Arroyo August 2019

FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREA

August 2019

B r id g i n g Generations AT GRANDPARENTS UNIVERSITY

TOTS ON TECH:

THE NEW CLASS DIVIDE?

GLENDALE GRIEF CAMP LEARNING TO DEAL WITH LOSS THROUGH PLAY

DOLLARS AND SENSE CAN FINANCIAL LITERACY EDUCATION REDUCE STUDENT LOAN DEBT?

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arroyo VOLUME 15 | NUMBER 08 | AUGUST 2019

15

10

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FAMILY AND EDUCATION 10 TOTS ON TECH: THE NEW CLASS DIVIDE The rich ban technology for their children, while most of America embraces it.

—By BETTIJANE LEVINE

15 DOLLARS AND SENSE Educators are being urged to offer financial literacy courses that could help avoid future student loan catastrophes.

—By KATHLEEN KELLEHER

37 BACK TO SCHOOL…FOR GRANDPARENTS Grandparents Universities offer aging baby boomers the chance to bond with their grandkids in learning environments.

—By KATHLEEN KELLEHER

42 HAPPY CAMPERS Children beset by grief over the loss of a loved one find solace and strength at Camp Erin in Glendale.

—By CARL KOZLOWSKI

DEPARTMENTS 08

FESTIVITIES KCET kicks off the PBS “Summer of Space” at The Huntington and more

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ARROYO HOME SALES INDEX

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KITCHEN CONFESSIONS Root beer floats are the ultimate summer refresher.

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ARROYO COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH Orange Grove

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THE LIST The Festival of Fruit at the Arboretum, Frankenstein at A Noise Within, Arcadia Steam+M Festival 08.19 ARROYO | 5

EDITOR’S NOTE I’ve long thought that schools don’t prepare you for three of the most important tasks of adult life — parenting, interpersonal politics and personal finance.

These days, with student loan debt spiraling to new heights, threatening the futures of young adults, it’s more important than ever to know how to handle money wisely from an early age.

The good news is that advocates for personal finance education are finally making inroads, as Kathleen Kelleher reports. There’s a bill pending in Sacramento that would make it a requirement for graduating high school in California. And while such instruction is currently spotty at best, the tools are already there — Next Gen Personal Finance offers free curriculums on its website (ngpf.org). If your child’s school doesn’t cover the subject, it might be time for a parental nudge.

Another topic parents should keep an eye on is screen time. Bettijane Levine writes that many tech moguls, concerned about emerging research on the problematic effects of screen use on young brains, are keeping their kids in analog mode. That approach is, perhaps counterintuitively, becoming the province of the elite, while the rest employ electronic babysitters. But is a digital childhood screening out important life skills?

Finally, there’s a lot to be said for setting aside a special time and place for focused experiences, where nothing else matters. In this Family Issue, we cover two such opportunities for childhood enrichment. Carl Kozlowski reports on Grief Camp in Glendale, where children who’ve suffered a personal loss can learn coping techniques and bond with other kids in similar circumstances. (The next one is coming up in early September; see the story for application details.) Kelleher writes about another terrific program — Grandparents University, where grandparents and grandkids share learning experiences on college campuses, mostly in the Midwest. In addition to fostering the intergenerational bond, GPUs help entice kids to pursue higher education.

—Irene Lacher

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Irene Lacher ART DIRECTOR Stephanie Torres ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Richard Garcia PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Yumi Kanegawa EDITOR-AT-LARGE Bettijane Levine COPY EDITOR John Seeley CONTRIBUTORS Leslie Bilderback, Léon Bing, Martin Booe, Michael Cervin, Scarlet Cheng, Richard Cunningham, Tommy Ewasko, Noela Hueso, Kathleen Kelleher, Frier McCollister, Brenda Rees, Jordan Riefe, Ilsa Setziol, John Sollenberger, Nancy Spiller ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Lisa Chase, Rick Federman, Javier Sanchez ADVERTORIAL CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Bruce Haring HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Andrea Baker PAYROLL Linda Lam ACCOUNTING Perla Castillo, Quinton Wright OFFICE MANAGER Ann Turrietta PUBLISHER Dina Stegon

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arroyo

FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREA

SOUTHLAND PUBLISHING V.P. OF OPERATIONS David Comden PRESIDENT Bruce Bolkin CONTACT US ADVERTISING dinas@pasadenaweekly.com EDITORIAL editor@arroyomonthly.com PHONE (626) 584-1500 FAX (626) 795-0149 MAILING ADDRESS 50 S. De Lacey Ave., Ste. 200, Pasadena, CA 91105 ArroyoMonthly.com ©2019 Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

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FESTIVITIES

Ralph Vartabedian

Marion Ross 8 | ARROYO | 08.19

Suzanne Cryer

KCET and PBS SoCal hosted a sneak peak of their “Summer of Space” programs celebrating the 50th anniversary of the original moon walk at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens. The July 9 screening was followed by a panel discussion featuring Emmy-winning filmmaker Peter Jones, who made the KCET Original documentary miniseries Blue Sky Metropolis; former JPL Director Charles Elachi; Northrop Grumman exec Sarah Willoughby; and Los Angeles Times reporter Ralph Varabedian. Authors M.G. Lord and Wayne Biddle joined KCET and aerospace luminaries for a prosecco post-reception…Jason Alexander, Suzanne Cryer and Beth Grant were among the Hollywood notables who attended the June 30 opening of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa‘s prep school drama Good Boys, starring Betsy Brandt (Breaking Bad), at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Andrew Russell

David Zayas

Beth Grant

Daena Title and Jason Alexander

Daren Kagasoff

PHOTOS: Courtesy of KCET. (KCET and PBS SoCal); Nick Agro (Pasadena Playhouse)

Andrew Russell, Sarah Willoughby, Dr. Charles Elachi and Peter Jones

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TOTS ON TECH: THE NEW CLASS DIVIDE The rich ban technology for their children, while most of America embraces it.

BY BETTIJANE LEVINE

S

teve Jobs and Bill Gates raised their kids substantially tech-free. That should have told us something. If the guys who invented the devices wouldn’t let their own kids use them, there must have been good reason. Yet in more than a decade since that news was revealed, America has increased its embrace of technology for children, even for infants and toddlers for whom, many parents believe, tablets and cellphones are the best babysitters and pacifiers ever invented.

But not all of America is gung-ho for tech. It’s the middleand lower-income families whose kids are increasingly immersed in what many experts now say is too much brain- and psychedamaging screen time. The superrich, it seems, have declared war on digital devices. And that’s a total reversal.

In tech’s early days, having technology at home or carrying it with you was a sign of wealth and status. Only the rich could afford costly new computers for their children, and worries arose that only privileged kids would develop essential skills, leaving the rest to lag behind. Now that tech is commonplace in schools and homes, its ill effects on children are emerging and a new kind of digital divide concerns pediatricians and social scientists: Children of the middle class and poor will be raised and taught by screens, while children of the elite will have the luxury of actual life experience with such things as books, toys and, most 10 | ARROYO | 08.19

important, human interaction.

“Life for anyone but the very rich...is increasingly mediated by screens,” tech journalist Nellie Bowles recently wrote in The New York Times. Screens are being foisted on the public as wondrous innovations for education, but for the multiple millions of children now exposed to screens from infancy onward, at home and at school, she writes, “the texture of life, the tactile experience, is becoming smooth glass.”

The tech titans in Silicon Valley and other top income areas around the country are so afraid of screens for their kids, Bowles writes, that many parents now require nannies to sign a pledge that they will not allow any screen time for the children in their care, and will not even use their cellphones while with the children. These high-income parents are also opting for tech-free private schools, like the Waldorf schools, where no classroom technology is used until students are 12 or 13, and where parents are advised against any screen time for children when at home.

(See sidebar.)

They’re backed by studies on screen time’s effects on little ones, — just beginning to surface in medical journals — which are not comforting. They indicate that young children exposed to screens may lag behind in language development, thinking and communication skills, impulse control, socialization and concentration.

–continued on page 12

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–continued from page 10

Meanwhile, more and more screen time is trending among middle- and lower-income families. Totally online preschools are reportedly proliferating. In these free programs, funded by government and nonprofits, 3- and 4-year-olds learn nursery rhymes and letter sounds from a computer in their home without ever interacting with classmates or a live teacher. Opponents of such programs say that screen life is a poor substitute for real life. Preschool is mainly meant to prepare children to work well with others, to curb antisocial tendencies and to develop creativity, communication and social skills. None of that can be accomplished online, experts say.

What’s more, child development depends upon utilization of all the senses, educators agree. Learning by looking at objects behind glass screens and listening to disembodied voices is no substitute for communicating eye to eye with other humans and experiencing the sensory stimuli that come, for example, from playing with real blocks, touching real animals and flowers or learning to write with pencil and paper rather than on a screen. A toddler can learn to identify a rose on a screen but will not experience the rose’s scent, its velvety petals or the prick of a thorn. The rose’s actual properties will remain unknown. A child learning about a real rose with a caring adult present will have all the sensory experiences and the benefit of a person to discuss them with.

In April, the World Health Organization issued a new set of guidelines stating that babies under 1 should not be exposed to electronic screens, and “limiting or in some cases eliminating screen time for children under the age of 5 results in healthier adults.” Meanwhile, a groundbreaking study of more than 11,000 children is being conducted by the National Institutes of Health to determine the effects of screen time on children’s brain development. Preliminary results of children’s brain scans show that those who’ve spent multiple hours per day glued to a screen experience a thinning of

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The Waldorf Way To find out more about the Waldorf philosophy on technology, we talked with Erin Semin, the Pasadena Waldorf School’s pedagogical administrator. (There’s no title of principal at the school.)

What is the Waldorf policy on tech?

Waldorf is definitely anti-tech for lower grades. With the youngest children, we ask parents not to expose them to any tech at all. We work very strongly with parents starting in preschool to advocate for playtime, social time and creative time over screen time. In school we use no technology until seventh and eighth grade, when they start computer-based research projects under a teacher’s guidance.

the cerebral cortex. That’s the layer of neural tissue responsible for processing information from each of the five senses. Other test results show that thinking and language-development skills are demonstrably lower for children who spend two hours a day or more gazing at screens. And a Canadian study released this year by the University of Calgary’s psychology department indicates that children ages 2 through 5 who experience high levels of screen time get lower test scores in communication, problem-solving and social and motor skills than those with little screen time.

Many, if not most, of America’s families have not yet gotten the message.

Children of middle- and low-income parents, from infancy onward, are increasingly building with virtual blocks, reading Goodnight Moon on tablets and learning to draw, spell and identify objects via digital devices. The new online preschools and public elementary schools use computers in classes and ask that homework be done on them. At any moderate-price restaurant you’ll see toddlers in high chairs fiddling with phones and tablets to keep them diverted while parents dine and chat. Kids traveling in cars watch screens rather than observe the passing scene while talking with their parents about it. Attachments to cribs allow infants lying on their backs to stare up at tablets programmed to play ageappropriate diversions.

Some studies have shown that many grade-school children spend up to seven hours per day looking at screens in classrooms and then at home. And experts say that the more technology children are exposed to, the less human engagement occurs. Or, as one pundit put it: “Human engagement is becoming a luxury item.”

Indeed, middle- and lower-income families, even with two working parents, can rarely afford private nannies or the cost of a tech-free private school such as the Waldorf schools, reportedly a favorite with Silicon Valley’s top-tier tech execs. Kindergarten tuition at the Pasadena Waldorf School in Altadena is about $25,000 per child.

What’s the bottom line? All parents should be mindful of and cut back on children’s screen time, as well as their own screen time while with their children. But they needn’t panic. No longterm studies have yet been done to determine whether brain changes in children are permanent or temporary. And no studies yet address whether children who are heavy screen users will actually fare worse as adults than those who are raised without screens. Such research is still in its infancy. But common sense dictates that children raised with communicative adults and even the simplest shared real-life experiences will probably be emotionally, socially and intellectually better off than those who are abandoned by adults to a constant diet of screens. ||||

What’s so wrong with tech, from the Waldorf perspective?

It runs counter to the way the brain wants to develop. As a child moves through the world, they’re having sensory, social, movement and motor planning [the ability to plan and carry out a skilled motor act] experiences. Each of these experiences creates a pathway in their brain, an actual physical, neural pathway. There are points in development where, in order for the brain to grow, the pathways that are not well used or well traveled have to be cleared away. And so what a child spends much time doing has long-term effect.

The more you do a certain thing, the more myelenated , or cemented, that brain pathway becomes. A child who is frequently outside observing nature, running, jumping and falling has well protected pathways for motor planning and executive functioning, for reasoning with the relative dangers in life. One who spends a lot of time with a screen that’s two or three inches from the face will have a lot of visual input pathways but few motor ones well established.

A child sitting in a high chair at a dinner table, watching grownups converse, and every now and then a grownup converses with the child, who may also be figuring out how big a stack of sugar cubes they can build, that child is working on patience, learning social skills and cues and learning a kind of syntax of human conversation and relationships. A child at a table with a phone in front of him, not paying attention to anything else, is not using pathways shaped by their own experiences but only absorbing what the producer of that program has decided a 2- or 3-year-old would be interested in.

What’s the difference between, say, building with blocks or digging in sand on a screen and in real life?

To click and drag a cursor on a screen is simply a fine motor and visual panning activity. Yet the program tells you that you have just dug a hole or built a castle. A child who is not on a screen but in the world will learn that you need a shovel and sand and it takes hours to build a hole that’s big enough to stand in. So the child has a realistic sense of the physical effort it takes to produce change in the world.

The child also gets a better basis for future physics, chemistry and math learning when he or she builds with real blocks. Stacking the blocks, you sense how heavy they are, you know intrinsically that different size blocks will hurt differently if they fall on your foot, and that certain ways of building will be more wobbly than others.

Th is becomes the basis for intellectual learning later on. Students can work not just with a concept, but can marry that concept to what they’ve already learned in life.

—B.L. ||||

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DOLLARS AND SENSE Educators are being urged to offer financial literacy courses that could help avoid future student loan catastrophes.

BY KATHLEEN KELLEHER

S

tudent loan debt is now at a record high — estimated at more than $1.5 trillion for 2019 — second only to mortgage debt. Student loans also have higher delinquency rates than other forms of debt. Call it a trillion-dollar crisis. Democratic presidential hopefuls like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders do; both senators describe student loan debt as a national emergency. A recent Harvard Business School study concludes that burdensome student loan debt is paralyzing young people, actually stopping them from getting advanced degrees in pursuit of better-paying jobs, buying homes and getting married — ultimately diminishing more substantial contributions they should be making to the economy.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Teaching personal financial education in schools is one way to lower mounting student loan debt by preparing college-bound high school graduates for the complexities of paying for continued schooling, the first time most will take out loans, say advocates for mandatory school financial literacy education. Most students do not grasp the fundamentals of complex financial decisions, particularly those whose parents can’t help them navigate the maze of loan and aid options. Less than one-third of college-bound high school grads know how to compare loans, more than half do not pencil out future loan payments and over half regret student loan choices, wishing they could change college finance commitments, according to to the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE), a nonprofit dedicated to empowering individuals and families to make sound financial decisions.

“Student loan debt is almost greater than mortgage debt, and it cannot be discharged in bankruptcy [although] most students think it can be,” said Anthony Zambelli, director of the San Diego Center for Economic Education and economics professor at Cuyamaca College in San Diego. “It is humongous and one of the downsides to all of this is an economy driven by borrowing…okay in the short run, but not the long run.”

Yet personal financial education courses are not a high school graduation requirement and are not offered in most schools. South Pasadena High School, for example, does not have a standalone course on personal finance although it teaches an applied-math class that covers some personal finance elements, according to Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF), a Palo Alto–based nonprofit that analyzes content and availability of personal finance courses at more than 11,000 U.S. high schools (here is the link to the search tool: ngpf.org/advocacy/).

(Arroyoland schools are largely absent from the list, with the exception of Alhambra High, which offers a course in finance that meets the group’s “silver standard.”)

South Pasadena High also offers an elective virtual business-enterprise class that touches on personal finance, said Principal Janet Anderson. Pasadena High School has no personal finance class, according to NGPF. The Waverly School, a progressive private school in Pasadena, has an applied finance and accounting class in its high school that includes some personal finance lessons, according to a school representative, speaking off the record.

Only six high schools in California have standalone personal finance courses required for graduation; NGPF considers a 60-hour standalone semester course to be the gold standard.

California requires a semester-long economics class to graduate, but such courses touch only briefly on personal finance education, said Zambelli, adding, “The lack of a [California] statewide test on economics and personal finance means that high school economics teachers can teach whatever they feel meets the standards.” About 140 California schools offer semesterlong, standalone personal finance electives, according to NGPF. The rest of the state’s high schools meet the one-semester economics class requirement, but, Zambelli and other proponents of personal finance education say, “It is not enough.” California has received an “F” since 2013 for its schools’ weak personal financial education on the Center for Financial Literacy –continued on page 16

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–continued from page 15

(CFL) Report Card, issued biannually by Champlain College in Vermont.

“The definition of an ‘F’ is a state with no, or few, financial ed requirements,” said John Pelletier, director of the center, which offers a graduate-level summer course in teaching personal finance. “California has an economics requirement to graduate but no financial ed. What we know is that educators are as financially illiterate as anyone. There are very few states that require teachers to show an endorsement on their teaching license that they can teach this stuff. ” While five states (Virginia, Utah, Missouri, Tennessee and Alabama) require one semester of personal finance education to graduate from high school, only two states require the 60hour gold standard, said Ranzetta, whose data builds on the 2017 Financial Report Card from the Center for Financial Literacy. One in six high school graduates takes a mandated personal finance course to graduate in the U.S., NGPF found. In low-income communities, that number drops to one in 12 students. Tim Ranzetta, cofounder of NGPF, says that requiring at least one semester of comprehensive, hands-on personal financial education for high school grads is the most effective way to ensure access for all students. Classes “embedded” with bits of personal finance info tend to be insufficient, trying to cover the material in just a few weeks.

“You can’t possibly consider that adequate for a subject as comprehensive as personal finance,” said Ranzetta, who was inspired to create NGPF in 2014 after volunteering to teach the subject at a public school. “When personal finance is embedded in another class, it’s much more likely to be glossed over. If you asked students in those 25 states with personal finance embedded in other classes, you would hear, ‘I don’t recall ever taking personal finance.’ Their methodology of embedding it in other courses creates a really low bar.”

Americans, in general, don’t fare well on basic financial literacy tests: nearly two-thirds of Americans (63 percent) fail a basic five-question financial literacy test, according to a study conducted by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a nonprofit dedicated to protecting investors. Less than one-third of Americans correctly answered a question about compound interest. Less than one-sixth of U.S. 15-year-olds understand simple concepts used in basic decision-making on everyday spending.

Despite a dearth of personal finance knowledge, most college-bound high school grads must grapple with interest rates, comparing loans, calculating future payment plans, understanding when loans are due, terms of deferment and costs of defaulting, including hits to credit scores. Some lenders prey on consumers with low financial literacy, including collegebound students. Yet California has not done its part to help students become smarter borrowers. But there is legislation in the works to change that.

A bill introduced last year (AB 1087), sponsored by Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo), would make personal financial education a high school graduation requirement; whether that would be achieved with comprehensive materials on financial education baked into an economics class or a standalone personal finance education class is yet to be decided. Details will be worked out in committee hearings and the bill will be revisited next January, according to Cunningham’s chief of staff, Nicholas Mirman. But if funding does not follow the mandate for personal finance education classes in high schools, said Zambelli, nothing will happen.

“We would like to suggest that in the future, curriculum frameworks for California high schools will include financial education,” said CFL’s Pelletier. “Right now there are not standards for financial education. I would argue that the curriculum is free so the only other cost is teacher training.”

Ranzetta and other advocates have set a new goal of requiring 100 percent of American high schoolers to complete at least one semester of personal finance education by 2030. In San Diego County public high schools, students have three to four weeks of personal finance included in the required economics class, but, he added, it’s too little too late. Zambelli would like to see the subject built into curriculums from preschool to college. Also, California state universities’ personal financial education classes do not qualify for their behavioral science class requirement, yet another failed opportunity, he added. Zambelli just helped orchestrate three days of financial education training in June at University of San Diego for nearly 40 elementary, high school and college teachers from around the country; the event was presented by the San Diego Center for Economic Education in partnership with the Federal Reserve banks of Atlanta, Dallas, San Francisco and St. Louis.

“Our first thrust is to teach the teachers how best to teach those personal finance subjects, and then we try to improve their own personal finance, because how can you teach it if you don’t know how to do it yourself?” said Zambelli. He noted that he learned to save when a bank rep visited his second-grade class and taught students to save 50 cents a week in a bank account, a saving habit that stuck for life. It taught him how to delay gratification, a lesson he passed onto his daughter, who saved enough to buy her own first car. “We are not taught to wait and we are not taught to save,” said Zambelli. “The younger we can get them, the better.”

Surprisingly, there is some debate about whether personal finance education is effective.

One critic is Lauren Willis, a professor of consumer law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. Willis argues that some studies show that financial education does not change behavior and over time loses any positive impact. “There is virtually a nothing effect averaged over –continued on page 18

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–continued from page 16

people’s lives,” Willis said. “We expect people to be their own fi nancial planners. My mom is a weaver. Financial planning is not her area of expertise. I don’t fi x my own car.”

But other studies support arguments by fi nancial education advocates. A recently published study in the Journal of Money, Credit and Banking looked at the eff ects of state-mandated personal fi nancial courses eff ects on financial decisions made by incoming freshman at four-year colleges. Researchers Christina Stoddard and Carly Urban, professors of economics at Montana State University, compared students from three states with a personal fi nance graduation requirement to students from states without one; they also assessed students in the same state before and after these courses became requirements.

