The Norton Simon Museum features seven centuries of European art from the Renaissance to the 20th century, including works by van Gogh, Picasso, Rembrandt, and Fragonard. The museum also features an extensive collection of South Asian sculpture and a sculpture garden with works of Rodin. Open Wednesday - Monday, noon-6 p.m. and Friday, noon-9 p.m. (626) 449-6840. www.nortonsimon.org (take the free Arts Shuttle to the Simon)

Huntington Library, Art Collection, and Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. The Huntington is an oasis of art and culture set amidst 150 acres of gardens. The Library features works from British and American history and literature, including an original Gutenberg Bible and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Three galleries showcase 18th- and 19th-century British and French masterpieces, including the “Blue Boy” and “Pinkie.” Fifteen gardens feature 14,000 species of plants. Open: Tuesday - Friday, noon-4:30 p.m.; Saturday - Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (626) 405-2100. www.huntington.org

Pacific Asia Museum, 46 North Los Robles Avenue (one and a half blocks from the Hilton). Housed in the historic Grace Nicholson mansion, the museum is dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and understanding of the arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Eclectic collection and great gift shop with Asian antiques. Open: Wednesday - Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (626) 449-2742. www.pacificasiamuseum.org

Pasadena Museum of California Art, 490 East Union Street (two blocks from the Hilton). The only museum in Southern California devoted exclusively to California art, architecture, and design. Wednesday - Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (626) 568-3665. www.pmcaonline.org

The Gamble House, 4 Westmoreland Place. Built in 1908 during the American Arts and Crafts movement, this masterpiece is the best preserved example of work from internationally recognized architects Charles and Henry Greene. The home was built for David and Mary Gamble of Procter & Gamble and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Docent Tours: Thursday - Sunday, noon-3 p.m. (626) 793-3334 http://gamblehouse.org

Comics Restaurant & Ice House, 24 N. Mentor Avenue (626) 577-1894. The famous comedy club at which many world class performers got their start, and where they still perform.

The Knightsbridge Theatre, 5 South Raymond Avenue. This intimate theatre offers live year-round presentations ranging from William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to Neil Simon’s “The Female Odd Couple.”(626) 440-0821 www.knightsbridgetheatre.com

Santa Anita Park Thoroughbred Racing. Wed. - Sun.; $5 admission; $4 parking. Santa Anita Park, 285 W. Huntington Dr., Arcadia. (626) 574-RACE or www.santaanita.com

Pasadena Civic Center (one block away, opposite Paseo Colorado). Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story will be playing while we are in Pasadena. For tickets, (213) 365-3500 or www.theaterleague.com

Pasadena Playhouse (just a few blocks from the hotel). Dirty Blonde, with Claudia Shearer recreating her Broadway roles as Mae West and the admiring Mae West fan Jo, will be playing while we are in Pasadena. 39 S. El Molino Ave. Box Office: (626) 356-7529 www.pasadenaplayhouse.org

Pasadena Jazz Institute. Concerts by the world’s finest jazz musicians. (626) 398-3344 Concerts are held at Travis Auditorium, 180 N. Oakland Ave.

Beyond Pasadena

Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. 1313 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim. Drive Time: 1 hour. (714) 956-MICKEY www.disneyland.com

The Getty Center. 1200 Getty Center Drive, L.A. Drive Time: 40 minutes. (310) 440-7300 www.getty.edu

Heritage Square. 3800 Homer St., L.A., Drive Time: 10 minutes. Eight Victorian buildings in a park setting. (213) 763-DINO www.nhm.org

Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 5905 Wilshire Blvd. Drive Time: 40 minutes. (323) 857-6000 www.lacma.org

Los Angeles Zoo. 5333 Zoo Drive, L.A., Drive Time: 20 minutes. (323) 644-6400 www.lazoo.org

Museum of Contemporary Art. 250 S. Grand Ave., L.A. (213) 626-6222 www.moca.org

Southwest Museum. 234 Museum Drive, L.A. Drive Time: 10 minutes.Oldest museum in L.A. Nationally acclaimed collection of Native American art and artifacts. (323) 221-2164 www.southwestmuseum.org

Universal Studios Hollywood. 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. Drive Time: 20 minutes. (800) 864-8377 www.universalstudioshollywood.com

Pasadena Restaurant List

Reservations are very strongly recommended for Friday and Saturday nights, especially if you want to dine around 8:00 p.m. on Friday, after the Presidential Address and reception. Many Pasadena restaurants offer outdoor as well as indoor dining. Area codes are 626 unless otherwise stated; distances are from the Hilton (168 S. Los Robles). The immediate area (three or four block walk) includes many of the standard, reliable restaurant chains: California Pizza Kitchen, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood (nice outdoor dining), Cheesecake Factory, Louise’s (Italian), Gaucho Grill, Soup Plantation, Tony Roma’s, etc. McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant ($$) is at 1111 N. Los Robles, takes reservations (405-0064), and has very pleasant indoor and patio dining with a large menu.

Paseo Colorado, 280 E. Colorado Blvd., is a large mall on Colorado behind the Sheraton and is extremely convenient to the hotels. Restaurants are inexpensive to moderate. These include:

Border Grill ($$) (844-7700) Mexican, offshoot of the well-known Santa Monica restaurant of Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro ($) (356-9760)

Café Med ($$) (844-7700)

Yardhouse Restaurant ($$) (577-9273)

California Crisp ($) (396-9992)

Rubio’s Baja Grill ($) (535-9383)

Delmonico’s Seafood Grill ($$$) (844-7700)

The Bodega Wine Bar ($) (793-4300) has light food as well and is recommended.

Other restaurants near the hotels (within 3/4 mile):

California School of Culinary Arts Bistro ($$) (open Mon. to Fri., seating 11:30-1:30, 5:30, 8:00), (405-1561) .3 miles

California School of Culinary Arts Café ($) 561 E. Green St. (Mon. to Fri, open 7:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m.), (683-7319) A less expensive version (see above) .3 miles

Gelson’s Supermarket, 280 E. Colorado (actually at the corner of Green St. and Marengo Ave. (535-0190) Nearest grocery and deli to the hotels with a good deli and places to sit. This upscale market has an extensive assortment of ready to eat delicacies, great for a picnic lunch, to take back to the hotel for breakfast or dinner, or to sustain you on your homeward flight at the corner of the Paseo Colorado mall. Less than .4 miles.

King Taco #21 ($) 45 N. Arroyo Pkway (792-0405) Inexpensive and good Mexican food. .7 miles

Mario’s ($$$) 39 S. Molina Ave. Where they sing while you dine. (796-1977)
Sitar Exotic Indian Cuisine ($$), 618 E. Colorado Blvd. (449-5954) Indian. .4 miles

Maison Akira ($$$), 713 East Green St., Pasadena, (796-9501) French with Japanese accent. High end, but generally worth it. .4 miles

Yahaira’s ($$) 698 E. Colorado Blvd. in the Theater District. (844-3254) Serves lighter Mexican fare with an emphasis on fresh ingredients. (Its parent restaurant El Portal is right next door, serving more traditional fare.)

El Portal ($$) 695 E. Green (795-8553) Regional dishes from the moles of Oaxaca to the seafood of Vera Cruz.

Sushi of Naples ($$) 735 Green St. east of El Molino in the Theater district. (578-1123) Good sushi and other Japanese food, with no Italian influence whatsoever.

Old Town is centered at the intersection of Colorado and Fair Oaks. Shuttles leave every 15 minutes, but it’s easily walkable in about 15 minutes. Walk west down Colorado Blvd. or Green St.

A’Float Sushi ($) 87 E. Colorado (792-9779) Sushi on boats, not great but fun.

Akbar Cuisine of India ($), Try the Coco Lamb. Food not as incendiary as menu suggests, so no need to be timid. 44 N. Fair Oaks Ave. (577-9916)

All India Café ($) 39 S. Fair Oaks Ave. (440-0309) Indian, probably the best of the four on this list (but see also the Tibet/Nepal House). Good seafood, dishes from Bombay and beyond.

Azeen ($$) 110 E. Union (683-3310) Good Afghan food, moderately priced.

Boba World ($) 24 W. Colorado (585-5885) Asian fusion, inexpensive and filling, child friendly.

Cafe Atlantic ($$) 53 E. Union St. (296-7350) Xiomara’s more reasonable sister restaurant: excellent Cuban.

Café Santorini, One Colorado (64 W. Union. St., in the alley) (564-4200) Mediterranean cuisine.

Chiara, 43 E. Colorado just east of Fair Oaks in Old Town. (564-8696) Has several good Brazilian dishes along with its more pedestrian Italian offerings.

Chandra ($$) 400 S. Arroyo Pkwy (577-6599) Thai. Saladang’s competitor. People differ about which is better.

Il Fornaio ($$) One Colorado (24 W. Union. St., in the alley) (449-0052) one of the better Italian chains.

Kuala Lumpur ($$) 69 W. Green (577-5175) good Malaysian Restaurant, mostly from southern Malaysa and Indonesia. Try the curry or wonton laksa, the yam-curry noodles, the tamarind noodles, and any seafood dish. Ying Yang noodles sooth an overheated palate—they’re not on the menu, but you can ask for this subtle dish.

Melting Pot ($$$) 88 West Colorado (792-1941) fondues and hot pots.

Neomezze ($$) 20 E. Colorado (793-3010), small plates with a Mediterranean flair, décor with a N.Y. influence. Outdoor seating.

Patakan Union ($$) 43 E. Union St. (449-4418) Thai.

Ruby’s Diner ($) 45 S. Fair Oaks Avenue (796-7829) Chicken fried steak and meatloaf dinners, old fashion fountain drinks.

Sushi Roku, One Colorado (33 Miller Alley) (683-3000) One of a chain but with a good reputation.

Tre Venezie ($$) 119 Green St. (795-4455) Italian. Try the unusual pastas, veal bollito misto, fish in agrodolce, and seductive desserts. Comfortable dining room. .9 miles

Raymond Street in Old Town (see above), wrapping around Holly St., north of Colorado has some of the best restaurants in Pasadena:

Cafe Bisou ($$) 91 N. Raymond (792-9923) Cal-French crowd pleaser.
Chado Tea Room, 79 N. Raymond (431-2832) Very impressive tea list.

Nonya’s ($$$) 61 Raymond St. (583-8617) Modern Maylay/South Chinese fusion. Recommended by Pasadena denizens. Specialty cocktails.

Yujean Kang’s ($$$) 67 N. Raymond Ave. (585-0855) Nouvelle Chinese, possibly one of the best and most interesting Chinese restaurants in the L.A. area. Recommended by philosophers near and far.

Tibet/Nepal House ($$) 36 E. Holly St. (585-9955) Nepali, nice goat curry, excellent vegetarian dishes, drink Himalyan Blue beer or buttered tea. They say the Dali Lama eats here.

Xiomara ($$$) 67 N. Raymond Ave. (796-2520) Nuevo Latino Cuban, with killer mojitos.

Beer in Old Town (see above):

Gordon Biersch, One Colorado (41 Hugus Alley) (449-0052) Great beer, not food.

Yard House ($) 330 E. Colorado Blvd. (577-9273) For draft beer of many varieties, food unknown.

Odd and Odder in Old Town (see above):

Twin Palms ($$$) 101 W. Green St. (577-2567) Tent dining (taste by Kevin Costner).

Buca di Beppo ($$) 80 W. Green St. (792-7272) Old style American Italian, bizarre restaurant with larger servings, but somehow charming despite the genre.

Honey Baby’s Tea Cakes ($)10 E. Holly St. (585-9127) Homemade goodies for lunch or tea.

Near Old Town:

Arroyo Chophouse ($$$) 536 South Arroyo Pky. (577-7463) Steak. .8 miles

Parkway Grill ($$$) 510 S. Arroyo Pky (795-1001) Wonderful California Cuisine, don’t be put off by the stodgy looking decor. Recommended by Cal Tech faculty. .8 miles

Saladang ($$) 363 S. Fair Oaks Ave. (793-8123) Thai, companion restaurant of Saladang Song. Excellent Thai food with modern approach. Try catfish in red wine sauce, pad kee mow, prik king, and thai toast. Curry dishes are great. But can be crowded. .7 miles

Saladang Song ($$) 383 S. S. Fair Oaks Ave. (793-5200) Thai, companion restaurant of Saladang. Quieter and slightly less expensive than Saldang. .7 miles

Lake Street Area is about a fifteen minute walk east. If you are watching your budget, you’ll find more eating places to suit you on this walk along Colorado Blvd., or Green St. than in Old Town:

Bistro 45 ($$$) 45 S. Mentor Ave. (795-2478) French in an amazing 1930s Art Deco Building. Lovely small plates. Strong recommendations from many quarters; often found in the “top 10 in S. California; top 100 in nation” kinds of lists. .9 miles

