Chinatown LA!

I've visited Chinatown in downtown Los Angeles for as long as I can remember.  It's a memorable place when you're a child.  There was even an organ grinder with a monkey that collected money, and there still is a big wishing well.  The current location was built in the 1930s and Hollywood film set designers had a hand in the design.  It was seen as a tourist attraction, a Hollywood version of Shanghai.  The buildings have been kept up with their neon edged dragon roofs, and it's very festive year round with many red lanterns.  Of course Chinese New Year is a big event there.  

I've taken photos many times over the years in Chinatown and when I started plein air painting I hoped to paint there with a group.  It turned out that last month two paint-out groups had Chinatown as our location.  I was so happy to finally have the opportunity.

Since it's pretty hectic at Chinatown, or at least there is so much to see, that I thought I would just do a small gouache both days instead of trying a watercolor too.  It turned out that on the Thursday we painted there, they were pressure washing the streets and sidewalks.  The Chinatown streets have been closed to cars for years but there was a power washing crew and truck parked in front of the colorful buildings.  Oh well, inconveniences are part of plein air painting.  We worked around the crew, but our painting time was even shorter.  The noise was awful so it was such a relief when they finished.  Some of the group had a Chinese lunch after painting.  Maybe next time!

The pink building was Hong Kong restaurant.