On April 28, 'Phase 1' of Los Angeles' Metro Expo line was inaugurated. This new line travels from downtown L.A. out to La Cienega. When I saw news of the line's opening and watched an interview with the artist who's work is displayed at the 'Expo/La Brea' station, I knew I wanted to see the artwork for myself, since he was inspired by a very popular Mexican game, La Loteria.
L.A. Metro gave free rides during the weekend to celebrate the opening. On Saturday, there were over 40,000 riders! Luckily, Fred and I went on Sunday morning when there were fewer people.
To explain, La Loteria is a form of Bingo with a deck of cards, each with a unique picture. When I was studying Spanish in San Miguel de Allende, my maestra (teacher) used the cards to help improve our vocabulary. Within Mexico, the illustrations on the cards are well-known and are featured (usually comically) in Mexican art. I wanted to see how this artist, Jose Lozano, had incorporated the classic images of the game cards into his depiction of Metro riders.
We began our ride at Expo Park/USC and rode past four stations to the fifth, Expo/La Brea. Here are some photos of the trip.
These maps are at each station
We began our trip at the Expo Park/USC Station
Here comes the Metro train
In this video, Jose Lozano talks about the opening of the new Los Angeles Metro Station
La Brea/ Expo with his artwork inspired from the Mexican game, La Loteria. Jose took photos of people riding the Metro system and drew
44 cards that were integrated into panels
with different colors and with his distinctive artist's style background
of faces - all printed on tiles.
La Loteria - This is the Mexican game that inspired the artist's cards
In this game, each player has a card like the one above, similar to Bingo
A few examples of playing cards
When we arrived at the station stop, I was delighted with the artwork. Mr. Lozano made his 'La Loteria' cards come alive with his images of daily train riders. The tiles are mounted in overhead panels, making them easy to see above the heads of crowds--but a little difficult to photograph. I should have brought a ladder!
Here's some close-ups of the 44 cards/riders.
La Artista
El Luggage
Los Boletos (traveler buying tickets)
La Conversaton
La Prisa (hurrying)
The original artwork has been transferred to tile panels with distinctive colorful backgrounds.These are only a few of the panels on display.
One of the many volunteers on hand to help direct riders
Fred being a good sport while I photograph
Each station along the Expo line has its own art theme to view and enjoy. For those in So Cal, I highly recommend an outing and a ride on this new line. In three years' time, 'Phase 2' is scheduled to open and will run all the way to Santa Monica.
One of the many compelling reasons to visit San Miguel de Allende is to explore its churches. There are over 42 churches within its city limits, many of them centuries old. They each have their unique history and architecture. San Miguel's oldest church, dating from 1542, lies a about a mile outside the city, where the first community of indigenous people settled. When a good source of water was discovered further up the hill a few years later, everyone moved to the area that has since become the city's current location. Today, San Miguel's most famous structure and the symbol of the city is its parish church, La Parroquia. A Gothic design of pink granite (almost Disneyesque) dating from 1880, it's plaza, El Jardin, is the center of activity in the colonial old town where in the evening mariachis play, young people flirt, and tourists snap photos. The city's many churches are a photographer's delight. While I was there, I never tired of trying to get just the 'right shot' of these colorful architectural structures. Reading about them and learning their rich history made them even more compelling for me. Here's some of my favorite photos:
That's Max in front of San Miguel's oldest church, which dates from 1542 and lies a few miles outside the city.
A detail of the carving above the door shows two angels hovering over a (parishoner's?) face. The church was built by the Spanish to help in converting the indigenous Chichimeca Indians.
The original ofrenda (altar for offerings) used by the first parishioners now sits alone in a field with San Miguel in the distance.
Templo de Inmaculada Concepción de las Monjas
Templo de Inmaculada Concepción de las Monjas
This old church is no longer open, but its four bells, graduated in size from small to large, must have made an imposing sound at one time.
Nuestra Señora de la Salud
Iglesia. In front of this church is the Plaza Allende (see below)
where there's always activity--children playing, music, vendors selling
snacks.
The Plaza Allende, in front of the Salud Church (above), is a central plaza in the old town. A block away stands the Templo de San Francisco.
Oratorio of San Filipe Neri
San Miguel created its Oratorio in 1712 when it invited a famous preacher from the town of Patzcuaro to deliver a series of Lenten sermons. Don Juan Antonio Perez de Espinoza did such a good job that the Miguelinos invited him to stay and built this church.
