The Crown City

Episode 33: Pasadena Wine Shop’s Nicole Lalagüe joins the show to talk about her career as a sommelier and how a car accident inspired her to open up her own wine store in the Green Street Village. After working for the Thomas Keller Group and managing local sales and distribution for some of the best wines in the world, Nicole opened the Pasadena Wine Shop in May 2022. The store carries a diverse...

Episode 32: My Zero Waste Store’s Cheryl Auger joins the show to talk about her upbringing and career in engineering, project management, and cybersecurity and how a chance conversation changed how she viewed plastic and recycling. In the summer of 2020, Cheryl opened My Zero Waste Store to reduce our dependence on plastics and to offer customers a more sustainable shopping experience. As of June...

Episode 31: Historian Bill Deverell joins the show to discuss his interest in the American West, the importance of studying our past, and his excellent podcast series Western Edition. Bill originally considered following his father’s footsteps of being a doctor before dedicating himself to exploring the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Following professorships at UC San Diego and CalTech, Bill...

Episode 30: Tournament of Roses’ Senior Event Manager Mariela Spillari joins the show to talk about the impact of her hard-working family, how she got involved with large-scale event planning, and her favorite part of a parade. Born in Guatemala and raised in New York, Mariela has built a successful career in one of the most stressful and demanding jobs imaginable. Before joining the Tournament of...

PCC Board of Trustee Sandra Chen Lau joins the show for a conversation about the role education had in her early life, her work with non-profits and higher education, and why she ran for the Pasadena City College Board of Trustees in 2018. Raised in Monterey Park after her family immigrated from China, Sandra attended Rio Hondo College before earning her bachelor’s degree from UC Riverside and a m...

Lauretta Records’ CEO Katrina Frye joins the show for an in-depth discussion about her early involvement in the arts, the state of the music industry, why it was important to create an independent music label, and how she empowers artists to build long-term careers. Born and raised in San Luis Obispo, Katrina has built her career in arts management with incredible experiences such as being a band...

Lindy Hop Dancers Ellie Jay and Mike Foncannon join the show for an enjoyable conversation about dancing, their passion for swing, how they came together as partners, and what brought them to Pasadena in 2021. Los Angeles and Pasadena have a rich history in Lindy Hop, and Ellie and Mike have brought their unique style to this energetic and artistic scene. Ellie and Mike come from different backgro...

CivitasLA’s Dwayne Gathers joins the show for a discussion about his work in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors and why he launched the Los Angeles-focused podcast to uplift civic discourse and elevate emerging community voices. Born and raised in New York, Dwayne worked at both the US State Department and Department of Housing and Urban Development before serving the state of California b...

Semolina Artisanal Pasta’s Leah Ferrazzani joins the show to share how her love of food took her on a journey from drying pasta in her home’s laundry room to producing some of the finest US-grown organic fresh and dry pasta around. Originally from New York, Leah left behind her career as a food and wine writer to launch Semolina Artisanal Pasta in 2014. Since then, she has expanded their wonderful...

Councilmember Jessica Rivas joins the show to talk about growing up in a family of public servants, her early legal career, and why her family was drawn to Pasadena. In February of 2021, Councilmember Rivas was appointed to the City Council to fill the vacant seat of now Mayor Victor Gordo. While having only been on the Council for a little over a year, she has a long record of public service. Cou...

Breakthru Fit Studios’ Michelle and Phil Dozois join the show to talk about their personal fitness journeys, owning Pasadena’s premier fitness club, and repositioning their business in the age of covid. Following the mandatory lockdowns, Michelle and Phil quickly pivoted to streaming classes so that people could maintain their physical and mental health during such a challenging time. In December...

Greetings Tour’s Victor Ving joins the podcast to talk about how his fascination with graffiti growing up in Queens eventually led him to pack up an RV in 2015 to tour and install their now-famous postcard style public art throughout the country. When Covid hit, his family decided to park the RV and make Pasadena their new home and they have already made their mark on our community. They have mura...

