Rod M.

Box City Over 2000 Sizes

Box City is the place to go if you need a special sized box, or a bunch of boxes for moving. Much better prices than U-Haul and much wider selection than the box-n-ship stores.

Everything else for moving is there, too: bubble wrap in various forms, peanuts, etc.

PROS: Great variety of moving and special purpose boxes & supplies
CONS: Overkill if you just need 1 thing. Just a box store, not a ship store.

Patti Cakes

Patti, the founder, sold to another family a few years back. I'm happy to say, the new owners have kept the product right at the same level that made this place famous.

This is the place to go for gorgeously decorated cakes. Some of the flower & fruit displays are better than florists I've used. Fillings and flavor are the best I've had.

While I might go to Takes the Cake for a fun kids or special occasion cake, if I want sophisticated, this is the place.

Oh, and they have a nice display of tarts, croissants, muffins and other goodies with coffee & espresso drinks with seating to enjoy a taste onsite or get coffee on Saturday morning.

PROS: Beautiful, stylish & delicious cakes, cookies & tarts, espresso bar
CONS:

Takes The Cake

I've had several special occasion cakes done here. Just go in and look at their notebook of cake designs they've done. There's everything from Star Wars, to Dragons, to sports scenes, to traditional flowers-n-fluff, and that's just the kid's designs...I wish I knew about this place for our wedding.

Our last cake, we brought in a picture of rockets & galaxies from a children's book. Their "cake media" reproduction was amazing and drew ohs/ahs from the party goers.

I can't recommend this shop enough for special occasions. The only other bakery I'd consider is Patti Cakes in Altadena, if I wanted something nicely sophisticated.

PROS: Simply the best cake decorating I've seen
CONS: You might find slightly tastier cakes

Webster's

Did the other reviewers somehow miss the pharmacy? That's the main business here. It's one of the few independent pharmacies left. That's what brings me in!

While the big drug stores do a capable job, you can talk directly to extremely knowledgeable and experienced pharmacists and, yes, browse the odds/ends in the stationary, hallmark and liquor store while you wait.

They even deliver prescriptions (I don't recall if there's a fee, if so, it's small.)

And, the liquor dept is pretty good...they have a nice little wine shop and some interesting scotch selections. Yes, it's more than Bevmo and TJs, but it's a neighborhood shop, not a chain...choose your poison!

Oh, hey, they just added a Fedex/UPS counter with box-up service, only one in Altadena, I think. That's going to bring me in even more often.

PROS: Great neigborhood pharmacy, staff has been there forever, friendly
CONS: If you want to save a buck or two at the big box store, go for it

Bronco Burrito

This section of Encino/Tarzana has immense variety: Indian, Cuban, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. But, suprisingly, not so many really good, low price burrito/taco stands. (Oh yes, there's a Baja Fresh down the street, but that's not what I'm talking about.)

While not as good as it gets in LA, this little spot has fine tacos and burritos. I was a little disappointed with the chile verde (a bit fatty), but the chile colorado I ordered next visit made up for that.

Good job on the huevos rancheros, too (one of my favorites.) Any dish with the red enchilada sauce is especially good.

PROS: Great Chile Colorado, Nice A/C'd patio, Friendly Staff
CONS: I wouldn't drive across town, but if you're in the area

Canterbury Records

Canterbury and Poo Bahs have both been around as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, Poo Bahs was forced to move to East Pasadena (some yarn store, or something moved in to their former great sight.)

That leaves Canterbury as the one left in West Pasadena. While not as hip & savvy to the alt-rock scene, Canterbury has great stock in a wide selection of styles. This store is the only one left in the area with a solid classical section (the once mighty Tower Classical looks like Rome after the barbarians!) The jazz section is excellent too.

The staff can quickly locate hard to find indie artists, and usually have more than just the CD you're looking for, even for my kinda obscure stuff: Gillian Welch, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Ditty Bops and John Prine, for example.

Nice used bins, too.

I check out Poo Bahs every now and then, but if I really want to browse, I head to Canterbury.

PROS: Deepest multi-genre inventory in the area, great Jazz & Classical
CONS: None, except fear that shops like this will die in the music download era

Smog Pros

I've been coming to this Smog Pros for 15+ years. At first I came to save $s over dealer service (for a new car), but became a regular when they fixed a problem the dealer service had me back 3 times for.

Their head mechanic knows what he's doing. Besides smog, oil and tuneup, I've had clutch, brake, steering wheel and carb replacements, all perfectly done.

They stand by their work and the one time a repair wasn't right, they re-fixed it right away.

They also had some great prices on tires last time I was there and I put new shoes on both vehicles.

PROS: They get it right the first time. Rates about average, work excellent.
CONS: They can get busy at times, be sure to ask when they'll get to your job

Walden School

Walden School represents a middle ground amongst Pasadena area primary schools. Some schools are very traditional, with set grade-level curriculum. Others are highly individual, with very loose achievement requirements.

Walden has very successfully staked out a middle ground. Standard workbooks in writing and math are used with a strong reading program. Yet, the staff makes room for special projects and child/group directed activities.

Juggling such a program is a lot more work for the staff, but at Walden the teachers make it happen and are a big part of the school's excellence.

Classes seem to build a very strong sense of camaraderie; the social environment is very positive. Student teacher relations are terrific and I've never seen a student disrespect a Walden teacher.

For some parents Walden's middle ground makes it a little hard to relate to, if they are used to a highly traditional, uniform curriculum. Most adjust quickly when they see how well their children do in this program.

And, many of the Walden classes are split grades, e.g., grades 1-2 or grades 3-4 in the same room with the same teacher. Again, more teacher effort is required to make it work, but it does work and is especially valuable for kids who tend to be a little young or a little old for their grade.

The grounds are a little urban, but Walden owns it's own property and is steadily improving the outdoor space. Ownership is a real plus, considering the local real estate/rental market.

The new Director has added a lot of top level energy and vision. This school has fully hit it's stride!

PROS: The best progressive/traditional crossover program in the area
CONS: Grounds a little urban, but steadily being improved. No 7-8 grade.

Pacific Oaks

The location and grounds of a school are not the most important thing, but in the case of Pacific Oaks they are a big, big plus. The forest-like grounds and old craftsman buildings that comprise the campus give a wonderful feeling to the school.

The most important thing--the teachers and curriculum--I can also highly recommend. Pacific Oaks generally represents a progressive, individualistic program. There is some variation depending on the teacher, but PO is very good at accommodating varied needs and talents.

As with any school, size up the teachers your child is likely to get. I've had one child go to PO through the K class, and I'd happily do it again.

PROS: Beautiful surroundings, great environment, consistent philosophy
CONS: As always, be sure you're in sync with the philosophy and teachers

Tip Top Cleaners Inc

Tip Top used to be a family run cleaners, with their own facilities. The family retired from the business and the shop was taken over by a larger dry cleaning conglam.

Since then, the service isn't quite as personal, special requests are not necessarily "can do" like they used to be, and it's just different when the owner no longer watches the shop.

Furthermore, with the eco issues regarding dry cleaning chemicals, I'm looking for an eco-friendly cleaner in the Pasadena area, but haven't found one yet. There's one out in the West SF Valley/Tarzana area, but I'll have to find something closer to home.

PROS: A little better than the big dry cleaning chains
CONS: Not much better than the big dry cleaning chains