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 
88 
Mountain View News Saturday, October 17, 2026 
FOOD & DRINK & SURVIVING 
CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 
BOOK REVIEW 
“THE ADVENTURES OF HERMAN: A VERY SPECIAL 
PARROT,” by Rand S.Rubin 
Nearly 30 years ago when wasconducting Hiking Classes for 
Pasadena City College, I met Rand 
Rubin who was one of the hiking 
students. I learned that he was a Burbank judge, and 
I found him so intriguing that I interviewed him 
for the local paper, exploring his ideas about crime,
justice, and restitution. We got along well, and wehad a lot of common interests. 
I recall when he told me that, prior to hiking withme in the Angeles National Forest, that he believedthat this near-wilderness was a dangerous place, fullof gang members and bootleg burial grounds wheremobsters bury their enemies. I laughed. I too haveread horror stories about the Angeles National Forestwhere the writer, who lived far away, strung togetherevery bad thing that ever happened up there, andmade the Forest sound like it was worse than hell. 
Rubin began to realize that just the opposite was true,
that the forest was large and places existed where youcould take a nature walk with your family and listen to birds and picnic, often without seeingmany other people. 
Rubin has since retired as a judge, and is now the author of a delightful book for children, “TheAdventures of Herman: A Very Special Parrot.” This is an all-color, full size, hard cover book,
something every child—and parent – will love. 
It’s the true story of how Rubin found a young parrot that had fallen out of its nest, and rescuedit, and nursed it back to health, though it was never able to fly. Rubin named the parrot Herman. 
The story is all written in poetry, which is a great touch. We learn about the adventures of 
Herman, the parrot who cannot fly, through Herman’s view. Herman dreams about flying, and 
he flies into space, in his mind. He wants to swim with sharks and he does it – but he’s actuallyswimming with the goldfish in the fishbowl . He dreams about surfing. Imagine a parrot who 
surfs! He figures out how to play the guitar, and Herman makes friends with a butterfly. 
Rubin awakened my childhood sense of adventure and the rekindled the memories of mymother telling me bedtime stories. However, the Grimm stories my mother told me were 
designed to scare me to sleep. Rubin’s tale of the disabled parrot is uplifting, telling the readerto be compassionate, to have forbearance, and to act kindly towards everyone, even those whohave a disability. Herman shows children that they should be kind. 
According to Rubin, “Herman is not a fictional character. He is a real parrot wo fell from his nestas a baby and survived after being rescued and hand-fed by my family. Because of his injuries, 
Herman never learned to fly. Watching him adapt ,thrive, and enjoy life despite his disabilityinspired a story with a simple but important message: Sometimes the very thing that makes us 
different is what makes us special.” 
It’s a great story, a timeless book for family book shelf. 
Written for children four to eight, and their parents, this 8 ½ x 11 hardcover is published by ByteBook Publishing, Safari Hat Publications, 2026. Available from Amazon. 
Darn it! The 
D o d g e r s 
lost. But mybeloved UCLA 
Bruins still 
have plenty 
of football to 
play, and I'm 
not giving up 
on them yet. 
F o o t b a l l 
season is here. The Rams, Chargers and the rest 
of the NFL are battling it out, fantasy football 
owners already think they know more than the 
coaches, and somewhere between Sierra Madre 
and Arcadia, somebody is ordering a plate of 
chicken wings. Football and chicken wings. 
They go together like peanut butter and jelly. 
I've been reviewing restaurants for more 
than 20 years. I live, eat and preach Eat 
Local. I'm constantly telling people to 
support neighborhood restaurants instead of 
automatically heading for the big national chains. 
So I contacted a few restaurants, explained that I 
was writing about chicken wings and wanted to 
give them a little free publicity. You would think 
I was asking for their firstborn. 
I've spent years listening to restaurant owners 
tell me they need more customers. Then you 
call and say, "I'd like to write about you for free," 
and suddenly everyone gets very busy. Maybe I 
should have told them I was calling about their 
extended warranty. Apparently, giving awayfree publicity is harder than getting a food-cart 
permit at City Hall. Oh, I forgot. That's easy. 
Fortunately, I have spies. I call them my Silent 
Partners. These are friends, readers and fellow 
food lovers who tell me where they're eating and 
what they're ordering. No advertising agencies. 
