Arroyo Monthly May 2021

May 2021

Fine living in the greater Pasadena area

Elegant AND INVITING HISTORIC HOMES AND COMFORTABLE PATIOS PEPPER PASADENA

+ MOTHER'S DAY

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VOLUME 17 | NUMBER 5 | MAY2021

10 06 STYLE AND SENSIBILITY

Stamps & Stamps publishes book about interior design —By Kamala Kirk

10 INSPIRING SPOT

Gamble House marries craftsmanship with nature —By Carrie Snider

14 CROWD FAVORITES

Locals list the best hikes in Pasadena —By Amanda Coscarelli

18 CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY

Have fun with mom in and around Pasadena —By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

26 DYNAMIC DUO

Chefs Onil Chibas and Alberto Morales are behind Deluxe 1717 —By Frier McCollister

32 SEEING STARS

Jason Achilles Mezilis finds second career in space —By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

36 WHERE THE WATER FLOWED

Stories of Northeast LA and the San Gabriel Valley —By Christopher Nyerges

38 BOSTON COURT GIVES BIRTH TO VIRTUAL ESCAPE ROOM

‘Love is no joke’ at this theater —By Bridgette M. Redman

40 A NEW CHAPTER

Vroman’s Live hosts virtual events through Crowdcast —By Arroyo Staff

DEPARTMENTS 30

CULINARY CUPBOARD Decadent Chocolate and Aromatic Orange

arroyo

fine living in the greater pasadena area

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Christina Fuoco-Karasinski ART DIRECTOR Stephanie Torres CONTRIBUTORS Amanda Coscarelli, Carrie Snider, Frier McCollister, Emily Chavez, Kamala Kirk, Christopher Nyerges, Bridgette M. Redman PHOTOGRAPHER Luis Chavez ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Lisa Chase, Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb OFFICE MANAGER Ann Turrietta ON THE COVER: Photo Courtesy of Garden View Landscaping

TIMES MEDIA GROUP PRESIDENT Steve Strickbine V.P. OF OPERATIONS Michael Hiatt ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Zac Reynolds CONTACT US EDITORIAL christina@timespublications.com PHONE (626) 584-1500 FAX (626) 795-0149 MAILING ADDRESS PO Box 1349, South Pasadena, CA 91031 ArroyoMonthly.com ©2021 Times Media Group All rights reserved.

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HOME AND GARDEN

Style

AND SENSIBILITY STAMPS & STAMPS PUBLISHES BOOK ABOUT INTERIOR DESIGN

BY KAMALA KIRK

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Architect Odom Stamps and his wife, Kate, an interior designer, recently published their first book, “Stamps & Stamps: Style & Sensibility,” which highlights some of their recent work.

ate and Odom Stamps have worked together for years on countless home projects.

From craftsman bungalows to Victorian mansions, they specialize in designing, decorating and reviving historic homes and gardens. Their work has been featured in numerous publications, including Architectural Digest and Vogue Entertaining.

Recently, the Stamps published their first book, “Stamps & Stamps: Style & Sensibility,” which features beautiful photography and highlights some of the couple’s recent work. It also includes practical advice; design tips; and an appendix that details where to find antiques, fabrics, textiles and specialist books. The book was written by noted design lecturer Diane Dorrans Saeks and includes a foreword by Pilar Viladas, who is the author of three books on residential design.

“We talk about our design philosophy, some of the projects we’ve done over the past year, as well as our home in South Pasadena,” Odom says.

“When working with clients, we try to respond to the type of architecture we’re working with while also making it personal and connected to their lifestyle. Each project is quite unique to the individual client that we’re working with. I think people will enjoy that process as we explain it in the book.”

Odom, a well-known architect, and Kate, an interior designer, met when they were college students at Tulane University.

“We both had mothers that were antique dealers,” Kate says. “I would go antique buying with my mom, then I started buying and selling things in her shop. I made enough money to go to Europe in the summers and lived in England my first two years of college. I loved English country houses and gardens, and traveling around Europe to places like France, Italy and Turkey influenced both of us so much. Odom grew up in New Orleans, where there is a wealth of historic architecture. He was an artist from the time he was a small child, and that channeled nicely into architecture.”

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The Stamps have been residents of South Pasadena for 28 years and live in a Greene & Greene carriage house that they have lovingly restored while staying true to the home’s charm and character.

“Stamps & Stamps: Style & Sensibility” The book is available at Vroman’s and on Amazon. Signed copies can be purchased on the Stamps & Stamps website and retail for $50.

Follow them on Instagram (@stampsandstamps). For more information, visit stampsandstamps.com.

Submitted photos

The couple founded their design firm, Stamps & Stamps, in 1991 and specialize in designing, decorating and reviving historic homes and gardens.

In 1991, the couple founded their own design firm, Stamps & Stamps. Most of their projects are residential, and while they focus on historic properties and buildings, they also design new houses, multiple family dwellings and hotels. Kate and Odom frequently work together as a team, traveling across the country and around the world for various projects.

“Our best projects are the ones we do together, because it’s a complete thought,” Kate says.

“Odom has a wonderful sense of spaces and provides me with the perfect background for decorating. All the houses look as if they couldn’t have been designed in any other way. It’s all about suiting the client, respecting the neighborhood and location, and having some real design integrity. I think regardless of style, those are the most important things, and to make sure the house has some soul and humanity and really improves the quality of life for the people who live in it, that’s how we approach all of our projects.”

Odom adds, “All of the rooms in our homes are warm and meant to be lived in. That’s a continuous theme throughout our work.”

The Stamps have been South Pasadena residents for 28 years and live in a Greene & Greene carriage house that they have lovingly restored while staying true to the home’s charm and character.

“It’s a little compound set in the middle of the block, and you can’t see it from the street,” Kate says. “It has a guest house and another little structure on the property that we call the “cabana.” As long as we’re in Southern California, I can’t imagine not living in this house.”

The couple loves the diversity of homes that are in South Pasadena, and many of their projects are local. They are also very involved in the community and dedicated to preserving the city’s architecture and heritage. Previously, Odom was mayor of South Pasadena, as well as a city councilmember.

“I became very active once I became aware that our house was previously scheduled to be demolished,” Odom explains. “I was also on the Cultural Heritage Commission, and I was the Planning Commission liaison. All this came out of trying to keep a freeway from cutting down the middle of our city, just like the 110 Freeway had done years before.”

Stamps & Stamps’ next project is an innovative senior living complex in South Pasadena. The four buildings will have 86 units and feature a Spanish Colonial design, offering multiple dining experiences, gym and spa facilities, a rooftop pool, decks, landscaping and a coffee shop. The project is a collaboration with GeorgeArchitecture and will be a nice addition to the community to house seniors once they are ready to sell their homes.

The Stamps’ book was recently No. 1 in Amazon’s new books category for interiors and architecture. One of their favorite aspects of the project was being able to see their completed projects come together in one place.

“I often don’t get to see the finished projects for a while,” Odom says. “Once the architecture of a project is completed, then I’m off to do other projects, so I may not see that house for a long time unless I come back to visit. It was a real thrill to see how everything came together in the book.”

Kate adds, “It was really satisfying to see our work organized, put together and thoughtfully written about. Everyone in the book whose house is featured is a friend, and that’s the most fun thing, to see all of our friends enjoying their homes. It’s really wonderful.”

