Best museum in Southern California?

[gamelan]

big fan of MoCA. was at the 40th retrospective this past summer and it's amazing how many artists are represented in their collection. Temporary Contemporary is a little out there for me though.

i'll argue that the whole LA basin metropolis is one of the best museums if you're looking for architecture that represents the culture and history of Los Angeles. if you do visit MoCA (a great Isozaki building in its own right), take some time to check out Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the Central Library and the Bradbury Building. then grab some food at the Farmer's Market. all within walking distance.

-Jeff

 

[danilo]

I went to the Getty, I think it's worth visiting since it's free. Fantastic view as well, go on a clear day.

 

[james_timothy]

I love the Huntington Library, too, but the Getty Villa is one of the planet's jewels.

Getty had that spectacular villa built and that turns a lovely collection into something special. I get the same kind of feeling when I'm there that I do at the British Museum, that I could spend endless time just trying to understand what these people were up to when they made these great artifacts.

One of my deep background tasks is to meet someone who is working at the Villa on some academic tour of duty, and buy them a drink- I'd like to start collecting Villa stories.

 

[Stewbone]

Best museum that ive been to in so cal is the Pageant of the Masters in orange county. Not sure if it counts since its living but oh well.

 

[mordecai]

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by gamelan

i'll argue that the whole LA basin metropolis is one of the best museums if you're looking for architecture that represents the culture and history of Los Angeles. if you do visit MoCA (a great Isozaki building in its own right), take some time to check out Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the Central Library and the Bradbury Building. then grab some food at the Farmer's Market. all within walking distance.

-Jeff

i'm with you Jeff. that's been my backyard for 25 years. i'd also add the julia morgan building the old Herald Examiner was in and the Pacific Watch (??? the turquoise one) building. but just for the record, that's the Grand Central Market, not the farmers market. And the place to go is Tacos al Tumbra.

 

[mordecai]

Originally Posted by foodguy

i'm with you Jeff. that's been my backyard for 25 years. i'd also add the julia morgan building the old Herald Examiner was in and the Pacific Watch (??? the turquoise one) building. but just for the record, that's the Grand Central Market, not the farmers market. And the place to go is Tacos al Tumbra.

ever wander into that central american shamanism shop next door?

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by mharwitt

ever wander into that central american shamanism shop next door?

always ... and i used to go to the goodwill there, too ... right next to the wedding chapel that also does quickie divorces!

 

[mordecai]

Originally Posted by foodguy

always ... and i used to go to the goodwill there, too ... right next to the wedding chapel that also does quickie divorces!

bradbury building on one side and angel's flight on the other. i love that part of downtown (during business hours)

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by mharwitt

bradbury building on one side and angel's flight on the other. i love that part of downtown (during business hours)

it's much better at night, too. hell, there's a hipster bar in teh alley behind where i used to work, where we couldn't go out the backdoor because the smell of hobo urine was so strong. the new caltrans and police headquarters buildings have made a huge difference in the neighborhood.

 

[A Y]

It's not bad on the weekends, too. If I'm not lazy, I'll walk from WDCH to Grand Central Market for food (love the little fried fish in a styrofoam cup) before a show. It's also funny how many car commercials are filmed on Grand, and conversely how recognizable LA is in so many TV shows and commercials.

--Andre

 

[foodguy]

hey andre, where do you get the fried fish? is that from teh fish market/stand right in the center entrance?

 

[mordecai]

Originally Posted by foodguy

it's much better at night, too. hell, there's a hipster bar in teh alley behind where i used to work, where we couldn't go out the backdoor because the smell of hobo urine was so strong. the new caltrans and police headquarters buildings have made a huge difference in the neighborhood.
i'm now too old/coupled for hipster bars and the smell, too young for wdch, and that area is right between the two MoCA branches that i go to. for now it exists to me only during daytime.

 

[foodguy]

what is wdch?

 

[Cary Grant]

Originally Posted by foodguy

if you had simply asked about good museums, that would be one thing; if you had gone to all the major museums ... or even 3-4 of them ... and dogged them, that would be another. but to dog them without even having done the basic homework is just covering up laziness with attitude.

Hmmm.... don't many food critics, and chefs, come to think of it, employ this technique???