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10.24.19 | PASADENAWEE PASADENAWEEKLY.COM EEK EE KLLYY...CO COM | G CO GREATER REE AT R REAT ATER ER PASADENA’S PAS ASAD ADEN ADE EN A A’’S FR FFREE REE E N NEWS EEW WS AN WS A AND ND EEN ENTERTAINMENT NTE T ER RTTA AIINM NMEEN NT W WE WEEKLY EEEK K LY KLY LY

A Bit tersweet Homecoming FORMER ROSE QUEEN DREW WASHINGTON AND HER FATHER CRAIG TRAVEL TO AFRICA AS PART OF A CAMPAIGN TO RECONNECT PEOPLE WITH THEIR ANCESTRY IN THE 400TH YEAR SINCE THE START OF SLAVERY IN AMERICA

BY JUSTIN CHAPMAN NEWS

OUTLIVING JUSTICE Man has yet to stand trial 14 years after being charged with two murders

p. 7

DINING

THE RIGHT MOVE

Breakfast is a daylong affair at The Pan in Old Pasadena

PASSIVE AGGRESSION

p. 11

p. 15

ARTS

Truth hides behind lies in ‘Buried Child’ @ A Noise Within

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10.24.19 | VOLUME 37| NUMBER 43

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

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

News ........................................................................7 Outliving Justice Convicted rapist and former PUSD volunteer has yet to stand trial 14 years after being charged with two murders.

— André Coleman and Aaron Harris

Finish Line?

Another horse death has activists renewing calls for a racing ban as Santa Anita gears up for Breeders’ Cup. — André Coleman

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

A Bittersweet Homecoming Former Rose Queen Drew Washington and her father Craig travel to Africa as part of a campaign to reconnect people with their ancestry in the 400th year since the start of slavery in America.

— Justin Chapman

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

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

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

Arts & Culture ........................................................ 15 Into the Night ............................................. 16 Trax..........................................................16

Calendar.................................................... 17

Classifieds ............................................................. 18 8 days ....................................................................26 ABOUT THE COVER: Photo courtesy of Craig and Drew Washington

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PW OPINION

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•LETTERS• FOUR WALLS 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

It looks very much like The Donald is going to get his wall after all. In fact, he’s going to get more than he asked for.

Like his lawyer and other associates, he and his family will likely be spending a great deal of time behind four walls, with big metal doors and bars.

No family could deserve it more! ~ MARCO DELANO VIA EMAIL

Caroline Kimbel, Remali De Silva

ART ART DIRECTOR

Stephanie Torres storres@timespublications.com ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR

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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.

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

WHEN ‘BEST‘ ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH I recently read through the 2019 Best of Pasadena list in the newest Pasadena Weekly (Oct. 10).

It may interest you to know that Marshall Fundamental Secondary School, which was voted “Best Public School” for this year, is currently facing the threat of either consolidation or outright closure by the Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education, as part of measures to restore fi nancial solvency to the troubled district. This school board recently voted to close three elementary schools: Roosevelt, Franklin and Jefferson.

I am the parent of a Marshall student. As I write this, Marshall parents and students are doing their best to convince the board to employ alternate solutions in solving the district’s fi nancial concerns ... solutions that DO NOT involve closing or consolidating an at-capacity, highly decorated school. For the record, we feel that such a closure would only further worsen the district’s

condition and potentially drive families from PUSD and Pasadena in general.

It is a sad state of affairs within Pasadena when its school board seeks to eliminate what could arguably be considered a jewel in the city’s crown.

The PUSD Board is scheduled to vote on the aforementioned items Thursday, Oct. 24, at PUSD offices at 351 S. Hudson St., Pasadena. ~ EDWARD MAGALONG PASADENA

SPIRIT OF FEAR I was in a Ralphs market in Glendale earlier this month on a hot Friday night around 10 p.m. The power failed and the lights, running on emergency backup only, suddenly became very dim. There was an immediate outcry.

A father, while shielding his toddler in the cart, loudly said “What the *&%* is going on?”

I was near the back of the store and immediately two separate mothers with chil-

dren gathered close, came near and asked, “Is something bad happening? Are we OK?” As the automatic doors had failed, several people rushed to the doors while a young store employee tried to force them open. Another young employee was apologetically reassuring people who could no longer check out to just leave their carts and head home.

I tried to reassure the mothers who were near me and the father with the toddler that this was just a typical summer overload and there was no reason to be afraid.

What bothered me though was just how quickly a normal, Southern California event became a frightening thing for people.

I was in a similar situation 20 years ago in a supermarket and it was met mostly with humor. “With the price of these groceries you’d think they could pay their power bill,” I recall someone remarking.

This was very different. It both unsettles me and makes me sad that there is so much unspoken fear just below the surface for a fair percentage of our fellow citizens. ~WILLIAM MARTINEZ LOS ANGELES

FROM THE WEB: THANK YOU ALL

Re: “Of Love & Life,” Oct. 3 To all the well -wishers Thank you.

We feel like it never happened; back at work and the gym regularly. ~ BILL PAPARIAN PASADENA

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Send letters to KUhrich@ timespublications.com. To share news tips and information about happenings and events, contact Kevin at the address above or call (626) 584-1500, ext. 115. Contact Deputy Editor André Coleman by writing to AColeman@ timespublications.com or calling (626) 584-1500, ext. 114.

10.24.19 | PASADENA WEEKLY 5

PW OPINION

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•OPINION•

BY KEVIN UHRICH

THERE OUGHTA BE A LAW VAPING HEALTH CRISIS POINTS TO NEED FOR A BAN ON TV, RADIO AND ONLINE E-CIG ADS What’s the difference between vaping addictive nicotine and inhaling the poisonous insecticide through cigarettes, cigars and pipes?

Both forms of “smoking” cause upper respiratory problems, both seem irresistible to far too many youngsters, and both have landed lots of people in the hospital this year, with many of those anachronistic smokers and trend-setting vapers ending up in the morgue.

Indeed, e-cigs certainly appear to be quite a bit faster than tobacco in creating serious lung, heart and other physical problems for their users, with hundreds of vaping-related illnesses reported this year alone by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Currently, the CDC reports on its website that “the CDC, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state and local health departments, and other clinical and public health partners are investigating a multistate outbreak of lung injury associated with use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products.”

It looks like vaping — of both nicotine and tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis — has created a full-blown public health crisis within this once wholly unregulated industry which could not have been unexpected.

All of which brings us back to the really big difference between e-cigs and tobacco cigarettes, and that is makers of traditional tobacco stogies and butts cannot advertise their products on television or the radio, and have not been allowed to do so since 1971. Somewhat surprisingly, apparently no such prohibitions have ever existed for this relatively new phenomenon of inhaling nicotine vapers emanating from electronically heated cartridges, or pods, of nicotine, both flavored and not.

In fact, producers of some of these commercials state right up front that these products contain nicotine, and that nicotine is an addictive drug. And with that disclosure the nation’s television airwaves are being saturated by television ads extolling the joys and benefits of vaping. According to these depictions, vaping is something that is cool, relatively harmless and actually helpful in getting smokers off of tobacco products. It is with hype like this that e-cig makers Juul, Vuse Alta, and Blu are bombarding cable TV viewers — adults and children — with their potentially life-threatening enticements.

