Half of our group boarded the train in Solana Beach, the other half got on in Oceanside. We all made it aboard, which was a miracle in itself, as this was the day after Labor Day, and everyone was on the train going somewhere. I brought morning snacks for everyone, so while we munched on organic apples and Costco muffins, we talked about the day to come. Arriving in LA at 9:50, we took the Gold Line subway one stop, to Little Tokyo. None of us had ever taken the subway in LA so this was a bit of a challenge. We all bought our Tap Card from the kiosk and boarded the subway, after just a short wait. It was now 10am, and it was heating up. We had to walk a few blocks to meet our guide Kevin, artist and owner of LA Art Tours, in the Arts District. It was getting pretty hot already, and we were skeptical about surviving a 1 1/2 hour walk in 99 degree weather.
Kevin has been a working artist in LA, living in a loft in the Arts District, for 20 years. He told us how the area is gentrifying rapidly, a good and bad thing for the people who love the neighborhood. Lots of trendy restaurants and shops are popping up, but along with that, many huge residential complexes, some quite ugly, that they are calling lofts. They're actually small studio apartments in the district, renting for around $2,000 per month. Traffic is terrible, and construction is everywhere. The locals (the real artists) don't like it. Many of the original graffiti art murals have been removed or destroyed to make room for residential and commercial space, but new art is popping up everywhere. It's on the ground, on building walls, on telephone polls, just about everywhere you look.
Kevin explained to us that most of this is NOT art done by gangs. (that's done somewhere else). Many pieces are commissioned, or at the very least owners have given permission for the artists to decorate the buildings. Many pieces have a social message, others are just representations of LA, others seem to have no meaning at all. We were surprised by the diversity in style and form. Many young kids, untrained in art, called toys, serve as apprentices, and learn art techniques from the lead artists. Artists come from all over the world to decorate buildings in LA. A pair of German twins does some very intricate art, while Sheppard Fairey, a world reknown artist, best known for his Obama bumper sticker design "Hope" has several pieces in the area. Even Banksy, the most famous graffiti artist, did a piece in LA.
By the time we had walked the Arts District for 1 1/2 hours, we were ready to faint. Seriously. We made it to our lunch destination, Umami, collapsed into our seats, and spent the next hour cooling off and enjoying a delicious Umami burger. Yum. Some women chose to walk in the 99 degree heat back to the train station. I decided we would take an Uber, and for $5 (total) four of us got a ride back to the train station. I figured I'd see Little Tokyo some other time.
A great day was had by all, and we're all looking forward to our next excursion. It's such fun to get away for a day with a wonderful group of women. Thanks to all of you who attended for making it so memorable.
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