This year was different for us then any of the past Independence days....with my girls growing up and doing different things, {insert Sports commitments and being teeenagers}. We didn't head to the local firework show as a family, the girls went with friends instead. Also on the actual fourth of July we got the opportunity to head to the Historic Cottages at Crystal Cove on the Newport Coast. I was in heaven to say the least and took a ton of pictures{which I'll have to split into several posts}.
Here I am with my girls and my besties...
This is a small alcove called Crystal Cove and in the 20's through the 50's families that had homes in Los Angeles or inland would bring their families here and stay in the rustic cottages during the summer to escape the heat. I would guess most of the families owned them because it was a place for the "well to do". Because it was a great locale it was used as a film location for Hollywood, think of Gidget or Beach Blanket Bingo, although they were not filmed here..that's the feeling you get when you are there, as if you would see Gidget out riding the waves on her surfboard. One very famous film was filmed there that I will share with you in the next post. Over the next few decades they fell into disrepair and just in the last several years a local restoration group called The Crystal Cove Alliance have been restoring them to their previous historic cottagey glory. They have reconstucted the cottages in phases, 14 more cottages will be worked on in the coming years.
This one is a my favorite that will be restored to it's former vintage beauty, I can see how beautiful it will be when she is complete. The restoration has to use 80% of the wood that is in the original structure so the process takes time and of course money.
Here is one that is similiar that has been restored, as you can see all of the cottages are different...most have shingles...
some are single story and others double story...
Some are dormitory style and hanging on a cliff....
Looking towards Huntington Beach.....from upon the bluffs are the Cottages on the Cliff with panoramic ocean views..
Going back down on the beach you look towards San Diego are the tide pools..
Lots of Sea Anemomes, crabs, seaweed and sea glass.
The girls loved looking for the sea creatures and sea glass. A few of the buildings have been turned into mini museums to educate the public on what a special piece of history this place is.
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