Going, going...

to...
This was a bit of a spontaneous decision. Even though I had it in my mind that I wanted to make a trip to California to see this exhibition, the month went by so quick and there was only one weekend left before the show closed. I'd pretty much written off the possibility of going when I got a call from my sister, Lynn. Somehow I got this what-the-hey, attitude and made my way to LA.

LA is home but that doesn't change the fact that it feels like I'm on another planet. Perhaps it's because it was home but isn't anymore that makes it so foreign to me.Think Randy Newman but I love LA! The first thing I did once I got off the plan was sit outside and wait for Lynn. Why? Because I could! Noisy, smoggy, but not fried! Lynn arrived and we headed for the Getty. It was a straight shot up the freeway but it took us over an hour in traffic. Welcome to LA! Great minds must think alike because the museum was jam packed.
Many exhibitions have come and gone and I haven't felt like I lost out but this one caught my attention when I read a review in a magazine and I felt like it was time to resume a tradition of going home and seeing some fantastic art.
The botanical renderings from 400 years ago were amazing and the story of Maria Sybilla Merian and her daughters, very inspiring. I imagined what the mind set was at the time the art was being done. A beautiful mixture of art and science. WOW!

The Chicklet asked me to bring her something fun. I looked for a cool pen but the one from the exhibition had more bugs than flowers. She wouldn't find bugs "fun." I bought her this butterfly fan book. She loved it, especially because there's a butterfly that's named after her! At least that's how she puts it.
This is my eye candy. The top book is a published by Dover and I can't wait to print some of the images on tissue for collage.
We were supposed to meet my other foster sister, Susan, her kids and my foster brother, Mateo, for dinner but Lynn and I decided we could take a 15 minute walk through the garden. We were sooooooooooo wrong about that.200 pictures later........ there were so many bright, beautiful, colorful flowers. Between Lynn and I, we wanted pictures of every one.
Lynn has a willingness to try all kinds of things. I was glad she let me drag her around the museum. It was pleasant summer afternoon and an opportunity to get caught up.

I looked at this bloom and thought of Georgia O'Keefe. The artistic inspiration came full circle. From 4oo years ago to 20th Century O'keefe.
We were all staying at a friend's condo in Santa Monica. I explored when we got there and this was the view from the deck. It was walking distance to the 3rd Street Promenade. One of my old haunts but it sure has been awhile. Once again, it was crowded. I felt like I was in Disneyland, there were so many people on the streets. We had dinner and walked, watched the street performers and window shopped before heading back for the night.

That was Day 1 of a whirlwind 25 hrs. in LA. I'll continue with Day 2 later.