Recently, I simply had the most maaarvelous time at the stunning Vicente Point Park. Just breathtaking, Tomatoes! Los Angeles Public Library has an assortment of online resources for commemorating Black History Month. One particular historical blog caught my eye and needed highlighting here.  City Plants is starting 2021 with a new episode in their continuing web series, “Growing Vibrant LA Communities”. And Rembrandt is in SoCal, Tomatoes! Powerhouse Museums in the area have joined forces to bring you an incredible virtual tour of Rembrandt.  And this week’s podcast is all about keeping our dogs healthy and living longer.

Point Vicente Park

With it’s beautiful vistas on the rocky cliffs above the ocean, the green grassy areas for relaxing and with a fenced, safe and easy 1.5-mile walking trail along those cliffs, Vicente Point Park in Palos Verdes will now and forever have a special place in my heart, Tomatoes.

And the parking is free! Woo-Hoo! The park has a native plant garden to walk through which Mr. LA Tomato Hubby and I loved! Dogs on a leash are welcome to enjoy the ocean breezes too. San Vicente Park is also well known for being one of the best vantage points in So Cal to spot migrating whales. So, you might want to take your binoculars along, Tomatoes. The vast majority of visitors wore masks. There were a few unmasked defiant foolish people, that I secretly wanted to pummel, but we steered way clear of them .  We still felt very safe as we double masked as well. The museum and the lighthouse are closed to the public, but the park alone is definitely worth a visit for spiritual and physical rejuvenation.  You will be reminded how gorgeous and inspiring our Los Angeles Coast is. 

Meet the Holistic Pet Vet

We all love our pets, and there’s nothing worse seeing our pets in pain or in decline as they age. This week’s guest is Dr. Tori Countner, founder of The Balanced Pet Vet.  As a holistic and integrative veterinarian, she focuses on a balanced approach to medicine and lifestyle. Some of the techniques she uses sound positively human – like acupuncture, laser treatments, and massage. LISTEN IN HERE.

 Building a Community

The institutions created by African American migrants, in search of the California dream, strengthened their community against racial discrimination. “Building a Community: A Look at African American Institutions in Early Los Angeles” is a fascinating and enlightening read, especially if you love Los Angeles history.

Black Angelenos after escaping the worst discrimination and violence of the South, still faced widespread and unpredictable racial prejudice here.  How did they deal with it? Churches, Black-owned newspapers, and civic organizations provided a haven from this discrimination in LA and served as a vehicle to organize the African American community. It’s an incredible story, Tomatoes, that will make you proud.

February 9. Growing Vibrant LA Communities

The upcoming free Zoom event, from the LA Urban Center, “Growing Vibrant LA communities” webinar is designed to empower, educate and connect Angelenos to our very own urban forest. The issue of Urban Tree Equity is the topic of the first episode up in 2021.  It’s your voice, your city and your urban forest, Tomatoes

Reservations are required, so hop to it and book Tomatoes. You’ll have the chance to learn from LA’s Urban Forest Equity Visiting Scholar, Dr. Vivek Shandas, and hear directly from youth working in the urban forestry and non-profit sector in Los Angeles. It will give you the opportunity to learn more about tree canopy equity in LA, how we can help create greener neighborhoods, and green jobs! Help grow a healthy, sustainable, and equitable future for your community. I write about City Plants Events frequently, but The Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources and Sustainability, ACA LA Urban Center , a collaborating partner with City Plants,  is a relatively new information and research destination hub on the web that is vital to LA’s developing green canopy.  They foster collaboration, generate new science, deliver information and technology to aid application, and engage diverse communities and knowledge bases through shared learning. We are very lucky to have both these organizations working hard to address sustainability, environmental and ecological issues in our beloved city.

Rembrandt in So Cal

“The Rembrandt in So Cal Virtual Tour” is an online exhibition exploring the works of … yes, I’ll say it again…Rembrandt in Southern California with 14 celebrated paintings from five museums. Tomatoes can enjoy the Dutch master’s paintings from home which promises to be an artistic feast for the eyes. 

The Rembrandt Virtual Tour is a collaboration between LACMA, the Hammer Museum, the Getty Museum, the Norton Simon Museum and the Timken Museum. Holy Moly!  That’s some collaboration!  They have teamed up to create a single resource virtual exhibition that presents all of the Rembrandt paintings in the area with high resolution and in more detail than ever before. “The remarkable group of Rembrandt paintings in Southern California museums represents nearly every phase of the artist’s long career,” says Anne Woollett, curator of paintings at the Getty Museum. “Together they offer a marvelous opportunity to experience fascinating history scenes, intriguing portraits and the compelling emotional states of heroic figures, as well as Rembrandt’s exhilarating range of painting techniques.” That deserves a “Wow”, Tomatoes!