Thursday, November 17, 2016

I hate LA!!........ Or do I?

I have always hated LA.  The city is huge, dirty, crowded, dangerous.  I especially disliked downtown- it is especially dangerous and dirty, rundown.  When we lived in Orange County, I would begrudginly go, and then leave ASAP when the shows ended.

We really wanted to see the theater production of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch", a show we first saw in the late 80's in a run-down theater in New York.  We espcially wanted to see it because it was starring Darren Criss, a great singer we liked on Glee.  Sadly, the only place we could see it was LA:-(.  The thought of driving there made me sick.  So we took the train, and got a room for 2 nights- in downtown, 1 street from the Music Center (Hill and 2nd).

Walking from Union Station, the first thing we noted- the city was clean!  There were new buildings everywhere, and gentrification was well on its way!  After checking into our room, we walked the area- yes there were some homeless, but they neve accosted us like they do here in Fresno!  Restaurants and coffee shops, museums, theaters, and condo/apartment/office buildings were everywhere.  The beautiful old buildings ahd been cleaned up and occupied.

I now love LA!!!  Even though were were there only 2 days, I developed a love of the city!

Angels Flight- the funicular that takes you from Hill street to Bunker Hill- itisno longer is service, but still- very cool!



Grand Central Marked- at one time, anactual market- and now restaurants with food from around the world.  We had plans to eat at so many of the restaurants of LA, and ended up eating almost all meals here:-).

Eggslut- breakfast sandwiches on brioche buns- mmmmm good





Pantages Theater in Hollywood.  A simple subway ride from downtown was all it took.  The LA subway was such a huge joke for so long- now it is incredible!  Takes you everywhere in LA.  And clean and cheap!  (senior rate is 75 cents peak hours and 35 cents off-peak!).  Pantages is beautiful!


Our friend Rick and Sergion saw the show with us!  So great seeing them!








The Dorothy Chandler Music Center, especially at night- is beautiful!

City Hall



Disney music center



The Broad- the newest modern art museum- fantastic!
 The Walt Disney Concert House is fantastic!







Go high, we always say!  At the US Bank Tower(Library Tower)- there is a bar on the 71st floor!  Vistas forever!








The Broad Contemporary Art Museum, is the newest museum in downtown LA- it is really fantastic!








This art piece is gigantic, colorful, and complex- it was magnificent!




Keith Haring-

Soup.....Art....Art...Soup



The Bradbury Building!  Used in SciFi film such as Blade Runner and Outer Limits.  this building is fantastic!






The buildings in downtown are so beautiful, with great ornamentation!  Now that the area is gentrifying, they are being restored to their former glory!













Staples Center and LA Live-   Another thing I hated about LA- Staples Center was this huge, crowded stadium for shows.  It was in a crappy part of town, parking was in dirt and garbage packed seedy side streets and alleys that stunk of urine.  Once inside, everything was prohibitively expensive.

Well- it is still expensive, but amazing what 11 years can do with an entire sports and entertainment complex fully developed.  Lots of restaurants, social areas, shops, theaters and Staples center.  Quite nice!