Top of the World

For my first free weekend of October, I was both lazy and productive at the same time.
Yesterday I lounged around for most of the day, but I convinced my roommate to go to the Getty Center with me in the evening, which meant I didn't have to take three buses to get there by myself!

To be honest, I wasn't quite sure what the Getty Center was... I just knew that Richard Meier had designed it. Turns out its this huge art museum/office/garden on the side of the mountain. When you first arrive, you park in an underground parking garage and then take a tram to the actual Getty Center. It's about a 3-5 minute ascent up, with the view of the 405 on one side and the mountains on the other.

When I stepped out of the tram, I was amazed by the architecture. The majority of the complex is made of a stone called travertine which gives this great texture and quality. Sadly, it was a cloudy/misty day (as most of my days off have been lately) so I couldn't get any clear views of the city. My roommate and I walked all around the complex and discussed the architecture together. Meier put a lot of thought into this project which is evident in the way he frames views or plays with scale and texture. The museum itself consists of several pavilions with an exterior courtyard in the center. I wasn't too impressed by the artwork, but it's probably because I was more interested in the architecture itself. One criticism that I've heard and agree with to an extent is that it does feel a bit corporate in some areas, but overall, I loved it. I need to return when it's a sunny day to experience the natural light.

P.S. Blogger is awful for layouts. I just fought with the pictures for 30 minutes and this is the best result I got.

Love Like a Sunset, Part II

Today I finally got a break from work, so I took advantage of the free time.

After waking up in the afternoon feeling recharged, I spent some quality time with my bike. I rode down towards the beach and biked about five miles north to my destination. It was a beautiful bike ride--the sun shimmering on the ocean, people walking dogs, roller bladers and skateboarders gliding by, eclectic architecture lining the boardwalk; it was one of the most relaxing moments for me to just reflect. This is what life is about--not stressing about the little things and just enjoying the beauty around us.

Tunnel under the PCH

An hour later, I reached the Pacific Palisades and found the intersection of the Pacific Coast Highway and Chautauqua Boulevard. Unfortunately, I was at a lost for how to cross the PCH. Then, I saw a sign. Literally. It told me to use a tunnel, and I went around in circles for five minutes looking for some tunnel. Finally, I figured it out and reached my destination: The Eames House!



The Eames House has held a special place near and dear to my heart since sophomore year of Wentworth. Not only did we learn about it in Materials and Methods, and not only did I score horribly on the midterm that focused on the Eames House, but Katelyn and I also had to work on a precedent study about the Eames House (which makes me even more ashamed of my low test score). Needless to say, I've had Case Study House #8 drilled into my brain, and it was surreal to finally see it in person.

An excerpt from my precedent study: "The Eames House (Case Study House #8), constructed in 1949, was designed for a three-acre lot in the Pacific Palisades of Los Angeles, California. The house, which served as both their home and studio, is made with a prefabricated steel frame, accented with an array of windows and brightly colored panels. There is also a long concrete retaining wall that is set up against a 150-foot high cliff that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. The landscape of the site was so beautiful that the Eameses changed their original design of the Case Study House #8 so that there could be a stronger connection between the interior and the exterior eucalyptus trees. Their lifestyle between home and work connected well, leaving no hierarchy to be conversed amid the two buildings. The transition from the home to the studio through the landscape gives a subtle exchange through the passage from building to building."

My ride back was gorgeous. The sun was just starting to set and I could feel the coolness of the night beginning to settle in. There's nothing more calming or breathtaking than watching the sun set over the ocean.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Although I had to work through the weekend, I managed to find time yesterday morning to visit the Venice canals.

First, a bit of history. It's true that Venice is named after the Venice of Italy. In the beginning of the 20th century, Abbot Kinney (who I mentioned in an earlier post) tried to capture that spirit of Italy and create a European escape in Los Angeles. Originally there were sixteen canals built, but because of the increasing number of cars, ten were filled in and paved over to create more roads. Unfortunately, the canals were neglected for half a century until the early 90s when they were dredged and renovated. Today, there remain six canals in the south of Venice.

Sadly, yesterday was a cloudy day, probably to match my mood. However, the canals were still a sight. It was like a preview of study abroad. I had a great time just walking around, passing by several dog-walkers, photographing the architecture, avoiding ducks, and even seeing an artist water-coloring. It was completely relaxing for a Sunday morning. I plan to go back at night so I can photograph the reflections off the water.

When I finished walking around, I headed towards the beach to find a particular house. Guess who designed this attractive beach house. None other than Frank Gehry! Seriously, what is this? I know his concept was to explode the basic elements or whatnot, but come on! Anyways, that was all the exploring I could do this weekend. I'll add some pretty pictures to make up for my lack of adventures.