Kat's 9 Lives

Who doesn't love a great Happy Hour? It's the perfect time and reason to check out Old Pasadena Restaurants and see what they have to offer. Now you won't have to rush out of work just so you can knock back some drinks and enjoy some snacks at a great price. Be sure to check out the extended happy hours!

Date :

March 1st - March 8th
Extended Happy Hours
Locations :
1810 Argentinean Restaurant
Bar Celona
Café Bizou
Café Santorini
Crème de la Crepe
Equator Café
Gold Class Cinema
Ix Tapa Cantina
Lucky Baldwin’s Pub
Luggage Room Pizzeria
The Melting Pot
Neomeze
Otis Bar at La Grange Orange Café
Point08 Bar at redwhite + bluezz
Pop Champagne & Dessert Bar
Scarlet Tea Room & Fine Dinning
Sushi Roku
Vertical Wine Bistro
Villa SORRISO

Website :
www.oldpasadena.org/happyhourweek/

Description :
Old Pasadena's finest restaurants, bars and lounges offer extended food and drink specials all week long during Old Pasadena’s first ever Happy Hour Week, March 1 to March 8, 2011. From $1 martinis and $2 beers to $3 gourmet sushi and appetizers, Old Pasadena Happy Hour Week offers something for everyone. Attendees can also enjoy free live music at various venues including Jazz, world music, and eclectic pop performances.

Numerous award-winning Old Pasadena establishments will offer attendees the unique opportunity of enjoying their famous cuisine at bargain prices. Exquisite dishes prepared by the area’s most talented chefs include: chorizo Argentino at 1810 Argentinean Restaurant, calamari with garlic aioli at Bar Celona, baked mushrooms stuffed with chicken and spinach mousse in balsamic sauce at Café Bizou, potato frittata at Café Santorini, coquina dessert crepe with bananas, melted chocolate and coconut flakes at Crepe de la Crepe, chipotle chicken pizza at IX Tapa Cantina, portabella fries at Neomeze, Kobe beef sliders with blue cheese, lemon basil aioli at Point08 Bar, spicy yellowtail roll at Sushi Roku, truffled mac and cheese at Vertical Wine Bistro and many more! Popular wine, beers, and cocktails will be served at discounted prices. Old Pasadena Happy Hour Week is a great opportunity to get together with co-workers, friends and family to enjoy multiple experiences at Old Pasadena restaurants, bars and lounges without breaking the bank.

Diners will not only marvel in the adventure of taste that Old Pasadena Happy Hour Week offers, but will also enjoy free live musical performances at various venues. Pop Champagne & Dessert Bar will host French singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist Jessica Fichot, Sunday, March 6 as well as eclectic singer and pianist Eliza Rickman who will perform a very special intimate set. Crème de la Crepe will also host live Jazz Friday, Saturday and Sunday as part of Old Pasadena Happy Hour Week.

Old Pasadena Happy Hour Week is produced by Old Pasadena Management District. For more information including downloadable menus, the public can visit www.oldpasadena.org/happyhourweek.

The Old Pasadena Management District (OPMD) is a non-profit business organization that creatively plans, manages and develops Old Pasadena as a unique, authentic and vibrant downtown experience. The OPMD currently contracts with the City of Pasadena to manage the Old Pasadena Business Improvement District (BID). The BID enhances the basic City services by funding district-wide security, marketing, and maintenance programs to provide a clean, safe vibrant downtown experience.

