we are going to the rose bowl parade however our 48 anniv is the 30th of dec.my wifes birthday is new years eve and i would ask for what to do thats very special we love the water????? staying in pasadena looking for maybe very upscale dining something SPECIAL SPECIAL SPECIAL what cha got coming from texas ...thanks for any and all suggestions

Pasadena is WAY inland, and you would be best to stay nearby on New Year's Eve. Luckily, Pasadena has some great dining choices. Still, I can think of a way to get some ocean time.

For your anniversary, you might consider taking a spin down to Santa Monica, having drinks at the Lobster (at the corner of Ocean Ave. and the Santa Monica Pier) to watch the sunset over the Pacific, then resisting the temptation to actually eat there (the Lobster's good, but there are better seafood choices in SM) and heading a block south on Ocean to Capo. High-end Italian, freshest ingredients possible, very expensive, very very very wonderful.

For New Year's Eve, you're going to have to act NOW, but how about dining at the Ritz-Carlton Huntington, right there in Pasadena? Not cheap, but the food's great, the décor is sumptuous, the service is Ritz-Carlton style....

Other than that, walking around Old Town Pasadena yields a jackpot of great eateries-- which will, in all likelihood, be packed with NYE revelers.

Don't forget that the Rose Parade is on January 2 this year. They never have the parade on Sundays.

Remember, not only will there be crowds of New Year's revelers in Pasadena, there will be tens of thousands of Out-of-towners in town to cheer on their team in the Rose Bowl football game. Many buy packages which include game tickets, Pasadena hotel and New Year's reservations.

My advice would be to get out of Pasadena for your special evening. Even if you have a long drive to the ocean, it might be worth it to get away from the crowds.

here's the other thread

The Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel is always decorated very nicely for the holidays. It is on an old huge estate and is architecturally beautiful. You might consider fitting in a dinner and a stroll on the grounds there. Very civilized. They have a nice restaurant that borders the pool area (water? it's not the ocean but it's lovely, and there is a cool covered picture bridge that crosses the pool area, a lovely place to stroll after dinner on the grounds and give her that special gift we know you'll be bringing). That restaurant is more casual w/fresh seafood and meat dishes, but still very nice. Inside is the more upscale dining room. The Huntington is one of the most lovely and sophisticated hotels around LA in my opinion. The grounds are magnificent, and the sunset from the Horseshoe Garden area (there is a bar in that area off the main dining room) is lovely. I prefer that over downtown Pasadena. And your wife may like the spa and salon at the Huntington for a nail job or hair styling appt.- they do massages, etc also. It is in a separate building in front of the hotel.
I jump at the chance to go to LA to work so I can stay in that hotel. Love it. Take a look at it online at the Ritz Carlton website.

P.S. The Huntington Hotel is about a 5-6 min. cab ride from downtown Pasadena.

And the football game is on Jan 4.

The Ritz Carlton dining room is kind of stuffy in my opinion, but then again I saw it when it was closed so I am sure I didn't see it in its full glory. My cousin works at that hotel and gave me a tour...

But I heard the chef at the dining room is fantastic and very up and coming. He's already been featured in a few magazines and we are trying to figure out a time to give it a go.

If you will have a car and don't mind a bit of a drive, you might consider the New Year's Eve celebration aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach. My husband and I spent the night on the Queen Mary two years ago and dined at Sir Winstons:

http://www.queenmary.com/specialeven...ge=newyearseve

Congratulations and Happy Anniversary.