No press releases. Just people who appreciate a 
good meal. 
And speaking of Silent Partners, I have my eye 
on a potential recruit right here in Sierra Madre.
My buddy Dan Bell. Dan has deep roots in Sierra 
Madre. He's the grandson of Mary Perkins of the 
legendary Mary's Market, and he just happens to 
be the longtime partner of Sierra Madre Mayor 
Kris Lowe. 
Now, I don't expect Mayor Lowe to issue an 
executive order declaring the best chicken wingsin town. Although, come to think of it, that might 
be one City Council meeting I'd actually attend. 
But Dan, here's your assignment. Find me a plate 
of chicken wings worthy of the Mountain Views 
News. And Kris, if you're reading this, feel free 
to help him out. No politics, no campaigning 
and absolutely no recounts. Just chicken wings. 
After all, somebody has to look out for the 
hungry voters of Sierra Madre. 
Let's start right in the heart of town.
At Kersting Court, you'll find Lucky Baldwin's 
Delirium Pub. It's the kind of neighborhood 
gathering place that makes Sierra Madre special. 
A comfortable pub, familiar faces and a place to 
talk about the game long after the final whistle.
And yes, chicken wings are on the menu, with 
Buffalo or barbecue sauce. 
Sounds like a good place to start my homework.
Then there's Sierra Madre Pizza Company on 
Sierra Madre Boulevard. Pizza and wings are 
practically a football tradition. You order a pizza 
for the family, add some wings, turn on the game 
and suddenly nobody wants to leave the house. 
Now let's head east to Arcadia. 
My friend Mike Freeman knows a little 
something about food. He owns Zelo Pizzeria, 
and when Mike recommends another restaurant,
I listen. His nomination? Hot Wings Cafe over 
in Pasadena. 
When a restaurant owner recommends 
somebody else's restaurant, that's what I call 
legit. Hot Wings Cafe has been around the Los 
Angeles area since 1986. Buffalo, mild, hot, extra 
hot, barbecue and lemon pepper. This is old-
school wing territory. And the 25-piece combo 
certainly looks like it means business.
Anybody remember Bill's Chicken? Of course 
you do. 
But Arcadia has a few contenders of its own. 
Twozone Chicken on Baldwin Avenue bringsKorean-style fried chicken into the conversation. 
That's one of the things I enjoy about the San 
Gabriel Valley. We don't have to settle for one 
style of cooking. Traditional Buffalo wings are 
wonderful, but there's a whole world of flavors 
out there. 
And over on Huntington Drive, BJ's Restaurant 
& Brewhouse offers another game-day option.
Yes, I know. BJ's is a chain. I'm not turning in 
my Eat Local membership card. 
Good food is good food, and I'm not going 
to pretend otherwise just to make a point. 
But I will always encourage readers to give 
the neighborhood-owned restaurant the first 
opportunity to earn their business. 
Here's where I get to exercise the best part of 
having my own column. My opinion counts, 
too. I have some pretty definite ideas about 
chicken wings. 
First, they should arrive hot. Not warm. Not 
something that's been sitting under a heat lamp 
waiting for the quarterback to call an audible.
Hot. 
Second, I want a little crispness. The sauce 
should complement the chicken, not disguise it. 
And third, there needs to be enough meat on the 
bone so I don't need a magnifying glass to find 
the chicken. 
I'm also a traditionalist. Give me the bone-in 
wing. Flats and drums. Ranch or blue cheese on 
the side. I'm not interested in something that 
looks like a chicken nugget wearing a Buffalo 
sauce costume. 
My father, Elmer Dills, taught me the simplest 
restaurant rule I've ever heard: Hot food hot. 
Cold food cold. You'd be amazed how many 
restaurants still can't pass that test. Now, did I 
find the undisputed chicken wing champion of 
Sierra Madre and Arcadia? Not yet.
I've got a few promising contenders, some good 
recommendations and a little more eating to do 
before I hand out the championship trophy.
Besides, that's half the fun of being a restaurant 
reviewer. I don't just want to tell you where to 
eat. I want to take you along for the ride.