Brandon Lamar joins the podcast for a great conversation about youth engagement, serving the community, and his decision to run for Pasadena City Council. We also talk about the most important issues impacting his neighborhood, his service as Chair of Pasadena’s Human Relations Commission, and his vision for one Pasadena. For more information and to support Brandon, please visit him at www. Brando...

Hood Liberation’s Nadia Elhawary joins the podcast to talk about her experience growing up in Pasadena, why she became an educator and counselor, and how the social justice movement of 2020 inspired her to further get involved in her community. In a far-reaching conversation, we talk about race and inequality and how we need to have these important conversations with open minds and love. Believing...

Pasadena Picnic Co. Co-Owner Lena Kelly joins the show to talk about creating unique locally inspired outdoor experiences for her clients, entrepreneurialism, and Mama Made, the non-profit she founded to support fellow mother-lead businesses or organizations. Lena is a native of Texas but has embraced living in the Pasadena and Altadena areas. She has put her experience in communications and event...

Journalist Justin Chapman joins the show to talk about how his journey of covering the news started when he made some himself when he was elected to the Altadena Town Council at just 19 years old. A native of Altadena, Justin was a child actor and was featured in commercials, television shows, and movies. These varied experiences prepared him for a career covering local news.  He was a contri...

Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin joins the show to discuss how a trip to his local fire station as a young child would inspire him to pursue a career in helping others.  He would go on to become a firefighter paramedic, a helicopter flight paramedic, and an accomplished department administrator. Before coming to Pasadena, Chief Augustin was the Deputy Fire Chief for the Sacramento Fire Depar...

Episode 16: Rick Cole, the Executive Director of the Congress for the New Urbanism joins the show to discuss his work in addressing housing challenges, the importance of knowing and understanding our past, and how we need to create a foundation for a stronger Pasadena. Rick served as a member of the Pasadena City Council for twelve years and was Vice Mayor from 1990-1992 and Mayor from 1992-1994....

Trevon Sailor, Founder and CEO of Sailor’s Brew Coffee, joins the show to discuss his voyage and the origins of his family-owned single-origin coffee business. Like Sailor’s Brew Coffee, Trevon has navigated an unconventional course.  He is a Pasadena native that grew up in the Altadena area.  Following years of service as an Airborne Ranger and Police Officer, Trevon is now dedicated to...

Max Levine, Co-Founder and CEO of Nico joins the show to talk about his journey into real estate investment, the problem with our current approach to housing, and how Nico helps build equity for its residents and community. Nico Echo Park is a public benefit real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in rent-stabilized multifamily and mixed-use property.  Considered to be the world’s fi...

Melissa Woolf-Heger, Founder and Principal Instructor at Gold Line Pilates, joins the show to share her approach to serving her clients, how creativity and determination got her through the pandemic, and the incredible story of why she became an instructor (it involves sailing around the world). Passionate about small businesses and supporting our community, Melissa also shares some advice to youn...

Episode 12: Blair Miller joins the show to talk about her journey in urban planning and affordable housing and lessons she learned from serving on several of the most important city commissions in Pasadena. We also discuss some challenges and opportunities Pasadena faces, what makes our city so special, and the most effective ways to create meaningful change in our community. For more information...

Pasadena CLSC’s Dennis Robinson joins the show to talk about the responsibility of upholding his family’s legacy in our city, his own journey creating a Pasadena-focused brand, and the role that community plays in his life and in growing the business. We also talk about the Rose City Market and 626 Dena Day on June 26th as Pasadena CLSC is a co-organizer of the event with Hood Liberation. Bringing...

Neon Retro Arcade’s Mia Mazadiego joins the show to talk about how a Street Fighter II pinball machine changed her life and how her husband’s hobby of collecting vintage arcade games launched their business. We also talk about the power of social media to help promote small businesses, her service to Old Pasadena, and the importance of community, especially during Covid. For more information on Ne...

Dr. Thelma T. Reyna, PhD joins the show to discuss her literary journey from Kingsville, Texas to her founding of Golden Foothills Press, a Pasadena based micro indie press. An award-winning author and poet, Thelma was a teacher and administrator for thirty-four years before becoming a publisher with the goal of fostering and supporting new voices and cultivating multicultural literary diversity....