Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 23, 2016

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 23, 2016 


Walking Sierra Madre…The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis

The Book of Awesome – Neil Pasricha

“Sometimes it’s easy to forget the things that make us 
smile. Sometimes it’s tempting to feel the world is falling 
apart. But awesome things are all around us:

Popping bubble wrap

The smell of rain on a hot sidewalk

Hitting a bunch of green lights in a row

Waking up and realizing it’s Saturday

Fixing electronics by smacking them

Being the first table called up to the dinner buffet at a 
wedding

When the cashier opens a new lane at the grocery store

When you’re really tired and about to fall asleep and 
someone throws a blanket on you

Finding an old mix tape

High-fiving babies

Bakery air (obviously, Poppy Cake Bakery)

Recently I was introduced to The Book of Awesome, 
which I immediately bought for myself from Amazon 
for $11.08. The things listed above are totally awesome 
and got me to thinking that Sierra Madre is filled with 
awesome things. Our own personal mountains to start 
with. There’s never a day when the mountains aren’t 
majestic, beautiful, sometimes wearing clouds ‘round 
their shoulders, but always glorious. Currently, covered 
with green. Awesome!

 Another awesome thing is that one can sit outside at one 
of our nifty local restaurants and look at the mountains. 
For instance, the tables right inside the front windows at 
Zugo’s, enjoy a glass of something chilled and slowly savor 
the butternut squash ravioli. Or, outside at Casa Del Rey, a 
margarita and some guacamole, chips and salsa, 

 Continuing up Baldwin a bit, you could start your day 
at Beantown, still able to enjoy a spectacular view of the 
mountains, and any kind of coffee you can think of, i.e., 
Espresso, Latte, Capuccino, Mocha, Breve, Au lait, Red 
Eye, Steamer, Americano! And free wi-fi! Awesome!

 Across the street, Wistaria also serves breakfast, lunch 
and dinner - again with a great view of the mountains if 
you beat your friends to the chairs looking toward them. 
Back to the other side of Baldwin, Villaggio Pizzeria has 
terrific pizza, fabulous salads, a patio in the back where 
they do wonderful parties for kids and they deliver! 
Awesome!

 Sounds like all we do is eat out. Well, yeah, but let’s wipe 
our lips and get outside for a bit. Sierra Madre is also the 
home of the only one of its kind Wistaria vine, named 
by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest 
flowering plant – covering over an acre – and one of the 
seven horticultural wonders of the world! Purchased in 
1894 by Mrs. Alice Brugman for 75 cents. We get to see it 
once a year in March, and have an awesome festival, too.

 Coming up in May is the 54th annual Art Fair, this year 
featuring Sarah Moore, who works primarily with high 
fire porcelain, stoneware and wood fire clays, all either 
hand thrown on the wheel or hand built. Having seen a 
tiny sample of what she does, I’m bringing my checkbook, 
friends and neighbors! Taking some of her awesome work 
home.

 Also coming up in May (28th) is the 8.6 mile grueling 
Mt. Wilson Trail Race. Rumor has it that several times 
womens’ winner, Sharon Pevsner, will be running, along 
with Lisa Cardella of Ixora Floral Studio and Cellibravo 
member, 14-year old Tatum. We’ll have two rabbits 
(Simon and Robert) this year to kick off the kids’ run and 
we’re looking forward to an awesome race.

 All of this is kind of a campaign to get us to stay home 
and enjoy our Village, rather than venturing out to dine, 
shop and go to stuff. We’ve got Attitude! and Les Champs 
Elysees if we want something new to wear – yes, guys, 
too at Champs Elysees. We’ve got nail salons and beauty 
parlors galore, fitness studios, many more restaurants 
than I mentioned, florists, a library, schools, churches, 
dog groomers, Taylor’s Meats; car repair guys, gift shops, 
a great vet: Dr. Walter Cailleteau; the best shoe repair guy 
anywhere, Mr. Ruiz; our own newspaper, the Mountain 
Views News, and our own Playhouse! Seriously, Sierra 
Madre has it all! 

 These are a few of the treasures Sierra Madre offers...
and I didn’t even mention the beautiful trees and gardens 
all over town. Awesome!

 My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis

 Blog: www.authordeanne.com

 “Tablespoon of Love, Tablespoon of Laughter” is 
available there.

ART OF THE GARDEN TOUR


By: Donna Packer

 After several welcome rainy days, clear skies and 
warm weather beckoned dedicated garden lovers 
to Sierra Madre for the 22nd annual Art of the 
Garden tour hosted by Creative Arts Group this 
past Sunday. Six private gardens in the foothill 
communities welcomed scores of enthusiastic 
visitors to view the latest in drought-tolerant design 
and plant species that do well with little irrigation, 
putting to rest any notion that exuberant gardens 
need massive amounts of water to flourish. Artists 
and musicians were on hand at Creative Arts 
Group to entice all who came by to browse, relax 
and enjoy light refreshments. This is the most 
eagerly anticipated garden tour in this area and 
participants come from all over the San Gabriel 
Valley, including a group of residents from Orange 
County who travel by a privately chartered bus. 
Art of the Garden raises funds for the nonprofit 
art center so that high-quality, low-cost classes 
can be offered to those in our community and 
throughout the San Gabriel Valley, and provides a 
limited number of scholarships to students based 
on financial need. Creative Arts Group also offers 
curriculum-based art projects at no cost to students 
at Sierra Madre Elementary school, as well as free art 
projects at Art in the Park. This annual tour affords 
people outside our foothill village an opportunity 
to explore shops, restaurants and other businesses 
throughout Sierra Madre.

 Creative Arts Group thanks this year’s 
homeowners, FormLA Design, and Garden View 
Landscaping, Nursery & Pools, as well as countless 
dedicated volunteers for a successful tour.


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GOOD NEWS! 

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uplifting especially in contrast to all the the challenges 
and issues we have to deal with daily. So, if you have 
something you would like to share, please submit it to: 
editor@mtnviewsnews.com. It doesn’t matter where you 
were or when it happened. Share your good expeiences in hope that it might bring a little joy and/
or inspire someone.

 -Susan Henderson, Editor/Publisher MVNews


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com