Super City

With its boutiques, clothiers, jewelers and music dealers, Pasadena is the best place for bargains and more

By John Sollenberger  

The Pasadena Way | Dining | Nitelife | Services | Shopping

Welcome to the 2009 edition of the Best of Pasadena. As always, we kick off the issue with The Pasadena Way, where we salute the people and institutions — the real superheroes of our community, chosen by you, the readers — that make this a world-class city.

The Pasadena Way is really about the two Cs: community and culture. Those two aspects of life are manifested in many ways. Just look, it’s all around us — arts, education, science, charity and the people who keep it all running are all part of the grand mix.

Fun also plays a part in the cultural stew. For example, our perennial winner for Best Annual Event, the Rose Parade, draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city every New Year’s Day to view the latest handiwork of master float-builders. 

Our Best Cultural Festival, Pasadena ArtNight, opens the doors to our various arts and entertainment institutions for a free night of culture. After all, Pasadena is home to arts venues boasting classic masterpieces from the past and the present, and from around the world. For instance, our Best Museum, Norton Simon, offers visitors a glimpse of fine art from Europe to Southeast Asia.

But arts institutions are only as good as the artists who produce the work. Congratulations go out to our Best Local Artist/Author, painter Peter Adams, signature member and president of the California Art Club. 

It also takes people to make a city work, and our Best Public Official is no stranger to helping keep the city running. This year’s repeat winner, Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, knows the ropes as well as anyone and has led the city for the past decade. And, of course, those who dig in and get the job done in often unsung capacities contribute to quality of life in the city, such as our Best Public Employee, Edward Dallas, of the city’s Street Maintenance and Integrated Waste Management division.

Speaking of people, the Crown City is home to some real personalities, too — some world-famous, some not. This year’s Best Local Personality, Bryan Gallyot of redwhite+bluezz, takes the honor for the second year in a row. 

Community and culture are also seen in physical locations, as Pasadena boasts numerous historic buildings by world-class architects and designers. This year’s Best Historic Landmark, repeat winner Pasadena City Hall, comes out on top in a city full of stunning architecture.

Education and science form major parts of the Pasadena Way. Our Best Institute of Higher Learning, Caltech, draws students and educators from around the world and serves as a brain trust that has played a colossal role in our explorations of Earth and outer space. 

In addition, our Best Public School, Pasadena High School, offers students a chance at a quality education that once would’ve been available only to the very wealthy. Speaking of schools, again, it’s ultimately people who make these institutions work, and this year’s Best Teacher, John Kanell of Mayfield Junior School, has made his mark in educating students.

Pasadena doesn’t overlook its least fortunate, either, being home to numerous assistance organizations. This year’s Best Local Charity, Five Acres, has made positive differences in the lives of vulnerable kids and families for more than 100 years.

With year-round weather that’s the envy of rest of the country, our parks and recreational outlets virtually never go into hibernation. This year’s winner for Best Park/Outdoor Recreation Spot, Brookside Park, offers numerous ways to enjoy the great outdoors.

Our religious institutions play a role in cultural life as well, serving the spiritual needs of the community. This year’s Best Place of Worship, All Saints Episcopal Church, serves the community through its numerous progressive ministries and programs. 

The people, places and things mentioned here form only a part of what the Pasadena Way has to offer. To get the rest of the story, come in, read on and celebrate with us the best aspects of one of the best cities to call home.

Editors' picks

Best Disc Golf Course
Oak Grove Park
Oak Grove Drive and Foothill Boulevard, Pasadena
It's the first official course devoted to golf's burnout cousin, and it still poses a challenge. Created in 1976 by "Steady" Ed Hedrick, the man who helped Wham-O perfect the Frisbee, Oak Grove presents both a technical challenge for the skilled disc golfer and a unique recreational outing for those not as talented in tossing plastic toward the specialized baskets that serve as holes in this game.

Best City Employee
Bernard Melekian
 www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/police
Chief Melekian changed policing in Pasadena when he arrived in 1996, working to close the decades-long chasm between minorities and the police department. Although he didn't eradicate it, he has come closer than anybody else through simple virtues like openness, honesty and fairness. On Nov. 8, Melekian will leave Pasadena, as well as some big shoes to fill, for a position in the Obama administration.

Best Elected Official
Board of Education Member Renatta Cooper
 www.pusd.us
Cooper never fails to return our phone calls, and she is always willing to answer questions, no matter how difficult the subject. If Cooper has a problem with something, she says so, and she will stand up to anybody.

