Meeting the Boss

When one thinks of Pasadena, the first image that comes to mind is the Rose Bowl. This is the one time each year that Pasadena is front and center for all the world to view. It is an incrediable sight and one that everyone should see live and in-person once in their life. Trust me the TV screen just doesn't do it justice.

However, Pasadena is so much more than just the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl. This sleepy town has suddenly awaken and is alive and bustling. Pasadena is cool, hip, and suddenly a place people want to visit and stay.

Pasadena has no beaches; it's pretty far inland. However, it does have a great view of the San Gabriel Mountains, as it rest at their base. The weather is warmer and less hazy than the areas around the beaches.

Pasadena has a rich history. It has a style of architecture that is unique in southern California. Here is where the firm of "Green and Green" designed and developed the California Bungalow. It's fun to drive around many of the neighborhoods here and see how these homes have lovingly been restored and cared for.

Old Town was once a bit on the sleepy side, even the seedy side. It was in need of serious repair or maybe needed to be leveled. The first option was chosen and Pasadena did an outstanding job in renovating the old part of Pasadena. Today you can visit Old Town in the evening and see crowds of people wandering the streets in search of a great meal or a drink at one of the many great bars in the area. It's fun and is a scene. So different of the old, sleepy Pasadena that once stood here. Now people actually get in their cars and drive to Pasadena for a meal or a night on the town.

Okay, so they still have the Rose Bowl and that parade. However, that is only one day each year. The other 364 days each year also have something to offer as well.

Quick Tips:

The Rose Bowl Parade is a once in a life time expierence. It has to bee seen at least once in your life. The parade is fun, but if you really want to see those floats, I suggest coming the night prior. The parade lines up at 1:00am along Orange Grove Avenue. The floats line up and the final touches are put on each float. You can walk up and inspect each float at close range and see for yourself that each inch of each float is made from real, live flowers. It's pretty amazing and hard to believe. Take a good whiff of the air, it smells like one big florist shop.

My other tip is the Rose Bowl flea market each Sunday. The parking lot of the Bowl turns into one large flea market. It's like being invited to the biggest garage sale on earth. However, get there early (the crack of dawn) as people come from miles around for the best buys.

Best Way To Get Around:

Okay, this is still LA. You will need your car. You will want to walk around Old Town, but, to get anywhere else in Pasadena or the area, you will need a car. Sorry but this is the town where freeways were invented.

The nearest airport to Pasadena is Burbank. It's much smaller and quaint in a retro sort of way. However, flights are few into this airport and usually costly. LAX is further away, but the choices and fares seem to be better.

I am a big Starwood fan - in my mind, they run the best hotel chain in the business. So, I was pleased to learn Hot Topic had booked us at the Sheraton Pasadena.

We arrived and took a limo to the hotel. When you drive up, you hardly notice the hotel. It only has four floors and blends into the other buildings in the area. It's landscaped well with some large trees.

When you arrive, there is a circular driveway with a pretty fountain. The bellmen are there in a flash to help you settle in.

The hotel is a bit oddly shaped. It's really a good-sized hotel, but rather than being built up, it's long and to the ground. When you enter inside, the lobby is off to the side and not front and center. I prefer a lobby you walk into, not one that you have to hunt down.

The hotel was busy with groups and several weddings. The Qantas Airline crews also use this hotel for their layovers. It seemed to be a popular spot in Pasadena.

Our room was great. The hotel has borrowed the heavenly beds from its sister hotels, the Westins. The beds are huge and fluffy, with down comforters and lots of soft pillows. Your first instinct when coming into the room is to throw yourself down on the beds!

The bathroom was a good size with a nice marble vanity. It was well-stocked with lots of goodies. Both the room and the bathroom were a good size and comfortable. The hotel offers nightly turndown service with a piece of chocolate on the pillow.

It only costs $30 more to upgrade to the Concierge Floor. This was $30 well spent, as we had a nice, private room on our floor. A full, hearty breakfast is served each morning, and, at 5:00pm, a happy hour with wine, beer, soft drinks, and great snacks was all complimentary. The rooms also come with free newspapers each morning. We ate and drank our $30 upgrade fee in no time flat. This was a great deal and one that I would suggest you consider.

The hotel offers a pool and a nice small gym. One of the unique features about the hotel is that it connects to the city recreational building, where the Pasadena ice rink is located. So this is one of the few hotels I know where there is an ice rink attached. Do not only bring your swim suit, but bring your skates too! Actually you can rent skates at the rink.