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CITY OF DEFY THE ODDS

HOME AND GARDEN

Gamble House was finished in 1910 by architect brothers Greene & Greene.

Spot

INSPIRING

GAMBLE HOUSE MARRIES CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH NATURE

he historic home at 4 Westmoreland Place in Pasadena fits so well into the landscape, it’s as if the house sprung up there naturally. In some ways, it’s true.

The house was constructed to not only fit the needs of its owners, but it was built to include so much more. It is a beautiful marriage of craftsmanship and nature.

In 1907, David Gamble — of Proctor & Gamble fame — along with his wife, Mary, asked architect brothers Greene & Greene to design their winter home on their beautiful plot of Pasadena land. David and Mary had ideas for the design of the three-story home but were open to the architects’ experience and creativity.

Mary, for example, was sensitive to harsh light, so she requested softer light throughout the house. The Greene brothers answered with soft, unique light fixtures, as well as breathtaking stained glass on the main entrance and windows.

The Gamble House was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

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Photos by ©Alexander Vertikoff | Vertikoff Archive

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The Gamble House features a “Symphony in Wood” using maple, sugar pine, Douglas fir, California redwood, Burnese teak and Honduras mahogany. continued from page 10

To many who have visited the home, the stained-glass tree inspired by Japanese design in the entrance is their favorite part of the Gamble House.

“The way the light comes in throughout the day is magnificent,” says Jennifer Trotoux, director of collections and interpretation for the Gamble House Conservancy.

Bringing the outside in The architects took great care in which way the house faced and how it was situated on the natural landscape to take advantage of cross winds. Even today, their attention to detail makes the house that much more special.

“The way the house feels when you open the windows and doors — we really enjoy it,” explains Trotoux, who grew up in the area and has been working with the conservancy since 2004.

Preserving history The house was finished in 1910, and David, Mary and their youngest son, Clarence, moved in. Mary’s sister Julia also lived with them. David and Mary remained in the house until their deaths in the 1920s, and Julia until her death in 1944.

The house stayed in the Gamble family until 1966, when it was deeded to the city of Pasadena and the University of Southern California School of Architecture. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977 and opened for tours and events. Today, the Gamble House is the most intact building of the Greenes’ unique style and design.

In 1985, the Gamble House hit the big screen, as the exterior of the Gamble House was Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown’s 1955 house in “Back to the Future.” Fans of the movie have enjoyed special events at the Gamble House over the years.

Now the historic home can be enjoyed by everyone, from locals in Pasadena to many visitors from all over the world. Pre-COVID-19, Trotoux says that about 25,000 people visited the house every year. In the early 2000s, the house was showing signs of wear, so organizers began restoration work. Until COVID-19, it offered in-person, interior and exterior tours six days a week.

Currently, visitors are welcome to tour the extensive grounds and view the home from the outside, which includes many covered porch areas. Recently, a quick visit inside the entrance hall was added to the tour so visitors can enjoy a small portion of the interior of the house in person.

Virtual tours are available— see gamblehouse.org for more information.

“The historic Gamble House is important to preserve, so we understand that moment in history; but also it sparks our creativity today,” Trotoux says. “The architects and craftsmen showed us how to make the environment beautiful. Many visitors are inspired by it.”

Gamble House 4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena 626-793-3334, gamblehouse.org

Photos by ©Alexander Vertikoff | Vertikoff Archive

The stained-glass tree was inspired by Japanese design and was the Gambles’ favorite part of the house.

Bringing the outside in was intentional. Practically anywhere in the house, a visitor can look out a window and door and see a gorgeous view. The theme of “outside in” continues, as the house includes a vast amount of wood. That’s probably one of the first things people notice, Trotoux adds.

Called by some as a “Symphony in Wood,” the Gamble House features maple, sugar pine, Douglas fir, California redwood, Burmese teak and Honduras mahogany. Finishes were minimal to accentuate the natural wood features.

“Every surface has a reason why the particular wood or finish was used,” Trotoux says.

From the exposed beams and the columns to the walls and the floors, the woodwork is a highlight at the Gamble House. What makes the craftsmanship of the wood really unique is twofold: All of the edges are rounded, which creates a softer feel, and the joints are shown.

The Greenes worked closely with Peter and John Hall, who completed the woodwork and built the custom furniture for the home.

Nowhere in the house is the wood more on display than the one-ofa-kind staircase. Peter Hall, a master stair builder, took great care in every curve and joint designed by the Greenes. “There is no staircase like it anywhere,” Trotoux explains. The railing, rather than being straight, exactly follows each stair angle and shows off the intricate, rounded joints.

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H E A LT H A N D F I T N E S S

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Favorites LOCALS LIST THE BEST HIKES IN PASADENA

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BY AMANDA COSCARELLI

hen warm weather springs, there are two things Southern Californians do best: relax on the beach and embark on a hike.

Though Pasadena isn’t known for its white sand or salty air, the city is home to a number of trails that draw in hikers from all over Los Angeles. And if the weather is right, a seagull just might be flying in to escape the marine layer.

Besides the occasional beach bird, there are many reasons for hikers to venture to Pasadena’s trails. Former Arcadia resident Faith Hawthorne, 20, says, “I like to hike to explore nature. I’m motivated to get to the top of the mountain, take a picture of the sunrise or sunset, and say we did it.

Hiking is not only a good sweat, but it also helps build long-lasting friendships.” continued on page 16

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Eaton Canyon continued from page 14

Compiled by local hikers, this list includes the best of Pasadena and surrounding cities’ trails.

1. Eaton Canyon (easy) The Eaton Canyon trail, recommended by Altadena resident Vanessa Prata, 21, sits inside of Eaton Canyon Nature Center. This is a beginner’slevel trail, and it’s often busy with families, dog walkers and horse riders.

Prata explains it’s a good trail for people of all ages and experience levels and a good starting point for anyone wanting to pick up hiking as a hobby.

This is a shaded trail with various stopping points along the way and, often, encounters with wild animals. It’s a good idea to brush up on snake protocol in the museum and nature center before starting the hike. Prata also notes that, after it rains, enough water builds up at the falls for a quick, cold swim.

2. Enchanted Forest via Sam Merill (easy) The Enchanted Forest trail is recommended by San Gabriel resident Michael Morales, 20. He discovered the hike by taking a wrong turn. This hike begins at the top of Lake Avenue in Altadena, past foreboding front gates. Upon entering the gates, hikers will travel on broken asphalt that once served as a driveway for the Cobb Estate. The fork is only a short walk ahead, and there’s a sign that points hikers toward Echo Mountain to the right. The other trail is to the left toward the estate. It’s another quick walk to the ruins of the old house, and many trailgoers stop there. However, Morales noted that several difficult trails are hidden beyond this point, but trail blazers will have to proceed at their own risk.

Mount Wilson Trail

3. Hermit Falls (moderate) The Hermit Falls trail is part of the Chantry Flat recreation area in the mountains of Sierra Madre. Tucked in the Angeles National Forest, this trail has plenty of trees and provides lots of shade. Though it’s a moderate trail, it’s still popular among dog walkers and families. Past the parking lot and at the head of the trail, there’s a sign that points hikers in the direction of different trails. Hawthorne recommends Hermit Falls because of the oasis near the end. Though it’s not the easiest trail, it leads tired hikers to a waterfall and pond that doubles as a picture op and also a cooldown before heading back.

