L.A.’s Gold Line leads to Gold Mine of Art, Shopping and Dining
by Roy Maurer; photos by Roy Maurer, Megan Gaynes, Eric Velado, and Kevin Merrill
Navigate your way through the bowels of LA's grand Union Station, and out through a shoot jutting from the host tunnel, onto Platforms 1 and 2, and you will be at the source of the Gold Line, the newest addition to the 62 station Metro Rail System. Not yet an all inclusive system as major parts of the city go unconnected, the MTA has been making steady strides. The Gold Line connects Downtown LA with Pasadena by rail for the first time since 1951. Chinatown, Highland Park, and the Southwest Museum are also now connected along the Gold Line. With the coming Rapid Transit line through the San Fernando Valley via Chandler Blvd, and definite plans to open the southern leg of the Gold Line through Little Tokyo and East LA in 2009, the MTA is making sure progress for the commuters of Los Angeles.
I personally have been a supporter of public transportation all of my life. Much to the chagrin of friends, peers, and my spouse, I do not believe in the automobile. I've lived by bus, train, and foot in different cities both in the United States and in other countries of the world. The congestion on our major city's streets and highways has reached absurd levels, and will likely get worse. Not only has public transportation been more relaxing for me, but I have felt the most connected with the city I was living in while being a public rider.
Living in Los Angeles for 8 years, I was told all the time that this was not a public transport city; that the MTA was unreliable; that you had to have a car. I never believed a word of it and have gotten around very well. On the contrary, LA's public transportation has been very reliable. In my experience, the drivers and operators have performed a tough job well 90% of the time. This past season, during the strike and arbitration, the MTA was extremely accommodating to its riders. Many bus lines still ran, including mine. Deals were made with other carriers to provide service. Information was proficiently disseminated through the MTA's well maintained web site, mta.net. And finally, riders were awarded free service throughout the strike, and riders with passes such as myself are riding free until January. The MTA's service deserves special attention, and I would like to credit that service right now, in print. Thank you.
The Gold Line opened to the public on July 26, this past summer. The construction cost $859 million, and was funded by a combination of both local and state funds. The line runs 13.7 miles from downtown LA to East Pasadena, and takes approximately 36 minutes each way. During peak hours, the train runs every 10 minutes, and 12-20 minutes during non-peak hours. The first train departs Union Station at 4am, and the final one back from Sierra Madre Villa Station arrives at 2:06am. The projected ridership for the Gold Line was 26,000-32,000 daily. Like the other MTA lines, self-service ticket vending machines are located at each station. Simple instructions can be read in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Braille. Currently the one-way base fare is $1.35, with an option to purchase a transfer to bus or rail for 25 cents. This will be changing soon though, so check with the MTA about changes at their web site, or by calling 1-800-COMMUTE. Now about the ride...
Being inside Union Station is always a treat. There is much to do and see around this architectural delight, and Union Station's culinary delight, Traxx, offering New American cuisine. As the train silently glides from the station, I am pleased by the comfort of these new trains. They are quiet, clean, and relatively uncrowded.
The first stop on the line is LA's own Chinatown, under an elevated, colorful, pagoda style station lying in the shadow of the downtown skyscrapers. Historically closer to where those skyscrapers now stand, Chinatown was relocated to its present site early in the 20th century. Not as iconic as its namesake in San Francisco, Chinatown LA is a vibrant and interesting community. It is fully realized during the Chinese New Year, in February, and this year celebrating the Year of the Monkey, and each fall for the enchanting Moon Festival.
Attractions include the Chinatown Gateway at 600 N. Broadway, a monument featuring twin dragons descending from the clouds, The Ten Ho Temple at 750 Yale St, and several plazas featuring a variety of shops, stalls, markets, jewelers, art galleries and restaurants. Dim sum awaits you at the Empress Pavillion, scallion pancakes at the Mandarin Deli, and Chinatown is home to LA's oldest restaurant, Philippe The Original, purportedly the birthplace of the French Dip sandwich. The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California is at 415 Bernard St, next door to The Chinatown Heritage and Visitors Center, at 411 Bernard.
Leaving Chinatown behind, we leave the downtown area for an entirely different milieu. Crossing the Los Angeles River, passengers enter the San Gabriel Valley, or what is also called Northeast LA. The Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park station, and the Heritage Square/Arroyo station serve the mostly Latino residents of these communities. Interestingly, there is also an artists’ community here, left over from an Arroyo Seco salon of the past, and taking advantage of the affordable rent the area affords. Although mainly residential communities, passengers may want to visit the neighborhood eateries, abounding in cheap and simple Mexican and Salvadoran comida, or visit Cypress Park or Heritage Museum Square.
