HOLIDAY

magazine
OUR ANNUAL SMART SHOPPERS GUIDE

2015

Courier
Claremont

claremont-courier.com

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

Turkey Trot
A Claremont Thanksgiving tradition at El Roble.

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Holiday memories
Robin Young shares her vintage holiday collection.

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Sweater weather
COURIER bloggers try on holiday knits from local stores.

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Holiday shopping guide

Shop local this gift-giving season.

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Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

Inland Pacific Ballets The Nutcracker opens at Bridges

nland Pacific Ballet
returns this season with
its production of The
Nutcracker, the classic holiday
story danced to Tchaikovskys
beloved score.

Critically-acclaimed Inland Pacific

Ballet (IPB) brings The Nutcracker to
life with sets complete with falling
snow, an antique original Albany flyer
one horse open sleigh, a 40-foot
Chinese dragon, costumes handmade at
IPBs costume department, and a cast
of 80 dancers. New to this years production is a re-choreographed snow
scene for an expanded cast of 20 and a
brand new lighting design.
This annual holiday favorite tells the
story of a young girl named Clara who
receives a magical nutcracker doll on
Christmas Eve, and sets out on a wondrous journey to the Land of the Snow
and the Kingdom of Sweets. A fantastic
dream with battling mice, dancing
snowflakes, waltzing flowers and the
Sugar Plum Fairy stir the imagination.
Meet the cast after the performance for
photos and autographs.
We are thrilled to again take our production on tour to four beautiful southern California theaters. As always, The
Nutcracker showcases our key company principals and soloists, who are in
top form, says artistic director Victoria
Koenig. Cameron Schwanz (Cavalier)

Image courtesy of Inland Pacific Ballet/EY Yangi

Performances of Inland Pacific Ballets The Nutcracker will take place on Saturday and
Sunday December 5 and 6 at Bridges Auditorium in Claremont. Additional shows will take
place at Lewis Family Playhouse from December 18 through 20 in Rancho Cucamonga.

and Meilu Zhai (Sugar Plum Fairy) are

extraordinary. They really honed their
partnership in Beauty and the Beast
last spring and are a joy to watch. We
look forward each year to enhancing
the show to surprise our audiences.
This year is no exception.
This seasons cast features a variety of
young talent from the region, most
notably Emily Baggarly and Lauren
Collett alternating in the role of Clara.

Both Emily and Lauren receive their training at the IPB Academy. Both attended
summer intensive programs in New York
CityEmily at American Ballet Theatre
and Lauren at New York City Ballet.
IPB principal dancer, Meilu Zhai of
Montclair, will reign over the Kingdom
of Sweets as the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Meilu is a former dancer with the
National Ballet of China and returns for
her fourth season with IPB.

Also returning is IPB principal dancer

Cameron Schwanz of Corona, who
will dance as the Cavalier and the
Nutcracker. Cameron is a thrilling
dancer who returned to southern
California three years ago to join IPB
as the Beast for its premiere of
Beauty and the Beast. He previously
danced with Texas Ballet Theater,
Ballet Pacifica/Festival Ballet Theater,
Los Angeles Ballet and Ballet San Jose.
IPB principal dancer Jonathan Sharp
as Drosselmeyer, returns for a seventh
season with IPB and brings an extensive
resume, including performances with
the Boston and Pennsylvania Ballet
companies, and appearances in original
casts of five Broadway shows. Jonathan
is currently appearing in San Diegos
Old Globe production of In Your Arms.
Performances of The Nutcracker
take place at Pomona Colleges
Bridges Auditorium, 450 N. College
Way, Claremont on Saturday,
December 5 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
and Sunday, December 6 at 2 p.m.
Additional performances will be held
at Lewis Family Playhouse, 12505
Cultural Center Drive, Rancho
Cucamonga on Friday, December 18 at
7:30 p.m., Saturday, December 19 at 2
p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday,
December 20 at 2 p.m. Tickets start at
$38 with senior/child/group discounts
available. For more information and
tickets, visit ipballet.ortg.

Womens Club of
Claremont makes
donation to local
veterans
he Womens Club of Claremont
welcomed representatives from
the Bob Hope USO organization
this Veterans Day. Kristin Ramirez, center director for the Ontario location, and
Donna Hamilton, a longtime volunteer,
presented a moving program at the
Womens Club monthly meeting.

Ms. Ramirez spoke about the direct services that the

USO at Ontario Airport provides to both veteran and
active soldiers and their families. This year, more than
30,000 troops will go through the Ontario USO both on
their way to assignment or on their way home. Ms.
Hamilton gave a heartfelt testimony to the rewards of
volunteering with the USO.
The Womens Club presented the USO Ontario with
a check for $300 to help fund continued services to
veterans.
The Womens Club of Claremont has served the
community and supported various charities in the area
for 95 years. The club meets monthly for a catered
lunch on the second Wednesday of the month with a
featured program.
The next meeting is on Wednesday, December 9 at
11:30 a.m. Lunch is $10. All are welcome. For more
information, call Amy Croushore, programs chair,
(909) 450-1730 or Jory Rickman, president, (909)
518-8037.

