This past weekend was the 9th Annual Eagle Rock Music Festival, and I can say unequivocally that…read morethis was the most fun I've had in the longest time and all in all, it was SUPER entertaining. But that's not even the punch line. Here it is: IT'S FREE, peoples!!! Now, before I get into more, let me give big ups to the LA denizens. There must have been 100K swarming the fest, in every nook and cranny. Colorado is on a slope, so that when you're at the eastern most portion of it, you can look back down, and it was a teeming swarm of humanity. It looked like a mini Woodstock west!!! Okay, with that outta da way... FACTS, HIGHLIGHTS, ETC: 1. It's advertised at 40 bands 2. It covered at least 5 or 6 blocks long 3. There must have been at least 10 stages/music venues. It was unbelieveable... 4. Some of the acts JP saw: a. Dengue Fever b. Black Shakespeare c. The Mama Suki d. Hecuba e. The Sirens f. The Curs g. "Special Guests" I thought the punk stage was the most entertaining and clearly was my link back to the halcyon LA daze of the 80's. The Sirens - an all gal band - was kicking it pretty good, and the Curs were the most musically inclined,had the best sense of humor and displayed the most intelligence of the night. Surprisingly (pleasantly so) they were young kids blending punk and rockabilly in a power trio with an upright bass, quasi surf dos and matching blue leotards. But the most fun was watching the mosh pit - the look of glee ... TONS of genres are represented: world music, hip-hop, hybrid/fusion, rock, punk, performance art, folk... INSTANTLY, ONE OF JP'S TOP 3 BEST ENTERTAINMENT VALUES In short, MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR NEXT YEAR!!!

(Attended 10/05/13 SA @ 4:00pm): Rock the arts and allow the creativity to soar!…read more I decided to be a volunteer at the 15th Annual Eagle Rock Music Festival instead as an attendee in order to experience this event from a different perspective. Even as a volunteer, I still ponied-up the suggested donation fee online ($10.00). I've always had a really good time at this wonderful local music and food event. But this year, the theme was more about "quality than quantity". The amount of stages was nearly cut in half (down to six this year) with one central main stage on Eagle Rock's main drag of Colorado Blvd., and the other five stages on the property of local businesses. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Gf_xctSA1jQuXWVPKrfEBw&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw Make sure you planned accordingly with comfortable shoes, sunscreen, and cash. From 4pm-10pm, you had a selection of nearly 40 acts to sample from, along with your requisite food trucks http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=YjdwKPogBzKYLDJT7g21Vg&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw, vendor and sponsor booths, local businesses, and of course people watching (which could've been considered another act) http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=pqFy39E_bUNjan-hMifupA&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw. As with most local music festivals, I'm lucky if I've ever heard any of the bands before, but that was usually the draw for me to these events since I'm all about the music! Each stage was its own unique music genre from rock (Center Stage), experimental (LA Filipino American Church), family (Eagle Rock City Hall), sub tropical / global bass (Rantz), Americana/folk (Women's 20th Century Club), blues/jazz/rock & roll (Colombo's), and indie/punk (Bateman Heating And Water). Oddly enough, with the exception of the very first act of the day (Little Red Lung) whom I felt was surprisingly good although I still couldn't think who the female singer sounded like, all the others I caught were okay. My head was bouncing during the Dub Club set http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Gdwoe9MzV5juj9IGOtBsmg&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw and, the Joe Johnston Band played good old "geezer rock" http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=ZVjK67bciBbaqzol1MdJJA&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw. One additional shout out to my Filipino heritage and the killer melon juice I bought ($2.00 cash) at the LA Filipino American Church. Such a bargain and seriously one of the best damn juices I've ever drank. My aunties never made this! http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=eWEls4X64AETEmOdq3V6Rg&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw Service - It was pretty straightforward to enter as there were two main entrances at both ends of the festival. At the entrance lines, the volunteers kindly asked for a "...suggested $10.00 donation to help support the Center for the Arts...", and if you did you were handed a program and given a hand-stamp as acknowledgment for your donation (regardless of amount). If you purchased a VIP pass online through Ticketfly $20.00, which gave you a quicker line, access to the front of the main stage, and passes to a show at the Center of the Arts, you were golden. Entry and re-entry were simple. Once inside, do as you please and all the vendors and food trucks were ready to serve your needs. For the most-part, pretty seamless. Parking - The best option was to park your vehicle at the Eagle Rock Plaza and took the shuttle that dropped you off at Eagle Rock Blvd. Or, you you rode your bike, there was a bike valet also at the entrance of Eagle Rock Blvd. If you chose to drive...good luck! If you were lucky enough to find non-metered parking along the many nearby residential streets, you scored big-time! I volunteered to work the event so I was there early enough. I didn't see any private parking lots. Atmosphere, décor, ambience - Outdoors along a mutli-block stretch of Colorado Blvd. between Eagle Rock Blvd. and Argus Dr., you were free to roam the streets or along the sidewalks. The police and security presence was everywhere so safety certainly wasn't a concern. The crowd was as eclectic as you'd expect. The sound from each stage was very good, and no TVs or monitors anywhere. Attire - It was an outdoor festival, so I was in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and comfy shoes - lots of walking and standing so no flip-flops this time around. Overall, if you're generally a fan of music, supporter of the arts, and wanted to explore a community, the Eagle Rock Music Festival accomplished these. You honestly couldn't beat a day outdoors in the warm fall California weather as music rumbled through the air and the aroma of tantalizing food - technically all for free! I found total value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (total experience was around $12.00; no tip required), but again, you could've spent nothing at all. And, my credit card of choice wasn't accepted at all vendor booths and food trucks, my ticket purchase/donation was...AMEX!

