Destination . . .
Chorale Bel Canto
By Linda de
Vries, Singer and Chair of the Board
Love classical choral music? Think Chorale Bel Canto.
Seldom or never listen to classical choral music? Think
again.
On October 26 think the City of Whittier,
where Chorale Bel Canto is singing Love Songs Through the Ages.
Think Whittier is too far to drive for just a concert? Think
again.
“Destination . . . Chorale Bel Canto” posts several times in
advance of each of our concerts, offering you ideas for a different day trip
to the city in which we’re singing, with a Chorale Bel Canto concert at the
center of your experience. These trips appeal to a wide variety of interests,
and share fascinating, sometimes intricate, connections between the city
and the music.
Today,
think Asian Serenity.
The population of Whittier is only about 4% Asian,
but as the concentric circles around Whittier widen to encompass Rowland
Heights and Monterey Park, the Asian population increases to over 50%, as does
the number of Asian services—spas, markets, temples, gardens, restaurants, and
more. Enjoy a bit of the Far East in and around Whittier before the concert!
Morning. Begin your day in nearby Hacienda Heights at the Hsi
Lai Temple, located at 3456 Glenmark Drive,
626-961-6697, info@hsilai.org. Sited atop a hill just off Hacienda Boulevard on
15 acres of land with 102,000 square feet of interior space, this Buddhist
monastery is faithful to the Ming (1368-1644 C.E.) and Quing (1644-1911 C.E.)
dynastic styles of architecture. Hsi Lai translates as “coming west,”
and this temple and monastery were founded by the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order
(in the Chinese Mahayana tradition) to spread the teachings of the Buddha to
the Western Hemisphere.
You will enter through the Temple’s stunning gateway
and enter first in Bodhisattva Hall, dedicated to several enlightened sages, or
“Buddhas in training,” and displaying their golden statues. To your left is the
Information Center, where bi-lingual volunteers will provide you with a
40-minute self-guided audio tour pack. On your tour you will visit the Arhat
Garden; the Avalokitesvara Garden; the elaborate Courtyard with its four lions;
the Main Shrine dedicated to Sakyamuni Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the
founder of Buddhism; the Fo Guang Yuan Hsi Lai Art Gallery; the Translation
Center; the Auditorium; the Meditation Hall; and the Memorial Pagoda that sits
atop the temple grounds.
The Temple runs an after-school enrichment program
for K-6 grade students, as well as providing weekend classes and special
workshops for adults interested in Chinese culture and Buddhism, meditation, or
Dharma instrument instruction. The Temple also boasts the Buddha’s Light
Symphony Orchestra, the Buddha’s Light Chorus, and the Hsi Lai Chinese Drum
Troupe, as well as hosting special events. Call the Information Office for
specific times and dates. The temple is open 9:00-5:00 daily. There is
handicapped parking, all levels are wheelchair accessible by elevator, and all
areas are traversable by ramps.
Depending upon how much time you’d like to spend in the Temple, you may want
to structure your day to include a visit to the 99 Ranch Market, located
very near the Temple at 1625 Azusa Avenue, Hacienda Heights, 626-839-2899. This
is one of 30 Asian supermarkets founded by the Taiwanese-born American, Roger
H. Chen, so-named because the number 99 is considered by the Chinese to be
lucky.Most of the market’s customers are Chinese American, but the chain sells a wide range of imported food products and merchandise from Hong Kong, Japan, Mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines, as well as some domestic products made by Chinese American companies. The language used in the stores is Mandarin Chinese, but some announcements are often made in English as well. You may feel as if you need your passport, but a visit to this market is an amazing experience not to be missed, and you will definitely find that special Asian ingredient you despaired of securing!
Lunch. Just below the Main Shrine in the Hsi Lai Temple is
the Dining Hall, where you may enjoy a vegetarian buffet for $7 weekdays from
11:30-1:30 and weekends from 11:30-2:30. Next to the Dining Hall is the Tea
Room, serving lighter fare, and the Book Store.
Or, you may wish to journey to Whittier and enjoy a
meal with meat. The well-recommended Silver Palace Restaurant, serving Schezuan
food, is located at 15326 Whittier Blvd., 562-947-4043. Many like the
inexpensive Grand Buffet, an elaborate Chinese buffet at 11885 Whittier Blvd.,
562-692-8997. Some swear by the New Canton Restaurant, at 13015 Philadelphia
St., 562-698-7315. The latter two are very near the afternoon’s concert venue.
Early
Afternoon. If you’ve spent the day at the Hsi
Lai Temple, you may wish to head straight to the concert. To deepen your state
of serenity before an afternoon of gentle a capella music, though, you
may wish to enjoy an Asian spa experience. The Greenleaf Massage Spa, located
at 7049 Greenleaf Ave., 562-360-9585 offers a range of massage experiences at
extremely reasonable prices in a relaxing setting. It’s a quiet retreat on the
busy main street of Uptown Whittier! Without requiring you to disrobe (or
disarrange your hair!—be sure to tell them) you may enjoy a 60-minute foot and
shoulder massage for $19.99. You may wish to return another time for their most
expensive 90-minute full body massage for $60. Prepare to be properly pummeled!
4:00 p.m. – The Concert
At the corner of Painter Avenue and Philadelphia Street in
Whittier you will find the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts. Just
east of the Shannon Center in the Whittier College Memorial Chapel, Chorale Bel
Canto will sing Love Songs Through the Ages. The music captures
true love, unrequited love, illicit love, courtly love, and humorous love,
expressed by composers from five centuries, from madrigals by George Gershwin
and the Beatles—Monteverdi to McCartney!
Evening. Conclude your Asian day in Whittier by
dining at one of its Japanese restaurants: Amachi at 6729 Greenleaf Ave.,
562-698-1510, or Azabu Sushi at 13119 E. Philadelphia St., 562-789-0881. The
Pasadena Star News recently gave Amachi two stars and Azabu three stars. A
close friend of mine will only eat salmon at Amachi!
You're certainly mining the riches of SoCal's ethnic diversity. Thank you for all the great ideas for a day of exploring and GREAT MUSIC!
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