As part of my five-day “Hometown Tourist” agenda, I took the Downtown LA Walking Tour’s Architecture Tour. It was led by the founder of the tour company, Neel; who is a personable, knowledgable guide with an infectious love for Los Angeles.

The tour encompassed many parts of Los Angeles, but for this post, I’m going to focus on the library portion of the tour

It was a small group tour, only five other people and we met in the mid- morning in the libraries’ Maguire Gardens. The Central Library is located right across from the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, where we were staying, so this tour’s meeting place couldn’t have been more convenient.

I have to confess that I had never visited the library. The closest I came was back in 2000, when I dined at Cafe Pinot, an upscale restaurant located adjacent to the library. It’s a real shame that I didn’t discover the library earlier in my life, especially when it was so close to my childhood home. It’s a truly gorgeous library.

I was thirty-minutes early for the tour and the Maguire Garden was practically empty. I enjoyed the many unusual art installations and sat down on a park bench to read a book. It’s a peaceful place in the middle of the city. Shortly after returning home from this trip, I tutored an ESL student who called me on his phone from the Maguire Gardens. He had an English lesson while on his lunch break. It made me homesick for Los Angeles.

The original Los Angeles Central Library was built in 1926 in an Art Deco style that was popular for the era. In 1986, the library was devastated by a fire, but part of the original structure, named the Goodhue Building still stands. The Goodhue Building was restored and an addition named after mayor Tom Bradley, was added, making this the second largest public library in the United States.

Los Angeles history is shared through large ceiling murals in the rotunda. The “Zodiac Chandelier” is a stunning Art Deco showstopper.

This sculpture, called the “Torch of Knowledge” was on top of the original library building.

Librarian Everett Robbins was responsible for the original look of the library, including the placement of the circulation desks.

The Tom Bradley wing.

Old card catalogues ( remember those?) are used as markers for library patrons. I love this idea!

Although not part of my walking tour, I went back to the library a few days later to view the temporary exhibit: 21 Collections: Every Object has a Story.

This intriguing exhibit explored the idea of people and their quirky collections. It included Tom Hank’s collection of vintage type writers. One of the more memorable collections was a woman who collected photographs of murals that are in prison visitor’s rooms. Apparently, it is common for prisoners to paint colorful murals depicting things like beach holidays, so that they can have a nice backdrop for family pictures. There was an enormous, life-size elephant made of walnut shells, that was created for the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago.

The library gift shop is a must-visit for bibliophiles. It is well-curated with bookish items and I could have blown my budget here. I left with a tee-shirt and a few postcards, but was tempted by much more.

The Central Library is a true treasure for locals, but it should not be missed by tourists.

I will end with this curious statement found on the exterior of the library.

Have you ever missed something that was right under your nose?

I grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale and just a short, ten-minute drive from my childhood home, a house that I live in for thirty-nine years, is a famous landmark. It took my mother-in-law visiting from England to get me there.

My mother-in-law, Jan, had always dreamed of touring a Frank Lloyd Wright house. We researched and discovered that Wright’s Hollyhock House is located in Barnsdall Art Park in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. During Jan’s autumn 2018 trip (Her last vacation with us, as we lost her in 2019), we were living in Big Bear Lake, but we made a day trip to Los Angeles to visit Hollyhock House.

We arrived early, before Hollyhock House was open. Barnsdall Park has several attractions, including art galleries and a performance space.

The parking lot is free and located at the bottom of Barnsdall Park. There is handicap parking that allows you direct access to the top level, if you need it, otherwise be prepared to climb some stairs.

On our walk, we came across the Hollyhock House Residence A, which is currently under restoration.

And squirrels. Lots of squirrels running around.

We purchased our admission tickets, only seven dollars. As we waited for our entry time, we enjoyed the park and views of Los Angeles. It’s a great place for a Hollywood Sign photo op!

Barnsdall Art Park is named for Aline Barnsdall, an oil heiress and producer of experimental theatre. In 1919, she commissioned Wright to design Hollyhock House, intending the house and surround land to be used for the arts. The project was plagued with problems and Barnsdall fired Wright before he could complete the house. She eventually gifted the land and buildings to the city of Los Angeles. The Hollyhock House is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Our experience at Hollyhock House began with a short guided tour of the exterior. The motif of hollyhocks is carried throughout the house and the house is done in the style of Mayan Revival Architecture.

The interior portion of the house was self-guided with docents in each room available to answer questions. We were not allowed to take pictures and we had to be very careful not to touch the walls or furniture, as everything is very fragile.

I have to confess, that the exteriors of the house did not impress me. I found them cold and sterile. The interiors were quite a bit warmer, with wood floors and furniture to break up the grey concrete. The home had vintage furnishings from when Aline Barnsdall lived there in the 30’s and 40’s. It was like stepping into another era. Jan was thrilled to have visited a Frank Lloyd Wright home and I was happy to experience part of Los Angels history.

On the way home, we stopped for gas on Los Feliz Blvd and the station had very cool murals. I have filled- up at this station in the past, but I had never noticed the art. Maybe they’re new or maybe when you live in a place, you take for granted your surroundings. I miss Los Angeles and when we visit, I try to soak it all in. As we are now living in Colorado, I think this sentiment is going to be even strong for future visits to my home town. I hope that a Los Angeles trip is in my near future!

Los Angeles Central Library Tour: October 2018

Barnsdall Art Park and Hollyhock House