Garden Sculptures at Norton Simon

One of the things that really struck me as I was wandering through the Sculpture Garden at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California was the interplay between the sculptures themselves and the natural elements surrounding them. Smooth tree trunks, twisted branches, round lily pads, and even afternoon sunbeams beautifully echo (or are echoed in) the artwork.

There are more sculptures on the lawn in front of the museum, as well as inside. Many of those are also framed by trees and illuminated by sunlight.

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We received complimentary press passes to Norton Simon Museum via Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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June 30, 2016

California Citrus Historic State Park

On the way home from Anaheim last year, we discovered the loveliest park, made a friend, tried some amazing citrus, and learned a little history.

And it all started with a craving for donuts.

Corona

The donut shops around our hotel were partly to blame, but what really did it is stopping for gas late Sunday afternoon on our way back to Phoenix and noticing a vintage sign across the street that said “Donut Pantry”.

Sadly, it was closed, as were the other 3 donut shops we found driving around the town of Corona. But by then, we had decided donuts and a cup of coffee would be essential for our drive home.

Riverside

So Phillip got back on the freeway, and I got on Yelp. There was a listing for a place in Riverside, just past an intriguing big green rhombus on the map called Citrus Historic State Park.

Before we even got there, however, Phillip saw Mister Blue’s Donut Shop (open 24 hours) and we pulled in. We got an apple fritter, chocolate cream donut, and a large coffee to go and went to check out the Citrus Park.

California Citrus Historic State Park

The gate was open but there was no one around. We drove in past orchards of citrus trees, parked near some rustic wooden picnic tables and enjoyed our donuts and coffee. The donuts were great. The coffee was drinkable.

Just past the picnic tables, behind some hedges, Phillip discovered a rose garden with a dry fountain in the middle.

Across the parking lot was a visitors’ center that had closed at 4pm. We wandered around the back and saw more picnic tables, (locked) restrooms, and a pair of rotund black and white guinea fowl that seemed quite at home. There was a trail that wound up a hill between young avocado trees, but we didn’t want to stay too long.

Ranger Samuel

We were headed for our car when an official-looking truck pulled up. I assumed we were about to get yelled at for being there after hours or not having a parking permit or something.

Instead, Ranger Raphael Samuel handed us a park brochure, assured us it didn’t close until 7, and asked if we had questions.

He seemed truly disappointed we weren’t able to enjoy the park to the full extent. “I just wish you had been here earlier when the visitors’ center was open.” He explained how volunteers not only run the visitors’ center but lead weekend tasting tours where visitors learn about the citrus trees and sample fruit. If you like it, you pick some to take home.

We chatted about California/citrus history, traffic, and the Star Wars convention we had just attended. When he realized we were from out of town and wouldn’t be able to come back for the next weekend’s tour, he couldn’t let us leave without showing us around and picking some fruit for us to taste. His favorite tree had a variety of oranges that were sweet and complex and unlike anything I’ve tasted.

We’re hoping to stop back by for the full tour next time we’re in California!

– More Info –

Citrus Historic State Park

Parking is $5 per vehicle.
Park is open 7 days a week, 8am to at least 5pm, depending on the season.
Visitor Center, Museum & Gift Shop hours are Friday through Sunday, 10am to 4pm.
“Tour and Tastes” are most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30am, 12:00pm, and 2:00pm.

Riverside, California is about 45 minutes east of Anaheim. In addition to being the site of Citrus Historic State Park and at least two 24-hour donut shops, it’s known for the historic Mission Inn. The hotel is the size of a city block, and you can see its mission bell logo stamped into the concrete freeway walls as you pass the city.

August 24, 2015July 24, 2016

From Cheesesteak to Cheesecake: “Local” is Relative

“Really?! You want to eat one of those things?”

Until at that moment, I hadn’t thought wanting to get a Philly cheesesteak in Philly was such a crazy idea. But Phillip’s uncles, who we were visiting a few years back, seemed surprised and disgusted at the thought.

I guess when you have lived your whole life just outside of Philadelphia, you’re over the whole cheesesteak thing.

More recently, while in line at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim, we struck up a conversation with some guys from Germany, who had already been to their bucket-list restaurant for their SoCal trip. It wasn’t a beachside seafood spot, Downtown Disney diner, trendy vegan cafe, or even an L.A. taco truck.

It was the Cheesecake Factory.

To me, that’s part of a big ol’ chain I could eat at whenever (but haven’t for a long time). To them, it’s the hangout from The Big Bang Theory, and something you can’t experience where they’re from.

Local – and interesting – eating is relative.
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June 14, 2015July 24, 2016

Visit the Dinosaurs (They Won’t Bite)

From: Stephanie
To: Phillip
Date: April 22, 2014
Subject: I FOUND THE DINOSAURS!!

You know how when we go to California I’m always like “where are the dinosaurs?”, and you’re like “what?”

Well, add this to the list of things I was not making up: http://retroroadmap.com/spot/giant-dinosaurs-in-the-desert-cabazon-ca/

YEAH!!

We need to go visit them.

I misremembered the location of the life-sized T-Rex and Brontosaurus that had always been a landmark on childhood road trips to California, and I was beginning to think they’d gone extinct.

Clicking around on travel blogs one day, I ended up at Retro Roadmap, which happened to have a post about the Cabazon Dinosaurs right on the front page. It was the classic concrete odd couple I remembered – predator and prey permananetly locked in unmoving tension – about 15 miles outside Palm Springs. I was irrationally excited.

