Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
62
festooned with seriously huge homes of
people who make way too much money).
Not only does it offer amazing vie ws of
Los Angeles and the S an F ernando Val-
ley—you'll find sev eral scenic vie wing
areas along the drive—it takes you directly
to I nterstate 405 and our next stop . S ee
p. 190.
Head south on I-405, and just a few miles down the
freeway on your right side is the exit for the:
4
J. Paul Getty Museum at the
Getty Center
Perched on a hillside in the S anta Monica
Mountains and swathed in I talian traver-
tine marble, the G etty Center is stunning
both in design and constr uction cost
(roughly $1 billion). Everything about this
postmodernist complex elicits oohs and
aahs, fr om Paul G etty's enormous collec-
tion of ar t (including v an G ogh's
Irises
),
gorgeous landscaped gar dens, and post-
card views of Los Angeles and the P acific
Ocean. What's mor e, entrance to the
5
GETTY CENTER GARDEN
TERRACE CAFE
Dining options at the Gett y Center range
from a self-ser vice caf e t o the elegant
(though inf ormal)
Restaurant,
but m y
favorite place to take a br eak is the G ar-
den Terrace Cafe, which ser ves lunch in a
beautiful outdoor setting overlooking the
Central G arden. You can also pick up a
picnic lunch on the Plaza L evel and head
down to the flower-filled picnic area. 1200
Getty C enter Dr .
&
310/440-7300.
See
p. 157 for more about the Getty Center.
Head south again on I-405 (it's rush hour now, so
you'll have plenty of time to give your feet and brain
a rest), and about a mile down the freeway take the
Sunset Boulevard exit. Head east on Sunset until you
reach the Sunset Strip and the:
6
House of Blues
After sitting in traffic on I-405, it 's time
for another classic L.A. experience: dinner
and a sho w at the H ouse of B lues. This
being L.A., the S unset Strip HOB consis-
tently books top-tier musicians who liv
Getty Center is free—they don't need your
money—but par king r eservations ar e
required w eekdays. I f y ou're like me and
don't remember a thing fr om your college
art appr eciation class, spend a fe w bucks
for a self-guided audio tour that giv es a
brief o verview of the 250-plus wor ks in
the collection. See p. 157.
e
here anyway. If you can make it past the
three bars, the upstairs r estaurant ser ves
great S outhern-style comfor t food (the
slow-smoked bab y back ribs with J im
Beam barbecue sauce are addictive). Reser-
vations are a must, so plan ahead. B y the
time the sho w's o ver, the action on the
Strip will keep y ou enter tained w ell past
midnight. See p. 262.
4
4
THE BEST OF LOS ANGELES IN 3 DAYS
On your third day just lay in bed all day , watch TV, and or der room service. Or not.
There are plenty of top attractions in L.A. you still haven't seen, and hopefully there's still
room on y our credit card. Try to make the 9am tour of P aramount Pictures, because
you're in for another full day of only-in-L.A. experiences: seeing famous dead people,
eating famous chili dogs, staring at a famous pit of tar (hear t be still), laughing at price
tags along famous R odeo Drive, and taking a tour of the will-be-famous-one-day Walt
Disney Concert Hall. Again, be ready with comfy shoes, strong coffee, and a red convert-
ible.
Start:
5555 Melrose Ave.
