It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always
Please submit this form below and we will chat shortly!
Home Care In Arcadia, CA
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic The Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Arcadia, CA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Since 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“The owner Diane, is on top of things. They have kind caring and knowledgeable staff”
The owner Diane, is on top of things. They have kind caring and knowledgeable staff and respond in a very timely manner. What a great service they have provided both mentally and physically for our family. Highly recommended.
“Thank you ABC of Pasadena for all of your help. My family is grateful for”
Thank you ABC of Pasadena for all of your help. My family is grateful for your support. The quality of care is exceptional and I feel that I can rely upon ABC of Pasadena to meet all of our needs.
“I was trying to get a lifeline alert system for my mom and was having”
I was trying to get a lifeline alert system for my mom and was having a difficult time finding a right one until I got connected with Diane. She was so professional and productive!!! Definitely a go to person if you ever need her service. Thank you so much Diane!!
“Diane Pierson was great. She guided us through a very difficult time while searching for”
Diane Pierson was great. She guided us through a very difficult time while searching for an assistive living with memory care facility care for my 90 year old step mother. Diane took her time, spoke with us and provided several options. We are now in the process of relocating my step mother to an excellent facility that she recommended and would not be able to do this relocation without her help.
“Thank you ABC of Pasadena for all of your help. My family is grateful for”
Thank you ABC of Pasadena for all of your help. My family is grateful for your support. The quality of care is exceptional and I feel that I can rely upon ABC of Pasadena to meet all of our needs.
“Thank you ABC of Pasadena for all of your help. My family is grateful for”
Thank you ABC of Pasadena for all of your help. My family is grateful for your support. The quality of care is exceptional and I feel that I can rely upon ABC of Pasadena to meet all of our needs.
“I want to personally thank Diane Pierson and Ly French with Always Best Care Senior”
I want to personally thank Diane Pierson and Ly French with Always Best Care Senior Services Pasadena for everything they did to help me find a place for my mother to reside at. They are very dedicated and supportive to all the families they help. My mother could have become homeless without Ly’s expertise, empathy, commitment and clear communication on what to do next. Always Best Care specifically matched my mother's unique circumstances, social needs, desired location and budget. Diane and Ly are very passionate about senior care and will help you and your family with the highest level of service. I will never forget this experience or their kindness. I highly recommend them to everyone! We made the best choice working with Always Best Care Senior Services Pasadena.
Read full testimonial
Deee D.
Doug J.
Julia C.
Lee G.
Doug J.
dwjones
Mas T.
×
TESTIMONIALS
“The owner Diane, is on top of things. They have kind caring and knowledgeable staff and respond in a very timely manner. What a great service they have provided both mentally and physically for our family. Highly recommended.”
Deee D.
×
TESTIMONIALS
“Thank you ABC of Pasadena for all of your help. My family is grateful for your support. The quality of care is exceptional and I feel that I can rely upon ABC of Pasadena to meet all of our needs.”
Doug J.
×
TESTIMONIALS
“I was trying to get a lifeline alert system for my mom and was having a difficult time finding a right one until I got connected with Diane. She was so professional and productive!!! Definitely a go to person if you ever need her service. Thank you so much Diane!!”
Julia C.
×
TESTIMONIALS
“Diane Pierson was great. She guided us through a very difficult time while searching for an assistive living with memory care facility care for my 90 year old step mother. Diane took her time, spoke with us and provided several options. We are now in the process of relocating my step mother to an excellent facility that she recommended and would not be able to do this relocation without her help.”
Lee G.
×
TESTIMONIALS
“Thank you ABC of Pasadena for all of your help. My family is grateful for your support. The quality of care is exceptional and I feel that I can rely upon ABC of Pasadena to meet all of our needs.”
Doug J.
×
TESTIMONIALS
“Thank you ABC of Pasadena for all of your help. My family is grateful for your support. The quality of care is exceptional and I feel that I can rely upon ABC of Pasadena to meet all of our needs.”
dwjones
×
TESTIMONIALS
“I want to personally thank Diane Pierson and Ly French with Always Best Care Senior Services Pasadena for everything they did to help me find a place for my mother to reside at. They are very dedicated and supportive to all the families they help. My mother could have become homeless without Ly’s expertise, empathy, commitment and clear communication on what to do next. Always Best Care specifically matched my mother's unique circumstances, social needs, desired location and budget. Diane and Ly are very passionate about senior care and will help you and your family with the highest level of service. I will never forget this experience or their kindness. I highly recommend them to everyone! We made the best choice working with Always Best Care Senior Services Pasadena.”
