Unique baby gift basket

THINK OF PASADENA AND ROSES COME 10 MIND NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE ROSE BOWL AND RENOWNED ROSE PARADE BUT FOR THE ROMANCE THAT ABOUNDS IN THIS QUAINT CITY FOR A ROMANTIC WEEKEND GETAWAY, PASADENA IS WAITING TO SWEEP you off your feet with its top-notch hotels, museums and gardens, shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. Can't decide what to do first? The Pasadena Convention and Visitor's Bureau is there to help. Together with local hotels and museums it has designed four week-end getaway packages to help visitors experience the best of Pasadena. Whether you make your own itinerary or choose, one of theirs, time spent in Pasadena is sure to be memorable.

GETTING AROUND TOWN

Knowing the lay of the land will help you cover as much ground as possible during your visit Start at the western end of this corridor of districts and make your way through Old Pasadena, Paseo Colorado, the Playhouse District, and the South Lake District. To make it even easier, the ARTS--Area Rapid Transit System--bus will take you baleen districts for a 50-cent fare.

HIDEAWAYS

The five area hotels chosen for the Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau's weekend getaways stand out not only for their convenient locations but for their creature comforts. For the most part, car keys can be handed over to the valet for the duration of your stay, as Pasadena was made for walking. Closest to the various districts are the Hilton Pasadena, the Westin Pasadena, Sheraton Pasadena Hold, and Old Pasadena Courtyard by Marriott. Off the beaten path is the Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel and Spa. Located in a residential area on Oak Knoll Avenue, this 1907 landmark is a return to California's golden era. Slumber in a suite or corner room and you'll awaken to views of gardens and the San Gabriel Mountains

MUSEUMS & GARDENS

Falling in love with Pasadena's architecture is a given. If you've caught the bug, visit some of its famous mansions. The Gamble House, de signed by Greene and Greene in 1908, has become known as the masterpiece of the Arts and Crafts movement. Guided tours ensure you won't miss a single intricate detail--from its stained glass to the various types of wood used

The Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens are on a 150-acre eclectic mix of gardens including a desert garden conservancy and Japanese, Shakespeare, and rose gardens Spend some time in the Huntington Gallery for o gander at Gainsborough's The Blue Boy and Lawrence's Pinkie In the Virginia Steele Scott Gallery you'll see works by John Singer Sargent, Edward Hopper, and Mary Cassatt. Other exhibits to check out include those in the Arabella Huntington Memorial Collection in the library and the MaryLou and George Boone Gallery

Walk through the live oaks of Descanso Gardens and you'll be surrounded by a multitude of camellias Of course, you'll find other flowers, including tulips, roses, azaleas, and orchids. Sighting wildlife is a furl venture in the 165 acre gardens, from ducks on the pond to birds seen via the Bird Observation Station. If you're lucky, you may spot a veiled bride making her way down the aisle near the Japanese Teahouse.

Though it looks small from the outside, the Norman Simon Museum houses extensive collections of masterpieces by some of the world's greatest artists, including Rembrandt, Picasso, Renair, Monet, and Degas. The intimate space spills into a beautiful sculpture garden, perfect for enjoying on a sunny day.

SHOPPING

For shoppers, Pasadena is paradise. Swap meet lovers will have marked their calendars for the first Sunday of every month so they don't miss the Pasadena City College Swap Meet, and for the second Sunday of every month for the granddaddy of all swap meets--the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Savvy shoppers can stop at the newly opened Container Store in Old Pasadena for storage and organizational products to keep all precious purchases intact and catalogued for when the Antiques Road Show comes to town.

There are 200 shops and restaurants in the 22 square-block area known as Old Pasadena. Just dawn the street is Paseo Colorado, an urban shopping village designed in keeping with the heritage of the community. Stained glass, metal, and steel components set off the gold, green, and rust colors of this two-level shopping center designed as a mix Between the Arts and Crafts and Mediterranean styles. Included in Paseo Colorado are 65 street-front specialty stores and 8 restaurants. On Friday nights through the summer you'll hear live music in Garfield Promenade. Take in a film at the Pacific 14, followed by dinner at Delmonico's Seafood Grille The 1920s "art deco San Francisco"--inspired restaurant is alluring for those on a date. Share some sweet potato tortellini with lobster on the outside and an almond cream sauce in one of the establishment's intimate booths, just right for canoodling.

While in the South Lake District, walk into Mediterraneo and you'll be transfixed by the smell of fresh flowers and scented candles, and the sounds of trickling fountains and soft music Colby, a Jack Russell terrier, will greet you and owner Traci Vaccaro will regale you with stories of the treasures she's collected in her travels around the world. You'll find decorative and useful antiques, paintings, sculptures, and statuary that will transform your home into one of the destinations Vaccaro has visited, be it France, Tunisia, Greece, Italy, Spain, or Morocco.

If visuals are your thing, visit Interior Devine in the Playhouse District's Singer Sewing Machine Building. An interior design showroom, it specializes in antique prints, museum-quality framing, and unique accessories for the home. In addition to carrying works from printers like Piranesi and rare collections like nature-printed seaweeds, owner Paul Devine strives to offer works that put a contemporary twist on the traditional. A new collection has evolved from Devine's own work with the Pasadena Showcase--life-size hand-cut dog silhouettes. Fine linens and exquisite dinner wear pull the components of home decor together At Salutations Home, beyond furniture, home accessories and lighting, they offer distinctive "finishing touches" such as fine linens from Yves Delorme and Sferra Bros. to dinner wear by Vietri and Quimper. Finding the perfect gift while there is an added bonus from specialized stationary to a Baby department well stocked with Lilly Pulitzer designs.

If being surrounded by Pasadena's roman tic environment inspires you to tie the knot, spend some time in one of the R-Mine Bridal Couture boutiques, located in both Glendale and Studio City. Along with the custom-made bridal and evening gowns designed by Armine Ohanessian, R-Mine Bridal Couture offers extraordinary collections from European and American couture designer brands, exquisite accessories, and tuxedos. The Glendale location carries the Rose Collection from Reem Acra, Rahmanian Couture, Eugenia, Saison Blanche Couture, Pronovias, St. Patrick, La Sposa, and an affordable couture line made exclusively for R-Mine Bridal Couture. The Studio City location also features couture designers such as Oscar De La Renta, Romona Keveza, Carmela Sutera, Domo Adami, Amsali, Pronovias, Elie by Elie Saab, Hannibal Laguna, Manuel Mota, Lydia Delgado, and Miguel Palacio

SPAS

Relaxation goes hand in hand with spa visits In Pasadena there are many outstanding spas to choose from, including medical day spas, which are gaining in popularity among those who want not only to be pampered but to have in depth treatments and work on problem areas Falling into this category is Z Med Spa, which offers oxygen infused facials, acne photocleorance, and microdermabrasion. Advanced Laser Clinics of Pasadena, inviting with its earth tones, waterfall wall, soothing music, and plush robes, offers clients customized medical-grade skin-care treatments, laser hair removal, photo rejuvenation, Botox, and Restylane.

ENTERTAINMENT

A natural place to seek out entertainment is the Playhouse District, named after California's official state theater, the Pasadena Playhouse. Upcoming shows include Vincent in Brixton and the rock and roll musical Why Do Fools Fall in Love? New to the Playhouse District is the Boston Court, a 99-seat theater offering audiences both the classics and works by new playwrights.

As your weekend ends, you'll realize you've barely scratched the surface when it comes to things you want to see, do, and experience in Pasadena. The great thing about weekends, though--there's always another one just around the corner, waiting to take you on another adventure in romantic Pasadena.

PASADENA & THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Advanced Laser Clinics of Pasadena

301 South Fair Oaks, Suite 404, Pasadena

(626) 584-1492

www.advancedlaserdinics.com

Descanso Gardens

1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada

(818) 949-4200

www.descansogardens.org

Interior Devine

30 South Oakland Avenue, Pasadena

(626) 795-5025

www.interiordevine.com