Los Angeles Master Travel Thread

[sunshine0928]

I'll be visiting L.A. in August for a week with my husband (we have never been before!). He'll be working during the day and will have evenings open. I am open to doing things on my own during the day. We'll be staying at the Ritz in Huntington. Any suggestions for daytime activities, shopping, restaurants, etc?? I would be interested in some touristy type things since I have never been before. Thanks for any ideas :)

[Elizabeth]

Hmmm...

Hollywood & Highland
Rodeo Drive
3rd St. Santa Monica
Drive down Sunset Blvd. from L.A. down to the ocean (Malibu)
Drive down Hwy 1 from Santa Monica to Malibu and eat at Dukes. For an amazing but $$$$ meal right on the water, eat at Geoffreys
Griffith Park Observatory
Universal Studios/Disneyland ... duh
NBC or Warner Bros studio tours
Shopping on Melrose
Queen Mary in Long Beach
Cruise to Catalina Island
Drive up to Santa Barbara about 1 1/2 hours gorgeous drive
The Hollywood Bowl is very worth it, get tickets
The new Disney Concert Hall in downtown (or something else at the Music Center)
Olvera Street or Chinatown in downtown
Farmers Market/The Grove
Museum of Tolerance
LACMA - KING TUT EXHIBIT!!!!

Let me know if you have any questions!

[Rosebud]

The Ritz Carlton Huntington hotel is located in Pasadena.

While you're in Pasadena, you MUST go to the Huntington Library and Gardens. The gardens are just spectacular. It's a truly amazing place.

www.huntington.org

I also recommend checking out Old Pasadena. It's the old part of town that's been re-done and is now a big area of shops & restaurants. You should definitely go to dinner around here at night, there are so many great places!

I would also definitely recommend going into L.A. if you can. It's about a 45 minute drive from the Ritz to the Westside of L.A., depending on traffic. Here are my top recommendations:

- The Getty Center (not the best art collection in town, but wonderful views of the city & ocean and fantastic architecture)

- Mann's Chinese Theatre & the Walk of Fame (super touristy, but it's your first time in town and you have to go! Park at Hollywood & Highland, which has inexpensive parking and walk around from there. Right across from the theatre is the lovely and historic Roosevelt Hotel, which is also worth popping into)

- Beverly Hills (there are parking garages on Rodeo Dr and Beverly Dr.-- 2 hours free in the day. Spend a little time just wandering up and down these streets. Great shopping. Not all the stores are expensive. I recommend The Farm of L.A. for lunch- it's on Beverly Dr. Another great lunch spot is Urth Cafe, also on Beverly Dr., but south of Wilshire)

- Santa Monica (this is a bit of a hike from Pasadena, probably about an hour's drive to get all the way out there, but worth it. Park in the parking garages on 2nd or 4th street-- 2 hrs free during the day. Wander along the 3rd St. Promenade, a huge shopping district. You can walk right out onto the Pier and will have great views of the ocean. Admire the ferris wheel- this is actually where I got engaged! :) )

Have a great time in L.A.!

[sunshine0928]

Thanks Elizabeth and Rosebud03...your suggestions are exactly what I was looking for! Lot's of great ideas to keep me busy...can't wait!

[HeatherFL]

Okay, I used to live in L.A. but it's been awhile...

I will be there next month and want to take T for a really special dinner for his birthday.

The only name that comes to mind is the Ivy, but have never been there. Is it really as good as all the talk?

Just looking for something really nice, GOOD food, and great service!

THANKS IN ADVANCE! :)

Heather

[dana b]

for a *really special* dinner, i like hotel bel air. if it's warm, try to sit outside, the dining room tends to be a bit 'stuffy'. also, for a special dinner, i think i'd prefer ivy at the shore over the regular ivy.

[HeatherFL]

Thanks!

If it helps at all, we're staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel & plan to eat there one night.

Thanks again,

Heather

[boilermaker]

I have been to both the Ivy and Ivy at the Shore. I personally prefer Ivy at the Shore as it has a great view of the pier and you can take a nice walk on the beach afterwards. That being said, the Ivy is more "live" and in a very active part of town.

[HeatherFL]

I think the Ivy Shore sounds nice...I was just going to ask about something near/on the water!

Thanks again and keep 'em coming! :)

[boilermaker]

It's not the BEST dining in LA, but the restaurant at the Getty Museum is great as well. The view is magnificent, the entrees very creative and well done and if you have the time, the museum is one of my favorites.

[cactus]

My whole family was just in town visiting us for two big birthdays (my 30th and my dad's 60th) and we went to Melisse to celebrate. It was, hands down, the best meal of my life. My father (a notorious foodie who has been all over the world) ranks it in his top 3. It's pricey, but absolutely delicious and very special. It's in Santa Monica on Wilshire at 11th.

[HeatherFL]

cactus--LOL my dad turned 60 and I turn 30 in a few weeks!

Thanks so much for the recommendation. I've booked it. It looks FABULOUS!!! I'm really excited!

H.

[Amuse Bouche]

The Ivy is good for celebrity spotting, and it has a lovely patio. The food is horrendously horrendously overpriced. It's not BAD, per se -- it's pretty decent, though not particularly interesting, but we're talking about $35 for a chicken entree.

Melisse is a good choice, as is Spago in Beverly Hills. I'd go to the Hotel Bel Air for lunch or drinks -- the grounds really are lovely. I've also heard great things about Providence, and Lucques isn't the high end dining of the other choices, but the food is great and it's a local favorite.

[Amuse Bouche]

If you want to go near the water, again, most of the restaurants are overpriced and have mediocre food, because they have a view. I'd go to Shutters on the Beach or Casa Del Mar for drinks or brunch -- Shutters is particularly nice for brunch (the restaurant is One Pico) because they have tables that are right on the boardwalk (well, in a balcony right above it, but you get my drift).

[HeatherFL]

Thanks again, I think we're going to try Shutters for lunch/brunch one day!

H.

[meatpie]

Heather --

If you want a low-key great lunch try the malibu Seafood Shack on the Pacific Coast Highway. Picnic tables, fresh fish, view of the water and a cool stop if you do the drive up Malibu.

Have a great time!!!

[HeatherFL]

cactus I just wanted to thank you again. Melisse was DIVINE. We loved it! One of the best meals we've ever had. :D

THANKS!!!

~H.

[jenahdawn]

We leave the 28th (yes, of Feb....I'm bad)

The first part of the week, we will be staying in Anaheim (DISNEYLAND!!!!) but the second part of our trip we want to possibly stay in LA, seeing as there are people we want to see/meet (Lyddy, Katy, friends from HS and college)

So, not looking for super expensive, but decent. Something fun.

Any recs?

[meatpie]

I need a prince range and general area would you like to stay (Bev Hills, near Bev Hills, Santa Monica, Hollywood, etc.) Will you have a car?

[Rosebud]

Well, I'm not sure where in L.A. you'll want to be located. But here's a good, central place on the Westside that is reasonably priced for the area and definitely "fun." It's got great style, a wonderful restaurant and is very convenient to everything on the Westside. Avalon Hotel, Beverly Hills (http://www.avalonbeverlyhills.com/)

If you'd prefer to be in Hollywood (and with quicker access to Burbank/Glendale), you should check out either the Renaissance Hollywood (http://www.renaissancehollywood.com/) or the Hollywood Roosevelt (http://www.hollywoodroosevelt.com/). They're both right near the Chinese Theatre/Walk of Fame. I love the Roosevelt-- it's as old school Hollywood as you get. The first Oscars were held there, actually.

[wendalah]

Hmm, given whom you said you want to see--why not stay in Burbank? In the downtown district there is a cute shopping area with a mall and lots of stores and restaurants. Right in that area is a big Holiday Inn which should be convenient and not too expensive.

[jenahdawn]

Yes, we will have a car. (Some reason, this thread isn't showing up on my subscribed list, though I did....hmmm...)

Price range, ideally, around $120 max per night.

When he gets home from work, we'll check out the sites!

[meatpie]

Great taste Rosebud - I was going to suggest Avalon Hotel. Nice bar, good food, cool atmosphere, and a great location.

On the westside in Santa Monica is Hotel Ambrose, which is a nice place although right next to St. John's Hospital. But you would need a car here. You can walk to Whole Foods and a few other places, and is a really short drive to Brentwood restaurants on San Vicente and a quick drive to highway 1, Malibu and the pier in SM.

There is also a small kitschy hotel right smack in the middle of LA near 3rd Street shopoping and The Grove called The Farmer's Daughter.

Again without knowing price, location, kind of tough!

[jenahdawn]

Location doesn't matter. Although, I'm wondering about the Roosevelt....any info? (Besides that it was the 40s & 50s Chateau Marmont...)

But Burbank would probably be our best bet since we are going to spend time with L&B....

[Rosebud]

Just wanted to add some more info for this thread for anyone who's going to be in L.A. soon. Here are some of my tips for what to see & do in the city.

Sightseeing

Hollywood- I have a GoList (http://www.tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i7725-Experience_Hollywood.html) over at Tripadvisor.com that lists the best film & television related sights in L.A. You definitely don't want to miss some of these things when you're in town. At the top of my list would be the Warner Bros. tour and/or the NBC tour, followed by a tour of Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

Museums- The best collection of art in town is (IMO) at the L.A. County Museum of Art (http://www.lacma.org/). It's not the prettiest on the outside, but it's got the goods inside. Showier museums include the Getty Museum (http://www.getty.edu/visit/) and the newly opened Getty Villa (http://www.getty.edu/visit/). They both have really interesting exteriors. Venture downtown to check out the modern art at MOCA (http://www.moca.org/index.php).

Downtown- Not everyone chooses to go downtown, but there are some interesting sights here, including Disney Hall (http://www.musiccenter.org/wdch/index.html), the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (http://www.olacathedral.org/), the Los Angeles Public Library (http://www.lapl.org/) and Olvera Street (http://www.olvera-street.com/).

Shopping

L.A. has tons of great shopping areas. A popular option is The Grove/The Farmer's Market (http://www.thegrovela.com/). You might also check out the Third Street Promenade (http://www.downtownsm.com/) in Santa Monica, the Beverly Drive (http://www.beverlyhillsbehere.com/cvbmembers.asp?mpcatid=2) area in Beverly Hills and all the great designer shops on Robertson Blvd (http://losangeles.citysearch.com/roundup/39163).

Dining

L.A. Favorites- There are a number of places that could be considered L.A. institutions for one reason or another. Pink's Hot Dogs (http://losangeles.citysearch.com/review/11280452) would certainly be on that list. You'll always find locals lined up down the street to get a dog. Also, if you come from a place that doesn't have In N' Out Burger (http://www.in-n-out.com/), you should find out what you've been missing. There's always The Ivy (http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/81607/los_angeles_ca/the_ivy.html), where you can dine amongst the paparazzi, and old school favorite Spago (http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/110094/beverly_hills_ca/spago_beverly_hills.html) for a more upscale meal.

More Dining- I hope others will chime in with their recommendations, but here are some of my personal favorites for excellent (not inexpensive) food. A.O.C. (http://www.aocwinebar.com/) is divine-- my current fav. restaurant in L.A. If you want a view of the ocean, try Geoffrey's (http://www.geoffreysmalibu.com/) in Malibu or the dining room at Casa Del Mar (http://www.hotelcasadelmar.com/dining_entertainment/santa_moinica_nightlife.php). Cut (http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/41365575/beverly_hills_ca/cut.html), a steakhouse in Beverly Hills is very trendy & star studded at the moment. Campanile (http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/64169/los_angeles_ca/campanile.html) can always be depended upon for fine food, and their grilled cheese nights on Thursdays are fun. Yamashiro (http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/100192/hollywood_ca/yamashiro.html) has good Asian food and a nice view of the city. If you're going all out ($$$$), try the restaurant at the Hotel Bel Air (http://www.hotelbelair.com/). A less pricy but still atmospheric hotel meal can be found poolside at blue on blue (http://www.avalonbeverlyhills.com/dining/) at the Avalon Hotel.

Outside L.A.

The great thing about L.A. is that you're close to so many different places. Some great weekend getaway or day trip destinations include Catalina Island, Big Bear Lake, Pasadena, Santa Barbara and Laguna Beach. If you have time on your next trip, you might want to spend a few days in any of these locations.

[Rosebud]

Here's a bunch of information from the L.A. Times about the reopened Griffith Observatory:

Griffith Observatory- A Star is Reborn (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/griffith/)

This is definitely another L.A. must-see.

[meatpie]

I second A.O.C. Wonderful experience. We went and had an incredible time. The dates wrapped in bacon are to die for!!!

The chef/owner also has a great cookbook called "Sundays at Lucques" it's her Sunday tasting menus arranged by season so you can hit a farmers market and buy all your ingredients. I made a dish last weekend and it was the best thing I've cooked in years...