On April Fool’s Day 1970, then-President Richard Nixon signed legislation banning cigarette ads on TV and radio following a three-year effort to clear the airwaves of images of people joyfully inhaling and exhaling toxic cigarette smoke. The ban took effect at midnight on Jan. 2, 1971. The last televised cigarette ad, according to Andrew Glass of Politico, ran at 11:50 p.m. during “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” the host himself a once inveterate smoker, even while on the air through the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.

Ads for nicotine-infused products like cigarettes and cigars have not been seen on TV or heard on the radio until now, with e-cigarettes.

According to the CDC, here’s what is known about the vaping crisis as of Oct. 8: • 1,299 lung injury cases associated with the use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products have been reported to CDC from 49 states, the District of Columbia, and 1 US territory.

• Twenty-six deaths have been confirmed in 21 states.

• All patients have reported a history of using e-cigarettes, or vaping, products.

• Most patients report a history of using tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-containing products. The latest national and state findings suggest products containing THC, particularly those obtained off the street or from other informal sources (e.g. friends, family members, illicit dealers), are linked to most of the cases and play a major role in the outbreak.

• Therefore, CDC recommends that you should not use e-cigarette, or vaping, products that contain THC. • Exclusive use of nicotine containing products has been reported by some patients with lung injury cases, and many patients with lung injury report combined use of THC- and nicotine-containing products. Therefore, the possibility that nicotine-containing products play a role in this outbreak cannot be excluded.

• At present, CDC continues to recommend that people consider refraining from using e-cigarette, or vaping, products that contain nicotine.

The above information was lifted directly from the CDC website.

According to Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Dr. Lee Norman, the answer to this crisis is simple: “It’s time to stop vaping,” Norman told CNN. “If you or a loved one is vaping, please stop. The recent deaths across our country, combined with hundreds of reported lung injury cases continue to intensify.”

One good way to help the process of quitting is to take those grossly misleading vaping ads off TV, radio and social media. ■ 6 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.24.19

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OUTLIVING JUSTICE

CONVICTED RAPIST AND FORMER PUSD VOLUNTEER HAS YET TO STAND TRIAL 14 YEARS AFTER BEING CHARGED WITH TWO MURDERS

BY ANDRÉ COLEMAN AND AARON HARRIS

A

fter 14 years in jail and 139 court appearances accused murderer John Laurence Whitaker, a former Pasadena Unified School District volunteer and a candidate for the Pasadena City College Board of Trustees, was scheduled to again return to court for yet another pretrial hearing on Oct. 22.

Whitaker is accused of raping and strangling two women, one in 1975 in Santa Monica and the other in 1975 in Laguna Niguel. He is has been held without bail in the Harbor Justice Center jail in Newport Beach since 2005, soon after being arrested in Oregon, where he failed to register as a sex offender. Whitaker was wanted at the time by Orange County homicide investigators, who had linked his DNA profi le to the unsolved 1983 strangulation murder of Patricia Ann Carpenter, a known prostitute from the Hollywood area. Whitaker has also been linked though DNA evidence to the murder of Santa Monica/ Malibu Unified School District clerk Bodil Rasmussen in 1975.

“While it’s vitally important to afford each defendant the necessary time to prepare a proper defense — especially in a murder case such as this — it does seem that Mr. Whitaker’s chosen approach of continued delay is unusual,” said Rene Amy, a local attorney and schools activist who has been following the case since Whitaker was arrested in Oregon in 2005.

According to Amy, it has probably cost taxpayers more than $1 million to house and care for the ailing, 72-year-old Whitaker, who needed hip surgery last year, according to the Orange County Register.

“I’m somewhat surprised that no one is asking more questions. Given his age now, it seems ever more likely that Mr. Whitaker will be well cared for at taxpayer expense for the rest of his life — and that the family of the murdered woman will never see justice truly served,” Amy said of Carpenter.

Officials with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office did not return phone calls seeking comment for this story.

“I’ve never heard of a murder case being actively open 14 years, unless there was a fi nding of the defendant’s incompetence to stand trial,” said local attorney Pamela Dansby.

“While it is not uncommon for murder cases to take two years or so, 14 years is way outside the norm.”

Whitaker has had 11 lawyers. Each attorney has requested continuances to get up to speed on the case. Others have requested and received reviews of the DNA evidence.

“It is absolutely taking a long time,” Orange County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Farrah Emani told the Pasadena Weekly in 2014, shortly before Whitaker’s 99th court appearance for the two murders. “Defendants have a lot of rights. When their attorneys request continuances, they are often granted by the court.”

Carpenter’s body was found during the early morning hours of Dec. 17, 1983 alongside Laguna Canyon Road. She was partially naked and, judging by the abrasions on her face, had most likely been dumped out of a moving vehicle, authorities have said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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PW OPINION

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OUTLIVING JUSTICE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

FINISH LINE?

ANOTHER HORSE DEATH HAS ACTIVISTS RENEWING CALLS FOR A RACING BAN AS SANTA ANITA GEARS UP FOR BREEDERS’ CUP

O

BY ANDRÉ COLEMAN

fficials at Santa Anita Park racetrack were forced to euthanize another horse this past Saturday, sparking renewed calls for an end to horseracing not only at the Arcadia facility but at tracks around the state.

The death comes as Santa Anita prepares to host the Breeders’ Cup competition, one of the top horseracing events in the country, on Nov. 1-2.

Santa Anita is currently under investigation by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, a probe launched in March after the 21st horse death since December that remains ongoing.

On Saturday, Oct. 19, the 3-year-old gelding Satchel Paige fractured his left ankle during a race and was later euthanized after veterinarians examined the injury. The incident marked the 34th horse death at the racetrack since December.

Officials with the track said more work would be done to examine what caused the injury and if it could have been avoided.

“Satchel Paige will undergo a necropsy at the University of California, Davis’ School of Veterinary Medicine on behalf of the California Horse Racing Board, as is mandatory for all on-track accidents.

The accident and the necropsy report will be reviewed to learn what, if anything, could have been done to prevent the accident,” Dr. Dionne Benson, chief veterinarian for the Stronach Group, owners of the track, said in a prepared statement. “Santa Anita will work closely with the California Horse Racing Board to investigate this accident and will continue to brief our stakeholders and all of our constituents, including the public, as more facts come in.”

Santa Anita is not the only track that has euthanized a large number of injured horses. At least 25 horses have died at Belmont Park in New York this year. And two days before Ky. Colonel died at Santa Anita a horse named Stella d’Oro was euthanized at the Keeneland Fall Meet in Lexington, Kentucky, following what reporters described as a “catastrophic injury.”

Earlier this month People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called for a halt to all horseracing when Ky. Colonel died of a heart attack after trotting on the training track at Santa Anita. The horse died seven months after the LA County DA’s Office launched an investigation into the deaths.

