usa :: los angeles :: general

djrajio · May 24, 2006

Hey England,

Thanks for the heads up. Yes, I am very aware of the spots you mentioned. What are your opinions on Shag, LAX, and Prey? I'll be in LA from June 3rd to 18th. Might head up north to see Stanford, Redwood City friends. So let's keep in touch.

artificialsky · May 24, 2006

Quote: get to SkyBar on Sunset around 8:00 pm before the bouncers/staff shut it off to the public, walk in wearing t-shirt, jeans etc. take a nice-ass table overlooking the city and wait for celebs/groupies to show up and think you are someone important.

i'm writing that one down.

6MT · May 24, 2006

I THINK....

LAX

MOOD

ROCK BAR

NATIONAL

ROSEVELT HOTEL

STANDAR HOTEL

THEY ALL HAVE GREAT CLUB LOUNGE WHAT EVER YOU CALL IT......AND THOSE ARE VERY PUPULAR AND EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT NOW I WOULD SAY

stillthehorror · May 24, 2006

I'd only go to Rokbar on Thursdays and LAX on Saturdays.

On any other day, I really hate the crowds that show up at those spots.

6MT · May 24, 2006

YEAH THE CROWDS COULD BE A BIT ANNOYING.......

englandmj7 · May 24, 2006

Quote: What are your opinions on Shag, LAX, and Prey?

I am not familiar at all with Shag or Prey, sorry man. Regarding LAX, it is pretty decent, like the guys said above. I am more of a bar/pub kind of guy so if you wanted to get wasted with friends and have some good food, I can recommend several good places......

May 25, 2006

I always had fun at the vine bar, which is obviously on vine. Dudes from buddyhead are usually there spinning, as well as any random music dude they can snare. LAX is great if youre looking for poon and like bloc party, but as far as fun goes, thats only for those polaroidscene douchebags. Last time we were there we paint balled the dickheads standing around with their boards down the street from supreme. God i miss home.

I punch my bitch to Godflesh.

treasurehoard · May 28, 2006

Spundae and Avalon have some of the best trance and house music from top DJs every Saturday night.

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Astoria VIII · August 13, 2006

OK. Apologies in advance if there have been topics with similar questions to mine in the past but I did a search and didnâ€™t find anything recent soâ€¦I have some specific Qs that hopefully, L.A. based supertalkers will be able to help me out with.

(If anyone will be visiting Sydney or Melbourne and has any questions I will be more than willing to return the favourâ€¦)

I must also point out that I will be traveling alone and that the primary purpose of my trip is for business in SF but seeing as itâ€™s such a long flight from Australia, I figured I may as well take a look at L.A. whilst I am there.

Also, most superficial things such as a chance encounter with a celebrity doing his/her grocery shopping or those â€œSee where the stars live!â€ tours really donâ€™t pique my interest one iota.

(Note that I said MOST superficial things as I am not opposed to spending money on material objects although I would imagine most people who visit superfuture are the sameâ€¦)

So here are my enquiries:

[1] Is it worth attempting to catch public transport or succumb and get a car? My main concern with getting a car is that we drive on the opposite side of the road down here and with all those freeways...I'm concerned I would spend more time lost than saving time getting to my destination.

[1a] Are parking meter charges reasonable or not?

e.g. In Sydney/Melbourne, parking usually goes for about AUD$3.00 per hr. on avg. depending on which part of the city you parkâ€¦this is reasonable. Anything above that I will classify as borderline extortionist.

[1b] Is it possible to see the majority of the main attractions on Sunset Strip or Hollywood Blvd (or both) on foot in less than 1 full day?

[2] Is there really anything to do in L.A. except shop? Not that thatâ€™s necessarily a bad thing but apart from a few architectural attractions, from what I can see thatâ€™s pretty much all there is to doâ€¦

[2a] Whilst we're on shopping, are there any factory outlets along the lines of a Woodbury Common Premium Factory Outlet in NY?

[3] Will eating at Spago or Koi etc. really make me feel like Iâ€™ve experienced a true culinary delight or simply force me to stop by a fast food stand for a burger with the lot?

