Shh.  Listen up, I’ll let you in on a little secret.  Tucked away in fabulous Bel-Air, there lies a secret garden.  A secret Japanese garden that will power up your zen and leave you with a feeling of inner peace should you find it.  I’m sharing this with you because, well, I found it and it [...]]]>

Shh.  Listen up, I’ll let you in on a little secret.  Tucked away in fabulous Bel-Air, there lies a secret garden.  A secret Japanese garden that will power up your zen and leave you with a feeling of inner peace should you find it.  I’m sharing this with you because, well, I found it and it was so serene and peaceful that I’m quite sure there is no place in LA like it.

Welcome to the Hannah Carter UCLA Japanese Garden.  A carefully crafted space of sheer natural beauty and zen-ful peace over an acre of land in Bel-Air.  It was purchased in 1965 by the Chair of Regents of the UCs and his wife, then donated to UCLA that very same year.  Since then it has been property of the school, but open to free self-guided tours.

The garden is inspired by the Kyoto style Japanese gardens, and many pieces, such as this front gate, were made in Japan and then reassembled here.  It was envisioned by two Japanese masters of landscape architecture and garden design for one very rich couple living here back in the 50s.

So much natural beauty here that you would swear that you’re not in Los Angeles anymore.  Here is the view from the very top of the hill overlooking the entire garden (much like everything in Bel-Air though, it’s shrouded by trees and bushes).

Here is a shot of the Hawaiian garden, lying at the base of the running waterfall.  You’ll find a tea garden, bonzai garden, pagoda, shrines, and tons of foliage over the land.  I thought it strange to not include a rock garden or koi fish, but perhaps that didn’t fall into their plans.  It’s absolutely gorgeous here and worth a visit.

Planning your visit may be the hardest part.  It’s free, but hour-long reservations can only be made between the hours of 10-3 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  They should also be made at least a week in advance as they can only hold two cars in the parking lot at a time.

I was lucky enough to have come here after a scheduled meeting at FOX in Century City.  The other party also canceled so I had the entire garden to myself to enjoy.  Did I find inner harmony?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Either way, it was the most serene lunch break I’ve ever had.

To book your reservations or for more information, check out their website here.

Here it is again, for the 15th year!  Welcome into town the Los Angeles Film Festival.  Time to head out to Westwood and enjoy some flicks, music, and shmoozing.

WHAT IS THE LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL? (taken from their website) Now in its fifteenth year, the Los Angeles Film Festival is widely recognized as a world-class [...]]]>

Here it is again, for the 15th year!  Welcome into town the Los Angeles Film Festival.  Time to head out to Westwood and enjoy some flicks, music, and shmoozing.

WHAT IS THE LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL? (taken from their website)
Now in its fifteenth year, the Los Angeles Film Festival is widely recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best in new American and international cinema and providing the movie-loving public with access to some of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers, film industry professionals, and emerging talent from around the world. Drawing on an expected attendance of 85,000, the Festival provides films with the opportunity to be embraced by the public and discovered by the industry.  More than 70 feature films – narrative and documentary – are featured in the Festival, alongside gala premieres, panels and seminars, short film programs, music video showcases, free outdoor screenings, live musical performances, and unique signature events.

This year, over 200 films will be shown during the ten days of the festival.  Headliners include the ever-so talented Johnny Depp’s Dillinger outlaw film, Public Enemy, Academy Award ™ winner Hayao Miyazaki’s latest, Ponyo; festival opener Paper Man, and the US premiere of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Well, it’d be really cool to see Transformers two days before everyone else can, but it’s not something you can only catch at the LA Film Festival.  Besides, I think catching Megan Fox on a 90 ft long IMAX screen is still more appealing.  I have a feeling Johnny Depp’s movie will be good too, but I’m really excited to watch Ponyo.  They’re bringing it to the US in a way to try to make this Hayao Miyazaki film a summer blockbuster.  While Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle were fantastic movies, they never have the box office weight in the US as they do in Japan.  Ponyo brings along the voice talents of Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Liam Nielson, and others, so expect the big names to contribute to its success when it is released nationwide on August 14th.  Of course, since it’s being released by Disney, the main character voices are supplied by people with the last names Cyrus and Jonas.  Never been a fan of dubbing over Japanese originals, but at least this time they pulled some big names to help market the US version.

Individual tickets are now on sale for all movies.  Unfortunately the hottest tickets (like the aforementioned movies) are only available to pass holders.  I’ll be catching the closing show of Ponyo, but I’m always excited about film festivals.  I’ll be scouring the list of films today… anyone else in?