“California, that advance post of our civilization, with its huge aircraft factories, TV and film studios, automobile way of life… its flavorless cosmopolitanism, its charlatan philosophies and religions, its lack of anything old and well-tried rooted in tradition and character. “J.B. Priestley
Fly safe,
JAZ
Rain Room
“The rain is falling all around ,It falls on field and tree,
It rains on the umbrellas here, And on the ships at sea.” Robert Louis Stevenson
Rain Room is an art-and-tech installation from London-based studio Random International. Visitors slowly walk through a room of falling water, yet (almost) never get wet.
It drew long lines at the Barbican in London in 2012 and at MOMA in NY in 2013. It is currently at LACMA in LA , a place where rain is most needed.
The Rain Room uses a tiny amount of water. It’s about 528 gallons. And to put that into perspective, an American family of four uses 400 gallons of water a day. It’s constantly recycled through the run of the show.
There is something wonderful about navigating a room full of falling water while trying to stay dry. ( I found a rainbow)
When you walk in you have to wait and watch the small group of people ahead of you creep into the Rain Room. They walk slowly, distrustfully—visibly wondering if they’ll get wet.
The notion evolves into a feeling of ease as they begin to embark through the room, their arms outstretched. (I loved this couple dancing in the rain)
If you are wearing dark colors the sensors don’t pick up as well so wear light colors and walk slowly and watch the rain stop around you. You can take photos but no flash.
Fly safe,
JAZ
Ten Not Tourist Things To Do In LA On A Sunday
The worst thing about being a tourist is having other tourists recognize you as a tourist.” Russell Baker
I love reading these lists about countries I am visiting and hope you will find this one helpful.
Venice Beach and Abbot Kinney
Venice of America” was created as a beach resort in 1905. The first grounds came complete with an aquarium, bath houses, and an amusement park. Developers dug several canals to drain the marshes. As the infrastructure and buildings crumbled in the 1950’s, the odd characters and artists found their way in. That mentality continued to the present, making Venice a melting pot of cultures, art and attitudes. The path and boardwalk along the beach with is vendors, restaurants, street performers, weightlifters, artists, tattoo artists, skaters, bikers and graffiti art make it great for people watching.
Abbot Kinney is one of the trendiest streets in LA right now. The downside is the overabundance of hipsters and horrible parking. It’s great to hang out, eat and shop. My favorite Abbot Kinney restaurants are Gjelina (http://www.gjelina.com) and The Tasting Kitchen (http://www.thetastingkitchen.com)
LACMA and La Brea.
Since they redid LACMA, (LA County Museum of Art http://www.lacma.org) several years ago, it is a cool, interesting space to spend a Sunday. Catch the latest exhibit, collection, film, or do a family activity with the kids. Sit in the courtyard and have a drink or coffee and plan your visit. I like to have brunch at one of the La Brea restaurants, Republique (http://republiquela.com) or The Sycamore Kitchen (http://thesycamorekitchen.com). If you are a mall person The Grove (http://www.thegrovela.com) is nearby as well.
Rose Bowl Flea Market In Pasadena
The super gigantic Rose Bowl Flea Market takes place rain or shine on the second Sunday of each month at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. There is a plethora of vintage items and vendors. It is great for people watching – the hip, the beautiful, the cool and the very strange are all shopping for that perfect find. I think the days of finding something really valuable are probably over but it is definitely the place where LA hipsters go to furnish their living spaces. It’s funny to see people grabbing things you grew up with and wondering if you shouldn’t have given them away back then. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Ride Your Bike From Santa Monica To Manhattan Beach .
The bike path runs along the Pacific Ocean from Pacific Palisades to Torrance. It is 22 miles (35 kilometers) long. It’s good to pick it up in Santa Monica and ride through Venice, Marina Del Rey and Playa Del Rey. Manhattan Beach is the quintessential LA beach town. It is what you expect a California beach community to look like when you move from the East Coast. The Beach Boys hung out here when they were young and it is credited to be the birthplace of beach volleyball ( now an Olympic sport). They have some really good restaurants. I like to go to MB Post (http://eatmbpost.com) and Fishing With Dynamite (http://www.eatfwd.com).
LA Dodger Game.
Baseball has always been a metaphor for America. The LA Dodgers (http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=la) have been a symbol of Los Angeles since they moved from Brooklyn. Dodger Stadium opened in 1962. It was built on the controversial Chavez Ravine, overlooking the city making it one of the most beautiful settings for a baseball stadium. It is a really fun Sunday thing to do – watching a game and eating Dodger dogs. The “Dodger dog” is a 10” frankfurter sold at Dodger Stadium during the games. It is probably not the best hot dog you will ever eat but it feels like it is when you are there.
The Annenberg Space For Photography
Photography is my newest obsession and I just love this place. They have interesting exhibits and great lectures. It is located in Century City and admission is free. I often drop by for an hour and usually see the exhibits more than once. (http://annenbergphotospace.org)
It located near Century City Mall and you can run in and do some shopping and get some food. My new favorite Chinese restaurant is located here. It is called Meizhou Dongpo and is the first American outpost of a very successful chain restaurant in China which started in Beijing. They became famous because they catered the food in the Olympic village in 2008. Everything I have had there is delicious. I always look forward to eating there.
Malibu
Malibu is very relaxed on a Sunday. Walk on the beach. Watch the surfers and birds at the lagoon. Have brunch at the Malibu Beach Inn (http://www.malibubeachinn.com), Malibu Farm (http://www.malibu-farm.com) or Nobu (http://www.noburestaurants.com/malibu/experience/). (Nobu)
Walk around the shopping centers with their new stores. Maybe you will run into Caitlyn Jenner. I love the Malibu Farmer’s Market on Sunday as well. They have some great locally grown items. Sometimes I get fresh bread and cheese and make that a meal with all the samples they give you. Other times, I have one of the meals that they are cooking. As with all farmers markets, the best produce is in the morning and the best deals are at the end of the day.
