Jazz = good. Mary b = should not drink. Apologies…read more I found a great street spot on Baldwin on a beautiful Sunday in Arcadia. Peacocks? Yes, beautiful exotic birds are walking down Baldwin Ave. eying the mall. It is not your imagination! I learned upon inquiry that these beautiful birds belong to the city and are given free reign to come and go as they please. -Neat. I enjoyed the Latin jazz that was my entrance to the park at 3 PM. The horn section had their act together and Latin percussion is... always awesome. I bought tickets (no cash taken at the booths) to spend on my lovely friends for treating me to this amazing concert. With discriminant eyes I perused the refreshments. Soul food? at a jazz fest? No brainer right? I sampled and shared barbecue rib platters with dirty rice and coleslaw. It was Kansas City style so the sauce was ridiculous good eating. I grabbed the first round of pomegranate margaritas for the girls and started the fire. A table was easy to come by so the we parked it, noshed, gossiped, giggled and listened to the aphrodisiac that live music is. The weather was perfect and the grass was the greenest right where were I was sitting. The air was electric where musicians mingled among us after an exit of stage right. Who put this lovely Riesling in my hand? Mary B! Everybody knows that you have no inhibitions to lose! Catching a buzz at a cool concert can only lead to mad trouble and will almost certainly lead to wild debauchery. This is why I love espresso! My favorite kind of jazz is dry, tricky and messy like the wind. I am immensely fond of the classic Miles Davis, Chet Baker and Cole Porter. Many of he acts commissioned by this festival, while phenomenally talented, were more of the "smooth jazz" variety made known to us by the likes of Kenny G. etc. Polished, refined and a little slick for my taste but there is something to learn and be heard at every concert and this one one was no exception. Each sound wave is one to be treated uniquely. The choir made a key change a cappella at approximately 8 PM. SWEET. *This is very tricky and requires an obscene amount of talent. the Soprano sax player's performance was perfect but he was "schooled" by the gospel singer's solo at approximately 9 PM. I danced in the aisles, sat on the steps and soaked up the energy. I may have been even flirtier that my usual flirty self. Forgive. Inspired, I hit the *record* button in my studio in the middle of the night with confidence that my skills to pay the bills were "all that". I hit playback at 6 AM this morning. It was anything but "all that"! Mary b should not be hitting the drink! Well done by all involved in organizing the seamless event at a stunning location. Mad props to all and the many hands that made it happen. Thanks for taking me with you Valerie! (OMG I love that girl!) Next year, no Riesling for Mary b so that she may take away a more inspired take ;-)

Stve W. and I attended the redwhite+bluezz Pasadena Jazz Fest on Saturday, August 28th courtesy of…read moreYelp. Getting there at 12:30 PM allowed us to gain great parking near the entrance at the steep price of $18. Later we found out you could park at Santa Anita Park for $12 and then take a free tram to the event. I had never been to the LA Arboretum before nor a jazz festival of this size outside of Orange County, so I found this event (because I generally love to go and see live music) and the location to be a treat. The Arboretum includes rolling hills, expansive lawn areas, fountains, trees, a few benches and a gang of roaming peacocks. I wasn't all that hungry so I drank lemonade, but Steven enjoyed a Greek beef gyro wrap from Neomeze and a diet coke. They were also selling assorted beer, wine and a ton of stuff I couldn't eat made with butter or milk like cobbler and garlic fries. It sounded good, but not for me. The set-up for the festival was great and it wasn't as busy as I thought it could have been. There were two stages, one main and a side stage which alternated between playing and set-up and they did a good job with the sound system. Surprisingly, the talent on the side stage was outstanding. I really enjoyed The Delgado Brothers second set which sounded a lot like Steve Windwood and G Mack & The Polyester Players which highlighted their two vocalists and three piece horn section. Right out of the gate they were getting the crowd on their feet and dancing the electric slide in front of the stage to Kool & The Gang's "Hollywood Swinging". There were also the obligatory vendors selling clothes, jewelry, things for house and home and then we found LA Weekly. They were giving away various ipod clings, summer event guides, copies of LA Weekly (of course) and these square packets of sunscreen that happened to be about the same size as condoms. While the concert was going on, I spotted a reporter for the Pasadena Star-News and he interviewed Steve and I about the festival. They only used what we said as general comments though about the high prices. http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_15928601?IADID=Search-www.pasadenastarnews.com-www.pasadenastarnews.com Oi vey. If it wasn't for the ants, the weather that was too cold for me and the fact that we were told we could not go back and forth to get gear from the car, we could have stayed until the very end... We did get to see Everlast do a few songs though before I just couldn't take the cold and the dew anymore and called it a day after being there for something like 6 and a half hours. All in all, it was a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon/evening.

I recently visited to see a recorded stage production and had a positive experience. I was able to…read morefind neighborhood street parking though they also offer parking on site at the facility. They also have a concession area offering beverages (including alcohol and coffee) along with snacks for purchase at the lobby. Buying a ticket online was simple and while I obtained a QR code via email, I just picked up my ticket upon entry after giving my name. It was a relatively small theater compared to your regular movie theater. However, the seats were comfortable, and the audio and visual quality of the film was great. I would definitely revisit, and I'll keep an eye on the organization's website to see what on the schedule!

Cute, new, roomy theatre, with nice restrooms & waiting area -- all tucked away in a quiet…read moreneighborhood, and a parking lot behind it. The show we saw was "Octopus's Garden", which had unique puppets, tall props, and benefited from the stage's imagination-spawning decor. When you come, make sure to leave your phone on, and cough a lot. That's what really makes the experience!

Rooftop Cinemas: Star Wars, The Force Awakens on a Saturday evening, 06/25. Free tickets on…read moreEventBrite's website with no transaction fees too. I am so there for this show on a warm summer evening. This is a really popular movie so definitely a really large interest. That means it's going to be a long wait and finding a spot to plant your camping chair. A really cool thing is if you visit a local business on South Lake Avenue, you show your ticket for the VIP seating area. It's like priority seating with plenty of elbow space. Tonight on This Saturday night, 08/20, they are at a different parking structure showing Hook. Not such a huge crowd like the Star Wars movie but still a VIP seating area. You still bring in your own chairs and you bring in your own food and drink. In case you're wondering, yes, any sort of drink you want with your whole crew. It's like a potluck for a few groups here. Just claim your area with your chair and wait for the sun to go down. There's much more space here so there are jumpers for the kids. A pirate ship, hook's square, a huge fort in a shape of a pirate's ship in one of the corners. There is still food for sale like caramel popcorn and lemonade. Downstairs is where the restrooms are along with a food truck in the loading dock. Rounds is the truck here to feed hungry movie goers. Bring your food back to the top floor where your seats are. There is security so leave your dangerous weapons in the car. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

We had a great experience at the Pops last night. Almost Elton was the entertainment. We had a…read moretable for six and this is a fantastic way to enjoy this venue! I cant wait to return next year

We are back to see the Bond 007 concert. We always book a table so we can sit, relax, drink some…read morealcoholic beverages, and eat our picnic style lunch. Just taking a look around you see many winos with their bottles on their table having a good time. If you didn't bring drinks or food there are plenty of food trucks and bars available.

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!

Free street event! The best thing about an event is not paying a fee to enter or paying for…read moreparking!Parking on the street. Lots of food vendors here. It's a great place to go to for family outings. I recommend going on evening or night so it's cooler. Another moon festival is also going on nearby, at the santa Anita race track. Also free! This event is from Sept 7-8, 2019 You can find parking near Kauffman street and Las tunas (near Temple City city hall).

(Attended 07/27/13 SA @ 7:30pm): An amusing evening for all in attendance - me included!…read more Thanks to the recent annual music event, "Make Music Pasadena" (http://www.makemusicpasadena.org/program.php), I was introduced to Muse/ique as they presented their "Summer of Sound" program, and actually won a pair of tickets ($70.00 value ea.) through a raffle at their information booth. The show I selected was "Moving Pictures" http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=7ijQmFXZiGioSDvKIOxWTw&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw which featured cellist Mike Haimovitz and his energetic style of playing. Honestly, I'm not familiar with Mike Haimovitz's work nor the pieces that were to be played when I selected this date, but that's the excitement of it all, isn't it, when a new experience is laid at your feet!? I parked the Toaster, scampered across the street, followed the marked path, and eventually found my seats (Section A, Row H, Table 3, Seats 1 & 2). http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=hCgB6SGUPEb0C8tZbd0cBA&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw Although you're allowed to picnic and bring whatever you wanted to drink or eat, I already stuffed myself at an earlier event so I was good...with the exception of dessert which I bought an oatmeal raisin cookie for myself and the entire table ($2.00 ea.). http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=etzZn1KGT_4T6HZQ175l6Q&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw Now, on to the music! The 38-member orchestra of Muse/ique was led by Artistic Director and Conductor Rachael Worby. She had a very warm and welcoming demeanor about her as we was playful with both the orchestra and the patrons. The band was equally playful, crafty, and energetic. Matt mixed in well with the orchestra and a special introduction appearance by actress Wendy Malick and vocalist/songbird, Allison Iraheta. The performance was a magnificent 90-minute nonstop auditory of the senses. The crowd seemed to be into it that ranged from kids to the elderly. Service - From the highly-present parking staff, to the hosts at the entrance, the ushers, and the women who worked the snack tent, all was good. Top rate! Parking - A separate large parking structure with plenty of stalls was used for general (i.e. FREE) parking on Wilson Ave. just off the actual campus of Caltech, with a short pathway walk to the lawn area. VIP parking was also available (cost unknown) if you're so inclined. Atmosphere, décor, ambience - You're outdoors on the flat Breckman Mall Lawn on the Caltech campus with a multitude of round tables that sat six patrons on wooden white chairs. Each section was easily designated and labeled to find your seat. You'd better be the friendly type because you were paired-up with other patrons at your table. The sound system was really nice and fit the relatively intimate confines of the area as you're situated between two buildings with the stage at one end backdropped by a rotund structure. There were plenty of monitors in case your direct view was obstructed. I found one snack tent at the back end of the lawn and noticed a wine table once I entered the lawn area (I believed they sold by the cup). Attire - It was totally casual, so if I weren't coming from an earlier event I'd normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops...but make sure to have a long-sleeve top just in case. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my first time experience with Muse/ique and wished them the best for a long and prosperous tenure as another outdoor music option in Los Angeles. Sure, you had the world-famous Hollywood Bowl and Greek Theatre just to name a few, but if you truly wanted an intimate feel, this was for you. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (total bill was around $12.00 based on the food I bought; no tip required), but I planned to return in the very near future. And, they accepted my credit card of choice...AMEX!

