Ask Downtown: What's on Your Tour?
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
One of Downtown's best viewing spots, the City Hall observation deck is open to the public during normal business hours. Just tell the guard where you're headed and they'll send you on your way.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Ask Downtown is an occasional series in which we put a reader's Downtown question to you, the real Downtown experts. Help a reader out and share your knowledge.
This morning I'm giving a short Downtown tour to some family friends. It's something that I end up doing probably more regularly than most, but I tend to suspect that anyone who lives Downtown has ended up showing some friends around at one point or another.
So what's on your Downtown tour?
In this case, the tour is a morning affair, and one that's going to be more about landmarks than about food or nightlife. Obviously time of day is going to impact what you do and don't show off to out-of-towners.
While I'll end up making up much of our route on the fly, here are four key sites I'm sure to hit:
Disney Hall
Less than a decade old, but already one of Los Angeles' most recognizable buildings, the Disney Concert Hall is a fairly obvious tour choice. Easy to miss, though, is the cool walkway that goes up and around the outside of the building. You get to walk inside the concert hall's skin, take in some views and end up in the rooftop garden.
Bradbury Building
Given how many people would list the Bradbury as their favorite L.A. building, this is another fairly obvious choice. Boring from the outside but magnificent inside, the Bradbury lives up to the praise.
City Hall Observation Deck
City Hall's an easy landmark, but never miss a chance to take a trip up to the 27th floor and then walk up to the Tom Bradley room and the observation deck. It's open to the public during normal business hours, so just tell security where you're headed and they'll send you up.
While inside, also be sure to take a stop on the 3rd floor and take a peek at the rotunda and the Council Chambers.
Historic Core
Given how much of my life revolves around Downtown's revitalization, it wouldn't make sense to do a tour and not end up taking a walk around the Historic Core to point out the neighborhood where the current rebirth really took root.
If you end up on 6th street, between Broadway and Spring, take a second to seek out New York Hats at 217 W. 6th. You're not looking to shop (though you can if the urge strikes you), but instead take a few steps into the space that was originally built as a dutch chocolate shop in the early 1900s. Enjoy some great tilework and marvel at how such a remarkable space could become a rundown swap meet (hats excepted; they're great).
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Rich Alossi on March 08, 2010, at 09:49AM – #1
Grand Central Market, Bradbury Building, Disney Hall, Union Station and attached gardens, Olvera Street, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Broadway, and the Biltmore. Any tour with me always includes getting lots and lots of good food.
Guest on March 08, 2010, at 09:59AM – #2
With the eight (8) hour time difference, and the eleven (11) hour flight time from London, UK, your guests might want some early morning Bloody Marys ($2.75) at the King Eddy Saloon. You can show them the Maxfield Parrish Murals in the Lobby of the King Edward Hotel, talk about the dormant Speakeasy downstairs and the bootleg tunnels to Cole's and the Alexadria Hotel, just make sure they don't order breakfast. 2OX OK TK Nagano
J-M on March 08, 2010, at 10:16AM – #3
Disney Concert Hall, Bradbury, Grand Central Market, Clifton's, Little Tokyo, Olvera Street, Union Station, Pete's Cafe and Bar (to have a drink after all that running you've just done to see every in just one morning!).
Guest on March 08, 2010, at 11:31AM – #4
Bukowski's Downtown/Main St Craby Joes. Lunch at Wooden Spoon/Chicken Pot Pie. Broadway Theater District, Grand Central Market, OBD buildings/history.
Susana Benavidez on March 08, 2010, at 12:40PM – #5
We had a friend come down (from Chicago) who only had an evening to see downtown so we did the following:
We walked to The Standard to show him the view (I'm not a big fan but it seems like an iconic dtla thing) and had a drink. We then walked by the Central Library, walked up Grand to see the Disney Concert Hall, doubled back and walked by where the Grand Performances are held and pointed out MOCA, the music school, and Casa along the way. We walked down through Angels Flight park to enjoy the view (as seen in 500 Days of Summer), then continued on down 4th and on to check out the Bradburry Building. We pointed out a few theatres and gave him some background on what Broadway used to be and what it will some day re-emerge as.
Then off to the Edison. I thing this bar has a very cool backstory, shady alley entrance (to outsiders), and has a very nice interior. We gave him a tour of the place and he really liked it. We had a drink and then moved on. We checked out the new police station, City Hall, and gave him the background story of Little Tokyo.
