Pasadena, California

Pasadena is difficult to define by who lives there because, well, everyone does. And by everyone I mean all cultures, all ages, and all levels of income. Pasadena is really a spill-over town from all its surrounding cities.  Higher income families tend to live in South Pasadena, centered mainly around Colorado Blvd, while lower-income families tend to be in the very north of Pasadena closer to Altadena or to the east closer to Temple City. Pasadena, in general, is one of the nicer cities to live within the Los Angeles County and the only real difference between the various corners of the city are the types of commodities offered. For example, if you need something quick to eat or a car mechanic, you have a better chance of finding that in the eastern part of Pasadena. If you looking for a sitdown restaurant or want a shirt from the Gap, you would head farther west. Due to the size of the city, Pasadena has developed its own pockets. It is really cities within a city. The 210 fwy divides the North from the South while Sierra Madre Blvd divides the East and West.  

If you're looking for somewhere to hangout, heading to the Southwest part of Pasadena will provide all that you need. South Pasadena's main street, Colorado Blvd, has much to offer its residents. Restaurants and shopping take a bit more precedence over clubs, however, if dancing is what you plan on doing at night. South Pasadena is more of the place you would want to have a big "get-together" dinner as opposed to hitting the clubs. From Bucca de Beppos to Barney's Beanery to Johnny Rockets, the option for what to eat are almost limitless. Or, for something a bit more upscale, you can always check out the Twin Palms, owned by actor Kevin Costner.

Everything in South Pasadena is within walking distance of each other, as long as staying on Colorado Blvd. is what you have planned. And that is always a good thing when it comes to finding a bar to hang out at, which Pasadena has plenty of. If you're thinking dive bars, you might be outta luck (Freddy's 35er if you really want one). E's Martini Lounge on Fair Oaks and Colorado is a great spot to hang out or RedWhite bluezz Wine Bar is also fun on Thursdays if you like your liquor served with a hint of jazz.

Pasadena has some really interesting rental price pockets throughout the city. What may cost a fortune can easily be found cheaper by driving 5 minutes in another direction. You have to understand that any part of Pasadena will offer you a house with 3 bedrooms and 2 bath or a single room apartment, but the price will vary drastically depending on where it's at.

If looking for an actual house is what you want and you are concerned with the price, sticking to the east side of Pasadena is a better move. There is a lot of housing options in this area that will give you what you need. However, the rental cost will be a bit higher when compared to other surrounding cities, even if the area is not that great. Location is really what you're paying for and it's the west side that is hiking up the value of your home, hence the higher rent for your place.

On the west, homes are a much pricier. For the cost of a home on the east end, you'll get a condo for equivalent price. You lose a backyard, but you get closer to all the fun stuff. If you want to get your hands on a house on the west end, you had better be willing to pay. Homes don't go up for sale as often but, due to these recent economic times, anything is possible now. You definitely get a nicer location and homes are spaced out a bit more. Bigger property plots as well.

On the north end, which is above the 210 fwy., you'll find the same style of housing as in the west/southwest end of Pasadena, but the area itself has begun to decay a bit. This is the area that is bordering Altadena. There are some homes that are quite nice and the pricing will be a lower due to the location, but the inconsistency of nice vs. not so nice make finding a cute house on a decent block a needle in a haystack search. But it can be found. Plus, getting to all the trendy stores is just a quick drive down Lake Blvd or Los Robles Ave and over the freeway.

Driving in Pasadena isn't that big of a deal, unless you're traveling through South Pasadena, that's when things get tricky. Kinda similar to New York City, but without the crazy cab drivers. On that same note, the idea of walking has also been adopted in South Pas. There are certain times of the day, mainly in the evening when driving can be bit of a gridlock. We're talking Friday night, 7pm kinda hours. Almost anywhere at that time is gonna be impacted. You will get where you need to, just add 10 minutes to your arrival time. Rest of the day, not so bad. Lunch hour can be a bit much, since everyone else wants to eat at the same place you do and most of the parking lots servicing restaurants in South Pas. are small or narrow. Valet is an option for some places, and parking structures are located around the area, if you are willing to sacrifice convenience and a short walk. But driving is very possible. It's just the parking part.