[4] Lastly, if anyone could be bothered feel free to list one thing I MUST do and one prominent attraction which doesnâ€™t live up to the hypeâ€¦

Thanks in advance.

poopie boy · August 13, 2006

hi i live in los angeles and have lived here my entire life.

there is basically one thing thats the most important thing about visiting los angeles: how long are you staying for?

honestly, i've lived here all my life and have yet to see everything this city has to offer.

los angeles has everything you could ever imagine, so it depends on how long you stay and what your interests are.

los angeles, in my opinion, is not as big sight seeing city, such as paris would be.

so it is not ideal for tourism, but more for experience.

as far as transportation, i obviously have a car.

traffic in los angeles is a nightmare. while it may take me 12 minutes to get somewhere, it can take me up to 1.5 hours to get back.

it really depends on what times you want to drive at, and how much you want to see.

if you are looking at staying in the west l.a./hollywood/santa monica area then public transportation is your friend.

i advise you, that if you are a pansy, to avoid public transportation as it can be quite filthy at times. but again, its the cheapest way to get around, as getting a car is unreasonable for the amount of use you would get out of it (ie being stuck in traffic)

parking meters vary, in one area it can be 25 cents (USD) for 15 minutes, in another area, 25 cents can get you a full hour.

as far as attractions that live up to the hype or not, it really really depends on what your interests are. when people go to paris, everyone wants to see the eiffel tower and the arch of triumph, and the mona lisa at the louvre.

but in los angeles, it depends on if you are coming to the unique and outlandish shopping on melrose, or if you are coming to the rich art collections of lacma, moca, getty, and hammer museum (currently featuring the entire collection by the société anonyme).

it depends on if you want to eat some amazing sushi, or if you want to try the world famous pink's hot dogs.

los angeles is one of the most amazing cities in its variety in culture, we have a section of the city called "Little Ethiopia" for God's sake.

so if you are looking for things to do, cultures to learn about, and new things to try, you will love los angeles.

if you want to go sight seeing, you will be disappointed.

as far as seeing stars, i find it very rare how none of my friends have really met any, yet i seem to run into famous people quite often. i honestly don't even notice it at times.

they are just regular people to me, whether i run into them while doing some vintage shopping on 3rd street, or eating at a small cafe in century city. since they are just regular people, hyping up the experience will always lead to a let down. i'm glad you aren't coming for that.

by the way, the architecture of homes here is insane.

this city has frank lloyd wright written all over it and more.

azn8oi · August 13, 2006

I whole-heartedly agree with poopie. I live in eastern LA suburbs so I'm not really a big expert on the touristy parts because I don't frequent it often. I would say, and correct me if I'm wrong, that when people visit Los Angeles they're mostly confined to an area such as this one: (THE BLUE)

Beaches are a given and they're hugged, dragging to the east at-most to Pasadena (where I live 15min from), and then diagonally down to Downtown LA until you hit Torrance/Redondo Beach. Most of the famous tourist spots are in the top of the marked box. Notable exceptions are, of course, the amusement parks like Six Flags (which might be closed, in the coming future due to poor attendance) or Disneyland (which is somewhere within the red circle in the mid-right of the pic). Seeing how you probably won't be interested in DISNEYLAND, i'll spare more details.

As you can see, like Poopie said, this city isn't really made for sightseeing as much as it is for the experience. The entire tourist region isn't that large, and honestly there's not much that is TOTALLY unique to see that would blow your mind save maybe the Getty Museum, or if you're interested, in the Walt Disney Concert Hall by Frank Ghery.

Now to answer your first question- car, or no car. Oh god, get a CAR. It's actually surprising how extensive the bus system is in the entire region. I think it's extensive enough that you would get more confused about where to get off and where to transfer than to just brave the city using GOOGLEMAPS. I'd say the city is pretty well-marked in terms of the highways and the streets. Lots of DON'T ENTER signs and NO TURN signs are available for the right-side-impaired, haha. Part of the experience is driving in LA. It's not glamorous by any means, but it's how we live. The highways and streets often have potholes, but it's part of the city.

Another thing is about parking meters... Like poopie said, they're rather cheap! Most areas are 25 cents for 15min, and some places are a bit more. At the current exchange rate, $3AUD is $2.29USD, meaning that you'd feel at home if you're using parking meters. In any case, I don't think you'd spend $2.29 for an HOUR, in fact, you're saving more than double.

HOWEVER, the thing with parking meters is that it really depends on where you're going. I say this because sometimes you have to be at the right place at the right time to find a damn free meter (no car already on it). When I go to the touristy areas, I tend to utilize PARKING LOTS (be it in a structure, or in a private guarded lot). These tend to be a bit expensive, but it's mostly more convenient. Once again, this depends on where you're going and how long you plan to stay.