“Horses don’t simply sustain broken bones for no reason, and young horses shouldn’t be dying of heart attacks,” PETA posted on its website.

“These animals may have had undisclosed injuries or other health conditions that were masked by medications commonly administered to keep

8 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.24.19

lame and unfit horses training and competing,” the statement reads.

Under state law, the California Horse Racing Board can only suspend horseracing at a track after a 10-day process and a public meeting, even when there are significant safety issues.

“All racing states should suspend racing until real answers are supplied about these deaths and the carnage is ended. But even as authorities and the racing world drag their feet, PETA will continue pushing forward to help save exploited horses’ lives,” according to the statement.

Santa Anita closed briefly after the 21st horse died in March. After the track reopened, officials put new safety protocols in place to protect the horses, including banning race-day medication, increasing transparency of veterinary records, further regulating approval for workouts, and increasing reviews of the track’s surface. Also after the death of the 21st horse, LA County DA Jackie Lacey opened an investigation into the deaths.

“The Stronach Group and Santa Anita safety measures put horse and rider safety above all else,” said Benson in a prepared statement. “Santa Anita and The Stronach Group remain committed to leading transformative change in this traditional sport.”

In May, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he supports Senate Bill 469, authored Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa), which would make it easier to suspend horse racing at a given venue. In June, US Sen. Dianne Feinstein said she also supports the bill.

At that time, some experts said they believed the injuries were caused by an extra hard track created by track officials in response to the above average rainfall the area experienced in the first three months of the year.

However, there has been no rainfall in the last six months.

A horse’s leg contains 80 of the 205 bones in the animal’s body, according to the National Livestock Journal. Horses have no muscles below their knees, an intricate system of tendons and ligaments powered by tremendous muscles high in the body, allowing the animals to sprint at high speeds.

Because their bones are so light, horse bones shatter instead of fracture like those of humans, which makes the leg almost impossible to repair.

Because equine circulation is dependent on the horse’s hooves, keeping a horse still for a long time puts the animal’s life at risk and forces owners to have hundreds of injured horses euthanized every year. ■

Rasmussen’s body was discovered in a parking lot in Santa Monica in 1975, Whitaker being the last person seen with her, according to witness testimony given to the police.

Whitaker was interviewed by detectives at that time, but he denied being involved in her death, stating they did know one another and that any sexual activity between them had been consensual.

In both cases the bodies of the two women were found with their stockings around their necks.

However, because of a lack of physical evidence and the crimesolving technology available at the time, police were unable to identify a suspect. Both murder investigations were shelved and remained in cold case files of the respective jurisdictions in which they occurred.

The women fought their assailant and some of his skin was trapped underneath their fingernails. Eventually technology caught up with Whitaker and detectives hoping to find leads fed the evidence into TracKRS, a cold case homicide database that contains details about thousands of cases, with some including DNA evidence. Whitaker’s DNA had been in the database since 1994 after he was released from a New York state prison, where he served 10 years for rape. He had also served time beginning in 1964 for sodomy of a child under 14.

By the mid-1990s Whitaker was living in Pasadena and attending PCC under the alias John Whitaker Betances, one of 18 aliases he had allegedly used.

Under that guise, Whitaker would sometimes visit the offices of the Pasadena Weekly claiming to be a US Army Special Forces officer. He once said he escaped from a Viet Cong prison after killing a guard by chewing threw his neck.

Whitaker, a large and imposing man who regularly wore a black beret and army fatigues, worked his way into a volunteer position at the Pasadena Unified School District where he created a support group for fathers called DADS, an acronym for Dads Are Doing Something. Whitaker appeared on several local TV programs with thenSuperintendent Percy Clark.

PUSD admitted that no background check was done on Whitaker and claimed that he was never alone with children. Whitaker had been given an office and entrusted with a key to district headquarters, where he had access to district personnel files and computers.

He also unsuccessfully ran for the PCC Board of Trustees.

Neither PCC nor the PUSD performed a background check on Whitaker. His arrest in Oregon forced PUSD to change its policy and perform background checks on all volunteers.

“I remember they gave him free reign,” said Pasadena Board of Education member Scott Phelps, who was a teacher at the time of the arrest. “It was a wake-up call in retrospect. It was really important. Now, the first thing we ask is if they can pass a background check. It is much more in people’s minds.”

Once he was in custody in Oregon for failing to register as a sex offender, Whitaker attempted to fight extradition to stand trial for the murders in Orange and LA counties. Since 2005, he has been an inmate in the Orange County Jail.

Whitaker may have even predicted the long case during an interview with the Pasadena Weekly in 2009.

“It’s not going to be the duck-shoot they thought it would be,” Whitaker said in a phone interview with the Pasadena Weekly from jail.

“It’s not going to be like shooting fish in a bucket.” ■

Drew Washington with guide at the Temple of Pythons

A bittersweet homecoming FORMER ROSE QUEEN DREW WASHINGTON AND HER FATHER CRAIG TRAVEL TO AFRICA AS PART OF A CAMPAIGN TO RECONNECT PEOPLE WITH THEIR ANCESTRY IN THE 400TH YEAR SINCE THE START OF SLAVERY IN AMERICA

BY JUSTIN CHAPMAN

A

ugust marked the 400th anniversary of the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade with America when, in 1619, a ship carrying 20 slaves landed at Point Comfort in the British colony of Virginia. This year, Nana Akufo-Addo, president of Ghana, a major slave trade hub at the time, declared 2019 the “Year of Return.” The campaign has given African Americans nationwide a chance to reconnect with and reflect on their ancestral beginnings.

Last month, the second African American Rose Queen, Drew Washington, who presided over the 2012 Rose Parade, traveled with her father Craig to West Africa to learn more about their ancestry and culture. After conducting a DNA test from Ancestry.com to locate the region their forebears originally came from, they traveled to Ghana, Togo and Benin, three small countries in the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic coast.

“I didn’t know what to expect regarding how the dynamics would be, being African American and going back to Africa,” said Drew, 24, who graduated from UC Berkeley School of Law in May and moved to New York a couple weeks ago to begin a job at Winston & Strawn LLP. The firm represents players’ associations of major league sports and the US women’s soccer team in their equal pay lawsuit. “But everyone we met said ‘Welcome home. You are home.’ That felt so good. It’s almost indescribable. I’d never felt like that anywhere else I’ve traveled.”

Correcting Mischaracterizations When Drew first went to New York University, other African Americans didn’t use the term “African American” as an umbrella term to describe all black people.

“They were able to point to a country in Africa where they were from,” she explained.

“They’d ask me, ‘Where are you from?’ I was so frustrated that I couldn’t answer the question, so this trip was about me being able to find those answers. I finally felt connected to a culture. I had heritage, culture and tradition that I could bring back home.”

Craig, 56, who serves as a director-chair of Tournament of Roses committees and regional contract manager at Jacobs Engineering Group, appreciated being able to correct many of the mischaracterizations that Americans have about Africa based on limited and inaccurately negative information. One of those mischaracterizations is about family.

