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Love and cheese in Pasadena: Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery celebrates first anniversary
Brianna Chu
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It almost seems like fate brought Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery together with Thomas and Vanessa Tilaka Kalb. Bringing their vision to life was a difficult journey, especially amidst the pandemic, but they—and the space— seem meant for each other.
But let’s back up first.
The two chefs realized their love for food and desire to pursue it as a career at different stages in life. Thomas has almost solely worked in the food and hospitality industry—aside from one unfortunate stint working at Toys”R”Us during the Christmas rush—his entire career, starting from his part-time jobs as a high school student. In fact, he credits the owner of the pizzeria that he worked at when he was seventeen as being a crucial mentor into his culinary career. She inspired him; she was Muslim, and he watched her cook for customers all day during Ramadan while fasting, then afterwards cook a delicious family meal for the entire staff once the sun had set. The exposure to new flavors and ingredients he hadn’t seen in his family’s pantries, as a young man in Iowa, was incredibly influential, as well as her encouragement in his interest in cooking.
Meanwhile, Vanessa grew up surrounded by food, but never really considered the food industry as a career until college, partway into her business management degree. Her parents established the first Southeast Asian grocery store in Los Angeles in the ’70s, and she grew up going to the market and warehouses. At home, though, her mom cooked dinner most nights, and Vanessa herself mostly cooked simply for sustenance and without much deeper thought until college.
However, for both chefs, the decision to pursue the culinary arts was one born of a sincere and profound love for the craft. And despite their differences in ages and backgrounds, they both coincidentally started culinary school in the exact same year.
Their journey to Agnes only continued to unfold in a similarly uncanny fashion.
Thomas moved from Iowa to Colorado, and then Chicago, in search of a more competitive and lively restaurant scene. He soon decided that while Chicago was busier than Colorado, if he really wanted to work with more diverse ingredients, he needed to move to a coast. He chose the West Coast, which brought him to San Francisco.
Vanessa finished culinary school, and after her first apprenticeships at the Spice Table and Huckleberry Bakery and Cafe, she chose to leave Los Angeles. She began staging—taking mostly unpaid apprenticeships at restaurants—across the country, visiting cities and eating at restaurants where she would want to work. Her experience dining there informed her decision on which restaurants she would apply to stage at. This search brought her to Flour + Water in San Francisco, where she met Thomas, and where she would eventually be introduced to the world of cheese.
This introduction happened several years and a promotion in, when Vanessa helped coordinate classes between Flour + Water and the Cheese School of San Francisco. She realized, through this process, that she wanted to switch focuses and become a cheesemonger. During a three month long trip to southeast Asia shortly afterward, Vanessa mused to Thomas about opening a cheese shop. Thomas added the idea of a restaurant tucked behind her cheese shop—and the concept that would grow into Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery quietly grew in the back of their minds.
However, they didn’t plan to open their restaurant in Los Angeles. In fact, they had recently helped a friend open a restaurant in Portland, and were more seriously considering Oregon than California. Unexpectedly, a friend contacted them about a space he had recently acquired in Pasadena that he thought might be right for them. On a whim, because they had extra time while they were booking their Los Angeles wedding venue, they decided to visit the space on Green Street that is now Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery.
It’s beautiful, they thought, but what would we do with all that space? They dismissed it on the initial visit.
As they continued searching for spaces, though, they started realizing they were comparing every space with Green Street; and so they ended up committing to the space, despite their concerns it was too big for what they had intended.
Their architect had a different opinion on the space. After hearing their plans and goals for the space, she cheerfully concluded that Agnes was “just enough space for everything they planned to do.” The Tilaka Kalbs were stunned.
And so, everything started to fall into place, like puzzle pieces finding their homes. In June 2021, Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery opened its doors, after persevering through the many roadblocks that came their way as they completed its construction through the first fraught year of the pandemic.
While Pasadena wasn’t the first place the pair thought of for Agnes, they have a lot of love and respect for the community. When they initially came to view the space, Vanessa remembers thinking, “‘Hasn’t Gyu-Kaku been here since I was a teenager visiting Old Pasadena with my friends? And Buca di Beppo?’ And now, we’re just down the street from them.” They hope to cement themselves into the community— indeed, they have already been actively involved with local events and charity fundraising in their first year here—and become a Pasadena institution in their own right, alongside the many cherished and beloved institutions that still remain in Old Town.
Agnes encourages staff to learn, grow, and adapt alongside the co-owners as they build their business. The menu reflects the food that they want to eat, and the skills they want to cultivate. Thomas notes that while it would be much easier and cheaper to simply buy bread and pasta, these skills are ones he wishes to learn and develop; and so, all the bread and pasta for Agnes’s dishes are made from scratch—and, thanks to the open layout, it’s all made right in front of their customers. Guests can see right into the kitchen and bakery as chefs make bread and pasta, butcher fresh cuts of meat, and craft delicious meals. And conversely, the chefs can see the guests enjoying those delicious meals and see the smiles on people’s faces.