Best Way to Rediscover Your City
Pasadena Museum of History
 470 W. Walnut St., Pasadena | (626) 577-1660 | www.pasadenahistory.org
This longtime institution, housed in the gorgeous Fenyes Mansion, offers a luxurious way for visitors to step back in time and learn about the Crown City's rich past. Yet with inventive exhibits like the current "Family Stories: Tastes, Tales & Tidbits," running through Nov. 20, its curators clearly have an eye on keeping this landmark popular well into the future.

Best Annual Event
The Rose Parade
This perennial reader's choice boasts a 120-year history of bringing the eyes of the world to Pasadena. Close to a million guests come to town every year, and the parade is viewed by countless millions around the world. A parade of notables has served as grand marshal for the event, including former California governor and US Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, Bob Hope, Shirley Temple Black (who served twice), Carol Burnett and even Kermit the Frog. That's not bad for a parade that started as a way to draw real estate buyers to Southern California.

Finalist
Doo Dah Parade
Conceived by a group of locals hanging out at an Old Town bar, this event that winds through Old Pasadena was originally meant as a spoof of the Rose Parade, and was once even called "The Torment of Roses Parade." Over the past 30-odd years, the parade known for wild costumes, a precision briefcase drill team, tortilla tossers and other outrageous participants has gained a certain respectability, and is always a crowd-pleaser.

Best Art Gallery/Collections
Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Road, San Marino | (626) 405-2100 | www.huntington.org
The grounds of the former private estate of Henry E. Huntington are home to countless historical documents, artifacts, artworks and archives. Scholars from all over the world come here to study and perform research. The general public can view some of the greatest rare books and manuscripts of Western civilization, including a Gutenberg Bible. Priceless works of art reside here, including "Blue Boy." The 120-acre grounds are home to the Chinese Garden, Rose Garden, Desert Garden and Japanese Garden, and make for a great place to spend a relaxing day.

Finalist
Armory Center for the Arts
145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena | (626) 792-5101 | www.armoryarts.org
Since 1947, The Armory has served in its nonprofit role as a local leader in the education of students of all ages. Through various outreach programs, the institution brings to the public an opportunity to transform lives and communities through art to the general public.

Best Citizen
Denise Zeilstra
As Pasadena's Best Citizen, philanthropist and volunteer Denise Zeilstra has donated countless hours to good works and charitable organizations around the world. The former board member of California Philharmonic Orchestra has served, along with her husband S. Robert Zeilstra, as an international ambassador for the organization and, through the Zeilstra Foundation, has sponsored numerous Cal Phil concerts. The couple also organized last April's Freedom Concert in Pasadena, honoring US military members, police and firefighters.

Best Cultural Festival
Pasadena Art night
Various arts institutions, Pasadena | (800) 307-7977 | www.pasadenaartweekend.com
Twice each year, Pasadena's numerous museums and cultural venues open their doors to the public for free, in a weekend starting with Art Night and followed the next day by Art Walk in the Playhouse District. Art Night offers free admission to a wide range of venues, most not normally open at night. Art Walk features works in a wide range of media, plus music, hands-on activities and more, all for free.

Finalist
Make Music Pasadena
Various locations, Pasadena | www.makemusicpasadena.org
Presented by Levitt Pavilion's "Free Music Across America" program, the streets, sidewalks, parks, alleyways, courtyards and other unconventional spaces around Old Pasadena ring with the sound of free music of all types during June's Summer Solstice, which is also World Music Day.

Best Historic Landmark
Pasadena City Hall
100 N. Garfield Ave., Pasadena | (626) 744-4000 | www.cityofpasadena.net/cityhall
The Crown City's seat of municipal government has repeatedly taken the crown in this category, consistently beating out tough competition in a town filled with historic icons. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this handiwork of the San Francisco architectural firm of Bakewell and Brown opened in 1927, and was designed in the style of 16th-century Italian architect Andrea Palladio.

Finalist
Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Road, San Marino | (626) 405-2100 | www.huntington.org
Opened in 1919 by businessman Henry E. Huntington, the library is home to one of the world's finest research libraries, drawing scholars from the world over, as well as art including Gainsborough's "Blue Boy" and 120 acres of specialized gardens.

Best Institute of Higher Learning
California Institute of Technology
1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena | (626) 395-6811 | www.caltech.edu
The brain trust of world scientific inquiry rests right here in Pasadena in this category's perennial winner. From its work with Jet Propulsion Laboratory to the 31 Nobel Prizes awarded to its professors and former students, Caltech consistently fulfills its mission to expand human knowledge and benefit society through research and education.

Finalist
Pasadena City College
1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena | (626) 585-7123 | www.pasadena.edu
Founded in 1924, PCC is one of the oldest city colleges in the country, consistently fulfilling the educational needs of students going on to four-year colleges and offering numerous lifelong learning programs to the community.

