Mission San Gabriel Arcangel
Founded in 1771, Mission San Gabriel Arcangel retains its original facade, notable for its high oblong windows and large capped buttresses said to have been influenced by the cathedral in Cordova, Spain. The mission's self-contained compound encompasses an aqueduct, a cemetery, a tannery, and a working winery. Within the church stands a copper font with the dubious distinction of being the first one used to baptize a Native Californian. The most notable contents of the mission's museum are Native American paintings depicting the Stations of the Cross, done on sailcloth, with colors made from crushed desert flower petals.

Museum of Contemporary Art/Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
MOCA is Los Angeles's only institution devoted to art from 1940 to the present. Displaying works in a variety of media, it's strong in works by Cy Twombly, Jasper Johns, and Mark Rothko, and shows are often superb. For many experts, MOCA's collections are too spotty to be considered world class, and the conservative museum board blushes when offered controversial shows (they passed on a Whitney exhibit that included photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe). Nevertheless, I've seen some excellent exhibitions here.MOCA is housed in three buildings: The Grand Avenue main building (250 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles) is a contemporary red sandstone structure by renowned Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. The museum restaurant, Patinette (Mon, Wed, Fri 11am-5pm; Thurs 11am-8pm; Sat-Sun 11am-6pm; tel. 213/626-1178), located here, is the casual-dining creation of celebrity chef Joachim Splichal (see Patina). The museum's second space, on Central Avenue in Little Tokyo (152 North Central Ave., Los Angeles), was the "temporary" Contemporary while the Grand structure was being built and now houses a superior permanent collection in a warehouse-type space that's been renamed for entertainment mogul and art collector David Geffen. An added feature is a detailed timeline corresponding to the progression of works. Unless there's a visiting exhibit of great interest at the main museum, I recommend that you start at the Geffen building, where it's also easier to park. The third gallery, which opened in January 2001, is at the Pacific Design Center (8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood) -- it's the compact building next to the Pacific Design Center. Unlike the other two, admission to this galley is only $3, and emphasis is on contemporary architecture and design, as well as new work by emerging and established artists.

Union Station
Union Station, completed in 1939, is one of the finest examples of California mission-style architecture and one of the last of America's great rail stations. It was built with the opulence and attention to detail that characterize 1930s WPA projects. The cathedral-size, richly paneled ticket lobby and waiting area of this fantastic cream-colored structure stand sadly empty most of the time, but the MTA does use Union Station for Blue Line commuter trains. When you're strolling through these grand historic halls, it's easy to imagine the glamorous movie stars who once boarded The City of Los Angeles and The Super Chief to journey back East during the glory days of rail travel; it's also easy to picture the many joyous reunions between returning soldiers and loved ones following the victorious end to World War II, in the station's heyday. Movies shot here include Bugsy and Blade Runner. There's always been a restaurant in the station; the latest to occupy this unusually beautiful setting is Traxx.

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