I just noticed how much time I spent just talking about transportation. It just tells me how much commuting is a part of an Angeleno's life.

(The GREEN marked region)

So anyways, other areas I guess I can recommend is the area I live in. I live in the suburbs east of Downtown LA in the Chinese/Taiwanese area. This is a completely different side of LA that I think most Angelenos don't frequent (which is not because it is dangerous as much as it is because it's out of the way). Asians are only like 11% of the city, and I would say the concentration of the Chinese equation live within this, and another unmarked region. This place is a different experience than in the rest of LA because of the populace, the stores, restaurants, markets, and in the architecture. It's funny that the CHINESE area doesn't have gimicky buildings in the area. By the way, make sure to notice that I'm not talking about CHINATOWN. Chinatown isn't even really run by the Chinese that much anymore, more so by Vietnamese and Mexican people. I'd only tell you to come to my area to eat REAL Chinese and Vietnamese food, but you can probably find some good things in Melbourne/Sydney that could make you care less about this gastronomic tour. There are no landmarks here, other than for some really good Asian restaurants, so this would strictly be for an experience. Also, it's a bit of a drive from Tourist's LA (Where you'll most likely have a hotel in).

So I conclude with:

1) get a car

2) try not to confine yourself to the tourist's LA, though that's pretty much that would interest most people.

azn8oi · August 13, 2006

I just realized that you had other questions.

2) Anything to do other than shop?

There are PLENTY of things to do, it just depends on what you care for. There are lots of recreational things to do, if that's your kind of thing. Physical activities like biking, hiking, swimming, are all available. If you're into rollercoasters, I HIGHLY recommend Six Flags, especially because it might close. At night there is the club scene in Hollywood. There are many bars all over LA as well. If you like gambling, there are a couple of casinos. I think they're all card games though.

2a) Outlets? Sure.

Recently a new outlet opened in Commerce, 10min away from Downtown LA called the CITADEL OUTLETS. I haven't been there yet but I've passed it on the freeway. It looks ok but I can't recommend it for serious shopping. For SERIOUS outlet shopping, you're going to have to go to Palm Springs for the Desert Hills Outlets. Now THIS is a serious outlet. You can spend a long long long time here as there are like 100+ shops

List here: http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/store_listing.asp?id=6

Palm Springs is a bit far and you absolutely MUST have a car to get here. It's like 2 hours from West LA. I highly recommend this outlet for a day of shopping.

3) Classy Restaurants

I really couldn't say as I have no experience in this area. As for burgers, one thing you MUST try though is In-N-Out burgers. It's not AMAZING and it wont change your life, but it's absolutely one of the best fast food burger chains. Amazingly good. They have a hidden menu as well. I personally recommend a Double Double Animal Style (2 meat patties, 2 slices of cheese, grilled caramelized onions, and thousand island in lieu of mayonaise). Most restaurants in LA are reasonably priced.

Actually, I just thought of one thing you absolutely MUST MUST try. Texan Woodranch BBQ. -- Angelenos should check this out as well. In the Santa Anita (Arcadia) Mall, there is a Texan BBQ joint called Woodranch. They slowroast their babyback ribs and tritip until it's extremely tender and they have it with their house barbecue sauce. Absolutely amazing BBQ. If you go, I recommend 2-item special ($25):

Choose babyback ribs and tritip and for the 2 included sides, choose fire-roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes (_SKIP_ THE SWEET POTATOES AT ALL COSTS)

If you opt for salad, go for the BBQ Chopped Salad ($13), with tritip.

It might seem a bit much for BBQ but the portions are great and trust me, it's worth the money and drive for something that you normally wouldn't be able to try. Messy, but good.

4) One thing must do.

I have no idea. Someone else has to help you here.

As to something that you can skip... Skip actually STOPPING in Downtown LA. Cruising along the freeway to see the skyline is good enough, don't actually stop in there as a tourist with no intentions. There's nothing to specific to see except the Disney Concert Hall and to check out Little Tokyo and maybe some other 'ethnic' neighborhoods, like the forementioned Little Ethiopia. Personally I don't worth the time if you're not interested in stuff like this.

dizzhizz · August 14, 2006

Car is a definite in LA. No questions.

