Home Care In Arcadia, LA

After years spent scooping ice cream at various pop-ups around Los Angeles, offering pints in the freezer section of neighborhood shoppy shops, and serving as a dessert option at a few restaurants, 626 Hospitality Group finally has a permanent location in Arcadia. Taking over the longstanding Ace Frozen Yogurt space on East Duarte Street, 626 Ice Cream delivers the same LA-inspired flavors that fans have come to expect from the brand but in an all-new soft serve format.

Launched in 2020 by Amber Tan and Waldo Yan, 626 Hospitality Group is best known for autobiographical ice cream flavors that reflect their upbringing in the San Gabriel Valley and greater Los Angeles. Past creations have included burnt honey and barley, an homage to the complimentary tea served at Korean barbecue restaurants, and coconut pandan, a nod to the popular Vietnamese sweets purveyor Hien Khanh with locations in Little Saigon and Rosemead.

The shift from making ice cream to soft serve came about due to the 800-square-foot space that Tan and Yan settled on. The shop’s former owners, Il Yong “Jay” Chung and Soo In Lee, hoped Tan and Yan would continue utilizing the soft serve machines that served the business for more than two decades. “We are going to honor Jay and Soo’s wishes and the heritage of Ace Yogurt while being true to ourselves,” the duo shared in an Instagram post. Tan tells Eater that any future locations of 626 Ice Cream will likely serve ice cream only.

The opening flavor line-up, all made with whole milk from Driftwood Dairy in El Monte, includes lychee strawberry, black sugar vanilla made with Tahitian Gold beans, mango calamansi, malted chocolate, hojicha, and Yakult, a probiotic drink that Tan and Yan grew up consuming. Toppings include hawthorn flakes, chamoy, Tajin, sprinkles, Oreos, and more. Single servings are priced at $7.25, while a trio of toppings go for an additional $1.75. Tan says that the shop will introduce new flavors periodically, some with special toppings to pair with them.

626 Ice Cream will begin serving unsweetened cold brew teas and cold brew coffees in a few weeks, along with pre-packed ice cream pints for customers to take to-go or enjoy in the shop’s dozen or so seats.

626 Ice Cream, located at 160 E. Duarte Road, Ste. E, Arcadia, CA 91006, is open from noon to 11 p.m. on weekdays and noon to midnight on weekends. The shop is closed on Tuesdays.

After his first win of the day, Dijon Stanley sprinted down the track at Arcadia High and flexed until the veins popped from every muscle, screaming in pure awe for his Granada Hills brothers that had made the rest of the men’s 4-by-100 field look silly.

After his second win of the day in the boys’ 400-meter, Stanley let off a pearly-white smile and a kiss to the crowd at the Arcadia Invitational, drawing an underline with his hand under the “GHC” on his chest.

After his third — well, his third was spoiled, Stanley’s legs dead for the boys’ 200-meter after two pedal-to-the-metal races. Streaking out ahead of him, though, was consolation and a friendly Highlander face: junior Jordan Coleman, who put his hands to his head in sheer disbelief after crossing the finish line a slot in front of buddy Stanley.

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“Good job,” said Stanley a couple minutes later, embracing Coleman with a huge smile. “Killing my triple crown, though. Killing me.”

For Stanley, for Coleman, for others from Granada Hills and a dominant Carson girls’ team, Saturday night’s Arcadia Invitational was about sheer pride. Bigger than the medals around their necks. Bigger than first-place times. Here were City Section programs that felt undervalued, underappreciated, underrepresented, coming out at a national-level meet and putting on an absolute show.

In a remarkable feat, the Granada Hills boys and Carson girls swept the 400 relay invitationals, the Highlanders tying the Arcadia boys’ record with a time of 40.28 seconds. Stanley added the 400-meter crown and Coleman the 200-meter, outpacing runners from across the country to notch monumental wins for the City.

“It’s huge,” said Granada Hills coach Johnny Wiley. “I feel like we’re not only here for track and field, we’re here for all the sports in the L.A. City Section. We want to be that team to carry the standard and say, ‘We’re competitive at this level, too.’”

So, too, is Carson, whose surplus of sprinters — Reign Redmond, TaAhjah Fann, Christine Gray and Kaitlyn Williams — continued to set a high bar for a growing powerhouse in girls’ sprints.

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In recent years, City Section wins in high-level meets have been few and far between, coinciding with a “fall from the pedestal” — as Stanley put it — in athletic prowess across the section.

It’s created a natural chip on the shoulder for every athlete in the section. Take Redmond’s words: They feel counted out. Outside the conversation. So Saturday night’s wins were huge as a “recruiting tool,” Carson sprints coach James Shannon said — another accomplishment to further draw high school athletes to stay in their local community.

