Art and architecture on a hill

Perched on top of a hill in the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles, The famous Getty Center houses an art and architecture research institute, research libraries and museum galleries. Visitors all over come to visit the popular J. Paul Getty Museum for its huge collection of European paintings, sculptures, artwork, manuscripts, drawings and photographs in neatly laid out gallery pavilions. Automated trams take the visitors from the street-level parking spots to the central arrival plaza on top of the hill.

At the top of the hill, the various buildings of the Getty center blend very well with the innovative landscaping consisting of water bodies, tress, fountains and a large central garden. The complete campus design focuses on elements of space and natural lighting with a contemporary feel to it. The natural lighting within the galleries are adjusted automatically based on computer-assisted systems. The buildings are intuitively placed and provide easy access from one hall to an other. The Los Angeles city views from the Getty center are to die for.

Numerous events round the year in the form of lectures, conferences, performances, demonstrations and gallery talks further enrich the visitor experience. For a more serious visitor, GettyGuide stations provide a way to explore the art collection in depth. The audio player available for $5 at the pick-up desk in the museum entrance hall is a valuable tool to take during the pavilion visits. A number of cafes/restaurants and picnic areas provide good dining options during the visit. Avid shoppers can be seen at the Museum Store or the many Satellite shops. Entry to the Getty center is free and no reservations are needed.

The Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA-90049
(310) 440-7300

Open ...
Tuesday-Thursday (10 am - 6 pm)
Friday-Saturday (10 am - 9 pm)
Closed on Mondays and certain holidays

Trip to the gardens

A 30 minute drive from San Diego downtown takes you to Flinn Springs, the location of Summers Past Farms, an enchanting garden nestled in its foothills. Summers Past Farms is a owned by the Lozier family who have had a rich tradition in farming. This farm spreads over a decent sized area with specific portions marked for a herbal garden, a vegetable garden, a children's garden, Shakespeare garden, a secret garden, special event area, lavender fields and various shops.

The herbal garden is a delight as fragrances of basil, mint, dill, rosemary, thyme, sage and lavender fill the air. Kids have a great time playing in the children's garden or with the friendly cats, Yarrow being the friendliest. The natural lounge by the Green Bean Coffee Bar is a nice place to relax and enjoy the gardens while sipping hot coffee or savoring mango flavored iced tea with flower petals.

The farm has a couple of charming shops; The gift shop in the timber barn is a 3500 square foot garden and retail store stocked with gardening paraphernalia, cook books, aroma candles, fairy items, organic spices, jams and jellies, soaps and more. The herbal shoppe and factory is an instant hit among visitors as they are immersed in the aromatherapy of handmade herbal soaps, fragrance and massage oils and natural skin care products. Spa accessories and soap-making kits are some of the other items found in the store.

Summer and Fall days are filled with events ranging from antique and craft fairs to pumpkin patches. Visiting the farm's website or browsing the newsletters is a great way to keep informed about the numerous special events. The annual soap making week attracts large number of visitors who gather to learn the art of making herbal soaps; a nice holiday gift. Summers Past Farms is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm and on Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm.

Summers Past Farms
15602 Old Highway 80
Flinn Springs, CA - 92021
(619)390-1523

Aerial route

San Diego residents turned their eyes skyward on October 12th, 13th and 14th as military and civilian performers blazed the Miramar skies with some astounding maneuvers and complex formations in their aircrafts. Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar plays host to supposedly the largest air show in the country every year.

This 3 day mega event boasts a number of exhibits, a consumer fair, marine air-ground task force demonstration, twilight demonstrations with pyrotechnics and fireworks, jet fueled trucks, Guinness recorded 'wall of fire' and various civilian and military demonstrations.

Flight enthusiasts are enthralled by some of the coolest flying machines like U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, F-117 Nighthawk Stealth fighters, USN F-18 Super Hornet, AV-8B Harrier, MiG 17-F and F-16 Falcon in action here. The list doesn't end without mention of special effects hang glider, radio-controlled aircrafts, aircraft carriers and sail planes as well. Miramar Air Show returns again in October 2008 for more action and excitement.

A historic landmark in the heart of San Diego

San Diego considered as America's finest city is known for its beaches, golfing and abundant sunshine. However, it may come as a real surprise to imagine that a San Diego neighborhood could have actually been the birthplace of California. 'Old Town', a San Diego landmark is shrouded in rich history and culture and is believed to be the spot where it all began.

