Wild Parrots, Hockney, Klimt, Incense - so much!

Last weekend was one of those weekends where you discover many inspiring things and simply feel fulfilled when you climb into bed Sunday night.

Friday night I watched the documentary The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, about a flock of wild parrots living in a San Francisco neighborhood. Mark Bittner, a resident of Telegraph Hill, began feeding and observing the birds several years ago. The documentary follows not only the birds, but Mark's transformation from interacting with them. It was so beautiful that I've been telling everyone about it.

There is also a book by the same title written by Mark Bittner. I purchased the book on Saturday. The book is as wonderful as the documentary. I highly recommend both.

On Sunday I met up with my friend from library school who is now a librarian at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). We went to the David Hockney exhibit at the museum. I haven't been much of a Hockney fan, but didn't really know much about him also. The exhibit, titled "David Hockney Portraits" was a huge display that filled many, many rooms. It was astonishing and lovely.

Also at LACMA were some KLIMT paintings. Having been an admirer of Klimt for many years, seeing the paintings in the flesh was incredible.

After all of this, which was enough to lift my spirit high, we went to two of my very favorite places: The Bodhi Tree Bookstore and the Urth Caffe on Melrose. I made some purchases from the Bodhi Tree's always impressive incense collection, as well as the latest copy of Shambhala Sun with a feature article on bell hooks. Yeah, bell!

The Urth Caffe was packed - it always is. I had to control myself, but only took one piece of cheesecake home with me. Oh, was my honey vanilla latte good.

The weekend ended with a traffic jam-free ride home on the Los Angeles freeways, something that seems to never happen.

I'm now getting ready for a trip next week to visit libraries in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Carmel, Big Sur, and Pacific Grove for my book. I also hope to tour Robinson Jeffers' Tor House in Carmel. Can't wait!