San Pedro Bay culture hardly measures up to what we have here, but Bay Crossings readers seeking a quick getaway from the waterfront might wish to explore a contrasting—and convenient—alternative.
By Paul Duclos
Published: April, 2012
San Pedro Bay culture hardly measures up to what we have here, but Bay Crossings readers seeking a quick getaway from the waterfront might wish to explore a contrasting—and convenient—alternative.
Virgin America is the way to go if you are searching for a direct flight from San Francisco. The airline’s new terminal at SFO is bright, clean and as tranquil as a ferry ride across the Bay. LAX is a different story, of course, but it’s easy enough to get out of there if you arrive in the morning and head directly downtown.
"Downtown?" you ask. Yes, there’s been a rebirth of sorts in the City of Angels, becoming a genuine destination for seekers of fine dining, art, literature, and world-class opera.
While the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra (housed in the stunningly beautiful silver-winged Walt Disney Concert Hall) has been getting most of the press of late, opera lovers would do well by taking in at least one performance this season at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. With chandeliers, wide curving stairways and one of the largest stages in the country, it has proven itself as an important part of Los Angeles history. Its rich décor intrigued the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and provided the perfect setting for the Academy Awards 24 times during the 20th century.
Last month, the nation’s fourth-largest opera company staged Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring. First performed in 1947, this comic piece takes place in the English countryside, where Albert, a meek mama’s boy, reluctantly becomes his village’s first May King when no maidens of sufficient virtue can be found. After his friends ply him with liquid courage at the coronation ceremony, Albert discovers the nerve to assert himself for the first time in his life. A nice departure from Britten’s deeply disturbing Billy Budd and Peter Grimes—two classics set in maritime cultures.
Next month the company will end its current season with La Boheme, the quintessential bohemian love story. www.laopera.com
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) just down the street is the opening the first solo museum exhibition of artist Cai Guo-Qiang and experience the debut of his site-specific work created for MOCA, Mystery Circle: Explosion Event.
Mystery Circle will contain three stages of special pyrotechnics, which will be ignited at a special event for museum members on April 7. At dusk, a myriad of flying saucer girandolas will rise from the rooftop. At the moment of ignition, countless mini rockets forming a string of crop circles will launch toward the audience before falling to the ground. An imaginary alien-god figure on the left side of the wall will be outlined from bottom to top by gunpowder fuses. When the burned fuses reach the "halo" of the figure, mini rockets will shoot into the air. The rockets will leave a burned imprint on the museum wall, creating an outdoor drawing.
While Cai’s signature explosion events, "Project for Extraterrestrials," have been dedicated to the creatures from outer space, his new project at MOCA will be the first time an alien figure actually appears.
The exhibition, on view at MOCA Grand Avenue from April 8 through July 30, will also include three gunpowder drawings commissioned by MOCA, created on-site in March 2012 by Cai in collaboration with more than 100 local volunteers. www.moca.org
Lovers of more antiquarian art, meanwhile, may wish to explore the stacks at Caravan Book Store a short stroll away on Grand Avenue. Shop owner Leonard Bernstein is a pleasant and attentive fellow who knows his inventory and can guide you to even the most arcane piece of literature. (213) 626-9944.
I was staying just across the street at the newly restored Hilton Checkers Los Angeles Hotel. Like Caravan, this represents a "vintage" piece in the urban landscape. But it is not a dowdy boutique by any means. It offers extensive hotel luxuries, and has a rooftop patio that is a destination in and of itself. The L.A. skyline is fully revealed in all its brassy glory, and at night, the city takes on another layer of mystery and intrigue. www.hiltoncheckers.com
The hotel has a fine restaurant, but I recommend the Water Grill across the street. Established in 1989, this place is a lot like some of the older San Francisco fish joints, but far less formal. The raw oyster bar is a revelation, and the wine list superb. www.watergrill.com
For more on San Francisco cultural topics, visit Paul Duclos’ blog at
