Friday at the Huntington and lunch in Koreatown

I want to just add my thanks! I too have been to the Huntington many times. having grown up in the area it was a favorite place for my parents to take us as an outing. It has been at least ten years, since I last visited the Huntington, so I am very happy that we went.
I thought the Chinese Gardens were exquisite. The craftsmanship was exceptional, I forgot how lovely the Huntingtion was and I want to thank you for taking me home. I will be returning to truly explore the Chinese Gardens at a more leisurely pace in the near future.

I also want to thank you for lunch. I have never had Korean food in the past...it was good! I was not wild about the tea however the cinamon tea at the end of the meal was exceptional. now I wish I knew what we were eating so I could order it out!

Thanks again for a lovely day and a great week![Edit by="kheukrodt on Aug 1, 10:52:45 PM"][/Edit]

I have been to Huntington Library 2 years ago on a field trip with my students. We did not have a chance to see the Japanese and Chinese gardens. I think they would have gotten a lot out of it if they were able to see it. I was truly surprised on how magnificent they were...on my previous field trip, we went into the buildings and viewed the art and artifacts-which, is great in itself. The guide(s) was wonderful, and overall a very eye-opening experience. Next time I have the opportunity to take students to the Library, I will be sure to use it all to my advantage; besides, the Library is in our own backyard (So. Cal)...

I must say, the last time I went to the Huntington Library was in the 5th grade and my only concern was running around and causing as much chaos as possible. Today, my feelings and thoughts about the library are quite different. I have found myself immersed and amazed in the history and detail of all the exhibits. The meticulous detail and art in the Japanese and Chinese gardens were incredible. I remember coming across an article in the times about the construction of the new Chinese project and how artisans from China were creating it stone by stone. It was a great experience and I look forward to a future visit so that I may spend even more time there.

What caught my attention the most though was the landscaping. I can barely handle trimming a lemon tree let alone and entire garden and elegant landscape.

PS The lunch was fantastic! The variety was awesome and everything was delicious! Kudos to Miranda and Clay!

I have never been to the Gardens, nor have eaten Korean food before. I give my thanks to Miranda and Clay for the great experiences.
I saw the gardens and thought of the lessons I could do to include them in my curriculum, whether for history, science, or language arts. I also thought of sharing ideas with the art teacher using the greens or colors of the gardens.
Adding food experiences to my class is something I'm thinking to include this year and trying new foods myself was great. The websites for today's readings had some really nice resources for Japan, so trying recipes in class is every reasonable.

What a great day we had. We were able to experience first hand the purpose of Asian gardens. After our days of hard work, we could appreciate the beauty and serenity they had to offer and give our brains a chance to unwind and get in touch with our inner spirit. Remember our readings from Liang Qichao and his visits to Central Park. A day not going to the park left him, "muddled in mind and spirit." (p. 116) The Daoists were right in some ways - we are part of nature and need to connect with it on different levels.

Thanks to our docent, Barbara who pointed out some of the differences of the two gardens. I have been to the gardens before, but I didn't remember the Chinese garden, and it was great to have someone to give more info, and answer questions.

I personally love gardens and they are one of the things I make a point of visiting when I travel. (Sometimes I just like to fall asleep in them on a hot summer day). I even made a point of visiting Amsterdam in 2002 because it was the Ten Year Flower Festival. I have seen many versions of Asian gardens, usually Japanese, anywhere from Scotland, to Kew Gardens, to the Italian lake district, to Longwood in PA. These are always someone's interpretation of Asian gardens, which isn't a bad thing, but it was good to know that Japanese and Chinese landscape architects helped shape these beautiful gardens.

The Korean food was wonderful. I haven't been to a Korean restaurant in probably 15 years, and that was for Korean barbecue.

Thank you Clay, Miranda, Venus, and our great docents.

I have never visited the Huntington before. It was very peaceful and beautiful. The weather was perfect. One thing that I was especially interested in was the reasons different paths. Our guide explained that Chinese didn't use straight paths to ensure that people stopped and took in the sceanery at certain places. While the Japanese also used different paths in the hopes that the devil would get lost along the way. I also really enjoyed the bridge that was not repainted which shows the tradition of allowing things to naturally decay.

Overall, it was really great.

I really had a wonderful time at the Huntington. It is such a beautiful place and it is enlightening to see what a Japanese and Chinese garden would look like. I'm sure I have many students who don't know or couldn't tell the difference between China and Japan. I find myself confused by looking at the language itself which is which, I admit, but this place gives a physical description of how each culture views their green space (and it also reflects upon the creators as well). China's use of structures indicates to me how given the geography of China, it is more feasible to do this in a garden, while Japan's orderly landscaped areas displayed their intense desire to maximize beauty and tranquility in a small space. The zen garden was of particular interest, since I have never seen one before (aside from the somewhat humorous miniatures the occasional teacher/secretary will have). I would like to (when money exists) take some classes here to let them experience another culture for once, given the fact they are often so buried in their own they seldom know others even exist.