ブログ表紙写真 ー その１８５回目 Getty Center－Garden etc...、Los Angeles, California USA

ブログ表紙写真　ー　その１８５回目　Getty Center－Garden etc...、Los Angeles, California　USA

  When I visited Getty Center in June, it was cloudy, foggy day and nice view was not available.

  Recently I visited again with wife's relatives on September1st. Weather was fine and view was nice. We could enjoy art gallery and beautiful garden, in addition to nice view.

  View from Monorail and other buildings were supreme. I believe everybody enjoyed this great museum tour.

  There was a beautiful flowers blossoming and we thought it was Wisteria in September! But of course it was not. For the first time, I could roam the garden nearby waterfall and water maze.

  Buildings also made nice view from various angles and we admired designing of this great Museum & Garden at Getty Center, Los Angeles, California USA.

  There were many displays of hand written Bibles with illustrations. It was amazing to know people worked hard to these laborious works to be accomplished.

  And also in addition to famous Van Gogh's Iris drawing, there were many other great impressionists and other drawing such as Cezanne, Monet, Renoir, Degas. We could enjoy arts display, garden, buildings and nice view. It is important that weather should be fine to enjoy fully of this beautiful Getty Center.



村田茂太郎　２０１５年９月６日

Getty Center , Garden, Los Angeles, California USA

 

 

 

Monorail station at Getty Center, free of charge not only monorail but also art display and garden roaming. I paid only Parking fee at the end, which was $15.00.

View of Freeway 405 from Monorail

HIghway 405, view from Monorail to Getty Center

View of Westwood and Century City from Getty Center building

View of Freeway 405 from Getty Center building

 

Look like Wisteria but Not

Everybody admired this tree & flower

 

 

 

ブログ表紙写真ーその１８４回目 Century City-Westfield Plaza, Los Angeles, California USA

ブログ表紙写真ーその１８４回目　Century City-Westfield Plaza,　Los Angeles, California USA

I lived in West Los Angeles for 4 years after I came to US in 1971. West Los Angeles was nice place to live at that time - close to UCLA, Westwood and Century City, Beverly Wilshire. Once I walked to Santa Monica Beach from apartment of WLA. It took only 1 hour by foot.

So, we used to visit Century City- Broadway Department (? now gone, no more).

After visiting Beverly Hills and La Cienega-Beverly Center, my niece wanted to visit Century City shopping mall -Westfield Plaza. Almost 40 years passed since those days when we shopped at Broadway Department. Tall buildings were around, but this Westfield Plaza was not tall. I felt it was just like old time. After visiting Beverly Center, I was happy to see open mall with flowers and some attraction - angel feather & rainbow arch around isles.

We all enjoyed walking around without any shopping. It was time for early dinner and we dropped in the Italian Restaurant. We enjoyed food and satisfied atmosphere surrounding this shopping mall. I was glad my niece suggested this visit.

Once or twice, we visited Schubelt Theater in Century City. But it was a long time ago. Now this area looks like business center with tall building surrounding this Westfield mall. I read in books some expensive lawyers have office in the building.

Century City is named "City", but not real City. I believe it is within Los Angeles City district. Name of Century City came, I think, from movie maker "Twentyth Century Fox". Around 1970s, I think, this area was their property before developed as business district - their movie studio was scattered in that neighbor around 1950- 1960, I guess.

Shigetaro Murata 08/30/2015

Century City, Los Angeles, Califoria USA

Century City, Westfield Mall, Plaza

Westfield Plaza

SFV Bonsai Club 盆栽クラブ 月例会 ２０１５年８月２３日 報告

SFV Bonsai Club　盆栽クラブ　月例会　２０１５年８月２３日　報告

　We had regular SFV Bonsai Club meeting yesterday on Sunday 23. Now Obon Bonsai Show ended and no more Bonsai plant to take care by everybody, we could concentrate to take care our Own Bonsai.

　Member total gathered around 16 including one special guest,  visitor from Japan, whose daughter was member of Bonsai Club and I believe this Bonsai Club is a healthy cultural meeting place worth to see members in action.

　This time we had delicious luncheon -curry rice prepared by host as usual and everybody enjoyed nice, big family size meeting and luncheon at host's garage and back yard.

　I did not bring any Bonsai myself. The day before, one of the most respected members sent me message on Club-insurance matter. I had to think about this insurance matter and have to decide what we should do before we present this insurance idea at the meeting. As one of the treasurers of this Club and most knowledgeable person on Club's financial matter, I get idea what we have to do.

　So, on this meeting, usually we discuss club matter after luncheon, this time I wanted to have serious talk (by myself) before luncheon.

　The origin of insurance idea came from protecting Bonsai Club host and his house from any accidental injury claim by members. To join into umbrella insurance coverage　of Community, we expected that host (whoever he might be), might get protection from any claims by injured party of Bonsai Club members if it ever happened. In the past, it never happened, but now our members  include  people of various cultural background and people behave differently. And since this Bonsai Club meeting is held successfully by the assistance of our Hosts' (Master and previous president) generous gesture to serve our purpose, we have to protect hosts from any future claims. If umbrella insurance cover activities at host's house, then we will have no problem. But we found out that our current Community insurance did not cover against outside of community. And we found out also that some federation of Bonsai Club had general insurance coverage. But it costs at least some amount. Here I, myself as a treasure, analyzed our financial stance and arrived at the negative conclusion. Financially we cannot afford any insurance. But to protect the Hosts of this important club activities from any unjust claim is A Must.

　Now, I got the idea from my experience of visiting West Texas state park - Hueco Tanks State Park while living in El Paso. This "Hueco Tanks" is famous for rock climbing activities and volcanic rock formation in this state park made this park very interesting places to visit with ancient Indian pictograph or petrogryph in the rocks. This is rocky space and it is possible to get fallen and injured. So, state government protected themselves by claiming no responsibility on their part, meaning any activities are under responsibilities of either own parties. So, to enter this park, we have to sign the document of waiver of their (government, park service) responsibility before we pay proper fee and enter the park.

　Now instead of joining insurance directly, we decided to use this Waiver method against our Bonsai Club members. Everybody is under his/her responsibility in case anything happens. No claim to hosts or club. Club is non-profit-organization maintaining family size cultural attraction-Bonsai lover only.  And so members are responsible in any happenings - members have to use own health insurance or auto insurance if anything happen.

　I promised to prepare some "document of Waiver" to get signed by everybody at next September meeting. Maybe this becomes my last service at this club. I am not sure now since my injury or finding my fragile body in May this year when I was walking dogs in this neighborhood, I lost confidence on my body and now I wonder whether I could climb neighborhood mountain as was before.

　８月２３日、第４日曜日、いつものように盆栽クラブの会合がHost宅にて開かれました。
１６名ほどの参加者で、７月の１８名参加といい、かなり理想的な会合ぶりといえました。
Hostの用意されたカレーライス・ランチャン、参加者の持参されたお菓子などをつまみながら、楽しいひと時を過ごせました。

　この日は主催者のリスクを回避するためにどのような方法をとるかで、事前に検討したアイデアを私がみなさんにお伝えし、保険加入は会計的にむつかしいということと、家族的な会合を維持するためには、今のままの規模でよい、ただし、Hostのリスクを回避するために、書類を作成して皆さんにサインしてもらうということ、その書類は自己責任を明記し、HostやClubには面倒をかけないという趣旨であることをみなさんにお伝えし、その線で行くという了承をえました。

　私は自分で宿題を課したようなもので、大変です。実はこれからの１ヶ月ほど、日本からの訪問者が何組か予定されていて、個人的にあちこちドライブしなければならず、忙しくなるはずなのです。

　私のブログの中の「心霊現象の科学」に関するエッセーを全部プリントしたもの　－４００ページを越えるVolume－One Binderを、この日、信頼の出来るメンバーのおひとりにお渡しすることが出来ました。全部でなくとも、興味がありそうなところでも読んでいただいて、感想を聞かせていただけたら素晴らしいと思っています。私は自分では面白いと思っていますが、ひとによってはすこし難しいかもと思ったりして、不安もあります。

村田茂太郎　Shigetaro Murata　２０１５年８月２４日