Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5
•
Visiting the “H appiest P lace on
Earth,” the D isneyland R esort:
The
resort's worldwide appeal is evident in
the vir tual U nited N ations of r evelers
traipsing thr ough Adventureland, Fan-
tasyland, Tomorrowland, and D isney's
California Adventure park. It won't be
long before the song “It's a Small World”
seems permanently stuck in y our head.
See chapter 8.
•
Dining at S pago (or the I vy or the
Palm):
D ining at one of L.A. 's classic
A-list celebrity haunts is an experience
to be filed under “O nly in L.A. ” Hear
dialogue straight out of
Entourage
while
eating fine food prepared for the world's
pickiest eaters (“I can 't eat
that!
Take it
away.”). See chapter 6.
•
Cruising Sunset Boulevard:
It's a must
for first-time visitors because you'll see a
cross section of ev erything that is L.A.:
legendary clubs, studios, and hotels that
you'll instantly recognize from the silver
screen and TV shows. The journey ends
with a trip to M alibu's fabled beaches,
where those classy
Baywatch
episodes
were filmed (how perfect). See p. 150.
•
Touring the G etty Center:
S ee the
result of unlimited funds and v
Central Market (p. 244), pick up some
inexpensive Mexican handicrafts along
colorful and historic O lvera S treet,
and hav e dim sum in Chinato wn. See
chapter 7.
•
Power Shopping:
You'll see “I'd Rather
Be S hopping at N ordstrom” license-
plate frames on Lexuses all o ver L.A.,
evidence that spending money is a
major pastime her e. Whether it 's $5
vintage bowling shirts, $10,000 Beverly
Hills baubles, or anything in betw een,
you're sure to find it in L.A. 's cornuco-
pia of consumerism. M y favorite shop-
ping zones are the eclectic shops along
Abbot Kinney Boulev ard, the endless
ethnic oddities at the G rand Central
Market in D owntown L.A., and the
ultratrendy stor es such as GR2 and
Giant Robot along S awtelle Boulev ard
in Japantown (p. 241). (Also, check out
the sidebar “ Where to F ind H olly-
wood's H and-Me-Downs” on p . 253.)
See chapter 9.
•
Strolling W ilshire Boulevard's
Museum R ow:
N atural histor y meets
pop cultur e meets modern ar t along
Museum Row. La Brea Tar Pits, Petersen
Automotive Museum, Craft & Folk Art
Museum, and Los Angeles County
1
ery
expensive tastes at this multifaceted
cultural center looming large o ver the
city. The ultramodern facility, more airy
and inviting than it looks fr om below,
features a museum housing the impr es-
sive ar t collection of deep-pocketed
industrialist J. P aul G etty, a postmod-
ern gar den, and br eathtaking vie ws of
L.A. A sleekly high-tech funicular
Museum of Ar t ar e all shoulder-to-
shoulder in the hear t of L.A. The only
problem is that it's too much to see in a
single day. See chapter 7.
•
Taking a Gourmet Picnic to the H ol-
lywood B owl:
What better way to
spend a typically warm L.A. ev ening
than under the stars with a picnic bas-
ket, a bottle of wine, and some world-
class enter tainment? I n addition to
being the summer home of the Los
Angeles P hilharmonic, the Bo wl hosts
visiting performers ranging from cham-
ber music quartets to jazz greats to folk
humorists. The imposing white F rank
Lloyd Wright-designed band shell
whisks y ou fr om fr eeway lev el to this
virtual city in the clouds. S ee p. 157.
•
Spending a D ay Downtown:
If you're
looking for a healthy dose of ethnic
culture, y ou'll find it in D owntown
L.A. Take a self-guided tour of the
mind-blowing Walt D isney Concer t
Hall (p. 164) or cutting-edge M useum
of Contemporar y Ar t (p . 173), stop
in for a snack at the bustling G
always elicits appr eciative gasps fr om
first-time Bowl-goers. See p. 274.
rand
