First Stop: Union Station

I rode the Gold Line from Azusa to Union Station and when I arrived I chose to look around instead of immediately transferring to the Red or Purple line. Union Station is a busy place. Over 100,000 passengers pass through on a daily basis. The architecture is beautiful it is a mix of Art Deco and Mission Revival and there are some restaurants and bars in case you want to hang out and people watch.

Second Stop: Bottega Louie

My next stop on my walking tour of DTLA was Bottega Louie. Bottega Louie is a gourmet market, patisserie & café. The patisserie part of Bottega Louie has delectable treats. The restaurant portion is large and they don’t take reservations. I stood in line at the counter to order my cappuccino and pain au chocolat. After paying I received a number and I picked a small table for two in the section that has open seating. A waiter brought out my drink and croissant and for a few minutes, I was able to pretend I was back in Paris.

Third Stop: The Biltmore Hotel

My third stop on my walking tour of DTLA was the Biltmore Hotel. I was curious to take a peek inside because the popular Disney ride Tower of Terror is modeled after the Biltmore. Stepping inside definitely reminds me of the Tower of Terror. I wandered around the lobby and hallways checking out the photographs of all the dignitaries and celebrities that have all stayed at the Biltmore.

Fourth Stop: Los Angeles Central Library

The Los Angeles Central Library was my fourth stop on my walking tour of DTLA. Saturday was my lucky day because I was able to join a free docent lead Art and Architecture Tour and I learned that the library was built in 1926 and its theme is the light of learning. The inside walls of the library are covered in murals and the ceilings are painted to resemble wood, although they are actually made of concrete. A fun fact about the library is that the entire building is made of concrete and that is what kept the library from burning to the ground in 1986 in the most epic fire in Los Angeles history. On my way out of the library, I ran into a machine that prints out either a 1-minute, 3-minute, or children’s story for you to take with you.

Fifth Stop: Grand Central Market

If you are walking around DTLA, do yourself a favor and stop at Grand Central Market. The market is a Foodies dream. You can get every possible type of food there. Grand Central Market is perfect if you are with a group of friends because everyone can pick out what they want to eat and then you can all meet back at one table and enjoy your food. Today I tried Egg Slut for a late lunch and McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream for Dessert. Egg Slut is having a moment and the line is usually long. I waited 30 minutes to order. I ordered a regular breakfast sandwich without the bacon and I was lucky to find a barstool at the counter and I was able to watch them make my sandwich, which was an over-medium egg with cheese sandwiched between a brioche bun that is toasted with butter. Delicious!

Sixth Stop: The Bradbury Building

The Bradbury Building is across the street from the Grand Central Market. In 1971 the Bradbury Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Currently, the building is used as an office, and tourists are allowed only in the lobby. The Bradbury Building is famous for its ornate ironwork and atrium and it has been the location for several movies including the original Blade Runner.

Stop Seven: Angel’s Flight

The entrance to Angel’s Flight is across the street from the Grand Central Market. Angel’s Flight originally opened in 1901 and is the shortest operational railroad. It is possible to board the cars at either the bottom or the top of Bunker Hill. I rode it both ways and it was free with an unlimited TAP card without a Tap card it is $1 to ride each way.

Stop Eight: Little Tokyo

I walked to Japanse Village Plaza at 335 E. 2nd St. The plaza is busy and there are many shops and restaurants. In the plaza, there is usually some sort of entertainment going on such as karaoke or a performer. I watched a woman through a window making little cakes and I went inside to ask what they were. The man at the counter told me they were Red Bean cakes and he assured me they are delicious. I bought one for $2 and took it to go. I was too full this trip, but my favorite Ramen restaurant Daikokuya is across the street from Japanse Village Plaza and I highly recommend stopping in there for some amazing ramen.

Heading Home

After Little Tokyo, I decided it was getting cold and I was tired so I walked to the corner of First and Alameda and I waited for the Gold Line. There is lots more to explore in the area, but it will have to wait for another day.

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Art-0-mat

Artist Clark Whittington came up with the idea of the Art-0-mat in 1997 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. He used the vending machine to dispense his art for $1. There are now vending machines scattered across the United States. Each machine dispenses original works of art.

An Art Scavenger Hunt

There are Art-O-Mat machines at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas. We were staying at Treasure Island so we took a walk down the strip to the Cosmopolitan and even though it was 40 degrees outside we stopped at Fat Tuesday for frozen drinks. I had a drink that tastes like a creamsicle and they serve the drinks in a cute acrylic to-go cup. And Vegas being Vegas, I took my drink with me on the walk.

