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Alisa Hayashida
Alisa Hayashida is an arts and culture columnist and critic for South Pasadenan News, covering the greater Pasadena Metro area and Los Angeles Metro area. She is a valuable arts advocate in South Pasadena, with an extensive background in theatre arts. She has been a proud South Pasadenan for over 27 years.
New Fire Chief Paul Riddle
Deputy Chief Paul Riddle has been appointed as the City of South Pasadena’s Fire Chief, which makes Chief Riddle the 17th Fire Chief in the 110-year history of the Department. Riddle has served as...
Officer Borrello Crowned New King of Tetherball in South Pasadena
Officer Borrello was out on one of his first solo patrols Sunday morning, having recently completed his field training. After a stop at Garfield Park to observe some kids playing soccer, he turned down...
Upstage Theatre Arts Schools Presents The Sound of Music
The talented kids of Upstage Theatre Arts School are bringing South Pasadena the beloved musical, The Sound of Music, in the Main Theatre at South Pasadena High School July 28-August 5. It is the...
A Wacky and Wonderful Willy Wonka and The Weed Factory
This delightful and delicious satire of Willy Wonka serves up an evening full of laughs with a dose of edification. We meet an elderly woman with a bit of dementia who is being read...
A Rainbow for Piqui
When the sun began to set behind the fountains at the Arboretum, the palest of rainbows peeked through the clouds and people began to notice. It seemed a fitting moment for the prayer vigil...
An Exuberant Bye Bye Birdie at Theatre 360
Theatre 360 does it again, with a kicky, wildly entertaining, summer production of Bye Bye Birdie. The story takes place in the small American town of Sweet Apple, Ohio in the early 60’s where...
Conversations with Julie Giulioni
Julie Giulioni is a life-long South Pasadenan, having moved here when she was five years old because her parents wanted to make sure she and her siblings could go to the best schools available,...
The Munch Company’s Grand Opening at Arts Crawl
South Pasadenans are thrilled to welcome and congratulate new owner of The Munch Co, Michelle Hammond, who took over in April and is excited to revitalize a beloved South Pasadena lunch spot. Many remember...
Comic About Town, Vance Sanders
A South Pasadenan for over 30 years, Vance Sanders is known to many as a coach, father, volunteer, comedian and all around nice guy. He came to South Pasadena in the late 70’s, after...
Divergent Crossfit – Welcome to the Neighborhood
Saturday saw a dynamic Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting ceremony for Divergent Crossfit as they welcomed South Pasadenan dignitaries along with hundreds of friends and family to celebrate their new home in the old...
Grateful Dads Kick Off Summer Concerts In The Park
The Grateful Dads kicked off South Pasadena’s Summer Concerts in the Park this weekend at Garfield Park with a rousing concert that had South Pasadenans tappin’ their toes and dancing in the park. Really,...
Divergent Crossfit Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Come out to the official Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting ceremony at Divergent Crossfit in South Pasadena!
Located right on the corner of Mission and Fairview, the work-out studio has been in its soft-opening phase...
Families Gather for Fireworks Display at SPHS
Every 4th of July about 7pm, families start piling out of their cars along Oak and Rollin Street with their picnic blankets and chairs and start walking over to the football stadium at South...
Esprit de Corps | A Triumph of the Human Spirit
A loaf of bread. A canvas. A tea ritual. A letter. These things have become treasured, precious commodities in a world gone mad. We find ourselves in a space, perhaps a theatre, a seemingly...
The Story of The Grateful Dads
If you’ve lived in South Pasadena for a number of years, then chances are you know The Grateful Dads. But perhaps some of the newer families haven’t had the pleasure of hearing these guys...
Get Your Golden Ticket! Young Stars Theatre Presents Willy Wonka Jr!
It is astounding what YST is able to produce after a two week summer theatre camp! Casting, blocking, learning songs, learning their lines, creating an entire set, costumes, lighting cues and voila! A bona...
Welcome to the Neighborhood – The Maya Salon
The Maya Salon announced their opening on Mission Street this week with a festive ribbon cutting ceremony followed by a grand opening party. The mood was jubilant as brother and sister team owners, Azelle...
Talking Route 66 with our Grand Marshall, Glen Duncan
The theme of South Pasadena’s Festival of Balloons parade this year is “Freedom on the Road - Celebrating Route 66” and who better to be our Grand Marshall than Mr. Route 66 himself, Glen...
Meet Victoria Guasco of Partners Trust
Victoria Guasco had a prescient moment when she was about 10 years old when she used to go look at houses with her parents. By the end of her parents’ house hunting journey, she...
ZEN SHORTS | Delightful Bunraku Puppetry by Rogue Artists Ensemble
Looking for something a little different to take your kids to right now? May I suggest a very unique, whimsical puppet show called Zen Shorts playing through June 25 at Pasadena Playhouse. Rogue Artists...
Meet Yasmeen Al-Mazeedi
Yasmeen Al-Mazeedi is currently teaching violin and voice on Wednesdays at Green Brooms Music Adacemy. Yasmeen began her studies of violin at the age of six under the instruction of Fudeko Takahashi at the...
Wink – Short Film by Monika Petrillo
Monika Petrillo’s new short film, WINK, is a poignant slice of life, but it’s also giddy, wicked fun! When we meet Melanie, she seems to be living her own quiet life of desperation in...
Ryun Yu delivers in Hold These Truths | Now Playing at Pasadena Playhouse
Ryun Yu, in a riveting performance, portrays American hero, Gordon Hirabayashi, who resisted the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. It’s hard to believe this is essentially a one man show because Yu gives...
Class of 2017 honored at Senior Awards Night
Close to 200 awards and scholarships were given out to surprised, deserving 2017 SPHS Seniors last night at the Senior Awards Night in the auditorium. It was a full house of families, friends and...
The Last Five Years | Now Playing at Lineage Performing Arts Center
It’s been about 15 years since the two-person, Drama Desk winning musical, The Last Five Years, was first produced in New York. In that time, it has become somewhat of a favorite for small...
UPDATE : Photos from the June 10th Alumni Picnic
Update:
SPHS Tiger Alums had a great time hanging out at Garfield Park on Saturday June 10th. Said SPHS Alumni Association VP, Mike Thurman, "we probably had about 100 alumni and friends in attendance." Looks...
Monika Petrillo’s film WINK premieres at the Dances With Films Festival June 6th
When I meet Monika Petrillo at Fiore Café, she’s just come from Pavilions with her cloth bag of last minute dinner groceries for her two middle school teenagers. Dressed in shorts and a t-shirt,...
Michael Carpenter Jr Finds Joy Through Teaching Music at Green Brooms
Michael Carpenter Jr. grew up just outside of Detroit, in St. Clair Shores, listening to the sounds of The Doors, The Beatles and Motown. Although his parents are not, let’s say musically gifted themselves,...
Ryun Yu plays American Hero Gordon Hirabayashi in Hold These Truths at Pasadena Playhouse
Actor Ryun Yu has been on a journey; one that has taken him from first playing this role as a fresh out of drama school actor to now, 12 years and a couple of...
Stories That Move Us: Stories of Refugees
Lineage Dance Company joined forces with Street Symphony to present a series of performances that fused elements of dance, live music, spoken word and storytelling focused on a theme. I had the pleasure of...