The Southwest Museum station is at the foot of Mt. Washington, and below the Southwest Museum itself. The area is quiet and peaceful, as if in reverence to the hilltop collection of art and artifacts. With extensive holdings of Prehispanic, Spanish Colonial, Latino, and Native American art, the museum also supports research, publications, exhibitions, and other educational activities with the aim of advancing the public's understanding and appreciation of the historic peoples of the Southwestern United States and Mesoamerica. The Southwest Museum is the oldest museum in Los Angeles, recently united with the Autry Museum of Western Heritage, and has been at its present promontory site since 1914. Stop by the Casa de Adobe, (directly below the museum,) a model of an 1850's Spanish California rancho. Enjoy a picnic lunch and children playing at the lovely Sycamore Grove Park. One block away, on Figueroa St, is Restaurant El Buen Gusto, known for its Salvadoran pupusas and Mexican burritos.
Next stop is Highland Park station, a focal point in the Northeast LA art community, and another Latino residential community. Disembarking here would put you close to Figueroa businesses, the Highland Park recreational center, the Arroyo Seco Regional Library, and the LA Police Historical Museum Square. Highland Park is home to many historic houses, ranging in style from Victorians to Mission Revivals to Spanish Colonials. The former home of Charles Lummis, the founder of both the Arroyo Seco Salon, and the Southwest Museum, is at 200 South Ave 43. The neighborhood is full of Mexican cuisine, as you can get your fill of carne asada, carnitas, or chile relleno.
Pulling into a cute intersection is the Mission station, and South Pasadena. This plaza, known for clothing boutiques, coffee houses, and a weekly farmer's market, is within walking distance to the South Pasadena Library, Post Office, and City Hall. Primarily a residential community, South Pasadena is home to a few of LA's popular and eclectic dining experiences. On Mission St, you'll find Firefly Bistro, serving coconut shrimp and jerk chicken. Farther down, is Restaurant Shiro, one of the city's top Cal-Asian eateries. The chef offers shrimp mousse filled ravioli and foie gras in a Port wine sauce, and his signature fried catfish in ponzu sauce. Enjoy risotto at Il Paulino, next to the Rialto Theatre, or duck tamales with cumin and dates at Bistro K.
The last six stations bisect Pasadena from west to east. The first, Fillmore, is near several medical centers, including Huntington Memorial Hospital. Nearby restaurants include the Parkway Grill, sometimes referred to as the "Spago of Pasadena." They serve contemporary dishes with a Southwest influence. Its sister establishment, the Arroyo Chophouse, is serious about chuck.
The Del Mar Station is the central commercial stop for the Gold Line, as it is the disembarkation point for that jewel of Los Angeles, Old Town Pasadena. The Del Mar station borders the southern edge of Old Town, and Central Park, home to Pasadena's annual jazz festival, while the next station, Memorial Park, borders its northern edge. In between is a mecca of commercial and entertainment activity. On weekends and Friday/Saturday nights, this area is packed with exuberant youth, beautiful shoppers, and party people. Also the site where the Rose Parade takes place, Colorado Boulevard is the main strip, and is lined with trendy shops, discount music and book stores, bars, nightclubs, coffeehouses, art galleries, restaurants, and a movie theatre. This strip is especially enjoyed by those in the area, and those revelers not into the Hollywood scene, as Pasadena is more conservative. Attractions include the Gamble House, the Art Center College of Design, the Pasadena Ice Skating Rink, the Rose Bowl, the Norton Simon Museum, the Pacific Asia Museum, the Pasadena Museum of California Art, the Paseo Colorado Shopping Center, and the magnificent Pasadena City Hall and Central Library. There are wonderful hotels in the area, including the Ritz Carlton, the Hilton, the Sheraton, and the Westin. The legendary breakfast venue, Marston's is in the area, as well as Café Bizou serving French fare, Xiomara with Cuban, and Mi Piace for trattoria. The number and variety of dining and drinking choices is voluminous.
After leaving Old Town, the Gold Line begins its traverse of Pasadena by way of the median of the 210 Freeway. The Lake station services residents of the Lake Ave corridor, and is the station nearest the Ice House, and the Pasadena Playhouse District. The Allen Station, also along the 210, is the station nearest Cal Tech, Pasadena City College, the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, and the famous Huntington Library and Gardens.