4. First Water via Mount Wilson Trail (moderate) This trail is one of a few that branch off from the Mount Wilson trailhead in Sierra Madre. It is recommended by Sierra Madre resident Will Cosso, 21, for its historical significance to the region. He notes, “It’s beautiful, I can walk to it from my house, and it’s super historical.”

According to Cosso, this was originally a Native American trail that was widened by the first mayor of Los Angeles, Benjamin Wilson, in 1864. In the late 1800s, the canyon and summit had “rustic resorts” for campers and hikers. Though the campgrounds are long gone, the trail’s accessibility makes it possible for history buffs and hikers alike to bask in its heritage. And if that isn’t enough to ponder on the trek, Cosso includes that at the top of the mountain, visible from the trail, is the Mount Wilson Observatory, where Edwin Hubble realized that the Milky Way galaxy is one of millions in an expanding universe.

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5. Bailey Canyon Trail (hard) On the topic of Sierra Madre hikes, Cosso also recommends the Bailey Canyon Trail. In fact, it connects with part of the Mount Wilson Trail loop. This one is for the hardcore hikers who don’t mind getting on the ground to climb. It’s uphill through Bailey Canyon for the beginning of the trip and then across the ridge for the next leg. Hikers will need to scramble up to reach the Mount Wilson road, though after that there’s a section of downhill. As this is the longest hike on the list, at 11.1 miles, trailgoers should expect to take many breaks and should prepare with multiple bottles of water.

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DINING LA-based andSons Chocolatiers has teamed up with The Hungtingon in San Marino on a limited-edition chocolate box inspired by the gardens.

CELEBRATING

Mother’s Day HAVE FUN WITH MOM IN AND AROUND PASADENA

other’s Day was a little different in 2020, but in 2021 restaurants are just awakening for dine-in service. Here are a few ideas to help celebrate mom in and around Pasadena.

One Colorado 41 Hugus Alley Join One Colorado for exclusive in-store events, raffles and cocktails from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 8. Create a custom m.andonia handbag at the workshop by bringing in a sentimental piece of clothing or fabric. Enjoy bubbles as while shopping through a curated Pomellato fine jewelry collection.Handbag workshop tickets are available at the following link: https://bit.ly/3eBNuTS Other One Colorado activities are: • Twigzz Flower Market: Purchase a custom bouquet between May 5 and May 9 or receive one complimentary when spending $75 at any One Colorado retailer or restaurant from May 8 to May 9.

• Prism DJs: Dine and dance with Prism DJs with a reserved table at one of One Colorado’s courtyard restaurants from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturdays.

• Apple Watch Series 6 Giveaway: Customers will have a chance to enter to win an Apple Watch Series 6. Text SPRING1CO to 55800 through May 31.

Info: onecolorado.com/events/

andSons Chocolatiers and The Huntington LA-based andSons Chocolatiers has teamed up with The Huntington in San Marino on a limited-edition chocolate box inspired by the gardens.

Adorned with commissioned art by Miranda Sofroniou, the collectible 24-piece box features two limited-edition Huntington pieces (one made with oranges from its orange grove, the other made with its signature tea), plus an assortment of andSons’ signature flavors.

It comes just in time for Mother’s Day — but will continue to be available year-round for either curbside pickup (at andSons’ shop on Brighton Way) or local/nationwide shipping via its website.

The collectible 24-piece box, featuring artwork by Miranda Sofroniou, includes two limited-edition Huntington pieces (four each): • Huntington orange and pecan praline: Made with hand-picked Valencia oranges from The Huntington.

• Huntington black tea caramel: Made with citrus- and jasmine flavored black tea from The Huntington.

• An assortment of andSons’ signature flavors, such as passion fruit caramel, speculoos cookie, hazelnut gianduja and basil lime.

The box is available on the andSons website; it will be available yearround for either curbside pickup at its Beverly Hills shop or local/nationwide shipping. continued on page 20

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BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

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One Colorado

continued from page 18

The Arbour 527 S. Lake Avenue Mother’s Day is celebrated two days — May 8 and May 9 — from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The cost is $55.

The first course is a choice of smoked salmon carpaccio, capers, pickled red onion and lemon herb dressing; Burrata cheese, mixed endive, wild greens and ciabatta breadcrumbs; heirloom tomato salad, cucumber, olives, basil and lemon vinaigrette; apricot salad, butter lettuce, arugula, goat cheese, sesame seeds and honey vinaigrette; or English pea soup, whipped crème fraiche and chili oil.

The second course is a choice of eggs Benedict, English muffin, country ham, spinach and brown butter hollandaise; spaghetti carbonara, applewood smoked bacon, poached egg yolk and black pepper; avocado toast with egg on whole grain bread and green bean salad with Caesar dressing; steelhead trout, Brentwood corn, English peas, semolina gnocchi, radish and lemon foam; or New York steak, roasted peewee potatoes, market asparagus and chili butter.

Third course is a choice of vanilla ice cream with salted caramel sauce and double chocolate chip cookie; chocolate cake, espresso and chocolate mousse, almonds and saffron crème anglaise; seasonal fruit bowl and shortbread cookies; raspberry swirl cheesecake, graham cracker crust and mascarpone; or vanilla panna cotta, pineapple, coconut macaroon and lemon shaved ice.

Info: thearbourpasadena.com continued on page 25

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AndSons Chocolatiers is a second-generation chocolatier based in Beverly Hills founded by brothers Phil and Marc Covitz.

It specializes in two lines of chocolate: the “classic” line, which features traditional flavors such as ganaches and pralines topped with subtle decorative elements, and the “modern” line, which showcases bold and inventive flavor pairings inside distinctive and colorful hand-painted shells.

Customers can expect to find flavors such as Yuzu Verbena (which combines a white chocolate ganache with fresh lemon verbena and a dark milk chocolate ganache with yuzu and lime) and Texas pecan praline with coffee ganache (with roasted pecans and Peruvian dark chocolate infused with Counter Culture coffee).

Each piece is handmade in its Los Angeles kitchen by in-house pastry chef and chocolatier and chef Kriss Harvey.

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The limited-edition box will continue to be available year-round.

continued from page 20

Chado Tea Room 79 N. Raymond Chado Tea Room is offering its sampler gift box ($65) with 12 looseleaf teas. It’s available in-store and online. In the teahouse, it’s serving chocolate celebration for two ($70), an afternoon tea with tea-infused chocolate pairings.

Info: chadotearoom.com

Submitted photo

Le Grande Orange Café 260 S. Raymond Avenue A favorite among Pasadena residents, Le Grande Orange Café has a hearty menu for Mother’s Day. Choices of starters include French onion soup, vegan chili, deviled eggs, shrimp ceviche, tuna tartare or pozole verde.

Want lighter fare? Try the salads: shredded kale and quinoa, Luggage Room chopped salad, signature Caesar, Brussels sprout salad, or The Del Mar salad.

The Rise and Shine menu is available until 3 p.m. — lemon ricotta pancakes, short rib hash, chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, French omelet, eggs Benedict or crab Benedict.

Burgers and sandwiches that are offered include cheeseburger, chili cheeseburger, turkey dip or French dip. The dips are available until 3 p.m.