Obviously, this would be a mandatory stop on the way to Star Wars Celebration Anaheim.

After closing time, you can’t go inside or see the new “museum” of animatronic dinosaurs, but you can walk around outside and even picnic under the belly of the Brontosaurus. So we took silly photos, and I did that thing you do as you get older (hey, let’s face it, I’m old enough to have childhood memories of dinosaurs) of telling Phillip exactly what did and didn’t use to be there.

Then we lumbered down the road to hunt for date shakes.
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May 15, 2015July 24, 2016

Fireworks and Fountains in Anaheim

1. Make an entrance

They say it’s about the journey.

But arriving can be pretty nice too. After you’ve been traveling, unlocking the door to a comfortable hotel room feels like someone should strike up the band and set off fireworks.

That literally happened when we stayed at Hotel Indigo Anaheim. Mention my name, and there will be fireworks the night you check in too.

Actually, Disneyland does a fireworks show every night. Mentioning me changes nothing. You can, however, request a room with a fireworks view when you make your reservation. Then you can just assume they’re in your honor.

Everyone there is really accommodating and service-focused, regularly working things out for guests – transportation, early check-ins, recommendations, etc. We had a late-notice schedule change for our Star Wars Celebration convention trip, and General Manager Edward Voysest was flexible with changing our reservation. Hannah made sure everything was set when we checked in.

So while the really hardcore fans camped out on a convention center floor, we were sleeping in an actual bed with really excellent pillows. I know. Poor us!

2. Start your day

We were so comfortable, it was hard to get moving the next morning. Blackout curtains can be a double-edged sword. The Keurig helped.

The bright lighting in the bathroom helped too. In the shower was a regular shower head, as well as a handheld one that reminded me one of those long microphones. So, in case you need to do some shower singing, you’re all set. There’s also a fancy straight-sided vessel sink atop the counter and really nice scented soaps.

Since we had stocked our mini fridge with fruit and yogurt and whatnot, it was easy to grab something quick that first morning when we were in a hurry.

When we were less rushed the following day, we tried out the Chambers Bar & Bistro in the hotel. It was really crowded, so they asked if we wanted to eat out on the patio. It was a beautiful morning and so peaceful out there!

Our server José knew so much about the area and the menu. I ordered the chilaquiles, house-made tortilla chips drenched in red pepper sauce with queso fresco and avocado on top and local eggs, fruit, and diced potatoes on the side. It was absolutely the best dish of the trip. Thinking about it now makes me a little sad I can’t eat that every day. Also hungry.

3. Get around

After we were ready and breakfasted and coffeed, we’d slip our lanyards on, get our convention gear, and walk over to the Anaheim Convention Center. Along with Disneyland, it was only about 10-15 minutes away – close enough it wasn’t a big deal to go back if you forgot something/needed a nap.

Not driving is actually more convenient, since traffic around there can be kind of a mess and parking at the convention center, theme parks, and most area hotels is $15-20 a day. Hotel Indigo Anaheim doesn’t charge guests for parking and even let us stay parked in the garage a few extra hours since we planned to be at the convention past checkout.

The area is really pedestrian friendly with wide palm-lined sidewalks, a ton of restaurants, and a few stores. The only time we used the car during our time there was to meet my cousin Allison in another town for lunch one day.

4. Return

After we were done conventioning for the day, we’d head back.

http://youtu.be/-AeJfSDyKmY

Hotel Indigo Anaheim is pretty hard to miss. It was remodeled a couple years ago (recently enough that some Google Maps views still show the old Holiday Inn Express facade) after the launch of the Hotel Indigo brand with its focus on an experience that reflects the character of the neighborhood. In this case, that means an agricultural theme. Way before the remodel and before Anaheim was populated by Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and 20,000 hotel rooms, there were acres of citrus trees and walnut groves.

http://youtu.be/sGXEDQFLYm0

Now there is a musical fountain and light show (think mini Bellagio) out front, but the hotel features plenty of reminders of the past. There are floor-to-ceiling photos of walnut trees and vintage farm equipment, antiques in the lounge, and a restaurant named after the old Chambers Ranch.

You’ll probably be greeted by the super friendly lobby staff when you walk back in. The Front Desk Supervisor Arthur, a.k.a. King Arthur, takes care of his domain, patiently answering questions for guests, helping with the luggage cart, even running outside to direct traffic when a parking guest was in the way of the garbage truck.

You can sit by the pool, get a workout in, or catch up on work in the business center. There’s free wifi throughout the hotel, so you’re not limited to working in the business center. I took my iPad up to the second floor lounge, which is open to the lobby, while people wearing conference lanyards or Jedi costumes or mouse ears walked by outside.

Of course, chilling in your room is nice too. (And I definitely needed some down time!) We had a family studio, so it was really roomy with a couch and nice hardwood floors. Housekeeping comes daily and the room was always sparkling clean when we returned, with fun little touches like towels folded into the shape of an elephant. One day we left Mr. Cheeseface on the nightstand, and they set him in the center of the pillows when they made up the beds, which made me smile.

Before you know it, the Disney fireworks will be bursting in the sky, and it’ll be time to start it all again.

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Photos by Phillip or me.

Thank you to IHG / Hotel Indigo for providing our accommodations and breakfast vouchers.