L.A.’s Most Family-Friendly Farmers Market

Late sunsets and warm evenings are perfect for South Pasadena’s Thursday night farmers market. We’ve written about the weekly event plenty of times in the past, but it’s worth reminding you again.

Evan and I returned to the farmers’ market on Thursday night, and the mood was perfect. The air smelled of barbecue. A jazz ensemble performed. Kids ran around the grass as parents talked. Metro trains passed by, captivating the kids (including the Kid Formerly Known as the Blogger Toddler).

We both ate tamales, and later bought two corns on the cob — and finished all of it. (The KFKATBT was truly hungry.) We marched up and down the stalls, sampling fruit and buying a container of loose grapes for $1 (bargain time!)

If you can’t make it on Thursdays, South Pasadena is also sponsoring outdoor movies for kids at the same spot on Mission throughout the month of July on Saturday evenings, starting at 8 p.m. See you there…

Sundae, Fudgy Sundae

Gridskipper lists the best Hot Fudge Sundaes in Los Angeles — and apparently the epicenter is in the Alhambra/South Pasadena area, where three hail: The always wonderful Fosselman’s in Alhambra — where Twohey’s Restaurant also resides — and South Pas’ Fair Oaks Pharmacy.

But you’ll never guess Gridskipper’s choice for top Sundae in town: The Disney Soda Fountain tourist trap across the street from Hollywood & Highland. Guess we shouldn’t pooh-pooh it until we try it, and Gridskipper swears by the joint’s Black & White creation. Hey, if it doesn’t fit the bill, you can always grab a milkshake from Lucky Devil’s, a coupla blocks east on Hollywood.

Celebrating the Year of the Rat

As Maria suggested in her Thursday three, we parked in South Pasadena on Saturday afternoon and hopped on the Gold Line down to Chinatown. The goal: Check out the Golden Dragon Parade and other Lunar New Year festivities.

Once we got there, Broadway was packed with people (100,000 check out the parade annually, organizers claim). Blogger Toddler was a little creeped out by the constant rat-a-tat-tat of firecrackers — not to mention the dragons dancing down Broadway. (It took him a while to realize those were people underneath.) So we briefly checked out the parade before moving on to dim sum at Ocean Seafood (review to come).

Happy Lunar New Year! (Blogger Toddler got confused when the waiter at Ocean Seafood wished us a “Happy New Year.” Evan: “It’s not New Year’s! It’s Valentine’s Day!”

DJs spin grooves

A little girl enjoys the parade

Party poppers

Celebrating the Year of the Rat

As Maria suggested in her Thursday three, we parked in South Pasadena on Saturday afternoon and hopped on the Gold Line down to Chinatown. The goal: Check out the Golden Dragon Parade and other Lunar New Year festivities.

Once we got there, Broadway was packed with people (100,000 check out the parade annually, organizers claim). Blogger Toddler was a little creeped out by the constant rat-a-tat-tat of firecrackers — not to mention the dragons dancing down Broadway. (It took him a while to realize those were people underneath.) So we briefly checked out the parade before moving on to dim sum at Ocean Seafood (review to come).

Happy Lunar New Year! (Blogger Toddler got confused when the waiter at Ocean Seafood wished us a “Happy New Year.” Evan: “It’s not New Year’s! It’s Valentine’s Day!”

DJs spin grooves

A little girl enjoys the parade

Party poppers

Maria’s Thursday Three

1. Target Meal: We were caught at Target one day when BT declared that he was hungry. We ended up getting him the Target snack bar’s kids’ meal — and were impressed (of course we were — it’s Target, after all.)

The mean included had a hot dog, apple sauce (the menu promised organic yogurt but they gave us apple sauce instead) and organic milk, all for $1.99. I know a hot dog is not the best food for him, but it could’ve really gotten ugly if the hungry toddler was not fed. I thought the applesauce and organic milk made this meal a good bargain. Anyway, check out that box the meal came in: loaded with illustrations by J. Otto Seibold!

2. The Huntington Library Free Day: The Hungtington Library offers free admission today (every first Thursday of the month) — but you must order advance tickets to get in. Good if you have your act together and have tickets for today, bad if you are a last-minute kind of person like me.

3. Year Of The Rat: The Lunar New Year Festival is happening in Chinatown this weekend. Avoid the traffic mess by taking the Gold Line, perhaps from South Pasadena.