Tacos are on the menu: vegetarian, ahi tuna, swordfish, short rib or ribeye steak.

For a “very special” meal, try rotisserie prime rib, rotisserie chicken, salmon or filet mignon.

After 3 p.m., barbecue ribs, loup de mer or short rib entrée.

End it with key lime pie or Grateful Spoon gelato.

Info: lgostationcafe.com Mother’s Day Brunch at Brookside Park 360 N. Arroyo Boulevard, Lot I Johnson’s Outreach Foundation is partnering with Roseg24kldplates and providing a complimentary Mother’s Day brunch of chicken and waffles, breakfast chimichangas, PB&J French toast, potatoes and eggs, among other dishes. The event will take place Saturday, May 8, from noon to 5 p.m..

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DINING Chef Alberto Morales and chef Onil Chibas

Dynamic DUO

CHEFS ONIL CHIBAS AND ALBERTO MORALES ARE BEHIND DELUXE 1717

Deluxe 1717’s Casual Friday seating setup

ocal restaurants fell victim to pandemic pivots, but fine dining establishments took it particularly hard.

Menus often didn’t translate well to takeout or delivery, so some of these restaurants folded immediately. Others closed indefinitely as they rejiggered operations and tried to maintain the interest of furloughed staff.

A bright spot for local gourmands is the 1700 block of Washington Boulevard in Pasadena. It’s transforming from a row of sleepy storefronts into a lively and engaging strip for local foodies.

There’s chef Ali Haider’s Sapori di 786 Degrees with his kaleidoscopically creative takes on Napolitano pizza. There’s the local butcher shop Garni Meats. Just east is the artisanal ice cream mastery of Bloomfield Creamery.

The latest twist is Casual Fridays at Deluxe 1717. It’s the brainchild of chef Onil Chibas and his long-time collaborator, chef Alberto Morales.

They’ve devised a formula for success in the pandemic by changing their gourmet menu weekly for dining on the newly built-out patio.

It’s a fascinating partnership between chefs from totally different backgrounds.

Twenty years ago, Morales was living in Cochamba, Bolivia.

“I was an accountant working at Suzuki,” Morales says. In fact, he was among the top executives at his branch of the firm. “But the economic situation was never good in my country. I was making $200 a month.”

So, he moved in with an aunt in Montebello. “My plan was to be here for two years and make some money.

Morales recalls his introduction to cooking.

“I was eating pizza, tacos and burgers every day. I wanted to cook but did not know where to start. I called my mom and asked her how to make rice. She yelled at me.”

His aunt’s friend left a promotional brochure for the Le Cordon Bleu culinary program. “I saw the uniforms (of the students) and said, ‘This is interesting.’”

Morales started training at Le Cordon Bleu in 2005. There he met Chibas, who had recently settled in Pasadena with his husband, John Orders.

Chibas nurtured culinary interests and ambitions as he languished in the entertainment business, working in animation and marketing at Disney.

After the 15-month program concluded, Morales joined Joachim Splichal’s Patina Group, first at the Hollywood Bowl and then moving with chef Steven Rojas to Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Chibas partnered with Carole Grogan and founded Elements Kitchen in a small storefront on Fair Oaks and Dayton in Pasadena. The space was meant to be a casual carryout stop, but the first customer wanted to dine onsite and a few tables were activated.

A year and a half later, Morales moved to Altadena and, on a day off from Patina, he came across Elements Kitchen, renewed his friendship with Chibas and soon joined the team.

“There were probably three tables, one outside for decoration and two inside,” Morales says.

The food’s popularity demanded expansion on the sidewalk, and the city occasionally challenged the operation.

“It all happened so quickly,” Chibas notes.

Chibas opened Elements as a fine dining concept on the plaza of Playhouse Square, and Morales moved to supervise that kitchen there. An apprentice, Alfredo Chavez, took over the café and its popular brunch service. continued on page 28

Photos by Luis Chavez

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BY FRIER MCCOLLISTER

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Photos by Luis Chavez

The Deluxe Burger is topped with tomato-bacon jam, crispy fried shallots, arugula and gruyere cheese.

Tuna katsu with asparagus puree and shaved asparagus continued from page 26

Ahead of its time, with its creatively themed and seasonal menu, Elements closed at the Playhouse after a two-year run. Chibas reflected, regrouped and soon began catering with Morales. He discovered the storefront on Washington Boulevard, and Deluxe 1717 was born.

Deluxe 1717 was intended to serve as Chibas’ catering and test kitchen.

Soon enough, the small dining room was also hosting Chibas and Morales’ quarterly prix fixe multicourse dinners.

The dinners were served family style at the long communal table that still dominates the room. The festive, informal ambiance and inventive seasonal menus established the spot as a novel, regular destination for fans of Chibas and Morales. The dinners also reflected the elevated standards the pair set at Elements.

When the pandemic lockdown arrived, the pair pivoted from catering and prix fixe dinners to a popular delivery-only concept, Wonderful Wednesdays. With a four-course menu of three entrée options — meat, seafood or vegetarian — and an average price of $45 per person, the concept quickly became sustainable with a cadre of loyal weekly regulars.

Casey Cullinane manages the front-of-house operation at Deluxe 1717.

She quickly affirms, “If they (the regulars) don’t order or don’t call, we call them and say, ‘Is everything OK? I was worried about you.’”

As outdoor dining became viable, Chibas worked with Claudio Hernandez to build the lovely enclosed and covered outdoor patio area, lined with planters. In February, Deluxe 1717 launched Casual Fridays serving dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. on the patio and now at half capacity in the open dining room.

The accessible a la carte bistro menu changes weekly, although there are a few reliable fixtures.

Asian fish and chips ($17) features delicately fried snapper marinated in miso and served with taro chips, ponzu and a sambal tartar sauce.

The eponymous Deluxe Burger ($16) is composed of a custom grind from Garni Meats next door and topped with gruyere cheese, crispy fried shallots, arugula and the house special tomato-bacon jam.

The Friday Urban Homestead Ensalada ($16) is comprised of fresh seasonal greens and vegetables straight from Pasadena’s Urban Homestead farm, just a mile away.

One of the latest additions — introduced by Morales — is the ducky croque madame ($14) with porchetta and copa melded with gruyere and manchego cheeses sandwiched and fried between fresh slices of brioche from local Seed Bakery and topped with a large fried duck egg, also sourced from the Urban Homestead. It doesn’t get much fresher and more local.

Describing the creative interchange between him and Morales, Chibas offers, “We always use the same analogy of a tennis game. Someone throws

a volley and then the game begins. It’s usually a question like, ‘How would you deconstruct a Caesar salad to be an entrée?’ And then he says, ‘You’re crazy!’ We’ve always worked that way. There’s a lot of respect.”

“There’s never a bad idea,” Morales says. “We throw out a question and we start adding, removing, fixing, but there’s never a bad question. That’s the main thing and why it works so well.”

Between the Wonderful Wednesday delivery meals and the Casual Friday bistro dinner service, Deluxe 1717 landed on a unique pandemic model that seems sustainable for the team, even as restrictions continue to lift. The creative tennis match between Chibas and Morales remains quite lively, and they’ve built a loyal and supportive community.

Most recently Chibas and Morales concocted a dinner for a themed Spring Fling fundraiser, benefiting St. Vincent Meals on Wheels. The successful April 24 event supported the organization’s mission to provide regular meals for local homebound senior citizens.