Today, 'Old Town' stands as one of the premier tourist destinations in San Diego with its 3 historic parks (Presidio Park, Heritage Park and Old Town San Diego Historic Park), numerous other historic sites, over 2 dozen ethnic restaurants, 100+ specialty shops, art galleries and boutique hotels. A walk in the Old Town transports you to charming Spanish ambiance with a cosmopolitan San Diego flavor; Aroma of fresh Tortillas fill the air as curious onlookers appreciate a local artist's masterpiece. Colorful old town trolleys criss-cross the lively streets even as the announcer educate and entertain the guests with interesting facts and Old Town folklore.

Old Town with a historic backdrop plays host to several weddings. Saturdays come alive as musicians dish out some exciting live numbers and artisans display jewelery, clothing, photographs, pottery, hand-painted glass and more in the popular 'Harney Street Old Town Saturday Market'. Ghostly haunts welcome visitors to the world-renowned 'Whaley House', a great example of mid-nineteenth century Greek Revival architecture. This historic museum is also an officially designated haunted house with a footfall of over 100,000 visitors every year.

The exciting Old Town trip doesn't end without sampling spicy Mexican food, wine tasting, creating candle art, visit to the candy shop and gawking at fossilized gems and road-side scrap-metal insects and robot creations.

Style and sophistication in a street

Imagine a palm-tree lined avenue flanked by rows of stylish shops on either side and paraded by limousines and fancy cars. It's the high street of glitz, glamor and fashion in Beverly hills, California. "Rodeo Drive", about a 3-block stretch is often considered as one of the most expensive and exclusive shopping districts in the world.

The rich and the famous of Hollywood are often found shopping here on some of the foremost international designer labels like Armani, Christian Dior, Chanel, Cartier, Prada, Bang & Olufsen, Dolce and Gabbana, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Escada to name a few.

Rodeo Drive is not just visited by the celebrity shoppers; it also plays a good host to the tourists from all over the world who come here to experience the glitzy lifestyle. Visitors often park at 'Two Rodeo', a European style shopping enclave housing its own share of designer names such as Versace, Tiffany & Co and James Elliot and providing eclectic dining options.

Rodeo Drive wears a particularly chic and bright look in the evenings around Christmas time when festive lights and decorations adorn the street. It is recommended that Sundays be avoided because most stores are closed on that day.

Sinful indulgences in the city that never sleeps

To say that New York city is one of the best culinary destinations in the world is an understatement. It is a voyage into the realms of gastronomical delights. Be it the glitzy neon-lit avenues or the dark narrow passageways; they are all teeming with endless eating joints, dishing out food ranging from a fast street-cooked finger food to a lifestyle 9-course gourmet meal in a five-star setting. A modest 3-day Gotham trip fit about a dozen culinary escapades, most notably;

Hampton Chutney - Quaint little SOHO shop with an international twist to traditional South Indian crispy sourdough rice flour crepes (Dosa). All Dosas have a filling of varied kind and served with a choice of chutney. Sealed towelettes in a corner, ensure clean hand before indulging into the exotic chutney flavors.

Rice To Riches - Rich and creamy rice puddings are served in a trendy, hip and ultra-modern shop. Some bold flavor combinations complement greatly with the stylish decor.

Pinkberry - When the sweet and sour tastes of the Yogurt are swirled in a precise proportion and presented in a perfect consistency, you'd get Pinkberry. Choice of about 18 toppings on the perfect white or green Yogurt canvas completes the work of art. The shop's decor is fully functional with the frozen creations.

Max Brenner Chocolate - This is the latest addition to the growing list of imported chocolate shops operating in the city. This Australian-based chocolatier takes delight in offering an extensive chocolate-based menu ranging from Chocolate fondues to Chocolate Pizzas.

Artisanal Fromagerie, Bistro and Wine Bar - Cheese lovers, especially flock to this sophisticated restaurant on Park Avenue. An in-house cheese shop and a great-tasting daily fondue selection is just a start to a number of exciting French specialties. About 160 wine selections pair up with the 250+ varieties of cheese. The Artisanal cheesecake makes a perfect ending to that important appointment.

Vatan - An Indian Vegetarian eatery that gets its marks more for the decor and the concept than for the food. Patrons are transported to an ancient Indian village where they get to savor some rich, spicy North Indian prix fixe fare served in a rustic traditional way. The only rule here is to land at Vatan with a hungry stomach for the eat-as-much-as-you-can offerings.

Pommes Frites - A 2nd avenue fried food paradise serving authentic double-layered Belgian fries made from premium fresh potatoes and numerous sauce dips. This charming shop with wooden paper cone holders is often voted to have the best fries in New York city.

