“Monarch Manor” is a Monarch Eco Preserve located in my own backyard, Venice Beach. If you’re walking down Pacific Avenue, it can be easy to miss. I never noticed it, in fact, until my BFF walked me over to it this week. I thought: a what? A monarch butterfly preserve? Amazing. While it occupies just a tiny fraction of space, it’s stunning. Winding wood stairs, butterfly-friendly plants and flowers, and – if you wait just long enough – tiny bursts of orange wings just might catch your eye. Miami (my hometown) is covered with butterflies, but they are one of the things I find in noticeably fewer numbers here (at least in West LA). I now know I can sit among the flowers for a while, appreciating the delicate, flitting bodies overhead as they make their way home and back again.

If you are in the area, stop by and see what this unexpected little oasis is all about. Thank you to my Raji for sharing it with me.