Mas T.
What is Non-Medical Senior Care in Arcadia, CA?
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
Personal Care Services
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Arcadia County Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local The Derby or visit Queen Anne Cottage, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
Age in Place
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
Peace of Mind
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Socialization
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
Personalized Care Plan
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors
While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
Here are just a few of the reasons why older men and women prefer to age at home:
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Arcadia, CA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
Affordable Care
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
If your loved one qualifies, Medicaid may help reduce in-home care costs. Review your CA's Medicaid program laws and benefits, and make sure your senior's financial and medical needs meet Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.
Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.
Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.
Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.
Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers.
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Arcadia, CA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
Assisted Living Referral Services
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
Housekeeping
Laundry
Recreational Activities
Social Outings
Emergency Medical Response
Medication Monitoring
Family Visitation
Personal Care
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
Santa Anita Assisted Living
Arcadia Living
Oak Garden
Residential Care Facility for the Elderly
Arcadia Gardens Retirement Hotel
Assisted Living & Wellness
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
Taking the First Step with Always Best Care
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
01
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
02
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
03
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Arcadia, CA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
The world's largest bounce park, a 25,000-square-foot inflatable playground, has opened today in Arcadia, California.There is another entertainment attraction in Los Angeles thanks to the opening of the world's largest bounce park at The Shops at Santa Anita. But you will need to be quick as it will only be in town for twelve weeks.The World's Biggest Bounce Park is a 25,000 sq. ft. inflatable playground with ten play zones, including Tumble Temple, Marshmallow Mountain, Gumball's Gallop, and an obstacle course.In additi...
The world's largest bounce park, a 25,000-square-foot inflatable playground, has opened today in Arcadia, California.
There is another entertainment attraction in Los Angeles thanks to the opening of the world's largest bounce park at The Shops at Santa Anita. But you will need to be quick as it will only be in town for twelve weeks.
The World's Biggest Bounce Park is a 25,000 sq. ft. inflatable playground with ten play zones, including Tumble Temple, Marshmallow Mountain, Gumball's Gallop, and an obstacle course.
In addition to providing entertainment, the company operating the park, FUNBOX, is also giving back to the community.
FUNBOX supports Building Bridges Foster Family Agency, whose "mission is to promote, support, enhance, and strengthen the development of children's well-being while providing safety and permanency to their lives. By coming to the World's Biggest Bounce Park, visitors are making a difference in the lives of children who need it the most. The company's founder, Antonio Nieves, is a former foster youth and passionate about advocating for children aging out of the foster care system."
Details
Tickets:
Tickets start at $22 for a 90-minute jumping session. All guests must have a paid general admission ticket, but toddlers from ages 0-2 and seniors over 65 years are free when accompanied by a ticketed customer.
It is recommended to purchase tickets online in advance to guarantee entry.
Opening Hours:
Friday from 3 to 6 pm
Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 am to 6 pm.
Location:
The Shops at Santa Anita400 S. Baldwin Avenue, Gate 8Arcadia, CA 91107
Your thoughts
Are you keen to visit the World's Biggest Bounce Park? Are you glad to see FUNBOX support an important organization?
Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below and share this article with others so more people can join the discussion.
Peacocks are pretty, but getting the boot when they invade neighborhoods
Ayana Hamiltonhttps://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2023/02/13/peacock-defenders-push-back-invading-neighborhoods/
A friendly peacock wanders near visitors to the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia, California, in this photo taken Jan. 31, 2013. While beautiful, some communities have pushed back when peacocks are introduced into neighborhoods. (Photo by Ayana Hamilton/Cronkite News)ARCADIA, Calif. – To some, it’s the sound of nature. To others, it’s a never-ending screeching nightmare.Several Southern...
