Wednesday, March 18, 2009

PASADENA RESTAURANT: SITAR INDIAN CUISINE

"Authentic Indian Cuisine with a modern touch."
If you are seeking Indian cuisine in the Crown City, Sitar Indian cuisine is a great Pasadena Indian restaurant to go to dine, featuring authentic Northern Indian dishes. With an affordable lunch and dinner menu, Sitar offers a weekly lunch buffet Monday-Friday from 11:00am-4:30pm and a Champagne brunch on Saturdays and Sundays that are also from 11-4:30pm.

Sitar Indian Cuisine offers a richly-varied menu of fresh, natural ingredients, traditional, whole-some sauces and flavorful spices. In a vibrant setting, it is one of the Pasadena restaurants that serves food that is natural and freshly-prepared daily on the premises with no additives or preservatives.

If you are looking for Pasadena banquet halls, Sitar also offers a full service banquet facilty that seats approximately 250 guests. The hall, which is adjacent to the restaurant, accomodates events such as wedding receptions, birthday parties, business conferences, etc. If needed Sitar provides full, extensive planning options to personalize any event, from valet parking, to in-house lighting, djs, red carpet set up, dance performances, live music, furniture rentals, and much more.

Sitar Indian Cuisine. 618 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA (626) 449-5954
www.sitarindiancuisine.com Hours: Sunday-Thurs. 11am-10pm. Fri & Sat. 11am-11pm.


RAMIRO RIVAS & ASSOCIATES
WWW.SOLDBYRAMIRO.COM

Monday, March 16, 2009

Pasadena Photos: Pasadena City Hall

Aside from selling Pasadena Real Estate, one of my favorite past times is photography. Thankfully I get to shoot from condos to estates in my line of work. This blog will be the first of my Pasadena photo blogs.

Enjoy,
Ramiro Rivas, Pasadena Realtor

Pasadena City Hall
After leaving Pasadena King Taco, I was amazed by the amazing presence of Pasadena City Hall. This historic icon is what Pasadena is all about. I highly recommend taking a late night stroll to feel it's romantic architecture.

Search Pasadena Homes For Sale

Sunday, March 15, 2009

THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY VS. THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY


A home in North Hollywood with a decorative lighthouse tower in the front yard.

A three-story tower in Pasadena that people live in! This was actually a water tower that was converted into a house by a renowned architect in 1924. It was a foreclosure home that was just recently on the market for sale. The current owner's bought it in February '09 for $320,000.


The 405 Freeway in Van Nuys.





A lion statue at a residence in Northridge that needs light to see.



You wouldn't want to be near this statue in the dark. A scuplture in the Chinese Garden at Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens, San Marino.

All in good fun. Both are great places to live. Click the logo to search for homes in the SGV AND the SFV:

Friday, March 13, 2009

QUICK LAUGH, DAVID AFTER DENTIST

This is hilarious, and a good reason to keep a video camera handy to capture priceless moments!


Thursday, March 12, 2009

WATCHMEN MOVIE REVIEW: NOT FOR KIDS OR TEENS


The stake of the world is in the hands of the Watchmen, a group of vigilantes/super heroes. The best way to describe them is if you got Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, etc... and gave them a couple DNA strands of evil.

The movie is very long, but it is the only way to get into each of the characters personalities. In addition, it's their conflicting personalities that makes them a wild bunch.

Now if you have children or teens, don't think that it's Rated "R" due to its violence. It has the following elements which should give it a NC-17 rating:
-A lot of gore/violence (expected).
-rape scene.
-murder of a elementary aged girl (not shown, but insinuated) by a pedophile
-Soft-core porn scene (super hero sex in costumes).
-FORGOT TO MENTION... Mr. Manhattan's enormous blue penis that is displayed on the big screen over a dozen times.

Don't get me wrong about it's content, because it was necessary for the movie. It's clearly Rated R for the reasons above and like many other Rated R movies. This is just an FYI in case you or someone you know plans to take their kids for movie night.

The cinematography and killer sound effects plus soundtrack make this one to see at the theaters.

Pasadena Real Estate Update

Pasadena Real Estate, Market Update on single family residences for the month of February '09.

In February there was:
-91 Pasadena homes came Active on the market
-37 Pasadena homes went Pending into escrow
-39 Pasadena homes Sold/closed excrow


Pasadena Real Estate update data came from i-Tech MLS.


