It's a big bell :) Ok, it's more than that. The
Korean Friendship Bell is a massive bronze bell in Angel's Gate Park in San Pedro, a port neighborhood in Los Angeles.
I was first introduced to the Bell in the movie "The Usual Suspects" where they shoot multiple scenes at the park with the bell in the background.
The bell is actually a significant monument! It was given to the American people by the Republic of Korea to celebrate the bicentennial of the United States, to honor American veterans of the Korean War, and to symbolize friendship between the two nations. It was dedicated on October 3, 1976 and declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1978.
The bell itself is made of over 17 tons of copper and tin, with gold, nickel, and phosphoroous added to the alloy for tone and quality. It is set in a pagoda like stone structure which was built by Korean craftsmen over ten months. It's design is traditional which consists of a hipped rood supported by twelve columns representing each of the Chinese zodiac signs. The bell is rung only four times a year: 4th of July, Korean Independence Day (Aug 15th), New Years Eve, and every September to coincide with bell ringings around the country to celebrate Constitution week.
Located at the corner of Gaffey and 37th Streets, the section of the park is
alternatively called the "Korean-American Peace Park," and occupies part of the former Upper Reservation of Fort McArthur. It overlooks the sea gate from which the US troops sailed into the Pacific, and the site affords an unsurpassed view of the Los Angeles harbor, the Catalina Channel, and the sea terraces of San Pedro hill. Some of the scenes in the movie are shot at night when the strucutre is lit up. Subsequently I wanted to see the bell at night but since the park closes at 6pm we had to go before the sun set. We were able to take in the view because it was still light out!
There is no charge to enter or to park. Its a great place to have a picnic, take pictures, or just relax. There are also basketball courts by the parking lot if you feel so inclined. If you're in the San Pedro area drive up to the park and take a peak. It will be a slightly scenic drive overlooking the port and you'll have a fun place to hang out.
Even though San Perdo, the self declared Edge of LA, is so close to Long Beach I had never been to the town before so I thought what better way to see it than through an Art Walk. Their Art Walk is every 1st Thursday of the month. We wandered down there this past month which happened to be Cinco de Mayo, so it was an especially festive event. They have a free 1 hour tour that people can jump on if you're not familiar with the area or just want a little more direction.
We met at the Chamber of Commerce which is where the tour starts. We were a few minutes early so we were led to the Chamber's board room and gallery for some light snacks and wine. Most art walks or gallery events feature wine so this wasn't surprising. We talked with the other patrons who all seemed to be regulars. Promptly at 6:30 we headed outside to meet a larger group waiting for the tour. The docent mentioned this was one of the largest tours they have ever had.
We went to 3 galleries on the tour the 1st being Studio 345 where artists Pat Woolley and Gloria Lee had a variety of their own acrylics and watercolors. It was mostly non objective works by Gloria and French village scenes watercolors by Pat, who lives part time in Provence. We were also able to see their workspace which is in the back of the gallery. Our second stop was the Croatian Cultural Center which featured 10 artists of Mexican descent. This was great for Cinco de Mayo because there was Mexican art and lots of Mexican food and drinks. Very festive and appropriate for the walk. The last stop on the tour was the Annie Appel Photo Studio for the exhibit Afterglow by Amy Chambers. Her images were colorful and summer like. She is a self taught photographer doing very original work. She also uses a common digital camera (not an SLR) and a photo printer at a local drugstore.
The art district in San Pedro is very cute. There is a huge difference from where the galleries start to the rest of the city that we saw. The downtown has a regentrified, urban-chic feel. There are 26 galleries and over 30 restaurants around the art area. The next walk is this coming Thursday, June 2nd. If you're looking for a fun, free, relaxing outing you should go to the San Pedro Art Walk!