Vanessa Tilaka (right) and Thomas Kalb (left), co-owners of Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery. | Photo courtesy of Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery.
How to Win a Bidding War
With the limited number of homes for sale today and so many buyers competing for those homes, bidding wars are common. So how can you position yourself to win the war and get the home of your dreams? Offering Over Asking Price
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Making a Higher Down Payment
You could also consider putting down a larger down payment. A higher down payment can catch the seller’s attention in a hot housing market and the benefit is that you won’t have to finance as much.
Other Ideas to Strengthen Your Offer
Other non-financial options that would make your offer stronger are considering shorter contingency periods, have your lender provide direct underwriting, flexible move-in dates that will help the sellers.
Contact me if you’re considering buying or selling a home this year. I can help guide you on how to make the strongest offer possible for your specific situation.
Real Estate Cooked to Perfection!
Open for OUTDOOR and INDOOR DINING Mon-Sun 11am-9pm
Glendale Police Chief Carl Povilaitis. | Photo courtesy of the City of Glendale
By City News Service
Glendale Police Chief Carl Povilaitis has announced his retirement after being with the department since 1991 and chief since 2018.
Povilaitis will remain in the position until September.
As chief Povilaitis began programs that have allowed for real-time crime analysis; a regional DNA and firearms laboratory in collaboration with other city, county, and federal partners; and an areabased service model to improve the quality of life for residents and businesses through accountability, professional responsibility, and strategic utilization of both sworn and professional police resources, city officials said. "Chief Povilaitis has done an incredible job leading our police department," Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian said. "He has supported many programs that have better connected law enforcement with our community, and we are a stronger and safer city thanks to his leadership."
Povilaitis began his career with the department as a patrol officer, later becoming a sergeant, lieutenant, captain and deputy chief. "There never seems to be the right time to announce a retirement when you are so committed, but, with the recent published reports ranking Glendale as one of the safest cities in the United States, it couldn't have been at a better time," Povilaitis said.
Outdoor watering
Continued From Page 1 Angeles are restricted to one-day per week watering effective Wednesday, as announced by the MWD on April 26. That restriction will apply to the district's member agencies that are heavily dependent on supplies from the State Water Project, but the agency called on all Southern California residents and businesses to slash water use by 30% to combat drought conditions "unlike anything we've experienced before."
MWD member agencies that fail to enforce the requirement among their customers will face fines of up to $2,000 per acre-foot of water supplied by MWD that exceeds monthly allocation limits.
The State Water Resources Control Board voted last week to ban watering of non-functional turf at commercial, industrial and institutional properties.
The ban -- which does not include turf at residences or turf used for recreation or community purposes -- will be effective once approved by the Office of Administrative Law, which typically takes about 10 days, according to the board. Violations would be punishable by a fine of up to $500.
In recent months, the DWP has urged customers to take advantage of its rebates to make water conservation transitions less expensive, including for people who replace their lawns with sustainable and drought-tolerant landscaping. Residential and commercial customers can get $3 per square foot of turf for up to 5,000 square feet, and public agencies can get $4 per square foot for up to 200,000 square feet of turf. The agency also gives a $6 rebate for rotating sprinkler nozzles.
Residential customers can also receive $500 rebates for high- efficiency clothes-washer purchases and $250 for water-efficient toilet purchases.
According to the DWP, the more efficient appliances can reduce water use by more than 11,000 gallons per year. Rebate-eligible toilets use about 30% less water than standard models.
DWP business customers can receive $300 rebates for low-flush toilets, which used to have a rebate of $250. Bathroom and kitchen faucet aerators and highefficiency showerheads are available for free.
Multi-family, commercial and industrial building owners who install largescale water conservation systems can also receive a $2 million incentive, which was increased earlier this year from $250,000. The Technical Assistance Program incentive is available for pre-approved cooling towers, recirculation systems, recycling microfiltration systems and other upgrades that reduce potable water use by a minimum of 50,000 gallons over two years.
More information is available at https://bit. ly/3wjPxo9.
Officials in recent weeks also have tried to highlight the need to protect Los Angeles' trees during the drought and restrictions, noting that they provide extensive benefits to health and qualify of life.
Trees can capture stormwater, improve water quality and reduce flood risk, along with helping air quality and the impact of heat waves. "Trees provide so many benefits for the quality of life and our environment," Board of Public Works President Aura Garcia said last week. "But as we go through this period to reduce water usage through various ways, we want to share this important information for residents to help maintain and preserve trees in their yards, while conserving water."
The Department of Public Works urged people to add mulch to their trees and to slow soak their mature trees once a month, especially between June and September. People should also keep a close eye on the trees that were accustomed to receiving water three times per week.
People should also avoid pruning and fertilizing their trees during hot, dry months, the department said.
May S. RUIZ
MayRChu56@gmail.com
This Sunday, June 5, AbilityFirst’s famed Food and Wine Festival returns at the Laurabelle A. Robinson House in Pasadena from 5 to 8 pm. Sponsored by CHUBB, it marks the first time the outdoor gourmet food and drink event will be held in person since the pandemic began.
Nearly 400 guests are expected at this year’s event, which features more than 20 restaurants, cocktail bars, wineries, and breweries.
How the food and wine festival evolved into the spectacular event that it is today is quite a heartening story. Rebecca Haussling, Senior Director of Communications, relates. “A support group called Crown Guild created the first food and wine festival in 1953 with a wine tasting at the Langham Huntington, Pasadena (then known as the Huntington Hotel). Each Crown Guild member would invite ten to twelve friends and they would all be responsible for bringing a bottle of wine for the tasting. It branched out to Crown Guild members homes, and then onto friends of members’ homes, until they got local restaurateurs and beverage companies involved. It lent a casual outdoor environment where our guests could mingle and chat over food and drinks. Through the years, AbilityFirst has built strong relationships with restaurants, wineries, and breweries as we enthusiastically encouraged our guests to support these establishments.”
“The AbilityFirst Food and Wine Festival grew to its largest event in 2018 and 2019 with over 500 guests and raised more than $300,000,” Haussling says. “In 2020 and 2021, we held a virtual program with small private dinner parties with catered dinners in more than a dozen homes in Pasadena and the Los Angeles areas. We are delighted to be back at the Laurabelle A. Robinson home, where homeowners Phaedra and Mark Ledbetter have hosted this unique food and wine tasting off and on for more than a decade.”
AbilityFirst was established as the Crippled Children’s Society of Southern California in 1926 by members of the Los Angeles Rotary Club, to assist kids with polio. In 2000, it adopted the name AbilityFirst to better reflect their broader mission of helping children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities reach their full potential by providing recreational and socialization programs, employment, accessible housing, and camping.
Mindful of carrying on with their regular activities during the pandemic, AbilityFirst immediately responded to the lockdown restrictions. Haussling discloses, “We were quick to pivot to remote and virtual programming for all of our programs and centers. Within less than two weeks AbilityFirst programs were able to get back up and running on Zoom with daily programs for our participants that included everything from exercise and yoga to arts and crafts, drawing classes, movie nights, book clubs, and much more.”
“By August 2021 we were continuing with our remote programming and alternate programs where we were able to offer services out in the community and at local community venues such as parks, libraries and other safe, outdoor venues,” adds Haussling. “And by the end of 2021 we were safely delivering most services in person while utilizing our personcentered approach to maintain remote services as needed. Our person-centered approach (person-first) showcases and values diversity, inclusion and belonging.”
“Today, we are devoting our resources to providing the best services to those who are referred to us and actively seeking out those who have historically experienced barriers to receiving our services,” Haussling states.
Introduced a few years ago is College to Career, a community-based program for students who want to go to college and gain the skills, training, and education they need to achieve their academic and career goals. Upon completion of the academic component, individuals may transition to community jobs, internships, or volunteer programs as they launch their career paths.
ExploreAbility is an adult day and community integration program currently being offered at the AbilityFirst Joan and Harry A. Mier Center in Inglewood and the AbilityFirst Lawrence L. Frank Center in Pasadena. A licensed program, its objective is to identify what is important to each individual, to develop the skills necessary to achieve their goals, and to be involved in their communities through volunteering and community activities.
PossAbility, offered in Pasadena and Los Angeles, is intended for adults who want to enhance their skills and independence, and to participate in their communities. Individuals in the program are empowered to set and pursue personal goals with an emphasis on employment readiness and increased community connections, including volunteering.
AbilityFirst has two group homes in Pasadena for adults and seniors – Crown House and Sierra Rose.
According to Haussling, Ability First closed their work centers in December 2019. “We have since launched several new adults programs (mentioned above) and we have an expanding Supported Employment Program. In 2021 we completed a merger with FVO Solutions and we now run their manufacturing program as part of the acquisition.”
Rounding out AbilityFirst’s programs is Camp Paivika in the San Bernardino Mountains. It was begun in 1946 by the Rotary Club as one of the first full-accessible camps in the United States and has been in active operation since.
