I came to Stark Spirits for a distillery tour on 10/6/24 and my experience was delightful. The owners know what they are doing and they have the medals/awards to prove it! The location is a bit hidden and the operations is small, but the quality of their spirits is quite impressive. You can tell that they dedicate their time, effort, knowledge, and care into producing their beverages. I would suggest for anyone reading this to do the tour! There will also be a tasting with crackers and water to cleanse the palate. My favorite was the Skyline Gin, Espresso Liqueur (I can imagine Karen rolling her eyes ), and the Peated Whiskey. Karen was so wonderful from start to finish. She loves getting to know people and I loved hearing her stories. I could listen to them for days and learn so much from her and about her! Give this place a try! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. If you didn't, I apologize in advance. read more

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My family and best friend were in town for me, my twin brother and fiancés birthday this past weekend. I found this micro-distillery online. Karen, one of the owners is a hoot! She's very personable and very talkative, but she's very knowledgeable as well. Buckle up for at least a 2 hour experience. Located in a business warehouse plaza, you'll sit together getting to know one another and get background information on Karen and Greg's life which was nice to hear. The small warehouse packs a huge punch of information you receive. You get to understand how everything works and everything that Greg makes which was fun to learn about. Once you sit down and start tasting is where the most fun starts. They provide you with some water crackers and a lesson about drinking water and hydrating. And you get to taste all of he whiskey, rum and gin they make which is a worthwhile experience. read more

Stark Spirits Craft Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Best gin ever! The flavor is absolutely top-notch--smooth, aromatic, and crafted to perfection. The people here make the experience even better--so welcoming, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about what they do. I've had some amazing learning experiences, from tastings to behind-the-scenes insights. Honestly, I love everything about this place. It's not just about the drinks, it's about the whole atmosphere and the great energy. Can't wait to come back! read more

If you are interested what goes into distilled spirits, the Stark Spirits tour and tasting is very much worth your time. The building was a little hard to find in it's industrial park setting, but that may have been due to traffic rerouting for UCLA football confusing our GPS directions. Also, you can't just walk in, but reservations are easy to set up. The facility is smaller. Karen was our host and she provides a lot of detail on the process and equipment. We ran into another family who was justa finishing up their tour and they seemed very pleased. Greg was very friendly but busy due to events of the day. He did make a point to stop and toast the sunset with us! The tasting was user friendly and informal. I found that many of the versions I thought I wouldn't favor at the outset, were the ones I liked best. Their 151 rum was actually kinda tasty - perhaps too tasty. The spicier Dragon gin was a nice surprise, and we loved the Espresso Liqueur. read more

Stark Spirits Craft Distillery - a still - life still - life still life still life still life still life still life still life still life still - Distilleries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I'm sure Yelp will remove this review, because that's how they roll. But just in case, this distillery is amateurish. We walked in for our scheduled tour. This place is in an office park, so we opened the door to the office, and no one was in the front. But the door to the back/warehouse was ajar, and a man was working. He looked up to see us and yelled, "KAREN! DOOR!" or similar. Then Karen came out and sat down. She talked. And she talked. Talked, talked, talked. She tells you how she's partially deaf and then laboriously explains what that means. I was part of the deaf community for many years and had an SO who was deaf, so I'm deeply familiar with hard of hearing people (which is what she is--not deaf). Her demeanor seemed... almost condescending. Then, she talked some more about ow the tour would go and mentioned that she didn't understand why the country "couldn't all just get along." I, being a member of a marginalized community being very targeted in this political climate, pointed out that it's not just a matter of "getting along" but that lots of people on one side of the aisle want me dead or in camps. Karen, rapier wit that she has, feigned looking around (like that John Travolta/Pulp Fiction meme) and said, "Who here is trying to kill you?" as if I meant her or her husband specifically and not the public figures I was literally quoting. I wasn't looking to get into a debate. I just wanted to taste mediocre, locally distilled whiskey. But Karen took umbrage with my comment, and being the straight, White, cishet Christian woman she is, never experienced anything like I have, so she just looked at me like I had two heads. We left without the tour. If you look carefully at these reviews, you will see some of Karen's misogynistic remarks about how women can't handle hard liquor and comments about how she talks too much. Karen, if you're reading this, please talk less, listen more, and don't be so tone-deaf about "how come we can't all get along?" You're not Rodney King. read more

