Diane Aoki, Creativity Activism
  • Home Page
  • Blog
  • Poetry
  • Songs
  • Art
  • Plays
  • Reviews
  • Travel Journal
  • Artists of Note
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog

Travel Journal

 Does travel make you more creative? More compassionate?Yes, if you travel with those intentions. 

Los Angeles Respite: Part 1

6/29/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
My daughter Dance recently relocated to L.A. She got a great job at the Japanese American National Museum which is in Little Tokyo. She found an apartment nearby and is planning on living her new life there without a car. Life has been super stressful with my mom hospitalized for an illness and then having to get used to Dance moving (and my brother had also moved to Arizona recently). My sister from Northern California came for a visit and to help out with mom. She encouraged me to take a break; Dance had also suggested I come to L.A. as well. So I took them on the offer. So glad I did.
Two of my mom's sisters moved to L.A. when they were young, so my cousins grew up there. I got to know them when I was in college there at Occidental, and Dance also got to know them when she went to USC. They are fantastic people and I am so glad that we are connected to them. On the first day, my cousin had us over for lunch
​. 
Picture
The next day, Sunday, we walked around her neighborhood, which is near the Disney Center and Grand Park, among other things. We had lunch at the Grand Central Market, which reminded me of Mexico (a little). I think it used to be like the public markets in Mexico, but now it's pretty much a really good food court. 
Picture
Morning walk - Disney Center just down the street.
Picture
City Hall at the end of Grand Park
Picture
Grand Central Market
Picture
Pupusas!
After lunch, we took the Angel's Flight Funicular to the street above, where the Broad Contemporary Art Museum is located. It just recently opened and we got tickets. Sorry, it's a blur, if it wasn't for these photos, I would've forgotten we went there. Need to pay more attention.
Picture
Picture
This was supposed to make you feel like the little kid at the table.
Picture
Jeff Koons, Tulips
I had made arrangements to have dinner with an old college friend, Carla. Took her to a place just a block away from Dance's place, Au Loc, an Asian-ish, vegan-ish restaurant. I caught her just before she went on a 3-week trip to France, where she has a house. 
Picture
Picture
Disney Center in the background.
The next day, Monday. had a book-related theme. A friend, Kelly, works at the Central Library, which is also close to where Dance lives. We had lunch at Lemonades, a salad and lemonade place that Dance had taken me to years ago. Then I went to The Last Bookstore, a very cool bookstore  in walking distance of the Library, where they have artwork made of old books throughout the store.. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Tuesday was my Little Tokyo day. It was the first day the the Japanese-American National Museum was open after the shutdown, so I made a reservation and went. This is where Dance's new jobs is, so I actually made it to her workplace before she did because she was STILL working remotely. Let me tell you up front. I love Little Tokyo. I went there almost every day for some reason or another.
Picture
Cafe Dulce recommended by my niece. Matcha donut.
Picture
The Japanese Garden was not open but you could see it from above.
Picture
WWII monument to Japanese-American soldiers. I looked for my uncles' names, but did not find them.
Picture
The exhibit here was incredible. I loved how they combined the artifacts with haiku and personal accounts.
Picture
Picture
Afternoon treat, this time with a bacon donut!
In the evening, another college friend Val, picked Kelly and I up at the Library, and we went out to dinner at Hippo, in Highland Park, which is a neighborhood close to where we went to College. It's described as New American cuisine. We had a great time with the food, spirits, and company. 
Picture
Just a sampling of what we had. We did sharesies, which is a sign of good eating partners. 
Picture
Picture
Honey bread
Picture
Dessert!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I have traveled quite a bit, and am using this page to record some memories. Travel is a wonderful education, expanding your view of the world, of other cultures, of the beauty of diversity. 

    Archives

    June 2021
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    July 2017
    November 2016
    December 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Go to the contact form to subscribe to my newsletter or send me a message.

Contact Form
t
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home Page
  • Blog
  • Poetry
  • Songs
  • Art
  • Plays
  • Reviews
  • Travel Journal
  • Artists of Note
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog