Visitation Rights: Have been coming to this place many times to either study, enjoy a couple of…read morecoffee, eat, and people watch. Locaton: Old Town Monrovia is centered around Myrtle Avenue, extending roughly from Foothill Boulevard (Route 66) north to Olive Avenue south, and from Ivy Avenue east to Primrose Avenue west, encompassing about ten blocks The area's heart is Myrtle Avenue, where you'll find many of its key businesses, with Foothill (Route 66) as a major north-south boundary. Parking: Located between Foothill Blvd and Parking can be found along Myrtle Ave, in nearby public parking lots parking structures, and in the residential. FREE PARKING! You can also park in the shared parking lot on the SW corner of Foothill and Myrtle. Just walk down Myrtle Ave.. Ambiance/Decor: You'll find a relaxed, sophisticated atmosphere perfect for browsing, dining, enjoying coffee, catching a movie, or just strolling, with close proximity to hiking trails in the nearby foothills. You can also find a statue Samson the Hot Tub Bear Festivities For All Of Us: They have a lot of activities for the locals and out of towners through out the year. -Friday Night Street Fair & Market -Valentine's Day Carriage Rides -Spring Egg Hunt & Healthy Kids Day -Monrovia Old Town Wine Walk -Monrovia Days Community Festival -4th of July Fireworks Show & Concert -Summer Concerts & Movies in the Park -Fountain to the Falls Run/Walk 10K -Old Town Fall Festival -Halloween Spooktacular and Trick-or-Treat Bash -Thankful & Grateful Holiday Gathering -Holiday Parade -Holiday Home Decorating Contest -Santa Tours If you want more info, you can visit the city's website: https://www.monroviaca.gov/your-government/recreation/special-events#ad-image-0 Business/Shops: In old town Monrovia, you'll see a blend of mom and pop shops and restaurants. The shops that I've patronize through out the years are: Merengue, El Diablo, Grey and Cash, Jake's Roadhouse, Mikomi, Tacos and Papas, and Charlie's House. Old Town For Thought: If you want a quick getaway from reality, this town is for you.

Monrovia is a beautiful hillside town located in the San Gabriel Valley. On occasion I visit and on…read morea recent Friday evening I was surprised to find that the town has a large night market with local vendors, entertainment, shops, and artists offering handmade goods. A must visit! Peaceful, quaint environment with a small town vibe, and California appeal.

I love taking my kids, it's great! I love their cow theme Christmas! You can drive around in your…read morecar or park and walk around.

Love love love. Must see during Christmas We loved it so…read moremuch, we brought my mother in law. It's a short walk (or drive, just drive slow for the sake of other pedestrians) and you get to take in the magic.

Who doesn't need luck?…read more The one review by Eric F. said to touch this tree for good luck... I'm in! All in! Since this tree has been around for a long time (when this town began), it's very special...and sacred! It has spirit because it's a living thing! That's awesome! If you're in the Sierra Madre are, stop by and pay a visit! It won't hurt and may do you some good! Aloha and mahalo to the Green-man Tree! A hui hou!

This is a great old tree from when the village was first founded. It has since been referred to by…read moremany locals as The Green-man Tree. .. for obvious reasons. It is a local and iconic symbol for love, romance, and fertility. Touch it for luck. Or stick a note on it for love. Do not deface the tree or carve anything on it. The Green-man Tree has been known to work wonders.

This was our first time visiting this annual event, thanks to Yelp, a sponsor. This combination…read morefood festival and local business showcase has been around in one form or another since 1970. Most recently, it has been held in the infield of Santa Anita Park, the Arboretum, and since last year, the Paddock area of Santa Anita Park, which is the entry plaza to the racetrack. The Paddock area expands nearly the entire length of the Park's bleachers, with all the vendors set up in tents throughout the area. There were VIP and general admission tickets; VIP's were for tables of 10. The VIP's gained one hour early admittance plus access to a shaded area with tables, its own bar and restrooms. Regular folk made do with scattered standing tables, permanent Paddock benches and the racetrack's huge restrooms. Beyond the restrooms, you could get a peak at the racetrack and infield, with the beautiful mountains beyond. Note there is minimal shade; a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are advised. Everyone gets a swag bag, whose most valuable item was a plastic plate for holding all the food you'd soon eat. I was surprised how many hotels are in the area; all had booths, some with food. The Hilton Doubletree had their signature cookies! The food vendors had a larger presence, with representation from Arcadia as well as neighbouring cities. A huge variety of cuisines were offered, as well as many wine and alcoholic beverage vendors. Many restaurant vendors offered their own beverages as well. The event is for those over 21 for this reason (ID's are checked and you are given a wristband). We discovered many new local places to try; Girasol and Little Provence Cafe come to mind. And our old faves, The Derby and Cabrera's were there, with The Derby offering their classic prime rib with horseradish cream and their bread pudding. The Arcadia High School drum corps ushered us in. There was live music inside, as well as a DJ and dance floor. Overall an enjoyable and gluttonous afternoon, worth repeating annually.

