In these early days, the local small business community was established on quaint Colorado Boulevard. One hundred years later, this infamous boulevard remains the heart and soul of Pasadena and the jumping-off point of its recent growth explosion. Today's version of that 1902 seasonal retreat has become for many a long weekend getaway. Pasadena and environs have become wildly popular--for fine dining, off-the-beaten-path shopping, public gardens, and museum excursions--for residents and visitors alike.

Colorado Boulevard remains the ideal starting point for weekend shopping and the heart of a strolling paradise also known as Old Town. But take any side street and you will discover unique boutiques, such as Lulu Brandt, one of the Old Town pioneers. Known by locals for its European and American designer collections, as well as outstanding personal service and an eclectic mix of uncommon fashions, Lulu Brandt is a browsing destination for its colorful, printed mesh J.P. Gaultier pieces and Blumarine spongy knit animal-and-floral-print dresses.

Old Town's new next-door neighbor, Paseo Colorado is comprised of a three-block open-air urban village thoughtfully constructed (the residential component offers many urban conveniences and is composed of 387 luxury and loft apartments developed and managed by Post Properties) to house 60-plus shops, among them the standout Japanese Weekend Maternity. San Francisco-based owner/designer Barbie White gives grateful mothers-to-be an updated look--and the OK waistband. Short for okikutsurobi, which translates to "sash of comfort", a necessary essential for pregnant moms.