Grand Central Market and Angel's Flight

Grand Central Market is an iconic landmark, and a must-do when visiting Downtown Los Angeles.

Built in 1917, Grand Central Market is located on the ground floor of Homer Laughlin Building, right in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. The market is comprised of vendors, mostly food, representing the many cultures that call Los Angeles home.

Entering the market is a feast for the senses. The clashing fragrances assault your nose, and the visuals of neon signs and displays of food are dizzying. It’s crowded, loud, and exciting.

The biggest dilemma is figuring out where to direct your limited stomach space. Ideally, if you’re staying in Downtown Los Angeles, you’d make multiple visits Grand Central Market, trying different stalls each time. Initially, I wanted to try Egg Slut, one of the trendier vendors, but I was in the mood for Mexican food, and grabbed a carne asada burrito at Ana Maria. It was delicious. If you live outside of Los Angeles, trying Mexican food in California is a vacation must.

My dessert was a scoop of coffee ice cream from McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream. I was thrilled to see McConnell’s at Grand Central Market. It’s original location is in Santa Barbara, and having their ice cream immediately takes me back to sunny vacation along the coast.

Directly across from Grand Central Market is one of the most famous Los Angeles Landmarks: Angel’s Flight.

Angel’s Flight is a funicular that was built in 1901, and ran until 1969, when it was dismantled to make way for a new development. However, the parts were saved, and Angel’s Flight was reconstructed on a new site in the mid-90’s. It ran off and on, closing for years at a time due to safety concerns.

This was my first time actually riding it!

Costing only a dollar per ride, I caught the train going up to the top of Bunker Hill. I had the train to myself, and I was giddy with excitement over having a chance to finally ride on the historic Angel’s Flight. During the short, steep ride, I thought about my parent’s riding Angel’s Flight during their childhood in Los Angeles. To ride Angel’s Flight is like stepping back in time.

Coming soon, I continue my Los Angeles journey with a trip to The Broad.

Downtown Los Angeles Architecture Tour- October 2018

Our guide, Neel, the owner of Downtown LA Walking Tours, moved us away from the Central Library, and to one of the most stunning buildings I have ever seen: The Fine Arts Building.

Built in 1927, The Fine Arts Building is an example of Romanesque Revival architecture. Its many adornments are dazzling. The interior features a courtyard that is filled with sculptures and decorations. I’m certain that Disney imagineers visited The Fine Arts Building to get inspiration for The Hollywood Tower of Terror attraction. There are so many similarities. I’m not taking an elevator ride!

We walked through the jewelry district.

Route 66 sign!

In my mid-twenties, I had a special day with my mom in downtown Los Angeles. When my mom was a toddler, her family moved from Minnesota to downtown Los Angeles, living in a two-bedroom apartment. I usually spent Tuesdays, with my mom, and one Tuesday, we just decided to skip our usually movie and lunch, and go driving. She showed me her old apartment, which she lived in during the 1940’s, and is still standing. We had lunch at Clifton’s Cafeteria, and we strolled through the theatre district. I heard stories that my mom had never shared with me and saw the locations of her childhood. This is where my maternal side put down roots in California.

Here’s a 1940’s picture of my mom and aunt at Clifton’s Cafeteria for their birthday. The older woman is my grandmother.

My Aunt Trudy is the first kid on the left and my mom is next to her.

Our architecture tour went through the theatre district. Some of the old palace style theatre are still standing, and many are being rented for special events or concerts. These were the theaters where my mom developed her love for the cinema; double-features and weekend matinees. The area is being gentrified, with stores like Apple and Urban Outfitters coming to the neighborhood. I’m not sure how I feel about the changes, but I hope with the influx of money, they will care to preserve Los Angeles history.

Anyone who follows Hollywood gossip will remember the 2015 allegations of abuse and the subsequent divorce between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. We were able to see the outside of infamous apartment building where their fight took place. The Eastern Columbia Building, where Depp and Heard had the penthouse apartment, was built in 1930, and is an example of Art Deco design. The brilliant green building looks like something from The Wizard of Oz!

So unassuming that you’d walk right past it, this dive bar, called The Golden Gopher, has a very unique history. It was purchased by President Teddy Roosevelt in 1905! Back then it was called the Golden Sun Saloon.

