PW 10.17.19

10.17.19 | PASADENAWEEKLY.COM | GREATER PASADENA’S FREE NEWS AND EN ENTERTAINMENT NTER T ER TE RTTAI AINM AIN NMEN EN T W WE WEEKLY EEK EK LY EKLY LY

Pasadena DREAMIN’

AUTHOR CHIP JACOBS LAUNCHES ‘ARROYO,’ A HISTORICAL NOVEL ABOUT PASADENA AND THE ORIGINS OF THE COLORADO STREET BRIDGE

BY JUSTIN CHAPMAN

NEWS

NEW BLOOD

Candidates begin campaigns for mayor and City Council seats in districts 1, 2, 4 and 6

p. 7

DINING

MODERN DIGS FOR AVERAGE DINERS South Lake Avenue welcomes Dan Modern Chinese

p. 11

ARTS

CHANGING TIMES

‘A Kid Like Jake’ examines the complexities of gender identity

p. 14

SERVING PASADENA, ALHAMBRA, ALTADENA, ARCADIA, EAGLE ROCK, GLENDALE, LA CAÑADA, MONTROSE, SAN MARINO, SIERRA MADRE AND SO. PASADENA

2 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.17.19

10.17.19 | VOLUME 37| NUMBER 42

Opinion....................................................................3 Letters ........................................................5

Consider This...............................................6

News ........................................................................7 New Blood Candidates begin campaigns for mayor and City Council seats in districts 1, 2, 4 and 6.

Rally for Roxie Parents of girl who drowned at summer day camp establish foundation.

— André Coleman

— André Coleman

Feature ....................................................................9

Pasadena Dreamin’ Local author Chip Jacobs launches ‘Arroyo,’ a historical novel about Pasadena and the origins of the Colorado Street Bridge, at Vroman’s.

— Justin Chapman

Dining.................................................................... 11

Restaurant Review ...................................... 11

Bulletin .....................................................13

Arts & Culture ........................................................ 14 Into the Night .............................................20 Trax..........................................................20

Calendar....................................................23 Film..........................................................24

Classifieds .............................................................25 8 days ....................................................................34 ABOUT THE COVER: Photo of Chip Jacobs by Mercedes Blackehart

10.17.19 | PASADENA WEEKLY 3

4 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.17.19

PW OPINION

PW NEWS

•LETTERS•

PW DINING

PW ARTS

PENSION CRISIS

EDITORIAL EDITOR

Kevin Uhrich kuhrich@timespublications.com DEPUTY EDITOR

André Coleman acoleman@timespublications.com CONTRIBUTING MUSIC EDITOR

Bliss CONTRIBUTORS

Patti Carmalt-Vener, Justin Chapman, Peter Dreier, Randy Jurado Ertll, John Grula, Chip Jacobs, Jana J. Monji, Christopher Nyerges, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Ellen Snortland, INTERNS

Caroline Kimbel, Remali De Silva

ART ART DIRECTOR

Stephanie Torres storres@timespublications.com ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR

I’d love to obsess about rising coastlines, but I can’t. I’m distracted by that other crisis — the pension crisis.

California has $1 trillion unfunded pension liabilities which it is trying to pay off with sales taxes, big property tax bills and dishonest fi nancial reporting. The state will try to tax us more, although taxpayers recently rejected Measure EE to fund teachers’ pensions in LAUSD. The fact that scientists are pension crisis deniers weakens their arguments considerably, because pension math is simpler than climate math and doesn’t require complicated algorithms that are run on supercomputers.

Illinois recently turned in its comprehensive annual fi nancial report (CAFR) a year late, and tried to downplay a staggering $48 billion loss due to unfunded OPEBs, or other post-employment benefits. That loss is more than the entire state budget and it means schools and social services won’t be funded.

Needless to say, we can forget about free health care and free college because almost no state can afford those with their pension bills. ~ MATTHEW OKADA PASADENA

Richard Garcia CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS

Danny Liao, Jen Sorensen, Tom Tomorrow, Mercedes Blackhart, Catherine Bauknight ADVERTISING SALES AND MARKETING

Lisa Chase, Rick Federman, Javier Sanchez CLASSIFIED ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Ann Turrietta (Legals) BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER

Ann Turrietta CIRCULATION

Don S. Margolin TIMES MEDIA GROUP PRESIDENT

Steve Strickbine V.P. OF OPERATIONS

Michael Hiatt Pasadena Weekly is published every Thursday. Pasadena Weekly is available free of charge. No person may, without prior written permission from Pasadena Weekly, take more than one copy of each weekly issue. Additional copies of the current issue if available may be purchased for $1, payable in advance, at Pasadena Weekly office. Only authorized Pasadena Weekly distributors may distribute the Pasadena Weekly. Pasadena Weekly has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in Court Judgment No. C-655062.

Copyright: No news stories, illustrations, editorial matter or advertisements herein can be reproduced without written permission of copyright owner. All rights reserved, 2019.

HOW TO REACH US Address: 50 S. DeLacey Ave., Suite 200, Pasadena 91105 Telephone: (626) 584-1500 Fax: (626) 795-0149

SYSTEMIC RACISM I’ve written twice to my congresswoman asking this question: “Leaving aside the Mueller Report, the president’s daily obstruction of justice, and all the laws he routinely breaks, why aren’t his human rights violations, and all the American and international laws and agreements on refugees and migrants he’s flouting, and the children and adults crammed into verifiably disgraceful and injurious cages and refrigerator boxes — sufficient for impeachment?” Her response began, “Thank you for contacting me about former FBI Director Robert Mueller’s investigation …”

On July 19, I wrote back, “I’m sure you are very busy, but your form letter . . . was odd, because I did not contact you about Mueller’s

investigation.” I then asked again for a response to my question.

On July 23, the congresswoman signed up with those who had already called for an impeachment inquiry.

I believe I may have an answer to my question though. I think we must all very seriously consider what many of those who have been suffering from it have been trying to explain to the rest of us. It’s called systemic racism.

It is so foundational and intricate to the functioning of our society that even our most well-meaning leaders operate oblivious to it.

If our children, or children who looked like “ours” were dying in government custody, and thousands of others were being jailed for lengths of time well beyond the legal limits, sleeping on cold cement floors in very unhealthy, severely overcrowded conditions, refused flu shots, and without decent nutrition, medical care, or even soap and toothbrushes — regardless of the supposed crimes of the parents they were separated from months before — our collective reaction would be different. Can we doubt this?

And now we know that severely ill children who need to be here in the US for medical

treatment to survive, and who were originally approved to stay here for it, are deliberately being targeted for deportation. It is monstrous to arrange death sentences for children. This is what the United States of America is doing in our name, murdering the children of “others.” Treating people like this may be appalling to most of us, but how disturbing is it really when the victims look different from our unexamined image of who “we” are? How outraged are we at this heinous behavior?

Trump may not have shot someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue yet, but if the premeditated killing of children is not disgraceful enough to be an impeachable offense, this country will not, and will not deserve to survive it. ~ COSMO BUA VIA EMAIL

PICKUP PUT DOWN Why do so many people gravitate toward driving pickup trucks? This concerns me because pickup trucks, like SUVs, are steadily gaining in popularity.

The Ford F-150 is the best-selling vehicle in the nation, followed by three other pickups. This is bad news for the planet.

The transportation sector accounts for 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in our state, and pollution near the freeway is often the worst in the county.

This number won’t decrease unless consumers change their preferences and start buying more fuel-efficient vehicles.

In a state of almost 40 million people, what people choose to drive, or not to drive, has a huge impact on tailpipe emissions.

Pickups might be a desirable short-term choice, but in the long run, are they worth the toll they take on our health and the planet? I think not. ~KRISTEN KESSLER VIA EMAIL

CORRECTIONS

AUDITED CIRCULATION of 26,275 Serving Alhambra, Altadena, Arcadia, Eagle Rock, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, Montrose, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre and South Pasadena

In our Best of Pasadena Edition on Oct. 10 we incorrectly listed the Best Credit Union.

The winner is Pasadena Federal Credit Union, 1038 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, (626) 799-0882, pfcu.org. In addition, the correct address for Pacific Clinics, which won Best Local Charity, Best Local Nonprofit and Best Place to Work, is 66 Hurlbut St., Pasadena, (626) 254-5000, pacificclinics.org.

10.17.19 | PASADENA WEEKLY 5

PW OPINION

PW NEWS

PW DINING

PW ARTS

•CONSIDER THIS•

BY ELLEN SNORTLAND

MOM WAS RIGHT CONSERVATION LESSONS THAT I NEEDED TO LEARN EARLIER IN LIFE Mom, wherever you are, I hope you can hear this: I’m sorry. You were right.

