The Crown City

Fisher’s for Finer Foods was a restaurant that opened in 1947 at 3589 East Colorado Boulevard. It was named after its owner Clarence Fischer, a Milwaukee native that came to Pasadena in the 1930s. 

Clarence made his mark in hospitality as he worked for the famous Van de Kamp Holland Dutch Bakeries (including their Pasadena location), and co-owned a small chain of restaurants called The Headliner before opening his namesake diner. 

The building that once served late-night coffee and pie would change over its seven-decade history from a drive-in to a wine cellar and then back to a series of restaurants. It survives today as the home of Gin Sushi. 

This narrated story is the first in an occasional series called Past Present Pasadena as a way to connect us to our shared history. 

A special thank you to my friends at vintagemenuart.com. They are a Los Angeles-based business dedicated to rescuing and physically and digitally repairing vintage menus from across the world. Please visit their website and on social media for when they will be at venues across Southern California. 

The Crown City Podcast can be found on most platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Audible, iHeart and many others.

To support the podcast, please subscribe, leave a review on your favorite podcasting app or sponsor us at www.thecrowncitypodcast.com or www.patreon.com/thecrowncitypodcast

Altadena Town Councilmember Dorothy Wong joins the podcast to talk about the road she has traveled from growing up in Hawaii to moving to Los Angeles and eventually working in the TV production industry. An athlete and competitor, Dorothy discovered mountain biking and cyclocross and became an elite racer and legend in the local cycling community. Bikes led her to her other career as a race organizer and she has been the SoCalCross Series Director since 2005. 

Dorothy is a tireless advocate and leads with compassion and heart and has served on the Altadena Town Council since 2017, where she is the Council’s Corresponding Secretary and Chair of its Altadena Safe Streets – Traffic Safety & Mobility Committee. 

For more information on all things cyclocross, please visit http://socalcross.org/ and follow her on Instagram. 

This special episode was recorded at Loma Alta Park in Altadena. 

Music featured on the podcast is courtesy of Pasadena’s own The Nextdoors. Please visit nextdoorsmusic.com and follow them on social media for more information and updates on their live shows. 

The Crown City Podcast can be found on most platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Audible, iHeart and many others.

To support the podcast, please subscribe, leave a review on your favorite podcasting app or sponsor us atwww.thecrowncitypodcast.com orwww.patreon.com/thecrowncitypodcast

Heavenly Hughes and Victor Hodgson from My Tribe Rise join the podcast for a discussion about the Altadena community, its importance to their lives, and how it inspired them to create their impactful non-profit. My Tribe Rise was founded to create a voice of unity, and they have focused on helping others by providing food security, mentorship, advocating for freedom from racial profiling and police violence, and instilling a sense of purpose in those that need it most.

On Saturday, June 17th, they are organizing their Third Annual DENA Juneteenth 2023 celebration at the Metropolitan Baptist Church at 2283 Fair Oaks Avenue in Altadena from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. All are welcome to this family-friendly event.

For more information about My Tribe Rise and to support their mission of peace in DENA, please visit mytriberise.org and follow them on social media. 

Music featured on the podcast is courtesy of Pasadena’s own The Nextdoors. Please visit nextdoorsmusic.com and follow them on social media for more information and updates on their live shows. 

The Crown City Podcast can be found on most platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Audible, iHeart and many others.

To support the podcast, please subscribe, leave a review on your favorite podcasting app or sponsor us at www.thecrowncitypodcast.com or www.patreon.com/thecrowncitypodcast

Episode 39: Michelle Ares of LA Dreaming joins the podcast to talk about a journey that has taken her from Long Beach to Tennessee and back to California. When she was four and her family moved to Tennessee, she vowed to return to the Golden State and has worked in and around the entertainment industry since college, including time at Warner Bros, Disneyland, and Walt Disney World. 

As a way to share her adventures and passion, Michelle founded LA Dreaming in 2018 and, in 2021, launched her companion podcast. She brings the energy of a tour guide and the honesty of a local to explore and educate visitors and Angelenos alike. 

