You See LA: Winter 2018
Things to see and do around LA, handpicked by Erkki Huhtamo
Erkki Huhtamo is a media archaeologist, historian, and curator who holds joint appointments as a Professor in the Departments of Design Media Arts and Film, Television, and Digital Media. Below, he offers his "Alternative Pedestrian LA."
I have a rare hobby: I explore Los Angeles on foot. About twice a month, normally on Saturday mornings, I take to the road from the Westside, close to where the 405 and 10 freeways meet, and fulfill my peripatetic desires by walking all the way to Downtown Los Angeles. I normally follow Pico or Venice Boulevard, sometimes choosing other routes. I reach Downtown in between two-and-a-half and three hours, and take the Expo line train back.
Why do I do it? To get exercise and to give myself ample time to think (there is no smartphone in my pocket), but also to witness the city and its inhabitants from unusual perspectives in the spirit of the Situationist International. Having reached Downtown, I always feel refreshed and energized rather than exhausted. Here are some of my regular destinations along the walk, which I recommend for anyone who starts feeling bored with their customary daily routines. Try something new—head Downtown through unexplored terrain!
Papa Cristo's
If I have chosen Pico Boulevard, I sometimes stop for a coffee at Design Cafe Dabang, (3501 W. Pico Blvd at Westchester Pl. near Arlington Blvd.), a nicely designed Korean-inspired place, which has design and art exhibits on view while serving exquisite coffee and tea and good snacks in a friendly, cozy atmosphere. Walking further and reaching Pico and Normandy, almost every time I step inside Papa Cristo’s (2771 W. Pico Blvd), an astonishing Greek deli and taverna, which was founded in 1948 and is still going strong in the same location. The food is delicious, although I am often pleased with just a leafy kreatopita meat pastry. At the corner of Pico and Vermont, I buy sliced mango sprinkled with chili powder and lime juice from elderly Mexican ladies, who laugh and wonder why a gringo would want their treat.
Fernando's Taco Inn
If you decide to follow my footsteps and feel hungry when you reach Downtown, forget the pricy tourist traps of L.A. Live and go instead to Fernando’s Taco Inn in the shadow of the Figueroa Hotel, next to a carwash (815 W. Olympic, close to the Figueroa street intersection). This no frills place has served me their delicious and inexpensive trademark carnitas plates (no. 31 on the menu) for nearly 20 years, or as long as I have lived in Los Angeles. Service is great, portions substantial, and you get to mingle with the colorful and friendly working class population of LA, the majority in our region. I am delighted to notice that I am recognized and greeted by the cashier when I step in.
Clifton's Cafeteria
On my alternative Downtown tour the first stop is Clifton’s Cafeteria (648 S. Broadway). It is living history—an astonishing treasure—which is at the same time an eatery, cafe and clubhouse, and an environmental diorama. As a piece of materialized virtual reality it dates back to the era of the Great Depression. Clifton’s Cafeteria has inspired many articles and a detailed Wikipedia entry. Founded in 1935, the surviving Clifton’s carries the motto “Dine Free Unless Delighted” and has retained its popularity after a long facelift, which was fortunately carried out with respect to the original interior. Beside culinary delights, there are many details and documents to study. Don’t miss the chapel, where you can spend a moment with a loved one behind a closed door while meditating amidst a miniature redwood forest.
The Last Bookstore
An absolute must is The Last Bookstore at the Spring Arts Tower (5th & Spring). It is much more than a traditional bookstore. In its 22,000 square foot space it has really become an independent cultural center hosting events and alternative art and design galleries. As most independent bookstores have disappeared from the LA area, regular visits to The Last Bookstore have become, for me, an obsession. Here, I can still do what I have done all my life, browse shelf after shelf of great and unusual books, looking for things that have escaped my attention. The only thing that saddens me are the hordes of visitors who seem to have no interest in reading. They use books as a background for their selfies (huge numbers are taken every day at the entrance to the “book tunnel” and posted on social media). As someone who is interested in the things between the covers, I hate the idea of book as decoration.
Next, I walk up the hill along W. 5th street. This time, I will not turn right on Grand to visit MOCA, The Broad, or The Walt Disney Concert Hall (although the REDCAT Theater is one of my regular Downtown destinations). Instead, I head straight past the LA Central Library to Flower Street and enter John Portman’s Bonaventure Hotel (1974–76) (404 S. Figueroa St.). I am always astonished to find out that almost none of my design culture students are familiar with this landmark of postmodern architecture. Taking a ride on its famous pod-like landscape elevators is my top tip for a design-minded explorer with a limited budget (it is free). The moment when they shoot out from the still futuristic interior to the outside is as good as any amusement park ride can offer— only better—because here the you get to witness one of the greatest cities on Earth, at the same time vibrant, real, and mythical.
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