Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
184
Moments
Divine Vibrations
Every Wednesday from 12:45 to 1:15pm, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the
Angels—the city's $163-million architectural jewel—hosts an
organ recital
that
is open to the public and free of charge. The power of the 42-ton organ's 6,019
pipes makes the cathedral vibrate, enabling you to not only hear the music, but
also feel it, making the experience physically poignant as well as emotionally
moving. Be sure to call
&
213/680-5200
to confirm the Wednesday recital.
City Hall
Built in 1928, the 27-story Los Angeles City Hall was the tallest building in
the city for mor e than 30 y ears. The structure's distinctive ziggurat to wer was designed
to resemble the M ausoleum at H alicarnassus, one of the sev en wonders of the ancient
world. The building has been featur ed in numerous films and television sho ws, but it is
probably best known as the headquar ters of the
Daily Planet
in the
Superman
TV series
(or from
Beverly Hills Cop,
depending on your birth date). When it was built, City Hall
was the sole ex ception to an or dinance outlawing buildings taller than 150 feet. While
you're here, be sure to take the elevator to the rarely used 27th-floor Observation Deck—
on a clear day (yeah, right), you can see to Mount Wilson 15 miles away. Free docent-led
tours are available at 10 and noon Monday through Thursday, and self-guided tours are
available at other times. Call
&
213/978-1995
for tour information.
200 N. Spring St. (btw. 1st and Temple sts.), Los Angeles.
&
213/485-2121.
http://lacity.org/lacity. Mon-
Fri 8am-5pm.
Charles F. Lummis House (El Alisal) and Garden
El Alisal is a small, rugged,
two-story “castle,” built betw een 1889 and 1910 fr om large r ocks and telephone poles
purchased from the Santa Fe Railroad. The architect and creator was Charles F. Lummis,
a Harvard graduate, archaeologist, and writer, who walked from Ohio to California and
coined the slogan “S ee America F irst.” A fan of N ative American cultur e, L ummis is
credited with popularizing the concept of the “Southwest,” referring to New Mexico and
Arizona. H e often liv ed the lifestyle of the I ndians, and he founded the S outhwest
Museum (234 Museum Dr.;
&
323/667-2000
), a repository of Indian artifacts. Lummis
held fabulous par ties for the theatrical, political, and ar tistic elite; his guest list often
included Will Rogers and Theodore Roosevelt. The outstanding featur e of his house is
the fireplace, which was carved by Mount Rushmore creator Gutzon Borglum. The lawn
has been turned into an experimental gar den of water-conserving plants.
200 E. Ave. 43, Highland Park.
&
323/222-0546.
www.socalhistory.org. Free admission. Fri-Sun noon-4pm.
L.A. Central Library
This is one of L.A.'s early architectural achievements and
the third-largest librar y in the U nited States. The city rallied to sav e the librar y when
arson nearly destr oyed it in 1986; the triumphant r estoration has r eturned much of its
original splendor. Working in the early 1920s, architect Bertram G. Goodhue employed
the Egyptian motifs and materials popularized by the discovery of King Tut's tomb, and
combined them with a more modern use of concrete block to great effect. Walking tours
are the best way to explor e this old beauty; they 're led M onday thr ough F riday at
12:30pm, Saturday at 11am and 2pm, and S unday at 2pm.
Warning:
Parking in this
7