As Chibas reflects, “What I like right now with the Wednesdays and now the Fridays is that we have a really lovely relationship with a lot of people and you’re communicating with them through food. I love that.”

As a parting shot over the net, the pair offers Arroyo readers the custom recipe for tomato bacon jam, which accompanies the Friday burger. Match point!

Deluxe 1717 facebook.com/OnilChibasCatering DELUXE 1717 TOMATO BACON JAM

INGREDIENTS 1 QUART CANNED, DICED TOMATOES 8 TO 10 OUNCES BACON, SMALL DICE

1 CUP ONION, SMALL DICE 1 CUP WHITE BALSAMIC VINEGAR 3/4 CUP WATER 3/4 CUP SUGAR

METHOD RENDER BACON UNTIL CRISP, RESERVE. SAUTEE ONIONS IN BACON FAT UNTIL TENDER. DEGLAZE THE PAN WITH VINEGAR. ADD SUGAR, TOMATOES AND WATER. SIMMER UNTIL THICKENED. PULSE WITH IMMERSION BLENDER OR FOOD PROCESSOR. FOLD IN BACON. SEASON TO TASTE WITH SALT AND PEPPER.

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DECADENT CHOCOLATE AND AROMATIC ORANGE THESE OPPOSITE TASTES COMBINE FOR VELVETY TART

R

BY EMILY CHAVEZ

ich, decadent chocolate and bright, aromatic orange marry to create a classic combination on this velvety tart.

These opposing flavor profiles will impress guests with a homemade tart pastry, blind-baked to create a tender, buttery shell. A simple exterior betrays the complex combination of flavors within while allowing for decorations that fit anyone’s style.

Dress up the tart with candied orange slices, a sprinkle of powdered sugar, or leave as is for a glossy top that draws the eye. The subtle playful notes of orange aroma and taste pair wonderfully with the dark and luxurious chocolate filling for a decadent dessert that dances across the lines of silky, buttery, refreshing and rich.

ORANGE ZEST AND CHOCOLATE TART YIELD: ABOUT 7 SERVINGS ACTIVE TIME: 3 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 55 MINUTES

TART SHELL INGREDIENTS 2 1/4 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, AND MORE FOR DUSTING 3 TABLESPOONS SUGAR 1/4 TEASPOON SALT 3/4 CUP UNSALTED BUTTER, CHILLED AND DICED

1 EGG, LARGE AND SEPARATED 2 TABLESPOONS ICE WATER, MORE IF NEEDED ZEST OF 1 ORANGE

FILLING INGREDIENTS 1 CUP HEAVY CREAM 1/2 CUP MILK 10 OUNCES SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE, CHOPPED

2 TABLESPOONS SUGAR 1/4 TEASPOON SALT 2 EGGS, LARGE AND ROOM TEMPERATURE

1. MAKE THE TART SHELL BY PULSING TOGETHER THE FLOUR, SUGAR AND SALT IN A FOOD PROCESSOR. 2. ADD THE BUTTER AND ORANGE ZEST, AND PULSE AGAIN UNTIL THE MIXTURE IS CRUMBLY. 3. WHISK TOGETHER THE EGG YOLK WITH THE ICE WATER IN A SMALL BOWL, THEN ADD TO THE MIX IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR AND PULSE UNTIL THE DOUGH HOLDS TOGETHER. IF THE DOUGH IS TOO DRY AND CRUMBLY, ADD ICE WATER IN TEASPOON INCREMENTS. 4. FORM THE DOUGH INTO A DISK, WRAP IN PLASTIC OR A CLEAN TOWEL, AND REFRIGERATE FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES. 5. ROLL OUT THE PASTRY ON A LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE TO ABOUT 1/4-INCH THICK. CAREFULLY LAY THE DOUGH INSIDE A 9-INCH ROUND OR A 14-BY-4.5-INCH RECTANGLE TART PAN WITH A REMOVABLE BOTTOM. PRESS THE DOUGH INTO THE PAN SO IT FITS TIGHTLY AND EVENLY INTO EVERY SPACE. TRIM OFF ANY EXCESS DOUGH AND THEN REFRIGERATE FOR 15 MINUTES. 6. PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350 DEGREES. 7. PLACE THE TART PAN ON A BAKING SHEET SO IT WILL BE EASY TO MOVE IN AND OUT OF THE OVEN. LINE THE TART ITSELF WITH FOIL AND ADD PIE WEIGHTS OR DRIED BEANS TO KEEP THE SIDES OF THE TART FROM BUCKLING. 8. BAKE FOR 30 MINUTES, THEN REMOVE THE FOIL AND WEIGHTS. 9. USING A PASTRY BRUSH, LIGHTLY COAT THE CRUST WITH A BEATEN EGG WHITE. CONTINUE TO BAKE FOR ANOTHER 8 MINUTES, UNTIL THE TART IS LIGHT GOLDEN IN COLOR BUT NOT BROWN. 10. SET ASIDE TO COOL AND LOWER THE OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 325 DEGREES. 11. MAKE THE FILLING BY HEATING THE HEAVY CREAM AND MILK IN A POT OVER MEDIUM-LOW, UNTIL IT SIMMERS SLIGHTLY AROUND THE EDGES. 12. REMOVE FROM THE HEAT AND ADD THE CHOCOLATE, STIRRING UNTIL MELTED AND SMOOTH. 13. WHISK IN THE SUGAR AND SALT UNTIL WELL INCORPORATED. 14. BEAT TOGETHER THE EGGS IN A SMALL BOWL AND ADD TO THE CHOCOLATE MIXTURE, STIRRING UNTIL COMPLETELY BLENDED. 15. POUR THE FILLING INTO THE COOLED TART SHELL AND BAKE AT 325 DEGREES FOR 15 TO 20 MINUTES, UNTIL THE FILLING IS SET AND THE SURFACE IS GLOSSY. (REMOVE FROM THE OVEN IF YOU SEE ANY BUBBLES OR CRACKS FORM, AS THAT IS A SIGN OF OVERBAKING.) LET THE TART COOL BEFORE CUTTING.

Photos by Luis Chavez

CULINARY CUPBOARD

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A R T S A N D C U LT U R E Jason Achilles Mezilis reached for the stars by combining science and music.

SEEING

Stars JASON ACHILLES MEZILIS FINDS SECOND CAREER IN SPACE

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

continued on page 34

Submitted photo

W

hen Jason Achilles Mezilis saw the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover land safely, he admits, with a laugh, that he cried like a baby.

He had reason to, though.

The Studio City, California, musician worked with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena to perfect Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover’s microphone used to record sounds inside the 28-mile-wide (45 kilometers) Jezero Crater.

“Music was always a dream,” Mezilis says. “It was an attainable dream. Space is rad, but I didn’t think it would ever be a real thing. The last number of years, though, I thought, ‘Maybe it can be a thing.’”

Encouraged by Arizona State University (ASU) professor Jim Bell, Mezilis made both of his dreams come true.

“Jim Bell was one of my main guys who said, ‘Don’t worry. You can do this,’” Mezilis says. “Weirdly enough, he was right.”