Pasadena has it's own bus lines that make frequent stops within the city and will connect you to the rest of Los Angeles, if need be. There is also the Gold Line, which is a sub track that connects to the main lines for the Metrolink trains in Los Angeles. The Gold line runs along the length of the 210 fwy. which is great for getting to Pasadena from another city, but not for getting along in Pasadena. If getting from one place to another in South Pasadena is the goal, you're best bets are car, bus, or on foot. Any other part of Pasadena, you'll need to take a bus or drive.   

Be ready to pay a little bit more when moving into Pasadena. If you feel like you're paying a bit much for something that isn't that great, consider one of the neighboring cities to Pasadena. You will absolutely find something that is of equal quality. The exception to this is if you're moving to South Pasadena. You really couldn't find anything else around in any of the other cities that will give you the same quality of life or environment.

If you absolutely must have a slice of the "Pasadena lifestyle" but can't afford to live near Colorado Blvd. on the southend, the best thing you can do is move into the northern part of Pasadena above the 210 fwy. It will keep you close to what you want, but won't cost as much. For lack of a better term, it's a bit ghetto but, if that is not what you would consider a problem, then it's a great choice for starting out in Pasadena. Just being honest here.

If moving into the south part of Pasadena, make sure you check a lot of places out before making the final decision. Some places are nice, but really grossly overpriced. With a bit of exploring, you might find something better for a lot less. But, in general, it's gonna be the most expensive part of Pasadena to live.

Quick tip: Try looking at housing on Colorado Blvd closer to Pasadena City College. You will really be surprised at how much you can get for a lot less than other parts of Pasadena. Mainly due to all the students that live in the area. The neighborhood isn't that bad either. The school attracts a lot of international students that are really there to study and not party. Most of the students that attend the college are serious students as well. Plus, a few blocks away  is Cal Tech, which has a lot of big brains going there, so not too many problems occur around those parts. The only drawback is that it's very close to the freeway, which might be somewhat of a noise issue.

If you're looking for entertainment, heading towards South Pasadena has the bulk of it.

First and foremost, South Pasadena is home to one of the biggest entertainment events in the world: The Tournament of Roses Parade. The parade follows down most of Colorado Blvd and, for anyone living in the town, you have a leg-up on good seats since you already live in the town. If you happened to rent property on Colorado Blvd, you have a perfect view of the whole parade. Sadly, it's only once a year, but it's a big source of entertainment for the town.

Colorado Blvd. is the main hub of attraction for South Pasadena. You can pick your choice of restaurant; everything from Italian to Japanese is all at your fingertips. But why stop at eating? You can shop the very large and helpful Apple store, hit the Gap or PacSun for some quick fashion improvements, and catch a movie at one of 2 AMC Theaters. Word to the wise: Check out the Old AMC 8 Theater next to the Gap for a really interesting time. It's an old movie theater that was built under the streets that was later purchased by AMC. It's a trip to realize your watching a movie beneath the city of South Pasadena. It's also hidden from the street view, which is fun. Tucked in between a bunch of high-rise buildings, you'll find a great patio restaurant and also a Johnny Rockets next to the theater. If indie films are more your thing, head farther down Colorado Blvd. to Laemmle's Playhouse 7 for the best in independent films.

Or maybe relaxing is your idea of an exciting day. A trip to Burke Williams day spa will have you feeling like a new person in no time.South Pasadena also also houses the Norton Simon Museum as well as The Museum of Pasadena Art, Pasadena Museum of History, and 7 other museums. Pasadena also has it's own Botanical Gardens that are great for spending a day in nature.

If you want to shop indoors, there is always the Santa Anita Mall. It's not actually in Pasadena, but it's a short trip down Colorado Blvd. towards Arcadia, which is the next town over. It's one of the best shopping malls in Southern California and has everything you could imagine.