Asides from the sightseeing (Beverly Hills, Sunset, Santa Monica, PCH, etc.) you should try seeing/eating at the different ethnic parts to LA. There's tons of stuff to eat out there and since being an Angeleno, you are exposed to the many culinary places which sets LA apart from any other major metropolitan.

Koreatown (Korean BBQ), Thai town, Little Armenia, Rosco's Chicken & Waffles, Little Tokyo, Chinatown (although I'm sure you can find a better Chinatown in SF), etc. Possibilities are endless. You can also try Ethiopian food on Fairfax or some really good Cuban on La Cienega.

I would also avoid going to downtown unless going to the Staples Center or trying a french dip from Phillipes. Although you might like Cricket, perhaps a Dodger game and a dodger dog should sound interesting, especially given that the boys in blue are in contention!

Hope you enjoy LA and what it has to offer. Don't forget Hollywood too!

6MT · August 14, 2006

What Ever You Do, Dont Go Eat At Pinky's Or Pink's Hot Dog, Its So Fucking Retarted...not Good And Just No Reason To Eat There.

Astoria VIII · August 14, 2006

Wow. Thatâ€™s great. Thanks for the detailed responses. It is much appreciated.

poopie boy, I will be in L.A. for a bit over 4 days. Thanks for pointing out the Los Angeles is not really a sightseeing city. I think I was beginning to figure that out and I understand that now. Iâ€™ve never really wanted to travel to L.A. (and although I have been before, I was 4 yrs old so it doesnâ€™t count) as I always imagined it to be the most superficial place on earth right down to the manufactured women everyone always seems obligated to point outâ€¦but Iâ€™m still curious nonetheless.

I will actually be staying in Downtown LA as that seemed to be the only area with decent accommodation at a reasonable price (traveling alone really doesnâ€™t help). As long as the place is clean and in a relatively central location that is more than enough for me as all I want to do there is sleepâ€¦Iâ€™d rather spend my money on other things which I can keep or doâ€¦monogrammed bath robes which I can steal are a plus but not a necessity.

So what do I want to do in LA? To be honest, there really isnâ€™t anything that I categorized as a must see/doâ€¦and even after buying and reading the DK Top 10 Los Angeles guide, there still isnâ€™t anything I would categorize as a must see/do. I will say that I wouldâ€™ve loved to have stayed at the Chateau Marmont just because. But itâ€™s booked out for the year. Thatâ€™s one hotel I wouldnâ€™t have minded forking out forâ€¦

(and in case any of you are judging me for buying such an amateurish touristy type guide, I am only going to be in LA for 4 days so I really didnâ€™t want a Timeout, Frommerâ€™s or Lonely Planet with so much information that I would be wasting half my time reading through the history of a place before I finally got to the part I wanted. Also, I find that researching stuff on the internet is a must and covers most of the info in those guides anyway. + I like the pretty pictures in DKâ€¦)

So what do I think I will do in LA? I do consider myself an avid amateur photographer so hereâ€™s what Iâ€™ve got so far:

*Please feel free to point out whether any of these â€œattractionsâ€ are really not worth my timeâ€¦and feel free to add to the list.

Walk down Sunset Strip. From what Iâ€™ve gathered, the main attractions here are the Giant Billboards, the Chateau Marmont, The Argyle Hotel, Sunset Plaza, Rainbow Bar and Grill and the Viper Room.

I figure Iâ€™ll just be taking photographs of all these things as theyâ€™re just buildings etc. I would check out the Viper Room if I was traveling with more people but I think Iâ€™ll give it a pass this time around.

Also, going back to one of my first Qs, how long would it take to walk Sunset Blvd and see all the things I listed above?

Walk down Hollywood Boulevard and check out the Walk of Fame, Hollywood Entertainment Museum, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Mann's Chinese Theater, El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood and Highland, The Egyptian Theatre, Frederick's of Hollywood Lingerie Museum, Capitol Records Tower and Pantages Theatre.

Again, I figure I will mostly be taking photographs here.

Check out the Getty Center.

Any idea what is the best way to get there from downtown assuming I donâ€™t have a car? Also, approx. how long is the journey and what would be a good period of time to set aside for the visit (5 hrs, 1 day)?

The sociÃ©tÃ© anonyme collection sounds great but unfortunately it will be finished by the time I arrive.

As Iâ€™ll be staying downtown Iâ€™ll probably take a lot of photos of Walt Disney Concert Hall as that seems fairly interesting from an architectural point of view and maybe the Bradbury Building if it is close by.

