Every year we make a trip to California to visit family (my
sisters Jessica and Cynthia and niece Senna) and soak up some sunshine.
It had snowed all week in NYC before we left so even though it was a
bit overcast in LA, the warmer temperatures were very welcome. We spent
a nice week Mar 20 through Mar 27 in and near LA.
20 Mar. - We arrived in LA midday
and got a chance to meet Jessica's new sweetheart Arik. Later in the
week we visit his furniture finishing shop ...
21 Mar. - Sunday
we wake at Cynthia's place in Acton and are treated to the usual fabulous
sunrise over the hill in the backyard. After a pleasant breakfast we
set out to a local phenomenon, Red
Rock Canyon State Park. It's two hours from Acton by car, hey, it's
CA! Red Rock Canyon is like a mini-Bryce Canyon. After reveling in the
formations there we're back in Acton and Janet tries her hand on the
reel mower (when you live in NYC this seems like fun!).
22 Mar. - Monday we
hook up with some friends from our Yoga organization (Sivananda).
We pick up Swami Padmapadananda at the LA center, then go to Pasadena
to join with Ellen (Govidapada) to enjoy the area. Our main excursion
is to the NortonSimon
museum where the outstanding collection is balanced with a beautiful
garden.
23 Mar (a)
- On Tuesday we spent the whole day with Jessica to visit some major
LA attractions. The Watts
Towers built by Simon Rodia in the early 1900's were under scaffolding
a few years ago when we tried to see them last, but are all restored
now and fascinating.
23 Mar
(b) - The new Disney
Concert Hall at the LA Music Center is a captivating Frank Gehry
design reminiscent of the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain.
23 Mar (c)
- The Cathedral
of Our Lady of the Angels is a few blocks from the music center.
It's less than a year old and a dramatic design in its own right. Despite
having seating for over 2500 people it still has a warm welcoming feeling.
Some decorative features of the old cathedral (St. Vibian's) were used
in the new cathedral, including the stained-glass windows now in the
downstairs masoleum. There is a charming kids' play area in the outside
courtyard.
24 Mar - Wednesday we lit out
for some quieter time away from the major LA area. We head NorthWest
to Ojai where orange groves still fill the valleys (homes fast encroaching).
We found the lovely Emerald
Iguana Inn and enjoyed the artsy feel of the area and a hike on
a local fire road overlooking town.
25 Mar - after a leisurely
day in Ojai we head to catch my niece Senna in her Thousand Oaks High
School track meet. She's a junior and ran the 100 meter and 200 meter
races (3rd in the 200!).
26 Mar - A quintessential
southern California sunny early spring day compelled
us to do a quintessentially California thing. We started at the beach
near Carpenteria and worked our way to sunset on the Angeles Crest Highway
(CA 2) in the San Gabriel mountains around 7000 ft. elevation.
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