Civic Duty part II

I reported back for Jury Duty this morning at 10:30 (took the subway - so convenient)... they called roll at 11am and told us to report back at 1:30.

Really? we get there mid-morning, and then they tell us to come back 2.5 hours later? Not enough time to really go back to work and return.

So I took a stroll thru the Civic Center. I forgot my camera (again) but i found this website with pictures of all the things I saw today (publicartinla.com/civiccenter).

Moses (representing Mosaic Law), King John with the Magna Carta & Thomas Jefferson with the declaration of Independence.

I like the stylization/art deco quality to these statues.

Nice to walk by these interesting places - I'd never notice them while driving, but on foot, I looked up and contemplated them.


Now I'd have never discovered this park had I stuck to the streets. But I decided to cut through the "Mall" area and found a nice setting with such a crashing sound coming from this massive fountain. I just fell in love with the Mid-Century stylings of this Civic Center - very angular and flat - dramatic horizontal lines and a long low profile.

It must look spectacular in May & June as the fountain is surrounded by Agapanthus plants & Jacaranda trees - the place would be all abloom in blues and purples. (unless the agapanthus flowers are white - but they're usually blue). These pictures are definitely old - the trees and landscaping are much more mature now.

There was a starbucks down in that park so I had a coffee and tried to read a book... but I felt like calling my mama (in barcelona) - she didn't call me this weekend (hmpf!) so i called. I should call more often. I want to visit her again soon.

1pm rolls around & I head back to the courthouse. Hint - if the elevators going up to the 11th floor are totally packed, take the elevators that go from the 12th to the 19th floor, and get off at the 12th and descend 1 flight of stairs... much easier than climbing 11 flights like i did 2wice last week... i hate crowded elevators!!!

1:30 - roll call. They make us wait some more. 2pm - case dismissed. What a freaking waste of 2 days. I didn't even get to run my mouth off again and get dismissed by the prosecuting attorney! we were all dismissed... guess they settled or plea bargained. oh well... no more jury duty for another year.

I took a different route to get back to the subway station... via Temple. I saw this interesting mosaic mural - a topographic map of Los Angeles. This picture doesn't do it justice at all. The colors are much richer in real life.

It's good to take different routes - I used to park near the Disney hall, walk along 1st street then go up on Hill to Temple.

B-O-R-I-N-G!

Gotta cut thru the park, look at the public art. Soak in the different settings... This is what life is about... Experiencing as much as you can... and if you're forced to be somewhere you really don't want to be - explore... see why something like the Civic Center was built - why it looks the way it does - what purpose does it serve... Sure, I'd never say "I want to go to the Civic Center just to sit by the fountain"... But now that I know it's there, next time I get Jury Duty - I might go and take a coffee in the park.