Welcome to Prime Viste Los Angeles!
By Claudia Alves

Los Angeles: More than Hollywood and Beaches
Los Angeles, L.A., LaLaLand, Tinsletown, Hollywood. Images of old time glamorous stars exiting their limos and wild child starlets sowing their wild oats intermingle with the mention of this city. But what do Angelenos do with their leisure time? Rather than focus on the known activities of star-gazing, beach-going and surfing, let's visit a side of L.A. not readily seen by visitors.

The photo above is of the Public Library (from Experience L.A.) and the ones to the left are from the San Antonio Winery and Maddalena Restaurant in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Public Library: A Unique Look at the City's Art, History and Culture
Located downtown, the Los Angeles Public Library features events such as the Aloud Series, Children and Teen events, and a lecture series, as well as art. Wonderful painted ceilings, chandeliers and murals adorn the library. Murals in the International Languages Department depict the story of Ivanhoe. In the Lodwrick M. Cook Rotunda on the second floor, the murals by Dean Cornwell trace L.A.'s history. The Cornwell murals take up the upper half of the wall with the ceiling painted to complement the murals' muted pastels.

Off the rotunda is the Annenberg Gallery, which houses the collection of Hollywood gone by, including magazines, postcards of the Griffith Observatory, Santa Monica and the Hollywood Bowl, vintage movie posters, scene stills (Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart), and lobby cards and movie hand bills in Spanish.

The two small galleries off of a first floor entrance hall showcase changing exhibits. Now through May 20, see "L.A. Neighborhoods: Hollywood." Douglas McCulloh has taken a portion of Hollywood Blvd. and photographed the everyday life of that neighborhood. Along the way, he has documented Denny's late night shift, a depressed Captain America in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater (Batman and Spiderman are bigger draws), Charles Bukowski's apartment building, the repainting of the Ripley's Believe It Or Not dinosaur, and the unsung hero talent escort at the red carpet.

In the children's court (check for scheduled open days), the panel carvings take us through our favorite children's tales. And, don't miss the exhibit "Dancing by the Light of the Moon," works of artist Fred Marcellino in the Getty Gallery, until July 29. Marcellino changed the look and feel of contemporary fiction book covers, as well as children's books.

The L.A. Public Library is truly a place of enchantment and discovery - the side that tourists don't delve into. Visit the library at: 630 W. 5th Street, L.A. Hours: Mon. 10-8, Tue. 10-8, Wed. 10-8, Thu. 10-8, Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, and Sun. 1-5.

Visit Nearby San Antonio Winery and Maddalena Restaurant
After a morning steeped in art and the history of L.A., enjoy lunch at San Antonio Winery (founded in 1917 by Santo Cambianica) and Maddalena Restaurant (opened in 1975 by Santo's nephew Stefano Riboli and his wife Maddalena). Enjoy a meal of simple northern Italian cooking, and talk to the owners to get your own personalized history lesson. Click here for the schedule of wine seminars. And, don't forget to stop by the wine shop on your way out!