Arroyo July 2018

FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREA
July 2018
FAST
FINE
FOOD
CHEF MARK PEEL
OPENS PRAWN IN
PASADENA
NEW FOODS THAT
ARE GOOD FOR YOU
SCHREINER’S FINE SAUSAGES
IN GLENDALE TURNS 60
A MICHELIN MEAL
IN LOS CABOS

Lic.653340 Photo by Alexander Vertikoff
YOUR HOME.
YOUR
Masterpiece.
ARCHITECTURE. CONSTRUCTION. INTERIORS.
A love for art and people is what started this company.
Thirty years later, nothing is as important to us as the
incredible friendships that have come from creating
beautiful spaces together with our clients. Let us
show you how our finely tuned design/build process
minimizes the stress involved with home remodeling
and custom home building.
626.486.0510 HartmanBaldwin.com

4 | ARROYO | 07.18

arroyo
VOLUME 14 | NUMBER 7 | JULY 2018
11
37 38
FOOD
11 PRAWN HATCHES IN PASADENA
Campanile Chef Mark Peel serves up his latest seafood eatery in his
hometown.
—By NOELA HUESO
29 A CUT ABOVE
Schreiner’s Fine Sausages in Glendale has been crafting fresh meats for 60
years.
—By MICHAEL CERVIN
31 HEALTHY FOODS ON THE CUTTING EDGE
Pea milk? Algae oil? Consider stocking your pantry with some of these brandnew
foods that are good for you.
—By BETTIJANE LEVINE
PHOTOS: (top) Angel Diane Photography; (bottom right) Michael Cervin
34 A TALE OF TWO CABOS
Grand Velas Los Cabos is a recent entry among the tourist mecca’s booming
luxury offerings.
— IRENE LACHER
DEPARTMENTS
09 FESTIVITIES California Art Club Gold Medal Preview, LACO’s China à la Carte,
Red Hen Press
16 ARROYO HOME SALES INDEX
37 KITCHEN CONFESSIONS What’s a Churro? Only the coolest snack at
Dodger Stadium.
38 ARROYO COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH The Sparr Cocktail
39 THE LIST Summer dance festival in Arcadia, Floor Improv Day at Union Station,
the Bard comes to South Pas and more
ABOUT THE COVER: Steamed mussels at Prawn Coastal, photo by Angel Diane Photography
07.18 ARROYO | 5

EDITOR’S NOTE
At a time when much of the hospitality
industry is focused on serving the growing
ranks of the super-rich, it’s nice to see
a high-end restaurateur going in the
opposite direction. As Noela Hueso
reports, Chef Mark Peel, a Pasadena
native and co-owner of the former Los
Angeles hotspot Campanile, opened
the second location of his Prawn Coastal
concept — fi ne seafood that’s fast and
affordable. Food that’s fi ne and fast? Now
that’s a welcome trend.
Food itself is evolving. Not to be left out
of the technological boom, food scientists
are exploring ways to make food that’s healthier and more sustainable,
Bettijane Levine writes. One intriguing food under development is “clean
meat,” actual meat grown from cells in a lab. That may sound icky to
2018 ears, but the fi rst stop for clean meat when it comes to market is
high-end restaurants, which are pretty picky. The hope is that this will
revolutionize meat production by eliminating fi lthy slaughterhouses,
forestalling environmental pollution and feeding more people around the
world. Cheers to that!
In addition to looking forward, we also look back. La Cañada
Flintridge native Michael Cervin revisits one of his favorite destinations
from childhood — Schreiner’s Fine Sausages, which is still producing topquality
meats after 60 years. Cervin, who also writes the Arroyo Cocktail
of the Month column, fi nds out how the family company in Glendale has
kept growing with the decades.
Finally, I introduce the Los Cabos hotel, Grand Velas Los Cabos, where
I recently savored one of the best meals of my life at Cocina de Autor,
the hotel restaurant boasting a tasting menu created by two-Michelinstarred
Chef Sidney Schutte. And I’m looking forward to sampling a little
Michelin-starred action closer to home, when Tokyo-based Tsuta — the
world’s fi rst ramen shop to score a star — opens a Glendale restaurant in
the coming year.
—Irene Lacher
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Irene Lacher
ART DIRECTOR Stephanie Torres
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Richard Garcia
PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Rochelle Bassarear
EDITOR-AT-LARGE Bettijane Levine
COPY EDITOR John Seeley
CONTRIBUTORS Denise Abbott, Leslie Bilderback,
Léon Bing, Martin Booe, Michael Cervin, Scarlet
Cheng, Richard Cunningham, Noela Hueso,
Kathleen Kelleher, Jana Monji, Brenda Rees, John
Sollenberger, Nancy Spiller
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Brenda Clarke,
Leslie Lamm, Alexandra Valdes
ADVERTORIAL CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Bruce Haring
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Andrea Baker
PAYROLL Linda Lam
CONTROLLER Kacie Cobian
ACCOUNTING Alysia Chavez, Perla Castillo,
Yiyang Wang
OFFICE MANAGER Ann Turrietta
PUBLISHER Dina Stegon
arroyo
FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREA
SOUTHLAND PUBLISHING
V.P. OF OPERATIONS David Comden
PRESIDENT Bruce Bolkin
CONTACT US
ADVERTISING
dinas@pasadenaweekly.com
EDITORIAL
editor@arroyomonthly.com
PHONE
(626) 584-1500
FAX
(626) 795-0149
MAILING ADDRESS
50 S. De Lacey Ave., Ste. 200,
Pasadena, CA 91105
ArroyoMonthly.com
©2018 Southland Publishing, Inc.
All rights reserved.
6 | ARROYO | 07.18

07.18 | ARROYO | 7

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FESTIVITIES
Elaine Adams, Valerie Hoffman and Linda Stern
Armen Ksajikian, Eugene Shutler, Erik Rynearson, Carrie Kennedy and Joel Pargman
PHOTOS: California Art Club: Courtesy of Beverly Chang, China à la Carte: Jamie Pham, IBPA: photo courtesy of Red Hen Press
Caroline and Don Baker
Ed and Gayle Garner Roski and Peter Adams
More than 500 art lovers raised nearly $305,000 at the June 9 gala
preview of the California Art Club’s 107th annual Gold Medal
Exhibition at the National History Museum of Los Angeles County.
The Pasadena-based arts education organization returned to the
venue that hosted the fifth such exhibition in 1914. The show of 300
diverse artworks was on view through July 1, and a “Paint/Sculpt-Out”
is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on closing day. A portion of the
proceeds will go toward arts education…L.A. Chamber Orchestra
hosted its “China à la Carte” fundraiser at the Qing dynasty–inspired
Pasadena mansion housing the Pacific Asia Museum on June
5. LACO supporters sat down to a buffet dinner after an intimate
concert of Eastern-themed music performed by the quartet of Carrie
Kennedy, Joel Pargman, Erik Rynearson and Armen Ksajikian…
Three Red Hen Press titles scored prestigious Independent Publisher
Book Awards at a May 29 ceremony in New York City: Testify by
Douglas Manuel, Beginner’s Guide to a Head-On Collision by
Sebastian Matthews and Two Countries: U.S. Daughters and Sons of
Immigrant Parents edited by Tina Schumann.
Douglas Manuel
Catherine and Eugene Ohr
Ned and Dana Newman
07.18 | ARROYO | 9

