Long weekend in L.A.: a trip report
Feb 6th, 2011, 01:39 PM
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Long weekend in L.A.: a trip report
A few weeks ago I went to Los Angeles for the Tasty Awards (www.tastyawards.com), and this is a trip report about my experiences.
Upon arrival at LAX, I took the FlyAway bus to Westwood (UCLA) for $5. There are other routes, as well, although all the FlyAway buses stop at the same spots at the airport. From UCLA it was about a $20 cab ride to my accommodation. From the estimates that I saw online, cab fare directly from LAX would have been $60, so this was something of a bargain, if not exactly the fastest option.
Based on a recommendation from the Fodor’s forum, I booked a room at the Best Western Sunset Plaza on Sunset Blvd. It was an excellent suggestion, and I am glad that I chose this hotel. The room I had was well maintained, there is a beautiful pool area, free WiFi, and breakfast is included in the room rate. The selection at breakfast was extensive, and included a make-your-own waffle station. One word of warning though: the breakfast room is quite small, so getting a table can be a challenge. Trays are provided, though, so you can take food back to your room, or out to the poolside patio. This hotel also has a guest computer right outside the breakfast room, so if you want to print out a boarding pass, or update Twitter, you can do it.
The other caution I would offer is about room placement. Check-in is at ground level for Sunset Blvd., but is the third floor of the hotel, as it’s built into a bit of a hill. This meant that I took an elevator down to my first floor room. Some rooms on this floor have French doors that lead out to the pool deck, and some (like mine) have a window with a view of a retaining wall. Cell and Internet reception were spotty in my room as a result. The room itself though, was really nice.
There was to be a red carpet at the Tasty Awards, so I had my hair and make-up done at Argyle Salon (www.argylela.com), which is in the Sunset Tower Hotel, right next door to the Best Western Sunset Plaza. Natalie worked wonders with my hair, and was a lovely girl on top of that. Marc did an outstanding job with my make-up. It wasn’t cheap, but I looked great when it was all done.
On Friday I cruised around Trader Joe’s, and envied the selection of very affordable wines for sale. (I live in a government-controlled liquor environment, so booze in the grocery store is a novelty). I had a manicure, which seemed to be what everyone else was doing, and generally relaxed.
Dinner on Friday night was at A.O.C (www.aocwinebar.com), which serves small plates suitable for sharing (or solo dining), and has a great wine list. The so-simple-it’s-brilliant dish of roasted vegetables served with soft burrata cheese was my favourite. To go with the meal there was a wine called Perennial from Flowers winery in California (natch). It’s a blend of Pinot Noir and Syrah, and I loved it.
Saturday I tested the bus system, and wasn’t terribly impressed. There is no transfer option, so every time you get on a bus, you pay the cash fare of $1.50. I ventured up to the Getty Center (www.getty.edu), which has its own bus stop, and is a stunning spot. Admission is free, which makes it even more stunning. If you drive, you pay to park at the bottom of the hill, then there is a tram that takes everyone up to the museum. The collection is interesting and diverse, with special exhibits like the one I saw called “Imagining the Past”, that dealt with medieval France.
I had lunch in the restaurant at the Getty Center ([email protected]), and the food matched the beautiful surroundings. I had a potent cocktail called Getty Pink Lemonade, crab cakes, trout, Rombauer Chardonnay, and a crazy chocolate dessert. It was heavenly. If you want to brown-bag it, there is a big garden, and plenty of green space, and I saw lots of people eating picnics on the grass.
I was up early Sunday morning, so I checked out the Farmers Market (www.farmersmarketla.com) and The Grove. The market is a collection of food stalls, with a few spots selling produce, while The Grove is an outdoor mall. It was fun to be there early, before the crowds showed up, because I could look around the market at my leisure. I got something to eat from Loteria, a Hispanic place. I had no idea how big anything was, and I ended up with way too much food, but it was delicious.
In an effort to up my culture quotient, I went to LACMA (www.lacma.org), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Admission was $15, and I considered that a bargain once I had seen the place. There is something for everyone. The museum is a collection of buildings, united by a sort of floating roof. It’s the kind of thing that only works in warm climates, and I rather liked going outside for some air, before going back inside for more art.
My final meal was at BLD (www.bldrestaurant.com), on Beverly Blvd. I had a late lunch/early supper of Sigma Six Sauvignon Blanc, a Cuban sandwich, and some rustic, juicy, off-list Mencilla that the server recommended. A few cool things: a pitcher of water was brought to the table and left, without asking, and the service was relaxed, allowing me to peacefully enjoy my last couple of hours in Lotusland. Even though I was full, I couldn’t resist dessert of an ice cream sandwich made with salted chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal brown butter ice cream. Wow.
My cab ride to LAX cost just over $50, but I just couldn’t face the cab+bus schlep again. I was booked on the red-eye flight home, and getting through security was chaotic. Thank goodness I had left myself lots of time. It would seem that the aggressive pat-down and/or the full body scan are optional, based on the security officer’s impressions, and I was fortunate to be spared them.
It was a great trip, and I look forward to going back.
Upon arrival at LAX, I took the FlyAway bus to Westwood (UCLA) for $5. There are other routes, as well, although all the FlyAway buses stop at the same spots at the airport. From UCLA it was about a $20 cab ride to my accommodation. From the estimates that I saw online, cab fare directly from LAX would have been $60, so this was something of a bargain, if not exactly the fastest option.