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

COURIERphoto/Steven Felschundneff
The Voices of Christmas sing carols as they stroll down Yale Avenue during last years Holiday Promenade and Tree Lighting Ceremony in the Claremont Village.

Holiday Promenade brings Claremont holiday cheer

he Claremont Village will

transform into a holiday wonderland on Friday, December 4
at the annual tree-lighting ceremony
from 5 to 8 p.m.
City staff invites everyone to an evening filled

Ticket-free overnight parking

on Christmas, New Years

uring the holidays, overnight

parking citations will not be
written on Christmas Eve or
New Years Eve. Residents and their
guests may park vehicles on the street
without obtaining an exemption from the
Claremont Police Department.
On Friday, December 25 from 2 to 6 a.m. and
again on Saturday, December 26 from 2 to 6 a.m.
Beginning New Years Eve, you may park on the
street Friday, January 1 from 2 to 6 a.m. and
Saturday, January 2 from 2 to 6 a.m.
You may park on the street Thursday night,
December 31 to the evening of Saturday, January 2.
The city typically prohibits parking on city
streets from 2 to 6 a.m. Residents can request three
exemptions per month. Telephone exemption
requests will only be accepted between 7 a.m. and
10 p.m. daily by calling (909) 399-5411 or (909)
399-5415. Online exemption requests will only be
accepted until 3:30 a.m., the morning of the exemption request.

with live music, festive storefronts, a magnificent

tree-lighting and more.
Parents are encouraged to bring a camera to snap
a photo of their little ones with Santa and Mrs.
Claus in front of city hall from 5 to 6 p.m. and
again from 7 to 8 p.m. The actual tree-lighting will
take place at 6 p.m. at the Depot.
The Holiday Promenade will include live enter-

tainment from the Swing Cats Big Band, Moultrie

Academy, 210 Sax Quartet and holiday carolers
strolling the Village streets. Be sure to visit the
Packing House for free hot chocolate and enjoy a
variety of entertainment and activities including
face painting, games, art vendors and a photo
booth from 5 to 9 p.m. For more information, visit
ci.claremont.ca.us.

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Mag 2015

Fundraising for fitness at the El Roble Turkey Trot

l Roble Intermediate School rang

in the Thanksgiving holiday on
November 19 the best way they
knew howby sprinting around the track
during their seventh annual Turkey Trot.
The trot is the brainchild of PE teacher Debbie Foster, who developed the idea as a great way to raise
money for costly equipment and get students involved
in their school.
I started it seven years ago because we had no
funds to keep our fitness lab up to date, Ms. Foster
said. We were really struggling, and I didnt want
our fitness lab to go downhill. Its such a state-of-theart program and its so important. I thought, lets do
this.
Ms. Foster, clad in a particularly festive Thanksgiving hat to which one student remarked, I cant stop
laughing at your hat, Ms. Fosterled her students to
the El Roble track, where the name of the game is to
run as many laps as they can within 16 minutes. Runners get their hand marked every time they complete
a lap, to keep things honest.
A student who runs nine laps receives an A-plus,
eight laps an A, seven a B and so on.
Students are encouraged to donate as much money
as they can, and for every $20 each student brings in,
they get a raffle ticket. The community has donated
an enviable assortment of prizes for some lucky students, including two brand-new bikes from Coates
Cyclery and Jax Bicycles.
School board member Dave Nemer was also on

COURIER photos/Steven Felschundneff

El Roble physical education teacher Debbie Foster watches her students run laps last Thursday during the seventh annual Turkey Trot. During the event, students run as many laps as they can during their assigned PE
class to help raise money for El Roble athletics.

hand to watch the trot, at one point giving a cash donation to Ms. Foster during the festivities.
But Ms. Foster added an incentive that helps both
the students and the community: if a student brings in
one can of food, they get a free lap. The cans then get
rounded up and sent in as an ASB donation to the
homeless. According to Ms. Foster, the Trot puts the

ASB right over the top when it comes to canned

donations. Its the definition of a win-win.
We get a lot a cans in and ASB appreciates our
help, Ms. Foster said. I think its good for the kids
to understand that its important to help people in
need at this time of the year.
TURKEYTROT/next page

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Mag 2015

TURKEY TROT/from previous page

ccording to Ms. Foster, 95 percent of the students in her class

brought in a can of food. During warm-ups, dozens of students
handed their cans to PE teachers in
hopes of receiving a coveted free lap.

Students ran as many laps as they

could during PE class and were asked
to get five sponsors to donate money
for each lap. The money goes toward
maintenance of the schools fitness lab
and PE equipment.
In addition to raising money for the
athletics program, El Roble students
also collected food for the homeless
during the Turkey Trot on Thursday.

The event has substantially grown over the past

seven years. Last years Turkey Trot netted more
than $6,000. This year, Ms. Foster hopes to raise
$7,000.
But the day of the trot isnt the last time any
student can donatethey have until the first day
of December to contribute.
The fitness center at El Roble is undeniably impressive compared to schools at its level, and Ms.
Foster credits it all to the trot. Bikes, weights and
elliptical machines are stationed dutifully around
the room, much of them in great condition. The
lab is used by El Roble students as well as students from the Adult School, who also meet at the
junior high.
The Claremont Club gives us their used
equipment, so that is so nice, but a lot of times it
breaks down and so we have to get it fixed, Ms.
Foster said. Every time we have someone come
in to fix it, its $800.
As the run took place, some students sprinted
around the track and accumulated laps with ease,
while others wilted in the unseasonably warm
November weather and trudged their way around
the dusty oval.
In the end, two of Ms. Fosters students ran the
full nine laps, with a larger number of students
right behind with eight. According to Ms. Foster,
many of the students fates will lie with the number of cans they brought.
As for the $7,000 goal, Ms. Foster remains
confident the school will reach it. If anything,
its such a huge thing for us, she said.
Matthew Bramlett
news@claremont-courier.com

Happy holidays from the

Claremont COURIER

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

Vintage collection evokes holiday memories

heres a saying. Whats old is new.
In the case of Robin Young, it
might be more accurate to say
whats old is as good as new. The
Claremont resident has one of the most
carefully preserved collections of vintage
ornaments and holiday decorations around.

Shes got a number of items that pre-date World War

I. These include a celluloid Santa Claus from the early
1900s, with his sleighin those pre-Rudolph
daysdrawn by a single reindeer. It was given to Ms.
Youngs father, Ted Pattberg, when he was a boy.
She also has a clutch of glass Christmas ornaments
from the 1920s to 1930s that her paternal grandmother,
Louise Pattberg, brought from Austria. They are fashioned in cunning shapes like an owl, a Santa, bouquet
of flowers and a bunch of grapes.
The majority of Ms. Youngs holiday goods, however, hail from the 50s and 60s, including an aluminum
Sputnik topper guaranteed to bring a touch of spaceage charm to any tree.
Christmas-ware from that era offered charm aplenty,
as seen in the treasure trove of cheer-inducing dcor
like Shiny-Brite ornaments and Holt Howard ceramics
purchased by Ms. Youngs mother Alvena.
A winking Santa pitcher waits to pour eggnog into
Santa-shaped tumblers whose respective handles spell
out the word Noel. A pair of ceramic candleholders,
each featuring a mouse slumbering in a tiny bed, stands
ready to be filled with flickering candles. And a white
ceramic poinsettia with gold trim offers the perfect
repository for peppermints or ribbon candy.
A couple of Ms. Youngs Christmas heirlooms she
values more for their kitsch appeal than for their grace.
For instance, she is the proud owner of a snow-suited
figure made of chenille pipe stems, which she swears is
the spitting image of the thing on the wing set on dismantling William Shatners plane in The Twilight Zone.
Much of her motivation for making the most of

Image courtesy of Robin Young

Robin has her first face-to-face with Santa.

Christmas past is aesthetic. Ms. Young, whose

Claremont apartment is decorated with mid-century
modern pieces, loves the look and feel of furnishings
and housewares from late 1940s to the 1960s.
The pottery and ceramics that were mass-produced
after the war had staying power, she explained. They
were better-crafted and manufactured than most things
are today. Everyone could have something of some
style, even if it was a candy dish.
Ms. Young, manager of donor relations for the
Planetary Society, also keeps her collection in tact,
and brings it out once the Thanksgiving leftovers are

gone, out of nostalgia. This was the yuletide decor of

her grandparents and of her mom and dad, all of
whom are now gone.
This past year, Ms. Young settled into some new digs
and, as it happens, the back of her unit faces the back
of the unit where her mother lived for the last years of
her life. A crepe myrtle currently cloaked in fall
foliage, which she planted in her moms patio, has
grown tall in the intervening years.
Things that bring back memories of her family, from
tree to tree trimmings, are bittersweet.
It would feel worse to throw all of these items away
and all of this tradition and start over, Ms. Young said.
That doesnt make any sense to me.
Ms. Young takes a curatorial approach toward the
items with which she decks her halls. The ornaments,
she notes, are very carefully wrapped in tissues and go
into compartmentalized ornament boxes.
When the COURIER stopped by her house last
weekend, she retrieved a white ceramic Christmas tree
VINTAGEDECOR/continues on page 11

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

COURIER photos/Steven Felschundneff

Claremont resident Robin Young decorates a snake plant on Saturday while getting her apartment ready for the Christmas season. Ms. Young has a vast collection of
vintage Christmas decorations, many of which are family heirlooms.

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

10

COURIER photos/Steven Felschundneff

This Christmas tree decoration from the early 1900s was given to her father when he was a child.

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

VINTAGEDECOR
continued from page 8

Image courtesy of Robin Young

Robin Young and her parents enjoy a
holiday gathering in the 1960s.

dusted with mica snow, its plastic colored lights illuminated by electricity.
She unearthed the knickknack,
unscathed by time, from its original box
and unwound it from its original batting.
That trees probably my favorite thing
out of all the Christmas crap, she says.
California dreaming
Many of Ms. Youngs Christmas decorations stem from a time when her parents, East Coast transplants, were forging a new life. In 1946, Ted and Alvena,
who lived in Queens in Long Island, visited southern California with both sets of
parents. The sunny climate made a positive impression on the sextet.
It was March, Ms. Young said.
They were playing pinochle and there
was a blizzard outside. They said, Why
dont we go back and stay?
They did just that. Ted and Alvena
purchased a home in Claremont in 1962
and adopted the then six-month-old
Robin. The Pattbergs had been married
for 20 years by the time they welcomed
their daughter.
I benefited from that, Ms. Young
said. They had traveled and done
everything they wanted to do. They
were adults.
Ms. Youngs upbringing was, in some
ways, rarified. Shes not a Baby
Boomeras a rebellious teen she
became a punk instead of a hippybut
she was raised like one.
My parents were old enough to be

my grandparents, she said. My

friends parents were listening to
Sonny and Cher. Mine listened to the
Dorsey Brothers.
And like their peers among the
Greatest Generation, her parents knew
how to celebrate.
Her holiday collection takes Ms.

11

Young back to her childhood when, typically a week before Christmas, her parents would throw a cocktail party.
The house would be replete with holiday dcor, including an artificial tree;
Ms. Youngs mother shuddered at the
thought of cleaning up pine needles.
VINTAGEDECOR/continues on page 12

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

12

VINTAGEDECOR
continued from page 11

There were appetizers, like Swedish

meatballs steaming in a chafing dish and
trays of rumaki, a mock-Polynesian delicacy Alvena made that consisted of
water chestnuts topped with chicken livers, wrapped in bacon and broiled.
A batch of eggnog, spiked with rum or
brandy, was whipped up for ceremonial
purposes but a libation like an OldFashioned or Screwdriver was more
guests speed. Also available for visitors
pleasure was a table lighter and matching ashtray as well as a lacquered box of
cigarettes.
Everyone was smoking. Even my 65year-old grandmother was smoking,
she recalled.
As a tow-headed tot in holiday finery,
Robin was always a big hit at the shindig.
My mother would dress me up like a
friggin lampshade and trot me out, she
said. I remember serving drinks.
In many cases, Christmas isnt about
tradition anymore, Ms. Young said.
There are people who get an entirely
new fake tree, ornaments and blow-up
thing for the yard every year, she noted.
On the contrary, she, as always, will be
bringing out the things that are old, cherished and memory-drenched.
These are talismans of my growing
up years, she said.
Sarah Torribo
storribio@claremont-courier.com

COURIER photos/Steven Felschundneff

A photo of Robin Youngs mother Alvena can be seen in the background of this illuminated ceramic Christmas tree.
AT RIGHT: These glass ornaments, brought from Austria by Ms. Youngs paternal grandmother, hail from the 1920s.

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

13

Ted and Alvena Pattberg were known for their lively cocktail parties. Pictured is a vintage
egg nog mug and pitcher set.

Images courtesy of Robin Young

Young Robin enjoys her toy vacuum received one Christmas morning in Claremont.

Sweater
weather

gly, tacky, silly or

whatever you call
them, Christmas
sweaters are more popular
than ever! And with the holidays just around the corner,
there is no doubt that you will
be invited to at least one ugly
sweater party.

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

15

CLAREMONT

After Hours

www.claremontafterhours.com

With this in mind, you might ask

yourself: where does one procure an
appropriately tacky Christmas sweater?
CLAREMONTAFTERHOURS
continues on page 16

Jenelle Rensch and Jessica Pfahler

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

16

Jenelle sports a heavily embroidered Santa and tot motif.

Jessica and Jenelle share a moment in two of the tackiest

sweaters of the day. Jenelles 1990s checkered, jumping
snowmen sweater features yarn cuffs and collar.

CLAREMONTAFTERHOURS
continued from page 15

The COURIERs Claremont After Hours bloggers try on festive sweaters at DeeLux in the Claremont Village.
Jessicas top pick of the day is a bedazzled pullover showcasing the Three Wise Men.

There are a few obvious options, including thrift

stores and your grandmas closet, but if that doesnt
prove fruitful, a couple of Claremont stores are happy
to help out.
DeeLux, Claremonts resident vintage consignment
shop, is filled to the brim with tacky Christmas
sweaters along with accessories to make sure you look

your most festive this holiday season.

DeeLux manager Justine Brown enjoys watching
customers come in to find sweaters. According to Ms.
Brown they initially seem hesitant to ridicule the garments, but by the time guests are done, they are laughing and having a good time trying them on and picking their favorites. In Ms. Browns opinion, the best

part is that the sweaters draw in all types of people,

not just their normal costumer base.
With that in mind, DeeLux aims to have a little
something for everyone. We have a wide selection
of gifts for the young to the young-at-heart, says
Ms. Brown.
CLAREMONTAFTERHOURS/continues on page 18

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

17

COURIER bloggers Jessica Pfahler

and Jenelle Rensch model Replay
Vintage fashions in the Claremont
Packing House. Sweaters range in
price from $20 to $40, however, on
certain weekends Replay offers
sweater specials.
Jenelle picks an ornament-adorned
cardigan while Jessica opts for a
teddy bear-emblazoned pullover. The
Packing House offers the perfect
backdrop for all sorts of holiday fun.

COURIER photos/Jenelle Rensch

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

18

For BFFs and couples, COURIER bloggers Jessica Pfahler and

Jenelle Rensch suggest matching holiday vests at DeeLux.
This particular pair features the inscription, Happiness is a
homespun Christmas. Who could disagree?

CLAREMONTAFTERHOURS
continued from page 16

Across town, Replay Vintage is stocked full of colorful vintage Christmas sweaters. And it is no surprise, as
the shop owners have spent the last seven years amassing this treasure trove of yuletide knits.
Replay Vintage started selling their silly sweater collection in mid-October on their Etsy page,
etsy.com/shop/ShopReplayVintage. This year, they
have already sold more than 150 seasonal sweaters and
have no plans to stop. Replay hosts a different sale
nearly every weekend. This weekend, all Christmas
sweaters will be $20 each!
So if you are looking for a one-time wear, a seasonal
slam-dunk or just something to keep you warm, look
no further. The Village has you coveredliterally.
You can find DeeLux at 224 Yale Ave. and Replay
Vintage at 516 W. First St. in the Packing House.
Baby its cold outside,
J&J
claremontafterhours@gmail.com

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

19

Friends of the Claremont Librarys annual antiquarian, fine book sale

aluable and rare books will
be available on Saturday,
December 5 for sale from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Claremont
Public Library, 108 Harvard Ave.

Residents are invited to shop for

books published by specialty printers,
some rare and very valuable, as well as
older and newer childrens books with
beautiful illustrations and collections of
early and later classics in the fields of
history, sociology, biology, botany, psychology and religion.
Specialties in Civil War, Indian history
and arts, classics of Greece, Rome,
Egypt and the Far East will be offered.
For the outdoorsy, the library offers a
collection of books on California history,
birding, wildflowers and natural habitat.
There are first editions and fine
reprints of significant and classic works
of literature, both fiction and non-fiction
and a number of works have been autographed by the authors or illustrators.
The real specialty is beautiful fine arts
books on art and artists, ceramics, painting
and sculpture, photography and museum
shows. And find prized cookbooks and
highlights of gardens of the world,
architecture, interior design, fashion,
Hollywood icons, sports, games and toys.
Cash, checks and credit cards accepted. FOCL member receive a 10 percent
discount on all purchases. Memberships
are available at the sale.

COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff

Books donated to The Friends of the Claremont Library are organized and awaiting the upcoming annual antiquarian and fine book
sale at the city of Claremont Public Library.

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

20

Record Sales: At Rhino and beyond, vinyl makes a comeback

he next time you pop
into your local record
store, you may wonder if youve somehow gone
back in time. What youll
see, nearly everywhere you
look, is records. Records and
record players.

Were talking good old-fashioned,

feel-the-groove vinyl. Its being
embraced in a big way by consumer
America, not just by hipsters looking
for whatever is hot off the press from
their favorite indie label.
You can, for instance, head to
Rhino Records (235 Yale Ave. in
Claremont) and get Adeles new
album, 25, in record form. Or, if you
want to be ordinary about it, you can
buy the CD.
The COURIER recently caught up
with Rhinos general manager,
Dennis Callaci, to talk about the
return of black licorice.
Its been a steady build over the last
five years, with the last two years being
pretty wild, he said. As far as who is
buying records, its all over the map.
Many young people today are looking to go deeper than digital music
culture, according to Mr. Callaci.
There was a deficit of young people buying music a decade ago; they
were getting it all for free online, he
said. It seems like theres been a call
from the generation to follow the last
one to a certain degree. They believe
having music and connecting with
the artist is an important thing. It
seems like the pendulum swings one
way and then another.
Some of the appeal lies in listening
to an entire album, all at once, rather
than shuffling through a vast compendium of favorite tunes on your
phone.
When youre hearing things in a
random sequence, a piece here and
piece there, what gets lost is the intention of the artist, who spent all that

COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff

Rhino Records offers a wide variety of turntables for customers who want to discover, or rediscover, vinyl recordings.

time recording and writing it, Mr.

Callaci said. When you listen to an
album in its entirety, part of the flow
the silence between these two tracks,
when to make your way from side one
to side two of a record, it starts to get
embedded in your DNA.
Of course, Rhino never stopped
carrying new records, items that had
become the domain of independent
record labels and the waning mom
and pop record store.
Mr. Callaci is a vinyl guy from way
back. Every other night, hell listen
to some records, sitting between two
speakers to allow for a better batch of
stereophonic sound. My poor wife.
My poor children, he jokes.
As for whether a record sounds bet-

ter than a CD, Mr. Callaci is ambivalent. There are plenty of LPs as
good as their CD counterparts. It
depends on the mastering and the
pressing plant.
He is unequivocal about his preference for both CDs and records over
digital recordings.
Ive been to thousands of concerts,
so my hearing isnt what it was, Mr.
Callaci said. But mp3s to me always
sounded thin, theyve never got the
full spectrum of sound. Whereas
CDs, to me, sound great. They have a
deep low end.
He most recently purchased Yo La
Tengos 14th album, Stuff Like That
There, which he characterizes as
quite a stately record.