Th ey found that mandated personal fi nancial education classes “shifted students from high-cost to low-cost fi nancing.” Th e mandated courses also led to increased aid to incoming freshmen and acceptance of federally subsidized loans (with lower interest rates). And they reduced the likelihood that students would carry credit card balances. Students from affl uent families took out smaller private loans, and those from less wealthy families were also less likely to work while enrolled as students (more study time, better outcomes). (A “plausible explanation” for lower-income students working less is that they had less fi nancial need to work because they borrowed wisely, but the researchers could not specifi cally “pin down the why.”) Th e re searchers followed the students from ages 18 to 22, and in a study published last year, Urban found that mandated personal fi nance education in high schools resulted in higher credit scores and fewer severe delinquencies in that age group. She compared three states (Georgia, Idaho and Texas) that had passed legislation requiring personal fi nancial education courses for graduation to a neighboring state with no such requirement. She also compared credit scores and delinquency rates among students within the same state before and after the state mandated fi nancial education. The latter comparison shows the causal eff ect, she said.

“Students shift their borrowing to more responsible borrowing,” Urban said in an interview. “Students are getting more grants and scholarships after they get more fi nancial education. We think it has to be required to have an eff ect.”

In sum, Urban and Stoddard’s study suggests mandated personal fi nance education in high school makes college-bound grads smarter and better borrowers, and decreases their overall debt. Th at’s encouraging, considering a record 7 million Americans are falling three months behind on car loan payments, and U.S. credit card debt, now $870 billion, is the highest it has ever been. And one-fourth of Americans admit that they cannot pay their bills on time, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. “I love this study because it measures what we want to measure — behavior…not how they do on fi n lit tests,” said Pelletier.

Exacerbating college debt is the rise in tuition rates. Over the past decade states have slashed college funding by an average of 16 percent per student; that necessitates tuition increases which in turn force students to take on ever-larger debt loads. Average student loan debt for borrowers ages 24 to 32 jumped from about $5,000 in 2005 to $10,000 in 2014, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Borrowers in the class of 2017, on average, owe $28,650, according to the Institute for College Access and Success, a nonprofi t that works to make higher education in the U.S. more aff ordable.

Ranzetta, whose NGPF off ers free teaching material on personal fi nance, emphasizes the enduring value of communicating simple basics: Establishing good credit by paying bills and loan payments on time and avoiding credit card balances with added interest can save hundreds of thousands of dollars on a mortgage loan. Even avoiding overdraft fees on a bank account, which earn banks $30 billion a year, is covered in basic personal fi nance instruction. Overdraft fees can turn a $3.75 cup of coff ee charged to an overdrawn bank account into a $38.75 cup of java.

“What gives me hope is that there are 600 schools in the nation that require personal fi nance that are not located in states that require it,” said Ranzetta. “So there are teachers, students, parents, administrators and board members who have stood up and demanded fi nancial education in their local high schools. Th ere are just too many important decisions for it to be an ‘Oops, now how am I going to sort this out’” | ||| 18 | ARROYO | 08.19

arroyo

™

~HOM E SALES I N D EX~

2.09.% ALHAMBRA Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. ALTADENA Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. ARCADIA Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. EAGLE ROCK Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. GLENDALE Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. LA CAÑADA Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. PASADENA Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. SAN MARINO Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. SIERRA MADRE Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. SOUTH PASADENA Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. TOTAL Homes Sold Avg Price/Sq. Ft.

JUNE ’18 39 $680,000 1347 JUNE ’18 41 $760,000 1507 JUNE ’18 35 $1,032,000 1675 JUNE ’18 14 $931,250 1384 JUNE ’18 96 $830,000 1520 JUNE ’18 27 $1,701,500 1540 JUNE ’18 148 $822,500 1540 JUNE ’18 9 $1,930,000 2163 JUNE ’18 8 $1,434,000 2163 JUNE ’18 19 $1,430,000 1917 JUNE ’18 436 $1893

2018

2019

source: CalREsource ADDRESS

ALHAMBRA

HOMES SOLD

JUNE ’19 18 $739,000 1519 JUNE ’19 16 $842,000 1507 JUNE ’19 17 $775,000 1352 JUNE ’19 15 $902,000 1352 JUNE ’19 36 $742,500 1300 JUNE ’19 20 $1,924,000 3022 JUNE ’19 94 $902,500 1660 JUNE ’19 6 $1,926,500 2250 JUNE ’19 4 $713,500 1064 JUNE ’19 8 $1,472,750 2103 JUNE ’19 234 $613

CLOSE DATE

PRICE BDRMS. SQ. FT. YR. BUILTPREV. PRICE PREV. SOLD

932 North Electric Ave. 1816 West Grand Ave. 405 North 3rd St. 501 North El Molino St.

6/5/19 6/26/19 6/27/19 6/6/19

$4,820,000 $1,130,000 $1,110,000 $1,030,000

3 4 4 5

1,236 2,894 2,132 2,219

1907 1925 1928 1930

2010 Midwick Dr. 960 Alta Pine Dr. 1005 Parkman St. 2174 Mar Vista Ave. 2828 North Mount Curve Ave. 1807 North Altadena Dr. 805 New York Dr.

6/26/19 6/21/19 6/25/19 6/19/19 6/20/19 6/20/19 6/25/19

$2,500,000 $1,168,000 $1,090,000 $1,087,000 $1,050,000 $1,010,000 $887,000

5 2 4 3 3 3 2

3,699 1,484 1,960 1,685 2,062 2,154 1,355

1620 South 4th Ave. 2039 Elkins Place 1327 Linda Way 909 North Santa Anita Ave. 1029 Encino Ave. 220 Eldorado St. 322 Diamond St. #2

6/3/19 6/17/19 6/3/19 6/24/19 6/26/19 6/19/19 6/19/19

$1,860,500 $1,700,000 $1,200,000 $1,150,000 $1,109,000 $1,045,000 $860,000

2 3 4 4 3 3 3

5148 Dahlia Dr. 2411 Langdale Ave. 4326 York Blvd.

911 La Loma Rd. 4949 Genevieve Ave. 2330 Yosemite Dr. 4336 Toland Way 2537 Hyler Ave. 4911 Algoma Ave. 1490 Silverwood Dr. 1042 Glen Arbor Ave.

6/18/19 6/3/19 6/19/19 6/6/19 6/28/19 6/25/19 6/25/19 6/4/19 6/5/19 6/17/19 6/25/19

$1,495,000 $1,425,000 $1,380,000 $990,000 $965,000 $919,000 $910,000 $902,000 $866,500 $853,000 $850,000

1609 San Gabriel Ave. 1633 Santa Barbara Ave. 1960 El Arbolita Dr. 1444 East Maple St. 3000 North Verdugo Rd. 206 Allen Ave. 953 Calle La Primavera 1315 Romulus Dr. 1919 Canada Blvd.

1109 Green St. 1858 Caminito Del Cielo 3535 Rosemary Ave. 1600 Marion Dr.

6/5/19 6/4/19 6/6/19 6/17/19 6/25/19 6/25/19 6/20/19 6/17/19 6/24/19 6/28/19 6/24/19 6/17/19 6/28/19

5350 Harter Lane 635 Berkshire Ave. 384 Meadow Grove St. 4257 Woodleigh Lane 4228 Chula Senda Lane 4284 Hampstead Rd. 4736 Gould Ave. 5525 Stardust Rd.

6/18/19 6/6/19 6/19/19 6/19/19 6/6/19 6/4/19 6/4/19 6/26/19

ALTADENA

234

AVG. PRICE/SQ. FT.

June

HOMES SOLD

-0.46%

June

436

HOME SALES

HOME SALES ABOVE $850,000

ARCADIA

EAGLE ROCK

GLENDALE

LA CAÑADA

$800,000

11/2/12

$899,000

8/24/16

1922 1948 1925 1949 1995 1940 1947

$2,000,000 $270,000 $715,500 $760,000 $681,000

9/23/14 8/20/98 11/7/08 10/30/18 10/29/09

$485,000

3/18/13

985 1,813 1,834 1,896 1,776 1,973 1,936

1947 1955 1963 1949 1956 2003 2000

$875,000 $1,388,000 $880,000

8/12/14 3/19/14 3/16/16

$761,000 $528,000 $360,000

11/26/07 6/4/03 8/2/00

3 2 2 4 4 5 4 3 3 2 3

1,795 807 861 2,235 2159 1882 1856 1,308 1,980 1,352 2055

1923 1922 1927 1947 1941 1908 1930 1927 1985 1952 1950

$549,000 $500,000 $1,100,000 $490,000 $550,000

5/22/08 1/8/18 6/22/17 8/27/09 7/12/07

$575,000 $172,000

3/26/07 6/1/87

$415,000

11/2/10

$1,700,000 $1,423,000 $1,408,000 $1,315,000 $1,250,000 $1,215,000 $1,040,000 $1,030,000 $930,000 $915,000 $900,000 $885,000 $850,000

3 2 3 4 4 2 4 2 4 3 2 2 3

2,192 2,467 2,596 2,640 2,177 2,068 2,548 1,096 2,594 1,503 2,146 1,045 1,250

1950 1925 1936 1923 1950 1920 1992 1927 1931 1929 1990 1925 1963

$1,350,000 $1,175,000 $1,090,000 $718,000 $230,000 $980,000 $880,000

6/7/18 11/8/13 11/9/17 3/7/19 7/16/98 3/23/15 11/8/16

$688,000 $825,000 $269,000 $654,500

6/6/16 4/28/16 2/1/89 3/3/16

$5,100,000 $4,250,000 $3,700,000 $3,070,000 $2,750,000 $2,600,000 $2,500,000 $2,400,000

5 6 5 6 2 3 5 4

8,797 6,107 5,255 3,056 2,357 3,039 3,792 3,004

2005 1949 1931 1924 1950 1976 1941 1958

$350,000 $10,000

11/12/99 1/1/92

$2,900,000

12/29/14

$2,220,000 $1,245,000

6/4/07 3/1/06

–continued on page 21

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, Arcadia and Alhambra. Individual home sales data provided by CalREsource. Arroyo Home Sales Index © Arroyo 2019. Complete home sales listings appear each week in Pasadena Weekly.

08.19 ARROYO | 19

20 | ARROYO | 08.19

–continued from page 19

ADDRESS

LA CAÑADA 4730 Hayman Ave. 4810 Fairlawn Dr. 1304 Journeys End Dr. 660 Pomander Place 933 Coral Way 5025 Ocean View Blvd.

547 Meadowview Dr. 515 Starlight Crest Dr. 5156 Redwillow Lane 2020 Manistee Dr. 2104 Normanton Dr.

CLOSE DATE

ADDRESS PRICE BDRMS. SQ. FT. YR. BUILTPREV. PRICE PREV. SOLD

6/27/19 6/17/19 6/20/19 6/19/19 6/28/19 6/28/19 6/4/19 6/4/19 6/4/19 6/21/19 6/28/19

$2,310,500 $1,948,000 $1,900,000 $1,842,500 $1,815,000 $1,560,000 $1,492,000 $1,492,000 $1,492,000 $1,417,000 $1,165,000

4 4 3 4 5 3 4 4 4 3 3

3,258 2,917 1,666 2,606 3,231 2,296 2,509 4,266 4,707 1,912 1,888

1954 1950 1957 1951 1956 1963 1973 1966 1990 1961 1961

$1,900,000 $766,000 $990,000 $1,200,000 $530,000 $880,000 $1,760,000 $1,700,000 $750,000 $1,145,000

890 Huntington Circle 6/3/19 801 South San Rafael Ave. 6/18/19 325 South Grand Ave. 6/5/19 1112 Wellington Ave. 6/28/19 1235 Linda Ridge Rd. 6/18/19 1010 Old Mill Rd. 6/28/19 420 South Greenwood Ave. 6/5/19 929 South Oakland Ave. 6/5/19 537 Michigan Blvd.

