Getty Center

Getty Center is one of the most famous place for arts in Los Angeles.  It is situated atop a small hill, facing the Pacific Ocean.  It is also right next to freeway 405, so it is pretty convenient to get there.

The first place in Getty Center you will get to is the car park!  USD15 per entry!  Getty Center is free admission, but they didn't tell you parking is this expensive!    Once you come out of the car park, you need to take a short tram ride to get to the top of the hill, where the museum is located.

Tram Station and Rail

Once you come out of the tram, here is what is welcoming you to the museum.  There are quite a number of interesting statues for you to admire.

Getty Center is famous for its architecture.  Wandering around the courtyards, it feels really good.  The cold breeze in the deep of California's mild winter, the golden sunshine on the peaceful Pacific Ocean, and the wonderful garden.  Everything is so perfect, so peaceful.

Of course, out of all that, the most famous point of interest in Getty Center is the garden.  The plants are laid out in such a way that it kind of represents the ancient Chinese Ba Gua, derived from the mystic legendary book of I Ching.  

There is also a bit of fusion of east and west, in terms of architecture.

As a place for Art, somehow I find it interesting that whatever place that is for Art, a nude man somehow is necessary.

Out of the many many exhibits on display, what impressed me most were the beds!

Frankly speaking, I quite like Getty Center.  It is such a nice escape from the busy city life from one of the world's biggest cities.  It offers such tranquility and peace, it also lets you indulge in the wonderful world of arts.  

Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California is a public observatory, meant for the public to admire the beauty of our galaxy and beyond.  What impressed me most is that it was donated to the City of Los Angeles by Colonel Griffith on December 16, 1896.  That was more than a century ago, and there were such generous people around to donate to the public to get people interested in science and technology.  No wonder America became the world's most advanced and powerful country in the world.

Griffith Observatory is not only good for the stars in the galaxy, but also the stars from Hollywood.  Here, you can see the charming, although totally uncharacteristic Hollywood sign.

Haha...Stardom is way too far for me to reach... Never mind... :)

Inside the observatory, there is lots of information related to astronomy.  If you are a fan, you will be very delighted.  If you are not, you still can get a few general knowledge, or some shocks from the exhibits.

Here is also a vantage point of the whole of Los Angeles Valley - Downtown LA, Hollywood, you can see them all.

On a cloudy day, looking out from Griffith Observatory, don't you think it looks like a dooms day movie?

Other than the observatory itself, you can also take a stroll in the Griffith Park, which is a very nice place.

Residence Inn by Marriott @ Irvine Spectrum

Got the chance to stay at this service apartment type of accommodation in the US during one of my overseas trips for work.

This Residence Inn is hidden among the industrial area of Orange County.  Every direction you turn, you see an industrial building.  This strategic location gives the Residence Inn a clear advantage, as you can see many foreign  talents from India are staying here on their business trip.

The rooms are nice and cosy with a pantry where you can cook your own food.  A picture is worth a thousand words, so just see for yourself.

At US$169/night, it is really nice for this home-style of accommodation.