[Rosebud]

Conde Nast Traveler has a good online guide to Los Angeles:

CNT L.A. Guide (http://www.concierge.com/destination/losangeles)

And Fodors.com has a good 5-day Los Angeles Itinerary:

How to Spend 5 Days in L.A. (http://fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=los_angeles@92&cur_section=fea&feature=30002)

Gayot.com has an interesting list of the 10 Best Boutique Hotels in Los Angeles (http://www.gayot.com/hotels/bestof/10best_boutiquehotels_losangeles.html):

The Ambrose, Santa Monica
The Crescent, Beverly Hills
The Georgian, Santa Monica
Hotel Oceana, Santa Monica
Le Parc Suite Hotel, West Hollywood
Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles
Maison 140, Beverly Hills
The Mosaic Hotel, Beverly Hills
The Graciela, Burbank
The Viceroy, Santa Monica

[Rosebud]

The L.A. Weekly has just published a wonderful collection of restaurant recommendations. If you're coming to the city for the first time, or even if you live here, this is an excellent list of great, quintessential L.A. restaurants. They're in all parts of town, in all price ranges. But if you're looking for someplace memorable to eat, this list is a great place to start:

99 Essential Restaurants: The Metropolitan Palate (http://www.laweekly.com/eat+drink/dining/99-essential-restaurants-the-metropolitan-palate/16634/)

If you frequent a certain kind of restaurant, it may seem that every Los Angeles meal includes dandelion greens and pork belly, a broth of Spanish chorizo, and three kinds of Oltrepo Pavese by the glass. If your tastes swing in other directions, Los Angeles cuisine may involve $16 cheeseburgers and $14 cocktails, or perhaps charcoal-grilled sweetbreads and tripe, or the soupy, spurting dumplings called xiao long bao that may or may not be flavored with a bit of freshly picked crab. Los Angeles is widely acknowledged as the birthplace of New American cuisine, the polished, grill-happy, globally inclusive style of cooking that is still the lingua franca of most of the decent restaurants in the country. But the metropolitan area also bequeathed to the world McDonald’s, gourmet meatloaf and Tacones. In Los Angeles, we are many and we are vast, and our food no more speaks in one voice than the passengers on the Pico bus.

But an essential restaurant here does speak with a Los Angeles accent, whether it is reflecting the vibrant strength of our immigrant communities, our funky soul, or the city’s place at the center of one of the great agricultural regions of the world. It is when you feel the most as if you are dining outside Mexico City, or in Seoul or at the court of Louis Quinze, when the facts on the ground have been replaced by our own vivid green-screen reality, that you know you are really in L.A. (see complete list at link above)

[Rosebud]

Interesting conversation over on Fodors about the "best burger in L.A."--- lots of debate about whether it's In 'n Out or not: LINK (http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=1&tid=35029790)

Some friends came into town recently and I gave them a short, afternoon tour of a bunch of L.A. highlights. In about 6 hours we saw the following, getting out to walk around most places:

Miracle Mile
Larchmont Village
Beachwood Canyon/ Hollywood Sign
Burbank/ the Studios
Hollywood Blvd.
Beverly Hills/ Rodeo Dr.

Some photos from the sightseeing:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/rosebud03_2006/Misc/Picture016.jpg
In the dog park under the Hollywood sign (to get there, take Beachwood to Ledgewood and curve around the residental streets & up over the hill)

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/rosebud03_2006/Misc/Picture022.jpg
Warner Bros.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/rosebud03_2006/Misc/Picture023.jpg
Hollywood Blvd. (taken through the windshield), Chinese Theatre up on the right

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/rosebud03_2006/Misc/Picture026.jpg
Nancy Drew premiere going on at the Chinese

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/rosebud03_2006/Misc/Picture033.jpg
Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/rosebud03_2006/Misc/Picture035.jpg
Two Rodeo, Beverly Hills

[Rosebud]

There's been a lot of talk in a lot of publications about how Culver City (immediately south of L.A.) is the hot new dining destination in L.A. I also ran across an article in Travel + Leisure today that says it's a hot architectural destination as well. The article has a good travel guide with suggestions for where to stay and dine.

Next Stop, Culver City

Once a nowheresville between Beverly Hills and Venice, the backyard of MGM Studios has blossomed into L.A.'s newest design destination.

Where to Stay
Long before the latest generation of young painters and curators turned the industrial spaces of Culver City into an art colony rivaling Santa Monica's Bergamot Station and L.A.'s Chinatown, the Renaissance-revival Culver Hotel (9400 Culver Blvd.; 310/838-7963; www.culverhotel.com; doubles from $159), at six stories a skyscraper by 1924 standards, opened its doors to a crop of budding stars. The 21-year-old Garbo stayed there, and so did the Munchkins during the making of The Wizard of Oz. Today, in a salute to former owner John Wayne, one riotously colorful suite features his picture- along with two marble baths and a round bed. Another good base from which to explore Culver City is the stylish 86-room Avalon Hotel (9400 W. Olympic Blvd.; 800/670-6183; www.avalonbeverlyhills.com; doubles from $425), a Midcentury Modern gem just three miles away in Beverly Hills.

Guide Continues... (http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/next-stop-culver-city)

[Rosebud]

Here's a nice Santa Monica destination guide from Sunset Magazine. It has tips on what to see, where to stay and where to dine around Santa Monica.

L.A.'s front porch: Take a walk along Santa Monica's retro and ritzy Ocean Avenue, where city meets sand (http://www.sunset.com/sunset/travel/california/article/0,20633,1639579,00.html)

Lounging on the veranda of the art deco landmark Georgian Hotel, I'm watching women with large sunglasses stroll down Santa Monica's palm-lined Ocean Avenue when I overhear a screenwriter eagerly pitching her idea for a movie. This spot, where urban glamour crashes gorgeously into nature's awesome domain, is the California I pictured as a kid.

Tony restaurants and hotels line one side of the broad avenue just two blocks from Santa Monica's popular Third Street Promenade, while Palisades Park, running atop sandstone bluffs, drops straight down to the sandy beach on the other. The Santa Monica Pier blinks and whirs and stretches into the ocean. From my perch overlooking the blue Pacific, I feel as though I'm sitting on Los Angeles' front porch and taking in all the action. (continued)


Sunset Magazine also has a nice shopping guide to Venice's Abbot Kinney Blvd.:

One-stop shopping in L.A.: Browse Abbot Kinney Boulevard for all things chic (http://www.sunset.com/sunset/travel/california/article/0,20633,1228606,00.html)

It's long been known for vintage furniture and a certain artsy aesthetic. But Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California, has recently graduated from hippie to haute with a slew of design-minded shops and restaurants. Heading southeast from Main Street, the mile-long strip is now a one-stop shopping zone for all things chic. (continued)

[mkredhead]

I just wanted to say thank you for everyone who contributed to this thread. We went to LA for our honeymoon, and had a great time using all of the tips and tricks in this thread.

Specifically -

We dined at Geoffreys Malibu, and it was a delicious treat. Great recommendation!

Venice Beach - So fun and great for people watching!!!!! The highlight was a guy walking around singing "Jingle bells, jingle bells, help me get drunk." HA!

Santa Monica - Beautiful. We had a great time on the pier.

LaBrea Tar Pits - Full of kitch and off the wall

Patricipated in the studio audience for Price is Right and Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Hit all of the Hollywood sights.

Waited in line at Pinks Hot Dogs. Had a Martha Stewart, no bacon.

Hit the Warner Bros. tour, based on your recommendations. Very cool.

Stayed in Malibu - close to everything we wanted to do.

Drove down Sunset Blvd. en lieu of taking the highway - classic.

It was just a great time. Thanks so much. :)

[meatpie]

Congrats on your wedding!!!

[Daisy]

In connection with the article Rosebud just posted - my DH travels to Santa Monica frequently (he's there tonight actually) and, 75% of the time, he stays at the Georgian, so I'm just chiming in on what a great little hotel it is. I've stayed there several times myself and breakfast on the front porch is fab, as are the rooms. Not to mention that sometimes we can get a suite at the Georgian for the same price as a regular room at Lowe's or another nice nearby hotel.

[Rosebud]

mkredhead- I'm so glad you had a great honeymoon in L.A.!! Looks like you were able to see a lot of the quintessential sights around town. I'm so glad you were able to do the Warner Bros. tour and grab a hot dog at Pink's. Fun, fun!

Just wanted to make another restaurant suggestion for anyone who's coming to L.A. One of the most popular (and delicious) places in town right now is Osteria Mozza and its sister restaurant Pizzeria Mozza (http://www.mozza-la.com/). They're right next to each other on the corner of Highland and Melrose. The restaurants are owned by Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton. We haven't eaten at the Osteria yet but have been the the Pizzeria a couple of times and it's absolutely wonderful. You really need reservations here (and it books up way in advance for weekend nights), although sometimes you get lucky if you show up at like 5pm or 6pm on a weeknight. At the Pizzeria, try sitting at the pizza bar, where you can watch the pizzas actually being made.

[Rosebud]

Also, in the world of fine dining, Michelin stars have been awarded to L.A. restaurants for the first time. Here are the big winners (from a L.A. Times article (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-et-michelin10nov10,1,1290116.story?track=rss)):

No Los Angeles restaurants earned Michelin's highly coveted three-star rating, but two-star ratings were awarded to Spago, Wolfgang Puck's Beverly Hills flagship; Mélisse, a California-French dining room in Santa Monica; and Urasawa, a rarefied 10-seat Japanese restaurant on Rodeo Drive.

The 15 one-star restaurants include Providence, Michael Cimarusti's highly regarded Melrose Avenue seafood restaurant; Sona, David Myers' formal spot in West Hollywood; Water Grill, the downtown seafood house; Ortolan, Christophe Emé's ornate French place on Beverly Boulevard; Patina, Joachim Splichal's flagship at Walt Disney Concert Hall; Ritz-Carlton Huntington Dining Room in Pasadena; Mori Sushi in West Los Angeles; La Botte in Santa Monica; and Joe's in Venice. Many in the food world were surprised that Providence received only one star and that Lucques, in West Hollywood, and Hatfield's, on Beverly, were not on the list.

[BusyBee21]

I have to chime in because I saw a reference to the Georgian; one of my co-workers is a partner in that hotel, and he's thrilled to know it's getting good reviews. And that "all these women" are talking about it. :-)

[Rosebud]

Good article in the Times about a boutique hotel on 3rd St.-- a very central location if you're visiting L.A.

L.A.'s Orlando emerges from former Beverly Plaza (http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-tr-hotel6jan06)

...the Orlando, an overlooked hotel on West 3rd Street, between Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. It's one of those places to send relatives, business associates or tourists who want centrally located, spacious lodgings that are upscale but not exorbitantly priced. Better yet, if your guests venture outside the hotel, they'll be in one of the city's hottest shopping districts; inside, they'll find La Terza, one of the better Italian restaurants in Los Angeles.

The 98-room hotel, formerly the Beverly Plaza, became the Orlando in January 2005. A year later, management spent $4 million to renovate the lobby, lounge, fitness center, pool area and guest rooms. For my early-December visit, I booked the lowest-price room through the hotel's website -- $233 a night for a king-size bed and double sleeper couch.

The size of the room, about 400 square feet, was impressive, particularly for an urban hotel wedged onto a street corner. A four-person entourage couldn't pack enough suitcases to fill the room's four under-bed drawers, double closet, deep wall-mounted drawers and long shelf space.

If a better view and Bulgari bath products are fundamental to your well-being, pay the $40 to $60 extra for the executive-level rooms, which are similar to the basic rooms but include the better bath products, plus free Internet access, breakfast vouchers and a patio or balcony.

[Rosebud]

Very interesting article from the NY Times about exploring the Hollywood area. I'm not even familiar with all the places they mention-- but they sure sound cool!

36 Hours in Hollywood (http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/travel/13hours.html?ref=travel)

Hollywood is one of those rare places that live up to their stereotypes, right down to the sign. But with minimal effort, it can offer a whole lot more. The pedestrian-friendly district represents both Los Angeles’ past, with icons like the Capitol Records building, and the city’s future — multi-ethnic, vertical, dense. A recent renaissance means there are now million-dollar condos, trendy restaurants, celebrity watering holes and a world-class movie theater. But there are still tattoo parlors, sex shops and homelessness. Tying it all together is the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where it is hard not to be at least momentarily tickled (hello, Mister Rogers) or merely confused (who the heck was he?). It remains a place that only Los Angeles could produce. (continued)

Some of the places mentioned in the article:

Restaurants:
Cafe Midi
Bulan Thai Vegetarian
Square One Dining
Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles
Los Balcones del Peru

Hotels:
Hollywood Roosevelt
Hollywood Hills Hotel
Roth Residence

[myshel]

DH and I are traveling to visit friends in Irvine. We'll be arriving on a Friday afternoon and will leave the following Monday night. It's not a lot of time, so we're trying to figure out what we should do while in the area. Our hosts will probably be up for anything, so do you ladies have any suggestions? We're probably looking to do fairly casual things (and eat at very casual, but quintessentially CA places).

Also, we're traveling in late March. I'm curious what the weather will be like there during that time. We're from Iowa, so March is still winter for us. I don't want to bring the wrong clothing.

[Rosebud]

Well, Irvine is a good 45-60 minutes south of L.A., and given that you have so little time out here you might just want to do one day of sightseeing in L.A. (if you really want to) and spend the rest of your time hanging out in Orange County. There are lots of L.A. recommendations in this thread-- just depends on what you'd want to see/do here.

