The Huntington After Hours

Mid- July The Huntington opened the Scott Gallery expansion and hosted an after-hours sneak preview for members, and while the official event was happening in the gallery all the gardens would be open as well.  The Huntington routinely closes at 4:30 (a little to early, especially in the summer, I think), so I was overjoyed at the prospect of wandering the gardens when the weather is cooler, the light isn't so harsh, and the crowds are gone.

I thought I would be able to grab a picture of the North Vista without any people, but ...

there was a wedding going on!  What the What?!

I haven't ever really noticed the statues lining the "road" I take to enter the gardens, but I just got a new camera and I was excited about the crowd-free, cool night, and was taking my time a looking around.


I don't know if this guy has a flower every day or someone put it there as a joke, but I thought it was funny.

I totally learned my lesson last time and stared int he desert garden.


Ok, technically I started in the Palm Garden (because you have to walk by it to get to the Desert Garden):






These reminded me of the Fig Forest which used to be part of the bonsai court, but it disappeared from the exhibit some time ago.  It was my favorite.


More from the Palm Garden.  I have never seen it so empty.  LOVED IT.






These cool flowers were hanging around the Lilly Ponds.












I took several pictures of this plant (there wasn't a plaque saying what it was anywhere around it), but none of them really do it justice.  It looked like it was glowing.  Literally glowing from inside.  Super cool effect.


PICTURE OF THE DAY!


Lilly Pond Lotus


From a distance this flower totally looks like a spider.  It is pretty creepy, actually.



Veldfire Sunsation - I love the names of all the rose varieties.


Paris de Yves S. Laurent....very classy.


Sweetness

I think I'll do a separate post just for the Asian Gardens (Japanese and Chinese) they were both in excellent form, and because it was a members-only event I was able to get some excellent photos without a lot of people blocking up the shots. 

And Then I Fell Down a Rabbit Hole

This is what happens when I start thinking about SYTYCD - I started by just adding one to my most recent 5 Things, but then that spiraled deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole. So, here are a (very restrained) few more dances that I absolutely love.

5 Things - So You Think You Can Dance Edition (Top 18)

If you know me at all, you know that I love. Love. LOVE! So You Think You Can Dance; I will be crushed if they don't get renewed for next summer.  Especially since my beautiful niece, Jaides, will be 18 and old enough to try out if she wants.  Here are my 5 Things about Season 11, Top 18 episode.

1.  Holy Cow!  I loved that group routine. This routine was absolutely one of the best.  It actually reminded me of a me of a Wade Robson-choreographed number (and from me, that is about the highest praise a group routine can aspire too - unless I am simultaneously comparing it to Torn by Christopher Scott and Sonya Tayeh last season).




2.  Oh, it's Misty Copeland as the guest judge again.  To be fair, I have never seen her dance; I'm sure she is  incredibly talented, but...  SHUT UP @MISTYONPOINTE!!

3.  That first hip hop routine with Jacque and Zach?  All I have to say is, Tabitha and Napoleon, who?  They did compare it to "Bleeding Love" with Mark and Chelsea (one of my all time favorite routines), and I can see it. I love hip hop choreographed to unexpected songs.  It also reminded me of Christopher Scott's "Misty Blue" with Twitch and Sasha (see, I warned you I love SYTYCD) which was absolutely brilliant!

4.  Tasty Oreo.  HATE HIM!  Sir McBitchyPants needs to get off my TV.  GAH!  TWO ROUTINES?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

5.  I am wondering if Lacey Schwimmer has had some work done.  Her face looks... different.  I love     Viennese waltz, though and the costuming was gorgeous. Bonus:  I love it when Mary Murphy stops    shrieking and gives actual feedback to the dancers.

More than 5 Things because I love SYTYCD!

6.  There are parts of this skeleton routine that I really dig.  It makes me wonder how people can have such control over every part of their bodies.  How do they work this way?!  Oh, and now Uncle Inappropriate, Nigel, is telling us that we won't "get" how difficult this routine is.  SHUT UP UNCLE INAPPROPRIATE!