Wednesday, March 11, 2009

RAMIRO'S HABANERO CHALLENGE, DONA ROSA PASADENA

According to Wikipedia.com, "The habanero chile (Capsicum chinense Jacquin), sometimes incorrectly spelled 'habaƱero', is one of the most intensely spicy species of chili peppers of the Capsicum genus"; and so it is for anyone to wonder why Pasadena Real Estate Agent, Ramiro Rivas, would take on the challenge of eating one of the world's hottest chile peppers at Dona Rosa Pasadena. At least he was compensated by the restaurant with a margarita on the house for providing entertainment to Dona Rosa's manager, waiters, and the onlooking patrons that became his audience while experiencing sweat and tears. I'm just glad my associate had a camera available to document the moment.









































































































Saturday, March 7, 2009

EXHIBITIONS AT THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens is an educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington in San Marino, California, USA. In addition to the library, the site houses an art collection strong in English portraits and French eighteenth-century furniture and botanical gardens that feature North America's strongest collection of cycads.


The Last Full Measure of Devotion: Collecting Abraham Lincoln
Feb. 7–April 27, 2009

Library West Hall Mounted in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (1809 –1865), “The Last Full Measure of Devotion: Collecting Abraham Lincoln” will present the letters, manuscripts, printed works, photographs, and ephemera of Lincoln as objects of deep reverence, relentless pursuit, and varying and often hotly contested interpretation. The exhibition will showcase The Huntington’s significant Lincoln holdings, which rank with the collections of the Library of Congress and the Presidential Library of Illinois as the most important in the nation.


Huntington Art Gallery

Once the house of Henry E. Huntington (1850–1927) and his second wife, Arabella (1850–1924), the Huntington Art Gallery opened in 1928 displaying what was then the greatest collection of 18th-century British art in the country, including the celebrated Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough and Pinkie by Thomas Lawrence. Since then the collections have grown enormously and now contain many great works of art of the Italian, French and Netherlandish schools, as well as a much broader range of British art and design from the 17th to the early 20th century.

After a $20 million renovation, the gallery offers visitors an enhanced experience with one of the finest collections of European art in the nation as well as a more accurate sense of the lifestyle of one of the most prominent millionaires of the early 20th century. In addition to a thoroughly updated infrastructure, the refurbished mansion includes 5,300 additional square feet of public space, new interpretive components, and new gallery presentations of approximately 1,200 objects of European art from the 15th to the early 20th century.


Library Exhibition Hall

At the heart of The Huntington is the Library, which contains more than 6 million manuscripts, books, photographs and other works in the fields of American and British history, literature, art, and the history of science, medicine, and technology. The Library Exhibition Hall showcases more than 300 of the most outstanding rare books and manuscripts in the collection. Among these treasures are the Ellesmere manuscript of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (c.1410); a Gutenberg Bible (c.1455); a world-class collection of early editions of Shakespeare; original letters of Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, and Lincoln; an unsurpassed collection of materials relating to the history of the American West; and outstanding holdings in the history of science and technology.


Virginia Steele Scott Galleries
Newly Expanded Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art to Reopen May 30, 2009

While Henry Huntington envisioned a collection of American art as early as 1919, his vision was not realized until sixty years later. In 1979 The Virginia Steele Scott Foundation made a major gift to The Huntington in memory of Virginia Steele Scott, art collector, patron, and philanthropist, which included a group of fifty American paintings, funds to construct a gallery to display the collection, and an endowment for its professional management. Designed by Paul Gray, The Virginia Steele Scott Gallery of American Art opened to the public in 1984, inaugurating American as a significant part of The Huntington's collections. Since then, the American art collection has grown dramatically, largely through the support of the Scott Foundation, the Huntington’s Art Collectors Council, generous donations to the collection, and significant long-term loans.


MaryLou and George Boone Gallery

The opening of the MaryLou and George Boone Gallery in March 2000 marked the unfolding of a new chapter at The Huntington, as the gallery created an international class venue for changing exhibitions. Since its opening, The Huntington has been able to undertake major exhibitions drawn from its own collections and to bring exciting national and international exhibits to Southern California from other museums and galleries.

The building itself has a long history; designed in 1911 by architects Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey, it was once founder Henry Huntington’s garage, used for family automobiles and to provide living quarters for members of Mr. Huntington’s staff. It took the commitment, vision, and generosity of MaryLou and George Boone to make the transformation of the space from garage to gallery possible.

Levin and Associates, a Los Angeles-based architectural firm nationally known for large scale restorations and adaptive re-use projects, renovated and restored the original building. It had been designed for Henry Huntington by Los Angeles architects Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey, who were also the architects of the Beaux Arts mansion which is now the Huntington Art Gallery, as well as the Library building.


