You have planned a wonderful trip. Rose is right, though, that Laguna Beach is a long drive from the attractions in LA. Probably 70 miles from the Peterson Museum, for example. But that way, you will also get to experience another exciting part of LA culture - our freeways!

Since you asked about tours of the Beverly Hills/ Hollywood area, I thought that I would recommend the itinerary posted on this site: http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/2800/oneday.htm With a good AAA map of Los Angeles and perhaps a map to the star's homes, I think a self-guided tour is preferable to being herded onto a bus. I appreciate the flexibility to go exploring if some site or area strikes my fancy.

Next question - driving time to Pasadena on Jan 1. When I drove to the Rose Parade, I thought it would take several hours. We left at 3:45 am. It only took about an hour. So we slept in the car until sunrise. Whether you take this approach of not, do prepare for a cold morning. The average Jan 1 low temperature is 44. By the way, our route was I-10 East to Hwy 110 N (the Pasadena Freeway). I recommend this approach vs. arriving from 134 or 210 E.

By the way, the french bakery I mentioned is actually a restaurant with a bakery attached to it called Cafe Marguerite - http://www.nitedine.com/US_Marguerite.htm

I will send a second note with some restaurant ideas that are in addition to the ones already mentioned by Elena and Lisa.

I am sorry that I won't be in town to offer assistance when you are here. I will be out of town for the week between Xmas and New Years. But don't hesitate to ask questions beforehand. I am happy to help.

Mark Los Angeles