A Day in the Park

Today the weather in LA looks like sunny skies, partly evaporation plenty, with a high of roasting humans, and a low of I don't need to wear a jacket at night. And the five day forecast shows we'll be having more of the same.

Astrid and I decided to escape the heat with a trip to the park. It was still 98F when we left the house at a quarter to 4.

Having lived in southern California almost my entire life, I'm a bit of a weather snob and very weather spoiled since I enjoy almost perfect weather most days out of the year. When it's hotter than 80F it's too hot and when it's colder than 50F it's too cold. Those are my weather parameters. Don't hate me because I have good weather. So today, as it will be throughout July and August, will be the days of almost unbearable heat (and perfect weather in the evenings). (We're going to a Dodger game next week and the evening weather will be perfect for Astrid's first trip to Dodger Stadium to watch her daddy's favorite team play ball.)

At first I was thinking of taking Astrid to a local park since it's more convenient and closer. But then I thought nah, let's go to a REAL park...Griffith Park.


About Griffith Park
"Griffith Park is the largest municipal park and urban wilderness area in the United States with over 4,107 acres. The park's elevations range from 384 to 1,625 feet above sea level with climates varying from semiarid chaparral foothills to forested valleys.

Originally a part of the Spanish land grant, Rancho Los Feliz, the park was named for its former owner, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith. Born in South Wales, Griffith emigrated to the United States in 1865, eventually, making a personal fortune in California gold mine speculation.

In 1882, Griffith settled in Los Angeles, and purchased a 4,071 acre portion of the Rancho Los Feliz. On December 16, 1896, the civic-minded Griffith bequeathed 3,015 acres of his Rancho Los Feliz estate as a Christmas gift to the people of Los Angeles to be used as parkland.

Since Griffith's original gift, further donations of land, along with City purchases and the reversion of private land to public domain have expanded the Park to its present size."

Plus Griffith Park has lots of trees and therefore lots of shade. It's a beautiful park but I was so hot, I was thinking of the coolest place I could be other than the mall which would be pathetic. (Hello I drove all the way to the mall and I'm walking in circles around this indoor shopping area not to buy anything but for the free really cool air conditioning.) The local park has no trees and Griffith Park is full of trees, decision made.

At first it was idyllic. Mother and newborn daughter sitting in the shade of a pine tree. I brought my handmade Fijian mat (that I haven't used since we bought it out of obligation when we visited a native Fijian village back in January and Uwe said we would probably never use), a blanket for the baby to lie on top of, a tall lemonade, and my new Los Angeles Magazine, the "Best of LA" edition, that just arrived in the mail. Oh and of course the diaper bag. Every time I leave the house that bag and I are Siamese twins.

We sat near the merry-go-round. Astrid was enjoying the music that was pumping out of the old organ. Usually it only operates on the weekends but during the summer the merry-go-round operates from 11 AM to 5 PM daily.

"The Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round was built in 1926 by the Spillman Engineering Company and brought to Griffith Park in 1937. The Merry-Go-Round boasts 68 horses. Each horse is finely carved with jewel-encrusted bridles, detailed draped blankets and decorated with sunflowers and lion's heads. A Stinson 165 Military Band Organ, reputed to be the largest band organ accompanying a carousel on the West Coast, plays over 1500 selections of marches and waltz music."

http://www.laparks.org/grifmet/gp/

Then it was getting close to feeding time so I'm preparing a bottle. Suddenly Astrid starts crying, and I notice two huge ants crawling on my bag and across my mat, and I see a grass flea jump off my arm, and now Astrid isn't eating but just crying. So I'm standing on my handmade Fijian mat bouncing Astrid up and down and trying to burp her. I see lovebirds lying on their blankets not too far from us and I know they didn't expect their quiet afternoon plans to include a crying baby. And then an annoying forest fly starts buzzing around and won't get the hint to beat it.

So after I got done feeding Astrid and she was happy again we called it a day. Back home to the air conditioning, a nice bath, change of clothes, no bugs, a smiling and happy Astrid, and a mom (me!) content to have some "my time" in the late evening hours when the baby is sleeping.