6/18/19 112 South Orange Grove Blvd. #2086/28/19 1313 North Hill Ave. 6/28/19 1340 East California Blvd.

6/4/19 80 South Sunnyslope Ave. 6/19/19 3675 Yorkshire Rd. 6/20/19 1590 Oakdale St. 6/27/19 85 Glen Summer Rd. 6/28/19 2750 San Pasqual St. 6/3/19 385 South Bonnie Ave. 6/19/19 722 East California Blvd.

6/6/19 1052 Pine Oak Lane 6/18/19 1151 South Los Robles Ave. 6/6/19 99 Annandale Rd. 6/5/19 1424 Linda Vista Ave. 6/18/19 3695 Greenhill Rd. 6/19/19 745 La Loma Rd. 6/25/19 1098 North Los Robles Ave. 6/25/19 1573 North Hill Ave. 6/27/19

$6,300,000 $3,850,000 $3,300,000 $3,150,000 $2,800,000 $2,550,000 $2,150,000 $2,145,000 $2,050,000 $2,050,000 $1,798,000 $1,755,000 $1,715,000 $1,680,000 $1,615,000 $1,560,000 $1,535,500 $1,529,000 $1,467,000 $1,435,000 $1,421,000 $1,396,000 $1,370,000 $1,275,000 $1,245,000 $1,200,000 $1,195,000

7 4 7 3 4 5 4 4 6 2

7184 3310 5908 3473 2641 2909 2888 2617 5856 2530 5000 3600 4948 1440 3034 2301 1770 2091 1905 2379 2036 2148 1803 2090 1757 2949 2047

1933 1947 1893 1912 1957 1922 1926 1920 1925 2016 1924 1931 1966 1947 1923 1947 1952 1936 1922 1968 1948 1936 1946 1950 1908 1938 1924

$3,430,000 $750,000 $2,310,000 $1,716,000 $1,600,000 $1,720,000 $1,112,000 $995,000

7/20/04 5/1/87 4/25/03 10/12/11 4/16/10 6/30/11 5/21/03 3/12/04

$1,678,045

5/25/16

$956,500

3/14/19

$760,000

7/22/17

$1,512,000 $489,500 $585,000 $1,050,000

8/17/16 9/3/99 10/18/00 2/15/07

$799,000 $1,049,000 $908,000

1/24/05 6/18/12 7/31/12

$525,000

3/24/17

PASADENA

3 9 3 4 4 3 3 5 4 3 3 3 2 4 5 2

2/8/17 4/4/01 9/11/15 10/28/09 4/26/00 2/25/05 2/14/19 3/29/12 12/1/89 10/3/16

PASADENA

CLOSE DATE

PRICE BDRMS. SQ. FT. YR. BUILTPREV. PRICE PREV. SOLD

3840 Canfield Rd. 981 Worcester Ave. 946 East Topeka St. 1436 Paloma St. 1424 Wesley Ave. 1390 Riviera Dr. 2186 Las Lunas St. 3696 Yorkshire Rd. 108 South El Molino Ave. #302 1465 Washburn Rd. 383 South Marengo Ave. #102 135 Backus Ave. 2174 Casa Grande St. 2193 Loma Vista St. 1693 East Elizabeth St. 1851 Fiske Ave. 2212 East Crary St. 1545 Knollwood Terrace 2245 East Dudley St. 87 Columbia St. 125 Hurlbut St. #107 3576 Thorndale Rd. 1432 North Harding Ave. 1131 South Orange Grove Blvd.

1758 Kenneth Way

6/5/19 6/6/19 6/20/19 6/4/19 6/21/19 6/6/19 6/24/19 6/28/19 6/20/19 6/24/19 6/21/19 6/4/19 6/6/19 6/19/19 6/21/19 6/25/19 6/3/19 6/3/19 6/3/19 6/4/19 6/27/19 6/26/19 6/19/19 6/27/19 6/19/19

$1,181,000 $1,149,500 $1,127,000 $1,125,000 $1,105,000 $1,100,000 $1,090,000 $1,070,000 $1,050,000 $1,031,000 $1,020,000 $1,000,000 $990,000 $975,000 $970,000 $950,000 $945,000 $945,000 $941,000 $905,000 $900,000 $890,000 $875,000 $870,000 $855,000

2 4 3 5 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 3 4 4 3 3 4 3 2

1850 1911 2407 2434 2060 2095 2058 2048 1811 1218 1660 2054 1518 1474 2070 1789 1614 2159 1736 1142

1950 1912 1981 1924 1924 1955 1952 1947 2004 1958

2 2 2 2

1241 1780 1618 837

1938 1933 1964 1949

1450 Westhaven Rd. 811 South Santa Anita Ave. 1836 Sharon Place 2865 Lorain Rd. 1710 Rubio Dr. 2285 Longden Dr.

6/24/19 6/6/19 6/20/19 6/5/19 6/27/19 6/28/19

$2,993,500 $2,108,000 $1,928,000 $1,925,000 $1,728,000 $1,360,000

3 4 3 3 3 2

2207 3219 2294 2369 1973 1434

407 West Orange Grove Ave.

6/18/19

$1,225,000

2

803 Columbia St. 238 Saint Albans Ave. 1233 Brunswick Ave. 807 Bank St. 835 Rollin St. 2002 Oak St.

6/19/19 6/18/19 6/28/19 6/21/19 6/5/19 6/27/19

$3,951,500 $1,745,500 $1,600,000 $1,545,500 $1,400,000 $1,335,000

6 4 4 2 4 3

SAN MARINO

SIERRA MADRE

SOUTH PASADENA

$905,000 $339,000

3/12/15 3/23/98

$310,000 $695,000 $810,000 $800,000 $660,000 $874,500 $305,000 $610,000 $235,000 $849,000 $740,000 $710,000 $1,800,000 $247,500

8/1/90 9/21/10 12/12/18 7/9/12 1/25/13 7/18/17 6/3/09 11/16/09 4/1/92 11/15/16 4/5/17 11/17/05 5/3/19 3/1/89

$805,000

6/6/14

$800,000 $530,000

2/21/17 9/18/18

1952 1949 1950 1953 1940 1947

$1,846,000

6/3/16

$650,000 $540,000 $1,251,000

7/1/90 12/5/00 6/1/06

1735

1960

$900,000

9/9/18

4785 3846 2292 1913 2334 1309

1925 1986 1963 1959 1960 1924

$1,635,000 $1,500,000 $1,615,000

5/15/02 1/18/17 7/25/17

$720,000

6/15/11

1924 1931 1928 1939 1948 1950 1954 1928 1925

08.19 ARROYO | 21

ARROYO HOME & DESIGN SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

THE ART OF DORM ROOM DESIGN Whether On A Budget Or Going For Luxury, College Students Are Paying More Attention Than Ever To What Goes In Their Rooms

By Bruce Haring It’s that time of year again. After a summer spent working, playing and generally relaxing, the young adults in your home are heading back to college life. Some are going away for the first time, while veterans of the campus are busy planning their schedules and looking forward to greeting old friends.

Whatever the status of your student, one thing they have in common is their living conditions. Most are in college dorms, although some opt for off-campus apartments or fraternity/sorority life. And that means they will occupy a room that needs to be made livable for studying and relaxing.

Most dorm rooms will provide the standard issue furniture - a bed, a thin mattress, a desk and chair, maybe a mirror, and perhaps a trash can. The rest is usually up to you. Some trendy and wealthy college students are actually enlisting interior decorators to come up with dorm room ideas, and there’s no shortage of designer websites that are inspiring students to reach a bit with their budget.

The US Census reports that 18.4 million students are enrolled in college as of 2017, the last year numbers are available. Women are the majority at 54.0 percent of undergraduates and 59.8 percent of graduate students. continued on page 25

22 | ARROYO | 08.19

08.19 | ARROYO | 23

24 | ARROYO | 08.19

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

continued from page 22

Most dorm rooms will provide the standard issue furniture - a bed, a thin

digging deep into their pockets.

mattress, a desk and chair, maybe a mirror, and perhaps a trash can. The rest is usually up to you. Some trendy and wealthy college students are actually

WORK WITH THE SPACE

enlisting interior decorators to come up with dorm room ideas, and there’s no

To take full advantage of the limited space, dorm rooms need to be

shortage of designer websites that are inspiring students to reach a bit with their

organized. You need a space for studying, one for sleeping, and then hopefully

budget.

there’s room for a comfortable chair or two to make it easier to have a guest or

The US Census reports that 18.4 million students are enrolled in college as of 2017, the last year numbers are available. Women are the majority at 54.0 percent of undergraduates and 59.8 percent of graduate students.

two visit.

Setting the mood in a dorm room all starts with light. Most dorms have one window and fluorescent bulbs as their basics. Neither are particularly inviting.

Overall, about 40 percent of full-time students live on campus, with 40

Thus, it’s smart to have a lamp that can bend in several directions. A good desk

percent living off-campus and 20 percent living with their parents. However, in

lamp that can be repositioned is ideal, as the desk will likely adjoin your sleeping

some private schools, as much as 90 percent to 100 percent of students live on

space and can serve two purposes if you read laying down.

campus.

You may also consider a stand-alone pole lamp that can be used for

The art of college room decoration is a highly subjective one, made all the

ambient lighting in the room. You can also create a more festive feel with string

more complicated by the fact that your scholar may be sharing a room with one

lights. These will have to wrap around something for support, so perhaps some

or more people. Tastes vary, and the space students have is generally small and

adhesive backed hooks will be needed.

utilitarian, designed to accommodate the basic necessities of living rather than luxuriating in a plush space.

Statistics on how much people are spending on dorm décor are hard

Posters can also help set a mood, although it’s wise to stay away from Che Guevara and other potentially inflammatory depictions. A landscape can provide some calming moments in hectic times, and prints are easily

to come by. The National Retail Federation indicates that around $1,000

found on websites like Etsy and Society6 that have many thousands of

is in the ballpark of what the average student will spend, but obviously

unique art prints.

that’s a vested interest in getting you to load up. That figure undoubtedly

Storage is at a premium in tight quarters. A three-drawer vertical cart on

includes some things that the average student can easily live without. US

wheels can be positioned wherever there is space in the room. There are also

dorm spending totals more than $50 million per year, though, so someone is

continued on page 29

08.19 | ARROYO | 25

26 | ARROYO | 03.19

03.19 | ARROYO | 27

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—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

continued from page 25

pieces of furniture that can provide storage options and not take up a lot of room. Consider the unused spaces in the dorm room as well – places like under the bed or on top of the dresser. Both are ripe for storage containers that can hold various items.

