Eye Level Pasadena

Wokcano bras

Wokcano
33 S Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 578-1818

I missed The Majestical Roof dog fashion show, but I made it there in time afterwards to see this dressed up little dog:

Dog in a flowered top

Portraits by Val

I also met Val of Portraits by Val (“specializing in oil portraits of pets and children” 818-822-4466) who had some of her pet portraits on display.

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The Majestical Roof
88 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Ste 102
Pasadena, CA 91103
(Between Holly and Union St.)
626-844-8886
www.themajesticalroof.com

Chado Tea Room on Raymond

Measuring tea

Chado Tea Room is my favorite place to go in Pasadena for tea and sandwiches. (You can also order soup, salads, cakes, scones, and strawberries with clotted cream.) It’s a place to sit down with a friend or a book for a light meal or dessert, but it’s also a place to buy tea by the ounce. There’s a wide selection; the back wall is lined with shelves of big tea tins, and they will brew and serve any of the teas in the store at your table, which seems to me like a great way to try a new tea.

Chado Tea Room
79 N Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 431-2832
chadotea.com

Violet’s door

I have yet to make it inside Violet’s Cakes in Old Town, but oh, how I want to.

Violet’s Cakes
21 E Holly St
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 395-9821

Superspark’s review: Violet’s cakes
Google local: Violet’s Cakes

34 South Raymond Street is now vacant, and a group of 300 former owners, employees and patrons of The Espresso Bar that used to occupy that space have come together to work to reopen it there. Check out their proposal (best
printed or saved and opened in a PDF reader–the first 11 pages are all about The Espresso Bar’s history, and the proposal starts on page 12). Also check out their website at http://theespressobar.org.

Old Town alley, 1

Old Town alley, 2

This door is just across the way from The Majestical Roof:

Old Towne Pub

It takes you to the Old Towne Pub, which is also hidden away and accessible only through tunnels or alleys.

No persons under 211 allowed

Old Towne Pub
66 N Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 577-6583
http://lochnesspub.com/

Vanesa Martinelli

Oh, how I love The Majestical Roof. Last night they had an opening for one of their artists, Vanesa Martinelli, so Gavin and I stopped by and had wine in the hidden away courtyard and listened to live music and met Vanesa (who has been painting since she was four and who grew up surrounded by musicians – check out her website or stop by The Majestical Roof and check out her paintings in person).

Inside The Majestical Roof

I’d been looking for a place to buy No Sweat Apparel sneakers—I heard they ran large, so I wanted to try them on—and look what I found! The Majestical Roof is hidden away in a courtyard accessible through a sort of mid-block tunnel off of Fair Oaks north of Union (which is north of Colorado). It carries artisan-made and fair wage products including purses, jewelry, clothes and No Sweat Apparel shoes.

The Majestical Roof
88 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Ste 102
Pasadena, CA 91103
(Between Holly and Union St.)
626-844-8886
www.themajesticalroof.com

Street sign

Through the tunnel

In the courtyard

Driving past Cheesecake Factory

Driving past Cliff’s Books

Driving past the empty furniture store with art installations in the windows