Six Historic Spots In Downtown Los Angeles

If you've got a few hours to spend in Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA), you can easily cruise by six historic places that are located within a few blocks of each other! One of the many things I (Lara) love about DTLA is that everywhere you look you will see a piece of the past, and many buildings have been beautifully renovated and are enjoying an awesome second act. Wear some comfortable shoes, bring your water and sunscreen, and have fun! And for some terrific tours (self-guided and with an actual guide), check out the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Conservancy. Also, I cover 30 Old Hollywood-inspired places in my book, FROM THE CORNER OF HOLLYWOOD AND DIVINE. 

1. Pershing Square 532 South Olive Street

 
In the early 1900s, Pershing Square (which is exactly a block in size) was known as Central Park and filled with trees. Now, it is mainly concrete and the site of many musical performances and events, with a cool fountain in part of the park and playground areas for the kiddos. Le Pain Quotidien, Tender Greens, and Pitchoun! French bakery are in the nearby PacMutual Building; you can grab a bite to eat and enjoy it in the park while soaking up some sun.

2. Metro 417 (formerly the Subway Terminal Building) 417 South Hill Street

  Opened in 1926, the Subway Terminal Building once had 65,000 people passing through it each day! It was part of the Pacific Electric Railway system, and this line allowed people to bypass the busy streets of Downtown Los Angeles. Yes, even in the 1920s people were complaining about the traffic! The tunnel has been filled in for decades now, but the Italian Renaissance Revival building has found new life as Metro 417, a luxury apartment building.

3.  Grand Central Market 317 Broadway

 

Grand Central Market first opened in 1917 on the first-floor of the Homer Laughlin Building (architect Frank Lloyd Wright once had an office here), and offered the finest open-air shopping experience in Los Angeles. The wealthy folks that lived in the nearby (now demolished) Victorian mansions at the top of Bunker Hill would ride the Angels Flight Railway down the hill, pick up what they needed, and take the little train back up the hill. Today, you'll find restaurants, produce vendors, and specialty stands (we even spotted an herbal pharmacy). This is where you can fuel up with some strong java, and there are also public restrooms downstairs. 

4.  One Bunker Hill (formerly the Southern California Edison Building) 601 West Fifth Street

 Opened in 1931, this building features a classic Art Deco design, with setbacks, recessed and symmetrical windows, and strong vertical lines (representing progress). Also, as a nod to progress, there are decorative panels at the entrance with carved figures representing light, power, and hydroelectric energy. This was one of the first buildings in the U.S. to be electrically heated and cooled, which was life-changing in scorching DTLA in the summer. 

 

5. Los Angeles Central Library 630 West Fifth Street

Opened in 1926, the Central Library is still stunning, and most people would probably say that its most recognizable exterior feature is the pyramid with suns on each side. In addition to a full-on Egyptian influence, you will see lots of Art Deco details. And things just get better inside, with murals depicting the history of California, ornately patterned floors, and an art gallery. Check out the library store, café area for some fresh-squeezed juice, and (if you have kiddos) the wonderful children’s section complete with a puppet show theatre and tiny toddler amphitheatre. 

6. Millennium Biltmore Hotel 506 South Grand Avenue

Opened in 1923, the Biltmore Hotel (as it was originally known) is a wonderful hodgepodge of styles, from Mediterranean to Beaux Arts to Spanish-Italian Renaissance Revival. Between the crystal chandeliers, wood-beamed ceilings, frescos and murals, gorgeously embroidered tapestries and drapes, and a ton of bronze and gold, it is no wonder that the Biltmore hosted the Oscars in the ceremony’s early years; in fact, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded at a luncheon here in 1927. 

Walk through the Galleria that’s just off the lobby, and descend the large staircase into the hotel’s Rendezvous Court, which was the Biltmore’s original lobby. There’s a gently gurgling fountain in the middle of the room; this is where afternoon tea happens in the afternoon. I recommend making a reservation and getting your hands on some homemade scones and clotted cream!

Walk out the back doors of the Biltmore, and there’s Pershing Square! You’re right back where you started.

Tea For Two With A Side Of Old Hollywood Glam At The Millennium Biltmore Hotel

The Millennium Biltmore Hotel, a Historic Cultural Landmark, is located on Grand Avenue, right across the street from the Central Library, and has retained its classic glamour for almost 100 years. It opened in 1923, and at the time was the largest hotel west of Chicago. Even now, surrounded by skyscrapers, it still looks and feels imposing with a solid eleven stories. It is beautiful and warm on the inside, and the perfect place to kick back and relax with an afternoon tea break.

The Biltmore has always had a strong Hollywood connection, from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences being founded here, to the rumor that MGM Art Director Cedric Gibbons sketched a drawing on a napkin that was the basis for the Oscar statue, to hosting eight Academy Awards ceremonies in the 1930s and 1940s.

It is tough to pin the décor down to one style; is it Mediterranean? Beaux Arts? Spanish? Yes, yes, yes, and more. As you stroll in, make sure you look up in the Galleria to see the hand-painted, frescoed mural ceiling done by Italian artist Giovanni Smeraldi (one of the restaurants in the hotel was named after him).

Afternoon tea happens Wednesday through Sunday (reservations are recommended), in the Rendezvous Court, which was once the hotel's lobby. The tables are set up beside a gently gurgling fountain, under Italian chandeliers, and at the foot of an impressive Spanish Baroque staircase that you may have seen on the TV show Entourage.

 The Princess Tea includes a pot of tea, a freshly baked scone with cream and preserves, and a selection of freshly baked cakes. The Victorian Tea (which is what I--Lara-- had on my visit) came with more than enough food and drink to fill up two people, served on a three-tiered stand on tables covered in white tablecloths and set with china featuring a sweet rose pattern.

There is a wonderful variety of teas to soothe away stress and help you forget that you are surrounded by the busy streets of Downtown Los Angeles, including Ceylon and India, Black Tea Blended, English Royal Breakfast, Masala Chai, Lemon Echinacea (good for a cold), and Apricot Cinnamon. 

The tea sandwiches are cut into tiny diamond shapes...with the crusts off, of course! My selection included egg salad and asparagus, smoked salmon and dill butter, cucumber and cream cheese, and ham and cheese on pumpernickel. 

The pastries include fruit tarts, chocolate truffles, and  freshly baked scones with homemade Devonshire cream and strawberry preserves that will most likely have you licking the heavenly clotted cream off of your fingers.

(This blog is also up at www.ClassicMovieRecall.com, where you can also hear my podcast.)

Contact Info:
Millennium Biltmore Hotel
506 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90071
213-624-1011

I'm Vintage Shopper's April Blogger of the Month!

The Culver Hotel, affectionately known as the "Pie Slice" for its unique shape.

 I'm excited to announce that my alter ego, Art Deco Divas, has been named Vintage Shopper's April Blogger of the Month! I am beyond honored by this, as VS has a wonderfully talented blogging community that I'm so grateful to be a part of. I won for a piece I wrote on Old Hollywood hotels, which features the Biltmore, Culver Hotel, and Hollywood Roosevelt. You can check out the piece here, and find out which hotel once housed the Munchkins, which one is rumored to be haunted, and which one was the place where the design for the Oscars statue was born. And while you're on the Vintage Shopper site, why not do a little browsing of those fab retro goods?