Fun stop when visiting Grand Central Market. So many movies have filmed here -- Blade Runner and…read moreLethal Weapon just to name a couple. It's refreshing to see this kind of architecture in Los Angeles among endless mini malls. You can tell real pride went into the design and craftsmanship. A true historic landmark and worth taking a few minutes to appreciate while you're there.

What can you say about the Bradbury Building except that it is not what it once was. Currently, you…read morecan walk in there pretty much seven days a week and see the skeletal remains of what was once a fantastic piece of DTLA architecture. Now, the upstairs offices are generally blocked off and all that is left is the what used to be. Certainly, the Bradbury Building came to fame during the 1982 movie, Blade Runner where it was used as one of their primary sets. This was long before it was renovated showing off it's truly unique interior architecture. Very beautiful! For a lot of years, this building was pretty much closed to the public except for those who used it as a filming location. Being involved in the film industry for a lot of years, I personally have been in this building a number of times throughout its evolution. More recently, somebody got the great idea to renovate it. I guess that's a good thing? But, in its current state, all that you see is a whole lot of tourists coming in there, even tour guides, taking people in there telling them all kinds of lies about the history of the building. They weren't there, so they don't know! Yet, they speak about it. Now, it's a modernized office structure. Yes, much of the interior metallurgy is still there -- reminiscent of the time gone past. But much the vibe of the building is long gone. That's sad, I think. So, if you're in DTLA, and you want to look back to the past, the Bradbury Building is a interesting place to do that. It's right across the street from Grand Central Market, so it's impossible to miss. You can pretty much go in there seven days a week, and though you'll be limited to staying on the first floor, you can take a look and see what once was. I would say it's definitely worth the expedition.

Always a great spot to stop at if your a fan of American Horror Story: Murder House! Some other…read morenotable shows that were filmed here were: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, X-files, Dexter, and so many more! It's a great photo op, usually there's no one else there, or maybe one of two other groups. But the place is big enough that you don't have to wait in line to take pictures! Street parking is free, but also, be respectful of the area as it is a residential area!

The famous "Murder House" from American Horror Story is located in Los Angeles and is great fun to…read moresee. The Murder is really the Rosenheim Mansion. Rosenheim built the mansion in 1908 to live in his wife. In around 1930 Edward Everett Horton lived there. The Sisters of Social Service then took over the mansion in 1930, using it as a convent and adding a chapel to the building in 1932. Around 1999/2000 the site was declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. It was beautiful and still is in its own right. It was later sold in 2015 for about 3 million, which was a huge price cut from its initial offering. There was a lawsuit against the sellers agent for never disclosing that the property was featured on American Horror Story. Fans of the TV show stated going to it and this made the owners just a tad upset. It is now Murder House. You can now up to walk Murder House and take photos of the beautiful mansion and the area greenery. It is about an hour of fun. I had read that some can walk though it, but I did not see anyway to do that.

Appropriately, this was one of our last stops before heading back home to Hawaii…read more It was a bittersweet visit as my phone battery was dying. I took a shot forwards as a few cars drove past and beeped at us. I thought, "Who cares?" We're tourists. We'll probably never see these people again! I looked back at Downtown LA and took another shot. I almost cried, saying, "Aloha oe"... Until we meet again...

Forgot to mention super easy to get there on Metro E line to the Pico/Aliso station. There are also…read morea number of cool bars and taqueria places in the area for a great ELA beginners experience (or if you ride to the end of E, there's dim sum in Alhambra or the beach in Santa Monica.)

Magical garden hidden in a private home. It is open to the public two hours a week while the…read moregardener works on the garden: Thursdays, 10am-noon. However, these hours are contingent on the gardener, who may not show up or may come late / leave early. If you're coming from afar, it might be a good idea to email the owner at gardenofoz@me.com and ask about that particular week. I found the email address on a webpage about the garden. I emailed at the start of the week when I wanted to come but heard back the following week. Turns out the gardener had car trouble so the garden was closed the previous week. The owner did email me back again letting me know the garden would be open the following week, which was nice of her. So, if you're driving from afar, reach out to confirm. Don't come at the last minute just in case the gardener leaves early. It's not the easiest to access but hey, this is a private home and we're lucky to have any access to it. This is interesting for anyone who loves folk art, mosaics, outsider art, etc. It's a large space with a lot to look at. No photography is allowed. Parking is on the street. The streets are narrow and hilly but there should be available parking within a reasonable distance.

