I was shocked to learn that some of the Beach Cities families also participating in the Sister City exchange have never been to LACMA, Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It's a shame because it's a fabulous cultural resource and it is free for kids and their adult chaperones. LACMA is also free for all many hours each month. Check the
visiting LACMA page for details.
Each Friday and Saturday evening through the summer, there are free concerts--Jazz on Fridays, Latin on Saturdays--at 6 PM in the main entrance court. We pack a picnic dinner and listen from above, on the balcony area of the Ahmanson building. Other families bring blankets and sit on the grassy areas around the plaza. If you get there really early, you can find seats right in front of the stage.
LACMA is free for all LA County residents between 3 PM and closing M-F. On Fridays, all of the galleries are open to 8 PM and BCAM and Resnick Pavilion remain open until 11 PM.
The
LACMA film program also screens classics or hard to find movies at very modest ticket prices of $0-10.
With all this--and $10 flat rate parking--I don't know why museum attendance is in decline. It is a great value in terms of cost and quality of experience.
I also heard from some gallery visitors that they eat in the nearby (artificial and pricey) Grove shopping complex when they visit LACMA. They drive through Little Ethiopia, but don't stop to explore the shops and restaurants because they don't know where to go. We just stopped, walked around, tried a half dozen restaurants, and narrowed it down to our favorites. Next up, I'll review some of them. Ethiopian is a good cuisine for vegetarians, vegans and people on gluten-free diets. We're omnivores that enjoy good food, and that--and the hospitality of the culture--are the best reasons to eat Ethiopian IMHO.
Hi there - I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your blog. We are in different stages in our lives, but your perspective of life in LA and in your family are so intelligent and normal that it makes me feel better to know there are women like you out there. I am a long term sew-er and always looking for a better fit and look. Since I work in the environmental engineering field I like your world perspective too. anyway, just wanted to say thanks for sharing. Best wishes.
ReplyDeleteThank-you so much for the affirmation.
DeleteI want to put an alternative to the commercialized messages so prevalent in our lives. You don't have to spend gobs of money to have a good life. An unnoticed plain Jane may have a richer interior life than the fabulous-looking person everyone is staring at.
We always eat at Rosalind's in Little Ethiopia. Rosalind's was the last meal I ate before Nell was born--their spicy stew must have started labor (or maybe it was the two hours walking around LACMA before the spicy stew; probably the combination). The owner tells me that other women have similar stories. So it's a sentimental favorite.
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