Rate-A-Restaurant, #149 in a series

Restaurant: Mike & Anne’s

Location: 1040 Mission St. (South Pasadena)

Type of restaurant: American

We stipulated: Catching up with some friends, we were looking for a place that was brunch-y but would still actually have a table for us. South Pasadena worked out great — Blogger Toddler could spend hours watching the Gold Line trains — and Mike & Anne’s is located in that nice stretch of Mission that’s wonderfully walkable.

They stipulated: Reservations only for parties of six or more.

What we ordered: Mike — Chicken Sausage, Avocado & Cheese Omelette (Chicken apple sausage, swiss, avocado and green onions. Served with morning potatoes and toast.) Ordered without cheese, $10. (Above)

Maria — Breakfast Quesadilla (Honey baked ham, bacon, scrambled eggs with jack and cheddar cheese served with house made avocado salsa.) $9. (Below)

Evan — Side order of fruit, $2.50.

High point: You can’t go wrong with a breakfast quesadilla, and this is no exception. Also, Mike & Anne’s is quite a well-done space; we ate indoors, but the patio is particularly popular.

Low point: Yet Mike & Anne’s was surprisingly disappointing. The eggs were a bit runny in my omelette. The service was spotty — I finally had to race down someone to get a coffee refill.

Overall impression: It’s a great-looking menu, and some of the items sound so good that I need to return and sample more. But I was expecting to really love this spot — great location, fantastic-sounding menu and well-designed space. Too bad it didn’t live up to expectations.

Chance we will go back:: It’s unlikely.

(For our list of nearly 150 restaurant reviews, check out our companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.)

L.A.’s Most Family-Friendly Farmers Market

Last Thursday Maria wrote about the South Pasadena Farmers Market, and this Thursday I’m here to back her up.

Located on Mission — right where the Metro Gold Line stops — it’s a perfect place for a market. People stroll from the restaurants to the market and back again; stores are open late; and the vibe is nice.

Plus, the food vendors are top-notch. There are a wide variety of produce, bread and baked goodies booths.

But I have to say, the South Pasadena Farmers Market is less about fruits and veggies (you can find a better selection at bigger markets like the Hollywood or Santa Monica ones), and more about the festive atmosphere. While you’d be hard-pressed to plop down and sit for a few hours at the Hollywood or Santa Monica ones, while letting your little ones run wild, that’s part of the tradition at the South Pas market. Young parents with their kids sit on blankets, scarfing down gourmet tamales while their toddlers watch and squeal with delight as the Gold Line trains race by. (OK, that was me and Blogger Toddler last week.)

But get there while it’s still light out relatively late — and it’s still warm outside. The South Pasadena Farmers Market takes place from 4 to 8 tonight. Parking’s not hard to find — or take the train in.

One reason it’s a hit with kids: The constant appearance of the Gold Line, which Blogger Toddler never tired of watching as we consumed our tamales.

The farmers market staple: Fruit samples.

Tamales that live up to their gourmet name…

… just check out their menu. I ordered the “smoked BBQ chicken, red onion, cilantro and smoked Gouda cheese” tamale, while Evan had the more benign “green corn with sweet yellow corn” (which he completely consumed). We later brought home the “pumpkin and currant Jamaica Rum flavor” tamale for Maria.

As eaten on our blanket near the Metro Gold Line stop.

The rotisserie grill flames up.

Blogger Toddler meets Rice Krispie treat.

And oh yeah, produce.

L.A.’s Most Family-Friendly Farmers Market

Last Thursday Maria wrote about the South Pasadena Farmers Market, and this Thursday I’m here to back her up.

Located on Mission — right where the Metro Gold Line stops — it’s a perfect place for a market. People stroll from the restaurants to the market and back again; stores are open late; and the vibe is nice.

Plus, the food vendors are top-notch. There are a wide variety of produce, bread and baked goodies booths.

But I have to say, the South Pasadena Farmers Market is less about fruits and veggies (you can find a better selection at bigger markets like the Hollywood or Santa Monica ones), and more about the festive atmosphere. While you’d be hard-pressed to plop down and sit for a few hours at the Hollywood or Santa Monica ones, while letting your little ones run wild, that’s part of the tradition at the South Pas market. Young parents with their kids sit on blankets, scarfing down gourmet tamales while their toddlers watch and squeal with delight as the Gold Line trains race by. (OK, that was me and Blogger Toddler last week.)