The hotel has a large indoor parking ramp. It was easy to get around the area and we always had a good parking spot. The hotel is located near downtown and there are plenty of fun places to eat nearby. Old Town is just a short walk away as well.

The Pasadena Sheraton lived up to the Starwood promise. I was not disappointed.

We have been commuting down to Pasadena all month and have been happy with the Sheraton (see other review). However, on our last trip, all of Pasadena hotels were sold out. We decided to get a motel by the Burbank/Pasadena Airport.

I remembered an article in the Alaska Airlines magazine about a fun new property that Coast Hotels opened, a retro, mid-century motel that they turned into a hip airport motel called The Safari Inn. We booked it.

On arriving Burbank Airport, we called the motel and they were unable to provide directions to the motel, as nobody at the front desk knew how to get there from the airport. We found this strange, as they are only a few miles and it's a fairly straight shot.

On arriving, the motel brought back fond memories of the road trip our family took in 1961 from Minnesota to California. This was exactly the kind of motel we stayed in on that trip: small, two story motels that were in the shape of an "L," hugging a small pool. They had 1960 names that had either Hawaiian, African, or space themes to them.

The big neon sign lit up the night sky with a huge SAFARI INN. The pool was there, lit for night and on busy Olive Avenue. The hotel does have free parking, but we took the last spot at 8pm, so I am not sure where the guests who come later park.

The lobby was very retro. The two desk agents apologized for not knowing how to drive from the airport. My suggestion was to have printed directions near the phone.

The rooms were an average size. They were not as retro as the lobby. As a matter of fact, they had pretty standard motel furniture, although it was new. The room had one very tiny window and made the room feel somewhat cavernous. The only color in the room were two small prints on the wall and a bright bedspread. However, the room did have things like a data port, iron and ironing board, mini-fridge, hairdryer, shampoos, and free local phone calls. The room was well stocked and amazingly clean. It was so clean that it sparkled. We even noticed how clean it smelled!

The hotel is near Burbank Airport and only a few blocks from the front gates of Warner Brothers Studio. Olive Avenue is busy and has a lot of businesses and places to eat on it. The motel itself does not have a restaurant.

The best news is that this room only cost us $83. I have to say that this was a deal. The motel has a few minor flaws, but for that price, I can live with them. It has a good location, fair-size rooms that are clean, and extra amenities. I would not hesitate to stay here again for that price!

We had headed over to the Monrovia Street Fair and Farmers Market. This is a really fun street fair that takes place each Friday night in Monrovia. The town is packed and is extremely popular.

We were all hungry and opted to sit down and have a nice meal, rather than walking around eating something on a stick. We were out of luck, though, as several popular places were telling us they had waits approaching an hour.

Finally, we came across a place called the Kabob Room that actually had tables open. Okay, maybe open tables aren’t a good sign on a busy night like tonight, but our stomachs told us to grab it. We always listen to our tummies!

The place has two sections; one is a take-out, deli section. The deli counter had all the good Middle Eastern foods that could be ordered there and eaten on the street. The other section is a sit-down, order-off-the-menu section. We chose to be seated and order off the menu.

The place is from another era. It has a kind of wood tone, 1960s, hippy feel to it. It has lots of knick knacks and dusty things sitting around. Some of the lights were burnt out and they had no air conditioning, so it was really hot. The place looked like nobody was too concerned what it looked or felt like.

We soon learned the room only had two waitresses working it. In order to order or get something, you first had to get her attention - this was not always easy. When our waitress did get to us, she was very nice. I felt bad for her as she obviously had way too many tables for one person to handle.

We ordered gyros and hummus, what we felt was a safe bet. The food took a very long time to show up at our table. We were beginning to write this meal up as a total loss, but then the food showed up.

The plates were piled high with delicious gyros on soft, hot pita bread. The meat was cooked to perfection, tender and juicy. The hummus on the plate was the best ever. It was wonderful. The whole meal was tasty and worth the wait and the bad decor.

I have to recommend this one. I advise you to buck up and just ignore the bad and dusty decor. I even have to tell you to bite your lip and put up with the so-so service. Because if you do both of these things, your reward will be one very fine and tasty Middle Eastern meal.

Islands is a small chain with locations in Southern California and Arizona. The Pasadena location is located in City Center on the second floor.

I look for Islands whenever possible. It's a great chain, with great food, good service and fun atmosphere.