Had a great time with Karen and Greg at Stark Distillery. You need to go check out this small distillery. We had a great time. Karen & Greg, Thank you for the informative walk through and explanations of the Distillery . Loved the tasting and enjoyed the time we spent with you both. Thank you both for an enjoyable time there. read more

I attended a free tour and tasting through the Pacific Food & Beverage Museum/The Museum of the American Cocktail, and I'm very glad that I did! Greg Stark & Karen Robinson-Stark run this very space-efficient micro distillery located in an industrial park in Pasadena. On a warm 77 degree day in late January (sorry Midwest and East Coast!) about 30 of us gathered to be led through, 15 at a time, into the tiny warehouse to view the distilling vats and aging barrels. It's all very scientific and Greg used to be a software engineer at JPL so he will tell you all about the math and chemistry involved. Karen is a gracious hostess and herself, the lead distiller of their Skyline Gin. Altogether, there are eight unique spirits made here: *CA Single Malt Whiskey *Peated Single Malt Whiskey *CA Gold Rum *CA Silver Rum *CA Silver 151 Rum *Skyline Gin *Sunshine Orange Brandy *Aquavit These have won State, National and International awards and rightly so, they are all delicious! Their spirits are sold at Total Wine & More (everything but whiskey) and Mission Spirits (whiskey). Mohawk Bend restaurant serves the Stark brand. They produce an astounding 4,000 cases a year and have been in business for 6 years this coming April. I particularly enjoyed the "Sunshine," a clear Brandy made from only oranges, which are fermented & distilled. It may be one of a kind! And even though I'm generally not a gin drinker, I really loved their gin! Melissa's Produce served tasty nibbles like brisket on toast, berries, nuts and cookies in an attempt to keep us sober! I tasted all seven of the available spirits- only the aquavit was missing this day. Stark is a great find and I'll be back for more bottles of their exemplary spirits! Yelp Challenge 2019: 6/100 read more

This husband-and-wife-run micro-distillery in Pasadena is a true gem of the craft alcoholic beverage movement. They are meticulous in their process and the products they turn out are so evidently labors of love. From the time you walk in the door, you know that you are seeing the craft and the craftspeople. The lobby/front office proudly displays all of the products made right there on the premises and the actual medals won by their spirits at competition. Well deserved. The distillery itself is viewable in its entirety by standing in the middle of the room, all the barrels, the stills, the bottling equipment, and the fermenting equipment. Don't let the size give you the idea that you've seen it all though! My partner and I had previously been on a distillery tour of a massive facility in Scotland with a guide who walked us through the process, but we still learned a lot on the Stark Spirits tour! We had the pleasure of hearing both Greg and Karen's take on their craft, and Karen said that if anyone wants to get into the nitty-gritty then they are welcome to pepper Greg with questions. She is also very knowledgeable because she is responsible for their gins -- I don't want to give too much away because the tour is great! The tasting is part choose-your-own-adventure and part guided tour through the wide range of flavors that the distillery offers, and I encourage even experienced spirits-drinkers to keep an open mind and to follow the helpful directions that Karen provides to optimize the tasting experience. If you've been considering a distillery tour in LA, then choose this one, and don't wait! read more

Had a wonderful rainy afternoon learning about how spirits are distilled, watching spirits being distilled, and just hanging out and making friends with the wonderful couple who own/manage the place. Then sampled their fantastic products, which are nothing short of a labor of love. Could not recommend more highly! read more

I really enjoyed this tour! Owners Greg and Karen Stark are very sweet. The tour was very informative. I learned a lot about the distillery process, aging of different spirits, bottling, and heard about new products. At the end we enjoyed a tasting of each of their award winning spirits, which are distilled in small batches. Each one is numbered and hand signed. I love supporting local, small business. You can purchase their products on site and some are sold at Total Wine and Mission Wine and Spirits. I recommend this tour! read more

