Yesterday was a great day here in SoCal. When my conference was over I went to Pacific Palisades where I toured the incredible Getty Villa. If you have not been to the Getty do go! It is a testament to what a museum can be like when there is a multi-billion dollar fund behind it.
I read somewhere that Getty was inspired to build the villa after her acquired a wonderful piece of Roman sculpture. The entire villa is done in a Mediterranean theme (not Las Vegas theme park though). The artifacts featured throughout are all Mediterranean: Roman, Etruscan, Greek, and other lesser civilizations (not lesser, just that i forgot or can't spell them! LOL).
The drive up to the villa is made of huge paving stones that are exactly like the millennia old cobblestones around the Coliseum and the via Sacra in Rome. The cafeteria features a wonderful varied menu and I quite enjoyed the rock shrimp risotto I had there. The risotto and a Pellegrino was $ 14.
I really enjoyed the manner in which the art was arranged - not by era or civilization but by genre. It was not unlike the exhibit Paul and I saw at the Guggenheim last December in New York.I really enjoy seeing how different civilizations/cultures handled a particular genre.
The gardens at the Getty easily rivaled the art. While the flowers were not in full bloom it was easy to imagine what they would be like in all of their glory in a few weeks. In the herb garden the fruit trees were in bloom and the blossoms perfumed the air.
Entrance to the Getty is free but you must reserve a ticket on-line for a particular time. Included in this reservation is a reserved parking spot. Parking costs $ 8.
After leaving the Villa I traveled to Pasadena where I was going to hook up with a group of slowtravel folks for drinks and dinner. I had no trouble finding Pasadena and quickly decided that this was a place I would like to return to at sometime in the future (unlike Anaheim!)
I was walking around the old core and doing some shopping when my phone rang. It was Palma, she had arrived early and was waiting in the hotel lobby.I left my purchases in the car and went off to meet my 'twin sister, separated by birth'. Someone actually though we were related when we were chatting on-line. This isn't the case at all, it is just that we eerily have such similar interests. We hit it off and she showed me her wonderful scrapbooks.
Before we knew it it was time to head out to the wine shop where we were to meet Marcia and Dave. We sampled some wines and indulged in more chatter about this and that. Unfortunately the shop was out of the wine that I tasted or I would have brought some home with me.
Before we knew it it was time to head out for dinner. As we left the wine bar who should appear but another slow travel pal: Kathy.
Dinner was a real treat both because of the good food but more because of the better company. Marcia, Kathy, Palma, and I were just chattering up a storm. It is amazing how you can meet these friends who you have never met physically and when you do there is so much to chat about! I'm sure Brad and Dave were wondering just who these people were that their wives had 'hooked up' with! Before we knew it (and without dessert!) they were closing the restaurant down around us. Kathy noticed that they brought the vacuum cleaner out to do the carpets - a sure sign that!
I got back to the hotel at midnight. Thank goodness the conference is over and I could sleep in today.
Once I feel like heading out today I will go back to San Juan Capistrano to see if the swallows returned this year and then head to Laguna Beach to drink margaritas. Vacation is such a wonderful thing!
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