Celestino ($$) 141 S. Lake Ave. (795-4006) Good California Italian

Cobbler Factory ($) 33 N. Catalina Ave. (795-1005) Dinky place famous for cobblers. .9 miles

Europane, 950 E. Colorado Blvd. (577-1828) Lake has great sandwiches, as well as quiche and other lunch fare. Be forewarned, however, that it’s hard to escape without picking up a little something for dessert as well. Great bakery including excellent pastries, and sandwiches (open 7a.m.-5:30 p.m., except Sun., closes 2:30), cash only. .9 miles

Halie ($$$) 1030 E. Green (440-7067) Cal-French-Asian Fusion. Very good chef, interesting decor. .8 miles from Hilton.

Madre’s ($$$) 897 Granite Ave (744-0900) Latin restaurant belonging to Jennifer Lopez; a fine restaurant called “Mom’s” .9 miles

Peet’s ($) 605 S. Lake (795-7413) Starbucks is ubiquitous, but some might well prefer Peets. 1.0 miles

Pie N’ Burger ($) 913 E. California Blvd. (795-1123) Inexpensive and good pies and burgers. 1.1 miles

Radhikas Cuisine of India ($$) 140 Shopper’s Lane (744-0994) Indian (some prefer this to Meezban). .8 miles

Smitty’s Grill ($$$) 110 S. Lake Ave (793-9999) Elegant (nice corn bread), owned by the same people who own Parkway Grill. .7 miles

Wolfe Burgers, 46 N. Lake (792-7292), Terrific burgers, many options. .8 miles

Zankou ($) 1296 E. Colorado Blvd. (405-1502) Some people modestly consider Zankou (also in L.A. and Glendale) as having the best roast chicken in L.A. 1.2 miles

Somewhat further away (drive or take a taxi):

Cameron’s Seafood Market ($$) 1978 E. Colorado (793-3474) Lots of seating with very good variety. 1.8 miles

Casa Bianca ($) 1650 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, ((323) 256-9617) Great eggplant/garlic pizza. 1.6 miles

Raymond Restaurant ($$$) 1250 S. Fair Oaks Ave. (441-3136), California food in a beautiful garden. 1.8 miles

Further afield: There is great Asian food available in the nearby communities of Monterey Park and San Gabriel, about 15 minutes’ drive from the hotel. There are a number of good restaurants near the intersection of Garfield and Main St. in Alhambra. The Gold Line connecting Pasadena with Downtown L.A. stops right in the heart of Chinatown. Of course, those willing to venture further into L.A. will be able to find anything under the sun.

Babita Mexicuise ($$) 1823 S. San Gabriel Blvd. in San Gabriel is a good 20 minute drive, but it serves top notch Yucatan-style cuisine in an intimate setting.

Shiro ($$$) 1505 Mission St., South Pasadena (799-4774) Japanese/French fusion cuisine, often rated as one of the top restaurants in the L.A. area. Accessible by the Gold Line. Very good value for money.

Pho 79 ($) No frills Vietnamese chain that serves satisfying soup and noodles, with restaurants in Chinatown (727 N. Broadway), Alhambra (29 S. Garfield Ave.), and San Gabriel (535 W. Valley Blvd.).

Señor Fish ($) 618 Mission St., South Pasadena (403-0145) This improbably named chain offers top-notch Baja-style tacos and burritos at unbeatable prices. There are branches on Mission street in South Pasadena (accessible by the Gold Line) and on Main Street in Alhambra.

Empress Pavillion ($$) 988 N. Hill St. (213-617-9898) and Ocean Seafood, ($$) 750 N. Hill St., (213-687-3088) are two solid Cantonese places in Chinatown.

MPV Seafood Restaurant ($$)1412 S. Garfield Ave., Alhambra (289-3018), Chinese, currently the restaurant most commonly used by the CSULA Philosophy Dept. to entertain guests. 4.7 miles.

Ocean Star Seafood ($$) 145 North Atlantic Blvd., Monterey Park (818-308-2128), one of the most popular Dim Sum houses in L.A. Regular offerings can be amazing (with service that can vary). 5.6 miles.

Tung Lai Shun ($$) 140 W. Valley Blvd., No. 118C, San Gabriel (288-6588). Islamic Chinese food. Be adventurous! Be sure to try the sesame bread! 6.0 miles.