Pasadena Visit with Taleen

December 25-27, 2018
Tuesday-Thursday

Taleen is a friend of Joe's from Boston College and our next stop was a visit with her before heading to Las Vegas.  Her family has a condo in Pasadena, practically right on the route of the Rose Parade which, by the way, the city was preparing for while we were there.  Wilson and I almost made it to the parade the first year that we were on the road but because of the way the holiday landed it was a day later then what we thought it was so we missed seeing it.  It's not as if I love parades but the Rose Parade is iconic and it brings up memories from my childhood that I would certainly want to go to it if the opportunity arose.
Okay...I digress...back to Taleen.  She is dancer and a theater person and is working to make it in that industry.  She is currently in a production of Evita which will be heading out on tour within the next couple of weeks.  Of course Wilson and I looked at the schedule and plan to attend her performance while she is in Macon, GA.  We had no plans to go through Macon, but our schedule is such that if something sparks our interest we can always change direction and do/see whatever sparks our interest.

While Taleen was at rehearsal Wilson, Joe, and I took a drive to Santa Monica.  I'm not sure what it is but it seems as if every time we are in the LA area we end up in Santa Monica.  We wanted to go to the beach and because S.M is tradition we headed in that direction.  It has also become a bit of tradition to eat at a Mediterranean restaurant, Hummus Bar Express, on the Promenade (a street in downtown S.M. that is closed off to cars, sort of like Church Street).  It doesn't look like much from the outside but the food is really good.  They have the best babaganoush and bread.  I always get the Veggie plate with falafel and babaganoush and this time I had the beets...DELICIOUS!  I could eat this way all of the time...in fact, when we go out we often go to Mediterranean restaurants because I like the food so much.

We have spent time with Taleen and her mother, Michelle, on a couple of different occasions.  They always make us feel welcomed and this time was no different.  Michelle came to Pasadena and we all went out to dinner after one of Taleen's rehearsals.  We went to a fried chicken joint, the Crack Shack, in downtown Pasadena which was really good.  Afterward we headed out for ice cream frozen yogurt, which was a little crazy considering it was a bit cold....I opted for a coffee since Starbucks was right next door.  The next time we're in the area though I will have ice cream as there is a spot that my friend Mike (Waterbury neighbor who lives outside LA - we had lunch with his family and mother in Santa Monica the first year of our trip) suggested.  The place is called Carmela Ice Cream in Pasadena and apparently their specialty is crazy flavors, which intrigues me.

Leave Santa Monica, CA 3:32pm, 60° cloudy
Rte. 5N►101N►I10E►5N►110N►Orange Grove Ave Exit
Arrive Taleen's, Pasadena, CA 5:32pm
Miles traveled 109.3