Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [101]
The action centers on Leimert Park Village – Degnan Blvd between 43rd St and the namesake park where bongo freaks gather for Sunday afternoon drum circles. Nearby, the World Stage is a destination for jazz aficionados, while blues brothers head around the corner to the historic Babe & Ricky’s Click here. You can stock up on African fabrics at African by the Yard (Map; 4319 Degnan Blvd), paintings and sculpture at Gallery Plus (4333 Degnan Blvd), exotic shell and amber jewelry at Sika (4330 Degnan) and gifts and artifacts at Zambezi Bazaar (4334 Degnan Blvd).
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DETOUR: FARMER JOHN PIG MURAL
An unassuming factory building in the bleak industrial city of Vernon, about 4 miles east of Exposition Park, is brightened by a mural (Map; 3049 E Vernon Ave, Vernon) that looks adorable but is really sick and twisted. Called Hog Heaven, it shows happy pigs romping around a bucolic countryside. Judging by their squeals, the truckloads of live pigs arriving here are not fooled: they seem to know they’re headed not to heaven but to ‘hog hell’ and the only way out is as bacon or pork chops.
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Phillip’s Barbecue has great ribs, while Lucy Florence’s Coffeehouse & Cultural Center (Map; 323-293-2395; 3351 W 43rd St) serves up readings, music and theater alongside its mocha and sweet-potato pie. The place that launched Macy Gray’s career is owned by Ron and Richard Harris, also known the ‘Swirl Twins’ from America’s Next Top Model.
Griffith Park
A gift to the city in 1896 by mining mogul Griffith J Griffith, Griffith Park (Map; 323-913-4688; admission free; 6am-10pm, trails close at dusk; ) is a wonderful playground with facilities for all age levels and interests. At five times the size of New York’s Central Park, it is one of the country’s largest urban green spaces and embraces an outdoor theater, the city zoo, an observatory, two museums, golf courses, tennis courts, playgrounds, bridle paths, 53 miles of hiking trails, Batman’s caves and even the Hollywood Sign.
In May 2007, a devastating fire roared across its chaparral-cloaked hillsides, destroying about 850 acres – or one quarter – of the park and threatening structures and nearby residences. The burnt areas will remain closed long-term, but other hiking trails should be reopened by mid-2008. All facilities listed below are open. This includes the richly festooned 1926 Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round (Map; 323-665-3051; Park Center; rides $1; 11am-5pm daily May-Sep, Sat & Sun Oct-Apr) with beautifully carved and painted horses sporting real horse-hair tails.
Access to the park is easiest via the Griffith Park Dr or Zoo Dr exits off I-5 (Golden State Fwy). Parking is plentiful and free. For information and maps stop by the Griffith Park Ranger Station (Map; 323-665-5188; 4730 Crystal Springs Dr).
GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY
Billions and billions of stars for millions and millions of dollars. After four years and $93 million, this landmark 1935 observatory (Map; 213-473-0800; www.griffithobservatory.org; 2800 Observatory Rd; admission free, shuttle bus adult/child & senior $8/4, planetarium shows $7/5; noon-10pm Tue-Fri, 10am-10pm Sat & Sun; ) again opens a window on the universe from its perch on the southern slopes of Mt Hollywood. Its revamped planetarium now boasts the world’s most advanced star projector, and hollowing out the front lawn nearly doubled the original exhibit space, and added a store, a self-service café and a theater.
Apparently, all the fancy engineering (the historic structure had to be lifted up in order to perform excavations underneath it) left only relative chump change for the astronomical displays themselves, which often lack imagination, depth and clarity. The