The Mausoleum
A Greek temple dedicated to eternal love

Constructed of Colorado Yule marble, the mausoleum of Henry and Arabella Huntington overlooks the gardens from a knoll in the middle of the orange groves. It was a spot that Mr Huntington loved. Mr. Huntington selected John Russell Pope, one of America’s most distinguished architects, to design the mausoleum in the form of a Greek temple. Pope believed the classic circular peristyle (or double colonnade) and dome were well suited to the nature of the Huntington grounds because it presented a perfect front from every angle, and was a combination of two perfect forms, the circle and sphere. Pope later used a similar design in the construction of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.


RAMIRO RIVAS & ASSOCIATES
WWW.SOLDBYRAMIRO.COM

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

THE METRO GOLD LINE: PASADENA LIGHT RAIL TO UNION STATION

The light rail Metro Gold Line spans 13.7 miles linking Union Station in downtown Los Angeles and Sierra Madre Villa in East Pasadena via Chinatown, Highland Park, South Pasadena and Pasadena.

Aside from using the Pasadena Gold Line as a form of transportation to and from work, it is a great way to explore the cultures of the communites around Pasadena. If you feel the need to “get away” on a day off you can hop on the gold line from any of Pasadena’s six stations. The Pasadena Gold Line will take you to Highland Park where you can visit the Southwest Museum, Chinatown, or to where the line ends, at the Union Station and visit the historic Olvera Street for a taste of colorful Mexican culture.

Union Station in Los Angeles, which opened in May 1939, is known as the "Last of the Great Railway Stations" built in the United States. Union Station was partially designed by the father and son team of John Parkinson and Donald B. Parkinson, or the Parkinsons, assisted by a group of supporting architects, including the famous Jan van der Linden. The Architecture of Union Station is an experience all in its own. The impressive architecture combines the Mission Revival style, and Streamline Moderne style, which was a late branch of Art Deco.

The Pasadena Metro Gold Line joins two light rail lines, Metro Blue and Green Lines, and a subway, The Metro Red Line that crisscross portions of Los Angeles County from Long Beach to Los Angeles, Redondo Beach, Norwalk, Hollywood, Universal City, North Hollywood as well as Pasadena.

Search available Pasadena condos for sale close to metro stations.

The most notable Pasadena station of the Metro Gold Line is the Del Mar station because of the large scale restoration and expansion it recently underwent. The Pasadena Del Mar station has been converted from the old, historic Santa Fe train depot and is the home to many new construction apartments and Pasadena Condos, including the Pasadena Archstone Apartments, and the brand new Pasadena Dalton, which is a development project of high end industrial lofts and condominiums.

The Pasadena Del Mar station is on the southern edge of Old Town Pasadena and within walking distance of an abundance of shops, restaurants and theaters. Across the street is Central Park, the site of many special events including the city’s annual jazz festival. The Del Mar station is surrounded by several new residential buildings and features public plaza areas, restaurants, and retail stores.

If you are searching for apartments for lease or Pasadena Condos for sale within close proximity to the metro line, it is a great place to look since it is a city that has been becoming more urbanized over the past few years. With the ever increasing cost of gas and freeway traffic, the city of Pasadena and residential developers have put consideration towards many people’s desire to live within close proximity to mass transportation. Pasadena has been becoming urbanized in the central parts of the city and over the past few years, since the opening of the new metro stations, many developers are building urban condos and lofts which offer metropolitan living within the city.

Search available Pasadena condos for sale close to metro stations.

RAMIRO RIVAS & ASSOCIATES
WWW.SOLDBYRAMIRO.COM

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY: ONE OF THE NATION'S TOP REAL ESTATE MARKETS

Whether you live among the foothills in the Crescenta-Canada Valleyor San Gabriel Valley, it really is the best of California living.

Pasadena’s proud achievement in historic preservation, with more than 1,000 properties now listed on the National Register for Historic Places., has made it the leading city in Los Angeles that links us to the past. The Norton Simon Museum, The Pacific Asia Museum, and The Pasadena Playhouse are just a few to name if you’re seeking culture within the city.

In 2003 La Canada property values rose by 23.4%, an astronomical increase that placed the city at the top of the charts for the entire nation. Although now, five years later, the market has shifted, the community of La Canada, as well as many surrounding areas, have held its own in comparison to the nationwide drop in house prices. La Canada has not dropped anywhere near any number that would compensate for the rise in property values that have occurred like that 23.4% increase in 2003. Profiled as having one of the lowest crime rates in the country has been one of the contributing factors for the desirability to live in La Canada.

I could touch on the many other wonderful communities among the foothills, but will need pages to go on. Important to be said though, if you live with the San Gabriel Mountains serving as a dramatic backdrop, you have a lot to be thankful for.

