The Huntington

It was nice to take a break yesterday with Mark and visit The Huntington in San Marino for a day strolling through its extensive gardens and perusing its impressive book collection. The weather was perfect, and despite the Cesar Chavez holiday, the place was quiet and uncrowded.

I'd been wanting to visit The Huntington after my last trip there in 2005. The Liu Fang Yuan, or "The Garden of Flowing Fragrance," opened a couple of years back, and this Chinese-themed garden did not disappoint.

Even though the garden isn't complete, the first phase which is open to the public was quite breathtaking. I'm still partial to the more austere Japanese Garden, though, which is a brief walk downhill from the Chinese offering. I anticipated that the 桜 would be blooming, and I was right. But, only a few trees dotted the landscape. It wasn't the full effect that you would find in say, 上野公園.

If you've never visited the Huntington, it's worth the trip. I feel refreshed after my day soaking in nature and literature, ready to tackle my studies for the rest of the week.


My March Madness: Knowing that after today,
my Master's Comprehensive Exam is this month.
Eeek.