The Grammy Museum: October 2018

On my last full day on our 2018 mini-trip to Los Angeles, I ordered a lift and went to Pasadena to have breakfast with my friend, Fanny. I originally had planned on taking the train from downtown to Pasadena, but the trains were running behind schedule, and if I had waited for them, I would have been late.

I think it’s great that Los Angeles has a train system, and I know many people who rely on it for their work commutes, but I’ve never found it to be very reliable. Notably, I once took the train from Pasadena to downtown for a concert at The Staples Center, only to discover that the trains had stopped running after 11pm on a Friday night. I was not the only concert goer caught out by this surprise, and since this was pre-Uber/Lyft, it was a very expensive taxi ride back to Pasadena.

I asked to be dropped-off at the Paseo Mall in Pasadena, where I took a few pictures of one of my favorite cities. For about three years in my twenties, I lived walking distance from this mall, and I used to love coming here to have coffee and read a book.

I met Fanny, and her daughter Rachel for breakfast at Marston’s, a cute cafe just a few blocks from the Paseo Mall. When I lived in California, we would meet at Marston’s on a regular basis to share a veggie omelet and the cornflake crusted french toast. If you’re visiting Pasadena, Marston’s is a must-do for breakfast.

After breakfast, I order a Lyft back to downtown. This Lyft ride was a harrowing experience. It was the only time that I have given a negative review, and I also wrote to Lyft directly. The driver swerved, cut off other cars, and used her phone while driving. She was dangerous! I had her drop me off at the Velveteria.

Velveteria is a small museum dedicated to the art of velvet paintings and it is located in the heart of Chinatown. I have long wanted to visit this quirky gem, but I arrived to discover that it was locked up. A sign on the door gave me a number to call, as their hours were listed as open, but it went direct to voice mail. I was disappointed. I did receive a call a few days later with an apology from the owner, as they had an emergency that day. Hopefully I can visit the Velveteria on a future trip to Los Angeles. Here are a few pictures of the exterior of the museum.

Left with an unexpectedly free afternoon, I swapped the Velveteria for The Grammy Museum. The Grammy Museum is a famous Los Angeles attraction, but this was my first time visiting. It is located very close to The Staples Center. My admission was fifteen dollars and it took me about two hours to enjoy the multi-level museum.

One of the special exhibits focused on Johnny Cash’s concerts he performed at San Quentin and Folsom prisons. The exhibit included rare candid photographs of the concerts.

Another special exhibit called, “Jermaine Dupri & So So Def: 25 Years of Elevating Culture”, focused on hip-hop out of Atlanta. I have to admit that much of this was unfamiliar to me, but I did enjoy the exhibit. I love this Kris Kross fan club letter. It felt very much old-fashioned and of my childhood. I’m sure kids still join fan clubs for their favorite artists, but I can’t imagine that they are given a membership card and told to laminate it!

The permanent collection included things like a dizzying tiger shirt worn by Elvis and a bunch of Michael Jackson memorabilia.

Dan and I have a collection of the most ridiculous, funny album covers that we can find. If we saw this one in a record store, we would definitely buy it!

Here is a statue resembling a giant Grammy Award.

On the sidewalk outside of the museum, there are markers on the floor to honor each year’s major category winners. Here is the one for 2010. I saw Taylor Swift’s Fearless tour at The Staples Center!

I enjoyed my visit to The Gramy Museum, but I would be unlikely to return, unless there was an exhibit that really caught my interest. I would recommend it for locals who have never been, and for tourists, but only if you’re a real music buff or there is a specific exhibit that you wish to see. Los Angeles has so many incredible museums and attractions, that The Grammy Museum rates as a mid-list experience.

On my walk back to The Westin Bonaventure, I saw a funny advertisement tacked up on a pole. I have no idea what this is, but aren’t you curious too?

The Broad Museum and Downtown Los Angeles Public Art

The Broad Museum opened in Downtown Los Angeles just a year before I moved to Oregon. I love modern art, and as with any new museum, I was very excited to experience it. Due to first-year crowds, I was not able to visit until our 2018 trip to Downtown Los Angeles.

As it was a top priority during my trip, I made advance reservations for The Broad. Advance reservations are highly recommend and free.

I started my morning with a leisurely walk from The Westin Bonaventure to The Broad, enjoying sculptures and murals. Downtown Los Angeles is best experienced by foot.

One of my favorite places in the entire world is The Music Center. I had enough time to take a quick walk around the center, which is near The Broad. The Music Center has three theaters: The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion ( where my high school graduation was held), The Mark Taper Forum, and the Ahamanson. The Music Center is truly my happy place, even more so than Disneyland. On this morning, a Health Summit with Fran Drescher, from The Nanny, was taking place. Only in LA…

I discovered a cute cafe called Etchea, that was filled with locals and had a European vibe. It is located just around the corner from The Broad. I enjoyed a latte and croissant for breakfast.

At another nearby coffee shop, I found this sandwich board sign. I agree whole-heartedly. I’ve never been accused of being a “morning person,” but with the help of coffee, I can fake it!

When I reached The Broad, I found two queues. The shorter queue was for reservations. The longer queue, stretching around the exterior of the building, was for standby. I found this baffling, as reservations were a breeze to make, and I was visiting on a weekday in fall. Maybe people don’t like to lock down their schedule? I love vacation planning. Lack of concrete plans make me nervous.

Within ten minutes, I was inside the museum, and I walked straight to a second reservation queue. One of the most popular exhibits at The Broad is Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama’s Mirror Infinity Rooms. The installation has a limited capacity, and reservations are only available by first come/first serve on the same day. I was placed into a virtual queue, and notified via text when it was my time to view the exhibit, which was approximately two hours after the museum opened. If you want to see the Mirror Infinity Rooms, you must arrive early to the museum and secure your spot.

The Broad has exhibits on the second and third floors of the museum. My visit lasted about four hours. I took my time and experienced everything. One of my favorite exhibits was Robert Therrien’s Under the Table, an enormous, larger-than-life dining set that museum goers can walk under and feel like they are in Alice in Wonderland.

The Broad has many pieces from some of my favorites like Warhol, Basquiat, and Lichtenstein. The shiny balloon animals and tulips by Koons were marvelous.

Prior to the Mirror Infinity Room, I was able to see another Kusama installation. This one was viewed by looking into a box, rather than entering the mirrored room. In the box, disco lights changed color. It was beautiful. Where the Mirror Infinity Room was celestial, this was more party.

When it came time to experience the Mirror Infinity Room, I joined a small queue outside of the installation. I was prepped on what to expect: the door would close behind me and I would have thirty second to experience the room. It was dazzling and magical. I felt like I was floating among stars.

Within an hour of opening, the museum was fairly crowded. I only took pictures in the Kusama exhibits for a few reasons:

The primary reason is I wanted to be present in the moment and fully experience The Broad, without the pressure of taking pictures.

The second reason is it was too crowded. The Kusama exhibits were the only places where I felt a moment of being alone. A moment of just me and the art.

The third reason is I get sad when I see everyone rushing to take pictures, rather than staying present. I feel like this is a modern problem, especially when visiting places like museums and concerts. It’s almost as if they want to prove they were there and share their pictures on Instagram, rather than have a real connection with the event. I could be wrong, as it is hard to judge the intentions of others, but this is a feeling that I get.

The Broad is a treasure in Los Angeles. Along with The Getty, it is a must-do museum when visiting Southern California.

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.