Redirection

I am now using a hosting service to maintain southpasblogs.com. If you visit the site using the southpasblogs.wordpress.com address, please head on over to http://www.southpasblogs.com from now on instead. I will no longer be posting to the wordpress.com address. Thanks!

Coffee, etc.

I am admittedly a bit of a coffee snob. Okay, I am a total coffee snob. Fortunately, I live close to the best coffeehouse in the entire LA Metroplex: Jones Coffee. I’ve had Intelligentsia, La Mill, and Urth–all of which make exceptional coffee–but I would honestly rank Jones at the top of the heap in LA. The Jones family has been growing coffee for five generations, and they roast all of their beans on site. And because they grow and roast their own beans, they are able to sell their coffee for less than anyone else around. All of this, of course, would be meaningless if their coffee didn’t taste so stinking good. Thankfully, they employ a roaster who obviously knows what he’s doing and some baristas who can pull a shot with the best of them. Drop in on most days, and chances are good you’ll hear Alex Klein playing jazz standards on the upright piano. Parking can be a pain, but once you start sipping your cappuccino you’ll realize it’s well worth it.

If you’re already a fan of Jones, you can vote for Jones as Best Coffeeshop in Vroman’s Local Business Smackdown.

Jones Coffee (Photo courtesy of winni3)

Alchemy in SPACE

From Katya Shaposhnik, the Gallery Director at SPACE:

Currently on view at the SPACE gallery: “Alchemy” – assemablage art by local artist Annie Helm. The show closes next week.

Opening 2/28/09: “Arroyo Seco” – series of photographs by William Kelly. Artist reception 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Please stop by!

SPACE
1506 Mission Street
South Pasadena, CA 91030
441-4788

The Little Things

I meant to post this yesterday. It seems that someone at Athens actually listened to my complaint(?). This week, all the trash cans were put back in an orderly fashion in the garbage nook. Of course, the trash man left the nook door open when he left–but, hey, you can’t have everything.

Someone got the memo. Mostly.

Trashy Service

Subjecting people to public ridicule is the last form of criticism I want to resort to. However, since I’m not calling anyone out by name in this post, it seems appropriate.

The last couple of times that the good folks at Athens Services have picked up our trash, they’ve left trash cans and yard waste bins strewn across the parking space next to the enclosed area where the trash containers are supposed to be kept.

Trashed!

Come on, Athens! By no means am I a perfectionist. Just put things back where you found them.

Scivally Quartet Performs in South Pas Music Center’s Jazz Fridays Series

From South Pasadena Music Center and Conservatory (SPMCC):

SPMCC continues its Jazz Fridays series with the Scivally Quartet performing on Friday, February 13 at 8:00pm. Led by guitarist Riner Scivally, the quartet plays new original music and jazz standards in what’s been described as an updated California Cool aesthetic. The group also includes David Sills, reeds; Zac Mathews, bass and Dean Koba, drums.

Jazz Fridays was instituted by SPMCC director Walter Zooi to provide an on-going forum for established and emerging jazz musicians, especially those with new and innovative approaches to playing and improvising. Scheduled to perform over the next few months are Vinny Golia, Don Preston, Brad Dutz and Bobby Bradford.

Performer bios:

Riner Scivally (guitar) has performed with Alan Broadbent, Larance Marable, Stacey Rowles and Putter Smith. He studies at Occidental College and received an MM from USC and later studied at the Scuola Civica di Milano in Italy. He is on the faculty of Pasadena City College and Occidental College. He recently recorded a CD with Susan Krebs’ Jazz Aviary and has a duo CD with Swiss musician Isla Eckinger. www.rinerscivally.com

Riner Scivally

David Sills (saxophone and flute) received his masters degree from the Manhattan School of Music. He teaches at Pasadena City College and maintains a private studio as well. Mr. Sills has several recordings on both the Naxos and Origin labels.

Zac Matthews (bass) – is a native of Great Britain and a much sought after bassist in the LA area. He has performed with Bill Watrous, Henry Mancini, Bobby Shew and Gary Foster. He is on the music faculties of both Pasadena City College and Cal-Poly Pomona. His group, the Acoustic Jazz Quartet, has released several CDs on the Naxos label. www.zacmatthews.com

Dean Koba (drums), a native of Honolulu, has performed with Bud Shank, The Clayton Brothers, Bill Cunliffe, Bill Mays, Gary Foster, Fareed Haque, Makoto Ozone, Roberta Gamberini, Jackie Ryan, and Tamir Hendelman among others. He is featured on several recordings with bassist Chistroph Luty, the Acoustic Jazz Quartet and The Bayou Brass Band. He is also the percussion instructor at Long Beach City College.

