Today's Journal

Just Back from L.A.

My husband, Tom, and I just returned from a wonderful weekend in L.A. to celebrate my daughter's birthday. Jennifer and her husband, Johnny, moved from New York three years ago. Although the flight is a bit longer than to New York, it is hard to dispute that California is an amazing place! 

After a week of rainstorms, mud slides and even a tornado (?), the weather was perfect!  We enjoyed a variety of celebrity sightings... Sigourney Weaver (Gorgeous!), Jon Peters (We chatted at a jewelry store on Rodeo Drive.) and caught a glimpse of Forest Whitaker celebrating his daughter's birthday at Philippes  (fabulous Chinese food!) in West Hollywood. 

We took long walks with the new puppy, Atlas (He is darling!), ate at wonderful restaurants, dinner at Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi, brunch at the Peninsula  , lunch at Cecconi's, home of the famous Butterfly Room, and one of my favorites...Urth Cafe, where I savor their Tomato Rice soup and wonderful breads.

One of the highlights of this quick trip was our visit to the Getty.  The J. Paul Getty Museum at Getty Center is home to the works of some of the world's most important artists, Renoir, Monet and Van Gogh. The current Exhibition - Drawings by Rembrandt and His Pupils: Telling the Difference - is even more amazing when you consider the drawings are still being studied after 350 years!  

Obviously, the art is simply exquisite. But there is something more. The Getty is situated on top of a hill with a breathtaking view of Los Angeles, the Pacific Ocean and snow covered mountains. All of this together with striking white architecture and magnificient gardens with outdoor cafes make the Getty one of the most spectacular and memorable museums I have visited.

And...it is free! Parking is $15 per car and a tram takes you effortlessly up and down the hill. You can spend as much time enjoying the art and the views as you wish. This is one place that you could spend the day on your own, just enjoying what the world has to offer....for free! 

This is a photo of Jennifer and Johnny at the Getty!