By GAIL MIYASAKI
Rafu Craft Editor
What could be more sublime than enjoying a slice of homemade pie?
Raise your hand if you’ve ever tried to make a pie crust. Getting flaky results is not an easy task.
There’s a hidden gem on Traction Avenue in the Arts District where they do pie justice. Already a neighborhood gathering spot, The Pie Hole’s been open over a year.
This area will be abuzz with lots more foot, bike and car traffic when One Santa Fe opens with 483 apartments, retail spots and a movie theatre across the street from Sci-Arc.
“Pie is love!” That’s what it’s all about for mother-son owners Becky Grasley and Matthew Heffner and business partner Sean Brennan. Handily running daily operations is Lindsay Hollister, Matty’s fiancé.
Behind the scenes is spirited pastry chef Beth Kellerhals, bringing innovation with trendy choices. Super credentialed, most recently she worked with Roy Choi’s A-Frame and Sunny Spot.
The Pie Hole team picks the cream of the crop from in-season locally sourced fruits. Fall’s bounty includes pears, pecans and sweet potatoes.
Savory. Sweet. It’s about choices.
Chicken and cornbread pot pie top the savory list. Thanksgiving pie is full of turkey, gravy and stuffing while mac and cheese lovers take pride in the pie of the same name.
Want sweet? If you ask any of the friendly crew, they’ll say the maple custard or the infused Earl Grey tea white chocolate mousse. Chocoholics, there’s a Mexican chocolate and pizza-shaped crostada. A slice runs about $6.
A whole double-crusted apple pie holds a whopping ten apples, all thinly sliced, with the outer crust aglow with caramelized raw sugar.
If you crave small bites or simply counting calories, try the tangy mini lemon meringue pie or a seasonal fruit pocket pie.
A second location will open in Old Time Pasadena on Colorado Boulevard next year. Look for artisanal companies, like Coolhaus, sharing marketplace spots.
Stop by for a cuppa joe to start your day off right. They offer freshly brewed organic Rain Forest Alliance Certified Ground Works Pie Hole Blend. Buy a bag of whole beans or reserve a whole pie for that holiday gift.
December is just around the corner so it’s time to deck those halls! Scout for special treasures at the Asian arts and crafts shows remaining. Event coordinator Stephanie Nakayama will have her hands full hosting two events in the weeks ahead.
On Sunday, Dec. 1, Krafty Delites takes place at the Carson Community Center. A Time for Sharing Holiday Boutique is being hosted at the Gardena Elks Lodge on Sunday, Dec. 8.
Coming in from Utah for both shows is math whiz Ruth Webb, who’s been crafting with her sister Gail Jung of Torrance on and off since the eighties.
From beaded magnetic bracelets and necklaces, scarves, Hawaiian quilts and burp cloths to wine bottle organza gift bags with beaded charms to travel bags and money leis, they offer custom-designed pieces.
Webb got serious about jewelry making, beading, knitting and sewing after a move with her husband to a small artist’s community in Southern Utah where creativity thrives. From high-end sterling silver and gemstone jewelry that’s sold in Utah shows to whimsical and practical items made for the craft shows, she’s embracing it all.
Webb’s other passion began a year ago when she fostered a 9-year-old Chihuahua from the Irvins No Kill Animal Shelter (INKAS). That dog was adopted. A believer in their no-kill philosophy, she helps raise money for the shelter with the sale of her crafts.
The SCNBA Holiday Craft Boutique kicks off at the Canoga Park Bowl, of all places, also on Sunday, Dec. 8.
Gals love gifts that come in small boxes! Make it a point to check out Filament Jewelry by Adrienne Doi.
With a specialty in wire wrapped pieces using sterling silver and gold filled wire with semi-precious stones, pearls, crystals, bone and wood, Doi’s career as a jewelry designer spans a dozen years.
This art major took some lessons from her jewelry designer sister, Emily, and the rest is history.
Classes fell into place in soldering; wire wrapping, crocheting and weaving techniques; and prong settings. Through these various processes, Doi realized that she looks to nature for inspiration.
“I love the floral forms, the meandering lines of climbing vines, the color combinations and also the delicacy of forms and structures,” she said.
Ideas are sketched out on paper to see which beads make pleasing combos, but in the end, she lets the beads dictate the final composition.
For relaxation and stress relief, Doi turns to the big taiko drum as a member of the Yuujou Daiko out of Gedatsu Church.
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Sunday, Dec. 1, 10-4
Krafty Delites Christmas Boutique #2
Carson Community Center
801 E. Carson St., Carson
(310) 329-5874, Stephanie Nakayama
Sunday, Dec. 1, 11-2
St. Mary’s Christmas Boutique
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
963 S. Mariposa, Los Angeles
(213) 215-3883, Fifi Newcomb
Sunday, Dec. 8, 10-3:30
A Time for Sharing Holiday Boutique
Gardena Elks Lodge
1735 W. 162nd St., Gardena
(310) 329-5874, Stephanie Nakayama
Sunday, Dec. 8, 10-6
SCNBA Holiday Craft Boutique
Canoga Park Bowl
20122 Vanowen St., Winnetka
(323) 661-9891, Janet Taguchi