Mr. Pasadena

Pasadena Museum of History is proud to once again join the more than 1,500 museums across the nation offering free admission this summer to active duty military personnel and their families as part of the 2012 Blue Star Museums program. The offer runs from Memorial Day (May 28) through Labor Day (September 3) as a means of showing our appreciation for those who are serving this nation.

Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment of the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa to offer free admission to families with a member serving during this time of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, especially focusing on the approximately 1 million children who have had at least one parent deployed. This program offers these families a chance to visit museums this summer when many will have limited resources and limited time to be together.

.    For further information and a complete listing of participating museums nationwide, please visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

What’s going on this weekend? I don’t know shouldn’t be the answer. Because whatever your mother, mother in law or mother of your children are interested in doing is the real answer.  That’s right this Sunday is Mother’s day and you have about 40 hours to come up with the plan to make it seem like you had this planned months in advance.  So before the timer runs out. Go to the florist and get mom some decent flowers.

Teas Rose Garden 28 South Raymond Ave. 626-578-1144

Jacob Maarse Flowers 655 E. Green Street 626-449-0246

Duran’s Flowers 315 S. Arroyo Pkwy 626-405-0048

The Flower Garden 60E. California Blvd. 626-683-7496

Then make a reservation for a place that mom loves to go to. Make it for breakfast lunch or dinner, and make sure she wants to go there. There is nothing worse than taking somebody to an all you can eat sushi place and forgetting that they hate sushi.  Looking for someplace new to go?

Chef Ray from POP Champagne & Dessert Bar

Check out Pop Champagne Brunch Menu (reservation strongly recommended)

http://www.popchampagnebar.com/menus/brunch-menu/

Or try La Grande Orange Café

http://www.lgostationcafe.com/brunch

Or go to a Pasadena Classic that has been pleasing patrons for over 40 years.

Green Street restaurant

http://www.greenstreetrestaurant.com/

Regardless of where you go, make sure that mom is happy and excited about spending her day with you and all her loved ones.

What do I buy my mom, Mr. Pasadena? I don’t know. I mean I don’t know what your mom likes.  What does she like?

Chocolates?

Sees Candies 3641 East Foothill Boulevard  http://www.sees.com/

Manicures & Pedicures?

The Forum  3705 E. foothill Blvd. http://forumbeautyspa.com/

Foot massage?

Heart & Sole  163 W. Green Street http://www.heartandsolereflexology.com/ 

Well when all else fails you can whisk her to place where the is a gift for everyone. No I’m not talking about Target, The Pasadena Paseo  or Best Buy (that’s a dad thing). I am referring to the one and only world famous Rose Bowl flea Market http://rgcshows.com/.

It only happens every second Sunday of the month and this mother’s day you can take mom there and tell her she can have ANYTHING she wants (well within reason because that is what she would tell you)!

Hopefully that bails you out of any drama this year. Because a happy mother makes a happy you and when mom is happy, YOU are happy.  Cheers to all the mothers this Sunday. If it were not for you we wouldn’t be here.

…and I’ll see you in the Dena!

Tonight ix tapa Cantina Bar and Grill goes ten rounds with their Monday night revue- Foxy Boxxy!  It a little bit comedy, a little bit burlesque, a little bit music and a whole lot of knock out female boxers.  It’s not your regular garden variety Pasadena act. In fact, there is nothing like it in Pasadena.  I know DJ Tonz will be spinning tonight while comedian Benny Mena and comedian Kipp Tribble will be supplying the laughs.  Later that evening  “Team Phoenix project” will  take on “ Team 437” in a boxing rematch bout that I am sure will get the crowd all fired up and hollering! I promise your Monday night will not be boring if you attend this wild event.

Here comes the Pasadena Doo Dah Parade!

This Saturday the Doo Dah parade rolls back into town. Not your garden variety parade, but rather something whimsical and unconventional. With parade entries such as the BBQ & Hibachi Marching Grill Team, the Church of the Ornamental Lawn Decorations, Human-Powered Cupcakes, it’s no wonder you will see hundreds of people laughing hysterically along the parade route; For there is something truly fun for everyone in the parade.

This long time Pasadena tradition was conceived in a bar in Pasadena called Cromo’s (which is no longer in Pasadena) back in 1978. Some of more noteworthy entries from back in the day were Snotty Scotty and the Hankies, the Lawn Mower Drill Team, the Briefcase Drill Team and General Hershey Bar.

Derby Dolls from the 2010 Doo Dah Parade

Saturday marks the 38^th running of the parade make sure to say hi to the well loved and former City of Pasadena information officer Anne Ermand. She will be gracing the parade as this years Doo Dah Grand Marshal. Tell her Mr.Pasadena says hi!

When: April 28^th, 2012

Where: Pasadena, CA. East Colorado Blvd. (between Altadena & San Gabriel)

Parade steps off@ 11am

Cost$$$ Always free

Parking: Plenty of Parking is available

Mr. Pasadena says: “Get there early, bring a lawn chair or something like a blanket to sit on. Plenty of shops to eat at prior and during the parade and don’t forget the sunscreen”  

For more information on the Doo Dah Parade visit: http://www.pasadenadoodahparade.info/

Who doesn’t love a grill cheese? Well this weekend at the Rose Bowl it is going to be grill cheese heaven. As they say “there will be more cheese than you can shake a breadSTICK at!”  That’s because the 10th anniversary of the grilled cheese invitational is rolling into Pasadena April 28th. So if you are looking for something to do this weekend that is 2 parts fun and 1 part VERY cheesy then you need to head on down to the Rose Bowl (parking lot K) and take part of this grand festivity. There will be cooking demos from master chefs, live bands, costumes, poetry , yelling and much , much more!

To look into start time, parking, tickets and contests go to: http://grilledcheeseinvitational.com/