On my last full day on our 2018 mini-trip to Los Angeles, I ordered a lift and went to Pasadena to have breakfast with my friend, Fanny. I originally had planned on taking the train from downtown to Pasadena, but the trains were running behind schedule, and if I had waited for them, I would have been late.
I think it’s great that Los Angeles has a train system, and I know many people who rely on it for their work commutes, but I’ve never found it to be very reliable. Notably, I once took the train from Pasadena to downtown for a concert at The Staples Center, only to discover that the trains had stopped running after 11pm on a Friday night. I was not the only concert goer caught out by this surprise, and since this was pre-Uber/Lyft, it was a very expensive taxi ride back to Pasadena.
I asked to be dropped-off at the Paseo Mall in Pasadena, where I took a few pictures of one of my favorite cities. For about three years in my twenties, I lived walking distance from this mall, and I used to love coming here to have coffee and read a book.
I met Fanny, and her daughter Rachel for breakfast at Marston’s, a cute cafe just a few blocks from the Paseo Mall. When I lived in California, we would meet at Marston’s on a regular basis to share a veggie omelet and the cornflake crusted french toast. If you’re visiting Pasadena, Marston’s is a must-do for breakfast.
After breakfast, I order a Lyft back to downtown. This Lyft ride was a harrowing experience. It was the only time that I have given a negative review, and I also wrote to Lyft directly. The driver swerved, cut off other cars, and used her phone while driving. She was dangerous! I had her drop me off at the Velveteria.
Velveteria is a small museum dedicated to the art of velvet paintings and it is located in the heart of Chinatown. I have long wanted to visit this quirky gem, but I arrived to discover that it was locked up. A sign on the door gave me a number to call, as their hours were listed as open, but it went direct to voice mail. I was disappointed. I did receive a call a few days later with an apology from the owner, as they had an emergency that day. Hopefully I can visit the Velveteria on a future trip to Los Angeles. Here are a few pictures of the exterior of the museum.
Left with an unexpectedly free afternoon, I swapped the Velveteria for The Grammy Museum. The Grammy Museum is a famous Los Angeles attraction, but this was my first time visiting. It is located very close to The Staples Center. My admission was fifteen dollars and it took me about two hours to enjoy the multi-level museum.
One of the special exhibits focused on Johnny Cash’s concerts he performed at San Quentin and Folsom prisons. The exhibit included rare candid photographs of the concerts.
Another special exhibit called, “Jermaine Dupri & So So Def: 25 Years of Elevating Culture”, focused on hip-hop out of Atlanta. I have to admit that much of this was unfamiliar to me, but I did enjoy the exhibit. I love this Kris Kross fan club letter. It felt very much old-fashioned and of my childhood. I’m sure kids still join fan clubs for their favorite artists, but I can’t imagine that they are given a membership card and told to laminate it!
The permanent collection included things like a dizzying tiger shirt worn by Elvis and a bunch of Michael Jackson memorabilia.
Dan and I have a collection of the most ridiculous, funny album covers that we can find. If we saw this one in a record store, we would definitely buy it!
Here is a statue resembling a giant Grammy Award.
On the sidewalk outside of the museum, there are markers on the floor to honor each year’s major category winners. Here is the one for 2010. I saw Taylor Swift’s Fearless tour at The Staples Center!
I enjoyed my visit to The Gramy Museum, but I would be unlikely to return, unless there was an exhibit that really caught my interest. I would recommend it for locals who have never been, and for tourists, but only if you’re a real music buff or there is a specific exhibit that you wish to see. Los Angeles has so many incredible museums and attractions, that The Grammy Museum rates as a mid-list experience.
On my walk back to The Westin Bonaventure, I saw a funny advertisement tacked up on a pole. I have no idea what this is, but aren’t you curious too?
