There I Went Again_Sunday September 14.

I really did figure I was done with festivals, but last Sunday came around and I remembered I had saved an email from [CARS] about their last LAVoices event of the season. It was hot, approaching 100ºF and that was reason enough to go. Besides, I needed to pick something up in [Olvera Street], across from the train station. 

L.A. Metro was seriously misbehaving that day. They had plenty of opportunity starting from a visit to their website, to the Sierra Madre Villa station parking lot, to the fare purchasing machines, to the entry gates, to let a rider know that the trains would not be servicing that station on that day and that you would need to take a bus shuttle. Instead, they waited until you got down to the boarding platform to give out that information. Need I say more? 

New boarding point - Allen Station. Here is a [brochure] of L.A. Metro's artwork and artists. 

[Map] of the excursion.

Allen station artwork by [Michael Amescua].

As I said in an earlier post, there are bells around the city. This one is at the Chinatown station.

Don't be fooled, there were plenty of people around.

Artwork at the Western Ave. station by [Richard Wyatt].

Head toward the light, Luke. Head toward the light. That is, if you want to be a Jedi knight.

The historic [Pellissier Building and Wiltern Theatre]. And a cop. [Marisela Norte] used to work in a restaurant that was in this building.

Wilshire Blvd. temple, the site of the [Voices of L.A.] festival and just beyond it is St. Basil's.

The [temple]. Pay attention to the dome.

Inside.

The murals go all around the sanctuary. You [Trekkies] now know where the Vulcans visited. 

Here is the dome from the inside. It is a long way up.

[Saint Basil's] starts with drama on the outside...

...and continues inside.

There was a service going on, so my access was limited. 

This is the [Oasis Church] (formerly the Wilshire Christian Church), just down the street. Wilshire Blvd., in the [Miracle Mile], is loaded with [historic churches].

What was once the [Ambassador Hotel], now a high school.

This relief on the preserved fountain outside the school certainly gives the kids a realistic view of their future. 

Robert F. Kennedy was [shot] at the site of the school, back when it was still a hotel.

[Griffith Observatory] from afar.

This is another fine old building in the area. It is on 6th Street, on block north of Wilshire Blvd. The suite in the tower is the studio of [Raul Vega]. I once had an assignment from him. He needed to shoot some models on the roof of a downtown L.A. building. It was my job to find that building. Can you imagine what is was like for a black guy to walk up to the guard desk of major buildings in downtown and ask for access to the roof so I could take a few shots for a possible project in the future? I got onto more roofs than I expected, but certainly not onto as many as I tried to. 

Lunch time at the festival.

Fusion is the thing, so I ordered a [Kung Pao] chicken tamale.

Fusion being the thing, this Latin pop group has an [oud] player. He is a mean soloist.

You can't find better [golfing] anywhere in the world. L.A.'s the place!

Richard Wyatt again. The other side of the station. 

[Cynthia Carlson's] work at the Red Line terminus at Union Station.

This is that courtyard at Union shown in that earlier post in which some of my female ancestors standing.

I just needed to buy a [sizzle plate] in Olvera Street. Innocent me, I come out of Union Station and walk right into...

...another damned [festival].

Let us take a moment out for some seriousness. These festivals are not all fun and games. You need to behave at them. This building is in eyesight of Union Station. Whenever you see a building with real narrow windows like these, you should know that you are looking at a [prison]. Just sayin'.

But none of us are going to prison; we're just havin' fun.

You can't have [Mexican Independence Day] celebration without some [serious] [sousaphone] playing. 

Did I say it was nearly 100ºF this day? I needed an [aquas frescas]. Yes, I obscured her face. She is a child, she did not ask to be a star. 

These junior [mariachis] are not behind bars in that prison, they are behind the railing around the bandstand. This is the best shot I could get. 

Entering [Olvera Street], where you can find strange and wonderful things. 

Giant tree in the middle of the Plaza. The light is very hip this time of evening.

On the ride home, I saw from the window that there was yet another event going on in Chinatown. I stayed on the train; I'd had enough.