Best Local Artist/Author
Peter Adams
President, California Art Club | 75 S. Grand Ave., Pasadena
(626) 583-9009 | www.californiaartclub.org
Adams is a signature artist member and president of the prestigious California Art Club and one of 14 artists represented by Pasadena's American Legacy Fine Arts gallery. He's known for his plein air paintings and in 1980 was the first American artist to travel and paint unescorted through the People's Republic of China. He also traveled and painted with Mujahadeen rebels in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan in 1987. Many of Adams' favorite places to paint are in Pasadena, including Eaton Canyon Falls, Millard Falls and Sturtevant Falls, where he can often be found painting, running and swimming with his dogs.

Finalist
Sandy Gillis, author
Altadena author Sandy Gillis co-authored "Hometown Pasadena: The Insider's Guide" and "At Home Pasadena," in addition to staffing "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson." She's also written for various drive-time radio hosts and "Seventeen" magazine.

Best Local Charity
Five Acres
760 W. Mountain View St., Altadena | (626) 798-6793 | www.fiveacres.org
Last year's finalist took top honors this year. Founded in 1888 as an orphanage, Five Acres strives to strengthen families and works to prevent child abuse through treatment and education. Services include residential care, mental health services in homes and schools, domestic violence prevention services and foster care and adoption services.

Finalist
Union Station Homeless Services
825 E. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena | (626) 240-4550 | www.unionstationhs.org
Union Station carries on its endless task of helping the most vulnerable among us through a variety of programs for adults and families, including Passageways, the first stop for those seeking homeless services in the city.

Best Local Personality
Bryan Gallyot, maitre d', redwhite+bluezz
70 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena | (626) 792-4441 | www.redwhitebluezz.com
Pasadena's most-popular maitre d' repeats as this category's winner. Says redwhite+bluezz Owner Andre Vener, "What makes him such a loveable guy is that he just embraces everybody who comes in and makes them feel like they're at home. He's a very charismatic individual. Your experience with Bryan continues after you leave because he includes the guest on Facebook and Twitter. He really befriends you by the end of the evening."

Finalist
Victor Vener
California Philharmonic | (626) 300-8200 | www.calphil.org
The beloved musician, founder and music director of California Philharmonic entertains and informs both novice listeners and seasoned music lovers with wit and an approachable style. He has led Cal Phil to a position of prominence in the local cultural scene.

Best Museum
Norton Simon Museum
411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena | (626) 449-6840 | www.nortonsimon.org
Last year's winner repeats, as the world-renowned museum gains another jewel in its crown. The museum, originally called the Pasadena Art Museum, was founded by industrialist and collector Norton Simon. He acquired European art from the Renaissance through the 20th century and Southeast Asian pieces dating back some 2,000 years. The museum is home to countless masterpieces, including some by van Gogh, Degas and Picasso.

Finalist
Pacific Asia Museum
46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena | (626) 449-2742 | www.pacificasiamuseum.org
Pacific Asia Museum is one of only four in the United States devoted to art and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands. The historic 1924-vintage building is home to classic and contemporary works. In an art-rich community like this, second place is still pretty good.

Best Park/Outdoor Recreation Spot
Brookside Park
360 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena | (626) 744-7275 | www.ci.pasadena.ca.us
Sitting in the shadow of the Rose Bowl, Brookside Park offers a breathtaking view, fit for a mini-getaway on a sunny day. Whether it's picnicking, archery, baseball, hiking, biking, fishing, volleyball, tennis or just relaxing, you really can't pick a better spot to do it. It's also a good place to let your dog get out and run.

Finalist
Lacy Park
1485 Virginia Road, San Marino | (626) 300-0790 | www.ci.san-marino.ca.us
Dedicated in 1925, Lacy Park offers 30 acres of green space, with a picnic area that's home to concerts and numerous civic events. It's also a great place for a walk/run and to exercise your furry friend.

Best Place of Worship
All Saints Church
132 N. Euclid Ave., Pasadena | (626) 796-1172 | www.allsaints-pas.org
This large, welcoming congregation offers an inclusive, liberal-minded spiritual respite in a troubled world. All Saints is part of the Diocese of Los Angeles of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, which boasts some 76 million members worldwide. The church is committed to peace and social justice, and walks the walk through a variety of programs.

Finalist
Holy Family Church
1501 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena | (626) 799-8908 | www.holyfamily.org
For nearly 100 years, Holy Family Church has served as a welcoming Catholic Eucharistic community connecting faith with life while reaching out to those in need. The church's motto says it all: "All are welcome."

