You want to throw a party?

After an exciting but tiring first week of classes and internships, we were ready to take advantage of the weekend and knock some items off our new "things we must do in LA this semester" list. We decided to start with the Griffith Observatory, which is supposed to be the best viewing point of LA. After a crazy drive during which the sights included a liquor store that delivers and a Hummer limo driving in reverse (uphill!), we reached the Observatory just after sunset to find that many other people had the same idea as us. We followed the signs for "additional parking" and parked on a winding road on the side of a mountain (don't worry, everyone else was doing it, too).

We trekked our way up to the Observatory, pausing briefly to admire the Hollywood sign (on our right, no less!). The next planetarium show was sold out, so we got tickets for the one after that and decided to look around the museum and outside first.

Photo credit to Jenn for all of these!

Then we went outside to one of the terraces, where we were greeted by this:


Some people may say that LA is not the most aesthetically beautiful city, but I don't think anyone can argue that the lights at nighttime are gorgeous. We all took turns posing for photos with the skyline.




Then we decided to kill the remaining time before the planetarium show in the gift shop, where we discovered these:

Because we're five, we could not leave without each purchasing a glittery bouncing ball. Then it was time for the planetarium show, which was entitled "First Light: The Telescope Changed Everything." It taught us about Galileo, constellations, and featured a trip back through time and space. Definitely worth the $5 price of admission.


As we left the planetarium with the intention of heading home, the greatest surprise of the night was still to come. We came upon a lawn full of amateur astronomers with telescopes set to various planets, moons, and constellations. Turns out we happened to visit the Observatory on the night of their monthly "Public Star Party." Amazed by our luck, we got to look at Mars, the moon (that was the coolest one), and various constellations for free.

Then we hiked back to the car and began our harrowing journey back down the mountain. After encountering a worrisome sign proclaiming the road was flooded (turned out to be a false alarm), we happened upon a small pack of baby coyotes. Contradicting all common sense, Jenn asked if we wanted to do a U-turn and go back toward the coyotes. We decided against it.


All in all, we couldn't have chosen a better day to visit the Observatory! It definitely seems to be a must-see attraction in LA, so if you visit, we can take you there. No promises of a party, though, because that kind of luck probably won't strike twice.

-Erin