When: Friday, February 13, 8:00 pm
Where: South Pasadena Music Center and Center and Conservatory
1509 Mission St., South Pasadena 91030
Cost: $5.00
More information: 626.403.2300 | www.sopasmusic.com

Room Forty

South Pasadena is home to an inventive catering company called Room Forty. The owner, Steve Fortunato, also lives in South Pas. Room Forty is innovative because they take just as much care shaping the aesthetics of an event as they do in creating the food. In Fortunato’s own words, “Room Forty is a mobile hospitality company that exists to create dining events,” a “virtual fine dining restaurant without walls.” I have been to one of his events and have experienced firsthand his ability to bring the elegance of a sophisticated restaurant into the host’s living room or backyard. If you have a special event coming up and are looking for someone to help create a memorable evening, then give Steve at Room Forty a call. Room Forty also puts on wine dinners at houses in the area; you can purchase tickets to these special dinners directly from the Web site.

Meet the Mayor Recap

Thena and I played a set of music before David Sifuentes spoke at the Meet the Mayor event last night. Perhaps this is an elementary observation, but hearing the new mayor speak, I was struck by how much a leader–one that is conscientious, at least–is truly a public servant. You presumably pursue a position of leadership because you simply want to contribute to your community. However, everyone has his own interests and issues that concern him. It is next to impossible to have all the answers to all the questions your constituents have for you, yet you have to put yourself out there on the chopping block regardless. You spend what little free time you have studying an endless array of statistics and facts about the problems of your community. You have to be able to articulate your own beliefs and convictions while being open to listening to other viewpoints.

I wish the new mayor well.

SouthPas Chamber Mixer & City Update: Wednesday January 28th, 2009

From SouthPasChamber.com:

The Chamber of Commerce has announced the first “Meet the Mayor” Mixer for South Pasadena. On Wednesday, January 28th 2009, Mayor David Sifuentes will meet with community members in a Chamber mixer to discuss his hopes for the year ahead, and to answer questions from the audience.

“Meet the Mayor” is an outgrowth of the Chamber’s efforts to connect citizens and businesses with legislative leadership. Other events have included candidate forums in the Lunch n’ Learn series. Those events brought Assemblymember Anthony Portantino and Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich to the city. “It’s time we hosted a legislator who’s closer to home,” explains Chamber CEO Scott Feldmann. He said the Chamber’s Legislative Affairs Committee has hoped to launch this event for some time, and determined that 2009 was the year to start with because of the launch of a new publication: SouthPas Connections, 2009 Business Directory & Community Guide. The 40-page booklet will be distributed in early February to every household in the city.

“Meet the Mayor” is intended to become an annual event, always the last week in January, and featuring the newly appointed Mayor of South Pasadena. The date is timely because the local municipal election date was changed from March to November to coincide with national elections. The City Council reorganization happens shortly afterward each year, in which one of the five Councilpersons becomes Mayor for a one-year term.

Mayor Sifuentes will be introduced by Gary Pia of G. E. Pia & Company and Chamber Board Chair, who will also update the community on Chamber activities. Then the Mayor is expected to comment on strategic goals for the city, the impact of the recession on the local economy, and his hopes for the year ahead regarding the community. There will be an opportunity for members of the audience to ask questions.

Each attendee will get an advance copy of the new “SouthPas Connections” booklet. The evening will begin with a social hour and feature music & entertainment from local artists Thena Dare and Ted Beam, along with wine and light appetizers.

“Meet the Mayor” is open to the public. There is an admission fee to benefit the Chamber, a non-profit organization. Tickets are $10 per person. “Meet the Mayor” will be in the South Pasadena Library Community Room at 1115 El Centro Street, South Pasadena. Doors open at 7pm and the presentations will end around 9pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

“Meet the Mayor” is sponsored by, Shaw, Moses, Mendenhall & Associates, Athens Services, Atlantic Communications, Chamber Trustees and the City of South Pasadena. Food donated by Vecinos de South Pasadena and Nicole’s Gourmet Pantry.

About the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce
The South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce strives to promote economic success and well-being by connecting business owners and operators with the community and the City in one of the most enduring “Small Town America” environments in Southern California. For more information about the Chamber, call 626-441-2339.

SoPas Gallery Opening: 02.07.09

South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Events and the SoPas Gallery are hosting an opening preview of A Quilt of Collaboration: The Quilts and Collages of Joan Weinzettle and Melanie Ciccone.

February 7, 2009
5 to 8 PM
SoPas Gallery   1121 Mission St., South Pasadena, CA

For additional information, call Thomas Field at (626) 799-8546