Pasadena Tidbits 1

When I'm not working, I spend way too much time exploring Pasadena from the confines of my North Carolina home. Here are some things I've discovered:

* Pasadena has two decent-sized independent bookstores: Apostrophe Books and Vroman's.

* A Metro EZ Pass allows you to take Metro bus and rail, as well as several other local carriers (provided you get a stamp to pass between certain zones on certain routes-- something I don't think will affect me) for $70/mo. It's good to know this NOW, because apparently, they stop selling them online the 19th of the month before!

* A community development association with ties to the new Hope Community Church (new Evangelical Covenant plant) has recently done some surveys in NW Pasadena, which is the poorer section of town. A video of some related interviews with local leaders is posted online: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1015432019115919394

* 53.8% of Pasadena's housing units are rented rather than owned by occupants. (Check out http://factfinder.census.gov/)