The theme, of course, is tropical. They have grass huts, parrots and fake palm trees all over the place. It's a little tacky, but in a fun way. Throughout the restaurants are big TVs showing tapes of surfing competitions. No matter where you are, there is a beach vibe going on strong here.

The bar at Islands is always popular. I have had their mai-tais, and they are the best next to Hawaii. They are not watered down, are large and are full of rum and a great tropical flavor. Whenever I taste one it puts me right under the banyan tree in the back of the Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki. They are the best!

They really push the burgers here. The kids have had them and give them a thumbs up. However, I am a creature of habit at Islands. It's the fish tacos that I come for. They are beyond delicious. The fish is done right, they come in a soft corn tortilla and are muy bueno! I can't help it, I don't even look at the menu at Islands anymore. The minute I step through the door I am craving one of their fish tacos.

Islands is fun. The waitstaff is young and full of youthful energy. The place has great music and a fun vibe.

So if you want some outstanding fish tacos and a great mai-tai, head over to Islands. It's one chain that does it right.

Wokcano is a hip and fun Chinese fusion restaurant in the heart of Old Town Pasadena. They also have locations in downtown LA and West Hollywood. It's called the "Late Night Hip Spot," as it stays open until 4am on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights and 2 am all other nights. Late-night dining in Pasadena is indeed rare and this is a great option.

I didn't come here late, but for an early dinner. I totally stumbled onto it by accident. It looked cute, it was time for dinner and I was hungry, so in I went. The place is cool and fun. It looks a little more tiki than Chinese. There are little tiki huts over the booths and large gold buddahs sit everywhere. All the tables were set with fresh and colorful daisies. The kitchen is open and the whole place has a sort of buzz going on. There were a lot of tables of young professionals meeting here for an early dinner. The place continued to fill up as I ate dinner.

My waiter came by right away and got me a beer and a small sushi starter. He was very friendly and attentive. I ordered maguro (tuna). The maguro came very quickly, and the fish was nice and fresh. Wokcano has a large sushi bar that seemed popular. They offer the complete line of rolls and dinners that any sushi restaurant offers. I noticed that they have some great sushi lunch specials for under $10.

But hey, didn't the name say WOKcana? I wanted to try one of their wok items. So I ordered the honey-walnut shrimp cooked in a wok. The entree cost was $14. The order was again quick and came to the table in a jiffy.

The presentation was great. The shrimp were golden brown and they were mixed with honey glazed walnuts. They even had a fresh orchid as garnish on my plate. The best news was that the food tasted as good as it looked. The shrimp were not overcooked and the honey-glazed walnuts were a nice mix to the shrimp.

They of course give you a fortune cookie with your check, only this cookie was dipped in white chocolate. It too was delicious.

Wokcano is a fun place, it looks great, the service is quick and friendly, and the food is yummy. I was thrilled to find a place that stays open so late. I will have to file this one away in my brain so the next time I want really great Chinese food at 3am, I will know where to go! Okay, so I might not make it at 3am, but I know I will be back!

Cheerleaders of Pasadena will tell you that Pasadena itself is becoming a destination for folks from L.A. It's no longer a sleepy suburb, but a place that hipsters from L.A. actually seek out. If you want an example of this reverse migration to Pasadena, I offer you Villa Sorriso.

Villa Sorriso sits on a prime corner of Colorado Boulevard in Old Town. It's a small stucco bungalow that shouts Southern California. The moment you pull up, you are greeted by heartthrob valets just waiting to be discovered. The hostesses are all model material.

Your first view is the happening patio. A stylish water fountain makes noise and an old Italian movie is playing (with no sound). The crowd looks like a soap opera star convention. This is Hollywood, only it's Pasadena. This trendy spot can easily compete with West Hollywood or Soho.

We were officered a great table outside and then ordered fun martinis. (They have a ton of great ones). I ordered a Lobster Martini for my appetizer. Okay, so this one isn't a REAL martini, it's chunks of lobster meat with mango and paya aioli served in martini glass, and boy was it good! For the main course, I had Tuscan Chicken with artichokes, tomatoes, and asparagus, another hit. Others at the table had pasta and steaks while the kids both had pizzas. Everyone was pleased with what they had ordered.

The stunning hostess fell in love with Patrick and offered him a tour of The Zebra Lounge upstairs. We were not invited on the tour, but found out it's a private club (members only) where you can drink and eat from a special menu. They have computer workstations and big plasma TVs, while a monthly parking pass comes with the membership. It's very L.A. to be able to pay for special treatment. Patrick's report was that the Zebra Lounge is very cool.

