Normandie Heights, Pasadena, CA

Normandie Heights runs from Washington Boulevard north to Woodbury Road, between Los Robles and Lake avenues, and the clock tower of Westminster Presbyterian Church is the landmark most Pasadena drivers know it by. Craftsman homes with wood exteriors make up much of Normandie Heights, and the city has designated more than 50 houses here as individual architectural landmarks. The Arts and Crafts Seth Cook Rees House and the 1924 Washington Court bungalows, an English Cottage Revival group, are two that stand out. Washington Park, one of the city's oldest, is just south across Washington Boulevard in Washington Square, and it's the neighborhood's closest lawn. The quieter interior streets between Los Robles and Lake are where most people take their daily walk. For food, Lake Avenue on the east side has Salvadoran spots like La Caravana, along with Gladstone Donut House for early mornings. Lavender & Honey, a plant-filled coffee bar, is a short drive east on Washington. At the north end, a small Los Robles strip holds Los Robles Market and Kings Breakfast & Burgers for quick stops. Groceries are close, with Food 4 Less on North Lake. The neighborhood sits roughly halfway between Caltech and JPL, which keeps either commute short, and freeway on-ramps are a few minutes south. The tradeoff is traffic on the edges. Lake Avenue and Los Robles Avenue are busy through streets, and homes along them hear it. From most of these blocks a walk south lands you at Washington Park and a walk east lands you on Lake, which is about as much as most errands here ever require.