A Walking Tour of Los Angeles - Historic Core: Financial District (Look Up, America!)

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Me and my husband did 3 walking tours: We deeply recommend that for Flights Vacation Rentals Restaurants Things to do. All of your saved places can be found here in My Trips. Log in to get trip updates and message other travelers. Log in Join Recently viewed Bookings Inbox.

Downtown LA Walking Tours. Mon - Sat 9: What is Certificate of Excellence? TripAdvisor gives a Certificate of Excellence to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers. Providing daily guided walking tours of Downtown Los Angeles and its surrounding neighborhoods. We walk the City, step inside world-class monuments, tell stories, learn the history and experience the architecture of the City of Angels! Open Now Hours Today: TripAdvisor has been notified.

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Is this place or activity suitable for all ages? Share another experience before you go. Wallis still adhered to the principle in when they designed this Beaux Arts office tower with contrasting stories of terra cotta and pressed brick, decorated with metal detailing. Norton kept an office in this building. This was one of the final projects in the career of Isaac Newton Van Nuys, whose name resonates across Southern California.

Van Nuys was a New York farmer who came to California at the age of 30 in and soon opened a country store. He later moved to Los Angeles and took up management of the 60, acre corporation put together by Isaac Lankershim, the San Fernando Homestead Association. He would shift into banking and real estate development before his death in Architects Octavius Morgan and John Walls generously lavished the Italian Renaissance-inspired story building with terra cotta decorations on the facade. The Van Nuys Building did duty as a bank and financial center for the better part of 70 years before being converted into a unit residential complex for low-income seniors.

The four-story, classically-flavored structure hugging the Van Nuys Building along the Spring Street elevation was actually constructed as a parking garage annex in In the company moved into this handsome Beaux Arts composition rendered in terra cotta by John Parkinson and Edwin Bergstrom. The lower stories of the building received a dramatic Art Deco overhaul in , dressed in a wide limestone belt and embellished with a frieze saluting American industry, agriculture and transportation. The building moves into its second hundred years as a condominium complex.

Fans of film noir may recognize the lobby as a key location in the classic, D. Fullerton Weaver, best known for their work on luxury hotels, were given a blank check on the finest materials and amenities for this headquarters. With over two million dollars Schultze and Weaver created a Spanish Revival banking house that the Hellmans enjoyed for only a few years before cashing out in a sale to the Bank of America. Building South Spring Street. Father-and-son architects John and Donald B. Parkinson used the newly popular Art Deco style for the building which they faced in Indiana limestone and accented with terra cotta.

He successfully made the transition to the classically inspired styles at the turn of the 20th century as evidenced by this well-proportioned office building from near the end of his career in The facade is framed by full height, fluted Corinthian pilasters and sheltered by an elaborate cornice. Like many of its neighbors, it approaches its second century as residential lofts.

This land was originally owned by Ozra W. Childs, given by the City in exchange for his digging an irrigation ditch in the s. San Diego natives Frank Strong and G. Dickinson, who specialized in subdividing large properties, controlled a six-story commercial block here in the early s. Three days after ground was broken in , the ground collapsed under that stately New York Stock Market and when the Los Angeles Stock Exchange opened its doors here in , the Great Depression was at its depths.

Look up to see bas relief panels representing the elements of capitalism, carved into the granite by Salvatore Cartaino Scarpitta. This Neoclassical tower clad in terra cotta ornamentation was one of the first creations of celebrated architect Claud Beelman after he relocated from Indiana to Los Angeles in the early s. In the s this tower and the adjoining E. Hutton Building were the first office towers in the City to be rejuvenated as residential space.

Like many pioneering efforts, it did not go well financially but subsequent remodeling projects have helped breathe new life into the Financial District. Hutton Building South Spring Street. Western Union went only as far as Salt Lake City and financial information arrived slowly via a patchwork of telegraph feeds with stock quotes. His sleepy bond house had no interest in his plans to set up a coast-to-coast financial network so E.

Western Union, however, was also in no hurry to stretch its operations from the Atlantic to the Pacific. When it was completed Hutton had the only private transcontinental wire in the country and the biggest players in San Francisco finance were soon E. For years many investors on the West Coast thought E. Hutton was the Stock Exchange. This story Los Angeles headquarters for E. Ralphs is the oldest supermarket chain west of the Mississippi River and this is where George Albert Ralphs and his brother Walter opened their first grocery store in Ralphs was a bricklayer when a hunting accident shattered his left arm at the age of 22 and forced him to find work in a small grocery store.