Taste of Arcadia is back! Had 2 events since 2020 and it's bigger than ever inside Santa Anita…read moreracetrack area. Tickets were $85 and VIP I think was $110 (excluding early bird discounts). Large selection of restaurants like Marugame (yes Honolulu franchise), Outback, Max's, Fogo De Chao, Domenicos and Cabrera's were my favs. Lots of alcohol from tequila, gin, rum, beer and wine (Daou was my fav). Lots of hotels like a Hilton and Marriott was there. Deserts Nothing Bundt was my fav. Portions overall plus selections were great. I'm super impressed and grateful for the chamber and vendors running this fabulousness event. Parking was free and plentiful too. Bring a hat and sunscreen bc it's outdoors. See you next year.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about our experience here at Rubel Castle. Our host, guide,…read moreand local "Rubelligent" volunteer, Ms. Kathleen had all the intel about this historical property. She was so knowledgeable and helped set the stage for us to slip into a forgotten era and get a glimpse of how imagination met inventiveness with a DIY charm. ~ A LITTLE BACKSTORY FOR YOU ~ It's not pronounced Rubel as Barney from Flintstones. Rather, it's like Target is to Targét when we are trying to be fancy. So that's Rubel as in "Roo-bell." Unlike modern-day construction, Rubel Castle wasn't built overnight. It was made of collected recyclables and construction rubble that spanned many decades and took several friends and volunteers to build it. For Michael, however, the lifetime inspiration was first sparked at the age of 9. His love for canons was where it started and the rest is history you can hear about on the tour. But don't just show up like we did randomly one day. To book, visit RubelTours.org and make a reservation. ~ OUR TOUR EXPERIENCE ~ It's as if Michael Rubel, the creator and mastermind of this enchanted dominion had intended it to be--magical. Built in the castle period of wood and tin, every corner captured our interests, from antique cars to the 1890's Seth Thomas Tower Clock with a unique backstory (and only six in existence today). There were old vending machines, tools, trinkets, and machinery that time had long forgotten. Did I mention there was a drawbridge? Yes, and a dungeon too. I was just waiting for a dragon to come swoop down on us next. Walk in the footsteps of famous visitors like Alfred Hitchcock, Dwight Eisenhower, Jack Benny, and Bob Hope. It's a feast for the eyes no matter where you glance. I particularly enjoyed the bottle house that Michael built in 1968 as his "home" as a kid. That independent spirit was quite charming to see. ~ WATERCOLOR NATURESCAPE ~ We were fortunate to have our gracious host lead us on a tour and organize a special art crafting experience outdoors. It was absolutely lovely beneath the trees and between rusted vintage cars from the turn of the century. We each got a small canvas to paint our flowers in watercolor. (This particular experience takes place in the Spring and Fall, weather permitting.) We heard the squirrels rattling in the leaves and birds chirped and sang in the trees above. We discovered that peacocks apparently originated from this property, compliments of Michael Rubel. And did I mention that on the far side of the property, a custom garden was in full bloom? BOOK A TOUR Help support the Glendora Historical Society and keep this magnificently unique city-castle maintained. It's worth it.

A castle in Glendora? Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you--Rubel Castle is real, it's magnificent,…read moreand it's gloriously eccentric. Thanks to the sheer persistence (and probably delightful stubbornness) of Michael Rubel, we now have this quirky, towering State Treasure sitting right in the middle of Glendora like a fairy tale that accidentally took a detour through a hardware store. This place is beautifully done, and part of its charm is that it's a full-on hodgepodge of relics, antiques, crystal trinkets, and "wait... what is that doing here?" moments tucked into every nook and cranny. You'll marvel, you'll laugh, you'll squint in confusion--honestly, it's everything you'd want in a castle built with love, imagination, and a dash of madness. And let's talk about the makeshift cemetery. Quirky? YES. Fun? Absolutely. Slightly spooky? Only if your imagination is over-caffeinated. But it fits the vibe perfectly--like the castle whispered, "You know what I'm missing? A tiny cemetery." The tours are fantastic, the guides are passionate, and the whole experience feels like you're stepping into a living scrapbook of California history and charming chaos. Overall: Amazing, amazing place. Book your tour. They only do tours every first Sunday of the month, so set your alarms, mark your calendars, tie a string around your finger--just don't miss it. Rubel Castle is truly a California State Treasure, and an absolute must-see for anyone who appreciates creativity, history, and a little eccentric sparkle.

