Week Two: Burton and His Books

This week I embarked on my journey into Burton’s Library and I began to request his earliest Hakluyt Society volumes. I have decided to approach this chronologically and view the materials in order which range from 1856 to 1896. There are some volumes missing which sit as interesting interruptions to this collection. I am starting to acquaint myself with how Burton made these publications work for him and to navigate the marks he made as a map to his thought processes. It is going to take time, but it is set to be an enjoyable and I’m sure, at times, perilous journey. I was warned of the “Burton scrawl” before I started this project at the Huntington, but I thought I would be perfectly capable of reading someone’s notes. Now I understand. At times it feels like I am learning a new language of symbols and it often becomes so cursive it resembles a squiggle.

Hakluyt Society Volumes held in Huntington Library Basements

I was fortunate enough this week to be having my tea break at the same time as the Chief Curator of Rare Books, Alan Jutzi (who takes a special interest in the Burton Library). He was excited to hear of my project and use of the collection. It led to him offering to introduce me to the full Burton Library next week.

Cannot wait!

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Week Two: Hollywood, High Tea and Hitting Old Town

Myself and my new bestie, Bostonian Lauren have been making the most of our time out of the Library by embracing what LA has to offer this past week.

My Discoveries

Rodeo Drive

With our sunglasses on and travelling ice coffees, we did some serious window shopping along Rodeo Drive. We also did our own tour round the fabulous Beverly Hills and Bel Air neighbourhoods.

Hollywood Boulevard

Jimmy Kimmel Live

We were picked in the online ballot for audience tickets for the Jimmy Kimmel Show (a late night talk show) which is filmed in a theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. The Producer seated us on the front row (!) and we got to see interviews with LL Cool J and Chloe Bennet (from “Marvel's Agents of SHIELD” fame). We were then treated to an open air performance by Vampire Weekend!

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Burbank Studios

As most Americans are talking about it, I have been made very aware of the drama surrounding Jay Leno's “retirement” from The Tonight Show in the coming weeks, so, the offer of going to a filming was too good to pass up. This, however, also appeared to be the thought of many other people who seized the opportunity to RSVP “yes” to their email invitations. Despite Lauren and I arriving at the Studios a couple of hours before the recommended wait time, the queues were already building. Luckily, we made it into the audience, whilst the remaining long line outside had to be turned away. The guests were the brilliantly funny Adam Sandler, Ali Wentworth (comedian wife of George Stephanopoulos) and music from Sheryl Crow.

We followed this by my first trip to a famed CA institution: In-N-Out Burger. We devoured our very fat, but delicious, food in Victory Park, Pasadena.

Old Town, Pasadena

This week another AHRC Fellow flew out to California, Rosie, who is a PhD student at Birmingham University and so, I offered to take her to dinner in our new home town of Pasadena. We enjoyed pasta at Louise's Trattoria and then sampled some drinks at the local “pub”, Lucky Baldwin's. The Old Town area of Pasadena was buzzing with activity and people and was the perfect choice to showcase the area to Rosie.

Tea Rose Garden, S Raymond Avenue, Pasadena

Pat invited me to enjoy tea with her and her friends on my lunch hour at the Rose Tea Garden. It is a beautiful tea shop and florist which features a large water fountain inside. We were served delicate sandwiches, petal leaf salads and scrumptious cakes. I absolutely love high teas and this was definitely a special treat.

The Grove

Lauren and I ventured out to LA's retail complex, The Grove. We sampled the delicious fresh food and cakes at The Original Farmers Market and I was excited to have found Topshop! My favourite place here was the Starbucks at the top of the huge Barnes and Noble store. I was able to sit outside, overlook the shops and gaze at the awesome landscape beyond.

 

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Being a Pasadena Pedestrian

Things I discovered during my week of walking:

Confused Californian culture of walking: Californians are shocked to hear that you walked the four miles home, but if you instead say you went on a four mile “hike”, you will initiate a positive reaction, full of questions and acceptance…

Disappearing “sidewalks”: most of the streets do not have a pavement to walk on, with gardens stretching out to the road, so quite often you end up trudging through the gutter or marching down the middle of the road; all the while trying to avoid traffic! If you are lucky enough to be walking along a main road, there is often only a pavement on one side or it will suddenly disappears beneath your feet; in which case, you are forced to dodge cars to get across to a safe path or retrace your steps back to a crossing.

Unreliability of LA Metro buses: I downloaded a fantastic travel planner app named “TransitTimes+” which helps you plan your route to and from your chosen stations, gives you the timetable and provides a real time map of where the buses/trains are – I would highly recommend it! Despite this, it does not guarantee that the transport will turn up at its stated time… I have twice now given up the wait and walked the 3.6 miles from the Huntington to home. And, even though I followed the bus route, at no point did my bus pass me.

The avoid-the-sprinklers-dance: Southern California is officially in a drought. However, the dazzling green grass you encounter whilst passing the threshold between Pasadena into San Marino says otherwise. Whilst, the sprinklers making the air glisten are feeding the grass, for the pedestrian, they present a different food for thought: run through or tip toe between, all in the hope that you won't get soaked!

Walking is always more fun with friends:

Next week, my walks to and from the Huntington will be joined by the other AHRC Fellow Rosie!

 

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