You Are My Sunshine (July 25-July 31, 2010)

One of my favorite things to do in California is visit The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino (right by Pasadena).  It has two nice little galleries and gardens that will feed your soul.  My favorite is the Japanese garden.  Ahhhhh...just look:

Glorious.  They also host lectures and plant sales regularly. 

In their permanent collection are Thomas Gainsborough’s Blue Boy:

and Edward Hopper's The Long Leg

Check it out if you're in the area.  After a weekend in LA, it's the most calming, refreshing thing I can think of.  Oh, and have some tea while you're there. 

BB, on the other hand prefers a trip to Amoeba Records on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.  (We've not yet been to their two other locations).  It's not just a store, it's also a venue.  Check out their live music schedule here, and go early.  One more important thing to keep in mind about Amoeba  - they are devoted to sharing their profits with some wonderful organizations, such as the Rainforest Action Network, the Humane Society, and AIDS/Lifecycle.  So go there, pick up some new or used cds or vinyl or posters or movies, etc, etc, etc, and feel good about it!  Besides, MP3 files can't replicate the ambiance of vinyl.