Day 1: A is for Arboretum

After a slow start this morning, we finally made it out of the house at 1 pm and headed to the LA County Arboretum & Botanical Garden in Arcadia. My mom worked there for about 20 years, so I visited many times during my childhood and therefore have lots of memories of hours spent exploring its grounds. Once she let me skip school and go with her to work because Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson were filming an episode of The Hardy Boys there. Didn't get to see them as it was raining and they stayed in their trailer the entire day. So I sat and looked at their trailer the entire day. Shaun did sign an 8x10 glossy portrait of himself I happened to have, so the day wasn't a total loss. But I digress...

Today couldn't have been better. Perfect weather, not too many people, and babe and I were in good moods. Within 2 minutes of our arrival we happened upon two male peacocks flaring their feathers and squawking loudly for a female's attention. Babe couldn't see them from her stroller but definitely heard them; her eyes got big as saucers and her eyebrows did a cute little dance. Totally curious. We then visited the aloe garden, the rose garden, the waterfall, and finally Queen Anne's Cottage, which is a National Register of Historic Places structure. If you're old enough to remember the television show Fantasy Island, you'll probably remember Tattoo ringing the cottage's bell in the tower while crying, "The plane, the plane!" Near the cottage we found a sweet spot in the shade to camp out for a while. We spent half an hour on our backs looking up at the swaying palm trees. It was pure heaven. Babe cooed and smiled, totally content and relaxed. Seeing her happy makes me happy.

Visiting The Arboretum today was a sweet way to start a tour of LA with my daughter. If you haven't been there, it's definitely worth a visit. If you've got kids, there's plenty of room for them to run around - 127 acres to be exact! If you don't have kids, it's just a beautiful place to take a leisurely walk and enjoy the stunning plant collections and view of the San Gabriel mountains.

Stroller access: Yes
Kid friendly: Yes
Nursing privacy: Yes. There are plenty of little nooks and crannies where snuggling up with the little one is doable without hoards of people walking by and ogling your goods. Once summer hits, though, it could be a different story.
Changing table: Yes, in main restroom near the entrance. I didn't see it as the restroom was closed, but an employee told me there is one in the women's restroom. I changed babe on a blanket under a tree. Much easier than one of those cold, nasty changing tables, anyhow.
Food: Cafe closes at 4 pm. Burgers and sandwiches, daily soup. Didn't eat there, though, so can't comment on the quality. Lovely outdoor patio. Bringing your own food isn't allowed, as the squirrels and peacocks tend to be a bit aggressive about begging for and/or stealing food. One employee told me that peacocks have been known to take snacks right from toddlers' stroller trays!

For more info:

http://www.arboretum.org/

Can't wait for tomorrow's adventure!

Queen Anne's Cottage

Babe mesmerized by the palm trees

The palm trees

Rose Garden