I certainly have died and gone to heaven for receiving a thoughtful gift from Ms. Lin. She brought me Truffle Honey straight from Italy. My one regret is that I didn't open that jar and savor it right away! Still, I am super grateful that I have this wonderful jar made with real truffles and not infused with the normal chemical truffle essence that you smell from truffle oils. Don't get me wrong, I adore the real stuff and appreciate the synthetic as well. One whiff and it sends my head reeling!
After I returned from SF, I had a huge craving for fine gourmet cheeses and The Cheese Store of Pasadena was the perfect solution. The best way to eat pungent cheeses is to add a dab of honey or a cut honeycomb to bring out the natural savory taste of the cheese. It is a great contrast to any salt crystal formations in the cheese. My favorite is to pair honey or honeycombs with a strong pungent blue cheese like the Blue de Bocage I bought at The Cheese Store of Pasadena. The strong flavor looms in the mouth and is enhanced by a well crafted honey, truffle honey, or honey comb to add a whole new layer of flavor. Try it out at home! Once you start, you just might never stop.
As soon as you pop the lid of this truffle honey, the aroma just fills the air and you are sent to cloud nine. Unfortunately I waited a little too long so the smell was greater than its taste. Ms. Lin informed me that I am missing out because she ate it fresh after the trip and it was just unbelievable! Thanks for telling me that NOW! Still, I am super grateful for the thoughtful gift. I am currently experimenting with my own truffles to infuse the scent and flavor into my own jars of honey.
I simply can't take my eyes off the gorgeous slices of real truffle embedded in the honey. Will have to save those special slices for a very special occasion to enjoy! When I do, I will make sure that I have all the right components so that I will be sent to foodie nirvana. My biggest regret is that I didn't buy the fabulous artisan bread at The Beverly Cheese Store of Pasadena. The bread I used was a multi-grain from Cream Pan. Even though they make fabulous pastries, the bread was not meant to be paired with pungent cheeses. My advice is to go simple on the bread because you don't want too many flavors fighting for your tastebud's attention.
Hope you find a wonderful jar of truffle honey in your local store and sit down to enjoy it to the last bite!

Tucked away on Lake Ave is The Cheese Store of Pasadena. After a grueling 3 hour drive from OC to Pasadena for Gourmet Pigs birthday party, I accompanied her to pick up some cheeses. Since my trip to the Truffle Festival in Napa, I have been craving some triple creme cheeses. The Cheese Store of Pasadena was the perfect answer to my foodie search. As soon as you open the door, the pungent aroma of ripe cheeses flow into your nostril. If you love cheese, then you'd be in heaven.
Even though it is not a huge store, they offer a vast amount of artisanal products. There were a few private rooms that seemed to have people tasting wines and cheeses, which would be a nice option to explore. It was a rainy evening and we were two gals with a party to start so we had to hurry. There were so many great products to peruse and a lot of holiday items that looked divine. Can't overlook the freshly made brie filled with truffles on their counter!
They have many cheese experts that will gladly help you find the right cheese for you to take home. There are a few different samples at the counter for you to try as you wait for the next available staff. The first thing I saw at the counter was a cute bag of Sea Salt Caramels from Little Flower Candy Co. They were a little pricey, 1/4lbs for $7. Nevertheless, I had to buy it to taste for myself and I know Ms. Lin loves salted caramel. The caramel and hints of sea salt were nice. I wished the caramel was a bit smoother and softer so that it would melt in your melt. Still, the caramel was solid and tasty.
I couldn't stop myself after trying all the different cheeses. The Delice de Borgogne made of Cow's Milk from France was simply divine! After trying this cheese GP had to buy this for her party instead of the Époisses. It was so creamy and smooth but with a strong pungent bite at the end. We loved the velvety texture and strong flavor. I admit it might have been evil of me to convince GP to buy the honeycomb they sold there, but it was so DELICIOUS! It was such a hit at the party. If you are to buy any strong cheeses then you need to pair it with honeycomb to bring out the natural sweetness and flavor of the cheese. It also matters what kind of bread you smear the cheese on. The artisan baguette sold at The Cheese Store of Pasadena went perfectly with the Delice or with just the honeycomb. C'est Magnifique!
My main purpose of finding a nice triple creme was to pair it with my truffle honey. Even though the Delice was great, I wanted to have a wide variety of cheeses to pair with my truffle honey. I asked for a lighter yet just as creamy cheese they suggested the D'affinoir made of Cow's Milk from France. This will allow the flavor of truffle in the honey to permeate through better and no strong flavor will be fighting for my tastebuds' attention. Be sure to serve these cheeses at room temperature so that they are soft and easily spreadable. The flavor emanates better as it gets softer.
Even though I had sworn off truffles because I have had my fill for the next year or so after the Truffle Festival in Napa, I couldn't do it! When they offered me a sample of their Boschetto made from Sheep and Cow's Milk from Italy, I couldn't resist! The first thing I did was inhale the fragrant aroma of truffle and I was hooked! Truffles are like a drug that I really can't say no to apparently. You really can't taste the normal pungent flavor of sheep's milk. There are slices of truffle embedded into the cheese. Honestly, it was just okay because I currently in love with having sliced truffles in the center of a triple creme.
Last but not least was the divine Blue de Bocage made of Goat's Milk from France. This blue cheese was fantastic! I think it is the goat's milk that they use that made it so soft and smooth with a pungent bite. We were both in love with this cheese because it was so flavorful. Behind the strong savory flavor was a slight sweet pinch of heaven that emanated through my mouth. After we left the store, the flavor resonated throughout and we ran to the car to eat the honeycomb so we can continue the joy. O=) Blue cheese is best with honey and even better, honeycombs.
The Cheese Store of Pasadena
140 S Lake Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 405-0050

I have heard so many things about Intelligentsia from fellow food bloggers. Finally that packed Sunday I was able to stop in for a drink. We arrived a little ahead of schedule for the Chocolate Salon so we decided to grab some caffeine for the day. One would think that this would be a quick stop but it ended up taking a lot longer than planned. There weren't many parking spots nearby so I went in first to get our coffees.
While waiting I couldn't help but check out all the goodies that they had to offer. I heard the location in Pasadena had more food options. Sadly we were short on time so I didn't have the chance to really browse or taste.
What really caught my eyes were the macarons in the case. I have to have macarons when I see them. Still trying to find ones comparable to Pierre Hermé. To be fair, I didn't at them until I got home that night but they were a little stale and hard. The taste was just so-so. I thought the peanut butter macaron was the best tasting but I wouldn't recommend buying these. For $2 they are on the pricier side without the great texture and taste. =*( I will probably still give them one more try the next time I am there to see if they are like that right out of the case, but they really shouldn't have changed that much in a day's time.
The staff were friendly and I enjoyed seeing them brew the coffee right before your eyes. I have to say their coffee is pretty pricey IMHO. The Ethiopian blend was $3 a cup and most of the other types were $6 a cup... *whistles* that is one pricey cup of coffee!
For my drink, I chose the large Mocha. The drink was rich and I enjoyed the foam art. I love it when my drink speaks to me. =) There were bits of nuts at the bottom of my drink. The drink wasn't too sweet so I added a few packets of brown sugar. Mmm sweet!
All in all it was fun to check out this happening coffee scene but I must say that it is pretty pricey overall. For 1 coffee, 1 mocha, and 3 macarons I spent $15. Kind of steep. Good thing I am not a coffee drinker! lol Still I am glad to try Intelligentsia out.

Intelligentsia Cafe
55 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 578-1270

So here is the current line-up for the upcoming month! =) Indulge your sweet tooth and on the same night you can savor a fine evening to support a great cause. Break the Cycle has teamed up to bring Savor The Seasons : Cooking For Love in October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Come out to support this wonderful cause. Also next month Taste Art on the Avenue is offering wonderful excursions every Tuesday where you get to have some of the finest cuisines in LA as well as be surrounded by beautiful works of art. Check out all the event details below!

Event :

Date :
October 10th 11 AM - 5 PM

Location :
The Pasadena Center
300 Green Street

Ticket Price :
Adults: $20 Advance Purchase
Adults: $25 at the Door
Children under 6: Free*
Children, 6 to 12: $10
*Applies to 2 children per adult. Each additional child under 6: $10

Description :
Discover, taste and savor the finest in artisan, gourmet and premium chocolates & wine.

The 2010 Third Annual Los Angeles Luxury CHOCOLATE SALON participants include over 35 chocolatiers, confectioners, wineries and other culinary artisans, such as: Divine Chocolate, Choclatique, Amano Artisan Chocolate, Essential Chocolate Desserts, Chubby Chipmunk Hand-Dipped Chocolates, Mignon Chocolate, Ococoa chocolates, Kika's Treats, Happy Chocolates, The Chocolate Traveler, R & R Chocolate Palace, Chocoveda, Marti Chocolatt, Clarine's Florentines, Amella Caramels, Moonstruck Chocolate, Suess Chocolates, Jer's Chocolate, The Toffee Box, Farm Fresh To You, The New York Times, Qure Water, Yelp, Meetup.com, Pasadena Weekly, LA Weekly, TasteTV, Chocolate Television, and more. All this in 16,000 square feet, over twice the delicious tasting space as 2008

Event :
Break the Cycle invites all to Savor the Season : Cooking For Love

Date :
October 10th 6:30-9:00PM
VIP guests enjoy early admission starting at 6:00 PM

Location :

The event is returning this year to
Global Cuisine by Gary Arabia at The Lot Studios
1041 N. Formosa Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90046

Website:
savortheseason.org
www.breakthecycle.org

Ticket Price :
Tickets start at $100 and can be purchased online through savortheseason.org or by calling Break the Cycle at 310.286.3383

Description :

Break the Cycle believes everyone has the right to safe, healthy relationships. As the leading voice for teens on the issue of dating violence, Break the Cycle advocates for policy and legislative changes that will better protect the rights and promote the health of teens nationwide. Engaging, educating and empowering youth through prevention and intervention programs,Break the Cycle helps young people identify and build healthy relationships.

Break the Cycle, the leading national organization working to end teen dating violence, invites the Los Angeles community to commemorate Domestic Violence Awareness Month and support safe, healthy relationships at Savor the Season: Cooking for Love on October 10, 2010.

This premier food and wine gala features top Los Angeles chefs “cooking from the heart,” a live and silent auction, music, wine and spirits -- all benefiting Break the Cycle’s work to foster healthy relationships. “At Break the Cycle, we work every day to prevent abuse” says Marjorie Gilberg, Executive Director of Break the Cycle: “This year’s theme—Cooking for Love—ties the event to our mission in a way that inspires our entire community to celebrate healthy relationships with us.”

Katie Chin of Wok Star says, “I am so proud to be co-hosting Savor the Season: Cooking for Love this year, as I have been a longtime supporter of Break the Cycle's life-saving work.” Serving as Honorary Host Chef along with Gary Arabia of Global Cuisine, Katie says, “We are thrilled to have such incredible chefs and restaurants lined up to support such an important cause.”

Event :

Taste Art on the Avenue

Date :
Each Tuesday throughout October
10/5/10 - Gala Opening Event - Gordon Ramsay at The London / Tasende Gallery
10/12/10, 10/19/10, 10/26/10
Please check the site for the Restaurant and Art Gallery

6:30-7:00 Reception
7:00-9:00 Dinner

Location :
West Hollywood’s “The Avenues”

Website:
www.avenueswh.com

Ticket Price :
$200 per person for the Gala Opening Event
prices for other dates vary, so please check the website

Description :

What's a girl to do when she arrived early to Pasadena but not early enough to go very far from Pasadena? Traffic was getting bad so I didn't want to venture up the 134 to Porto's. So what's the next best thing around Pasadena when you are craving for pastries or a bakery? Both Gourmet Pigs and I thought about Euro Pane Bakery, which was really close by. Ironically it is right by where we our dinner was scheduled too. I'll save that part for later. The outside had a nice lush of greenery that made the entrance way seem very inviting. It was getting close to their closing time so the cases were running empty. I read online that they are known for their Egg Salad Sandwich and Sea Salt Caramel Macaron. That pretty much sold me and I was hankering for some good macarons.
First thing I looked for was their Macarons. They had only a few choices but the vibrant colors were beckoning me. I was very tempted to buy them all. The case does not have name tags to tell you which flavors are there so I asked what was available. I chose the Sea Salt Caramel, Pistachio, and Espresso with Chocolate. They are not the normal sized macarons you see in France, but a heartier portion similar to that of Bouchon Bakery. I was surprised that they were pretty good. They were flaky on the outside and chewy in the center.
The best flavor was definitely the Sea Salt Caramel. I enjoyed the salt crystals on top that add extra flavor within the sweetness of the macaron. It was just the right balance of sweet and salty. I immediately thought about Ms. Lin and how she would really enjoy this. Too bad she won't be back until July 1st. At least I was able to find a decent place with a flavor we love. I admit that I have a soft spot for salted caramel.
The pistachio was light in taste. The filling was a little too creamy for me. Having a light pistachio flavor allows the creamy oily flavor to take over. I enjoyed the balance of the sea salt caramel better. The rich chocolate filling of the espresso and chocolate macaron was a richer contrast. Since espresso has a slight bitter taste, it makes the chocolate filling even sweeter. Nonetheless they were all enjoyable, even the next day.
Apparently included with the sandwich is a delicious Chocolate Chip and Nuts Cookie. I enjoyed the crisp exterior of the cookie while maintaining a moist center. The chocolate chips were semi-melted even at room temperature. Yummy gooey-ness! I was tempted to purchase a dozen home just to much on. It's nice to know that you can end on a sweet note if you order sandwiches here.
I normally don't order Egg Salad Sandwiches. In fact I don't think I have ever ordered one in a bakery. I have only made these at home. So what is all the buzz about their sandwich? Apparently Gourmet Pig tried to order one a while back and they said that they had ran out. This made it all the more interesting and desirable that I had to order one. I guess I must have better luck because they were available that day. It's a little bit pricier than I thought it would be but c'est la vie.
The sandwich is an open faced sandwich. You can choose what type of bread and I chose the Rosemary & Cranberry Focaccia. This was actually a great choice because of the savory flavor from the herb and sweetness from the fruit. What really help make the sandwich was the Sundried Tomato spread below the massive amounts of egg salad. I really wished there was more of that spread because it really made the egg salad pop. The sweetness from the tomato danced with the lightness of the egg. They really LOAD on the egg salad. It took a while for them to make my order, but now I could see why. At least you know that they don't skimp on their ingredients!
All in all it was a very enjoyable experience and a great find. The next time I am around in Pasadena I might just pop my head in for some macarons and maybe another egg salad sandwich. If I was a student around here, I would love to come here for lunch and soak in the ambiance. Enjoy the food, sweets, and maybe add a cup of coffee while I sat and people watched. Now that's the life.