A cool treasure trove for music a few blocks away from Pasadena City College is No Future Cafe. It's actually a second building owned by the church next door, but it has some of the freshest music in the area. Always a cool hangout if you want to hear some new bands bang it out. Warning: If you're over 30, you might feel a bit old in there. No liquor served either. Part of the church agreement.

Neighborhoods near Pasadena City College and Cal Tech are quite nice, and not incredibly expensive. If you're a big fan of tree-lined streets, you'll like this part of Pasadena. Decent amount of condos and apartments, but houses really rule this area. South Pasadena is a super great place to move into, but very pricey. Will require some heavy searching to find something that works into your budget, but you can find it. Lots of trees around there too.

Wouldn't recommend moving into the eastern part of Pasadena if you don't absolutely have to. It's not very "Pasadena-like" at all, just a spillover from Temple City. Houses are close together and the prices reflect Pasadena lifestyle, but none of the Pasadena style. Like paying for the brand, but it's the same product as the store brand. Northern Pasadena is not that bad, but not as nice as the southside.

Pasadena has it's fair share of places to shop for groceries and for banking. You have choices like Ralphs, Food4Less, Hastings, and Whole Foods. Bank of America, Wells Fargo, WAMU are the big ones in the area. Really depends on which part of Pasadena you head towards. You'll find Hastings and Whole Foods on the west end, as well as Ralpsh. On the east, mostly just Ralphs and Food4Less, a few independent markets as well. Banks of all kinds are evenly spread out through Pasadena, so doing your banking is not a problem.

All the major gym chains are available in Pasadena as well. 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, Ballys, and even Curves too. If you're looking for a Gold's Gym, there is a pretty big one in South Pasadena. If you want to do a bit of celebrity sighting, join one of the gyms on the westside. Keep an eye open; you'll see one.

Pasadena's main forms of employment are in the forms of retail or white-collar occupations such as banking, bookkeeping, and general indoor services. Textiles work, construction, and factory work is not something you will find in Pasadena. On the west end, closer to Colorado Blvd. and Lake Blvd., Pasadena has a couple of skyscrapers that employ a lot of businesses. Many people work here. Otherwise, employment in Pasadena is shared with everyone else in the Southern California area. Due to the large number of shops and stores that make up Old Town Pasadena, it's pretty easy to find a job in a small store. Usually this will involve either selling clothes or wares of some kind. Or you can work in food; lots of restaurants that need cooks or servers. If you can, try getting a job at the Apple store. Good area and cool stuff inside.

Because Pasadena is so large, it's been divided into a lot of school districts. The better school areas are those on the westside of Pasadena. The ones on the east are sometimes rowdy, but better than most in the other surrounding cities. There is also the option of private school as well. The popular San Marino Montessori School is very close by and there is also the Westridge School for Girls that often receives high marks. La Salle is another private school that is located in the next city above Pasadena in Sierra Madre. Its Catholic in denomination, but has a very strong curriculum. Driving the kids to school would be mandatory because of the distance, but it is very popular with many of the parents that live nearby.

No matter what part of Pasadena you decide to live in, the cost of housing is going to be higher for the same square footage in another city. You're paying for the name and the location. Lately, due to the recent changes in our economy, securing a house to own has become a very easy thing to do. Some parts of Pasadena even are experiencing foreclosures. More home options can be found in the eastern part of Pasadena, where housing is at it's cheapest.

Pasadena has a long history of being a very expensive place to live. The value of a home in Pasadena is usually well above $500,000. If purchasing real estate in Pasadena is something you are considering, now would be the time to do it. Real estate has reached into the low $400,000's and even below that in some cases. You are sure to come out ahead if you buy into Pasadena when the market comes back up again.

Weather in Pasadena tends to be normally in the mid 70's and low 80's during the fall and spring. In the winter, temperatures can drop as low as 54 degrees, but not to the point of ice or snow. In the summer, temperatures can reach as high at 103 degrees, mostly a result of the heat getting trapped in the city by the San Gabriel Mountains that are to the north. But on a typical day, temperatures are average around 77, with a slight breeze. Very Southern California weather. You could wear shorts and flip flops almost every day, even in the rain!