Old meets new: fix up a classic house, fix up a great city—that's what Pasadenans do

Sunset, Jan, 2005 by Matthew Jaffe

In a region where sprawl has created poorly planned, faceless neighborhoods, there's a hunger for an alternative. That craving is born of a desire to recapture a community ideal that seems to be slipping away. Pasadena is less an exercise in nostalgia than about being a bridge between the past and what is to come. And in the finest Craftsman tradition, it all begins at home.

"It's not just about architecture but about people," says Bungalow Heaven resident Patty Judy. "There's a spirit to our house, and not in some ghostly way. My husband put together a list of the people who have lived here. This house was a place of protection, a place that helped them, just as it is for us. We know we're part of a long line of people who have lived in this house. Now we're the ones taking care of it."

RELATED ARTICLE: VITAL STATS

POPULATION: 136,237

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YEAR INCORPORATED: 1886

MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $535,000

MEDIAN AGE OF RESIDENTS: 34.5

NAME: While the area's Native American settlers were the Hahamogna, "Pasadena" is said to come from a Chippewa word meaning "crown of the valley."

FAMOUS PRAISE: In 1911 Theodore Roosevelt said of the Arroyo Seco, "This arroyo would make one of the greatest parks in the world."

NUMBER OF TREES: An estimated 425,000

BUILDINGS ON NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES: 1,000

RELATED ARTICLE: The big parade

From humble origins with carts decorated by flowers, Pasadena's Tournament of Roses Parade has grown into the world's most famous parade. It starts at 8 a.m. New Year's Day; places to sit along most of its route on Orange Grove and Colorado Boulevards are free and first-come, first-served (many viewers camp overnight to secure a front-row spot). But there are other ways to take in the spectacle:

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* Volunteer for float assembly. Most floats are built by private companies. But six communities and organizations still design and assemble their own floats and welcome volunteers. Visit www.tournamentofroses.com or call 626/449-7673.

* Stop by a float-decorating site. Before the parade, four sites are open to the public to view floats being decorated. Dec 28-31; $5. Various locations; for information and tickets, contact Sharp Seating Company (www.sharpseating.com or 626/795-4171).

* See the floats afterward. Post-Parade: A Showcase of Floats lets you walk by the full lineup. 1-3:30 Jan 1, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Jan 2; $7. For location, and tickets, contact Sharp Seating Company (see above).

RELATED ARTICLE: Best of Pasadena, old and new

Pasadena is about 10 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.pasadenacal.com or call 800/307-7977.

Art Center College of Design. A modern bridge marks the Hillside Campus (1700 Lida St.), and distinctive architecture and innovative exhibits fill the South Campus's Wind Tunnel gallery space (open daily; free; 950 S. Raymond Ave.). www.artcenter.edu or 626/396-2200.

Furious Theatre Company/Pasadena Playhouse. Inspired by such ground-breaking companies as Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Furious Theatre now resides at the 1925 Pasadena Playhouse's 99-seat Balcony Theater (www.furioustheatre.org). At the Pasadena Playhouse (www.pasadenaplayhouse.org), this season's shows include the Pulitzer Prize-winning Anna in the Tropics. 39 S. El Molino Ave.; 626/356-7529 (box office).