Cool place to visit if you're into folk art. My visit was short since there's only a two hour…read morewindow that you can visit on Thursdays. Some areas are in need of repair; some loose pieces were on the ground so look where you step. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take photos here. There is no parking on this narrow street so you'll have to park and walk.

First off no pictures inside the office because they have posters up all over that taking photos is…read morea no no. To get a My Social Security account on the agency website your identity must be verified. This is done through the credit bureaus. Working in a call center than ran credit checks for potential customers I learned about the complexity of credit bureau practices. You can have credit cards but to establish a credit history things like a mortgage or auto financing is what matters. The alternative is to go into a Social Security office with ID, prove who you are and get an "activation code" to enter on the website to create an online account. BTW by doing that you agree they will no longer automatically send a statement of earnings every few years; but you can still request one -- this process is explained on the website: https://www.ssa.gov/hlp/global/hlp-statement-7004.htm. And, yes, I had to visit this office mostly to get an activation code plus find out about a form a letter had informed me had to be submitted to have my social security disability application accepted for consideration. For my initial visit I called to get an appointment. Besides handling that the agent also explained what documentation I needed to bring with me after I told her what the letter said and she reviewed my disability application status. Once off the elevator follow the signs to the corridor where the office is. There is a sign indicating where the line to wait starts. A guard indicates when the one at the front of the line can enter. Usually the line moves fairly smoothly. There is a metal detector like at airports to walk through after removing belts, wallets, keys and belongings which go through an X-ray machine. Next you go to a kiosk, enter your social security number and indicate whether you have an appointment or not. It prints out instructions on what your # is. It can actually be a number or alphanumeric (e.g 895 or B29). There are many seats to sit in, unfortunately of the uncomfortable plastic variety. You might want to bring along something to read because you might be waiting a while. And unlike for Jury Duty that don't provide a TV etc. to help pass the time. Like a giant parking lot they color code the seating areas. Numbers are called out over the loudspeaker and displayed on large screens mounted on the walls plus personnel call them out. Also sometimes they instead call names out. You are either directed to go to one of the 10 windows or follow an employee through a door. On my 2nd visit I came without an appointment Friday afternoon and the place was nearly deserted. The people who take calls can tell you if it is busy at the moment or not. After about half an hour I was called to the window of the gentleman handling the initial stages of my application. Thankfully a seat was provided to sit opposite him. I explained why I was there. He took my ID and the documentation I brought to make copies of them. He took great care inputting information on the computer and even sought advice from a manager about what he was seeing on the screen. He turned the screen and asked that I verify my earnings records were accurate. After finishing all the processing he outlined what I should anticipate in re my disability application being reviewed (time frame, possibility of being sent to a physician to be evaluated, etc.). I had mentioned the activation code earlier but needed to bring it up again at the end of the interview for him to print out a letter providing it. He informed me I was ineligible for SSI due to my current level of state disability insurance being received but as that might expire before the possible approval of federal disability he gave me a pre-paid envelope with their address and hand wrote on it for his attention. This was to send a copy of the notice of my state disability insurance coming to an end if that occurred while my federal disability claim was still under consideration so he could update my records which automatically would trigger consideration for SSI. He really was working to make sure I didn't fall between the cracks. On my second visit because it was nearly deserted I only waited ten minutes. Because of life circumstances I had allowed the activation code I pickup up originally expire and had to get a new one. The agent handled this promptly and gave me a letter with the code (which also noted a duplicate of the letter would be sent to my address on file) Afterward I had to use the restroom. You get the key from one of the security guards and they are in a side corridor near the elevators. Not the cleanest and the air hand dryer was not working (and still wasn't two months later; have to complain about that). But it was acceptable.

There is NO SSA office here. It's closed and had apparently been closed for 7 years, according to…read morethe sketchy security guard. The building looks abandoned.