“Family is so important in Africa, so it’s disheartening how African Americans are portrayed as not having strong families,” he said. “Where did this come from? This wasn’t our culture or foundation. Breaking up families, that’s what this whole slave trade did. Now the fabric of this bond of family has just been ripped to pieces. This is a part of African-American history that needs to be more exposed, and exposed truthfully.”

Before the slave trade and before colonial powers imposed modern country names and borders, powerful kingdoms existed in West Africa for hundreds of years, such as the Ashanti Empire and the Dahomey Kingdom. A form of slavery existed, too, among warring African tribes.

“This concept was going on within their own continent, so within the Africans’ mind, it wasn’t farfetched to trade people,” Craig said.

When Europeans first showed up, they didn’t start enslaving people immediately.

They first traded goods and indoctrinated Africans into Christianity.

“They did a good job of gaining the trust of the leaders of the kingdoms,” Drew said.

“Slavery already existed in Africa, but it was more like indentured servitude. They had no idea what the Europeans had intended.”

‘Its Own Genocide’ After starting their tour in Accra, the capital of Ghana, the Washingtons paid their respects at the Assin Manso Slave River. Inland Africans bound for slavery were marched shackled and barefoot for hundreds of miles over several months to the coast, where they received their “last bath” in African waters at Slave River.

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Ganvie, Benin

A BITTERSWEET HOMECOMING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 09

“They would wash all the captured slaves and put shea butter on them to bring out a glow on the skin, prepping the body to make it look its best for the slave trade market,” Craig said.

Once the slaves got to the coast, they were held in slave castles for another few months. That’s all before they were forced onto a crowded ship, where they spent another six months crossing the Atlantic.

“In our history books, we hear about the Middle Passage and the ships being horrible, but you don’t hear about what happened on the ground before they got to the ships or to America, so it was quite the experience to be able to see that,” Drew said.

Historians estimate that between 1525 and 1866, about 12.5 million Africans were forcibly brought to the New World. Of those, only about 10.7 million survived the Middle Passage, and of those, only about 388,000 were shipped directly to North America, with the rest going to the Caribbean and South America.

“Millions of people didn’t make it,” Craig said. “The attrition was unbelievable. It was its own genocide even before they got to the ships, as well as the disease and starvation they endured along the way.”

The Washingtons also visited two slave castles: Cape Coast Castle, built by the Swedish in 1653 and later run by the British, and Elmina Castle, built by the Portuguese in 1482. The castles are about half the size of the Rose Bowl, each with an inner field, guard towers, master quarters for the governor which overlooked the courtyard, a church in the middle, and cramped, non-ventilated dungeons where the slaves were housed.

From there, the Washingtons visited Lomé, the capital of Togo, on their way to a village in Benin called Ouidah, home to the sacred Temple of Pythons.

“I thought that was just a name, but there are real pythons inside this temple,” Drew said. “In Benin, they view the python as sacred, as gods. It’s considered disrespectful to not wear a python around your neck when you visit. You also have to walk into the temple itself where there are pythons roaming around everywhere.”

The Washingtons then traveled to Ganvie, Benin, an entire village built on stilts over Lake Nokoué. Known as the “Venice of West Africa,” the water village of about 30,000 people was built 300 years ago as a defense mechanism during the slave trade.

“They row boats to go anywhere,” Drew said. “A typical family has three boats: one for the father to fish, another for the mother to sell the fish in the market and the third for the children to go to school. They have a hospital, a hotel, a church, a mosque and restaurants, all on stilts. Even their markets are on water. The women gather on boats in the center of the village and sell toiletries, fish, food, whatever you need.”

Sharing the Experience Part of the reason why Americans have misconceptions about Africa is because of the lack of a meaningful connection. It’s not easy for Americans to travel to Africa and virtually impossible for Africans to travel to the United States.

“I don’t know who has made traveling to those countries difficult, but it is,” Drew said.

“It’s not as easy as going to Europe, where you just hop on a plane. You want to go to Africa? Hold on, you need visas, you need shots, it’s a long plane ride, there are no direct flights, the flights are expensive. There aren’t flash sales for plane tickets to Africa. It’s prohibitive for a lot of people to go, coupled with the unknown. What we’re told about it, it doesn’t seem like that’s what you want to spend your vacation time and lots of money doing. But we found that it was just the best way we could have spent our money.”

Craig pointed out that they had virtually no interaction with Americans during their trip, while they saw and met lots of Europeans.

“That’s why no one in America knows about Africa, because no one goes,” he said.

“Whatever they’re told, that’s what it is. All we get fed about Africa is that it’s a warzone.”

By sharing their experience on Facebook, the Washingtons have inspired a number of their friends to consider visiting Africa as well.

“It will help take down some of the mystery about Africa,” he said. “That’s what needs to happen: someone they know has gone and done it and they see it as a possibility.” ■ 10 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.24.19

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BY EVELYN GARCIA | PHOTOS BY DANNY LIAO

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here is an overabundance of terrific restaurants in Pasadena, and most residents have their favorites. I, for one, am often a creature of habit. I know what I like, and if I’m ever unsure of where to eat I stick to the places I can trust.

Recently, however, I saw a new restaurant named The Pan that opened up on Holly Street, not far from some of the most frequented eateries in the city.

The Pan offers a wide range of food to choose from on their menu, but what it does well overall is simple: comfort food.

Whether you’re in for breakfast or dinner, grabbing take out or sitting in with a group, there are so many options for all kinds of diners that it’s almost overwhelming, only in the best way possible.

Upon arriving, my friend and I were slightly confused by a sign that said The Pan was near a tiny bar, with only a few people inside. We looked around and realized further up ahead we could see another entrance to the actual restaurant. The dining area is on the smaller side, with quirky, colorful artwork all along its walls. The wooden tables are lined with different colored chairs, and the flat screen TV was playing the World Series — an added bonus for patrons and staff alike.

While I’d intended to try The Pan for breakfast, my friend

and I wound up going for dinner, and were happy to learn that they serve breakfast all day — making our already tough decision much more difficult. The Pan serves a variety of breakfast offerings, including loaded hash browns ($12), consisting of eggs, bacon, sausage, green onion and cheese over hash browns, topped with chili aioli, French toast ($11), and chicken and waffles with blackberry syrup ($13.50).

Despite these dishes, which all sounded amazing, we knew we had to try their specialty pancakes which come in several unique flavors, with all their batter, butter and fruit purees made in-house daily. After some back and forth, we settled on the cinnamon roll pancakes ($9) — three pancakes filled with cinnamon-brown sugar puree and pecans, topped with sweetened cream cheese and powdered sugar. One bite and I was taken back to my childhood; splitting a Cinnabon at the mall with my mother after a day of errands and shopping, although these pancakes are the gourmet version of that.

The sweetened cream cheese was perfection, but we ordered the coconut syrup (for a 50 cent upcharge) which took the pancakes to a whole new level. I’ll admit; I am not a huge fan of coconut. But now I will be having this syrup each time I return for breakfast, it was that good. Chocolate chip pancakes were my favorite “indulgent” flavor up until Cinnamon roll so easily

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.

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The Pan Delux

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.

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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.

THE RIGHT MOVE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

took the cake.

After splitting our pancakes, we wanted to give their pizza a try, as they appeared to be a crowd favorite on Yelp. Lucky for us, we each got to choose a flavor because their pizzas can be ordered with split flavors. We chose the “El Pollo Alfredo,” made with chicken, garlic, spinach and a house-made alfredo sauce, and “The Mexican,” made with chili verde (pork in a green chili sauce), mozzarella, cilantro, jalapenos, red onions and green onions, topped with sour cream. A forewarning: The Mexican is pretty spicy (we had to remove a few jalapenos to eat it at a more comfortable level of spiciness), but it was otherwise delicious. The dough is soft and crispy on the edges, the slices a perfect portion, and the medium was the perfect shareable size, unless like us, you order a few pancakes to start and have to take a couple of slices home.

All of their pizzas can be ordered as deep dish ($2 upcharge), gluten free ($15 for a 10 inch), or as a calzone ($10). There is also a “Create Your Own Pizza” option on the menu, offering a little something special and customizable for everyone.

While there weren’t many other people dining, possibly because of the game, the food took longer than we’d be accustomed to at other restaurants but didn’t mind. We knew everything is made fresh to order as their menu warns of this for patrons who may not be as patient.

Our friendly waitress explained the small bar we had stumbled upon earlier is part of their restaurant, called Tiki, and drinks can be ordered from their menu while in The Pan. They offer happy hour every day from 3 to 7 p.m. on beers, wine, and mixed drinks which allows customers to buy a drink and get their second half off. Perhaps the most intriguing part of the drink menu for brunch lovers is that

they offer bottomless mimosas for $16, for a full hour, at any point in the day. That’s right — mimosa lovers don’t have to try and beat the Saturday rush at noon and instead can make their way much later in the day, on a Tuesday if they please. Personally, I think it is genius and, in combination with the hour cap, must help alleviate long waits on the weekends with their limited space.

The Tiki also offers interesting tropical mixed drinks like Polynesian Paralysis made with whiskey, orange juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice and simple syrup ($9). Not all of their other locations serve alcohol, so it’s nice to have the option close to home. The Pan also has specialty drinks, like an array of smoothies, shakes, and frappes, and flavored lattes and cappuccinos.

The Pan has such an extensive menu there were several items that I was already looking forward to trying by the time we paid the bill.

Their variations of loaded fries include carne asada fries ($12), pastrami fries ($10), and chili cheese fries ($9). Several other specialty pancakes, like the “Best Ever” banana pancakes ($9) as recommended by our waitress, and the pineapple upside down pancakes ($9) are sure to be amazing.

It seems as though The Pan has it all figured out, and in an area like the one they’ve chosen as their home in Pasadena, it’s important.

Customers walk in expecting good food and good service, and they possess both of those things tenfold.

(Editor’s note: Evelyn’s column ran last year at this time, but since a friend and I rcently visited The Pan and left raving about the food, the service and the prices, which have not changed in the past 12 months, we decided to reprise her story with only a few slight adjustments.)

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Bulletin Board

By PW Staff

ROSE QUEEN CHOSEN La Salle senior Camille Kennedy picked after month-long selection process The Tournament of Roses Association on Tuesday crowned Camille Kennedy the 102nd Rose Queen during a ceremony at the Pasadena Playhouse.

The La Salle High School senior lives in Pasadena and is a member of her school’s drama/musical theater troupe. She has been featured in three productions, including a lead role in the spring 2019 musical “City of Angels.”

Last week acclaimed entertainer Rita Moreno, actor Gina Torres and Olympic Gold Medal gymnast Laurie Hernandez were named co-grand marshals of the Rose Parade.

Kennedy was crowned by Tournament of Roses President Laura Farber, the first Latina to serve as association president. The theme of this year’s parade is “The Power of Hope.”

Members of the Royal Court are: Cole Fox, a senior at South Pasadena High School; Emilie Risha, a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy senior; Rukan Saif, a senior at Arcadia High School; Reese Rosental Saporito, a senior at Marshall Fundamental Secondary School; Mia Thorsen, a senior at Marshall Fundamental Secondary School; Michael Wilkins, a senior at Maranatha High School.

At La Salle, Kennedy is a member of the afterschool choral group and the Support Our Troops Club. She plans to pursue a liberal arts degree in Japanese linguistics, social sciences, or culture and media studies, and hopes to attend college in Japan.

Camille is the daughter of Tim and Jennifer Kennedy. She has two younger sisters, Ava and Esmé.

‘FESTIVAL OF REMEMBRANCE’ Faure ‘Requiem’ to be centerpiece of concert featuring music from around the world Pasadena Pro Musica kicks off its 56th season at Pasadena Presbyterian Church Sunday with the “Festival of Remembrance,” musical performances from a variety of cultures related to the theme of honoring ancestors and loved ones who have passed.

The centerpiece work is Gabriel Faure’s “Requiem, in celebration of All Saints Day on Nov. 1.

The remainder of the concert will feature selections related to the Mexican festival Dia de los Muertos and Halloween, and music from the Jewish, African American and Greek traditions. In celebration of the Chinese Hungry Ghost Month, Pro Musica will be joined by guest artists from the Los Angeles Yue Opera Troupe.

Single tickets are $20. Student rush tickets are $5 and will be sold, subject to availability 10 minutes before the performance. Valid student ID is required. Children under 10 admitted free. Pasadena Presbyterian Church is located at 585 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena. For more information, visit PasadenaProMusica.org., call (213) 458-5433 or write to info@PasadenaProMusica.org.

CALIFORNIA’S JOAN OF ARC Altadena Historical Society Quarterly Program features talk on Toypurina and the San Gabriel Mission Tongva revolt The story of the San Gabriel Mission Tongva revolt led by California’s Joan of Arc, Toypurina, will be told at Altadena Historical Society’s quarterly program on Monday, Oct. 28.

The program begins at 7 p.m. at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Drive. The program is free to Historical Society members; donations from non-members are appreciated.

Kat High, a Hupa Indian from Northern California, will lead the talk about Toypurina’s bravery, leadership and wisdom. An expert on Native American history, High is an adviser to several California Native American cultural centers and museums.

Regarding the revolt, in 1785, soon after the San Gabriel Mission was built, a group of Tongva tribe members rebelled against the Spanish. One of the leaders, Toypurina, was a young medicine woman who is known today as the Joan of Arc of California, who led tribe members on a brave but ultimately futile revolt against Spanish rule. Her legacy is honored with a mural in Boyle Heights and an art installation at the Baldwin Park Metrolink Station.

For more information, call (626) 797-8016, email altadenahistorical.society@yahoo. com or visit altadenahistoricalsociety.org. ■ 10.24.19 | PASADENA WEEKLY 13

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• ARTS & CULTURE • FILM | THE ATER | BOOKS | MUSIC | COMMUNIT Y | LISTINGS

PASSIVE AGGRESSION TRUTH HIDES IN CASUAL LIES IN ‘BURIED CHILD’ AT A NOISE WITHIN

BY JANA J. MONJI

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f you listen closely, you’ll hear warnings for today and every day in A Noise Within’s production of Sam Shepard’s “Buried Child,” a tragicomedy about a house full of emotional horrors in rural Illinois.

