January 2024February 2024 March 2024

02/25 - It's An Election Year

We spotted this sign in one of the empty lots in our neighborhood. It has already started.

It brings back the memories.

Keywords: port angeles

02/23 - Santa Monica Again

We walked along the promenade in Santa Monica. If nothing else, it was sunny and relaxing.

Along the promenade

The fabled beach

A hotel

The street

An old friend

A promising sign

A traffic free shopping street

A restaurant getting ready

The amusement pier


Some intruders

Keywords: los angeles

02/22 - Will Rogers State Park

One of our favorite parks in the Los Angeles area is WIll Rogers State Park. If nothing else, it is easy to get to, and it starts at the edge of the city and heads into the hills offering both an escape and great views.

This actually the swan swamp back at the Bel Air

View of the polo field at Will Rogers State Park

Flowers

Another view as we ascended

More flowers

Even more flowers

Did we say flowers?

Mushrooms

The city in the distance

The trail

Another view

Twisted trees

Flowering trees

Along the trail

A shaded stretch

An old root

More mushrooms

Even more flowers

Yuccas

Keywords: los angeles

02/21 - Rainy Day in Bel Air

Our favorite hotel in Los Angeles used to be the Bel Air. It was perched above the plain of the city and had a wonderful luxurious feel. We stayed there again. It was nice enough, and very pretty, but we were disappointed in many aspects of the physical plant. We never could get the HVAC system working in any meaningful way, and they had one of those new fangled light control systems that made simple things, like turning the lights on and off, much harder.

Despite this, we did enjoy exploring the hotel and its grounds. It's set in one of the canyons, so the rooms climb the hills and the gardens ramble. We took a walk in the neighborhood. The houses were all way larger than any McMansion and, unlike McMansions, reflected the whims and fancies of their owners. How about a chateau, a rose covered Tudor, a Japanese fortress, a 20,000 square foot New England cottage.

We took advantage of one of those weather apps that told us to expect a clearing in five or ten minutes. We rushed out as soon as the rains stopped and made our way up the canyon. The app didn't say that we only had a ten minute window, but that's how long we had been out when the rains returned. Houses in Bel Air tend to have security warnings specifying that there will be armed response to any alarm. It's almost the town motto - "Welcome to Bel Air, Armed Response". Still, people are people, and when we were drenched to the bone, a Range Rover pulled up and a nice lady asked if we needed a ride. We politely turned down her offer, but it was nice to know that Bel Air has a more welcoming side.


A garden ornament in Bel Air

Someone's fantasy garden

Another house

Yet another

The road

A view from the hotel

Another view

A koi pond

Exploring the hotel grounds

A hummingbird at rest

Another look

Keywords: los angeles, weather

02/21 - Los Angeles by Night

There are just a handful of pictures here. That's Santa Monica at night and the Bel Air swans taking an evening swim.

Santa Monica

More Santa Monica

The swan setting

Swans again

Yet more Santa Monica

Keywords: los angeles

02/20 - Beverly Hills

We had dinner in Beverly Hills, down near Rodeo Drive. It was raining, and the streets were quiet. We had an excellent dinner at a seafood restaurant, Crustacean. The sun set. After our meal, it was still raining lightly. The streets were still pretty quiet, but the shop lights took on a specially pleasant glow.

Daytime Beverly Hills

Some shop lights

A high end, presumably, pawn shop

More lights and some palm trees

After dinner

Beverly Hills came into its own

A store window close up

More light

Photogenic - We weren't the only ones taking pictures.

Los Angeles in the rain at night - No wonder they did so well with film noir.

That curvy shopping side street everyone photographs

More lights and rain

The red glow is a nice touch.

Keywords: los angeles, shopping

02/19 - Getty Villa and Santa Monica

We were in Los Angeles for a bit. We arrived with an atmospheric river at our heels, so there was a lot of rain. We still managed to explore a bit. We made it out to the Getty Villa with its wonderful Roman Gardens and impressive collection of ancient artifacts. We also made it down to Santa Monica and explored a bit. We were pleased to see that Jadis was still around. We never seem to arrive when it's open, but we can see through the window is pretty impressive.

At the Getty Villa

A formal Roman garden

At the Getty Villa

There was great art, too, but the gardens and architecture look better in photos.

Another Roman garden

Santa Monica

Jadis, specializing in movie props and science fiction artworks

Keywords: los angeles

January 2024February 2024 March 2024