I would definitely go see the Dodgers as I have been to a couple of baseball games (Blue Jays in Toronto) and really enjoyed the experience (esp. the ridiculous singing during the 7th inning stretch) but it doesnâ€™t look like there are any games scheduled when Iâ€™ll be in LA (Iâ€™m assuming the regular season will be finishing up by then and the playoffs will be starting soon) but itâ€™s not a big deal as Iâ€™ll almost definitely check out the Giants whilst I am in San Francisco and see for myself if Barryâ€™s head is as big as it looks.

I guess Iâ€™ll do a tour of Universal Studiosâ€¦and maybe WB Studiosâ€¦any objections here?

Iâ€™m also curious about Itâ€™s A Wrap! (3315 W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank/http://www.itsawraphollywood.com) and Larry Edmunds Bookshop (6644 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood/ http://www.larryedmunds.com) which was recommended in the DK guide but only if I have time and happen to be passing by. Anyone been to either of these stores and can tell me if there is anything of substance there?

Also, what do you guys think about going to a live taping of a show (http://www.tvtickets.com/)? Worth the 3hrs or will I better of spending my time elsewhereâ€¦

As for eating, Iâ€™ll definitely try and find Pinkâ€™s Hotdogs (I recall Gordon Ramsay featured it on Hells Kitchen which btw is the worst show on TV due to its intellectually stunted contestantsâ€¦The F Word is much, much more entertaining for those who are fans of Mister Ramsay)â€¦..Iâ€™ll keep an eye out for In-N-Out burgers though weâ€™ll see how hungry I am before I order a Double Double Animal Style burger.

Texan Woodranch BBQ sounds like a safe bet as well but any other less chain style type eating spots will be much appreciated.

Thanks for the link to Desert Hills azn8oi. Iâ€™ll have to try and fit that in somewhere along with hitting Rodeo Drive etc.

Iâ€™m most probably not going to hit the beaches this time around as I do live in Australia after all and when I travel I do like to do things at either a hectic speed or relax and do nothing at all, thereâ€™s no in between. So for this trip, everything will be go go go and as such, for the most part beaches donâ€™t fit into the plan.

If Venice Beach isnâ€™t too far I might check out the stalls and street performers there.

Iâ€™m not a huge fan of Rollercoasters etc. so Six Flags will also have to be saved for next time and Disneyland is probably too far awayâ€¦+ I figure Universal Studios will have some rides if Iâ€™m not mistaken.

I probably also wonâ€™t be checking out Chinatown, Little Korea etc. cause to be honest it just doesnâ€™t sound that appealing. I truly donâ€™t believe the Chinese or Korean food etc. will taste any better over there than it does here or anywhere elseâ€¦

Lastly, I realize getting a car wonâ€™t hurt but say if I wanted to travel from Downtown to Sunset Blvd. Can I catch public transport an if so what would you recommend (bus/subway) or will this be more trouble than itâ€™s worth.

OK. Thatâ€™s it. I realize Iâ€™ve written a fair bit here but any additional answers you can provide would be great and thanks for ALL the info so farâ€¦

Astoria VIII · August 14, 2006

What Ever You Do, Dont Go Eat At Pinky's Or Pink's Hot Dog, Its So Fucking Retarted...not Good And Just No Reason To Eat There.

Ha.Just saw this after I posted my last reply. Any reason to your extreme objection to eating at Pinky's? Have you tried their Hotdogs more than once or did you have a bad experience the first time around and not go back?

dizzhizz · August 14, 2006

I wouldn't walk the Sunset strip - its quite long but if you rent a car you can drive right through, up to the big houses through Beverly Hills - Bell Air - Pacific Palisades - etc.

As for Pink's (LaBrea + Melrose), it is an experience for just the hot dogs but never worth the wait. In-n-Out (Hollywood + Gower) is also highly recommended but if you want to keep it real, don't forget about Fatburger (Highland + Wilshire).

You can also cruise down Melrose to see some funky stores, and further down you can check out high end boutique stores such as Fred Seagal, Paul Smith, etc.

Woodranch BBQ is located in the Grove (Fairfax Ave), an outdoor type of shopping mall with department stores and a movie theatre. Some really good food in there.

Although you might pass on the ethnic food, I do recommend that you get some soul food. There's a place called Aunt Kizzy's in Marina (south of Santa Monica) or get some chicken and waffles at Roscos (Labrea + Pico).

