Marvin's hike to Amir's Garden
Los Angeles Hiking Group (Meetup) goes for a walk in Griffith Park
Marvin’s Adventures & Friends went for a walk in Griffith Park today:
We started from the Merry Go Round parking lot and wandered along trails, eventually leading us to Amir’s Garden.
And we’re walking!
A bench with a view.
On the other side of the bench were two plaques, one for Kathy Brizzard and one for Jeffrey John Cuevas. If you can’t live forever, having a bench in the park might be the next best thing. I’ve always thought it would be nice to have a bench on the cliffs of Shell Beach. Or perhaps scatter my ashes at Arch Rock at Anacapa Island.
Kathy’s been gone already 16 years. And Amir 22 years. Time! What a crazy concept. Sometimes my mind races through my life like a video play head scrubbing rapidly back and forth. A hundred years from now we’ll all be gone. But perhaps Amir’s garden will persist.
Our walk alternated between single-track, wider trails, and bits of asphalt.
One-year-old and having fun!
We crossed paths with some equestrians on the trail. Griffith Park’s capaciousness on this spring day accomodates so many visitors and still offers a sense of getting away from the crowds of the city we’re just a short distance away from.
After a bit of ascent, we turn for a descent into Amir’s Garden.
Photo time in Amir’s Garden.
More pix with Amir’s handiwork.
Amir Dialameh, 1932-2003 and beyond.
Huell Howser visits Amir’s Garden
Obsessive Art
Like Simon Rodia and his towers in Watts, Antoni Gaudi and his mosaics in Barcelona, and so many other “Obsessive” artists who have spent lifetimes creating elaborate installations, Amir dedicated himself to this hilltop garden oasis. His work continues even after his passing and is a constant delight for Griffith Park visitors.
Joshua Tree Bottle House
In addition to other decorative elements, Amir apparently liked to colorfully paint corrugated aluminum. The aluminum set against all the organic vegetation is both other in it’s manufacturedness, and at-one-with in it’s visceral imprecision.
At hike’s end, Marvin prepares to head home. Marvin’s a remarkable host, focused on safety, community, and positive experiences for everyone. He seems to share Amir’s spirit of generosity.
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