We ended the meal with fresh, homemade gelato. This was one cool place and helped me realize that Pasadena is no longer the sleepy, bedroom community it once was if Villa Sorriso is any indicator. Pasadena is happening!

I am pretty much over celebrity restaurants. Living in L.A., you hear of another celebrity opening his or her new trendy bistro everyday. Once you have been to a few of them, you quickly learn that they have poor service, mediocre food, and inflated prices. The entire game is marketing a name with a restaurant and hoping that that is all you need. So when family came into town and wanted to try the Jennifer Lopez’s restaurant called Madre, my expectations were low.

The restaurant is located in a quieter area of Pasadena, just off Lake Street, hardly the glitzy area I would have expected to find J. Lo's eatery. It's fairly simple - a low modest building. However, once you step in - WOW! The interior was designed by Rachel Ashwell of Shabby Chic fame. It’s white and gray, with wonderful padded furniture. Huge chandeliers hang everywhere. All the rooms are filled with fresh roses and candles burn. A wonderful Cuban band with a singer is playing behind the bar. The booths have privacy curtains. The tables are set to perfection with hand-picked vintage china. There is a romantic feel to this place. It also feels like Old Havana, not Pasadena.

We order mojitos. They are the best I have had since my trip to Cuba. They are the real deal, not the sugary, overly sweet drinks most bars in America call mojitos.

Our waiter is charming. His name is Leo, and he could not be more helpful with the menu and its offerings. He is great with the kids, and his smile makes you feel more like family than a customer.

I ordered the Cuban flank steak. I was not disappointed. Flank steak is not a high-end cut of meat, and cooked incorrectly, it can be tough. This was marinated for hours and pounded with Cuban herbs and mojo. It was great. I assure you that I ate every last morsel of this wonderful steak. It was served with plantains and mashed potatoes.

Please save room for dessert. A tray of wonderful cakes and Cuban flans and puddings is part of the evening. I chose a Tres Leche, which again reminded me of dinners I had had in Havana. It was delicious.

After the perfect dinner, we went to the bar to listen to the outstanding Cuban band. The kids got up and danced. The lead singer played to the kids and flirted with Patrick, who had quickly developed a school boy crush on her.

Jennifer Lopez's goal was to make this eatery feel like her family home, and as the name suggests, mom's cooking. She has achieved her goals and surely won over this group.

One footnote: Our son was determined that he was going to see Jennifer Lopez at Madre. The bartender filled him in that she was not in Pasadena but in New York. The staff sensed his disappointment and introduced him to J. Lo's father.

Gale's is quickly becoming one of Pasadena's favorite restaurants. It started as a hole-in-the-wall whose main business was catering. They did very little advertising, and their slightly out-of-the-way location would have seemed like the kiss of death to any other eatery. However, great food at good prices and friendly service relied on word-of-mouth to build a loyal customer base. It was a risky formula, but one that paid off!

Gales is located on South Fair Oaks Ave, which is antique row for Pasadena. The streets in this area are lined with antiques shops. It's out of the main shopping areas of Old Town Pasadena, and from the outside, the building isn't attractive. It's a simple brick building with glass bricks on the front—the kind of place you may whiz by without a glance if you are not looking for it.

Inside, it's lively, and fun chandeliers hang from the ceiling. The kitchen is open and busy. There is a buzz in the air. There is lots of laughter and chatter—this is what dining out with friends should be all about! To prove Gale's popularity, they recently took over a shop next door to expand. Now more guests won't be shut out and can enjoy Gale's wonderful cooking! When Chris's sister and brother-in-law came from Charleston, SC, we took them to Gale's. It was a night of family catching-up, and this seemed like a great place to do it.

The grown-ups all ordered pastas or risotto, while the kids ordered pizzas. The pastas come in large white bowls and are filled with generous portions. The pasta here is excellent. The sauces never overwhelm, but instead seem to compliment the perfectly cooked pasta. Everyone was sharing their selections with each other, everyone sure that their choice was the best.

Our waiter was professional, but with a casual charm about him. The pace was perfect. It seemed that whenever we needed something, he was there, but he was never overbearing and allowed us to visit and talk. Empty glasses were quickly removed or refilled, and things were brought quickly to the table from the service line.

