A dining room designed by Diane Bedford, who advises having fun with color.

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swatches that coordinate with period furnishings, such as Greene & Greene décor.Of course, nature creates some of the most delightful colors and complementary color

ranges. Take a photograph of hues you like in, say, a luscious piece of fruit or garden sanctu-ary or take a page from an interior design magazine. Then visit a color-matching website tocreate your palette.

At degraeve.com, you can upload your photo into a color-palette generator, and the sitewill produce five subdued and five vibrant colors that match the image, which you can printout and take to a paint store. Colorhunter.com offers a similar service, but you don’t have toprovide the photo. Instead, you can type in a search word like “heart,” and the site will“hunt” through Flickr.com for images with that label and use them to create a palette. Bothsites offer this service for free. Keep in mind that computers — like your paint store’s colormatcher — are known for slightly altering colors. Nonetheless, this handy technology canhelp you focus in on your desired hue and coordinate a palette for the room’s main color,major and minor accent color or trim color.

Pasadena designer Debbie Talianko says her own color choices are inspired by her trav-els through Mexico and Central America as well as Renaissance architecture and the land-scape around her home in Sierra Madre. She offers these suggestions:

• If the home is small or if the rooms flow from one room to the other, use a palette ofonly two or three colors. Vary the shade to make everything cohesive from room toroom.

• Use the same trim color throughout.

• Try out the color on a good-size area and paint two coats before making your choice.Ideally, live with the samples for a few days and view them under lighting att varioustimes of day and evening.

Charmean Neithart, a Pasadena designer who is inspired by Asia, agrees that hues ofrooms flowing together should be carefully coordinated. “Room colors should be cohesiveand have a natural flow from space to space,” she says. “Save calming colors for bedroomsand sitting rooms. More energizing colors can be considered for the dining room, familyroom and living room. It’s important to think of a whole-house palette when choosingpaint colors for your home. Consider there are colors that you may like, which may be dif-ferent from colors you want to live with. There is really a big difference between the two.”

As color whisperer Chasworth notes, carefully curating the color of your home can havea big payoff. “The process requires a little planning,” she says, “but the result is a palette thatbrings to life the story of my clients, leaving them ‘hugged’ by their home every time theywalk through the door.” ||||


Seafoam is a restful hueclose to — but softer — thancommonly used icy blue.

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MathnasiumMathnasium is a highly specialized learning center where kids go year-round to im-prove their math skills. Students attend as often as they like - for as long as they like.The goal is to enhance your child’s math skills, understanding of math conceptsand overall school performance. At the same time, Mathnasium builds your child’sconfidence and forges a positive attitude toward the subject, yielding overwhelm-ing results. Independent studies by EyeCues Education Systems found that Mathna-sium students’ performance increased more than two letter grades in as little asthree to six months. Visit mathnasium.com to find out more, or call (626)532-7587.■

05.13 | ARROYO | 45

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Pasadena’s Elmer Grey left an architectural legacy more enduring than his reputation.BY MICHAEL CERVIN

The architect behind such Southern California landmarks as The Pasadena Playhouse,Huntington Library and the original Beverly Hills Hotel, Grey never became known for asingular design vision; instead, he incorporated such disparate styles as Beaux Arts, Span-ish Colonial, English Tudor and Craftsman. Inspired by the landscapes he loved to paint,he designed living and dining rooms that typically opened onto the outdoors, allowing thenatural environment to complement a home’s interior. Grey was something of an anomaly— highly praised, widely commissioned, clearly talented, but prone to keeping his headdown, a mysterious man who preferred the quiet and solitude of his work to the glitz andglamour of his clients. There is surprisingly little written or known about him. “ElmerGrey was a sophisticated intellectual whose work deserves more study and recognition,”architectural historian Sam Watters tells Arroyo Monthly. “He was a model of the thinker-artist-architect. He was a polymath.”

Born in Chicago in 1871, Grey didn’t attend college; by age 16, he was apprenticingwith an architecture firm in Milwaukee where he worked for 11 years. During this time hemade multiple trips to Europe for lengthy bicycle tours with other designers, soaking upthe classic design around them and touching architecture with his bare hands. These tours

clearly influenced the Gothicfaçade of the Pabst Mansion (builtwith Pabst beer money) in Milwau-kee, in which Grey had a hand.

Grey also loved to draw andpaint with oils and watercolors onrenderings and landscapes. In 1898,10 of his illustrations were exhibited at Pitts-burgh’s Carnegie Museum of Art. His work,some of it housed in the Chicago Art Insti-tute’s permanent collection, still pops up for sale at auction houses and galleries. At 26,Grey was named an American Institute of Architects Fellow — a rare honor for someoneso young — partly in recognition of his much-admired personal residence in Fox Point,on the shores of Lake Michigan.

His Milwaukee period was consumed with the work of designing suburban homes,and in 1902, the first of many health concerns began to plague him. Grey admitted to


ARCHITECT ELMER GREY WAS 91 WHEN HE DIED AT HIS EL MOLINO

AVENUE HOME IN 1963. HE HAD SUFFERED FROM “NERVES” HIS ENTIRE

LIFE AND PRACTICED ARCHITECTURE ONLY TO ABANDON IT, BEFORE

RETURNING TO DESIGN. A QUIET PRESENCE AMONG HIS CELEBRATED

CONTEMPORARIES — GREENE & GREENE, JOHN LAUTNER, MYRON

HUNT AND PAUL WILLIAMS — GREY OUTLIVED THEM ALL.

50 Shades of Grey

TOP: Hand drawing of the Caltech Campus, dated 1908, by Grey. ABOVE: 1932 portrait of Grey.

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seeing a “nerve specialist,” though he never elaborated on the cause of his symptoms. Toshore up his health, Grey left his Milwaukee practice and traveled to Florida, Philadel-phia and Las Vegas, eventually landing on Catalina Island for four months. When heread about and won a job on a citrus ranch, he settled in Monrovia. It was there, duringSunday morning horseback rides, that he met fellow Midwestern architect Myron Hunt,and so began their association on a part-time basis, “until my nerves got in better shape,”Grey wrote.

Grey produced some of his best work during this partnership. He and Hunt designedimpressive residences for Pasadena’s wealthy and also worked on institutional projects, in-

cluding schools, churches and hotels. In 1905, The Architec-tural Record wrote of the partners, “Both Mr. Hunt and Mr.Grey stand for the attempt to naturalize in this country thebest traditions of European architecture. Mr. Grey, for in-stance, believes that a very genuine American style is in theprocess of making; but that as yet it is only in its infancy.”

The unifying principle of Grey’s new “American style”was simplicity and honesty in design. Says architecturalhistorian and building conservationist Jennifer Field Lang,“Grey attempted to create and be a proponent of a moreregional architectural style that responded to the Califor-nia environment — the climate and local conditions —emphasizing simplicity and a harmonizing with nature; heshowed a sensitivity to siting and landscape in his designs.”That view is reflected in Grey’s own writing for The Archi-tectural Record in 1905: “The greatest fault that can befound with the architecture of Southern California is thatwhich may be found with all American architecture to agreater or lesser extent, namely, a lack of simplicity.”

And yet just two years later, Grey and Hunt designedtheir most ambitious project to date: a mansion built withreinforced concrete, tile walls, lush formal gardens and red-tiled roofs — the like and scope of which had never before


46 | ARROYO | 05.13

The Pasadena PlayhouseA production at The Pasadena Playhouse during the 1930s

The Lincoln shrine, circa 1940s

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been seen in the Arroyo. The massive, 55,000-square-foot, Mediterranean/Beaux Arts–style residence for Henry E. Huntington was anything but simple. Today the HuntingtonLibrary is considered one of Hunt and Grey’s masterworks, and other commissions fol-lowed, including Caltech’s forerunner, the Throop Polytechnic Institute in Pasadena, andOccidental College in Eagle Rock. “Many of Grey’s architectural designs focused on sim-plicity of design, rationalism of plan and a close relationship between the building andthe environment — part of the Craftsman ideal,” says Field Lang. “I think perhaps ini-tially he wanted to create designs that were simple and yet responsive to the Californiaweather, environment and topography, but evidently some of his later work was less sim-ple than what he preached earlier in his career.”