And I know how this works. The minute this 
column appears, somebody in Sierra Madre will 
tell me I've overlooked their favorite place, and 
somebody in Arcadia will insist that the best 
wings are right around the corner.
Good! 
That's exactly what I want to hear.
Because whether you're cheering for UCLA, 
the Rams, the Chargers or just hoping your 
fantasy quarterback throws three touchdowns, 
remember that our neighborhood restaurants 
need fans, too.
If I missed your favorite chicken wings, don't 
call City Hall. Leave a comment.
And remember, there's always a good reason to 
Eat Local. 
Peter Dills has been reviewing Southern 
California restaurants for more than 20 years. 
His mission is to support local restaurants, 
share their stories and bring readers along for 
the experience. 
THE TASTING ROOM 
A DAMN GOOD MALBEC. 
I’m Gustavo Lira, Tasting Room Manager and 
Wine Buyer at The Bottle Shop in Sierra Madre 
with another wine and spirits selection. 
Who doesn’t like a damn good Malbec? With the 
weather cooling off and fall in the air, it’s the per-
fect time to uncork a bottle of Malbec from Ar-
gentina. I happen to have one just for you Malbec 
lovers. It’s the 2023 Zolo Reserve Malbec from 
Mendoza 
Zolo was founded by Patricia Ortiz in 2003. The winemaking team is 
headed by Fabian Valenzuela and renowned Petrus winemaker Jean Claude Berrouet. Yep, that Pe-
trus. The El Jarillal estate vineyard (elevation 3, 444 feet), in Alto Agrelo aka “The Land of Malbec”,
is certified organic. The grapes were harvested by hand, fermented in stainless steel, and then aged 
for 14 months in French and American oak. 
The 2023 Malbec Reserve is delicious. Red and blue fruit, strawberry, blueberry, floral notes, and 
subtle notes of chocolate and a bit of smokiness on the finish. Poorly made Malbecs can be rough 
around the edges, this one is a superbly made Malbec, with elegance and style. It’s also a helluva deal 
at $19.99. 
This wine is available at The Bottle Shop. Until next time – Salud! 
CHICKEN WINGS, FOOTBALL AND MY 
SILENT PARTNERS 
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 
88 
Mountain View News Saturday, October 17, 2026 
FOOD & DRINK & SURVIVING 
CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 
BOOK REVIEW 
“THE ADVENTURES OF HERMAN: A VERY SPECIAL 
PARROT,” by Rand S.Rubin 
Nearly 30 years ago when wasconducting Hiking Classes for 
Pasadena City College, I met Rand 
Rubin who was one of the hiking 
students. I learned that he was a Burbank judge, and 
I found him so intriguing that I interviewed him 
for the local paper, exploring his ideas about crime,
justice, and restitution. We got along well, and wehad a lot of common interests. 
I recall when he told me that, prior to hiking withme in the Angeles National Forest, that he believedthat this near-wilderness was a dangerous place, fullof gang members and bootleg burial grounds wheremobsters bury their enemies. I laughed. I too haveread horror stories about the Angeles National Forestwhere the writer, who lived far away, strung togetherevery bad thing that ever happened up there, andmade the Forest sound like it was worse than hell. 
Rubin began to realize that just the opposite was true,
that the forest was large and places existed where youcould take a nature walk with your family and listen to birds and picnic, often without seeingmany other people. 
Rubin has since retired as a judge, and is now the author of a delightful book for children, “TheAdventures of Herman: A Very Special Parrot.” This is an all-color, full size, hard cover book,
something every child—and parent – will love. 
It’s the true story of how Rubin found a young parrot that had fallen out of its nest, and rescuedit, and nursed it back to health, though it was never able to fly. Rubin named the parrot Herman. 
The story is all written in poetry, which is a great touch. We learn about the adventures of 
Herman, the parrot who cannot fly, through Herman’s view. Herman dreams about flying, and 
he flies into space, in his mind. He wants to swim with sharks and he does it – but he’s actuallyswimming with the goldfish in the fishbowl . He dreams about surfing. Imagine a parrot who 
surfs! He figures out how to play the guitar, and Herman makes friends with a butterfly. 