THE LUXURY ITEMS The above are the items that you need to live a basic existence. But a Spartan existence, while budget conscious, isn’t really conducive to enjoyment.

There are a few other items to consider that will bring some vibrant qualities to make the room feel more like home.

First and foremost, get a dorm-size refrigerator. Yes, as attested to by the infamous “freshman 15” that most students gain in their first year away from home, the catering at colleges is quite good. But you’ll also need some drinks and snacks in your room for the wee, small hours of the morning, and a dorm room refrigerator is the godsend that will help you get through some of those times. Most small units start below $200, going up from there, depending on what else you want. Keep in mind that space is at a premium and this isn’t a kitchen,

when necessary. Sonos and Logitech are two brands that are popular, but

so plan for something that will provide a maximum of enjoyment in a minimum of

review what’s out there on Amazon and adjust your budget accordingly.

space.

In the old days, a television in the dorm was a luxury. Now, thanks to streaming, most students can watch whatever they want on their laptops. Since there are subscription costs for many sites, plan accordingly for what you really, really need to watch.

Music can also be streamed from your phones, but consider adding to the ambience with some wireless speakers that can pump the bass and the party

Finally, consider a small area rug to give a touch of warmth to the cold, tile floors that will undoubtedly be a part of dorm life. Small rugs can be found for $100 or less, and they add considerable charm to your living space.

All of the above are something of an investment in your life, and four years will go by pretty rapidly. If you’ve chosen quality items, the dorm room style can become a part of your first post-college apartment. That’s when the real testing begins.

08.19 | ARROYO | 29

30 | ARROYO | 08.19

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

Education A DIRECTORY OF LEARNING OPTIONS

Altadena Children’s Center

to include classes in public speaking, life skills, woodshop, theater arts, yearbook

At Altadena Children’s Center, the families of the children in our programs who range

production, student leadership and much more. Barnhart is known as a “down to

in age from 2 months to prekindergarten fi nd programs that meet the needs of the

earth”, diverse community. We invite you to take a tour and talk with our parents

whole child within a developmentally appropriate framework. Our family-centered

and students. Come meet our dedicated team of professionals, spend some time in

approach helps to nurture healthy partnerships between teachers and parents as

our community, and watch our students in action!

we all work together to support the children. We are eager to help families from

240 W. Colorado Blvd., Arcadia (626)446-5588 barnhartschool.org

diverse backgrounds to discover that Altadena Children’s Center is the best place for their child’s early education.

California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley

Contact Director Toni Boucher at (626) 797-6142 or visit accc-kids.org.

The mission of California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV) is to provide an unparalleled arts and academic education to a diverse group students who

Barnhart School

are passionate about the arts, preparing them to reach their highest potential. Our

We believe that education is a lifelong comprehensive human experience; that so-

dynamic school culture enables students to flourish in a uniquely challenging and

cial and emotional learning is as important as academic learning. Accredited by the

nurturing environment that celebrates creativity, individual growth and supportive

California Association of Independent Schools and Western Association of Schools

learning. Students receive a robust and rigorous college-preparatory curriculum in

and Colleges, Barnhart is distinguished through its focus on Early Literacy, Writers’

addition to pre-professional arts conservatory training in their chosen discipline of

Workshop, the Virtues Program, conversational Spanish at all grade levels, daily PE

dance, fi ne and media arts, music or theatre. CSArts-SGV is a tuition-free, donation-

and a stellar middle school program where students are graduating with accep-

dependent program serving 1,200 seventh through 12th grade students from across

tance to their top choice high schools. In addition to a robust and rigorous aca-

the San Gabriel Valley.

demic base of subjects, we provide a full range of co-curricular programs including

Come learn more at our Preview Days coming up on October 12, December 7 and January

music, art, technology, Spanish and PE. In middle school, we further extend learning

11. www.sgv.csarts.net/previewday –continued on page 32 08.19 | ARROYO | 31

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

Education A DIRECTORY OF LEARNING OPTIONS

–continued from page 31

The Gooden School: A Values Driven Community At The Gooden School, a K-8 independent, co-ed day school nestled in the foothills of Sierra Madre, strong and clearly expressed values create identity, focus, unity, and drive. Gooden’s new head, Jo-Anne Woolner, is proud to be leading a community where the school’s motto, “Respect for self, others, and the world” answers the questions, ‘what do we belong to?’, ‘what’s important to us?’, ‘what holds us together?’ and ‘why do our collective efforts matter?’ The school’s values, rooted in its Episcopal identity, inspire its students to try harder as individuals so that collectively the school community thrives. The curriculum facilitates cooperative and independent learning, promotes unconditional acceptance of self and others, recognizes the interdependence of mind and body, inspires a love of learning, encourages self-determination, and develops global awareness. Open houses will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and Wednesday, January 15, 2020 from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

For more information please call (626) 355-2410 or go to the school’s website at goodenschool.org

High Point Academy High Point’s mission is to awaken the joy of learning by inspiring students to their fullest potential in a collaborative, stimulating community of caring and academic excellence. Dedicated, talented faculty provide a strong K-8 curriculum enriched by world languages, music, art, library, technology, and daily physical education.

High Point’s 2019 graduates gained entrance into acclaimed independent high schools, earning over $700,000 in merit scholarships. Experience why High Point instills self-confidence, good character, and an exceptional foundation for success.

For more information, attend an Open House or sign-up for a tour.

HighPointAcademy.org

Immaculate Heart High School & Middle School A Catholic, independent, college preparatory school, Immaculate Heart educates and empowers young women in grades sixth through 12th grades. Founded in 1906, Immaculate Heart offers a distinguished history, with more than 10,000 graduates.

Its hillside campus, centrally located in Los Angeles near Griffith Park, welcomes students of geographic, ethnic and religious diversity. Virtually 100 percent matriculate to college, including the most prestigious universities in the country. The high school’s curriculum offers 14 honors classes and 18 Advanced Placement courses, including the new two-year AP Capstone course. IH fields teams in basketball, cross country, diving, equestrian, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. Students participate in community service, retreats and liturgies, theatrical productions, the visual arts, and more than 30 clubs. Bus transportation serves Pasadena!

5515 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90028. immaculateheart.org (323) 461-3651

Los Angeles Children’s Chorus An introduction to vocal instruction from an award-winning children’s chorus.

Children are introduced to the wonder and excitement of singing and key music concepts in First Experiences in Singing (FES), a non-auditioned, non-performing class for 6-7-year-olds. New singers develop vocal and musical skills, are exposed to general tonal and rhythmic concepts, and introduced to bel canto singing. Through the FES program, children gain experience and confidence singing in bel canto technique in group, small group, and solo settings; learn tonal and rhythmic skills through Kodály-based sequential lessons, from master teachers; become familiar –continued on page 35 32 | ARROYO | 08.19

08.19 | ARROYO | 33

34 | ARROYO | 08.19

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

Education A DIRECTORY OF LEARNING OPTIONS

–continued from page 32 with high-quality folk songs, singing games, and dances; demonstrate the skills learned through a fi nal demonstration for parents, family, and friends, followed by a social gathering.

585 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena (626) 793-4231 lachildrenschorus.org

Pacifica Graduate Institute Pacifica Graduate Institute is an accredited graduate school offering masters and doctoral degree programs in the traditions of depth psychology. Our educational environment nourishes respect for cultural diversity and individual differences, and our students have access to an impressive array of educational resources on Pacifica’s two campuses, both of which are located a few miles south of Santa Barbara, California. Join us for our Information Day and learn about our various degree programs in the tradition of Depth Psychology informed by the teachings of C.G. Jung, Joseph Campbell, Marion Woodman, James Hillman, and others.

Saturday, August 24th from 10:00am-4:00pm. Pacifica.edu.

Realtime Captioning DIANA BRANDIN REALTIME CAPTIONING & ASL! - Communication Access Realtime Translation and Sign Language (ASL, SEE, Tactile, Spanish - on-site and remote).We now do LIVE-STREAMED EVENTS to YouTube, FB, or other platforms. We specialize in in K-12, colleges, & university CARTcaptioning, large and small organization conferences, non-profits and more. ADA Compliance. Communication access for public/ private academic institutions (universities, colleges, K-12, special events, on-site and online learning), businesses, corporations, non-profits, for-profits, corporate meetings, conferences, conference calls, live-streamed webinars, legal, court, hearings, medical, hospitals, doctor appointments, social services, weddings, funerals.

Realtime captioning and American Sign Language plus transcription of recorded media, closed-captioning or subtitles for videos, webinars, DVDs, YouTube clips, and other media. Live captions displayed via tablet, smartphone, laptop, flat-screen TV, projector-to-screen, jumbotron and more. We hire only seasoned professionals! Local small business and woman-owned business. FREE DEMOS onsite and remotely.

OnPointCaptions.com | (818) 279-8136

South Pasadena Music Center South Pasadena Music Center & Conservatory offers lessons and classes in the European classical tradition, combined with cutting edge instruction in jazz, rock, and modern music. Our instructors are professionals in their fields and have masters –continued on page 36 08.19 | ARROYO | 35

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

Education A DIRECTORY OF LEARNING OPTIONS

Stowell Learning Center Weak underlying processing skills can cause even very bright students to have to work harder or longer than expected. These skills are not usually addressed at school, but they are essential for reading and comprehending words on a page. An estimated 30% of students in school have some difficulty with auditory processing; 20% are dyslexic; and 50% of those who are ADHD are said to have hidden auditory processing challenges. At Stowell Learning Center, We Have “A System - Not a Program. We have helped over 10,000 struggling students become successful in school and in life through our proprietary brain training approach, and we believe we can help you and your struggling student too. When a child is working harder than he/she should, it’s time to look at why, and what can be done differently and more effectively. At Stowell Learning Center, Students Experience Results that Last A Lifetime!

Come visit us at our new Pasadena location! 572 E. Green St., Suite 200 (626) 808-4441 stowellcenter.com.

Stratford Schools Stratford School provides an unparalleled education where children are inspired to be creative problem solvers, innovators, and leaders. These 21st century qualities provide children with the knowledge, confidence, and ingenuity to help them excel –continued from page 35

in future careers! Stratford’s accelerated curriculum from preschool through eighth grade emphasizes STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics)

or doctoral degrees in music. We also offer Early Childhood Music and Movement

while incorporating music, physical education, foreign language, and social skills

classes for children 15 mos to 2 years and ages 3 – 5 years. These classes are fun,

development. By combining a safe and nurturing learning environment, Stratford

energetic, and encourage kids to play with sounds, pitch, and rhythm. It’s a great

teachers ensure a stimulating and balanced curriculum while cultivating a child’s

way to prepare young ones for instrumental instruction. With the start of the school

natural joy of learning. Evident at all its schools is the Stratford motto, “Summa spes,

year around the corner, our instructor schedules begin to fi ll up. Call soon to reserve

summa res,” meaning “Highest hopes, highest things.” Grades: Preschool-8th.

your spot. Come make music with us this fall!