After his partnership with Hunt ended around 1910, one might have thought the re-served Grey would fade into obscurity. Not so. He went on to design The Pasadena Play-house, the formal Lincoln Shrine in Redlands and many residences. (In a bizarrefootnote, the Beaux Arts–style church Grey designed for the First Church of Christ, Sci-entist, in LosAngeles in 1912was used by cultleader Jim Jonesand the People’sTemple in the1970s, just priorto the notoriousJonestowntragedy inGuyana.) Buthis most cele-brated buildingwill always beThe Beverly Hills Hotel. The opening party on May 12, 1912, must have been a peculiarevent. At the time, there was nothing near it in Beverly Hills; in fact there was no BeverlyHills — the city didn’t incorporate until 1914. Grey had nothing to do with the hotel’sfamous pink hue, but he did design the rooms to be flooded with natural sunlight. Thehotel was granted the city’s first historic landmark status a century later, in 2012.

For several years in the 1920s, Grey’s nervous condition again forced him to stopworking, though he returned to his practice in 1929 and designed residences in Pasadena,South Pasadena, Altadena and Alhambra. The architect briefly moved his practice toFlorida but ultimately returned to Pasadena, though he never explained why.

Whatever the perception of the man, his work still resonates. With commandingviews of Avalon harbor, Grey’s 1928 La Casa Gaviota — a seven-bedroom, five-bath,4,000-square-foot Spanish Colonial Revival on Catalina Island — was on the marketfor $2.95 million at press time. Elmer Grey’s work endures, treasured for its ability toelicit emotional responses — while his body of design invigorates, the serenity it evokeslingers on. ||||

The Pasadena Playhouse green room

The Pasadena Playhouse recital hall

48 | ARROYO | 05.13

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KITCHENCONFESSIONS

WHEN I WAS IN SIXTH GRADE, OUR CLASS CAMPED OUT

OVERNIGHT IN THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS TO LEARN THE BASICS

OF OUTDOOR SCIENCE. IT WAS A MEMORABLE TRIP (AS ACCURATE

AS MEMORIES FROM THE ‘70S CAN BE). I DISCOVERED DEER

TRACKS, A MOUSE SKELETON IN OWL POO, THE INTRICACIES OF

PINE-NEEDLE WEAVING AND BOYS. HIS HEIGHT DIDN’T DETER ME

(MOST BOYS THAT YEAR HOVERED WELL BELOW MY SIGHTLINE), BE-

CAUSE HIS SHOULDER-LENGTH, NATURALLY HIGHLIGHTED BROWN

HAIR PERFECTLY FRAMED HIS ROCKIN’ PUKA SHELLS.

That was also the trip where I discovered new and interesting plants you could eat.

We made dandelion salads, chewed rose hips for their vitamin C and brewed tea from

manzanita bark (a fact I enjoy recounting every time I see that shrub. “Oh, please tell me

again how you made bark tea in sixth grade!”… said no one). I have always enjoyed

cooking with the unusual (ingredients… not people), and weed cuisine is no exception.

I love the look of fresh greenery on my plate, and as the

weather warms and the flora erupt, I am inspired to

celebrate the season culinarily. Fresh herbs and

the newest crop of seasonal vegetables al-

ways find their way onto my plate. But

green gets boring (sorry,

Kermit), and inevitably the

sunny hues of a nasturtium

flower, lavender bud, rose

petal and viola bloom end

up in the kitchen too. Not

just in a vase. Flowers in

vases are so banal.

Flower cookery

was quite common

until the mid-20th

century. Before then,

knowing how to pro-

duce homemade floral

waters with the family

still was just practical

housewifery. Such

waters — extracted

from roses, lilacs, violets, orange flowers and the like — made their way into cakes,

puddings, jellies and toiletries. Alas, our industrial, computerized, synthetic-food-

production megatron has swept the art of flower cookery, like most archaically cool

culinary practices, under the linoleum. Luckily, you have me to revive them.

