The Huntington Library - August 15, 2010

The Huntington Library in San Marino, CA is  combination of a library, botanical gardens and art collections. It's a great mish mosh of many things that I love and enjoy. What a perfect place to visit! I did not actually go into the library portion, rather I enjoyed the many gardens and art exhibits.

There are a variety of gardens which include the desert, tropical, rose, Japanese, Chinese, children's garden, and many more. Each variety of plant and flower are labeled for easy identification. Every few hundred feet, and along various pathways, you are transported into a different world of beauty. There is tea house in the Chinese garden (which was pretty pricey, so I did not actually stop by). The Japanese Garden has a lovely koi pond. There are ducks throughout the gardens. Again, I think that the photographs would best describe the scenery.

The Huntington Library also offers several art exhibits and concerts at night. The most famous paintings at the Huntington are of 'Blue Boy' and 'Pinkie'. It's definitely worth the visit. You can pay to visit for the day or purchase an annual pass to enjoy the library and its activities year round.

MORE PICTURES AFTER THE JUMP...

Vasquez Rocks - August 1, 2010

Vasquez Rocks is located in Agua Dulce, CA. It is a natural park area filled with large rock formations shooting from the ground. It's a popular place to go hiking, picnicking, horse back riding, and to shoot TV shows and movies.

I remember coming to Vasquez when I was much younger as part of the local YMCA summer camp. We would hike and climb rocks all day and eat lunch in the shade underneath one of the rock formations. These fond memories made me want to come back here as an adult and see if this place was just as magical as I had remembered as a child. IT WAS!

I brought a few friends willing to take the challenge of climbing to the top of the highest rock formation with me. We got there and spent a few good hours climbing and exploring the trails. We were able to climb to the very top of the formation pictured above and believe me, heights is a scary thing for me...I truly felt accomplished! I must say, it was much harder to do as an adult than as a child.

In addition to all my fond memories of this place, it is a very popular area to film TV shows and movies. I am literally watching an episode of NCIS right now on TV and they are at Vasquez! It is an amazing sight to see and a great place to visit. If you plan on going in the summertime, there is not much shade so a cooler with lotsss of cold water is a must!

Sturtevant Falls - July 10, 2010

Just miles outside of the heart of Los Angeles, CA is a 3-mile hike that leads to a beautiful waterfall. The beginning of the year lead to a new love of the outdoors and hiking. I heard about Sturtevant Falls in Sierra Madre, CA from a friend. I couldn't believe that there were actual waterfalls so close to the city!

I rounded up a few friends and decided to spend the day to see the waterfall with my own eyes...It's a pretty easy drive (off the 210 freeway and up a mountain). You have to pay $5 for an "adventure pass" which allows you to park in the area. My biggest recommendation is to get there early because parking can get very hectic later on in the day.

The start of the hike is a 45 degree downhill (a real push to climb back  up) and 3 miles within an area that has alot of trees and shade. You pass through several "cabins" and cross a few small ponds before actually reaching the falls. Note that your feet WILL GET WET if your not careful passing through the ponds.

Once we reached the falls, there is an area to sit, eat, and enjoy the beauty of nature. We took our shoes off and dipped our feet in the pool underneath the falls. The water was pretty cold, but definetly relaxing after the hike there. We had gone on a weekend during the mid-day, and it was pretty crowded. In any case, it was still enjoyable to know that there was such beauty amidst the busy city a few miles away.