art day in pasadena

Lately, I've been really geeking out over my new Museum Companion to Los Angeles: A Guide to Museums, Historic Houses, Libraries, Special Collections, Botanical Gardens and Zoos in Los Angeles County. (That book was written for me.) I've been dreaming up little day trips in various regions, and a couple weeks ago we took one to Pasadena. We tried a new cafe for lunch, and then went to see the Gamble House and the Norton Simon Museum. The weather was pretty ugly, but the sites were great.


The Gamble House was built in the arts and crafts style by famous architects Greene and Greene, who designed not just the home, but the landscaping and furniture as well. I love checking out famous architectural homes. And I especially like ones (like this one) that focus on the integration of the interior and exterior and the connection between aesthetics and functionality.





The Norton Simon Museum is a perfect size. We were only there an hour and a half or so, but it was enough time for a cursory tour of all the galleries and a more thorough viewing of the ones we really liked. Highlights: SO many Degas sculptures, a nicely designed gallery for SE Asian art, and a good book shop.