Skip to main content

Weekend in Los Angeles

There was this itch.  That of not having been on a road trip to one of our favorite haunts in all California.  That of the L.A area visit that we had a run rate of visiting at least once in six months.  It had been close to 18.  Had to do it.  Had to.

So we went.  This glorious summer weekend.  On the itinerary were places to see that keep surprising us and keep confirming our faith that there is still a lot left.  Food of course.  Mountains and sand and sea.  Pacific majesty to what some might call God's amazing grace and places where folks go to worship this unseen entity.  It was all on the agenda.

First stop - Santa Clara valley and its neighboring hills.  A place carved by geology.  A site for Star Trek fans where some scenes were immortalized.  Had to check it out.  This place is called the Vasquez Rocks.

Star Trekkies come to hang (literally since it is good rock climbing too) and it is a backdrop to a scene with Capt Kirk 


The park is an open acreage where the PCT also runs through and an occasional hiker is seen making their way to Canada from San Diego.

Followed by some amazing Cuban cuisine.  Yes - lots of it.  And some baked goodies.  Porto's in Burbank is a family run business for decades.  We stuffed ourselves with a lot of seasonal items including this awesome guava infused barbecued pork sandwich on sweet bun.  That right there made the trip worth it.

Sandwich and fresh plantain chips - more than filling


This was then followed by a visit to BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills.  An eastern burb of the LA Area around 50 miles out.  This was a volunteer built magnificence made with Indian sandstone and Carrara marble and wood detail in teak.  It is a temple for Krishna Radha - among the most eminent in the Hindu pantheon.

BAPS mandir
Sanctum Sanctroum - the roof is hand carved marble and the whole edifice is Quake Proof

After soaking in some Hinduism we headed back west to hit up a glass cathedral.  It is the largest glass structures in the world created by an architect who lived to be 98.


Glassy eyed by the time we were done

The main building is being renovated but there is acres to wander in the campus and impressive structures and water features to hang out.  We had some Vietnamese Sesame balls for a snack from local vendors.

From there another drive to another chapel - this designed by Frank Lloyd's son on a hill overlooking the Pacific.  Another hour in the car but enjoyable as we drove past the port of Long Beach to get here.

Wayfarer Chapel based on Swedenborg ideology

Evening on Redondo Beach

Last workout before nap time
Finally we wove our way to the coast (Redondo Beach) to play in the water before bedtime.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Presumptive Society

Today's world is hyper connected.  I am not so sure what it means but you hear it a lot.  It is probably hyper but not sure how connected it is.  Sugar (fermented or not) is available in many ways than before and so getting hyper is easy.  It is probably more a threat than cocaine since it is sold legally. And what is this connected stuff?  Most people I encounter seem disconnected from reality.  So going back to this assumption that we are connected there are subtle and no so subtle instances of how brands and companies and middle men try to portray someone - A linkedin profile for somebody working for X years at a place advertises to the connected network that so and so is CELEBRATING X years @ Such and Such Inc. Do we know if (s)he is celebrating or cringing?  Perhaps a better way to portray will be - So and So LASTED X years @ such & such inc. Then it exhorts the readership to go ahead and congratulate them for this lasting effe...
2 comments
Read more

Of Jims and Johns

Here is another essay on the subject of first names. As in birth names. Or names provided to an offspring at birth. While the developed world tends to shy away from the exotic like Refrigerator or Coca Cola for their new production there is a plethora of Jims and Johns and Bobs or Robs. Speaking of which I do not think there is a categoric decision point at the time of birth if a child will be hereafter called as Bob. I mean have not yet met a toddler called Bob or Rob for that matter. At some point though the parental instinct to mouth out multiple syllables runs out and they switch from calling the crawler Robert to simply Robbie to Rob. Now speaking of - it is strange that the name sounds like something you would not want Rob to do - i.e. Rob anyone. Then why call someone that? After all Rob Peter to Pay Paul is not exactly a maxim to live a young life? Is it? Perhaps Peter or Paul might want to have a say in it? Then there is this matter of going to the John. Why degrad...
2 comments
Read more

On the go(zay masta) in Japan again

Cool cat the Japanese are Tokyo at dusk  My second visit to this land of the rising sun after almost a decade. Back then clearly I was wet behind the ears product manager and likely didn’t pay attention to all (efficient) things Japanese. But today I did and of course continue to be impressed. It is as much the obvious stuff like on time travel that is both clean and comfortable and all that which makes it possible. The impressive landmark and landscapes that these humans have put together despite their cramped (or because of it) surroundings and precarious geological conditions could amaze a novice architect among us. But it’s also the little things that someone had to think about which have a phenomenal impact on day to day lives that make the Japanese stand apart. Below are few random examples- 1. Providing a very fine machined wooden toothpick in every packet of wooden chopsticks. The said chapsticks are simply set on the To Go counter of any food vendor/ convenience store wher...
Post a Comment
Read more