#234: Ferndell Nature Center

I love the name Ferndell. It reminds me of the 90's animated movie FernGully, with its vibrantly saturated colors and greenery. Ferndell Nature Center is equally verdant and quite arguably the lushest area of Griffith Park. It's also the perfect spot for a cool summer stroll. The towering California sycamores at Ferndell provide ample shade, and there are over 50 species of ferns to admire on your walk. 

A suspended plant hanging above the trail

Located at the Western Canyon entrance to Griffith Park, Ferndell blends so well into its surroundings that most people don’t even know it’s there. The pathway is flat and paved, making it perfect for dogs, elderly people and families with small children. Although it’s located right next to a busy street, the trees block the sound and the view so it felt like we were much farther away from the hustle and bustle.

I read that Ferndell was a popular filming spot for Star Trek. When I told Brad this, he (a closet Trekkie) seemed much more interested in our excursion. If you're a Trekkie too, check out this guy's blog post in which he takes pictures at various Star Trek film locations around L.A., including at Ferndell.

One of the Star Trek film spots

We spent a leisurely half an hour exploring the area, which is only about ¼ mile long.  Along the way, we passed by little waterfalls, purple morning glories, and a few benches. 

Small waterfall

We easily found free street parking on Ferndell Drive. To get to the entrance of the park, turn north onto Ferndell Drive from Los Feliz Drive. The entrance sign is on your left not too long after the turn. 

Look for this sign on your left

Just north of Ferndell is the highly rated Trail’s Café, but we were too full from lunch to check it out. Next time!  

Have you been to Ferndell? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

Ferndell Nature Center

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#233: Corriganville Park

Have you been to Knotts Berry Farm? Back in the 1940's to 60's, Corriganville Park in Simi Valley was the original Knotts Berry Farm, offering fun Western-themed attractions to busloads of tourists. It went by many names, including Dodge City, Lone Ranger Ranch, and Tombstone, but for most it was simply called Silvertown. For one dollar, visitors could enjoy stuntman shows, get autographs from actors, and see the lots where hundreds of Western films and t.v. shows such as The Lone Ranger were shot. At its peak, Silvertown attracted more than 20,000 people on weekends.

In 1988, Corriganville Ranch was purchased by the City of Simi Valley. Now it is a well maintained park with park benches, picnic tables, lots of trails, and ample free parking. The foundations of the old Silvertown buildings are still there, with signs to explain what used to be there.

The foundation of the Stables

Corriganville Park is located just one freeway exit away from the Garden of the Gods (#232). Whereas the Garden of the Gods is more of an "exploration" than a hike due to the lack of clear trails, Corriganville Park definitely is for those who want an actual hike. There are many paths to choose from, and dogs on leash are welcome. I recommend visiting both parks in one day if you've got the energy. 

Just like the Garden of the Gods, Corriganville Park is full of rocks. Needless to say, I was in heaven. There are many trails to take, and the park is so large that it is hardly crowded. On the weekend, you might see just a handful of other hiking groups during your visit.

Have you been to Corriganville Park? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

Corriganville Park

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#232: Garden of the Gods

With a name like Garden of the Gods, I had high expectations for this 23 acre patch of Chatsworth. I heard that the Garden was within a stone's throw of the 118 Freeway and residential neighborhoods, so I was naturally skeptical of whether it would be the paradise that its name suggests. But as soon as I caught sight of the Gods' rocky thrones--thousands of beautiful sandstone rock formations jutting out from the earth--I was in heaven.



The park is best known as the film site of numerous old Hollywood films such as The Lone Ranger and Tarzan the Ape Man.  As part of the historic Iverson Movie Ranch, this majestic park is purported to be the most photographed location ranch in film history. In 1987 it was turned into a public park by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

The Garden of the Gods is located just south of the 118 Freeway and is bordered by suburbs. While hiking, you may hear the distant drone of cars and catch glimpses of the houses nearby, so don't expect a hike that will "take you away from it all."

Regardless of the sights and sounds of nearby civilization, however, the Garden feels like a secret oasis. There was hardly a soul when we went. The main attractions of the Garden of the Gods are all the amazing rock formations and the abundant wildlife (we saw rabbits, a small snake, and lizards). There are numerous paths to take, so this was more of an "exploration" than a hike for us.

