The Flower Fields

Filed Under (California, Photography, Traipsey-Turvey, Trips) by Z on 14-05-2009

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The Flower Fields

Last weekend, we went to The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, California.  That was my second trip there but this time, I brought my Ashton with me!  Exciting?  Yes it was!

The Flower Fields

The Flower Fields is a fifty acre field of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers that is open to the public for approximately six to eight weeks annually.  Unfortunately, The Flower Fields are already closed because the flowers are already out of season.  We were just lucky to catch the last of the spring blooms and capture their glory.

The Flower Fields is an actual working ranch and is the only ranch that allows tourists to walk around and experience their beauty.  Of course, picking of the flowers are not permitted but you can purchase some freshly picked blooms available at the store.

The Flower Fields

I was just uber lucky to go and stay in between the flowers.  Doesn’t it look like I’m standing smack dab in the middle of the field?  Well, I thought so.

Ranunculus

The weather was a bit overcast when we were there so unfortunately, I didn’t get to shoot blue skies over the field but I think these photos still look great.

The Flower Fields also have a rose garden and a poinsettia greenhouse where they breed different kinds of poinsettias the whole year round.  Imagine seeing yellow poinsettias?  That was the first time I saw one, mind you.

I checked out the sweat pea maze but didn’t get to finish it because they were already wilted.

Another thing that you can do at The Flower Fields is to go on Wagon Rides that circles the field.  This a good way to see the field in it’s entirety while sitting back and relaxing atop the wagon.

The Flower FieldsThe Flower FieldsRanunculusRanunculus

The different faces of the ranunculus

You could also walk around the fields at your own pace but tours are also available.

See more of my flower photos here.

The Flower Fields | 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008 | Website

Theme Parks and California

Filed Under (Amusement Parks, California, Dumaguete, Traipsey-Turvey, Trips) by Z on 07-05-2009

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I  have been luckier that most.  See, California is riddled with numerous theme parks and I have already been to four, no five of them.  As someone who loves to go to theme parks, California is the place to be, right?

While growing up, I wasn’t able to go to one aside from the yearly Carnaval that materializes every November during the City Fiesta.  Now, those rides are old at best and dubious at worst.  With all the rust and peeling paint…well, let’s just say it puts scary to an all new meaning!  This isn’t to say I didn’t ride on them rides because I did!  Heck, what choice did we have?  I rode on a rickety and rusty coaster, a scary octopus ride, an enclosed Ferris Wheel, rode numerous Go Carts, been on a Carousel (which I must say was safest ride!), saw numerous magic shows and avoided the “side-show freaks” because I  thought they were demeaning.  I’m sure a few of my friends have been to the Carnaval, yes?  That’s Dumaguete for you.  I did enjoy them, though.

I could just remember our last visit where my cousin’s GF uhhh lost consciousness because she didn’t tell us that she was scared of heights.  We ended up spending the remainder of the evening at the ER, though.  P, well, he was feeling a bit queasy but when the girl collapsed, he couldn’t even think of his queasiness.  Hehehehe

Ahhh, now I’m rambling.  Moving on to California theme parks… The first one that I went to was Universal Studios Hollywood.  The first time that I came here, we got the annual pass for the Universal Theme Park.  This park is about 10 minutes away from where I live and is very accessible to us.  I got to ride The Mummy ride, saw the Waterworld show, and meet familiar characters.  Sadly, I lost most of my photos and I only saved a few.

Universal Studios Hollywood

The next theme park that I went to was Six Flags Magic Mountain.  For the fearless and the coaster addicts, this is the place to be!  From the tallest, scariest, and innovative coasters, you have it here!  I admit that I balked at a few rides.  OMG!  This place is uber scary and for the thrill seeker, paradise!  Their thrill rides are sure to please.  I just checked on their site and I found out that I rode on TWO MAX THRILL RATING rides!  I can’t believe I balked at the lesser thrill rides! Hahaha Now, I want to go back again and check them out!  Unfortunately, I don’t think I have someone to go on the rides with.  Anyway, I rode on the Goliath, one of the fastest coaster which climbs up 26 stories then races down at 85 mph…oh man! I think I felt my stomach leave me! Hehehe after this ride, I refused to get on the others that I thought were scary when in fact, they weren’t as scary as the Goliath!  I did go on Batman The Ride twice because I thought it wasn’t as scary.  Little did I know that it is one of the rides with MAX Thrill Ratings!  Sheesh!  I went on The Ninja which was moderate and Roaring Rapids which was mild two times to cool off because it was uber hot!  They have added a few MAX rating coasters since the last time I went and I want to go on them, scary ride or no scary ride! No photos here because I forgot to scan them and they’re back in the Philippines hehehe.  We brought them old film cams because we didn’t want our techy gadgets to get damaged.

