[This is a short week here in the U.S., so I won't be posting a last 5 project this week.  However, there is so much else to share including some photos of le pique-nique!  But first, we have some eye candy from the aquarium...]

Happy Tuesday, everyone!   On Saturday, my husband and I visited the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.  Despite some fairly dense crowds, we had a really nice time – and I think we got some of our best aquarium photos yet.  Since we were sharing the camera between us, I’ve included a few of my husband’s photographs.  He gets credit for those beautiful moon jellies up top and the jellyfish photos below.  The rest are mine.

I left full of inspiration and itching to grab my sketchbook.  I hope you had a wonderful, inspiring weekend too.  I’ll be back tomorrow with more!

This past weekend, we stopped in at the J. Paul Getty Museum.  The museum is beautiful, but it’s hard not to be distracted by the views.  I wish I had a photo that captured the breeze that blows over those cool, white stones.  It was so refreshing just to stand in the shade and soak in the scenery.  I didn’t realize this, but you don’t have to ride the tram up the hill.  You can walk it.  Several old people passed us on the way to the top (it’s steep!), but we made it.

These are just a few snapshots I took indoors.  I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of this bed (even though I will always associate it with Carol Hannah of Project Runway Season 6).

See you soon!

Last weekend, my husband and I made a quick stop at the Natural History Museum to see the Pavilion of Wings.  The Pavilion is an outdoor area that is tented off and filled to the brim with butterflies and moths from around the world.  (I wrote about all the reasons I love butterflies in this post here.)

Being surrounded by these delicate creatures was a very relaxing experience.  Many of them landed on us for a little rest before taking off to flutter around the flowers.

One of the guides pointed out this chunky caterpillar.  He blended in so nicely with his plant that we did not spot him on our own.

If you are in the LA area, there is still time to visit.  The exhibit runs until September 6th.  (Worth knowing: They allow you to go into the Pavilion in half-hour increments for crowd control purposes.  There is also a $3 charge to add on the Pavilion of Wings to your regular museum admission.  I’m not sure if you can go there and only see the butterflies.)

The inside of the museum has some pretty stuff too.  I have a few more pictures to share for a separate post.  Hope you are having a great week!

One of my goals for this site is to include details about some of my favorite gardens.  We are finally going to start filling out the Garden tab up top.  I thought we would start with one of my local favorites: Descanso Gardens.

While I would encourage you to visit the official Descanso Gardens site when planning a visit to double check pricing, seasonal hours, and special events, I wanted to give you my take.  So here we go.  (All of the images are together at the bottom.)

Descanso Gardens

The Details:

• How big: 150 acres

• How much: $8 for adults, $3 for children 5-12. Check here for discounts for seniors/students.

• How long: Hours during the week vary. 9-5pm on weekends.

Why we love it:

While Descanso Gardens is technically larger than the Huntington, it has a more intimate feel.  Even on crowded days, there are plenty of places in the Oak Forest and Camellia Forest where you can find yourself alone on a shady path surrounded by trees.  On the whole, the garden does a nice job of creating a very natural, peaceful escape.  Some of the highlights (for me) include:

• Oak forest — I love wandering through the oak forest which is usually very quiet.  I take a picture of the same gnarled old oak tree every time I visit (even though I do get made fun of for doing this).  I can’t help it.  There is something completely magical about this spot.

• Rose garden – The rose garden features plenty of benches, arbors, and (of course) roses.  Rose gardens are usually not my favorite, but the casual grass pathways make this spot feel less stuffy.  We’ve taken some of my favorite photographs here.

• Full Moon Tea House and Koi pond – This blue roofed pagoda is a wonderful shady spot to take a break and watch the fish.

• Boddy House – The Boddy House is at the top of a steep slope, but we (usually) enjoy the climb.  The actual house features antiques as well as history about the gardens.  We usually only spend a few minutes inside, but it’s a a fun respite from the forest.  They also feature artists openings here, and we purchased one of our favorite pieces on a trip to Descanso.

• Descanso Cafe & Gift Shop – We frequently stop for a bite to eat in their outdoor dining area.  Their gift shop, while small, is one of my favorites.  They have a great selection of garden themed gifts along with some beautiful housewares and jewelry.  (Note to husband: I still want the white ceramic squirrel lamp.  Hint-hint.)

Worth noting: We’ve never done these things, but I feel I should mention them in case you’d like to…

• Tram ride:  There is a $4 tram ride running several times a day if you’re interested in a tour.

• Special events, Camellia Lounge: Descanso hosts many special events.  During the summer, they host a cocktail and appetizer event at the Full Moon Tea House Tuesdays through Thursdays.  While I haven’t been, it sounds really lovely especially considering the beautiful surroundings.  (More information here.)

For the Kids:

• Child Sized Hedge Maze – I don’t want to oversell this.  It’s small.  Very small.  But cute.

• Enchanted Railroad ($3, Check for hours.) – There is a small diesel train replica that takes guests on a short loop through the gardens.  Very charming, even without kids.

• Open Grassy Areas – Picnicking is not allowed, but there are lots of grassy areas to relax with the family or play a game of tag.

The Pictures:

The photos of the roses, turtles, and Full Moon Tea House are courtesy of my husband.  The others are mine.  ;-)

It’s nice to catch your breath for a moment and remember to enjoy the unfolding of a new season.  I’ve been working so steadily here for the past few months that it’s easy to feel like Fall is passing me right by.  I know I’m not the only person feeling like that right now.  But it’s not.  It’s out there.  And it feels so nice to take a moment to enjoy it even for just an hour or two with the camera and someone who makes you happy.

Photo of the toadstool is courtesy of my husband.  He spotted it in the forest and then we both snapped away at it, but he won the best shot award.

I am feeling inspired to dive into this little pile of leaves next.