SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

We returned from a quick four day road trip to Southern California last night. Due to some potentially serious health issues with my dad, I didn't send out an itinerary since the decision to go wasn't made until the day before. Fortunately, my dad showed some improvement so we headed out "on the road again" as Willie Nelson sings.

Our first stop was the Gamble House, of Proctor & Gamble fame, in Pasadena on Sunday afternoon after a seven hour drive from Sacramento.

The Gamble House was designed by architects Greene & Greene in the Arts & Crafts style commissioned in 1908 by David & Mary Gamble of Cincinnati as their summer home in Pasadena. 

The living room area of The Gamble House. The architects worked closely with the Gambles to incorporate their ideas into the design of the home.

Looking down at the brick porch area from one of the second floor sleeping porches.

A few of the snap dragons in the Gamble's garden. I remember having snap dragons at our house in Hayward as a kid.

Just down Orange Grove Blvd, once known as "Millionaire's Row", is the Wrigley Mansion. It is now the headquarters of the nearby Tournament of Roses Parade.

Bird of Paradises, or is it Birds of Paradise???, seem to grown well in Southern California. There were many in the Wrigley Garden. We had those in Hayward, too.

Monday morning we headed south via the oldest freeway in the Los Angeles area. Lou is way into old bridges as well & found a couple in Pasadena.

The Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena was completed in 1913 & at the time was the highest concrete bridge in the world rising 150 feet above the arroyo.

The first freeway in Southern California is "The 110" running from Pasadena to Los Angeles. There are four Art Deco tunnels in the north bound lanes near Dodger Stadium. Many of the on ramps have stop signs. When it sort of clears, you gun the engine, close your eyes & hope for the best.

The coast of Rancho Palos Verdes is the home to the Wayfarers Chapel, designed by Lloyd Wright, the son of Frank Lloyd Wright. It is a beautiful glass chapel that is in use most days for weddings or memorials.

The Wayfarers Chapel strives to bring the outside into the church. 

The opening lines of the Lord's Prayer adorn the altar steps - "Our Father who art in heaven  hallowed by they name. They kingdom come. Thy will be done." 

The back view of the Wayfarers Chapel with the bell tower, colonnade & garden.

There were some lovely gardens at the Wayfarers Chapel & of course, I love taking photos of plants & flowers.

I'm guessing this is some sort of chrysanthemum but I could be wrong.

These aloe vera plants were interesting.

I don't know too many plants but I know these are some lovely bougainvellea. 

Maybe some kind of lily? I just like to look at them & marvel at what God can create.

We decided to take a leisurely drive through the beach towns of Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach & Manhattan Beach on our way north to Hawthorne.

The Point Vicente Lighthouse over looking the Pacific Ocean. This lighthouse is only open one day a month & it wasn't the day we were there. It is visible from a nearby park where we enjoyed our picnic lunch.

The Manhattan Beach pier. The white poles in the foreground hold volleyball nets during the summer time when beach volleyball games line the sand.

Looking the other direction down Manhattan Beach.

Southern California is beautiful. The scenery is striking & the weather is usually gorgeous. NOW, if they could just do something about the horrendous traffic that makes you want to scream! My Everyday Musings post regarding the traffic nightmare of SoCal will follow in a few days.

Some of the beach residences. The Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH, is a block above the beach. These streets to the beach are for bikes & pedestrians.

This monument to the Beach Boys is erected on the site of their Wilson childhood home in Hawthorne. The house was torn down to accommodate yet another freeway. You can see the sound wall behind the monument.

Our primary reason for this trip was because we had tickets to a Jeopardy taping! Lou & I have wanted to see this for years. He has checked the availability many times & finally found some for Tuesday morning. They don't allow any photos but it didn't disappoint! We saw a young man named Ryan win three games earning about $65,000!! They film three shows in the morning & another two in the afternoon - one week in one day. Alex & the champion change clothes & are back in 15 minutes to do it again. We don't know if Ryan kept winning but will find out the week of Jan 29th when the shows air.

Following the taping we decided to head to Santa Monica for the rest of the afternoon. Little did we know that the eight mile drive to our hotel would take two hours!! WTF???

The sign at the entrance to the Santa Monica Pier. It took several minutes of waiting for the cars & people to clear for this photo. 

Santa Monica Beach. I've been to Santa Monica many times & it really is an idyllic setting.

A ferris wheel & roller coaster ride on the Santa Monica Pier.

We had a late lunch after the Jeopardy taping so it made perfect sense to have ice cream for dinner on the Third Street Promenade shopping area in Santa Monica.

The following morning, Wednesday, we tackled the 405 freeway again to make our way back home. But first we made a stop at Randy's Donuts, built in 1953, with a 40 foot high concrete donut on top of the small shop. I don't know how Lou finds these things but he comes up with some interesting landmarks.

Another obscure destination that my guy found is Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park about 30 miles north of Bakersfield which we visited on our way home.

This is Lou's photo. I was dealing with a nasty bout of sciatica so I let him stand in line for a donut & take the tacky concrete donut picture. It was a pretty good donut - & the lines were long. There is also a drive through lane.

Allen Allensworth was a black man born a slave in 1842 who became a Union Soldier during the American Civil War. His mother insisted on education & he ultimately helped found a town for African American families where they could improve their economic & social status.

This is the library founded by Allensworth's mother. About 30 buildings have been restored or reconstructed.

There was a huge area of prickly pear cactus that still had just a few blooms. These two blossoms were in full bloom & beautiful.

Just a few feet away these prickly pear fruits still looked to be edible.