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Dabney Zorthian
May 11, 2006 - Doo Dah has received news of the passing of one of our most treasured friends and sources of inspiration, Dabney Zorthian.
"Dabney Zorthian was a wonderful, creative spirit in her own right. And we know she's bringing her zeal, independence and full heart to the angels above." - Tom Coston, LBP
Dabney is, and will be, sorely missed. We express our sincerest condolences to her family, friends, and admirers.
This article that has been reprinted courtesy of the Pasadena Star-News. Photos have been added courtesy of LightBringer Project.
An artist to the end
Local Bohemian maven Dabney Zorthian dies at 75
By Molly R. Okeon Staff Writer, Pasadena Star News
ALTADENA - Dabney Zorthian, who went from a Hancock Park childhood to become a local legend of high bohemian culture, died Tuesday at the age of 75.
Her daughter, Alice, 42, said her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago and had fallen ill again in October. After many decades of presiding over the Zorthian Ranch high above Altadena, she died at The Scripps Home for seniors, where she'd moved several weeks ago.
Friends and family said that Zorthian's illness, which she chose to treat with Tibetan herbs and other holistic methods, hadn't slowed down what many describe as her intensely creative spirit.
Though long in the artistic shadow of her outgoing husband, the late painter Jirayr Zorthian, only last Sunday she read a poem she had written called "Limbs" in front of a crowd gathered at the Metro Gallery in Old Pasadena, where her photo exhibit of the same name was being displayed.
"People knew this was the last time we were going to see her in the gallery," recalled Tom Coston, president of the Light Bringer Project, which runs the gallery. "Someone said to me that we should be so lucky as to approach our final days with as much grace and elegance as Dabney did."
Sitting in her wheelchair and reading to the audience gathered Sunday, Coston said Zorthian was "in the moment.
"Dabney was wide-eyed, and boundaries in terms of creative boundaries were not an issue with her," he said.
The Zorthians' ranch in the Altadena foothills was a hub of bohemian culture in Southern California, Coston said.
Dabney Zorthian hosted an endless stream of visitors, including Caltech physicist Richard Feynman and many musical and artistic greats.
"It certainly describes an era that all of us crossed paths during, mainly up at the ranch," Coston said, noting jazz legend Charlie Parker was among the revelers. "So many people feel part of the extended Zorthian family."
Dabney von Briesen grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from Marlborough School. She studied anthropology for two years at UCLA. After Dabney and Jirayr married in 1957, the couple started Zorthian's Ranch for Children, which they ran together until 1981, according to son Alan, 47, an
architect who lives in Highland Park.
Alice Zorthian, a teacher who lives in Taos, New Mexico, said she and her brother didn't have what people would call "a `Leave it to Beaver' childhood.
"It was very wild and wonderful at the same time," she said. "I had all these amazing people around me all the time, from Nobel Prize winners to Playboy models."
Until his death in 2004, Jirayr, known as Jerry, had wild birthday parties at the ranch each spring featuring dancing naked "nymphs"- mostly models for his paintings. Among the many other events that took place at the ranch were the Doo Dah Parade Queen tryouts.
The Doo Dah, a twisted cousin of the Rose Parade, is a celebration of the funky side of the area's culture. To be crowned its queen, a contestant must prove her worthiness via unique and often bizarre talents.
"The Doo Dah Parade and the Zorthians had many places where they connected in terms of independent spirit and the willingness to let your hair down," Coston said.
Alan Zorthian said the family hopes to build a residential development on the lower part of the ranch property in order to pay to keep the upper area alive for the arts community.
"I think it's part of our cultural heritage, and I hope it can continue in that spirit to be somehow accessible and open for people," he said.
Just before her death, Dabney Zorthian gave permission to let the Altadena Crest Trails Working Group cut a path through her property.
Zorthian is survived by her two children and three granddaughters. A memorial service will take place Sunday from
2 p.m to 6 p.m. at the ranch, 3990 N. Fair Oaks Ave.
molly.okeon@sgvn.com
(626) 578-6300, Ext. 4496
reprinted with permission
Cherie Flores wins the Doo Dah Royal Crown!!!!!