7.  While we're talking about SYTYCD here are some more of my favorites.  This list is by no means all inclusive.  These routines did inspire me to download these songs from iTunes, though.

June Gloom or June Bloom?

In Southern California "May Gray" turns into "June Gloom" - which is to say that there is a marine layer making the world a little foggy in the mornings.  That burns off pretty quickly, though, and then you are left with another beautiful sunny day.  I have to admit - I don't love SoCal, but I do enjoy the weather.

I also love being close enough to visit the Huntington every month.  I am so excited to be able to see it throughout the year.  This visit brought the first time I've seen lotus in bloom.  It is very weird, actually.


So this is what I always kind of envisioned when thinking about lotus blooms.


But what are those strange shower-head looking things?




Apparently, they are what is left when the bloom fades...


So beautiful.


And weird...


I also creeped on a docent tour in the Chinese Garden.  I only heard the end so I didn't hear the why part, but apparently the windows cannot be perfectly square.


And the eaves' design are two-fold.  First, it is made to resemble a dragon, and second, the design funnels rain down a specific path to create literal curtains of water.  (Sidenote:  now I need to go to the Chinese Garden on a rainy day.)


The last tidbit was that the garden path is designed so that each set of columns frame a specific picture.  I've noticed that my favorite spots were perfectly framed on previous visits, but this time (and in the future) I spent a little more time paying attention to the whole design.






It was HOT when I was there (being end of June, and all), and I made such a rookie mistake.  I counsel against this mistake every time I take someone new to the gardens, but I really wanted to start my day in the Rose Garden.  The key to a successful visit (if you intend to go anywhere below the Japanese Garden) is to start your day in the Desert Garden.  There is no shade!  There aren't a lot of benches!  There are no water fountains!  There is a giant hill to climb!  These are no big deal at the top of the day, but at the end....killer, that.  That whole rant just to say my Desert pictures were really lacking this time around.  It didn't appear as though a lot was still in bloom, but I also didn't go looking.  This picture is from the only shady bench...at the bottom of the hill.


This guy was just sitting there - mocking my choice of visiting the Deseret Garden during the hottest part of the day.  With an empty water bottle.  Jerk.


It was, though another extraordinary day at the Lilly Ponds. There are lotus flowers there as well, but they are in a spot that was hard to photograph.


Y'all I LOVE THIS PHOTO SO MUCH!






The goslings were hanging at the ponds as well.  A guy headed toward the geese wanting to "pet" it,  and another one of them got pretty agressive with him.  I kind of laughed and said that the geese were really parents and babies (no more downy cuteness) and he kinda chucked all, "Yeah, that explains the bite."


Mr. Stand on One Leg



How have I never noticed this giant, creepy baby statue?!


I am obsessed with Craspedia globosa aka "Billy Buttons"!








Obviously, I can't go without at least one picture of the Japanese Garden:


The Rose Garden has become one of my favorite places as well.  Previous visits always took place after the major blooming season was over so it was a quick stop.  By the end of this year in SoCal I expect I'll have taken a picture of eary rose variety.  The bees were out in full force on Saturday.  They were everywhere, I love getting them in my pictures - and this time around I got some super awesome ones.

Betty Boop


Watercolor (LOVE THESE!)





*Look at the bee's wings.  Seriously, these are awesome photos.  I can brag because I never expect to have such great pictures, and they turned out great in spite of me - not because of me.



Ivory Fashion


Antique Caramel





Peek-a-boo

Pernille Poulsen


And one really vibrant picture from the English Garden...


The best part of the whole day, though...especially after my bad decisions regarding the Desert Garden.

LOOK AT THE PARKING SPOT I SNAGGED!  It really couldn't be any closer to the exit.

And to top it off,

I saw this truck with an adorable, tiny elephant chair driving home. (This was taken stopped at a light, btw.)