Who is Online

We have 72 guests and no members online

 

 

 

In the past, when visiting Los Angeles, we have stayed around Hollywood somewhere. You can see the 2012 photo album by clicking on the pictures below (in Hollywood). If you are contemplating visiting, you may be interested to read about out unfortunate experience 2017 here... 

This time we rejected Hollywood in favour of downtown LA. The Millennium Biltmore. It's central and a lot nicer than the places we've stayed over there.

The Millenium Biltmore Hotel and the nearby Public Library
- lower right - a most impressive building

During the afternoon I spent an hour or so in the Public Library, waiting for Wendy to return from her grand shopping expedition to the outlets. I also took a walk up the street (hill) to the local Art Museums: The Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) and the BROAD.  I would visit the BROAD another day.
To see some of the artworks at MoCA and BROAD click on the pictures below.

I subsequently discovered that they can be reached, without climbing the hill, by staying on the lower streets. These lead around to the local produce market and the Angels Flight Funicular. You know: 'Funiculi Funicular'. It costs $1 to be taken up. But it's a longer walk.

There is also a bus service, for less than a dollar, but it's infrequent or you can take the Metro to the markets (one stop). 

Chess players near the Mall metro station; The gallery/concert precinct; Angels Flight Funicular; In the metro station;
In the Walt Disney Concert Hall foyer; Local architecture of interest (Art Deco etc)

To see some of my photos of the art in MoCA and the BROAD click on the image above (top-right).

The BROAD is adjacent to the architecturally spectacular Walt Disney Concert Hall. It's more impressive outside than in the foyer (see above) but I understand that the auditorium itself is equally marvellous.

  Walt Disney Concert Hall, LA. Architect: Frank Gehry

 

No comments

Travel

Greece and Türkiye 2024

 

 

 

 

In May 2024 Wendy and I travelled to Europe and after a string of flights landed in Berlin. By now we are quite familiar with that city and caught public transport to Emily and Guido's apartment to be greeted by our grandchildren and their parents.  I have previously reported on their family, so, suffice it to say, we had a very pleasant stay and even got out to their country place again.

From Berlin we flew to Greece and had an initial few days in Athens, before returning to Berlin, then back to Greece, a week later, to join a cruise of the Greek islands and Türkiye (just one port).

At the end of the cruise we spent a self-guided week on Crete. We finished our European trip with a week in Bulgaria, followed by a week in the UK, before flying back to Sydney.

Read more: Greece and Türkiye 2024

Fiction, Recollections & News

My car owning philosophies

 

 

I have owned well over a dozen cars and driven a lot more, in numerous countries. 

It seems to me that there are a limited number of reasons to own a car:

  1. As a tool of business where time is critical and tools of trade need to be carried about in a dedicated vehicle.
  2. Convenient, fast, comfortable, transport particularly to difficult to get to places not easily accessible by public transport or cabs or in unpleasant weather conditions, when cabs may be hard to get.
  3. Like clothes, a car can help define you to others and perhaps to yourself, as an extension of your personality.
  4. A car can make a statement about one's success in life.
  5. A car can be a work of art, something re-created as an aesthetic project.
  6. A car is essential equipment in the sport of driving.

Read more: My car owning philosophies

Opinions and Philosophy

Energy woes in South Australia

 

 

 

 

South Australia has run aground on the long foreseen wind energy reef - is this a lee shore?

Those of you who have followed my energy commentaries published here over the past six years will know that this situation was the entirely predictable outcome of South Australia pressing on with an unrealistic renewable energy target dependent on wind generated electricity, subsidised by market distorting Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs) (previously called RECs in some places on this website - the name was changed after their publication).  

Read more: Energy woes in South Australia

Terms of Use

Terms of Use                                                                    Copyright