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PRAWN
HATCHES
IN
PASADENA
Campanile Chef Mark Peel
serves up his latest seafood
eatery in his hometown.
Mark Peel
BY NOELA HUESO
PHOTO: Angel Diane Photography
Before he was mentored by Wolfgang Puck, before
he worked at such celebrated French restaurants
as La Tour d’Argent and Le Moulin de Mougins
and before he cofounded La Brea Bakery and the Los Angeles
culinary mecca known as Campanile with his former wife, chef Nancy
Silverton, James Beard Award–winning chef Mark Peel was a young boy
who spent life’s first decade growing up in the San Gabriel Valley. It seems
fitting, then, that Peel should return to his birthplace, Pasadena, to expand his
most recent venture, Prawn Coastal Casual, a sustainable seafood eatery that he
opened in downtown L.A.’s Grand Central Market in 2017 (on the site of his previous
eatery Bombo).
Prawn opened eight months ago in Old Pasadena’s One Colorado complex, in the historic
structure formerly occupied by Escuela Taqueria. It’s the latest manifestation of an idea that Peel,
63, contemplated for decades but only started to make a reality three years ago. With the closure of
Campanile in 2012 — and after working in such high-end California restaurants as L.A.’s Ma Maison,
Beverly Hills’ Spago, Santa Monica’s Michael’s and Berkeley’s Chez Panisse for the majority of his career —
he decided to focus on creating a different kind of place: one that offered healthy high-quality food that was
accessible to more people in terms of price and atmosphere. Bombo, which offered steam-kettle seafood stews
and boils, was a start; Prawn expands on the idea with a bigger menu that also includes grain bowls, salads,
sandwiches and fish and chips.
But Prawn isn’t just a “fast-casual” restaurant, a concept that has been touted as the fastest-growing segment
of the restaurant industry in recent years. (Chipotle, Tender Greens and Lemonade, with their stylish interiors,
quick service and better-than-average food, are three that fall neatly into that category.) Prawn is “fine-casual,”
a newer term, defined just last year by Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer on CBS’ 60 Minutes as marrying “the
ethos and taste level of fine dining with the fast-food experience.”
Sure, walking into Prawn, with its fully exposed kitchen and menu above the front counter, one immediately
gets the sense that it’s a relaxed space. And, yes, the food comes out in just a couple of minutes. Prawn, too, has
a stylish décor (white and oceanic blues predominate; Instagrammable renderings of sea creatures adorn the
walls). But what truly sets it apart from fast-casual concepts — beyond its table service and beer and wine selections
— is the food created by the renowned Peel: rich, complex broths; intriguing flavor combinations; seafood
that is just held to a higher standard, at a lower price.
Fine-casual is a concept that’s fast on the rise: According to restaurant industry– news website Skift Table,
–continued on page 12
07.18 | ARROYO | 11

–continued from page 11
12 | ARROYO | 07.18
which cites data from market
research firm Mintel, 69 percent of
consumers want to see more casual restaurants
that offer high-quality food and are
quick and convenient, a step above fast-casual.
It makes good business sense, too: Fine-casual
concepts are typically smaller than full-scale formal
restaurants and can benefit from lower rents; a correspondingly
smaller staff also means lower labor costs. At the same
time, a chef-driven menu means prices can be a little higher (in
Prawn’s case, still lower than other seafood establishments serving
comparable quality), and the sale of beer and wine can help raise revenue
as well.
Peel and his current wife, television personality and standup comic Daphne
Brogdon (Food Network’s Daphne Dishes), saw the need in downtown L.A.
for just such a place — particularly one focused on seafood — when they were
researching their first location. “There are a lot of [seafood] places in downtown
Los Angeles, but there was nothing that was an affordable [concept],” Peel says.
“Water Grill is wonderful but it’s not inexpensive. I was really targeting the 70
percent [of consumers], not the 3 percent.
“You can make a good meal for $100 a person, it’s not that difficult, but
to make it for $15 a person, there’s a trick there,” he continues, referring to
the broths that are the base for many of Prawn’s offerings, including the clam
chowder, shrimp butter boil and spicy scallops. The “trick” is the manner in
which the broths are developed. A lobster broth, for example, is based on gutted
shells with remnants of lobster meat, which Peel purchases from his L.A.
seafood supplier for about $2.50 a pound. For recipes that require chunks of
lobster, such as his $19 Thai lobster roll, he gets meat that has already been
blanched and picked. Prawn also offers a $14 paella, laden with shrimp, mussels,
chicken and house-made pork sausage; and the $14 Seattle fish stew, a
bestselling item, is made with lobster broth, shrimp, squid, clams, mussels,
salmon and bacon, served over rice. “It’s essentially a bouillabaisse,” Peel says.
“Rice doesn’t belong in [a traditional] bouillabaisse but” — chef’s prerogative
— “I wanted to put it in there,” he says with a chuckle.
Fans of the increasingly popular grain bowl will find it at Prawn, too. Starting
off with a base of barley and quinoa, guests can opt for the Scottish salmon
bowl ($12), which features an aromatic shiitake and seaweed broth, napa
cabbage and pickled onions. Or they can create their own custom grain bowl
–continued on page 14
PHOTOS: Angel Diane Photography

07.18 | ARROYO | 13

–continued from page 12
(starting at $9), by picking up to four
veggies, including turmeric roasted cauliflower,
kabocha squash, roasted broccolini,
spiced almonds, stewed chickpeas and roasted
shiitake mushrooms. Next comes a protein —
choose from fried egg, tofu, spicy chicken breast, spicy
shrimp or salmon. “We really don’t need more than three
or four ounces of a protein in a meal,” Peel says. “It’s actually
healthier to have some carbs — some rice, a pasta, potatoes, vegetables.
More than three or four ounces is excessive and contributes
to heart disease and cancer and all kinds of things.”
Prawn’s beer and wine offerings are primarily from local suppliers, and
most beer is on tap “because it’s environmentally friendly,” he says. “You don’t
have all those bottles at the end of the day. Our wines are [from the] Central
Coast; they’re young, fresh, delicious — complex but not overbearing.”
The Pasadena Prawn is larger than the original — at about 1,500 square
feet, it’s about three times the size of the compact space in Grand Central Market
— and it has a more relaxed vibe than the frenetic market scene. Peel says
that working at the downtown location is “intense,” due to noise level and the
crush of customers. The menu is the same in both locations, however, thanks to
a centralized Lincoln Heights commissary where all the food is prepped. This
“hub-and-spoke” business concept allows for consistency of product and cost
control, and will continue to serve future locations as the business expands, he
adds. (Peel has already been looking at Long Beach, Culver City and Century
City as possible locales.)
“In the commissary we’re able to concentrate the skill and the equipment,”
he says. “We do all the broths there, made in 10-gallon pressure cookers to
seal in the flavor and produce rich results; we roast the potatoes and onions
and bake all our cookies there. We make all of our own lemonades there, too: a
fresh ginger, a passionfruit-ginger, a limeade with fresh mint and honey — and
a touch of chipotle peppers to give it a little spark.”
Back at Prawn, Peel gets to play with “toys” he coveted for years before
acquiring several when he opened Bombo: shiny $60,000 steel-jacketed steam
kettles that put the finishing touches on all of Prawn’s broth-based dishes by
quickly cooking on-site the seafood added to the premade broths. He first saw
them at New York City’s venerable Grand Central Oyster Bar, which opened in
1913, and now Peel’s kettles are prominently on display — and put to use — in
both locations. “I love those because they’re really clean and fast,” he says, as
it doesn’t take more than three or four minutes to finish a dish. “There’s also a
little bit of theater to them.”
Prawn is located in the One Colorado Courtyard, 16 Miller Alley, Pasadena.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday
and Saturday. Call (626) 219-6115 or visit prawncoastal.com. ||||
PHOTOS: Angel Diane Photography
14 | ARROYO | 07.18

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07.18 | ARROYO | 17

–continued from page 16
ADDRESS CLOSE DATE PRICE BDRMS. SQ. FT. YR. BUILT PREV. PRICE PREV. SOLD
GLENDALE
775 Ridge Drive 05/24/18 $985,000 3 1352 1962
2690 Kennington Drive 05/24/18 $970,000 3 2700 1978
1712 Woodland Avenue 05/08/18 $945,000 3 1654 1926 $640,000 01/19/2012
412 West Windsor Road 05/18/18 $920,000 4 2110 1909
3537 Downing Avenue 05/30/18 $900,000 3 1230 1926
LA CAÑADA
5147 Princess Anne Road 05/02/18 $4,000,000 2 2177 1952
5024 Hill Street 05/03/18 $2,840,000 4 5247 1938
5150 Jessen Drive 05/23/18 $2,700,000 4 3569 1953
2245 Richey Drive 05/03/18 $2,400,000 5 5052 1991
4881 Del Monte Road 05/18/18 $2,000,000 4 3533 1987 $2,000,000 05/18/2018
5830 Briartree Drive 05/16/18 $1,975,000 4 2609 1965 $1,170,000 04/29/2011
5246 Gould Avenue 05/09/18 $1,925,000 3 2462 1961 $1,575,000 05/20/2013
3939 Starland Drive 05/17/18 $1,850,000 3 2484 1957 $1,398,000 07/25/2014
555 Meadowview Drive 05/29/18 $1,733,500 3 3235 1966
5167 Ocean View Boulevard 05/25/18 $1,670,000 4 3482 1950
1523 Descanso Drive 05/01/18 $1,640,000 3 1969 1949
1243 Flintridge Avenue 05/22/18 $1,640,000 3 2086 1955 $80,000 08/28/1974
5036 Westslope Lane 05/25/18 $1,520,000 3 1617 1951
4426 Hobbs Drive 05/02/18 $1,480,000 3 2224 1948
5151 La Canada Boulevard 05/30/18 $1,458,000 4 2444 1947
5433 Rock Castle Drive 05/18/18 $1,150,000 3 1980 1957 $330,000 09/04/1987
1721 La Barranca Road 05/08/18 $975,000 2 1517 1954 $480,000 05/29/2002
1417 Verdugo Boulevard 05/09/18 $890,000 2 957 1947
PASADENA
1581 Old House Road 05/23/18 $2,600,000 5 3222 1967
640 South San Rafael Avenue 05/08/18 $2,450,000 3 3024 1975 $1,365,000 07/22/2002
755 South Los Robles Avenue 05/24/18 $2,175,000 7 2450 1909
1016 South Arroyo Blvd. 05/18/18 $1,825,000 4 3099 1937
404 Patrician Way 05/09/18 $1,750,000 3 1846 1958
3385 Trevan Road 05/16/18 $1,717,000 3 3348 1953 $1,375,000 06/20/2007
510 Prospect Boulevard 05/30/18 $1,680,000 4 2570 1911
685 Linda Vista Avenue 05/08/18 $1,675,000 3 1856 1949 $1,572,000 04/19/2016
1939 Devon Road 05/18/18 $1,603,000 3 1595 1953 $220,000 05/23/1986
920 Granite Drive #412 05/11/18 $1,588,000 3 2070 2009 $1,420,000 02/27/2015
3145 San Pasqual Street 05/10/18 $1,425,000 3 2315 1950 $1,020,000 11/14/2008
610 South Oakland Avenue 05/17/18 $1,425,000 3 1597 1883 $495,000 06/14/2000
1203 North Chester Avenue 05/30/18 $1,425,000 4 2491 1924
615 Carroll Way 05/17/18 $1,388,000 4 2041 1951 $580,000 03/29/2001
3564 Thorndale Road 05/17/18 $1,250,000 3 2033 1938 $985,000 07/16/2013
ADDRESS CLOSE DATE PRICE BDRMS. SQ. FT. YR. BUILT PREV. PRICE PREV. SOLD
PASADENA
2222 East Orange Grove Blvd. 05/18/18 $1,250,000 3 2192 1929 $750,000 06/13/2017
1623 East Villa Street 05/30/18 $1,220,000 5 2124 1954
3810 Valley Lights Drive 05/15/18 $1,215,000 3 1892 1956 $718,500 03/23/2011
737 North Michigan Avenue 05/18/18 $1,205,000 3 2004 1921 $319,000 09/04/1997
1238 East Woodbury Road 05/08/18 $1,200,000 3 2394 1925 $850,000 07/12/2012
1483 Arroyo View Drive 05/25/18 $1,200,000 3 1736 1947
503 Tamarac Drive 05/01/18 $1,161,000 3 1544 1951
3626 Yorkshire Road 05/30/18 $1,108,500 2 1923 1942
650 Westbridge Place 05/09/18 $1,080,000 2 1700 1953 $400,000 05/12/1989
81 Grace Terrace 05/04/18 $1,043,000 3 1762 1926 $920,000 01/19/2006
1158 North Mar Vista Avenue 05/25/18 $1,025,000 4 1352 1917
1080 North Marengo Avenue 05/24/18 $1,017,000 3 1750 1911
1750 Loma Vista Street 05/24/18 $988,000 2 1432 1916 $125,000 04/19/1984
1905 Glen Avenue 05/24/18 $975,000 4 2054 1924
352 South Orange Grove Blvd. #15 05/25/18 $970,000 2 1896 1974
3533 Thorndale Road 05/18/18 $950,000 3 1842 1937
288 South Oakland Avenue #211 05/29/18 $935,000 2 1480 2016
1335 Hastings Ranch Drive 05/23/18 $925,000 3 1264 1951
1241 Bresee Avenue 05/04/18 $900,000 4 1750 1920 $670,000 08/21/2014
3330 East Sierra Madre Blvd. 05/18/18 $900,000 3 1814 1951
1906 Queensberry Road 05/22/18 $894,000 2 1596 1924 $619,500 05/13/2013
931 East Walnut Street #622 05/18/18 $865,000 2 1460 2007 $615,000 11/13/2009
SAN MARINO
2030 Lombardy Road 05/25/18 $6,470,000 3 4678 1951
1630 South Euclid Avenue 05/01/18 $2,210,000 4 2622 1978
1925 Endicott Road 05/09/18 $1,700,000 4 2120 1942
2635 Monterey Road 05/15/18 $1,500,000 2 1495 1948 $415,000 05/04/1989
SIERRA MADRE
525 Lotus Lane 05/10/18 $1,955,000 4 3857 1990 $1,614,545 10/27/2015
70 Olive Avenue 05/18/18 $1,378,000 3 2079 1947 $344,000 08/22/2001
256 San Gabriel Court 05/30/18 $1,265,000 3 2100 1948
225 West Highland Avenue 05/30/18 $1,265,000 2 1680 1910
70 Auburn Avenue 05/22/18 $1,175,000 3 1715 1940
383 West Grandview Avenue 05/08/18 $1,095,000 4 1808 1913 $930,000 05/09/2013
SOUTH PASADENA
1820 Diamond Avenue 05/24/18 $2,500,000 4 3238 1925
1914 Edgewood Drive 05/30/18 $2,250,000 2 2699 1948
1907 La Fremontia Street 05/25/18 $1,948,000 3 2285 1965
287 Grace Drive 05/08/18 $1,500,000 4 2579 1955 $410,000 09/14/1998
1120 Beech Street 05/30/18 $1,215,000 3 1452 1924
1459 Indiana Avenue 05/02/18 $1,100,000 4 1794 1953
360 Monterey Road #2 05/11/18 $974,000 3 1750 2005
1308 Oak Hill Place 05-18-18 $908,000 3 1036 1950 $578,000 07/13/2012
18 | ARROYO | 07.18

07.18 | ARROYO | 19

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ARROYO
HOME & DESIGN
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
KITCHENS ARE CHANGING
WITH THE TIMES
More electronics, stylish design choices
arrive in the heart of the home
BY BRUCE HARING
WE’VE ALL SEEN IT ON TV. A COUPLE IS TOURING A HOME THAT THEY MIGHT PURCHASE.
ALL GOES WELL UNTIL THEY ARRIVE AT THE KITCHEN.
Suddenly, what was a pleasant and approving tour of the home goes sideways. There can be any number
of reasons - there are obstructions between the stove, sink and refrigerator, the so-called “triangle” that’s at the
heart of every kitchen; there’s no storage; there’s no counter space; the place has poor lighting or ventilation
(or both); no backsplash (or an ugly one); the island is too small (or too big, or non-existent).
All of those issues can sink the sale, since a lot of home activities are done in the kitchen, including socializing.
Fortunately, home and appliance manufacturers and developers are listening, and many of those objections
are being overcome as kitchens evolve.
For one, the digital revolution has arrived, making time spent in the kitchen a choice, rather than a necessity.
And design choices in the layout are changing the way kitchens look, making them more like lounges than
places where the focus is on serious work.
Ease of operation and functional yet stylish design are the new watchwords. The idea is making your
kitchen the type of place that everyone will wish to gather, with drudgery a secondary concern. The biggest
part of that experience is having a space that is inviting, functional, well-lit and offers some unique touches that
make you want to spend even more time in the area.
Fortunately, there’s no shortage of interesting appliances and kitchen gadgets that can make hanging out
in the heart of the home an adventure. Let’s explore a few of them.
–continued on page 25
07.18 | ARROYO | 21

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—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—
–continued from page 21
DESIGN CHOICES
Minimal upper cabinets - The Centers for Disease Control report that men average
5-foot, 9-inches in height, while women are 5-foot, 4 inches. That means you’ll need
a ladder if a lot of your storage is well beyond your reach. And no one wants to
keep a ladder hanging around the kitchen. That’s why the hot trend in storage is to
maximize what’s available on and around the countertop, below or slightly above.
It makes for an easier time for the average person, and removes the monolithic
blocks that make every kitchen feel like the Gulag.
Quartz countertops - Sure, granite was cool. But that was then, this is now.
Quartz has suddenly become the hot new trend, requiring no sealing or scrubbing
than granite. They come in a variety of shimmering and appealing surfaces, so you
won’t grow tired of them over the long haul.
Integrated appliances - This is still on the upswing, but it’s proving popular.
You know how certain communities won’t allow fast food franchises to put up
garish signs? The same trend is moving toward the kitchen. Those appliances
that take up counter-space or dominate the room are suddenly hidden behind
classy cabinets, ready to emerge when needed and recede into a stylish background
when not.
Hardwood floors in the kitchen - Tiles used to dominate the flooring in most
kitchens, mainly because they were perceived as more stain-resistant. But the rise
of laminated floors that look like real wood, the trend toward bamboos and other
exotic woods has changed all that. Talk to a flooring expert, but it’s not longer a
matter of tile or cement.
Now that we’ve taken a look at design trends, let’s see about the tools of the
kitchen trade.
QUIRKY APPLIANCES
Ovens with French Doors - Conventional fold down ovens are passe. Now the trend
is toward the French door look, which is great for those who have limited space to
maneuver in the kitchen. Ovens are also going hi-tech, as many of them are Bluetooth
enable. This allows you to control oven functions remotely with your smartphone.
It’s a great time-saver for busy people, who can preheat the oven on the
way home from work or other activities so that they can more quickly get dinner on
the table.
Induction Cooking Tops - Everyone wants gas, but the hottest (and we do
mean hottest) trend in cooking is induction stove tops, which leave the surrounding
areas cool while they bring water to a boil quickly. Induction cooking uses electromagnetic
fields instead of radiant heat, allowing you more control over tempera-
–continued on page 27
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—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—
–continued from page 25
tures. Guests are comfortable, the cook stays cool, and there’s no need for a bulky
range hood to dominate the area, opening up your possibilities. Many of them
are also bluetooth compliant, so that you can do other activities while waiting for
things to warm up. You’ve heard that axiom that a watched pot never boils? That’s
a thing of the past.
White Is Making A Comeback - Stainless steel finishes on appliances haven’t
gone out of style, but some of the more adventurous consumers are trying something
different, shouting out to the past with white appliances. This isn’t your grandfather’s
white, though. These new finishes are akin to the glossy colors of your smart
phones, putting a unique touch on kitchen styling.
Steam Ovens - Steaming cooks food much faster than conventional ovens,
and also helps preserve the nutrients and flavors of what’s on the menu. You can
get a combination of steam and convection ovens from some manufacturers, and
can pre-set them like a crock pot so that they automatically turn on and begin
making dinner while you are on the move.
Sous Vide - Impress your friends simply by pronouncing this correctly. Induction
cooking has enabled some interesting new features, one of them being sous
vide, a restaurant cooking method that involves slow cooking in a temperature
controlled environment. The result is food with great texture and delicate flavors
preserved.
Craft Beer Making Machines - No longer just Dad’s hobby, there are now plug
and play machines that allow you to have a custom microbrewery close at hand.
It still requires a few weeks of fermentation, but the results will be well worth the wait.
Synced Appliances - Thanks to the wonders of bluetooth technology, the
range can speak to the microwave and oven, automatically synchronizing the
on and off of appliances and coordinating things so that everything is arrives at
the same time in a perfect symphony of synchronicity. Everything will be cooked
so that it arrives at the finish line at the same time, and it can all be done remotely,
without your hovering presence.
While all of this sounds like the stuff of science fiction, it is here today and ready
for your use. And that’s not all. Appliance manufacturers are working on devices
that can listen and speak, following your voice commands to cook the perfect
meal. The replicators from Star Trek aren’t here yet. But at this pace of innovation,
they certainly can’t be far behind.
07.18 | ARROYO | 27

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A CUT
ABOVE
Schreiner’s Fine Sausages in Glendale has
been crafting fresh meats for 60 years.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MICHAEL CERVIN
My recollections of walking into Schreiner’s Fine Sausages in Glendale as
a young boy are still crystal clear. A silver-haired woman with a German
accent standing behind an impressive display case of meats and cheeses
would come over to hand me a slice of bologna wrapped in white paper. That
happened every time I went with my mom to Schreiner’s, and that is exactly why I
accompanied her on Saturday morning shopping trips. Free meat.
The gray-haired woman was Maria Schreiner, originally from Stuttgart, Germany.
She married Walter Schreiner and, while living in New York City, they started
making sausages. “Walter was from New York, though he pretended he was from
Germany,” Walter’s grandson Wally Schreiner, the shop’s current owner, tells me
as I visit my childhood haunt on a warm spring day. Walter and Maria came out
from the East Coast in 1952 and originally settled at 4th Street and Broadway in
downtown Los Angeles. Why then did they move to what was then a desolate area in
the northern reaches of Glendale? “Probably cheap property,” Wally surmises. That,
and there was a small German-American community already established there. The
reasons may be irrelevant. What are important are the sausages: bratwurst, frankfurters,
Polish, bangers, Italian, Swedish potato and breakfast sausages, among a slew of
other types of meats stuffed into a casing. “Maria and Walter were totally hands-on,”
Wally says. “Sausage-making is in our blood.”
–continued on page 30
07.18 | ARROYO | 29

–continued from page 29
Wally has been at the helm of Schreiner’s for 38 years, following in the footsteps
of his father and grandfather. Six days a week he arrives at the store at 4 a.m. But he’s
not one to be the face of Schreiner’s; he’s almost always in the back office, running a
small meat empire. “I always told my own kids, ‘Love what you do,’” and he seems to
really believe that. In 2018 Schreiner’s is nearly identical to what it was when I was
18. “We make over 150 different products; our niche is that it is all made here,” Wally
says. “If I were to bring in something else, like Boar’s Head, which you can get at
Costco, then it wouldn’t work. These are our meats. I adhere to the same recipes and
way of sausage” making that my grandparents started.”
And for multigenerational customers like myself, that is the reason we’ll drive out
of our way to go to Schreiner’s. “The key is consistency; we’re not trying to cheapen
the product,” he adds. And though the products like beef jerky taste exactly as they
have for decades, change is nonetheless the other nitpicky constant in Wally’s life:
Schreiner’s finds it must compete with new ideas, a new customer base and new
attitudes toward meat. “I need to keep changing — we can’t just be a German deli
anymore, so I look for new varieties of fresh meats.”
That includes their chorizo sausage and carne asada, stealing ideas from Food
Network shows and employing social media. Bacon-wrapped meatloaf is not as German
as leberkäse, but Wally offers options for customers who avoid red meat. “Yeah,
we offer nitrate-free meats, chicken sausages like lemon-cilantro, even some glutenfree
items, so you can still come here if you’re on a diet,” he says.
Ever-evolving American diets have made no dent in demand; Schreiner’s makes
between 6,000 and 10,000 pounds of sausages each week. Their large walk-in
stainless-steel smoker would make any home cook jealous. Their Black Forest ham
is another classic, but you’ll also find ribeye, steaks and other cuts of meat, German
mustards, German beers and wines, sauerkraut and classic European potato dishes
like rösti and spätzle. Wally has expanded the business into wholesale products and
catering, not to mention sausages for the local Oktoberfest.
Schreiner’s employs 16 people, most of them with Wally for more than 20 years,
one more than 30. The store originally was just the current deli portion with one
room in the back to make sausages. Little by little Maria and Walter were able to
purchase adjoining stores and expand, now to 6,200 square feet, something Wally
believes they had envisioned decades ago — a sort of familial succession, a guarantee
for the next generation.
Today Schreiner’s uses the bread from Berolina Bakery next door for freshly
made sandwiches from its dine-in deli. A dozen tables allow you to lounge, but
many people order sandwiches to go. I ask Wally if he is surprised the business is
still thriving. “Kind of,” he admits. “It’s kind of crazy. There must be something
here — quality and consistency, that’s what I’ve kept.” Still, as is the case with other
small businesses in Arroyoland, the present and future are sometimes tenuous. “It’s
a challenge each and every day to run a small business,” he acknowledges. Increasing
costs are the most obvious issue, but as Wally says, “It’s hard for me to pass that on to
my customers. I try and keep my price point in line and, with everything made here,
it lowers my costs.” Yet he surmises that, among folks living within a five-mile radius
of the store, only 20 percent know of Schreiner’s. “There are people still out there to
grab.”
As Wally and I end our talk I ask if I can photograph him in the deli, but he modestly
declines. As he leads me on a property tour, he says I can photograph everyone
else. “The people up front and in the back, they are the players, they are what make
this business what it is today — they are Schreiner’s. I just have the name.” But it is
that very name that is still a draw, even after 60 years.
Schreiner’s Fine Sausages is located at 3417 Ocean View Blvd., Glendale. Hours are 9
a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Call (818) 244-4735 or visit schreinersfinesausages.com.
||||
30 | ARROYO | 07.18

HEALTHY FOODS
ON THE CUTTING EDGE
Pea milk? Algae oil? Consider stocking your pantry with some
of these brand-new foods that are good for you.
BY BETTIJANE TIJA
LEVINE
Think about it: Our food components haven’t really changed since Eve allegedly
first bit into the apple. We’re all still living off the land, consuming products
derived from plants and animals. Of course there are tremendous advances in
what we consume and how we prepare it, many leading to better health and longevity.
And trendy “new” items now seem to appear on an almost daily basis, making food as
fad-driven as fashion.
Consider the endless iterations of exotic spices, grains and fruits that purportedly
offer us essential nutrients. Now that we’ve all learned that quinoa is pronounced
KEEN-wah, for example, the culinary cognoscenti have come up with even more
obscure ancient grains they say are just as good or even better: farro, spelt, teff, fonio
and kamut (a.k.a. Khorasan wheat), to name just a few coming to local markets.
And there’s a slew of new tools with which to prepare it all: slow and fast cookers,
masticating juicers, air fryers, outdoor and indoor steam convection ovens. Foodies
who recently spent a bundle building massive masonry pizza ovens as focal points for
their outdoor kitchens are now presented with the newer trend toward lightweight,
unimposing stainless-steel models. The Uuni 3 wood-fired oven claims to reach
932° in just 10 minutes and “can cook an authentic wood-fired pizza in an incredible
–continued on page 32
07.18 | ARROYO | 31

–continued from page 31
60 seconds.” Better yet, it’s portable; you can tote it to your boat and your beach
house!
Some of these new items will make it onto the list of enduring kitchen classics.
Others will fade as fast as the micro-mini. Here’s a sampling of new food trends
that may or may not hit the big-time — along with one truly significant gamechanger
that’s at the top of our list.
CLEAN MEAT
Neither fad nor trend, this is a revolution. Also known as “in vitro meat” or
“cultured meat,” it’s meat and poultry grown in a lab from stem cells extracted
from live animals, and it could start appearing on high-end restaurant menus by
2020. So-called “clean meat” is not fake or simulated meat, like the soy protein or
veggie-based products in stores now. It’s the real deal, produced using technology
from the medical field, and those who’ve tried samples say it tastes real because it is
real. The only difference is that no animals are killed in the process.
Bill Gates and Richard Branson are reportedly heavy investors in some of the
startup companies now working to make the world change from live to lab-produced
steaks, chops, chickens, duck and other animal products. There are tech and
regulatory issues to surmount, but industry experts predict that affordable clean
meat will be in supermarkets by 2023. According to cleanmeat.org, the lab-grown
product is “100 percent real meat, but without the antibiotics, E. coli, salmonella
or waste contamination that comes with conventional meat production.” And,
according to United Nations scientists, this new method of meat production would
eliminate the huge environmental hazards and extensive depletion of natural
resources that come with raising animals for food.
CANNABIS SUPERFOODS
Anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, lessened immunity and low energy are just a
few of the ailments that cannabis proponents say the superweed can help alleviate.
And now that about 30 states have legalized recreational or medicinal marijuana,
dozens of cannabis-infused foods and drinks are flooding markets. The Specialty
Foods Association calls cannabis edibles a top food trend for 2018, with teas, olive
oils, nuts, energy bars, coffee, crackers, honey and alcohol-free wines and beers
among foods being compounded with cannabis. There are even cannabis-infused
dog and cat treats for four-footed family members.
Most of the new hemp-infused products contain one or both primary cannabinoids
(CBD and THC) that are said to provide health benefits. Edibles with only
CBD are legal in all 50 states because they are non-psychoactive, which means
they won’t give consumers a high. Those with THC will produce a buzz, depending
on the amount. (One package of Mota Beef Jerky delivers 100 mg of THC;
compare that to a Leafly Cherry Almond Tart, which has 13 mg of CBD and only
5 mg of buzz-producing THC.) The Los Angeles restaurant Shibumi has a CBD
cannabis menu that includes tempura fried cannabis, cannabis kimchi and pork
smoked with cannabis branches.
VEGGIE MILK
If you’re unimpressed with nondairy milks made from almonds, rice, soy, co-
32 | ARROYO | 07.18

conut and cashew, there’s yet another replacement for cow’s milk that’s trending
now. It’s called “pea milk” or “veggie milk,” and it’s made from peas, potatoes
and tapioca. Makers say it’s a boon not just for the lactose-intolerant, but also
those with nut allergies. A number of brands are available, all claiming to be
dairy-, nut- and-soy-free; they’re also not genetically modified. Why peas?
Because veggie milk–makers say peas are packed with protein, a good source of
calcium and vitamins D and B12. Pea milk reportedly has a consistency close
to that of two percent milk, and it comes in flavors, including unsweetened and
chocolate.
ALGAE OIL
The folks at the Terra Via company in San Francisco have come out with
Thrive Algae Oil for cooking, baking and salad dressing. Algae may sound
icky to those who learned in science class about its contribution to pond scum.
But there’s a vast and varied world of algae, some of them not just helpful, but
critical, to our existence, thanks to the role they play in food products, pharmaceuticals,
fertilizer, bioplastics,biofuels and more. The company calls algae
“the mother of all plants and earth’s original superfood.” It claims their algae
cooking oil has 75 percent less saturated fat than olive oil, and the highest levels
of good, monounsaturated fat of all oils used for cooking. What’s more, it has
an unusually high smoke point, which makes it great for frying and sautéeing.
Sourced from the sap of a chestnut tree, the algae is fermented in huge sterile
vats where it’s converted into oil.
CHICKPEA CONCOCTIONS
Long a staple at salad bars and the backbone of hummus, the garbanzo has
now been elevated to an elegant snack food and has also found its way into
all sorts of edibles, from protein bars to pasta and peanut butter. Like other
legumes, such as beans and lentils, chickpeas are high in fiber and protein and
contain several key vitamins and minerals. Considered a healthy snack substitute
for chips, bags of crispy, roasted garbanzos are spiked with wasabi, ranch, honey
and other flavors. And now garbanzos have even gone sweet. Biena Snacks coats
the crunchy beans in light or dark chocolate or salted caramel. Their newest is
the Thin Mint chickpea snack, with flavor licensed from the folks who make
Girl Scout cookies. The crisped beans are coated in dark chocolate and Thin
Mint cookie dough. ||||
07.18 | ARROYO | 33