The still is no longer necessary, as many good flower waters are available in most

markets (although, as you might expect, I have totally embraced distilling my own and

have provided instructions so you can too). Rose water, a Victorian favorite and every-

day ingredient in the Middle and Far East, is readily available in bottles and makes an

outstanding addition to most things light and sweet. Pound cake, caramel sauce,

whipped cream, tea and even rice benefit from a splash of the rose. Orange-flower

water, too, makes a lovely addition to all things almond, citrus, peach and even chicken.

It is easy enough to find, especially in places that cater to the “mixologist” — when did

bartenders get so uppity? — since it is a crucial ingredient in the Ramos Fizz.

Lavender is the “it” floral right now, and it’s in everything from hand sanitizer to cat

litter. But it’s much better in a fluffy mashed potato (Try it with purple Peruvian potatoes!)

or paired with vanilla in ice cream or a buttery shortbread cookie. But lavender is proba-

bly best recognized as a longstanding ingredient of herbes de Provence, sprinkled into

your scrambled eggs or over sautéed vegetables or used to season fish, lamb, chicken

or… anything.

Nasturtiums are common enough in haute salads, but those living outside the

metropolis might be pleasantly surprised by their peppery flavor. They grow on the road-

sides here, and I have been known to pull over for an impromptu harvest (being sure to

wash off the essence of neighborhood dog). The flower petals are the main draw, but

their leaves also make a surprisingly good wrapping for dolmas-style fillings of rice, nuts

and herbs. Marigolds are peppery too. Sprinkle their petals into your egg salad, or use

as a garnish for vegetable stir-fries.

Borage offers tiny blue star-shaped blossoms with a cucumbery flavor, perfect for sum-

mer fruit compotes or for floating in a glass of iced tea. Violas, violets and pansies make

nice salad ingredients too, or they can be sugared and dried as edible decorations for

your best desserts. (To sugar a flower petal, whip an egg white until frothy, dip in the

flower, coat with super-fine sugar, and set aside for an hour or two until crisp and dry.)

The geranium comes in a number of scented varieties and, while its petals can be

sprinkled into recipes willy-nilly, it is the leaves that really pack a punch. Infuse them into

light oils and vinegars or pack them tightly into jars of sugar to draw out their fragrant

oils. Then use the sugar in your tea, dressings or syrups.

The flowering tips in your standard herb garden are worth the wait too. Sage, basil,

chives, rosemary and everything in the onion family all have lovely blooming heads that

have flavors similar to their herb bodies. And citrus trees offer up fragrant blossoms that

can go wherever their juice and zest does.

Flower jelly sounds a little frou-frou, until you spread it on a scone with sweet butter.

It’s enough to make the most emotionally stunted, gravel-voiced, spike-emblazoned

leather jacket–wearing macho dude swoon. (Warning: This has not actually been

Adorn your palate with these lovely mainstays of traditional cooking.

BY LESLIE BILDERBACK

April Showers Bring MayFlower Sandwiches


50 | ARROYO | 05.13

KITCHENCONFESSIONS


tested.) Use as fragrant a flower as you can find (lilac, jasmine, rose), steep it in an

amount of boiling water equal to the blooms, and then cool overnight. In the morning,

use the water in the jelly recipe above. Then call the teamsters because you now have

the makings of the most awesome tea party ever.

Leslie Bilderback, a certified master baker, chef and cookbook author, can be found in

the kitchen of Heirloom Bakery in South Pasadena. She teaches her techniques online

at culinarymasterclass.com.

||||

METHOD1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat a loaf pan with pan spray and

line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper. 2. Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add

the rose water, then the eggs, one at a time.3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, and add to mixture,

alternating with the milk. Fold in crushed rose petals, then pourbatter into prepared pan. (Be sure to fill no more than 2⁄3 full.)

4. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a pick inserted comes out clean.Cool completely, then slice and serve with whipped cream anda few rosebuds.