Street parking is free and plentiful. You will turn onto Red Mesa Drive from Santa Susana Pass Road. Park on the street right before Red Mesa Drive intersects with Horizon Place on the left. See this map for more details.

Do you have a sweet spot for rocks? I am in love with them--especially large oddly formed ones. The mere sight of rocky outcroppings stops me dead in my tracks, and overwhelms me with an urgent kid-like desire to climb all over them. If you love rocks as much as I do, check out some of my favorite rocky places to hike: Vasquez Rocks (#179), Red Rock Canyon (#151), Eagle Rock (#156), and of course Joshua Tree (#181). Oh, and if you really want to experience some amazing rock formations, check out Escalante, Utah's rocks (#166), which are forever etched in my dreams.  

 

Have you been to Garden of the Gods? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

Garden of the Gods

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A Spring Picnic in L.A.

Finally, a full week of sun!  Spring is here in L.A.!

Whenever I think of Spring, I think of bunnies, wild flowers, waterfalls, and picnics. Recently a reader asked me if I could recommend unique picnic spots around L.A.. After searching through my archives and my mental file cabinet, I came up with this list of places. Looks like this weekend is perfect for a picnic.


The Old L.A. Zoo

Griffith Park is a natural place to have a picnic. The Old L.A. Zoo in Griffith Park combines the beauty of the park with the coolness factor of eating in one of the old animal enclosures.

Greystone Park and Mansion

The grounds of Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills are beautiful, making it a popular spot for movie filming and weddings. While you can't go inside the mansion, the front lawn is huge and usually empty, making it a great spot for a picnic.

Lake Balboa

I think cherry blossom season is just winding down at Lake Balboa in Van Nuys, but you might be able to catch the tail end this weekend. At the peak of the season, the lake is surrounded by breath taking cherry blossom trees. There are lots of picnic tables surrounding the lake. On the weekend it can get busy.

Barnsdall Park


Barnsdall Park in Hollywood is the location of Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Hollyhock House. With breathtaking views, it's the perfect spot for a picnic. If you're lucky, the art gallery will be open for your enjoyment.





Lancaster Poppy Fields

They are having a rough season, but are hoping the recent rains will bring the poppies to full bloom. Check here for updates. When I went a few years back, there weren't a lot of picnic tables, but we pulled to the side of the road and had a nice picnic lunch on the hood of our car. 

Other Places to Check Out:

Burton W. Chace Park in Marina Del Rey

Hollywood Bowl You can't go to the Hollywood Bowl without packing a picnic! Enjoy music and food in this beautiful open air amphitheater.

Malibu Bluffs Park Have a picnic with a view of the Malibu coast.

Where do you like to picnic in L.A.? Leave me a comment below!

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#231: The Brewery Art Walk

pic from breweryartwalk.com

The Brewery is having their semi-annual Art Walk this weekend (March 31st and April 1st) from 11 am - 6 pm.  Admission and parking are free! The Brewery Art Walk is located in Lincoln Heights at the old Pabst Blue Ribbon Brewery Company. In 1982, the industrial space was converted to a rental space where artists could live and work. The Brewery is now the world's largest artist in residence community, and their twice yearly art walk is your chance to peek into over one hundred of these artists' studios featuring costumes, jewelry, painting, installations, photography, ceramics and more.

Joyce Dallal 

pic from breweryartwalk.com

The last time I went to the Brewery Art Walk was years ago, so I think I'm due for another visit. See you there!

Brewery Art Walk

#230: Bungalow Heaven

When Brad's parents came to visit a couple of weeks ago, they mentioned wanting to see Bungalow Heaven, a cozy neighborhood in Pasadena that has the largest collection of Craftsman-style homes ("California Bungalows") in the country. These homes were built between 1905 and 1925, and because of their historic significance, the neighborhood is included in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
























I have to admit, I had no idea what Arts & Crafts style architecture was before our visit. The name brought to mind popsicle sticks, Elmer's glue and colored glitter... Needless to say, I couldn't have been more wrong. It turns out that the Arts & Crafts style is a departure from the ornate Victorian aesthetic to a more simple, nature-oriented design. It emphasizes fine craftsmanship over mass production, incorporating locally crafted wood, metal and glass work.