Music Center
Growing up in NY, I love theatre and ballet. I’m a regular at the Music Center downtown (http://www.musiccenter.org) . Traffic in LA has gotten so awful that I usually go on a Sunday. I have brunch at a new downtown restaurant or go back to one of my favorites. Anything from chef Joseph Centeno – Baco Mercat, Orsa and Winston, Bar Ama or Ledlow always works for me (http://bacomercat.com). (Disney Hall)
The Music Center is one of the largest performing arts complexes in the US. It includes the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Ahmanson Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum and the newest building Walt Disney Hall designed by Frank Gehry. The center is home to ongoing community events, arts festivals, outdoor concerts, participatory arts activities and workshops, and educational programs. When I don’t stop for lunch I grab Tina’s Tacos and sit outside and watch people run in and out of the fountain. (Dorothy Chandler)
MOCA and The Geffen Contemporary
The Museum of Contemporary Art (http://moca.org) is right down the street from the Music Center. It’s fun to come down and see an exhibit after having dim sum in Chinatown. The best things in Chinatown are the art galleries where young LA artists show their stuff. You can still buy cheap made in China gifts and check out the herb stores with their dried mushrooms, tea leaves and goji berries. Every displaced New Yorker gets a favorite Chinatown restaurant when they move out here like they had in New York. You will hear a lot of New York accents on Sunday nights. Mine closed.
The Geffen Contemporary, which is MOCA”s very large exhibition space, always has interesting exhibits and is in Little Tokyo. I like to have sushi there and walk around the malls. It feels like Japan. I like Sushi Gen but I don’t like the lines. They open at 1115 if you get there early you can avoid the queue. (http://sushigen.org) Café Dulce in Japanese Village Plaza is the place for donuts afterward.
Early movie and dinner
No matter where I have lived, my favorite thing to do on Sunday is always an early movie and dinner at a local restaurant. My usual movie theatres are in Westwood which means Lebanese food at Sunnin (http://sunnin.com), Italian food at Palmeri in Brentwood (http://www.palmeriristorantespa.com) or the new Ingo Diner in Santa Monica (http://www.ingostastydiner.com).
Fly safe,
JAZ
A Travel Day in LA
“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” Henry Miller
There are days that I miss traveling so I decided to have a travel day in Los Angeles. This would be my perfect travel day.
It is always a traveling day in my car. I listen to a Canadian radio station that only plays French music. I am usually driving on the streets of Paris. There are cds in my car from my trips – most recently Turkey, Argentina and of course Grouplove (LA band who met in Crete). I am always going somewhere much more exotic than the market or yoga in my head.
For breakfast I have Greek yogurt (the not nonfat kind) with fresh honey and either a latte or cappuccino with whole milk (not soy or almond). Another option is a croissant from Tavern and a Spanish Latte from Urth Café. Truthfully I drink this several times a week. Carnation condensed milk in coffee always reminds me of being in my early twenties in Greece. This was all they used until they became weight conscious and got Starbucks.
I go to a museum on a weekday morning. There are mostly tourists and schools there. It is just like exploring a foreign city. I love modern art so LACMA and MOCA are good choices for me.
For lunch, there is sushi. I pick a place where the clientele is mostly Japanese and I feel like I am in Japan. Some good places are Mori Sushi, Hama Sushi and Sushi Gen. Or you can have a real travel experience and take an interesting guess . Walk into a place on the street in Little Tokyo or Sawtelle Blvd. They both have Japanese markets , bakeries, stores and restaurants.
I stop off at Travelers Bookcase to get books for my next trip. There is always some fabulous conversation going on about somewhere in the world that I never heard of or want to go to. Natalie has a ton of book recommendations, interesting friends and customers and loves talking about everywhere!! Isnt that what books are for anyway? To travel without packing? Here are some of the books they love -me too.. https://travelwellflysafe.com/2012/12/18/byob-bring-your-own-books/
In the afternoon I see a foreign film. Now we have many in LA to choose from. They play at the Llaemmle theatres or the Landmark. I have pop-corn (French for popcorn). I love going to the movies in the afternoon anyway. The theatre is empty and it feels like sneaking out of school to go to the movies. I think it is ok to admit that now. There are two blogs on foreign films if you want to see some of my favorites. (https://travelwellflysafe.com/2012/12/05/favorite-foreign-documentary-films/ and https://travelwellflysafe.com/2012/09/23/favorite-foreign-films/)
I have some Thai iced coffee at Chan Dara and head out to Venice, Santa Monica or Malibu for a beach walk at sunset. If I am anywhere in the world and there is a beach, I am walking on it. This is followed by Tapas and Sangria at Bar Pinxto.
Dinner is somewhere like Angelini Osteria or Osteria Mozza for fresh pasta and traditional Italian dishes. Bar Ama is great for Mexican food – not so traditional but so delicious. My favorite restaurant is Hinoki and the Bird for Asian ambiance, amazing food and green tea donuts.
I am dating someone from Mexico City so we spend the whole day speaking Spanish. I pretend I understand just like I do on a real trip or with men in general.
At home I start reading the books I have bought and plan my next trip – one where you take a plane. Tomorrow I will have a diet day.
What are your favorite places in LA?
Fly Safe,
JAZ
morisushi.net/
hama sushi 347 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, (213) 680-3454
sushigen.org/
http://www.landmarktheatres.com
chandararestaurants.com/
hinokiandthebird.com/
Travel Well, Fly Safe 
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