 Throughout the year, the incredible Ronald Reagan Library has changing displays for things like Abraham Lincoln, Disney, and their current Spy Exhibit (which we will cover in a future update). One of their yearly displays is a Christmas Tree display. This year the display is title "A California Christmas". Each tree features souvenirs and decorations to fit different geographical area's of California.   The Gone Fishin' tree.    Celebrating Yosemite National Park   California Farmland  The State Capitol   Napa   Haight Ashbury  San Francisco   Surfin' California   Simi Valley, home of the Reagan Library  Pismo   Death Valley and Route 66  Orange County    Santa Monica   Beverly Hills   Hooray for Hollywood    The southern portion of PCH going through Malibu  Some additional information regarding the California Christmas Tree display: This year, the annual Christmas Tree Exhibit at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum will showcase the great state of California! To a young 20-something Ronald Reagan, California was a “place of unlimited opportunity, a golden dream for all who have the courage to dare.” It is with this spirit that the Reagan Library will showcase 23 trees representing not only tourist attractions such as the cities of San Francisco and nearby Los Angeles, but also historical landmarks and national parks like Yosemite and the Redwoods. Your holiday season won’t be complete until you visit A California Christmasand marvel at the true uniqueness of the Golden State. Admission to the A California Christmas exhibit includes admission into the entire Reagan Museum, the Air Force One Pavilion, and the SPY: The Secret World of Espionage exhibit. Toys for Tots The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is proud to work with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to bring Toys for Tots to the Reagan Library. Beginning on November 17 and running through December 15, 2013, the Reagan Library will be collecting new, unwrapped toys which the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve will be distributing to needy children in our community. Toys of all monetary value will be accepted. For each toy worth 10 or more dollars, guests will receive $2 off a general admission or senior admission ticket at the Reagan Library to be used that same day (offer cannot be combined with any other offer). A California Christmas will be open to the public from November 17, 2013 to January 5, 2014. For more information about the Reagan Library you can visit their website here.
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 This is part 2 of our trip to the Getty Villa for our 18th Anniversary. if you missed Part 1 you can see the pictures here. As I mentioned in Part 1 of the update, we were both completely amazed at how much we loved the Getty Villa. We had heard it was great, we've visited the regular Getty but something about the intimate nature of the Villa really stood out to us. Not only is the artwork beautiful but as we showed in Part 1 of our update, the setting is just as amazing. As you walk the "Path to the Museum" you can pick up a map in a variety of different languages. These maps have great descriptions of the Exhibitions, Gardens and Galleries.  The main entrance to the Getty Villa   We started with the upstairs exhibits. Unfortunately one of the Changing Exhibitions was closed as The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia: A New Beginning had just closed the day prior to our visit. A new exhibit (Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections) will be opening in April. Another excuse to visit again. =) Our first exhibit was for the Neolithic and Bronze Age Arts.   There are lots of pictures to share, be sure to click on the individual pictures in the various galleries below to see all the Villa has to offer.  In between the individual galleries there are some amazing displays of sculptures and gravestones.    This is apparently a Bear. We didn't see it.  The Gravestone of Pollis  A very interesting Sarcophagus  The Gravestone of Philoxenos and Philoumene  The Athletes and Competition Exhibit        This next two Exhibits will interest quite a few of you I'm sure     Men in Antiquity    The exhibit features some incredible busts.  The Head of Emperor Augustus  The Head of Emperor Caligula  Head of a Balding Man. Perhaps one of my Ancestors? =)  Unfortunately no pictures were allowed in the Tiberius Exhibition but it was fantastic. We really enjoyed reading the timeline and seeing all of the artifacts.  So nobody feels left out, there was also a Women in Antiquity exhibit .     The Greco-Roman Egypt exhibit features the Mummy of Herakleides   Back on the Ground Floor, most of the exhibits feature some pretty amazing statues.      This was probably my favorite room of the entire Villa.  As you approach the central statue of Hygieia-Aphrodite you are surrounded by Muses on either side.       That's going to wrap it up for Part 2 of the update. This is by no means all there is to see at the Getty Villa. We certainly don't want to spoil everything or you'd have nothing left to experience on your own. But trust us, it's worth the journey.
For more information on the Getty Villa you can visit their website. Tickets are free but the Villa itself requires reservations. Parking is $15 per car. We will have another update next Monday for the Santa Monica Pier and Pacific Park, some work is being done on the Pier prior to next Spring. We will also have an update from the Reagan Library's new Spy Exhibit and their Christmas Tree exhibit sometime next week. If you enjoyed this update please share with your friends and make sure you "like" us on Facebook and "follow" us on Twitter. If you have any comments, please share them below.  This year my wife and I celebrated our 18th Wedding Anniversary at the Getty Villa. We had been wanting to get out to the Villa for a few years and were finally able to. The Villa is absolutely breathtaking. Situated just off PCH in the Santa Monica Mountains you feel like you are much further away from PCH than a few hundred yards. There is so much to see that this update is going to have to be done in two parts. The first part we'll look at the outside portions of the Villa, the beautiful gardens and fountains. Upon parking at the Getty Villa you have to head up and down a few elevators (or lots of stairs) to get to the main entrance. The way the Villa is set up makes great use of the setting in the Santa Monica Mountains while not disturbing too much of the natural beauty in the area.  As you walk up to the main entrance to the Villa you are treated to some fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean. It was an absolutely beautiful day thanks to the recent rain and wind.  There are many plaques and signs throughout the grounds. This one features the names of the Getty Trustees and the project team that worked on the reopening of the Villa in 2006.  As you approach the main Villa you are treated to a great view of the Amphitheater and the main building.  The main entrance to the Getty Villa.  We'll head inside the building later this week, but today we are going to concentrate on the amazing grounds surrounding the Villa itself.  The Mediterranean setting of the gardens really blends seamlessly with the Roman exhibits inside the Villa.      More great views of the ocean and the Villa's main drive which simulates the ancient streets of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Even the Parking Structure is authentically Roman. =)  The only statue in the Villa visitors are allowed to touch.   We of course had to have a little bit of fun with it.  The Outer Peristyle (or Formal Gardens) had to be my favorite garden at the Villa. Not only does it offer a great view of the Villa itself but it really does seem like something directly out of the Roman Empire.    Some great Bronze Replicas of statues and busts are found throughout the garden.            The description of this one was simply "deer".  Heading into the Inner Peristyle.    Some of the busts and statues have some creepy eyes that like to follow you around. It would be interesting to see these late at night.  The East Garden features a replica of an ancient fountain in the House of the Large Fountain at Pompeii.      Later this week we'll have Part 2 of our update featuring the great exhibits inside the Villa itself, including:   For more information on the Getty Villa you can visit their website.
Tickets are free but the Villa itself requires reservations. Parking is $15 per car. If you enjoyed this update please share with your friends and make sure you "like" us on Facebook and "follow" us on Twitter. If you have any comments, please share them below. |
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