My husband and I got engaged at the end of January and were aiming for an April wedding, so we were…read moreon a tight timeline. Chevy Chase Country Club was incredibly responsive and helpful from the very beginning, which made the entire process smooth and stress-free. When we toured the Oak Grove ceremony space and learned we'd have access to a bridal suite for the day, we were SO excited. When we first visited, Matthew and Amy showed us around. The ENTIRE country club is so beautiful, from the Oak Grove and Cypress Trees to the staircases. As we became more serious about booking and completely fell in love with the space, Silvana and Ruben were quick to respond and provided a detailed meeting and breakdown of everything. The packages were clear and informative, and they were always willing to accommodate our needs. When Cassidy took over for the rehearsal and day-of coordination, she was absolutely amazing. She was extremely responsive via email, attentive to every detail, and even addressed things we didn't think to ask about. During the rehearsal and on the wedding day, she coordinated everything so seamlessly that both our families and we felt completely at ease thanks to her calm and supportive presence. She truly cared about making our day special, and it showed in every detail. Our family members were so impressed by the venue, accommodations, and staff that they're already talking about hosting future events here. Thank you, Cassidy and team. We highly recommend this venue and hope to be back again soon! :)

Very nice place. Restaurant open to public. Food was very nice as well as service. Valet parking…read moreonly

I've been going to Penelope's for more years than I can remember!…read moreMy family and clients love going here. First, thank you to everyone for giving 4+ and 5 Stars. It is the BEST place to meet with friends to catch up and have an amazing meal. It's disappointing for me to read some reviews stating that the waitress was not friendly. NOT TRUE! And, who does not wait 15 minutes these days to get a table, menu, order...etc..? Patience is a virtue that too many people do not have these days. We never had a problem being served in a timely manner. The staff, including the owner, are all fantastic and helpful. Yes, calling Penelope's during lunch hour a person should be prepared to know that no phone calls will be taken. This is a wonderfully quaint & fabulous restaurant with great food, staff, ambiance and truly an A+ accommodating owner and group of employees. One reviewer was clearly not thinking when she gave them two stars because they would not answer the phone. Some folks expect to be treated like Royalty by everyone. And, really this person had to give just two stars to the finest and most colorful restaurant in the entire area!?! Just because you want a big or private party there...Really!?! Penelope's has been in this area for a very long time. The owner is AMAZING, KIND, and a GENIUS at running this fantastic eatery. Perhaps Ms. two stars should also breath in/breath out and be more kind and patient with people. We're all working here! Show some respect. Being kind & thoughtful is important. I could not imagine living in this area without having Penelope's in the area. And, Ms 1 Star...Really?!? So sorry you did not have some other family member or yourself there to spread the pbj into place. Yet, this was important to you to give only one star?!? Please respect our wonderful people who provide these amazing places for us to sit down with friends for a yummy meal and conversation. They work hard to please everyone. I do not care if my child did not have a pbj sandwich that needed help. I would have handled it! Part of me thinks this person is trying to rate this fabulous Penelope's stars down to a very small # of people that love to be there? Personally, I know hundreds of people who have eaten at Penelope's through the years. We all love it. Why do you want to attack a great restaurant...perhaps opening your own eatery? Thank YOU Felicia B. for giving the BEST review of Penelope's. You are spot on, kind, truthful, and an amazing person. Thank you for being YOU!