Hope this helps.

Astoria VIII · August 14, 2006

I wouldn't walk the Sunset strip - its quite long but if you rent a car you can drive right through, up to the big houses through Beverly Hills - Bell Air - Pacific Palisades - etc.
As for Pink's (LaBrea + Melrose), it is an experience for just the hot dogs but never worth the wait. In-n-Out (Hollywood + Gower) is also highly recommended but if you want to keep it real, don't forget about Fatburger (Highland + Wilshire).

You can also cruise down Melrose to see some funky stores, and further down you can check out high end boutique stores such as Fred Seagal, Paul Smith, etc.

Woodranch BBQ is located in the Grove (Fairfax Ave), an outdoor type of shopping mall with department stores and a movie theatre. Some really good food in there.

Although you might pass on the ethnic food, I do recommend that you get some soul food. There's a place called Aunt Kizzy's in Marina (south of Santa Monica) or get some chicken and waffles at Roscos (Labrea + Pico).

Hope this helps.

Thanks dizzhizz. That's great. I plan on actually stopping and looking at the stuff on Sunset though so...do you recommend I drive, get out take a look and then get back in the car and repeat? And let's say I do drive through Beverley Hills etc. what will I find ther other than people who thinkthey are or are richer than me.

Rosco's sounds good. Aunt Kizzy's...what exactly classifies food as "soul food" anyway? I really never figured that one out.

Thanks also for the insight into Pink's etc. That's the stuff I'm looking for that you'd never normally find in a guide.

And the HOLLYWOOD SIGN!!!. Shit. I completely forgot about that. How hard is that to get to and anyone know of any good vantage points to take photos from?

(Thanks for the reminder miguel).

Keep the info coming. This is really great. I promise I'll make a report of L.A. when I do return (in October) if people are interested. And anyone have any questions about Australia yet? I feel like I need to give something back in return for all this help.....

aan den rijn · August 14, 2006

Thanks dizzhizz. That's great. I plan on actually stopping and looking at the stuff on Sunset though so...do you recommend I drive, get out take a look and then get back in the car and repeat? And let's say I do drive through Beverley Hills etc. what will I find ther other than people who thinkthey are or are richer than me.
Rosco's sounds good. Aunt Kizzy's...what exactly classifies food as "soul food" anyway? I really never figured that one out.

Thanks also for the insight into Pink's etc. That's the stuff I'm looking for that you'd never normally find in a guide.

And the HOLLYWOOD SIGN!!!. Shit. I completely forgot about that. How hard is that to get to and anyone know of any good vantage points to take photos from?

(Thanks for the reminder miguel).

Keep the info coming. This is really great. I promise I'll make a report of L.A. when I do return (in October) if people are interested. And anyone have any questions about Australia yet? I feel like I need to give something back in return for all this help.....

You can get view of the Hollywood sign from the complex that houses the Kodak Theatre and everything else @ Hollywood/Highland. US101 Highland exit on your left.

Places like Spago are overrated, in my opinion. There are lots of cool options, Citizen Smith with incredible steaks (Selma and Cahuenga), O-Bar's Mojitos (Santa Monica just La Cienega going east), the Vodbox @ Nic's on Canon in Beverly Hills, etc. Try those out but you'll need a reservation for most nights.

Oh and soul food? Grits, gravy, fried chicken, etc. Together as a singular unit they can be referred to as soul food.

The other night (Friday night) I drove by Pink's and the line didn't even stretch to the entrance of its parking lot! It's an interesting experience to say the least.

6MT · August 14, 2006

Ha.Just saw this after I posted my last reply. Any reason to your extreme objection to eating at Pinky's? Have you tried their Hotdogs more than once or did you have a bad experience the first time around and not go back?

well, the hot dog is ok, but i never understood why people would stand in line at least 30 minutes just for hot dog. you know what, try it, atleast you could see it for your self..

englandmj7 · August 14, 2006

well, the hot dog is ok, but i never understood why people would stand in line at least 30 minutes just for hot dog. you know what, try it, atleast you could see it for your self..

Word, Pink's is okay, but not worth the often 45 min. - 1 hour wait. For a comparable hotdog try Skooby's on Hollywood or Carney's on Sunset, neither of these have very lines. Another tourist trap to avoid is Paco's Tacos (Culver City)........fuck Paco's Tacos; the line is worse than Pink's and the tacos suck ass (the ones at Jack In the Box are similar, albeit far better). Go to Holy Guacamole! on Main St. in Venice.......

