Pasadena restaurant for New Year's Eve
Sep 13th, 2008, 04:47 PM
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Pasadena restaurant for New Year's Eve
Mom is surprising my Dad this year w/ a week long trip to Pasadena to see the Rose Bowl parade and possibly game. They will be there over New Year's Eve as well and are looking for a nice restaurant to celebrate and cap off the trip. Any suggestions? They are not terribly adventurous eaters, but not super picky either, probably something like American, Italian, etc. Would also appreciate any suggestions for other activities around the Rose Bowl. They will be at the Sheraton without a car - if that matters, not sure.
Sep 15th, 2008, 11:25 AM
#2
Cafe Santorini
70 W Union St
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 564-4200
Mediterranean menu. Good lamb dishes.
Café Bizou
91 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena 91103
(626) 792-9923
Good food (steak au poivre is my favorite) and only two dollar corkage. It can be noisy, but it is a fun place.
Mojitos Restaurant & Rum Bar
69 N Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 796-2520
We just went to a fabulous, relatively new Italian restaurant in Pasadena this past Friday night.
Siena Ristorante
www.sienapasadena.com
43 E Union St
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 584-6050
The food was phenomenal.
There are many more choices, but these are four of my favorites.
70 W Union St
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 564-4200
Mediterranean menu. Good lamb dishes.
Café Bizou
91 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena 91103
(626) 792-9923
Good food (steak au poivre is my favorite) and only two dollar corkage. It can be noisy, but it is a fun place.
Mojitos Restaurant & Rum Bar
69 N Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 796-2520
We just went to a fabulous, relatively new Italian restaurant in Pasadena this past Friday night.
Siena Ristorante
www.sienapasadena.com
43 E Union St
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 584-6050
The food was phenomenal.
There are many more choices, but these are four of my favorites.
Sep 15th, 2008, 02:16 PM
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Sounds like a fun trip.
I would definitely go to the Norton Simon Museum and the Huntington Library and Gardens which is very beautiful. There are other museums and the Gamble House which an example of Greene and Greene Architecture.
It's fun just to walk around Old Town Pasadena which has lots of restaurants and shops.
They could take the Gold Line Metro Line to go to downtown Los Angeles and tour around there.
It's always easier with a car in Southern California but it's doable with public transportation as long as they aren't going too far from Pasadena.
I would definitely go to the Norton Simon Museum and the Huntington Library and Gardens which is very beautiful. There are other museums and the Gamble House which an example of Greene and Greene Architecture.
It's fun just to walk around Old Town Pasadena which has lots of restaurants and shops.
They could take the Gold Line Metro Line to go to downtown Los Angeles and tour around there.
It's always easier with a car in Southern California but it's doable with public transportation as long as they aren't going too far from Pasadena.
Sep 20th, 2008, 10:31 PM
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I'm a Pasadenean...nearly 45 years here. I vote for Cafe Bizou on the corner of Raymond and Union. I even selected it for my pre-fodors, Friday night GTG dinner. I'm a regular over on the Asia forum. You can pull up my GTG report if you'd like. Just type in "Pasadena" in the search box, but under the ASIA forum.
The GTG group has written their comments on the whole Pasadena experience. They absolutely loved it. I wrote a three-part report on the GTG and other things I did while they were here. You and your mom might enjoy reading it. It should get her really excited. What state are they coming from? Pasadena is usually gorgeous in winter as well as any other time.
About Rose Parade seats, I personally like sitting at Orange Grove right at Colorado, but on the east side of the street , the side the CBS cameras are set up on. If you sit on the other side of the street, the rising sun will be in your face. Or, of course, there are plenty of places to choose along Colorado Blvd as that's the main street. It's just easier to get out when it's over if at the beginning of the route.
I used to walk as, for 20 years, I lived a couple of blocks from the Rose Bowl. I'm glad to now be moved from that area as there was too much going on at the Rose Bowl over the decades. It used to be different back in the day.
If your parents sit in the Colorado/Orange Grove parade area, then it's an easy walk to the Rose Bowl from there.
Oh, and for restaurants, we have over 500 of them plus a famous culinary school. It's food heaven, so food won't be a problem for them. If they like Thai food, then it's definitely Saladang Song Restaurant on Fair Oaks, next to Saladang Restaurant. It's so popular until a second one was built. You can google it. Saladang Song is the one with the patio. It's architectually beautiful and the food delicious. My GTG group loved it. For those of us in L.A. area, Thai food is the "norm" as L.A. has the largest population, in the world, of Thais living outside of Thailand. So, your parents should take advantage and try the food.
And also La Luna Negra on Green Street between Fair Oaks and Delacey for Spanish food and a flaminco dance performance. I've been going there for probably 20 years. Took the GTG group there,too.