As is the case with similar homes, this one is in ill-repair. Sibyl Wickersheimer’s set makes us feel the house once was new and splendid, but now the wallpaper is peeling and the paint on the porch posts have weathered away to the wooden surface. The man of the house, Dodge (Geoff Elliott), wears a baseball cap to protect his head from his son. He’s grown old and infi rm and should be popping pills, but instead self-medicates with whiskey that he hides under one of the sofa cushions. He sits and sleeps on a couch that is just a wooden frame with cushions. It’s the kind of furniture you’d expect to fi nd on a porch rather than a front room. His comfort is cigarettes and his entertainment is the television.

His wife, Halie (Deborah Strang) calls down from long fl ight of stairs. One thinks he probably hasn’t ventured upstairs for years. She’s concerned about their eldest, Tilden (Michael Manuel). Tilden is a large hulk of a man and not one concerned with tidiness.

Entering from the kitchen, he proceeds to shuck corn, throwing the husks and silk on the wooden floor.

Dodge and Halie have three sons. Tilden, the eldest, was once a football star, but has not been able to match the glory days of his youth. Now, he’s come home, running away from legal trouble in New Mexico. His parents worry that he’ll cause trouble at home with the neighbors. Bradley (Frederick Stuart), their middle child, lost a leg in a chainsaw accident and comes home to give his dad haircuts while Dodge is sleeping. He’s an angry man and, like Tilden, a disappointment to his mother. The golden child, Ansel,

died in a motel, something which Halie blames on the Catholic family he married into.

Halie is dressed in black as if in mourning; she’s going out to visit Father Dewis (Apollo Dukakis), a Protestant minister. After scolding Dodge, Halie tells him to watch over Tilden while she’s gone.

On this rainy day, two strangers fi nd their way to the porch and seek refuge from the rain. Vince (Zach Kenney) claims to be Tilden’s son, but he hasn’t seen Tilden in six years. He’s taking his girlfriend, Shelly (Angela Gunner), to New Mexico to meet Tilden.

Shelly thought the visit would be like a Thanksgiving dinner — plenty of food and superficial conversation with true feelings deeply buried under common courtesy and polished politeness. What she gets is a missing wife and child. The wife Halie will return with Father Dewis in tow and dark secrets will be uncovered.

Director Julia Rodriguez-Elliott has created a cozy little nest of passive-aggressive unpleasantness even as the absurdity of some passages will elicit laughs. Elliott’s Dodge whines, grieving the loss of his manhood. Manuel’s Tilden might not have a fi rm grip on reality. Stuart’s Bradley seems to enjoy humiliating his father and he’s not above drawing a little blood, but this is more a brutish coward’s revenge than psychotic killer in the making. Strang’’s Halie and Gulner’s Shelly might seem like the sanest of this bunch.

Listen to the words. The truth is hidden under casual and practiced lies. In a time of fake news and Pinocchio nose counts, listening well is an important lesson that “Buried Child” provides in its tale of a lost American dream. ■ “Buried Child” continues until Nov. 23 at A Noise Within, 3342 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena. Tickets are $20 to $50. Call (626) 356-3121 or visit anoisewithin.org.

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•INTO THE NIGHT•

BY BLISS BOWEN

TRAX

BY BLISS

ERIN COSTELO, Sweet Marie (Compass): ★★★½

Reaching back to early ’70s soul and pop for inspiration, the native Nova Scotian’s selfproduced, subtly arranged fifth album feels like balm in troubled times. Her mezzo-soprano melds piercing emotion with a jazz singer’s precise phrasing as she confronts restrictive music industry fads, romantic disappointments, ageism and modern life’s chaos with resilience and sly humor. Highlights: “All in Your Head” (“They say it’s all in your head, you say you’re terrified/ What if I told you that it seems to be justified”), the sultry “Topic of Notes,” “The Sign,” “My Love.” At the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena Wednesday, Oct. 30. erincostelo.com

VAGABON, Vagabon (Nonesuch): ★★★

ROSA PULLMAN JOINS BRITTA LEE SHAIN, LEEANN SKODA, MARTY AXELROD AND HOST ED TREE FOR HALLOWEEN-THEMED NIGHT OF ‘PREMEDITATED MUSIC’ SUNDAY AT OLD OAK CELLARS

T

he wisest response when learning Rosa Pullman is performing nearby is: GO. Onstage, Pullman’s uncommonly transparent; with her big, dusky voice and unfi ltered demeanor, she takes listeners on cathartic journeys, often carrying them on rubbery grooves.

She’s part of the Murderers’ Row of “killer songwriters” at Sunday’s Halloween-themed Night of Murder, Mayhem & Misfortune at Old Oak Cellars.

“I spent a lot of years in my room crying and playing music,” she recalls with a laugh. “It is very emotional for me, which is partly why it took me a while to do it in front of people. It’s such an intense thing that just seems to be part of my soul. I’m an only child. I grew up feeling like an outsider but wanting to connect to people. [Music’s] this incredibly beautiful way to be together.

“It’s not intentional,” she says of the openness that inspires people to tell her “that they feel like they can feel what I’m feeling. It just seems to happen.”

The upstate New York native followed her 2011 cosmic folk EP

16 PASADENA WEEKLY | 10.24.19

“Dusty Road” with a fruitful collaboration with Mitch Grainger, the Lovers; they called it quits four years ago. This summer Pullman leaned into soul with her solo full-length “From the Halo to the Boulevard,” which showcases her vocal range and open spirit with hypnotic tracks like “Walk On,” “Kingfi sher” and the gospel-y “Ready for You.” “The big ending to [the Lovers] was super intense on many levels. And now it’s just been like, who am I, really? What inspires me, what do I want to write about, what do I feel like I should be doing as a solo artist now?”

In recent years she’s been living with those and other, evolving questions while holed up in Nashville and Maine. Brief tours to Norway also have her contemplating Europe, although she loves her family and creative community here in LA; she’s currently ensconced at her cousin Maesa’s Echo Park home. At a recent performance at the Wine & Song series in South Pasadena, several new songs, including the poignant “Ash and Pine,” suggested Pullman’s approach-

ing answers: “I’ll beg for mercy/ And I begged for brothers who protect and are kind/ Because heaven knows we can make it hard on ourselves/ As we sift through the stories in our minds.”

For the next month and a half she’ll be recording with producer (and cousin-in-law) Jason Hiller.

But fi rst, she plans to write new songs for Sunday’s show.