In its 96 years of existence, AbilityFirst has touched thousands of lives and has made it possible for people with disabilities become productive, participating members of society. One successful ‘alum’ is Kelly who was in AbilityFirst’s College to Career program. On May 16, she joined four other interns in the first Project SEARCH internship program, an AbilityFirst partnership with City of Hope and the San Gabriel Pomona Regional Center with the goal of competitive employment.
What a supremely gratifying outcome! The founding Rotarians would have been so pleased to see how their foundation has grown to become ever more responsive to people’s needs. And with this year’s return of the AbilityFirst Food and Wine Festival, the organization is certain to reach its centennial with an impressive array of programs to help individuals with disabilities enjoy fulfilling lives.
The Laurabelle A. Robinson House | Photo courtesy of AbilityFirst Food and Wine Festival
Los Angeles begins plan to make all new buildings in city zero-carbon
By City News Service
The Los Angeles City Council voted last week to have multiple city departments develop a plan for the implementation of a proposed ordinance that would require all new construction of buildings in Los Angeles to be zero-carbon.
Buildings in Los Angeles account for 43% of the city's greenhouse gas emissions, more than any other sector, according to Councilwoman Nithya Raman, who is leading the effort.
Under her proposal, new zero-emission construction would not allow gas lines, with heating systems and other appliances instead being by operated by electricity. Appliances in the buildings would also have to be energy efficient.
Once Los Angeles transitions to 100% renewable energy -- which the city aims to achieve by 2035 -- the buildings would operate on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's carbon-neutral grid.
The motion was introduced by Raman with Council President Nury Martinez and Councilmen Mitch O'Farrell, Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Paul Koretz. "The reality is that all of the low hanging fruit of reducing emissions is gone, and buildings really make up an enormous source of our greenhouse gas emissions citywide, more than the manufacturing sector and more than cars here in L.A.," Raman said. "I think we really have to focus on buildings and that's exactly what this motion intends to do."
The motion requests an implementation plan within 180 days from Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, with assistance from the City Attorney and the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office, for an ordinance and regulatory framework that would be in effect by Jan. 1 at the latest. "We can see over the horizon at this moment what's going to happen to
| Photo courtesy of Pixabay
El Monte Union celebrates first cohort of early college academy graduates
South El Monte High School seniors and Early College Academy graduates Edwin Cojulun (left), Cristian Ramos (middle left), Matthew Polino (middle right) and Alex Ho (left) celebrate their achievements at the Gala and Awards Night on May 17. | Courtesy photo
South El Monte High School (SEMHS) celebrated its Early College Academy (ECA) class of 2022 with a Gala and Awards Night for students and their families, as well as teachers and administrators from Río Hondo College and El Monte Union High School District on May 17.
The event recognized the first cohort of the Early College Academy – 82 students who successfully completed SEMHS’s dual enrollment program with Río Hondo College, earning up to 24 units of college credit while still in high school. The ECA program gives students the opportunity to complete Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) requirements and other college-level courses such as American Sign Language, Chicano studies and sociology free of charge.
The celebration concluded with those in attendance proudly singing the SEMHS alma mater while a slide show of photos from the event played on the big screen.
“These students you see before you are not simply graduating high school but are already considered freshman in college,” SEMHS Principal Dr. Jorge Morales said. “This spectacular achievement was made possible through the hard work and perseverance of our students, and also through the leadership and support of our District office, community partners at Río Hondo College, and our families. At South El Monte High School, we believe that every student is a success story.”
After graduating from high school, ECA students may continue their education at Río Hondo College or transfer their credits to another college or university.
Currently, 400 students in grades 9-12 are participating in the ECA program at SEMHS. More information about this program can be found on the SEMHS website.
“This is a remarkable moment in EMUHSD history as we celebrate the first graduating class of South El Monte High School’s Early College Academy,” Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga said. “As a District, we are extremely proud of the dedication our students displayed while taking college-level courses throughout their four years of high school. We also want to thank Río Hondo College for their partnership and commitment to ensuring our students are college and career ready.”
Fire chief
Continued From Page 1 and legal aspects for all basic and advanced emergency medical services.
During the Bobcat Fire in September 2020, Chief Sanchez was a key member of the Incident Command Team and assisted in making vital decisions to keep Monrovia residents safe, homes untouched and the fire contained.
As a graduate of Waldorf College, Jeremy holds a Bachelor of Science in Fire
Fire Chief Jeremy Sanchez. | Courtesy photo
Administration. He is also certified as a chief fire officer from the California Office of the State Fire Marshal. In 2023, he will also graduate from the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Jeremy and his wife, Hazel, are proud parents of their three children, Mia, Lucas and Siena.
Monrovia Fire & Rescue operates out of two strategically placed stations. The fire chief and three division chiefs are supported by 47 personnel. The Department has a total operating budget of $11.6 million and responds to over 4,600 emergency calls for service annually.
