Yet another fine & sunny LA day with Matt & I heading off to the "Getty Center" thanks to the hotel's courtesy car (BMW 745Li). This beautiful travertine-clad hilltop facility is triumphantly poised atop ridges of the Sepulveda Pass through the Santa Monica Mountains and about 15 km from the hotel.
As a rule the courtesy car only travels 3kms from the hotel, but some Australian charm & a sizable tip had us arriving in style at this world famous art gallery/museum which unites the sizable & priceless art collections assembled by Billionaire oil magnate, J.Paul Getty over his life.
Arriving just after 10am, we took their private mono-rail up the steep incline to this acclaimed cluster of post-modernist edifices designed by Richard Meier & covered in Italian Marble from the same Roman quarry used for the Colosseum & St Peter's Basilica Dome. Now that's impressive...
We firstly did the "Collection Highlights Tour", that provided an overview of their major works including Van Gogh's "Irises", Monet's "Haystacks", a massive King Louis XIV Cabinet, an amazing painted life-size figure of St.Gines De LA Jara by Luisa Roldan, official sculptor to 2 Spanish Kings, a couple of Rembrandts & many, many more classical Pre 20th-century European Masters. Breathtaking stuff.
Almost as spectacular as what was inside were the various gardens that surrounded this "palace", as well as the architecture (more below). Gardens & landscaping @ the center contribute a counterpoint of colour & texture to the complex of buildings.
Garden Facts:
* 10,000 Trees
* 300 Plant varieties
* 7 Cactus species in the Cactus Garden.
Architecture Facts:
* 164,648 Sq Ft of exterior glass
* 3,200 Doors
* 100 Ocean Freighter Voyages to deliver
* 16,000 Tons of Travertine.
Leaving this amazing structure by taxi (sadly only an old Ford, whose Air-Conditioning was broken...), we caught up with the girls for a late lunch @ "208 Rodeo", a classy dining experience located atop the grand steps @ "Via Rodeo" - A favourite spot for watching the Beverly Hills Elite. The rest of the day was spent enjoying this classy location, with dinner done on South Beverly Drive.
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