Fill a large pot with 2 to 3 inches of water and add flower petals or leaves. Float a pie pan orheat-proof bowl on the surface, then cover with an inverted lid. Bring the water to a boil, then turndown to a simmer and fill the concave cavity of the inverted lid with ice. As the steam in the potrises, it collects on the lid, condenses with the cold temperature from the ice, then drips into thebowl. When the water in the pot is nearly gone, turn heat off and let it sit until cool. Inside thebowl will be distilled flower water and essential oils.

INGREDIENTS½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter¾ cup granulated sugar2 eggs2 tablespoons rose water1½ cups flour1 teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon kosher salt½ cup milk ¼ cup dried rosebuds, crushed, except for a

few to save for garnish

Victorian Rose ButtercakeYou can find rose water in most markets that stock Middle Eastern or Indian ingredi-ents. Or you can make your own, following the method below. Dried rosebuds areoften available in Mexican markets, or you can use petals from your own garden. Besure not to use flowers that were treated with pesticides.

Stovetop Distillations

METHOD1. Pour boiling water over petals or leaves and let sit overnight. In the

morning, strain the liquid through a cheesecloth until it is clear. 2. In a saucepan combine strained flower/herb infusion with pow-

dered pectin and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then add sugarand stir until dissolved. Cook at a rolling boil for 1 minute, thenremove from heat and ladle liquid into sterilized jars. Place in aboiling water bath for 10 minutes (as for canning), or keep inthe refrigerator.

INGREDIENTS2 cups boiling water 2 cups flower petals or herb leaves1 package powdered pectin1 teaspoon lemon juice2 cups sugar

Flower Jelly

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WINING & DINING

Kobe beef carpaccio with spicy radishes

The Royce/Wood-Fired SteakhouseThe Langham Huntington Hotel

1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena(626) 585-6410Roycela.com

Steak entreés: $36 to $190

Tuesday through Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m

Friday and Saturday, 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m

True BloodKnives are being eagerly sharpened for the Royce's

latest incarnation as a high-end steakhouse.

BY BRADLEY TUCK

THE ROYCE/WOOD-FIRED STEAKHOUSE

For all its sedate appearance, the formal restaurant at The Langham Huntington Hotel

has gone through more marriages with chefs over the past few years than Lindsay

Lohan has had court appearances. Well, not quite, but you get the idea. Craig Strong’s

refined, thoughtful cooking made way for Michael Voltaggio’s rock star presence and

creativity. When Voltaggio left, The Dining Room was transformed into The Royce, with a

spiffy remodel sweeping away the staid interior that fought so hard with Voltaggio’s

image. David Féau cooked beautiful seasonal offerings and even planted a vegetable

garden on the grounds.

In March, it was announced that The Royce’s toque would be changing heads once

again, this time going to Anthony Zappola, helming a new concept, The Royce/Wood-

Fired Steakhouse. Chef Zappola has eight years of experience as chef de cuisine at Tom

Colicchio’s Craft steak restaurants in Los Angeles and Dallas. So if there’s one thing this

guy knows how to do, it’s sear a steak. And sear it they do. USDA prime cuts, Australian

Wagyu and Kobe-style Japanese beef are seared at 800 degrees over white oak and

other seasonal woods, to juicy perfection. Seasonal vegetables are also grilled, and

seafood, too. I tried out some samples at the grand opening party, and the meat really

was excellent.

They’ve also relaunched their grand Sunday Market Brunch, in time for Mother's Day.

Take mom for pastries, made-to-order brunch fare, mimosas and a stroll on the mani-

cured grounds.

Then show her how much you love her, by offering to split the check.

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WINING & DINING

MOTHER’S DAY DINING

AUNTIE EM’S KITCHEN

When I was young, my brother and I would get up early on Mother's Day and make

breakfast in bed for our mom. Stoic that she was (and is), she made suitably apprecia-

tive sounds as she crunched through her fried eggs and struggled to masticate some

rubberized bacon strips. She was probably most grateful for the warm tea with which to

aid its transport down her gullet.