Search La Canada listings or search La Canada home values.

www.LivingLaCanada.com

LANTERMAN HOUSE: A PIECE OF LA CANADA HISTORY

Completed in 1915, “El Retiro”, as it was known, was built by the second generation of La Canada’s founding family, the Lantermans, and today is one of a very few surviving pre-1920 residences in the city of La Canada Flintridge.

Dr. Roy Lanterman commissioned architect A. L. Haley to design a fireproof craftsman bungalow of reinforced concrete for his family. The house sits on 1.4 acres of restored lawns, gardens and oak groves, comprising 11,250 square feet. There are many arts and crafts elements to the Lanterman House, which was constructed with a U-shaped floor plan, including 32 pairs of French doors. The entire second floor is devoted to the ballroom, and the interior of the house retains its original furnishings and is elaborately decorated with plant and flower motifs that are characteristic patterns seen in the arts and crafts style of the early 20th century. Beautiful hand painted ornamentation, wallpapers and light fixtures are still remaining within the home.

Following the deaths of Roy and his wife Emily in 1948 and 1949, the house remained virtually unchanged, even though occupied by sons Frank and Lloyd until their deaths in 1981 and 1987. The house was left by Lloyd Lanterman to the City of La Canada Flintridge and has become one of La Canada’s few remaining historic landmarks, a veritable time capsule of early 20th-century Southern California life. It has been lovingly restored to its 1915 appearance by a grant from the California State Legislature and by efforts of community volunteers who have formed the Lanterman Historical Museum Foundation.

See available La Canada Flintridge Real Estate

Hours: Tours are provided Tuesday, Thursday, and the first and third Sundays of the month 1:00 pomp - 4:00 p.m. The museum is closed the month of August and holidays.

Admission: Adults $3.00. Students (12 - 18 years old) $1.00. Children under 12 are free with adult admission (children must be accompanied by an adult at all times - no strollers are permitted in the house).

Group Tour Schedule: Groups of ten or more, Tuesday and Thursday mornings (and one Wednesday morning each month) by appointment.

Lanterman House. 4420 Encinas Drive, La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011. (818)790-1421

RAMIRO RIVAS & ASSOCIATES
WWW.SOLDBYRAMIRO.COM

La Canada Town Center

The Thursday, August 21st 2008, opening of Sport Chalet’s 45,000 square foot “Building A” of the La Canada Town Center is the first of several grand openings expected to occur in coming months at the $60 million complex. The new development encompasses 11 acres of prime real estate in the center of the La CaƱada community, which allows for the self proclamation as La CaƱada Town Center.

The development is the accomplishment of a dream that Norbert Olbertz, Sport Chalet’s founder, has tried to carry out for over half a century. Norbert’s vision stems back to 1959 when he and his wife owned and operated the Sport Chalet ski shop that was located on the Northeast corner of Foothill Boulevard and Angeles Crest, which remained in business up until it was demolished to make way for the new Town Center. Olberz has come a long way since the first opening of the humble ski shop, as he now stands behind the companies chain of 52 Sport Chalet stores. In addition to the La Canada Sport Chalet, 15 restaurants and shops will be located at the complex, gradually opening to the public as they each are nearing completion.

Some have argued against the commercial development being brought into the secluded upper-middle to upper class family community of La CaƱada, which is a town that caters to its residents by providing a safe environment and top public schools. One should hope though, that the majority of La CaƱada’s residents appreciate the refreshing change brought in; A lifelong vision of a La Canada Flintridge resident who seems to have maintained the ideals of a family town with his 11 acre complex located in the towns new center.

See available La Canada Homes For Sale

Monday, February 23, 2009

DESCANSO GARDENS WEDDINGS


More couples are choosing outdoor locations for their weddings and has become one of the top choices for Pasadena wedding locations and La Canada wedding locations in sunny Southern California. With the sun softly filtered by mighty California oaks and the richness of the camellia forest, or amidst the breathtaking beauty of the International rosarium in full bloom, Descanso Gardens in La CaƱada Flintridge provides an extraordinary setting for special occasions and treasured memories. Purchased and developed by Manchester Boddy in 1937, Descanso Gardens comprises 150 acres of land, and can usually accommodate up to three weddings at a time. Seven different sites within the grounds are available to hold a wedding ceremony and/or reception, which include:

The Boddy House is a 22 room Regency style mansion designed by James Dolena. Sited above lush oak woodland, the house was built for Descanso Garden’s developer and publishing tycoon Manchester Boddy and his family.
Weddings held at the Boddy House Lawn or Terrace may have their reception in one of the locations below:

Boddy House Lawn/Terrace, capacity 90
Solarium and Foyer, capacity 50
Living Room, capacity 50
Dining Room, capacity 40

Van de Kamp Hall is a Craftsman-styled building used for lectures,large meetings and corporate functions, wedding receptions, memorial services and other larger gatherings. Fully enclosed, climate controlled and equipped with speakers and a microphone, Van de Kamp can accommodate up to 200 people for table seating or 250 for lecture/ theater style seating. The Hall is part of a complex of buildings located by the Visitors’ Center that includes an outdoor courtyard ideal for after-hours receptions.
Weddings held on the East Garden have their receptions in Van de Kamp Hall.

