OUT & ABOUT

ROAMING WITH FRIENDS DURING THE PANDEMIC

Let’s Roam is a safely distanced scavenger hunt that will get you out and about.

by MARIO BOUCHER

It’s time to shake off that cabin fever and get outside to stretch your legs. Let’s Roam is a scavenger hunt that allows you, friends, and family to take a hike around Pasadena. Discover or rediscover some of the city’s great cultural and historical locations such as City Hall, St. Andrew Church, and USC Pacific Asia Museum.

As a team, you search for statues and art to solve riddles, answer trivia questions, and take photos to earn points for every challenge. If you feel safer at home, Let’s Roam offers a way to turn your home into a world of adventure. Best of all, you get to spend quality time with those you love. Brothers Charlie and Michael Harding founded Let’s Roam by turning a childhood dream into an adventure and tour company that transforms the way people interact with their surroundings. “Our scavenger hunts are a way to experience the city without the stress of an itinerary and in an intimate setting,” says Charlie. “We wanted to share all the best parts of Pasadena with locals and tourists alike—thus, the Pasadena Scavenger Hunt was born.”

ON THE STREET

Through a digitally-guided adventure, you can explore must-see monuments and hidden gems throughout the city while completing challenges along the way with different types of scavenger hunts to choose from: • Date Night: An exciting city tour makes for a romantic and fun date • Ghost: Seek out the city’s haunted history and sinister spirits • Bar: Discover different spirits at the best bars and watering holes

ROAM FROM HOME

If you feel safer at home, Let’s Roam can turn your home into a virtual game night: • The family edition is great for kids ages 7+ and features entertaining, educational themes to spark creativity and a fun evening of adventure • The date night edition allows couples to go on a fun date with challenges designed to deepen connections and get sparks flying • The virtual game night edition is comprised of five rounds of online games and trivia, including embedded video chat and connecting with friends

Let’s Roam offers custom events for everything from birthdays to bachelorette parties. You can also celebrate with people anywhere in the world through a virtual party using video call technology.  For more information, visit letsroam.com.

ON LOCATION: PASADENA

If COVID-19 has you feeling a little stir-crazy, a “drive yourself” tour around some of Pasadena’s notable filming locations might just be the ticket to chase away the pandemic blues.

by MARIO BOUCHER

The Colorado Street Bridge is a noticeable vista thanks to its distinctive Beaux-Arts arches, light standards, and railings. Designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, the bridge opened in 1913 and made its first major appearance in Charlie Chaplin’s “The Kid.” In recent years, Jim Carrey jumped off the bridge while attached to a bungee line in “Yes Man,” and Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone took a stroll on the bridge in “La La Land.”

From the Colorado Street Bridge, head north on Orange Grove Boulevard until you reach Walnut Street, where you’ll find the Fenyes Mansion and Pasadena Museum of History (470 W. Walnut St.), seen in the 1979 movie “Being There.” Completed around 1907, the Beaux-Arts style building was the first Finnish Consul in Southern California, which is why Finland’s flag flies alongside the American flag.

At 4 Westmoreland Pl., you’ll see the 1908 Arts and Crafts-style Gamble House that was used as Doc Brown’s residence in “Back to the Future.” Overlooking the Arroyo Seco’s dry river bed, the Gamble House appears to be entangled with the natural landscape and features strong Japanese architecture.

Head east onto Walnut Street to the Pasadena Central Library (285 E. Walnut St.). The Mediterranean-style building has been featured in a wide variety of movies and TV shows over the years, including “Legally Blonde,” “Ghost Whisperer,” and “Hung.” Just a couple blocks south is the iconic Pasadena City Hall (100 Garfield Ave.), which was completed in 1927. The influence of early Renaissance style by 16th century Italian architect Andrea Palladio is apparent in a rectangular edifice with a spacious court. From Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” to “The Net” and “A Walk in the Clouds,” it has often stood in for other city halls, including Pawnee on “Parks and Recreation.” On the other side of the street is All Saints Church (132 N. Euclid Ave.), a filming location for “Legally Blonde,” “Cruel Intentions,” and Clint Eastwood’s “Changeling.” The English Gothic-style building also features a parish hall, rectory, and an integrated courtyard. In Old Town Pasadena, Castle Green Apartments (99 S. Raymond Ave.) have been featured as a casino in “The Sting,” a hotel in “Bugsy,” and as a mansion in “The Man Who Wasn’t There.” Just around the corner you will see the Pasadena Civic Auditorium (300 E. Green St.), which has hosted the Emmy Awards and “America’s Got Talent” in its 3,000-seat theater. The historic exterior, inspired by Mediterranean Revival architecture, has been featured on numerous TV shows such as “Alias,” “Penny Dreadful,” and “Scandal.” The Auditorium is part of the Pasadena Civic Center District—the site of many conferences, events, and the Pasadena Ice Skating Center.  For a complete guide to local filming locations, visit pasadenamag.com.