So moms and kids in these parts can count their blessings on May 12. Coming to

their rescue is Auntie Em’s Kitchen, where Chef Terri Wahl and her staff will guide tiny

chefs in creating a celebratory meal for Mom, using ingredients from Wahl’s garden and

chicken coop. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wahl will chat with the kids about healthy eating

and guide them through the dangerous canyon of artistic plating (the dish kind, no

metals). Parents can relax in the alfresco dining area with, yes, you guessed it, a mimosa,

blood orange this time. When it’s time to taste the fruits of child labor, you can be sure

no Oscar-worthy performances of satisfaction will be necessary.

The cost is $45 per adult; children eat for free. Reservations are required and can be

made by emailing [email protected].

Auntie Em's Kitchen is located at 4616 Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles. Call (323) 255-

0800 or visit autieemskitchen.com.

THE RAYMOND

If you’d like something a little more intimate for Mom’s special day, you should head

down to the little bungalow on South Fair Oaks, The Raymond, and snag a table on one

of the pretty patios. Mother’s Day Brunch there features showstoppers like lobster frittata,

which comes with pico de gallo, fluffy eggs and ancho-lime hollandaise. Or maybe

Mom would prefer the cheddar-and-herb cakes, with smoked ham, white mushrooms,

poached egg and potatoes. Choices, choices. Oh, and if you’re thinking of asking mom

for a loan, you might want to ply her with one (or more) of their mimosas.

The Raymond is located at 1250 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 441-3136 or

visit theraymond.com.

05.13 | ARROYO | 53

Terri Wahl and her chicken

Oenophiles savoring The Royce

THE LIST

54 | ARROYO | 05.13

Jeweler Brings Gold from GothamMay 3 through 5 —

New York jewelry de-

signer Faith Ann Kiely

visits Place Vendôme in Pasadena for a

trunk show premiering her Corinthian and

Aquilum collections, inspired by ancient

and contemporary motifs. The metalwork

pieces are sculpted in 18-carat gold and

sterling silver. The show starts with a preview

reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday and

continues from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday

and Sunday.

Place Vendôme is located at 148 Hugus

Alley, Pasadena. Call (626) 577-7001 or visit

faithannkiely.com.

Derby Day Salute for Preservationist May 4 — Pasadena’s

Blinn House Founda-

tion honors John

Ripley at the 10th annual Dr. Robert Winter

Awards gala at the 1905-vintage Blinn

House, home to the Women’s City Club of

Pasadena. Ripley’s contribution to historic

preservation in Pasadena includes compil-

ing an extensive database of homes built

in the early 20th century. The Kentucky

Derby--themed event starts at 2 p.m. with a

cocktail hour and silent auction, followed

by a viewing of the race, a Southern-style

dinner and the awards ceremony. Garden-

party attire and Kentucky Derby hats are

encouraged. Tickets cost $140.

The Blinn House is located at 160 N. Oak-

land Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 796-0560

or visit blinnhouse.org.

Celebrating the Wild West at the Arboretum May 4 and 5 — “Wild

West Days” return to

the L.A. County Arboretum, which was part

of Rancho Santa Anita in the late 1800s.

Activities include a barn dance with caller

Susan Michaels and the Triple Chicken

Foot band, performances by The Show Po-

nies and Tradición Dance Company, stage-

coach rides, roping and chowing down at

a root beer saloon with food. Festivities run

from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Admission

costs $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and full-

time students and $3 for children 5 to 12;

children under 5 are admitted free.

The Los Angeles County Arboretum and

Botanic Garden is located at 301 N. Bald-

win Ave., Arcadia. Call (626) 821-3222 or

visit arboretum.org.

Art Fair for Library May 4 and 5 — The

51st annual Sierra

Madre Art Fair, benefi t-

ing the Sierra Madre

Library, runs from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

in Sierra Madre’s Memorial Park. More than

90 artists will sell their oil paintings, jewelry,

watercolors, glass, wood, metal, photogra-

phy, pottery, ceramics, mixed media and

weaving. The event is hosted by Friends of

the Sierra Madre Library.

