Santa Monica Oasis
I recently spent several days at Disneyland with my two children, and was struck by a few magical memories of the place...Space Mountain, It's a Small World, and the teacups ride. Following our time at Disney, we decamped to Santa Monica, and spent a long, relaxing evening at my Aunt Susan and Uncle Jim's home. We all explored their garden, caught up, and had an delicous home-made dinner. Our visit brought back memories from a trip I made the summer before I entered 5th grade. I, too, had traveled West with my family, and had spent some time at Disney before visiting my Aunt and Uncle's home. I found that my childhood memories of Susan and Jim's home and the experiences I had there, far surpassed the memories I have of our time at Disney, and I think my kids felt the same way.
My aunt, a gifted landscape architect, has created a garden that has always felt like an urban oasis, completely removed from the hustle and bustle of daily life. It contains succulents, orchids, lemon trees, winding stone paths, cascading moss, and a lovely fountain that lends an even more peaceful air to the space. When you wind your way down the path, you are completely transported. I have vivid memories of meals on the terrace overlooking the garden, my Uncle's homemade bread and Dutch apple pancakes, my Aunt's homemade apricot jam, and delicious dinners. When we visited last week, as we were walking through the garden with the kids in tow, my Aunt reached down and picked arugula, and it ended up in our salad later in the evening. The lemons my children picked came home to our hotel, and made delicious lemonade the next day. It was an amazing feeling to see my children experiencing the same magic that I experienced as a child.
CATEGORIES: Places