Euro Pane Bakery
950 E Colorado Blvd
Ste 107
Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 577-1828

Yes, I have had Sprinkles too. I recently stayed up in LA with a friend and we kept going back & forth from Westwood to Pasadena. She had heard about Dots and wanted to try it, so we went. The prices are $1.25 for the mini's but I think the regular sized cupcakes are more worth it, $2.75. Both Sprinkles and Dots use very similar themes and design. I tried looking up online which came first, but I think Sprinkles was.
It is a very tiny shop, which has a lot of construction going on around it. The cupcakes are pretty good. They have different cupcakes on different days. I went on a Friday, so the flavors below are as follows:

Apple Pie was my favorite. It was just the right amount of sweetness and fruit inside. Like I have said before, I hate cooked fruit. So to my surprise I actually really liked this cupcake. It was moist, flavorful, and not too sweet even with the caramel. Although, I recommend you to have milk or some liquid around to lower the sweetness as you eat more cupcakes! One is never enough!


Piña Colada was actually a pretty good idea to make as a cupcake. At first I thought it might taste weird, but it sounded very interesting so I had to get a mini. It has a subtle flavor and was well balanced with the frosting.




Strawberry Shortcake was good. I think I would have gotten a better taste if I didn't order the mini. It was moist and light, not too sweet. The mini barely had any strawberries inside.





Chocolate Chocolate was only okay in my opinion. Not anything special that I would die for. I got it because my friend kept emphasizing about the Valrhona chocolate. I like chocolate cakes, but this one was so-so. It isn't that sweet since it was Valrhona chocolate. The frosting should have brought out the flavors of the cake but it did not.



Red Velvet is there signature, best seller, cupcake. I actually liked it. My friend didn't think much of it. I have had the one at Sprinkles and I think their frosting totally KILLS the cake. It was WAY too sweet. When I ate Dots I thought that the cake was moist, not too sweet, and the frosting brought out the flavors of the cake.

German Chocolate was my least favorite. I don't know why but there was this funky after taste in my mouth. First I tasted the chocolate then I felt this discomfort in the back of my throat. Personally I would rather have the Chocolate Chocolate.



Carrot was there, but I don't see it on their regular Fri-Sat menu. I love carrot cake so I got a regular sized cupcake. It was only okay. I have had much better carrot cake. The frosting was a little bit too sweet for my taste and I have a sweet tooth! It didn't bring out the flavor of the cake because it was too over powering. Although I thought Asia de Cuba's service was horrendous, the carrot cake there was AWESOME. (Click on my Dine LA review for pics & more detail)

The service was fine. A lot of people complained about them being snooty, but I didn't encounter that. They offer wrapping and it is so cute! I opted to get one of my cupcakes wrapped for no reason except for me to feel pretty and special while looking at it. It was only 75 cents, so that wasn't bad. I think they would make wonderful party favors for weddings, parties, or baby showers.
All in all, I'd come back if I was in town. Of course, I will be up in LA tomorrow and I am asking my friend to get me some cupcakes from here on her way back to meet me in Westwood. ^_^ Got to love friends!