GETTY MUSEUM

The Getty Center incorporates the modern design of architect Richard Meier, with beautiful gardens, opens spaces and spectacular views of Los Angeles.

The collection of the Getty Museum includes pre-20^th century and 20^th century European and American paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, photographs, sculpture, decorative arts and changing exhibits. 

A special exhibit was focused on sacred landscape art.

There was a special outdoor performance of Aztec dancers with drum players.

Several galleries feature Impressionist art.

Portrait  by Manet

Landscape at Louveciennes by Camille Pissarro

Irises by Vincent Van Gogh

La  Promenade by Renoir

 

                                         The Fountain of Love is by Boucher

Another  special exhibit called Golden Kingdoms highlighted the luxury and legacy in the Ancient Americas.

Since the weather was pleasant we took a lunch break at an outdoor terrace café near a garden area with a view of the city.

SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART

During our visit at the San Diego Museum of art we spent time in the galley with “genre” paintings that includes landscapes, still life and interiors.  Around 1600 a shift took place with the rise of naturalism. 

Painting by Juan Sanchez Cotan

Venice Canal by Bernardo Bellotto

Grand Canal by Giovanni Canaletto

The Penetant Saint by El Greco

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The gallery with European devotion art spans 1550-1850. Religious

Institutions commissioned artists and architects to build and decorate places of worship, from cathedrals to monasteries and hospitals.

Monarchs and wealthy nobility also employed artists to paint devotional works for domestic setting and design altarpieces for family chapels at parish churches.

DAY WITH MONET

Le Bassin de Nympheas by Claude Monet

Paul and I enjoyed at day in
Balboa Park visiting the Timken  Museum of Art and the San Diego Art museum to see a few Claude Monet paintings along with the rest of the art collections at each of these art museums .   We took a lunch break at the Prado with an outdoors table during a pleasant afternoon.

Etretat is located on the Normandy coast of north-western France

Etretat by Claude Monet

Etretat by Claude Monet

Varengeville-sur-Mer is a commune in the Normandy region in north-western France

The Church at Varengeville by Claude Monet

ZOO VISIT

 

 After visiting the new Africa Rocks exhibit at the zoo Paul and I  explored some of the other exhibits that included the two large aviaries.  The San Diego Zoo is committed to saving species worldwide through expertise in animal care and conservation science.  The 100 acre Zoo is home to more than 3,500 rare and endangered animals representing  more than 650 species and subspecies and a prominent botanical collection with more than 700,000 exotic plants.  The temperate, sunny maritime climate is well suited to an extensive collection of birds, reptiles and mammals.
         It is one of the few zoos in the world that houses and successfully breeds the giant panda.  The zoo raises 40 varieties of bamboo for the pandas on long-term loan from China.

Toucan

Bonobos

                                               Lorikeets

Orangutan

Paul enjoys photography

SUN & SEA FESTIVAL

MISTY MOUNTAIN    First Prize
The Sun and Sea Festival was held on July 14-15, 2017. The festival featured world-class sandcastle sculptors creating some of the best sand creations on the West Coast. There was also a community parade, a pancake breakfast, live music, children's craft activities, a kids 'n kastles competition, a farmer's market and an international food fair.

The theme for this year's annual sand castle competition in Imperial Beach was                                   "Pirates in Paradise" showcasing the talents of world-class sandcastle sculptors. 
Paul took photos of some of the sandcastles.

MEDIEVAL CASTLE     People's Choice

AFRICA ROCKS

            Paul and I visited the San Diego Zoo — fresh off celebrating its first 100 years — steps into the future with the opening of Africa Rocks, its biggest construction project ever.

    New exhibits are more naturalistic and more focused on conservation than entertainment.

            Africa Rocks replaces Dog & Cat Canyon, which dated to the 1930s.

Six distinct habitats will feature flora and fauna from the African continent.
    There is a 65-foot waterfall people can walk behind and a 2-acre tensile metal aviary net overhead. It’s more about immersion than staring.   






  
             The space for the African penguins, an endangered species, includes giant artificial rocks like the granite ones found at Boulders Beach in South Africa. It’s why the 170-foot-long pool they swim in has a wave-making machine to mimic gentle surf rolling ashore. And it’s why there are holes that lead to nesting caves carved into some of the rocks, a way of encouraging the penguins to breed. 

 
















  They are black and white and cute all over. African 

Penguins are also known as “jackass” penguins for their donkey-like bray. They bray to attract a mate.  They yell to defend territory and haw to locate each other.

            The African penguin is only found on the south-western coast of Africa, living in colonies on 24 islands.

       

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CREATEST HITS AT LA JOLLA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

We attended a concert at the La Jolla Presbyterian Church on Father's Day, June 18, 2017, that included favorite songs sung by the choir along with instrumental music. The chancel choir, the La Jolla Brass, a handball choir and the church orchestra were featured.

The church was remodeled during 1956-57.  Ten stained-glass windows were placed to enhance the beauty of the sanctuary.  They were created by the Judson Studios of South Pasadena, a family business that went back to the late 1800’s.  The windows were designed by Bohdan Bucmaniuk who was born in the Ukraine.  His father was a church artist in the Eastern Orthodox branch of Chistianity, so he was well acquainted with Biblical history..  The windows tell the story of Jesus from this birth to his ascension.