On Saturday I hopped on a double decker bus for The Museum of Neon Art’s Neon Cruise. The Museum of Neon Art is in the midst of moving to Glendale, so we started this special Glendale version of the tour at The Americana, just across from MONA’s new location on Brand. The tour was quite different - and better - than I had expected. Many of the neon signs we saw were fantastic, but what really makes the tour worthwhile is guide J. Erik Lynxwiler’s expansive, frequently hilarious and deeply knowledgeable stream-of-consciousness narration on LA’s history and culture. His knowledge truly makes the tour worthwhile.
Also, and this I didn’t expect: everything is much more interesting from 15 feet up. You notice details you just don’t pick up at ground level. You also occasionally have to duck for trees (really). I highly recommend the tour, which runs on Saturdays from June to September. They hope to do the modified Glendale version of the cruise once a year as a special event; the normal cruise departs from Chinatown. Get your tickets here (they sell out) and dress warmly!
Here are some pictures from the cruise below. I’ve also uploaded an expanded version of this photo set to my flickr.
looking down Brand from the top of the bus
Leaving The Americana
Future site of Lex on Orange
Great White Hut
Zinke's Shoe Repair
Cruising down Brand
Seeley's
Victorian Houses in Angelino Heights
Downtown Los Angeles from Angelino Heights
watch out for those trees!
Los Angeles City Hall
new LAPD HQ
Chop Suey/Far East Cafe
Philippe The Original
The Orpheum Theatre
The Eastern Building
The Pantages
The Museum of Neon Art's Future Site on Brand Boulevard
Which will soon look like this-
- Get tickets for the Neon Cruise here
- The Museum of Neon Art
- my expanded Neon Cruise photo set on Flickr
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