The Crown City Podcast

The Crown City Podcast episodes:

• 06.26.2024

  Episode 55: Award-Winning Author Naomi Hirahara

  Award-winning author Naomi Hirahara joins the podcast to talk about her journey from growing up in the Pasadena area to her career as a reporter and mystery writer. Reflecting on her Japanese American heritage, she shares how her background and...

  
• 06.12.2024

  Episode 54: President and CEO of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association Paul Little

  Episode 54: President and CEO of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association Paul Little joins the podcast and dives deep into the unique history and mission of the Chamber, from its beginnings as the Board of Trade in...

  
• 05.22.2024

  Episode 53: L.A. History Girl Malia Miglino

  Episode 53: Actor, producer, writer, and much-loved content creator Malia Miglino, known affectionately as LA History Girl, shares fascinating tales from her life, weaving together stories from her eerie childhood home in Seattle to her brave move to Los Angeles...

  
• 04.30.2024

  Episode 52: Historian and Author Roberta H. Martinez

  Episode 52: Historian and Author Roberta H. Martinez joins the podcast to shed light on the rich tapestry of Latino history, culture, and resilience. Raised in East Los Angeles, Roberta brings a personal perspective to understanding the Latino community’s roots...

  
• 04.10.2024

  Episode 51: Pasadena Now's Managing Editor Andre Coleman

  Episode 51: Pasadena Now's Managing Editor Andre Coleman, joins the podcast to share his journey growing up in Altadena and how Watergate inspired him to pursue a career in journalism.  During this engaging conversation, Andre discusses the current state of local...

  
• 02.28.2024

  Episode 50: Nature Boy Products Founder and Artisan Jacob Quetant

  Episode 50: Nature Boy Products Founder and Artisan Jacob Quetant joins the podcast to talk about how he turned his passion into a successful business that serves the health and wellness of his customers.  Jacob shares insights from growing up in...

  
• 12.20.2023

  Episode 49: Author and Publisher Pamela McColl

  Episode 49: Author and Publisher Pamela McColl joins the podcast for a special Holiday Episode to discuss her book Twas The Night - The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem in celebration of the bicentennial of the iconic...

  
• 11.22.2023

  Episode 48: Piper + Enza’s Rita Ho-Bezzola

  Episode 48: Piper + Enza’s Rita Ho-Bezzola joins the podcast to discuss the road she has taken from growing up in Taiwan and becoming a concert pianist to becoming the Founder and CEO of Piper + Enza.   During this...

  
• 10.26.2023

  Episode 47: The Nextdoors’ Mika Larson and Russell Mark

  Episode 47: The Nextdoors’ Mika Larson and Russell Mark join the podcast to talk about the role music and the arts have played in their lives and how they have built a unique sound in East Pasadena.  As a duo, Mika...

  
• 10.19.2023

  Episode 46: Merch Motel's Barkev Msrlyan

  Episode 46: Merch Motel’s Barkev Msrlyan joins the podcast to discuss his journey from growing up in Pasadena to how his interest in design led him to launch Merch Motel, a retro-inspired brand built around historic places and vintage signs....

  
• 09.20.2023

  Episode 45: Found Coffee’s Annie Choi

  Episode 45: Found Coffee’s Annie Choi joins the podcast to discuss creating a community at Found Coffee, the shop she opened in 2015 in Eagle Rock.  While coffee has always been a part of her life, Annie’s journey took her from...

  
• 08.30.2023

  Episode 44: Esotouric’s Kim Cooper and Richard Schave

  Episode 44: Esotouric’s Kim Cooper and Richard Schave come on the podcast to talk about their journey as guides and preservationists dedicated to keeping the stories and places of old Los Angeles alive.  In a far-reaching conversation, we talk about the...

  
• 08.16.2023

  Episode 43: Exploring Pasadena’s Julia Long

  Episode 43: Exploring Pasadena’s Julia Long joins the podcast to share her story of growing up in Pasadena, her adventures traveling and working in museums as a curator, and how she returned to Southern California.  With a love of history, Julia...

  
• 03.22.2023

  Episode 38: Author & Illustrator Marla Frazee

  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...

  
• 03.08.2023

  Episode 37: Filmmaker Pablo Miralles

  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...

  
• 10.26.2022

  Episode 36: Councilmember-Elect Jason Lyon

  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...

  
• 10.12.2022

  Episode 35: Pat Amsbry

  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...

  
• 09.28.2022

  Episode 34: Patrice Marshall McKenzie

  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...

  
• 09.14.2022

  Episode 33: Pasadena Wine Shop’s Nicole Lalagüe

  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...