My late parents, Barbara and Arnold, grew up in North Dakota, one of the most rural states in America. Their village was tiny, and most citizens only spoke Norwegian. My own father didn’t learn English until he was 6 years old. Later, when my parents reached their teens and early adulthood, the Great Depression hit the United States, which in turn affected other parts of the world. It was 1929, and the country was devastated by a massive drop in the stock market, which impacted everyone, whether they owned stocks or not. My parents’ psychology was mainly shaped by the Depression.

Because of that experience, my mother was super-thrifty and stretched every dollar she could, not just during the Depression but for decades after. She’d grown up with poverty knocking at their farmhouse door, and that experience never really left her. They weren’t impoverished like some families were, but the specter of hunger lurked in everyone’s imagination, if not reality. Interestingly, my father did not have the same reaction: his approach was almost the opposite of my mother’s.

My dad was confident and a “big-spender” while my mother was a “penny pincher.”

At the time, I liked dad’s style; I wanted to be generous, too.

Now, in my mid-60s and living in a world being reshaped by over-consumption and climate change, I aspire to be like my mother.

• When I was young, I was mortified when my mother washed plastic wrap and sandwich bags for re-use. “MOM! We’re not poor. We can afford to buy new ones!” I was embarrassed when friends would come over and Mom had various plastic bags hanging on the clothesline or draped over kitchen accessories. She even re-used bread wrappers. “Mom, you’re nuts!” “Why?” she’d say. “They are perfectly good and re-usable.” Yep. Mom was right.

• Every gift-giving occasion, Mom made it a point to have all of us kids unwrap our gifts very carefully, not tearing the paper but removing the tape, and folding the pieces of colorful paper to use the following year. How I longed to simply rip into the packages the way I saw kids dive into their presents on TV and in movies! Once in a while, I’d be a brat and rip open my beautifully wrapped gift, whether it was for my birthday or whichever holiday, and see Mom cringe. “MOM! We can afford to buy new paper every year! This is nuts!” Why?” she’d say. “It’s perfectly good paper to wrap up gifts next year.” Yep. Mom was right.

• Every time we went out to eat at a restaurant, Mom would carefully wrap up what she hadn’t eaten in a paper napkin; sometimes, she brought her own container to use for her leftovers and encouraged us to do the same. She’d take home the bread that was left in the basket. (Soon after, it became common for food establishments to provide so-called “doggy bags,” for taking uneaten food home).

My mom’s behavior embarrassed my dad because he didn’t want to be perceived as too “poor,” and to out of necessity have to take food home. “MOM! We can afford to leave food on our plates!” “Yes,” she said, “but it breaks my heart to think of the work that went into making this food or the chicken that gave its life to just have it wasted and thrown away like trash. Chickens aren’t trash.” Yep. Mom was right.

As a global society, we are now dealing with mountains of plastic that are wrecking entire ecosystems, killing animals, and putting people’s lives at risk. We are dealing with deforestation and the devastation and excessive use of trees for things other than their primary purpose: being the lungs of the earth. And food?

One of the most significant causes of greenhouse gases and the destruction of the atmosphere is food waste. Yep, Mom was right. ■

Ellen is a proud daughter of FDR New Deal Democrats. She’s been writing “Consider This…” for decades. You can reach her at beautybitesbeast.com.

6 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.17.19

PASADENA

Terry Tornek

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• NEWS •

ALHAMBRA

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ALTADENA

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ARCADIA

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EAGLE ROCK

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GLENDALE

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LA CAÑADA

Jason Hardin

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MONTROSE

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SAN MARINO

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SIERRA MADRE

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SOUTH PASADENA

Victor Gordo

Major Williams

NEW BLOOD

CANDIDATES BEGIN CAMPAIGNS FOR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SEATS IN DISTRICTS 1, 2, 4 AND 6

BY ANDRÉ COLEMAN

S

o far, five candidates have announced intentions to challenge incumbents in Pasadena City Council Districts 1, 2, 4 and 6.

Meanwhile, three candidates say they will challenge Mayor Terry Tornek, including longtime District 5 Councilman Victor Gordo. Former marketing executive Major Williams and local business owner Jason Hardin say they also plan to run against Tornek, who was fi rst elected mayor in 2015.

“I have begun the process of speaking to residents all across the city about the things they value about Pasadena,” said Tornek in his re-election announcement. “I will always place the quality of life in our neighborhoods fi rst.”

Under Tornek, a former council member and the city’s onetime planning director, the council passed a $15 minimum wage ordinance crafted by the council’s Education and Technology (EDTECH) Committee, which is chaired by Gordo.

Tornek also backed legislation that ended the 710 Freeway extension project, which, if approved, could have decimated portions of West Pasadena.

Tornek also successfully pushed for a three-quarter cent sales tax increase to help stave off a pending deficit at City Hall and help save the beleaguered school district from a county takeover.

Some local restaurant owners claim Tornek reneged on a promised seat at the table during the minimum wage discussion. Local officials are now meeting with restaurant owners after eight eateries shuttered since August. Chamber of Commerce CEO Paul

Little blamed the closures on the minimum wage law, rising rents and the higher sales tax, all issues that could impact the race.

Local calls for rent control so far have not been addressed by the City Council, which instead has strengthened the city’s existing tenant protection ordinance.

Skyrocketing housing costs have forced many residents to move east where property is cheaper. That exodus has depleted local schools of children and forced the school board to close three elementary schools. School district officials are also discussing closing middle schools and high schools.

Candidates seeking to run for elected office in the March elections can pull nominating papers at City Hall on Nov. 12. Mayoral candidates must get 50 signatures from registered voters in Pasadena and pay a $25 fee in order to run for office.

Perspective council candidates must pay the same fee and turn in 25 signatures. All papers must be turned in by 5:30 p.m. Dec. 6. Mayoral candidates must live in Pasadena.

Council candidates must reside in the district in which they are running. Both sets of candidates must be registered voters.

“Unfortunately, for the last few years, big outside developers have gained the upper hand over every day Pasadena families. They are working harder than ever to rapidly change Pasadena for the benefit of only a tiny few,” Gordo said in the statement announcing his candidacy. “It’s displacing our families and seniors, and making housing unaffordable.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

10.17.19 | PASADENA WEEKLY 7

PW OPINION

PW NEWS

PW DINING

PW ARTS

NEW BLOOD

Roxie Forbes

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

RALLY FOR ROXIE PARENTS OF GIRL WHO DROWNED AT SUMMER DAY CAMP ESTABLISH FOUNDATION

BY ANDRÉ COLEMAN

T

he parents of a six-year-old girl who drowned just hours after being dropped off at a local summer day camp have started a foundation to protect young children, work with state lawmakers on legislation that would force day camps to obtain licenses before they can operate, and develop stronger swimming safety protocols.

The Meow Meow Foundation (MMF) was announced at a Rally for Roxie on Saturday. The rally was held in honor of Roxie Forbes, who drowned at Summerkids Camp in Altadena in June. The foundation was named after her favorite feline doll.

Doug Forbes and Elena Matyas, Roxie’s parents, said they told camp counselors that their daughter was developmentally delayed. Camp counselors designated Roxie a non-swimmer after testing the swimming abilities of all the kids attending the camp. Despite this, four counselors working on the second day of camp did not notice Roxie face down in the camp’s pool, according to a report on the incident by the LA County Department of Coroner.

According to Forbes, Roxie was dead when she was pulled from the water. However, she was resuscitated and placed on life support. Because she was diagnosed as brain dead, her parents decided to end her life.

Since then, Forbes and Matyas have endured the unthinkable tragedy of parents who have lost a child.

“Our new script reads something like this: Wake up to pin-drop silence,” Doug Forbes wrote in a column appearing in the Pasadena Weekly in August. “Wait for the rapid pitter-patter of a little girl’s footsteps toward our bedroom door. Realize that the imminent euphoria will soon be consumed by the chaotic drumbeat of despair.”

Forbes continued, “Then comes the shaking to the bone. Then the wailing. Then the deep breaths to mitigate panic. Then the silence. And then the cruel, constant reprise of agony.”

The column was viewed more than 10,000 times on the Pasadena Weekly’s website.

California is one of only 13 states to allow day camps to operate without a license. Summerkids Camp is also not accredited by the American 8 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.17.19

Camp Association, an organization that provides operational guidance.

“The fact that California licenses day care centers and not day camps is beyond comprehension. And now this gaping wide hole has someone who fell into it—Roxie Mirabelle Forbes,” Forbes wrote in his column. “We will make sure children have the comprehensive protections they deserve, not just at camps, but all recreational facilities, and even backyards.”

Saturday’s event began with a sing-along which led to a march from San Rafael Elementary School to San Rafael Park led by Roxie’s former music teacher at Pacific Oaks Children’s School.

