Our Day in LA playing tourist

We have decided that besides working on our garden projects...(more to follow) that we would spend our summer time exploring new things locally. There are so many things to do local to you/us that we never take time to do and especially being in So Cal there are a multitude of places to go and new things to experience within driving distance....(of the transplant center) for a day trip or a weekend.

On this day which started as two.....We had a very full day. I was a bit worried that I would get awfully tired trying to fit this all in but we took it easy and I did fine. We had a great day!

We saw something on the local news about The Getty Villa. Not the museum but the villa which in actuality is a museum unto itself. Here is a another link for details on free admission, etc.

It was designed and built by J Paul Getty to house his collection of ancient Greek and Roman Sculptures and art. It was designed after a villa in Rome that had been partially dug out. It is very beautiful in structure, art and location which is in Santa Monica with views of the ocean. Not to mention the gardens.

They also have a really nice outdoor Mediterranean cafe to enjoy lunch on the patio.

Next we went to a historical, famous Hollywood hot dog landmark. PINKS

It has been in Hollywood since 1939 serving hot dogs to the stars and star struck.... We stood in line for 1.5 hours for a dog...it was great fun visiting with everyone in line and the dogs were great. Their menu was even better..You have never seen so many different options.

Then it was off to the Greek Theatre, an amphitheatre in the hills and pines of Griffith Park under the stars. This is a park where they house the LA ZOO, Gene Autry Museum, A great planetarium and observatory, travel town for the kiddies and The Greek Theatre. We saw Crosby, Stills and Nash and it was a wonderful night. They sounded so good. I was surprised how good actually.

As most of you may remember David Crosby is a liver transplant recipient who received his new liver in 1995 and I couldn't help but think how lucky he was to be standing up there singing. He has had so many years that he would not have had without the selflessness of a donor and their family. I also wondered how many other people he had given hope to that he was unaware of, like me. I sat in the audience wondering if we were the only 2 who new what it was like to face the fact your liver is failing and you need someone else's to keep living and I thought not...There are many of us who are waiting or have had successful transplants...But it was somehow comforting to just watch and hear him sing those beautiful songs he wrote with his friends in perfect harmony.