L.A. Escapades

Pasadena City Hall

I was very fortunate to escape Austin's horrendous summer weather to the cool, sunny climate of Malibu. Six weeks in Southern California was a godsend physically and emotionally; spiritually, it marked a triumphant return to the destination of my very first "trip" from 1994 when Uncle Rick brought me to L.A. for a weekend. I hadn't ever returned, but since that fateful trip left me spoiled after flying first class sipping endless cokes from a champagne flute, my journeys had taken me through a world far greater than I had ever dreamed. Spoiled then became humbled now - I boarded the private plane in Austin bound for a new journey - one that would bring all the training from years with Uncle Rick into play. Now, it was my turn to be the teacher, to bear the torch of inspiration for another generation of wild babies. Of course, it could only have started in L.A.

Final approach to Santa Monica Airport

Sunset at Santa Monica Pier

I took the kids on many different day trips while in L.A. One of their favorites was renting bikes and riding from Santa Monica down to the end of Venice Beach. During one such trip, a group of Korean students was giving away free Bibimbap to promote the healthy Korean diet. To my surprise the kids actually enjoyed the food, a welcome relief from having to find either cheeseburgers or chicken tenders. 

We also spent many days going to the beach in Malibu. There was a tiny beach next to our house that was great for boogie-boarding, but from time to time we went to public beaches where they could play with other kids lay in the sand. 

Rooftop Deck at our house in Malibu

Malibu Point State Beach

Of course, California isn't just about beaches. I was obligated to expose the wild babies to some much needed culture. Museums are bountiful in the area, and the one to see is the Getty Museum - and if you can manager, the Getty Villa as well. 

View from the Getty Museum

Irises by Van Gogh

Haystacks by Monet

Getty Museum gardens

Ever fascinated with science, we made a trip to the Griffith Observatory. Having seen it featured in many movies, I have always been entranced by its splendid architectural beauty. Being able to visit it was a dream come true. I wasn't quite sure they would enjoy it as much as they did. What I imagined would be an hour or two became four hours of running around seeing everything the observatory had on offer. 

It's not often I take a selfie

Best time for star gazing

Best view of the Hollywood Sign

One can't go to L.A. without taken in at least some of the iconic sites related to Tinsel Town. After a quick lunch at Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood, we visited Madame Tussaud's - discovered that Taylor Lautner is a lot taller in reality while Robert de Niro is quite short. We rounded out our time on Hollywood Blvd. by looking at celebrity footprints outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre. 

Another day, we drove east to Pasadena to take in its magnificent gardens and architecture. Highlights were City Hall and the Pasadena Civic Auditorium (which we had to sneak into to glimpse inside). From there, we scooted over to the Huntington Library Gardens featured in many films, particularly those set in Japan. 

Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena Civic Auditorium

Huntington Library Rose Garden

 The Huntington Library gardens are over 100 years old. Its most famous ones are the Chinese and Japanese gardens. Movies such as Anger Management and Beverly Hills Ninja have featured the Japanese garden. These truly put Maymont to shame. 

Look familiar??

Juniper Bonsai Trees

Entrance to Chinese Garden

I was blessed on two occasions over the summer to rendezvous with two of my clients from Beijing and their kids. The day we visited Pasadena we met my student Stephen and his mom Mandy for Chinese Hot Pot. It was wonderful to see him, and of course, he and my boss' son hit it off based on their mutual love of video games.