It’s been a while since I’ve given an update. It has been a busy past few weeks, and I was more invested in living than posting on the blog. But, I like blogging as much for my own memory and recoring mine and Erin’s life together, as I do to share what’s going on. I’m going to try and get caught up over this next week – so stay tuned for some back blogging! 🙂

About two weeks ago I spent a couple of days in Pasadena with my grandma. She and my grandpa would visit about three times a year. My grandpa loved horse racing, and the Santa Anita race track was a big attraction for him. Over the years they discovered different things they loved about Pasadena, and it became a favorite vacation spot. Their favorite stops included the Pasadena Arboretum, and the Santa Monica boardwalk.  Over the five days we were there, we also stopped in at the Norton Simon Museum and saw some amazing works by Picasso, Rembrandt, and Degas. There was also one Diego Rivera – a favorite of Erin’s.

Thanks for the memories, Grandma! Here are some highlights from the trip:

The Arboretum

Huntington Library and Garderns

The Huntington Library and Gardens is the estate and private library collection of a wealthy early 19th century family, their name escapes me at the moment (other than that the last name is well, Huntington). In any case, the gardens are massive, and the library also boasts a large collection of paintings and other antiquities.

But, really – we went there for High Tea. This was a surprise treat from my grandma for my (28th) birthday. When I was little my grandma would get out the fancy tea cups, I would put on a fancy dress, and we would hold afternoon tea on the coffee table in her living room. This is one of my favorite childhood memories 🙂

Ready for Tea!

Santa Monica

On our second to last day we headed out to Santa Monica. We walked along the boardwalk and had a mid-day margarita at the end of the pier. A very nice way to pass an afternoon! There is also a big British food store in Santa Monica, and my grandma was able to find her favorite cake, and we bought some other hard to come by treats.