Showing posts with label places. Show all posts
Showing posts with label places. Show all posts

Photos from the Offbeat Frontier exploration of the old LA Zoo

So this last Sunday Coco and I explored the remains of the original site of the LA zoo. We went with a group called Offbeat Frontier and had a lot of fun documenting the experience.


offbeat frontier: old LA zoo offbeat frontier: old LA zoo
Mike was a our fearless leader and Coco was fearlessly walking in her fancy flats.

offbeat frontier trip offbeat frontier: old LA zoo
And speaking of fancy shoes, this was me hiking in heels.

offbeat frontier trip
It was terrifying. This is me literally trying not to die while hiking down a steep slope. My cousin is behind me trying to help me and Coco was obviously so concerned that she kept snapping photos. ;)

offbeat frontier: old LA zoo
After hiking through treacherous wilderness we came out the other side to find the ruins of the zoo! With... a child's birthday party going on in it. Apparently, the ruins weren't so hidden at all and, in fact, there was a paved sidewalk leading right to them the whole time. Awesome.

offbeat frontier: old LA zoo
Thanks Mike.

offbeat frontier: old LA zoo

Offbeat Frontier trip

offbeat frontier: old LA zoo
offbeat frontier: old LA zoo

offbeat frontier trip offbeat frontier trip
The graffiti inside the enclosures was awesome! We loved the way it photographed.


offbeat frontier trip

offbeat frontier: old LA zoo offbeat frontier: old LA zoo
Nathan & Drew in this crazy weird staircase that lead to a dead end.

offbeat frontier: old LA zoo offbeat frontier: old LA zoo
This is Coco at the top of the stairs taking pictures through one of the tiny doorways.

offbeat frontier trip
This was literally the way out.

offbeat frontier trip
Most of the crew: Hillary, Drew, Mike, Nathan and Megan

offbeat frontier: old LA zoo offbeat frontier: old LA zoo
This is my cousin Nathan behaving like an animal.

offbeat frontier: old LA zoo

offbeat frontier trip LA Zoo Ruins

offbeat frontier: old LA zoo

offbeat frontier trip
offbeat frontier: old LA zoo offbeat frontier: old LA zoo

offbeat frontier: old LA zoo offbeat frontier: old LA zoo

offbeat frontier trip

offbeat frontier trip offbeat frontier trip

offbeat frontier trip
Ha ha. Just because!

offbeat frontier trip
Finally after hours of hiking and exploring we called it quits and went and got beer! Glorious beer!

offbeat frontier trip
And made it a point to get a group photo. From L to R: Ashley, Mike, Hillary, Nathan, Drew, Megan & Coco = The Zoo Crew!

Charles Phoenix's Downtown LA Tour of Disneyland photos

I recently went on a strange and wonderful tour led by a strange and wonderful man, Charles Phoenix. To explain this tour I'll just grab the text from his website...

Join Charles on this 6-hr walking & school bus tour beginning ending at Union Station - See Old Chinatown - Olvera Street - Clifton’s Cafeteria - The Bradbury Building - Carroll Avenue - Bob Baker Marionette Theater - Walt Disney Concert Hall and SO much more!

Experience the charm of MAIN STREET USA, exotica of ADVENTURELAND, wilderness of FRONTIERLAND, magic of FANTASYLAND, and future of TOMORROWLAND – all in the heart and soul of our city.

You will never see downtown LA the same way again! It’s just like a big theme park! The similarities between Downtown Los Angeles and Disneyland are staggering!”


And it was a ton of fun and it, in fact, made me fall in love with my city all over again.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix
We all met up at Union Station and started the tour there.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix
They opened up the "Ghost Restaurant of Union Station: Harvey House" for us so that we could see these cool parrot tiles and Charles likened to the Tiki Room.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix
I love Union Station!

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix
Oh by the way, this lovely lady was my tour pal -- Debbie!

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland
We took this bus all around downtown.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix
Then we headed to China Town.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix
Taken through the window of the office of the first Chinese lawyer in California.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix
Then he took us to Olvera St where we saw the first firehouse, the oldest house in LA and Charles bought us all taquitos.

Clifton's Cafeteria
Then it was lunch at Clifton's Cafeteria. I actually put my camera down to eat so these pics are all taken with my iphone.

Clifton's Cafeteria
This guy was there. This guy was awesome.

Clifton's Cafeteria
Btw, if you ever go to Clifton's, check out the sidewalk, it's seriously the best sidewalk in LA.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix
Wandering around downtown drawing weird looks wherever we went.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland
Cool theatre.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland Downtown LA tour of Disneyland

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland
Bradbury Building. Did you know that this was the one and only building that this guy designed? I was unawares.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland
The group in the building.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland
And WHOAMYGOD! Angels Flight is up and running again!

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland with Charles Phoenix
And I got to ride it before it officially opened!!!

IMG_0725
Look how excited I am!

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland
Then we went and checked out this crazy old marionette theatre. It was both creepy and adorable.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland
Carroll Ave.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland
Charles said from design to color scheme, this is CLASSIC Disneyland.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland
We concluded the tour at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland Downtown LA tour of Disneyland

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland

Downtown LA tour of Disneyland


And there ya go, that was our fabulous tour of wonderful LA landmarks led by an awesome guy in a Mickey Mouse ears.