Los Angeles Hidden Treasures
Apr 9th, 2008, 09:20 AM
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Los Angeles Hidden Treasures
I lived in Pasadena for a few years back in the late 1990s but haven't had an oppty to return to LA until this June. I'll be there for about a week and will have a rental car. I'm staying with various friends so am not tied to any particular geographic area, although I do want to stay in the LA area (no San Diego or Santa Barbara, please!)
LA's not new to me, so I can skip the usual Hollywood-walk of fame-Venice Beach-Bev Hills things. I also took a week right before I left to do a lot of things listed in one of those "off the beaten path" books, including the glass cathedral up in Palos Verdes and that cool Greystoke Castle (names are escaping me.)
But it's been almost a decade, and I'm sure there are places I didn't know about.
When I was there, some of my favorite things to do were:
*Huntington Gardens
*LA Arboretum
*Beaches (& SM pier)
*Norton Simon
*Catching movies in old movie houses
*Eating at hole-in-the-wall places
On this trip, I def. plan to check out:
*new Getty museum
*beaches (June gloom permitting)
*eat good food (i'll check out chowhounds for suggestions)
I have zero interest in shopping or antiquing. I like museums (will check to see if anything interesting is at LACMA), history and cultural events, and interesting tours. I look forward to your recommendations!
LA's not new to me, so I can skip the usual Hollywood-walk of fame-Venice Beach-Bev Hills things. I also took a week right before I left to do a lot of things listed in one of those "off the beaten path" books, including the glass cathedral up in Palos Verdes and that cool Greystoke Castle (names are escaping me.)
But it's been almost a decade, and I'm sure there are places I didn't know about.
When I was there, some of my favorite things to do were:
*Huntington Gardens
*LA Arboretum
*Beaches (& SM pier)
*Norton Simon
*Catching movies in old movie houses
*Eating at hole-in-the-wall places
On this trip, I def. plan to check out:
*new Getty museum
*beaches (June gloom permitting)
*eat good food (i'll check out chowhounds for suggestions)
I have zero interest in shopping or antiquing. I like museums (will check to see if anything interesting is at LACMA), history and cultural events, and interesting tours. I look forward to your recommendations!
Apr 9th, 2008, 09:50 AM
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You must check out the brand new Chinese Garden at the Huntington:
www.huntington.org/Advancement/ChineseGarden.htm
I have read all about it, and hope to visit soon.
Since you mention old theatres, check out the Warner Grand in San Pedro, restored to its former glory: www.warnergrand.org
My out-of-town guests always like to visit the local Farmer's Markets for fresh in-season produce. www.farmernet.com/events/cfms Redondo Beach's is our favorite, since it is beside the ocean.
The LA Conservancy has some interesting architectural tours:
www.laconservancy.org/
You can see what is playing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall: www.laphil.org.
That's all I have time for now, I'm sure you'll get lots of great responses!
www.huntington.org/Advancement/ChineseGarden.htm
I have read all about it, and hope to visit soon.
Since you mention old theatres, check out the Warner Grand in San Pedro, restored to its former glory: www.warnergrand.org
My out-of-town guests always like to visit the local Farmer's Markets for fresh in-season produce. www.farmernet.com/events/cfms Redondo Beach's is our favorite, since it is beside the ocean.
The LA Conservancy has some interesting architectural tours:
www.laconservancy.org/
You can see what is playing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall: www.laphil.org.
That's all I have time for now, I'm sure you'll get lots of great responses!
Apr 9th, 2008, 11:27 AM
#3
By "new Getty," do you mean the Getty Center or the Getty Villa? The Villa was recently re-opened after a complete renovation. Parking reservations required.
http://www.getty.edu/
Lots of recent changes at LACMA too, including the entirely new Broad Contemporary Art Museum. Also check out the Friday night jazz series if that's of interest.
http://www.lacma.org/
Even if you don't pop for tickets to an event at the Disney Hall, try to go on one of the free tours. (Unfortunately, the tours don't go into the Disney Hall auditorium space.)
http://musiccenter.org/visit/toursched.html
The LA Conservancy mentioned by lvk also conducts tours of the old movie palaces in downtown L.A. (Saturdays at 10:00 a.m.). The conservancy holds screenings or other events in some of the theaters. Note the Wednesday screenings in June; tickets go on sale to the public 4/23.
