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 poem “Account of A Visit From St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore on December 23, 1823.During our conversation, Pamela discusses her journey in art and history and how it led to a personal ten-year project researching and curating a book on “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Expanding on the poem’s theme, we talk about its impact on the spirit of the Holiday Season and how its message of kindness and generosity has stood the test of time. For more information, please visit twasthenightbook.com and follow Pamela on Instagram at twasthenight_artandhistory for the latest news and updates. This marks the 49th episode of The Crown City Podcast and the last for 2023. Thank you all for your love and support and I will see you next year! The featured music on the podcast is courtesy of Pasadena’s own The Nextdoors. As a special gift for Hannakuah, Mika and Russell released the beautiful original Hebrew version of their featured song “All the Right Here” - “Tamid K’Rovim.” Please visit nextdoorsmusic.com and follow them on social media for more information and updates on their live shows.  Finally, a special thank you to Christine Johnson from San Marino Toy & Book Shoppe. Please support them and all small businesses this holiday season. 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.

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 engaging conversation, we talk about everything from the demands of family businesses to how going through Covid as a parent inspired Rita to launch Piper + Enza - a company built to provide children with engaging stories and toys and parents with expert resources to serve their family’s physical and mental wellbeing. For more information, please visit piperandenza.com and follow them on Social Media for the latest news and information. As we head into the holiday season, please check out their store for some great items for your little ones!The featured music 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. 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.

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 and Russell have performed locally but also hosted shows in the Midwest, and in 2022, they released their debut album, Linda Vista - an ode to Americana music. We talk about their backgrounds growing up in Minnesota and Arizona, respectively, the origins of The Nextdoors, and their recently released music video for their song Awaken. For more information about Mika’s work, please visit https://www.mikalarsonphotography.com and https://www.weddingsbymika.com and follow her on social media. Russell’s production company can be found at https://hiwheelentertainment.com. And for the latest from The Nextdoors, Please follow them on social media and YouTube and at https://nextdoorsmusic.com  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.

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. With Merch Motel, Barkev has hosted events, produced one-of-a-kind collectibles, hosted his own podcast, and released wonderfully made videos. For more information, please visit https://merchmotel.com and follow Barkev on social media, listen to Merch Motel Radio, and watch his videos on YouTube. The featured music 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, as I recently joined Acast.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.

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 La Crescenta to UC San Diego and then a career in post-production, where she worked on some pretty big shows but was unhappy. She took an unpaid internship at one of her favorite coffee shops, and started her second career as a barista and eventually the owner of her own wonderfully bright and warm shop. Found Coffee is located at 1355 Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock (Los Angeles), California. For more information, please visit foundcoffeela.com and follow Annie on Social Media for the latest news and information about the shop. The featured music 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, as I recently joined Acast.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. I am also experimenting with Substack and you can subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 responsibility of storytelling, the return of their famous bus tours after COVID-19, and an ongoing preservation battle over the B’nai B’rith Lodge on South Union Avenue in Downtown. This special episode was recorded at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, and we discuss its role as one of the world’s great independent research libraries. On Saturday, September 9th, Kim and Richard will host their Pasadena Confidential Crime Bus Tour. For more information, please visit https://esotouric.com/ and follow them on Instagram and subscribe to their incredible Substack newsletter. The featured music 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, as I recently joined Acast.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. I am also experimenting with Substack and you can subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 founded Exploring Pasadena - a walking tour project focused on what makes our area so interesting and unique. This summer, she joined the Pasadena Museum of History as Curator of History and Exhibitions and is already working on some amazing exhibits to celebrate the Museum’s centennial.For more information about Julia’s walking tours, please visit www.exploringpasadena.com and follow her on Instagram. The featured music 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, as I recently joined Acast.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.

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 FrazeeThe 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.

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 MirallesThe 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 LyonThe 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/thecrowncitypodcastThe 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.