Based on a recommendation from the Fodor’s forum, I booked a room at the Best Western Sunset Plaza on Sunset Blvd. It was an excellent suggestion, and I am glad that I chose this hotel. The room I had was well maintained, there is a beautiful pool area, free WiFi, and breakfast is included in the room rate. The selection at breakfast was extensive, and included a make-your-own waffle station. One word of warning though: the breakfast room is quite small, so getting a table can be a challenge. Trays are provided, though, so you can take food back to your room, or out to the poolside patio. This hotel also has a guest computer right outside the breakfast room, so if you want to print out a boarding pass, or update Twitter, you can do it.
The other caution I would offer is about room placement. Check-in is at ground level for Sunset Blvd., but is the third floor of the hotel, as it’s built into a bit of a hill. This meant that I took an elevator down to my first floor room. Some rooms on this floor have French doors that lead out to the pool deck, and some (like mine) have a window with a view of a retaining wall. Cell and Internet reception were spotty in my room as a result. The room itself though, was really nice.
There was to be a red carpet at the Tasty Awards, so I had my hair and make-up done at Argyle Salon (www.argylela.com), which is in the Sunset Tower Hotel, right next door to the Best Western Sunset Plaza. Natalie worked wonders with my hair, and was a lovely girl on top of that. Marc did an outstanding job with my make-up. It wasn’t cheap, but I looked great when it was all done.
On Friday I cruised around Trader Joe’s, and envied the selection of very affordable wines for sale. (I live in a government-controlled liquor environment, so booze in the grocery store is a novelty). I had a manicure, which seemed to be what everyone else was doing, and generally relaxed.
Dinner on Friday night was at A.O.C (www.aocwinebar.com), which serves small plates suitable for sharing (or solo dining), and has a great wine list. The so-simple-it’s-brilliant dish of roasted vegetables served with soft burrata cheese was my favourite. To go with the meal there was a wine called Perennial from Flowers winery in California (natch). It’s a blend of Pinot Noir and Syrah, and I loved it.
Saturday I tested the bus system, and wasn’t terribly impressed. There is no transfer option, so every time you get on a bus, you pay the cash fare of $1.50. I ventured up to the Getty Center (www.getty.edu), which has its own bus stop, and is a stunning spot. Admission is free, which makes it even more stunning. If you drive, you pay to park at the bottom of the hill, then there is a tram that takes everyone up to the museum. The collection is interesting and diverse, with special exhibits like the one I saw called “Imagining the Past”, that dealt with medieval France.
I had lunch in the restaurant at the Getty Center ([email protected]), and the food matched the beautiful surroundings. I had a potent cocktail called Getty Pink Lemonade, crab cakes, trout, Rombauer Chardonnay, and a crazy chocolate dessert. It was heavenly. If you want to brown-bag it, there is a big garden, and plenty of green space, and I saw lots of people eating picnics on the grass.
I was up early Sunday morning, so I checked out the Farmers Market (www.farmersmarketla.com) and The Grove. The market is a collection of food stalls, with a few spots selling produce, while The Grove is an outdoor mall. It was fun to be there early, before the crowds showed up, because I could look around the market at my leisure. I got something to eat from Loteria, a Hispanic place. I had no idea how big anything was, and I ended up with way too much food, but it was delicious.
In an effort to up my culture quotient, I went to LACMA (www.lacma.org), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Admission was $15, and I considered that a bargain once I had seen the place. There is something for everyone. The museum is a collection of buildings, united by a sort of floating roof. It’s the kind of thing that only works in warm climates, and I rather liked going outside for some air, before going back inside for more art.
My final meal was at BLD (www.bldrestaurant.com), on Beverly Blvd. I had a late lunch/early supper of Sigma Six Sauvignon Blanc, a Cuban sandwich, and some rustic, juicy, off-list Mencilla that the server recommended. A few cool things: a pitcher of water was brought to the table and left, without asking, and the service was relaxed, allowing me to peacefully enjoy my last couple of hours in Lotusland. Even though I was full, I couldn’t resist dessert of an ice cream sandwich made with salted chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal brown butter ice cream. Wow.
My cab ride to LAX cost just over $50, but I just couldn’t face the cab+bus schlep again. I was booked on the red-eye flight home, and getting through security was chaotic. Thank goodness I had left myself lots of time. It would seem that the aggressive pat-down and/or the full body scan are optional, based on the security officer’s impressions, and I was fortunate to be spared them.
It was a great trip, and I look forward to going back.
Feb 6th, 2011, 03:16 PM
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Wow, you did a lot, what a great weekend, thanks for reporting. For others who may be reading this, note that the Getty Center also has a more casual garden cafe. And on Saturday evenings the Getty is open late and the dining room at the Getty serves dinner. It's the most unique setting I know of for an out-of-towner to have dinner in Los Angeles. Great food you can find in almost any big city, but great food AND a setting like that? Love it!
Feb 7th, 2011, 09:32 AM
#3
You ate at some great places.
A better alternative (going to the hotel) would have been the Super Shuttle ($15 one way).
To get back to LAX there are fewer restrictions on taxis and limos and often you can get a good flat fare for a private transfer.
A better alternative (going to the hotel) would have been the Super Shuttle ($15 one way).
To get back to LAX there are fewer restrictions on taxis and limos and often you can get a good flat fare for a private transfer.
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