November 13, 2005 -
A panel made up of Doo Dah queens and other parade officianados, including actor Fred Willard and novelty radio host Dr. Demento, gathered together at the fabled Zorthian ranch-site in the hills of Altadena to choose their queen. Selected from the largest assemblage of queen hopefuls ever was 23 year-old Cherie Flores, a poi dancer from Los Angeles who wowed the judges with her swirling fire dance and psychic knowledge of Doo Dah folklore. Crystal Lightner, of Pasadena, was voted runner-up by singing “Cabaret” and espousing the virtues of being “big and beautiful.”
Cherie, an attractive brunette born of Nicaraguan parents, is a recent graduate of San Francisco State University and is currently pursuing her love of theater and dance at local performing venues. “I never really thought I was going to win,” Cherie exclaimed after receiving the royal nod. “It was like nothing I’d ever seen! I was just happy to have been there and had so much fun!” Queen Cherie promises to bring creativity and positive energy to her reign and can be seen performing her fire dance in the Doo Dah Parade this Sunday. Cherie won the coveted title over such contenders as Count Smokula, Sir Pippi Poo-poo, Naughty Mickie and a Desperate Non-housewife, among other queen candidates.
This Sunday Queen Cherie leads the 29th Pasadena Doo Dah Parade which steps off at 11:30am on the streets of the Old Pasadena historic district. Cherie will be joined by popular crowd favorites like the 2005 Grand Marshals and 19-year veterans the BBQ & Hibachi Marching Grill Team, Dread Zeppelin, The Bastard Sons of Lee Marvin, Men of Leisure and newcomer pundits like the Vegetables of Laguna Beach, Jumbo Starfish, and The Royal Pains through the streets of historic Old Pasadena. 
Photo credits: Terry Miller and LBP
The 6th Annual Thorny Rose Awardee
WEST PASADENA RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
The Pasadena Doo Dah Parade’s 2005 Thorny Rose Selection Committee, a highly confidential and eclectic panel of community observers, has given this year’s Thorny Rose to the West Pasadena Residents Association. The Thorny Rose is given annually to local citizenry who are identified for their painfully unwavering, salty and, usually, controversial style.
This is the first Thorny Rose bestowed upon an entire group of individuals.
Selection Committee members, in their research of candidates, didn’t have far to look. Over the course of a few years, the WPRA has gone from just another active and caring neighborhood association to assuming the role of hard-nosed lobbying machine and even “The Terminator” in respect to proposed development projects. Then came the NFL.
When City Council gave the go-ahead for staff to work with the NFL toward the potential of hosting professional football in Pasadena, and plans were eventually unveiled for a completely renovated stadium, the WPRA took off their gloves. Using the 3 M’s-money, methods and muscle-they let it be known in no uncertain terms that NFL supporters on Council would suffer political fire. Council backed off the plans. When a voter ballot was proposed, the WPRA filed a lawsuit to block the ballot initiative. The acronym NIMBY takes on new meaning in respect to these folks—It might as well stand for “Neighbors Intentionally Might Bust You.” The WPRA takes its place alongside two-time Thorny Rose winner and city council member Paul Little; Mary Dee Romney, school board gadfly; the late Roy Begley, whose focus was the light rail and jitneys; and the late Star-News columnist Chuck Cherniss, who regularly railed against big government.
According to Thorny Rose tradition, the WPRA President will be driven along the Parade route after publicly accepting the honor at the Pasadena Doo Dah Parade this Sunday. If the WPRA declines to accept the invitation, a suitable facsimile will ride along the parade route.
*UPDATE 11/08/05*
BBQ & Hibachi Marching Grill Team will serve as Grand Marshals of the 29th Doo Dah Parade!
Celebrating their 19th year of participation in the Pasadena Doo Dah Parade, the BBQ & Hibachi Marching Grill Team will lead the “Other Parade” down Colorado Boulevard as its’ 2005 Grand Marshals. The fired-up backyard ensemble has been a major crowd favorite at Doo Dah, grilling thousands of dogs over the years and, literally, feeding and rousing the spectators.
The Grill Men estimate that they have grilled, thrown, and eaten over 13,500 hot dogs since their first appearance. The year 2000 was especially productive for the BBQ Hibachi Marching Grill Team, when they attempted to cook and serve 2,000 hot dogs as they wound their way through Old Pasadena. And they did it- thanks to the efforts of people like Billy “Beer Batter” Brzykcy! Another Grill Team organizer, Jennifer “Big Squeeze” Schiller, explains, “We had to go through the parade twice to accomplish that impossible feat!”