“It opens up doors to a lot of kids that live in the area of Carson,” Shannon said of winning at Arcadia.

And few athletes in recent City years have compiled a more impressive resume than Stanley, who led Granada Hills to a City Section football title last fall and continued blazing trails on the track Saturday. His time of 45.92 in the 400 meters came second only in Arcadia history to now-world-record-holder Michael Norman in 2016.

But the most highly anticipated matchup of the night between Stanley and Gardena Serra star Rodrick Pleasant never materialized, as Pleasant was scratched from heats in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter.

With a 100-meter field suddenly absent the favorite, Oaks Christian junior Chase Farrell emerged the Southland standout, running a 10.42 to finish second. Standout, too, because it’s easy to stand out when your hair is quite literally dyed as shades of cheetah print. And when you wear a golden lightning-bolt necklace. And a lightning-bolt earring.

“I gotta make a name for myself somehow,” said Farrell, also a receiver for Oaks Christian’s football team. “Gotta get people looking at me. So that’s how I do it.”

Eyes gravitated, too, to Ventura’s Sadie Englehardt, who jumped so far in front of the pack in the women’s mile that the only intrigue was whether she’d smash her own Arcadia record of 4:35:16 set a year earlier. She came a hair-length’s short, with a time of 4:36:26 in another dominant performance.

But the ultimate highlight Saturday was the runners who, as Stanley said, “put on for the L.A. City.”

“The City Section hasn’t always been gravy for us … we don’t get the talent these other schools get,” Shannon said. “But now, all that stuff has changed.”

Other standouts

Senior Mackenize Browne of JW North set a new Arcadia record in the girls’ 800 meters with a time of 2:03:07 … Senior Davis Davis-Lyric continued Upland’s dominance in hurdles, winning the boys’ 110 meters in 13.85 … Newbury Park’s Aaron Sahlman notched the second-fastest time in Arcadia history in the boys’ 800 meters at 1:49:07 … Olympia (Wash.) Capital senior Hana Moll broke the national girls’ pole vault record with a height of 15 feet, 0 inches.

Much of the fun in dining at Monarch comes from gawking at its whimsical dining room. The dreamy, new-wave Chinese banquet hall in Arcadia goes heavy on sex appeal, with cloud-like seating, scalloped tables, and mythical baby blue touches. The maximalist scene is typically filled with a hodgepodge of martini-fueled meet cutes and festive family dinners. If you’ve been to the jade-toned Chifa in Eagle Rock, Monarch’s ethereal decor might feel a bit familiar. That’s because both places are co-owned (and co-designed) by Humberto Leon, the famed fashion designer behind Opening Ceremony. But Monarch is more than just a glamorous fashionista side project—it’s a trailblazing San Gabriel Valley restaurant with memorable food and an ambiance that makes you feel like you’re at the center of a meticulously art-directed universe.

Without coming off as gimmicky or over-calculated, the menu features twists on Cantonese cuisine that are consistently good, and occasionally great enough to put you in a trance. Dishes like the egg noodle bolognese and baked pork chop rice are pumped-up versions of what you’d find at cha chaan tangs—simple Hong Kong cafes from the British colonial era known for their fusion-y style of diner food. There’s also a crispy plate of sweet and sour pork made with kiwi instead of pineapple, juicy si yao chicken poached in housemade soy sauce, and an entire section of the menu dedicated to Australian wagyu, just in case you want to ball out on a $200 tomahawk. You'll find wine, beer, and some playful cocktails on the drink menu—none of them are especially remarkable, but a few sesame Old-Fashioneds will only add to the “anything-is-possible-tonight” feel that already exists at Monarch.

There are a few dishes we’d prioritize for any occasion—the colorful take on turnip cakes made with shredded beets, a wok-fried black peppercorn lobster tail that’s a strong contender for best lobster dish in LA, and a creamy, silky soup stocked with corn and crab meat. From there you can take one of two paths—a fancy, flourish-filled night of filet mignon tartare and steamed egg with monkfish liver and trout roe, or a simpler, more homestyle meal starring an excellent bowl of beef noodle soup or garlicky shrimp fried rice. Whichever path you choose, come planning to share everything, like a French fashion model doing a “What’s In My Bag?” video for Vogue.

A night at Monarch is so distinct that merely calling this place “cool” would be slander. We can't envision any other dining experience that effortlessly combines filet mignon, Chinese chicken salad, and T-back chairs upholstered with a baby blue cow print. Given that the restaurant is only open Friday through Sunday evening, dining at Monarch is almost by definition a special occasion affair. But if a fun meal of conversation-starting dishes surrounded by hot people in a periwinkle banquette doesn’t scream “big night out,” we don’t know what does.