A friendly peacock wanders near visitors to the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia, California, in this photo taken Jan. 31, 2013. While beautiful, some communities have pushed back when peacocks are introduced into neighborhoods. (Photo by Ayana Hamilton/Cronkite News)
ARCADIA, Calif. – To some, it’s the sound of nature. To others, it’s a never-ending screeching nightmare.
Several Southern California communities are leading a peacock rebellion, taking action after complaints of noise and waste.
There have been decades of debate between residents who want the beautiful birds to stay versus the ones who want nothing to do with them. The latest battle took place in the placid, affluent city of South Pasadena, California, where the city council late last year voted to rid itself of the problem by trapping and relocating birds to private ranches, the Los Angeles Times reported.
One resident, Ron Reyes, told the Times, “There is just poop all over this ramp,” and “This is infuriating, not to mention peacocks have destroyed my garden.”
But on the other hand, there are advocates like Dennis Fett, a consultant in Iowa and a co-founder of the Peacock Information Center who has been helping California communities with their peafowl problem since the late ’90s.
“I get lots of calls. I’ve had people who call me and say, ‘We got a problem, can you help me?’ My problem is we don’t have any benefactors or funding to go fly out and help,” said Fett.
Fett said Rolling Hills Estates, a Los Angeles suburb, hired him in 1992 to educate the community and provide a peafowl management plan. But the city didn’t retain him.
“They were very complimentary,” Fett said, but he later added that he could tell them, “what they’re doing right, and what they’re doing wrong with the wild peafowl. But they never followed through with that.”
Fett says the plan would’ve been a success if the city stayed in touch with him every year. But instead, he feels like he’s alone in wanting to save peacocks in Southern California.
However, he’s not. Residents banded together to create Friends of the Peacock in 2003 to keep the birds in Rancho Palos Verdes, a city adjacent to Rolling Hills Estates.
“The peacocks have been here for almost a hundred years. So they were here before most of the people that are here,” said the group’s president, Debbie Mott. “There’s a historic element to preserving them.”
She said her group was instrumental in crafting a plan to manage peacocks in the city. The program doesn’t allow trapping during or after mating season.
“We do have a program for managing the size of the flock, which keeps everybody in our city pretty much happy,” said Mott.
While their presence is controversial in neighborhoods, they are welcome in certain locations.
There are over 200 peacocks at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia. It’s a safe haven for peacocks, a public garden where they are appreciated and loved.
Related story
On one recent day, individual birds nonchalantly wandered the walkways, pecked at the grass, occasionally screeched and one displayed plumage. A small boy pointed out the birds and one wandered up to a reporter.
Peacocks are part of local history. The arboretum is situated on the site of an estate that long had them.
“In the late 1800s, several breeding pairs of peacocks were brought over from India by a gentleman named Lucky Baldwin,” said Frank McDonough, a botanical information consultant at the arboretum. “They established very well here.”
He said the birds thrive around people. Besides being beautiful, they’re free pest control.
“If you go to a neighborhood with peacocks, you will not find any snails or slugs. It’s amazing,” McDonough said. Plus, “your insect infestations go way down ‘cause that’s what they’re eating.”
And in a metropolis where homeowners care a lot about property values, having a few peacocks ambling around “can increase the amount of money you get for your house if you sell it and increase the property rates in general.”
If you get rid of them?
“Removing peacocks is basically removing money,” he added.
TheThe Leon family knew within the first week of opening their Peruvian Chinese restaurant Chifa in late 2020 that a sophomore effort was in the cards. Though no one in the family was especially well-versed in food service or hospitality, the tenacious squad that includes Humberto Leon, the co-founder of fashion brand Opening Ceremony; his mother, Wendy Leon; sister, Ricardina Leon; and brother-in-law, ...
TheThe Leon family knew within the first week of opening their Peruvian Chinese restaurant Chifa in late 2020 that a sophomore effort was in the cards. Though no one in the family was especially well-versed in food service or hospitality, the tenacious squad that includes Humberto Leon, the co-founder of fashion brand Opening Ceremony; his mother, Wendy Leon; sister, Ricardina Leon; and brother-in-law, John Liu; navigated pandemic-related hurdles and ultimately found success. Now they’re ready to do it all over again with Monarch, which opens on South Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia on Saturday, January 14.
