Saturday, 10 June 2023
Driving up the Pacific Coast - Day 3
As luck would have it, the threatening clouds of the evening before turned into blue skies in the morning. A short drive south of Morro Bay is the beautiful Montana de Oro State Park with its many trails and diverse landscape, including even a mountain. We had a lovely hike along the coastal trail with its dramatic ocean views, Pacific waves crashing on the many rocky outcrops along the shore, rugged cliffs, shore birds, including pelicans and the occasional hawk.
It was an easy flat trail and we could have gone on for much longer, enticed by one vista after another. We kept saying to ourselves, we'll turn back after the next view! In the end we have to turn back because we wanted to make it to Hearst Castle and see the elephant seals before sunset.
There was a high surf warning, which made it a great day for us surf watchers...
A surprise rainbow in the clouds
Lots of these outcrops can be seen along the trail
Before we left Morro Bay, we paid another visit to the sea otter families and saw them in much better light.
Mom and pup
Sea otter family
We made it to San Simeon for lunch and was hoping to enjoy some good food at the vineyard there, but was surprised there was no restaurant! We had to settle for cafeteria food at the Castle (yes, not even a bakery, because it's a State Park!).
The pier at San Simeon
You can see the castle all the way up the hill
The outdoor terraces
The outdoor pool - but wait till you see the one inside!
A pretty niche in the garden
The front entrance
The cavernous "living room"
Dining room
In my opinion, the indoor pool was the most striking feature in the castle.
The view of the ocean from the castle
We managed to find the elephant seal rookery just up the road from the castle, thanks to our bumping into a volunteer in the parking lot (we went in the wrong direction up the beach and couldn't find the seals. We spent a whole hour there as there were a lot of action going on. Two bulls were fighting "till death do us part". They were all bloodied but still battling from the beach all the way into the water. This is the perfect time to visit with some moms still nursing pups, while some continue to mate, and bulls fighting over their territory (apparently testosterone surged to 60 times the normal level at this time).
Nursing elephant seal
Mating - the female looked really excited...;-)
Two bulls fighting to the bitter end (we didn't stay to see who won as they had been fighting for an hour or more by sunset)
Adorable pup
Another Pacific sunset - drama in the skies, jacob's ladders galore
This wraps up our south to north Pacific Coast trip. The following morning, the rain finally caught up with us. It was pouring rain so we thought it safest to go up 101 instead of the PCH. Having driven up this way before, I remembered how treacherous it was in the rain, not to mention parts of it were still closed from the winter rains. Our original itinerary was to visit Big Sur and the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park with its magical waterfall. A good excuse for another trip down this beautiful stretch of coast.
Thanks for coming along for the ride.
As luck would have it, the threatening clouds of the evening before turned into blue skies in the morning. A short drive south of Morro Bay is the beautiful Montana de Oro State Park with its many trails and diverse landscape, including even a mountain. We had a lovely hike along the coastal trail with its dramatic ocean views, Pacific waves crashing on the many rocky outcrops along the shore, rugged cliffs, shore birds, including pelicans and the occasional hawk.
It was an easy flat trail and we could have gone on for much longer, enticed by one vista after another. We kept saying to ourselves, we'll turn back after the next view! In the end we have to turn back because we wanted to make it to Hearst Castle and see the elephant seals before sunset.
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| There was a high surf warning, which made it a great day for us surf watchers... |
| ||
|
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| A surprise rainbow in the clouds |
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Lots of these outcrops can be seen along the trail |
Before we left Morro Bay, we paid another visit to the sea otter families and saw them in much better light.
 |
| Mom and pup |
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| Sea otter family |
We made it to San Simeon for lunch and was hoping to enjoy some good food at the vineyard there, but was surprised there was no restaurant! We had to settle for cafeteria food at the Castle (yes, not even a bakery, because it's a State Park!).
 |
| The pier at San Simeon |
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| You can see the castle all the way up the hill |
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| The outdoor terraces |
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The outdoor pool - but wait till you see the one inside! |
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| The front entrance |
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| The cavernous "living room" |
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| Dining room |
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| In my opinion, the indoor pool was the most striking feature in the castle. |
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| The view of the ocean from the castle |
We managed to find the elephant seal rookery just up the road from the castle, thanks to our bumping into a volunteer in the parking lot (we went in the wrong direction up the beach and couldn't find the seals. We spent a whole hour there as there were a lot of action going on. Two bulls were fighting "till death do us part". They were all bloodied but still battling from the beach all the way into the water. This is the perfect time to visit with some moms still nursing pups, while some continue to mate, and bulls fighting over their territory (apparently testosterone surged to 60 times the normal level at this time).
 |
| Nursing elephant seal |
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| Mating - the female looked really excited...;-) |
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| Two bulls fighting to the bitter end (we didn't stay to see who won as they had been fighting for an hour or more by sunset) |
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| Adorable pup |
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| Another Pacific sunset - drama in the skies, jacob's ladders galore |
This wraps up our south to north Pacific Coast trip. The following morning, the rain finally caught up with us. It was pouring rain so we thought it safest to go up 101 instead of the PCH. Having driven up this way before, I remembered how treacherous it was in the rain, not to mention parts of it were still closed from the winter rains. Our original itinerary was to visit Big Sur and the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park with its magical waterfall. A good excuse for another trip down this beautiful stretch of coast.
Thanks for coming along for the ride.
Friday, 9 June 2023
Driving up the Pacific Coast - Day 2
A friend in L.A asked us how much time we are allowing to drive back to the Bay Area. Four days, I said. His eyes widened in shock, "What?! It's only 6 hrs and a bit to drive from L.A. to San Francisco!" (He forgot about the two hours it takes to drive out of L.A. alone.) Still, he was incredulous we are taking such a long time. Clearly, he is one of those engineers who only goes in a straight line from point A to point B.
Yes, we were taking our time, always keeping an eye on the weather which had rain forecasted every day that week. As it turned out though, we were lucky. There may be the odd shower when we were driving, but nothing that would stop us from our enjoying the scenery.
We woke up in Port Hueneme to a sunny day and we found out there is a lot more to the town than what we encountered at the waterfront the night before. Oxnard State Beach Park has a long beach and sand dunes and it was just around the corner. Since it was not on our itinerary and we had to make it to our next stop before sunset, we did not stop to explore. This is just a snapshot from the parking lot of the State Park. Something to be saved for another trip.
Oxnard Beach State Park
As we wanted to revisit Solvang and have lunch there, we took a detour off the PCH from Santa Barbara taking Hwy 154 inland through the San Marcos pass crossing the Santa Ynez mountains. The scenic stops along the way gave us panoramic views of Lake Cachuma and the surrounding mountains. There were occasional showers as we drove through but the sun came out quickly before the rain had a chance to puddle.
View of Lake Cachuma from San Marcos Pass Road
We were right on time for lunch when we got to Solvang. I still remember the windmill from my visit decades ago when we stopped on our way to Yosemite. As we parked right in front of the bakery, we popped in to soak in the sugar. There were lots of "Danish" pastries but possibly Americanized, as evidenced by their size and the thick layer of icing sugar all round. They look too big to tempt me so I didn't buy anything, keeping in mind the Aebleskiver we're going to try after lunch.
The bakery on main street
It took us a while to find the Solvang Restaurant we were looking for but it gave us a chance to walk through the town. Of course, the restaurant offered the required fried chicken on waffle and Aebleskiver for dessert.
The famous Aebleskiver, basically a glorified donut
There were some very nice buildings in Solvang but this is one I especially liked. It houses Solvang Fine Art with beautiful detail on the walls. But I can't find anything on the building itself online.
Then there is this one copper-topped turret that I liked
Our next stop was the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove for which we had timed our visit in February. The monarchs are here in coastal California only from November to February migrating from as far north as Canada. The ones east of the Rockies could migrate up to 2000 miles to Mexico. We were disappointed that the Grove was closed because of high winds. Fortunately we were able to see the monarch clusters from outside the fence. What a phenomenon to behold! Hundreds of monarchs one on top of another clinging to the leaves of the eucalyptus and cypress trees, which provided thermal stability.
Monarch butterflies at the Monarch Grove
We made it to Morro Bay for the golden hour. The concierge at the inn warned us that rain is forecasted for the next few days, basically telling us to make the most of the still dry evening, which we did. We drove around to Morro Bay State Park but didn't have enough time to really look around although I have been there before. But sunset was early this time of year and we didn't want to miss it at the waterfront. We did see a bank of eucalyptus trees hit by golden light and a row of parked boats hit by gold on the water. We were lucky to get another spectacular sunset before we headed to the new restaurant for dinner. And just before it got really dark, a local told us about where the sea otters hang out near the shore, within shooting distance of my 200mm lens!
Eucalyptus trees in the golden hour
Boats parked at the waterfront
One of several piers at Morro Bay
"Every cloud has a silver lining" - a good omen for the morning
Sea otter cuddling the baby
This must be dad - lounging around
Much better photos the following morning! Watch out in the next post.
Sunset at Morro Bay
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A friend in L.A asked us how much time we are allowing to drive back to the Bay Area. Four days, I said. His eyes widened in shock, "What?! It's only 6 hrs and a bit to drive from L.A. to San Francisco!" (He forgot about the two hours it takes to drive out of L.A. alone.) Still, he was incredulous we are taking such a long time. Clearly, he is one of those engineers who only goes in a straight line from point A to point B.
Yes, we were taking our time, always keeping an eye on the weather which had rain forecasted every day that week. As it turned out though, we were lucky. There may be the odd shower when we were driving, but nothing that would stop us from our enjoying the scenery.
We woke up in Port Hueneme to a sunny day and we found out there is a lot more to the town than what we encountered at the waterfront the night before. Oxnard State Beach Park has a long beach and sand dunes and it was just around the corner. Since it was not on our itinerary and we had to make it to our next stop before sunset, we did not stop to explore. This is just a snapshot from the parking lot of the State Park. Something to be saved for another trip.
|
| Oxnard Beach State Park As we wanted to revisit Solvang and have lunch there, we took a detour off the PCH from Santa Barbara taking Hwy 154 inland through the San Marcos pass crossing the Santa Ynez mountains. The scenic stops along the way gave us panoramic views of Lake Cachuma and the surrounding mountains. There were occasional showers as we drove through but the sun came out quickly before the rain had a chance to puddle. |
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| View of Lake Cachuma from San Marcos Pass Road |
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We were right on time for lunch when we got to Solvang. I still remember the windmill from my visit decades ago when we stopped on our way to Yosemite. As we parked right in front of the bakery, we popped in to soak in the sugar. There were lots of "Danish" pastries but possibly Americanized, as evidenced by their size and the thick layer of icing sugar all round. They look too big to tempt me so I didn't buy anything, keeping in mind the Aebleskiver we're going to try after lunch. |
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| The bakery on main street |
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| Then there is this one copper-topped turret that I liked |
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| Monarch butterflies at the Monarch Grove |
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| Eucalyptus trees in the golden hour |
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| Boats parked at the waterfront |
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| One of several piers at Morro Bay |
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| Sea otter cuddling the baby |
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| This must be dad - lounging around Much better photos the following morning! Watch out in the next post. |
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| Sunset at Morro Bay |
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Thursday, 8 June 2023
Driving up the Pacific Coast Highway - Day 1
Leaving behind the many lovely places, good Chinese restaurants, and of course good friends in L.A., we headed out on our first day on the Pacific Coast Highway on our way back to the Bay Area. Our first stop was still in L.A. but by the coast - Venice Canals Historic District. These canals, built in 1905, had undergone restoration and we were lucky to be here after a rainy winter so there was plenty of water in the four canals - not always the case, it seems. The developer, Abbott Kinney, had hoped to recreate the appearance and feel of Venice in coastal Los Angeles. Did he succeed? ;-)
Venice Canals
From Venice Beach, we headed to Santa Monica beach with its iconic roller coasters. It also happens to be the end of Route 66 so we were happy to find the end point of the road that we started off midway in Arizona last fall.
Route 66 map on the pier
Santa Monica Beach
We continued up the coast to Point Dume, the northern end of the Santa Monica Peninsula. The problem with all these viewpoints is the lack of parking and you can't even park on the roadside at Point Dume because it has some expensive residences and all signs point to limiting the number of tourists in the area.
View from Point Dume
Would have loved to stop by El Matador State Beach with its spectacular rocks but couldn't find parking and didn't expect to be able to do the steep walk down anyway, so our attempt was a little half-hearted. The Leo Carillo State Beach was a compromise (there is roadside parking and an easy walk) - pelicans instead of rocks... We also had our eye on the time - wanted to make it to Port Hueneme for sunset, and sure glad we did.
A windy but beautiful sunset at Port Hueneme, which turns out to be a naval base! That's why the Holiday Inn there has the best rates in the area...
This shot was taken with my phone through the glass of the restaurant as it was too windy to stand outside with blowing sand.
Leaving behind the many lovely places, good Chinese restaurants, and of course good friends in L.A., we headed out on our first day on the Pacific Coast Highway on our way back to the Bay Area. Our first stop was still in L.A. but by the coast - Venice Canals Historic District. These canals, built in 1905, had undergone restoration and we were lucky to be here after a rainy winter so there was plenty of water in the four canals - not always the case, it seems. The developer, Abbott Kinney, had hoped to recreate the appearance and feel of Venice in coastal Los Angeles. Did he succeed? ;-)
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| Venice Canals |
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| Route 66 map on the pier |
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| Santa Monica Beach |
We continued up the coast to Point Dume, the northern end of the Santa Monica Peninsula. The problem with all these viewpoints is the lack of parking and you can't even park on the roadside at Point Dume because it has some expensive residences and all signs point to limiting the number of tourists in the area.
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| View from Point Dume |
Would have loved to stop by El Matador State Beach with its spectacular rocks but couldn't find parking and didn't expect to be able to do the steep walk down anyway, so our attempt was a little half-hearted. The Leo Carillo State Beach was a compromise (there is roadside parking and an easy walk) - pelicans instead of rocks... We also had our eye on the time - wanted to make it to Port Hueneme for sunset, and sure glad we did.
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| A windy but beautiful sunset at Port Hueneme, which turns out to be a naval base! That's why the Holiday Inn there has the best rates in the area... |
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| This shot was taken with my phone through the glass of the restaurant as it was too windy to stand outside with blowing sand. |
Monday, 22 May 2023
A day at The Huntington Pt. 1
One of the main purpose of our visit to L.A. this time was to visit the Huntington, a complex with the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens. We spent a full day there as guests of a friend who has a membership with its accompanying privileges - skipped the lineup and walked right in. Still we found ourselves short of time to see everything we wanted to see, not to mention exhaustion in the L.A. heat - we could easily have spent at least another day there. We had to skip some of the galleries because there just wasn't time to appreciate the art fully so we decided to focus on what is unique to the Huntington - the Desert Garden, the Huntington Library Exhibit and the Chinese Garden. I will cover the Chinese Garden in Part 2 of this post.
We started at the Desert Garden because this is one of the more unique gardens and also to try and catch it in the softer morning light. But the L.A. sun was already high up in the sky at opening so it probably made no difference. In hindsight, I would have done the Chinese garden first as it was very crowded by the time we got there at midday.
The Desert Garden was amazing with all kinds of exotic desert plants. You can see some of them below. I apologize for the paucity of captions mainly because not everything in the garden is labelled. Not being a botanist or even a gardener, I just took photos of what has visual impact for me.
Panorama of the entrance to the Desert Garden
This tree looked like a deer with antlers
Cacti - the round ones are quite common in Southern California but the tubular shaped ones in this planting are rather unusual.
From the Desert Garden we moved through to the Japanese Garden, starting with the bamboo forest.
Stunning art installation "Red Earth" by Lita Albuquerque, 2020 - a boulder with red pigment in the midst of the bamboo grove. From the artist: “2020 is the year of perfect vision. We are in a time of expanded perception where we are shifting from a perspective that is human to one of the human in the cosmos. I have placed ‘Red Earth’ in this intimate setting... to represent the earth—the heart even—of the planet in its stillness."
A few of the many beautiful bonsais in the garden
The Zen garden beside the entrance to the formal Japanese gardens
Bird's eye view of the Japanese Garden
This hummingbird appeared 10 feet in front of us on our way to the Desert Garden - I had to scramble to adjust my camera settings to catch it, barely...
Elegant staircase inside the Art Museum
Giant Peony tree on the grounds
The Huntington Library exhibit hall. Many original manuscripts on exhibit including the Gutenberg Bible and the Canterbury Tales. One piece I found particularly interesting was this arrangement of a music score for a quartet below. The music is arranged so that each player seated in front of the shared book can read the score.
This Audubon drawing also caught my eye especially after the recent viral video of a eagle battling a fox for a rabbit. Also reminded me of the Audubon at the Toronto Reference Library!
This lovely statue of Artemis (goddess Diana) adorns one of the hallways, there was no moon for her to point the arrow at but there was a skylight right above her. I actually prefer the back of the sculpture - the curve of the body was more elegant.
The formal gardens
Next post: the Chinese Garden, "Liu Fang Yuan, 流芳園, or the Garden of Flowing Fragrance, one of the finest classical Chinese style gardens outside of China" as described on the Huntington website - and I agree.
One of the main purpose of our visit to L.A. this time was to visit the Huntington, a complex with the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens. We spent a full day there as guests of a friend who has a membership with its accompanying privileges - skipped the lineup and walked right in. Still we found ourselves short of time to see everything we wanted to see, not to mention exhaustion in the L.A. heat - we could easily have spent at least another day there. We had to skip some of the galleries because there just wasn't time to appreciate the art fully so we decided to focus on what is unique to the Huntington - the Desert Garden, the Huntington Library Exhibit and the Chinese Garden. I will cover the Chinese Garden in Part 2 of this post.
We started at the Desert Garden because this is one of the more unique gardens and also to try and catch it in the softer morning light. But the L.A. sun was already high up in the sky at opening so it probably made no difference. In hindsight, I would have done the Chinese garden first as it was very crowded by the time we got there at midday.
The Desert Garden was amazing with all kinds of exotic desert plants. You can see some of them below. I apologize for the paucity of captions mainly because not everything in the garden is labelled. Not being a botanist or even a gardener, I just took photos of what has visual impact for me.
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| Panorama of the entrance to the Desert Garden |
|
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| Stunning art installation "Red Earth" by Lita Albuquerque, 2020 - a boulder with red pigment in the midst of the bamboo grove. From the artist: “2020 is the year of perfect vision. We are in a time of expanded perception where we are shifting from a perspective that is human to one of the human in the cosmos. I have placed ‘Red Earth’ in this intimate setting... to represent the earth—the heart even—of the planet in its stillness." |
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| A few of the many beautiful bonsais in the garden |
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| The Zen garden beside the entrance to the formal Japanese gardens |
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| Bird's eye view of the Japanese Garden |
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| This hummingbird appeared 10 feet in front of us on our way to the Desert Garden - I had to scramble to adjust my camera settings to catch it, barely... |
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| Elegant staircase inside the Art Museum |
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| Giant Peony tree on the grounds |
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The Huntington Library exhibit hall. Many original manuscripts on exhibit including the Gutenberg Bible and the Canterbury Tales. One piece I found particularly interesting was this arrangement of a music score for a quartet below. The music is arranged so that each player seated in front of the shared book can read the score. This Audubon drawing also caught my eye especially after the recent viral video of a eagle battling a fox for a rabbit. Also reminded me of the Audubon at the Toronto Reference Library!   |
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| The formal gardens |
Next post: the Chinese Garden, "Liu Fang Yuan, 流芳園, or the Garden of Flowing Fragrance, one of the finest classical Chinese style gardens outside of China" as described on the Huntington website - and I agree.
Thursday, 25 May 2023
A Day at The Huntington Pt. 2
The Chinese Garden, "Liu Fang Yuan, 流芳園, or the Garden of Flowing Fragrance, is one of the finest classical Chinese style gardens outside of China" as described on the Huntington website - and I agree. It is very well-made and obviously a lot of thought and money has gone into it. It is indeed comparable to some of the Chinese gardens I have visited in Hangzhou and Suzhou in China.
Literature fills the gardens - calligraphic works are everywhere, on rocks, tiles, pavillions, portals, whether as names, evoking historical works of Chinese literature or couplets drawn from earlier poems.
One important thing to note about visiting - go first thing in the morning or last thing before closing. The crowds in between really detract from the ambiance and the experience of the garden. We visited just after lunch and there was just no way I could take a decent photo with the sun overhead and the crowds milling about in front of everything. I popped back in at the end of the day and was lucky to hit the golden hour as the crowds were heading out. There was a world of difference.
We were lucky there was an exhibition on when we visited - Crafting a Garden: Inside the Creation of Liu Fang Yuan. I quote from the Huntington website: "the garden...appears to be a replica of the historical gardens in Suzhou, China, that inspired its design. But underneath those seemingly traditional elements are complex layers of materials and ideas unique to the garden’s setting in contemporary California." That was precisely what I was thinking. Suzhou was in a different climate zone from almost desert like Los Angeles. The gardens in Suzhou are in a dense city so gardens in these residences tend to be more intimate. The Huntington gardens are very spacious and like everything in America - supersized. Kudos to the designers for creating this garden with all these complex elements in balance in spite of the environmental differences. You can see below some of the exhibits.
Ten different kinds of roofs
Nine different kinds of ground patterns
"Winding Peaks and Twisting Roads" 20th-21st century - Linghi limestone.
Dark grey limestone rock from Linghi in Anhui Province in China has been celebrated by collectors for a thousand years, valued for their fine, wrinkled texture and unusual form.
Rocks are an important element in the Chinese garden. They are symbolic of mountains, strong and durable and are much valued.
"If a rock appeared porous with many holes penetrating all the way through and had a strangely contorted overall form, it was considered a highly valuable asset to the garden." This one certainly fits the bill!
A delightful showcase of paving
These long corridors are typical of traditional Chinese gardens and residences. One of its intentions is to allow visitors to enjoy the gardens regardless of the weather - rain in China and the harsh sun in California.
Friendship pavillion
Etchings of four traditional Chinese instruments decorate this pavillion
And this is the mood in the gardens - some visitors dressed up in traditional costumes prepared for a million poses...
These two photos were taken through the latticed glass window as the rooms were not open but you can see the centre rock sculpture in what is probably a study above. Love those latticed windows!
Framed vistas are everywhere, in different shapes and sizes
Double-framed!
A final vista in golden hour light before closing
The Chinese Garden, "Liu Fang Yuan, 流芳園, or the Garden of Flowing Fragrance, is one of the finest classical Chinese style gardens outside of China" as described on the Huntington website - and I agree. It is very well-made and obviously a lot of thought and money has gone into it. It is indeed comparable to some of the Chinese gardens I have visited in Hangzhou and Suzhou in China.
Literature fills the gardens - calligraphic works are everywhere, on rocks, tiles, pavillions, portals, whether as names, evoking historical works of Chinese literature or couplets drawn from earlier poems.
One important thing to note about visiting - go first thing in the morning or last thing before closing. The crowds in between really detract from the ambiance and the experience of the garden. We visited just after lunch and there was just no way I could take a decent photo with the sun overhead and the crowds milling about in front of everything. I popped back in at the end of the day and was lucky to hit the golden hour as the crowds were heading out. There was a world of difference.
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| Ten different kinds of roofs |
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| Nine different kinds of ground patterns |
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| "Winding Peaks and Twisting Roads" 20th-21st century - Linghi limestone. Dark grey limestone rock from Linghi in Anhui Province in China has been celebrated by collectors for a thousand years, valued for their fine, wrinkled texture and unusual form. |
 |
| "If a rock appeared porous with many holes penetrating all the way through and had a strangely contorted overall form, it was considered a highly valuable asset to the garden." This one certainly fits the bill! |
 |
These long corridors are typical of traditional Chinese gardens and residences. One of its intentions is to allow visitors to enjoy the gardens regardless of the weather - rain in China and the harsh sun in California. |
 |
Etchings of four traditional Chinese instruments decorate this pavillion |
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| And this is the mood in the gardens - some visitors dressed up in traditional costumes prepared for a million poses... |
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| These two photos were taken through the latticed glass window as the rooms were not open but you can see the centre rock sculpture in what is probably a study above. Love those latticed windows! |
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| Framed vistas are everywhere, in different shapes and sizes |
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| Double-framed! |
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| A final vista in golden hour light before closing |
Saturday, 20 May 2023
L.A. Downtown Architectural Tour Pt. 2
The second half of the tour was a mix of buildings in the jewelry retail area. Visits were a bit hurried as we were in retail shops. We visited the new Apple Store in the restored Tower Theatre building on our own and had a bit more time for photos. But it's been a long morning and we were getting tired. Union Station was our last stop after lunch - a spectacular building to end the day.
Wholesale Jewelry Mart and the Los Angeles Jewelry Center
The WHolesale Jewelry Mart building combines Art Deco with Gothic details. The Los Angeles Jewelry Center with its brilliant green terra cotta and complex arangement of setbacks gave it a distinct Art Deco presence.
Inside the jewelry store
Note the ceiling detail
Elaborate interior behind the jewelry mart lights
Fox Jewelry Plaza
Not sure what this beautifully designed piece is in the lobby, could be just a door to the electrical panel!
Eastern Columbia Building with its gorgeous entrance. Unfortunately we could not go in as it is now a luxury condo
Eastern Columbia Building detail
Ninth & Broadway Building 1930 with elaborate detail above the entrance. It is an office building.
537 S. Broadway F&W Grand Silver Store Building, 1930. Terra cotta columns, with alternating spandrel panels and obvious art deco motifs
Los Angeles Theater
Former Tower Theater is now the Apple Store
Entrance lobby in the Apple Store
Stained glass and water fountain inside the store
The Balcony level of the former theater
The main hall
Union Staton - a unique blend of Spanish Colonial Revival and Art deco, 1939
The main hallway
Main concourse
Elaborate skylight in the north entrance lobby
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The second half of the tour was a mix of buildings in the jewelry retail area. Visits were a bit hurried as we were in retail shops. We visited the new Apple Store in the restored Tower Theatre building on our own and had a bit more time for photos. But it's been a long morning and we were getting tired. Union Station was our last stop after lunch - a spectacular building to end the day.
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| Wholesale Jewelry Mart and the Los Angeles Jewelry Center |
The WHolesale Jewelry Mart building combines Art Deco with Gothic details. The Los Angeles Jewelry Center with its brilliant green terra cotta and complex arangement of setbacks gave it a distinct Art Deco presence.
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| Inside the jewelry store |
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| Note the ceiling detail |
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| Elaborate interior behind the jewelry mart lights |
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| Fox Jewelry Plaza |
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| Not sure what this beautifully designed piece is in the lobby, could be just a door to the electrical panel! |
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| Eastern Columbia Building detail |
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| Ninth & Broadway Building 1930 with elaborate detail above the entrance. It is an office building. |
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| 537 S. Broadway F&W Grand Silver Store Building, 1930. Terra cotta columns, with alternating spandrel panels and obvious art deco motifs |
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| Los Angeles Theater |
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| Former Tower Theater is now the Apple Store |
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| Entrance lobby in the Apple Store |
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| Stained glass and water fountain inside the store |
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| The Balcony level of the former theater |
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| The main hall |
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| Union Staton - a unique blend of Spanish Colonial Revival and Art deco, 1939 |
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| The main hallway |
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| Main concourse |
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| Elaborate skylight in the north entrance lobby |
Wednesday, 17 May 2023
L.A. Downtown Architectural Tour Pt. 1
The architectural tours run by the Los Angeles Conservancy are only on Saturdays - the timing was perfect as we left Yosemite on a Friday. I booked ahead to make sure we got on on the Art Deco tour. We arrived early at Pershing Square, the meeting point for the tour. There was time for a quick walk up Grand Avenue to photograph my favourite landmarks, the Disney Music Centre and the Broad, the Contemporary Art Museum. During the tour, the guide also pointed out a few non Art Deco buildings of interest. So this post is a mix of significant architecture that appeals to me in downtown L.A.
Being a Frank Gehry fan, the prime attraction for me was the revisit of the Disney Music Centre, for me, the most beautiful of the Gehry creations I have visited. It has amazing acoustics too - I attended a concert by a pianist here last time I was here. The angular design was used by Gehry to symbolize musical movement and the motion of Los Angeles." Time for another concert - a full orchestra would highlight the acoustics even more!
Walt Disney Music Centre
Right beside the concert hall is the Broad, a contemporary art museum - another beauty. The museum is an important storage vault in addition to being a gallery as it supports the Broad Art Foundation's extensive lending activities. I would like to make another trip to see the architecture from the inside, where the vault is placed in the centre of the building, visible on the main floor and also forms the floor of the third floor galleries.
We happened to be on Grand Avenue at the same time as a film crew was doing a shoot with a Nissan roaring down the street. There were no other cars on the road but staff were stationed at every crosswalk to prevent us from stepping onto the street without permission (at the risk of being run over!). We found out later that this was the filming of an ad for Nissan. What's L.A. without a film shoot...!?
Walking up S. Grand Ave towards the Music Centre, we came across the interesting mural outside the Madison Complex (also known as the AT&T Switching Station). This map of the world was made of old switches, cables and other phone technology from Pacific Bell. (Artist Anthony Heinsberger)
AT&T Building with its microwave tower
Museum of Contemporary Art with its cute graphic-like roof
Pershing Square, where our tour started
I remember vividly my last visit to this square on a weekday lunch hour - there were no office workers hanging out there. The only visible life were the homeless. This Saturday, there were tourists like us waiting for the start of the tour. Otherwise, it's the world of the homeless.
The Art Deco tour started with the CalEdison Building with its gorgeous interior, the floor and walls composed of 17 different types of marble. The building was one of the first all-electricity heated and cooled building in the U.S.
Stunning elevator doors, reminded me of the ones in Chicago
Detail inside the elevator
Water fountain
Los Angeles also has one of the most handsome art deco libraries in the world. I have visited the inside before but this time it was just a cursory tour of the outside.
Across the street from the library - the splendid Bunker Hill steps
The Oviatt Building, the first Art Deco building in L.A., was the next significant stop, starting with the metal gates to the lobby.
Metal gates to the lobby
A 12-ton illuminated glass cornice and glass arcade ceiling by architect Ferdinand Chanut and glassmaker Gaëtan Jeannin
Glass doors to the restaurant on the main floor
We were allowed a quick peek inside the splendid art deco restaurant through the glass doors. As I'm writing this, I'm starting to think about the next trip here - dinner reservations at the Cicada Restaurant for sure!
These two elevator doors have glass panels designed by Lalique!
Fruit and leaves design on these panels
The architectural tours run by the Los Angeles Conservancy are only on Saturdays - the timing was perfect as we left Yosemite on a Friday. I booked ahead to make sure we got on on the Art Deco tour. We arrived early at Pershing Square, the meeting point for the tour. There was time for a quick walk up Grand Avenue to photograph my favourite landmarks, the Disney Music Centre and the Broad, the Contemporary Art Museum. During the tour, the guide also pointed out a few non Art Deco buildings of interest. So this post is a mix of significant architecture that appeals to me in downtown L.A.
Being a Frank Gehry fan, the prime attraction for me was the revisit of the Disney Music Centre, for me, the most beautiful of the Gehry creations I have visited. It has amazing acoustics too - I attended a concert by a pianist here last time I was here. The angular design was used by Gehry to symbolize musical movement and the motion of Los Angeles." Time for another concert - a full orchestra would highlight the acoustics even more!
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| Walt Disney Music Centre |
Right beside the concert hall is the Broad, a contemporary art museum - another beauty. The museum is an important storage vault in addition to being a gallery as it supports the Broad Art Foundation's extensive lending activities. I would like to make another trip to see the architecture from the inside, where the vault is placed in the centre of the building, visible on the main floor and also forms the floor of the third floor galleries.
We happened to be on Grand Avenue at the same time as a film crew was doing a shoot with a Nissan roaring down the street. There were no other cars on the road but staff were stationed at every crosswalk to prevent us from stepping onto the street without permission (at the risk of being run over!). We found out later that this was the filming of an ad for Nissan. What's L.A. without a film shoot...!?
Walking up S. Grand Ave towards the Music Centre, we came across the interesting mural outside the Madison Complex (also known as the AT&T Switching Station). This map of the world was made of old switches, cables and other phone technology from Pacific Bell. (Artist Anthony Heinsberger)
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| AT&T Building with its microwave tower |
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| Museum of Contemporary Art with its cute graphic-like roof |
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| Pershing Square, where our tour started |
I remember vividly my last visit to this square on a weekday lunch hour - there were no office workers hanging out there. The only visible life were the homeless. This Saturday, there were tourists like us waiting for the start of the tour. Otherwise, it's the world of the homeless.
The Art Deco tour started with the CalEdison Building with its gorgeous interior, the floor and walls composed of 17 different types of marble. The building was one of the first all-electricity heated and cooled building in the U.S.
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| Stunning elevator doors, reminded me of the ones in Chicago |
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| Detail inside the elevator |
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| Water fountain |
Los Angeles also has one of the most handsome art deco libraries in the world. I have visited the inside before but this time it was just a cursory tour of the outside.
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| Metal gates to the lobby |
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| A 12-ton illuminated glass cornice and glass arcade ceiling by architect Ferdinand Chanut and glassmaker Gaëtan Jeannin |
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| Glass doors to the restaurant on the main floor | |
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| We were allowed a quick peek inside the splendid art deco restaurant through the glass doors. As I'm writing this, I'm starting to think about the next trip here - dinner reservations at the Cicada Restaurant for sure! |
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| These two elevator doors have glass panels designed by Lalique! |
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| Fruit and leaves design on these panels |
Thursday, 11 May 2023
Yosemite in winter
Yosemite has always been my favourite National Park. It was the first ever National Park I visited when I first arrived in California decades ago and the first one I introduced to my children. I have been back many times, but always in the spring or summer. This is the first time I have ventured to the Park in the winter and was surprised at how accessible it was. Of course the week following our visit, 15 feet of snow fell in the area and the Park had to be closed. Talking about luck!
While most of the park was accessible when we were there, we only did short hikes. Clambering down to the river bank through the ice and snow was no easy task even with the assistance of crampons, walking stick and helping hands. I'm glad I've visited before because a winter visit like this doesn't really give one a true picture of the park. We rose early to catch the light from the rising sun and stayed late to catch the glow from the setting sun - twice on Horsetail Falls (the renowned "Fire Fall") and twice at Tunnelview for the panoramic valley view.
Come join me to experience Yosemite in winter.
Day 1 We drove up to the Park from Fresno, getting there mid-morning.
Our first view of El Capitan - standing on guard
The most photographed El Capitan - side profile
El Capitan and Three Brothers
Many of these weird looking trees, this one half burnt, in this area
The famous "Firefall" phenomenon, which usually happen over the course of about three weeks in February, requires the convergence of clear skies, the right amount of snowmelt and the right temperature. As sunset nears, the mist catches the sun rays and creates a fabulous optical phenomenon that lasts up to 10 minutes, Crowds gather in the El Capitan picnic area a couple of hours before sunset to get the perfect spot to photograph this - photographers were lined up almost one on top of another (this doesn't really affect their view as the falls are very high up (7200 ft). Because of the crowd, cars are not allowed in the area and it's a1.5 mile hike in.
Just one small corner of the crowd
We lucked out on our first day in the park, perfect sky and temperature for a magnificent Firefall, which we almost missed. The golden hour glow suddenly died down and we thought the Firefall wasn't going to happen and started packing like the people around us. One kid complained that his family was there for three years and couldn't see the Firefall. Sadly, he left with his family. But all of a sudden the red glow came back much redder than the golden hour glow and we scrambled to get our shots!
Horsetail Fall in the golden hour just before the "Firefall"moment
"Firefall"!!
Day 2
We got up early for sunrise although we couldn't really see the actual sunrise because we were low in the valley surrounded by tall mountains. We did catch the early morning mist on El Capitan and watched as it dissipated giving place to a beautiful reflection of the sunlit clouds on the Merced river.
Early morning mist that continued to move on the mountains across from El Capitan
Soft morning glow
Three Brothers in the morning light
We spent an afternoon on the Yosemite Valley loop trail although we didn't really walk very far as there were many curious remnants of trees strewn along the trail. These make time-consuming photography subjects.
Strange markings on some trunks
Upper Yosemite Falls
We drove up to Tunnelview Overlook to catch the sunset on the valley. We were a little disappointed that the mist had covered up Half Dome and kept waiting for it to dissipate. As it turned out, this golden mist was actually more beautiful than the red sunset glow we would see on Day 4, never mind that Half Dome is missing!
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| Our first view of El Capitan - standing on guard |
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| The most photographed El Capitan - side profile |
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| El Capitan and Three Brothers |
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| Many of these weird looking trees, this one half burnt, in this area |
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| Just one small corner of the crowd |
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Horsetail Fall in the golden hour just before the "Firefall"moment "Firefall"!! Day 2  Early morning mist that continued to move on the mountains across from El Capitan
We spent an afternoon on the Yosemite Valley loop trail although we didn't really walk very far as there were many curious remnants of trees strewn along the trail. These make time-consuming photography subjects.   |
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| Upper Yosemite Falls |
Sunday, 20 September 2015
Los Angeles Downtown
Even though we've been to Southern California many times before, we've always bypassed downtown L.A. because of the traffic chaos and because we saw it as just another American city with nothing that would really engage us. This time around, I was determined to find a reason to visit the downtown of what is considered the second biggest city in the U.S. I looked up the tour books and found that it has some interesting architectural attractions like the Walt Disney Music Centre, designed by Frank Gehry and there were a number of historic buildings listed by the LA Conservancy that sounded interesting.
We planned our trip so that we arrived in the Disney Centre mid-afternoon (best place to park) and spent the time walking the few streets south of the centre. The Disney Centre was spectacular and alone was worth the trip. There were a number of art deco buildings in the neighbourhood, including the Los Angeles Central Library.
One big surprise was the lack of people in the public spaces in the downtown area. The main public space, Pershing Square, was deserted at 4 o'clock in the afternoon except for a few homeless people, and remained so into the late afternoon because it seemed that everyone left the downtown core by car. It was a really weird sensation to be walking down empty streets in a big city like this, quite unlike San Francisco, Chicago, New York, or any of the Canadian cities. We stayed in the downtown area as we had bought tickets for a concert at the Disney Centre, also known for its great acoustics - highly recommended. Downtown L.A. turned out to be an interesting place to tour - we will certainly return for more, perhaps join one of the walking tours offered by the L.A. Conservancy.
Walt Disney Music Centre - Frank Gehry building (of course)
One Bunker Hill - allegorical figures by Merrell Gage represent light, power and hydroelectric energy - this was originally the home a utility company. Cubic motifs in the facade repeated in the lobby floor and elevator ceilings.
Coffered ceiling, floors and walls are composed of at least seventeen different types of marble.
Los Angeles Central Library, 1926
Pyramid at the top of the building features a sunburst and is topped by a handheld torch symbolizing the light of knowledge.
Elevator doors and doors into the building
Fountain outside library.
The exterior of the building is covered by ornamental and symbolic artworks and sculptures.
The PacMutual Building on W. Sixth St. across from Pershing Square. Three interconnected structures built between 1908 and 1936. Beaux Arts building with grand lobby and vaulted ceiling, sweeping staircases.
Millennium Biltmore Hotel
Pershing Square at 4 o'clock on a week day
Disney Centre lit up at night
Inside the concert hall - great acoustics!
We planned our trip so that we arrived in the Disney Centre mid-afternoon (best place to park) and spent the time walking the few streets south of the centre. The Disney Centre was spectacular and alone was worth the trip. There were a number of art deco buildings in the neighbourhood, including the Los Angeles Central Library.
One big surprise was the lack of people in the public spaces in the downtown area. The main public space, Pershing Square, was deserted at 4 o'clock in the afternoon except for a few homeless people, and remained so into the late afternoon because it seemed that everyone left the downtown core by car. It was a really weird sensation to be walking down empty streets in a big city like this, quite unlike San Francisco, Chicago, New York, or any of the Canadian cities. We stayed in the downtown area as we had bought tickets for a concert at the Disney Centre, also known for its great acoustics - highly recommended. Downtown L.A. turned out to be an interesting place to tour - we will certainly return for more, perhaps join one of the walking tours offered by the L.A. Conservancy.
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| Walt Disney Music Centre - Frank Gehry building (of course) |
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| One Bunker Hill - allegorical figures by Merrell Gage represent light, power and hydroelectric energy - this was originally the home a utility company. Cubic motifs in the facade repeated in the lobby floor and elevator ceilings. |
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| Coffered ceiling, floors and walls are composed of at least seventeen different types of marble. |
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| Los Angeles Central Library, 1926 |
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| Elevator doors and doors into the building |
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| Fountain outside library. |
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| The exterior of the building is covered by ornamental and symbolic artworks and sculptures. |
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| The PacMutual Building on W. Sixth St. across from Pershing Square. Three interconnected structures built between 1908 and 1936. Beaux Arts building with grand lobby and vaulted ceiling, sweeping staircases. |
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| Millennium Biltmore Hotel |
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| Pershing Square at 4 o'clock on a week day |
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| Disney Centre lit up at night |
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| Inside the concert hall - great acoustics! |
Saturday, 16 March 2013
Pinnacles National Park
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| The park is protected wilderness. If it had been developed into a tourist area, this would have been named "Camel Rock". |
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| Climbers assessing whether they want to come back for this... |
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| Great backdrop for a film shoot... |
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| After you walked past this boulder, you could look back and see it from the top |
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| Looking back at the giant hanging boulder from above |
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| At the top of the climb, the reward - a peaceful lake |
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| A friendly rock face to say goodbye to |
SUNDAY, 12 AUGUST 2012
Lake Tahoe - an abundance of riches
There are some nice public beaches along the waterfront. We went to King's Beach, a long sandy beach with mature trees so there was a choice of sun and shade. It's also very shallow and only waist deep up to about 100 feet from shore, which also means there are no motor boats near where you can swim.
On a side trail off the main hiking trail to Eagle Lake is 90 ft Wall, a popular climb for rock climbing enthusiasts. It can be climbed by different levels of climbers; when we were there, there was a class from an outdoors survival camp as well as some pretty experienced climbers. It's fun to watch too, except don't sit too close - you could end up with a stiff neck and possible rock fall on your head!
| Donner Summit is another popular climbing location near the Lake |
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Where to stay? The accommodation of choice would be a lakefront cottage. But there are many other options, including B&B's, hotels, chalets, etc. We rented this spacious chalet in North Lake Tahoe for three days and look at the view of the sunrise from the bedroom balcony
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THURSDAY, 9 AUGUST 2012
Enchantment at Lake Tahoe, California
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| Emerald Bay - there is a tea house on top of the island |
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| An enchanting little peninsula in the bay |
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| View from Inspiration Point, further south along Hwy 89 and on a sunnier day (you can see the Nevada side of the lake) |
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| Rocky cliffs around the bay |
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| the hike to Eagle Lake is along the rocky banks of this river |
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| View of the bay just a short climb up |
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| More enchantment - Eagle Lake, a short 45 minute hike (my speed) from the parking lot |
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| Many granite boulders scattered around the area |
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| Amazing shapes and locales, precariously balanced - God playing Yahtzee |
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| A rocky ridge reminded me of a very similar landscape at Zhangjiajie in China |
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| Dusk at Emerald Bay |
SATURDAY, 4 AUGUST 2012
Visiting a biodynamic farm in California
Our destination was Love Apple Farms, a biodynamic farm on the slopes of the Santa Cruz mountains. The terraced farm sits on two acres of land and focuses on organic farming and the holistic relationships between soil, plant and animals. The star crop is of course tomatoes ("love apple" being an old French term for tomato) and the farm offers more than 100 varieties of heirloom tomatoes. They also offer tours, workshops and classes in addition to special events catering. We were there for a post-wedding brunch and the large group ate at picnic tables. Click here to read a blog post on the food.
You can see below how the farm was situated on a steep mountain slope, maximizing the amount of sun on its crops. The food was fresh and delicious and the view was breathtaking. It was worth the drive. And if you're not in a hurry to get back to town, keep going on 17 and you'll get to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, an ocean front amusement park. If you're not in the mood for amusement, the walk along the seawall is nevertheless gorgeous and there will be natural entertainment from the sea lions.
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| View of the farm from the entrance |
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| View from the lunch terrace |
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| View of the farm from the lunch terrace |
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| Santa Cruz beach front and the sea lion rock |
SUNDAY, 29 JULY 2012
Tranquil Japanese harmony in Saratoga
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| Picture-perfect |
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| Kois and turtle compete for attention |
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Complete with waterfall and lily pads |
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Bamboo garden |
