LIVE YOUR ADVENTURE

If you’re traveling domestically, you should know that airlines and trains don’t require any form of ID for children under 18. But if you’re traveling to Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or other areas of the Caribbean by land or sea, grandchildren 15 and under will need certified copies of their birth certificates.

And if your grandkids are 16 or older, or you’re traveling to these locations via air, passports will be required.

If you’re traveling overseas, all children, even infants, must have a passport. Some countries also require a visa for entry, and vaccinations may sometimes be required.

Before booking a trip, check the U.S. Department of State’s website at Travel.State.gov for country-specific information.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

LA on foot

From page 21 ing, the Bradbury Building has been the location for many TV shows and movies, including Chinatown and Blade Runner.

Historic Theater District

Conveniently, the Bradbury Building is located just across the street from the Grand Central Market, where we stopped again to rehydrate and refuel with Thai iced tea with boba from Moon Rabbit and strawberry rhubarb pie from Fat and Flour.

By this time, the market was packed and bustling, so the people-watching enhanced our snack time.

After our break, we headed south on Broadway to the Historic Theater District, the first and largest theater district on the National Register of Historic Places.

Many of the old theaters are in an advanced state of decay, but it doesn’t take much imagination to conjure up their for-

BEACON BITS

Aug. 12 mer grandeur. Some have been renovated and can be rented for special events.

The theaters are embedded among a funky mish-mash of jewelry stores, doughnut shops and bridal gown emporiums.

We strolled through Pershing Square toward the Millennial Biltmore Hotel, the grand dame of old Los Angeles money and movie fame, as well as a location for many movies and TV shows, such as “Columbo,” “Murder She Wrote,” Ghostbusters and Rocky III

Inside the hotel we walked through Rendezvous Court, where high tea is served under a beautiful Moorish ceiling. In the Historic Corridor’s gallery, we checked out an exhibit of photographs from Academy Award ceremonies held in the grand ballroom of the Biltmore in the 1930s.

Next, we made our way to the rooftop restaurant atop the Pershing Square Building to enjoy a cold drink or two, along with excellent views of downtown LA.

Then we headed a couple of blocks to our final destination, the Los Angeles Central

National Book Festival

The Library of Congress holds its 2023 Book Festival on Sat., Aug. 12, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in person at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Pl. NW, Washington, DC, with select events live-streamed on loc.gov/bookfest. This year’s theme is “Everyone Has a Story,” featuring authors Mary Louise Kelly, Ada Limón, George Saunders, David Grann, Elizabeth Acevedo, Jesmyn Ward and more. The festival is entirely free, and tickets are not required. For more information, visit bit.ly/2023BookFestival.

Free Business Help

July 26

Get advice on starting and growing your business at a free one-onone session with a SCORE mentor. The appointments are 30 minutes long and take place online on Wed., July 26, between noon and 1:30 p.m. Register at bit.ly/BizHelpOnline to receive the Zoom link. For more information, call (240) 777-0140.

Library, to check out the famous pastelhued murals inside the Grand Rotunda, which offer a 360-degree view of the history of California.

After turning slowly and craning our necks for several minutes, we decided to head back to the Grand Central Market for one last bite because, well, I like to eat. I chose a taco from Roast to Go, one of the oldest vendors at the market.

Our early dinner was a fitting conclusion to our historic, cultural, architectural and gustatory exploration of downtown Los Angeles — an urban center that, despite popular belief, is still thriving. There was still much more to explore, but that would have to wait for another day.

If you go

Nonstop round-trip airfare to LA from the D.C. area starts at $300 on several major carriers.

At Grand Central Market, I recommend Broad St. Oyster Co., McConnell’s Ice Cream, Wexler’s Deli and Sticky Rice.

For more upscale dining, try Asterid in Disney Hall (asteridla.com) and Clifton’s Republic (theneverlands.com/cliftons-republic), a makeover of the historic, forestthemed, fantasyland cafeteria in the heart of the theater district into an even more hallucinatory experience.

Rooms at Millennial Biltmore (millenniumhotels.com/en/los-angeles) start at $178/night. The Omni Los Angeles (omnihotels.com/hotels/los-angeles-californiaplaza) is located on the California Plaza and has rooms starting in the low $200s. For more information, see visitlosangeles.com.

We Want to Know

What You Think

Are you interested in attending a virtual listening session to share your insights on Washington DC’s livability? Simply scan the QR code in this ad, or call (202) 341-4149 to let us know. Age-Friendly DC will reach out to you.