Believe or not, I am not a gardening enthusiast. I mean, I can appreciate a job well done, but I’m not exactly on top of my perennials. That being said, the Rose Test Garden is what I would consider a job well done. Even knowing f-all about flowers, I really was impressed. That and the fact that it has commanding views of the city make this a must do.
Lithia Park - Originally Published 2008
Here’s the sum total of what I learned while I was in the Lit program at the American University: There is usually a story behind a name. Charles Dickens and Nathaniel Hawthorne both had a knack for creating names that characterized people. Think about Ebenezer Scrooge and Roger Chillingworth.
When I went to write about Lithia Park, a big, red flag went up. Who is Lithia? Was she some Greek goddess that was the champion of equality and small towns in mountain passes?
Actually, no. Lithia Park gets its name from the fact that it has a high concentration of lithium oxide in the water. This mineral is supposed to have positive psychological effects. The jury’s out on that, but the park is amazing and deserves a visit.
Great Park - Originally Published 2010
Let’s get straight to the point. Orange County’s Great Park hasn’t quite measured up to it’s name yet. I would be more inclined to call it “Really Ambitious Park” or “Soon To Be A Great Park As Soon As Lerner Homes Honors Its Commitment Park”.
What is Great Park? Once upon a time, Orange County was home to El Toro Marine Base. Then, the Cold War ended. Since we would no longer have enemies, there was no need for the Marines to safeguard Irvine. And so somewhere in the early nineties, it closed.
But what does one do with an airbase? Some suggested turning it into an international airport and alleviate some of the commotion over at John Wayne. But then all of the attorneys that live in the area threw out a card known as “not in my backyard” and killed the idea.
The solution to the problem was to annex the land and build a park on par with Golden Gate or Central. And so the county of Orange gave birth to the Great Park. The park is currently in it infancy. There is a play area with sports fields set to open soon. You can go to the visitors’ center and ride in the balloon. Other than that, it’s largely what one would expect to see in an abandoned base in the process of being converted to a park.
Now, don’t mistake Animated Meat for a cynical publication. I would just like to prep anyone planning a visit that the park is still far from great. However, I have every hope that this becomes an example of what happens when we beat our swords into ploughshares.
Santa Ana Zoo - Originally Published 2010
Who knew that Santa Ana had a zoo? I didn’t, did you?
You can find value, at the Santa Ana Zoo.
This monkey beckons us to join his crew, at the Santa Ana Zoo.
There was some bamboo, at the Santa Ana Zoo.
They even have a choo-choo, at the Santa Ana Zoo.
It’s called a Rhea but I mistook it for an emu, at the Santa Ana Zoo.
The monkeys were nice and didn’t throw poo, at the Santa Ana Zoo.
The lemurs made a hullabaloo, at the Santa Ana Zoo.
The camels have one hump not two, at the Santa Ana Zoo.
Heritage Park Pumpkin Patch - Originially Published 2008
In the early 20th century, La Verne and much of Southern California was a citrus producer. Somewhere, between then and now, contractors showed up and built the suburbs. La Verne has managed to preserve a few spots; one of them being Heritage Park.
The park hosts a number of seasonal events. Most recently, we swung by to take a look at the annual Pumpkin Patch.
Aside from just a pumpkin patch, there are animals to pet and old, rusty tractors to get lockjaw from. It’s pretty amazing to consider that only one hundred years ago, most of Southern California looked exactly like this place.
This chicken ruled.
If you’re ever in the area, it’s worth taking a look at a piece of America that just doesn’t exist anymore.