Paint 'N Play to Host Dance Competition for Charity

One Old Town merchant is teaming up with the Monrovia Association of Fine Arts for a dance competition intended to raise money for a charity that supports families of terminally ill cancer patients.

From 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Paint 'N Play at 418 S. Myrtle Avenue, will host the First Inaugural Amateur Valentine Dance Competition and Fundraiser. Ticket prices are $10, and proceeds go towards Hold 'n Hands, Help 'n Hearts, a legacy program designed to create keepsake ceramic hand prints for the families of terminally ill cancer patients.

Business Tip: Free Advertising Through Online Media

Looking for free ways to get the word out about your business?

Facebook works. So does Yelp. And don't forget about the My Monrovia Business Blog.

But one hyper-local site prides itself being so comprehensive that it has a "page for every business located in Monrovia." 

Monrovia Patch provides readers - and business owners - with Patch Places , which is a place where they can review a business, list its contact information, and provide detailed information about its hours, its specialties, and even a map.

According to Patch:

"Yep, if you go to our Patch Places you can find all sorts of shops by category, or by typing topics into our search box—yeah, you can find "sushi" or "tattoo" or anything else that local businesses provide. On each page is a photo of the business, the hours of operation, the phone number, accepted payment methods, handicapped access, address and even a handy map showing where it is."

Business owners can also "claim their business," and take charge of the listing online.

Pretty cool for a free service, huh?

'A Snail's Pace' Gets National Recognition

Monrovia runners, you're in luck: Our city is home to one of the nation's top running stores.

A Snails Pace, a running store that opened in Monrovia in July 2011, was recently voted one of the "50 Best Running Stores in America," according to this Monrovia Weekly story.

Snails Pace opened in 1979, and recently relocated from its longtime home in Old Town Pasadena to Old Town Monrovia, 750 S. Myrtle Ave.

According to the Weekly:

This national recognition is sponsored by Competitor Magazine and Formula Four Media. They conduct an intense, one-year evaluation process including nominations from consumers and members of the trade, and mystery shopper reports. They also rate the stores relationship with the community it serves.

“We are very thankful and appreciative for all our customers who have supported our stores and voted for us as one of the 50 Best Running Stores in America, We also want to thank our hard working and dedicated employees for helping us achieve this prestigious award,” stated Dave Reynolds, president of the company.

A Snail’s Pace has store locations in Fountain Valley, Laguna Hills, Brea, and Monrovia.

Round II: Cafe LuMar Open for Lunch...and Dinner

Cafe LuMar, a Croatian-influenced restaurant that serves soup, sandwiches, and fresh baked goods at 136 E. Colorado Avenue, is the newest restaurant in Old Town. We reported earlier this week of their opening, and posted their menu online. Today, we had a chance to see what they were whipping up for lunch, and ordered the half sandwich, salad and soup deal for $7.50.

Bean soup with a toasted piece of bread.

Half roasted pork sandwich and salad.

We also learned that they are open on Friday nights for dinner, so if you are out and about at the Friday Night Family Festival, pop by to see their daily specials...

Daily special for Friday, Jan. 27.

To get more information, here is their website:

Website: www.cafelumar.com

Twitter Time: City of Monrovia Now Tweeting

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for: You can now follow the City of Monrovia on Twitter. Yes, that means that whatever you read here you can now find at www.twitter.com/@MonroviaCA.

And the Answer Is...

Merengue!

Almost everyone got it in our survey this morning, though there was one voter out there convinced it was Cafe LuMar.

Pictured in the poster is Merengue Bakery's famous potato ball - yes, a ball of mashed potatoes stuffed with ground beef or cheese and covered with bread crumbs - though  Merengue is also known for their cakes, yummy pastries such as the guava and filled stuffed "Refugees," and their sandwiches and salads.

Merengue is at 110 E. Colorado Blvd.

Thanks for playing!

Cafe LuMar Now Open for Lunch

Its been a few months in the works, but Cafe LuMar, located at 136 E. Colorado, is now open for lunch. This quaint cafe, which opened last week, offers salads, sandwiches, crepes, and fresh baked desserts.

Cafe LuMar's addition to Old Town was announced on the blog back in November. If you recall from that post, the owner described Cafe LuMar as a place that "will be known for its friendly atmosphere, consistently great food, made in-house from scratch and from the freshest ingredients."

Here is their menu: