Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles

The other day, we went to see a Dodger baseball game. I don't go too often because I'm not a big baseball fan. We had a lot of fun! Baseball is so much better to see at the game instead of the television. Though the ticket prices have gone up and so has the parking prices, it's great venue to see. We arrived at the stadium an hour before the game started. This gave us time to find our seats and grab some dinner. Be prepared, the prices are outrageous on the food. Beers are $11. If you go in the evening, take a thick blanket to cover up with because it does get chilly. We sat in the field level section which were fantastic seats. A guy less than 2 feet away from us caught a foul ball with his bare hand. The stadium is very well maintained, very clean.

Second time at the game, we were invited to a box suite! Ooh, now this is how you should see a baseball game! Catered food, comfy rolling seats, great view of the field and bathrooms less than 20 feet away! View more pics on my travelogue!

Mexican-American history, art and culture is well represented at La Plaza Culturas y Artes, within the heart of Los Angeles, at Olvera St. Opened in 2011, LAPCA is housed by the fabulous downtown venue, Plaza House and the Vickrey-Brunswig building.

La Plaza is less the frame painting on wall kind of museum and more into local artifacts and audio-visual presentation. There is a wide array of artistic displays covering the Mexican experience in America and is presented in very bilingual experience.

What else is great here? Admission is free. However, a donation of at least $1 is recommended. and the dollar filled donation box is very visible by the reception desk. Don't be a total art-going cheapskate and give.

Notes:

It's best to get here from Union Station.This way, no need to search hard for parking which can be hard to get and at a premium in the Olvera St area.

If you are coming by car, you can find parking on/by Spring and Cesar Chavez streets. LA Plaza will partially validate parking at the lot located at Arcadia and Spring Streets (171 Arcadia Street, entrance on Arcadia) and County Parking Lot 15 (527 N. Spring Street at Cesar Chavez Boulevard, from entrance on Spring).

When Dodgers owner Walter O�Malley was negotiating with the city of Los Angeles in 1957 over the deal that would take the Dodgers out of Brooklyn, he and a county supervisor took a helicopter ride over Los Angeles to look for potential stadium sites. When they flew over the undeveloped 300-acre lot at Chavez Ravine, surrounded by freeways and within sight of the downtown skyline, O�Malley is said to have pointed and asked, "Can I have that one?" The supervisor replied, "No problem." Dodger Stadium was baseball�s only privately financed stadium built since Yankee Stadium (1923) and until Pacific Bell Park (2000).

I'm not a fan of baseball but I suppose if you visit LA you need to go and see it once.

On the positive side it's probably the closest thing to going to a football stadium in Europe, as the crowd is passionate, loud and sometimes rowdy (you don't want to show wearing the opposition's colours). Also, ticket is rather cheap and starts at $10

On the down side being LA you need to drive to the stadium as finding taxi after the game is difficult; and getting in and out with your car is a hard work due to the congestion.

Go to http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com for more information and ticket purchase, or alternatively go to http://www.goldstarevents.com/ as often they have good deals on tickets.

Tickets are as low as $6 (or were last season) but there's no beer in the bleachers. It's a *** to get to, but if you feel like seeing a game it's fun. Dodger Stadium is in Echo Park. North of downtown, just South of Silverlake along Sunset Blvd. If you go, you should also hit The Short Stop bar just North of Elysium Parkway (the stadium drive) on Sunset and another block or two north a VietNamese place called "Pho" -- guess what they serve.

Hard to beat a Dodger came with a sack of peanuts and Dodger dog. While it's probably better to sit in the parking lot with a few beers before the game. Tickets range from a couple of bucks for the higher seats to 100's for a box seat. The best way to get here is by car since getting here by public transportation is adventurous at best. Actually the parking often cost more than the ticket prices....It was $10 per car last year.

Dodger Stadium was the third of four stadiums that I have set out to watch a baseball game before they are gone. I have been to Wrigley in Chicago and Fenway in Boston with Yankee Stadium in New York left. Great stadium on top of a hill all on it's own. The worst food out of any ballpark that I have been to and for a team battling to get to the playoffs, a disappointing attendence.I am glad to have experienced it but nowhere near the character, fan support or excitement of Wrigley nor Fenway.

If you're a baseball fan and it's baseball season, you may want to watch a ball game at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are always competitive and Dodger Stadium is considered as one of the best ballparks in the country. Watching a Dodgers game with thousands of screaming fans while eating a Dodger Dog is definitely an experience.

Tickets go for as low as $6. Shuttle bus service between Patsaouras Transit Plaza (beside Union Station) and Dodger Stadium is provided by MTA for Friday night home games. Round-trip fare is only $2.

LA is a notoriously nonchalant sports town, but its teams have rich histories:
The Dodgers were originally in Brooklyn, NY but have been thriving in LA for years. If you get a chance to go to Dodger Stadium (Chavez Ravine), make sure you grab a Dodger Dog, the best hot dog west of Coney Island!!