At the park, there was an art project for children and dancers from the Academy of Polynesian Arts performed. Dinosaur Farm, the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center (RBAC) and the Kitchen for Exploring Foods also contributed to the event. A deejay from the Los Angeles-based nonprofit radio station Dublab provided music.

Speakers included Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek and Assemblyman Chris Holden, a Democrat and former Pasadena City Council member.

The Meow Meow Foundation is working with Holden and state Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-Pasadena) to pass legislation that will require California day camps to be licensed. The legislation is still in the early stages, according to Forbes.

The RBAC has partnered with the foundation to develop a water safety and drowning prevention model.

“Our foundation will end this senseless, ceaseless battery of preventable near-drowning incidents and drowning deaths, the leading cause of injury-related death in US children ages 1 to 4 and the third leading cause of unintentional injury for those ages 5 to 19,” Forbes wrote in his column in PW. “We will also support pediatric health initiatives through Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.”

To contact Forbes, write to dougliveshere@ gmail.com.■

Gordo is endorsed by former Mayor Bill Bogaard.

According to Williams, current issues cannot be fi xed with the current mindset.

“The defi ning issue of this race is leadership,” said Williams, who came to Pasadena in 2011. “We need someone with a new skillset.

Everyone is going to talk homelessness and budget, but there needs to be an evolution of the thought process.”

When asked to point out flaws in the current leadership, Williams said his campaign is not about someone doing something wrong.

“We just need to add something. What worked in 2015 does not work in 2019,” he said.

“This race needs a candidate who doesn’t just care about people during an election year,” Hardin said.

Hardin ran against Tornek in 2016 and fi nished with less than one percent of the votes cast.

In the City Council races, District 1 Councilman Tyron Hampton so far is running unopposed for a second four-year term.

“I never stopped running. I am very connected to my community,” said Hampton. “Everything I have done has been based on what people in my community have asked me to do. I never stopped walking and knocking on doors. I’ll continue to listen and make myself available.”

In District 2, Councilwoman Margaret McAustin has announced she will not seek re-election due to her husband’s battle with cancer.

McAustin is currently the only woman on the council.

District 2 includes central and eastern portions of the city, including East Colorado Boulevard between Wilson and Oak avenues, an area buzzing with residential development that has a strong Latino community and a burgeoning Armenian-American population.

Over the past few years, the district has become a prime target for developers.

Felicia Williams, no relation to Major, has a history of community service, serving on the Pasadena Educational Foundation and the Pasadena Police Foundation boards. In 2007 she was appointed to Pasadena’s Transportation Commission and has served on the Planning Commission, the Environmental Advisory Commission, and the board of directors of both the Pasadena Center Operating Co. and the Rose Bowl Operating Co. Williams is hoping to replace McAustin in the District 2 seat.

In District 4, located in East Pasadena and presently represented by two-term Councilman Gene Masuda, residents have been fighting mansionization, an increase in residential burglaries and new developments.

“Homelessness is on the rise,” District 4 candidate Joe Baghdadlian said. “Our district faces environmental issues. Our schools are in danger of being shut down. The city is victim to poor planning that has led to traffic nightmares, and City Hall isn’t doing enough to support the small businesses that are the backbone of our community.”

Masuda is also being challenged by Charlotte Bland, chair of the Pasadena Commission on the Status of Women. “I am running for City Council to hold City Hall accountable to our neighborhoods,” Bland said. “I will protect the character of our city. I will ensure that new developments are safe and smart, and I will work to fi nd solutions for homelessness.”

District 4 residents unsuccessfully fought against a mixed-use project scheduled to include 550 apartments, 69 of them available at affordable pricing, and 9,800 square feet of space for retail businesses and restaurants on the 8.53-acre former naval weapons test site that now houses the Space Bank storage facility. Critics claim the current cleanup plan for the site will not remove all the toxic chemicals.

District 6, representing much of the city’s west end, has its own issues, including the preservation of the Arroyo Seco and noise and air pollution from the county’s Big Dig project, which is removing sediment from Devil’s Gate Dam. Opponents of longtime District 6 Councilman Steve Madison, who announced his re-election bid earlier this month, mentioned several issues of concern to local residents, including the Caltrans homes that were seized by the state more than 50 years ago to make way for an extension of the 710 Freeway to the 210 Freeway.

“There are currently no tenants on the Pasadena City Council, yet over 56 percent of Pasadena residents rent their homes,” said District 6 candidate Ryan Bell. “District 6, in particular, has a serious problem with its Caltrans landlord along the 710 corridor. Very little has been done to ensure that these tenants are protected from the continual abuses of their landlord.”

Attorney Tamerlin Godley, another District 6 candidate, said it was time to shake up the leadership in the district.

“People are concerned about homelessness, development, public education and infrastructure and fi nancial stability,” said Godley, past president of Armory Center for the Arts. “I love Pasadena and I am deeply committed to the things that make Pasadena great. I have done lots of walking. I think the district needs someone with real focus, commitment and energy. The district has been run by the same person since 1999. We need new energy.” ■

PASADENA DREAMIN’

LOCAL AUTHOR CHIP JACOBS LAUNCHES ‘ARROYO,’ A HISTORICAL NOVEL ABOUT PASADENA AND THE ORIGINS OF THE COLORADO STREET BRIDGE, AT VROMAN’S STORY BY JUSTIN CHAPMAN PHOTOS BY MERCEDES BLACKEHART

A

s a lifelong Pasadenan, author Chip Jacobs thought he knew his hometown well.

That is, until he started researching the real history of Pasadena and its “concrete queen,” the Colorado Street Bridge, for his debut novel “Arroyo.”

Published Tuesday by Rare Bird Books, Arroyo chronicles a fictional story that is rooted in historical fact. It takes place in 1912-13, when the bridge was being constructed, and 1993, during the bridge’s 80th anniversary celebration. While conducting extensive research on Pasadena’s history for the book, Jacobs discovered many sordid stories that didn’t comport with what he thought he knew about the Crown City.

“I tried to write an alternate version of Pasadena that doesn’t smear Pasadena’s name, but also tells the truth,” he said. “The majority of the information about the city is real. I took real incidents and built a story around them. Pasadena is very different from its coffee table canon. It is a glorious, accomplished city that has more culture, science and creativity than many other cities per capita, but it’s not perfect. I felt the weight of history on me as I wrote this book. I had to get it right. I’m trying to tell a story but also inform.”

Familiar Names Jacobs, a Pasadena Weekly contributor, is also the author of “Smogtown: The LungBurning History of Pollution in Los Angeles”; “The People’s Republic of Chemicals”; “Strange as It Seems: The Impossible Life of Gordon Zahler”; “The Ascension of Jerry: Murder, Hitmen and the Making of L.A. Muckraker Jerry Schneiderman”; “The Vicodin Thieves”: “Biopsying L.A.’s Grifters, Gloryhounds and Goliaths”; and “Black Wednesday Boys.”

“Arroyo” is his fi rst work of fiction.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

10.17.19 | PASADENA WEEKLY 9

PASADENA DREAMIN’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Jacobs will read from and discuss “Arroyo” at his book launch at 7 p.m. tomorrow (Oct. 18) at Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd. Former Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard will emcee the event, which will also feature a Pie & Burger truck (a restaurant that plays a role in the book) and wine and beer (an ode to Busch Gardens, an estate owned by Anheuser-Busch founder Adolphus Busch and one of the main stomping grounds of the book’s characters). In fact, Vroman’s Bookstore’s founder, A.C. Vroman, figures into the plot as well.

The book’s characters also interact with historical figures such as Teddy Roosevelt, Rose Parade founder Charles Holder, newspaperman Charles Lummis, aeronaut Thaddeus Lowe, muckraker Upton Sinclair and others. Major scenes take place at Cawston Ostrich Farm, Mount Lowe Railway, Hotel Green (now Castle Green), the Raymond Hotel, Busch Gardens, the Doo Dah Parade and other local landmarks.

Jacobs will also present his book on Nov. 7 at Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse, Nov. 21 at the Pasadena Museum of History and Jan. 16 at the Pasadena Central Library.

Bridge to the Past It’s rare for a book to make one laugh out loud, but Arroyo, written in clever, funny prose, does that several times. Th.e book includes fantastical scenes such as the main character, Nick Chance, racing a brand new Ford Model-T while riding an ostrich from South Pasadena’s Cawston Ostrich Farm in an early, offbeat test of machine versus animal. To fi nd out who wins, you’ll have to read the book.

The book includes an origin story for the green parrots that fly over Pasadena to this day. There are several rumors about how the parrots got here, including that a pet store burned down in the 1970s. But in Jacobs’ telling, an excited boy chases Chance riding a Cawston ostrich, which freaks out and runs through the Arroyo, slamming into a cage holding 37 green parrots. The cage crashes open and the parrots escape, much to the chagrin of two shifty characters who intended to sell the exotic birds on the black market to wealthy patrons. In those days, feathers were all the rage in women’s fashion.

