Kenji: rising next gen comedian.

There is nothing more fun than going to a comedy club and getting to laugh out loud. The Ice House in Pasadena has been the home for the legends of comedy.  Legends like Jay Leno, George Carlin, Steve Martin, Jerry Seinfeld,  Ellen Degeneres and Robin Williams have all graced the stage at the ice house and left them all laughing.  It’s also been a great place to catch a rising star comedian and this Saturday is no exception.  This Saturday night Kenji will be performing on stage 2 at 10:30pm.

I have seen many a many a funny comedian at the Ice House, but Kenji seems to be that comedian that may someday soon find his place amongst the uber comedians. If I had to say what he kind of funny he is ,I would say that he is  very much like a Richard Pryor in the 70’s  and Eddie Murphy back in the early 80’s, with a today spin on things. His entire set is all based on the world according to Kenji and no subject matter is taboo.  If you are in Pasadena this Saturday night, Kenji is a MUST SEE. I’ll say it again Kenji is a MUST SEE!  He just has that “IT” factor.  Once you see him you’ll know that you will see him in movies and on TV soon.

Place: Ice House 24 North Mentor Ave.

Get tickets on line by visiting: http://icehousecomedy.com/show.cfm?id=149528

Kenji’s website: http://www.kenjithomas.com/

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!

Cinco De Mayo Festival at La Pinoresca Park.

As per Pasadena Now.com  published May 1^st, 2012

 Cinco de Mayo Festival in Pasadena marks the beginning of a new community tradition in what event sponsors hope will become an annual event. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 5, at La Pintoresca Park, at Fair Oaks Avenue and Washington Boulevard.  Admission is free and open to the public.

In addition to great food and live entertainment, the festival will include a traditional ceremonial blessing at 11a.m., along with an explanation of the historic significance of Cinco de Mayo and why it is celebrated by the Latino community.

Live performances by Mariachi, Banda, Folklore Dancers and some up-and-coming artists are planned throughout the day. A wide range of vendors selling authentic Mexican food and other products will be available along with a special arts booth provided by the Armory Center for the Arts. Carnival-style games and a variety of other information booths will also be on site.

For more information about the event, contact Efrain Montes at (626) 345-0708. For more information about the City of Pasadena, go online to www.cityofpasadena.net.

Free comic book day

With such movies as The Avengers in theatres now and the Dark Knight rising coming to theaters this summer, is it time to do a little brush up on your comic knowledge?  What better day to start than Free Comic Book Day. It turns out the first Saturday in May each year comic book shops nationwide, give away free comic books to anyone that comes to their store.

Mr. Pasadena says -My personal recommendation is to venture to:

COMICS FACTORY
1298 E. COLORADO BLVD
PASADENA, CA
(626) 585-0618

 They are friendly, they can offer you good recommendations on where to start or where to catch up on your comic book reading and their business is super clean. 

Mexican Food and Margarita! 

El Portal restaurant is having a grand celebration to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. From 5:30 to 7pm they are serving free appetizers. From 6:30 to 9pm they will have mariachis playing, folklorico dancers will be performing and the Corona girls will be in attendance.  Check out their special Cinco De Mayo menu http://www.facebook.com/pages/El-Portal-Restaurant/152366557163

and don’t forget to partake in their special “battle of the Maragaritas” – where 4 different tequilas have been battling it out to be EL Portal’s un gran Maragarita!

Mr. Pasadena says:  The Pasadena Police department traditionally runs their DUI saturation patrol throughout Pasadena that night, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun and enjoy yourself tonight in Pasadena.  So if you drink – don’t get behind the wheel. You can sober up, call a cab, walk home, or call a friend to pick you up . Be safe, celebrate and have a great Cinco De Mayo my friends!

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.

]]> http://mrpasadena.net/2012/04/30/ten-rounds-of-music-comedy-and-mayhem/feed/ 0 mrpasadena foxyboxing ixtapafront http://mrpasadena.net/2012/04/27/make-way-for-the-doo-dah-parade/ http://mrpasadena.net/2012/04/27/make-way-for-the-doo-dah-parade/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:18:57 +0000 Mr. Pasadena http://mrpasadena.net/?p=559 Continue reading →]]>

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/

This year, more than 40 of Pasadena’s best restaurants offering amazing meals and deals during the 2012 Pasadena Restaurant Week.

This year’s participating restaurants are offering fixed price dinner and/or lunch menu items for visitors. Dinners were three-course meals while lunches consisted  of two-courses. Depending on the venue and menu offered, meals were priced at either $15, $20 or $25 for lunch or $26, $35 or $44 for dinner. (Some prices may vary.) Alcoholic beverages, gratuity and tax were not included in the price unless specified by the individual restaurants in advance.

