WHEN THE OUTSIDE WORLD thinks of Pasadena, they may vaguely conjure images of the Rose Parade and Bowl, and then lump the city in with its huge neighbor, Los Angeles.

This isn’t particularly fair. Pasadena is a vibrant city in its own right, with a truly incredible culture. There’s the Norton Simon Museum, for example, a world-class art museum that’s home to Van Goghs, Rembrandts, Picassos, Warhols, and Cezannes, among others. There’s the one-of-a-kind architectural wonder that is Gamble House. There’s one of the more beautiful City Halls in the country. There’s the One Colorado open-air shopping mall, the charming Rose Bowl Flea Market, and coffee shops like Intelligentsia (which may very well be hipster heaven). There are incredible restaurants like the Mediterranean-themed Cafe Santorini.

You get the idea: Pasadena has way too much too offer — and is way too distinct — to be lumped in with the rest of the LA metroplex. So we shot this stop-motion video of some of our favorite spots in town. We hope you check it out: