February 17, 2005
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PhotoPost: L.A. County Arboretum
Here are some photos taken on June 6, 2004, on a photographic expedition to the Los Angeles County Arboretum, located in Arcadia, CA, in close proximity to the Santa Anita Racetrack. I also took my camera to the South Coast Botanical Gardens last year, and I like most of the photos I took at the South Coast gardens better, because the Arboretum, which used to be better kept up, has fallen into some disarray over the past couple of decades. I understand there are plans by the new director to “spruce up” the place a bit. I didn’t find a lot of blooming flora in June. (Bound to be a great Spring this year, with all the rain we’ve had these past few months however).
The first shot is one of the ubiquitous peacocks traversing the grounds. The peacocks are famous at the Arboretum, and they have been known to wake the neighbors to the park in the middle of the night with their shrill cries.
I just took photos when I was there, and didn’t attempt to identify all the flora I was shooting. This is an interesting looking palm type growth, with what appears to be a gigantic pine cone growing from the middle of the plant. I liked the contrast of the green foliage with the almost orangey color of the “cone”, or seed pod.
This is the lake surrounding the Queen Anne Cottage, with a tree precariously perched halfway out into the water. You can see some of the many ducks swimming around in the pond.
I spent the better part of a half hour trying to get a perfect shot of this little orange dragonfly, and while not a very pleasing composition, this is the best focused and clearest shot I was able to muster. I believe I was almost standing in the pond. I have a better shot of the wing arrangement on the insect, but it’s out of focus.
The famous Queen Anne’s Cottage, which is on a peninsula jutting into the middle of the lake. The cottage has appeared on this blog in the past, but this is another shot. It had been dressed for the movie “Meet the Fockers” which was being shot there during the time I visited. (It was a weekend, and the set was shut down for the day, so I got a lot of closeup pictures of the house and grounds made up as the Focker’s (Barbra Striesand and Dustin Hoffman’s ) home in the movie.
Lastly, here is what’s left of the marquee on the old El Monte Theater, where I saw a lot of movies when I was a kid. I have mentioned the theater often when writing about the movies. The building is gutted, and completely empty inside. The marquee where the movies were announced is gone, as the building has been a multiuse facility over the years, but the tall vertical sign still exists, and was recently given a new coat of paint, as the building is for sale. Our old single screen theaters seem to be getting scarcer every year.
Comments (13)
I must go visit my Uncle and go to the arboretum. Who knows maybe we could even meet for a cup of coffee or something. Great post man. They have just refunished one of the old theaters downtown here and while I haven’t seen it, everyone says it is super duper. It is of course one of the older multipurpose theaters where you have a stage for performances and a drop down screen for movies. I doubt that the El Monte was more than a movie hall. Cheers
Hi Michael!:wave:
Just stopping by super quick! Thanks for sharing all the great pics you do!
Hope you have a great day and weekend!
(((HUGS)))
I love those old theaters too, and am lucky enough to have one near me in Edmonds. It’s beautiful and the guy who owns it struggles to keep it afloat.
Wow. The Bird is the Word.
———————————————-kaz
PS
Old marguees are like my favorite things ever, man.
Well, Mr. Mike….it took me almost 2 full weeks! How very tricky and clever and such a wonderful treat, especially tonight. I really needed something like that this evening. I had a very difficult day at my job…it’s been an ongoing thing. Your post lifted my spirits and touched my heart. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I love the colors in these pictures. Such vibrancy. I know spring is coming, but I’m impatient.
I like the photo of the lake surrounding the Queen Anne Cottage.
Thank you for visiting my Xanga! I hope the diagrams and content are not too complicated. Irrespective I welcome all comments whether it is questions, challenges suggestions or general comments. I normally reply to all comments directly on my Xanga to keep everything within the same context. Hope you visit again soon.
Nice shots. I love the botanical garden in the nation’s capital. I visit it whenever I am in D.C. Not recently, though. Have a good weekend.
Hi Michael!:wave:
Sorry I’m so late stopping by here today. Thanks so much for your kind words. Oh, That group has already closed down for different reasons, so please don’t even worry about that. It’s not there to comment on anymore now.
We can just comment here at Xanga now anyway.
Hope you have a great weekend!!:)
(((HUGS))
Wow–those are some nice pics. I’ve never seen a peacock in a tree before, and I love the tree that leans out over the water. BTW, foxy_roxie recommended your site to me, so that’s how I got here. I’ll be glad to come back when I have more time and look at some of your poetry. I write a lot myself. See you around.
thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed the poem. A bit angsty, but oh well. I’m 17, so I’m allowed to be angsty.wink
I like the peacock picture. Reminds me of this one time when I was driving down my street and I almost ran over a peacock, out of nowhere…apparently my neighbors have pet peacocks, heh.
-Jos-