Out and About in California: The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

So here’s the deal: I am not a fan of Ronald Reagan. I am too young to experience his time as our President but with enough reading material on him (NEUTRAL I might add) I have a good opinion on the guy. But regardless of how you feel about him he was still one of our leaders; especially in an age where the country almost went into another tailspin. So, for good or ill on HOW he did it, he certainly has a legacy that we all still feel today.

One of the major hotspots my parents wanted to see while visiting me was The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Again, regardless how you feel on the man I have to say: The guy has a hell of a museum decided to his legacy. It might twist some of the facts around and is way too positive at some points for my liking. But overall it was an enjoyable visit. Hell, the views alone in Simi Valley are worth the price of admission. So below are a few highlights of the building and its surrounding vistas. Take your political views out the door and just enjoy what this museum has to offer.

Out and About in LA: The Getty Villa

Way back when I first moved to LA I went to The Getty. A gorgeous  piece of real estate that holds some pretty impressive artwork.  I’ve gone back a few times because not only is the art gorgeous to look at but the views around the estate are a sight to behold as well. Little did I realize that The Getty has a second, separate location down the Pacific Coast Highway. Deemed ‘The Getty Villa’ this museum houses very specific treasures of Ancient Rome and Greece.

Out and About in LA: The Petersen Automotive Museum

You know what? I’m not a car person. Which is a weird thing for me to say because my dad works in the car industry. Maybe there is no correlation with that information but as a twenty-something male you’d think I would be into automobiles more. That isn’t to say that I don’t find some cars pretty too look at or can’t see the value in them. Which is why I decided to go to the Petersen Automotive Museum on the Miracle Mile this week. Honestly if you are not a huge fan of cars or appreciate the craft of how vehicles are made this is not the museum for you. But in general this is a very interesting building to walk into and see a great sampling of what makes cars so darn cool to look at.

Out and About in LA: The California Science Center

If all of you remember, last year at Christmas I went to the California Science Center for a party at my new job. I was able to see the majesty that is the Space Shuttle Endeavour and some Kelp. But not much else which was a bit of a bummer. But now, thanks to this place being free, I can go in the Center any time I want and enjoy more of the place.

Out and About in LA: Christmas Party

Bad news: I am out of a job…..Well I mean that my time at NFL Network has ended (for now). Yes, one of the few disadvantages of my trade is that contracts come and go. So what was I to do now that I am out on my own in the middle of Los Angeles? Well get a new job of course!

Out and About in LA: The Huntington Library

As you all know I have been to many, many museums since moving to Los Angeles. I’m a fan of the fine arts and of history as a whole. One place has fallen through the cracks though and that is The Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens. Nestled in San Marino, California (close to Pasadena) it is a research and fine art facility formed by railroad tycoon Henry E. Huntington. Thank god for crazy tycoons because The Huntington Library is probably my favorite museum I’ve experienced since moving. It is a sprawling area where if you are sick of the history/art (but why would you?) there is an entire garden to explore with different fauna in zones. Unfortunately at the time of this visit it was off-season for the gardens so everything wasn’t in bloom. But hey, it gives me an enormous excuse to come back and boy will I ever. Even if you aren’t into history or art you have to go out here and experience this place. But here is a preview of what to expect when it comes to the area:

Out and About in LA: The Fisher Museum

It’s time for yet another trip to one of the countless museums in Los Angeles. This time I went all the way to USC to partake in their free art museum called ‘The Fisher Museum of Art’. Just because something is free doesn’t mean it is bad; some of the best art I’ve seen came from free museums. This tiny little building had a pretty neat theme going to show us the dangers of pollution. Several artists made ‘found’ art by taking various pieces of pollution (plastic, toys, trash, etc) from out beaches and oceans and turned it into something beautiful. I wish I had this kind of creativity even when it comes to garbage. Most of the work I ever tried looks like it anyways. Before I bum myself out here is a sample of what is being showcased as you read this:

Out and About in Culver: The Museum of Jurassic Technology

While I love living in Culver City I must admit it is lacking in a few things. Mainly with museums as I needed to drive or use public transportation to get to any of these places I’ve shown you already. But Culver does boast one museum and it is called ‘The Museum of Jurassic Technology’. Whenever I asked anybody about this place all they would tell me is that it is the trippiest place you will ever be in. With such high praise(?) I finally took an afternoon to witness what makes this tiny building have such an aura of weirdness around it. By the end of my trip I learned that ‘trippy’ or ‘weird’ doesn’t even begin to describe this place. Words like ‘nightmarish’ and ‘unsettling’ are more apt.

Out and About in LA: The Natural History Museum

With the release of Jurassic World I have been in a bit of a dinosaur binge. When I realized that I am 6 train stops away from a bevy of fossils you know I had to go there. But this place has so much more than dinosaurs; SO MUCH more. So please, enjoy yet another set of pictures from a museum. Specifically:

Out and About in LA: UCLA

I have no plans to going back to college but why not take the opportunity to visit one of the biggest in the country? UCLA is a pretty massive area and I decided to go because they have two (free) museums. The Fowler holds various materials from India, Africa, and the Americas. Meanwhile The Hammer Museum holds modern art from European artists of the 1600s to abstract work from today. Here are some of the highlights of the campus and these two museums: