K: We are going in. Do you remember the two rules about museums?

O: Quiet talking and no touching.

K: Right.

O: But those are the two hardest things in the whole widest world. I know, if I feel like feeling a painting, I'll just touch my nose instead.

I've been in rehearsal for Much Ado at the Long Beach Playhouse for the past month and family time has been hard to come by. We used our first day off after opening to go to the Huntington Library. It was drizzly and glorious, and I had a new camera.

P had about 6 wardrobe changes due to excessive puddle jumping

We stayed outside for nearly our entire visit. The children's garden was a huge hit.

Pink bear really got into the microscopes

Then, we attempted the main house.

After a pep talk about museum etiquette and promises of cookies, we visited several galleries and touched our noses a lot. O thought that The Blue Boy looked very sad because he didn't have any one to play with. I agree. I wonder what she'll think of the Gutenberg Bible. Maybe next time.

We took selfies in the bathroom (babies and buttons), had a subpar lunch at the cafe (packing a picnic next time), and had, by all accounts, a stellar day.

The camellias were all in bloom and it was nice to forget we live in a city for a minute, and even nicer to be back in that city when we were were done.

Can't recommend enough, a thirty minute drive and a world away.

Where do you escape to when you only have an afternoon?