The Peacock Room vs. The Peacock Neighborhood

For those of you who ever visited me when I worked at the Freer and Sackler Galleries, I most likely tried to give you a tour of their most well-known exhibit --- James McNeil Whistler's "The Peacock Room." Most of you will know this American artist by the satire inspired by the painting of his mom sitting in profile.

Anyway, at one time in the history of the Freer, there were actually live peacocks that roamed the inner courtyard until they became too pesty with their calls that sounded like dying racoons and their meanness. The male peacocks are beautiful and that's about it.

Well, who would have known my years working at the Freer and knowing wayyyy too much about peacocks would come in handy on my CA trip. Turns out that there is an aboretum around the corner from my cousin's house that had peacocks. Those peacocks "escaped" and decided to set up residence in the "well to do" neighborhood across the street and have been there since.

They are EVERYWHERE in this neighborhood. In trees, front porches, hanging out in driveways, in the middle of the road. Its both fascinating and completely bizarre. There are signs at the entrance of this community that warn that feeding the peacocks could lead to a fine.

One of the days I dragged my cousin to go walking, we were able to see them up close and personal and they are quite beautiful. Seriously? Only in Southern California......