Out and About in Hollywood and L.A.

We left the Monarch Butterfly Grove in Pismo Beach feeling pretty darn good and proceeded south through Santa Barbara and eventual picked up the western end of Mulholland Drive in the hills above Encino. Cruising east towards Hollywood on Mulholland was very cool. We stopped at a few overlooks and then down by the Hollywood Bowl and to our hotel located right behind Grauman's Chinese Theater. We were in the heart of Hollywood.

After getting settled - most of the work of getting settled was parking the car - we walked the half-bock south to Hollywood Boulevard and the famous Walk of Fame. Hollywood was a bit jarring; a mix of tourists from all over the world, young folks having fun, street vendors, and assorted hustlers. Spotting The Beatles "star" on the WoF was cool.

The next morning we had an early breakfast at our hotel and rode the MetroRail Red Line south to its Union Station terminus. The train was modern, and sparsely filled with wary commuters, mentally ill shouters, trying-to-not-look-nervous tourists like us, and dozing possibly unsavory characters who would suddenly spring to life and exit the rattling car when we stopped at a station.

We were relieved to pop out of Union Station and start on our self-designed walking tour of Art Deco buildings in downtown L.A. which did not disappoint. However, after 15 minutes of walking along deserted streets and passing a rather large homeless encampment near the closed Los Angeles City Hall, Sun-Ling blurted out "dystopia" and I could hardly disagree. The contrast between the haves and havenots, the rich-and-famous and the down-and-out, the spiffy Metrorail and its mentaally ill riders, shouts DYSTOPIA!!!

The walking tour was awesome. The vacant circa 1926 L.A. Times Building was an unexpected gem. See photo below. And the Central library, a masterpiece. Tip: pick up a self-guided tour sheet of the Art and Architecture from the Information Desk. We walked as far as the amazing Eastern Columbia Building before heading back to The Broad museum - across the street from the world famous Frank Gehry designed Walt Disney Hall - where we had an entrance reservation for 1:30 pm; "show your vaccination card and ID please".

The Broad, perhaps the best contemporary art museum we've ever visited, displayed works of Roy Lichtenstien, Jeff Koons, Kara Walker, Basquiat, Andy Worhal, and more. And not just a few items; more like an exhibition of each artist.

Then back on the Red Line heading north and west to Hollywood. We got off at the MacArthur Park Station to check out more Art Deco architecture. And back on the Red Line to the Hollywood and Vine Station, finally making it back to our hotel around sunset. Whew.

Looking towards Santa Barbara.

Looking north up Van Nuys Bouldevard from Mulholland Drive.

Universal City overlook.

Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave; the heart of Hollywood.

The Walk of Fame.

MetroRail Red Line Staion

The Big Board at Union Station.

The posh Waiting Hall at Union Station.

One of the many homeless camps near L.A. City Hall.

Los Angles City Hall.

The beautiful and imposing LA Times Building.

Looking southeast across Grand Park to City Hall through the morning mist.

Walt Disney Hall designed by Frank Gehry.

The Central Library Rotunda.

The top of the Eastern Columbia Building.

The Tower Theatre is now an Apple Store.

"Tupils" by Jeff Koons at The Broad museum.

The Roy Lichtenstein exhibition was one of our favorites at The Broad. This one is titled "Femme d'Alger".

The MacArthur building.

The Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.

In Hollywood we stayed at the Hollywood Celebrity Hotel.