Tourist In My Own Town: The Getty Center

The Getty Center was in our Summer to-do list, but we ran out of time. We had a school holiday two weeks ago, so the kids and I headed over there. If you are ever in Los Angeles, this should be in your must-visit list. Really! It's not just the art (which is amazing!), it's the whole experience.

You start with the tram that takes you to the top of the hill. The tram curves around, and it gives you a view of the city, as well of the freeway below. In the last few moments, you get a peek of the building. I love how the trip reveals a little bit at a time. Then you get out, and you are surrounded by beautiful gardens, gorgeous architecture, famous sculptures, and more amazing views.

Once inside, you will see world class art. But it's not all art and no play. They have lots of interactive art, and one nook that you can go and sketch real works of art. My two eldest loved that. They sat there and sketched for a while. And much to my happy surprise, they decided that they will continue sketching on their own.

Right now, there's a Franz Xaver Messerschmidt exhibit. They had a fun room where you can go in and take a selfie recreating a Messerschmidt sculpture. Here's the middlest's take.

My favorite part was the garden. When you live in an urban environment, big, well designed gardens are rare, and such a treat. AND (yes, this is a big "and") they had maple trees with leaves that were changing colors. It might have been a warm Los Angeles day, but the tree had the most beautiful red leaves. Sigh of happiness. I miss Fall. Real Fall.

This trip was a total success. Instead of the usual "are we done yet" that I hear when we visit museums, the kids have made plans to go back. As a matter of fact, my middlest summed it up the best, "This is the best museum ever. We should come back more often." And hey, it's free! Win-win.

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Weekend In Photos: The Vulcan Edition

If you've watched Star Trek (movie #10 by J.J. Abrams), you will recognize these rocks as Vulcan, Spock's home planet. If you are a fan of the original series, you'll remember this as where Captain Kirk and Gorn were beamed to fight til death. No, I'm not a trekkie. I married one!

This is actually Vasquez Rock in Agua Dolce, about 45 minutes outside of Los Angeles. Otherworldly and beautiful. We were in the vicinity, and decided to take the kids there. The boys are huge Star Trek fans, so it was a happy moment for them. Alas, I was wearing the wrong shoes for this little hike. Plus, did I mention it's gotten warm around these parts, and rattlesnakes like warm weather? Uh, yeah. Next time, we'll have to come prepared with sunscreen and hiking boots (maybe some water and wider lens too!)

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Weekend In Photos: Hollywood Reservoir

I've been making a list of places here in Los Angeles that I want to explore. This Saturday, we had a nice brunch at King's Road cafe. And after our tummies were filled with pancakes, french toast, bacon, and soy latte, we headed to the Hollywood Reservoir.

Can't go wrong with bacon.

It's in between the 101 Fwy and Griffith Park. It was built in the 1920s, and once you are up there, you can barely tell you are in the city.

We drove until the end of the road, got out, and it didn't look like much. But after you walk past the chain link fence, you are welcomed with the best view of the Hollywood sign in the entire city. Ever!

Photos taken with my iPhone.

There's not much to do up there other than look at the sign, and look towards the westside of the city. But it's so calm and quiet and pretty.

That first cluster of buildings is Hollywood.

It's so far up (in LA-speak) that we could see Topanga Canyon.

The dam has since been reinforced on the inside (to make sure it won't ever leak into the neighborhoods below.) On the side of the structure, there are bear head gargoyles. Love the details!

Totally coming back here again. With a real camera next time! (And sunscreen.)

Someone had a real sense of humor when adding this control plate. Why not take the mundane and turn it into something happy.

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A Place Called Home

My friend Courtney Walsh has written a novel, A Sweethaven Summer, and she's been doing a series of blog posts about the book, the various themes in it, and also giveaways. She asked me to do a layout about a place that is meaningful to me. (BTW, the book is a really good read. There's an awesome character named Luke Barber. Pretty awesome name, if I may say so myself...)

Initially I thought about all the places I've lived at, and I've lived in a lot of different places. But then it occurred to me that what I needed to scrap about was the place in which I'm currently living: Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is a hard place to love if you live here. And I mean here-here. In the middle of the city. The traffic is atrocious at all times. It's noisy, dirty, polluted. There are some crazy drivers here, but the pedestrians are nuts too! When I first moved here, I really wanted to like it. But I could not. I missed my house in Philly. I missed my friends. I missed the four seasons weather. I missed the kids' schools, the real cheesesteak, the crazy groundhogs walking around, the hiking trails.

After a few months of pouting, faking being happy, some more pouting, I realized that it wasn't the city that was making me sad. It was me! I was in my own way. So I resolve to be happier. I resolve to explore more, and see what this place offers. I've made friends, I've become more involved in the kids' school. I might even talk to a neighbor or two.

