A Visit To LACMA
Throwback post! There are so many neat things to do at LACMA
This is a throwback post! Fellow Girl Folk contributor, Lou, and I visited one of my favorite free places in LA in 5th grade! Here’s what I wrote back then, all of it still true.
There are so many neat things to do at LACMA (also known as the LA County Museum of Art) that sometimes when my friend Lou and I visit it, we don’t even step inside any of the galleries to see the art. Sorry! Here are just a few of those things.
ONE
Explore the Tar Pits. There is so much to explore and wonder about! Sometimes you can even see tar bubbling up around the park in unexpected places. Also, on some days you can watch archaeologists and scientists extract and clean fossils they find at the park.
Sometimes the tar can be a bit messy and a bit gross!!
TWO
Interact with the outdoor exhibits, like the ones below!
“Penetrable”, an art installation by Patricia Phelps de Cisneros.
So much to see. So little time.
“Urban Light” installation by artist Chris Burden is made up of 202 vintage street lamps
THREE
Visit Levitated Mass, which I just refer to as The Rock. It’s essentially a giant boulder suspended over a concrete ramp that visitors can walk under or pose with. Read and learn more about the boulder.
Look at how strong we are!
FOUR
Visit Sunday Family Art Days. Volunteer artists teach neat cultural crafts related to the museum art collection. They have crafts for both toddlers and older kids.
FIVE
Paint. The Boone Kids Gallery in the museum has a free Water Color Studio. The studio is a quiet room where the museum staff provides water colors, brushes and paper, as well as some “inspirational piece of the day”. You and your friends can then feel free to just paint away. It's super relaxing!
SIX
Listen to music. Most of the year there are free jazz concerts on Friday nights, Latin music on Saturday and classical on Sunday. For the Friday concerts, we enjoy picnicking on the lawn with friends. Sometimes it gets very busy, so make sure to plan ahead!
SEVEN
And, so, so much more! Climbing trees and rolling down the grassy hillside in the park are always fun activities.
So many trees to climb! Wow!
Another fun activity is simply taking a stroll around the park with a friend.
If you do decide to go into the museum itself you’ll find some amazing artwork. Plus, kids can apply on the spot to receive a free NexGen pass. This pass will get one kid and an adult in for free. Or, you can visit the second Tuesday of every month and on any federal holiday for free. Make sure you check the museum calendar before you visit at www.Lacma.com. Just remember, the museum is always closed on Wednesdays. Do you have a favorite museum in your city? If so, we’d love to hear about it. Just send us an email with some cool information and the best part (or parts!) about the museum.
Special thanks to my cousin Victoria at Victoria Flower Photography for taking the photos of me and Lou at LACMA!
- Gray
Formentera
Formentera is the perfect destination for a family during summer vacation, or for a newlywed’s honeymoon.
By Lou Zapata
I recently traveled to a small island in Spain known as Formentera with my friend, Darcey, and had an amazing time there! Formentera is a 30-minute boat ride away from her famous sister island, Ibiza. And now when I say small, I mean tiny. She is only 32.14 square miles, but filled with visual and physical treasures. She has gorgeous turquoise beaches, boho-chic fashion, and is ready to entertain anyone who comes to visit. Formentera is the perfect destination for a family during summer vacation, or for a newlywed’s honeymoon. Below are some of the highlights of our trip. Enjoy!
Photos by Lou & family
Top 5 Places to Shop
Formentera is full of boho-chic fashion and ready to fulfill any hippie-loving chick. Here are my favorite shops:
• Vintage - cute and affordable jewelry and clothing
• Full Moon - beautiful bathing suits and clothing
• Ishvara - high-quality bohemian kimonos and traditional Spanish shoes
• Terra - locally made beach towels and wraps
• Parfumerie Centrale - organic perfume and skin care
Parfumerie Centrale
Beach towels and wraps from Terra.
Top 5 Places to Eat
Formentera doesn’t just serve the typical Spanish paella. She actually has many wonderful dining choices, ranging from pizza to seafood!
• Macondo Pizzeria - fantastic pizza for lunch or dinner
• Panaderia Manolo - great for quick to-go bites or for some Spanish empanadas for lunch
• Fonda Plate- fun place to go before dinner for a quick drink (beverages for adults and kids)
• Chez Gerdi - a beautiful and all outdoor destination for a fancy dinner or a light apéritif
• Restaurante Es Cap - a locals’ destination with - yep! - tradition paella
Top 5 Beaches to Visit
Most people go to Formentera for her pristine beaches. You can find photos of many of them online. And, I promise you that they were not photoshopped! Formentera’s beaches are truly magical! When you take one step onto its warm, powdery sand, surrounded by beautiful scenery of cliffs, nature, and turquoise waters, you will fall in love instantly.
Some of the best beaches in Formentera include:
Playa les Illetes
Es Pujols
Cala Saona
Playa de Migjorn
La Savina
Top 5 Places to See
• Pebble Towers - at the very north of Formentera, there is a valley of homemade pebble towers. With the beautiful view of the ocean and the warm sand on your feet, it's a magical experience.
• Windmill - this is a perfect pitstop when your driving to the beach. At certain times during the day you are also aloud to climb up to the top where you can local farms.
• Flower Power Festival - this summer monthly celebration is a must. Local bands and DJ’s play to create the most fun night. I suggest buying a flower crown before going.
• Church - whenever you are at San Francec, make sure to pass by the traditional and sleek white church in the center of the town.
• Lighthouse - this is another great idea for a pitstop. It sits upon a cliffside with a gorgeous view of the ocean. You can also find the cutest hippie market here every Wednesdays and Sundays.
The lighthouse in Formentera.
Paris: Part One
It's nearly impossible not to fall in love with Paris, France.
It's nearly impossible not to fall in love with Paris, France...the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the delicious food, beautiful art, and so much more! Having been to Paris once before, I can confidently say that Paris is always special. However, this trip was made more so because one of my best friends, Parker, was able to join us!
Our first apartment was an Airbnb in the Latin Quarter that overlooked the Seine (a river that runs through the city) and was waling distance away from Notre Dame, the most famous cathedral in France. Lucky for us, it was also near Amarino gelato (yum!) shop, which we were happy to discover. They scoop their gelato into flower petal shapes to make the amazing desserts you see below.
Jewelry by Be The Good. They donate to Dress For Success!
Gorgeous rose-inspired Amarino Gelato on a cone.
Notre Dame cathedral was built in 1163 AD and can be seen in a lot of movies over the decades and is still a working church to locals. On a Sunday, Parker and I were able to experience a mass given in Latin.
This was my second visit to Paris and staying in the Latin Quarter neighbor-hood. It's a convenient place to stay because you can walk to so many neat things, including the Louvre Museum (more on that in Paris: Part Deux!)
A quick stop at Mariage Frères, a very well-known historic tea shop with creative tea blends available only in France.
When my aunt made an early morning appointment to visit Sainte-Chapelle cathedral, which we'd never heard of, Parker and I were not exactly thrilled (I am NOT a morning person). After stepping foot into Sainte-Chapelle, we are so glad made time to see it. The architecture and architectural details were remarkable.
Every window panel tells part of a story.
- Gray