and this one below which is from a train museum. Sadly trains are much neglected over here. This little museum is a great place for a day out especially with small children. There are loads of old steam trains and coaches some have been fully restored and others are in the process of restoration. Make sure that you take a picnic as there are very few catering facilities on site. Which is rather odd considering that there is a history of fine catering on the railways as evidenced in my pictures below. I am told that trains over in the … Continue reading Like this, but don’t know what it’s about.

This relatively small sculpture from the Getty Villa, a house built by the multi millionaire on the coast just close to Sunset Boulevard was one of the really great things I found at the place. The actual place left me a little cold, it’s quite monumental and although the main entrance is on the main road and a short walk up a hill to the place itself, one has to reach it by four wheels. As the museum is free and the parking 15 dollars this might make sense, but it seemed like madness to me. I suppose it was … Continue reading The Getty Villa, the best bits.

Continue reading Orange chicken? Is that something to look forward to?

I like the sign but not the sentiment. I suppose that with temperatures in the summer being baking and in the winter like now, just a mere 70 degrees then freezing your custard might be a good idea. Americans are fond of apple pie, but they appear to freeze their custard! Weird man, just weird! Continue reading Frozen custard? Please no.

A day trip to the seaside at Santa Monica Pier, and not unlike the piers in England this one was very similar with the hats and the garish signs.I found this little piece about Popeye and his beginnings quite interesting. The difference was that yesterday, when we went it was sunny and warm, a similar pier in the UK would be peopled by the odd well wrapped fisherman and the occasional out of season visitors trying to keep their faces from the icy blasts off the sea. The trip back, along Sunset Boulevard took us two hours, it’s about 15 … Continue reading January by the seaside, with spinach.

Everyone’s a film start here in LA including the guy on the stairs here, take a closer look at him getting his publicity photos ready for the big push into film land. He’s wasted in the building trade. He has the look of Bruce Springsteen, and I bet he’s in a tribute band. Rock on! For the time being though, the star of this picture is the building and not the builder. I had no idea that this guy was doing this when I took the picture. Continue reading Bruce the builder, he can fix it!

Americans seem to have no shame about eating out of a bucket with their fingers. I’m all for informality but not on this scale. They even design their food emporia to look like a bucket, as witnessed in this shot taken in L A in January. They’ve exported the idea to us and KFC is rarely seen being eaten with a knife and fork. How long before the trend to silver service returns? A long wait I fear. Continue reading Bucket building, bucket meals.

From my now not so recent trip to L A. This taken on Christmas Day. Marijuana is legal in California, and you can get it delivered to the door. Not my cup of tea, cups of tea being my cup of tea. Continue reading Signs of weed.

Not surprisingly this super sign is in Korea Town, in L A. I wonder what the big words mean? Continue reading Young or Dong?

A slight departure from signs. This orange house on a street near to a 1920s house/ museum that we had visited. I was expecting to be under whelmed by the trip but thoroughly enjoyed seeing the house which is in West Hollywood and is pictured below. It’s designed by Schindler and it’s worth a visit. The architect designed it for himself and his wife and everything is in four foot modules. It has a very peaceful atmosphere and is strangely relaxing, unlike the vision above which might bring on epilepsy on a sunny day if one is not careful. Even … Continue reading Orange and blue and the Schindler House

Came across this the other day here in LA. It seems to merge with the wall behind. Looks to me like graffiti artists are everywhere here. Continue reading Van extra ordinaire.

No, I have no idea what it means either, but I like it. Continue reading 8# ?