Solid Italian restaurant in Arcadia....on the smaller side and they are usually busy so there may…read morebe a short wait involved...the food is really good as are the prices, definitely in the cheaper side of the spectrum but in today's world things are crazy....food was good, spinach lasagna was solid, garlic bread good, chicken parm was above average, the meat lasagna was good too...portions are on the larger side, sauce is good.::service is pretty good, ambiance isn't anything crazy so that's a 3/5....this is just a homey Italian typer restaurant, nothing more, nothing less....

I drive past this place frequently while running errands and have always been curious so I finally…read morelooked at their website and was really surprised by the low prices. A few friends and I decided to get take away from here and sample a bunch of stuff and overall were very impressed! The portions are massive for the cost, you're getting great value. Is it date night special occasion high quality Italian food? No. Is it home cookin made with love Italian food? Absolutely. The chicken on the Alfredo was so well cooked and juicy, the meatballs were tender and flavorful. The side salad is just a pile of iceberg and 4 cherry tomatoes which was a bit disappointing but the dressing (not sure if house made) was delicious. The portion size of one order of mozz sticks is wild. Honestly this place is going to be on my weeknight takeaway rotation.

This is a cool sculpture on an island among busy streets, featuring lovely trees, shrubs, and…read moregreenery. But it was hard to access, surrounded by heavy traffic on all sides this past weekend. Parking was scarce too, but we still made a quick stop to check it out after an event we attended nearby. It's basically a giant fork with a fitting name for the artwork. The creation started as a joke by artist, Ken Marshall, who gave it as a birthday gift in 2009 to Ice House comedy club founder Bob Stane. It was temporarily removed, then later reinstalled a couple years later after attaining permits, and has since, been a site for food drives/charity events as well as a tourist attraction for people like me :D

Cool public art! The fork is separating S. Pasadena Ave and S. Saint John Ave in the City of South…read morePasadena!

If you enjoy sake, enter at your own risk: this place has ruined other, inferior sake for me…read more If it's your first time, ordering a flight is the way to go. I've enjoyed every style and flavor I've tried, but Eclipse was the real standout for me. It's perhaps the most fresh and "pure" tasting alcoholic beverage I've ever had. I'm ordinarily skeptical of flavored sake, but the ones at Nova are excellent. The first time I visited, I had a long conversation with the bartender about the care they take throughout the brewing process, which is evident in the final product. I haven't tried their beer yet, but I can only imagine that its is high quality as well. Overall, I can't recommend Nova enough. It's probably good I don't live nearby or I would be there all the time!

The sakes and beers are fun! Trying to find this place was not fun! The cheese pairing with the…read moresakes/beers was...meh. But all in all, I will definitely be back in the future but will bring food.

You've fooled them, haven't you Michael? But not me. Blimey!!…read more If you're a fan of HALLOWEEN movie then you're on for a surprise. This is the place where a scene from Halloween was filmed at Montrose Avenue (hedge) in South Pasadena, CA. Micheal Myers peers out from behind this hedge as Laurie and Annie approach. I bet not too many people know this iconic scene. Now I spilled the beans. Lol. :D Maybe next time I'll play the character this year's Halloween. Trick or treat! Hahaha! Thank you street residents for indulging us fans (locals & visitors). And not calling the SPPD on us as we walk by and take photos. :D #ILoveSoPas #PasadenaRules

I will continue my journey through the original Halloween locations that you can find in South…read morePasadena. The famous Hedge where Michael Myers lurks behind is a few blocks away from the other houses. We walked to it, about 20 minutes, but we do walk like crazy so I know most people will drive. 5 minutes drive in a residential neighborhood, plenty of street parking. The Hedge looks the same, we clowned around a bit to take some photos of my husband playing Michael Myers and no, he's not that creepy. People live in that house so be respectful of their privacy. It is great to see all these locations so well preserved after so many years since they shot the original Halloween directed by Maestro Carpenter in South Pasadena. I am glad at least this part of LA is great about preservation. I wil conclude my horror location quest in the area with the Hedge. But this is your Halloween location trilogy guide!

A family friendly community with a diverse residents!…read more Offering a peaceful residential ambiance with parks and eateries nearby.