Almost like yesterday all over again

Another nice day! Maybe I am finally getting my act together!

Art and exploration
Margaret introduced me to the extraordinarily beautiful Getty Center last Friday, and we had such a gleamingly lovely afternoon there that I returned today to hang out and get work done. I figured I’d work better in a more inspirational setting than my living room. Well, yes, but I also got cold because it was windy. So next time I’ll bring my own teabags and cup instead of paying $2 for their tea (delicious though it was, I must admit).

When I got to the Getty, the first place I went was their incredible garden, where I made a sketch I very much like:

The “incredible garden” link above [now broken] is where I was sitting when I made the sketch — flickr is an awesome resource.

Sometime in the future I will bring real drawing supplies and have a proper session there in the garden. I could spend every day there, I think, it’s such a creative place.

School
I got two TAC obligations done before my Getty jaunt. I call them obligations just because I like to cross things off my to-do list, but I really quite enjoy meeting TAs and sitting in on people’s sections. I learn something new every time I do it.

I also read and commented on four stories while I was at the Getty (the aforementioned work for which I sought an inspirational setting). If I’d been sitting at my desk here I would have been fidgety and claustrophobic the whole time. Instead, I was happy and productive.

Exercise
In the two hours I had on campus between obligations, I changed my clothes and went for a run on the track! Ran a nice strong (for me) mile, then stretched, and enjoyed the fresh air while eating my peanut butter and marmalade sandwich.

I also walked back down to the bus stop from the Getty, instead of taking the tram (much as I love the tram). Now that I have a near-regular habit of hiking up in Runyon, being outdoors in the hills just makes me want to run and move. If I hadn’t had a heavy bag on my shoulder, I would have run all the way back down to street level.

Food
The Getty really has great food. On Friday I had a tasty New England clam chowder with a mini seeded baguette, and today I had a very very scrumptious scone. It wasn’t the most scone-ish scone ever, but it tasted of pure crystallized ginger and sweetened butter. Fabulous.

Afterward, I met up with Audrey for dinner at Torafuku, one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in LA. We got there at 5:57 and waited in front for three minutes, until the hostess appeared to flip the “closed” sign over. Then we had their special $25 Monday-through-Thursday, six-to-seven-pm-only combination dinner. I’d never had their tempura before. It’s perfect.

And now, before I go to bed (once again, late), here is the lovely Lyapa!

[This post was imported on 4/10/14 from my old blog at satsumabug.livejournal.com.]