2046 Allen Ave., Altadena (626) 794-1000 stratfordschools.com ||||

1509 Mission Street, South Pasadena (626) 403-2300 southpasadenamusic.com

36 | ARROYO | 08.19

BACK TO SCHOOL… FOR GRANDPARENTS Grandparents Universities offer aging baby boomers the chance to bond with their grandkids in learning environments.

BY KATHLEEN KELLEHER

DEBBIE MERCER WENT BACK TO COLLEGE WITH HER THEN 8-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER, KADENCE, IN TOW. THE 2013 EXPERIENCE WAS A CONTINUATION OF HER INTENSE LOVE FOR BOTH HER ALMA MATER AND HER GRANDDAUGHTER, AND A DESIRE TO INTRODUCE KADENCE TO THE

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Kansas State University

JOYS OF FUTURE COLLEGE LIFE.

KSU’s Debbie Mercer shares quality time with Kadence

“I wanted to share my love of Kansas State [University] with her and provide an opportunity for her to see and experience K-State through the eyes of the student,” Mercer, dean of the College of Education at Kansas State University, said in an email interview. “The expectation to go on to college needs to be nurtured and supported.”

The program Mercer and her granddaughter participated in is Grandparents University, a shared college learning opportunity for both old and young. The one- two- or three-day visit is full of joint learning, frivolity and intergenerational bond-building. Every summer thousands of grandparents from around the world descend on college campuses, mostly in the Midwest, with their grandkids ages 7 through 14 in tow.

There are more than 70 million grandparents in the U.S. — more than ever before, according to 2017 Census figures. That’s because the baby boom has aged into the grandparent boom. The number of grandparents has jumped by 24 percent since 2001. By age 65, 83 percent of Americans are grandparents, according to the Pew Research Center, and they are a robust economic and demographic force with considerable spending power. One way grandparents contribute to their grandchildren’s lives is by exposing –continued on page 38 08.19 | ARROYO | 37

–continued from page 37

them to values and life paths (and in many cases, by helping pay for college tuition). Grandparents University aims to help with that guidance, while allowing grandparents to re-experience college life. Sharing “aha!” moments of learning together helps forge a relationship of equals rather than wizened teacher and childstudent.

Grandparents stay with their grandchildren in a dormitory room or suite and attend classes together. GPU classes are taught by professors, faculty members, teaching assistants and professionals in the course subject. Some programs are limited to alumni, but many are open to all, including aunts, uncles, godparents and others who want to attend GPU with a special child. Typically, there are between 50 and 60 participants at GPU camp, said Mercer.

GPU was started on the campus of University of Wisconsin, Madison, by the Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) during the summer of 2001. It has been licensed to and replicated at colleges around the country, including Purdue, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, West Chester, Western Washington, Winona State, University of North Texas, and other University of Wisconsin campuses.

Mercer was inspired to start a GPU at Kansas State University in 2013 because of her granddaughter and has since attended yearly, fi rst with Kadence, until she aged out in 2017, and then with her second granddaughter, Paisley, starting last summer. “Both girls absolutely loved it,” said Mercer. “They loved the Insect Zoo, STEM activities, eating K-State’s world-renowned Call Hall ice cream, taking dance classes and 38 | ARROYO | 08.19

GPU at KSU

sleeping in dorms and feeling like real college students.”

For Mercer, a grandparent who’s also a working professional, the chance for two days of one-on-one time with each granddaughter in a place “that means the world to me” was a rare treat.

“What more could I ask for?” said Mercer.

GPU also aims to help children learn about possible careers and exposes them to college life, encouraging them to eventually attend the university. Course offerings are wide and varied. For example, there are 25 “majors” to choose from at University of Wisconsin at Madison, ranging from art, entomology and digital storytelling to social robotics, engineering and wildlife ecology. University tours and field trips are integral to most GPUs, but they all offer “ice cream socials,” board games and meetings with school mascots.

THE ABCs OF GPUs Length of stay: Most programs last 2½ days.

Who can attend: Some GPU programs require that adults in attendance be alums (University of Wisconsin–Madison, Purdue and Oklahoma do), but others, like KSU, do not. Check with the GPU program website you are interested in.

Prices: Costs range from $250 to $340 per grandparent and $200 to $245 per child. Linens and pillows may be provided but may vote an extra fee. If you recall, dorm mattresses are thin, so you may want to stay in a hotel. Applications are generally due in January or February for the following summer.

What it includes: Wisconsin, Purdue, Winona State and Oklahoma State ask participants to focus on a specific field of study or major. It could be veterinary medicine, astronomy, computer science or archery, according to Forbes Magazine.

Other universities offer hands-on courses like theory of fl ight, producing a television show, fashion design, how DNA studies work, robotics and making a recording of a grandparent reading to a grandchild, Forbes adds. Some GPUs allow attendees –continued on page 41 08.19 | ARROYO | 39

40 | ARROYO | 08.19

–continued from page 39

to take up to four classes; at some, like Michigan State, there are 200 classes from which to choose. Most GPUs include evening programs, leaving ample time to explore campuses, photo opportunities with school mascots, trivia competitions, rope-climbing, team-building and “secret” projects for grandchildren to create a parting gift for their grandparents. Some also include field trips. Prices usually include housing, meals and campus transportation.

Most popular classes: Not surprisingly, Legos courses are a hit. Jessica Kauphussman, director of the Winona Retiree Center, told Forbes that its GPU Legos class is very popular with grandchildren — who help grandparents to learn the technology and problem-solving, rather than the reverse. Always popular are STEMrelated sessions, including robotics, airplane building and bridge construction, said KSU’s Mercer. Of course, everyone loves KSU’s Veterinary Health Center, where they can watch student vets care for animals, and the marching band, said Mercer.

Attendees learn cheers, get to know band members and handle the instruments.

Takeaway: Fond memories of college draw many grandparents to GPUs, which promote family bonding and lifting up the next generation. The hope is that a university education will be a natural segue for the grandchild, rather than a jolting shift from high school. Said Mercer: “When that is coupled with the love of a special child, it just creates the perfect opportunity for creating new Wildcat [K-state’s mascot] memories.” |||| 08.19 | ARROYO | 41

HAPPY CAMPERS

Lauren Schneider

Children beset by grief over the loss of a loved one find solace and strength at Camp Erin in Glendale.

BY CARL KOZLOWSKI

42 | ARROYO | 08.19

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Our House

M

arjani Welch was only 10 years old on Dec. 28, 2017, the day her father, Michael, died during surgery. It wasn’t supposed to happen — Michael had entered the hospital a healthy man to undergo prophylactic surgery to prevent future cancer due to a genetic mutation.

For Marjani and her mother, Marche Boose-Welch, the death was devastating.

But afterward, both found solace through the therapy programs of the grief support center Our House, which offers group discussions for survivors of all ages.

Healing programs include a powerful twice-yearly experience for kids ages 6 to 17 called Camp Erin. Children who have experienced the death of a loved one — usually a parent, but sometimes a sibling or best friend — can spend a weekend with other kids who are also working through their grief. Dozens of campers who arrive downcast participate in traditional activities like swimming, rock-climbing and campfi res but also create skits and songs to express and share their feelings, enabling them to return home happier and better adjusted. The weekend is free for campers.

“I learned about Our House, and my sister who lives in Northern California told me about Camp Erin,” says Boose-Welch. “We did an interview at Our House and found group support that was appropriate for her age group that she’s been attending for a year. She loves it, goes every other week and keeps me on track in taking her there. It gives her an opportunity to meet other children who understand what it’s like to lose a parent, and I love that she loves it and it’s something where I never have to say, ‘Come on, let’s go.’

“Th is is her second year attending camp and I’m so grateful that kids can go and have just a little away time, feel special and realize that they’re not the only one,” she continues. “She’s made some good friends here. For me, it helps because I know that

she loves it and it’s comforting to her. A lot of times it’s hard for me to find the words since Michael’s passing was so tragic and unexpected.”

Camp Erin’s most recent session took place the second weekend of June (the next one runs Sept. 6–8) at the nonprofit residential Camp Bob Waldorf, a bucolic spread of land in the hills above Glendale with a pool, children’s play areas, trails and cabins.

Boose-Welch was with a large crowd of parents and family members who came to the camp’s arts center to watch the 81 campers perform a series of original songs and skits. On the wall behind the stage, a memory board of photos spotlighted the loved ones who had passed, along with notes handwritten by the kids. The notes were heartbreaking yet life-affi rming at the same time, distillations of the sadness around those who had passed while also serving as warm remembrances of their best qualities.

A camp leader told the audience that “your kids will look 100 percent different than before” — that is, they’d be smiling rather than overcome with grief and fear.

Soon, the youngest girls marched onstage wearing “unicorn horns” for the first skit, followed by dozens of other kids and teens who smiled and waved at their families and friends — most of them delighted and surprised to see their young ones happy again. The unicorn girls reenacted their weekend’s dance party, grief hike, pool party and plate-smashing session to vent their frustrations. A boys’ group performed a Spider-Man skit in which the webbed wonder battled a villain called Griefer-Man to crush the sadness he spreads. Another group of girls called the Sassy Snakes sang a satire of the classic song “My Favorite Th ings,” while boys’ groups spoofed The Avengers or Ghostbusters, morphing into “Grief busters.”

–continued on page 44

08.19 | ARROYO | 43

–continued from page 43

The skits were mostly silly, but they were clearly effective in making the kids feel better about themselves, bringing numerous parents to tears. “I loved my daughter’s skit, but I really enjoyed all of them,” says Boose-Welch. “I loved seeing her participate with the other girls. She can be a little shy so it warms my heart to see her interacting with girls with a similar experience. I enjoyed seeing them learn coping mechanisms like breathing and punching the air.”

According to camp director Lauren Schneider, Camp Erin is the largest national bereavement program for grieving youth, with more than 40 camps across the country. The camps were created by the philanthropic Eluna Network and named after Erin Metcalf, a young friend of Major League Baseball pitcher Jamie Moyer and his wife, Karen, who lost her battle with liver cancer at age 17. The Moyers, who launched the fi rst Camp Erin in 2002, also oversee the foundation. Camp Erin – L.A. was the subject of the Emmy-winning HBO documentary One Last Hug. Our House Grief Support Center itself has offices in, Woodland Hills, West L.A. and Koreatown, serving adults and children ages 4 and up. “We were invited to do Camp Erin by the Eluna foundation in 2009,” says Schneider, clinical director of child and adolescent programs for Our House. “We came to this particular location here in Glendale after renting Camp Bloomfield in Malibu, which burned down in the Woolsey Fire in December.

“We had to really quickly move to find a new location,” adds Schneider. “I had worked for Jewish Big Brothers [Big Sisters of Los Angeles, which owns and operates Camp Bob Waldorf] earlier in my career, and I knew of this location. I called them on Monday fi rst thing after we knew the fi re had taken out the camp, and we got approved.”

Many campers are referred by their school counselor or therapist, and most are involved with the Our House Grief Support program, which is the largest in California and serves more than 800 kids in L.A. County alone. The camp program includes swimming, DJ dance parties, therapy dogs and tie-dying T-shirts, all in an effort to

44 | ARROYO | 08.19

reduce the isolation the children experience elsewhere in their lives. “We make sure they exchange contact information, because one of their biggest problems is they feel cut off from other children and lose a lot of friendships,” says Schneider. “They may go home with at least one friend they’ll stay in touch with, and we have three camp counselors this year who were children here at camp and came back.

