Local Treasure: Carlson Park

I must confess: I have got into the art of meditation. With the 24-hour news cycle and constant obligations flying around, it's nice to be able to sit still and do ... absolutely nothing. Whether it's for five minutes or 50, quieting my mind helps me to be more effective the rest of the day. And there is no better place to do it than at .

No matter what hour I visit Carlson Park, it is always idyllic and beautiful, complete with the and bees that I have to be on the lookout for as I walk on the grass with bare feet. On this particular afternoon, I had the pleasure of watching a merry band of teenagers decide to climb a tree at Carlson after they got out of school. The sun was hitting the grass and trees just right, the wind was just enough to be cool but not chilly, and the kids seemed to not notice (or not care) that I was snapping pics with my camera. As they cheerfully squealed while experimenting with climbing to higher branches, it was one of those moments that reminded me of why I fell in love with Culver City in the first place. You had to be there, but I felt like I was caught in the middle of a Norman Rockwell painting.

If in need of a place to loaf, try out this small but darling park on Braddock Avenue. You won't be disappointed.