Tarred & Weathered

Saturday I loaded up with two of my favorite J's (Justin and Jillian) to hang out at the La Brea Tar Pits and kick it in general. Pleistocenic, y'all! The Miracle Mile area of Wilshire Blvd. is on place I just can't get enough of. Ahem... a place of which I just can't get enough. Grammar! From the Tar Pits to the Farmer's Market to the museums and the concert halls, it is all the good things of urban life that are far too rare in LA. Plus I got to hang with J & J, who are one of the most delightfully goofy couples I know. Exhibit A: dancing in Justin's truck.

I'd been to the tar pits a few times, but I'd always just walked around outside and the gift shop. This was the first time actually going in the museum portion of the facility (after foolishly buying a lame toy in the gift shop). I think it is best described as proportional. It wasn't that cool, but it wasn't that big either, so it didn't become wearing and you didn't want to spend all day in a museum. Other possibilities are a big museum that isn't cool (which is awful - many museums fall into this category) and too tiny museum that is really cool (which just leaves you unsatisfied), so, yeah, proportional. The Golden Ratio, applied to museums. It wold have been even cooler had they, in addition to the familiar sabre-toothed cat, an exhibit for the more rare lightsabre-toothed cat.

Outside the museum

My favorite part of the tar pit museum was the photo booth at the exit. J & J decided they needed to have a go at it. This machine was a little different in that it didn't have a curtain on the door, and it displayed the picture preview on a TV outside the booth for the other patrons to see. This aspect is highly entertaining - at least when J & J are in the booth - and mayny museum-goers stopped to watch. In particular, this little Asian girl (6 or 7 I'm guessing) was fascinated by the whole scene. Then when Jill leaned over to kiss Justin's cheek, she squeels, "Ewwwwwwww!!!!!" I almost lizzed right there.

After the museum, we finished off the day with a stop at the camera store, Cold Stone, and then Justin playing around on my computer for a couple hours while JR sketched us on post-it notes.

Talented, huh? My neck looks a little skinny though.

Full gallery of the day here. Justin's here.