MUSE/IQUE is a non profit orchestra founded in 2011 that hold concerts in unique venues. They have…read more4 different concert programs that include Uncorked (concerts in unique venues, for example, a small concert was in the Rose Bowl Locker Room last year according to a member we met), Free For All (free concerts for the community), Sound of Summer (an amazing concert series performed during the summer at Cal Tech) and KIDS/IQUE (concerts thats geared towards youth). My husband and I went to the Summer Of Sound Jazz Genesis last Saturday (the 2nd concert of a 3 part series during the summer) on Beckman Mall Lawn. We sat in the reserve section, Table G4 (tickets are $50 per person). We ate before we came and brought some drinks, fruit and dessert to enjoy (this is a bring your own food and drinks type of concert... alcohol is welcomed. There is also a cash bar so you can buy a drink if you forget to bring some with you). These two people who sat at our table (each table sits 6 people, but we only had 2 other people sit at our table, which was nice to have a little extra room) were very nice and are members of MUSE/IQUE and told us that we were in for a real treat for tonight's concert (as we told them it was our first time checking out this event). The concert itself was a beautiful nonstop 90 minute musical performance. Towards the end of the concert were some dancers and also some interesting visual effects that accompanied the music well. For this concert, the theme was songs from the famous Leonard Bernstein (American composer and conductor, who composed songs for the musical West Side Story for example). The musical talents and featured singer was truly amazing! I was just wowed from the beginning til the end of the concert and wished there was more! Now I just wanted to mention a few things. That even though these concerts (outdoor) are during the summer, it actually was rather chilly around the time when the concert started (7:30 pm) and wished I had brought a blanket or a warmer jacket with me (they do sell blankets here by the way). Also restrooms available are portapotties. I thought they were descent and didn't have any problems using them. However, it seems that the water ran out towards the end of the evening, as my husband said the toilet he used did not flush and water was coming out very little for him as he tried to wash his hands (but when I had used the restroom earlier in the evening, running water was available). With all of this intel that you now know of this event, make sure you make MUSE/IQUE's Sound of Summer program part of your summer plans in the future because this event should not be missed! (The next one will be on Saturday, Aug 29, Part 3: Westside Story).

This is a tiny theater, about 70 or so seats in what looks like a converted house…read more I recently saw Farenheit 451. The play itself was great, we went opening night and Ray Bradbury was there which was really cool. There was a patio to hang out it until they opened the doors to the theater. The lobby is really small and can't fit everyone who is waiting. If you are short, don't wait on the patio, stay in the lobby. The seats are on risers that were not built high enough in the back for the short people. I ended up in the second to last row, and had trouble seeing over the taller people in front of me, which detracted from my experience. The acting was very good in this play and the tickets were inexpensive - $20.

South Pasadena's little indie theatre. We came for Shakespeare's Redux preview night ($10 /…read moreperson). Preview nights are shows where actors / actresses can hone their performance by getting feedback from the audience *how much they laugh, etc*. It's really got this quaint, old town feel... intimate seating of about 50 people max. Stage set is minimal but they really make you fill in the blanks with your imagaination. They managed to fit all of Shakespeare's works into 90 minutes!! It was hilarious! :) Plenty of street parking for 2 hrs.. it's free after 7pm. BTW .. it's attached to Fiore's market and cafe. =) Another reason I love S. PAS!! =))