Early on a Sunday Morning...

and walking through a nearly deserted "new" banking district in L.A., we found well-crafted art which recyled obsolete hardward into interesting new art.

Glorious Interior of a Buddist Temple in Chinatown, L.A.

Downtown LA - Bliss

With street photos, my favorites are the ones where people tell a story just by their being at that place at that time.

Big City Twins...designed by the same architect.

First, in LA, the older and smaller Westin Bonaventure Hotel; next a revisit to the Renaissance Center in Detroit (that was one of my favorite snaps from that trip--thanks to Hubsy). Both are 1970's confections designed by John Portman.

Reading Related to the recent D-Day Anniversary Celebration

Inspired by Diane Burke Fessler's "No Time For Fear-Voices of American Military Nurses in World War II", I continued to explore the topic with a history by Evelyn M. Monahan and Rosemary Neidel-Greenlee called "And If I Perish - Frontline US Army Nurses in World War II". From the very beginning of the war, the Japanese attack and invasion of various Pacific Islands, the entrapment of dozens of nurses in the Phillipines (where they remained til the end of the war in concentration camps), the initial recruiting and training of what would be about 70,000 nurses from the homeland; this book tells it all. Then proceeds to describe the evolving policies and tactics for incorporating medical support with the invading American troops from Africa to Sicily and the terrible, dangerous situation at Anzio. Eventually, the preparation and support for the invasion of France in the June 6, 1944 D-Day. Finally, the confusion after VE Day (how to get those in Europe immediately to the Pacific) or how long would those in Europe remain with the occupation? After the many nurses returned home, there were periods of readjustment and restlessness. I have mentioned my Mother was involved as a dietitian, late in the war in France. From reading this book, I understand why, as a 4-year- old, I would sit listening to my young, stay-at-home Mother, tell stories more exciting than fairy tales, while she smoked purple and pink cigarettes and sipped creme de menthe.

You Have Seen This Place...

though you may not realize it. This old, venerable-looking early 20th century garage or workshop, located in the L.A. Factory District is a commonly used filming location in action, police and thriller-dramas. On our first trip to Los Angeles, there was actually a shoot in progress as we strolled by.

"You Know You Have Lived in L.A. Too Long...

..when everytime you see a car commercial on TV, you can recognize the exact location it was filmed" says our Blonde Son. We saw a car commerical being filmed one evening as we walked back to our hotel. And yes, we walked a lot in downtown L.A.