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Advice about Pasadena

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Housing, Neighborhoods, & Moving > Advice about Pasadena



Moving to Pasadena vs Ithaca - pros and cons?

June 2007

Hi there, We are a young family (one kid, 1 year old) and we have two job offers: one in Ithaca NY, and another one in Pasadena, CA. We are having a terrible time choosing. Both places have their up- and down-sides. Anyone have any opinions or recs based on concrete experience in either of these places? Things we care about are good food (though restaraunts aren't critical), decent living on one income, friendly neighbors and community, playing outside (kids on the street, good playgrounds and access to hikes etc), public schools, not having to drive everywhere, and crafts community (I am an artist; I work mostly with fiber). As a mostly at home mom, will I be able to find my people in either place?? Many thanks. Up in the air; hoping to land soon


I know next to nothing about Pasadena or Ithaca but I have a theory I wanted to pass on to you. I think that the worse the winter is in a place, the higher the quality of life (other than the winter weather, of course.) I think weather extremes bring out the best in people. So, if being near family is not a consideration, I would vote for Ithaca. (I do know one Cal prof. who moved from Berkeley to Cornell and he and his wife are very happy in Ithaca.) Anon
I lived in Pasadena for many years, but know little about Ithaca. Some of your topics:

Food in Pasadena - Excellent! Go to the Farmer's Market at the high school every Saturday and stock up on great produce. Wonderful restaurants of every variety in every price range. Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, etc. Every food item in the world available in the greater LA area. I love eating in Berkeley, but I loved eating in Pasadena too!

Community - I worked at JPL, and found ''my people'' there and at Caltech. I know a stay-at-home mom there who is very well integrated into the community. Pasadena has a great public library, community theater, sports programs and interesting lecture and performing arts series. As for the schools, you can check out the test scores, but many of my friends chose private school. Another popular alternative was living in La Canada or Glendale for the schools. I do know a family happy with the Pasadena public schools, so it's a personal decision.

Cars - You will probably need to drive more. You can carefully choose to live near a supermarket and a park to minimize driving, but for other parks, play groups, community events, restaurants, etc. you will probably need to drive.

Outdoor activities - Here Pasadena shines, literally. There is great hiking and biking in the hills just adjacent to Pasadena (like Berkeley!) It's hot in the summer, but then so is Ithaca, and outside of July-September, the weather is ideal for being outdoors. They hold the Rose Parade on January 1st, and it's usually 70 degrees and sunny. Want to hold an outdoor BBQ in mid-November? No problem! Great gardening opportunities too. My backyard plums were the best ever, and so were my neighbor's tangerines.

Cost of living - There are lifestyle choices to make it more or less expensive, but it's still California, with high housing prices.

Good luck with your decision. Ex-Pasadenean


So I guess weather is not a consideration for you at all??? I'd go for the sun
I just came back from a trip to Pasadena-there are some nice areas, but the school system is not good, and you definitely have to drive to go anywhere. People are friendly, but neighborhoods do not feel cohesive-you hardly ever see a pedestrian. I have also spent time in Ithaca-it's beautiful, nice college town with good restaurants (the Moosewood is there), gorgeous scenery. It's got a long winter, and is remote-not near any big city. I personally would pick Ithaca over Pasadena-it feels much more like a community.
Just to balance out those who know Ithaca, here's my 2 cents: Pasadena, hands down. But I'm from California, and my family is here, and I cannot for the life of me imagine living in the snow. That said, I imagine that the cost of living is lower in Ithaca. Pasadena itself is a bit on par with Palo Alto, in some cases. Caltech campus is lovely, Colorado Blvd is sort of like a combo of College Ave, Solano Ave, and in some parts it's a little like San Pablo or Market St, and there are also a few mall-type stores, and a mall or two (including an ice-skaating rink if you're too hot.). It's bloody hot in the summer, of course, but AC is everywhere, and it cools down a bit at night. And gorgeous in February-can smell like gardenias everywhere. The whole city is very walkable, and there's also a city shuttle bus that goes everywhere (may even be free or cheap). There's a terrific children's museum and a nice hiking park along the Arroyo Seco too. Cons are: expensive, too far from the ocean (in my opinion), smoggy, especially in summer, and if you want to go anywhere you'll probably deal with traffic. Oh, and my sister hated the public schools... janet

(for more responses to this question, see Ithaca)


Inexpensive hotel in Pasadena?

March 2005

Can anyone recommend a nice, but not too expensive (less than $150/night) place to stay in Pasadena? It has been a long time since I've been in the LA area and I am going down with extended family for a college graduation. We'd like a place with character, that is clean and has a pool. Heading south.


No pool, and slightly higher cost (most rooms are $175/night, when I looked online) but...the Bissell House B&B, just over the border into South Pasadena, is pretty nifty if you're into historic buildings and nice accommodations. It's one of the last surviving ''Millionaires Row'' mansions, and the only one that's open as a B&B. Their web site says Albert Einstein once had dinner there. Good breakfast, too, and the proprietors are very friendly. We spent our wedding night there, and friends and relatives of ours who've had weddings in Pasadena have taken over the place for their wedding weekends to put up family members. Web site is www.bissellhouse.com. Sara
For a funky but nice place to stay, try the Saga Hotel on Colorado across the street from Pasadena City College. It's kinda 50's style but clean, well maintained and not at all musty. There is a pool ( that I've never been in but looks good to me). They are in the yellowpages. I used to live in Pasadena and that's where I always stay. I don't like these new, new, new hotels that have no character and have sky high prices. (like the Doubletree). JM
We stayed in Pasadena for 4 days/3 nights last month. We chose the Marriott based on recommendations and proximity to family. The location is great -- right in old town Pasadena. You can walk to many restaurants and shops, and there is a great frozen yogurt shop about 3 blocks away. There is a pool and fitness room, and a restaurant that serves breakfast/lunch/dinner but room service is only for the evening. Most touristy things are within a 15 minute drive (the Huntington, Norton Simon museum, Gamble House) and there's a fantastic childrens' museum called KidSpace. Good for all ages, like a mix between Habitot & the Bay Area Discovery Museum. We had a suite which was great, since we were with our 2 boys, but it was expensive -- $269.00 a night. I'm not sure what the regular rooms are. Overall, it was worth it due to the location. The staff was really nice. Hope it helps! Mollie
My family has lived in Pasadena for 30 years and they recommend the Doubletree Hotel, 191 N. Los Robles Ave., 626-792-2727. I believe it is a Meditteranean-style building with fountains and nice landscaping, walking-distance to Old Town. You may want to call and make sure, but I think they have a pool and charge about $150 per night. Erika
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