Hey Alexa, play the title track from the original Charmed series How Soon Is Now by the Smiths…read more "I am the son... And the heir..." as we park in this cozy historic neighborhood in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California and wait for Piper, Leo, Chris, Wyatt and Melinda to pop out and start their day. Maybe Paige, Henry, Phoebe and Coup will stop by and will catch some protect the innocent, save the world antiques in the attic... One can day dream. The Innes House also known as the Charmed House is a Victorian style home at 1329 Carroll Avenue that is truly one of kind and for eight years was heavily featured on the WB series Charmed from 1998 to 2006 and spotlighted again in the CW reboot of the same name in 2022 for its final episode. In the series the original address is listed as 7571 Prescott Street in San Francisco and is shortly updated to 1329 Prescott Street to reflect the actual number address on the home. For fans this residence was also known Halliwell Manor and for native, local, and transplant Angelinos it's unique craftsmanship, historical establishment (1887), and architecture is something to truly take in and enjoy along the Carroll Avenue Local Historic District of Echo Park. Just a beat/walkable feet down from the Michael Jackson Thriller House (also featured on Charmed like many homes in the neighborhood). You can snap a pic, selfie and/or take it in. Of course be mindful of the owners and current residents as this is their home and they've been getting fans for the past couple of decades stop by to do the very same. This beautiful home Historic Preservation home resides in a overlay zone (HPOZ) with zoning tools to preserve as well as protect neighborhoods composed of historically architecturally significant structures. It will live on like the legacy of the Charmed Ones.

An interesting street--a cool house from a TV series. There are also interesting Victorian houses…read morenearby.

This is such a beautiful landmark railway…read more This is my second time visiting the railway and it's always beautiful to come and take a slow easy ride down to the other side of the streets. Note: get yourself a TAP card so that you don't have to pay $1.50 instead you only pay $.75 one way.

Celebrating 125 Years!!…read more Angels Flight, a 298 foot funicular / inclined plane, originally opened on December 31, 1901. It connects Hill Street with California and features two vintage cars, Sinai and Olivet. It is open from 6:45am-10pm every day! This was so fun I rode both cars - up, down and up again! $1.50 each way... such a deal! The ride itself takes less than a minute and besides a little shimmy and shake when the cars pass each other, it is a straight shot. You can pay with your metro card, debit/credit card or cash. It's a fairly streamlined process & you pay at the top. The gates for the funicular are automatic at the top and bottom of the hill & only the top is staffed by an employee. If you want to save $1.50, you can always walk up the nearly 300 stairs to the left of the funicular & get your steps in! Peace.

It's so random how we ended up on a work day and decided to take a break and enjoy the rest of the…read moreday at LA Plaza at Olvera Street and its surrounding businesses. From a block away, I could hear Mexican music. Many were there,in a small area they gathered, enjoying the music and the entire atmosphere. We quickly joined in the fun of dancing with everyone enjoying the moment for what it is in the open in an old historical area. It was a lovely experience to have been able to enjoy dancing in La Plaza Olvera. Apparently, it is an old tradition in Mexico to gather in the central plaza of the town or city to talk to friends and do some people watching. This is where all the action takes place. I was so fortunate to see several performances and even join in the with all the tourists and locals having fun together. Paid parking is near many restaurants, museums to see nearby, or just sit with and enjoy the music. I'll be coming here to explore Sumner events.

I'd never been to Olvera Street until recently. How is that possible?!…read more I was expecting more authentic stalls - but so many of them were selling mass-produced items. Maybe that's just to keep up with changing times? In addition to the carts and stores, you'll find a collection of eateries - ranging from sit-down to places you can order and enjoy whilst on the go. Mid-week is definitely quieter; I'd say for a more active vibe, definitely pop by on the weekend. One of the things I enjoy the most is probably the architecture. Well preserved! 2026: 29/100

On Friday afternoon, my family and I reserved tickets for the Infinity Room next to The Broad…read moremuseum in Downtown LA. Just a heads up, you'll need to book in advance if you want to secure a time slot to see the infinity room. We picked the 3:45 PM slot and waited about 5-10 minutes before entering. There's no food, drinks, or flash photography allowed (which makes sense). To be honest, I was a little surprised by how small the Infinity Room actually is. It's just a tiny platform you stand on surrounded by mirrors so be careful not to get too close to the edges. I think the photos online made it seem much bigger and more "galaxy-like," so I had different expectations going in You're only inside for about five minutes before it's time to exit for the next group. Still, it was a cool experience to check off the list and afterward we walked around The Broad, which made it a fun afternoon overall. I'm very grateful for the memories my family and I got to make together! Quick Note: If you get hungry, Grand Central Market is close by and has a great variety of food spots to choose from! Your welcome!!

I've been curious about this room for years, and finally made it out when I had a day off during…read morethe week. You can reserve a time slot online ahead of time. The experience itself is quick, since there's always a line for this. I probably spent too much time taking videos and photos to be able to take the time I wanted to really enjoy the room, but it was still a fun experience and it's free.