Downtown

This morning despite a long ride from the airport last night and the nightclub next door to my room I rose bright and early and went for a 'getting reacquainted with LA' run. It was refreshing to be out in the sun as the city was coming to life and even though I got a terrible stitch about 7pm in. I was ravenous after my shower and I ended up at Starbucks again.

I took the metro to downtown LA after breakfast and my first stop was the Walt Disney Concert Hall designed by the visionary Frank Gehry (who also collaborates with Tiffany's...).







The interior is filled with light and has the feel of a large atrium in the middle of the city; a designated space for the performing arts to bloom and nourish Los Angeles.












Through his use of natural materials in both refined and raw finishes Gehry has created a soaring cathedral of the arts that is an artwork in itself. It is said that Gehry draws a lot of inspiration from oceanic reference and the theme of an abstract fish recurs throughout much of his work. The Walt Disney concert hall appears as a ship sailing along Grand Avenue and the white ceilings inside the building bring to mind billowing sails.
The garden is no less impressive, the landscape architect worked with Gehry to create a space filled with trees and more performance spaces. She actually went around to households in Los Angeles and when she spotted a mature tree that would compliment her design she would ask the owner to donate it to the project, the result is a magnificent open space where at least one tree is in blossom throughout the year. The impressive rose sculpture was Gehry's tribute to Lillian Disney.






I highly recommend taking the volunteer led tours as we also got to see inside the other theaters and buildings in the music complex.
I continued down first street after short stop at the bookstore.



I headed to Little Tokyo for lunch and discovered the gem Matsui restaurant hiding in a shopping complex.
My fantastic rice and vegetable dish lunch.


I am in love.
The shopping centre also has some great street art on the walls.




Right now I am recharging before the Dodgers game with an Anericano and a banana and a smile from the gorgeous guy behind the counter at Starbucks.

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