SPEND A DAY W/ME｜What Else Can You Do in Pasadena?

Start your morning with an early Lagree or spin class to wake up — Pasadena has plenty of cool, high-quality fitness studios. I go 2–3 times a week. After working out, I headed to my friend’s studio for my first-ever professional headshots. Shoutout to LA-based photographer Cat — amazing skills and taste! Go book her! 👏 (Preview at the end.) For lunch, I wanted to try the new tempura spot — waited almost 1.5 hours! So crowded!! They’re only open 3 hours for lunch, 2 hours for dinner, no reservations, no takeout (newly opened, maybe takeout in 2 months). Everything was tasty, especially the must-order fried mushrooms. Break the soft-boiled egg over rice — so fragrant! The pickled celery on the table was refreshing. It’s good tempura, but not worth waiting over 15 minutes for. While waiting, explore the nearby arcade — there’s a cute kids’ ballet studio selling dancewear, a yarn and knitting shop 🧶, and plenty of photo corners. ⚠️ Tip: Don’t cross the street to Tepito Coffee just because it’s hot — both their boba and coffee are bad. If you do cross, just browse the bookstore and head back to wait in line. In the afternoon, I shot a set of black professional photos, then headed to Lake St Plaza to wait for dinner. Yep, this place also doesn’t take reservations — so chill in the courtyard and enjoy the view (and maybe some eye candy 👀). If you want a table at a hot spot on Saturday night, go early. Arriving around 7 PM like I did means at least a 30-minute wait. Dinner was at a super rich, traditional Italian restaurant specializing in pasta — a true hidden gem!!!🙌😊 First-timers should try their tasting menu — samples of 3 pastas + sides + dessert. Their black truffle pasta is intensely cheesy, perfectly balanced with fresh beef tartare. Heard the tiramisu is amazing — next time! Restaurants mentioned: 🍤 Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr 🍝 Uovo #LA #Pasadena #LosAngeles #Fitness #JapaneseFood #Pasta #TravelGuide 🏃‍♀️📸🍝