Is L.A. a must-do destination?
Dec 14th, 2001, 07:21 AM
#1
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Is L.A. a must-do destination?
Heard Sheryl Crow's "All I Wanna Do" on the radio yesterday, with its intro ".. this is L.A", and realized that I have never seriously considered visiting the City of Angels. I just don't know what there is to do there...have been to NYC, San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, Dallas, Orlando, Seattle, Houston, Tucson, Phoenix, Honolulu and more, know I need to see Miami some day, but L.A. makes my mind go blank. So--is L.A. a great American city I should plan to see, and if so, what should I do there, apart from studio tours? Enlighten me, please!
Dec 14th, 2001, 07:41 AM
#2
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hi,
i live here, (la), and it certainly wouldn't be high on my list of choices of places to go. Too big spread out, not any natural beauty to speak of and no culture. If you like to shop its a good place, other than that, I can't recommend it highly as a destination...
aa
i live here, (la), and it certainly wouldn't be high on my list of choices of places to go. Too big spread out, not any natural beauty to speak of and no culture. If you like to shop its a good place, other than that, I can't recommend it highly as a destination...
aa
Dec 14th, 2001, 08:04 AM
#3
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It's fun to visit once, just to see things in person that you've always heard about. But after you've done the studio tours, seen Beverly Hills and Sunset Boulevard and eaten in a few famous restaurants all you're left with is a group of some of the most shallow people on earth.
Dec 14th, 2001, 09:18 AM
#4
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There's the opera, the philharmonic,the county Museum, the Getty, the Moca, the Petersen Auto museum, Museum of Radio and TV,( sister of NY branch) and more than I can list here. There are the Robinson Gardens,the Huntington gardens and museum and library ( nearby San Marino). There's the largest group of art deco buildings anywhere in downtown LA (book an LA Conservancy tour). The Lion King is at the Pantages and Flower Drum Song is at the Taper , plus there are tons of small theatres all over the city.Check the recent NY TIMES travel section on LA for an update on Hollywood.Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Little Armenia, Thai town, Korea town...West Adams Historical Association offers tours of grand turn-of -the- century homes.The beach, studio tours, Griffith Park hiking and/or riding trails... It is spread out; but when I lived in Manhattan it took me 30 to 45 minutes to get from Battery Park to mid-town on the train.
M.
M.
Dec 14th, 2001, 09:47 AM
#5
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Anyone who would bother to visit Phoenix, Houston and Dallas, but hasn't been to LA is missing out. If LA wasn't such a happening place, then why does it thrive on the tourism industry? Some of the best weather in the fall, winter and spring. Lots of shopping, dining, clubs, museums, theaters, beaches, mountains, etc. Go see for yourself.
Dec 14th, 2001, 10:07 AM
#8
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In response to the "shallow people" line. I always find it hysterical when people dub Angelino's as "shallow".
Interestingly, in our condo complex there are 210 Units, of those units, to the best of my knowledge 3 are owned by people actually born in California!
The others, are from Armenia, Wisconsin, NYC, Dallas, Hamburg Germany, Russia, Columbia, Chicago, Florida etc etc.
So I suppose you could consider all those people from your home town who stream into our city every day shallow..Hmmm are they shallow because they left, or because you stayed behind?
Further, growing up in So. Cal, I recall that most of my friends were sons and daughters of Areospace industry engineers and scientists, with a high premium placed on education, and scholastic achievement.
Folkes forget the post-war areospace industry which really got L.A booming!
Don't get me wrong, if you go to an "actor's party in the Hollywood Hills" you will most likely run into people "working it" to get noticed...
They came here just for that reason, don't forget.
However, let's not forget the millions of Fireman, healthcare workers,teachers truck drivers, policemen, who are putting their lives on the line for our safety every single day, just the same as those people in NY, or Dallas.
No not everyone is shallow in LA.
Interestingly, in our condo complex there are 210 Units, of those units, to the best of my knowledge 3 are owned by people actually born in California!
The others, are from Armenia, Wisconsin, NYC, Dallas, Hamburg Germany, Russia, Columbia, Chicago, Florida etc etc.
So I suppose you could consider all those people from your home town who stream into our city every day shallow..Hmmm are they shallow because they left, or because you stayed behind?
Further, growing up in So. Cal, I recall that most of my friends were sons and daughters of Areospace industry engineers and scientists, with a high premium placed on education, and scholastic achievement.
Folkes forget the post-war areospace industry which really got L.A booming!
Don't get me wrong, if you go to an "actor's party in the Hollywood Hills" you will most likely run into people "working it" to get noticed...
They came here just for that reason, don't forget.
However, let's not forget the millions of Fireman, healthcare workers,teachers truck drivers, policemen, who are putting their lives on the line for our safety every single day, just the same as those people in NY, or Dallas.
No not everyone is shallow in LA.
Dec 14th, 2001, 10:11 AM
#9
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E. - I love that song. It always reminds me of these great trips I've had to LA. Originally, I was of the mindset that LA was a big wasteland but have come to find out that nothing could be further from the truth.
