Los Angeles - California - Culture

Broadway's Historic Theatre District
South Broadway between Third and Ninth Street is the first and largest Historic Theatre District in the country. Some of the 1920's style movie palaces have been turned into swap-meet-style retail outlets, many still show films and most will let you look inside. Metropolitan Theatre operates most of these palaces, Los Angeles Conservancy  provides walking tours of the district,  and to help preserve these treasures, contact the LA Historic-Theatre Foundation.

Downtown Los Angeles is home to one of the most beautiful historical movie theatres in the state, the Los Angeles Theatre. It was built at a cost of more than $1 million in 1931. It is the most lavish and the last of the great movie palaces built in downtown LA. It's central staircase and gold brocaded drapes (Versailles style) recall the glories of the French Baroque. It opened with the gala premiere of Chaplin's City Lights. It's glorious splendour can still be seen once a year when its portals are opened during the LA Downtown Conservancy's fund-raising sponsorship of old films in vintage theatres.

The Los Angeles Conservancy is an active non-profit organization dedicated to the recognition, preservation and revitalization of the history, culture and architecture of Los Angeles. it was formed in 1978 by concerned citizens in response to the proposed demolition of the Los Angeles Central Library. It has since become part of an overall need to protect the wealth of the region's architectural resources.

The LA Conservancy also makes people ware of and appreciate the built environment through a variety of informative and entertaining programs including the Las Remaining Seats film series, Downtown Walking Tours and neighbourhood tours. It also provides technical assistance and support to cities, individuals and local organizations through its Preservation Network Program. It has proven a strong public voice for historic preservation through ongoing advocacy including public testimony and representation on committees and task forces.

Los Angeles International Airport - usually called by its three-letter code, LAX - is the third busiest airport in the world. It's located about 20 miles (30km) southwest of downtown LA.

LA's downtown area - is framed by freeways rather than any particular geographic boundary. The Hollywood Fwy lies to the north, the Harbour Fwy to the west, the Santa Monica Fwy to the south and a bird's nest of other freeways intertwine beyond the Los Angeles River to the east.

The city's Civic Centre is America's largest complex of government buildings after Washington, DC. It contains the most important of LA's city, county, state and federal office buildings, including the US Federal Courthouse, where the infamous OJ Simpson murder trial took place in 1995, and the 1928 City Hall, which served as the Daily Planet building in Superman and the police station in Dragnet. North across Temple St from City Hall is the excellent LA Children's Museum.

The 16 square blocks of Chinatown comprise the social and cultural nucleus of LA's 200,000 Chinese residents. Here, the businesses of traditional acupuncturists and herbalists mingle with scores of restaurants and shops whose inventories vary from cheap kitsch to exquisite silk clothing, inlaid furniture, antique porcelain and intricate religious art.

Southeast of the Civic Centre is Little Tokyo. First settled by early Japanese immigrants in the 1880s and thriving by the 1920s, the neighbourhood was effectively decimated by the anti-Japanese hysteria of the WWII years.

Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. It houses what is considered one of the world's most important collection of paintings, sculptures and photographs from the 1940s to the present.

LA's Hispanic shopping district is a deliciously cluttery mix of cheap restaurants, frilly wedding dress shops and blaring Latin pop. For a shocking contrast to the bustling street scene, step inside the 1893 Bradbury Building, where a sky lit, five-story atrium is surrounded by Belgian marble, Mexican tiles, ornate French wrought-iron railings, glazed brick walls, oak panelling and a pair of open-cage elevators. You've seen it in detail if you've seen the movies Blade Runner or Wolf. Across the street from the Bradbury, between Broadway and Hill St, Grand Central Market is LA's oldest (1917) and largest open-air food market.

L.A Disneyland-The happiest place on earth (though the hordes of screaming children and parents at their wits' end may make you doubt it), Disneyland is a masterpiece of picture-perfect choreography - even the litter bins are themed. The park is divided into four different lands: Adventureland has a jungle theme and features Indiana Jones and the Forbidden Eye; Frontierland celebrates the myth of the Wild West; Fantasyland devotes itself to Disney's favourite characters; and Tomorrowland is (you guessed it) all about the future.

Light Festival-Every year during the holiday season the Crystal Springs roads in Griffith Parks sparkle at night during the Department of Water and Power and Griffith Park Light Festival.  This extremely popular free attraction was enjoyed by 330,000 last year.  It features a full mile of spectacularly lighted displays which can be enjoyed from the comfort of your car, or during a casual walk.  The Light Festival includes a drive through a tunnel of lights, lighted representations of downtown Los Angeles.

The Salute to Recreation is the biggest event in the San Fernando Valley - about 100,000 people attend the three-day event in June every year.  Salute to Recreation was created in 1982 as a means of acquainting the community with some of the activities and services offered by the Recreation and Parks Department.  The Salute features International Village, a drill team competition, a Hawaiian Village, live continuous entertainment on four stages, a Sports Zone featuring rock climbing and a hang-gliding simulator.

The Lotus Festival is the biggest special event sponsored by the Department of Recreation & Parks.  For 22 years, the Lotus Festival has been celebrating the people and cultures of Asia and the Pacific Islands.  For two days in July, over 100,000 people attend the Lotus Festival, many of them from cultures other than that of Asia or the Pacific Islands.
  There is a reason for this festival being held in July.  The lotus flower is significant to Asian cultures as a symbol of rebirth, and it is in July that lotus flower blooms.  Echo Park was chosen for the site of the Lotus Festival because it is centrally located near Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Korea Town, and the Filipino communities.

Pershing Square is the site for the Summer Lunchtime Concert Series.  Every Tuesday and Thursday, from May to September, the downtown community is treated to a free lunchtime concert.  New this year is the lunchtime Nightclub Concert Series, continuing Pershing Square's tradition of free concerts into the month of October.
  During the months of November to January, Pershing Square becomes the site of Los Angeles' only outdoor ice skating rink.  An estimated 300,000 skaters and spectators will enjoy this 60' x 80' attraction during the winter holiday season.  Complimenting the rink will be an exciting holiday environment including outdoor arts and crafts boutiques, Yuletide taste treats, ice skating lessons, and entertainment.

The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks owns and operates the largest municipal golf system in the United States, consisting of a total of thirteen courses: seven 18 hole championship courses, one 9 hole regulation course, two executive 9 hole courses, two 9 hole pitch and putt courses, and one 9 hole pony course. The Department also operates one junior golf learning center. The City's courses are open for play conditions permitting-365 days a year from dawn to dusk.

The primary function of the Municipal Sports Section is to provide sports programs for the adult citizens of Los Angeles.  The emphasis is placed on healthful competition in a recreational atmosphere.  Programs are organized, conducted and administered by a professional staff with expertise in all types of sports activities.  Team competition is held in Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball and Tennis.  Individual Competition is offered in Tennis.  Programs are conducted for both men and women.  Services of the Municipal Sports Section include: League formation, facility assignment, league administration, official' training and assignments and awards.  The municipal sports section encourages your comments and suggestions.

The Dodgers - the National League in 1890 began on a positive note, as the team nicknamed the "Bridegrooms" won the championship with an 86-43 record. It was the first of 21 National League pennants that the Dodgers would win during the century.

The 2000 Dodgers had their share of great moments both at home and on the road, and Dodger fans were treated to a host of record-breaking performances.

City University Los Angeles was organized as a California post-secondary “distance education” institution in 1974, and operated as a recognized California institution from 1974 to 1995, some twenty-one years. CULA was “approved to issue academic degrees” by the Commission on Higher Education in the Nation of Hawaii on January 17, 1995.