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We had a tour yesterday evening at this location. Husband and wife are extremely Experienced and knowledgeable,it's their company.The process to making the whiskey ,rum and brandy is pretty awesome. The explanation and the tour are first and second and the tasting is third. I love the little set up and I'm happy to know that yesterday we help support local business. If you have time make an appointment, try it for yourself. We're were pleasantly surprised on all the wonderful tastings. Also this company sells their product at total wines and more in Pasadena. read more

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What a great company and I thoroughly enjoyed today's FREE tour and FREE tasting. The owner Karen was very informative about all aspects of making their spirits. There was a total of six people in our tour in the small industrial space and we saw it all. We were invited to taste eight different items along with cold water and crackers to cleanse our palates and keep us sober. My favorite was Sunshine (orange brandy) and my husband liked the whiskey best. If you've never been to a distillery you should check it out. read more

Stark Spirits Craft Distillery - Copper still imported from Europe - Distilleries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I had some family from out of the country come and visit. My father and I took them here because they enjoy drinking spirits. Karen was so friendly and down-to-Earth. She will sit down and talk to everyone in the group on a personal level. This tour was so intimate and my family LOVED the spirits they were able to sample. I wasn't able to drink that day, but again, my family loved what they sampled. I would highly recommend taking this tour! read more

We recently had a very enjoyable and informative tour of Stark Distillery. Since it's a smaller operation, we were able to learn a lot more about making distilled spirits than we might have at a larger distiller. The tour was led by the owners and distillers themselves. Greg and Karen are very friendly and knowledgeable people, and happily explained how they make their spirits and answered all of our questions. Karen started the tour with a very interesting history of the distillery, and then described the types of spirits they produce. Again, since it was easy to ask questions, we were able to learn a lot more than we might have in a larger tour. The tour of the facilities was very interesting. Greg started us off with a detailed look at the stills themselves, showing us how each one works and how they use it. We then saw how the mash tuns and fermenters are connected to each other and to the stills, getting a great understanding of the whole process front to back. Being a smaller facility, we were able to get close-up views of each piece of equipment, getting a good appreciation of what it does and how it plays with everything else. The tour finished with a tasting of their spirits, which included gins, rums, and whiskeys. Since it was a small tour, Karen was able to take the time to give more detailed descriptions of them as we were tasting. This was particularly interesting for the gins. Like most gins, they use juniper berries, but Karen complements that with botanicals that aren't often found in gin. The ones we tried included star anise and Szechuan pepper, which gave a note of brightness and a nice, underlying warmth that made for a very satisfying spirit. The whiskeys were one of my favorites. The peated variety had a nice level of smokiness and an understated taste of iodine, perfectly balancing the underlying smooth maltiness. It reminded me the most of an Islam malt whiskey - not as intensely peaty and iodinic as a Laphroaig (a personal favorite), but a very satisfying dram on a cooler evening. We also enjoyed the rums. In particular, the gold rum had a nice taste of the molasses used in its making, with the trace of smokiness rounding out the sweetness. All of the spirits were very well made and flavorful. I'm looking forward to when we next visit. read more

Stark distills excellent rum and whiskey! It was a pleasure to meet Greg and Karen as well. read more

Stark Spirits Craft Distillery - Rum - Distilleries Near Me - Pasadena, California

I really can't say enough positive things about stark distillery. Greg and Karen have carved out a small yet extremely robust slice of the world of spirits here in Pasadena. I met Karen initially at a Wikimedia Foundation fundraiser in Beverly Hills, which I later learned is just a part of their philanthropic support of local charities and venues that they believe enhance the community. I was immediately taken by surprise trying their California single malt. An American whisky that is more similar to scotch than it is to bourbon? I had to know more and immediately started asking questions which led to an invitation to check out the distillery itself. Their operation is small and unassuming, tucked away in the back of a concrete industrial park. Peering in the loading door, I immediately gained a new appreciation for the term micro-distillery. They have packed so much large equipment into their space that you would swear it has to be 3x the size it actually is. Efficiency is the name of the game and Greg is the king of it. Having worked for JPL for 20+ years, Greg's use of the scientific method becomes immediately obvious in how he runs the distillery as well as producing the spirits they make. I could spend an hour here talking about each one and how incredible they are, but suffice it to say they are ALL FANTASTIC. I'm a scotch drinker myself and I have to give them enormous props for their single malt and peated whisky. It is truly incredible what they've managed to achieve with them. Don't take my word for it though, just look up the long list of awards they've won. Do yourself a favor and give Karen and Greg a call if you're in the area. I can't recommend checking stark spirits out enough. read more

