I’m a huge fan of vacation and travel. The combination of books and travel bring meaning to my life. I wish I were joking.
When I’m not visiting friends, I like to stay in Airbnb’s. They’re great! This time the Airbnb led me to Pasadena. I had never had any interest in the area outside of the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day. I liked being close to the mountains, so the drive was worth it. I ended up really enjoying Pasadena. Also my Airbnb was just about perfect, so that never hurts. It was a small cottage with an overstuffed leather couch, comfy bed, cute kitchenette, espresso machine, and Beau was incredibly happy there because of the chickens. All truly good Airbnbs must have chickens, right? Beau sure thinks so. It was more than idyllic to reach for a good book in the morning and snuggling up with a book in the afternoon because, let’s be honest, I’m not really out that late. Overlooking the mountains, it was only eight minutes from downtown Pasadena, which is full of cute restaurants and buildings.
Right outside the front door of my Airbnb was a mountain road, which I took my car up one afternoon. I am normally a devastatingly careful driver, but this road made me drive with even more caution due to the immense twists and turns. Once at the top, it overlooked the San Gabriel Valley to the South and the mountain range the rest of the view. If you look at my Instagram, you can tell I draw a lot of joy and inspiration from being outside surrounded by nature. (Which is amusing because nature constantly tries to kill me due to my severe allergies.) I’m always in awe of nature and the beauty it holds. I really wish I could look out on mountains and trees as well as the city like I did every day in the Airbnb. For me, it would be the perfect reading-writing balance being able to venture into the city for distraction or wander through the woods for inspiration. If only Houston had that, but alas, we are flat.
Downtown Pasadena is great. It is full of buildings evocative of ye olden times. The city hall is a towering creamy stone. Kitty Corner to the city hall, there is a foundation for girls housed in a brick building with stained glass windows holding up curtains of thick ivy; I couldn’t help but to be taken back to London looking at that building. Walk half a block down the road, you’ll find brick buildings with sliding wooden barn doors. Great restaurants are in abundance! I found a chinese restaurant, which took me back to my childhood with their sizzling rice soup. I was in a little bit of heaven that day. The fashion bloggers were out in droves for all the picturesque spots in downtown Pasadena. I had never come across a several story Target with its own parking garage until Pasadena, but I guess, there’s a first for everything. Downtown is crowded with spots welcoming readers with open arms.
In downtown Pasadena, there is a park with a memorial. I didn’t know what it was at first, so I wandered my way towards it. It ended up being a memorial for the first public library. Unfortunately I couldn’t get near it because it was fenced off plastered with warning signs about falling rocks. Still it was very beautiful, and I love that there is a memorial to a library. Truly made my heart sing.