Los Angeles ~Grauman's Chinese Theater and Hollywood Walk of Fame

 I grew up in Southern California and lived there till I was almost 16 so we had visited Hollywood many times over those years. But we realized that our 12 year old son had never been...had no idea it even existed! Being "movie" people we knew that we had to bring our son to this tourist destination. He was not disappointed. Of course, never knowing it even existed he had no expectations and, in fact, wasn't even sure he wanted to go so the bar we needed to exceed to impress him was really really low!

Driving into downtown we saw this fun building. It's actually a school but it's definitely a great example of some of the wonderful architecture you can see in Los Angeles. The fun part of touring LA is that you can see something ultra modern like this one right next to something that was built when the city was first formed!

There is a parking garage right at the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and N. Orange and when you come up the stairs from parking your car you are greeted by Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. This version of Johnny Depp was waiting for us on the day we visited. Reactions to it ranged from "Cool" to "Funny" to "Creepy" but not a single person walked past without noticing!

Keep walking toward Highland Ave and you will find that Grauman's Chinese Theater is next on your tour. Famous for movie premiers and movie stars foot and hand prints in the concrete, this is definitely a great stop for any tourist seeing LA. 

 The prints in the small courtyard of the theater include more modern references such as these by the cast of Harry Potter. It's fun to match up your own foot and hand prints with those of the stars.

 It's even more fun to match up your prints with the vintage stars like Humphrey Bogart! His shoes, and those of many of his contemporaries, are actually very, very small! 

The courtyard is always very crowded with people looking for their favorite stars, standing in footprints and taking photos of the ground but don't forget to look up! The architecture is actually very striking! So take the time to really look at all of the embellishments on these buildings.

 Keep in mind that most of the outdoor embellishments are metal. So, yes, those horns and fangs would be very sharp!

But it was the dragon that stole my heart. It would be pretty easy to visit Grauman's Chinese Theater and not take in the details but there are many to take in so spend some time looking up, not just looking down. Oh! And if you really have some time, take in a show! Yes, they still show movies at the theater.

One of the most fun details is actually to the right of the theater doors. This staircase connects the theater with the Dolby Theater complex next door. I simply thought they were cool looking so I waited till the escalator, which most people were using, was empty to take my photo. I stopped for a second to check the shot and I'm so very glad I did. A few seconds after I pressed the shutter some teenagers started up the stairs...to find out that they are actually a real keyboard! It plays music! It was completely a joy to watch the kids play on the steps. What a great surprise!

 It was cool to realize that I was standing where they run the Red Carpet for the Academy Awards. If you head up these stairs you will find more shops and restaurants, many of those are upscale but just standing on the sidewalk you get to feel a part of Hollywood without spending a dime.

The big yellow arch is where the stars enter the theater but there is plenty to see here without going inside. You can eat at the Hard Rock Cafe, grab a hot dog from the sidewalk vendor and, of course, take in the costume performers walking the sidewalks and posing with tourists for tips. There's a certain irony in seeing a Spiderman wearing tennis shoes and a fanny pack on Hollywood Blvd.

But none of the performers tickled me more than the Johnny Depp characters of Willy Wonka (seen here in a Candy Shop...no, not kidding you...a Candy Shop) and Captain Jack Sparrow! I've never been tempted to take photos and tip these performers but this was just too good to pass up!

All the way up and down the sidewalks here, for several blocks on each side of the street, are the Stars. The Hollywood Walk of Fame. All different forms of entertainment are featured with music stars such as Michael Jackson. Notice the phonograph icon in the center...do kids even know what that means now? 

 Movie actors and actresses like Tom Cruise or Julia Roberts are featured as well. These stars are paid for from the fan clubs of these performers and the honor is really honoring their fans so they always show up for the presentation and it's a really big celebration when they do.

Sometimes the stars are awarded, as in this case, with the location being honored by the chairman of the Walk of Fame. I, wholeheartedly, support this one! (click on the small picture to read the plaque inscription)

When you get to the corner of Hollywood and Highland you may be distracted by the stores, the enormous gift shop across the way, Souvenirs of Hollywood (which has been there for as long as I can remember) or Ripley's Believe It Or Not on the other corner but, once again, look up. This amazing building is right on that corner and it's worth a few moments just to take in the many details. Oh, look, I found another stone lion! LOL! (click on the photo to see the larger version and then look in the lower left for the lion)

Across the way isn't so shabby either. This view of Hollywood Blvd and the El Capitan Theater (home of the very first Academy Awards ceremony...and, yes, I know way too much about this stuff...) is from the corner of Hollywood and Highland and gives you an idea how vintage architecture is surrounded with more modern buildings on this street.

And the El Capitan is a wonderful example of this classical architecture. It truly is amazing all of the building details that are included in this one piece.

Even the fire escape is ornate! Ok, so you've noticed the landing and how there are plaques and filigree but look at the rungs in the ladder! They, too, are decorated!

The front of the building is no less amazing. Part of this building is now the Disney Store so it was a challenge to show you the vintage details without the modern advertising being a major distraction. 