Finding the Art-O-Mat Machines

The Cosmopolitan Hotel has strategically placed six refurbished cigarette machines in its lobby and hallways. Finding the machines is half the fun. After walking around we saw the first one, but first, we made change, because the machines only accept $5 bills. With money in hand, we had the hard choice of what artist to pick. I inserted my $5 and pulled a lever. The art comes out in a small 2″ x 3′ box and my first piece of art that came out of the vending machine was an abstract mounted on a block. Nicole put in her $5 and got a pair of cork earrings. Feeling successful we wandered on a looked for the next machine.

Art At The Cosmopolitan

There are tons of different types of art in the public areas of the Cosmopolitan Hotel. The walls have large-scale murals, photographs, and sculptures. The Cosmopolitan wants their art to be interactive and accessible, so some of their art is in the middle of the hallway and looks like it is meant to be touched. We enjoyed walking around looking at all the art while we were looking for more Art-o-mat vending machines.

Hunting For More Art

We continued on our hunt for more Art-o-mat vending machines, but we have better luck with some machines than others. A few times we put in a $5 bill and we get nothing in return. We didn’t let it deter us. Nicole was in charge of locating all six of the Art-o-mat machines and I’m happy to say that we found them all. We love the pieces of art that we collected. The Art-O-Mat is helping to make art accessible for everyone. For $5 you can be an art collector too. As a result of our fun scavenger hunt, our interests have been piqued and we are planning more trips to find Art-o-mat vending machines in other states.

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The Water Is Close To The Parking Lot

The water is close to the parking lot which is important if you are hauling a lot of stuff. When I was there we were still experiencing June Gloom and it was chilly, but that didn’t stop people from getting in the water. A large surf school that operates at Seal Beach and their truck is usually parked in the beach lot. It’s always fun to watch the lessons going on. There are lifeguards on duty and there is a bathroom. There is also a playground for the kids. Although, there isn’t a snack bar on the beach, however, there are many restaurants within walking distance and some provide a walk-up surfers menu.

The Pier

Seal beach has a pier. It is popular with fishermen and people strolling. At one time there was a Ruby’s at the end of the pier, but they vacated and then in 2016 a fire destroyed the vacant restaurant. There are talks that permits have been secured to rebuild the end of the pier.

Sweet Treats on Main Street

I brought my lunch to the beach, but before heading home I decided to check out some of the fun shops on Main Street. I have fond memories of taking my kids to Sweet Jills. It is a Seal Beach institution that is best known for its delectable cinnamon rolls. I bought some cookies to take home for my son and I got a peanut butter cup cookie for myself. The bakery has a wide variety of baked goods including cupcakes. Sweet Jill’s is cash only so come prepared.

Coffee, Tea, And Boba

I stopped to get a drink at Honeybees. They serve tea, coffee, boba, and fresh juices. I ordered their special Vietnamese Coffee with boba. It was $4.95 and there wasn’t an additional charge for the boba. Vietnamese coffee is very strong and bold and then they add sweetened condensed milk to round it out. Their coffee was very good here and I would definitely order it again.

A Snack With A View

I took my coffee and cookie to the pier. I walked along until I found the perfect bench to have a seat and watch the surfers. The sun had finally come out and it was a beautiful day.

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The Most Popular Museum in The World

The Louvre is as large as some small towns. It would take you days to see it all. It would be ideal to be able to see small parts of it on several different days. We chose to go on a day that the Louvre stayed open late. We had a museum pass so we were able to queue up next to the pyramid. This was a definite benefit to the museum pass. Our line was not long and it moved rather quickly. Security in all of Paris is no joke, so be sure and plan extra time for it. If you are only going to visit for one day as we did, I suggest you do a little research and make a list of your must-sees.

The Mona Lisa

Of course, we wanted to see the Mona Lisa. We headed there first assuming it would only get more crowded. First of all the painting is small. Secondly, it is behind glass and lastly, the amount of people cramming in to see the painting is crazy. It’s not possible to spend any amount of time studying the painting. To stand in front of it you risk getting trampled to death. After inching my way up close, I took a quick look and then a quick picture. As hard as it was to make my way in front of the picture it was twice as hard to squish my way out.

Winged Victory

Next, we took a breather and saw my favorite piece the Victoire de Samothrace (Winged Victory.) It is located at the top of a grand staircase. It is possible to get a good view of this fabulous sculpture from many different angles.