The Grill Men are quite admired for celebrating one of the great American pastimes and for being so highly organized. In fact, they’re broken down into special units, including the Grill Men, themselves, Briquette and Condiment Girls, and Brautzooka’s. The launcher, which is something like a hot dog bazooka, is capable of hurling fully dressed and wrapped hot dogs into the crowd at mind-boggling heights and distances. And just to heat the party up, they add risqué chants and performing routines for extra laughs.
In their inaugural year of 1987, led by founders Scott “Forkhole” Coady and Eric “Oakwood” Walls, they worked out a battle plan, but some of their friends (later well-known Grill Men) decided to watch the Doo Dah Parade rather than face public humiliation. “Back then, we even had to pull people out of the crowd to hold our banner,” says Jennifer. But each year, she remembers, they called upon the “Divine Grilling Source,” and the Grill Team and their fan base grew exponentially. Now they even claim to have groupies!
Doo Dah Parade organizers are as proud as can be with their choice. “The BBQ Hibachi Marching Grill Team epitomizes the kind of organized chaos we value at Doo Dah,” comments event producer Tom Coston. “They, literally, have held a backyard party in our streets—with briquette-bag hats, soot-smeared faces, grass skirts, ugly shirts, swinging spatula’s and all!
Plus, we think the Brautzooka should be immediately patented. And how Americana can you get? Everyone needs a good dog now and then.”
*UPDATE* 10/13/05 | Annual Pancake breakfast at the Senior Center
As they have faithfully done for years now, the wonderful folks at the Senior Center will be holding their annual pancake breakfast this year in fine Doo Dah fashion. As usual, the breakfast will be all-you-can-eat for $5.00.
Update: The pancake breakfast will be held at the Senior Center, which is on the corner of Holly and Raymond in Old Town Pasadena (where the parade actually begins).
The details:
Sunday, November 20th from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
All-you-can-eat pancakes, $5.00
The menu specials include:
ham, sausage or bacon, scrambled eggs, coffee, hot tea, and all the trimmings!
Dabney Zorthian, Grand Marshal of last year’s Doo Dah Parade!
Long-time Altadena resident Dabney Zorthian led the 2004 Pasadena Doo Dah Parade as it took to the streets of Old Pasadenalast year. The wife of recently deceased artist Jirayr Zorthian, Dabney has been an avid supporter of the arts and one of Pasadena’s most colorful personalities.
Dabney’s residence is the fabled Zorthian Ranch, an eccentric nerve-center of artistic flamboyance. The “Ranch” is brimming with the unique art and architecture of Jirayr Zorthian, deemed “last of the bohemians” in an L.A. Weekly cover story. Dabney will continue to nurture the creative life of the ranch, which was formerly a summer camp and hosted many local residents during their formative years.
Seen often at local cultural soirees, Dabney is an active member of the Pasadena Art Alliance and loves horses and equestrian activities. Upon being notified of her selection, she remarked, “I Love Doo Dah! And even though I am not usually in the limelight, I think it’s thrilling!”
Doo Dah organizers were equally thrilled. “Dabney is one of the most generous and gracious women in our midst,” says event producer Tom Coston. “Her creative spirit always shines and, more than anyone we can think of, she has made a work of art out of her very own life.” She will be among friends at Doo Dah and is certain to provide the “traditional” Zorthian flair.
Participant information
We have a whole boat-load of information for all of our closest friends and neighbors who are participating in the parade this year. You can find out where to go, what to do, how things all work with so many wacky folks all in the same spot on the street at the same time, and so forth. Find out more...
Apply, Apply, Apply
If you want to participate in the party-in-the-street we affectionately refer to as Doo Dah, you'll want to get an application turned in as soon as possible. The application contains all of the relevant information.
9/21/2005 | Web site launched!
The official site for Doo Dah has been launched today. We have revamped everything, and are busily clicking, updating, clicking, repeating, and so forth, so if you stumble across any broken things, please let us know.
Check the site out! Oh wait. I guess you already are. Well, don't stop now - give it a good go!
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