Some of the records released today

have some new bells and whistles,
Mr. Callaci notes. Many records
come with download codes so you
can get the tracks on your phone, too.
And the quality is often so much
better than the quality we grew up
on, he said. Youve got 180-gram
records, which are twice the weight.
The presentation has been built up.
Some records have gatefold sleeves
and when you open up the records,
the inserts are c ardboard, not just
pressed paper.
Rhino has many new records in the
neighborhood of $25; the shop also
VINYLRECORDS
continues on the next page

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

21

Now youre cooking: a gift for every taste

arbara Cheatley Antiques is a
sprawling emporium of home
dcor, jewelry, stationary,
books, knick-knacks, gee-gaws and
sundries, located in the heart of the
Claremont Village.

Many of the items have vintage charm, offering a

nod to Americas pasta time when kids gathered
around games of marbles instead of an iPad.
Barbara Cheatley is a local lifestyle brand, and
nowhere is a persons lifestyle better exemplified
than in the kitchen. With this in mind, the shop has
stocked a host of cookbooks offering recipes for
any taste and skill level.
The COURIER recently stepped up to the shops
second-story loft, which is dominated with kitchenware, from bright-patterned table linens to whisks
and spoons.
There are four sturdy bookcases featuring a pretty fat slice of culinary acumen. Here, for your
enjoyment, are a good handful of the titles in
stock: The New Midwestern Table; The WellFilled Tortilla Cookbook; Irish Country
Cooking; Melt: The Art of Macaroni and
Cheese and Norwegian Cakes and Cookies.

VINYL RECORDS
continued from the previous page

has a collection of used records starting at about $3. Some records are
more costly, however, and its not the
result of choices made by the stores
management.
We have a new Lana del Ray double album with a $49.98 list price,
he said. Thats something that will
be purchased by younger folks in
their 20s. Its a worrisome thing,

major labels bumping up the price of

vinyl. Its a shame to see them pricegouging. Were always fighting to
get things to our customers and get
them at a fair price. Weve got to
compete with the big boxes, and with
everyone online.
As is so often the case, hot trends in
the music industry tend to leave indie
acts and companies out in the cold.
What underground artists are

Theres also My Abuelas Table; Mastering the

Art of Southern Vegetables; Vanilla: Cooking
with One of the Worlds Finest Ingredients; The
Old World Christmas; Food From Many Greek
Kitchens and the good old-fashioned Betty
Crocker Cookbook.
There are also tin recipe boxes embellished with
sweet 1930s-style prints. The boxes are $36 and
come with recipe cards thatif youre feeling
ambitiousyou can personalize with old family
recipes.
Heres the trick. Go to Barbara Cheatleys. Do
your best to not be distracted by the hundreds of
shiny Christmas ornaments vying for your attention. Go upstairs and pick out a cookbook that
suits your friends fancy, and your own.
Give the recipient of said tome a chance to crack
the book and try their hand at a few concoctions.
Then, several weeks down the line, hint broadly
that you might enjoy a dinner at their place. Bon
appetite!
Barbara Cheatley is located at 215 Yale Ave. in
Claremont. For information, call (909) 621-4161.
COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff
Cookbooks, recipe tins and journals for sale at Barbara
Cheatleys in the Claremont Village. Upstairs at the
store, there is a large selection of cookbooks for a
variety of cooking styles.

starting to see is that theyre being

kicked down the food chain,
because Adele records need to be
pressed and Bob Marley needs to be
pressed, he said.
Music industry politics aside,
records remain a growing trend.
Record players at Rhino Records
start at $69.99 and go up to $349.
Theyve also got old-school vinyl
swag like crates to store your albums

and frames to display them. And as

for the record selection, its everything from reprints of classics by
outfits like Led Zeppelin and The
Who to brand-new fare.
A record player and a great album
are sure to be popular presents for
your favorite music-lovers, leaving
the whole family rockin around the
Christmas tree.

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

22

Local toy store is a Boon to holiday shoppers

f theres anything girls and

boys want for the holidays,
its toys.