Venus de Milo

The Venus de Milo is another sculpture that can’t be missed. The Venus de Milo is assumed to be Aphrodite the goddess of love & beauty. The sculpture is large. She is over 6 feet tall. They believe she was sculpted between 130 and 100 BC. Other than her missing arms she’s in good shape.

Apollo Gallery

We took a walk through the Apollo Gallery. The Galerie d’Apollon is famous for its high vaulted ceilings and painted decorations.

The Musée de l´Orangerie

The Musée de l´Orangerie is a small museum that is known for its eight large water lily panels painted by Claude Monet. There are also other impressionist paintings. The museum is on the edge of the Tuileries Garden. The entrance is also included in the museum pass. The Monet panels are the highlight. They are floor-to-ceiling in a round room. There are benches in the middle of the room and the panels depict Monet’s garden in all four seasons.

The Musée de l´Orangerie

The Musée d’Orsay is my favorite museum in all of Paris. The museum is located in an old train station. It holds mostly French art from the impressionist area. It has paintings, furniture, sculpture, and photography. The highlight of the building is the old clock.

The building itself is as beautiful as the art that it holds. It is two stories and has grand staircases at each end of the building. There are many galleries filled with amazing art.

These are the three museums that can’t be missed in Paris. It would be possible to spend multiple days in each one. I think that is a great excuse for another trip to Paris.

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The show runs through December 23, 2018, and is free to the public. Invader has reproductions of his pixelated art hanging on the walls along with photos of his art in cities across the world. In addition to the art, there is a continuous video that was playing about how Invader sent a “space invader” to space in Florida in 2012. FYI: It was a success. I took pictures of my favorites like the invader with the avocado and I Love L.A. There is a storefront next door that sells kitschy and very expensive knickknacks.

The Invader APP

Invader also has his own app that you can download from the Apple Store. It is called Flash Invaders. Basically, you take a picture of an invader that you find in the wild, and if it is one that has been authenticated you receive points as if you were playing the video game. The app has a leader board and you can see other people’s pictures and what city they found the invader in. It is in the same vein as Pokemon GO. I am pretty bummed that I did not know about this app when I was in Paris because we saw lots of Invaders while we were walking around there.

The Best Ramen in Town at Daikokuya Little Toyko

After visiting the gallery we walked to Little Tokyo to get some Ramen. Dylan knew of a place that he had been to with his friends, Daikokuya Little Toyko. When we turned down the street we knew it must be really good because there was a long line waiting for a table. There was an iPad to add your name to the waitlist. This system is genius because it allows you to use your phone to check back in and see how many people are ahead of you in line. There were 29 tables ahead of us, so we went across the street to Tokyo Plaza and went shopping.

Ramen That’s Worth the Wait

It took a little over an hour for our table to be ready. The inside of the restaurant is small and has no thrills. We were starving. We ordered iced Oolong Tea and a Spicy Tuna Roll as an appetizer. Nicole and I both ordered their #1 best seller the Daikokuya Ramen with tonkatsu soup base infused with their secret blended soy sauce. Dylan ordered a teriyaki chicken bowl. The broth in the ramen tasted rich and full-bodied. The ramen was delicious and definitely worth the wait. I googled Daikokuya after we ate there and found that they have won a ton of awards and we all agreed they deserve the accolades.

Shopping at Tokyo Plaza

After dinner, we went back to Tokyo plaza for a little more shopping. We stopped to take a picture by the Christmas Tree and got sucked into watching karaoke. We watched a guy that was so bad, he was good. He was having such a good time it was contagious.

Ice Cream at Bae

We decided that we would get some ice cream before heading back home. We settled on bae. bae is a new soft serve ice cream shop on 2nd street. The inside is swanky, with chandeliers, leather seating, and a black wall with a cute saying that is Instagram-ready. They are known for their activated charcoal pineapple flavor which is pure black.

With Love, From Bae

I had Earl Coco, a swirl of Earl Grey & Cocoa Puffs. Dylan had the Matcha Chocolate, a swirl of Matcha & Chocolate. Nicole had the Heartbreak which is the Activated Charcoal Pineapple with a charcoal sugar cone. The heartbreak tastes very similar to the Dole Whipped at Disneyland. The Matcha was not sweet and paired nicely with the chocolate. Earl Coco was a nice combination because the tea flavor kept the coco puff flavor from being too sweet. Ice cream is $6.00 in a cup or for $1.50 extra you can get it in a cone. They have a red sugar cone, a black activated charcoal cone, and a green Matcha cone.  Street parking is available or you can find a parking garage attached to the Tokyo Plaza. Both the art district and Little Tokyo are accessible to the Gold Line as well.

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