Our tour ended in Pershing Square, but on the walk to the end, I spotted this beautiful mural. Los Angeles has some wonderful street art. I was supposed to talk an art tour later in the week, but it was canceled. I’ve put it to the top of my list for my next trip to Downtown Los Angeles.

And this one in Pershing Square. No matter where I move, my heart definitely belongs to the city of angels.

After the tour, I set off to explore. I found this great covered street of eateries.

But my main objective was to get lost in The Last Bookstore. I had heard of The Last Bookstore for years, but this was my first time visiting it. I can’t believe that I never went there when I lived so close to it. I missed out! It’s a gem.

The store spans two floors, and more than simply a bookstore ( not that a bookstore isn’t enough) it also contains several artisan stalls. The Last Bookstore is whimsical with art displays, and an amazing tunnel made of books. It’s a bit like falling down Alice’s rabbit hole. You never know what wonders you might find around the next corner.

Coming soon, more downtown goodness, including Angel’s Flight!

Bonaventure Hotel- October 2018

In October 2018, I was able to join Dan on his work trip to Los Angeles. This was a bit strange thing, since for thirty-nine years, I lived just ten minutes from downtown. It was bittersweet to visit my hometown and to know that I’m just a tourist.

We stayed at the iconic Westin Bonaventure hotel.

Built in the late 70’s, the Westin Bonaventure is a Los Angeles landmark. It has been featured in dozens of movies, such as True Lies and Logan’s Run. Also used as a location for television series, music videos, and even video games.

The first time I visited the Westin Bonaventure, was in the early 90’s, when I begged my mom to take me to a John Robert Powers talent scouting event. I wasn’t particularly interested in being scouted, although I did wear my very trendy “Hyper-Color” tee-shirt. I was more interested in the celebrities in attendance, including up-and-coming actor, Brian Austin Green from Beverly Hills 90210.

The atrium style lobby was packed and a cat walk had been erected in the middle of the room. Here are pictures of how it looks today…imagine hundreds of screaming pre-teens and the smell of Aquanet.

Flash-forward to my early twenties, when the height of sophistication was going out for drinks at the Bonavista Revolving Cocktail Lounge with my impossibly handsome friend, Luke. The Bonavista offers stunning views of downtown Los Angeles as it slowly turns. We were always the youngest people in the lounge, which was decorated in 1980’s chic. To be fair, this was usually our first stop, prior to hitting more age-appropriate night spots on the sunset strip, always ending with a 4am, drunken breakfast at The Standard.

I insisted that Dan experience the Bonavista. Sometimes, it is better to leave the past in the past. The lounge was absolutely dead, the decor dated, and not in a cool, retro way. We had overpriced drinks, took a few pictures, and got out. The views are still breathtaking, but the lounge is in desperate need of a refresh.

Our rooms at the Westin Bonaventure were small, but comfortable. The had a lot of the amenities that Westin is know for, including a lavender sleep spray. We even had the option of borrowing a set of gym clothes, in case we hadn’t thought to pack our own, and wanted a work-out. We had a view of the downtown library.

The Westin Bonaventure isn’t a beautiful building. It’s concrete and cold, certainly a vision of the future circa the 1970’s. It’s also huge, with three towers and a mall inside of the hotel. The mall, mostly small stores and food court style restaurants, was actually great for quick, inexpensive meals, especially since we stayed at the hotel for five nights. I appreciated having close options that were more affordable than the typical hotel restaurants.

I loved the hotel maps. These clearly were the inspiration for the Dharma Initiative on Lost.

The pool is located on a large patio, on a high floor; not a rooftop pool, but high enough that you feel like you’re floating in the middle of the skyscrapers. The view is quite spectacular. Unfortunately, the pool itself was too cold to enjoy, but we did spend time soaking in the downtown ambiance. It’s magical at night.

The Westin Bonaventure is an icon that should be considered for your next trip to Los Angeles. It’s located in the heart of downtown, just a short walk to many tourist attractions. I spent five days in the city and walked everywhere, while Dan attended a conference. I always felt safe and never lacked for entertainment. Although I lived so close to downtown for decades, this was my first time experiencing many of its famous sites. I would encourage locals to book a staycation and check out all of the wonderful things that downtown Los Angeles has to offer.