GardenLife :: How We Spent Our Summer Vacation

The Bagnascos and the Asakawas have travelled together to Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, Scotland and England, but this time they chose Pasadena, California and it was a wonderful get-away-from-it-all holiday. With only a 3 hour travel time, there were no jet lag issues and it fulfilled the two other prerequisites: relaxation and fun!
The Group

Langham Hotel Here are a few of our trip highlights:

The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa
1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91106
626-568-3900
www.pasadena.langhamhotels.com

The legendary Huntington Hotel built in 1907 was once and continues to remain one of the favorite hideaways of movie stars and other celebrities. Recently renovated, it is now the Langham Huntington and features a new 11,000 square-foot spa with all the amenities including Chuan Body + Soul treatment. It combines the principles of the five Chinese elements, breathing rituals and acupressure techniques for a complete wellness experience. For the gourmand, visit Langham Huntington’s The Dining Room because it is the only hotel-run restaurant in Los Angeles to be awarded the coveted Michelin Star.

Norton Simon Museum
411 W. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-449-6840
www.nortonsimon.org

This extraordinary museum features artwork covering seven centuries of European art from Rembrandt, Cezanne, Degas, Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso and boasts one of the country’s largest collections of Asian sculpture spanning 2000 years. And don’t neglect to visit the outdoor Sculpture Garden!

Wrigley Gardens
391 S. Orange Grove Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91184
626-449-4100
www.tournamentofroses.com

Outside the Tournament of Roses House, the Centennial Rose Garden features the All-America Rose Selections (AARS) Tournament of Roses rose developed specifically for the Tournament of Roses Centennial. Also, Wrigley Gardens has a 4- ½ acre area surrounding the house with more than 1,500 varieties of roses, camellias and annuals.

Old Pasadena
www.oldpasadena.org

Along Colorado Boulevard is a 22-block area known for stunning buildings dating back to the 1880s and 1890s style of architecture. Many have been converted into boutiques, cafes, bistros, art and antique galleries and bookstores. In the evening there is live entertainment from classical music to the blues and dancing venues to trip the light fantastic.

Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Drive
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011
818-949-4200
www.descansogardens.org

Descanso Gardens encompasses 160 acres featuring woodlands, streams, a bird sanctuary and a lake. Of the 160 acres, half is devoted to exquisite collections of camellias, lilacs, iris, California natives and roses. Unlike more traditional rose gardens, Descanso combines over 3,000 Queen of flowers with compatible companion plants.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Rd.
San Marino, CA 91108
626-405-2100
www.huntington.org

Once the opulent estate of the late Henry E. Huntington and his wife Arabella, the galleries feature 18th-19th century French, Italian, Dutch and British masterpieces including Thomas Lawrence’s Pinkie and Thomas Gainsborough’s Blue Boy. The library exhibits works from American and British literature, including an original Canterbury Tales. And the botanical gardens consists of 14,000 varieties of plants found in several themed landscapes including the Chinese, Rose, Herb, Japanese, Desert, Zen and Australian gardens.