Stark Spirits Craft Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Pasadena, California

Love this distillery! I've gone a couple of times and bought way too much , but couldn't help it because everything is so good. The owners are really nice and knowledgeable and don't mind sharing their knowledge with you. My favorite spirit is the gin called Dragon Spirit. It is unlike any gin I've ever had. I am not a traditional gin drinker, but Dragon Spirit is a whole new wonderful experience. read more

Greg and Karen have created something beautiful. The drinks were nothing short of incomparable. Stark is a very small (nano) distillery but the amount of care and hands on work put into the spirits they create is admirable. In our society of mass production and profit they are a beacon of light into what makes craftsmanship so valuable. The skyline gin and peated whiskey were something I will not forget. Karen herself is an absolute joy and absolutely chock full of knowledge. She gave us a full rundown of the distilling process and you can tell she truly enjoys spreading knowledge. Greg is a genius and he was even kind enough to show us AND allow us to taste some projects he was working on. The atmosphere was kind, warm and welcoming. I could not ask for a better experience. Go here and you will remember it and the wonderful People who run it. read more

A rainy day in Pasadena, on our Anniversary, my wife booked a tour of Stark. She had been wanting to go for a while, having sampled their spirits at a Total Wine a while back. Took a while to find the place, as it is hidden in a business park. Once we found the place, Greg (1/2 of the ownership) guided us in and offered us a seat in the office. He informed us that Karen (his wife and the other 1/2 owner) would be giving us a tour. Karen showed up a few minutes later and the fun began. Having been on a lot of Distillery tours across the US, including most of the Majors in Kentucky, we weren't sure what to expect. Tour started off with Karen asking about our life stories. We bonded over stories for about 30 minutes then walked through the small distillery. She went over the history, how much of the equipment was either build or modified by Greg. Once we finished the tour, we went back into the office for the tasting. They have a variety of distilled spirits including America Whiskey, Gin, Rum, and some liquors. We actually enjoy almost all of their spirits, and came home with their Single Malt America Whiskey (Scotch Like), and the151 Rum. The most unique tours, but really fun and not rushed. read more

Karen and Greg truly offer an intimate distillery tour and tasting. Karen is an adventurous soul who offers knowledge and perspective, along with crackers and water, and a traditional touch unmatched by other distilleries. Oh man, the peated whiskey is big. You can smell the peat. It is so good. This place is for those who are truly interested in craft spirits. Highly recommend a tour and tasting. read more

Stark Spirits Craft Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I was here recently for a recent Women Who Whiskey event. I was excited to learn about yet another distillery in the area since the ones I had been to so far were all outstanding. The tour was great from the standpoint of their explanation of the distillation process - though I found the delivery a bit long-winded (I've been to a lot of these so much of it is repetitive). The spirits themselves were great. Their American Whiskey is fantastic and their rums are amazing. Even folks who don't really like rum will probably enjoy these. Their gin was also very nice. The one I didn't care for was the aquavit (too much caraway without anything to balance it - just tasted like drinking rye bread). However, there was a very distinct point at which things all went wrong! As we were enjoying our tasting, the female member of the owner couple launched into a diatribe about how women lack a gene that allows us to process alcohol and so we should especially avoid super sugary drinks and be wary of men buying them for us at bars, etc. I was shocked of course, because if you believe that women can't process alcohol: 1) why are you in the business of creating and drinking it yourself? 2) why are you hosting a Women Who Whiskey event - shouldn't you be appalled that we would put ourselves in such danger? 3) how can you believe something so completely lacking in scientific basis when you just gave us a lengthy talk about the science of distillation? (My friend I brought with me is a geneticist and she and I just stared at each other in appalled disbelief from across the table.) 2 stars because the spirits are nice - otherwise it would only be the one to register my outrage. Needless to say, I will not be returning to the distillery or offering them my money going forward. Good booze but WT-actual-F?! read more