Best Place to Work
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena | (818) 354-4321 | www.jpl.nasa.gov
It's not only located in a heavenly piece of real estate, but employees get to reach out to the heavens in their jobs. This is where the first US satellite, Explorer I, was created in 1958, and the extraterrestrial work has only become more sophisticated since then. Created by Caltech, JPL and its workers push the boundaries of worldly knowledge every day. Who wouldn't love to work here?

Best Private School
Polytechnic School
1030 E. California Blvd., Pasadena | (626) 792-2147 | www.polytechnic.org
Our repeat winner, the K-12 Polytechnic School boasts a dedicated faculty that works to get to know their students while nurturing their natural talents. Since its founding in 1907, the school has upheld its mission of developing the intellect and character of students in its community, fostering academic excellence, a sense of personal responsibility and service to others. The school is affiliated with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and both the California and National Associations of Independent Schools.

Finalist
Westridge School
324 Madeline Drive, Pasadena | (626) 799-1153 | www.westridge.org
This school for college-bound girls operates on the principle that, to be useful and rewarding, knowledge should be grounded in an ethic of caring and commitment, a guiding philosophy the school has been following since its founding in 1913.

Best Public Employee
Edward Dallas
Department of Public Works | 100 N. Garfield Ave., Pasadena
(626) 744-4158 | www.cityofpasadena.net/publicworks
Last year's finalist takes the gold this year. As a member of the city's Street Maintenance and Integrated Waste Management division, Edward Dallas is one of many unsung heroes who work hard with little fanfare to keep the engine of life turning in Pasadena, apparently while making a good impression.

Finalist
Joel Murphy, inspections supervisor
Pasadena Building and Neighborhood Revitalization Division
175 N. Garfield Ave., Pasadena | (626) 744-4200 | www.cityofpasadena.net
Joel Murphy works inspecting city construction projects. Murphy is known for working with contractors to solve problems, and for going above and beyond the call of duty to get the job done. He's been recognized for those efforts within the department with its Essential Piece Award.

Best Teacher
John Kanell
Mayfield Junior School | 405 S. Euclid Ave., Pasadena | (626) 796-2774 | www.mayfieldjs.org
Mayfield Headmaster Joseph J. Gill said of the much beloved seventh-grade science and eighth-grade math teacher, "He is dedicated to the needs and development of the students beyond just the academic realm. They truly understand and appreciate that he teaches with their individual best interest at heart. Over the year, he remains involved in many elements and facets of the school program, and that means a great deal to the students. All in all, Mr. Kanell cares deeply for all the students and shows it in the classroom."

Best Public Official
Mayor Bill Bogaard
He's the public face of Pasadena, our first citywide elected mayor in many decades, a position he's held for the past 10 years, winning his third term in 2007. Mayor Bogaard has had an enviable career since graduating from Loyola Marymount University. He served as a captain in the US Air Force in Los Angeles and Casablanca, then went on to the University of Michigan Law School. He was in private law practice as executive vice president and general counsel of First Interstate Bancorp and has taught law at the University of Michigan and USC. Mayor Bogaard's time in office has seen the arrival of the Gold Line light rail system, new housing construction, public school reform and the strengthening of Pasadena's numerous cultural institutions. He also received the city's highest civic honor, the Arthur Noble Award. Mayor Bogaard said, "I'm delighted to be named best public official by your readers. I consider the Pasadena Weekly to be a principal player in providing information about government to the Pasadena area. I'm grateful for the role they play in putting sunshine on our activities."

Finalist
Chris Holden
Pasadena city councilman, District 3 | 100 N. Garfield Ave., Pasadena
(626) 744-4738 | www.cityofpasadena.net
Councilmember and former mayor Holden entered politics at the age of 24 and won his seat four years later. Since then, he has been a tireless fighter for the people, helping create a living wage ordinance, reforming the city charter and championing Pasadena's slumlord ordinance and drug-free zones.

Best Public School
Pasadena High School
2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena | (626) 798-8901 | www.pasadenahigh.org
This year's repeat winner boasts rigorous academics, with high expectations of student achievement. A variety of programs and academies include the Graphic Communications Academy, the Visual Arts and Design Academy linked with Art Center College of Design, and programs for students needing an alternative educational setting and dropout prevention assistance. Bulldog pride shines in the school's numerous extracurricular activities.

Finalist
San Marino High School
2701 Huntington Drive, San Marino | (626) 299-7020 | www.sanmarinohs.org
San Marino High's learning environment is designed to impart to its students the ability to make choices based on well-reasoned strategies and respond and adapt to changing circumstances in their world. The school provides students with the fundamentals to succeed in life and work in an ever-changing, diverse world - and by all accounts, it does the job well.