But get there while it’s still light out relatively late — and it’s still warm outside. The South Pasadena Farmers Market takes place from 4 to 8 tonight. Parking’s not hard to find — or take the train in.

One reason it’s a hit with kids: The constant appearance of the Gold Line, which Blogger Toddler never tired of watching as we consumed our tamales.

The farmers market staple: Fruit samples.

Tamales that live up to their gourmet name…

… just check out their menu. I ordered the “smoked BBQ chicken, red onion, cilantro and smoked Gouda cheese” tamale, while Evan had the more benign “green corn with sweet yellow corn” (which he completely consumed). We later brought home the “pumpkin and currant Jamaica Rum flavor” tamale for Maria.

As eaten on our blanket near the Metro Gold Line stop.

The rotisserie grill flames up.

Blogger Toddler meets Rice Krispie treat.

And oh yeah, produce.

A Day on the Gold Line, From South Pasadena to Union Station

Some weekends, you just want to break the rut. Even if that means simply choosing another Target (“Hmm, we hit the Empire Center Target last week, so let’s drive over to the Pasadena one!”)

But lately, Maria and I have been trying to mix things up even more — while at the same time making sure Evan is properly entertained.

Enter the Gold Line. After a morning at our usual weekend haunt, the kid-friendly Swork coffeehouse in Eagle Rock, we drove on to the Mission St. collection of stores in South Pasadena. As Evan fell asleep in the stroller, Maria and I checked out a few of the shops — including a collectibles shop that specialized in old magazines, trinkets and books (I bought a 1981 3rd grade history textbook on Los Angeles — including some cool shots of the Civic Center circa 1940s — for $1!).

Then, after we exhausted the Mission St. stores, we parked the car for good (free 3-hour parking) and jumped on the Gold Line, headed toward Union Station. At just $1.25, the Gold Line was worth its weight in… er, gold. Evan loved riding the choo-choo (he hasn’t yet learned the term “light rail rapid transit”) and smiled from ear to ear for the entire journey. (Yes, this is the effect Thomas the Tank Engine is having on our nation’s youth.)

We arrived at Union Station, where Evan had no interest in seeing where Mommy and Daddy got married (the old Fred Harvey restaurant). So we crossed to Olvera Street, where the colors, sights and sounds kept Evan enthralled. After waiting for 15 minutes at La Golondrina Cafe for a table, we left (trust me, the food isn’t worth the price there anyway — and the margaritas aren’t cheap. We dodged a bullet) and headed down to La Luz del Dia (West 1 Olvera).

Above, both Maria and I ordered the #6 platter — coincidentally, a favorite of Charles Phoenix’s. (A few months ago, on another adventurous Saturday, we hit downtown’s Clifton’s Cafeteria — another kitschy favorite of pop culture enthusiast Phoenix.)

La Luz del Dia offers some of the more authentic food on Olvera Street, which admittedly is a tourist trap. But I’ve always thought that Olvera was at least a tastefully managed tourist trap. And it still boasts a ton of history, including the Avila Adobe — L.A.’s oldest existing structure, and one we finally stepped inside for the first time on Saturday.

But back to La Luz del Dia. Our #6 platter came with carnitas, guacamole and salsa, rice and beans, and two fresh tortillas. ($6.24 — quite a good deal). The real bargain, however, are the tamales. We got Evan a pork tamale for $1 — and were impressed by both the size and by the taste. We also purchased a sweet corn tamale, also for just a $1.

Later, we couldn’t resist stopping by Mr. Churro for a fresh, just deep-fried cinnamon and sugar churro. We also walked around the plaza, where dancers were performing, and stuck our head inside the Pico House.

Eventually it was time to jump back to Union Station and take the Gold Line back to our car. Once back in South Pasadena, we did a bit more exploring (above, a statue at the Mission St. stop dwarfs everyone — especially Evan). We checked out South Pasadena’s main library (impressive and beautiful on the outside, but tragically sporting a 1970s-era renovation on the inside).

After that, we made it home (eventually — after passing through Hermon). Evan’s still talking about the train — I’m sure we’ll be taking another Gold Line ride soon.