10 days before Goodbye California, and Hello UAE!

My tickets to Abu Dhabi have arrived, and I leave on the 11th of August. I'm thrilled to have everything settled (or nearly -- the documents are in process from the State Department, but are actually in process this time) and ready to be on my way.

However, I'm in the process of saying goodbye: to my family, my friends, and California. I can see myself missing home more than I have before. The beautiful blue skies, the soft breeze, the almost idyllic days of high Summer fading into Fall. The weather has been a gift, really, and it makes me laugh to think I'm willingly subjecting my skin to desert heat when I burn if I think too hard about the sun.

I dragged my parents this weekend to the Getty Villa. I've always loved the Getty Center, which is modern and angular, yet amazingly peaceful - a place to rest, to watch, to absorb stillness.

The Villa, styled after an actual Roman villa, has a very different feel. It is more formal and structured, and you don't feel as if you can truly sit and observe as you can at the Getty Center, however, its hallways are meant to be to strolled, to talk with friends and marvel at the ancient wonders housed within, the little glimpses into the ancient Roman life.


I, of course, headed immediately to the gardens. I have an affinity for plants and flowers, and feel that the true heart of a home is in its garden. The Getty Villa does not disappoint. Two large courtyards, called Peristyles, are the heart of the gardens (although there are a few others as well) --long pools framed with flowers and statues keep the area cool and inviting, while columns and corridors with murals keep the indoors connected to this outdoor room.

We were surprised that morning as we came in from Santa Monica by a rain shower, and it was still raining when we arrived. It rained a short while, just a light sprinkle, and then we were rewarded by a glorious blue sky. When we finished with the Getty, we drove up the coast, up to Oxnard/Camarillo and its famous strawberry fields, and had a lovely late lunch before heading home. It was a wonderful day and so much more precious for the simple fact that I will not be able to have one like it for another two years.