Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 14, 2012

10

GOOD FOOD & DRINK

 Mountain Views News Saturday, January 14, 2012 


THE RAYMOND RESTAURANT

The San Gabriel Valley is rich in fascinating 
history and could easily fill a library with its 
intriguing past. One of the most colorful places in 
the area is Lucky Baldwin’s and it is named after 
the legendary, Lucky Baldwin, who established 
the Santa Anita Race Track, and the Arboretum. 
Another figure of ours that has left landmarks 
on the landscape is the Railroad Baron, Henry 
Huntington. His legacy is found in the influential 
Huntington Library, the classic Huntington 
Hotel, and a Hospital that is named after him.

Still another captivating pillar that marks our 
past is the Raymond Restaurant on Fair Oaks. 
This tranquil restaurant sits on the border of 
South Pasadena and Pasadena and is one of the 
historic places that can bring us back in time and 
allow us to live our history.

 

“In 1886, Walter Raymond, a Boston native, 
came to Pasadena and built The Raymond Hotel 
- a fabulous sunny destination for Easterners 
looking to escape harsh winter weather. On 
Easter Sunday in 1895, sparks from a chimney 
ignited the roof and the entire hotel burned to the 
ground in only 40 minutes.

Undaunted, Mr. Raymond built an even 
grander hotel with 300 rooms, along with a 
charming caretaker’s cottage. In the early years, 
Walter and his wife often stayed in the cottage 
when special guests didn’t occupy it. Gracious 
hosts, the Raymond’s entertained celebrities such 
as Charlie Chaplin, Tom Mix, and Buster Keaton, 
who visited and filmed in Pasadena in the roaring 
1920s.

Sadly, in 1931, the Great Depression toppled 
the Raymond Hotel and the party was over. The 
hotel was razed to make room for residential 
development, and Walter and his wife moved into 
the cottage, where they lived until 1934.

The caretaker’s cottage is now The Raymond 
Restaurant, and the timeless charm and spirit of 
this lovely space can be enjoyed by all.”

 I have known the owners, Rob and Leslie 
Levy for years, and they are the personification of 
hospitality. Their vision includes great food and a 
cocktail list that will refashion your perspective in a 
dazzling and adventurous assortment of cocktails. 
Recently, I attended the re-opening of the bar at 
The Raymond. I love the new name The 1886. 
The drinks were flowing and the bartenders were 
mixing 
magic and 
I felt as 
though 
I was 
watching 
doctors 
perform 
surgery, 
and I 
believe 
I was 
healed.

The 
General 
Manager, Chris Mangandi gave me a quick tour 
of the bar, and he promised me that they would 
revolutionize the world of cocktails in Pasadena. 
Special thanks to my bartender, Marcos Tello, 
who gave me a history lesson of the bar and The 
Raymond Hotel. This is my kind of classroom 
for history! The bartenders at The 1886 are 
uncommonly skilled in their art and each will 
revel you with stories that make you nostalgic for 
a bygone era. Make sure you come thirsty and 
there is no charge for the history lessons. 

The Raymond Restaurant is one of the unique 
places that we can call our own and is an 
adventure with every visit.

1886 Bar at the Raymond Restaurant 1250 S. 
Fair Oaks

Pasadena (626) 441-3136, Listen every Sunday 
Night at 7PM to my talk show on 790 KABC e mail 
me at thechefknows@yahoo.com

CHICKEN BAKED IN BEER


INGREDIENTS:

6 slices bacon, diced

3 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken pieces, such as leg and thigh quarters

4 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon leaf thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can (12 ounces) beer, room temperature

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

In an oven-safe Dutch oven or large saucepan, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon 
to paper towels to drain. Over medium heat, brown chicken pieces in the bacon drippings, turning to 
brown all sides. Remove to a platter as chicken browns.

Add onions to the pan and cook until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain off excess fat. Sprinkle on 
the flour, marjoram, pepper, thyme, salt, sugar, and garlic. Stir in beer. Cook over medium-high heat, 
stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in vinegar. Add chicken back to pot. Sprinkle with 
bacon. If necessary, transfer to a large baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 55 to 65 minutes, or 
until chicken is tender. Serves 6 to 8.

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Joyce Pan, Violinist, Brings Expertise, 
Enthusiasm, and Dazzle to Pasadena 
Community Orchestra January 27 Concert


SEAN’S SHAMELESS REVIEWS:

THE BIG PINK

Electro-rock duo, The 
Big Pink, return with their 
sophomore album, “Future 
This”, the follow-up to their 
critically acclaimed debut 
effort, “A Brief History Of Love.” 
While their latest compilation 
may seem like a companion piece to their 2009 record, 
I assure you, The Big Pink are still on the right track. 
What could have easily turned out to be the typical 
sophomore slump album for such a praised band ends 
up being sharper, deeper and cooler than their previous 
outing. Despite claims of changing their style on this new 
record, The Big Pink remain faithful to the sound of their 
first album which got them on the map. “A Brief History 
Of Love” was pretty self-explanatory in it’s title; a record 
about love and everything (good and bad) that comes 
with it. However, with “Future This”, the tracks don’t 
necessarily tie in with one another and feel more stand-
alone than appearing to be a part of a concept album 
with a consistent theme. While the duration of the record 
is ephemeral, The Big Pink delivers ten brand new tracks 
that sound polished and tighter than possibly anything 
else in the genre. Granted, while their resonance hasn’t 
changed all that much, I still believe “Future This” marks 
the first great album of 2012. 