Perhaps the most well known Craftsman house in Pasadena is the Gamble House, which was built for David and Mary Gamble of the Procter & Gamble Company.  I still haven't gotten around to visiting this historic house. You can beat me to it--they offer public guided tours on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and the weekend. Click here for more info.

Want to visit these homes yourself? For 364 days of the year, you can only drive around and admire the outside of the houses in Bungalow Heaven.  However, one day a year--this year it's Sunday April 29th--you can take self-guided tours inside eight of the houses. Docents will be around to answer any questions you may have. One of the eight houses even offers a "Living History" tour in which actors pretend to be homeowners of the time.  Click here for more info about the 23rd Annual Bungalow Heaven Historic Home Tour.


Bungalow Heaven

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#229: Beverly Hills Farmers Market

For the past four Sunday mornings, I've been making the 30 minute drive to the Hollywood Farmers Market (#139) in order to get some of the best kiwis, seafood, and grass fed beef I've ever tasted. I was all gung-ho in the beginning, but by the fourth Sunday in a row the $5 garage parking fee, long drive and crowds soon started to wear on my patience. So I did some online researching and found the Beverly Hills Farmers Market. It's the same time on Sundays as the Hollywood Farmers Market: 9 am to 1 pm. Parking is free. There were hardly any people there. Oh, and it's 5 minutes away from my house :)

 pic from BeverlyHills.org

The downside is that the market is significantly smaller than the Hollywood F.M.. However, it still has some of the same items as the larger markets. I spotted vendors selling:

- eggs and free range chicken 

- fresh (not frozen) seafood 

- hummus and cheese 

- Dave's Gourmet Korean food

- tacos

- grilled meat / sausages 

- crepes 

- a few vendors selling exclusively organic produce

- paninis

- homemade jerky

- flowers and plants

There were also four tables to eat at, and while we were eating a band was setting up to play.

I read on Yelp that in May there's a guy selling the most amazing organic cherries at this market, so I've got to keep an eye out for that in a couple of months!

 pic from BeverlyHills.org

Have you been to the Beverly Hills Farmers Market? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

Beverly Hills Farmers Market

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#228: The Automobile Driving Museum

On a sleepy street in El Segundo just a block from the Boeing headquarters, you'll find the Automobile Driving Museum (ADM).  If you're a fan of cars, you've probably already been to the Nethercutt Museum (#106) and the Peterson Automotive Museum. Compared to these larger, more well-known museums, the ADM seems tiny. So what makes the ADM special? The fact that you can actually ride in the cars!  

The perfect car for the golf enthusiast

Brad and I visited the ADM last Sunday. After paying our $5 donation, we walked around the large warehouse space that houses all the vintage cars. One of my favorite cars was this stunning old ambulance:

I bet this beauty had no problem stopping traffic

Another one of my favorites was this guy:

You can fry eggs on this 1982 DeLorean 

On Sundays, the museum gives free rides in some of their cars. The cars that are available to ride in change weekly, so check on their website for the schedule.

One of the museum cars waiting to take visitors on a ride

One thing that surprised me was seeing how massive the cars were back in the day. Today's SUVs are ants compared to these mammoths:

Forget about parallel parking

When viewing most of the cars in the warehouse, you have to stay behind the yellow line and can't touch them. However, there was one car on display that had a "photo op" sign on it, so Brad took the opportunity to unleash his inner speed demon:

One of the things I love about vintage cars are the diverse hood ornaments.  They're like the cherry on the ice cream sundae:

We had a great time at the ADM. There were a lot of friendly docents walking around ready to answer any questions we had. There was also a small museum store near the entrance. 

Street parking was free and easy to find. The museum was not very crowded, and it didn't take long to see all the cars since it was just one big warehouse space. I would definitely recommend going on Sundays to take advantage of the car rides.

Check out the license plate :)

Have you been to the Automobile Driving Museum? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

The Automobile Driving Museum

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