Everything Glendale

Filed Under: Celebrities, News, Shia LaBeouf

Since Shia LaBeouf lives in Glendale (do any of you celebrity stalkers know where?), I'm actually surprised we don't see more paparazzi pictures of him at Zankou Chicken or Michael's or anywhere else, really, around town.

Well, alas, the star of Transformers, Eagle Eye, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (say that five times fast) was spotted on Wednesday, according to Gossip Girls, walking home from an unnamed liquor store and drinking Arizona Iced Tea.

I would stop posting about these celebrity sightings, but I know how much you love them.

More Shia LaBeouf-in-Glendale pics here.


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Filed Under: Cell Tower, City Politics, News, T-Mobile

We attempt to limit the number of "newsy" items here on this blog because we've never aimed to be a source of breaking stories (think of us more like the Parade section of the Sunday paper or your old neighbor who is filled with timeless wisdom but never watches TV), but the ongoing saga of the impending T-Mobile cell tower on Cumberland Road just keeps getting more and more interesting.

Sunroom Desk has been keeping track of the drama, and Northwest Glendale Real Estate and Kendyl's Open House has reported that the City Council has ruled in favor of a 45-day moratorium on the tower. (Kendyl has pics from last night's City Council meeting.)

Some local residents also got to have their say on a news segment on NBC prior to the City Council meeting. Watch:




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Filed Under: Community Happenings, Event Reviews, Events, Hoover High School

I confess: I'm a social voyeur. I love glimpses into different lifestyles, from polygamists to swingers to priests and nuns and families with litters of children.

This is my only vice and I feed it whenever I can, so imagine my delight when I heard about the Hoover Tour of Homes. You mean, rich people will let me walk around their homes and see their stuff and I only have to pay $20 ($25 at the door)? This is a bargain!

I've made it a tradition every year, and my husband, who isn't as much a social voyeur as I am, says he goes for "decorating tips." Yeah, right. Uh huh. I believe that.

Every year, I gleefully buy my tickets and anxiously await the day. We've gone, rain or shine, for the past five years. Some years, at least one of the houses was a minor disappointment. I won't mention any names because I don't want to hurt any feelings. Plus, it gives me a smug sense of satisfaction when I don't like one of the houses because then I could honestly say I would hate living there.

But this year was no disappointment. (The event took place in December.) Four wonderful, wonderful homes. You show up at the first house, and you're given a booklet with some history of each home and a map. Everything is in Glendale. Plus, you get lovely plastic booties to put over your shoes so no plebeian mud gets inside.

Oh, I almost forgot! This year, I also invited (dragged along) four of my friends. I think they got into it, and I hope they join us in the future. Cable channels like HGTV and the Food Network really help to get converts to this vice of mine. See, everyone just wants "decorating tips."

The menu for the 51^st Annual Hoover Tour of Homes consisted of three California Spanish Revivals and one adorable Craftsman. If you want to be inspired to attend next year, here are the addresses so you can do a drive-by yourself:

• 319 Randolph Street (pictured above)

• 1661 Valley View Road:

• 863 E. Mountain Street:

• 1415 Royal Boulevard:

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Filed Under: Downtown Glendale, Food, Japanese Cuisine, Restaurant Reviews, Sushi

On the largest wall, behind a line of bamboo stalks, is a fresco depicting a picnic scene: three Japanese men and two women dressed in traditional kimonos are seated on a red blanket under a cherry blossom tree. From the high ceiling hang paper lanterns that hover over hungry patrons. The room is dimly lit, with the sushi bar the restaurant's brightest area.

Glendale is home to quite a few Japanese restaurants, and sitting in a prime location at the Glendale Marketplace, in a spot formerly occupied by a shoe store, is Ichiban. "Ichiban," in Japanese, quite simply translates to "number one" or "best," and with a wide selection of combination dinners and an even wider array of sushi selections, the restaurant's name is not far off.

I am no sushi connoisseur. I was well into my early twenties before I could down a bite of food that wasn't either fried, grilled, baked, or broiled. Growing up, sushi always translated into "raw fish." Thanks to the Food Network, however (and Wikipedia, of course), I learned that the term "sushi" refers to the vinegared rice used in this type of Japanese cuisine, not to the fish sitting on top or wrapped in it.

You are in for an affordable (50% off rolls!), well-prepared meal here, not to mention friendly and efficient service. Whether you are craving a hot meal (in the form of a combination lunch or dinner plate with chicken, beef, or salmon teriyaki, salad, miso soup, and a bowl of rice) or are in the mood for a roll or two (the lobster and B.S.C.R. rolls are tasty, the sashimi is refreshing), Ichiban is there for you!

Ichiban
120 S. Brand Boulevard #120
Glendale, CA 91203
818.242.9966
www.sporq.com/glendale/ichiban/120sbrandblvd

Entree Price Range:
$7-$11

Sushi Price Range:
$3-$13

Hours:
Monday–Thursday:. 11:30 a.m.–10:00 p.m
Friday–Saturday: 11:30 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
Sunday: 12:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.

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Here's to a fantastic 2009, Glendale!

This blog will be back in full swing next week. We've got some exciting things in store for the new year, and we look forward to you being a part of it all!


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