In LA art imitates life at every turn. The City of Angels is built on an industry that puts everything found on the three-dimensional sphere into a celluloid canvas. But the real story of LA is told in the vibrant, colourful three dimensional canvas of its many neighbourhoods.
Downtown is where Los Angeles began, and where the city's corporate, cultural and government hubs now thrive. Mainly known for its infamous Boardwalk, Venice has much to in the surrounding neighborhoods that make it so unique. At SPARC - the Public Art Resource Center you'll find a "tiendita," a mural/digital lab, home to one of the largest collections of murals/public art in its Mural Resource and Education Center. Then, in what used to be the Old City Hall, there's Beyond Baroque, a literary arts center with a fascinating bookstore.
The city's old Hollywood glamour is still very much in evidence. Hollywood Boulevard is a great place to find real star power with the Hollywood & Highland Entertainment Complex, restored classic theaters like the Egyptian and new museums that preserve Hollywood's golden age.
In the San Gabriel Valley you'll find beautiful gardens, grand houses and great art museums but the area is not without a sense of humor, evident in its refined historic environment graced by the funky annual Doo Dah parade.
The San Fernando Valley is where many popular cultural trends begin. Explore the Santa Monica Mountains and Ventura Blvd., with its colorful array of new stores, vintage shops and unique people.
The chic Westside is all about fashion, fine art and film. Here you will find many of Los Angeles' most exclusive neighborhoods, and its most beautiful people. From the Art Deco dominance of Downtown LA, to various neighborhoods of mock Tudor, to turn of the century Victorian, 70s Modern, to the post modern minimalists, The architecture of LA tells its own particular story. Behind the fanciful facades of Hollywood lies an wealth of buildings by the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright, Neutra, Gehry, and Schindler.
Movie media aside, there is still plenty on offer from other artistic spheres from Ancient Greece to post-modernist Germany to interpretive urban LA and many of the works can be found on magnificent walls throughout the city. Throughout Los Angeles, visitors will find vibrant murals created by famous artists, which transform the city's streets into living art galleries. Notable murals include the Victor Clothing Co. murals and El Nuevo Fuego, a mural by East Los Streetscapers. Not far from the Victor Clothing Co. by 3rd Street, you'll find The Pope of Broadway by Eloy Torrez, a majestic mural depicting the actor Anthony Quinn, the company's favorite customer. There is much of the East to be found in this iconic capitol of the West. In Little Tokyo you'll find the Japanese American National Museum. The first floor houses the permanent exhibits while the second floor features temporary shows. At the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center enjoy the plaza created by the world-famous artist Isamu Noguchi and visit the Doizaki Gallery, which offers displays of traditional and contemporary arts. In the basement you'll find the outdoor James Irvine Japanese Garden.
Despite the obvious glitz and glamour, shopping in LA isn't just for the wealthy. If you know where to look there are many bargains to be found in designer wear. A fun place to start a retail outing is Downtown's Fashion District.
Compiled with the kind assistance of LA Inc., The Convention and Visitors Bureau
Los Angeles - Places to visit
China Town Shopping
The Saigon Plaza, Chinatown Plaza and Dynasty Center house many shops and stalls owned by Chinatown's newest ethnic Chinese immigrants from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The bazaars offer real bargains on clothing, toys, and knickknacks of all kinds.
China Town Taoist Temple
One of the most beautiful of its kind, this ornately decorated temple serves as a focal point of the immigrant community.
California Plaza
For a breathtaking view of the city visit California Plaza, a great place to stop for lunch. The space features an impressive fountain/waterfall that is often converted into a stage for lunchtime or evening events and performances. During the summer, visitors can grab a quick bite to eat while enjoying a lunchtime concert.
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
Designed by award-winning Spanish architect Jose Rafael Moneo, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is five-acre complex comes complete with a 20,000 sqaure foot plaza, artworks by acclaimed artists, Mission-style colonnades, Biblically inspired foliage gardens and an 11,000-sqaure foot conference center.
Museum of Contemporary Art
The Museum of Contemporary Art is the only museum in Los Angeles dedicated to the collecting and exhibition of art from the 1940s to the present day.
Downtown's Fashion District
Here, there are four schools of fashion design that form the hub and top designers sometimes open their shops to the public. If your on the ball you can make savings of well over 50%. On the whole it's down to sheer luck, but if you're looking for knock offs or inexpensive luggage then this is the neighborhood.
Biddy Mason Park
A public art installation by Sheila Levrant de Brettville Biddy Mason Park honors the African American pioneer who was born a slave and walked from the South to freedom in Los Angeles. A historical timeline is artfully crafted into a wall to honor one of LA's first African-American settlers.
Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC)
At the Old Venice Police Station, SPARC has called Venice home for 25 years and has played a big part in making Los Angeles the Mural Capital of the World. It houses a gallery, a "tiendita," a mural/digital lab, and is home to one of the largest collections of murals/public art in its Mural Resource and Education Center.
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
The site of the first Academy Awards, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel features an overview of the development of Hollywood from its early years. There is a photo exhibit in the mezzanine which traces Hollywood's history from lazy village to film capital of the world.
Heritage Square Museum
A vital part of the historic preservation movement in Southern California, the Heritage Square Museum is a ten-acre open-air museum located on the bank of the Arroyo showcasing Los Angeles' rich Victorian past. It features Victorian-era buildings which were rescued from the threat of demolition. Its collections, exhibitions and programs tell the story of everyday life in Los Angeles from 1865 to 1914.
Los Angeles - Getting around
Los Angeles International
The airport is located just 15 miles southwest of Los Angeles.
By Car
The airport is located near the interchange of the 405 & 105 freeways, west of Inglewood. Drive time from downtown less than an hour even during rush hour.
Parking
There are almost 8000 parking spaces available in eight parking structures situated opposite the roadways from the passenger terminals.
Free parking is available to vehicles displaying a valid disabled license plate or placard at metered stalls only in the Central Terminal Area open-air parking lots.
Metered stalls are located on the Lower/Arrival Level open-air lots 3, 4, and 6.
By Bus and Shuttle
There is a free shuttle bus service provided from the Aviation Metro Rail Station. Passengers should wait under the LAX Shuttle & Airline Connections sign on the Lower/Arrival Level islands in front of each terminal, and board the "G" Shuttle.
Passengers may also take the "C" Shuttle from the same pick-up point to get to the Metro Bus Center. There they can board city buses serving the Los Angeles area.
Information covering city bus services is available on the Information Display Board in the baggage claim area in each terminal. Further information is available at (800) 266-6883.
Note for travelers: All inbound buses and vans, plus the LAX shuttles, unload on the Upper/Departure Level.
Between terminals a frequent, free shuttle service is available approximately every 12 to 15 minutes. To use this service, travelers should board the A-Airline Connections Shuttle under the LAX Shuttle & Airline Connections blue sign on the Lower/Arrival Level islands in front of each terminal.
By Taxi
Taxis can be found in front of each terminal at the Lower/Arrival Level islands under the yellow sign indicating Taxis. Only taxis authorized by City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation - with an official seal issued on each vehicle - are permitted in the airport. Passengers will be presented with a ticket stating typical fares to major destinations.