Two years later Ralph Bros. Grocers opened here in a foot by foot building and stayed until Ralphs sold the property to clear the way for the Hotel Hayward. Completed in on plans from Charles F. The hotel did brisk business and a one-story addition was put on top in A seven-story annex came along facing Spring Street and a fourteen-story tower was added in None resemble the original building so they are easy to pick out.

Not that Beelman went crazy - the tower rose 18 stories. Less than two decades later when the Financial District shifted west to Flower and Figueroa streets and the United California Bank had become First Interstate Bank, their new home was 62 stories high. This stylish Beaux Arts bank building was one of his last projects, completed in , a year before he died. His son, Alexander, carried on the practice. The building lives on as residential lofts.

Completed in , the tower is clad in white terra cotta and the lower stories are dominated by full-height Corinthian pilasters and a floor of pedimented windows. This was the Mercantile Arcade Building when it opened in with nearly , square feet stretching back from Spring Street all the way to Broadway. Architects Kenneth MacDonald and Maurice Couchot, modeled the complex on the Burlington Arcade in London that resulted in an acclaimed three-level interior space.

Depositors passed through a phalanx of twinned Ionic columns and entered an expansive lobby under a stained glass window. Why do banks need lobbies over 30 yards wide like this one? One explanation is that if there was ever a run on the bank, the line of customers would not extend out the door and scare customers in the street.

The building was converted into a home for the Los Angeles Theater Center in the s. That California is made up of movie stars, hippies, and cowboys—we are so much more! That we are all big dreamers. People come here to chase their dreams, whether you are an athlete, in the entertainment industry, or in the science and technology field. From Silicon Valley all the way down to Hollywood , this is where people come to make things happen. Los Gatos is the most beautiful town in the world and I am with my most favorite people in the world eating and having a good time.

My favorite thing to do there is enjoy the outdoors together as a family. If you could decree an official state culinary experience what would it be? Perhaps at Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes—right on the cliff. Simple, comfortable, and sassy! As the largest municipal park in Los Angeles, Griffith Park Mario Lopez fondly recalls the family trips he took as a child—to see the woods and waterfalls of Yosemite and the redwood trees in Northern California—but one excursion stands out: Life has taken this California dreamer full circle, from his hometown of Chula Vista right back to Universal Studios, where he films his celebrity entertainment TV show Extra five days a week.

And the fact that he now works at the center of all that magic he looked up to as a boy? The perpetually charming Lopez is an unabashed fan of all that California has to offer—check out his answers to the California Questionnaire below. I am the No. I feel this amazing state has everything you could ever want: You can go skiing, to the mountains, to the desert—and of course it has the absolute best climate in the world.

That we are all surfers and just want to hang out at the beach. I have a very nice barbecue, so I can grill all year long. A perfect day would begin with an awesome mariachi brunch with my family, enjoying delicious food and drinking sangria. Then our designated driver would take us to the park, where the kids can play.

After that, we would go on a great hike right by the park.

Finally, we would go back to the house, enjoy a delicious barbecue, and follow it all with a bocce ball game while watching the sunset with family and friends. Hip and historic, downtown Los Angeles or simply DTLA offers big-city excitement with restaurants, cultural attractions, and major league sports. Start your exploration with a full stomach.

Vintage buildings have also been transformed, including the ornate United Artists building on Broadway, where the Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles offers stylish digs and a restaurant. Tinseltown, where starlets are discovered on every street corner or at least we like to think they are , and the tinted windows of that stretch Damon Dominique and Joanna Franco are travel experts, authors, and digital content creators who host a YouTube channel with more than 48 million views and , subscribers.

They met the summer before entering college and bonded over their mutual love for travel and adventure. The young entrepreneurs began creating content while studying in Paris, showcasing their adventures and experiences on Facebook. Today the duo boasts a following of nearly one million across their combined social channels. I moved with Damon to make our YouTube channel a full-time thing. We both figured that without the noise pollution, volatile weather, and absurd rents of New York City we might actually have a chance to succeed as digital entrepreneurs.

Our logic proved accurate: Within three months we had become full-time YouTubers and bloggers. We chose Koreatown for the international vibe and access to public transportation—and because it was the cheapest neighborhood in central L. The explosive sunset in Venice Beach always gets me in a spiritually grateful mood. Californians are way slower than New Yorkers but they still manage to get things done.