While Chifa draws inspiration from the family’s first restaurant in Lima that Wendy opened in 1975 with her Peruvian husband, Ricardo José Leon, Monarch takes its culinary cues from Hong Kong, where the family’s history also stretches. (Originally from China’s Tongshan County, Wendy was sent to the former British colony to work as a maid and cook at age 8.)
The celestial dining room, awash in pale blues and scalloped edges, was designed by Humberto Leon with architect Michael Loverich.
The restaurant’s location in the San Gabriel Valley also holds important meaning for the family. The Leons initially landed in Highland Park upon immigrating from Peru in 1977 and settled in Rosemead in 1985. “Seeing this Asian community develop alongside this incredible Latin community, there’s just so much richness in the San Gabriel Valley,” says Humberto. “In many ways, it’s hometown pride that we have coming back to Arcadia.”
The restaurant and bar were designed by Humberto alongside architect Michael Loverich. The celestial dining room, awash in pale blues and scalloped edges, seats up to 125. Humberto says that traditional Chinese banquet hall aesthetics, along with a fascination with deities and a personal theory that butterflies can float between worlds, influenced Monarch’s interior design. While the ceiling’s ornate lighting fixtures and robust columns give the space the feel of a formal Chinese restaurant, Monarch’s wallpaper, dinnerware, and artwork — which includes a waterfall mosaic made of hand-painted glass beads by artist Charlie Mai — are thoroughly contemporary.
“Chinese restaurants have a history of being family celebration spaces, so we really want a space where you can celebrate all occasions,” says Humberto. “If you feel like dressing up and wearing heels, you absolutely can. You can also come in sneakers and casual [attire] and feel equally right at home.”
While Monarch bills itself as a Hong Kong-style restaurant, don’t expect to find standard dishes and presentations. Liu’s menu promises to be familiar for those knowledgeable of the Cantonese canon, yet different enough to keep things interesting. “Knowing the techniques gives you room to really push the boundaries,” says Humberto. “There are some classic dishes but the way chef John prepares it gives this kind of interesting twist on what that tradition could be.”
Take, for instance, the Hong Kong cafe staple baked pork chop rice. Under Liu’s care, a pan-seared pork cutlet is served over fried rice with tomato sauce and topped with Gruyere cheese. In a similar fashion, wok-tossed lobster tails get a crush of black pepper usually reserved for steaks. Humberto is most excited about Liu’s spin on dim sum-style panfried turnip cakes made with beets, and a silken steamed egg prepared with fish liver and finished with salmon roe or sea urchin. “I just don’t think people talk enough about Hong Kong cuisine where there is this Western element within Chinese food,” he says. Rounding out the menu are a few specials that originated at Chifa, including the chef’s signature Taiwanese beef noodle soup and a fried rice collaboration with Solange Knowles.
While the menu is firmly rooted in Chinese cooking, the portion sizes reflect the greater trend of small-plate dining ubiquitous throughout Los Angeles. Humberto suggests ordering two to three dishes for a party of two and five to six dishes for a party of four. “Sometimes when you go to Chinese restaurants, the portions are so large they become overwhelming,” he says. “We’re being more cognizant about the ingredients and making sure that you get a delicious meal, but that you can also have variety.”
The theme of Chinese classics done up with a modern flare continues to the full bar serving wine, beer, and cocktails. “How can we bring our Chinese culture into drinks? We try to make cocktails that are less sweet,” says Humberto. “We are definitely bringing some teas and fruits that are particularly Asian, and working with AAPI liquor specialists [Vervet and Sông Cái].” Highlights from the list include the Jade cocktail made with orange liqueur, mint, and rum, and the Hawthorne cocktail with grapefruit, hawthorn berry, and tequila. Monarch’s spin on an Old Fashioned includes sesame oil-washed bourbon, sesame seeds, and orange.
“I think that celebrations of any sort are always the hallmark to happiness and positivity and it’s a way to say how excited you are to be alive and together with people that you love,” says Humberto. “I want Monarch to be that space where you can really share love and joy, and there’s nothing better to show that than through food.”