Magnolia Lawn An East Garden Location, can accommodate up to 200 guests.
Weddings held on the Magnolia Lawn have their receptions in Van de Kamp Hall.
The Japanese Garden: It lends itself to stylish outdoor events in a serene setting of Asian elegance. A feast for the senses, the Japanese Garden is graced by a blue-tiled Tea House and lovely raked rock garden, and the murmur of a koi-filled stream infuses the setting with the sound of nature. The Japanese Garden can accommodate up to 25.

The Japanese Garden is part of the East Garden Locations. Weddings held in the Japanese Garden have their reception in Van de Kamp Hall.

The Main Lawn and The Under the Oaks Theatre are East Garden Locations. The Main Lawn can accommodate up to 400 guests. The Under the Oaks Theatre, is an open-aired location with natural redwood benches that can seat up to 250 guests.
Weddings held on the Main Lawn or Under the Oaks Theater have their reception in Van de Kamp Hall.

Feather Falls is an East Garden Location. An intimate outdoor location that can accommodate up to 75 guests.
Weddings held at Feather Falls have their reception in Van de Kamp Hall.
The Oak Forest is an outdoor location located on the West side of the Gardens. This location can accommodate up to 300 guests
Ceremonies on the West Side of the Gardens have their receptions in the Rose Pavilion.

The Rose Garden is an outdoor location located on the West side of the Gardens. Within the Rose Garden, there are several areas to choose from: the Rose Garden Gazebo (capacity 200); Rose Pavilion; other Rose Garden Nooks (capacity 160 under roof).
Ceremonies on the West Side of the Gardens have their receptions in the Rose Pavilion.

See available La Canada Homes for sale

Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada, Ca 91011

Monday, January 12, 2009

FROM MARGARITAS TO MOLE: PASADENA'S TOP FIVE MEXICAN RESTAURANTS

If you are a Mexican cuisine connoisseur Pasadena is the place to be. With a wide array of Pasadena Mexican restaurants, from casual take out to fine dining, choosing just a selection of five to highlight is difficult. Presented in order of personal choice are my top favorites.

Mijares Mexican Restaurant
Being family owned for the entire 87 years it has been in business, Mijares is Pasadena’s oldest Mexican restaurant and is still going strong. If you go on the weekend for dinner expect to wait for a table but if you go for their famous margarita’s at the bar you’ll end up keeping the hostess waiting for you when you’re table is ready. Mijares was just awarded in 2008 “The Best of Pasadena” for dining.
145 Palmetto Dr., Pasadena
(626) 792-2763

El Portal
El Portal is family owned and operated, specializing in Mayan dishes from the Mexican region of YucatƔn. Located across the street from the Pasadena Playhouse, many patrons go to El Portal for a night of dinner and theatre. El Portal provides their own entertainment with live performances of Mariachi and Spanish guitar on Friday and Saturday nights.
695 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA 91101
Phone (626) 795-8553

Paseo Cantina
The live full Mariachi Band and exotic Folklorico Dancers that perform Tuesday through Sunday nights provide a colorful, cultural experience while dining. The Paseo Cantina, located at the Paseo Colorado outdoor mall, provides a basic Mexican menu but they do have a few adventurous regional dishes.
260 E Colorado Blvd Ste 203, Pasadena, CA 9110
(626) 683-3100

Dona Rosa Bakery & Taqueria
With a fast to-go service, Dona Rosa is a great place to grab lunch during the work week, unless it’s a Tuesday when the day’s specials are $1.50 tortas/tacos and refreshing $1.50 margaritas. Dine in at the restaurant for lunch on Tuesday with caution though. You may end up not going back to work.
577 S Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 449-2999

Cabrera’s Family Resaurant
Just as the name suggests, Cabrera’s is a family friendly restaurant, best known for their well priced lunch buffet which offers a variety of mexican food staples from enchiladas, to chile rellenos, chile verde, shrimp ceviche and menudo.
655 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 795-0230

RAMIRO RIVAS & ASSOCIATES
WWW.SOLDBYRAMIRO.COM