Mezilis connected with NASA by banging on doors and rattling cages, he says with a laugh. He broke through after pitching David Gruel (assembly, test and launch operations manager for Mars Perseverance at JPL) his concepts for informing a working audio selection, largely based on his work as an audio engineer for the past decade.

“When I was hired as a consultant for JPL in 2017, I had to incorporate because they couldn’t hire me as an individual,” Mezilis says. “I had to start a company, Zandef Deksit Inc. Since then, we’ve been developing an idea for this selfie cam for rocket land-

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Times Media Group is seeking an experienced advertising account executive. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated and experienced advertising sales professional.

TMG has grown significantly as a result of its great professional team, and its well-known print and digital media platforms, including the Pasadena Weekly and Arroyo Magazine.

WHAT WE NEED Two years of outside advertising sales experience is preferred. A good candidate for this position is financially motivated, possesses exceptional organizational skills and is ready to embrace a real opportunity to work on a quality team.

An ideal candidate will be familiar with the San Gabriel Valley area including Pasadena, Alhambra, Altadena, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena and the surrounding areas.

We are seeking an individual who can sell solutions not just ads, who appreciates straighttalk, and is hardworking, motivated, and values working in a positive team environment.

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continued from page 32

Jason Achilles Mezilis is set to release a new EP later this spring.

Jason Achilles Mezilis jasonachilles.com

Submitted photo

ings. It’s this Lunar ExoCam.” Mezilis landed a $650,000 grant from NASA’s Flight Opportunities program to develop that. The grant calls for him to work with an educational institution, so he chose ASU. Once Lunar ExoCam hits the surface, it can visualize a landing as if the viewer was standing there watching it.

Besides ASU, the Lunar ExoCam project also includes contributions from Honeybee Robotics, Ecliptic Enterprises Corp. and Masten Space Systems.

“I didn’t go to school for this type of work or study it,” Mezilis says. “I’m a professional musician. It’s something I’ve just wanted to do.”

Mezilis has been a professional musician since high school. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he toured as a solo instrumentalist under the name Jason Achilles, accompanied by drummer Forrest Mitchell.

He also runs his Downtown LA boutique analog recording studio, Organic Audio Recorders, and is working with Dizzy Reed (Guns N’ Roses) on his forthcoming solo album.

“People had a hard time remembering my last name,” says Mezilis, who loves The Rogue Bar in Phoenix. “I would just get blank stares.

“But music and science are my everything.

For me, it’s personally been wonderful. One of the cool things about working with NASA is Perseverance had to land that day. This was beyond the programs of the world. NASA pulled this off and made it work just incredibly.”

Mezilis is set to release a new EP later this spring, which was launched with the release of the single “RTL (Ready to Launch)” in December.

The second single, “Eurotrash,” debuted February 26 across all streaming platforms.

He rolls his two loves into talks with students in kindergarten through sixth grade students.

“I’ve been a big nerd about space since I was a kid,” he says. “I like going and talking to kids about this stuff. I’ve been doing Zoom classes with third graders ever since this thing landed.

I’ve had a lot of requests to talk to kids about this stuff. I try to tie in the music aspect of things.

Rocket science is an unreachable goal to kids.

Music is already something that’s already part of their lives. That might seem crazy, but this is something you’re doing already.”

The whole experience has been a thrill for Mezilis. But there is a “but.” His name is nowhere on the NASA website.

“If you go on the NASA website, my name’s not associated with anything anywhere. I have no idea if history recognized the involvement or not.

It’s pretty (expletive) cool to me. I would love to be attached to this,” he says. “We did play a relevant role in it. I don’t think it’s undeserved.”

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HISTORY Lily Jane Tsong looks at the source of the San Rafael Creek.

WHERE THE WATER

Flowed

STORIES OF NORTHEAST LA AND THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY area.

“Myriad Unnamed Streams” is a series of historical vignettes by local environmentalist Jane Tsong to show where the water once flowed throughout the Northeast, at watercalifornia.org/projects/janetsong.html Tsong explains what happened to the free-flowing water as the decades rolled by.

The totality of her research makes us look again at our familiar landscape and realize that there is no lack of precipitation that falls on the region; rather, the way we have developed the landscape to shed water (rather than store water in the soil) has created a situation of water scarcity where none existed before.

Tsong is an artist who took an

interest in the waters of Los Angeles after her family first moved to West Los Angeles in 1997.

“We heard rumors of a freshwater spring by the high school sports field next door,” she explains. “When I visited the site, I was mystified by how the water flowed naturally through a well-groomed miniature landscape, before unceremoniously disappearing into a drainage grating.”

She later learned that this was the historically significant Kuruvungna Springs, which has since been revived by the Tongva people.

After she moved to Highland Park in 2003, she discovered Northeast LA and the San Gabriel Valley also had many stories of local springs and past streams.

“I was surprised,” Tsong says.

“After all, weren’t we told that this is a desert and that all our water came from afar?”

Finding that most of these springs and seeps and streams were never named, and largely unknown today (if they still exist), she researched these diverse water stories.

Along with archival research, she interviewed people from 2006 to 2008, and eventually catalogued her information on a website media book called “Water, CA.” “I presented this as a tour that one could actually take by bicycle,” Tsong says with a smile. “At the very least, you can pull out a large map, click on the website, and rediscover some of the hidden water history of

Photo by Louisa van Leer

W

henever it rains here, some of the analysts, while wringing their hands, say most of the rain that’s falling just flows to the ocean. And though Los Angeles and surrounding cities get about three-quarters of their water from more than 300 miles away, such wasn’t always the case.

Once, the entire Northeast LA and the San Gabriel Valley — though described as “coastal desert plain” — was a land where streams and rivers flowed and where water could be readily obtained. The story of why so much water now goes to the ocean is not a simple story, but to get a full understanding, it’s helpful to turn back the clock 150 years or so and look at the many water stories of the

BY CHRISTOPHER NYERGES

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Besides the obvious Arroyo Seco on the west side of Pasadena, and Eaton Canyon on the east, old maps show dozens of springs and temporary streams flowing through Pasadena.

Perhaps the most obvious was one that flowed south from the foothills, which was still an open ditch about 30 years ago between Santa Rosa and Madison avenues, into what is now Washington Park, which was a seasonal lake by some accounts.

Old-timers recall water flowing under the stone bridge in Washington Park in wet years. In fact, studying the terrain maps of Altadena, Pasadena and the greater San Gabriel Valley, readers will see many parks, cemeteries and golf courses in this area are in areas that used to regularly become swampy.

Another local water conservationist is Tim Brick, founder of the Arroyo Seco Foundation, who also served on the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for 28 years, including two terms as chairman (2006-10).

“It would be better to have more permeable landscape to let the water go into local water table,” says Brick, who also started Unpave LA about 10 years ago to raise awareness of this issue.

“About 100 years ago, the idea was that it was easy enough to import water, and so all the storm water was eventually put into cement channels and it flowed into ocean,” Brick explains.

“It’s OK to have some water flow into the ocean, but the cement channelization was a kneejerk response to floods. Now, with the cement channels, a lot of the urban crud goes to ocean, too, so stormwater system has become one of the biggest polluters of the ocean.

“A much better solution is to have as much of the rainwater percolate into the groundwater as possible.”

Brick says his organization is concerned about the health of the huge Raymond Aquifer, which covers about 40 square miles from the Arroyo Seco to Arcadia.

