Pasadena, LA County, CA

Pasadena is a city in the Los Angeles County in California, in the land of dreams, America.

One of my all-time favorite movies, Blast from the Past, released in 1999, starring Brendan Fraser as Adam and Alicia Silverstone as Eve, had Adam’s mother, played by Sissy Spacek, saying to him that it would be wonderful if he could find a girl who’s not a mutant and hopefully from Pasadena. She went on to say, “Nothing against Valley girls, but in my day, anyhow, the girls from Pasadena, I don’t know… always just seemed a little nicer.”

Pasadena, as a city, is a little nicer, or a lot. It didn’t take long for me to think that it is a place I’d like to make my home. My daughter is lucky to be living there. She is now a Pasadena girl. Maybe she is a little nicer, too.

I was traveling with my parents and my toddler and the purpose of the trip was more to visit my daughter, other relatives and friends than to tour. Still, with my tendency to be a control freak, I had drafted an itinerary with details of places to visit, transportation and accommodation options, duration of travel, costs, etc. I didn’t anticipate that our sleeping habits and my work (that I needed to do despite being on holiday) would prevent us from sticking to the timetable. Suffice it to say that I need to take another trip to Los Angeles as I was that tourist who didn’t make it to Hollywood or Rodeo Drive or Universal Studios. We didn’t even get to the Kidspace Children’s Museum, Norton Simon Museum, Gamble House, Huntington Library & Gardens and The Rose Bowl in Pasadena. I did experience enough to say that when the U.S.A. accepts us as immigrants, we would live in Pasadena.

So, here is my future home. 🙂

Daughter, now Pasadena girl 🙂

Future Pasadena residents 🙂

The Auditorium of the City of Pasadena

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Paseo Colorado

Paseo Colorado on East Colorado Boulevard is a retail/commercial center not far from East California Boulevard where my daughter lived. It is a few steps from Old Pasadena and around the corner from the City Hall. The pictures show the place quite empty. We were there on a Monday.

Paseo Colorado on East Colorado Boulevard a few minutes away from “home” in East California Boulevard

Paseo Colorado on East Colorado Boulevard a few minutes away from “home” in East California Boulevard

Paseo Colorado on East Colorado Boulevard a few minutes away from “home” in East California Boulevard

Posing in front of Buttercup in Paseo Colorado

Posing in front of Buttercup in Paseo Colorado

Posing in Paseo Colorado

Sometimes, we have to take a lot of pictures, capturing different poses, because we don’t know how the images will come out. Luckily, we don’t work with films that need to be developed anymore.

Family enjoying a beautiful day in Pasadena

Family enjoying a beautiful day in Pasadena

Family enjoying a beautiful day in Pasadena

Because I love to pose and I’m in a beautiful city on a lovely day

Because I love to pose and I’m in a beautiful city on a lovely day

Because I love to pose and I’m in a beautiful city on a lovely day

[Walking to the] City Hall of Pasadena

The walk from Paseo Colorado to the City Hall, as with all the other walks we took in and around Pasadena, including from home to Target at the corner of E Colorado Boulevard and N Oak Knoll Avenue, 4 huge blocks away, was a pleasure. The place is absolutely clean, orderly and safe. Currently residing in Johannesburg where safety and security is an issue, I would move to Pasadena, where houses don’t need high walls, electric fencing, security guards, alarm system and burglar proofing, in a heartbeat.

City Hall of Pasadena behind me as background

City Hall of Pasadena behind me as background

Paused and posed on our way to the Pasadena City Hall

Paused and posed by the fountain outside of Citibank on our way to the Pasadena City Hall

Paused and posed by the fountain outside of Citibank on our way to the Pasadena City Hall

Paused and posed by the fountain outside of Citibank on our way to the Pasadena City Hall

Walking to the City Hall of Pasadena

Walking to the City Hall of Pasadena

Pasadena City Hall

We entered the City Hall via Garfield Avenue and exited on North Euclid Avenue, in front of the All Saints Episcopal Church. The City Hall takes up a whole block and between it and Paseo Colorado is the Citibank. The city hall is a lovely building with a beautiful garden. It was truly a breath of fresh air for me.

Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall

All Saints Episcopal Church (across the City Hall)

All Saints Episcopal Church across the City Hall

All Saints Episcopal Church across the City Hall

Old Pasadena

“Old Pasadena is one of the premiere shopping districts in the country. An eclectic mix of over 200 one-of-a-kind specialty boutiques and exclusive national retailers concentrated in an authentic downtown and all within walking distance.” For more information, you can check out Old Pasadena’s website.

Old Pasadena

Old Pasadena

Old Pasadena

Old Pasadena

Old Pasadena

Old Pasadena

Old Pasadena

Old Pasadena

Old Pasadena

Old Pasadena

While Pasadena only got a mention in Blast from the Past (although Adam’s father, played by Christopher Walken, was also a Caltech man), the city is where The Big Bang Theory’s five characters live. In case you don’t know, The Big Bang Theory is an American television sitcom which first aired in 2007. The 2 main actors, Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons, play Leonard and Sheldon, physicists who work in Caltech. Penny, played by Kaley Cuoco, was initially a waitress and aspiring actress, who worked at The Cheesecake Factory. Of course, I had to have a couple of pictures there. (The guy photo-bombing me is my daughter’s friend.)

The Cheesecake Factory, Old Pasadena

The Cheesecake Factory, Old Pasadena

The Cheesecake Factory, Old Pasadena

Happy then a little crazy in Old Pasadena, near a tapas bar called Bar Celona 🙂

Old Pasadena

Old Pasadena

This lot is crazier, dancing in a store while my father checked out some watches.

Dancing in Old Pasadena

Dancing in Old Pasadena

A lot of fun has been had in Old Pasadena. Finally, it was time to head back home.

Walking to the bus stop

Walking to the bus stop

Little Tokyo, Los Angeles

And because I didn’t get to go gallivanting in Los Angeles, all I have to share are these few pictures in Little Tokyo. Sorry about the 2 pictures taken at night, using a BlackBerry.

Little Tokyo

Little Tokyo

Little Tokyo

LA at night, with an old friend from university

LA at night, with an old friend from university

Next time I visit the City of Angels, I promise, I’ll be a proper tourist with a camera. 🙂