http://laconservancy.org/remaining/index.php4
http://www.getty.edu/
Lots of recent changes at LACMA too, including the entirely new Broad Contemporary Art Museum. Also check out the Friday night jazz series if that's of interest.
http://www.lacma.org/
Even if you don't pop for tickets to an event at the Disney Hall, try to go on one of the free tours. (Unfortunately, the tours don't go into the Disney Hall auditorium space.)
http://musiccenter.org/visit/toursched.html
The LA Conservancy mentioned by lvk also conducts tours of the old movie palaces in downtown L.A. (Saturdays at 10:00 a.m.). The conservancy holds screenings or other events in some of the theaters. Note the Wednesday screenings in June; tickets go on sale to the public 4/23.
http://laconservancy.org/remaining/index.php4
Apr 9th, 2008, 11:34 AM
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My family visited the Watts towers a few years back and every one was pretty impressed by them. They show what a person can do if they set their mind to it. It obviously is in Watts, so I would stay on the main roads, I speak from experience.
I think it is part of the Los Angeles county parks system.
I think it is part of the Los Angeles county parks system.
Apr 9th, 2008, 11:38 AM
#5
Griffith Park Observatory has been redone
Gene Autry Museum of the West (Griffith Park),
Thursday evening 5pm -8pm is free Museum Night downtown LA at MOCA, the Geffen Contemporary and Japanese American Museum. End with late dinner in Little Tokyo (there will be lots of people around all protestations that there is no life downtown after 5pm to the contrary).
http://www.moca.org/museum/visit_home.php
You might like the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes. The same day you could also see some Pt. Fermin Lighthouse, Abalone Cove, Portugese Bend, Cabrillo Aquarium. For info, and other San Pedro sites
http://www.sanpedrochamber.com/champint/cbroaqum.htm
There was a Food Network coverage of the Gaffey Street Diner in San Pedro (aka PEEdro to the locals).
Long Beach has two historic sites that are free, and worth visiting. There are free docent led tours on the weekend afternoons. Since you have a car, if it's a nice day I'd drive up to Hilltop Park in Signal Hill for an incredible view of the whole basin. There's also an easy to follow loop trail with some interesting historical plaques.
http://www.rancholoscerritos.org/
http://www.rancholosalamitos.com/
It's nice to see a posting about something other than "should I stay in Santa Monica or Hollywood" and "where do I see the stars."!
Gene Autry Museum of the West (Griffith Park),
Thursday evening 5pm -8pm is free Museum Night downtown LA at MOCA, the Geffen Contemporary and Japanese American Museum. End with late dinner in Little Tokyo (there will be lots of people around all protestations that there is no life downtown after 5pm to the contrary).
http://www.moca.org/museum/visit_home.php
You might like the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes. The same day you could also see some Pt. Fermin Lighthouse, Abalone Cove, Portugese Bend, Cabrillo Aquarium. For info, and other San Pedro sites
http://www.sanpedrochamber.com/champint/cbroaqum.htm
There was a Food Network coverage of the Gaffey Street Diner in San Pedro (aka PEEdro to the locals).
Long Beach has two historic sites that are free, and worth visiting. There are free docent led tours on the weekend afternoons. Since you have a car, if it's a nice day I'd drive up to Hilltop Park in Signal Hill for an incredible view of the whole basin. There's also an easy to follow loop trail with some interesting historical plaques.
http://www.rancholoscerritos.org/
http://www.rancholosalamitos.com/
It's nice to see a posting about something other than "should I stay in Santa Monica or Hollywood" and "where do I see the stars."!
Apr 9th, 2008, 11:43 AM
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The Bradbury Building <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradbury_Building> at 304 S. Broadway is an architectural jewel. It is the oldest commercial building remaining in the central city and one of Los Angeles’ unique treasures.
Apr 9th, 2008, 11:58 AM
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If you head back to your old stomping grounds - a couple of suggestions:
I'm a big fan of Descanso Gardens in La Canada (near Pasadena, and if in La Canada also check out Chocolate Box cafe, pinkberry, and Dish, Min's for thai). Descanso is a smaller garden but has some nice elements - oaks, roses, native california trail, tea house, Patina cafe.
You will also be amazed at how much Old Town in Pasadena has changed in 10 years - so be sure to check it out. It is mostly shopping but there are some good restaurants too. Lake Street has also remade itself. Enjoy lunch at Pie & Burger in Pasadena if you don't already know that its burgers and pies are yummy.