“Arroyo” takes place during the Progressive Era, a time when the Raymond Hotel still stands, when Busch Gardens (once dubbed the “eighth wonder of the world”) hadn’t yet been overrun by residential development, and when automobiles hadn’t yet overtaken horses — or in this case, ostriches — as the primary mode of transportation.

Chance starts out as an assistant manager at Cawston Ostrich Farm and then, when he gets fi red from there, as a worker on the budding Colorado Street Bridge installing solar lights that he invented. But the bridge and the universe have bigger plans in store for him and his clairvoyant dog, Royo, who saves Chance from an explosion on South Fair Oaks Avenue.

The book also highlights a rarely told story about a fatal collapse of part of the bridge on Aug. 1, 1913, just weeks before its highly anticipated grand opening, albeit a story told

by Jacobs himself in an article in the Pasadena Weekly published on Sept. 18, 2003, titled “Bridge to the Past.” In fact, that story was the initial seed of the idea for this book.

“It was my story in the Weekly about the bridge that galvanized this novel,” he said.

“Three people got killed in the collapse. It feels like I have to get angry before I start a 10 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.17.19

book, and I was angry when I walked on the bridge for the story and saw a plaque exalting the Pasadena Board of City Directors [now City Council members], the contractor who died in a car accident before the bridge even opened and the designer who wasn’t on speaking terms with the city because he was so infuriated that they added a curve to his bridge design. But they didn’t give even a mention of the three people who died during construction. It was appalling. That fueled me to write this story, and it touched a nerve.”

In that story, Jacobs wrote that the mold for the top of the ninth arch of the bridge “buckled, creat[ing] a thunderous pancaking action that snatched three workers — and almost eight more — in a violent, plunging mass. Hundreds of tons of wet concrete, scaffolding and machinery came crashing onto the floor of the valley, kicking up dust and pandemonium.”

Origin Story The other catalyst for Jacobs to write this book was the continuing trend of people leaping from the 150-feet high bridge to their deaths in the Arroyo Seco, establishing its unfortunate and tenacious moniker, “Suicide Bridge.”

“It made me feel almost like the bridge itself was getting a bad name,” Jacobs said. “I felt like I needed to defend her. She’s a benevolent force. She’s been trashed and almost destroyed by the wrecking ball numerous times — thank God for our preservationists who value it. Somebody needed to be her biographer. That’s what I’m trying to do, to tell her origin story.”

Well over 100 people have used the bridge to end their lives, going back to the bridge’s earliest days and then the Great Depression. The fi rst actual suicide wasn’t on the bridge itself, but rather a little way down the Arroyo, when a judge who was despondent about the death of his wife intentionally overdosed on laudanum, a Progressive Era opium tincture. One of the fi rst jumpers, Jacobs wrote in his 2003 PW story, was the “ill wife of a Los Angeles tie maker.”

One of the most shocking incidents occurred in 1937, when Myrtle Ward, a young, depressed mother who had just lost her job, threw her baby off the bridge and then jumped herself. The baby landed in a tree and survived; her mother did not.

“I felt a little callous even writing about suicide, because what do I know? Think about somebody who lost a loved one there and they have to drive by that bridge every day,” Jacobs said. “I tried to keep the suicide part only a consequential element of the book, not the driving force.”

The city of Pasadena still struggles to this day with how to prevent suicides while maintaining the historical and aesthetic character of the bridge, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In May, the city hired Donald MacDonald Architects to develop a proposal to address the issue. On Sept. 26, the city held its fi rst community meeting for its Colorado Street Bridge Suicide Mitigation Enhancements Project to present the design of a vertical barrier with end treatments and gather feedback and ideas from the public.

“I don’t know the answer, but I’m sure some kind of barrier can coexist with the original magnificence of the Colorado Street Bridge,” Jacobs said. ■

•

DINING

RESTAURANT REVIEW

•

Pork & Shrimp Xiao Long Bao

Dan Modern Chinese

146 S. Lake Ave., Suite 105, Pasadena (626) 817-9799 No Alcohol/Major Cards Accepted

dining &nitelife directory Pasadena Weekly’s Dining Directory is a paid advertisement and is provided as a service to our readers.

To advertise in the Dining Directory, call (626) 584-1500.

$ $$

Modern Digs for Average Diners DAN MODERN CHINESE OFFERS DUMPLINGS AND NOODLES IN ONE OF PASADENA‘S FAVORITE SHOPPING AREAS

BY EVELYN GARCIA | PHOTOS BY DANNY LIAO his time last fall I got into the spirit of the season with heaping bowls of pho. While noodles and warm broth is still my ideal cold-weather meal, the truth is any dish that one considers comfort food is perfect at this time of year.

Warm, carb-fueled dishes are my favorite, and I’ve decided the more variety the better.

A friend and I recently headed over to Dan Modern Chinese in Pasadena. Dan is situated in The Commons on South Lake Avenue, adjacent to Philz Coffee. The Commons houses plenty of restaurants and trendy places, like SoulCycle for a good workout, and Olive and June for a day of pampering at the nail

T

salon — not to mention William Sonoma for a bit of shopping, and DryBar for a good blowout. It’s the quaintest, most picturesque shopping area in Pasadena, and one of my favorite places to visit, if you couldn’t already tell.

Upon entering, I met my friend in in the restaurant’s tiny waiting area. There didn’t seem to be anyone actively monitoring the order of arrivals and determining who would be next to be seated, so we let the hostess know we were there.

She immediately seated us at an open table nearby. The rest of the restaurant was pretty full for 8 p.m. on a Sunday. Still, it felt open and airy. The tables are a light-colored wood, the fi xtures

Average price per entree $10 $$$ $16-25 $11–15 $$$$ $25+

U P TO

BONNIE B’S SMOKIN BBQ 1280 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena, (626) 794-0132 bonniebssmokin.com $$ From Tulsa Oklahoma to Southern Cal. with a touch of New Orleans soul comes Bonnie B’s Bar B Que Heaven. Our 45-year-old traditional recipes are made with love. Try our new sweet pea’s double Fried burger made with our own sauces, soul bowl and homemade peach cobbler. Voted best BBQ & Soul food in Pasadena for our ribs, collard greens and Slim's Mac & Cheese. We are thankful and appreciate Pasadena.

CAMERON’S SEAFOOD 1978 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (626) 793-3474 Camerons4fish.com $$ Since 1984, Cameron’s Seafood has been serving its freshest seafood, and has become a landmark in Pasadena. Cameron’s brings the ocean home with their fresh catch being cooked over mesquite wood grills that burn all day long.Enjoy the very best Seafood, Steaks, Salad & Pasta! Voted Best Seafood in Pasadena Weekly for 27 years! Now you can order on-line: camerons4fish.com.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

10.17.19 | PASADENA WEEKLY 11

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Short Rib Dan Mien, Pork & Shrimp Xiao Long Bao and Sting Bean with Garlic

dining & nitelife

directory

Average price per entree $ U P TO $10 $$$ $16-25 $$ $11–15 $$$$ $25+

EL PORTAL 695 E. Green St., Pasadena (626)795-8553 Elportalrestaurant.com $$ Pasadena Weekly readers have been rewarding El Portal with the title of Best Mexican Food in the city for years. This charming little hacienda with brick walls, festive colors, fine art and a California elegant courtyard brings the authentic cuisine of Mexico and the Yucatan region to your table.

HILL STREET CAFÉ 1004 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge 818-952-1019 hillstreetcafelacanada.com $$ Hill Street Café is celebrating over 25 years of serving the community quality meals made of quality ingridients. we want to thank all of you who stuck with us during the remodeling process and we want to welcome back everyone else. in our recent remodel, we have added an outdoor patio, a bar and more dining area, we have created a relaxed ambience with a touch of modern but still retaining our extensive menu, our friendly service and most important a family atmosphere.

KABUKI JAPANESE RESTAURANTS 88 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 568-9310 3539 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 351-8963 kabukirestaurants.com $$ When you walk into a Kabuki you won’t be overwhelmed with Asian decor and music. What you will encounter is a casual atmosphere with today’s hottest music playing, people smiling and our friendly staff welcoming you through the doors. Look for the Red Mask. Come eat, drink and have fun!

TOPS WALNUT 1792 E. Walnut St., Pasadena (626) 584-0244 topsburger.com $ At TOPS on Walnut & Allen, we maintain the original taste from 60 years ago. My father wanted to create food as close to homemade as possible. Our primary goal and focus is on taste, quality, freshness, cleanliness in our service and experienced staff. Most of our staff have been with us for more than twenty years. We invite you to come to TOPS on the corner of Walnut & Allen and taste the difference! Meet our staff and experience what quality service should be.

The same quality service that has made us #1.