  
• 08.24.2022

  Episode 32: My Zero Waste Store’s Cheryl Auger

  Episode 32: My Zero Waste Store’s Cheryl Auger joins the show to talk about her upbringing and career in engineering, project management, and cybersecurity and how a chance conversation changed how she viewed plastic and recycling. In the summer of...

  
• 07.28.2022

  Episode 31: Historian Bill Deverell

  Episode 31: Historian Bill Deverell joins the show to discuss his interest in the American West, the importance of studying our past, and his excellent podcast series Western Edition. Bill originally considered following his father’s footsteps of being a doctor...

  
• 07.13.2022

  Episode 30: Tournament of Roses’ Senior Event Manager Mariela Spillari

  Episode 30: Tournament of Roses’ Senior Event Manager Mariela Spillari joins the show to talk about the impact of her hard-working family, how she got involved with large-scale event planning, and her favorite part of a parade. Born in Guatemala...

  
• 06.01.2022

  Episode 29: PCC Board of Trustee Sandra Chen Lau

  PCC Board of Trustee Sandra Chen Lau joins the show for a conversation about the role education had in her early life, her work with non-profits and higher education, and why she ran for the Pasadena City College Board of...

  
• 05.18.2022

  Episode 28: Lauretta Records’ CEO Katrina Frye

  Lauretta Records’ CEO Katrina Frye joins the show for an in-depth discussion about her early involvement in the arts, the state of the music industry, why it was important to create an independent music label, and how she empowers artists...

  
• 04.27.2022

  Episode 27: Lindy Hop Dancers Ellie Jay and Mike Foncannon

  Lindy Hop Dancers Ellie Jay and Mike Foncannon join the show for an enjoyable conversation about dancing, their passion for swing, how they came together as partners, and what brought them to Pasadena in 2021. Los Angeles and Pasadena have...

  
• 04.13.2022

  Episode 26: CivitasLA’s Dwayne Gathers

  CivitasLA’s Dwayne Gathers joins the show for a discussion about his work in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors and why he launched the Los Angeles-focused podcast to uplift civic discourse and elevate emerging community voices. Born and raised in...

  
• 03.09.2022

  Episode 25: Semolina Artisanal Pasta’s Leah Ferrazzani

  Semolina Artisanal Pasta’s Leah Ferrazzani joins the show to share how her love of food took her on a journey from drying pasta in her home’s laundry room to producing some of the finest US-grown organic fresh and dry pasta...

  
• 02.23.2022

  Episode 24: Councilmember Jessica Rivas

  Councilmember Jessica Rivas joins the show to talk about growing up in a family of public servants, her early legal career, and why her family was drawn to Pasadena. In February of 2021, Councilmember Rivas was appointed to the City...

  
• 02.09.2022

  Episode 23: Breakthru Fit Studios’ Michelle and Phil Dozois

  Breakthru Fit Studios’ Michelle and Phil Dozois join the show to talk about their personal fitness journeys, owning Pasadena’s premier fitness club, and repositioning their business in the age of covid. Following the mandatory lockdowns, Michelle and Phil quickly pivoted...

  
• 01.19.2022

  Episode 22: Greetings Tour’s Victor Ving

  Greetings Tour’s Victor Ving joins the podcast to talk about how his fascination with graffiti growing up in Queens eventually led him to pack up an RV in 2015 to tour and install their now-famous postcard style public art throughout...

  
• 12.29.2021

  Episode 21: Brandon Lamar

  Brandon Lamar joins the podcast for a great conversation about youth engagement, serving the community, and his decision to run for Pasadena City Council. We also talk about the most important issues impacting his neighborhood, his service as Chair of...

  
• 11.10.2021

  Episode 20: Hood Liberation's Nadia Elhawary

  Hood Liberation’s Nadia Elhawary joins the podcast to talk about her experience growing up in Pasadena, why she became an educator and counselor, and how the social justice movement of 2020 inspired her to further get involved in her community....

  
• 10.20.2021

  Episode 19: Pasadena Picnic Co. Co-Owner Lena Kelly

  Pasadena Picnic Co. Co-Owner Lena Kelly joins the show to talk about creating unique locally inspired outdoor experiences for her clients, entrepreneurialism, and Mama Made, the non-profit she founded to support fellow mother-lead businesses or organizations. Lena is a native...

  
• 09.19.2021

  Episode 18: Journalist Justin Chapman

  Journalist Justin Chapman joins the show to talk about how his journey of covering the news started when he made some himself when he was elected to the Altadena Town Council at just 19 years old. A native of Altadena,...

  
• 09.08.2021

  Episode 17: Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin

  Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin joins the show to discuss how a trip to his local fire station as a young child would inspire him to pursue a career in helping others.  He would go on to become a firefighter...