And Gaucho Grill Argentinian food on Colorado, next door to Barnes and Nobles is VERY good. All of the restaurants that I've mentioned are in the heart of Old Town except Saladang Song which is a about 4 blocks south of Colorado Blvd, and one block north of California. My entire GTG group walked from the Courtyard Marriott Hotel. It's not that much farther from the Sheraton. I planned all of the GTG weekend, eating events in Pasadena.
It's very easy for your parents to walk from the Sheraton to places to eat. They don't need a car. Plus, the traffic is horrendous on that day anyway and trying to park nearly impossible if one hasn't reserved a space. An extra million people come into the city for the parade. I usually to the apartment I rent in Bangkok about 2 weeks before the parade, and stay 3 weeks and when I return, everyone is gone and things back to peacefulness. Smiles.
As for hotels, however,it would have been better if they'd chosen the Old Town Courtyard Marriott...in the heart of things. That's the hotel I had my entire fodors- GTG group stay at when they flew in from all over the U.S....from Hawaii to Boston and everywhere in between.
Hope the above has helped. If you have anymore questions feel free to ask, but it's probably better to page me on the Asia forum as I very seldom check this forum. Happy Travels!
The GTG group has written their comments on the whole Pasadena experience. They absolutely loved it. I wrote a three-part report on the GTG and other things I did while they were here. You and your mom might enjoy reading it. It should get her really excited. What state are they coming from? Pasadena is usually gorgeous in winter as well as any other time.
About Rose Parade seats, I personally like sitting at Orange Grove right at Colorado, but on the east side of the street , the side the CBS cameras are set up on. If you sit on the other side of the street, the rising sun will be in your face. Or, of course, there are plenty of places to choose along Colorado Blvd as that's the main street. It's just easier to get out when it's over if at the beginning of the route.
I used to walk as, for 20 years, I lived a couple of blocks from the Rose Bowl. I'm glad to now be moved from that area as there was too much going on at the Rose Bowl over the decades. It used to be different back in the day.
If your parents sit in the Colorado/Orange Grove parade area, then it's an easy walk to the Rose Bowl from there.
Oh, and for restaurants, we have over 500 of them plus a famous culinary school. It's food heaven, so food won't be a problem for them. If they like Thai food, then it's definitely Saladang Song Restaurant on Fair Oaks, next to Saladang Restaurant. It's so popular until a second one was built. You can google it. Saladang Song is the one with the patio. It's architectually beautiful and the food delicious. My GTG group loved it. For those of us in L.A. area, Thai food is the "norm" as L.A. has the largest population, in the world, of Thais living outside of Thailand. So, your parents should take advantage and try the food.
And also La Luna Negra on Green Street between Fair Oaks and Delacey for Spanish food and a flaminco dance performance. I've been going there for probably 20 years. Took the GTG group there,too.
And Gaucho Grill Argentinian food on Colorado, next door to Barnes and Nobles is VERY good. All of the restaurants that I've mentioned are in the heart of Old Town except Saladang Song which is a about 4 blocks south of Colorado Blvd, and one block north of California. My entire GTG group walked from the Courtyard Marriott Hotel. It's not that much farther from the Sheraton. I planned all of the GTG weekend, eating events in Pasadena.
It's very easy for your parents to walk from the Sheraton to places to eat. They don't need a car. Plus, the traffic is horrendous on that day anyway and trying to park nearly impossible if one hasn't reserved a space. An extra million people come into the city for the parade. I usually to the apartment I rent in Bangkok about 2 weeks before the parade, and stay 3 weeks and when I return, everyone is gone and things back to peacefulness. Smiles.
As for hotels, however,it would have been better if they'd chosen the Old Town Courtyard Marriott...in the heart of things. That's the hotel I had my entire fodors- GTG group stay at when they flew in from all over the U.S....from Hawaii to Boston and everywhere in between.
Hope the above has helped. If you have anymore questions feel free to ask, but it's probably better to page me on the Asia forum as I very seldom check this forum. Happy Travels!
Sep 20th, 2008, 10:35 PM
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P.S. There's a great, relatively new book on Pasadena written by a Pasadenean. I can't remember the name of it, off the top of my head, but I gave a copy of it to each out-of-stater as a welcome gift to my GTG. My GTG was just in May of 2006 and the book hadn't been out that long. If you pull up my GTG report, I mention the name of it there. I'm a bit too busy now to look it up. It's a MUST read. Happy Travels!
Sep 23rd, 2008, 12:17 PM
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Hi olive, what a nice surprise your Mom has planned for your Dad! I am sure they will have a wonderful time. I use to have friends that lived in a beautiful large older house just a block away from the Rose Parade route..never did visit them at during NY's though which was stupid, lol.
