GRAND CENTRAL MARKET: FALAFEL SANDWICH
I decided to go out and take a trip to the Grand Central Market and the Bradbury Building for extra credit. I went Saturday February 29th before work, and I brought along the rest of my family.
The market itself was very colorful and lively. I really enjoyed walking around and looking at all the different food options (which made it really hard to decide on what to eat). It was also quite packed for a Saturday morning and there was already long lines for certain food bars. The market was not what I expected, I thought it was going to be more vegetable or fruit stands. Instead it was a lot of over-priced (but good) “hipster” food. The scenery, again, was very aesthetically nice and colorful. The setting felt like I was transported into an underground food space even though the market is still above ground. I think it gave me that feeling because the market itself looks like it is in a giant warehouse. However, I think my favorite part of the market place’s design was the neon signs; almost all of the food places had a big neon sign. Walking in, the first thing I saw was a big wall covered in bright neon signs (the first picture). I really like the design of neon signs, I even have a small neon cactus at home too, so I was happy to see so many pretty neon signs.
Despite the endless amount of food options, I decided to settle on a falafel sandwich. My mother and one of my sisters also decided to try something from the falafel place, but since they both eat meat, they decided to get a chicken sandwich instead of a falafel sandwich. My other sister decided to get some pizza from the pizza food stand right across from the falafel stand.
The food was great, especially the falafel. I usually eat falafel from OPA! Greek back on campus but the falafel from here was a lot better. It was served on pita bread buns, which added a delicious and distinct taste compared to sandwiches made from regular bread. The falafel itself was also very good; the spices it had made it taste a lot richer and fresher compared to other falafels I have tried before. Although it is “over-priced hipster food” I think the sandwich was worth it.
The rest of my family also enjoyed the food so much that my mom wants to come back to the Grand Central Market sometime to eat again. Next time I hope to try some other foods as well, but overall I really enjoyed being in the market.
T H E B R A D B U R Y B U I L D I N G
After eating at the Grand Central Market, I crossed the street and went to the Bradbury Building. It was definitely a lot smaller inside then I had expected but the architecture and interior design of the building was stunning. I really enjoy the style of the older buildings, especially those in downtown LA.
The first thing I noticed at the Bradbury was the entrance to the building. I entered from the main door facing the Grand Central Market (as shown in the first and second picture). I really admired the design of the arched entryway and the detailed pattern that was cut into the outer fame of the arch. I also enjoy how the architecture of older buildings typically have huge entrances and spaces between the doorway and the sidewalk.
Once I walked in, the first thing I saw was the main staircases and their very detailed ironwork designs. All the intricate details made the stair rails look very pretty along with the wood frame and brick both contrasting the ironwork.
I was really fascinated by the elevators. Again, the patterns/designs on them were really pretty and made the building design stand out. All ironwork also contrasted very well with the color of the rest of the building. The dark color of the iron was able to contrast very well with the lighter tones of the brick and the wood of the building, making it overall, visually appealing. The open sky atrium also created a nice setting for the building, I believe the natural light coming from outside during the day effectively finished the building’s aesthetic and “vintage” atmosphere instead of just renovating it with modern electrical lights (even walking in almost felt like walking into a different time period).
I really enjoyed visiting the building, and I really admired both are architectural design of the building as well as its smaller details. If I have a chance, I would go back to visit again so I can fully enjoy the building and not have to worry about taking pictures.
Brianna 