The Altadena Dining Club

A friend told me about the Altadena Dining Club (ADC). 

I learned ADC is a dining group that was formed to support eating places in Altadena that are trying to recover from the fires. What a brilliant idea! ADC has a Facebook page, so I chose a date and place and planned to attend.

That evening, as I drove through the desolation of upper Lake Street, I looked for signs of the struggle to recover. The area feels like a battleground. Tucked away in the corner of a drab mini-mall dominated by the “Closing Down” signs of a large chain drugstore was a small, freshly painted building with tables and plantings outside – Nancy’s Greek Café, the designated meeting place.

We entered a cheerful, bright room humming with chatter and laughter and about 30 people enjoying delicious looking foods. We were warmly greeted then seated with a young couple who we discovered were now living in a mobile trailer. Our ADC hostess, Brooke Iva, came over and swapped stories of trailer living with them. People at other tables were engaged in earnest conversation and exchanging other interesting stories. (I saw no evidence of phones!) This was the Altadena community I had been hoping to find.

At one point, a tapping on glass summoned our attention and once we were silent,  Brooke laughingly announced that she had been pressured to sing. Her beautiful voice swirled around us and touched our hearts with “O Mio Bambino Caro.” Some were dabbing their eyes with napkins. The applause and cheering was loud and enthusiastic and elevated an already pleasurable and delicious meal event into a beautiful and special experience.

The dinners are scheduled almost weekly at different places (See Facebook for when and where.), although we may not always have the good fortune to hear someone like Brooke sing. I can’t think of a better way to have a meal out and meet new, interesting, cheerful people while contributing in a small way to the restoration of the community of Altadena. 

The next two dinners are on 9/5 from 4-7pm at El Caporal and 9/12 from 6-8 p.m. at Ferrazzani’s. Check the Altadena Dining Club Facebook page to keep abreast of the dining events and to check if reservations are needed.

As Brooke Iva wrote on the Altadena Dining Club Facebook page after the Nancy’s Greek Cafe event:

“WOW. Last night was incredible! We more than doubled our attendance from last week. Thank you to everyone (almost 50!) who showed up and supported Nancy’s Greek. And thank you to every new member of this brand new group - I think it’s clear that Altadenans want to get together and support our community!”

I hope you will join us: Eat good and do good at the same time!