A TALE OF TWO
CABOS
Grand Velas Los Cabos is a recent entry among
the tourist mecca’s booming luxury offerings.
BY IRENE LACHER
This is a tale of two Cabos — and I don’t mean San José del Cabo and Cabo San
Lucas, the two cities at the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula
known collectively as Los Cabos. Instead, let’s count the cities as one, both
the colonial-architecture-rich municipality seat and the lively touristy town you’re
probably thinking of. The “other” Cabo is the 20-mile-long Tourist Corridor between
the two cities. Let’s start there.
Once a remote rural fishing area, Los Cabos, a short plane ride away, has been a
tourism hotspot for years, thanks in part to much-publicized visits from celebrities,
from Elizabeth Taylor to Jennifer Aniston. And yet, tourism there, particularly along
the oceanfront corridor, is booming beyond even its popular reputation. The boom is
in luxury — both the quantity and quality of the burgeoning hotel scene. This, despite
the U.S. State Department’s August 2017 travel warning of a spike in violence due to
turf battles among criminal organizations.
El Arco (The Arch) is an iconic rock formation at
the southern tip of Cabo San Lucas.
PHOTO: Richard Cunningham
34 | ARROYO | 07.18

That warning may be less than one year old, but the tourism industry people I met
there last month seemed utterly unruffled by it, noting that bad guys don’t target tourists.
And they have good reason — Los Cabos recently hired 200 more police officers,
and Mexico’s Marines took command of local police in November, with plans to build
two military bases in Cabos’ home state of Baja California Sur. And yet, in a visit last
month, I didn’t feel a military presence, the way I did in the embattled southern Philippines
years ago.
What I did see were several high-end hotels under construction, including one next
door to my hotel (although, fortunately, I didn’t hear the work). It was easy to see why.
Grand Velas Los Cabos’ curved façade overlooks crashing waves, a soothing soundtrack
for dining, sleeping and all-around destressing. Ranked the No. 1 hotel in San José del
Cabo by Tripadvisor, Grand Velas has been at the forefront of the luxury boom here
since it opened a year and a half ago, thanks to a staff ratio of 3 to 1, personalized service
(e.g., your name is on the hotel’s home screen on TV), an open bar with premium-brand
liquor, Michelin-worthy cuisine, organized activities for kids and teenagers, three
pools including one just for adults, a health club–size fitness center, even a free minibar
stocked daily. It’s all part of the AAA Five-Diamond hotel all-inclusive plan.
“Most luxury hotels are on the European plan,” Grand Velas’ Michelle González told
me. “We wanted to go beyond that. This is a worry-free location. You can enjoy every
restaurant without having to take care of the bill.” And there are five of them. More on
that later.
The $150 million beachfront property is the fifth hotel built by Mexico’s Vela
brothers, developers who were prodded into the tourism industry by serendipity. When
the world economy took a dive in 2008, they switched gears on a new condo building
in Puerto Vallarta, finding that hotels were a better bet. That may help explain the
ample lodgings — the 304 suites are all built facing the water and the smallest one, the
Ambassador Suite, is the size of a modest house, at 1,180 square feet. All have roomy
terraces and some even have private plunge pools. You can also opt for a Wellness Suite
duplex, with a Lifecycle, rice chips and teas, an aromatherapy kit and space for your
private yoga session. Or a Family Suite, which includes adjoining rooms, crib, chef-made
baby food and turn-down for kids with cookies and milk. (The Vela brothers are big
family men, rotating large holiday celebrations among their various resorts.)
My first impression was the striking, award-winning architecture by architect
Ricardo Elias of Guadalajara and Miami, who also designed two other Grand Velas
resorts and the Centro Cultural Nuestra América, a library, theater and education
complex in Mérida, Mexico. You arrive at a monumental lobby with an unobstructed
view of the Pacific Ocean and two huge, sinuous wooden settees that double as
sculpture, where a staff member greets you with a cool towel and tropical fruit juice.
Other works by Mexican artists appear throughout the hotel (an art gallery is in the
planning stage), which is encased in earth and sea tones meant to mesh visually with
the beach, boulders and Pacific and soften the dazzle of the strong midday sun. Four
additional architects joined Elias in designing the hotel’s interiors and five restaurants.
–continued on page 36
PHOTOS: Richard Cunningham
07.18 | ARROYO | 35

Two courses at Cocina de Autor
Chef Aurélien Legeay of Piaf, Grand Velas’ French restaurant
The huge Spa Water Journey pool
A partial view of the
Grand Class Suite
–continued on page 35
Okay, let’s stop there. The hotel is justly proud of its cuisine. In fact, if you go,
go for the waves and the food. (Also the spa. More on that later.) Do not miss the
adults-only Cocina de Autor, named one of the world’s best new restaurants for
2017 by CNN a mere two weeks after it opened. The seasonal menu is designed
by Dutch Chef Sidney Schutte, who boasts two Michelin stars. It’s a set tasting
menu with eight courses (e.g., tuna and beetroot with chives and horseradish milk),
although you can swap out anything you like. Schutte favors fusion cuisine that
does new and surprising things with Mexican flavors, something I also found at
the Mexican restaurant, Frida.
If the restaurants surprised me, so did the spa, where I had a blue agave facial
(it’s in the mask). Before that I experienced the hotel’s hourlong hydrotherapy
circuit in what Forbes Travel Guide calls a “35,000-square-foot aquatic paradise,”
which comes with all treatments. Staff members gently guide you through a sevenstep
journey of water stations, where you’re pummeled, caressed and invigorated.
Follow that with stops in dry and wet saunas, an ice room (I skipped that) and
rain showers with chromatherapy. I doubt you’ll find anything like it in Southern
California; at least you shouldn’t be able to find it in SoCal.
We did leave the property for a sunset sail with Cabo Adventures, which also
offers tours involving dolphins, whale sharks, even camels. Ours was a lovely,
margarita-fueled excursion to see El Arco (The Arch), an iconic rock formation
rising out of the sea at the very tip of the Baja Peninsula. That meant going to that
other Cabo, the noisy one crammed with tourists who seemed desperate to have
fun. Cabo Adventures’ home base was fairly chaotic, so go expecting the worst and
you’ll be fine.
For information and reservations, call (888) 505-8406 or visit https://loscabos.
grandvelas.com. For Cabo Adventures, call (888) 526-2238 or visit www.cabo-adventures.com
||||
PHOTOS: (top left) Irene Lacher; (top right) Richard Cunningham; (bottom and middle left) Courtesy of Grand Velas Los Cabos.
36 | ARROYO | 07.18

