...is how I feel after a spring break holiday which saw me hiking in the parched landscape above, but also strolling through a very fresh and pretty spring garden where I spotted the lovelies below...
So, where did I go with my husband and two of our daughters, Eva and Nico, for our spring break getaway?... Well, to a spot where the desert is never far away and lush greenery only flourishes because of very man-made means: Southern California, of course, where the sun always seems to shine! We landed in Los Angeles and drove out to Palm Desert where I have never been before; I couldn't help but be struck by the oasis nature of this city, something which is hard to miss when you look down at it when hiking in its nearby mountains as we did. Coming from a city like Vancouver which is nestled in a temperate rainforest where rainfall is so very abundant, Palm Desert offers quite a contrast for us!
We enjoyed our stay in Palm Desert mostly because we splurged on our accommodations...
Yes, it was resort living for us with a perfectly manicured golf course at our doorstep, somewhat lost on me as I'm not a golfer; while I couldn't get over how lush the golf greens were in such a dry climate and kept wondering how this could be sustainable given this region's limited water supply, I was definitely impressed by the hotel's beautifully xeriscaped grounds. OK, and the pool wasn't half bad either...
The fragrance I think I will forever associate Palm Desert with is that of blooming citrus trees... so heavenly in all its headiness! I noticed them growing all over the place, from backyards to public spaces; there were also a few on the grounds of our resort, one glorious one in full bloom that we would pass daily on the way to the pool and which I would always have to linger by just to luxuriate in its lovely scent! Oh yes, and my little monkey of a daughter couldn't help herself when she spotted a lemon in one of the trees near the golf course, and what a fresh lemon it turned out to be!..
With two of our kids in tow, a stint at Disneyland was a definite must...(OK, I'll be honest -- I do have a thing for Disneyland, mostly nostalgia-driven, as I had a very happy day there with my family as a child back in the 70's when my wish did come true as my mother bought me my very own Dumbo which I cherish to this day and which is the only toy I still have from my childhood!) All six of us were there almost 8 years ago when the children were so much younger (ah, how sweet they were!) and only explored Disneyland then, but this time we also went over to California Adventure Park which turned out to be well worth it as some of the rides definitely topped our scary-o-meter! My camera got time off during this part of the trip because I didn't want to be encumbered by it during the rides, so let's just say it was all a lot of fun...
Once we were all "Disneyed out", we made our way towards the edge of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, where we stayed at Hotel Beverly Terrace. Now, it took me a bit of searching to book a hotel for this last leg of our holiday because I was trying to find accommodations with a bit more character than the usual chain hotels, with a "boutique" feel but still reasonably priced. When I spotted a photo of the retro facade of Hotel Beverly Terrace and read the description of it being recently renovated, I thought it would fit the bill nicely... And it did! When we pulled up to it, our children weren't quite so sure, but as soon as we walked into lobby, they gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up; from the lobby on, the hotel was decorated in a stylish mix of retro and modern decor with a definite California feel to it all. From its rooftop which was set up as lounging terrace with all sorts of great furniture and decor, the view towards Beverly Hills was what I think of as quintessential L.A....
Along with the rooftop terrace, the hotel has another great lounging area, a lovely and quiet inner courtyard, tucked away from the hustle and bustle just outside the hotel walls...
Where once there was a swimming pool, now there is a nicely-furnished outdoor space with great ferny and palmy accents, very much à la L.A., don't you think?!...
I especially like this green ferny screen held together with macramé-like pot hangers...
It makes me a think of a decorating idea I would find in one of my vintage 60's and 70's house decor books!... And isn't the glammy retro-looking light fixture below just the perfect touch?!...
Without a doubt, the highlight of this holiday for me was visiting the spectacular Getty Center which is such a dramatic sight with its light beige-coloured stone, perched in the hills above West Los Angeles...
And happily for me as he is one of my favourite artists, we happened on this Turner exhibit there...
...which was all such a lucky stroke of serendipity for me, because guess what movie I just so happened to watch on the plane going to L.A, not knowing at all about this Turner exhibit.?...
Yup, Mr. Turner! And a movie I would definitely recommend viewing because I found it a very poignant portrayal of the painter in his productive later years; I have to say that the movie was a great complement to the exhibit because it also focused on the artist’s late period (1835-50). I'm sure I could have easily lingered at the Getty Center for most of the day, but our time was in short supply as we were on our way back to Vancouver in a few hours. So, after seeing the Turner exhibit, I strolled through the lovely Central Garden...
As soon as I caught a glimpse of those "man-made trees" you see below (three of them), I was intrigued...
...so I took a closer look at them and I'm sure I must have smiled quite noticeably as I realized that such things of beauty were made of plain old rebar (reinforcing bar used in concrete structures)! How creative!
If you sit under them you realize that all together they form a bougainvillea pergola, offering much needed shade from the California sun, and when you look up, this lovely sight meets your eyes...
As you stroll through the garden, the views onto the buildings through the garden is stunning and very different, depending on your spot in the garden and the direction you're looking towards...
The view of the garden below seems fairy-tale like to me, with the brighter foreground planting melting away beautifully into a pale background made stunning by those light-barked trees barely in leaf, and maybe more beautiful because of it, floating in that lovely soft carpet of silvery green... Wow!...
A closeup of the prettiness...
...and a bit more of some lovely plantings, perfectly suited to that dry California climate...
So, yes, refreshed I am after this perfect California getaway which means that I feel very ready to start making and creating... In fact, so refreshed am I that I already have my next post in the works which is all about a new fabric patchwork bundle I've put together... I hope you've enjoyed my little travelogue and I do hope you pop by again very, very soon! Thanks for visiting!...
