Best of Pasadena: Renee Garcia, Executive Director of the Southern California Children’s Museum
Returning to Los Angeles a decade ago was a homecoming for Renee Garcia—almost. Rather than move back to East L.A. where she grew up, she settled in Highland Park with the vision of raising a family of her own. “While I wasn’t a mother yet when we moved, I knew that the diversity of Los Angeles County would impact my future children, diversifying their world view and increasing their empathy toward others,” she says. “I was attracted to a more diverse city than the one I’d been living in, one with exciting events, arts, museums, and culture that I could easily access any day of the week.” Right now Garcia finds herself in the throes of raising two boys and realizing the vision of the Southern California Children’s Museum (socalkids.org), where she serves as executive director.
Here, Garcia shares some of her favorite spots in the city to enjoy family time. —Jennifer Ashton Ryan
As a new mom, I came to Southern California Children’s Museum and loved having a safe space to play with my son. The museum was where I could nurse, change diapers, and not feel ashamed when my baby cried. That is powerful for new parents, whose world and bodies suddenly feel foreign after childbirth. It was a bonus to revel in the giggles and huge smiles that the exhibits brought out in him. I remember coming to music class and meeting new parents, all of us in a disheveled, tired yet blissed-out version of ourselves that we were just getting to know.
Now that my boys are older and I am picking them up from school, we go to TeaMorrow tea house and restaurant on Mission for boba and fried chicken. On weeknights when I’m not into cooking, HomeState has become a regular dinner solution, as is Town Pizza in Highland Park. If we go out to breakfast, it’s Pete’s Blue Chip Burgers on Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock. For sweets we all have the same favorite place: Sweethoney Dessert in Alhambra. For a birthday, I’ll order a cake from Rachel Barrett of micro-bakery Cake Queen LA or from Pasadena’s established brick-and-mortar Lark Cake Shop, at Hill and Washington near Octavia’s Bookshelf.
On a free afternoon with time to spend together, Lacy Park is a dream. The open space served a specific purpose with toddlers (to wear them out), and now with older kids, it’s a screen-free haven for us to be with each other, enjoying the outdoor air. We also like Grand Park for summer water play and the Rose Bowl—formerly with a jogging stroller and now with scooters. If my sons have the choice, they love skate parks, so we frequent the South Pasadena Skate Park in the Arroyo. During all the rains this year, Stronghold Climbing Gym became another great place to let some energy out.
When shopping for myself and the boys, I have a preference for sustainable wardrobes. I find things on Facebook groups and I love the Northeast L.A. community NELA Parents Purge. Regular events and clothing swaps are held throughout the year and the gatherings have become a fun place to shop and catch up with cool people. My favorite spot to purchase gifts and new toys for kids is Merci Milo in Highland Park. For books, you’ll find us at the library.