Next, was Disneyland and last week, Disney’s California Adventure Park.  I have been to Disneyland twice and I loved all the rides!  They are mild compared to Six Flags but they were still awesome!  I believe their scariest ride is Space Mountain which I rode the second time I went. The other rides I rode were Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Indiana Jones,  Matterhorn Bobsleds, Splash Mountain, and Star Tours.  These are their scary rides which I thought were not scary at all.

Disney’s California Adventure Park was a different story.  This park is packed with thrill rides that are not for the faint hearted.  They have rides like California Screamin’, Maliboomer, and my all-time favorite The Hollywood Tower of Terror!

Disneyland California Adventure Park

The last park that I went to was  Sea World in San Diego.  Yeahp!  I saw Shamu and I got a lunchbox to prove it!  Hahaha too kiddie, I know but I was planning to give it to my hubby’s nephew but I forgot to bring it home with me! Hehehehe  There was only one trill ride Journey to Atlantis, which I obviously went and the MOMster vowed she was scared stiff!  Lucky for us the ride didn’t malfunction when we were on it because a few minutes later, the ride had to stop!  Scary, yeah?  Nahhh it was mild compared to the others that I’ve been on.

Sea World San Diego

Whoooaaaahh!  I didn’t realize that I went on a whole lotta rides!  No wonder I’m starting to get scared! Hehehehe

Trips: Descanso Gardens

Filed Under (California, Photography, Trips) by Z on 19-01-2009

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Descanso Gardens

Abbaye de Cluny

The Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge, California is known for its Camellia forest. It was previously owned by E. Manchester Brody, who owned the Los Angeles Daily News, before donating it to the Los Angeles County in 1953. Today, the Descanso Gardens now has an international rosarium, a Japanese garden, a lilac garden, and a bird sanctuary.

Descanso Gardens

Japanese Tea House

If you have a passion for flowers and nature, the Descanso Gardens are for you. You can stroll around the garden at your own pace, join different walking tours and join the narrated tram tour. The kids can also enjoy the Enchanted Railroad, a 1/8th replica of a train which travels around a small section of the garden.

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Trips: The Getty Villa

Filed Under (California, Photography, Trips) by Z on 30-12-2008

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“The best things in life are free.”

Getty Villa
I know that saying always seems too good to be true, but sometimes it really is. For just 10 bucks for parking, you can experience the wonders of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. Who said going to Malibu was going to be expensive? It was last Sunday that we visited The Getty Villa in Malibu, California for the second time.

The second time, you ask. Well, we had to go back and try out Ashton here, who hasn’t gone out much since his acquisition. But honestly, I just had to go back because the first shots I took of the Villa weren’t as good as I hoped it would be (I set the ISO to 1600 by accident and the photos didn’t really turn out as well as I hoped).
Getty Villa
Moving on; The Getty Villa houses 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities, of which over 1,200 are currently on view as their permanent collection. They also have a wide variety of changing exhibits which ca be viewed in their six galleries. Currently on display are the first contemporary art project of the Villa; Jim Dine: Poet Singing (The Flowering Sheets), and a trio of exhibitions that “explore issues surrounding the conservation and interpretation of ancient art;” Reconstructing Identity: A Statue of a God from Dresden, Fragment to Vase: Approaches to Ceramic Restoration, and The Getty Commodus: Roman Portraits and Modern Copies. Unfortunately, the Villa doesn’t allow photography on their changing exhibits but they do allow photography on their permanent collections.
The Getty Villa
Getty Villa
The Getty Villa
Being in the Villa feels like you are in another era and being quite interested in this area myself; I loved it! The Villa is actually modeled after a first-century Roman country house, called the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum, Italy. The Villa dei Papiri was buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79, much of which remains unexcavated. I remember recalling a show in The History Channel about said eruption and how the people under the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius where “preserved” by the ashes when it erupted; with many of the people frozen in mid-action. As I recall, much has not been excavated but they did say that many of the artifacts that they found there where well-preserved.
Getty Villa
The Getty Villa
The Outer Peristyle of the Villa, is perhaps the most dramatic place to behold. It showcases a few busts placed strategically all over the place with two statues in the pool (the one pointing up one of my favorites as is Hermes, the messenger and the god of war). The columns lining the Outer Peristyle are what I imagined it would be back in the day.
Getty Villa
Getty Villa
Beside the Villa, there is also a garden that showcases various herbs and shrubs found in that era. A lot of water fountains and statues can also be found in the garden.
Getty Villa
The Getty Villa

To see more photos click here.

Info: Getty.edu
Photos: betterthanezraH

Trips: L.A. Live

Filed Under (California, Photography, Trips) by Z on 15-12-2008

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L.A. Live, located in Downtown Los Angeles is a one of a kind entertainment campus adjacent to the Staples Center. L.A. Live features the Nokia Plaza, Nokia Theatre, the Grammy Museum, the ESPN Network, and a variety of shops and restaurants.
LA LiveLA Live
LA Live

I rate my experience a three out of five stars. The light show wasn’t that good either. There was an NBA game that night, too. Although I didn’t see any players, not that I would recognize one! hehehehe

More photos here.