Jungle Garden

jungle garden at The Huntington Library, Pasadena

Huntington Library , Pasadena - jungle garden

Since we knew there’d be way more to see at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens than we’d have time to explore while we were in the Pasadena area, we skipped the desert and cactus gardens (they’re supposed to be very good – we just have lots of desert gardens here in Arizona) and headed straight for something different: the jungle garden.

Jungle Garden at the Huntington

Jungle Garden Pasadena

Jungle Garden, The Huntington, Pasadena

I really being enveloped in lush the rainforest-like landscape.

Jungle Garden, The Huntington, Pasadena - tropical flowers

Jungle Garden, The Huntington, Pasadena - roots

Thick trees were like an entire ecosystem of their own with vines climbing their trunks and air plants nestled in their branches.

Huntington Library , Pasadena - jungle garden

Jungle Garden, The Huntington, Pasadena

We spotted ferns and flowers and plants with leaves the size of umbrellas.

Jungle Garden, The Huntington, Pasadena

Jungle Garden, The Huntington, Pasadena

My favorite spot was right next to the waterfall.

Jungle Garden, The Huntington, Pasadena - waterfall


We received complimentary press passes to Huntington Library via Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau.


Microblog Mondays: Write in your own space

El Amor de Frida in a Phoenix Library

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The main branch of the Phoenix Library is holding, “El Amor de Frida,” a free art exhibition (through 7/26) in honor of Frida Kahlo’s birthday.

We went and checked it out yesterday.

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The works, created by members of the Phoenix Fridas collective and other local artists, are inspired by the life, beliefs, and words of Frida Kahlo. An oversized statue of the Mexican painter marks the front of the exhibit, which also features mixed media, sculptures of wire and glass, painted plates, jewelry, and a portrait made from seed beads.

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It’s another great example of art in libraries!

(If you can’t see the short video I posted of the glass elevator ride, check it out on my Instagram.)

 

Microblog Mondays: Write in your own space

Why I look for art in libraries (and what else I’ve found)

fuller pasadena library

You might not think of walking into a library when you’re traveling, and it used to be that I didn’t either. I think it was stumbling on the Biblioteca Nacional del Perú that changed it for me.

I don’t remember what it was that afternoon during our (otherwise awesome) 2005 Peru trip that had gotten us down. Just that Lima’s big city, horn-honking, rumbling-diesel, street vendors/restauranteurs/bus drivers-shouting-for-customers cacophony had suddenly overwhelmed us, when we realized we were standing in front of Peru’s National Library. It wasn’t on the agenda, but we decided to duck in.
Continue reading “Why I look for art in libraries (and what else I’ve found)”