The ultimate destination of our trip to California was to hear Brahms Requiem at The Disney Concert Hall. Mr c’s brother bought the tickets long ago and so we have had this trip on our agenda for quite some time. Mr C has sung this piece with a chorus in Santa Rosa with the Santa Rosa Symphony. We were both looking forward to it. He – for the music; me – for the architecture. I had seen photos of The Disney Hall, but seeing it in person was such a treat. I did not get photos inside, but there are so many interesting details with sensuous curves and more asymmetry.

Before getting to the Disney Hall, we stopped at the new Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels. It was an amazing space with all of the accoutrements of a traditional cathedral. but very streamlined and modern.

There were amazing tapestries which used real people as models. They were painted on canvas and then digitized and woven into tapestries.

The background of the tapestries were composed of photos taken of ruins in Jerusalem that were then digitized. I love the muted colors of these pieces.

Our next stop was dinner at a French Restaurant. I was on my H. Pylorii meds so I couldn’t enjoy the wine, but I had a great meal and big bottle of  San Pellegrino sparkling water.

After dinner, I had plenty of time to take lots and lots of photos of the hall. I will just share a few.

I couldn’t resist a photo of the green umbrella eating area outside the hall.

It takes over 2 hours to drive to La from the desert, but we had fun talking and sharing stories coming and going. Next, I will share the fun time we had on Sunday.

When last I posted, we were in Santa Barbara and leaving for our next destination, Twentynine Palms, out in the high desert of CA. Mr C’s brother, Mike, and his wife, Ann, live there, and we are always assured of a good time when we visit.

This was the view as we crossed the state from the ocean to the highway to the desert. A very rugged landscape in which people have found a way to build homes and enjoy the wonderful SoCal climate.

We always know when we are getting near the desert, when the Palm Springs area windmills come into view, presenting a very alien landscape.

Ann is very involved in the development of an observatory near Joshua Tree National Park. She is the architect and has drawn up plans for future development.

For now, there are a few buildings for on-sight viewing and programs.

There is a nature walk and a meditation garden. I am so impressed with the volunteer effort and the donation of supplies and materials. One of the volunteers has constructed an orrery – a model of the solar system. Here is earth. But the size of earth in relation to the sun in the orrery is a tiny spot in the center of the metal piece. Local potters have made these lovely orbs.

We had a very exciting visit there because a desert tortoise showed. They are now rare and endangered.

There was quite a bit of spring color in the desert landscape.

Yesterday, we had a fantastic day. We drove into LA for some sightseeing, dinner and a concert at the Disney Concert Hall. More about that later. Today, Mr C and I drove into Palm Springs for lunch. Tonight, Mike and Ann took us out to an amazing art installation high up in the desert landscape. I got some great photos and will share those later. We had supper at Pappy and Harriet’s and listened to a great live band. We have had a full two days and are leaving tomorrow totally satiated with good food, good conversation and a wonderful time with friends and family. It will take us two days to get home to Scooter.