Rubin awakened my childhood sense of adventure and the rekindled the memories of mymother telling me bedtime stories. However, the Grimm stories my mother told me were 
designed to scare me to sleep. Rubin’s tale of the disabled parrot is uplifting, telling the readerto be compassionate, to have forbearance, and to act kindly towards everyone, even those whohave a disability. Herman shows children that they should be kind. 
According to Rubin, “Herman is not a fictional character. He is a real parrot wo fell from his nestas a baby and survived after being rescued and hand-fed by my family. Because of his injuries, 
Herman never learned to fly. Watching him adapt ,thrive, and enjoy life despite his disabilityinspired a story with a simple but important message: Sometimes the very thing that makes us 
different is what makes us special.” 
It’s a great story, a timeless book for family book shelf. 
Written for children four to eight, and their parents, this 8 ½ x 11 hardcover is published by ByteBook Publishing, Safari Hat Publications, 2026. Available from Amazon. 
Darn it! The 
D o d g e r s 
lost. But mybeloved UCLA 
Bruins still 
have plenty 
of football to 
play, and I'm 
not giving up 
on them yet. 
F o o t b a l l 
season is here. The Rams, Chargers and the rest 
of the NFL are battling it out, fantasy football 
owners already think they know more than the 
coaches, and somewhere between Sierra Madre 
and Arcadia, somebody is ordering a plate of 
chicken wings. Football and chicken wings. 
They go together like peanut butter and jelly. 
I've been reviewing restaurants for more 
than 20 years. I live, eat and preach Eat 
Local. I'm constantly telling people to 
support neighborhood restaurants instead of 
automatically heading for the big national chains. 
So I contacted a few restaurants, explained that I 
was writing about chicken wings and wanted to 
give them a little free publicity. You would think 
I was asking for their firstborn. 
I've spent years listening to restaurant owners 
tell me they need more customers. Then you 
call and say, "I'd like to write about you for free," 
and suddenly everyone gets very busy. Maybe I 
should have told them I was calling about their 
extended warranty. Apparently, giving awayfree publicity is harder than getting a food-cart 
permit at City Hall. Oh, I forgot. That's easy. 
Fortunately, I have spies. I call them my Silent 
Partners. These are friends, readers and fellow 
food lovers who tell me where they're eating and 
what they're ordering. No advertising agencies. 
No press releases. Just people who appreciate a 
good meal. 
And speaking of Silent Partners, I have my eye 
on a potential recruit right here in Sierra Madre.
My buddy Dan Bell. Dan has deep roots in Sierra 
Madre. He's the grandson of Mary Perkins of the 
legendary Mary's Market, and he just happens to 
be the longtime partner of Sierra Madre Mayor 
Kris Lowe. 
Now, I don't expect Mayor Lowe to issue an 
executive order declaring the best chicken wingsin town. Although, come to think of it, that might 
be one City Council meeting I'd actually attend. 
But Dan, here's your assignment. Find me a plate 
of chicken wings worthy of the Mountain Views 
News. And Kris, if you're reading this, feel free 
to help him out. No politics, no campaigning 
and absolutely no recounts. Just chicken wings. 
After all, somebody has to look out for the 
hungry voters of Sierra Madre. 
Let's start right in the heart of town.
At Kersting Court, you'll find Lucky Baldwin's 
Delirium Pub. It's the kind of neighborhood 
gathering place that makes Sierra Madre special. 
A comfortable pub, familiar faces and a place to 
talk about the game long after the final whistle.
And yes, chicken wings are on the menu, with 
Buffalo or barbecue sauce. 
Sounds like a good place to start my homework.
Then there's Sierra Madre Pizza Company on 
Sierra Madre Boulevard. Pizza and wings are 
practically a football tradition. You order a pizza 
for the family, add some wings, turn on the game 
and suddenly nobody wants to leave the house. 
Now let's head east to Arcadia. 
My friend Mike Freeman knows a little 
something about food. He owns Zelo Pizzeria, 
and when Mike recommends another restaurant,
I listen. His nomination? Hot Wings Cafe over 
in Pasadena. 
When a restaurant owner recommends 
somebody else's restaurant, that's what I call 
legit. Hot Wings Cafe has been around the Los 
Angeles area since 1986. Buffalo, mild, hot, extra 
hot, barbecue and lemon pepper. This is old-
school wing territory. And the 25-piece combo 
certainly looks like it means business.
