Explore Los Angeles from Home: Week 2
Continuing on with my series on how to explore Los Angeles from home, I bring you seven ways to see my favorite city from your couch. It is hard to find positives right now, but if I can list one, it is increased access to virtual Los Angeles. Now you have the opportunity to get into hard to get into places and see more of L.A. even if you are at home in Kansas City, Nice, or come on let’s be honest on the other side of the city that is usually divided by traffic.
There is still time to catch up if this is your first time reading this series. Check out week 1 here.
Table of Contents
Day 8
Last week I mentioned the Hollyhock House tour and that with the virtual tour you get access to things you can’t see in-person. Today I feature another hard to access exhibit in Los Angeles, Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Room. No tickets, no waiting in line for hours, and now with music. Or maybe it has always had music, I haven’t seen it yet.
Day 9
I love vintage footage of Los Angeles. Today another film about Hollywood, that turned out more to be about “Hollywood” than the area I feature here. The narration is definitely dated and sometimes a little cringy, but it is a cool little piece of history. A great sister piece to last week’s gritty Sunset Strip, this is the elitist Sunset Strip of the industry. It is kind of ridiculous, but very informational.
If you love vintage footage, facts, and photos of Los Angeles, I strongly suggest you follow Allison Martino’s Vintage Los Angeles.
Day 10
It is a little hard for me to not be out in nature enjoying spring. I know that wisteria is in bloom at work and I am not there to watch it explode into little purple flowers. If you are missing spring in Los Angeles, Descanso Gardens has you covered. See what is in bloom and go on mini-tours of the five-acre site via Instagram.
Website: https://www.instagram.com/descansogardens/
Day 11
One show that I am sad to be missing is Golden Hour, works from George Townley at Gallery 1988. It features illustrated homages to Los Angeles’ architectural history set in that beautiful sunset glow time called golden hour. These prints can now be yours to take home and for 20% site-wide. Now which one to choose? Really, I am having a hard time.
The local gallery, Gallery 1988, should be on your gift-giving list. Explore local artists’ takes on pop culture and Los Angeles. The website is filled with conversation pieces like reimagined movie posters for films like Leon/The Professional, action figures for BoJack Horseman, and an entire show dedicated to Weird Al Yankovic.
Website: https://nineteeneightyeight.com/collections/george-townley
Day 12
Flashback Friday to the time I did a food tour of Culver City. I can’t wait to share it with you when we no longer have to explore Los Angeles from home. I hope it will inspire you to support some local businesses. One place I took guests of that tour, was the Museum of Jurassic Technology. Although you can go to the MJT website, which very much fits within its theme of being both technological and Jurassic, you should instead read Lawrence Weschler’s book Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonder.
This book, which was one of my favorite books in the year that I read Los Angeles, tries to make sense of the little museum on Venice and Main in Culver City. The stories of the individual exhibits, the history of how they were acquired, and the man behind the MJT makes this book a page-turner. If you have ever been or are at all curious about this delightfully strange place this is a must read.
Day 13
Music is my other love. In fact, I loved music way before I loved Los Angeles. I was a huge mixtape maker growing up. I made a lot of playlists for crushes and friends.
Here is the playlist I made for my current crush, Los Angeles. Be transported to the Rainbow Room, La Cienega, and then grab a bite at Zankou Chicken with these songs.
Day 14
This is a holiday movie, not for Easter which is celebrated today, but one of the best Christmas movies out there. You know the movie I mean. The movie set in Nakatomi Plaza or Fox Plaza in Century City, Die Hard. You don’t really get to see a lot of Los Angeles, but I am counting it.
Look for Die Hard on Decider.com
I hope you are enjoying these ways to explore Los Angeles without leaving home. Please share with friends even if they live in Los Angeles.
Have L.A. song or movie recommendations? Leave a comment.