Sunday, March 20, 2016

A Stroll Through the Gardens at The Huntington Library

Last Monday I had a day off from work and because it was just a random day off in March as opposed to a holiday, I thought it would provide me with the perfect opportunity to go do something fun on a weekday and avoid the crowds. After mulling over multiple options, I selected the Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino, California as my adventure of choice. The Huntington is a wonderful place to visit because the diversity of the gardens, architecture, and artwork makes you feel like you are traveling to different regions, countries and time periods all in one day.


The weather on my trip to the Huntington Library also made me feel like this trip took place over a series of days as opposed to a 5 hour span of time. One second it was bright and sunny and the next it was cool and cloudy. The weather truly couldn't make up its mind and you'll see a little of that in the photos below. Speaking of photos, I used this as an opportunity to go on a photographic safari and the grounds of the Huntington provided some excellent subjects to work with. I took over 200 photos because, let's face it, I'm not very good at editing myself. So, without further ado, I will let the photos do most of the talking.


Above is Henry Huntington's house, or, rather, mansion, built by Myron Hunt in 1910. Hunt was the architect responsible for many of the gorgeous buildings located throughout the Pasadena area, including the campus of my Alma Mater, Occidental College, and its sister school, Cal Tech. I don't know if it was the familiar style of architecture, the opulence, or the decor inspired by Versailles found within the mansion, but I definitely felt at home. I would be ready to move in if only they would let me!


Inside of the mansion curators tried to spice things up a little bit by showcasing an exhibit of contemporary works by Alex Israel. It was a little jarring to see contemporary art mixed in with 18th and 19th century British and French art, but it was an interesting idea. The Alex Israel exhibit also included this pastel paint job by the grand staircase of the Huntington Mansion. Since I've been on a pastel kick lately, it suited me perfectly.


Next are my travels through the gardens of the Huntington. There are 12 different gardens on the grounds that span regions from around the globe. (It's a cheap way to feel like you've done a lot of traveling and you could probably trick your friends on Instagram with the pictures!) The gardens you will see in the photos include, in order: the camellia garden, rose garden (sans roses because it's not the right time of year), The Japanese garden, the desert garden, and the new Chinese garden. It's hard for me to pick a favorite, so I'll just let you take a look at the photos and decide for yourself.






















10 comments:

  1. Gorgeous photos, Katie! What a great way to spend a day (especially when it's a weekday and there are no crowds). If that moving in thing works out for you, let me know...I'm packing a bag! That is such a neat place with so much beauty going on...although I think it would be odd also to have 18th century art next to modern art. But, hey, what do I know? LOL!

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    1. Thanks Regina! It really was a fun day and I'll let you know about the whole moving in thing! ;)

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  2. I was there a few months back and spend about 5 hours there and still did not walk through the whole grounds. Such a beautiful place to spend the day!

    Alice
    www.happinessatmidlife.com

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    1. Yes, it's a gorgeous place to spend the day! I also didn't get to see everything, but I've been a few times before so it wasn't a big deal. Unfortunately they are only open from 12:00-4:30 on the weekdays, which simply isn't enough time to take everything in!

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  3. I've heard about this spot and now it is high on my list of places to visit next time I'm around LA.

    Great photos!

    bisous
    Suzanne

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    1. Definitely add it to your LA list of places to visit, Suzanne! It's such a gorgeous place and they have a wonderful art collection too!

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  4. Looks like such a beautiful place to visit, and you got some great photos! :)

    When I'm working part time I adore the days I'm not in the office as you can get out and about and it's a lot quieter - great idea to pick an otherwise busy destination to visit on your day off! :)

    Away From The Blue Blog

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    1. Thank you Mica! Yes, I love weekdays off. On weekends I just want to stay in and avoid the crowds!

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  5. Wow, this is such a beautiful spot! I love that you went exploring on your day off--I think I would have been tempted to stay in and nap. :) You got some beautiful photos!

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    1. I was definitely torn between getting up early and going and sleeping in and doing nothing! I figured since doing nothing is what I normally do with a day off, I would try something different for a change!

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