Sitting under a canopy of trees at a South Pasadena coffee shop, time slows down. Artist folk ramble, bike riders pass, old-timers mosey, and mid-afternoon strollers say hello while walking their dogs-and not the kind that fit into a purse. The Mission West District has a small-town, feel-good atmosphere. Parking spaces are as bountiful as wine shops, and lazy lounging is the Sunday standard. You can’t even hear the freeway. The locals want to keep it that way; there are always threats the 710 will one day invade. Set foot in this endangered oasis while you can.
Just like it sounds, this is the spot for the girl who loves pink. Puff is a beauty dreamland. Portraits of oldschool Barbies hang, and lady lovelies can buy specialty makeup, hair and skin-care products-or get made-up by one of the specialists on staff.
Yoga locas drive all the way from Long Beach to attend classes here. Inside you’ll find sunny colors setting the mood for serenity. Anyone who tumbles in the door workout-ready can take a free first class. Om.
If you’re depressed about global warming and your organic yerba mate isn’t cheering you up, this place will. The softly lit boutique offers everything for the eco-friendly fanatic, from organic cotton towels, locally made soy candles and bamboo kitchenware to the shop’s own line of tea.
Started decades ago by the South Pasadena mayor Dick Richards, Buster’s remains the place to get your caffeine-and-sugar fix. The café offers lunch fare that’s whipped up in-house, plus locally made Fosselmen’s ice cream. Regulars come back for the frosted mocha (an ice cream-espresso shake) and live jazz Sunday night.
Lavender and rosebushes greet you at the entrance of this community library and its Greco-Cali courtyard. Be sure to trek around the picnic-worthy grass shaded by trees that look a bajillion years old. You’ll also find the stately Community Reading Room, where groups such as the South Pasadena Democrats meet.
At Mission Wine, low-key wine experts will introduce you to off-the-beaten path vintages from all around the world. Wine not your thing? The shop has an impressive beer collection with odd-ball brews like the Belgian Deus, which tastes exactly like champagne. (Miller Highlife, why did you lie to us?)
