Angelenos

Not that long ago it was an act of bravery to venture downtown LA. It bustled during the day with worker ants who made a swift and mass exodus at sundown. "Skid row" spanned every street not just relegated to a few blocks. Thanks to some rethinking and a hefty infusion of cash, downtown has been transformed into a safe and exciting destination.

LA is the epicenter of car culture and it continues to be a uphill battle to wean ourselves away from the automobile. As we are equally environmentally conscious, balancing the two is challenging. Public transportation has been a source of political strife for decades as the city sprawls and commuting becomes more ubiquitous. Faltering leadership and misappropriation has left us without efficient and viable options until recently. In typical, wasteful LA fashion streetcar and train rails were demolished to build roads and now we are faced with the expense of reconstructing the rails. In a city like this it just makes sense to have light rail transport. The Expo metro line running through the west side has been open nearly a year now and we've threatened to ride it ever since.

The day we rode the train there was construction on the line so we had to exit the train around USC and transfer to a shuttle bus to transport us the rest of the way downtown. Engine Co. 28, a restaurant that I've read has great food, was literally in front of us when we got off the shuttle bus. We were hungry so we popped in for brunch. To start they were out of champagne for Mimosas. Ok. We'll get something else. We each ordered our meals and lo and behold they were out of that too and each subsequent thing that sounded appetizing. We left. Probably never to return since the service was sub-par anyhow.

Meandering under the skyscrapers of varying architectural styles we stumbled upon a farmer's market and enjoyed freshly juiced beet and orange along with delicious tamales. Take that Engine Co 28! We sat on the street with a young woman and her cockatiel, Abbey, getting the downtown happs while Abbey munched on her corn cob and strutted back and forth between my arm and her mom's. Pershing square is sort of the center point in downtown LA and divides the upity west side from the dodgy east side. These contrasts are as glaring as a looking glass as you pass over the singular city block from one to the other.

 The Last Bookstore opens a world of imagination. Sculptures and tunnels made of books in a large old shoppe dotted with lofty leather chairs and chill ambient music create the perfect place to become enlightened. Galleries sublet the upper perimeter spaces where artists inspire a deeper meaning. From there it's just a short jaunt to the beautiful deco Pershing square building and rooftop Perch. A casual french bistro is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail on a gorgeous sunny afternoon. Sit on the patio on Sundays for jazz brunch with the sultry sounds of Palter Ego. Damon loved his jam-packed bloody Maria so much he had to floss with the celery!

We had never been to the Grand Central Market before so we dashed in to see what the hubbub is about. Meh. Snooze. But it's coordinates are just outside another LA landmark. Angel's Flight, the shortest railway in the world in operation since 1901, transports passengers up the steep incline to Bunker Hill for 50 cents a ride. The railcar lets you out at California Plaza which is just adjacent MOCA (Museum of contemporary Art). The permanent collection here is rather paltry and can be viewed handily in 30 minutes so we were happy that free admission was offered on this day.

With much of a full day behind us we started to head back to the train stop knowing that there was a hotel we wanted to investigate as a "staycation" prospect in the future. On route we saw the Standard Hotel. Catering to a younger, hipper, more affluent client the hotel is equipped with ping pong tables and a rooftop German Beer Garten. We enjoyed a pint and a sausage and carried on to the O Hotel. O is a affordable modern metro hotel noted for it's restaurant as well as accommodations.This one is on my radar for a low-key, wanker-free option. Besides it's close to The Pantry, a famous lunch counter owned by former mayor Richard Riordan that boasts it has never closed and never been without a customer since 1924. And it straddles entertainment hub LA Live to the south and all that I just described to the north.

LA is a bit of a conundrum. We are broke, corrupt, mismanaged - broken. The aforementioned not withstanding, we are diverse, welcoming, vibrant - alive. Broken but ALIVE. Los Angeles is a contradiction, a dichotomous place of everything and nothing. These truths are self-evident as one navigates the streets, particularly on foot. It's said that nobody walks in LA but we do. And we should. Because when you walk you get a new perspective. You actually have to exercise your senses rather than hiding behind your tinted windows and drowning the din by blaring top 40 on the radio. Angelenos are movie stars and the skid row downtrodden. We live in lush hilltop neighborhoods with breezy carefree ocean views and also in makeshift shelters in the roadside sand; near the glitz of the Hollywood sign and in the shadows of it and all it symbolizes. Walking and observing these differences forces us to examine, even reconcile, these two realities. It's one of the things that makes LA unique and beautiful.