Monarch is open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Crab Sweet Corn Soup 15
Hong Kong style puree corn, cream, crab
Black Garlic Soup 13
simmered sweet black garlic and pork soup
Beet Cake* 13
steamed and pan fried shredded beet cake with lap cheong and dried scallop
Filet Mignon Tartare
Westholme Australian Wagyu filet mignon
pickled snow cabbage, chili crisp and quail egg
29
Roe
caviar (30g of CA White Sturgeon) + quail egg
120
Silken Steamed Egg 19
delicate steamed egg with
monkfish liver
add Uni +11
Decadent Spiced Okra (V) 15
wok stir-fried okra in a Szechuan spice
Celery & Red Chidori Kale (V) 19
simple wok tossed celery and kale with fresh garlic
Sweet & Sour Pork 21
crispy fried pork with
Popo’s sweet & sour
sauce, onions and kiwi
Trinity Fried Rice* 21
garlic, ginger, scallion trinity fried rice with egg, shirmp and fish roe
Na’s Chicken Salad 17
shredded
free range
chicken with Chinese spices and fried chicken skin
Black Pepper Lobster Tail 51
whole lobster tail wok tossed in sweet and spicy black pepper sauce
Steamed Seabass Olive Tapenade 31
slow steamed chilean seabass topped with Chinese pickled
olive tapenade
Slippery Egg Crab Fried Fun* 21
Cantonese wok fried rice noodle with egg,
crab and salmon roe
add Uni +11
Addicting Curry Noodle* 37
fragrant and spicy curry squid ink noodle with scallop, calamari and shrimp
Braised Curry Lamb Shank 31
tender braised lamb shank in
fragrant
tomato curry with cauliflower puree
Dad’s Beef Noodle 33
Westholme Australian Wagyu brisket
, slow simmered beef and chicken soup with noodles
Monarch Bolognese 27
simmered pork and tomato ragu with Chinese egg noodle
Braised Short Rib & Tendon 25
Westholme Australian Wagyu short rib
and tendon, slow briased served with daikon
Baked Pork Chop Rice* 25
pan-seared pork cutlet over garlic fried rice, tomato sauce, topped and baked with
gruyere cheese
Housemade Chili Oil (2oz) 2Tomahawk (32oz) 253Ribeye (16oz) 183New York Strip (12oz) 95Filet Mignon (8oz) 53Select 1 Sauce:
Black Pepper Cognac au Poivre Roasted Garlic Red Wine Reduction Cucho Sauce
All 3 Sauces +17
(V) = Vegan (VG)= Vegetarian *Can Be Made Vegetarian
Dessert
Walnut Tong Sui 13
fresh ground walnut sweet soup with sesame rice ball
Wonton Cannoli 7
fried wonton chocolate lined cone with creamy chestnut paste
Flouring LA Black Sesame Brownie
(Exclusive)
13
black sesame
meringue
fudge brownie
White Pepper
(Exclusive)
(V) 9
handcrafted creamy white pepper oatmilk ice cream
Red Bean Swirl
(Exclusive)
9
handcrafted condensed milk ice cream with whole azuki red bean
Metamorphosis (V) 9
handcrafted butterfly pea coconut milk ice cream with dark chocolate bits and shaved coconut
The owner of The Derby restaurant in Arcadia wants to build more than 200 apartments around the century-old steakhouse popular with horse racing fans.Elite Real Estate Holdings, based in Mission Viejo, has filed plans to expand the restaurant at 233 East Huntington Drive and build a 214-unit, mixed-use apartment complex, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported.It wou...
The owner of The Derby restaurant in Arcadia wants to build more than 200 apartments around the century-old steakhouse popular with horse racing fans.
Elite Real Estate Holdings, based in Mission Viejo, has filed plans to expand the restaurant at 233 East Huntington Drive and build a 214-unit, mixed-use apartment complex, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported.
It would replace a parking lot and a one-story restaurant building that once housed a Souplantation at 301 East Huntington Drive, just east of a future L Line and less than a mile from the Santa Anita Park horse track.
The proposed plan calls for retaining The Derby’s signature gable roof, stained glass windows, red booths, exterior signage and horse racing memorabilia, while adding a new covered porte cochere, according to Urbanize Los Angeles.