“Last night we had a beautiful ceremony, featuring luminarias, floating lanterns that the kids placed in the pool after dark,” she continues. “As they placed it in the pool they said something out loud they wanted the person that died to know, whether it’s ‘Goodbye’ or ‘I love you.’ They express something in front of the entire group of 150 adults and kids. When the lanterns were all in the pool, singer Jonah Platt sang four songs for us while we watched the floating candles in the dark. It also serves as a chance in the grieving process to verbalize unspoken things.”

Perhaps the best proof of Camp Erin’s success lies in the attendees who come back and volunteer as “cabin buddies” years later. Coby Hilborne, 23, was a camper for two years at ages 16 and 17 after a brain aneurysm cut short his father’s life in 2011. He’s now spending his second summer helping oversee this summer’s camps.

“I always say that without Camp Erin and Our House, I wouldn’t be the person I am today,” says Hilborne. “I would have gone down a totally different path. It’s such a great environment that the kids come into. They come in and they’re so sad and down — they lost a father, mother, sibling, best friend, and they’re in a totally sad space. They come to have a good time but also do different activities that help them [deal] with their grief. I love the structure this place has.

“I remember how much this camp gave me and how good I felt when I left,” he adds. “I met my current roommate from the camp, and it was such a different bonding level than most friends, because he lost his mom and I lost my dad. We were in same cabin last year both volunteering, and in different ones this year. These kids are in the same spot I was in seven years ago. I’m on such a high now. I ride this high for two weeks a month, thinking about camp. I thought last year I’d have to wait a whole other year to come back.” |||| Camp Erin resumes from Sept. 6 through 8 at Camp Bob Waldorf in Glendale.

Camper applications are available at ourhouse-grief.org/camp-erin-la-oc/; completed applications must be submitted by Aug. 14 for the September session. To attend, volunteer or donate, visit the website or call (888) 417-1444.

08.19 | ARROYO | 45

KITCHEN CONFESSIONS

Floating Some Ideas ROOT BEER FLOATS ARE THE ULTIMATE SUMMER REFRESHER.

E

BY LESLIE BILDERBACK

ven though I have been studying the National Day Calendar all year, I am still

surprised when I find a theme. I know that the people who declare these days are

not consulting with each other — or anyone else for that matter. Surely, if someone

had been in charge, they would have realized that pairing National Woman’s Equality

Day with National Dog Day on Aug. 31 was ill-advised. I think it is more aptly paired with National Work Like a Dog Day on Aug. 5.

As the traditional month of vacation, August naturally features days that encourage

enjoying the summer season — such as National Park Service Founders Day (Aug. 25), National Trail Mix Day (Aug. 31) and National S’mores Day (Aug. 10). If the great outdoors isn’t for you, the calendar has National Lazy Day (Aug. 10) and National Relaxation Day (Aug. 14). For those of you looking for a National Day that is less

committal, there is National I Love my Feet Day (Aug. 17), National Wiggle Your Toes Day (Aug. 6), National Friendship Day (Aug. 4) and National Happiness Happens Day (Aug. 8), instituted by an honest-to-God-real organization called the Secret Society

of Happy People — which I find problematic. Are they a group that meets secretly for

smiling and laughing parties? Or is their happiness a secret and they are pledged to walk around looking grumpy and stern — yet secretly inside they are bubbling over with joy?

Not surprisingly, this warm month features a plethora of ice cream holidays. National

Ice Cream Sandwich Day is Aug. 2, National Frozen Custard Day (frozen custard is an East Coast thing — it’s just ice cream; please don’t send me letters) is Aug. 8, National

Spumoni Day is Aug. 21 and Banana Split Day is Aug. 25. And, to my delight, Aug. 6 is the National Day of my favorite ice cream treat of all time — the root beer float.

I love a good root beer float. (To be fair, I also love a bad root beer float.) It has always

been my favorite. When I was pregnant it was all I craved, and my husband dutifully

prepared it for me on request. It is cool and tangy, and there is something magical about

the transformation of the ice cream as it reacts to the spicy soda. It starts off with a little

icy crust on the vanilla scoop, but as you slurp away, creaminess takes over.

Ugh…now I want one.

Root beer has always been my preferred soda. I never really understood the appeal of

cola. Why would anyone pick cola over the sweet complexity of root beer? (You do know they took the cocaine out years ago, right?) Root beer was a thing long before cola, or

soda, or even America. Native tribes made a medicinal tea from sassafras root, bark and stems. Its culinary delights were quickly recognized, as sassafras, a tree that grows in

the eastern United States, tastes pretty good. When the colonists arrived, they brought

the tradition of brewing small batches of aromatic beers, because water sources were not

always safe. Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) and sarsaparilla (Smilax ornata) were particularly

flavorful and were blended with additional herbs and berries, including wintergreen,

birch, juniper, hops, burdock, licorice and eventually more exotic flavors, like nutmeg, anise, molasses, cinnamon, honey, vanilla, black cherry and ginger.

Charles Elmer Hires was the fi rst to market a sassafras-root tea at the Centennial

International Exhibition of 1876 in Philadelphia. His tea included 25 herbs, berries and

roots. Early competitors included Barq’s, created in Mississippi, and St. Louis–based IBC (Independent Brewing Company), brands that are still sold today. Dad’s Root Beer was 46 | ARROYO | 08.19

created in Chicago in the 1930s and was the fi rst product to be sold in a six-pack. In 1919 Roy Allen opened his root beer stand in Lodi, California, where he innovated serving root beer in frosty mugs. The next year he partnered with Frank Wright and named the drink after their combined initials; then in 1924, Allen obtained the A&W trademark. Just the right time market-wise — with Prohibition, root beer sales skyrocketed.

A&W is the most nostalgic for me. You could drive up to restaurant, get a tray hooked onto your car window and order a burger created specifically for your age group — Papa, Mama, Teen or Baby. The root beer mugs came in sizes too. As a little kid, getting a tiny burger and a tiny mug of root beer — just for me — was thrilling. Years later, I discovered that my husband had worked at his local A&W as a teenager, rotating between grill duty, root beer mixing (making it “fresh” in-house is still their claim to fame) and dressing up as the A&W Great Root Bear to wave people over from the highway. (I’m pretty sure that last bit is why I married him.)

For me, a float is the best way to enjoy root beer. Sometimes called a Black Cow, its creation is credited to the Colorado mining camp of Cripple Creek. Frank J. Wisner, owner of Cripple Creek Brewing, was inspired to add a scoop of vanilla to his root beer after watching the full moon rise over Cow Mountain. True or not, it’s a great visual.

Wisner would not approve of A&W using soft-serve vanilla. Personally, I’m a purist. I need a round scoop that floats and bobs amidst the effervescence. (But to be honest, I’d take an A&W float right now, if offered.)

Like all great culinary inventions, the creation of ice cream floating in soda is claimed by many. And like all great culinary inventions, it arrived via some kind of fair or celebration and was created because they ran out of something — in this case, ice.

(Common alternative origin stories involve trying to one-up the competitor.) As far as I’m concerned, using ice cream to cool a flavored soda is the single greatest idea since the steam engine.

There are many international versions of this concept, all claiming to be the fi rst. In Australia it’s called a Spider (because of the way the foam grows, I guess). In the U.K. it’s a Floater. In Puerto Rico it’s a Black Out and in Costa Rica it’s Vaca Negra. In Mexico it’s Helado Flotante, preferably made with cola and lemon sherbet. The Boston Cooler is a ginger ale float (named for Boston Street in Detroit), the Snow White is a 7-Up float and the Purple Cow is a grape soda float (popularized by the Arkansas restaurant chain).

Friendly’s restaurants popularized the Sherbet Cooler (vanilla seltzer with orange sherbet), and the Green Giant (lime sherbet and Sprite) makes regular appearances at summer potlucks across the country.

Here are some interesting, if not traditional, float ideas for you to try. Just remember to save the original root beer float for Aug. 6. ||||

Lemonade Stand Float

Dulce de Leche Float

Sparkling pink lemonade Lemon sorbet Finish with a sprig of chopped mint.

Vanilla soda (a.k.a cream soda) Darkest chocolate ice cream Cajeta (goat milk caramel) Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and nutmeg, and serve with a churro.

Tropic Thunder Float Pineapple juice Seltzer water Mango sorbet Top with toasted coconut.

Ladies Who Lunch Float Prosecco Fresh strawberries Blood orange sorbet Finish with a chocolate-dipped strawberry and grated orange zest.

The Happy Leprechaun Guinness Stout Coffee ice cream Clotted cream Top it off with grated chocolate or jimmies.

Michelangelo Float Cherry cola Spumoni (a blend of chocolate, cherry and pistachio ice cream) Whipped cream Sprinkle the top with chopped pistachios.

Apple Pie Float Sparkling cider Praline pecan ice cream Whipped cream Top with chopped pecans and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

ORANGE GROVE

M

STORY AND PHOTO BY MICHAEL CERVIN

i Piace in Old Pasadena is celebrating 30 years in business, and though better known for Italian wine that pairs with its Italian menu, the restaurant is proud of the dedicated cocktail program it launched about 10 years ago. “It was time, we needed it,” says manager Nikolas Baltas. “We make our cocktails specifically for our food.”

Splashed by light from large windows overlooking Colorado Boulevard, the place has a sophisticated feel, with crisp white linen tablecloths, black chairs and shiny warm-toned lacquered walls. Mi Piace’s cool and refreshing Orange Grove cocktail is perfect for these summer months. There is a slight bitterness from the Campari but the grapefruit pops on the midpalate, adding acidity and a light fruitiness. Th is complements food because it lacks the dominant sweetness typical of so many cocktails, allowing it to harmonize with the flavors on the plate. Have this with the ahi tuna tower with jalapeňo and soy sauce, or the beef carpaccio with honey–dry mustard vinaigrette. ||||

ORANGE GROVE INGREDIENTS

1½ ounces Grey Goose Orange Vodka ½ ounce Campari ¾ ounce simple syrup

¾ ounce fresh grapefruit juice ½ ounce fresh lemon juice 4 basil leaves

METHOD

Muddle 3 basil leaves in the base of shaker and add simple syrup, grapefruit juice and lemon juice. Add vodka, Campari and crushed ice. Shake well and strain over ice cubes in a large wine glass. Garnish with remaining basil leaf.

08.19 | ARROYO | 47

THE LIST COMPILED BY JOHN SOLLENBERGER Trains and Tracks at Muse/Ique Concerts

running from 6 to 7 p.m.

Doors open at 6 p.m.

guitar in Spain and Italy by performing

and concerts start at

examples of the specific compositional

Aug. 17 — The Odeum Guitar Duo traces the development of the golden age of

8 p.m. Tickets cost $50 to $130.

form in music known as the Theme and

Aug. 3 — This month’s first concert,

Variations, with selections by famous

“Train/Glory,” celebrates that vehicle of

guitarists and composers of the guitar

change, progress and dreams, which

epoch — from the 16th-century Spanish

has been featured in numerous films and

Renaissance to the 19th-century Roman-

popular songs. Guest vocalist is soprano

tic era. It runs from 6 to 7 p.m.

leggero Liv Redpath.

Aug. 24 — Fashion historian Kimberly

Aug. 24 — The concert “Band/Together”

Chisman-Campbell lectures on “Fashion-

examines the film scoring techniques

ing the Feminine in 18th-Century France:

of modern composers and compares

Dress, Desire and Domesticity,” focusing

the different musical choices for various

on three French works on loan from the

scenes while reimagining well-known

Frick Collection, from 4 to 5 p.m. She

soundtracks. The goal is to offer audi-

discusses how the sumptuous fashions of

ences a deeper appreciation for the

the mid-18th century inform our interpre-

impact of film music. Guest performers

tations of the paintings.

are the piano duet of Anderson and Roe

The Norton Simon Museum is located at

ARTISAN FAIR IN CENTAL PARK

411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call

Aug. 2, 3 — Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair comes to Pasadena’s Central Park,

Mt. Wilson String Concert Highlights Schubert

Oxford Rd., San Marino. Call (626) 539-

featuring more than 200 booths with handmade artisan items, plus live acoustic

Aug. 4 — Mt. Wilson Concerts Under the

7085 or visit muse-ique.com/museiques-

music, artisanal food and drink and a beer garden. It runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday

Dome take place at 3 and 5 p.m. inside

summer.

and 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free.

the dome of the observatory’s 100-inch

Central Park is located at 275 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena.

Hooker Telescope. This month’s program

Visit jackalopeartfair.com.

features Schubert’s String Quintet in C

(above) and American Ballet Theatre dancers Arron Scott, Skylar Brandt, Stella Abrera and Cory Stearns.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens is located at 1151

A Chance to Meet the Real Twain

(626) 449-6840 or visit nortonsimon.org.

major, performed by the Lyris Quartet,

Aug. 3 — The Pasa-

which includes violinist Alyssa Park and

dena Public Library’s

$10 to $95.

ton native Eddie B, who is changing the

Shalini Vijayanm, violist Luke Maurer and

Central Branch

Aug. 3 — Pasadena Pops’ Michael Fein-

comedy game with his unique brand of

cellists Timothy Loo and Cécilia Tsan.

screens the Ken Burns documentary

stein (below left) sings Cole Porter hits,

humor. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets

Tickets are $50 for each concert and

Mark Twain about the writer considered

including “Night and Day,” “Begin the

are $25 to $55.

must be ordered in advance on the

the funniest man of the late 19th cen-

Beguine,” “Can Can,” “I Get A Kick Out

The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N.

website. Proceeds benefit the Mt. Wilson

tury. Twain, born Samuel Clemens, used

of You” and others. Larry Blank conducts.

Brand Blvd.., Glendale. Call (818) 243-

Institute.

humor to attack hypocrisy, greed and

Aug. 24 — The concert features

2539 or visit alextheatre.org.

The Mt. Wilson Observatory is located on

racism. The documentary, which starts

Grammy- and Tony-nominated vocalist

at 2 p.m., delves beneath the legend

and pianist Michael Cavanaugh sing-

to discover the true Twain, revealing his

ing Elton John songs, including “Tiny

extraordinary life, his adventures, literary

Dancer,” “Rocket Man,” “Crocodile

Classic Guitar, French Fashion at Norton Simon

pursuits, successes and defeats. Admis-

Rock,” “Benny and the Jets” and others.

Events are included in

sion is free.

Larry Blank conducts.

The Pasadena Public Library Central

The L.A. County Arboretum and Botanic

sion of $15, $12 for seniors 62 and up;

Branch is located at 285 E. Walnut St.,

Garden is located at 301 N. Baldwin

free for members, students and visitors 18

Pasadena. Call (626) 744-4066 or visit

Ave., Arcadia. Call (626) 793-7172 or visit

and younger.

Huntington Library, Art Collections and

pasadenapubliclibrary.net.

pasadenasymphony-pops.org.

Aug. 3 — Norton Simon summer concerts

Botanical Gardens presents a lecture,

tie musical performances to works in

“California Ranches: Lands in Transition,”

the collections. This concert explores

by architect Marc Appleton, author of

common themes and insights into artists

Ranches: Home on the Range in Cali-

Concerts take place

Comedy On Tap at the Alex Theatre

promoted by Walter Hopps, a noted cu-

fornia, starting at 7 p.m. in Rothenberg

at the L.A. County Ar-

Aug. 3 — Stage

rator at the Pasadena Art Museum in the

Hall. Appleton discusses the history of

Therapy Entertain-

Pops Salutes Cole Porter, Elton John

Mt. Wilson Road, La Cañada Flintridge.

Norton Simon admis-

Visit mtwilson.edu/concerts.

California Ranches, Garden Tips at the Huntington Aug. 5 — The

1960s. Pianist Greg Reitan (above) and

cattle ranching in the state, a way of life

Garden. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and

ment presents I’m Already Professionally

his trio perform original works and music

now succumbing to suburban sprawl. As

concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost

Developed, a night of comedy by Hous-

by notable jazz composers in a concert

ranches fail, there is renewed debate

boretum and Botanic

48 | ARROYO | 08.19

THE LIST

FOODIE BOOK TALK AT VROMAN’S Aug. 6 — Esquire food and drink editor and New York Times contributor Jeff Gordinier, in conversation with author/filmmaker Marc Weingarten, discusses and signs his new book, Hungry, at 7 p.m. It tells the story of Danish chef René Redzepi (above), owner of Copenhagen restaurant Noma. Believing growth only comes with change, the chef closed Noma, even though it was deemed the world’s best restaurant, to seek out new opportunities. He traveled the world to find the richest flavors the world had to offer.

Vroman’s Bookstore is located at 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 4495320 or visit vromansbookstore.com

on how these lands might transition to

Oxford Rd,, San Marino. Call (626) 405-

other uses. A book signing follows the

2100 or visit huntington.org.

talk. Admission is free; no reservations Aug. 17 — Lora Hall of Full Circle

Cal Phil Focus on Film Scores

Gardening discusses the importance

Concerts take place

of pruning fruit trees in a hands-on work-

at Walt Disney Concert

shop from 9 a.m. to noon. The fee is $45

Hall. Concert talks with

($35 for members). Advance registration

Maestro Victor Vener

are required.

is required at huntington.org/calendar.

(above) start at 1 p.m. and concerts at

Aug. 31 — A succulent plant symposium

2 p.m. Tickets cost $37.50 to $140.

features a group of international experts

Aug. 11 — “Carmen Goes to the Movies”

discussing topics ranging from West

features excerpts from Bizet’s Carmen and

Indian cacti to endangered species

film music from Ennio Morricone hits The

legislation. It runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mission and Cinema Paradiso, with guest

in the Ahmanson Room. The cost is $85.

vocalists Audrey Babcock, Cedric Berry,

Preregistration is required by calling (626)

Annalise Staudt and the Cal Phil Chorale.

405-3504.

Aug. 18 — “The Emperor’s Roundup”

The Huntington Library, Art Collections

includes a performance of Beethoven’s

and Botanical Gardens is located at 1151

–continued on page 50 08.19 | ARROYO | 49

THE LIST –continued from page 49

Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” with

All About Fruit

membership with the national organization.

Sierra Madre Playhouse at 8 p.m. It tells the

pianist Daniel Lesneer, Jerome Moross’

Aug. 16 through 18

Friday check-in time is 7:30 a.m. at the Arbo-

story of four Chinese-American mothers and

“The Big Country,” Elmer Bernstein’s “The

— TThe L.A. County

retum; events run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On

their four American-born daughters and the

Magnificent Seven,” Aaron Copland’s “Billy

Arboretum and

Saturday, check-in is 8 a.m.; events run from

complexities of family ties and history, as the

the Kid” and Ferde Grofé’s “Grand Canyon

Botanic Garden, The

8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Sunday, tours at various

women bridge a seemingly impossible divide.

Suite.”

Huntington Library, Art

locations run from 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Visit

It opens at 8 p.m. today and continues at 8

Walt Disney Concert Hall is located at 111 S.

Collections and Botanical Gardens and

the website for a full schedule.

p.m. Fridays, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and

Grand Ave., L.A. Call (323) 850-2000 or visit

Cal Poly Pomona host the annual Festival of

The L.A. County Arboretum and Botanic

2:30 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 28. Tickets

Fruit, the Foothill Chapter of California Rare

Garden is located at 301 N. Baldwin Ave.,

are $25 to $45.

Fruit Growers' (CRFG) fruit-centered event.

Arcadia. Visit festivaloffruit.org.

The Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87

calphil.com.

More of the Roar at L.A. Zoo

The festival is targeted at novice gardeners, the scientifically minded, plant breeders,

Playing with Fire

Aug. 16 — The L.A. Zoo

those seeking water and soil conservation

Aug. 17 — A Noise

hosts another Roaring

W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. Call (626) 355-4318 or visit sierramadreplayhouse.org.

techniques and those looking for interesting

Within opens its 2019–20

Fun With Tech at Arcadia Festival

Night, its after-hours summer event series

fruits to grow in their backyards. Activities

season, titled “They

Aug. 24 — Tech is fun at the family-friendly Ar-

for guests 21 and older. Adults can observe

include tours of the above-mentioned

Played with Fire,” with

cadia Steam + M Festival, which runs from 5 to

special animal feedings and pop-up zoo

locations and home gardens and nurseries,

Nick Dear’s adaptation

8 p.m. at the Arcadia Library Outdoor Prom-

talks while savoring food truck fare, cock-

plus expert lectures, a banquet, fruit-tasting

of the chilling Mary Shelley story Frankenstein.

enade. The event includes the Jedi Training

tails, lawn games, live music and disc jock-

and a fruit-related vendor fair. Registration

The play opens at 8 p.m. today and continues

Academy, music, tech booths, an invention

eys, from 6 to 10:30 p.m. August entertainers

is required to participate in the activities,

through Sept. 8. Tickets are $25 and up.

showcase, science workshops, crafts, games,

include DJ Avi Bernard, Pulp ’90s, DJ Johnny

except for the vendor fair at the Arbore-

A Noise Within is located at 3352 E. Foothill

Kona Shaved Ice and tacos. Admission is $5,

Hawkes, The Detroit Nights and Hush Silent

tum, which is included in regular Arboretum

Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 356-3100 or visit

free for children 5 and under; donate a new

Disco. Tickets cost $21 ($16 for members).

admission. CRFG members’ early registra-

anoisewithin.org.

book to the library for a free raffle ticket.

The L.A. Zoo is located at 5333 Zoo Dr.,

tion price is $85;

Griffith Park. Visit lazoo.org/roaringnights.

nonmembers' early registration price is $115,

Play Explores Family Fissures

Rd., Arcadia. Call (626) 941-6418 or visit arca-

which includes the cost of an annual CRFG

Aug. 24 — The Joy Luck Club opens at the

diapaf.org. ||||

50 | ARROYO | 08.19

The Arcadia Library is located at 20 W. Duarte