LITTLE ARMENIA

                          Discover Little Armenia in the USA

  The   USA is a home away from home for a huge number of Armenia who over the last two centuries have flocked  to America  to make new lives for themselves  and their  families. Today, two cities  in  particular  play  host  to  some of the biggest  Armenian  communities outside  of Armenia  itself. Los  Angeles  and  New York  have  become  hotbeds of Armenian  culture,  cuisine, art and architecture  to the extent  that  Glendale,  a  town  just  a  stone’s  throw  from  downtown  LA, has been nicknamed “Little Armenia”. 

   The  telltale  signs  of the long-existing  Armenian influence  in Glendale  are immediately  obvious. The city’s  billboards  and  shop  fronts  are dotted  with the artistically  curving  lettering  of the Armenian alphabet.  Melancholy  Armenian  melodies  drift  on the breeze,  mixing  with  typically  Armenian  culinary  aromas  wafting  through the  warm  air  from the many  Armenian restaurants.  With  the best chicken  kebabs and lahmajo,   there’s no time to feel homesick.

  LA  is  one of the  hippest  cities  in the world. Home  to Hollywood, the stars  and the red carpet, this  glitteringly  exciting  city  has a non-stop  24-hour  buzz  that  flows  seamlessly  from the lazily  hot,  California  sunshine-fueled  day  into the pulsating  effervescent  vivacity of night. Ultra-trendy,  ultra-cool, ultra-everything,  LA   is one  place  where you  could  never possibly  get  bored.

    If it’s the  beach  you want,  then take your pick from the  long  stretch  of golden  sands  that  line  LA’s  coastline. The  ultra-kitsch  surfers’ paradise  of Venice  beach  is the place  to be for a more relaxed, urban  vibe. Women on roller blades  dodge the dancing street  performers, huge  palm  trees  sway to the  rhythm  of reggae  music  floating  through the air.  Just  a  stone’s throw the strip is Muscle Beach, a freak  show  extraordinaire  where body  builders  slathered  in oil  show  off  their  bulging  muscles to  excited  tourists. If the Jet  set is more your  scene, head down  to Santa Monica  beach where even the dogs  wear  designer clothes.

  LA  offers  a wide  variety  of  other  entertainment    for  all  ages.  It  is  home to  the original  Disneyland,  dubbed  the happiest  place  on  earth.

  The  Getty Center, built in the  hills  above  the exclusive  neighborhood of  Bell-Air, is a mecca  for art lovers  and  has  stunning  panoramic  views of  LA all the way to the coast. Literally  shop  until you drop on  Rodeo  Drive; every  designer  label you could imagine  has  an  outlet here.  The   fantastic  night life is  world-renowned.  As the sun goes down, the heady  atmosphere of LA by  night  is  lit up  by the flashes  of the persistent  paparazzi  hoping  to catch  a glimpse  of  the starlets and  socialites.

  Close  to 70,000 Armenians  arrived in New  York  at the end  of the 19^th  century  alone. The  rich  culture of Armenia  has continued  to feed and even  define  parts of the “Big Apple”  and to this day the  Armenian  heritage and presence  remains  an  undisputed  force  in the city. Armenian  cuisine  has helped to  shape the city’s  taste buds. You’ll  find all the  tastes  of  home  in New York,  from  typical Armenian  liquors  to delicious  sticky  sweets  and  desserts.

  The fine  cuisine of Armenia  is not  all that has shaped  New  York.  Indigenous  Armenian   music  has gone  down  in  New  York  history. And  then  there is  the  architecture,  most  famously  the  Saint  Vardan  Armenian  Cathedral, built  to  resemble  the  Cathedral of  Holy   Etchmiadzin  in Armenia.  This  stunningly  powerful  yet  pure  and  simplistic  work  of architecture constantly  reminds Armenians of their  history and traditions in a city where they are now so much at  home.

  A  visit to New  York  presents visitors with endless  possibilities and unlimited  entertainment. The Museum  of Modern Art in New York  is a  must see for any  art aficionado.  If  art isn’t  your “thing”, then  take a stroll through the tree lined avenues  of  Central  Park.  See the bright lights of Times  Square. Take  a  ferry over to  Staten  Island  and  look back at  the views of Manhattan. Take in the panorama from the top  of the  Empire State Building  or the iconic Statue  of   Liberty.  Or of course there is the world-famous New York  Shopping!

Make the trip, go over and  visit your  friends and relations  in the  USA.  Fly  to  New York  or Los Angeles  today  with  bmi.  Bmi offers  four  convenient  flights  per week between  Yerevan  and 

London  Heathrow, from where several  connecting  flights  to the  USA  are available  each  day.