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Food Rundown

Beet Cake

A play on the pan-fried turnip cakes you’d find on a dim sum cart, these sliced beet cakes are crispy along the edges, yet somehow melt in your mouth while you chew. These plump purple squares are what you want to kick off your meal.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Black Pepper Lobster Tail

This spicy, sweet lobster dish is a must-order. Tender chunks of meat are doused in a Hong Kong-style black pepper sauce that’s loaded with bits of chopped garlic, plus some punchy black peppercorns. We could eat this saucy seafood situation again and again without pause.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Si Yao Chicken

A classic Cantonese staple (and a holdover from the menu at Chifa), this chicken is a great entree to split. It’s juicy as can be and poached in light, slightly-sticky aged soy sauce that smells a whole lot sweeter than it tastes.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Addicting Curry Noodle

With its intriguing combination of curry powder and squid ink noodles, we were hoping this would be a standout dish at Monarch. Unfortunately, there’s a remarkable lack of flavor and the medley of shrimp, calamari, and scallops is a bit rubbery. Feel free to skip it.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Baked Pork Chop Rice

Monarch doesn’t mess much with the formula of this classic Hong Kong-style comfort food, which is a good thing—their version has thick layers of crunchy pork cutlet, sweet tomato sauce, and gooey mozzarella that arrives bubbling from the oven on a bed of egg fried rice. It’s hearty, so plan on sharing.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Dad's Beef Noodle

An excellent bowl of noodles we’d eat once a week. The fragrant, beefy broth is full of tender wagyu brisket and springy, thick wheat noodles, which balance each other out like an old married couple. Monarch’s version is on the smaller side, so we recommend ordering one bowl for every two people at your table.

Education platform Niche ranked all 780 school districts in California. Did your child's district make the Top 25?

LOS ANGELES, CA — More than 25 Southern California school districts earned A+ grades, in Niche’s 2024 Best Schools and Districts rankings released this week.

Across California, 780 school districts are included in Niche’s ranking of 12,192 school districts nationwide. The list includes 364 newly ranked school districts.

In Los Angeles, the Arcadia Unified School District received the top ranking. Along with districts including Beverly Hills Unified School District, Redondo Beach Unified School District, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, San Marino Unified School District, Manhattan Beach Unified School District, Manhattan Beach, it received an A+ grade.

San Diego Union High School District earned the top ranking among Southland schools, coming in second to the Bay Area's Palo Alto Unified School District a letter grade of A+. The districts were graded based upon:

The top 25 school districts in Southern California and the letter grades assigned by Niche include:

Find out what's happening in Los Angeleswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Niche also ranked 94,058 public schools and 30,809 private schools. The platform said its rankings were created to provide families with valuable information — both quantitative and qualitative — on schools in their area or in a neighborhood they’re not familiar with yet.

Niche also released its list of The Top 25 Public Schools In Southern California this week. The list was dominated by the Peninsula, Santa Clara County and the East Bay, although one school in the North Bay broke through.

The rankings differ from others that rely almost exclusively on test scores and academic performance in that it also includes input from students, alumni and parents, as well as quantitative data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities.

Here is the list of California's Top 25 school districts:

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More from Los Angeles

The holiday shopping season is officially underway, and thankfully mall food courts have come a long way in recent years. The dining options inside and nearby the Shops at Santa Anita are as diverse as they are delicious. From regional Chinese cooking to Seoul-style street foods, here now are 11 excellent places to eat while shopping at the Santa Anita mall.

Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

While the mall’s food court is a perfectly adequate place to nosh, hop over to the President Square Food Court nearby for a quieter lunch with more unique offerings. Fast-casual stall Omma Tofu House prepares homey Korean cooking that can compete with K-town’s finest. The combination meal with sizzling galbi and cold noodles is particularly solid.

This restaurant hails from South Korea and specializes in a variety of street foods including mung bean pancakes, gimbap, fish cake soup, and tteokbokki. The star is the crispy pancake — a hefty disc of garlic-laced mung beans, kimchi, and bean sprouts. Drizzle on the accompanying sauce and marvel at its texture and flavors.

It’s all about the beef roll at the Arcadia outlet of this San Gabriel Valley institution. The hefty beef roll is comprised of a fried wheat pancake smeared with a hoisin-like bean paste and stuffed with fresh cilantro and thin cuts of beef.

