Before I came here, I only knew that the town was nicknamed "The City of Trees and PhDs," and that David Foster Wallace lived here until he killed himself. But I don't think anyone blames Claremont for that. And my friend M lived here as a youth and his father owned a liquor store in Pomona, I think; at least he was in one of the nearby towns into which Claremont merges. I noted that it was 30 miles east of LA, and up against the foothills, and my hostess said that down the street from the house was a trail up into those very foothills. I have yet to take that trail: the daily dog walk goes past the trail-head, but apparently it's not a good venue for Cookie and Didi, and it's been too hot to hike later in the day after the walk.
I figured I'd probably go into LA several times and that there would be wineries and parks and things to do in the area. Well, that is true, but it took some time to get out of the house. Halfway through the stay, I finally planned a trip to LA, to the Mark Taper Forum. I hadn't heard of the play, Heisenberg, but many of my favorite actors have worked there, so it's been on my list. Otherwise, I've let fear of traffic and the non-pedestrian-friendly vibes keep me solidly home-based.
My first week was spent getting the dogs and cat to love me. Actually, that was very easy. They are affectionate critters, and they miss their peeps, so they have snuggled with me from the very start. After the first week or so, they stopped taking C and S's tshirts into the living room when left alone, and started toting my clothes instead. Fortunately, all they seem to do is lick them: the fabric is still intact.
My first Friday here I checked out the downtown music scene: there are 4 outdoor venues scattered about, and different music is featured in each. Jazz seems to be centered in the Plaza area, which is where I located the local cinema and some really nice looking restaurants. The other nice restaurants seem to be around College and 2nd street, near the Library (which I didn't visit until the end of my stay.) I didn't get a picture of the fountain that night, because it was surrounded and filled with people, and it's architectural and winding in nature, so it isn't easy to capture the stone and metal dragon that it seemed to be.
I used the online city calendar to locate events and places to visit, and C left a list of places to check out. I developed a shopping routine and a schedule for walks and swimming in the pool: the former needed to happen when it was coolest, and the latter when I felt like taking a nap or when I returned from an excursion, hot and sweaty. And, as I've said in other posts, I have enjoyed not being forced to explore the city or the area.
Now I am embarking on my last week. I'm at the Huntington Gardens, watching people wander into the ornate and mannered structures of the Chinese Garden, listening to their inanities (but somehow it's okay if the words are tinged with an Asian accent or the people are speaking French: those are the most common voices.) I bought a membership after the first visit, because I had not managed to make it to the Library, and at $25 a visit, it seemed to make sense. It actually doesn't, but I will likely break even, and it's good to take some time to absorb the beauty. It also feels like I did something besides sit under a dog.
In addition to exploring the neighborhood on my walks and joining the Vocal Forum, I have explored some of Claremont. I went to the art museum and learned about the Russian Village and heritage trees. I attended the Butterflies and Brews event at the Santa Ana Botannic Gardens. I wandered around Pomona College at the fireworks and attended a play at the Greek Theatre (but left early because I was sooo sleepy.) I did some research at the Library, which looks like a bunker but is blissfully free of the smell of the unwashed which characterizes most downtown libraries.
If I lived here, I'd probably go to Pasadena for most things: I've fallen in love with the various museums and have discovered some fabulous ice cream places. But, Claremont is a pretty community. The trees and architecture make for pleasant walks and drives. There are outlets for music and the arts, especially because of the Claremont colleges. I met up with some people attended a string quartet workshop at Scripps: if I'd been aware in January that I was coming here, I could have done that!
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