KITCHEN
CONFESSIONS
What’s a Churro?
ONLY THE COOLEST SNACK THEY SELL AT DODGER STADIUM.
BY LESLIE BILDERBACK
It is summer, which for me means the occasional trip to the ballpark. I am a medium
fan, which means that I love the game and I love my team, but I cannot recite stats
and I do not keep up with the standings. I like to score the games when we go,
but I don't know how to fill out the form correctly, and I never go back and compare
games. I tried once to join a fantasy baseball league, but I didn't realize it was a daily
commitment, and I was not asked back the following season. I am a medium fan.
I am also a medium fan because I switched teams in mid-life. I come from Giants
country, but my kids were born and raised 10 minutes from Chavez Ravine. Naturally, if I
wanted them to be baseball fans, it would have to be the Dodgers. I was just trying to be a
good mother. (I’ve been in Dodger blue for 25 years now, but I still don't think my husband
has forgiven me.)
I think I love baseball because it is a friendly game. The fans are friendly (even when my
husband wears his Giants cap), the players are all buddies and there is very little violence
(minus the random stray pitch). I love the organ music and the kiss cam — but most of all, I
love ballpark food. I always have the same thing — a Dodger dog and a Carnation chocolate
malted. Heaven.
Lately, however, the food at the ballpark has been getting weird. Quirky menus have
become a badge of honor for stadiums, and the annual unveiling of the menu is just as big a
media event as the draft. The weirder the food is, the better, apparently. Across the country
you can forgo the standard fare in favor of a deep-fried, hot-dog-stuffed pickle, chicken
and waffles, fried-cheese-curd burgers and just about anything topped with Flamin’ Hot
Cheetos. I have no problem with this food frenzy, as long as no one messes with my Dodger
dog and chocolate malted.
Except — they did.
Last month, after I finished my dog, I waited patiently for the concessionaire to come
by with my malted. My delicious, icy, chocolaty malted, scooped out of a paper cup with its
iconic flat wooden spoon. But he didn’t come. Fifth, sixth, seventh inning — no malted. The
churro guy, however, made his way up and down our section seven or eight times, waving his
donut wand in the air like a giant rubber pencil. Had my beloved malted been replaced by a
churro?
Obviously, money talks, and the fried dough sticks are what a lot of cool kids are eating
these days. As I looked around the stadium, I realized that they were indeed popular. Not
only were they being enjoyed au naturel, but also as a garnish on over-the-top ice-cream
sundaes, served up in plastic bowls shaped like a Dodger cap. No one was having a malted! It
was churromania!
What is a churro, anyway? When I was a kid, we’d never even heard of churros. We
had to settle for round donuts. And phones that were attached to the walls. And just three
television channels. And we had to look stuff up in books called “encyclopedias,” which I
used to learn more about this dessert usurper.
One story suggests that the churro was invented by nomadic Spanish shepherds. With
no oven out in the field, they resorted to frying dough for their lunch. This sounds sketchy
to me, as do all the food-origin stories that involve clever shepherds. Not to suggest that
shepherds aren’t smart. Those guys are totally smart. But how is frying in the field easier
than just packing a bun in your knapsack? There is, however, a breed of sheep called the
“churro,” so I guess it could be true. The edible churro landed in the New World via the
Spanish, who swiped it from the Portuguese, who stole the idea from the Chinese. How
05.18 | ARROYO | 37
it ended up at Dodger Stadium and nudged out my beloved chocolate malted will remain a
mystery for the ages.
Around the world, churros can be found in a variety of forms. Thin or thick, straight or
curvy, crunchy or soft, they are almost always served with a dipping sauce or chocolaty drink.
There are even some South American countries that prefer a savory churro, stuffed with
cheese. (I should’ve kept that one to myself. It will probably show up on the Dodger menu
next year, dusted with powdered Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.) ||||
–continued on page 38
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37

KITCHEN
CONFESSIONS
ARROYO COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH
–continued from page 37
THE SPARR
COCKTAIL
The churro is nothing but a soft choux pastry, the same dough we use to make cream
puffs, piped into hot oil. If you are up for the challenge, fry up a batch for your next
backyard barbeque. Apparently they are very popular right now.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup of water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
CHURROS
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
4 to 6 cups vegetable oil for frying
Cinnamon sugar
METHOD
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt and sugar to a boil over high heat. At the boil,
add all the flour at once, reduce heat to low and stir for three minutes, until the flour is absorbed and
the mixture looks like mashed potatoes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
2. Off the heat, stir in the eggs, one at a time. The dough will be stiff, so you may want to use an
electric mixer for this step. (If you do, be careful not to overmix.) Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted
with a large star tip.
3. Fill a saucepan half full of oil and heat to 370°. Carefully pipe the dough into the hot oil. Don't
try to make them straight. It’s not going to happen. Embrace their glorious homemade curvilinear
beauty. Cook, turning, until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towellined
tray to drain and cool. Repeat with the remaining dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while
they are still hot.
Serve with chocolate sauce, hot cocoa, coffee or horchata, or shove them into an ice-cream sundae
like they do at the ballpark.
Leslie Bilderback is a chef and cookbook author, a certified master baker and
an art history instructor. She lives in South Pasadena and teaches her techniques
online at culinarymasterclass.com.
Everyone wants to replicate the camaraderie and conviviality of TV’s Cheers in
their own local bar. The John Sparr Tavern in Glendale comes close.
“We are a comfortable place that doesn't offer theatrical drinks, just oldschool
cocktails,” says co-owner David Fink. The traditional approach to cocktails
mirrors the ambience — small, intimate, quiet, confident. Green marble lines the
walls, mahogany tables and chairs along with a few booths, occupy the interior,
with more seating in an outdoor patio. It’s pretty much what you’d expect from
a throwback tavern. Even the live music they offer is acoustic guitar, meant as
background to your conversations over cocktails. This is a place to talk.
This cocktail reflects their orthodox approach — the smoothness of the rye and
bourbon is touched by the slight sweetness of the cherry, while the scent from the
lemon peel’s oil fills your nose, adding a zesty citrus element. Neither too heavy nor
too sweet, it balances multiple ingredients with aplomb. Pair this with their crab
cakes with garlic aioli appetizer or their prime rib of pork with Cognac sauce. ||||
INGREDIENTS
¾ ounce Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon
¾ ounce Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey
¼ ounce Heering Cherry Liqueur
¼ ounce Benedictine D.O.M.
STORY AND PHOTO
BY MICHAEL CERVIN
THE SPARR COCKTAIL
Two dashes Angostura Bitters
Lemon peel
Black maraschino cherry
METHOD
Pour liquor and bitters into ice-filled shaker. Stir, strain into tumbler. Rim and garnish with freshly cut
lemon peel. Top with black maraschino cherry.
38 | ARROYO | 07.18