Irvine is close to Laguna Beach and I highly recommend spending a day there, walking around town and checking out the beaches, art galleries, cute shops and restaurants. It's the most adorable little CA town-- a great, scenic place for out of towners. Here's an article (http://www.sunset.com/sunset/travel/article/0,20633,1665803,00.html) I read recently about a weekend in Laguna Beach, just as a FYI. Some restaurants I would recommend for you in Laguna are Sapphire (dinner), Anastasia Cafe (lunch) and Madison Square Garden (breakfast). I also like Heidelberg Cafe for casual breakfasts & lunches. But there are tons of great places around town.

As for weather, it's often still chilly in March, but you never know. I'd suggest just checking the weather online right before you come out. For instance, right now it's unseasonably HOT but a week ago we were having rainstorms and it was cold. Seems like the weather has been unusually changeable so far this year.

Hope you have a great trip! :)

[myshel]

Thanks fo the tips, Rosebud. Being Iowans, we aren't really sure about how far things really are in the Irvine area.

You say "chilly," what does that mean to you exactly? Does chilly mean 50-60 degrees or lower than that. I only ask because today is a cold day here (it's -3 degrees with -30 degree windchill). :)

[Rosebud]

Yeah, I'd say 50-60 degrees is "chilly" here. It really doesn't get much colder than that, except sometimes at night. You'd probably be thrilled with that in March, right? :D Your best bet is to bring layers, but definitely check the weather beforehand.

Oh, I forgot to mention Disneyland. You'll be pretty close if you wanted to go spend a day there.

[BusyBee21]

Myshel, there are lots of fun things to do in Orange County! Disneyland is very close to Irvine, if you want to do that for a day; Rosebud had a great suggestion for spending a day or even a few hours in Laguna Beach, which is about 20 minutes south of Irvine. It's a wonderful town, and there are tons of art galleries, shops and great restaurants. Brunch at Las Brisas comes highly recommended (haven't been there myself).

Also, in Irvine you will be close to Balboa, where you and your friends could rent a Duffy boat for a couple of hours and cruise around Newport Beach:http://www.boats4rent.com/newportbeach_boatrental.html. We did this for a friends birthday around sunset and it was great fun.

Definitely bring a jacket or a sweatshirt for nighttime, and like Rosebud suggested, check the weather just before you come out. I used the air conditioning in my car yesterday (it was 78 where I live), but last week I had the heater on in the morning! "Cold" for us So.Cal people is relative--anything below 65 I consider cold!

From Irvine you are about 90 minutes from San Diego, and the amazing San Diego Zoo. The Wild Animal Park is actually in Carlsbad (about an hour + from Irvine): http://sandiegozoo.com/. Shopping at South Coast Plaza is always recommended; you can literally spend hours there, and it's just a few minutes from Irvine. There are a million and one good places to eat down here: Melting Pot in Irvine is one of my favorites; so is the Crab Cooker in Newport Beach: http://www.crabcooker.com/

Hopefully this helps--PM me if you want more suggestions. Have a great trip!

[risa00]

Hi Ladies,

I'm traveling the end of April to go to a wedding in Laguna Beach. We're staying at the Ritz and they gave us the name of these babysitting services. I looked online and couldn't find much about any of them. Do you have any feedback on them?

Southern California Sitters
Quality Care Babysitting
Molly Coddlers

Thanks!

[smilewithme]

I'll be at a conference in Orange County in August and am bringing DH and our two small children. We're staying at the Hyatt Regency Orange County. Although I would love to be a patron of the nice/fancy/trendy places mentioned, we'll have to do that on another trip without the kids!!! Does anyone have suggestions that are more on the family-friendly side for meals and things to do?

TIA!!!

[taffers]

I'll be at a conference in Orange County in August and am bringing DH and our two small children. We're staying at the Hyatt Regency Orange County. Although I would love to be a patron of the nice/fancy/trendy places mentioned, we'll have to do that on another trip without the kids!!! Does anyone have suggestions that are more on the family-friendly side for meals and things to do?
TIA!!!

That hotel is in Garden Grove, and I'm not very familiar with that area, but it is really close to Disneyland. The California Adventure Hotel has one of my favorite restaurants called "Napa Rose"...sooo delish! But it is on the expensive side (maybe like $40 for a steak?), and I guess not so good for kids.

You'll have no problem finding family friendly restaurants in OC...we have just about EVERY chain that is out there! If you drive in any direction, you're sure to hit tons of FF restaurants! If you want to go to the beach cities like Laguna, Huntington or Newport, you'll find lots of FF restaurants along PCH.

[nawsgirl]

bumping.... DH has been asked to go to a conference in Seal Beach, so we are turning it into a vacation. We'll be staying in El Segundo, and so far have plans for Disneyland and hopefully some sightseeing in LA. DH is super nervous about driving in LA... I say, since we live in AZ we are already driving with half of Southern Cali anyways!! :)

[Rosebud]

Eh, driving here isn't really THAT bad. Yeah, the freeways are enormous, but otherwise I don't know if it's much different from driving in other cities. I'd try to stay off the 405 during rush hour, though.

The only thing I'm really familiar with in El Segundo is the Old Town Music Hall, an old theatre that shows silent movies. We check that out every now and again. There's a cute little main drag with restaurants and such as well.

Have a great time planning your trip! Let us know if you need any sightseeing tips or anything.

[SiValleySteph]

I'm trying to plan our family vacation. We're driving down from the SF Bay area.

We're travelling with an almost 4 year old and a baby. I was thinking of staying in Santa Monica for 2 nights and Anaheim for 3 and then San Diego for 2 or something like that.

How are the La Brea Tar Pits? I think my son would really like that as he's all about dinos. Any other attractions that are good for kids? We'd also like to go to the beach, hang out by the pool some, and DS really wants to go to Disney (hence the Anaheim portion). We just don't want to be getting stuck in traffic. That happened last year when we went to a wedding in the Inland Empire (I think that's where it was). Traffic was a disaster. We got to LA in good time and then spent hours trying to get to the wedding location.

We have friends in Santa Barbara, but hotels actually in Santa Barbara are $$$ and very limited, so I thought if we stayed in Santa Monica, they could just come down and hang out.

Any tips or recommended stops for kids? :D

[nawsgirl]

I'm hoping some of you LA people can give me some advice... I was driving around town today and parked at the Farmer's Market parking lot to look around. Of course I read the "2 Hrs Free Parking" but not the fine print saying you need validation with purchase from only certain stores. So I was prepared to pay, but had used the rest of my cash. When I presented my credit card I was told they didn't accept them, so I needed to write my name and phone number down on a card. I figured this was so the company could get in touch with me and arrange to have payment sent- fair enough, since I did park there and didn't read the fine print. I hand the card to the attendant and then ask her if I can re-park and then go get money from the ATM instead. She says no, and that she will take care of it. She did not speak English very well, so it was hard to understand, but basically she shooed me on out of there. Then I got worried... I should have written down a fake name and number but honestly I was just flustered. Should I be worried? Am I going to be tracked down by some conglomerate of parking attendants??

eta: we are here on vacation and live out of state...

[Rosebud]

Hmmm... I'm guessing they will call you and ask you to send a check or something. Or you may get lucky and they will just forget about it. I've been in that situation at other lots in town and have been able to re-park and get cash or write a check. Actually, once I believe they took my name and license plate number and I got a bill in the mail. That was a long time ago, though. I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's not like you gave them a credit card number or anything that could be abused.

Hope you're having fun in L.A.! We're having some nice weather for you, at least. :)

[Rosebud]

SiValleySteph- Do you still need tips or have you figured out your trip? Despite living walking distance from the Tar Pits, I don't actually know anything about the exhibits. I've seen the actual pit (not that interesting), but not any of their museum space. If you'd still like other input, I'm happy to chime in.

[SiValleySteph]

Thanks Rosebud! We're just packing up to leave, so I hope our plan works out.

We've ended up with stoping at the Tar Pits museum on the way down, staying in Anaheim (3 nights), Disneyland the next day, Legoland the next (with my sis/nephew from San Diego), beach or Paso Robles the third with friends from Santa Barbara and staying in SLO, Hearst Castle the last day and then home.

We shortened the trip and decided to go to Mexico next month for the relaxing part of the vacation. :D

[nawsgirl]

Thanks, Rosebud... that makes me feel better. I think I was mostly just annoyed with myself for not being prepared. We just got back home today and there is no message (yet), so I guess I'll see what happens...

Here's what I/we ended up doing in 6ish days:

Day 1:
Manhattan Beach
Hermosa Beach
Redondo Beach
Santa Monica

Day 2:
Me driving around LA being extremely lost, but eventually found Robertson Blvd, The Grove/Farmer's Market, Melrose Ave, etc.
More Santa Monica

Day 3:
Beverly Hills/Rodeo Dr
Venice Beach

Days 4 & 5:
Disneyland & California Adventure Park

Day 6:
Hollywood Blvd, Graumann's Chinese Theatre area
Drive back to AZ