August field trips-A trip to Los Angeles County Museum of Art-LACMA and searching for ice cream

One of the things, Mari wanted to do this summer was to go to LACMA, so we planned that outing for last Thursday.  Originally we had planned it for Wednesday, but found out it was not open on Wednesdays.  At this point, we have to drive, but once they expand the purple line of the light rail in Los Angeles to a station in front of LACMA, we will be able to take the train to Union Station and then get on the purple line and take it to Fairfax and Wilshire, which is where LACMA is located.

We drove to LACMA and usually I can park in their underground lot, but it was full, so we went across the street to the parking lot for the Peterson Automotive Museum and parked.  Both lots cost $10.  We walked across the street and got our tickets.  Mari and I are members of the museum, so we got in for free and it cost $25 for Marissa to get in, as she is not a member.  The girls and I wanted to see the exhibit titled "Van Gogh to Kandinsky".  Normal admission is $15 and it was $10 extra to see this exhibit.  The hours on Thursday are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The exhibit was enjoyable.  Dual membership for Mari and I costs $110 per year.

Urban Light

Buildings in LACMA

Old May Co. building-now known as LACMA West

Urban Light at night

Urban Light

Van Gogh to Kandinsky

Buildings at LACMA

Inside the Resnick Pavilion

The history of LACMA has its roots in the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art, which was established in 1910 in Exposition Park.  In 1961, LACMA was established as a separate, art-focused museum.  The museum opened to the public in 1965 in its new Wilshire Blvd. location with the permanent collection in the Ahmanson Building; special exhibitions in the Hammer Building and the 600 seat Bing Theater for public programs.  The Art of the Americas Building was opened in 1986.  Originally it was named the Anderson Building and housed modern and contemporary art.  In 1988, the Pavilion for Japanese Art opened at the east end of the campus and in 1994, the museum acquired the May Company department store building at the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax, now known as LACMA West.

Further expansion continues, which includes buildings designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop. These buildings include the Broad Contemporary Art Museum, which is a three story 60,000 square foot space for the exhibition of postwar art that opened in 2008.  In the fall of 2010, the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion opened to the public, which provided the largest purpose-built, naturally lit, pen plan museum space in the world, with a rotating selection of major exhibitions.  Ray's restaurant and Stark Bar opened in 2011, near Chris Burden's iconic Urban Light.

Mari and I had heard that "Salt and Straw", which is an ice cream place in Portland, OR was coming to Los Angeles.  After we left LACMA, we decided to go looking for ice cream.  One place, I had heard that had "Salt and Straw" was in Farmer's Market, which is very close to LACMA.  Not there!  The other place we had heard served "Salt and Straw" was at "Joan's on 3rd".  Not there, but had been!  We were five days late.  "Salt and Straw" is building a new store in Larchmont Village.  Once it is open, which is supposed to be the end of August, we will have to make another trip to Los Angeles.  After we found Larchmont Village, we got on the "freeway" and fought traffic getting home.

Enjoyable, but tiring day!