I was fortunate to be escorted around by a long time resident who was kind of tuned into cool stuff and that made a big difference. There's nothing like walking around Venice Beach. There are some very good resturants nearby ( I particularly remember a place call Hal's and a jamaican rest down the street from it). Rodeo Drive is weird. I also liked the Manhattan Beach area and the promenade in Santa Monica.
We never went to any thing cultural but we did have fun. My friend has since passed away and so that song reminds me of the great fun we had together.
I was fortunate to be escorted around by a long time resident who was kind of tuned into cool stuff and that made a big difference. There's nothing like walking around Venice Beach. There are some very good resturants nearby ( I particularly remember a place call Hal's and a jamaican rest down the street from it). Rodeo Drive is weird. I also liked the Manhattan Beach area and the promenade in Santa Monica.
We never went to any thing cultural but we did have fun. My friend has since passed away and so that song reminds me of the great fun we had together.
Dec 14th, 2001, 10:15 AM
#10
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Now I'm not a big fan of LA, but I have to say that anyone who wishes to experience all the major cities worth visiting in the USA simply MUST visit LA.
See the beaches, visit the Getty, spend some time in Beverly Hills, drive up Sunset, stop down at Neport/South Coast Plaza, drive up to Santa Barbara...just a few worthwhile ventures.
I would never want to live in LA, but to say it's not even worth seeing is like saying the Grand Canyon's just another national park.
See the beaches, visit the Getty, spend some time in Beverly Hills, drive up Sunset, stop down at Neport/South Coast Plaza, drive up to Santa Barbara...just a few worthwhile ventures.
I would never want to live in LA, but to say it's not even worth seeing is like saying the Grand Canyon's just another national park.
Dec 14th, 2001, 10:39 AM
#11
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LA is OK, but I would not say it's a "must see," there are dozens of other places I'd find more interesting.
Most of the allure of LA is being in the entertainment capital of the world; tourists are all looking for stars, or to be entertained in some way). I was there on business to do some work at a major studio and found it to be a let down. I thought it would be a bit more grand or majestic, but it all seemed so ordinary and banal. It's kind of like seeing the old man behind the curtain you thought was the great and powerful Oz - I was left with a "is that all there is?" feeling.
I liked LA enough to want to go back someday and stay at The Peninsula or some outrageously chi-chi place and just laze about their pool, but it's going to be after I've satisfied my wanderlust by going elsewhere.
Most of the allure of LA is being in the entertainment capital of the world; tourists are all looking for stars, or to be entertained in some way). I was there on business to do some work at a major studio and found it to be a let down. I thought it would be a bit more grand or majestic, but it all seemed so ordinary and banal. It's kind of like seeing the old man behind the curtain you thought was the great and powerful Oz - I was left with a "is that all there is?" feeling.
I liked LA enough to want to go back someday and stay at The Peninsula or some outrageously chi-chi place and just laze about their pool, but it's going to be after I've satisfied my wanderlust by going elsewhere.
Dec 14th, 2001, 12:31 PM
#12
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Many people come to LA to be "transformed" and that doesn't happen very often. It is just another spread-out city with good weather, great and not so great people, great and not so great restaurants and museums. We have little enclaves and all the other things big cities have. It is what you make it. You can stand anywhere and wait to be entertained and get disappointed. Our Los Angeles is an area of California where a lot of diverse people live and work and play.
Liam, what made you think it would be grand and majestic - the movies? Then it is your own expectations that let you down.
I wouldn't live anywhere else.
Liam, what made you think it would be grand and majestic - the movies? Then it is your own expectations that let you down.
I wouldn't live anywhere else.
Dec 14th, 2001, 12:43 PM
#14
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LA is a great city. It suffers from not being "the best" at anything. Great food and restaurants due to the cultural diversity, but San Francisco gets all the accolades in this category. Great beaches, but Florida has warmer water and Hawaii is more beautiful. Great weather year round, but has smog (not as bad as it used to be). Great theater/opera/music, but NYC gets credit for being number 1. Griffith Park and LA Zoo are great, but Central Park and SD Zoo are better. LA does have excellent museums, but until the Getty Center opened, none of them would be considered "world class" (see Smithsonian, Met, etc.). What we can boast about is the movie industry. And you can watch something being filmed every day. If you want to see stars, forget the maps of the stars homes. Get floor seats to a Laker game, dine at one of the "in" restaurants, hang out at regular places in Malibu (stores, theaters, etc.)
Dec 14th, 2001, 03:21 PM
#16
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You should really visit our city simply because people feel very strongly about it - come see what it's all about for yourself.
What I like best about my city is that every nation in the world is represented in Los Angeles, thus there are affordable and delicious restaurants of every kind here.
What I like best about my city is that every nation in the world is represented in Los Angeles, thus there are affordable and delicious restaurants of every kind here.
Dec 14th, 2001, 03:25 PM
#17
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Think John has a very interesting perspective on L.A. I lived there for 6 years and really loved it. There's much more to the entertainment industry, but you've got to even love the wacky parts of L.A. We visit family down there at least once a year and still love the Getty, Sta. Monica Beach/Pier, even Venice Beach, but the place we lived and love the most is Pasadena. If you want to visit L.A. and see something truly unique--visit over New Year's and see the Rose Parade. No other city can claim anything like that!