Max and I enjoying my friend, Marlene's, roof garden. Behind us are just a few of the church spires we could view--and hear! Each morning there would be a concert of bells.
Night view of San Miguel's most famous landmark - its parish church, La Parroquia.
La Parroquia at twilight. The church fronts on El Jardin, a central park and meeting place for San Miguel residents and tourists alike.
There were torrential rains on the night of Corpus Christi, which fell on June 23 in 2011. The streets emptied out, leaving La Parroquia standing solitary and beautiful with its lights and banners.
After leaving Dolores Hlldalgo's parish church (Part 1), Lori, Bob, and I continued exploring the city with a visit next door to the Museo de la Independencia (Museum of Independence). The museum's building was once a prison, and when Father Hildalgo issued his 'Cry of Independence' on the church steps, one of his dramatic gestures was to march next door and free all the prisoners, inviting them to join the cause. Besides local history, the museum's rooms also portray early Mexican history.
Another long-lasting legacy of Father Hildalgo's was the introduction of pottery-making techniques to the area. Today, Dolores Hildalgo is well-known as the center for production of Talavera, pottery which is decorated in vibrant colors and fired at very high temperatures for durability. There are hundreds of shops along the streets and everything can be packed and shipped to accommodate shoppers from all over the world. As we walked through the streets, some of the beautiful plates and bowls I saw were very hard to pass up.
We found on this trip that when visiting Dolores Hildalgo it's important to save room for dessert! The city is famous for its ice cream stands in the Zocalo, or Plaza.These stands offer hand-made ice cream in creative flavors. Pine nut (tried it - good!) and guacamole as well as shrimp, tequila, pork rind, and even octopus (I've heard it's chewy). I learned that I could make up any flavor and ask for it. I'd be told by the vendor that they were out of it but to come back the next day. And it would be there! Maybe something like 'Chile, Rum, Avocado, Chocolate Chip'.....?? Unfortunately, our trip was only a few hours - not enough time to create a new flavor. For me, this is a good reason to plan a return trip. There's also plenty to explore while I'm waiting for my new flavor.
This lovely Colonial building facing the Plaza is constructed of pink granite with Baroque columns.
Here's a 'visual' in the Museum of Independence depicting Father Hildalgo releasing the prisoners.
A painting in the museum illustrates the Aztec Calendar Stone, which was found in Mexico City and dates back to the 15th Century.
These Talavera toilets could certainly be a focal point of any bathroom.
More colorful bathroom ceramics
Lori next to a few mugs.
Here's a creative way of washing a windshield, not sure I'd recommend it though.
Saturday is one of the city's market days and there are many stands selling fresh fruits and vegetables.
A VERY popular snack in Mexico is fried pork rind. In the Plaza, a vendor sells huge slabs - looks like the whole skin of the pig.
One of the vendors selling hand-made ice cream in the Plaza.
On a Saturday, I go with my friends from school, Bob and Lori, to the nearby town of Dolores Hildalgo. The bus ride to the northern city takes about 45 minutes and the bus has great reclining seats, air-conditioning, and even a few monitors showing a movie. Hardly the hot, dusty, rickety buses often evoked in tales of Mexican travel.
Knowing a little about Mexican history can be helpful when visiting Dolores Hildalgo, since it's considered the 'Cradle of National Independence.' Here's a couple interesting facts:
- It was in front of his parish church that Miguel Hildalgo, in 1810, uttered his cry for independence (Grito de Dolores). This was the beginning of Mexico's fight for independence from Spain which would continue until 1821, when Mexico became an independent nation.
- Initially, the town was called simply Dolores, but was later renamed Dolores Hildalgo in Father Hildalgo's honor.
There's a lot to see in Dolores Hildalgo and we only had part of one day. Our first visit upon arriving (and object of this post) is the historic parish church.
Bob and Lori outside Dolores Hildalgo's Baroque parish church, built in 1768 and highly decorated in carved rose granite.
Here's a closer detail of the carved facade.
The central altar of the church, Mexican Baroque with its vertical columns.
Gilded altarpiece dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, the ever-present icon of Catholic Mexico.
This altarpiece is spectacular! Completely carved wood from floor to ceiling.
A closer look at details
Another side altar with Corinthian columns
A side altar in the process of having its gold leaf restored. This is a painstaking job requiring skill and patience. The gold leaf, very thin and wrinkly, has to be laid on and glued on the stone, then rolled and polished to a high sheen.