“There are some concerns that urban growth and water use will deplete that aquifer eventually, and so percolation of rainwater should be encouraged.”

Photo digitally reproduced by USC digital archive Photo courtesy of California Historical Society

ible.

Lowering the 72-inch concrete pipe into a trench on Yosemite Drive in Eagle Rock, just east of La Roda. After this, Yosemite Drive no longer became a seasonal stream after rains.

Photo by Christopher Nyerges.

our area.”

Her tour begins with the intersection of Figueroa Street and the westbound on-ramp for the 134, once the site of Eagle Rock Creek.

In the 1880s, visitors could have walked in the stream and found wild roses, blackberries and tiger lilies, like so many of the mountain streams.

With increasing development, including the building of the freeway, these wild lands were made virtually unrecognizable, so today most residents are barely aware that a stream still flows along the entrance to the Scholl Canyon dump and is mostly underground near the iconic “eagle rock.”

An altered remnant of the creek is still visible behind the businesses located northeast of Colorado and Figueroa, and then the stream is hidden in cement until it flows into the Arroyo Seco.

Back in the 1880s, the Eagle Rock Creek continued to flow roughly in the proximity of Lanark Street following the lay of the land and then, because of the hills, turned west toward Yosemite Drive. This temporary stream flowed eventually along Yosemite, causing flooding until the 1930s when the large underground drainage pipe was installed.

Springs and creeks flowed from the Verdugo Mountains to the north, irrigating many early orchards and providing water for local residents.

These were gradually sealed over, cemented shut, or routed into underground pipes.

Other streams flowed in the foothills above Colorado. Their water kept the water table in Eagle Rock high, feeding springs at Eagle Rock Springs and Sparkletts.

At Eagle Rock Springs Mobile Home Community off Argus, cattails and willows once abounded. In 1912, this site was described as “approximately one acre of tree-covered grounds with a small artesian lake supplied by several flowing artesian wells.” Water from these springs flowed all the way westward to Eagle Rock Boulevard and then south to York Boulevard, where watercress and willows lined the way.

To the east of the Arroyo Seco, a study of a topographical map of the communities of Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley also reveals numerous springs and streams before dense housing and underground drains made this system all but invis-

Historian James Ruther examines the old bridge in Washington Park, where a seasonal stream flowed many decades ago.

Brick’s research on the water of the Pasadena and surrounding area is at brickonline.com.

Today, 65% to 75% of our area’s potable water comes from one of three aqueducts — two bringing water from Northern California and one bringing water from the Colorado River. And an increased population using evermore water has resulted in lowering water tables.

Additionally, in these modern times, unless one has installed a legal grey water system or practices freelance grey water recycling, water from baths and dishes and household use no longer goes into the land, to soak into the water table; rather, it simply flows into the sewers, where is it treated by wastewater treatment plants and then released into the

oceans.

“Water conservation, the use of grey water and ‘best management practices’ to augment local sources of water can be implemented by individuals and cities to increase this region’s water resiliency,” Tsong says.

“But it’s important to see how the growth of the population of the greater San Gabriel Valley, and the many choices that were made all along the way, are responsible for our water landscape being largely invisible today, and for the fact that so much of the water which falls onto this land unceremoniously flows out to the ocean through underground pipes and concrete channels, rather than the waterways that once existed.”

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A R T S A N D C U LT U R E Boston Court artists and technology experts work on putting together a virtual escape room.

BOSTON COURT GIVES BIRTH TO VIRTUAL ESCAPE ROOM ‘LOVE IS NO JOKE’ AT THIS THEATER

An escape room with narrative Kubzansky wants to make sure people understand that even though there is a story and a narrative about Boston Court, this isn’t a play.

“It really is doing an escape room with a little more narrative,” she says.

“Some of the most fun we had was figuring out key players and the stakes. There is a lot of story focus narrative involved with the challenges, but I don’t want to mislead. They are not attending a play. They are attending an escape room connected to a theater story.”

Creating from scratch In December 2020, Kubzansky gathered her staff and asked them to participate in a virtual escape room. At the end, she says they should do this for Boston Court.

Courtney Doyle, who co-created “Fool Me Once,” says she was intrigued by the idea, as she never connected escape rooms with theater.

“It’s been a really fun process with a big learning opportunity,” Doyle says. “It’s really exciting and something we’ve never done. It’s a cool way to create something that doesn’t require people breathing on each other.”

She spoke to a neighbor who liked escape rooms but, when asked, the neighbor couldn’t remember the stories attached to the escape rooms.

“We said we’re going to do one connected to Boston Court, that we’re going to give it more narrative,” Doyle says. “That’s who we are. We tell stories. It’s been a really joyous and collaborative endeavor of a group of our staff who are all contributing ideas.”

They also designed the puzzles and story with their audience in mind.

“It’s designed for their enjoyment,” Doyle says. “If they need help, help is available. You don’t have to be a puzzle master. You don’t have to have escape room experience. It’s really just a fun ride. … We want them to succeed, and we’re there to help them in any way that isn’t too overbearing.”

Kubzansky says she might call it a guided adventure in the spirit of fun.

“The creation of this has been a Herculean task,” Doyle says.

Photo courtesy of Boston Court

I

BY BRIDGETTE M. REDMAN

n a year like no other, theater companies are doing things they’ve never done.

At Boston Court Pasadena, the staff’s creative juices have been pumped into creating a virtual escape room interwoven with a theatrical story.

“In a year where we’ve had to pivot and come up with creative ideas, this is something we were interested in being able to share: an experience that people could have in our building while not being in our building,” Artistic Director Jessica Kubzansky says.

“Fool Me Once” runs through May 16, with performances held at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sundays. The show is free, but registration is required, as there needs to be a minimum of four players and a maximum of eight.

To join, participants need a computer or tablet with a webcam or a smartphone, and they must have Zoom downloaded on their computer, a good internet connection, and their imagination.

The 60-minute escape starts with a missing stage manager who must be found before the show begins.

Escape rooms need time-based challenges, and Boston Court Pasadena wanted to be sure it was telling a story about the theater.

“The challenge is to solve all the problems in the available amount of time,” Kubzansky says. “There is no time pressure like a show. That’s a very unforgiving deadline — when the curtain goes up.”

They’re also pleased that they can take patrons who normally only see the front of house to the backstage area in this virtual experience.

Upon starting the escape room, participants will meet the room host, who in this case is the sound designer. They also meet a character called “the walker,” who becomes the team’s body in the escape room. It goes where they want it to go and explores the necessary areas to solve the puzzles.

“It really was about giving people a way to experience something that is relevant to Boston Court from the safety of their own couches but is also completely germane to what we do,” Kubzansky says.

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Inspired by hardship Throughout the past year, Kubzansky says Boston Court’s managing director has said they keep having to build the plane as they fly it.

“That’s 100% true in creating a virtual escape room, which is something none of us have done before,” Kubzansky says.

“I think it is in the theater DNA to be scrappy and figure things out as you need it and pull it off with the look of ease,” Doyle adds.

Patrons are encouraged to log in with a Zoom link at least five minutes before the game starts and to plan to stay five minutes afterward for a group photo. Being on time is important because of the deadline.

Everything is specific to a participant’s individual discoveries, meaning each group could have a different outcome. It’s not, they say, a passive adventure.