Because really, how can I be angry with a place that is almost always sunny, warm, and has palm trees? Right?

The chevron stamp is from Lawn Fawn's Chevron Backdrops, which will be available on March 1st. Other supplies: Ink / Clearsnap's Colorbox; thread / DMC; cardstosck: Neenah; font / p22 Typewriter. (Sorry for the slightly pink photos!)

Thanks for dropping by!

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Last Day of Summer (Vacation, that is.)

Yesterday, it was my kids' last day of summer vacation. A bit of a bittersweet date for us. I just love having the kids around.

   I love the lack of schedule.
   I love that they bond as brothers and learn new ways to play together.
   I love that we can be lazy.
   I love that we can travel anytime we want to.

But after two months, I could tell that the boys were suffering from a bit too much togetherness. They were starting to bicker. So the back to school day was perfectly timed. For them. For me, well, today is also my youngest's first day of Kindergarten. I told my husband that I would not cry when it's time to say goodbye. We'll see how that goes.

So to celebrate the last day, we headed off to do what we love most: hang out at the beach. The kids ran in and out of the surf, and built sand castles. Bryan played with them. And I got to people watch.

In Brazil, where I grew up, we have a saying that translates into something like, "the beach is a democracy." And it's true. It doesn't matter who you are, how much money you have, where you live, the color of your skin, who you voted for (or didn't vote at all), what language you speak, what God you believe in, your age, sex, height, weight, we all come together at the beach. Hanging out, having fun, enjoying ourselves and the company of those we love.

It was totally fascinating watching the other families around us, seeing how they interacted, eavesdropping in their conversations. Lots of languages I didn't recognize at all. Love that about America. You see all kinds, you hear all kinds in this country.

All in all, a lovely afternoon. And no one got sunburned. Win-win.

Crowded day at Venice Beach / Running back and forth carrying seawater in a yellow pail with holes  / Hoping for a prize + hoping for customers / Toddling with a saggy-soggy behind / A boy + a bat / Called back / Going home / Walking home / Sailing home / Interesting photo shoot / Pink!

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Happy Reasons, List One

I have more than four reasons why I'm happy I moved to Southern California. But for today, I'm focusing on these.

BEACH! Need I say more?

Japanese bookstore with a washi tape aisle.

Fresh squeezed orange juice from my own orange tree. And a husband who will squeeze it for me. Although I did bring that husband along. (Don't mind ugly 70s kitchen. It's a rental.)

Women who welcomed me with open arms even though we had just met a few weeks before. (In you case you are wondering, they are Stacy, Suzy, and Lisa.)

I'll be posting more lists of random Happy Reasons. It's better than sad reasons list for leaving Philly, right?

Happy Monday!

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And a few weeks later...

Sorry! I meant to come back to post some photos, but I got distracted. With good food, finding my way around, getting stuck in crazy traffic, and people watching. Let's not forget meeting up with Stacy and Lisa for lunch. And the beach. I hope you'll forgive me.

Our stuff is finally coming this week, so woohoo for being able to sleep in my own bed and no longer camping out in the house. I'll be happily unpacking. And thank you all for the lovely encouraging words!

First thing to do in LA? Eat at In-N-Out.

Or find a good boba restaurant.

Maybe even hunt down a Beard Papa for creme puffs.

Uh, yeah, I had one too. Just one though. I was good.

Then, we started our weekly search for the best dim sum in LA (this was 888 Seafood Restaurant, the search continues.) Yes, there they are again, my well-trained Chinese kids who can use chopsticks. Never mind they are crossing their chopsticks. Bad form!

A dim sum bill. Each of those stamps is a dish, it all gets added up in the end.

For Easter dinner,  we found a nice banh mi joint. (Banh Mi = Vietnamese sandwiches, the most amazing sammies, ever!)

And because that was not enough food for us, we went to a Chinese candy store. Amazing for kids and slightly older people too.

Yes, we did something other than eat! Really. We went to Venice beach.

And my kids, who will brave any water temps because they love water. But they can't swim that well. Go figure.

This photo is for Kim. I found a spot to take closer photos of the Hollywood sign. So next time you are visiting, that's where we'll go!

Before I go direct the movers, Creating Keepsakes is celebrating National Scrapbooking Day for the entire week with some great giveaways. I have a little challenge there today, and the giveaway is a full year's subscription to CK mag. Get more info here.

Also, at the Lily Bee blog, we are doing a full week of Mother's Day celebration. Because really, as a mom, I think we deserve it! Which reminds me I should also direct the purchasing of a Mother's Day present. For me!

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