The six-story apartment complex would include 205 market rate units and nine affordable apartments. Of those, 55 would be studios, 110 one-bedroom and 49 two-bedroom flats, most with balconies.
The size of the apartments would range from 480 square feet for the studios to 1,260 square feet for two-bedroom units with dens. A rendering depicts an L-shaped charcoal-and-white building around The Derby.
The complex, designed by [au]workshop of Colorado, would include a 4,800-square-foot rooftop deck with trees, a swimming pool, a 6,500-square-foot landscaped courtyard, herb garden and shared outdoor cooking space.
By signing up, you agree to TheRealDeal Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.
Inside, it would contain a fitness center, coworking space and yoga room. The bottom floor would include unspecified space for shops and restaurants. Parking would serve 414 cars.
The Derby restaurant, built in 1922, is ineligible for a spot on the National Register of Historic Places or the California Register of Historical Resources, an architectural historian found after an evaluation. Elite Real Estate Holdings was founded by Dustin Nicolarsen, a co-owner of The Derby, according to state business records.
Entities affiliated with the project include Top Realty, based in Canada, and Los Angeles-based investment bank Salem Partners, according to Urbanize.
Construction would depend on the approval of a general plan amendment and a zone change by the City of Arcadia.
The Derby development would follow Arcadia’s approval of Trammell Crow Residential’s Alexan development, which calls for 319 apartments a few blocks east. Both are within walking distances of Metro’s Arcadia Station.
— Dana Bartholomew
Surging peacock population has Arcadia residents crying 'fowl'
ARCADIA, Calif. — Arcadia residents say they have a peacock problem.The elaborately plumed birds have lived in the neighborhood for decades but as the population keeps growing, the peacocks are becoming a nuisance.What You Need To Know Resident Albert Huang shovels peacock poop from his lawn and driveway twice a day, which he says is just one of the hassles of living in the neighborhood.“It’s a love and hate relationship,” Huang said. “We love them and like how prett...
ARCADIA, Calif. — Arcadia residents say they have a peacock problem.
The elaborately plumed birds have lived in the neighborhood for decades but as the population keeps growing, the peacocks are becoming a nuisance.
What You Need To Know
Resident Albert Huang shovels peacock poop from his lawn and driveway twice a day, which he says is just one of the hassles of living in the neighborhood.
“It’s a love and hate relationship,” Huang said. “We love them and like how pretty they are. You can hear the sound, their mating call. So we really like the peacocks, but at the same time they can be really troublesome.”
Huang’s family has lived in the neighborhood since 1987. He’s seen the beautiful birds being born on his lawn. But now there are more than ever.
“Since 1987 until now, I think the population of peacocks grew 10-fold,” Huang said. “So that’s probably part of the reason why it’s becoming more of a trouble for the neighborhood.”
The peacocks were first brought to Arcadia decades ago from India by ranch owner Lucky Baldwin. They now occupy trees, stop traffic as they walk in the street and have damaged roofs. When they aren’t seen, they are heard even in the early morning hours.
Plus, people feed them even though city ordinances reinforced by signs around the neighborhood warn against it and threaten a $1,000 fine.
“For the people who live here, it’s a big problem for us because people start throwing food down on the road and a lot of times peacocks don’t even eat them so it becomes litter,” Huang said.
Related Stories
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger introduced a motion June 9 for a countywide ordinance prohibiting peacock feeding, as birds are spread out as far as San Pedro. She’s also working with wildlife experts to relocate the male peacocks to a sanctuary in San Diego.
“I’m never going to be able to eradicate and get rid of peacocks, nor do I really want to, but I do think we need to be cognizant of that fact that we need to control the population,” Supervisor Barger said. “The ordinance is going to be really no feeding of the peacocks but we’re going to see what teeth are in it. My goal is not to be punitive. Again it’s to educate people.”
Supervisor Barger said 10 to 15 peacocks have been relocated from East Pasadena and more are planned.
This website publishes news articles that contain copyrighted material
whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner.
The non-commercial use of these news articles for the purposes of local news
reporting constitutes "Fair Use" of the copyrighted materials
as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
626.313.0690
Service Areas
