Vision Rialto Report Available

A new website is online with neat-o research on The Rialto. Check it out, and if you have photos, insights or updates, let me know! www.rialtosouthpasadena.com

The Portantino Briganti Connection Tomorrow

Anthony Portantino, State Assemblymember repping South Pas, will be at Briganti on Tuesday 10/20 for lunch. Join us! It's 20 bucks. Lunch and lots of other stuff to chew on from Sacramento. Starts at 12 noon in Braganti, accross from City Hall. (Thanks, Nanni!) More info at www.southpaschamber.com

Rotary Rocks!

Just came from a San Marino/South Pas Rotary Chili cook-off fundraiser that was a blast. Hosted by Jeff Burke and Lorraine Triolo, it was to raise funds for a project to build a home for a family in Mexico. Great cause. Great chili. Plus I won a raffle prize . . . so I'm really happy! Hats off to the Rotarians in town(s). This was a great event.

City Council Candidates Forum on Cable Channel 19

Here's the blog post I promised at the close of the Candidates forum. Who you gonna vote for now? What did you think of their answers? For a repeat of the 1-hour forum, tune in to Cable Chanel 19 in South Pasadena. The replay will repeat on a loop between now and November 3rd, except when City Council and Planning Commission meetings are broadcast live.

City Council Candidates Questions

Tomorrow, Wednesday October 14th, the Chamber will host a candidates forum for City Council elections in South Pasadena, CA. Three candidates are running for two seats. What should we be asking these guys?

Paris in South Pasadena

Carlos Chavez-Andonegui presented South Pasadena City Council with a black and white painting of Paris - a donation to the City from the bustling new gallery on Fremont Ave. across from Carrow's. Created by a local resident of international acclaim, Roberto Gutierrez, the piece was part of a recent exhibition at The Fremont Gallery of Fine Art. It was part of the recent ArtsFest. But if you missed it, here's a quick video of that show. http://www.fremontgallery.com/files/Roberto_G.Paris.2.mp4.

Safety Tips for Your Business

Detective Richard Lee spoke to Chamber Members at this morning's breakfast at Mike & Anne's. The South Pasadena Police have a great response time, and he detailed several recent crimes and discussed best practices for business owners/managers. One new bit of news - it's now quicker to call 9-1-1 from your cell phone in an emergency than to call the dispatcher direct. The system now goes directly from the callers cell phone to the local dispatcher, as technology has improved. (It does not give the dispatcher an exact location, like land-lines do. But it'll get you the local police when you need them quick.)

Another reminder - by filling out the Business Information Form, including emergency contact info and key person identities, you can greatly expedite Police effectiveness if they ever have to respond to your emergency. Just go to the Police Station at 1414 Mission Street and ask for the form.

City of Trees. Sea of Paintings.

Over 100 paintings of South Pasadena trees, landscapes and notable street scenes were created by visiting and local artists in September. Twenty seven of them have been juried into a special exhibit “South Pasadena, City of Trees” at SoPas Gallery of the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. The show will open Saturday, October 10th with an artists reception. Come on by! 6pm to 9pm. It's free.


Paintings include tree-lined canopy streets, the Arroyo Seco and the big Morton Bay Fig next to the library. The Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Nicoles caught the eye of a couple of painters, as did a few landmark homes.  Hats off to the California Art Club members! These folks travelled from Orange County, Thousand Oaks, various points in LA, and all over the place - several times (painting day, drop off day, exhibition day . . .) In speaking with them, they love South Pasadena’s ambiance and they love the experience of this particular Plein Air Paint-out, sponsored by your very own, artistically inclined and community-centric Chamber of Commerce.

One other bit of trivia - The California Art Club was founded in South Pasadena in 1909. Many artists are local members, as is the club’s Managing Director, Lisa Cavelier.

Awesome Ostrich Awards. Yipee!

Well, we announced the annual “Awesome Ostrich Awards” and we're planning a big party to show them all off. The awards will be given to deserving businesses at the annual Board Installation, which is happening on Friday, October 9^th this year. Nine awards will be bestowed, along with one special lifetime achievement award for Bill Ericson, publisher of The Quarterly and The hometown paper that's been with us since 1888 - The South Pasadena Review.

We give the awards to spotlight unique and successful businesses. Gary Pia, outgoing Chair, and yours truly sat down over sushi and reviewed candidates and nominees. It's always hard to choose from so many clear winners, but it's also fun and rewarding. A complete list is online now at www.southpaschamber.com.

Yes, we really do hand out a giant egg to the Ambassador of the Year!