Finally we arrive at the terminal point for this leg of the Gold Line. This station will serve as an intermodal transportation hub, connecting travelers to local and regional transit services provided by Foothill Transit, MTA, and Pasadena buses. The Sierra Madre station feels like the end of the line, underneath the stark San Gabriels, alongside zipping cars heading in both directions, and looking out at a flat, distant, horizon.
Facts about the Metro Gold Line
In recent months, the Metro Gold Line has brought the residents of the Los Angeles metropolitan area together in the name of community, as well as in commerce. Improving upon the ever-present transportation problem created by rush hour traffic, the Metro Gold Line creates an efficient means of transportation. Whether you are a college student searching for a more economical method of transportation to and from school, a shopper in search of eclectic shopping districts, or a commuter seeking to avoid congested traffic on the freeways, the Metro Gold Line serves the diverse demographic that comprises the Los Angeles area.
Not surprisingly, the area has a long-standing history of rail car transportation. In 1895, The Pasadena & Los Angeles Electric Railway traveled through modern-day Highland Park into downtown Los Angeles. The line, initially a 4.5 mile extension of the defunct San Gabriel Valley Rapid Transit Railway, had its point of origin at what is presently referred to as the Shorb Junction, a railway nexus 5.5 miles east of the Los Angeles River. At one point, the Shorb Junction was a bustling center of transportation and perhaps one of the busiest transit points in Southern California.
Today, the Metro Gold Line travels from Downtown Los Angeles to East Pasadena in approximately thirty-six minutes at a top speed of fifty-five miles per hour. The earliest train leaves from Union Station at four AM, and the latest train leaves Sierra Madre Villa at approximately one thirty AM, traveling back to Union Station. During peak hours, the trains will frequent each stop every ten minutes, so if you miss the first train, you’ll be sure to catch the next one in a timely manner. The fares are economically sound, setting you back a paltry $2.70 for a round-trip ticket. If you choose to purchase a monthly pass at $42.00, you will pay less than most do for gasoline during an entire month of commuting. The Metro Gold Line also aids students, young and old alike, charging students K-12 a fee of $20.00 for a monthly pass and $30.00 for College and Vocational students.
In an attempt to ensure that the Metro Gold Line is as aesthetically pleasing as it is functional, one-half of one percent of rail construction costs have been allocated to artists, design professionals and community members to integrate each surrounding community’s identity into their respective station design. In addition to rail projects, the MTA will commission artists to incorporate their art into a plethora of transportation projects, including bus stops and bus interiors, construction fences, and streetscapes. For more information on transit schedules, stops and other information: www.mta.net. - Danielle Zhivanevskaya
Station Hopping
with Megan Gaynes
Union Station
Located at 810 N. Vignes St, Union Station serves not only as a stop for the Red and Gold lines, but also for Amtrak and Metrolink, creating a cohesive transportation network. Also, Union Station is located a block from Olvera Street, known for its’ fine selection of Mexican restaurants, novelty shops, and if you time it right, you might come across a traditional Aztec dance, or something similarly unexpected. Don’t miss Mardi Gras here either, it’s all the color and fun of New Orleans without the danger... and vomit.
- Megan Gaynes; photo above by Roy Maurer
Chinatown
At 901 N. Spring St stands Chinatown’s brightly colored stop, as designed by artist Chusien Chang, who modeled it after the I Ching. The numerous Chinatown shops, located a block north of the stop, feature fantastic traditional architecture, antique import shops galore (the largest selection can be found at Hong Kong Import Co 950 N. Hill St), as well as tourist gift shops whose finds are not only cheap, but surprising in their novelty and quality (I spent the most money at K.G. Louie Co 432-436 Ginling Way). No Hollywood Blvd cheese is this. Aside from the more material side of things, the food and drink is also numerous and low-cost. Just follow your nose and you can find your way to Golden Dragon’s Cantonese cuisine, as well as full bar (3 mixed drinks somehow came to the price of $10!). In the shopping district, you can also find an ‘artificial lily pond,’ as well as a statue devoted to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, founding father of the Republic of China.
- M. Gaynes; photo above by Roy Maurer
Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park
At the Lincoln Heights stop (370 W. Avenue 26 at Lacy St), there is, at the entrance, Cheri Gaulke’s life-size statue of a woman of the Gabrielino (Tongva) Indians drawing water from an unseen river. Also included are clusters of river boulders, coyote footprints, and a 35 foot long ‘story fence’ which tells the story of the Gabrielino Indians and their life-blood, the Los Angeles River. Less than half a mile away is the LA River Center & Gardens (570 W. Avenue 26 at San Fernando Road). Here you’ll find exhibits that tell the history and future of the Los Angeles River. - M. Gaynes
Heritage Square/Arroyo
You’ll find some of my favorite subway artwork at Heritage Square (3545 Pasadena Ave) and its Quetzalcoatl-inspired rock-work (carved from Mexican limestone) along both sides of the station, as well as porcelain tiles comprised of the mixed images of local citizens over the past century, motifs taken from the Borgia Codex, and broken pieces of Talavera tile, all created and pieced together by artist Roberto L. Delgado. Though it’s a two and a half mile walk from the station, the end result is Greayer Oak Park. - M. Gaynes
Southwest Museum
Southwest Museum (4600 Marmion Way) is the most aptly named when it comes to what you’ll find, as it’s located just across the street from.. you guessed it.. the Southwest Museum. With a large collection of Native American, Spanish Colonial, and Western American arts and artifacts, it’s a museum that’s devoted to the memory and record of the region in which it resides. A small garden of an interesting selection of Southwestern plants (as well as imported bamboo), lies at the entrance. Past this, you’ll find a gallery of diorama histories of various Native American tribes. And though I wasn’t able to find it, the Audubon Center in Debs Park supposedly lies nearby. I was able to find Debs Park, but the rest? The MTA would do well with investing in maps of each surrounding neighborhood at each stop. Even with my Yahoo Map print-outs, I could’ve used the additional help.
The station’s design, complete with 13-foot high columns supporting tile angels with metal crowns, was created by the late artist Teddy Sandoval, brought to fruition by Paul Polubinskas. - M. Gaynes; photo above by Roy Maurer
Highland Park
Located at the heart of Highland Park’s active center, the Highland Park station (151 N. Avenue 57) has the classiest design of them all, artist Jud Fine having taken his inspiration from the 1906 built Oaklawn Waiting Station on Fair Oaks Ave. The station lies one block from Mr T’s Bowl, many a scenester and thirsty local’s favorite hang-out. The Bowl is a nice, relaxing bar day or night, with most everything you could want: cheap drinks, bands, even karaoke! Located nearby are countless neighborhood shops, burrito joints, and a large mural depicting the historical eras of the varying Hispanic peoples, which can be seen from the Gold Line returning to Union Station. Though the MTA website recommends the Abbey San Encino, which is located a good mile from the station, the building is, sadly, in a long-standing state of neglect and disrepair. - M. Gaynes
Mission
At 905 Meridian Ave is Mission station, whereupon you can immediately spy station designer Michael Schutz’s statue, a walking figure twice the size of an average man, standing atop granite cubes that were once a part of the Arroyo rail bridge. Behind this iron man is a 100 year old watering hole, formerly used for the horses of those making the journey from Los Angeles to Pasadena. Directly to the west of it lies the Meridian Ironworks Museum, which is only open for limited hours on Thursdays and Saturdays. But never fear, if you happen to arrive when they’re closed, farther down the street is the elegant Barrister’s Tea Room (921 Meridian Ave, Unit A), with a full menu of finger sandwiches, scones, tea (of course), and an ample selection of antiques. - M. Gaynes
Fillmore
Though I haven’t inspected this stop much farther than the design of it itself, it does deserve some merit for its nod to the scientific field, as artist Michael C. McMillan designed a 40 foot spire which supports an anemometer for measuring wind force, and, in tribute to pilot Chuck Yeager (who was the first to break the sound barrier), a weather vane depicting a miniature Bell X-1 rocket. This makes reference to the Jet Propulsion Laboratories, located in the Pasadena area. - M. Gaynes
Del Mar
At Del Mar (230 S. Raymond Ave) is the Gamble House, a little more than a mile off. Designed in 1908 by Greene & Greene for David and Mary Gamble of the Procter & Gamble Company, the house is now a National Historic Landmark, and tours are offered Thursday through Sunday ($8 adults, senior citizens & students $5, and free for children under 12). Also located nearby is the Los Angeles Music Academy, the Art Center College Of Design, Pasadena Center & Civic Auditorium, an ice skating rink, and, as Pasadena goes, plenty of fine shopping. The Del Mar station is a partial tribute to the architectural designs of Greene & Greene, as well as the trains of the Industrial Revolution, shown in the 550 linear feet of hand-wrought fencing. - M. Gaynes
