Yay, Amanda is finally getting around to the promised California photos! I've landed smack into the middle of a major writing project and expect the next two months to be pretty busy as I try to keep up with all the different adventures and distractions. Am I the only one who wishes every day was twice as long and that we were able to explore and pursue 6+ different careers? There's way too much to learn and enjoy in one lifetime! It's so exciting! :)
Anyway, I literally have tons of pictures from my trip, so I've just selected some of the main events and favorites. We stayed for part of the trip in Pasadena, which is a really nice area. The building in the picture above is called The Castle Green. I have no idea exactly what it is, but we spied it one of our walks and thought it was stunning and magical.
One thing for sure, I absolutely fell in love with the diverse trees and foliage everywhere in Cali. Some places it absolutely looked like fantasy land. Lovely...
One of the perks of having an Uncle who's a bigwig at Disney... a studio tour! :) It was super neat seeing soundstages that so many classic movies have been filmed on, and loads of original props and memorabilia. Yes, that is the wardrobe. Pretty cool.
Most of the items on display were props or hats, but there were a few costumes on display that I was really excited to see. While I thought that Prince of Persia was a rather lame movie, I did like the costumes (seeing the details in real life is always amazing).Also, this dress from Alice in Wonderland was fantastic. One of the best movies I saw last year and I loved the costume design. (Colleen Atwood won an Academy Award for her work on the movie.)
Another perk - Disneyland! I went to DisneyWorld in Florida when I was three and remember very little, so this was almost like the first time. It sure is a magical place and I am a big fan of everything but the line for Space Mountain (although it's worth it ;). I also loved all the pretty and unique shops (check out the art nouveau display window on the right). And when everything was lit up at night... just so pretty.
Santa Monica Pier is such a fun place to go... and such a tourist trap. :) The park was closed for a private party, but it was a gorgeous day and the beaches were exquisite. I love to watching people enjoy themselves and there were lots of happy faces here. Cari and I walked for miles, ate fish tacos and avoided a few weirdos. I also put my feet in the Pacific Ocean for the first time and there was a huge quantity of good-looking guys around. Not really my type, but still... ;)
And since I was craving frozen yogurt for some strange reason (considering I couldn't even remember if I'd ever had it before) we found a little self-serve place called "The Yogurt Shop." I tried every one of the dozen flavors, took about six and loaded it with fruit and peppermint patties. Seriously one of the best things about CA is the frozen yogurt shops. We hit another one later and it confirmed that I am kind of seriously in love.
A walk with my two young cousins in their hometown took us on a pretty and mysterious path along a wall that had doors from dozens of backyards... so I took a lot of pictures of doors. I especially like this one, with all the ivy. Very Secret Garden.
Oh yes and IN-N-OUT BURGER. I usually wouldn't recommend something like this, but really, you gotta go. The menu is super simple and it's drive-through at its most delicious. Make sure you ask for animal fries, with onions. Trust me. :)
Ok, so my favorite place in the whole state is Redondo Beach and I would actually consider living there for a while. (Gasp! This from a staunch New Englander?) It's quiet, peaceful and feels so "local," rather than all tourist-y like the other places along the coast. The waves were huge and we saw such a stunning sunset. I would be in a serious state of bliss if I could get an apartment right near the water, watch the waves, and write books. :)
Anyway, that's all for tonight! I've put all the Hollywood stuff together in another post and will try and get it up before too long. Thanks for your patience and, as always, taking the time to stop by. :)
-Amanda
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