Day 3: LA to E-ville

Day 3: LA to E-ville

Day old baguette from Tavern; epi bread is better, that wasn't available yesterday morning

THB again up early to Starbucks, though a bit later than yesterday and they are better set up today (well, this time they turned the lights on in their "store"; they are inside the Ralph's (hmmmm....) a few blocks from the W.

Today we walk south to Johnny O'Groats, about 2 miles away. Lousy pancakes (though DB's are gluten free, so still a treat for her), $35, and on the way back get a good look at J's building, in the fog.

Utility box and boosters?

Gently pack-up and checkout of the W, it's close to $800/night when the taxes and parking ($40!) are thrown in, and aside from the minor annoyances, it's a great set of rooms.

Well, it takes some getting used to

Below Pico we pick up L the sistah, she's joining us for the rest of the day. 

Close to her pick-up spot south of Pico/Overland, is another light rail station awaiting opening in May:

The Ashby Station (matching BART)?

Lunch at Canters for pastrami sandwiches; unfortunately, rye bread is really not good (last time we bought a loaf to take home): thicker and doughier, not a good cornmeal crust. Along with extra pickles, matzoh ball soup for L (THB takes a few whacks at the gigantic ball), some bagel chips (comes with the soup), and Russian dressing (L likes to load her sandwich). Two Arnold Palmers, L treats.

L the sistah with her version of pastrami on rye

From lunch we scoot downtown, park under the Disney Hall and at 12:55pm get in the line for our 1pm free ticket entrance to the Broad, the newest major art museum in town, all the work from the Broad collection.

The place is crowded, not packed, since they are metering the fans in half hour increments, and extremely diverse and very young. Free admission can do that!

Most of the artists are instantly recognizable; there's a lot of work on the third floor:

Big-time LA artist

Another artist using creative materials

THB's fave piece in the museum (Dumas is from S. Africa)

the second floor is "stacks" of other works to be rotated through (the grand opening was in November if THB has it right):

and the first floor has more work and a shop.

Very cave-like on the first floor

At 1:40 we get a move on across the street to the Disney for five pieces (one the encore). THB knows nada about classical music, even after he gets done listening and watching the concert!

Parental units however were big fans:

And, we've decided to keep renewing, the seats are pretty much the best in the house!

The second piece of the first half featured a guest pianist, Sergio Tiempo. He comes on stage wearing pretty much the identical outfit and hair style of Gustavo Dudamel, the very young conductor. As they walk off-stage together, they are also the same height!

Tiempo's instrument

THB thinks this is Gustavo, it could be Sergio

The second half features a piece by Aaron Copland and an encore of music from Hitchcock's Vertigo (in honor of the Oscars?).

Have a hard time finding the car on P5, or was it P4, because there are two P5s (or is P4s). Once in the car, it is pretty easy to slide out of the parking and around a few turns and up on the 110 heading west to the 405 to National Blvd and a near driveby where THB and L spent our first few years before moving to Casiano (if you go to the Getty and look down, straight down, over the 405, you'll be looking into the backyard where THB played a lot of whiffle ball in his teens).

Drop L the sistah at another friend's house (she's going home tomorrow), and we head to the car rental drop off. THB has run into another growing annoyance: what looks like legitimate gas station that doesn't accept credit cards at the pump (and practically not in the mini-market). Can be a Mobil, Shell, Standard...it turns out if the station is in a dodgy part of town (and THB doesn't think these are bad areas, this one is near the airport), they only want cash or ATM cards. 

Drop the car at Dollar and then wait and wait for a shuttle (this is 1/2 mile from the airport and there's no traffic) to get dropped off past the Southwest terminal because they are doing remodeling at this terminal. They, even though we are TSA Pre, this LA terminal is mixing in Pre and regular flyers through security. Some of us only have to take laptops out, others have to practically take off everything their wearing and empty their suitcases and go through a different type scanner. Amazing...

Dinner in the airport: two salads, a big glass of wine, and an ice tea (THB is not sure, maybe $50?)

Smooth flight to E-ville, pick up the car from long-term parking ($22/day) and  we're back for two weeks before heading to KC for a week of ceramics.