Memorial Park
It’s when we hit Memorial Park (125 E. Holly St) that we reach the first of my favorite three stops along the Gold Line. Artist John Valadez gave the station a ‘modern cave’ feel, with brightly colored iron representations of pictograph animals, in the style of the ancient indigenous artists that created the very same. Outside of the station, less than a mile to the Southwest, is the Norton Simon Museum. Easily one of the world’s finest private collections, there’s entire sections devoted to beautiful sculptures from South East Asia , Medieval religious art, an entire wing devoted to Pablo Picasso, and even, an outside garden, complete with gorgeous sculptures by Henry Moore, Aristotle Maillol, and others. Between the Memorial Park Station and the Norton Simon is the Old Town Pasadena Shopping district. Shops range from the typical clothing boutiques and assorted franchises, to the Metropolitan Museum Of Art New York gift shop to the non-profit El Pueblo, which features folk art & specialty gifts, proceeds of which go to the aid of low-income families and senior citizens. Old Town Pasadena also features such a diverse mix of fine restaurants you nearly feel as if you’ve landed in the middle of Manhattan, the land of the ultimate dining experience. Well, without the freezing temperatures. Everything from Tibetan to Indian cuisine can be found, my personal favorite being Mezbaan (80 N. Fair Oaks Ave), and their daily buffets, complete with rice pudding. Best of all, two can eat for the more-than-affordable price of $13! - M. Gaynes; photos by M. Gaynes & Roy Maurer
Lake
At 340 N. Lake Ave, the Lake station has the most advantageous location, in my view, being a pleasant mile from the Pasadena Playhouse as well as Vroman’s bookstore, an independent movie theater and record shops, the Ice House comedy venue, and at a random shop near the Washington Mutual Bank, one of the best bagels of my life. Even aside from the sights, just to walk in the neighborhood is one of the most attractive that the Gold Line has to offer, as well as the entirety of Los Angeles. The station itself has the subtle design of Pat Ward Williams’ dichroic glass panel people and animals, representing neighborhood locals and daily commuters. - M. Gaynes
Allen
The Allen station, at 395 N. Allen Ave, was designed by Michael Amescua. It features a 10 ft tall stainless steel “Sun Marker” that serves as cover over passenger’s heads, as well as, apparently, heralding the summer and winter solstice. The Allen station was built with the Rose Parade in mind, a once a year event, which places it a full two miles from the Huntington Library. But rather than do my daily half hour on the treadmill, I figured a fresh air walk to what turned out to be one of the finest museums, park and gardens I’ve ever seen was more than worth it. One of the most superb examples as to the riches private wealth can bequeath upon the world, the extensive library carries Medieval & Renaissance era books, my favorites from the 17th and 18th century (including Jonathan Swift’s Travels Into Several Remote Nations Of The World (later known as Gulliver’s Travels), 1726, 1st edition; and a diary of Samuel Johnson’s), to important American legal documents (including a Mohawk Tribe deed of sale, their signatures being drawn animals) boggle the mind. Outside are the varying gardens taking you as far as Japan. With a renowned tea room, a gift shop that rivals the best bookstore, and a park that lacks one bit of the ‘creep factor’ (when you have to keep a watchful eye on your surroundings for fear of ‘unwanted attention’), paying the $75 membership is one of the smartest, and rewarding (intellectually and spiritually), investments the native Angeleno can make. Sadly, the city refuses to invest money in a connecting bus from the station to the Huntington Library, and the Library, which relies solely on donations, has yet to receive any large buses from kind (and wealthy) patrons. - M. Gaynes
Sierra Madre Villa
Though there isn’t much to find at Sierra Madre Villa, there is a fantastic El Torito just a couple of minute walk from the stop. Yeah, it might be a commercial franchise, but what a delicious one it is! Vegetarian burritos that taste like the best of a burrito and salad combined (mmm), along with some amazing blended pina coladas and margaritas, this makes the perfect end to the Gold Line trip. Artist Tony Gleaton is responsible for the station’s large photographic portraits, printed on two double-sided porcelain enamel steel panels. - Megan Gaynes; photo above by Roy Maurer