Pop into this simple mom-and-pop restaurant owned by Olympian Mirai Nagasu’s parents for dependably good Japanese cooking. The lunchtime specials are always a steal, like the udon noodles with spicy cod roe.

Grab a seat at Lao Xi Noodle House to taste hyper-regional dishes from China’s Shanxi province. From “Wife’s Special Noodle” with fried pork to the buckwheat noodle in lamb soup and the supple hun yuan cold jelly, come with a small group and order up a storm to share.

Tucked into a bustling strip mall, this unassuming spot serves excellent sushi from chef Hiro Yamada (Sushi Gen, Shiki). The $33 lunch special comes with nine pieces of nigiri, a cut roll, miso soup, and a few small bites. The price jumps up at dinner, where most opt for the more elaborate, edomae-style omakase.

Come to Sinbala for a taste of Taiwanese night market food. The sausages are a highlight, and the ones topped with fried basil and served with garlic slivers are particularly good. Round out lunch with oyster pancakes and popcorn chicken.

Here at the second U.S. outlet of the Beijing-based Sichuan restaurant, diners indulge in crispy plates of fried chicken, steamy cauldrons of mapo tofu, and platters of Peking duck carved tableside. Consider this dining room the prettiest in the whole mall.

Whichever set menu one settles on here, be it seafood-focused or squarely land-based, make sure to order the hand-pulled noodles to go with it. Skilled noodle dancers flit to each table, whipping and pulling stretchy balls of dough and plopping the finished product into the hot broth to cook.

Din Tai Fung always has a line of eager dumpling-goers snaking out its doors, so plan ahead especially during peak dining hours and on the weekends. The soup dumplings are a must, as are the spicy wontons and expertly made fried rice.

The Hainan chicken rice at Side Chick is deceptively simple — just poached chicken served over rice with cucumbers, cilantro, and a few dipping sauces. But take a bite to discover layers of flavor, each one more complex than the next.

While the mall’s food court is a perfectly adequate place to nosh, hop over to the President Square Food Court nearby for a quieter lunch with more unique offerings. Fast-casual stall Omma Tofu House prepares homey Korean cooking that can compete with K-town’s finest. The combination meal with sizzling galbi and cold noodles is particularly solid.

This restaurant hails from South Korea and specializes in a variety of street foods including mung bean pancakes, gimbap, fish cake soup, and tteokbokki. The star is the crispy pancake — a hefty disc of garlic-laced mung beans, kimchi, and bean sprouts. Drizzle on the accompanying sauce and marvel at its texture and flavors.

It’s all about the beef roll at the Arcadia outlet of this San Gabriel Valley institution. The hefty beef roll is comprised of a fried wheat pancake smeared with a hoisin-like bean paste and stuffed with fresh cilantro and thin cuts of beef.

Pop into this simple mom-and-pop restaurant owned by Olympian Mirai Nagasu’s parents for dependably good Japanese cooking. The lunchtime specials are always a steal, like the udon noodles with spicy cod roe.

Grab a seat at Lao Xi Noodle House to taste hyper-regional dishes from China’s Shanxi province. From “Wife’s Special Noodle” with fried pork to the buckwheat noodle in lamb soup and the supple hun yuan cold jelly, come with a small group and order up a storm to share.

Tucked into a bustling strip mall, this unassuming spot serves excellent sushi from chef Hiro Yamada (Sushi Gen, Shiki). The $33 lunch special comes with nine pieces of nigiri, a cut roll, miso soup, and a few small bites. The price jumps up at dinner, where most opt for the more elaborate, edomae-style omakase.

Come to Sinbala for a taste of Taiwanese night market food. The sausages are a highlight, and the ones topped with fried basil and served with garlic slivers are particularly good. Round out lunch with oyster pancakes and popcorn chicken.

Here at the second U.S. outlet of the Beijing-based Sichuan restaurant, diners indulge in crispy plates of fried chicken, steamy cauldrons of mapo tofu, and platters of Peking duck carved tableside. Consider this dining room the prettiest in the whole mall.

Whichever set menu one settles on here, be it seafood-focused or squarely land-based, make sure to order the hand-pulled noodles to go with it. Skilled noodle dancers flit to each table, whipping and pulling stretchy balls of dough and plopping the finished product into the hot broth to cook.

Din Tai Fung always has a line of eager dumpling-goers snaking out its doors, so plan ahead especially during peak dining hours and on the weekends. The soup dumplings are a must, as are the spicy wontons and expertly made fried rice.

The Hainan chicken rice at Side Chick is deceptively simple — just poached chicken served over rice with cucumbers, cilantro, and a few dipping sauces. But take a bite to discover layers of flavor, each one more complex than the next.