AAA Auto Insurance

I have the card, not the insurance. I think their car insurance is pricey, but the card gives me piece of mind. It came in handy when I had a blowout on the 210 freeway in the left lane late one night (very scary). Thank God that they got me out of that situation fast!
I've also used their travel agency for passport pictures, books and maps for different cities which are very helpful to have. I also pay my car registration there. The only thing is the wait. Otherwise this is a very convenient AAA location.

Christian Assembly

We've been a part of this church for many years but have never been a part of such an alive body of believers as here. It's a large church, but the pastor and staff really strive to connect with everyone and try to have everyone connect with each other. Visitors are warmly welcomed. I work in the nursery and I can say that every child is loved by the volunteers and I feel good about dropping my child off at Kid's Church. There are a lot of outreach programs into the community and opportunities to connect with other people through different ministries and small groups too. We've made some really wonderful friends of all ages and walks of life. Check out the website www.caeaglerock.com.

invisibleSHIELD��� Santa Anita

This mall is so much better since they redid it. Unfortunately I'm not the only one who feels this way because it's become so crowded. Parking can be challenging, especially now going into the holiday season. I like the new theatre that they have there and the food court is handy. They also have Dave and Buster's and Sports Chalet now. There are some very nice restaurants too. The new kids play area and double decker merry-go-round are great too. I also like that they have the car strollers that are free to use - just need to show ID. They seem to have something for everybody.

Pumpkin

They have the cutest clothes for babies and little kids. I have bought the most unique gifts there. The owner and staff are friendly and helpful. They also have very cool looking diaper bags that won't embarrass dads. They're a little pricey, but they have great sales. They're located across from the Metro rail Mission station in South Pas so it's easy to get to by train. Parking is on the street which depending on the time of day can be difficult. Otherwise they're a fun unique store when you want to buy a special baby shower gift.

Holy Family Services Adoption & Foster Care

I have a cousin who just adopted a beautiful baby girl from there and recommends them. I have not personally dealt with Holy Family so this review is second-hand, but I have been there with my cousin through this process and she was so happy with the attention and care that she received from her social worker there. She said the only thing that was hard was waiting so long for her baby girl. Their phone number is 626-432-5680 in Pasadena. I checked out their website www.hfs.org and they have orientation every 2nd Thursday from 6-8. I'm also recommending them to a friend at work who is looking into adopting too.

Garfield Park

This is a very nice park with a playground with large sand areas and play equipment for all ages. There's a huge tree in the center of the playground which is easy to climb too. There's also a covered picnic area which is available for rent through the city. Lots of grassy hills and pathways. Tennis courts on one side of the park and a rose garden on the other. Parking is on the street. Gets busy. Popular place for day camp kids.

PROS: Nice park in South Pasadena
CONS: no cons

Adventure City

I thought that the admission price was too much for what you get. There aren't a lot of rides. You can do the park in about 3 hours or less. They seem to be hurting. The best part was the Thomas the tank engine play area that they had for the kids. We spent most of our time in there. The food was pretty good by amusement park standards. It looked like they did parties there too. Outside the park, there are several hobby stores. We went in the doll store and bought an outfit for my sister's doll.

PROS: Thomas play area
CONS: either need to lower admission or add more rides.

Travel Town Museum Gift Shop

It's a little shop, but they seem to carry all the Thomas the tank engine merchandise that a little kid "needs". The staff was really friendly too. Bought Toby here when we were at Travel Town for a birthday party.
The birthday parties at Travel Town are great. You can rent a train car and the staff will set up a Thomas train track with all the trains for the kids to play with. There is a little train that goes around Travel Town and a little museum with grown men playing with little model trains behind the glass. It's a fun place for train enthusiasts - young and old.

PROS: Great selection, nice staff
CONS: No cons.

Aaf Rose Bowl Aquatics Ctr

My son has been taking swimming lessons here since May, and I really like the instructors. They are very nice and great with children. It's a popular place and classes are starting to get crowded as school gets out. Registering for class can get really crazy.
But there are a lot of classes throughout the week which is good and the pools are very clean (wish I could say the same about the women's locker room). There are three pools. One with diving on one side and beginning swimming lessons on the other. A second one for the swim team to do laps, and a therapy pool in an enclosed area. There are bleachers for the parents to sit and watch their kids swim. They seem to have plenty of lifeguards and staff on hand. There is a swim shop too with a good selection at decent prices (bought my son a rash guard there). Since it's in the Rose Bowl area, there is plenty of parking, and it's a beautiful facility.

PROS: It has clean pools, nice instructors, and lots of classes.
CONS: It gets busy and the locker room can get pretty gross.

Linden Optometry, A.P.C.

I went there recently for glasses and contacts. It was a long wait and that was during the week. They are open on the weekend, but I can't imagine what the wait is like. I got a very good price on my glasses. They have an extensive selection of name brand glasses, but there is a separate room with the sale ones. They honored the Costco price for my contacts which was much better, but they charged me for the fitting fee even though my prescription hadn't changed.

PROS: large selection
CONS: long wait