A Perfect Day in…Pasadena

People always ask me, what’s my “local” perfect day? Well, here you are, in my wonderful town of Pasadena…

I love getting up in the morning and not having any plans for the day…

This past weekend I got up, decided to get some exercise, walk around my Pasadena neighborhood and grab some breakfast from one of my favorite places to eat, Pie n’ Burger. Located just off of South Lake Ave. and California Blvd., this place is an icon for those in the know in Pasadena. Simple, amazingly delicious classic breakfast choices of eggs, ham, bacon and pancakes. Get there early enough to grab a counter seat and your stomach will thank you!

Continuing my way around town, next stop is the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Characterized as one of the largest flea markets in California, it’s an amazing place to find some really authentic mid-century modern and vintage items. Open every second Sunday of each month, it’s the place to go for everyone looking for anything. You can even get in super early while the sellers are still setting up their booths for the best finds!

Heading back into Old Town by the early afternoon, you can take a stroll along Colorado Blvd. and marvel at the wonderful Pasadena architecture and beautiful building details you’ll see all around you. City Hall is just one of those great places where you can meander and explore. This gorgeous building is the center of Pasadena and stands as the city landmark where you will see many lovely couples register for their marriage license. There is always an abundance of beautiful brides and grooms usually getting their pictures taken throughout the grounds.

One of our simple “go to” local stops in our neighborhood is Afters Ice Cream . This ice cream shop is housed in what was an old service station and is always serving a great variety of crowds of people. The Mint Monster is to die for and is absolutely perfect when you’re craving that sweet cold sugary delight on a hot afternoon…late night is good with me too!

This week after walking past the City Hall rose garden I came upon the Pasadena Chalk Walk Festival. The artists were beginning to lay out their grids on the pavement, and just beginning their floor masterpieces. Some were young kids participating for their first time while others were veteran artists still at it since it all started 25 years ago. The range of artists and their work was amazing to see. Most of the pieces were entertainment and film icons, but ranged from humorous to political. Every artist was there to tell their story and showcase their wonderful talent. Watching the artists work makes me want to sign up myself for next years Chalk Festival!

Ending the perfect Pasadena day are cocktails and small bites at Magnolia House. This small bar/restaurant is located down South Lake Ave. and has an absolutely delicious menu that you can share with friends, or not. Their cocktails are also quite unique and fantastic. We typically order “An American Dream” if you’re a bourbon fan and “A Note from Granny”, both super tasty, refreshing and a perfect end to my perfect day!