L.A. Architectural Tour

Yesterday we had the opportunity to be tourists in our own backyard, something I highly recommend to anyone that hasn't yet really explored the community in which they live. We spent the day with John, our fabulous tour guide from Main Street Tours, as part of a monthly community exploration outing offered by OLLI, the lifelong learning program we belong to. In spite of having lived in the wider L.A. area for pretty much my entire life, by exploring the city as if I were a first time visitor, I discovered a whole lot about Los Angeles that I'd never realized, both historically and architecturally. 

Since I have to hurry up and get off the computer in order to get ready for a weekend RV trip to the beach, where we'll be celebrating my, gulp, 50th birthday, I'll just let the photos do the talking for me this morning . . . 

Philippe's French Dipped Sandwiches, an L.A. institution. Come on in, get in line, and when you get to the counter let your server know if you want your sandwich dipped once, twice or three times into the accompanying au jus.  

The fascinatingly free-form Disney Concert Hall up close and personal. Interesting factoid - one side of the exterior is shiny, and one side is buffed. After opening the concert hall, local residents and business were blinded by the glare, so a portion of the Hall was buffed to reduce it and make life manageable for those around it. 

A different perspective of the Disney Concert Hall.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, completed in 2002, and prominently viewable along the 101 in downtown L.A. An extremely interesting place to visit, regardless of whether or not you happen to be Catholic. The catacombs alone are worth a visit . . . many Hollywood royalty plan to be entombed there, including recently laid-to-rest Gregory Peck.

Beautiful stained glass window in Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

The Los Angeles Music Center, home to the Dorthy Chandler Pavilion, the Mark Taper Forum and the Ahmanson Theatre. Between the three, they offer virtually every form of musical and theatrical entertainment that currently exists.

The tranquil reflecting pool that surrounds the lovely Dorothy Chandler Pavillion.

World's shortest railway, Angels Flight - about three blocks long. Built to prevent the one time wealthy residents of Bunker Hill from having to, heaven forbid, actually walk up and down to their homes on the hill.

The Los Angeles Grand Central Market.

The lobby mural of the L.A. Central Library, where 25% of the city's 8 million library books are kept. This library is eight stories in all, included one floor devoted entirely to genealogy research.