SoCal - Beaches, Buildings, Beauty!

Heading north from San Diego, we stopped at several quintessential California beach towns. Ocean Beach, for instance, has the requisite long fishing pier, palm-lined main street, outdoor cafes, and the bustle of people jogging, skateboarding, and of course, surfing. The California lifestyle was definitely in evidence.

Del Mar, Encinitas, and Oceanside were similar beach towns, then on to San Clemente, best known as the former home of Richard Nixon. It’s an upscale hillside town, brimming with Spanish architecture. The curvy steep streets and ocean views reminded me of Positano, Italy. Moving north, we stopped for a picnic lunch at Laguna Beach, yet another classic SoCal beach town.

Our arrival in Los Angeles was a bit of a culture shock, since we’ve been away from traffic, population density, and skyscrapers for quite a while. We parked Mia at the home of friends Jean and Scott Timberlake, and enjoyed a relaxing weekend with them. Their son Ford is an avid surfer who showed us his stuff at Torrance Beach during the day Saturday, and then at night, wowed us again dressed for his winter formal in a tux and bright red vest.

We’ve been to Los Angeles before, and decided that this time around we’d visit places not seen on previous trips. The “biggies” were the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Getty Center. Both were off-the-charts spectacular.

The Disney Concert Hall is on a busy, relatively small corner downtown. Frank Gehry’s design, made up of huge, curved brushed-stainless steel panels, catches your attention immediately; the design is asymmetrical, so as you walk around, the artistry is non-stop. The play of light and shadows on the shiny surfaces is beautiful. Outside there are also small terraces with gardens and sitting areas, which are open to the public at all times. Inside, the surprises continue, with asymmetrical spaces abounding, cascading lighting from above, and tree-like support columns that mask the building’s mechanical systems. Impressive.

The Getty Center, on the other hand, appears as a modern-style fortress dramatically perched on 750 acres of hilltop on the outskirts of central L.A. Designed by Richard Meier and opened in 1997, the Center features the extensive Getty art collection. We took fact-packed docent-led tours of the highlights of the art collection as well as the architecture and gardens. The architecture is made up of white square grids and travertine stone elements, with surprising, almost playful shapes; each side of every building is different. The landscaping is delicate but stunning, including gentle pools and water cascades. The architecture, gardens and view of the L.A. skyline almost eclipse the museum itself for magnificence. It was easy to spend the entire day at “The Getty”, an extraordinary and stunning place.

On the way out of Los Angeles we stopped in Yorba Linda at the Nixon Museum. The exhibits were well presented, and we learned/relearned a great deal. The museum includes the presidential Lincoln limo, a recreation of the White House East Room and Lincoln Sitting Room, and the helicopter that served Nixon and several other presidents. Nixon’s birthplace on it’s original location is at the edge of the property.

I’m writing this from Barstow California, about half way between L.A. and Death Valley, our next destination. There’s not much in Barstow except the restored 1911 train station, which was once part of the Harvey House chain of elegant dining rooms and hotels along the Santa Fe train route. Before the days of on-board dining, the famed “Harvey Girls” served meals, offered information and a friendly welcome to weary travelers.

We continue to be fascinated with all we’re seeing!

Love from us both, Patty