Olvera Street

Californians seem to have mastered work-life balance, while people in most other states are still struggling to figure it out. People care about working out and what they eat. Going up and down the Pacific Coast. I would head down to Laguna Beach , visit Inspiration Point, and enjoy the little local shops. I would drive up to see redwoods in the northern half of the state. Super laid-back—the Birkenstock kind of style where ripped jeans and a white tee are all you need to get through the day. Stylish sunglasses and occasionally a wide-brimmed floppy hat.

Bohemian vibes with beads dangling from wrists and necks—for men and women alike. Vintage light denim with a thin white linen shirt and some dirty white Converse sneakers is the uniform I find myself in nearly every day. Los Angeles puts me in an alternative surf-rock kind of mood. First I would hit the beach early in the morning to paddleboard or boogie board. Next I would get a breakfast burrito with an iced coffee and then go for a walk on the Venice Beach boardwalk.

After that I would take a nap on a hammock at a nearby bungalow. Wake up for a California-themed cooking class in a cool restaurant, or go to a salsa class. Finish the afternoon on a rooftop where the sunset is the main show. Spend the night at a beach bonfire! From gourmet chefs experimenting with tacos to funky ice cream sandwiches, you might be surprised by what you can find on the streets of L. Food trucks are a fun way to sample the cutting edge of cuisine in any city, and the Los Angeles food truck selection brings to the table er, truck counter a blend of ethnic cuisine and cheeky takes on old-school staples.

What happens when a former fine-dining chef experiments with street tacos? A serious upgrade to the food-truck world. Avila set out on a mission in to bring gourmet food to the masses, starting with pop-up shops in obscure locations—garages, stairwells—before buying his own food truck. Using unexpected taco bases like oxtail, lamb kidney, sweet potato, or octopus, Avila is constantly upping his own game to deliver the fresh and new to L. Find the Guerrilla Tacos truck here.

Take a childhood favorite, put an adult spin on it, and the masses will flock—at least that was the thought process for the creators of this popular L. The Plain and Simple sandwich has six cheese options, or you can turn it up a notch: The Pepperbelly Melt combines fire-roasted tomato salsa with habanero jack cheese and a familiar crunch from Fritos. Street food is often associated with indulgence—but not the organic, sustainable eats from the Green Truck, which goes so far as to use leftover vegetable oil to power its wheels.

Truck stops are located here. Many taco trucks have come onto the Los Angeles scene since chef Raul Ortega opened his truck in , but none has matched it yet. Ortega mastered the formula for his famous Taco Dorado a crispy shrimp taco: Seafood lovers should also try the Poseidon, a tostada piled high with fish and shrimp ceviche, octopus, and aguachile. Its Twitter handle is mariscosjalisco. The two founders of Coolhaus bonded over a love of architecture and a passion for food when they decided to turn an old postal van into a roving ice cream sandwich shop in The truck found on Twitter at coolhausla became so popular that it now has 10 nationwide trucks, packaged sandwiches in Whole Foods, and a cookbook devoted to its custom funky sandwiches.

This iconic food truck is often credited as being one of the first to tap the power of social media, which has earned it celebrity status since opening in The truck's weekly schedule can be found here.

CultureNOW - Walking Tours

Jogasaki Sushi Burrito Truck. In a restaurant setting, chowing down on a massive handheld sushi roll seems weird—but from a food truck?

Spotlight: Los Angeles

The delicious and convenient idea of a sushi burrito makes perfect sense. Jogasaki jogasakiburrito on Twitter takes tortillas or sesame-studded soy paper and stuffs them full of sweet sticky rice with go-to sushi favorites like spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, eel, and cucumber. Kristen Bell may look like a California native but the bubbly, blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress actually hails from Michigan. She moved to the West Coast in her early twenties and now qualifies as an outspoken advocate for the Golden State.

Bell first came to fame as high school student and detective Veronica Mars on the eponymous TV series, which filmed in San Diego County, and later on Heroes , which was shot in Los Angeles. I originally came to Los Angeles for work, but I stayed for the lifestyle. Every day, everywhere I look, I see acts of openness, and a plethora of diversity. The people here consistently reaffirm my belief in the human spirit.

Walking around Downtown - Los Angeles Forum

It never lets me down. It lifts my spirits, it makes my garden grow, and keeps me outdoors and active. A bubble insinuates insulation and a barrier to outside elements. Across the state of California, there is a vast range of political opinions, diversity, and ideologies. It lives up to its notorious reputation. Family trips to Mammoth Mountain.