Stark Spirits Craft Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great time touring and tasting at Stark Spirits! I came here with 7 friends with varying levels of knowledge and enthusiasm for spirits. We all enjoyed the tour put on by Greg Stark. He made it all easy to grasp and answered questions without making us feel dumb. The distillery itself is definitely micro, which works out really well because you can literally see the whole distilling process all the way to the bottling right there in front of you. With all these huge distilleries out there, it was nice getting that personal touch. Let us not forget the actual spirits! They have something for everyone. I really enjoyed the CA Single Malt Whiskey, which was to be expected since I'm an avid whiskey enthusiast. What really (positively) surprised me is how much I enjoyed the gin and rum (they've even got a 151, if you want to breath fire). Ended up leaving with bottles of whiskey, gin, CA Rum, and Sunshine Orange Brandy (don't sleep on this one, it will surprise you with how tasty it is). If you like booze and you're in So Cal, you really HAVE TO check this place out. If you're visiting and you want to get a feel for California distilling and some unique CA flavors, make Stark Spirits a part of your visit. You'll be glad you did! read more

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Great value tour and tasting of a local husband & wife owned microdistillery in Pasadena. You're offered a tasting of their entire selection of 10 different spirits. Highlights include the "Sunshine" orange brandy, "Dragon Spirit" gin infused with Chinese 5 spice, and a surprisingly smooth 151 rum. Everything made by hand with love by a sweet and friendly couple. read more

If you are looking for a bar like atmosphere or to get wasted for a cheap price go elsewhere. This is really for the person seeking knowledge and enjoys the distillery process. This is not for the drinker that doesn't enjoy the distinct flavors in alcohol. Karen is sweet and extremely knowledgeable about this craft. She is personable and makes the experience comfortable and laid back. This is a working distillery that is not like a bar experience. This will be a very personal tour and tasting experience. Karen get to know you she tells you about all 10 liquors you will be tasting, she shows you the small working distillery and the equipment used to craft these liquors. After all the knowledge you sample each of their 10 liquors. read more

My boyfriend and I had a great experience here. Karen was so sweet and talked to us before the tour and got to know us. Turns out my boyfriend I had a lot in common with Karen and her husband Greg. Karen gave us the tour, she was very knowledgeable and really cares about her product. I never knew how much time, labor and patience it took to make alcohol. From measuring the ingredients to the bottling process. Karen was so sweet when it came to the tasting. She reminded us to drink water in between tasting different spirits and offered us crackers. Overall, highly recommended anyone take a tour of Starks Distillery. read more

Although the Starks were not expecting us, they dropped what they were doing to welcome us. Greg gave us a tour of the distilling equipment and process, answering every question with depth and knowledge, then Karen introduced us to the amazing spirits, from Rums to Aquavit to Gin and whiskeys. All remarkable. I purchased many bottles and I am sure I will be back for more. What a heart-warming example of American entrepreneurship, here in Pasadena!! read more

My boyfriend and I had such an amazing experience here. The couple is so friendly, welcoming, and full of knowledge. They are passionate and thoroughly enjoy what they do. I would recommend a visit to anyone and everyone. read more

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I absolutely love their products! Excellent quality, and so tasty. I don't usually drink liquor straight up, but their gin and rums are all so good that sometimes I actually do. They're my favorite brand, and I try to stock up when I can. Their tour and tasting at the distillery is really interesting as well. I definitely recommend for anyone who has an interest in learning about the process. My friend and I recently paid a visit and got to try their new Dragon Spirit Gin - another delicious hit! The spices in it really add a unique flavor, and I can't wait until I can get a bottle of it for myself! read more

What a fun micro distillery! We came here for my husbands birthday as he loves spirits and we were not disappointed. The place is smaller than I expected but both Greg and Karen are so informative. They really take you through their process and after, you get to try there amazing spirits. Greg also let us try a winter batch of Whisky he was coming up with! Such a fun way to spend a Sat afternoon. We will be on the look out for their Sunshine Brandy, whiskeys and more in a stores near us! Highly recommended! read more

