Downtown LA Excursion!

Outside the Mark Taper Forum, one of the most prestigious theatres in the country (part of Center Theatre Group)
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As a native Angeleno, I forget how cool Downtown LA is. Of course, everyone knows by now that the Downtown area is full of hipster bars with hipster prices and many people are finding the courage to move into spacious artist lofts in the beautiful old buildings of this tiny, oft-forgotten area of our huge metropolis. For those of us living and working outside of this area, it feels like such a trek to go down there, find parking, walk around, etc. The Downtown area is not kind to meanderers...outside of business hours, the place seems to shut down. Of course, the Garment District is full of life on Saturday afternoons as people hock their wares and women look for bargains on their bridal gowns, but you will have to navigate among all the cheap Made in China labels. For real shoppers, this is the place to be!

The Walt Disney Concert Hall
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Downtown is not a place of leafy parks and cafes and coffee houses. For those who are unfamiliar with our dear sprawling city, it is also not the center of LA...the center of LA is Hollywood and there is just no competition between the two in terms of entertainment value (unless, of course, you prefer REAL entertainment because Downtown has the entire Music Center, which includes the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Center Theatre Group). However, what Downtown lacks in urban creature comforts, it certainly over-compensates for in culture! A Saturday afternoon in the area can bring about great rewards for a wanderer.

Up high on the concert hall's walkway
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I suggest starting the day off at the Music Center, which includes the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre, and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. If you get to the Ahmanson Box Office around noon, they sell discounted tickets for the day's matinee performance and this will give you a great opportunity to see a Broadway musical or play in their world-class theatre. If you prefer a small stage, the Taper doesn't have a bad seat in the house and their plays appeal to a wide range of people. If opera or live classical music and dance are your things, check out what the Dorothy Chandler or the Walt Disney have to offer. No matter what ticket you get, you will be seeing some of the best performing arts in the world.

Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral...modern and beautiful
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After you have received your cheap tickets, you will have two hours to spare, in which time you can go to MOCA (the Museum of Contemporary Art) if you like dubious modern art, or you can do what I recently did and go on a walking tour. The Disney Concert Hall has one of the best kept secrets around...a roof garden! Not only does it provide a great view of the city, but you get the added bonus of traipsing about the amazing structure of the hall! This is a great place to rest and enjoy the sun. Another bonus: the lobby is full of free maps and guides for the Downtown area, as well as literature about the different cultural events in the area. The staff is helpful and the gift store is fun to browse through.

Inside the cathedral
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Another lovely place to check out is Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral. A modern wonder, this structure will inspire awe in anyone, regardless of their religious or non-religious affiliations.

Then, of course, there is the LA Public Library, which houses an amazing collection of books and also is architecturally gorgeous, both inside and out. Here you will find anything you are looking for and a lot of things besides! If you are a local, don't hesitate to get a library card...you can return your books to ANY LA Public Library! My favorite spot is the Children's Section. Not only is it cozy and brings back loads of wonderful memories, but a beautiful painted dome is just outside its' doors, providing visitors with a taste of Europe in Downtown LA!

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There are plenty of cabs and city busses if walking isn't your thing. No matter what you do, make sure to bring your camera so you can capture the best architecture in all of Los Angeles! Any cabbie can take you to 7th and Fig, a popular destination for business lunch breaks. Here you will find the famous California Pizza Kitchen. Try a garlic chicken pizza with cream sauce...it's to die for!

Further out of the city center, you will find the LA Convention Center and Staples Center. Staples is where you'll catch all the Lakers games and both venues are where you'll find lots of concerts from all the major bands and performing artists. Go down Figueroa street and you'll eventually run into USC (the University of Southern California). Not only is it my alma mater, but a great place to while away a few hours. The campus is beautiful (think East Coast Ivy League) and it is small enough to be totally walkable. The University Bookstore is fabulous and there are tons of places to eat and snack.

A sculpture at the Concert Hall's roof gardens
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If you're lucky, you may even get to see some filming done. Many movie and TV productions are shot right on the USC campus and Bovard Auditorium often has some amazing guest speakers and performers. Make sure to take a stroll through Doheny Library and Mudd Philosophy Hall, the two most beautiful buildings on campus. Both will make you want to put on a pair of glasses, a tweed jacket, and your most wistfully serious expression.

I have posted some pictures from a recent Downtown trip and will continue to update this blog as I travel through my home city.