Serving as local headquarters for the playful at

heart is Boon Companion, now in its second
Christmas under new ownership.
The shop is teeming with items for every taste.
Do you know any My Little Pony fans? You can
get giant plush ponies, with soft tails you can brush,
for $26.95.
If youd like to invest in the future of pedestrian
travel, you can pick up the Monster Wheel Smart
Balance Scooter for $499.99. If the price sounds a
bit over-the-top, so are the capabilities of this gadget, which owner John Peltekci is having trouble
keeping in stock.
Mr. Peltekci took a moment to demonstrate the
mini-vehicle, which is similar to a Segway but
cheaper and more streamlined. It takes about an
hour to master the Monster Wheel, he shares.
Once youve done this, you are able to zip around
town at rates of six to eight miles per hour, moving
in every possible direction and uphill and downhill
with a simple shift of weight. You can go for three
to five hours on a full charge; it takes about an hour
and a half to charge it.
People with younger children and a less robust
budget may opt instead for the PlasmaCar ride-on
vehicle. No charging or battery is needed for this
$70 item; its powered by centrifugal force, friction
and gravity. You just need to turn the handle to

My Little Pony plush ponies

Super Spirograph

COURIER photos/Steven Felschundneff

Boon Companion co-owner John Peltekci demonstrates
the Monster Wheel on Monday at his Village area toy
Store. The battery operated self-propelled vehicle works
similar to a Segway.

Remote controlled R2D2

zoom around the house or driveway on a PlasmaCar,

which comes in every color of the rainbow.
The video game Minecraft and its associated figures are still hot. Boon Companion stocks a
Minecraft Mini Figure Collector Case to stock with
teeny creepers, zombies, animals and humansall
with that trademark pixelated look.
Weve known for some time that LEGOS, which
Boon Companion has in spades, isnt just for boys.
The shop is crammed with girl-friendly building
blocks including the new LEGO Elves series. Your
favorite little lady will enjoy building treehouses and
castles for her magical friends
With the release of the latest Star Wars movie on
December 18, any toys associated with the George
Lucas franchise are popular right now. Some of the

choicest items at the local toy store include a Death

Star planetarium where kids channeling the dark
side can project a galaxy of stars on their ceilings.
And theres a large inflatable R2D2 that is remote
control, for any one interested in having a friendly,
dome-shaped droid navigating their home.
Mr. Peltekci, whose family owns the Puzzle Zoo
chain of shops in places like Santa Monica, has been
delighted by the reception Boon Companion continues to receive. He invites anyone toying with their
Christmas shopping to come browse.
Weve got older customers who are definitely
loyal, and were still continuing to add new customers
from places like Rancho and Ontario, he said.
Boon Companion is located at 145 N. Harvard Ave.
in Claremont. For information, call (909) 625-1993.

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

23

COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff

From the COURIER family to yours, have a wonderful holiday season and a happy
new year!
Advertisers: Deadline changes will occur mid-month in December due to the
upcoming holidays. Please call the COURIER office at (909) 621-4761 to speak to
Mary, Jessica or Vickie about your deadlines. Our officewill be closed December
25 and will reopen on January 4, 2016. Thank you and have a happy holiday season.

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

24

CEF awards innovation, community partnership grants

he Claremont Educational Foundation (CEF)
has awarded eight innovation grants to Claremont
teachers and principals and five
community partnership grants to
nonprofit organizations serving
the Claremont community.

The innovation grant program, now

in its third year, awarded up to $2,000
each to teachers and principals to
engage students in high-impact learning opportunities by enhancing access
to creative, project-based learning.
In its first year, the community partnership grant program awarded up to
$2,000 grants for programs and initiatives that will enhance learning that
extend CEFs efforts in art, music,
technology and other areas to bolster
educational support services and
enrich educational programming.
CEF chose programs and projects to
develop and sustain links with nonprofit organizations that share CEFs
commitment to support Claremont
Unified School District students and
families.
At a reception on Friday, November
13 at Memorial Parks Garner House,
CEF announced the following grants:

Photos courtesy of Claremont Educational Foundation

CUSD teachers and staff received grants of up to $2000 from the Claremont Educational Foundation at its fall reception held Friday,
November 13 at Memorial Park's Garner House. The community based grants are a new venture for CEF.

Innovation Grants

Chaparral Elementary School:

Awarded to Jean Merrill in collaboration with Claremont High School to
create a play focused on the history of
the Claremont community.
Claremont High School: Awarded to
Maria Zavala and Courtney Thomas, a
local expert on British and American
Literature, to provide high school jun-

iors a weeklong intensive workshop on

Emily Dickinson.
Claremont High School: Awarded to
Jennifer Gomez and Jillian Turnbull in
collaboration with Erin Fowler, Martha
Stein and Deborah Pierce; students will
prepare and compete in the National
History Day competition.
CEF GRANTS
continues on page 14

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

Claremont Educational
Foundation reception held at
the Garner House located at
Memorial Park. The community
based grants included
Chaparral Elementary School,
Claremont High School,
Mountain View Elementary
School, Sycamore Elementary
School, Vista Elementary
School, Claremont Heritage,
Claremont After School
Programs (CLASP), Claremont
Museum of Art, Inland Valley
Repertory Theatre (IVRT) and
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic
Garden (RSABG).