12 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.17.19

MARGARITA’S 155 S. Rosemead Blvd., Pasadena (626) 449-4193 margaritaspasadena.com $$ At Margaritas Mexican Restaurant, our family has been sharing our authentic Mexican dishes with the wonderful people of Pasadena since 1977. Guests enter our warm, inviting space and leave as family -- with plenty of burritos, tortas, tostadas, fajitas, and more to be had in between!

Our dishes incorporate and pay homage to the rich flavors of bustling mercados, corner taquerias, and seaside palapas. So visit us, eat to your heart's content at our mouthwatering lunch buffet, sip on a refreshing margarita, and feel at home.

NEW DELHI PALACE 950 E. Colorado Blvd # 205 Pasadena 626-405-0666 newdelhipalacepasadena.com $ Pasadena's premier restaurant featuring delectable and affordable cuisine embodying the spirit and essence of India.

"A complete dining experience, a feast for the mouth and heart".

Join us for our incredible lunch buffet Monday through Friday for only $10.99.

Monday-Sun 11:30-2:30 & 5:30-10pm Always in the Winner's Circle for Best of Pasadena!

TOM'S FAMOUS FAMILY RESTAURANT 1130 E. Walnut St. Pasadena 626-577-7717 tomsfamous.com $ Please come and enjoy homemade breakfast lunch and dinner all made from scratch and FRESH. Nothing is ever served or made from a can. We pride ourselves as being the cleanest store with the best quality food and BEST service in town. Thank you PASADENA!!!!!

ZELO GOURMET PIZZAS 328 E. Foothill Blvd.Arcadia 626-358-8298 myzelopizza.info $$ It’s the cornmeal crust that makes this pizzeria stand out from the rest. This locally owned establishment’s signature dish is the fresh, corn, balsamic-marinated, oven-roasted red onion pie. Zelo Pizzeria has expanded the dining room to better serve you, so come in and give Zelo Pizzeria a try.

MODERN DIGS FOR AVERAGE DINERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

all neutral tones in white and beige, and there are small pop ups of blue and green along the wall leading to the exposed kitchen.

Each table is ready with soy sauce, vinegar (which is important later), and the tools necessary to eat: chopsticks and small plates, since the menu is all served family style. Staff was friendly and quick with checking in on us from the moment we sat down.

It wasn’t difficult for us to decide on what to order. I ordered the chicken xiao long bao in the half portion of four pieces ($6), as well as the pan-fried vegetable dumplings ($9.95). Dumplings can be ordered steamed, pan fried, or crispy. Pan fried was amazing and crispy enough to dip in the thick soy sauce and (very) spicy chili paste.

My friend ordered pork xiao long bao in the half serving ($6), as well as the shrimp fried rice ($13.50). The pork and broth packed a ton of flavor into a small wrapped dumpling, beautifully twisted on top. They’d be perfect if they were a bit fi rmer for convenience sake.

Each menu lists a step-by-step guide on how to properly eat xiao long bao, similar to the ever so popular Din Tai Fung. 1. Gently pick up a soup dumpling and place it onto the spoon 2. Add vinegar to the dumpling, then bite the top, and 3.

Top the soup dumpling with tiny pieces of ginger.

Since my chicken xiao long bao took the longest to be ready, I enjoyed a couple bites of shrimp fried rice and chicken with handmade mein noodles ($14). I am not typically a fried rice fan, but this was something else here, completely shutting down any reservations I’ve ever had about friend rice.

While the chicken xiao long bao tasted pretty average, the Dan mein was heavenly. Thick cut noodles with large chunks of chicken and complimentary sauce meant we would split the dish and fi nish it in its entirety. The only bit of leftovers was fried rice, and all else left us more than satisfied yet not overly stuffed since we shared almost every plate. Other items we would’ve tried if there were more of us to eat were pork and shrimp dumplings ($12.50 for crispy), scallion pancakes ($5.75), chicken noodle soup ($9), or sides of vegetables to allow for a break of the carb-heavy dishes like string beans with garlic ($9.50) or pea sprout with garlic ($9.95).

Despite not serving alcohol, Dan has a range of beverage options including organic jasmine green tea ($3) and oolong tea ($2.75). So as long as it’s not too crowded, Dan is a great dinner spot for a group or two very hungry people. Either way, you’re in for a treat and will be happy you stopped in.

PW OPINION

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Bulletin Board

By PW Staff

SCHOOL DAYS PUSD to hold two town halls to discuss closures

The Pasadena Unified School Board will conduct a town hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. tonight, Oct. 17, at Pasadena High School, 2925 E Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena, to discuss closing middle schools and high schools.

According to five plans being considered by the district, McKinley School, a middle school which is located next to district headquarters, appears to be on the chopping block. The school faces closure in four-of-the-five middle school recommendations submitted by the Master Plan Boundary Subcommittee.

Other options include closing the middle school programs at Marshall and Blair high schools and closing Sierra Madre and Wilson middle schools.

The options for high schools include keeping all four of the city’s high schools open. A second option recommends the closure of Marshall Fundamental School.

“It is inevitable that schools are going to be consolidated,” Board of Education member Michelle Richardson Bailey told the Pasadena Weekly. “The best thing we can do for our kids is prepare them.”

The board voted 4-3 last month to close Jefferson, Franklin, and Roosevelt elementary schools. Since 2012 the district has lost 2,087 students and is projected to lose another 1,717 students through 2025. The loss of each student equals about $10,100 a year in revenue. The district is projected to lose $17.3 million over the next six years, according to a report by the subcommittee.

ANOTHER HONOR Moreno, Hernandez, Torres named co-grand marshals of Rose Parade

Rita Moreno, one of 15 people to win Emmy, Grammy, Tony and Academy awards, was named one of three co-grand marshals of the 131st Rose Parade.

The 87-year-old performer will share the honor with 2016 Puerto Rican Olympic Gold Medalist Laurie Hernandez and Cuban-American actor Gina Torres.

Hernandez was a member of the 2016 gold medal-winning US women’s gymnastics team in Rio de Janeiro.

Torres’ acting credits include “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys,” “Xena: Warrior Princess,” “Alias,” and “Westworld.”

Moreno won a best Supporting Actress Academy Award in 1961 for her role in “West Side Story.” In 1972, she won a Best Album Grammy Award for Children for her work on “The Electric Company Album.” In 1975 she won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in “The Ritz.” In 1977 she won an Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program. Moreno was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in 2004.

“The 2020 theme is ‘The Power of Hope,’” said Tournament of Roses President Laura Farber, the first Latina to lead the organization.

“With hope, we can aspire to do better and inspire others to reach higher; hope never quits; with hope anything, in fact everything is possible. Rita Moreno, Gina Torres, and Laurie Hernandez epitomize hope,” Farber said.

PARADE TIME Latino Heritage event scheduled for Saturday

The 21st annual Latino Heritage Parade and Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19.

The parade will begin at the corner of North Los Robles Avenue and Prescott Street, them head South to Villa Street, culminating at Villa Parke’s Multi-Purpose Field with cultural activities, food, music, and dance from noon to 4 p.m. This year’s theme is “Latinos in the 21st Century.”

The festival will feature food, live entertainment and fun activities for children.

Laura Farber, the first Latina to serve as president of the Tournament of Roses Association, will be honored at 1 p.m. along with Community Grand Marshal and Pasadena City College Vice President Cynthia Olivo.

Street closures and temporary no parking zones on Prescott Street, North Los Robles Avenue and Villa Street will be in effect from 8:30 a.m. through 2 p.m. Street closures will be lifted as soon as the parade clears the area.

Visit pasadenalatinoheritageparade2019.org for more information. ■

10.17.19 | PASADENA WEEKLY 13

• ARTS & CULTURE • FILM | THE ATER | BOOKS | MUSIC | COMMUNIT Y | LISTINGS Sarah Utterback and Tim Peper in ‘A Kid Like Jake.’

CHANGING TIMES

‘A KID LIKE JAKE’ EXAMINES THE COMPLEXITIES OF A CHILD’S GENDER IDENTITY

W

STORY BY JANA J. MONJI I PHOTOS BY ADAM SHAPIRO

hen one has a binary-track mindset, things are easy: black or white, right or wrong, in or out. Gender roles are also easy to assign: You either fit in as a man or a woman, a girl or a boy, or you don’t.

But things have changed since the days of our grandparents, with TV shows like “Transparent” and the very public transformation of Bruce Jenner into Caitlyn Jenner.

IAMA Theatre Company’s production of “A Kid Like Jake” is a powerful and unsettling drama about the decisions parents must make in today’s world of non-binary values.

This guest production playing at the Carrie Hamilton Theatre at the Pasadena Playhouse is a West Coast premiere of Daniel Pearle’s play, a revision of his 2013 stage version, which premiered at the LCT3/Lincoln Center Theatre in New York where it was a New York Times Critic Pick. Pearle adapted his play into a feature-length fi lm with Clare Danes, Jim Parson and Octavia Spencer that premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2018. In that version, viewers see Jake. In the version at the Carrie Hamilton, audience members only hear what three adults say about him.

