Old Pasadena

If you're looking for a new place to shop, have lunch, or just hang out, Old Towne Pasadena is a great choice. I'm having lunch with my wonderful & fabulous cousin Patti, at Mi Piace's. One of my favorite museums, the Norton Simon Museum, is located here on Colorado Blvd. You've probably seen it on TV when watching the Rose Parade on New Year's Day! The Norton Simon features artwork by van Gogh, Picasso, Rembrandt, Renoir, Matisse and Raphael, just to name a few. The Huntington Library is located in nearby San Marino, with beautiful gardens, artwork, and famous books like a Gutenberg Bible and Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

LACMA is a great museum in L.A. on Wilshire Blvd., displaying a wide variety of art; currently  on exhibit: Tim Burton. Burton is a film director, artist, illustrator, phtographer and writer. His movies include Edward Scissorhands, Alice in Wonderland, Sweeney Todd, The Corpse Bride, Sleepy Hollow and Nightmare Before Christmas. Next to LACMA is the George C. Page Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits. Check it out and be INSPIRED!!

UCLA Campus

The UCLA campus is located in Los Angeles, in an area called Westwood. As you can see, its a beautiful, peaceful setting.

Laguna Beach

Ahhh, the first day of summer...what could be more fabulous than heading to the beach? Specifically, Laguna Beach, one of my all-time favorite destinations. Even if you're no longer a sun-worshiper, you can stroll along the boardwalk, have lunch at the Scandinavian Bakery, take a peek inside the numerous Art galleries and best of all: people-watch!

Birch St. in Brea

One of my favorite local streets is Birch St. in nearby Brea, featuring movie theaters and restaurants. Today, we attended their annual Father's Day Car Show. Birch St. was blocked off to accommodate a couple of hundred cars & trucks; it was a testosterone fueled afternoon! Although its smaller, Birch St. is reminiscent of Old Towne Pasadena and hopefully will continue to grow.

Craig Regional Park in Fullerton

When I have the time for a nice long walk, one of my favorite destinations is Craig Regional Park on State College Blvd., in Fullerton. The vibrant green rolling hills, pond and creeks, gigantic trees and feathered wildlife, all lend themselves to a peaceful stroll or a vigorous hike! This particular day is set aside for hiking with our son, John, as he prepares for a week-long backpacking trip.

San Clemente

Summer always begins with atrip down to the beach, so off we go to San Clemente to meet up with family & friends. Although the sun didn't quite make an appearance, that didn't stop us from strolling down to the pier and hiking along the rocks in search of fabulous views!