Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
185
area can involve a heroic effort. Try visiting on the weekend and using the Flower Street
parking entrance; the library will validate your ticket, and you can escape for only $2.
630 W. 5th St. (btw. Flower St. and Grand Ave.), Los Angeles.
&
213/228-7168.
www.lapl.org/central.
Union Station
Union Station, completed in 1939, is one of the finest examples
of California mission-style architecture and one of the last of America's great rail stations.
It was built with the opulence and attention to detail that characterize 1930s WPA proj-
ects, such as its cathedral-like size and richly paneled ticket lobby and waiting area. When
you're str olling thr ough these grand historic halls, it 's easy to imagine the glamor ous
movie stars who once boar ded
The City of Los A ngeles
and
The Super Chief
to journey
back East during the glor y days of rail trav el; it's also easy to pictur e the many hear tfelt
reunions betw een r eturning soldiers and lo ved ones follo wing the victorious end to
World War II, in the station's heyday. Movies shot here include
Bugsy, The Way We Were,
and
Blade Runner.
There's always been a restaurant in the station; the latest to occupy this
unusually beautiful setting is
Traxx
(p. 143).
800 N. Alameda St. (at Cesar E. Chavez Ave.), Los Angeles.
US Bank Tower (also known as Library Tower)
Designed by renowned architect
I. M. P ei, L.A.'s most distinctiv e skyscraper (it 's the r ound one) is the tallest building
between Chicago and S ingapore. Built in 1989 at a cost of $450 million, the 76-stor y
monolith is both squar e and r ectangular, rising fr om its 5th S treet base in a series of
overlapping spirals and cubes. The Bunker Hill Steps wrapping around the west side of
the building were inspired by Rome's Spanish Steps.
Gee whiz fact:
The glass crown at
the top—illuminated at night—is the highest building helipad in the world.
633 W. 5th St. (at S. Grand Ave.), Los Angeles.
7
Watts Towers & Art Center
Watts became notorious as the site of riots in the sum-
mer of 1965, during which 34 people w ere killed and mor e than 1,000 w ere injured.
Today, a visit to Watts is a lesson in inner-city life. I t's a high-density land of gray strip
malls, well-guarded check-cashing shops, and fast-food r estaurants; but it's also a neigh-
borhood of har dworking families str uggling to sur vive in the midst of gangland.
Although there's not much for the casual tourist here, the Watts Towers are truly a unique
attraction, and the adjoining ar t gallery illustrates the fier ce determination of ar ea resi-
dents to maintain cultural integrity.
The Towers—the largest piece of folk ar t cr eated b y a single person—ar e color ful,
99-foot-tall cement and steel sculptures ornamented with mosaics of bottles, seashells, cups,
plates, pottery, and ceramic tiles. They were completed in 1955 by folk artist Simon Rodia,
an immigrant Italian tile-setter who wor ked on them for 33 y ears in his spar e time. True
fans of decorativ e ceramics will enjo y the fact that R odia's day job was at the legendar y
Malibu P otteries (ar e those fragments of v aluable M alibu tile encr usting the Towers?).
Closed in 1994 due to earthquake damage, the towers were triumphantly reopened in 2001
and now attract more than 20,000 visitors annually. Tours are by request.
Note:
Next to these designated C ultural Landmarks is the Ar t Center, which has an
interesting collection of ethnic musical instruments as well as several visiting art exhibits
throughout the year.
1727 E. 107th St., L os Angeles.
&
213/847-4646.
www.trywatts.com. Art Center Tues-Sat 10am-4pm;
Sun noon-4pm. F ree admission. Towers Fri-Sat 11am-3pm; Sun 12:30-3pm. A dmission $7 adults , $3
seniors 55 and over and teens 13-17, free for children 12 and under.
