So as the shelter-at -home order in Los Angeles slowly begins to lift, there are still places that are still not open; and some places are open but at half capacity.
We have been on lock down for approximately nine weeks. It has been a LONG two months. [Some states have only been on a lock down for a few weeks and I know a few states never went on lock down – which is crazy to me, to think about.]
After May 15th (our initial reopen date here in LA) parks and beaches have reopened – again at half capacity. I have been keeping creatively busy here at home. I have been using writing as a way to stay sane…..BUT the weather is finally nice in Los Angeles, since we had so much rain and gloomy weather when the quarantine first started, and now Angelinos are starting to venture out.
Now, a couple of weeks ago I went up to the California Poppies in Lancaster with my roommate Lachelle to enjoy the day and take some pictures and then recently I went to Santa Monica to watch the Bio luminescent Waves, which was truly stunning and fascinating. As someone practicing photography, there are so many wonderful things to take pictures of.
And I had no idea!
I did start this travel blog to blog about the trips I take [for personal and for work] but with the Covid-19 pandemic, travel has been scarce – but that does not mean I cannot find fun day trips to take close to home!
So today, I took a day trip to the Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in Altadena, California [near Pasadena.] It rained two days ago here but today it was absolutely lovely weather.
I arrived to the Arboretum around 9am, right before it opens to the general public. Face masks are required at all times and at the present moment, the restaurant is closed, the gift shop is closed, you are unable to sit on most of the benches, and a lot of the smaller paths are blocked off, keeping the majority of the people on the main road. They do this all for safety. It may sound a bit excessive, but I do appreciate that their first concern is the safety of the guests. And it did not hinder the trip. I still had a great time and took a lot of awesome photos!
It is very spacious. Many people use it as a place to walk and gather exercise, as well as families who can stroll around and enjoy the flowers, plants, trees, pond, and animals.
There are peacocks everywhere!
Make sure to stop at the waterfall and enjoy the idyllic pond.
Next time I go I make pack a lunch. You are not allowed to take food and drinks into the gardens, but there is a very lovely front lawn area near the fountain, where people can sit and have picnics. It is quite a lovely area – and I saw it as I was leaving and made a mental note that if I went in the future with a friend that we could, perhaps, bring lunch!
One of the next places I want to go to hang out and to practice photography would be the Los Angeles Zoo – I absolutely love the zoo. I have not had the opportunity to photograph many animals – so the zoo is definitely next; however, I do not want to take away the beautiful landscape that the arboretum provides. And the best part is, you can walk around, take your time, and really take in the serenity. Definitely a sure way to ease out of quarantine and get fresh air while still staying safe!
