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FOOD - DRINK - FUN

Mountain Views News Saturday, August 23, 2025


FROM MY BUNKER IN PASADENA: LOOKING 
BACK AT AUGUST’S FOOD HOLIDAYS

Peter Dills thechefknows@yahoo.com

It was so hot this past week that I barely left the comfort of my air conditioning. Stepping 
outside felt like punishment, so from my bunker deep in Pasadena, I kept an eye on the 
calendar and smiled as each quirky food holiday came and went. August might be known 
for scorching sidewalks, but it also served up a buffet of excuses to celebrate.

Early Month: Beer, Ice Cream, and Watermelon

August kicked off with International Beer Day on the 1st. If you were lucky enough to 
grab a frosty pint at Mercado’s Happy Hour — $4 Tecate and an $8 Mercado Margarita, 
need I say more — you had the perfect excuse. The very next day, Aug. 2, was National Ice 
Cream Sandwich Day. I thought about sneaking over to Twohey’s in South Pasadena for 
an old-fashioned sundae instead. It wasn’t an ice cream sandwich, but in this heat, who’s 
complaining?

Aug. 3 brought National Watermelon Day. Nothing says summer like a cold slice of watermelon, 
and I can imagine the boys at Brookside Golf Course trying to turn it into a 
seed-spitting contest after breakfast. By Aug. 4 we were already on to National Chocolate 
Chip Cookie Day, which is really just America’s way of reminding us that dessert doesn’t 
need a holiday, but we’ll happily take one.

Mid-Month: Cookies, Fajitas, and Pinot

The real action came mid-month. On Aug. 10, National S’mores Day had me daydreaming 
of campfires — or at least the tableside version I once spotted at a trendy Pasadena 
spot. Then, Aug. 18 delivered a double feature: National Fajita Day and National Pinot 
Noir Day. If you celebrated with sizzling onions and peppers at Casa Del Rey Mexican 
(and maybe Jamie’s famous margarita as a warm-up), a nice glass of Pinot after dinner 
would’ve made the night complete.

Aug. 19 turned up the heat for National Hot & Spicy Food Day. Perfect excuse to test your 
spice tolerance on chile verde or a fiery salsa — though I’ll admit, my go-to spice fix is 
still a simple basket of chips and salsa. Aug. 20 followed with National Bacon Lovers Day. 
While Colombo’s Italian Steakhouse in Eagle Rock is my go-to for pasta and steak, this 
was more of a Cobb salad day — and yes, a true Cobb always has bacon. My father used 
to say a restaurant’s salad tells you as much about its chef as a soup does, and I think he 
was right.

Late Month: Waffles, Wine, and Trail Mix

Toward the end of the month, Aug. 24 doubled up with National Waffle Day and National 
Peach Pie Day. A morning at Nano Café in Sierra Madre would’ve been a fine way to toast 
waffles.

Aug. 25 was National Banana Split Day, which belongs to Twohey’s as much as Dodger 
Dogs belong to Dodger Stadium. If you didn’t make it this year, there’s always next. Just 
before Labor Day, Aug. 28 brought us National Cabernet Sauvignon Day. I can’t think 
of a better way to honor it than with a steak dinner at Taylor’s Steakhouse in La Cañada. 
Bruce Taylor has kept his family’s tradition alive, and a big steak with a bold Cab is about 
as timeless as it gets.

Finally, Aug. 31 wrapped it all up with National Trail Mix Day. I’ll confess — like many of 
you — I dig through for the M&Ms first. Maybe that’s the point.

In Summary

August may have been unbearably hot, but the calendar gave us plenty of reasons to stay 
cool — and to eat and drink well. From beers at Mercado to waffles in Sierra Madre, 
sundaes at Twohey’s, and Cabernet at Taylor’s, the month reminded us that food is about 
tradition, memory, and fun. My dad used to joke, “Why waste KABC’s money on a bad 
restaurant?” and August felt like the same rule applied — why waste a day when you can 
celebrate with good food and drink?

If you marked any of these holidays, consider yourself part of the club. And if you missed 
them, don’t worry. September is waiting, with its own lineup of food holidays, and I’ll be 
here in Pasadena, hunkered down with the A/C humming, ready to report back.

Have you checked out the latest podcast ? Peter Dills


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