Memorial Park is located at Sierra Madre

Boulevard and Hermosa Avenue, Sierra

Madre. Call (626) 355-7186 or visit sierrama-

drelibraryfriends.org.

LA Jewish History on Displayat the AutryMay 10 — The

Autry National Center

unveils the exhibition “Jews in the Los

Angeles Mosaic,” which runs through Jan.

5, 2014. Chronicling more than 160 years,

it tells the story of pioneers, entrepreneurs,

artists and moguls --- including Sandy

Koufax, Max Factor, Herb Alpert and Billy

Wilder --- through historical artifacts, vintage

photography, video and audio displays

and music.

Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturdays and Sundays. Admission costs

$10 for adults, $6 for students and seniors

over 60 and $4 for children 3 to 12; children

under 3 are admitted free.

The Autry National Center is located at

4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffi th Park.

Call (323) 667-2000 or visit theautry.org.

Play Great Course for Good CauseMay 10 — Pasadena

Child Development

Associates hosts its an-

nual golf classic tournament and awards

dinner fundraiser at Angeles National Golf

Club’s Jack Nicklaus--designed course.

Player registration is at 10:30 a.m., followed

by USC’s golf swing analysis and vari-

ous contests, a shotgun start at noon, a

cocktail reception and silent auction at

4:30 p.m. and the awards dinner at 5:30

p.m. Tickets cost $225 for individual players,

$900 for foursomes. PCDA serves children

with autism and other developmental chal-

lenges, with parental participation.

Angeles National Golf Club is located at

9401 Foothill Blvd., Sunland. Call (626) 793-

7350 or visit pcda.golfregistrations.com.

Helping Homeless at the Huntington May 11 — Pasadena’s

nonprofi t Union Station

Homeless Services

celebrates 40 years in operation with its “A

Place to Call Home” annual gala at The

Langham Huntington, Pasadena. The event

honors Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard and

STARS DISCUSS DISABILITIES

A SELECTIVE PREVIEW OF UPCOMING EVENTS COMPILED BY JOHN SOLLENBERGER

May. 4 — Pasadena City College radio station KPCC’s Crawford Family Forum hosts

a panel of media personalities with disabilities from 2 to 4 p.m. Headlining is Geri

Jewell (Deadwood, Facts of Life), who was born with cerebral palsy. She will discuss

her book I’m Walking as Straight as I Can: Transcending Disability in Hollywood and

Beyond. Also scheduled to be on the panel are Mark Povinelli, Angela Rockwood,

Kathy Buckley and Tobias Forrest. Admission is free and open to the public, but an

RSVP is requested. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.

KPCC’s Crawford Family Forum is located at 474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. To RSVP,

call (626) 583-5100 or visit ticketleap.com/disability-in-the-arts-and-media/


Geri Jewell

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THE LIST

his wife, Claire, and Robert Floe for their

support of Union Station’s work assisting

homeless and very low-income adults and

families. Celebrity hosts are Melora Hardin

(The Offi ce, Monk) and Gildart Jackson

(Charmed, General Hospital). Festivities

start at 5:30 p.m. Tickets cost $250.

The Langham Huntington is located at

1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena. Call

(626) 240-4558 or visit unionstationhs.org.

Justice on Trial at Book Talk May 15 --- Attorneys

Mark Geragos and

Pat Harris will discuss

their new book, Mistrial, a critique of the

criminal justice system, at 7 p.m. at The

Glendale Central Public Library Audito-

rium. Admission to this event in the library’s

“Authors, Artists and Friends” series is free.

The Central Public Library is located at 222

E. Harvard St., Glendale. Call (818) 548-2042

or visit library.ci.glendale.ca.us.