They hope people playing the game can experience Boston Court at a time when they cannot be with them in person.

“If it weren’t for a pandemic, I would have never thought we should do an escape room,” Kubzansky says. “We would have been making plays and music and art in the way we have always done in the past. It’s entirely pandemic born.”

“Fool Me Once,” a virtual escape room through Boston Court Pasadena WHEN: Through May 16 COST: Free, but registration required INFO: bostoncourtpasadena.org

Photo courtesy of Boston Court

“We’ve never developed an escape room, and then we had the added challenge of figuring out how to do it virtually. It’s been both infuriating and thrilling to see it develop, and I’m just extremely proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish having limited knowledge and experience in this field.”

Clues to “Fool Me Once” can be found inside the virtual escape room to help complete the interactive story.

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A R T S A N D C U LT U R E

A NEW

Chapter VROMAN’S LIVE HOSTS VIRTUAL EVENTS THROUGH CROWDCAST

BY ARROYO STAFF

A

ll Vroman’s Live events are held virtually through Crowdcast. Register at the link under each entry.

6 p.m. Thursday, May 6 Paolina Milana, in conversation with Brenda Gazzer, discusses “Committed: A Memoir of Madness in the Family” After a decade of caring for crazy and keeping her mother’s mental illness a secret from the outside world, 20-year-old Paolina Milana longs for just one year free from the madness of her home. When she gets the chance to go to an out-of-state school, she takes it, but her family won’t leave her be.

Register: https://bit.ly/3eCp5xn 6 p.m. Friday, May 7 Nicholas Schmidle, in conversation with Buzz Bissinger, discusses “Test Gods: Virgin Galactic and the Making of a Modern Astronaut” Working from exclusive inside reporting, New Yorker writer Nicholas Schmidle tells the story of the test pilots, engineers and visionaries behind Virgin Galactic’s campaign to build a space tourism company.

Register: https://bit.ly/3nxBK8T 6 p.m. Monday, May 10 Ron White discusses “Lincoln in Private: What His Most Personal Reflections Tell Us about Our Greatest President” A deeply private man, shut off even to those who worked closely with him, Abraham Lincoln often captured “his best thoughts,” as he called them, in short notes to himself. He would work out his personal stances on the biggest issues of the day, never expecting anyone to see these frank, unpolished pieces of writing, which he’d then keep close at hand, in desk drawers and even in his top hat. The profound importance of these notes has been overlooked, because the originals are scattered across several different archives and have never been brought together and examined as a coherent whole.

Now, renowned Lincoln historian Ronald C. White walks readers through 12 of Lincoln’s most important private notes.

Register: https://bit.ly/3xyukGX 6 p.m. Thursday, May 13 Catherine McKenzie, in conversation with Rachel Stuhler, discusses “Six Weeks to Live” Jennifer Barnes never expected the shocking news she received at a routine doctor’s appointment: She has a terminal brain tumor — and only six weeks left to live. While stunned by the diagnosis, the 48-year-old mother decides to spend what little time she has left with her family — her adult triplets and twin grandsons — close by her side. But when she realizes she was possibly poisoned a year earlier, she’s determined to discover who might have tried to get rid of her before she’s gone for good.

Info: https://bit.ly/3xAchQA 6 p.m. Friday, May 14 Gian Sardar, in conversation with Meg Howrey, discusses “Take What You Can Carry” An aspiring photographer follows her dreams and faces her fears in a poignant novel about finding beauty, promise and love amid the chaos of war-

Vroman’s Live is holding all events virtually through Crowdcast.

torn Kurdistan.

Register: https://bit.ly/3eGHnxo 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 18 Sarah Dass, in conversation with Maika and Maritza Moulite, discusses “Where the Rhythm Takes You” Inspired by Jane Austen’s “Persuasion,” “Where the Rhythm Takes You” is a romantic novel of first love and second chances.

Seventeen-year-old Reyna has spent most of her life at the Plumeria, her family’s seaside resort in Tobago. But what once seemed like paradise is starting to feel more like purgatory. It’s been two years since Reyna’s mother passed away and two years since Aiden — her childhood best friend, first kiss, first love, first everything. — left the island to pursue his music dreams.

Register: https://bit.ly/32YNhog 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 19 Elizabeth Nyamayaro discusses “I Am a Girl from Africa” The inspiring journey of a girl from Africa whose near-death experience sparked a dream that changed the world. When severe draught hit her village in Zimbabwe, Elizabeth, then 8, had no idea that this moment of utter devastation would come to define her life purpose.

Unable to move from hunger, she encountered a United Nations aid worker who gave her a bowl of warm porridge and saved her life. This transformative moment inspired Elizabeth to become a humanitarian, and she vowed to dedicate her life to giving back to her community, her continent and the world.

Register: https://bit.ly/3u7KJ32 6 p.m. Thursday, May 20 Tim Grover discusses “Winning: The Unforgiving Race to Greatness” From the elite performance coach who authored the international bestseller “Relentless” and whose clients have included Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, comes this brutally honest formula for winning in business, sports or any arena where the battle is fiercely unforgiving. In “Winning,” Tim Grover shows why he is one of the world’s most sought-after mindset experts.

Register: https://bit.ly/3gOgBFV 6 p.m. Thursday, May 27 David Yoon, in conversation with Marie Lu, discusses “Version Zero” From the brilliant mind of New York Times bestselling author David Yoon comes a lightning-fast and scorchingly observant thriller about how we can save ourselves from the very real perils of a virtual world.

Info: https://bit.ly/2SdJeSX

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Line

Form

Function

Movement Style

Shape s

Focu s

Color

Texture

Light

Still have questions? Visit www.garden-view.com for more information!

Landscape design is unique compared to other construction or engineering trades, in that as the landscape matures, it metamorphoses.

Many of its elements are perishable, as it must evolve dramatically with seasons, and it is affected by maintenance more than most trades.

Its shifting nature, along with a plethora of other elements, should be considered closely when designing an outdoor masterpiece.

To create a perspective, let’s start with what we at Garden View Landscape, Nursery, and Pools consider to be the basic beginning points. Function, & the ABC’s - Art, Budget, & Constraints. Most designers and individuals, whether professional or amateur, will almost always start with Function. From there they can come up with a Budget, then review common Constraints, such as amount of space, hillsides, access, etc. One of the areas that we believe sets us apart from most designers, is an artisanal level of creativity and the consideration of how the concepts of Art apply. Artistic interpretation and application does not have to cost more, but it certainly can add great value and enjoyment to a project.

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Since Function is the primary driving force in the design how do we incorporate an artistic interpretation that molds, blends, that enhances the functional attributes of the yard, while creating harmony between all of the elements?

To help navigate this challenge we have developed a series of Garden Tips to help our designers, customers, friends, and even our competitors apply the concepts of art and function to the landscape.

Many of the principles discussed in this series do not only pertain to the landscape, but are applicable in almost any artistic endeavor.

The series has been developed to educate in an engaging, fun way.

Our goal is to inspire kids and adults alike to learn and appreciate horticulture, landscape, art, and the world around us. We want to spark the imagination and encourage well thought out action.

To visit the design series with Gardy & Woody (& other helpful Garden Tips) please visit our web site and go to the Education & Garden tips section www.garden-view.com/garden-tips-with-gardy-woody come back often as we will be constantly adding new tips every month.

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