Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The New and the Old

First of all, I’d like to mention that I’ll be at Passion & Prose this Saturday, in Long Beach, California. Should be a fun event.

Some relatives who live out of town have just bought a second residence here in LA to be able to spend more time with family. My husband has been helping them get things together before they return next time, and I went with him earlier this week to see their new condo.

The condo is located in the area of Los Angeles called The Miracle Mile. Why? Well, Wikipedia says that it was a very prominent and wealthy area at one time. It’s less of a miracle now but still quite nice. One of its amenities is its museums.

The day we visited was Presidents’ Day, so we were able to visit LACMA--the Los Angeles County Museum of Art--for free. It consists of about eight buildings and pavilions, each filled with amazing artwork.

Of course I have to say that my idea of what constitutes art may be like my idea of what constitutes comedy, which tends to be different from most people. Even so, the few buildings we walked through impressed me. We saw exhibits that included décor from the 1930s through the 1960s, plus some stuff that was a lot more modern and new, including a kinetic art display of moving vehicles on Los Angeles freeways in traffic jams! Art? Well, maybe, but it was definitely amusing.

I do have to admit, though, that I was much more impressed by the La Brea Tar Pits next door, which I’ve visited a lot more often. Partly it’s to see the model mammoths lifting their trunks as they mire down in the very real tar, including a pond with boiling asphalt pits that bubble in concentric circles on the surface. Well, actually it’s methane gas escaping that causes the bubbling, but that’s a little less exciting.

One reason I go there more is also that a number of very special pet adoption events have been held on the Tar Pit grounds over the past few years. Dogs are always allowed on the grounds, too, as long as they’re leashed. I hope their owners keep them far from the water, though.

Yesterday, Monica blogged about a number of things including an inspiration for a murder to write about thanks to a venue for water aerobics that she visits in her real life. Lots of creatures have died in the Tar Pits and fossils are still being found. I’m not sure I’d want to befoul the area by having a murder committed here, even a fictional one, but maybe someday....


What places in your area, museums or historical sites or otherwise, do you like to visit most? Why?

14 comments:

Katreader said...

I'm lucky to live in an area brimming with history and historical places. Some of my favorite places are cemeteries. In Rochester we have Mount Hope and Buffalo has Forest Lawn as prime examples of Victorian cemeteries. I love the Buffalo Historical Museum, which was part of the 1901 World Fair and Pan-American Exhibition. My favorite Building is the Central Terminal. Favorite spots in and around Rochester include the George Eastman House and The Jello Museum!

Monica Ferris said...

I like to visit places that offer beautiful vistas: Grand Canyon, Bangkok, East Glacier Park, St. Croix River in the autumn, the Navajo Reservation, etc. Oddly, I haven't thought to set a mystery in any of these places. I haven't seen the La Brea Tar Pits - that might make an exception.

Linda O. Johnston said...

You have a Forest Lawn, too, Katreader? There are a few of those around here. I'd love to visit the Jello Museum. Sounds as if you live in a great place for history exhibits!

Linda O. Johnston said...

You obviously have a love of natural wonders, Monica. The La Brea Tar Pits might be considered among them, but it's certainly not a beautiful vista, just a fascinating one!

Robena Grant said...

We have some really nice museums and art galleries in the Southern California desert. A new one in La Quinta offers a great look at the history of the settlement of California. And I also like to visit the old missions. Lots of history there. There is a Japanese Museum in Los Angeles that I've been wanting to go back to. Visited it when one of the kids had to do a school project.

Nancy Curteman said...

One of my favorite places to visit in San Francisco is the Palace of the Legion of Honor. I'm a great fan of Rodin and enjoy seeing his pieces. I also like to stroll through North Beach which has its own interesting history.

Nancy Curteman said...

One of my favorite places to visit in San Francisco is the Palace of the Legion of Honor. I'm a great fan of Rodin and enjoy seeing his pieces. I also like to stroll through North Beach which has its own interesting history.

Linda O. Johnston said...

The old missions and California sites are definitely interesting, Robena. We don't live far from the Campo de Cahuenga, where the peace treaty was signed between Mexico and the United States--so the site is sometimes referred to as the "Birthplace of California!"

Linda O. Johnston said...

I've never visited those places, Nancy, but they sound interesting. I'll have to add them to my list!

Janie Emaus said...

I love the zoo! That's good place for murder, don't you think?

Linda O. Johnston said...

I love the zoo, too--just renewed our membership for another year. Murder? Sure, it would be a good place for a mystery as long as the animals are okay!

Monica Ferris said...

Hmmm, the zoo as a crime scene. The only witness is the little herd of elephants; their mad trumpeting calls human witnesses to the site. Cool beginning, right?

Linda O. Johnston said...

Love it, Monica! And elephants are really intelligent, so maybe they could point at the bad guy with their trunks!

I just learned that the next pet adoption event at the La Brea Tar Pits is the same weekend as Malice Domestic. (Sigh.)

Betty Hechtman said...

Oddly enough, I visit museums in Chicago more than L.A., where I live. My all time favorite museum is the Museum of Science and Industry. Not only is the building left from the World's Fair, but it is filled with interacive exhibits.