Don't overdo it with the pasta. You will have to save room for dessert. Gale's is famous for its desserts. Again, we all chose something different. I had the tiramisu, and it was very good. However, Chris ordered the cheesecake and swore this was the BEST cheesecake he had ever eaten. It was the first REAL New York cheesecake that he had ever found in California. We all had a bite and had to agree it was pretty darn good.

I understand why Gale's is so popular. Everything is working here—the food, the service, the décor, and just the feel of the place. It has a certain ambience that says "good food, needs to be shared with good friends." I have to say, I have joined the legions of Gale's fans!

Who says you can't get a good pastrami sandwich on the west coast? Those who claim that obviously have not been to The Hat in Pasadena.

There are nine Hat locations throughout the Los Angeles area. The Hat first opened its doors in Alhambra in 1951. It's now over fifty years old and still an LA favorite.

The location in Pasadena is on Lake Street, just off the 210 Freeway and is a local institution. You can't miss the sign; it's a classic 1950 neon sign with a chef's hat. It is a clean, square building with a tile floor and chrome counters. The moment you walk through the doors, you are transported back to another time and era. You order at the counter and then wait for your sandwich to be made and your number called. I label this as fast food, though I'm not sure if that is fair. Each sandwich is made fresh as it's ordered, and something like a hamburger can take a while to make. I for one appreciate the freshness and that nothing is just sitting under a heat lamp, waiting for someone to order it.

I always get the pastrami sandwich here. It's their signature and it can't be missed. The sandwich costs $6.29. Maybe a bit high for fast food, but worth every cent. The sandwich is piled high with warm meat on a fresh bun. It can easily compete with all the great pastrami sandwiches on the east coast.

The kids love their chili dogs and hamburgers. The chili burger is disgusting! It's a hamburger on a bun that has a large portion of chili poured over it, before the top bun is added. It's messy and sloppy. I have never had one but I have been told, it's the best hamburger in LA! Each chili burger requires several trips to the bathroom to clean up your dirty face or try to get that stain of chili off your new shirt!

The other messy creation are the Wet Fries. These are fries that are soaked in gravy. You can tell that in 1951, people were less concerned with cholesterol and fat! On my last visit I did have the avocado sandwich. It's a huge sandwich stuffed with avocado, tomato, and lettuce. It's perfect if a meat fix isn't what you are looking for.

I love the old photographs around The Hat that document it's history. They show a hamburger selling for 25 cents. Today the burgers are $2.29. One thing that has not changed is the service and the level of the product. Both the service and the portions and the taste of the sandwiches are what has kept them in business for over fifty years. There is a philosophy here of doing things right and giving the customer what they want. This is a proven formula, and the long lines here at lunch is all the proof you need that they are doing something right!

Saladang for a long time has been one of LA's premiere Thai restaurants. As a matter of fact, Zagat's gave it the highest rating for any Thai restaurant in Los Angeles. But success comes with a price--long lines and impossible reservations plagued those who wanted to enjoy this wonderful Thai food. The problem was that there was no place to expand in the building they were in. However, the building across the parking lot was open, and so Saladang bought it and expanded here. However, this makes for a confusing situation. You now have two Siamese twin restaurants across the parking lot for each other. There are differences in each establishment. I am told the old Saladang is more a country menu, while the Saladang Song is more Thai gourmet, although some dishes overlap. It's a bit confusing, and I am never sure which place I am booking.

On this visit, we picked Saladang Song. The ambience is much better, with a beautiful modern courtyard. The courtyard set with tables is dramatic, with high cement walls and large palm trees that reach high above the tables.

On this night, our service left a lot to be desired. It took a very long time for anyone to get to our table to order drinks and a longer time for anyone to come for our food order. Things were brought to our table very randomly, and some appetizers arrived after the main course was served. Drinks were not repoured unless we asked, and we only got one small bowl of rice for ten people. The help was hard to find, and if we wanted anything, we had to do a lot of work to flag a server down.

The appitizers were outstanding. I loved the coconut shrimp the best. However, our main course again seemed to fall short. The curries were delicous, but as mentioned, we were short on rice. I ordered a dish of spinach, mushrooms, and shrimp. It sounded good, but when I finally got it, it was mostly spinach with very little shrimp or mushrooms.

I love the old Saladang--the one with the country menu. I was much less impressed with Saladang Song. It is far hipper, and the setting is stunning, but I found (at least on this night) the service and food was not up to the original Saladang.