Theodora Helgason ’22
Staff Writer
We are so lucky to be close to one of the biggest American cities, yet Claremont can also feel so far. L.A. is a $10.00 round trip train ticket or a 50-minute drive away. While at L.A. Union Station, take dazzlings pictures at golden hour.
Get the most bang for your buck by taking advantage of the resources of L.A. A lot of the city’s features are expensive, but if you know where to go, the city becomes a lot more student-friendly.
Downtown Los Angeles
- Go gallery hopping. One of the first times I went to L.A. I stopped at a gallery my dad was doing work with, Hauser & Wirth, and was impressed with the art show by all female artists they had curated.
- Explore some older architecture and take advantage of being in a city and gaze at the buildings that are more than three stories tall. The Bradbury Building is beautiful and a perfect place for a mini photo shoot. The intricate iron design inside is the perfect backdrop for a photo with friends.
- Go to a bookstore. The Last Bookstore is a great place to spend a couple of hours with friends or in the company of books.
Head to the Broad. You can get free tickets with a reservation. - Go to the MOCA Grand Ave. and The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. It’s free Thursdays 5 – 8 p.m.
Check out The Institute of Contemporary Art. Tickets are free.
Little Tokyo
- Make a wish on the wishing tree.
- Go thrifting and try on fun glasses at a thrift store.
- Get boba! I recommend the QQ passionfruit green tea from the Gong Cha that is located in Little Tokyo.
- Stop at Kinokuniya, a Japanese bookstore chain that has a variety of books in both Japanese and English. The store also has lots of pens that are fun to try out even if you don’t end up buying anything.
- Window shop in #aesthetic stores. Poketo is a great place to stop for design inspiration. The metallics and pastels of the store serve as great inspiration for dorm decor.
- Bring your greenbox to Grand Park and have a picnic with friends outside.
- Explore L.A.’s City Hall and admire the view from the observation deck.
- Take photos of your friends (for social media or for your dorm!) Or stop at Bae and take trendy photos of your ice cream. They have vegan options!
