Last week, my mom came to visit for the first time and I was so excited to plan a few days’ worth of fun events and activities for the two of us. Aside from some shopping, a few great meals, and a bizarre but overall positive experience with a psychic, one outing I was most excited about was a tour and afternoon tea at the Getty Villa.

The Getty Villa sits atop the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades and is an absolute marvel of architecture built to house J. Paul Getty‘s (once declared the richest man in America) extensive collection of Greek and Roman artifacts. And while I appreciate an excavated urn just as much as the next gal, it was the building itself that had me completely enchanted – the intricate gardens, grand columns, and exquisite tile work at every turn.

I wandered through the extensive grounds immersing myself in another time and place, imagining what it would have been like to live among the opulent gardens overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It was tough to even narrow it down to this small collection of photos; I think you’ll understand why…

xo Ali