Rose from the Huntington Gardens

We picked Dan up and then motored out to the Huntington in Pasadena. Go, Granny, Go! We took the 110, which is the oldest freeway in LA. In addition to its quaint decorative overpasses and tunnels, the 110 also features the most insane entrance and exit ramps in LA. Many of the entrances start with a stop sign and then leave you just three car lengths to zoom up to highway speed. The exits are similar, but only in reverse. I was glad to leave the driving to Dan. As he said, the 110 was built for a simpler time.

The Huntington, alternately called the Huntington Library or the Huntington Gardens is really both. Once his ranch, Huntington was an heir to one of the riches men in America and was successful in his own right too. He and his wife were avid art collectors and gardeners. Upon their death the Huntington became an institution, open to the public. Dan had bicycled out to it twice, but this was his first time in it too.

It was a beautiful day, so we started with the gardens. We toured the Japanese, Australian and desert gardens, to name a few. Then we switched to the libraries and their first-rate collection of art. We’ve previously toured the Getty, which is a first-rate museum, with a so-so collection. The Huntington was first-rate in both departments. I’m glad that we went and wished we had had more time.