The details of this building are distracting on their own. This was one of those times when I stopped to take a photograph and lots of people were passing me by on the sidewalk. Slowly, as I figured out how I could capture the fabulous windows, I noticed that people were stopping to see what I was seeing. Probably wondering what I could possibly be so intent on photographing and then to realize how gorgeous this facade actually is and how they could have just walked right by it and never have noticed. LOOK UP. Seriously, there's a whole other world waiting for you. Especially in a city. 

The details are everywhere on this building and I could have eaten up a good part of our day just exploring it but that will have to wait for another trip. This was simply a side gate to the courtyard. Amazing. If you are on Instagram there is an artist that does nothing but spotlight this type of amazing architecture and details in Los Angeles. Look up Revheavygilnoir on Instagram if you love this type of detail!

But if you are into more modern architecture and details, Los Angeles has plenty of that available right outside your window. This was on our way from Hollywood to the La Brea Tar Pits and is now one of my favorites from this trip. Join me next Monday for a tour of that part of Downtown Los Angeles!

Cat

Los Angeles ~ The Huntington Library

When I was a kid I remember rebelling against the thought of going to a "Library" with my parents. By the end of my first visit to The Huntington Library, at age 7, I was completely and utterly hooked. I don't know if this was the first "House and Gardens" I had ever toured with my parents but it was the first that I remember. I remember the Japanese Gardens, the Rose Gardens and the Main House and Sculpture Gardens. It has really grown from there!

 Coming up from the Rose Gardens you see the gorgeous main house. This is the back patio and it overlooks an open area as well as the Rose Gardens. What a lovely place this would be to have had a cocktail party!

 You actually enter the Main House from this dark portico in the front. Hidden in the greenery is this beautiful sculpture...the first one you see in the Sculpture Garden area you can just glimpse in the background of this photo.

 But then you enter the front hallway. This staircase has charmed me since I was a child. The grand columns along with the ironwork of the banister are just SO romantic. There are galleries at the top of these stairs including a beautiful statue of Diana. We were running out of time before the grounds closed so we limited ourselves to the lower galleries only this trip.

 This amazing stained glass window is easily missed on the bottom level of the Main House so make sure to look for it. It's down a side hallway. It is the David Healey Memorial Window manufactured by Morris & Co. (remember to click on the small photo to make it larger to see the details!)

 But this...this is where I head every single time we visit. The main hall gallery in the Main House. This is where I first fell in love with Art. Long before I ever held a camera in my hand, long before I ever considered making it my life, I sat in silent awe in front of these oil paintings and soaked up the wonder of it all. This trip we took our 12 year old for the first time and his reaction was the same. Our hyper 12 year old son sat in awe in front of the painting of "Pinkie" and was just blown away. Lots and lots of questions followed and all of the beauty of the gardens was eclipsed by this one room. 

 And this one...this is the painting I would love to have hanging in my home over all the other paintings I have ever seen in any museum I've ever visited. This beautiful painting by Joshua Reynolds caught my heart. It's just so romantic. The background reminds me of the Huntington itself and the lady pictured was just so different looking from all of those I'd ever seen before or since.

 Jane Fleming, the Countess of Harrington was born in England and painted at the age of 23. There is something about her expression, her hair, even her clothing that is so soft and sweet and romantic. Very different from the very polished, uptight women in most of the paintings of the era. I could, literally, stare at this painting for hours.

 To the right of my favorite painting is Thomas Gainsborough's The Blue Boy. This one, as well as "Pinkie" are what the Huntington Library is known for. People come just to see these two paintings. The Blue Boy is actually a "costume" painting. The artist dressed up a friends son in a costume that dated back 140 years and then painted him in the style of  Van Dyke as an homage to the painter. I'm sure he had no idea how popular this portrait would be in the future!

 Thomas Lawrence's "Pinkie" doesn't have such a happy history. This painting of Sarah Barrett Moulton was painted in 1794. Lawrence painted Sarah's likeness when she was 11 and, sadly, she died of tuberculosis only a few months after the painting was completed. The family had just moved from Jamaica to England for her education. Her younger brother, Edward, was the father of the poetess Elizabeth Barrett Browning. So it is always with a bit of sorrow that we view this painting. I think, perhaps, that is what drew my son to this one, her sad story at such a young age.

 There IS a library in the Main House of the Huntington Library! Adorned with grand chandeliers as well as beautiful furniture (works of art in themselves!) and many books line the shelves.

 The romantic notions in the statues and architecture continues outside the front of the Main House giving you the feeling of a grand Italian Villa rather than a Southern California Mansion.

 But it is this European influence that helps to create such beautiful buildings and grounds at The Huntington Library. (Of course I found another lion...even if he is hiding behind her drapes!)

 There is the Main Library as well. Inside if very clean in design, very modern in design and very very dark! This helps to preserve the valuable books, of course, but made it impossible for me to consider photographing without a tri-pod and long exposures. But the outside is truly lovely on it's own. One of the things I love about the grounds here is that not all of the sculptures are made of white marble. Not that I don't love white marble but the variations are beautiful to see.

 And there is plenty of white marble to be seen. We loved the mermaid fountain, including the "seahorses" at the base!