The synth-pop team adds some fuzzed out guitars 
and sub-bass howls to their super-charged sound. The 
energy is high and production values top-notch. This 
is a loud tracklist with beats and samples, instrumental 
layers and some vocal melodies scattered in the album. 
“Stay Gold”, the band’s opening track and single, bears 
a strong resemblance to their hit single, “Dominoes” 
from the last album. It’s a very friendly radio tune that 
definitely has “single” written all over of it of course, 
but that shouldn’t devalue it. It’s not the best song of the 
bunch; however, it’s the catchiest and arguably most fun. 
The second track, “Hit The Ground (Superman)” follows 
in the same footsteps as “Stay Gold”. It’s a grandiose and 
ambitious tune that puts a lot of emphasis on the chorus 
rather than the verses. Simple lyrics and metaphors, but 
solid sound, if not a bit formulaic even for The Big Pink. 
Not surprising at all to find out the aforementioned track 
is the second single off the record. 

 In a rare instance, the singles are not the best 
songs off the record. “The Palace” is a beautiful sounding 
euphoria-like song. It’s gold from beginning to end. The 
following track “1313” starts off soft and breezy but 
ends up a bit rough around the edges. One moment it 
floats effortlessly and the next it’s a little too random in 
some spots. The song is at least a minute too long since it 
travels into an entirely different location of soundsphere. 
The second to last track, “Future This” is a dark, deeply 
synthesized song that showcases superior harmonies. It’s 
the perfect out of the box sort of song that oddly feels 
inside the box as well. “77” is the closing track and the 
one song on the album that shows a different side of The 
Big Pink. The finale is an intensely personal track that’s 
beyond anything they’ve produced. With “77”, The Big 
Pink displays a break from their signature sound. It’s 
the highlight of the record and surely to stand toe-to-toe 
as one of the best songs for the year. Fans of their first 
album are either going to be pleased with the palpable 
comparison or loathe the fact the band didn’t fully dive 
into unfamiliar terrain. No matter the case, this album 
is everything I could have hoped for in a follow-up and 
then some. Not perfect by any means, “Future This” is 
one lively, often entertaining, sometimes sensitive, keen 
piece of work. 

PASADENA, Calif. – January 9, 
2012 – Joyce Pan will 
perform Prokofiev’s Violin 
Concerto No. 2 in G minor 
with conductor Alan 
Reinecke and the Pasadena 
Community Orchestra on 
Friday, Jan. 27, at 8 p.m. 
in the Sanctuary 
of First Church 
of the Nazarene, 
Pasadena (PazNaz). 
The church is located at 3700 
E. Sierra Madre Blvd., one 
block west of Michillinda 
Ave. Reinecke, in his 
fourth year as conductor 
following his father Wayne’s 
retirement in 2008, leads 
the symphony in Smetana’s Sarka, from 
Ma Vlast, and Mozart’s beloved Symphony 
#39 in E-flat Major.

Before joining PCO, Joyce served for 
three years as concertmistress of California 
Youth Symphony in the Bay Area . She has 
soloed with California Youth Symphony 
and San Jose Youth Symphony, and has won 
numerous awards, including the Stanford 
Young Artist Festival, the Palo Alto Jewish 
Community Center Sound of Music 
Festival, and Music Teacher’s Association 
of California VOCE competition. She has 
studied privately with Patrician Burnham, 
Livia Sohn, Henry Gronnier and with St. 
Lawrence String Quartet members Geoff 
Nuttall, Barry Shiffman, and Christopher 
Constanza. With Bachelor’s and Master’s 
degrees in Computer Science from 
Stanford University, Joyce currently works 
as technical director at DreamWorks 
Animation.

Ms. Pan has always 
been a big fan of 
Prokofiev, she revealed, 
“particularly for his 
unique rhythms and 
intervals. The range 
of sounds he explores 
in his music, from 
the very tender to the 
discordant and harsh, 
makes it easy to relate 
to emotionally.” This 
violin concerto is one of 
his more conventional 
compositions, weaving 
romantic melodies 
reminiscent of traditional 
Russian folk music with 
brash peasant dance tunes throughout the 
piece. It premiered in Madrid, Spain, in 
December 1935 to wild applause.

The 2011-2012 concert series marks 
Pasadena Community Orchestra’s 
28th year bringing fine classical music 
to the community. Concerts are free, 
with donations taken at the door. Well-
trained musicians, professionals in other 
fields, provide a high-quality musical 
experience. PazNaz offers an abundance 
of free parking with wheelchair access. 
As an added bonus, guests are treated 
to refreshments at an after-concert 
reception enabling musicians, soloists, 
and concertgoers to meet and mingle. 
For further information, please contact 
the orchestra at 626.445.6708, via email at 
pcoemails@gmail.com, or at http://www.
pcomusic.org.


Artist: The Big Pink

Record: Future This

Label: 4AD Records

Release Date: January 17, 2012

Grade: 8.3 out of 10

Key Tracks: “The Palace”, “Future This”, “77”