For more information about Michelle and LA Dreaming, please visit https://ladreaming.com/, follow her on Instagram, and listen to her great podcast. 

The Crown City Podcast can be found on most platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Audible, iHeart and many others.

To support the podcast, please subscribe, leave a review on your favorite podcasting app or sponsor us at www.thecrowncitypodcast.com or www.patreon.com/thecrowncitypodcast

Episode 38: Marla Frazee joins the podcast to talk about her journey growing up in the Los Angeles area and how illustrating her best friend’s book in the third grade started an illustrious career as an author and illustrator. For A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever and All the World, Marla has been recognized twice as a Caldecott honoree, a distinction for being one of the best children’s book illustrators in the country. 

In February 2023, Marla’s latest book, In Every Life, was published. It is a project with a Pasadena connection and a continuation of Marla’s incredible voice as an author and illustrator, blending intimate portraits and vast landscapes to share a timeless message. Over a plate of cookies and fruit, we discuss the importance of children’s books and how she creates stories that impact children and adult readers alike.

For more information about Marla, please visit her website at www.marlafrazee.com.

Special Guest: Marla Frazee

The Crown City Podcast can be found on most platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Audible, iHeart and many others.

To support the podcast, please subscribe, leave a review on your favorite podcasting app or sponsor us at www.thecrowncitypodcast.com or www.patreon.com/thecrowncitypodcast

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Episode 37: Pablo Miralles joins the podcast to discuss growing up in Altadena and attending Pasadena’s iconic John Muir High School. After a college professor submitted a music video he filmed to a student film festival and he won, Pablo embarked on a career in filmmaking and storytelling.

In 2008, Pablo founded Arroyo Seco Films to create films, TV, and digital media productions that entertain and challenge. He co-wrote, co-directed, and co-produced “Gringos at the Gate” - a film about the soccer rivalry between Mexico and the US and his most recent film is the award-winning documentary "Can We All Get Along? The Segregation of John Muir High School.” It is a powerful film about Pasadena's history, California's public education, and community diversity.

You can stream “Can We All Get Along?” at www.pbs.org/video/can-we-all-get-along-ssbdcv  and purchase it on Vimeo.

For more information on Pablo and Arroyo Seco Film’s current projects, including the upcoming “The Owen Brown Story,” please visit their website at https://arroyosecofilms.com/.

Special Guest: Pablo Miralles

The Crown City Podcast can be found on most platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Audible, iHeart and many others.

To support the podcast, please subscribe, leave a review on your favorite podcasting app or sponsor us at www.thecrowncitypodcast.com or www.patreon.com/thecrowncitypodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Lyon joins the show to discuss his life in public service and how he went from growing up in North Carolina and wanting to make documentary films to pursuing a law career in California.

Since moving to Pasadena with his family, Jason has served on several critically important city commissions and boards, including the Historic Preservation and Planning Commissions and the Board of Zoning Appeals. These experiences, along with his non-profit work, provided Jason with invaluable knowledge and reinforced his passion for public service. In June of 2022, Jason was elected to the Pasadena City Council for District 7 and will take office in December. Jason shares why he choose to run for public office, his views on creating a unified city, his priorities on the City Council, and we close our conversation with his perfect day in District 7.

Special Guest: Jason Lyon

The Crown City Podcast can be found on most platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Audible, iHeart and many others.

To support the podcast, please subscribe, leave a review on your favorite podcasting app or sponsor us at www.thecrowncitypodcast.com or www.patreon.com/thecrowncitypodcast

The Crown City Podcast is proud to be sponsored by Zencastr, an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives podcasters studio-quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how.

Go to zencastr.com/pricing and enter promo code thecrowncitypod to get 30% off your first three months with a PRO account along with a 14-day free trial. Zencastr is the modern web-based solution for both the everyday and professional podcaster.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Amsbry joins the show to discuss his journey from advertising and owning a small business to why he is running for the PUSD Board for District 3.