  
• 08.25.2021

  Episode 16: Rick Cole, the Executive Director of CNU and Former Pasadena Mayor

  Episode 16: Rick Cole, the Executive Director of the Congress for the New Urbanism joins the show to discuss his work in addressing housing challenges, the importance of knowing and understanding our past, and how we need to create a...

  
• 08.11.2021

  Episode 15: Trevon Sailor, Founder and CEO of Sailor’s Brew Coffee

  Trevon Sailor, Founder and CEO of Sailor’s Brew Coffee, joins the show to discuss his voyage and the origins of his family-owned single-origin coffee business. Like Sailor’s Brew Coffee, Trevon has navigated an unconventional course.  He is a Pasadena native...

  
• 07.28.2021

  Episode 14: Nico Co-Founder and CEO Max Levine

  Max Levine, Co-Founder and CEO of Nico joins the show to talk about his journey into real estate investment, the problem with our current approach to housing, and how Nico helps build equity for its residents and community. Nico Echo...

  
• 07.14.2021

  Episode 13: Melissa Woolf-Heger of Gold Line Pilates

  Melissa Woolf-Heger, Founder and Principal Instructor at Gold Line Pilates, joins the show to share her approach to serving her clients, how creativity and determination got her through the pandemic, and the incredible story of why she became an instructor...

  
• 06.30.2021

  Episode 12: Community Advocate Blair Miller

  Episode 12: Blair Miller joins the show to talk about her journey in urban planning and affordable housing and lessons she learned from serving on several of the most important city commissions in Pasadena. We also discuss some challenges and...

  
• 06.16.2021

  Episode 11: Pasadena CLSC’s Dennis Robinson

  Pasadena CLSC’s Dennis Robinson joins the show to talk about the responsibility of upholding his family’s legacy in our city, his own journey creating a Pasadena-focused brand, and the role that community plays in his life and in growing the...

  
• 05.19.2021

  Episode 10: Neon Retro Arcade’s Mia Mazadiego

  Neon Retro Arcade’s Mia Mazadiego joins the show to talk about how a Street Fighter II pinball machine changed her life and how her husband’s hobby of collecting vintage arcade games launched their business. We also talk about the power...

  
• 05.05.2021

  Episode 9: Dr. Thelma T. Reyna, PhD

  Dr. Thelma T. Reyna, PhD joins the show to discuss her literary journey from Kingsville, Texas to her founding of Golden Foothills Press, a Pasadena based micro indie press. An award-winning author and poet, Thelma was a teacher and administrator...

  
• 04.29.2021

  Episode 8: Linda Lee and Scott Unger of Kidder Mathews

  Episode 8: Kidder Mathews Executive Vice President Linda Lee and Senior Vice President Scott Unger join the show to discuss the state of the commercial real estate office market as we emerge from Covid-19 and the work from home era....

  
• 04.21.2021

  Episode 7: Dr. Yvette J. Saavedra, PhD

  Dr. Yvette J. Saavedra, PhD. joins the show to talk about her journey as a young historian and her fascinating book, Pasadena Before the Roses – Race, Identity, and Land Use in Southern California 1771-1890.  The well-researched and thoughtful book...

  
• 04.07.2021

  Episode 6: Dr. Lynn M. Hudson, PhD

  Episode 6: Dr. Lynn M. Hudson, PhD. joins the show to talk about her upbringing in Pasadena and her excellent book, West of Jim Crow, which explores the ways California tried to control, contain, and restrict African Americans and the...

  
• 02.03.2021

  Episode 5: Mr. Pasadena Michael Calderon

  Episode 5: Michael Calderon, known around town as “Mr. Pasadena,” joins the show to talk about the history of his famous nickname, his decades as a Tournament of Roses volunteer, and some great retail and restaurant recommendations. For more information...

  
• 01.13.2021

  Episode 4: Pasadena NAACP Second Vice President Nicole Bernard

  Episode 4: Pasadena NAACP Second Vice President Nicole Bernard joins the show to discuss millennial voices, her involvement with community activism, and how having those uncomfortable conversations about race in America can move us forward. For more information about the...

  
• 12.30.2020

  Episode 3: Tongva Elder Julia Bogany

  Tongva Elder Julia Bogany joins the show to discuss her personal journey in learning more about her heritage, the history of the tribe in Southern California, and her work to preserve the language and culture of the Tongva people. For...

  
• 10.21.2020

  Episode 2: Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek

  On Episode 2, Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek joins the show to discuss his history in Pasadena, how the City has changed (or not), his thoughts on several important issues, including police reform, housing, the state of small business, transportation, and...