We then walked down 2nd St and pointed out the clothing shops, Spitz, Sushi Gen, then Wurtskuche and on to R23 for dinner. I picked R23 because he likes sushi, the location is unexpected, and you can always comment on the Frank Ghery chairs.
On the walk back home we walked through Historic Core and explained how that was the starting point of dtla's rebirth and he enjoyed the architecture. We walked though Pershing Square and told him about the events that go on there throughout the year and walked back up 7th and passed by Botegga Louie since that's a pretty cool place just to see.
I think given the constraints of our time, my heels, and our walking that we did pretty well. The next morning when we drove him to his destination we passed by LA LIVE so he could see it (out the car window), the Cathedral and on to the freeway.
Robyn on March 08, 2010, at 01:29PM – #6
Historic Core - point out all the Art Deco, the theaters, and the art galleries. Little Tokyo - because that's were I live. Chinatown/Olvera Street/Union Station. Civic Center points of interest. The Bonaventure to ride the elevators, then to the Library and point out the California Club. LA Live because it's new and for bowling. For just the right visitors who can handle zero personal space - Santee Alley area. Oh - I point out anywhere Hancock was filmed (1st Street and Figueroa locales).
Rich Alossi on March 08, 2010, at 04:55PM – #7
Susana, you pointed out what I completely forgot: The Central Library. The second-floor atrium and gallery space is amazing.
Guest on March 08, 2010, at 08:29PM – #8
All of those old tiles in the Chocolate Shop were made by Batchelder. Amazing that they're still there.
Susana Benavidez on March 09, 2010, at 08:30AM – #9
Agreed Rich. The library tour led by doscents is interesting too. I met Julie Andrews there years ago when she came for a book signing and I made her tea! Sometimes low-paying jobs pay off in other ways. lol
Guest on March 09, 2010, at 02:31PM – #10
OK, here's the original list of downtown places (some with addresses) that I showed to my sister on her visit to Los Angeles from the east cost. I still had the list on my PC and am happy to share. The walk begins at Union Station and ends at 7th & Figueroa.
Union Station – Los Angeles (1939) 800 N Alameda Street
Olvera Street (1781)
Los Angeles City Hall (1928) 32 Floors 200 N Spring Street
Music Center (1964-1967)
Los Angeles Superior Court (Stanley Mosk Memorial Courthouse) 111 N Hill Street
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (2002) 555 W Temple Street
Hall of Justice (1922) 210 W Temple Notable residents of the Hall of Justice included Charles Manson and Sirhan Sirhan.
Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center (1972) Formerly: Criminal Courts Building 210 W Temple Street Notable Trials: O.J. Simpson murder trial, Phil Spector murder trial..
Los Angeles Times Building (1935) 202 W First Street
Los Angeles Police Department Administrative Building (2009) 100 S Spring Street
Caltrans District 7 Headquarters Building (2009) 100 S Main Street California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
Cathedral of St. Vibiana (1876) 114 E Second Street
Bradbury Building (1893) 304 S Broadway The oldest commercial building remaining downtown.
Barclay Hotel (1896) Formerly: Van Nuys Hotel 103 W Fourth Street
Broadway Historic Theater District Broadway between Third and Ninth Streets
Grand Central Market (1897) 315 S Broadway
Angels Flight Railway (1901) P_10 Hill Street, between Third and Fourth Streets
One California Plaza (1985)
Two California Plaza (1992)
One Wilshire Building 624 S Grand Avenue
Pershing Square (1866) 532 S Olive Street
Millennium Biltmore Hotel (1923) 515 South Olive Street
Gas Company Tower 355 South Grand Avenue 52 Floors.
U.S. Bank Tower (1990) 633 W Fifth Street 73 Floors Formerly: First Interstate Bank World Center Formerly: Library Tower
Los Angeles Central Library (1926) 630 West Fifth Street
Aon Center (1973) 707 Wilshire Boulevard Formerly: First Interstate Tower Formerly: United California Bank Building
Bonaventure Hotel (1976) 404 S Figueroa Street
Los Angeles Convention Center (1971) 1201 S Figueroa Street
Staples Center (2000) 1111 S Figueroa Street
NOKIA Theater - L.A. Live (2007) 777 Chick Hearn Court
Original Pantry Cafe (1924) 877 S Figueroa Street
7+FIG 735 S Figueroa Street Shopping Plaza
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