Griffith Observatory
29 Jul 2013
Before I dive into this post, I want to give a hearty round of applause to Eric, who masterminded and implemented this entire new blog design. The best part is not even that he did such a great job. The best part is how invested he is in my blog and in everything I do, how relentlessly encouraging he is. Also, I think it looks pretty fantastic. Thanks, genius husband! And on the topic of genius husbands…this weekend’s foray into LA was to an iconic scientific playground of the astronomical variety: Griffith Observatory. It’s an LA landmark, and not just for the gorgeous view. It was built in the early 30s as part of the WPA program, and they did not skimp on the gorgeous details.
Here’s a closer look. I love the stately Greek key design and the elegant window grates.
We knew we wanted to see the building, but we didn’t have any other expectations. So we were blown away 1) by the fact that it was *free*, and 2) by the wide range of fabulous exhibits and the working solar telescope. If an astrophysicist gives it a thumbs up, you know it’s good. Here he is looking at the live color spectrum of the sun.
This was the old planetarium projector. Pretty awesome.
You can also climb up and view the telescopes. I couldn’t stop thinking about Rebel Without a Cause, huge chunks of which were filmed here.
And now it’s time to talk about the other reason why Griffith Observatory is so amazing: the view. It was absolutely stunning.
I love this picture, even though the sun is totally in my eyes.
This is the view from the other side, also iconic. And the loooong line of parked cars all the way down the hill. It was a busy day for astronomy!
After we’d finished looking around, we spontaneously decided to head to our Los Feliz favorite, The Alcove, for dinner, since it wasn’t too far. My brother introduced us to this place, and it’s just about the loveliest outdoor dining you can imagine. We miraculously found a place to park, and then we stumbled upon this, which I loved. And he does. Oh, he does.
A little menu humor.
I had soup and salad, but I talked Eric into getting fries with his sandwich. The best of all possible worlds!
The Alcove is a dessert wonderland. So many cakes! All of them gigantic! We always try to save room for dessert. And then we eat dessert even if we didn’t save room. Or maybe that’s just me. This was Eric’s cake. Light and refreshing!
And here I am with my gargantuan slice of apple pie. After this, a brisk walk through the neighborhood and a browse through the bookstore was obligatory. All in all, a lovely Saturday. The loveliest.
Jul 29, 2013 @ 04:41:57
The new design is wonderful. Tell Eric the professor approves! 😉 Loved the pictures. The view is simply fabulous!
Jul 29, 2013 @ 10:39:48
Thank you so much! It was an amazing view indeed:)
Jul 29, 2013 @ 07:05:02
Mmm, love the food! We ate out on Friday night and the restaurant does not make fries!?!?!? So guess what I want….yep! Love the new look and lucky you to have someone who knows his way around blog design!!
Jul 29, 2013 @ 10:42:09
Thank you! Oh my gosh, fries are totally my guilty pleasure (I mean…besides cake!) Since I would never make them at home, I love getting them when we’re out. Hope you can get your hands on some soon!
Jul 29, 2013 @ 08:41:07
you guys are the cutest
Jul 29, 2013 @ 10:42:20
Aw, thank you!
Jul 29, 2013 @ 08:53:07
Yay for your new design! It’s lovely and user-friendly! Bravo, you two!
Also, yay for the observatory. I loved seeing it The Rocketeer and didn’t know it was in Rebel Without a Cause. I think I need to check it out.
Aaaand, I am about to join twitter only because your tweetery cracks me up and I want instant access to it. That’s not weird, right?
Jul 29, 2013 @ 10:53:40
Thank you so much! The observatory was super fun, and I bet the girls would love it. It was crazy crowded, though, so a weekday may be better! I didn’t remember it being in The Rocketeer! I am a total geek about that movie: time to rewatch! Also, yes, please, join twitter! I need instant access to all your hilarity too!
Jul 29, 2013 @ 13:36:41
Wow this is so cool! I wish I could have been along to explore this with you two.
Aug 01, 2013 @ 22:03:07
Oh, you would love it! We will definitely take you there next time you are in town:)
Aug 01, 2013 @ 20:50:32
I need to ck out the Alcove! What do u recommend?
And, you also need to ck out the observatory at night!
Aug 01, 2013 @ 22:23:24
Oh, definitely! The Alcove is really famous for brunch, but I’ve never been there for it yet. All of the sandwiches are incredible, and the desserts are seriously wow too. You can’t go wrong!