Pasadena Restaurant Week is an annual citywide event featuring the cuisine of many of Pasadena’s top dining establishments. For individual restaurant menus information and a complete list of participating restaurants click on participating restaurants above.

You can Take the Challenge and vote for your favorites by clicking here.

Pasadena Restaurant Week was conceived to promote Pasadena as a restaurant destination and remind Southern California and our restaurant patrons that Pasadena offers dining experiences to satisfy all tastes at every price range. Participating restaurants will be preparing special meals at extraordinary introductory prices.

Restaurants participating in 2012 include some of Pasadena’s finest and most unique eating destinations such as  1810 (eighteen ten), a/k/a An American Bistro, Bistro 45, Cafe Bizou, California Pizza Kitchen, Cameron’s Seafood, Celestino Ristorante, Clearman’s Northwoods Inn, Clearman’s Galley, El Cholo, The Counter, CREPEstudio,          

  El Portal,Green Street Restaurant, Japon Bistro, Malbec New Argentinean Cuisine, Maria’s Italian Kitchen, Noir Food and Wine, Pie ‘n Burger, Quadrupel Brasserie, Robin’s Woodfire BBQ and Grill, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, The Terrace at the Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa and Vertical Wine Bistro.

New restaurants offering cuisine for Pasadena Restaurant Week include a/k/a an American Bistro, Haven Gastropub, Kings Row Gastropub, Market on Holly, Pita Jungle, Roxolana, The StillRoom and Toro Sushi Bar and Lounge.                                                                                                                                           

Mr. Pasadena says,

“My friends over at www.blockbeacon.com/pasadenaweek have a gorgeous interactive map of all the restaurants this year.  Please click on the link above and follow along. Cheers to Pasadena and Pasadena restaurants week! You have 3 days left to truly enjoy this amazing event!”

We are a week into what is turning into another great Pasadena tradition.  Several of Pasadena’s finest bars, lounges and restaurants will be offering incredible drink specials all week long (i.e. $1 martinis, $2 beers) as well as incredible deals on their gourmet appetizers and their pub food.  This truly is a signature event to get your friends, co-workers and family out for a few drinks.  It’s not just about hanging out with your crew, it’s about taking part in a Pasadena tradition.

I am also happy to report that this year is even bigger than last year.  More venues equal more deals on drink specials and more incredible gourmet bites. So what are you waiting for? Make a call to all your friends and family and have them meet you in Pasadena for Happy Hour Week in Old Town Pasadena.  You can download and review the Happy Hour Week menus offered by each participating venue below. Download the complete Happy Hour Week schedule for easy reference.

 AND ….Just as a suggestion to ensure that you and all of your guest make it home safe, I am providing the following transportation providers for your convenience. Cheers!

Yellow Cab Company – (626) 390-8294

Limo Cab company – (626) 447-8294

Checker Cab Company – (626) 796-8294

It is hard to believe that it’s been a full year of blogging. Well for that matter it is even harder to believe that there are so many of you that choose to follow me. I am extremely humbled and truly moved. Thank you for following me here, on Twitter and on Pasadena Now dot com. It has been a challenge at times to get out the blog or the article to PasadenaNow.com as fast as I would like, but I have and I will continue to do so as often as I can.  I am surprised that my simple blog about this great city has turned into something even bigger than I originally imagined. 

What are my plans for 2012? Simply put. More.  More tweeting, More blogging and more getting the word out that the city of Pasadena, CA. is a great city that has a lot to offer everyone.  From fine dining and burger joints, sports and entertainment, arts and children’s events there is something here for everyone.  

 Not only I am going to get word out about Pasadena via the internet, I am also committed to taking it to the streets. That’s right there will be times this year that I will leave the confines of the city and attend other events in and around Southern California to promote Pasadena to all that will listen.

Why go to city events not based in Pasadena  and blog about them?  Because it’s about getting the word out and reminding people that Pasadena is not just about the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl, but it’s THE destination for all things fun and entertaining.  Also I do realize that you can blog every day, but unless you head to the street you may not be able to reach everybody. 

 Thank you for all the great comments and letters that you have sent it has motivated me to do more for you and more for the city of Pasadena.   It has been a great deal of fun to serve as an unofficial spokesperson, town crier and ambassador to Pasadena. Even so I am in awe of your participation. I blogged about the events but it was you who showed up. You came to  truck rallies and you joined me at new restaurants and tequila tastings. It is an amazing feeling knowing that I made your day or gave you a great way to enjoy the weekend or introduced you a new place to grab a bite where you are now regularly. 

So cheers to you and cheers to a new year ahead!