This month is the one-year anniversary of my Faces of Monrovia project. I’m so thankful and grateful to each and every one of the nominees who took the time to be interviewed for this weekly feature. Monrovia is such a fantastic community, and I love being able to recognize people who do amazing things or have amazing stories to tell so that we can all get to know our neighbors!
Many of the readers have nominated me to be interviewed. As a show of gratitude, I’m featuring myself for this Thanksgiving interview. Thanks for those who asked me to share.
I became a Monrovian back in 1987 when my husband, Dave, and I bought a 1910 Craftsman bungalow on South Shamrock. I immediately got involved with the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group after being visited by none other than Steve Baker (no relation), our future City Historian. Steve gave us history on our first home and told us what the house likely looked like when it was first built. He also told us it was likely a Kit House ordered through a catalog.
After many years of volunteer work in Monrovia, I was appointed in 1995 by then Mayor Bob Bartlett to the first ever Historic Preservation Commission, where I served for twenty years. I also got involved with many other organizations, including Quota Club Monrovia/Duarte Chapter, Santa Anita Family YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills, the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce and the Monrovia Day Association. It was a real honor to receive the Chamber’s Iris Award as Citizen of the Year in 2008 and the Boys & Girls Club Mary Wilcox Youth Advocacy Award the following year. In 2012, I received the MAFA Renaissance Award, and this year I was honored with the Foothill Unity Center Golden Plate for the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Business Award.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My parents moved us all from Florida to California in 1963 when my Dad got a job here. I have one brother and two sisters, all younger than me. I also have five nieces and nephews, as well as one great nephew and three great nieces. We grew up in Covina and all stayed fairly local. My youngest sister also lives in Monrovia; my middle sister is in La Verne, and my brother lives in Fullerton. I lost my Dad in 1988 to heart disease and my Mom to lung cancer in 2000. I married my husband, Dave, in 1985. We have had many cats during our life together, but right now we share our home with our orange polydactyl cat, Catcher. He has lots of toes on his front paws!
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I was an administrative professional for the first 30 years of my working life until I got laid off in 2000 while working for an internet incubator in Pasadena. Due to the NASDAQ crash, I was part of a large layoff that left me as an unemployed Executive Assistant with a high salary and old school skills. A friend of mine suggested I try real estate, and the rest is history! I truly love this second career. Helping people find their dream home and helping sellers with what is likely the biggest transaction of their lives is so rewarding!
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
My favorite restaurant for dinner is Cafe Mundial, where we are regulars. We also love The Derby for a nice upscale dinner. There are so many great places for breakfast and lunch, it’s hard to choose, but a few of my favorites are Market Grill, Grey & Cash, 38 Degrees, Jake’s, La Adelita, J&B Burgers, and Sunday’s Old Town Bistro. My favorite Italian place is Alex DiPeppe’s in Arcadia. His sauce tastes just like my Mom’s!
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I’ve lived in Monrovia since 1987 and started working here when I got my real estate license in 2001.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
I’d have to say my friend, Charlotte Schamadan, was one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. As a deaf woman, she accomplished so much in her life. I hired her as a motivational speaker once, where her topic was “The Art of Listening.” She spoke about what a luxury we hearing people have that we can use selective listening, while deaf people have to hang on to every word you speak, especially if they are lip reading. It really made me think! Charlotte was smart, hilarious, giving and kind. She told you like it was, so you never had to question how she felt or what she thought about you! We lost Charlotte a few years ago, and my world has never been the same since.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
I’ve always wanted to visit Australia because it fascinates me. I can’t talk my husband into the long plane ride, so it’s probably always going to be just a dream. However, my two favorite places I’ve visited would have to be Italy for it’s history and architecture, and Ireland because that’s where my roots are planted. I’d love to go back to either or both places again.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
I’m a huge fan of Survivor. I’ve watched all 43 seasons! I’m also a sucker for true crime shows. It always fascinates me that people think they will get away with anything these days! I’d have to say my favorite movie is Psycho. It was so scary at the time it was released and still makes me squeamish watching that shower scene!
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Do what you love and the money will follow! Also, choose optimism over pessimism! You’ll be much happier!
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
I’ve always wanted to sing in a rock & roll band, but since I have a terrible singing voice, that’s not likely to ever happen. Instead, I’d have to say I’d love to move to Santa Fe, New Mexico some day.
Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
I have a very long list of mostly Classic Rock, but I’d have to choose Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Metallica, AC/DC, Audioslave, Tom Petty and Elvis! If you saw my iTunes library, you’d see that I have a wide range in my taste for music, so it’s hard to pick favorites.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
I miss T. Phillips, where we would go for dinner almost every Sunday. In fact, I met my fabulous assistant, Kimmberly Jones, there. I also miss Mystic Sisters bookstore and Cafe Opera.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative, with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I’d love to have lunch with Dave Roberts, the manager of the Dodgers. We’d go to Market Grill and talk about baseball, Vin Scully, and his winery, Red Stitch.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Monrovia or something unique about our community that you like?
I absolutely love the old houses we have here and that it’s so important to everyone to keep them standing. I also like the small town feel of living in a place where you know so many people you have to put makeup on just to go to the grocery store! LOL
Q: What is your greatest regret?
I’m sad that I didn’t have my Dad longer. 37 years just wasn’t enough time with him.
Q: Even for friends or family, what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I am a Certified Professional Secretary and can type 90 words per minute and take shorthand!
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
Greece, without a doubt! The architecture, the people, the clear blue water, the food, the history. It’s hard to beat! Tahiti would be a very close second!
Q: What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I’m pretty proud of the fact that I was able to start a second career at 50 years old and make it into a successful real estate business. My Dad, who was a salesman, would be proud!
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
My husband and my cat! And also my clients!
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My siblings, my husband, and my close friends.
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
Lavender, Rosemary, turkey cooking in the oven on Thanksgiving, and gardenias.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Love. Warmth. Comfort.
