Cafe at the End of the Universe

I saw the sign and had to laugh! I immediately made the connection to Douglas Adams. And was a bit surprised to see that it was also a Wolfgang Puck facility!

Griffith Observatory

I arrived inside about 10:30 and made it just in time for "Water is Life" a half hour show in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium. The narrator was pretty impressive, smooth delivery the entire time without being able to see a script. I got a picture of the equipment prior to the show and a part of the sky at one point.

The camera obscura was projecting an amazingly clear picture despite the cloudy conditions. I also watched the demonstration of the Tesla Coil, a shocking experience! I got some video of that I hope to get up soon.



One part of the history was a long time line in million year increments of the Universe. It was marked by a long trail of all sorts of stars and moons. There were everything from small earrings to law enforcement badges marking the trail.



The long spiral ramp led to a room full of exhibits that explored everything from sub-atomic particles to the giant planets.



I was even able to get a bit of help understanding a part of the exhibits by a very intelligent gentleman who was firmly established on one of the benches.

Griffith Observatory - Exterior

Sunday morning was gray and rather dismal looking. I hoped on the 405 to the 5 and headed North. It was fairly straightforward getting to the observatory, but it was a climb with some really winding roads! The picture below is about half wat through the descent. Eventually I reached the top and the small parking lot there. The views are similar to those you get at the Getty, just from the other side!


Walking up from the parking area toward the building, I noticed a bust on a marble pillar and walked over to read the plaque. The image was clearly identifiable!



The obelisk in front pictures many key astronomers through the ages.




And I had to get myself with the Hollywood sign in the background! It was clear even though the sky was overcast and the tops of some of the higher hills were hidden. On a couple of occasions the Hollywood sign was hidden behind the clouds.

View From the Getty Center

The Getty Center sits on a tall hill just off the 405. The views from many windows and patios throughout the venue are magnificent! Just outside the gallery that houses some of the famous paintings is a wrap around patio that I took these pictures from. Top to Bottom these are left to right view of Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean and the communities in between.

Lunch at the Getty

I had lunch at 'Restaurant at The Getty Center.' It can be quite a wait, so by all means make a reservation before arriving, or go there when you arrive and make your reservation for later. I started with a Panzanella Salad that included smoked mozzarella, garlic croutons, tomatoes, basi and a basalmic vinaigrette.



The ice tea was raspberry flavored and very nice. For my main course I had the Chicken Breast that was stuffed with goat cheese and apricots. Fingerling potatoes, globe carrots and broccoli with a rosemary honey mustard sauce over the whole thing.

Water at the Getty

Water plays a large part of the Getty experience. There are numerous water features, including some at the lower tram station. I have some video and will try to get it edited and shown here as well. One end of the main plaza has the fountain, the natural rock blended in with the cut stone of the plaza.



The feature below is like being inside a large clay jar. The water trickles over the edge in a pond above. Some of it falls down like rain, and some of it trickles down the sides of the edge, feeding a thick lush layer of moss.



A stream cascades down through the center of the garden, flowing through a variety of stone patterns and types of stone work, the most natural which is shown below.

The Museum has Art!

In addition to all of the other things, there is art there! All over the place! The statue to the right is in the main entrance hall. It has a couple of lecture halls, information booths, audio tour units and a nice view.




Yes, that is Van Gogh's Iris picture! The sculpture below is in the garden, near the Research Center where the Obsidian Mirror-Travels exhibit was.