“I don’t really deal with much murder and mayhem,” she says, laughing, “but I do have one song I co-wrote years ago with a high school friend called ‘The Baby Drank My Whiskey and I Shot Him in the Head.’ I’m defi nitely part comedian. It’s good medicine to be able to frickin’ laugh.” ■ A Night of Murder, Mayhem & Misfortune: Rosa Pullman joins Britta Lee Shain, Leeann Skoda, Marty Axelrod and host Ed Tree at Old Oak Cellars, 2620 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, 6-9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 27. Costumes or mourning attire encouraged. Tickets: $20 at eventbrite.com/e/a-night-of-murder-mayhemmisfortune-tickets-70912674719. rosapullman.bandcamp.com

TRIGGER HIPPY, Full Circle & Then Some (Turkey Grass/Thirty Tigers): ★★★½

A welcome return that radiates the gratified joy of a funky jam among friends. Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman, bassist/songwriter Nick Govrik, guitarist Ed Jurdi and expressively earthy vocalist/saxophonist Amber Woodhouse deftly weave blues, gospel, Southern soul, roadhouse boogie and melodic classic rock with three-part harmonies and a solid instinct for feel-good hooks.

Highlights: “Don’t Want to Bring You Down,” the pedal steel-dressed “Strung Out on the Pain,” Katrina-themed “Goddamn Hurricane,” the Little Feat-esque “Long Lost Friend.” triggerhippy.com

THE MILK CARTON KIDS, The Only Ones (Milk Carton Records/ Thirty Tigers): ★★★

Whether you consider this a short album or a long EP, it’s an acoustic keeper. Scaling back to vocalsand-guitars basics after 2018’s more expansive “All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn’t Do,” Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan focus on the melodic charm and keen vocal chemistry that make them such a compelling live act. For fans who’ve been along for the ride since their early days playing Hotel Café and McCabe’s, it’s a treat. Highlights: melancholy opener “I Meant Every Word I Said,” “I Was Alive,” the hopeful title track. themilkcartonkids.com PHOTO: Karin Trøan

Murder, Mayhem & Misfortune

Born in Cameroon, based in Brooklyn, and schooled in computer engineering, Laetitia Tamko considers the dynamics of tradition and change from a singular vantage point. It isn’t a huge shift from 2017’s “Infinite Worlds,” which intermittently evoked the Cranberries and other ’90s indie-rockers, but on this self-produced sophomore outing standout tracks like “Flood,” the acoustic-textured “Every Woman” (“All the women I meet are tired/ …We’re steady while holding you all”) and especially “Home Soon” convey stories with minimalist lyrics and eerie synth and string arrangements that drift beyond customary song structure, with mixed results. vagabon.bandcamp.com

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•CALENDAR• Thursday Oct. 24 through Wednesday Oct. 30 PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for Calendar submissions is noon Wednesday of the week before the issue publishes. Send to johns@pasadenaweekly.com

sects 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.

THURSDAY

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. It continues through Oct. 27.

Caltech Athenaeum 551 S. Hill Ave., Pasadena (626) 395-4654 • cats.caltech.edu/reservations This monthly docent-led architectural tour of Caltech, hosted by the Caltech Women’s Club (CWC), offers an insider’s view of Caltech’s history. The tour starts at the Athenaeum Faculty Club (completed in 1931 and famous for hosting Albert Einstein), and continues through the rest of campus, where participants will experience the guiding vision of Bertram Goodhue, who sought to design a campus of great beauty so that scientists and engineers would become more aware of the aesthetic values of life. Please note that to attend this walk, you must register at cats.caltech. edu/reservations.

Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center 1434 N. Altadena Drive, Pasadena (626) 797-0204 • tinyurl.com/y6s438kx Daniel Pearl, an accomplished journalist and musician, was killed by terrorists while on assignment in Pakistan in 2002. This special concert brings together Jewish, Muslim, and Christian elementary and middle school children to sing songs of peace and understanding. This local event is part of the global Daniel Pearl World Music Days concert series, danielpearlmusicdays.org, an international network of concerts honoring Pearl. The concerts are held in October to commemorate Pearl’s birthday. The Daniel Pearl World Music Days have included over 13,900 performances across 140 countries.

Vroman’s Bookstore 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (626) 449-5320 • vromansbookstore.com Arthur Dong discusses and signs “Hollywood Chinese: The Chinese in American Feature Films” at 7 p.m. The book presents an intimate look at the Chinese American role and influence in Hollywood, from some of the earliest films set in America’s Chinatowns to the contemporary artists remaking the face of Hollywood. Dong also highlights the issues and challenges of Hollywood’s history, including the controversial casting of white actors in Asian roles, known as “yellowface.”

Zona Rosa Cafe 15 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, (626) 793-2334 Zona Rosa Cafe is pleased to announce its 25th Season of Thursday Night Music at Zona Rosa Cafe kicks off at 8 p.m Music performances are outdoors every Thursday night.

FRIDAY 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 dis-

Day of the Dead Celebration: Salsa on the Alley Dance Party Throughout Pasadena (626) 356-9725 • tinyurl.com/y4h68fkv Old Pasadena celebrates Day of the Dead from 6 to 9 p.m. The Mexican holiday honors loved ones who have passed away. The two-day celebration includes: Salsa on the Alley Dance Party on Big Bang Theory Way, with live music by Orquesta Son Mayor, an 11-piece, LA-based ensemble that has been performing their classic salsa sound for more than three decades. Free face painting takes place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Attendees must register through Eventbrite and show their ticket (digital or paper) at the gate to receive an entrance wristband.

Admission is free.

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 Senior Center 85 E. Holly St., Pasadena (626) 795-4331 • pasadenaseniorcenter.org “As Good As It Gets” airs at 1 p.m. as part of the Friday Movie Matinee Series. The movie stars Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. An obsessive-compulsive, homophobic romance novelist is compelled by circumstances to get to know the waitress who puts up with his abuse every morning and his gay neighbor.

The Rose 245 E. Green St., Pasadena (888) 645-5006 • wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com Ratt performs at 9 p.m. The group took LA rock clubs by storm in 1983 after they recorded and released their own six-song EP RATT. The single “You Think Your Tough” became a staple on local L.A. rock radio stations and sold more than 100,000 copies. Tickets are $39 / $59 / $69 / $99.

Rose Bowl 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena (626) 577-3100 • Rosebowlstadium.com Learn about the history of the iconic Rose Bowl stadium, from the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame who played here in 1925 to Brandi Chastain’s game-winning kick in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final, at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit the stadium’s website.

SATURDAY Altadena Library District 600 E. Mariposa St., Altadena (626) 798-0833 • altadenalibrary.org/programs Local poet Thelma T. Reyna conducts the Elements of Poetry Workshop from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Participants explore the different elements and tools that make poetry “poetic.” Reyna’s book “Rising, Falling, All of Us” will be used as a reference in the discussion. Admission is free.

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 Mixx Restaurant & Bar 443 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (626) 500-0021 • info@themixxpasadena.com Pasadena Dinner Jam from 8 a.m. to midnight.

Admission is free with dinner reservations.

One Colorado Courtyard 41 Hugus Alley, Pasadena (626) 564-1066 onecolorado.com/one-colorado-events/ Break out the crafts and markers and make your own Great Pumpkin from 10 a.m. to noon. Pumpkins and spaces are limited and available first-come first-served.