In the play’s press notes, Pearle points out that society has changed considerably. In fact, Jenner’s public metamorphosis brought about discussions that changed our language. The play came out before terms like “gender expansiveness” was “part of our cultural lexicon,” Pearle notes.

The Hamilton stage is designed as a living room. Drawings decorate some of the space, as do colorful letters spelling out the months. Oversized LEGO bricks and other playthings are neatly stored in stackable plastic bins. Jake’s mother, Alex (Sarah Utterback), is a stay-at-home mom. When her husband, Greg (Tim Peper), comes home, her hair is already twisted into a messy bun CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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PW OPINION

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PW ARTS Olivia Liang in ‘A Kid Like Jake’

CHANGING TIMES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

on the top of her head.

Alex is ready to prepare her child for gifted testing. “The dancer in the family” while his brother was “the brains,” Alex doesn’t want to label her son, but she also doesn’t want to miss any opportunities. While her therapist husband wants to complain about a patient’s stalling tactics, she can’t wait to tell him that their friend and educational adviser at Jake’s pre-school, Judy (Sharon Lawrence), believes Jake is bright and could possibly qualify for a scholarship at a private school.

Greg isn’t “exactly Johnny basketball,” but that doesn’t explain why Jake has an enduring love for Cinderella. Greg and Alex have bought seven different versions of Cinderella on DVD — including the 1997 Rodgers & Hammerstein version featuring Brandi. Judy even notes this: At pre-school Jake has expressed “gender expansiveness” with other kids: In the play his group makes up, Jake was “a princess who didn’t know he was a princess.”

As the play progresses, Jake’s behavior becomes an issue. He makes drawings that seem a bit gory, but Greg believes Jake is simply illustrating the bloody original version of

Cinderella. Jake shoves another child. He might have been teased about his choices and there is an issue about hormones and Alex’s concern about private school acceptance that adds to the pressure that these two parents feel.

Director Jennifer Chambers comments in the press notes that while her kids are now 7 and 9, she understands “that beautiful, heartbreaking pain that comes with your kid growing up and getting away from that little bubble you live in together when they are babies.”

The fights between Peper’s Greg and Utterback’s Alex are horrible and heartrending and ever so believable. It helps that we can only imagine how Jake looks and sounds. Chambers’ instincts as director keep the emotion raw, but manageable, giving us space to think by not demonizing either parent or their friend and adviser, Lawrence’s well-meaning Judy. ■

“A Kid Like Jake” continues until Nov. 3 at the Carrie Hamilton Theatre at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena.

Tickets are $35. For more information, call (323) 380-8843 or visit iamatheatre.com.

10.17.19 | PASADENA WEEKLY 19

PW OPINION

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•INTO THE NIGHT•

PW ARTS

BY BLISS BOWEN

TRAX

BY BLISS

ELI COOK, High-Dollar Gospel (High-Dollar Gospel): HHH

Blues with a whiskey-soaked splash of gospel from a Virginia-raised guitarist whose raspy voice and expressive slide conjure enticing atmospheres.

Cook reworks Muddy Waters’ “Can’t Lose What You Never Had” into an eerie confession of despair, and sings and plays Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” like a seductive lullaby. They stand like inspirational touchstones amid Cook’s own, angstier songs. Highlights: “Mixing My Medicine,” “The Devil Finds Work,” “Month of Sundays.” At the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena Sunday, Oct. 20. elicook.com

The House of Cohen

FORMER LEONARD COHEN BACKUP SINGER PERLA BATALLA CELEBRATES HER LEGENDARY ONETIME BOSS IN CONCERT AT CALTECH SATURDAY NIGHT

N

ov. 7 will mark three years since the death of Leonard Cohen, the profoundly poetic and widely revered songwriter. This Saturday, former backup singer Perla Batalla celebrates her mentor in concert at Caltech.

Born and raised in LA, Batalla grew up on the Westside, the daughter of a mariachi musician who owned a much frequented Santa Monica record store, years she lovingly recalled with a string of independently released albums, notably 2000’s “Heaven and Earth: The Mestiza Voyage” and 2003’s “Discoteca Batalla.” By that point she had long since initiated her creative collaboration with Cohen, contributing vocals to his 1992 album “The Future” and singing with him around the world on the tour promoting his career-shifting 1988 album “I’m Your Man.” Batalla’s featured alongside fellow vocalist Julie Christensen in a video for “Dance Me to the End of Love,” smoothing out the edges of Cohen’s famously craggy vocals with her sultry harmony. (Both

20 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.17.19

she and Christensen were also seen in Lian Lunson’s 2005 documentary “Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man.”) When Batalla reprised the song for her 2005 album “Bird on the Wire: The Songs of Leonard Cohen,” she gently shifted away from the original’s lush dreaminess with a more personal, bilingual take, singing over accordion, Spanish guitar and violin. Her reading of “If It Be Your Will” magnifies the song’s lyrical reverence, and her arrangement of “So Long Marianne” deepens the groove with an almost gospel-like fervor.

She has since expanded her repertoire with more gems from Cohen’s song bag, imbuing them with smoldering soul and gratitude. In recent years she has delivered insightful concert performances of “Anthem,” a signature Cohen composition that has gained stature since his death, and even the weighty “You Want It Darker,” the prescient title track of his final album. If they make it onto her dynamic setlist, both songs are likely to be highlights of her performance

at Caltech, where she’ll be accompanied by oudist Dimitris Jimmy Mahlis, drummer Tasso Panos, pianist Michael Sobie and bassist Lothar Struff.

In 2015 Batalla described Cohen as “the highest highest of the high … in the art form of songwriting” during an interview with this writer. She also recalled his advice to her as a songwriter: “‘Darling, everyone has a story to tell; just tell your story.’” Which she does onstage, threading together a personal narrative through Cohen’s songs and her memories of his humor and personal warmth.

“I can’t help it,” she said at the time. “I’m not just standing up there going from one song to another as I know some performers do. For me it’s been a journey.” n Pasadena Folk Music Society presents Perla Batalla’s Tribute to Leonard Cohen at Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena, at 8 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 19; $40/$35/$30 ($10 for youth age 18 and under). Info/order tickets by phone: (626) 395-4652.

Perlabatalla.com, Caltech.edu

JIMMY “DUCK” HOLMES, Cypress Grove (Easy Eye): HHH½

The septuagenarian Mississippi bluesman reprises previously recorded songs with guitarist/producer Dan Auerbach, who rounded up fellow guitarist Marcus King, invaluable drummer Sam Bacco and Delta bassist Eric Deaton and let the thumping grooves flow. As he does live, Holmes conjures atmospheric worlds of consequence and feeling with just his loamy vocals and minor-key guitar tunings, minimalist settings intuitively fleshed out

by Auerbach & Co. RIYL Lightnin’ Hopkins, Robert Belfour, early Black Keys. Highlights: “Catfish Blues,” the haunting “Hard Times,” Holmes’ “Gonna Get Old Someday” and the title track, a Bentonia blues chestnut he intones over hand percussion and droning rhythm like a wise man’s curse. easyeyesound.com

THE MUFFS, No Holiday (Omnivore): HHH

News of ALS-afflicted frontwoman Kim Shattuck’s death Oct. 2 hit LA’s music community like a mini earthquake, not least because this 18-track release, the ’90s pop-punk trio’s first since 2014’s “Whoop Dee Doo,” was already inspiring advance enthusiasm. Produced by Shattuck, it rescues songs she wrote between 1991 and 2017 and delivers them with an endearing mix of hooky pop brevity, jangly guitars, and Shattuck’s signature winsome-and-wiseass vocal style. Highlights: “A Lovely Day Boo Hoo,” “Sick of This Old World,” “On My Own,” the kiss-off title track (“I wish you well/ Just go the hell away”). omnivorerecordings.com

PENGUIN CAFÉ, Handfuls of Night (Erased Tapes): HHHH

Composer Arthur Jeffes’ response to a Greenpeace commission (four compositions inspired by four breeds of penguins) is at once forwardlooking and meditative, a cinematic work that conveys Antarctica’s magnificent stillness. Not to be confused with the Penguin Café Orchestra, founded by Jeffes’ late father Simon, Penguin Café does incorporate similar instrumentation (cello, double bass, guitar, harmonium, percussion, piano, synthesizer, viola, gut-stringed violins), and expands the squiggly interlude “Pythagoras on the Line” (from PCO’s 1993 album “Union Café”) into a nearly six-minute, ruminative exchange between cello, piano and synthesizer. More quietly stunning are Jeffes’ “Chinstrap,” “Gentoo Origin” and the tautly dramatic “Chapter.” penguincafe.com

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•CALENDAR•

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Thursday Oct. 17 through Wednesday Oct. 23 PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for Calendar submissions is noon Wednesday of the week before the issue publishes. Send to johns@ pasadenaweekly.com

Oct. 17 and continues at 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 3. Tickets are $30 general admission, $25 for seniors and $15 for youth age 17 and younger.

