DAy 1 - LA and New York with Sue Gardiner

The Museum of Jurassic technolgy has a serious collection of weirdness, depisctions of cures for afflictions, including putting a duckbill in ones mouth to let the ducks cool breath purify and heal any allergies, and that to pass sickness away you should drink by licking from the same bowl as a dog. Nice!
We did dit down for russian tea with david the founder, who was a quiet unassuming man who matched his museum. A live where you work scenario it seems as the kitchen als has a dog bowl, and in walked the whippet halfway through our chat.

For a taste of the oppostie extreme we went on to the Norton Simon Museum in pretty old Pasadena. An idyllic setting with pond, sculptures aplent by Henry Moore, Rodin and Degas, quiet leafy cafe and an awesome collection of art spanning the 1400s to 20th  century. Nothing to pretentious here - well lit spaces with great art and not too big a place either.

To top the day off we visited Griffith Park observatory where though the sun had come out the haze meant not a great deal was visible. Though we did see the Hollywood sign and the views from this amazingly located bservatory atop the hill.
Not bad for our first day, a great bunch of people travelling with us and Sue has been free flowing with information.

Santa Monica 3rd St Promenade is amazingly busy, very touristy but some good shopping to be had.