A SELECTIVE PREVIEW OF UPCOMING EVENTS
COMPILED BY JOHN SOLLENBERGER
THE LIST
Descanso Gardens Swings
Through Summer
Descanso Gardens hosts live jazz this
summer with Music on the Main, from 6
to 7:30 p.m. Thursday nights, and World
Rhythms, from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday nights.
Free with regular Descanso admission of
$9, $6 for seniors and students and $4 for
children 5 to 12; free for members and
kids 4 and younger:
WORLD RHYTHMS:
July 3 — On Ensemble
July 10 — Dance India with Shakti
Dance Company and Desert Fire
July 17 — Spirit of Hawaii with Hālau Hula
Keali’i O Nālani
July 24 — Jazzy Ash
MUSIC ON THE MAIN:
July 5 — Incendio
July 12 — Spencer Day
July 19 — Nolan Shaheed
July 26 — Aaron Weinstein
Descanso Gardens is located at 1418
Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge. Call
(818) 949-4200 or visit descansogardens.
org.
Americafest
Marks Fourth at
Rose Bowl
July 4 — Pasadena’s
annual Independence
Day celebration
returns to the Rose Bowl. Parking lots
open at noon, and the Family Fun Zone
in Area H opens at 2 p.m. Gates open at
5:30 p.m., and family-friendly performances
start at 7 p.m., all leading up to
the area’s top fireworks show, starting at
9 p.m. Ticket prices start at $15 for adults;
free for children 5 and younger.
Rose Bowl Stadium is located at 1001
Rose Bowl Dr., Pasadena. Call (626) 577-
3100 or visit rosebowlstadium.com.
Saturday Stories for
Kids in Flintridge
July 7 — Bestselling children’s author
David Shannon joins a lineup of authors
presenting story times at 10:30 a.m. the
first Saturday of the month at Flintridge
Bookstore & Coffeehouse. Writer/
illustrator Shannon reads Bizzy Mizz Lizzie,
his latest book. His illustrations will also be
on display and available for purchase.
The Art Center College of Design
graduate’s illustrations have appeared
in such publications as Time, Newsweek,
THE ROSE ROCKS
THIS SUMMER
Pasadena’s premier live music venue, The Rose, hosts hit rock acts this month. Doors
open at 6 p.m., and headliners start at 9 p.m.
July 11 — Grammy Award-winning guitarist Eric Johnson (above) performs “Cliffs of
Dover” and other songs from his catalog at 9 p.m. Tickets cost $28 to $38.
July 14 — Pop diva Rita Coolidge sings hits including “We’re All Alone,” “The Way You
Do the Things You Do” and “All Time High.” Tickets are $24 to $38.
July 21 — Actor Dennis Quaid rocks with Dennis Quaid & the Sharks, performing his
original songs and classic hit covers. Tickets cost $28 to $58.
July 26 — 1980s superstar act The Fixx celebrates the 35th anniversary of its breakout
album Reach the Beach, performing “One Thing Leads to Another,” “Saved by Zero”
and more. Tickets are $28 to $38.
July 27 — Patty Smyth and Scandal, who hit with “The Warrior” and “Goodbye to
You” in the 1980s, say hello to Pasadena, rocking the tunes that made them famous.
Tickets are $24 to $48.
The Rose is located at 245 E. Green St., Pasadena. Call (888) 645-5006 or visit roseconcerts.com.
Rolling Stone and The New York Times.
Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse is located
at 1010 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada
Flintridge. Call (818) 790-0717 or visit
flintrdigebooks.com.
Opera Opens Cal Phil
Summer Concerts
California Philharmonic’s summer Sunday
concerts at Walt Disney Concert
Hall include preconcert talks by Maestro
Victor Vener at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. performances.
Tickets cost $54 to $140.
July 8 — “Phantom Meets Puccini” features
some of the world’s finest operatic
music performed by opera stars James
Barbour, Jamie Chamberlin, Nathan
Granner and Marya Basaraba with the
Cal Phil Chorale.
July 29 — “Symphonic Dances” spotlights
new choreography, as well as
saxophonist Harvey Pittel and vocalist
Alyson Stoner. The orchestra performs
works by Ravel, de Falla, Stravinsky and
John Williams.
Walt Disney Concert Hall is located at
111 S. Grand Ave., L.A. Call (323) 850-
2000 or visit calphil.com.
Country Classic Romance
Made Modern
July 12 — Glendale’s Antaeus Theatre
Company unveils Three Days in the
Country, Patrick Marber’s comedic update
of the Turgenev classic A Month in
the Country. In the new version, a handsome
new tutor brings reckless, romantic
desire to an eccentric household, and
over a three-day period, young and old
learn lessons in love — the maternal, platonic
and first, forbidden kinds. The production
continues at 8 p.m. Thursdays
and Fridays, at 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays
and at 2 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 26.
Tickets cost $30 to $34.
Antaeus Theatre Company is based at
the Kiki and David Gindler Performing
Arts Center, 10 E. Broadway, Glendale.
Call (818) 506-1983 or visit antaeus.org.
A Party on
the Bridge
July 14 — Pasadena
Heritage hosts its
annual Colorado
Street Bridge Party,
where guests can stroll along the historic
bridge across the Arroyo, dance to live
music, view a display of vintage cars
and dine on festive food and beverages.
Children’s activities are included in
the family-friendly event, from 6 to 11:30
p.m. Advance adult tickets cost $20
($18 for members), advance tickets for
children 7 to 12 are $10 ($8), same-day
tickets at the Orange Grove Boulevard
entrance cost $25 for adults and $12 for
kids 7 to 12; free for all children under 7.
(Food and drink sold separately.)
The Colorado Street Bridge is located on
West Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.
Call (626) 441-6333 or visit pasadenaheritage.org.
Dance, Country
Music Anchor
Two Arcadia
Festivals
July 14 — Dance
the night away at
Arcadia Performing Arts Center’s annual
outdoor Summer Dance Festival. The
family-friendly event includes giveaways,
food trucks, professional dancers and
nonstop grooves. Doors open at 4:30
p.m. and the dancing starts at 5 p.m.
Admission costs $5 and includes a raffle
ticket.
July 21— The Arcadia Americana
Festival stars Knotts Berry Farm’s Krazy
Kirk & the Hillbillies performing America’s
own music on fiddle, mandolin, banjo,
guitar and bass, delivered in a comedic
country-Western style. Doors open at
6:30 p.m. and the music starts at 7 p.m.
Ticket prices range from $15 to $35.
The Arcadia Performing Arts Center is located
at 188 Campus Dr., Arcadia. Call
(626) 821-1781 or visit arcadiapaf.org.
–continued on page 40
07.18 | ARROYO | 39

THE LIST
PASADENA POPS REVIVES
SUMMER OF LOVE
July 7 — The Pasadena Pops presents “Music Under the Stars” in front of Pasadena
City Hall at 8 p.m. Resident Pops Conductor Larry Blank leads the orchestra in a free
concert of music from Broadway, Hollywood and the Great American Songbook,
sung by Broadway soloists and the JPL Chorus. Gates open at 6 p.m. for a musical
instrument petting zoo for the kids and gourmet food trucks.
Pasadena City Hall is located at 100 N. Garfield Ave., Pasadena.
July 21 — The Pops’ second summer concert, “Summer of Love,” takes place at
the Arboretum. Michael Feinstein (above) sings ’60s hits from the Beach Boys, The
Mamas and the Papas, Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams and others. Gates open for
picnicking at 5:30 p.m. and the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $25.
The L.A. County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens is located at 301 N. Baldwin Ave.,
Arcadia. Call (626) 793-7172 or visit pasadenasymphony-pops.org.
–continued from page 39
Kipling Classic
Revisited
at Playhouse
July 17 through
29 — The Pasadena
Playhouse opens
an adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling
classic The Jungle Book, adding colorful
new characters from Kipling’s books,
plus some from today’s urban jungle, to
the beloved tale of Mowgli, Baloo the
Bear and Kaa the snake. The new story,
written and directed by Craig Francis
and Rick Miller, draws on video, interactive
technology and whimsical stories,
poems and songs from the original to
create a family-friendly performance.
Jungle Book opens at 8 p.m. today and
continues at 8 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m.
and 8 p.m. Wednesdays, 2 and 8 p.m.
Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays and 1 and 4 p.m. Sundays
through July 29. Tickets start at $20.
The Pasadena Playhouse is located at
39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Call (626)
356-7529 or visit pasadenaplayhouse.org.
Shakespeare by
the Sea
in South Pas
June 9 — The
Shakespeare by
the Sea theater company visits South
Pasadena’s Garfield Park for a free 7
p.m. performance of The Winter’s Tale,
the story of Leontes, a king who wrongfully
banishes his family and is taught
–continued on page 42
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07.18 | ARROYO | 41

THE LIST
MUSIC, DANCE
WORKSHOPS AT
UNION STATION
July 23 — Metro Arts presents Floor Improv Day at downtown L.A.’s historic Union
Station from 2 to 5 p.m. The free event for all ages features live music by The Red
Line Horns, flamenco lessons from Manuel Gutierrez and percussion workshops
with Christian Moraga. The day culminates in the Floor Improv Jam, a celebratory
group dance.
Union Station is located at 800 N. Alameda St., L.A. Visit unionstationla.com.
–continued from page 40
the meaning of forgiveness through the
inspired plan of a wise woman.
Garfield Park is located at 1000 Park
Ave., South Pasadena. Call (310) 217-
7596 or visit shakespearebythesea.org.
Muse/Ique Concert
Tunes into
Nation’s Diversity
July 28 — Muse/
Ique, the innovative
Pasadena orchestra
led by Rachael Worby, continues its
summer season with the second of its
three-part series titled “States/United,”
celebrating America’s unique sound at
the Huntington Library, Art Collections
and Botanical Gardens. This month’s
concert, “Movement/Aloud,” begins
with special guest Norman Lear reciting
the Declaration of Independence.
Premier Latino dance organization Ballet
Hispanico performs Carmen.maquia,
a contemporary rendition of Bizet’s beloved
opera. Prize-winning violinist Alyssa
Park, concertmaster of the New West
Symphony, performs George Gershwin’s
“It Ain’t Necessarily So,” arranged by
Jascha Heifetz. Then special guests join
the orchestra in a rendition of “God Bless
America,” showcasing the legacies of
artists whose families immigrated to the
U.S., including Neil Diamond, Paul Simon
and Gloria Estefan. Doors open at 6 p.m.
for mingling and dining, and the concert
starts at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $130.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections
and Botanical Gardens is located at
1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino. Call (626)
539-7085 or visit muse-ique.org. ||||
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