THURSDAY

Vroman’s Bookstore 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (626) 449-5320 vromansbookstore.com Josh Campbell discusses and signs “Crossfire Hurricane: Inside Donald Trump’s War on the FBI” at 7 p.m. Customers wishing to get books signed will be asked to purchase at least one copy from Vroman’s. For each purchased copy, customers may bring up to three copies from home to be signed. Receipts will be checked when you enter the signing line.

The Blue Guitar Arroyo Seco Golf Course 1055 Lohman Lane, South Pasadena (323) 769-3500 blueguitar.club Flamenco Mojacar Trio performs at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $12 to $17.

Gamble House 4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena (626) 793-3334 Gamblehouse.org Miriam Pawel discusses and signs “The Browns of California” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Pat Brown presided over the state during an era of unmatched expansion. His son, Jerry Brown, became the state’s youngest governor in modern times–and then returned three decades later as the oldest.

MonteCedro 2212 El Molino Ave., Altadena (877) 369-6650 Montecedro.org The Pasadena Chamber After Hours Social Mixer begins at 5 p.m. in various locations throughout Pasadena. For more information, call Kelly or email Kelly@pasadena-chamber.org for information.

One Colorado Courtyard 41 Hugus Alley, Pasadena (626) 564-1066 onecolorado.com/one-colorado-events/ Check out the Christopher T. Magician “Not SoTraditional Magic Show” at 4:30 p.m.

Pasadena Public Library, Central Branch 285 E. Walnut St., Pasadena (626) 744-4066 Cityofpasadena.net Author Yolanda Nava will discuss her new book “Journey Through Darkness: How Sudden Blindness Awakened A New Spiritual Vision” from 7 to 9 p.m.

Pasadena Symphony Ambassador Auditorium 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena (626) 793-7172 pasadenasymphony-pops.org.

The Pasadena Symphony opens its classics season with Brahms Symphony No. 1, along with other works by him, and the world premiere of a commission by Sydney Wang, along with works by Bruch. Concerts start at 2 and 8 p.m. at Ambassador Auditorium. Featured violinist is Tessa Lark. David Lockington conducts. Tickets are $35 and up.

The Rose 245 E. Green St., Pasadena (888) 645-5006 wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com Celebrate the woman and her musical influences in the hit musical “A Night with Janis Joplin” at 9 p.m. doors open at 6 p.m. tickets are $38 / $58 / $78 / $98. The show is a musical journey celebrating Joplin and her biggest musical influences, including Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Odetta, Nina Simone and Bessie Smith.

Sierra Madre Playhouse 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre (626) 355-4318 sierramadreplayhouse.org.

The Sierra Madre Playhouse presents its production of “Little Women,” based on the book by Louisa May Alcott and adapted and directed by Artistic Director Christian Lebano.

“Little Women” is the classic story of the March Sisters, detailing their passage from childhood to womanhood in a tale loosely based on the author and her three sisters. It opens at 8 p.m.

FRIDAY Boston Court Performing Arts Center 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena (626) 683-6801 Bostoncourtpasadena.org Four lonely people, their stories written on paper, earth and skin, find each other when one of them falls apart in “How the Light Gets In.” General admission ticket is $30, seniors $25 and students $20. Continues through Oct. 27.

The Mixx Restaurant & Bar 443 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (626) 500-0021 info@themixxpasadena.com Dinner and Jazz in the Jazz Zone from 8 to 11 p.m.

A Noise Within 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena (626) 356-3100 anoisewithin.org Join a post-show talkback with the actors in August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean,” described as a soaring, mystical tale of a man desperate for redemption in 1904 Pittsburgh. Aunt Ester, a 285-year-old “soul cleanser,” sends him on a spiritual journey that dissects the nature of freedom amidst oppression and spurs him to take up the mantle of justice. Continues through Nov. 16.

Visit the website for times and ticket information.

Norton Simon Museum 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena Call (626) 449-5320 nortonsimon.org.

The museum presents “By Day & by Night: Paris in the Belle Époque,” on view Friday through March 2. The exhibition surveys the range of artistic responses to life in the French capital during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Call or visit the website for ticket prices.

Pasadena Convention Center 300 E. Green St., Pasadena (626) 795-9311 Join the Live Audience of “America’s Got Talent: The Champions,” with top former contestants returning to the stage and competing in the hopes of taking home the first-ever title of America’s Got Talent Champion. Call the Convention Center for more information.

Pasadena Senior Center 85 E. Holly St., Pasadena (626) 795-4331 pasadenaseniorcenter.org Check out the classic “Easy Rider” at 1 p.m. at the Friday Movie Matinee series.

The Rose 245 E. Green St., Pasadena (888) 645-5006 wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com Former members of the group Oingo Boingo will perform several of the group’s hits at 9 p.m. in the “Formerly Oingo Boingo Dance Party.”

Tickets are $ 34 / $38 / $48.

Vroman’s Bookstore

695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (626) 449-5320 vromansbookstore.com Local author Chip Jacobs discusses and signs “Arroyo” at 7 p.m. “Arroyo” tells the parallel stories of a young inventor and his clairvoyant dog in 1913 and 1993. In both lives, they are drawn to the landmark Colorado Street Bridge.

Pie & Burger food truck will be parked in the Vroman’s lot. Buy a copy of “Arroyo,” show your receipt at the truck and receive a free burger with fries.

SATURDAY Brand Library and Art Center 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale (818) 548-2051 brandlibrary.org The Art Center presents the Brand47 National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper, opening with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibition continues through Oct. 25.

The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino (626) 405-2100 huntington.org The first of two consecutive exhibitions focusing on 21st century acquisitions, “What Now: Collecting for the Library in the 21st Century,” features more than 100 items that reveal the past and construct new histories and narratives.

One of the oldest items is a Middle English manuscript, “The Book of John Mandeville,” from the second half of the 15th century.

Kidspace Children’s Museum 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 449-9144 kidspacemuseum.org/ Enjoy the Pumpkin Festival from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The family-friendly event includes activities for kids of all ages and their parents. Festivities include a petting zoo, pony rides, exciting bouncers, carnival games and seasonal crafts.

Latino Heritage Parade & Festival cityofpasadena.net/human-services/communityevent/latino-heritage-parade-festival/ More than 2,000 participants and spectators are expected at this year’s event which begins with the parade at 10 a.m. immediately followed by a festival of cultural activities, food and dance at Villa-Parke. Join local school and community groups, elected officials and dignitaries, and neighbors and friends for a cultural celebration.

The parade begins at Los Robles Avenue and Prescott Street, heads south on Los Robles and ends at the Villa-Parke Community Center. The festival and car show immediately follows the parade at Villa-Parke and features classic cars, live entertainment, dance performances, art exhibits, free, fun activities for children and tasty food for purchase.

The Mixx Restaurant & Bar 443 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (626) 500-0021 info@themixxpasadena.com Barrington Bo Henderson performs from 8 p.m. to midnight The Rose 245 E. Green St., Pasadena (888) 645-5006 wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com Broadway actor and Streamy Award Winner Todrick Hall performs at 9 p.m. The new tour features brand new sets and costumes with music from his “Haus Party,” as well as some of his most viral online creations live onstage.

SUNDAY Eaton Canyon Natural Area Park & Nature Center 1750 N. Altadena Drive, Pasadena (626) 398-5420 ecnca.org Visit Eaton Canyon Nature Center for a bird walk

with Hill Penfold at 8 a.m. Meet at the building.

Bring your binoculars, a shade hat and water.

The walk is free to the public.

ArtCenter College of Design’s Hillside Campus 1700 Lida St., Pasadena (626) 396-2304 Artcenter.edu The ArtCenter car classic “One of a Kind: Vehicles that Stand Alone” show is from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The show features unique custom-built vehicles that include custom hot rods, motorcycles, concept cars, bespoke supercars and specially modified vehicles from all eras. Tickets are $40.

Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino (626) 405-2100 huntington.org.

The Huntington Library continues its 100th anniversary with the exhibition “Nineteen Nineteen,” which explores the facility’s founding through the lens of a single tumultuous year.

The Rose 245 E. Green St., Pasadena (888) 645-5006 wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com Moving in Stereo pays tribute to The Cars at 9 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $26.50 / $19.50 Soulful Sunday Brunch The Rose 245 E. Green St., Pasadena (888) 645-5006 wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com Enjoy a live Motown-style band, gospel choir and mouthwatering brunch from $29 to $58.