I'm a big fan of Descanso Gardens in La Canada (near Pasadena, and if in La Canada also check out Chocolate Box cafe, pinkberry, and Dish, Min's for thai). Descanso is a smaller garden but has some nice elements - oaks, roses, native california trail, tea house, Patina cafe.
You will also be amazed at how much Old Town in Pasadena has changed in 10 years - so be sure to check it out. It is mostly shopping but there are some good restaurants too. Lake Street has also remade itself. Enjoy lunch at Pie & Burger in Pasadena if you don't already know that its burgers and pies are yummy.
May 25th, 2008, 08:17 PM
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I always suggest that my friends who visit try one of the more offbeat LA tours.
Some examples: Karie Bible (Hollywood Forever Cemetery walking tour), Anne Block's Take My Mother Please (custom insider driving guides), Dearly Departed (celebrity death and scandal tour ala "Hollywood Babylon"), Esotouric (very eclectic mix: true crime, rock history, film noir, literature), the LA Conservancy which was already suggested above (architectural walking tours, mainly of downtown LA's beautiful old buildings, but coming up is their Last Remaining Seats screening series), Museum of Neon Art (double decker evening sign tours with a punning poet host), Charles Phoenix (witty nostalgia trips like his downtown-as-Disneyland tour) or Urban Shopping Adventures (guided custom clothes buying experiences from Robertson to Santee Alley).
The problem with the mainstream tour companies is that you never know if you're going to get a good tour guide or a merely adequate one, but with the smaller and more original tours, the guides are consistently very passionate and well informed.
Of course you won't find that these tours can be taken every day of the week--many are weekends only, or even on an occasional or as-booked schedule--but I think they're worth exploring if you're interested in getting around the city with someone who knows it well and seeing things that are off the beaten path.
Hope you have a great visit!
Links:
Karie Bible - http://www.cemeterytour.com/
Anne Block - http://www.takemymotherplease.com/
Dearly Departed - http://www.dearlydepartedtours.com
Esotouric -http://www.esotouric.com
LA Conservancy - www.laconservancy.org/tours/tours_main.php4
Museum of Neon Art - http://www.neonmona.org
Charles Phoenix -http://www.godblessamericana.com/tours/
Urban Shopping Adventures - http://www.urbanshoppingadventures.com/
Some examples: Karie Bible (Hollywood Forever Cemetery walking tour), Anne Block's Take My Mother Please (custom insider driving guides), Dearly Departed (celebrity death and scandal tour ala "Hollywood Babylon"), Esotouric (very eclectic mix: true crime, rock history, film noir, literature), the LA Conservancy which was already suggested above (architectural walking tours, mainly of downtown LA's beautiful old buildings, but coming up is their Last Remaining Seats screening series), Museum of Neon Art (double decker evening sign tours with a punning poet host), Charles Phoenix (witty nostalgia trips like his downtown-as-Disneyland tour) or Urban Shopping Adventures (guided custom clothes buying experiences from Robertson to Santee Alley).
The problem with the mainstream tour companies is that you never know if you're going to get a good tour guide or a merely adequate one, but with the smaller and more original tours, the guides are consistently very passionate and well informed.
Of course you won't find that these tours can be taken every day of the week--many are weekends only, or even on an occasional or as-booked schedule--but I think they're worth exploring if you're interested in getting around the city with someone who knows it well and seeing things that are off the beaten path.
Hope you have a great visit!
Links:
Karie Bible - http://www.cemeterytour.com/
Anne Block - http://www.takemymotherplease.com/
Dearly Departed - http://www.dearlydepartedtours.com
Esotouric -http://www.esotouric.com
LA Conservancy - www.laconservancy.org/tours/tours_main.php4
Museum of Neon Art - http://www.neonmona.org
Charles Phoenix -http://www.godblessamericana.com/tours/
Urban Shopping Adventures - http://www.urbanshoppingadventures.com/
May 25th, 2008, 10:05 PM
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Pisces, I don't know if you are still checking this thread but, if you are, the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana is showing some of the Chinese Terra Cotta Warriors during the time of your visit.
www.bowers.org
www.bowers.org
May 25th, 2008, 10:55 PM
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Fryman's Canyon Hike is great right now as is Temescal if you've never done it. Also, visit MILK for the best desserts and BOULE for chocolate on La Cienega just north of Beverly.
Have fun! I'm moving out of LA this week too and just went to GreyStone Mansion today too!
Have fun! I'm moving out of LA this week too and just went to GreyStone Mansion today too!
