Three Things in L.A.

When I travel, I usually tell myself I only have to do ONE thing every day. That doesn't mean I will go to all the time and expense of flying around the world only to be done with my day at 10:15 in the morning, it just means that there's only one must-do thing every day; maybe two if they're geographically close, and whatever else happens is serendipity. It works for me and keeps the pressure low, especially if jetlag is a factor. Since jetlag isn't a factor between Sacramento and Los Angeles, I planned THREE things to do today and was able to hit them all, although one landmark was seen only through a crack in the door. 

The first thing was to visit a small, private garden which has no website, very little press, and the owner is so undesirous of publicity that I'm not even going to name it here. It's open to the public once a week for two hours. The gardener/owner/creator was watering the plants when I arrived, but she clearly didn't want to chat so after my greeting and a couple questions which were met with short answers, I left her alone and wandered around. There is a sign asking that the garden be experienced with one's eyes as opposed to with a camera, but I did take just a few pictures. I'm sure she doesn't want her yard turned into an Instagram playground, and I don't blame her.  

After visiting the garden, I went to The Broad which has recently reopened although sadly, the exhibit I really wanted to see, Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirror Rooms is still closed, but there are still a bunch of favorites on view, including a large collections of Lichtensteins, Wharhols, Basquiat's, and even one of Koons' balloon dogs - and who doesn't love a Koons balloon dog??  

I should have put something in for scale, this thing is huge. 

although it's not as huge as this... 

The third thing I was going to do was to go inside the Bradbury Building, a historic landmark built by a gold-mining millionaire in the late 1800s. Sadly, it's still closed to the public, but the building (smack in the middle of DTLA) is so old that the original wood doors have just enough space between them for a camera lens.  

You can sort of get the idea of the intricate ironwork and light-filled atrium. 

The Golden Gate

A beautiful day in San Francisco, learning the history and construction details of one of the world’s most beautiful landmarks. 

Joseph Strauss - Chief Engineer

Hiking at Cronan Ranch

Hiking trails near Cool, CA

 

my pal, Lisa; these trails are her occasional weekend stomping grounds. 

South Fork of the American River

Mighty Oak

The Streets (and stairs) of San Francisco

 

Going South

Nothing like a haunted hotel to break up a long trip down a boring highway. No intent to be disparaging by "haunted," it’s right on the website for this place, which is the oldest inn in the Pacific Northwest, built in 1883 as a stagecoach stop. And given the fact that there’s not a soul around (live one, anyway) plus the creepy 1930s-era jazz coming out of the speakers in the parlor, I’m fully expecting at least one ghostly encounter before I leave in the morning.

redrum??

A Labyrinth and Peach Preserve

I was driving around the island this morning on the way to a hike in an area called Peach Preserve, more on that later, when I passed a small sign saying "Labyrinth Open." I did a quick U-turn and found this lovely meditation spot in the woods.

An impressive configuration of stones and twigs and ferns arranged in a complex semi-spiral.

It took me about five minutes to do the walk, which in the spirit of the endeavor, I did without earbuds in, and without taking any photos until I was done.  

My real destination for the morning was a hike in a beach-front area called the Peach Preserve, which I found confusing due to the obvious lack of peach trees, but after walking trails through the forest, down the beach, and along a meadow, I came to an information sign indicating that the area was once part of a World War I shipyard, until local philanthropist Patsy "Peach" Bullitt Collins funded its rehabilitation into a nature preserve; mystery solved.   

Country Roads

I had grand plans to hike to the top of Guemes Mountain today. I did it last time I was here and was looking forward to the fairly easy hike with a great view of the water and surrounding islands as the payoff, but it's raining (a little) and windy (semi-blustery) and that seemed like a good enough reason to scrap the idea of a wet hike with a nothing but cloud-cover at the top, and just drive around, which is one of my favorite activities. Here are some things I saw on my drive this afternoon:

There is no real 'center of town' on Guemes Island, no area with boutiques and cafes. However, the General Store is the first thing you see when you drive off the ferry. It is a store, gas station, and restaurant. The store is semi-closed in that if you need something, you ring the bell and ask the nice person behind the Dutch-door and she'll grab it for you, but the restaurant has a patio that is open and does take-out service, and I plan to go back later to pick up something for dinner.  

Both times that I've been on this island, I've stopped my car several times in the middle
of the road to take photos. There's never anyone around to honk at me. 

That thing of when you're on a rural island in the Pacific Northwest and you see a couple of peacocks in someone's yard...