CEF GRANTS
continued from page 12

Mountain View Elementary School: Awarded to Beth

Coronado for the launch of Watch DOGS (Dads of Great
Students), a national program focused on involving
fathers and male guardians as positive role models on
campus throughout the school day.
Mountain View Elementary School: Awarded to Paula
Asinas in collaboration with Michelle Wishner and
Mareen Free; students will use science kits to integrate
kinesthetic learning and discovery of STEM concepts
through experiments in chemistry, circuits, propulsion,
engineering and more.
Sycamore Elementary School: Awarded to Amy Stanger,
students will integrate rain barrels for harvesting rainwater
and create rain gardens for ongoing science exploration
while incorporating student art and concepts of topography
in the schools recently renovated courtyard.
Vista Elementary School: Awarded to Melissa
Cunningham and Caroline Bearden, students will integrate a butterfly garden, making observations about the
life cycle and using journals to explore evidence-based
accounts of the natural world.
Vista Elementary School: Awarded to Danita Slaughter
to allow teacher teams to integrate the vocabulary app,
Spelling City for iPad learning in the classroom.

Community Partnership Grants

Claremont Heritage: Implementation of the local history project to nearly 500 third grade students district-wide,
including an interactive curriculum unit on local history
and art and an experiential bus tour.
Claremont After School Programs (CLASP): The grant
will help CLASP implement the nationally-renowned
SPARK program that develops students physical fitness,
teamwork and communication skills.
Claremont Museum of Art: The museum implements
Project ARTstART, which utilizes professional staff and
college interns to train high school students who provide
exhibit-based art lessons to nearly 900, fourth, fifth and
sixth graders at five CUSD schools.
Inland Valley Repertory Theatre (IVRT): Working with
El Roble Intermediate students to teach basic storytelling
in the techniques of Readers Theatre using performance
to connect students to literature. Student will attend an
IVRT performance and work with professional actors to
develop their own Readers Theatre performance.
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden (RSABG): In partnership with the Claremont High School Workability program, RSABG will produce its Grow Our Future program that provides worksite training and certification for
students with disabilities helping transition students from
high school to the workshop.
For more information about the Claremont Educational
Foundation and its programs, visit SupportCEF.com or
call CEF at (909) 399-1709.

25

Claremont COURIER/Holiday Magazine 2015

26

Mobile game NBA Escape to raise funds for Shoes that Fit

BA Escape, a mobile game available

on iOS and Google Play, features some
of the NBAs biggest superstars in an
epic adventure of miniature proportions.
Described as a cross between Angry Birds and
Space Jam, its the first NBA-licensed game
that generates funds and awareness for worthy
causes. Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers
will donate $25,000 to support local nonprofit
Shoes That Fit, which provide new shoes to
school children in need.
In the game, the self-proclaimed funkdoobiest foe
the world has ever faced known only as The

Dribbler has kidnapped the top NBA players and

shrunk them to the size of a basketball. His evil plot
is to form his own league, the MBAthe Miniature
Basketball Association.
The players mission is to take on the Dribblers
Dare. Armed with an array of awesome power balls
(including Rock Balls, Boom Balls, Fire Balls, Ice
Balls and Slime Balls), players must beat the
Dribbler and his army of super gnarly gizmos, the
Ball-Bots, by completing a series of the deadliest
trick shots ever devised. And every basket scored
helps raise funds for Shoes that Fit.
A combination of the fun flinging action of Angry
Birds and the puzzle-solving of Cut the Rope blended into something both familiar and fresh. The game-

play has a ton of variety. All 240 levels bring something a little different, so youre always facing a new
challenge.
The game features NBA stars like LeBron
James, Reggie Jackson, Andre Drummond, Tony
Parker and more.
The game is free-to-play but has in-app optional
purchases.
In addition to Mr. Pauls donation, Los Angeles
Laker Roy Hibbert is contributing $25,000 to the Boys
& Girls Clubs of Greater Washingtons Youth of the
Year scholarship program.
To download NBA Escape, including trailers and
viral videos featuring Mr. Paul and Mr. Hibbert, visit
http://bit.ly/1QMYDgS.

Find unique gifts at the Claremont

Heritage holiday flea market

oin Claremont Heritage on Sunday, December

6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for another presentation
of vintage and collectable items, just in time for
your holiday shopping.
Find a unique gift for a friend, loved one or yourself. Over 20 vendor booths and a myriad of styles
represented from Arts & Crafts and Country French
to Mid-Century Modern. Items include furniture, artwork, jewelry, clothing, accessories and more. Also
look for citrus industry memorabilia including original crate labels and artwork.
This free event will be held in the Garner House
courtyard, 840 N. Indian Hill Blvd. in Memorial
Park. Refreshments will be provided.

Claremont Senior Program

gets in the holiday spirit

laremont senior citizens are invited to the

citys annual holiday party on Wednesday,
December 16 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at
Taylor Hall, 1775 N. Indian Hill Blvd.
Festivities include a delicious holiday meal, live
entertainment by Jerome Dean, a visit from Santa and
other fun surprises along the way. Tickets are $5 and
must be purchased in advance. The event is sponsored by Inter Valley Health Plan. Register online at
claremontrec.com or call (909) 399-5488.