Pasadena Central Library Donald Wright Auditorium 285 E. Walnut St., Pasadena, (626) 744-4066 • cityofpasadena.net/library Check out this film adaptation of the H.G. Wells “The Time Machine” as part of the Family Science Fiction Classics from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Rose 245 E. Green St., Pasadena (888) 645-5006 • wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com Sir Mix-A-Lot, best known for the hit smash “Baby Got Back,” takes the stage at 9 p.m. Sir Mix-A-Lot was a platinum-selling artist before the song landed on the charts, although most saw it as a pop inspired track. It was inspired by his disdain for Hollywood’s treatment of women of color. Tickets are $28 / $34 / $44 / $54.

Victory Park 2575 Paloma St., Pasadena (626) 744-7500 The city hosts its annual Fall Festival at Victory Park from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event includes lots of fun activities for the family, including live entertainment, games, face painting, arts and crafts and a train ride around the park, are just a few of the activities planned. Admission is free

SUNDAY Eaton Canyon Natural Area Park & Nature Center 1750 N. Altadena Drive, Pasadena 626-398-5420 • ecnca.org

Check out the “Reptiles of Halloween” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event features games, crafts and prizes.

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. In 1919, Henry and Arabella Huntington signed the trust document that transformed their property into a public institution, just as the US was recovering in the aftermath of World War I. Noor Pasadena 300 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena Suite 200 (626) 356-4760 • redhen.org/events/benefit25/ Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Red Hen Press at 11 a.m. The event includes performances from local school children, a silent auction and readings by acclaimed authors Steve Almond, Elizabeth Bradfield, Percival Everett and Erica Jong.

Norton Simon Museum 411 W. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena (626) 449-6840 • Nortonsimon.org Learn more about the popular Hindu holiday Diwali from 1 to 2 p.m. The holiday signifies the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.

The exhibit includes sculptures of goddess Lakshmi and the god Krishna, central figures in the holiday.

Cost is free with admission Pasadena Humane Society 361 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena (626) 792-7151 • pasadenahumane.org From 1 to 4 p.m. families are invited to visit the shelter for Halloween-inspired crafts, trivia games with giveaways and candy. Tour the kennels and view adoptable pets. Costumes are welcome.

The Rose 245 E. Green St., Pasadena (888) 645-5006 • wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com The Pasadena group Troop performs at 9 p.m. The R&B group has had five No. 1 singles and 10 Top-10 singles on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The group is most notable for a series of number-one R&B hits, including popular cover versions of the songs “All I Do Is Think of You” and “Sweet November”, originally performed by musical acts The Jackson 5 and The Deele, respectively. They also had a No. 1 hit with the original song “Spread My Wings.” Tickets are $24 / $28 / $32 / $36

MONDAY Altadena Community Center 730 E. Altadena Drive, Altadena (626) 797-8016 • altadenahistoricalsociety.org Kat High, a Hupa Indian from Northern California, will lead this engaging and informative talk on the San Gabriel Mission Tongva revolt led by California’s Joan of Arc, Toypurina, at 7 p.m.

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.

Hilton Pasadena 168 S. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, (626) 296-8433 • ywca-pasadena.org The YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley will host the 17th Annual Women for Racial Justice Breakfast, #LiftingAsWeClimb, from 8 to 10 a.m. This year’s event will highlight leaders who uplift women of color. The YWCA Pasadena is proud to announce that it will be presenting the 2019 Racial Justice Awards to All Saints Church and to Dr. Yin-Yin Goh, director of the Pasadena Public Health Department.

Tickets are $100 per seat and $1,000 for a table.

Vroman’s Bookstore 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (626) 449-5320 • vromansbookstore.com Clara Parkes discusses and signs “Vanishing Fleece: Adventures in American Wool” 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: Tony Bennett” from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Dr. Thom Mason, USC professor emeritus of jazz studies at the Thornton School of Music, continues the six-session course sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

One Colorado Courtyard 41 Hugus Alley, Pasadena, (626) 564-1066 • onecolorado.com/ Join the ghostly ghouls of the Bob Baker Marionettes for a Halloween Hootenanny! All your favorite ghouls will be on display at 4:30 p.m. at the Bob Baker Marionette’s Halloween Show.

Vroman’s Bookstore 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (626) 449-5320 • vromansbookstore.com Bruce Cameron discusses and signs A Dogs Promise at 7 p.m.

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.

Armory Center for the Arts 145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena (626) 792-5101 • Armoryarts.org Check out American Whiskey Tasting with Everson Royce from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sample some of the finest bourbons, ryes and American whiskeys available.

Tickets are $35 to $45.

Pasadena Central Library Donald Wright Auditorium 285 E. Walnut St., Pasadena cityofpasadena.net/library/ Pasadena Public Library presents Wednesday Films at 1 p.m. Featured are “The Invisible Man” and “The Invisible Man Returns.” ■

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8DAYS THURSDAY 10.24.19

Arthur Dong discusses and signs “Hollywood Chinese: The Chinese in American Feature Films” at Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena at 7 p.m. The book presents an intimate look at the Chinese American role and influence in Hollywood, and the racism faced by Chinese actors. For more information, visit vromansbookstore.com or call (626) 449-5320

FRIDAY 10.25.19 Old Pasadena celebrates Day of the Dead from 6 to 9 p.m. with a Salsa on the Alley Dance Party on Big Bang Theory Way — with live music by Orquesta Son Mayor, an 11-piece LA-based ensemble that has been performing their classic salsa sound for more than three decades. For more information, call (626) 356-9725. Admission is free.

SATURDAY 10.26.19 Hip Hop legend Sir Mix-A-Lot, best known for the hit smash “Baby Got Back,” takes the stage at 9 p.m. at The Rose, 245 E. Green St., Pasadena. Tickets are $28 / $34 / $44 / $54. Call (888) 645-5006 or visit wheremusicmeetsthesoul.con

SUNDAY 10.27.19 Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Red Hen Press at 11 a.m. at Noor Pasadena, 300 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, Suite 200. The event includes performances by local school children, a silent auction, and readings by acclaimed authors Steve Almond, Elizabeth Bradfield, Percival Everett and Erica Jong. For more information, call (626) 356-4760 or visit redhen.org/events/ benefit25.

MONDAY 10.28.19 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 10.29.19 Join your favorite ghostly ghouls for the Bob Baker Marionette’s Halloween Show at 4:30 p.m. in the One Colorado Courtyard, 41 Hugus Alley, Pasadena. Call (626) 564-1066 or visit onecolorado.com.

WEDNESDAY 10.30.19 Get ready to taste some good whiskey from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the American Whiskey Tasting with Everson Royce at Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Sample some of the finest bourbons, ryes, and American whiskeys. Tickets are $35 to $45. For more information, call (626) 792-5101 or visit armoryarts.org.

THURSDAY 10.31.19 Celebrate Halloween in the Playhouse District with activities, games and lots of candy from 4 to 6 p.m. at Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. The evening will include crafts, activities and storytelling in the courtyard. Then Trick-or-Treat at participating businesses. Look for the orange balloons! A map and full list of participating businesses is available at playhousedistrict.org.

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CHOICE EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 10.24–10.31

BY ANDRÉ COLEMAN

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