Astoria VIII · August 15, 2006

You can get view of the Hollywood sign from the complex that houses the Kodak Theatre and everything else @ Hollywood/Highland. US101 Highland exit on your left.
Places like Spago are overrated, in my opinion. There are lots of cool options, Citizen Smith with incredible steaks (Selma and Cahuenga), O-Bar's Mojitos (Santa Monica just La Cienega going east), the Vodbox @ Nic's on Canon in Beverly Hills, etc. Try those out but you'll need a reservation for most nights.

Oh and soul food? Grits, gravy, fried chicken, etc. Together as a singular unit they can be referred to as soul food.

The other night (Friday night) I drove by Pink's and the line didn't even stretch to the entrance of its parking lot! It's an interesting experience to say the least.

Thanks aan den rijn. Hollywood & Highland huh...I will remember that when I go there.

As for Soul Food, I kind of figured those types of food were considered Soul Food but I still don't understand what classifies one piece of Fried Chicken as KFC and another piece as "Soul Food"...anyway. Not really important.

And I get the idea with Pink's. Thanks. We'll see how tolerant I am when I get there as to whether I am willing to queue for a Hot Dog.

Also, anyone know a good amount of time I should set aside for the Getty Center??? Thanks again.

drgitlin · August 15, 2006

The Getty Centre all depends on how much you like pre 1900s art. If you like it a lot, you can spend all day there. If, like me, you find it very boring compared to the last 110 years, then you'll find the actual collection rather boring, but the architecture is fabulous.

And you need to rethink not getting a car. Driving on the wrong side of the road is not hard, just keep the driver's side door closest to the middle of the road. Parking will be free almost everywhere - if you park in a lot and go to a restaurant or a store, then they will validate your parking for you, and otherwise getting around will be extremely difficult. It's not a town like London or NYC where you can just flag a cab on the street.

englandmj7 · August 15, 2006

Thanks aan den rijn. Hollywood & Highland huh...I will remember that when I go there.
As for Soul Food, I kind of figured those types of food were considered Soul Food but I still don't understand what classifies one piece of Fried Chicken as KFC and another piece as "Soul Food"...anyway. Not really important.

And I get the idea with Pink's. Thanks. We'll see how tolerant I am when I get there as to whether I am willing to queue for a Hot Dog.

Also, anyone know a good amount of time I should set aside for the Getty Center??? Thanks again.

Getty Center: 4-5 hours max. It is nice but unless you are a total art buff you can easily browse it in this time.

I think another gimmicky but fun LA experience is Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles. There are quite a few locations throughout the LA area and it is cheap.......but yeah, I didn't read this whole thread but for god's sake you really need a car. A couple other 'interesting' things to do that are not really in the tourists handbook:

Cinespia - screening horror/thriller films in a Hollywood cemetery every Saturday

http://www.cemeteryscreenings.com/

The Standard pool parties (some snobby wanks, but celebs/attractive women):

http://www2.flickr.com/photos/thedavidshow/171975344/

I personally hate LA club crowds but you have to do Sunset, etc. whilst in LA just to say you did.

Oh, and to answer your question about the Hollywood sign, I believe a previous poster mentioned how to see it, but to actually GET to it physically you have to drive up into the hills and hike for about 1.5 hours.......it is ABSOLUTELY not worth it. Another great little tour that I recommend (and which I deemed 'retarded' and avoided for years) is the "tour of the stars' homes" which you can schedule anywhere along Hollywood Blvd. (walk of stars/Manns area). It is around $25 and is actually very fun. Even if you couldn't give two shits about celebrities simply to be driven around and see the behemothly large and insanely gorgeous mansions of Beverly Hills is worth the fee. DO IT!

Lastly, if you want to splurge one night and go for a top class meal at one of Sunset's finest locations, book a reservation at Asia de Cuba in the Mondrian Hotel. Not only will you get an excellent meal (I thought this place was very ovverated until I went there), but you will get free access to Skybar, which despite misconceptions is still a hotspot for celeb spotting/mingling with models, etc. (normally you would not be able to get into Skybar on a weekend otherwise). If you don't like it there, the heart of Sunset Strip is simply out the door. The meal, however will run around $130 for two people w/ a couple of drinks but is well worth it.