Anybody remember Bill's Chicken? Of course 
you do. 
But Arcadia has a few contenders of its own. 
Twozone Chicken on Baldwin Avenue bringsKorean-style fried chicken into the conversation. 
That's one of the things I enjoy about the San 
Gabriel Valley. We don't have to settle for one 
style of cooking. Traditional Buffalo wings are 
wonderful, but there's a whole world of flavors 
out there. 
And over on Huntington Drive, BJ's Restaurant 
& Brewhouse offers another game-day option.
Yes, I know. BJ's is a chain. I'm not turning in 
my Eat Local membership card. 
Good food is good food, and I'm not going 
to pretend otherwise just to make a point. 
But I will always encourage readers to give 
the neighborhood-owned restaurant the first 
opportunity to earn their business. 
Here's where I get to exercise the best part of 
having my own column. My opinion counts, 
too. I have some pretty definite ideas about 
chicken wings. 
First, they should arrive hot. Not warm. Not 
something that's been sitting under a heat lamp 
waiting for the quarterback to call an audible.
Hot. 
Second, I want a little crispness. The sauce 
should complement the chicken, not disguise it. 
And third, there needs to be enough meat on the 
bone so I don't need a magnifying glass to find 
the chicken. 
I'm also a traditionalist. Give me the bone-in 
wing. Flats and drums. Ranch or blue cheese on 
the side. I'm not interested in something that 
looks like a chicken nugget wearing a Buffalo 
sauce costume. 
My father, Elmer Dills, taught me the simplest 
restaurant rule I've ever heard: Hot food hot. 
Cold food cold. You'd be amazed how many 
restaurants still can't pass that test. Now, did I 
find the undisputed chicken wing champion of 
Sierra Madre and Arcadia? Not yet.
I've got a few promising contenders, some good 
recommendations and a little more eating to do 
before I hand out the championship trophy.
Besides, that's half the fun of being a restaurant 
reviewer. I don't just want to tell you where to 
eat. I want to take you along for the ride.
And I know how this works. The minute this 
column appears, somebody in Sierra Madre will 
tell me I've overlooked their favorite place, and 
somebody in Arcadia will insist that the best 
wings are right around the corner.
Good! 
That's exactly what I want to hear.
Because whether you're cheering for UCLA, 
the Rams, the Chargers or just hoping your 
fantasy quarterback throws three touchdowns, 
remember that our neighborhood restaurants 
need fans, too.
If I missed your favorite chicken wings, don't 
call City Hall. Leave a comment.
And remember, there's always a good reason to 
Eat Local. 
Peter Dills has been reviewing Southern 
California restaurants for more than 20 years. 
His mission is to support local restaurants, 
share their stories and bring readers along for 
the experience. 
THE TASTING ROOM 
A DAMN GOOD MALBEC. 
I’m Gustavo Lira, Tasting Room Manager and 
Wine Buyer at The Bottle Shop in Sierra Madre 
with another wine and spirits selection. 
Who doesn’t like a damn good Malbec? With the 
weather cooling off and fall in the air, it’s the per-
fect time to uncork a bottle of Malbec from Ar-
gentina. I happen to have one just for you Malbec 
lovers. It’s the 2023 Zolo Reserve Malbec from 
Mendoza 
Zolo was founded by Patricia Ortiz in 2003. The winemaking team is 
headed by Fabian Valenzuela and renowned Petrus winemaker Jean Claude Berrouet. Yep, that Pe-
trus. The El Jarillal estate vineyard (elevation 3, 444 feet), in Alto Agrelo aka “The Land of Malbec”,
is certified organic. The grapes were harvested by hand, fermented in stainless steel, and then aged 
for 14 months in French and American oak. 
The 2023 Malbec Reserve is delicious. Red and blue fruit, strawberry, blueberry, floral notes, and 
subtle notes of chocolate and a bit of smokiness on the finish. Poorly made Malbecs can be rough 
around the edges, this one is a superbly made Malbec, with elegance and style. It’s also a helluva deal 
at $19.99. 
This wine is available at The Bottle Shop. Until next time – Salud! 
CHICKEN WINGS, FOOTBALL AND MY 
SILENT PARTNERS