Fusing Culture, Food and FunMay 17 — Pacifi c Asia

Museum’s Fusion Fri-

days program, blend-

ing food, fun, art and culture, is back for

another summer. Evening events, running

through August, feature after-hours viewing

of the museum’s exhibitions, live perfor-

mances, interactive activities and food and

drink. Angel City Brewery will be providing

the pours, and food will be available from

L.A. food trucks. The season opens tonight

from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. with an Indonesian

Pasadena Heritage presents a pair of events celebrating the city’s architecture with

“Pasadena 1940 Forward,” part of the Getty Research Institute’s program, “Pacifi c Stan-

dard Time Presents: Modern Architecture in L.A.”

May 16 — Pasadena Heritage hosts “Pasadena 1940 Forward: Three Views of the Recent

Past,” a panel discussion by noted architectural historians Alan Hess, Barbara Lamprecht

and Daniel Paul, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Presbyterian Church. Panelists will

consider the evolution of the city’s residential architecture, from midcentury masterpieces

to planned communities. Tickets cost $20 ($18 for Pasadena Heritage members).

May 19 — “Pasadena 1940 Forward: Residential Architecture of the Recent Past” is a

drive-yourself tour of six local midcentury homes, each attended by docents. The tour,

from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., includes Pasadena architect Lawrence Test’s home, recently

restored and opened to the public for the fi rst time. Tickets cost $50 ($40 for members).

Pasadena Presbyterian Church is located at 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Home loca-

tions will be provided with ticket purchase. Call (626) 441-6333 or visit pasadenaheritage.org.

EXPLORING PASADENA’S ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE



Lawrence Test House

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THE LISTTHE LIST

shadow puppet performance, behind-the-

scenes tours, live gamelan music and DJ

Arshia Haq’s Bollywood dance mix. Admis-

sion costs $15 (free for members). Asian or

cocktail attire is encouraged.

Pacifi c Asia Museum is located at 46 N. Los

Robles Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 449-2742

or visit pacifi casiamuseum.org.

Celeb Shoes Foot Bills for Foster Home May 22 — Hillsides, a Pasadena children’s

charity, hosts its annual “Foster Soles”

online auction of celebrity-autographed

shoes, accessories and other personal

items, along with their signed headshots.

Contributors include Elton John, Carson

Daly and members of the rock band No

Doubt. The auction launches with a party

at Bar Celona restaurant in Pasadena, from

6 to 9 p.m., and runs through June 1. This

evening’s guests can view auction items

close up and bid throughout the auction’s

run. Dr. Drew Pinsky, host of HLN’s Dr. Drew on

Call and the radio show Loveline, and his

wife, Susan, are scheduled to attend. Tickets

to the launch party cost $35 in advance,

$50 at the door.

Bar Celona is located at 46 E. Colorado

Blvd., Pasadena. Visit hillsides.org.

Sleepless in PasadenaMay 24 — The Pasadena Playhouse unveils

Sleepless in Seattle — The Musical at 8 p.m.

With music by Ben Toth and lyrics by Sam

Forman, the play is based on the 1993 fi lm

directed by Nora Ephron. Playhouse Artistic

Director Sheldon Epps directs the musical,

the story of Sam, a widower and single fa-

ther, whose son calls a talk-radio program

looking for a new mom. When Sam gets on

the phone and laments his lost love, Annie

tunes in from Baltimore and falls in love with

him, although she has never met him and

is already engaged. As Sam deals with a

deluge of letters from available women,

Annie sets out for Seattle to meet him.

Performances continue through June 23 at

8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 4 and

8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sun-

days. Tickets cost $30 to $145.

The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39

S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 356-

7529 or visit pasadenaplayhouse.org. ||||


May 18 — The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s 44th season ends with “Concerto

Finale” at the Alex Theatre. The concert, conducted by Jeffrey Kahane, showcases

featured cellist and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Alisa Weilerstein, performing

Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1. The program also includes works by Beethoven,

Anna Clyne and Hugo Gonzalez-Pioli. The 8 p.m. concert repeats at 7 p.m. May 19 at

UCLA’s Royce Hall. Tickets cost $25 to $110.

The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Call (213) 622-7001 or

visit laco.org.

CELLO LEADS LACO’S “CONCERTO FINALE”

Alisa Weilerstein

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Documents

Arroyo Monthly May 2013