California - Lili on the Loose

1 01, 2020

2019 Year in Review

By Lili|January 1st, 2020|Categories: Year in Review|Tags: 2019, American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, Anastasia, Arlington Cemetary, Art Institute of Chicago, Atlanta, Bear Brook, California, Camp Christmas, CES Enablement, Chicago, Cirque Dreams Holidaze, Colonial Williamsburg, Colonial Williamsburg Ghost Tour, Colonial Williamsburg Witch Trial, Dave & Busters, DC, DC Holocaust Museum, Deborah Harkness, Denver Aquarium, Denver Broncos, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Discovery of Witches, Disney's California Adventure, Disneyland, Eddie Izzard, Fiddler on the Roof, Field Museum, Fort Collins, Gaudy or Nice Utopia Giveaway, Georgia, Getty Center, Getty Villa, Good Omens, Harry Potter, Harry Potter Wizard's Unite, health, Horsetooth Reservoir, ICE! Rudolph Exhibit, Illinois, Kathleen Madigan, Last Seen, Legacies, Los Angeles, Lucifer, Mall of America, Minneapolis, Monster Trucks, Monticello, My Favorite Murder Podcast, National Air & Space Museum, National Mall, National Natural History Museum, Natura Obscura, Patton Oswalt, Penn & Teller, podcast, Rise of the Skywalker, San Francisco, Science Museum of Minnesota, SEA Life Minnesota, Signals, Smithsonian Castle, St Paul, Star Wars, The Mandalorian, The Originals, The Play that Goes Wrong, The Witcher, Trader Sam's, triceratops, Twelfth Night, Udvar-Hazy Center, Vampire Diaries, Washington DC, Wizard's Brunch Dinner, work|0 Comments

In 2019 I did... 20 Museums & Art Exhibits: Natura Obscura, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum, Smithsonian Castle, DC Holocaust Museum, National Mall, National Air & Space Museum, National Natural History Museum, Arlington Cemetary, Monticello, Colonial Williamsburg, American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, Udvar-Hazy Center, Getty Villa, Getty Center, Gaudy or Nice Utopia Giveaway, Science Museum of Minnesota, ICE! Rudolph Exhibit, Camp Christmas 8 Plays & Theater: The Play that Goes Wrong, Twelfth Night, Fiddler on the Roof, Anastasia, Wizard's Brunch Dinner, Colonial Williamsburg Ghost Tour, Colonial Williamsburg Witch Trial, Cirque Dreams Holidaze 7

1 12, 2019

November 2019 Recap

By Lili|December 1st, 2019|Categories: Blog Recaps and Roundups|Tags: 2019, Batuu, Broncos, CA, California, Colorado, Denver, Denver Broncos, Disney's California Adventure, Disneyland, Droid, Galaxy's Edge, Getty Center, Getty Villa, Kathleen Madigan, Los Angeles, Monster Trucks, Museums, My Favorite Murder Podcast, North America, San Francisco, Schitt's Creek, Star Wars, The King, Turn, Victoria|0 Comments

It was a very busy month for me! I saw Kathleen Madigan perform, went to a Broncos game with my Dad (they actually won!), watched Monster Trucks with my nephew and went on two trips! View this post on Instagram Taking dad to #broncos #clevsden for his birthday! A post shared by Lili (@liliontheloose) on Nov 3, 2019 at 2:39pm PST View this post on Instagram Touchdown. Bring on Thunder! #clevsden #broncos A post shared by Lili (@liliontheloose) on Nov 3, 2019 at 3:47pm PST View this post on Instagram #clevsden A post shared

2 09, 2019

Travel Luck: Puppies on a Plane

By Lili|September 2nd, 2019|Categories: Travel, Travel Memories|Tags: 2017, Bernese Mountain Dog, California, Colorado, Denver, dog, Fantasy Lands 2017, flight, North America, Orange County, plane, puppy, Southwest, Travel Luck, USA|0 Comments

One of my bucket list items was to sit next to a cute puppy on a flight. I've seen dogs on planes before, such as service dogs or older small dogs in carriers, but I was never near enough to pet the dog. So I was delighted to see this little pup standing in front of me on a Southwest flight a few years ago. She was flying from Denver to Orange County by her breeder, to meet her forever home. She was a Bernese Mountain Dog 8 week pup! She was very well behaved and was quiet throughout the

26 08, 2019

Museum Monday: Astronomer by Candlelight

By Lili|August 26th, 2019|Categories: Art, Museums, Travel|Tags: 2018, California, Classical California, Gerrit Dou, Los Angeles, North America, The Getty, The Getty Center, USA|0 Comments

I loved this painting in the Getty called Astronomer by Candlelight painted by Gerrit Dou in the late 1650's. The detail of the light and dark, all from a single source is very realistic and makes you peer into the scene to see better. Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.

29 07, 2019

Museum Monday: Seaside Villa View

By Lili|July 29th, 2019|Categories: Museums, Travel|Tags: 2018, California, Classical California, Fresco, Getty Villa, Los Angeles, Malibu, North America, Pompeii, Santa Monica, Tondo, USA|0 Comments

This fresco of a Roman villa in tondo (circular) is one of a pair on display at the Getty Villa. I love the detail of the man fishing off the pier and the gardens before the pillared hall. This decorated a Pompeiian villa and was likely painted between 52-79 AD. It would have been a very small part of a larger wall decoration. Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.

25 05, 2019

Souvenir Saturday: Han Solo Carbonite Lunch Box

By Lili|May 25th, 2019|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2017, California, Carbonite, Disneyland, Fantasy Lands 2017, Han Solo, Lunch Box, North America, Star Wars, Straw, USA, X Wing|0 Comments

Today is Geek Pride Day! So I wanted to share my Han Solo Carbonite lunchbox and X-Wing straw I got for lunch a few years ago when visiting Disneyland. Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.

19 04, 2019

A Whole Lego World

By Lili|April 19th, 2019|Categories: Photography, Travel|Tags: 2017, Aladdin, Anaheim, California, Disneyland, Downtown Disney, Fantasy Lands 2017, Genie, Jasmine, Lego, Lego Store, North America, Photo Friday, USA|0 Comments

Lego Aladdin and Genie in Downtown Disneyland. Every Friday Lili shares her favorite photography & the stories behind the photos.

12 04, 2019

Lanterns & Cups

By Lili|April 12th, 2019|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Photography, Travel|Tags: 2017, Anaheim, California, Disneyland, Fantasy Lands 2017, Mad Hatter, North America, Photo Friday, Tea Cups, Tea Party, USA|0 Comments

Disney does a great job of lighting their attractions at night. I was pleasantly surprised by the lighting for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Every Friday Lili shares her favorite photography & the stories behind the photos.

2 02, 2019

Souvenir Saturday: Petrified Wood

By Lili|February 2nd, 2019|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2016, California, I left my heart in San Francisco, Napa Valley, North America, Petrified Forest, petrified wood, San Francisco, USA|0 Comments

Christmas 2016 I spent with my parents while visiting San Francisco and Napa Valley. One day we went on a few wine tastings, and on the way I was excited that our GPS told us we were on "Petrified Forest Road". I quickly googled and found an actual petrified forest was coming up. I begged my parents to stop, and they gave me about 20 minutes to explore it. I was so excited I could have spent all afternoon, but to commemorate this I bought a $55 petrified wood specimen. This one is unique in that some quartz crystal got in,

21 01, 2019

Travel Missteps: When Walking the Walk is Painful

By Lili|January 21st, 2019|Categories: Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: 2008, Alamo Square, ankle, Cable Car, California, Good Food in San Francisco, Lombard Street, North America, Painted Ladies, Postcard Row, San Francisco, USA|0 Comments

It's 2019, and I injured my ankle in late December of last year. As I start yet another round of physical therapy it reminds me of my first trip to San Francisco back in 2008, around 6 months after ankle surgery. I had been in a cast for months and then physical therapy after that. Everyone said I'd be ready for the San Francisco trip, but it was rough. All the walking up and down steep hills killed me with each step. And sadly that is what I remember most from this trip. Struggling to keep up with my family.