John's Pizzeria - Established in 1929 and on Bleecker Street, the coal-fired and the brick oven Pizzas are some of the best found in this part of the world. John's thin-crust pizzas have the perfect mix of cheese and sauce and they literally melt in the mouth.

Race in the sky

After leaving its footprint in about half a dozen international destinations like Abu Dhabi (UAE), Rio De Janeiro (Brazil), Monument Valley (USA), Istanbul (Turkey), Interlaken (Switzerland), London (UK), Budapest (Hungary) and Porto (Portugal), 'Red Bulls Air Race 2007' descended on America's finest city, San Diego. This thrilling air race with some of the best pilots in the world competing against each other in a display of speed, precision and skill was conceived by Red Bull sports in 2001. After planning for alamost 2 years, the first race of it kind was held at Airpower in Zeltweg, Austria in 2003. Since then, it has travelled around the world leaving its audience with a sense of awe.

The Red Bull air race debuts in San Diego for the first time. The San Diego leg had 2 rounds of racing; qualifying round on September 21, 2007 to shortlist the 12 fastest pilots for the actual race day on September 22, 3007 at the picturesque San Diego bay near the downtown. The race was attended by thousands of spectators at the 2 ticketed locations in Embarcadero and multiple other locations spread around the bay like Coronado.

These locations offered vantage view points to feel the planes swish by at 400 kmph close to the ground in pre-set race paths. The high-fly excitement with incredible maneuvers, naval display and parachute drops, all lasted about 6 hours. After a scintillating display in San Diego, this competition races to Perth (Australia) next.

Digital cities

Presenting some urban captures transformed to digital works of art ...

California... Save water !!

Often, the amount of importance that one places on lifestyle and entertainment is not shown on environmental and social awareness. Environmental preservation is one of the most important tasks in this century and going forward as well. Nature has gifted our world with a replenishing mechanism to recharge lost resources. As with lot of other things, there is a particular pace in which this happens. If these precious resources are drained faster than they are replenished, we will lose them faster than we would like to.

Long story put short; there have been recent announcements which suggest that California's main water resources have been severely impacted and that most of the water currently in use is from the reserves. It is a bit of a concern and so would like to spread the word as much as possible about the importance of water conservation before it is too late.

Metropolitan water district and the family of Southern California water agencies maintain a great website "Bewaterwise" with various tips and suggestions to save water. The first step is to take the easy 20-gallon challenge. Each person who follows the simple steps can conserve as much as 20 gallons of water per day. In addition, numerous rebates are offered to encourage residents of Southern California for purchasing water-saving appliances like the rotating sprinklers, high-efficiency clothes washers and water-saving toilets. Industries, Institutions and builders can also save on approved water-saving installations. Finally, a conscious and a collective effort from everyone will go a long way in preventing such crisis in the future.

Valley of wines and hot-air balloons - Temecula

A short getaway from San Diego brings us to place of rolling hills, golf courses, hot-air balloons and vineyards. Temecula (popularly interpreted as 'Where the sun breaks through the mist') is the wine capital of Southwest California. The scenic wine country in the Temecula valley boasts of over 20 wineries like the Thornton, Falkner, Ponte, Mount Palomar, Miramonte, Hart, Churon, and Bally to name a few. Visitors get a taste of the wine country with the various wine tasting tours and wine-inspired fine-dining options. These wineries also play host to several music concerts and other special events throughout the year. The annual Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine festival also draws visitors in thousands to the wine country.

The historic old town in Temecula (Temecula was established in 1859) with its numerous art galleries, antique dealers, artisan food stores, museums and other shops provides a old world charm and a rich historic experience. Olive oil tasting and cheese tasting are an integral part of strolling old town's quaint streets. Temecula Olive Oil Company grows its own olives in California and they produce olive oils of the highest quality. This cozy little shop also carries pure sea salt from different parts of the world. Sample of salts are available for tasting. Freshly baked breads with a choice of olive oil for dipping makes a perfect end to the visit here. Temecula Valley Cheese Company with a large selection of artisan cheeses take pride in calling themselves the purveyors of the world's finest cheeses.

Temecula's old town is not just about antiques, museums, and collectibles. The certified farmer's market provides an opportunity for the local farmers to display and sell their fresh organic produce that they grow in their own farms. This popular market comes to the old town every Saturday and on Wednesday's at the Promenade mall. The visitors to the market can also browse different craft and jewel selections while savoring the tastes of Kettle corn and freshly squeezed lemonade.