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.