Stark Spirits Craft Distillery - Some of the whiskey barrels. - Distilleries Near Me - Pasadena, California

There is a small batch distillery right here in Pasadena! Why hadn't I heard of Stark Spirits? We went all the way to Kentucky and traveled the bourbon trail but didn't enjoy a tour any more than we enjoyed our time with Karen and Greg. They are knowledgeable, great teachers who love what they do. Their enthusiasm is contagious. We celebrated my birthday with a tour -- very tasty whiskey, rums and liqueurs. We'll be loyal to the Stark brand and support a fine local business from now on. read more

Greg and Karen were so wonderful! I set up a tour and tasting to celebrate my birthday with a few friends and we had a marvelous time. Some of the best spirits I've ever had and so reasonably priced. We will definitely be back to restock our collection when the bottles we purchased run out! read more

The espresso liquor is very good. I'm not a gin fan but after trying theirs straight up, we brought a bottle home and made some delicious Gin Bucks and G & Ts. Love that they also carry airplane sized bottles you can use as tasters without getting stuck buying a fifth only to take it home and hate it. A hidden gem! read more

If your local purveyor of fine spirits does not carry Stark Spirits, pester them until they do! I just came back from a wonderful tour and tasting of the Stark Spirits Distillery. The owners are a delightful couple who obviously care very deeply about the quality of their product. My family and I had a lovely time chatting with them, learning all about the distilling process. It is very hard to pick a favorite, but I think my favorite thing that we tasted was their orange brandy. However, their gin, rums, and whiskeys were also excellent. read more

these fine folks & the spirits they invoke truly are the bee's knees!! I couldn't recommend them more highly!!

We had an amazing time first learning about how they distill their spirits, then had an amazing tasting. We will definitely keep an eye out for their spirits at our local liquor shops. read more

Mind-altering... in a good way. A couple of friends and I went on a tour of the distillery and had our realities shifted when it came to spirits. Age-statements are just deception? I mean, I'd seen this in bars for social interaction, but Mr. Stark was able to educate us about how the age-on-bottle didn't fully represent the depth of what was in there. Plus, he shared a taste of several superlative spirits: a chocolately moonshine!?! a delicious peated American whisky!?! orange brandy!?! Such interesting stories, delicious drinks and an educational afternoon tour. read more

The most wonderful night of my life!!! Such a knowledgeable couple. I've never been to a Bourbon distillery !! AMAZING!

An absolutely wonderful place to experience craft distillery brewing. Karen one of the owners, is very nice and extremely knowledgeable and passionate about her craft. Be sure to sign up for a tour on their website! All of the different spirits are wonderful and unique! Support a local business and purchase a bottle on the way out, you can't be disappointed at Stark Spirits! read more

The Starks (Greg and Karen) are an amazing couple. They produce truly spectacular spirits from scratch. They mill the grains and then perform every step leading to bottled ambrosia almost completely by themselves (they get a little help from adult children). Some of their equipment was made by Greg. Their products are hard to find, partly because they are a very small-volume distillery and partly because they have had some distribution problems in the past. I hope those difficulties are in their past. All of their products are extremely high quality and in a few cases (especially the gin) quite different from what you might be used to. All three of their rums are the best I have ever tasted in their category (light, dark, and 151 proof). If you try to drink most 151-proof rums neat, all you get is a burning mouth. The Stark 151 is absolutely delicious and a great pleasure to drink neat. The molasses is clearly evident in the dark rum. And whatever you do, don't miss their orange brandy and the Aquavit. Find a place that sells this stuff and then run, don't walk, to it. read more

This was the most enjoyable and intimate tasting experience ever. Karen and Greg's story is inspiring and their passion for what they do is contagious. Karen and Greg make every batch and sign each bottle. They are so generous with their time and knowledge and create a one of a kind tasting experience. All of the spirits were fantastic but the California whiskey and Sunshine orange brandy were my favorites! I highly recommend getting to know this Pasadena gem. Thank you Karen and Greg, this was truly a memorable experience! read more