A statue of Miguel Hildalgo was erected in 1891 and stands in the center of the town plaza.
On New Year's Eve day, Fred and I set off to explore a new (to us) part of Los Angeles. Based on an article in Sunset Magazine, our goal is the eastern destinations of the Gold Line, an extended set of eight stations that opened late in 2009. This link has a map of the route: http://www.metro.net/around/rail/gold-line/
We begin our trip at Union Station. I love this place and think it's one of the most iconic buildings in L.A. It's grand opening was in 1939 and it still keeps much of its original design, a combination of Moderne and Mission Revival that somehow works. Our plan is to travel east on the Gold Line to its last stop--Atlantic.
A view of Union Station's clock tower juxtaposed against old and new-- the tip of City Hall (1928) and the U.S. Bank Tower (1989)
The classic entrance to Union Station, dating from 1939
Streamline Moderne clock design combined with Mission Revival ceiling
Looking down from the entrance; the lower walls are travertine marble and the upper section is an early form of acoustical tile.
Once there, we walk a few blocks to reach ChimMaya Gallery. This is a very cool gallery with four rooms full of edgy Chicana-Latino artwork and a gift shop filled with jewelry and accessories. It's also beautifully decorated for Christmas! The place is packed with color!! Check out their website: http://chimmayaart.com/gallery/current/
Met this couple on the train and they gave us a few hints on where to explore. Noticed her dress because I'd never seen that fabric before.
The end of the Gold Line, the 'Atlantic' stop.
The very enticing gift shop of ChimMaya Gallery leads into four rooms of Latino-Chicano art from a variety of artists, many local.
We travel next to Maravilla station, where we're heading for Moles La Tia, a restaurant specializing in entrees with ALL kinds of mole (pronounced mow-lay, NOT the animal) sauces. The essential ingredient of any mole sauce is some kind of pepper, and each sauce can have an additional 20 to 25 more spices and flavorings--very complex. While rather nondescript inside and out, the food was great. We ordered salmon with pistachio mole and a nopales (cactus) salad. We COULD have ordered other entrees like frog legs or quail but were conservative this time.
Horchata with pink sugar and toasted pumpkin seeds
A highly-decorated market in the Maravilla area. Maravilla was the original name for East L.A.
Our next stop is Indiana station. We walk to El Mercado, a 3-story marketplace jammed with vendors selling toys, candy, spices, clothing, and lots of food. There's a store selling holistic herbs and, my favorite, a store selling all-things-cowboy, from boots to spurs to saddle blankets. The entire 3rd floor is taken by two large restaurants, each with a full mariachi band that competes with the other. While it's not crowded now, I'm guessing that it'll be full for New Year's Eve celebrations.
A hint of what's ahead on the third floor - two giant restaurants with dueling mariachi bands singing full out.
One of the contending bands singing to a sparsely-populated restaurant crowd that is probably going to grow larger as New Year's Eve day progresses into night.
On the second floor of El Mercado you can find many things, including exotic cowboy boots and huge 24" diameter cooking pots.
Not only cowboy boots, but hats, blankets, spurs, and saddles are for sale here too.
Our final stop is Mariachi Plaza. This place has a fascinating story. Across the street is an old brick residential hotel dating from 1889, now known as the Mariachi Hotel, where many mariachi band members still live. They hang out across the street in the plaza and are available for hire 7 days a week. Before the expansion of the metro Gold Line, the hotel was in danger of being demolished and the plaza run down. Now, there's a bandstand in its center, donated by the state of Jalisco, Mexico, and the area has been designated a historic/cultural landmark by the city of Los Angeles and renovation is in progress.
Mariachi Plaza, where mariachi bands gather on the weekend, hoping to be hired for fiestas and other special events.
A few band members taking it easy, hoping to be hired that night.
We return to Union Station and cross over to Olvera Street. It's the oldest street in Los Angeles and in between the touristy kiosks you can still see historic adobe buildings. It's a nostalgic place for me. I remember going there as a kid and being able to buy 'Mexican jumping beans.' I've heard they're still sold at some places, but not here any more. When we leave, there's music at the entrance to the street and classic cars parked along the roadway next to the plaza. Gearing up to party!
Happy New Year!
Here's hoping that 2012 will bring many new and exciting adventures!
New Year's festivities have already begun at the entrance to Olvera Street.
No lack of merchandise here....
It's 4:30 and the winter daylight is already fading. Olvera Street is our last stop for the day.