Well - talk about a place where it feels a bit out of place to be a man. I am wondering if there a…read moreman cave in the basement that I didn't find the secret entrance for. There were only three Y-chromosome's in the restaurant, which I'm told is typical. I felt myself sitting up straight when the server came to our table. For some odd reason I wanted her to think I had good posture and manners. This restaurant is known for delicious food and adorable decor. There is plenty of parking in the back lot. Although it's advertised as a cafe/book shop, they have so much more in the way of stuffed animals and artwork on the walls. People eat at Penelope's when they want to take their time to enjoy each other's company and conversation. You are not rushed at all. We spent 90 minutes here for our lunch which seemed typical. Features breakfast and lunch dishes. For lunch it's sandwiches, salads, and soup. Many choices of bread. Also a long list of chips for a side. I enjoyed the tuna salad sandwich using a fork and knife cuz it was super creamy and could not hold itself together with the nine grain bread.

Fiesta Days started this morning and is going on until Memorial Day…read more My favorite part is the fireworks on Sunday at Memorial Park on the corner of La Canada Blvd. & Foothill Blvd.. Then there is the parade on Memorial Day that starts at the same location in the morning. The LCHS band will be marching along with preschoolers, scouts and more.

It is an old fashion community celebration with Military plane fly-overs before the parade…read more 39th ANNUAL FIESTA DAYS - May 25 - 28, 2012 Saturday, May 26th : Community Breakfast (Kiwanis A.M.) Memorial Park - 8:00 am-11:00 am -Adult $7.00 Children 11 and under $3 Saturday, May 26th : Vintage Car Show - La Cañada Memorial Park - 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 26th : Farmers Market - 1346 Foothill Blvd.(across the street from Memorial Park) - 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sunday, May 27th: Historical Lanterman Museum Open House - 4420 Encinas Drive, La Cañada Flintridge - 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday, May 27th: Family Dinner, Music and Fireworks Show - La Cañada Memorial Park - Dinner 6:00 pm Sunday, May 27th: La Cañada High Jazz Band 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 27th: Fireworks Show - 8:45 p.m. (as soon as it is dark enough) Monday, May 28th: Crescenta Cañada YMCA Fiesta Run, 5 & 10K + 1 mile walk - Descanso Gardens - 7:30 a.m. Monday, May 28th: Memorial Service - La Cañada Memorial Park - 9:00 a.m. Monday, May 28th: Parade - Foothill Boulevard: Theme "Celebrating 100 Years of Chamber Service" (Parade starts at 10:30 a.m.) Monday, May 28th: Afternoon-in-the-Park (Games, Music and more) La Cañada Memorial Park - Noon - 3:30 p.m. Monday, May 28th: Food Court - La Cañada Memorial Park - 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday, May 28th: Music-in-the-Park - La Cañada Memorial Park - 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Captain Cardiac will kick off the City's summer programs.

Great event!!!!! I…read morewas the bachelor and this was my bachelor party kickoff. What did I get to sample? -Stone - smoked porter with vanilla bean -Alesmith X -An amazing sour beer (unknown name) -Russian River - Supplication -Russian River - Pliny the elder -Ballast Point- Victory at Sea aged in oak whiskey barrels (this was the best of the event for me) -ok the rest of the names escape me at this point...... $10 for the glass (sad story I had 15 glasses and by the end of the night I didn't have one anymore...I like to share with my boys) and $5 for the fill.... I can't say enough great things about this event. Tony was very welcoming and Cole (owner of 38 degrees and actually his name is Clay, I guess I just liked the ring of Cole like Cole Trickle, a little better) was an incredible host. It was clear these two guys went out of their way to make sure my group had a good time from the start. It also put the other names of places involved on my radar like Surly Goat, Verdugo Bar, Blue Palms, and Mohawk Blend. I can't wait for the next one and next time I can share with my wife too. Either she will love it too or at least drive us home. Be Safe.

After I read the description of the first ColLAboration event, I wondered how they would pull off a…read moreseven hour beerfest. Being there for five of those hours, I have to say that this was a great event and can't wait until the next ColLAboration sets up. So here's the basic run down of how it shakes down. You buy a $10 admission and receive a mug to fill up your beer (this is also your admission/mug for any future ColLAboration event). Then you buy tokens for your beer at $6 each or 4 for $20. I bought 4, but ended up drinking at least nine or ten beers, as people will volunteer you their tokens after they've had too much or are just drunk and happy (or sloppy) and want to share. When I entered, I looked around and only saw three beer gardens set up, which at first didn't look so impressive. But each one was dishing out 10-15 different beers at any one time. The beer selection was by far the most impressive that I have seen at a beerfest or tasting. All of the brews were micro and craft brews, with some of the bigger names such as Stone & Arrogant Bastard to be found. You won't find any Bud's or Miller's here. The beer selection was designed for beer lovers. You could find a sour, a porter, an ale, a stout, wheat beer, a light but tasty beer, or a knock you on your ass beer. The pours were generous and almost every vendor filled the glass to the brim, regardless if it was a low or super high alcohol content in the pour of choice. The event was run smoothly from top to bottom. There were limited amounts of certain beers, but when a keg would get kicked, a new brew would take it's place at the beer garden. There was no less than 30-40 beers available to taste at any one time. If you followed twitter during the fest, they updated when and what was being brought out over the duration of the day. A great, fun event from start to finish. I'm looking forward to the seeing what the next beer lover's paradise shapes up like.

Parade was awesome except two aspects of it. One the Korean political activists - get it but not…read morethe right parade to bring world politics into. The parade is geared for kids and around fun tongue in cheek a good time in Pasadena. Then the tools riding their choppers/bikes thru the parade reving their engines drowning out all of the live music and fun, everyone around us in the crowd were like what dorks why are they in the doo dah parade that is supposed to be full of music and fun. Everyone around us were laughing at the guy reving his engine....compensating for something of course. Sadly They ruined the band behind them. Even Made the kids around us cover their ears. Hopefully next year the parade doesn't turn the parade route into a street bike chopper cruising strip - isn't that is what sturgis for? What a bunch of tools lost in the wrong parade. That was a big miss - I think they entered the wrong parade and thought they were being cool. As myself am a bike enthusiast love the sound of a nice bike and appreciate custom builds but these guys must have been yuppy posers to be riding in the doo dah parade.

Wonderful parade this year 2024. I have couple thoughts: 1…read more While I sympathize with the plight of Chinese people in Hong Kong, their protest march sets a bad precedent and opens other political dissidence to try to join the parade next year. And the guys walking with wooden crosses are definitely, not in the spirit of a fun parade. 2. Motorcycles are awesome, their loud engines are not, especially with children and babies present. Plus those Harleys are very heavy and powerful, if one were get out of control and run into the crowd . . . not good! 3. Tortillas are fun to throw and I'm guessing easy to clean-up, however very fine confetti is a disaster to clean up. The city was not happy with marshmallow mess, so why push the envelope with something that has been banned at many concert halls? M. Ryan Certified Special Events

A local annual festival which took place this year from Friday, September 19 to Sunday, September…read more21. I decided to go Friday evening after work which ended up having slightly less scheduled events. However, the benefit was that there were lesser crowds, and the cool, end of summer breeze around the perimeter of the church was just the right temperature. The big draw for me was definitely the food. Specifically, I had a craving for moussaka. As luck would have it, by the time it was my turn in line the moussaka was almost out, so I was lucky to have one of the last pieces. Although the dish was only slightly warm, the taste was undeniably fresh and satisfying. My colleague and I talked about dishes to check out, and he raved about how delicious the roasted leg of lamb dish was. He also mentioned that the dance competition can be pretty entertaining. The group that was up that evening ranged from adolescents to the elderly, and it was clear early on the spirited elderly folks had both the charm and technique down to win it all. "Opa!!!" the audience would cheer them on. The surrounding area included vendors for jewelry, artwork, and even an AARP booth for ax-throwing. Decently sized festival and friendly folks around.

What a wonderful surprise! I stumbled upon this local Greek festival when driving up Rosemead and…read moresaw the buzz of excitement around St. Anthony Orthodox Church. Blue and white tents canvas the parking lot and house the vendors and bar. The festival offered a generous seating area where groups of all sizes could savor their meals and desserts to the tune of live music. The large dance floor means people of all ages joined in the group dances, creating a joyful atmosphere that was contagious! There is souvlaki that draws you in and the indoor hall where they serve plated meals. My favorite part of this enchanting event had to be the lovely grandmas who brought their energy and warmth to serve up their baked desserts, with a side of heartfelt smiles. We love the experience, and what this festival represents!

We love this venue and were honored to have our wedding ceremony and reception hosted here. We…read moreinteracted with Ani during an open house and we were very quickly sold on locking in this venue. She also connected us with several recommended vendors, many of which we ended up hiring for our big day. We had a lovely spring day for an outdoor ceremony next to their tree and an indoor dinner / reception inside the building. We were very blessed to have Ani and Thursday Club staff provide us with a wonderful venue for a day we will never forget.

Great event space!! The food was fantastic and every worker was super friendly and welcoming.read more