Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
With its reputation for old-Hollywood glamour, top-end couture and posh dining still cir-
culating in the collective consciousness, Beverly Hills remains impressive to those who
stroll Beverly Blvd and Rodeo Drive for the first time.
West and south of Beverly Hills are a string of well-to-do hoods that make up LA's
Westside, including Westwood, Bel Air, Brentwood and Culver City.
The chief sight in the area is Richard Meier's wonderfully designed
Getty Center
(
GOOGLE MAP
; 310-440-7300;
www.getty.edu
;
1200 Getty Center Dr, off I-405 Fwy;
10am-5:30pm Tue-Fri & Sun, to 9pm Sat; )
, whose five buildings hold collections of
manuscripts, drawings, photographs, furniture, decorative arts and a strong assortment of
pre-20th-century European paintings. Must-sees include Van Gogh's
Irises
, Monet's
Wheatstacks
, Rembrandt's
The Abduction of Europa
and Titian's
Venus and Adonis
. Don't
miss the lovely Cactus Garden on the remote South Promontory for amazing city views.
Cienega Blvd; 10am-6pm Tue-Sat)
gallery in Culver City and the
Hammer Museum
(
GOOGLE MAP
;
http://hammer.ucla.edu
; 10899 Wilshire Blvd; 11am-8pm Tue-Fri, to 5pm Sat &
Sun)
, which is free of charge, has one of the great gift shops and is set in Westwood near
)
cam-
pus.
Malibu
Malibu enjoys near-mythical status thanks to its large celebrity population and the incred-
ible beauty of its coastal mountains, pristine coves, wide sweeps of golden sand and epic
waves. Stretched out for 27 miles, there are several small commercial strips, but the heart
of town is at the foot of Pepperdine, where you'll find the Malibu Country Mart and the
Malibu Civic Center.
The beach is king, of course, and whether you find a sliver of sand among the sandstone
parking $8; )
or enjoy the wide loamy blonde beaches of
Zuma & Westward
(
GOOGLE MAP
;
www.parks.ca.gov
; Entrada Rd; per vehicle $10;
8am-dusk)
offers 36 miles of
310-430-7300;
www.getty.edu
;
17985 Pacif-
ic Coast Hwy;
10am-5pm Wed-Mon;
)
, a replica of a 1st-century Roman villa is stocked
with Greek and Roman antiquities.