If Venice Beach isn’t too far I might check out the stalls and street performers there.
I’m not a huge fan of Rollercoasters etc. so Six Flags will also have to be saved for next time and Disneyland is probably too far away…+ I figure Universal Studios will have some rides if I’m not mistaken.

I probably also won’t be checking out Chinatown, Little Korea etc. cause to be honest it just doesn’t sound that appealing. I truly don’t believe the Chinese or Korean food etc. will taste any better over there than it does here or anywhere else…

Lastly, I realize getting a car won’t hurt but say if I wanted to travel from Downtown to Sunset Blvd. Can I catch public transport an if so what would you recommend (bus/subway) or will this be more trouble than it’s worth.

OK. That’s it. I realize I’ve written a fair bit here but any additional answers you can provide would be great and thanks for ALL the info so far…

I just read some more of your posts....traveling alone heh? Well, since no one seems to have answered it: it seems you are underestimating the poor quality of public transport in L.A. Lets just say that when I was going to school in Marina Del Rey and I wanted to go visit my friends at USC (before I had a car), the bus ride required switching buses 3 times and took over 2 hours (the car drive takes about 20 minutes). Seriously re-analyze renting. Also, Venice is an absolute must, and yes, you are right, there is absolutely no need at all to go to Koreatown or Chinatown if you are only in LA for 4 days. Universal Studios is good, you can check that out, but WB studios? Eh, I lived there for 7 years and never heard of anyone checking it out......anyone else tried this? Feel free to send me a PM if you have other questions.......

dizzhizz · August 16, 2006

As for the Sunset strip, you can always pull over, take some pics and resume your drive westbound. The houses on Sunset are amazing so if you like architecture and 5 million dollar houses, it can provide for some good kodak moments.

With that in mind, if you like movies, especially indie movies, try catching a flick over at Laemmles over on Sunset.

6MT · August 16, 2006

if you could manage do land in LA on the 2nd sundy of the month, try to make it to the rose bowl swap meet, its a flea market for the vintage goods, you could find tons adn tons true levi's vintage selvedge and othe gool thing. and by the way, sir paul mccartney bought a house there

Astoria VIII · August 16, 2006

Dr Jonboy: Yeah I heard it's impossible to flag down a cab...and after reading the most recent posts, I think I will give renting a car a go. Thanks for the advice on parking as well. If what you say holds true that’s pretty awesome…

I am primarily interested in the architecture of the Getty Center and if the artwork also happens to catch my eye then that's a bonus.

Thanks for the tips as well englandmj7. Cinespia sounds intriguing…but I’m absolutely terrible when it comes to horror movies. Quite shameful actually. I think I’ll save it for when I’m travelling with a lady friend whom I can delude into thinking I am brave enough to comfort on the drive home…for just reward later of course.

I will make it a point to eat at a Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles at least once…

The Standard Pool Parties sound incredibly attractive…I’ve gotten a semi just looking at the photo on flickr. But yeah, travelling alone doesn’t make this the most opportune time for partying…and I’m not enough of a rock star to get away with going by myself.

I think I’ll be content with just looking at the Hollywood sign from afar…I didn’t really think there was any particular benefit to seeing it up close and now that you point out how far away it actually is…all I really want to do is take one above par image of it in the night and I’ll be happy. I’m pretty sure I read some tips on good vantage points in a Frommer’s Not for Tourists guide or something…I’ll have to take another look or feel free to suggest any spots if you know of some (besides H&H of course).

As for the Tour of the Stars stuff, even with your excellent attempts to convince me otherwise, I’ve seen enough McMansions in my time and I still don’t see the need to pay someone to show me some more. Unless my house is actually part of the tour and is a convenient way to get a lift home…I just can’t see myself caving…

I’d also heard about the Asia de Cuba in the Mondrian Hotel…will try and check it out although I’m not sure I’ll be able to make much use of the Skybar. Might stick my head in, stumble around awkwardly for a bit before making a decidely uncool exit.

dizzhizz: I doubt I will want to spend time watching a movie whilst in L.A. but Laemmle has an interesting selection from what I can see. Perhaps something for next time around…

And 6MT, I should be in L.A. on the second Sunday of October so I may just try and stop by the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Do you think it is worth getting Special Preview VIP Admission though? http://www.rosebowlstadium.com/RoseBowl_flea-market.htm

Thanks again to all for the info. All the stuff has been great…not sure how much more can be added but if there is anything, feel free to do so.

Astoria VIII · August 16, 2006