Friday morning I drove my mother and I to the First Baptist Church near Korea Town. Mom had picked it out of the AAA Los Angeles guide because it supposedly had stained glass reminiscent of that in Chartres Cathedral in Chartres France (which we visited nine years ago). The stained glass was okay – but not spectacular. In fact, it was only partially leaded together and partially painted on. I had more fun doing time-lapse photography in the chapel.

From the church we proceeded northwest to Pan-Pacific Park so mom could take a look at the Holocaust Monument. It is a well designed monument – but I can’t say it is exactly an amazing site to behold.

Next up we drove two blocks away to the original Los Angeles Farmer’s Market. We strolled through all the gift shops and eateries. I bought a dried stuffed puffer fish to hang over my kitchen, and several shells to put in my fish tank. We ate lunch at the Gumbo Pot.

We then raced back across town towards the east to barely catch the 1pm tour of Our Lady of Angeles Cathedral. Mom quickly became bored with the tour when the pipe organ she’d patiently waited to see appeared to be maybe 600 pipes short of the 900 she was promised.

Entrance sculpture of Mary by Donald J. Gummer (Meryl Streep‘s husband).

We then journeyed back northwest again towards Hollywood and a very informal (yet docented) tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House. Our docent was a peculiar senior citizen who seemed to take a rather personal interest in the condition of the house “oh, I DO NOT like what they are doing with this restoration in the yard!” The original owner, Aline Barnsdall, had a Rockefeller bank account but decided to build this small low to the ground house, which confused both of us.

From there it was another trip to the grocery store, which would end up a common theme of mom’s visit. Mom cooked macaroni and cheese for dinner. A good time was had by all. Except maybe the cheese.