A product of public schools, Pat has an interesting history. His family could not lottery into PUSD to accommodate his son’s special needs, so they had to explore private school options. However, believing that our community should better support its local schools, Pat and his wife created Friends of Madison Elementary, a non-profit donor-advised fund that provides charitable and educational support for students and their families and teachers and staff. Pat discusses his top priorities for PUSD, including improving 3rd Grade reading and accountability, and we close our conversation with his perfect day in The Crown City.

To learn more about Pat and his campaign, please visit www.pat4pusd.com and to support Friends of Madison Elementary, please visit www.friendsofmadison.org.

Special Guest: Pat Amsbry

The Crown City Podcast can be found on most platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Audible, iHeart and many others.

To support the podcast, please subscribe, leave a review on your favorite podcasting app or sponsor us at www.thecrowncitypodcast.com or www.patreon.com/thecrowncitypodcast

The Crown City Podcast is proud to be sponsored by Zencastr, an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives podcasters studio-quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how.

Go to zencastr.com/pricing and enter promo code thecrowncitypod to get 30% off your first three months with a PRO account along with a 14-day free trial. Zencastr is the modern web-based solution for both the everyday and professional podcaster.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 34: Patrice Marshall McKenzie joins the show to talk about the role that Pasadena public schools had in her success, her journey in education policy, and why she is running for the PUSD Board for District 5.

Believing that public education is a community benefit, Patrice has championed collaboration and policies to not only improve schools but other important operations like how contracts are awarded. Since 2015, Patrice has worked for LAUSD Board Member Dr. George McKenna and currently serves as his Deputy Chief of Staff. Showing her commitment to improving Pasadena schools and preparing them for the future, Patrice co-chaired the “Yes on Measure O” campaign, which raised $516 million in bonds to upgrade schools and infrastructure. Patrice shares her vision for Pasadena public schools and how we can make PUSD a premier school district, and we close our conversation with her perfect day in Pasadena.

To learn more about Patrice and her campaign, please visit www.patricemarshallmckenzie.com

And https://www.patrice4pasadena.com

Special Guest: Patrice Marshall McKenzie

The Crown City Podcast can be found on most platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Audible, and many others.

To support the podcast, please subscribe, leave a review on your favorite podcasting app or sponsor us at www.thecrowncitypodcast.com or www.patreon.com/thecrowncitypodcast

The Crown City Podcast is proud to be sponsored by Zencastr, an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives podcasters studio-quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how.

Go to zencastr.com/pricing and enter promo code thecrowncitypod to get 30% off your first three months with a PRO account along with a 14-day free trial. Zencastr is the modern web-based solution for both the everyday and professional podcaster.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 33: Pasadena Wine Shop’s Nicole Lalagüe joins the show to talk about her career as a sommelier and how a car accident inspired her to open up her own wine store in the Green Street Village.

After working for the Thomas Keller Group and managing local sales and distribution for some of the best wines in the world, Nicole opened the Pasadena Wine Shop in May 2022. The store carries a diverse and curated selection of wine, but more importantly, it offers each guest the opportunity to find their next perfect bottle. Nicole shares her unconventional path in the industry, what makes wine so unique, and her ideal day in Pasadena.

For more information and to support The Pasadena Wine Shop, please visit www.pasadenawineshop.com. The Pasadena Wine Shop is located at 1055 East Green Street and is open from Tuesday to Sunday.

Special Guest: Nicole Lalagüe

The Crown City Podcast can be found on most platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Audible, and many others.

To support the podcast, please subscribe, leave a review on your favorite podcasting app or sponsor us at www.thecrowncitypodcast.com or www.patreon.com/thecrowncitypodcast

The Crown City Podcast is proud to be sponsored by Zencastr, an all-in-one podcast production suite that gives podcasters studio-quality audio and video without needing all the technical know-how.

Go to zencastr.com/pricing and enter promo code thecrowncitypod to get 30% off your first three months with a PRO account along with a 14-day free trial. Zencastr is the modern web-based solution for both the everyday and professional podcaster.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.