Playing in the snow is such a treat for us, since L. More than the snow angels and the snowmobiling, the serenity and peace that permeate everything on Mammoth are unparalleled. That feeling alone is worth the splurge. Time for a road trip. Where in California are you going? Glamis [ Algodones ] Sand Dunes! We camp in an RV and go off-roading as often as possible.

We find it very freeing to escape real life for a long weekend and get dirty in the sand. It is truly an incomparable dining experience.

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From the food to the presentation to the atmosphere, it is unforgettable. From the moment you arrive to the moment you leave, every detail is executed with precision and artistic integrity. It has received countless accolades and awards for excellence from the culinary industry, and when you eat there, you immediately know why. It is very special. Because truer words have never been spoken… California knows how to party.

After Trails, walking home, letting the kids play, while I dig around in my garden. After everyone feels adequately relaxed, we hop on our bikes and take a family bike ride along the L. River as the sun sets on us. After we get home, we have a family dance party while making dinner for the kids and singing them to sleep. Once the kids are tucked in, my husband and I get ready and head to dinner at our favorite spot, Eveleigh. After dinner, we come home, snuggle on the couch and throw on the latest episode of Dateline. The museum lets them make their air-guitar fantasies come true on real instruments, or they can mix their own tunes in sound booths, just like a music producer or sound engineer.

Historic recordings and videos let you relive your youth, too Woodstock, anyone? Another enlightening exhibit lets you listen to the same recording produced using different mediums through the years, including gramophones, vinyl records, eight-track tapes remember those? Check calendar well in advance as big names sell out fast. Live complex, includes a diverse mix of In-the-know shoppers also head to nearby Beverly and Canon Drives, with beautiful shops and some of the best celebrity spotting in California.

Head for The Grove nearby, a luxurious outdoor shopping entertainment center, where you can eat, shop, then catch a movie or stroll to the adjacent Original Farmers Market—a great spot for food-oriented shopping. Fashion District and Santee Alley, with more than shops and street vendors selling almost everything imaginable—a great place to scour for bargain clothes. As the megawatt star when it comes to celebrities, L. Household names like Wolfgang Puck—whose legendary Spago in Beverly Hills still attracts A-listers—offer amazing, innovative dishes, often in equally spectacular settings—even rooftops.

For all the dress-up options and celebrity chefs dotting the city, the international city of Los Angeles also offers awesome places to get authentic, reasonably priced ethnic food, especially in tucked away neighborhoods. Try incredible do-it-yourself barbecue at Kang Hodong Baekjeong in Koreatown. Dig into perfect ramen at Tsujita in Little Tokyo. Or order the green corn tamales, a local favorite, at El Cholo, an L.

Shopping is an art form in California.

Want to sample fresh produce? One of the best things about L. To sample all that sultry fabulousness, consider riding the elevator to the top of the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood. Also downtown is Upstairs at Ace Hotel, with wraparound city views, including the profile of the towering San Gabriel Mountains. Chapter, then bring it up to your rooftop seat.

If you want a wacky and unforgettable night, try to nab one of the spaceship-like waterbed pods alongside the pool at The Rooftop at The Standard Downtown. With its soaring stainless-steel panels, the exterior of Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall has been likened to everything from a clipper ship to a blooming flower to origami.

Some people say the experience of hearing a performance in its main hall wrapped by undulating walls and billowing ceilings made of Douglas fir, is like being inside a cello or violin. Is that who I think it is? In California, the answer is probably yes. Here, stars and celebrities live, work, and play. Stay in such gay-friendly spots as the Surf and Sand El Pueblo De Los Angeles. Atlas Obscura, Packing Tips, Wine. Los Angeles Calendar of Events. Discover Los Angeles — Restaurants. We come from everywhere.

Help Los Angeles share this message with the world. Golden State of Mind: Pioneer of Fashion - Jennifer Meyer. See how designer Jennifer Meyer uses her California surroundings as inspiration for her whimsical line of fine jewelry. World-class art and a dynamic bar scene have helped transform DTLA into a must-visit neighborhood. Broken Shaker This rooftop bar has a refreshingly inclusive, come-as-you-are vibe. Museum of Contemporary Art. The Best Boutiques in Los Angeles. Surf, sun, and fewer crowds make Manhattan Beach a perfect coastal getaway. Discover Los Angeles - Manhattan Beach.

Discover Los Angeles - Where to Surf. City of Manhattan Beach. Surf in Hermosa Beach. Discover Los Angeles County. Beverly Hills Why there? Discover Los Angeles — Venice Beach.

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