I'm definitely not familiar with Los Angeles, but sometimes it feels a pastel-coloured playground for the affluent – think streets lined with all the well-known luxury brands, theme-park-like shopping malls and chic restaurants, and sun-soaked scenes of silhouettes of palm trees and Mediterranean-inspired villas. The Getty Center and LACMA quietly showcase artistic gems in clean architecture that are über-photogenic, along with the art installations, Chris Burden's Urban Light and Michael Heizer's Levitated Mass. The Griffith Observatory, perched high above the city lets you catch a glimpse of the iconic Hollywood sign, the mark of a global pop entertainment powerhouse that's entangled in cultural narratives, power, money, and vanity. Santa Monica's beaches and pier are always bustling, whether under overcast skies or bright sunshine, along with the gaudy Americana pier, park and shops. Amusingly the landmark resembles the American dream – loud, a bit too vibrant and cheerful, and exists like an old amusement park, you need to pay to get in and it’s becoming a fading cliché as the world becomes disillusioned. Perhaps this part of Los Angeles is a mirror room that reflects our cravings and what the world wants us to crave, with an easily overlooked tiny door for your escape if you want to.
The Getty and LACMA
The architecture
Santa Monica
Griffith Observatory