Anyway, I am posting as sometimes I find the search box doesn't work all that well. If that happens to you well you probably know but just in case you don't just click on Guenami's here on this thread and you will see all of Guenami's post on the left of your screen.
Reading all of the posts makes me wish my friends still lived in Pasadena!
Anyway, I am posting as sometimes I find the search box doesn't work all that well. If that happens to you well you probably know but just in case you don't just click on Guenami's here on this thread and you will see all of Guenami's post on the left of your screen.
Reading all of the posts makes me wish my friends still lived in Pasadena!
Dec 6th, 2008, 06:27 PM
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My husband and I are taking our niece and nephew to the Rose Bowl and staying in Pasadena. Any child friendly (6 and 13 year olds) for New Year's Eve dinner? Any of the previous recs good for kids?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Dec 6th, 2008, 07:40 PM
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The book is called Hometown Pasadena and the new, updated edition just came out. I am sure it's on Amazon. I HIGHLY recommend this beautiful, lively book! (And not just because a dear friend is one of the authors!)
Dec 7th, 2008, 07:14 PM
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I lived in Pasadena most of my life and nothing beats the excitement of seeing the parade on New Years. Your parents will love it!
I agree with the poster about staying at the Marriott. You want to be a close as possible. The restaurant suggestions are good..especially since they are not directly on the parade route (Colorado Blvd.)
I must warn you about the crowds. Often there are groups of kids who get a little rowdy on NY eve. The police do their best at controlling the crowd, but your parents should be aware that there are alot of people on the sidewalks and it can make walking downtown a little difficult.
Again, any trouble they have will be worth it when they see the gorgeous floats in the parade. Our son was a participant in the parade in 2005 and it was a day I'll never forget!
I agree with the poster about staying at the Marriott. You want to be a close as possible. The restaurant suggestions are good..especially since they are not directly on the parade route (Colorado Blvd.)
I must warn you about the crowds. Often there are groups of kids who get a little rowdy on NY eve. The police do their best at controlling the crowd, but your parents should be aware that there are alot of people on the sidewalks and it can make walking downtown a little difficult.
Again, any trouble they have will be worth it when they see the gorgeous floats in the parade. Our son was a participant in the parade in 2005 and it was a day I'll never forget!
Dec 10th, 2008, 02:12 PM
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I was at the Tournament of Roses Parade last year with my 78 year old mother. It was a fantastic trip.
We had an early evening New's Eve Dinner at Mi Piace www.mipiace.com on Colorado Avenue. The food was excellent and the service was very attentive. We ate there on the recommendation of the Tournament of Roses office.
We were not prepared for the number of people who were camping on the streets for the parade. It did make getting around a little difficult, but got us in the spirit of the parade. We stayed at the Hilton and they had a limo take us and pick us up.
We had an early evening New's Eve Dinner at Mi Piace www.mipiace.com on Colorado Avenue. The food was excellent and the service was very attentive. We ate there on the recommendation of the Tournament of Roses office.
We were not prepared for the number of people who were camping on the streets for the parade. It did make getting around a little difficult, but got us in the spirit of the parade. We stayed at the Hilton and they had a limo take us and pick us up.
Dec 15th, 2008, 10:31 AM
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Denice: To find my Pasadena GTG post, go to the Asia forum and type in either Pasadena or Guenmai's Pasadena GTG...there are lots of comments there and threads connected to mine about my Pasadena GTG. Lots of Pasadena info on those threads. And the book was , Hometown Pasadena as someone above mentioned. Happy Travels!
Dec 15th, 2008, 11:00 AM
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Mi Piace is on Colorado Blvd...not Avenue. It's a few steps east of Fair Oaks in the heart of old town. It's been there for quite some years and is quite good.
There was a newspaper article, some years back, on the chef there and how he'd turned the place around. He's African and learned to cook Italian while in Italy. I don't know if he's still there or not. I started eating there, I think over a decade ago, when they first opened.
Also, the Cheesecake Factory is at the corner of Colorado and Fair Oaks as someone was asking about where to take kids. And Louise's Trattoria (Italian) is also on the corner of Fair Oaks and Colorado. It's very good. Happy Travels!
There was a newspaper article, some years back, on the chef there and how he'd turned the place around. He's African and learned to cook Italian while in Italy. I don't know if he's still there or not. I started eating there, I think over a decade ago, when they first opened.
Also, the Cheesecake Factory is at the corner of Colorado and Fair Oaks as someone was asking about where to take kids. And Louise's Trattoria (Italian) is also on the corner of Fair Oaks and Colorado. It's very good. Happy Travels!