Our son said the mermaids looked more like belly dancers...I can totally see that! Of course the immature pre-teen boy also giggled at the bare upper bodies of the mermaids as well. But it was the hair that had me fascinated. It falls so realistically. As always, I'm in awe of the movement that can be sculpted into marble.

The Sculpture Gardens are beautiful to tour as well. My only disappointment was that the main fountain, a really ornate piece on it's own, was being fully restored so it was completely covered in scaffolding. However, we had seen this Monk all over the gardens, visiting the same areas we were, so I couldn't resist adding him into our photo-blog as well. 

The Huntington Library is something you shouldn't miss if you are in the Los Angeles area. There is, easily, enough to see and do there to cover 8 full hours. Sadly they are not open 8 full hours a day so you would really need two visits to see everything here. Your best bet for a single day visit is to go on the weekends when it's open from 10:30 to 4:30pm. You wouldn't be disappointed! 

Next Monday we'll move the tour of LA downtown! Hope you can join us!

Cat

Los Angeles ~ The Huntington Library ~ Gardens

The Huntington Library has 14 Garden areas. We are covering less than half of those in the blog simply because you can't tour everything in just one day. On weekdays, when we were there, they are only open from 12-4:30 and on weekends they are only open 10:30-4:30. Such a limited amount of time to tour 120 acres of gardens, much less the art galleries as well! We have already vowed that, when we visit LA again, we will devote two days to the Huntington so we actually see all of these beautiful gardens. (Remember to click on the small photos to see the larger versions!)

 In the previous blogs we covered the conservatory and Chinese Gardens so today I'm going to feature the beautiful Japanese Gardens and the Rose Gardens. We visited in Winter so the gorgeous blooms you would expect in the Japanese Gardens were missing but it's still a very beautiful place to walk.

 Coming in from the Chinese garden you follow the path around through to a wooden walkway which leads past the first waterfall. 

 This leads you up to the upper area and where they display the Bonsai plants. The Ginko trees were yellowing out and made this gate just gorgeous.

 As you take the path around you come to the bottom of the waterfall which is a very popular place to take your family photo. So if you have the chance it makes a gorgeous backdrop.

 There were some flowers here or there in these gardens. It was great to see that the lilypads were in bloom.

 I can just imagine this arbor in Spring filled with blooms. The walkway to the left and right takes you to different parts of the Japanese gardens but this arbor also has benches so you can stop, rest, and enjoy the view.

 If you were to tour the Rose Gardens first and then make your way to the Japanese Gardens this is the first gate you would come to on your walk. Of course I was thrilled to find more stone lions...they look so happy!

 Now turn completely around from the Japanese Gardens gate and you will find the Rose Garden! Fall is a beautiful time to catch the roses blooming and this was the one garden where we were very happy to enjoy all of the flowers. This is also the pathway up to the main house and art gallery.

 Box hedges break up the pathway but also allow guests a way to enter the side rose gardens areas. Each is labeled with the rose common as well as scientific name. There are over 3,000 rose plants in the garden, over 1,200 varieties to discover.

 How lovely it would be to live close enough to pack a picnic and just hang out here for the afternoon. This bench faces the rose garden so you would have a beautiful view for your day.

 And the gardens are a mass of color. I was afraid, being there in early Winter, that we would miss most of the rose blooms but I couldn't have been more wrong. I'm sure there were even more in bloom in October (the height of Fall blooms) but we definitely were treated by thousands of roses still in bloom.

 You may have noticed that, in most of the photos, there are pathways. Lots and lots of pathways. Most of them are very accessible but to tour the gardens you are required to do a lot of walking. Fortunately there are several benches along the way so if you or someone in your party needs to rest you will find lots of places to sit down and enjoy the lovely view.

 The Herb Garden is right off of the Rose Gardens and the smell is simply amazing. The garden is arranged by the use of the herbs planted there. Used in teas, medicines, wines and liquors as well as in cooking and salads, there are many wonderful smelling herbs such as rosemary, sweet bay and lemon verbena that make you want to just hang out and take deep breathes to enjoy this garden even more! Fortunately the Rose Garden Tea Room is right next door to this garden so you can always go have a taste of some of the wonderful food that is made from this garden! 

 I can only imagine getting married here. Wedding photos on this bench surrounded by the roses would be stunning. Even if you get married somewhere else you can still have your wedding photos taken here. However, getting married here is not an inexpensive part of your day. The price tag is 100K for both ceremony and reception and that's site fee only. It doesn't include your catering or photography or music, etc. So, for us mere mortals, maybe just wedding photos in the gardens.

There is nothing in this world that is "perfect" but I swear some of the roses in the Rose Gardens surely come very close to perfection.

"Love, the Captive of Youth" statue depicts cupid and his captor, a fair maiden. It is encircled by a bed of "Passionate Kisses" roses. And with the rose garden as it's backdrop it is the first statuary you see when entering the Rose Gardens from the main house.

This lion is one of two that guard the patio walkway up to the main house. Next week we'll explore the galleries and the last garden on our tour of The Huntington Library.

Cat