And... we're back!

I have been terribly negligent with my blogging. It isn't that I haven't been adventuring. But most of it has been close to home (or my new home, Los Angeles) and has been interspersed with crazy amounts of classwork and fellowship applications and field work and other general craziness. There is lots to catch up on, some of which will inevitably be missed, but going forward I plan to be back here more regularly once again.

What has been occupying my time most recently? Taking pictures of my new toy, finger puppet Narwhal, with various interesting objects and events. As a quick re-introduction, this is (more or less) what I've been up to...

Narwhal goes to the library

Narwhal listens to a talk by Richard Dawkins at UCLA

Narwhal visits the Camera Obscura in Santa Monica

Narwhal swims in the Venice (CA) canals

Narwhal finds his favorite type of tree- bonsai pomegranate! - in the Huntington Gardens

Narwhal eats ice cream by the Russian River

The origin of Narwhal, from the box of many finger narwhals! Guerneville, CA

The Getty

Welcome, twenty-twelve! It is a new year, a fresh start, and even though it doesn't feel like winter in Los Angeles I made the most of my last few days of Winter Break before diving head first into an intense quarter of classes and research.  My lovely sister made the drive from the Bay back down to LA with me, which was the perfect excuse to do some exploring in this city I am beginning to call home. Give me another 5 years and I should be all settled in ;) We started with a landmark not far from my apartment, but it may as well have been a world away.

The Getty Center houses the art collection of oil mogul J. Paul Getty.  More than just a museum, it is a 110 acre museum/research center/garden complex on top of a hill overlooking Los Angeles, from the skyscrapers to the mountains to the ocean.  Even with smog in the air, the views were spectacular.

The feeling of the whole place may have been more impressive than the art collection.  The buildings and grounds were peaceful and sparkling, white marble and fountains everywhere and tables and chairs nestled into shady corners.  It certainly didn't hurt that it was a perfect 70 degrees and sunny outside, too!  I'm sure it wasn't the busiest day of the year, but there seemed to be plenty of visitors and it didn't feel crowded or hectic.  People were playing (or napping) on the lawns in the beautiful gardens, and seemed to be dispersed throughout the different museum buildings without the claustrophobia inducing crowds that are common at many attractions.

It is no accident this place is so awe inspiring.  It took 13 years to build, and cost about $1.3 billion (only about $1 billion over the original estimated budget!). Most of the buildings are made out of Travertine stone, imported from a quarry near Rome.  This is the same quarry that provided stone for the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, and Saint Peter's Basilica!  Somewhere between 8,000 and 80,000 years old, there are many fossils visible in the rough faces of the stones that cover the Getty.

All of this is pretty cool, but what's the best thing about this oasis on a hill?  Admission is free.  Thank you, multi-billion dollar Getty Trust.  I'm looking forward to my next visit.