The $18.50 general admission does not include brunch. Brunch starts at 10 a.m. and music starts at 11 a.m.

info@themixxpasadena.com Check out Tuesday Blues Jam with Rebellious Blues Dog from 8 a.m. to midnight. For ticket prices, call the club or visit their website.

WEDNESDAY 1881 1881 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena (626) 314-2077 1881pasadena.com Reggae Music Night, featuring the sounds of Calvin Banks & the Tellers, starts at 8 p.m.

Call the club or visit their website for more information.

Ambassador Auditorium 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena, (310) 546-6222 speakersla.com/speakers/jane-fonda-lily-tomlin/ Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin speak at 8 p.m. as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series. Tickets start at $495.00 The Rose 245 E. Green St., Pasadena (888) 645-5006 wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com Ride a mechanical bull at Borderline Country Night beginning at 6 p.m. Must show a valid ID. Dance Lessons at 6:30, 7:30 & 10 p.m. Tickets are $20 and $15. n

MONDAY Colombo’s Restaurant 1833 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock (323) 254-9138 colombosrestaurant.com The Eric Ekstrand Trio plays jazz at 7 p.m. No cover.

Crawford Family Forum 474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena (626) 583-5100 Check out “A Life Set to Jazz: A Hundred Years of Jackie Robinson.” KPCC 89.3 will air the event.

Descanso Gardens 1418 Descanso Drive La Canada Flintridge, See pumpkin artists at work from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as they carve up great creations. Tickets are $30 to $40.

Vroman’s Bookstore 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (626) 449-5320 vromansbookstore.com Leroy Chatfield discusses and signs “To Serve the People: My Life Organizing with Cesar Chavez and the Poor” at 7 p.m.

TUESDAY Crowell Public Library 1890 Huntington Drive, San Marino (626) 300-0777 CrowellPublicLibrary.org Enjoy “Jazz Swing from A to Z: The Glenn Miller Story” from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Dr. Thom Mason, USC professor emeritus of jazz studies at the Thornton School of Music, returns with a new six-session course sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

The Mixx Restaurant & Bar 443 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (626) 500-0021

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PW OPINION PW NEWS

PW LIFE

PW ARTS

•FILM•

BY JANA J. MONJI

Park So-dam, Song Kang-ho, Chang Hyae-jin and Choi Woo-shik in Parasite.

Comedy of Horrors

SOUTH KOREA’S CLASS DIVISIONS COME INTO FOCUS WITH THE DARK HUMOR AND SOCIAL COMMENTARY OF ‘PARASITE’

B

ong Joon Ho's “Parasite” begins as a comedy about a con job with a hint of rom-com possibilities, then morphs into a horror movie before ending as a tragedy with social commentary. One wishes one understood Korean to hear all the linguistic nuances of politeness, but the actors convey the issues of class and even personal vulnerabilities that lead to failure. Making its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, “Parasite” was the first Korean film to win the Palme d'Or. Set in South Korea, the film opens on the Kim family — father, mother, son and daughter — which is on the lower economic end of the technology boom. They live in a basement with a row of windows without curtains that open at street level. From the socks hanging out to dry in what little sunlight enters, you get the idea no one’s really attempting to better the view. A drunken neighbor staggers and urinates in plain sight, but the Kims are impotent to stop the display. Their biggest concern is whether they can steal wi-fi service for their phones from a neighbor or a nearby business. Together, they work at folding boxes for a pizza place, but even there their careless ways come under criticism.

Ki-woo (Choi Woo Shik) has failed four times to pass the college entrance exams, the only way to assure a better life. Yet that's his main selling point when his old chum, Min-hyuk (Park Seo Joon), visits him with a gift — a scholar's rock meant to bring the family financial prosperity. Minhyuk has also come with a job offer: tutoring the spoiled daughter of a rich family. Min-hyuk fears his college classmates might want to move in on the good-looking girl and Min-hyuk intends to make her his girlfriend when he returns from a year studying in the US. Min-hyuk advises Ki-woo to lie about his credentials. After all, the girl, Da-hye (Jung Ziso), needs to pass the exams and Kiwoo has more experience taking the tests than the more successful candidates.

With the help of his artistic and computer graphic arts savvy sister, Ki-jung (Park So Dam), Ki-woo acquires forged documents but finds, as Min-hyuk advised, the mother, Mrs. Park (Cho Yeo Jeong) is “simple.” Less simple, is the housekeeper, Moon-gwang (Lee Jung Eun), who is often charged with caring for the wild younger son, Da-song (Jung Hyun Jun).

Mrs. Park is proud of Da-song's primitive artwork. Ki-woo presents his sister, Choong-sook, as a very exclusive art instructor with a background in art therapy and art psychology and renames her Jessica. Da-song's waywardness is linked to a shock he had when he was younger, something that his mother only will allude to, but is revealed to the audience much later.

The con game doesn’t stop there. Eventually both mother Chung-sook (Chang Hyae Jin) and father, Ki-taek (Song Kang Ho) will become part of the Park household, supplanting both the housekeeper and the chauffeur, respectively. We don't see the chauffeur again, but on a weekend when the Parks go on an overnight camping trip, the Kim family has unwisely decided to stage family pig-out in the posh Park home. Moon-gwang returns, insisting she left something in the basement. What that something is will shock and surprise the Kim family, but also transition us into both a comedy and a karmic horror tragedy. Much of this hinges on Mr. Park (Lee Sun Kyun), a young CEO of a global IT company and his pet peeve: “I can't stand people who cross the line.”

Mr. Park is talking about his servants, but forgets that he, too, crosses the line while blinded by his sense of entitlement.

Bong (“Okja”) has stated that the Kims were not parasites from the start, but as they wormed their way into the lives of the privileged, circumstances “pushed them to the edge of a precipice."

“Parasite” is "a comedy without clowns" and "a tragedy without villains." Expect some blood and a surprisingly poignant ending.

In Korean with English subtitles.

“Parasite” opens at the Pasadena Arclight tonight, Oct. 17, and at the Laemmle Claremont 5 and Laemmle Glendale on Nov. 1. ■ 24 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.17.19

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THURSDAY 10.17.19 Celebrate the woman and her musical influences in the hit musical “A Night with Janis Joplin” at 9 p.m. at The Rose, 245 E. Green St., Pasadena. Doors open at 6 p.m. tickets are $38 / $58 / $78 / $98. The show is a musical journey celebrating Joplin and her biggest musical influences, including Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Odetta, Nina Simone and Bessie Smith. For more information, call (888) 645-5006 or visit wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com.

FRIDAY 10.18.19 Chip Jacobs discusses and signs his new book “Arroyo” at 7 p.m at Vroman’s Bookstore, 695. E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Arroyo tells the parallel stories of a young inventor and his clairvoyant dog in 1913 and 1993. In both lives, they are drawn to the landmark Colorado Street Bridge. For more information, visit vromansbookstore.com or call (626) 449-5320

SATURDAY 10.19.19 More than 2,000 participants and spectators are expected at this year’s Latino Heritage Parade & Festival. The event begins with the parade at 10 a.m. immediately followed by a festival of cultural activities, food and dance at Villa-Parke. The parade begins at Los Robles Avenue and Prescott Street, heads south on Los Robles and ends at the Villa-Parke Community Center. For more information, visit cityofpasadena.net/human-services/community-event/ latino-heritage-parade-festival/

SUNDAY 10.20.19 Check out “One of A Kind: Vehicles that Stand Alone” from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at ArtCenter College of Design, 1700 Lida St., Pasadena. For more information, call (626) 396-2304 or visit artcenter.edu. Tickets are $40.

MONDAY 10.21.19 The Eric Ekstrand Trio plays jazz at Colombo’s Restaurant, 1833 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock at 7 p.m. No cover. For more information, call (323) 254-9138 or visit colombosrestaurant.com

TUESDAY 10.22.19 “Jazz Swing from A to Z: The Glenn Miller Story” is from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at the Crowell Public Library, 1890 Huntington Drive, San Marino. Dr. Thom Mason, USC professor emeritus of jazz studies at the Thornton School of Music, returns with a new sixsession course sponsored by the Friends of the Library. For more information, call (626) 300-0777

WEDNESDAY 10.23.19 Head on over to 1881, 1881 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena and catch some beats at Reggae Music Night, featuring the sounds of Calvin Banks & The Tellers, at 8 p.m. Call (626) 314-2077, or visit 1881pasadena.com for more information.

THURSDAY 10.24.19 Halloween Spooktacular is back at Southern California Children’s Museum, 459 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. The event features an indoor pumpkin patch. Decorate your own pumpkin and take part in the annual costume contest. For more information, call (626) 6570357 or visit socalkids.org.

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CHOICE EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 10.17–10.24

BY ANDRÉ COLEMAN

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