what to do in pasadena this weekend
along with donating books at this weekend's book drive :)
Seen Library and Prospect Bookstore in South Pasadena (also Filipino-owned!) is hosting a book drive this weekend and because it may be a bit of a drive for some of you who live in Los Angeles or surrounding areas, I thought it may be helpful for me to share what else there is to do in and around the area.
Below you’ll find details on the upcoming book drive and my favorite spots that will hopefully make your drive worth it :)
March 23 and 24 - Book drive at Prospect Bookstore in South Pasadena
We are collecting any new or previously loved books, which includes anything from children’s books to your smutty romance novels — just no textbooks, please! Anyone who kindly donates books will receive 10% off any in-store purchase and the first 5 people who donate each day will receive a wrapped book curated by Seen Library.
High school level books will be donated to my old high school as they are building a new library and the rest of the books will be donated to The Claremont Forum, an organization that provides free reading materials to incarcerated folks.
60% of teens in the US do not read at grade level and 70% of inmates in American prisons cannot read above a 4th-grade level. At the most basic level, literacy leads to better futures, and everyone deserves that opportunity.
Saturday, March 23 to Sunday, March 24
From 10am to 1pm
1502 Mission St. South Pasadena, CA 91030
Things to do in the area
Coffeeshops:
Two Kids Coffee: This is one of my all-time favorite coffeeshops that happens to be right next door to Prospect, where the book drive is being held. They’re also Filipino-owned and family-run and have the best homemade almond milk (which you can see in the big bottle below!) that I love so much I sometimes take a large batch home with me. The iced chai with house almond milk is my go-to but they also now have matcha, which I often get, too.
Kumquat Coffee: Another Asian-owned small business that I love. It’s in Highland Park, which is close to South Pasadena and lives on a street with good food and shops — notably Joy on York (sister restaurant to my favorite, Pine and Crane) and Shorthand where I often get journals and pens. They currently have a seasonal Lychee Hongcha iced latte that I will absolutely be ordering soon.
Restaurants / dessert shops:
Yang’s Kitchen: One of my favorite restaurants of all time — for brunch/lunch or dinner. It’s in Alhambra, which is super close to South Pasadena and so worth going to. Must orders for brunch: Smoked salmon hash, cornmeal mochi pancake and Yang’s set meal with the Barramundi. For dinner: Smoked fish dip, grilled cabbage, dungeness crab noodle, Hainan fish rice and the black sesame cake with soft serve.
If you plan on going for brunch, make sure to put your name on the wait list via Yelp. If for dinner, try to get a reservation!
Joy on York: If you find yourself gravitating towards Highland Park rather than Alhambra, Joy on York is the best — order the passionfruit iced tea, minced pork on rice, dan dan noodles and the thousand layer pancake.
Wanderlust Creamery: This spot is closer to Mandarin Coffee Stand and the used bookshop I mentioned. It is by far my favorite ice cream (and maybe dessert…) of all time. They have the most fun, nostalgic, delicious flavors and always have a seasonal menu. My personal favorites from their signature menu: Ube Malted Crunch and Black Sesame Cookies and Cream.
Bookstores:
Prospect: For obvious reasons (the book drive!) — which is right next to Two Kids Coffee.
Book Alley: I finally visited this used bookstore over the weekend and can’t believe I never went sooner. They’ve been around since 1992 and they have an incredible selection of literature but also design and photography books — all at an affordable price. I came away with 7 books!
Octavia’s Bookshelf: Black and woman-owned, this shop is Pasadena's first independent bookstore highlighting BIPOC authors and underrepresented stories. If you head here, make sure to also stop at Elementi Shop, a cool vintage home and clothing store.
Vroman’s: California’s largest and oldest independent bookstore, operating since 1894. I haven’t heard the greatest things about their management, but they’d have everything you’d want if you’re looking for new books.
Others Books: This POC-owned used bookstore is in Boyle Heights that I visited for the first time over the weekend with friends I’ve met through Seen Library. Some of us left with a couple books each!
Matilija Lending Library: So this one is a bit further, but if you happen to be going more east, I would highly recommend. I just visited this bookstore over the weekend for poster making and postcard writing to our representatives, and was so impressed with their selection of books and offerings. They’re an Asian-owned small business centering BIPOC stories and selling books at an affordable price, while reserving many books to be lent out for free.
Cultural spaces, continued:
Huntington Library and Gardens: If you happen to find a book in one of the above places and want somewhere beautiful and open to read it or have time to kill before heading to Yang’s or Joy on York, Huntington Library is the place to do it. It has the most beautiful gardens — sculpture gardens, rose gardens, Japanese gardens, cacti gardens, etc. — and a museum you can wander around.
Norton Simon Museum: Another spot I visited last weekend with my cousin before heading to all the bookshops. I loved seeing the art from the 1900s, notably The Black Shawl by Matisse, and walking around their sculpture garden.
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Hopefully you can turn a book drive visit into a fun afternoon — one solo with much needed alone time, or one spent with friends. If you prefer the latter, I encourage you to reach out to someone you want to spend more time with, whether it be a parent, sibling or even someone you’ve been wanting to get to know more.
Looking forward to this weekend! Hope to see you at Prospect x