- Los Angeles
- (137)
-
United States
This is an historic building built in Japanese style in 1911. It sits high above Hollywood Blvd with a view toward downtown. Interesting fusion dishes and a great bar. A great place to escape Hollywood's frantic pace in a beautiful setting to enjoy the twinkling lights.
A wonderful spot to study the skyline and enjoy drinks, small plates or dinner, moderate prices. Romantic and historic at the same time. Be sure to check out history on website.
www.yamashirorestaurant.com
1999 N Sycamore Hollywood 90068
+1 323 466 5125
Google map: bit.ly/YZDG5g
The epitomy of a roof top bar. Set of the 17th floor of the hotel, the only access is via a lift with its own doorman. The food is incredible, the cocktails are amazing and served until 2am. The clientele are hip and occasionally famous.
www.thehuntleyhotel.com/
1111 Second Street, Santa Monica, CA 90403
+1 310 394 5454
Google map: bit.ly/X9gDHH
I did a food tour of East Los Angeles that is hosted by a group called Melting Pot Tours - it's their Latin Spice Tour. My guess is very few tourists go anywhere near this part of town so if you're looking for something different, and off the beaten path, check out this LA tour. The food was great, the guide was a hoot and I got to see a cultural side of Los Angeles (East, Latino, authentic) that most of us usually only get to drive by. It was wonderful, just loved it.
www.meltingpottours.com
8484 Wilshire Blvd, Ste. 220, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
+1 (424) 247-9666
Google map: bit.ly/tnuGmg
I have just had one of the best meals I have had in America - a simple meal of pasta with a Bolognese sauce provided with superior service.
Owner and chef, Jason is a gracious host.
www.pici.co/
212 Beverley Drive Sth, Beverley Hills
+1 (310) 278-7424
Google map: bit.ly/nUOtjp
Gourmet sausages and other 'fast food staples' including vegetarian in a part of Downtown LA that has been taken over by artists using old industrial spaces. An excellent choice of beers and long, long tables mean that the atmosphere is not only great but you will actually find conversation with the locals is the norm.
For Bohemian flair, it's not quite Silverlake or Echo Park but it makes for a great night out.
www.wurstkucherestaurant.com/
800 East Third Street, LA, 90013
+12136874444
Google map: bit.ly/mRcupb
In a world where most music is just hop, skip and a click away via a download, the magic of going to a store and purchasing a CD or a record is easily forgotten. Not at Amoeba Music - this is the world's largest independent music store and it an absolute joy to spend time there. You can literally spend hours flicking through row after row of every genre of music you can think of. They have a neat system that scans the barcode of a CD and brings up the tracks at a listening post, allowing you to listen to basically anything and everything in store. The staff are very knowledgeable and the store itself also hosts free gigs with really high calibre performers such as Elvis Costello, The Roots and DJ Dangermouse. If you find yourself in LA, I recommend setting aside an afternoon to wander about in the cavernous musical awesomeness that is Amoeba. They also have smaller (but still massive!) branches in Berkeley and San Francisco.
6400 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 900
www.amoeba.com/
Google map: bit.ly/lUp3fh
Dearly Departed is a small company that runs a number of different tours. I recommend the Hollywood Movie Tour, in which you get to see the locations of around 50 movie scenes, from Glen or Glenda to Back to the Future. The guides know a ton about Hollywood history. It's less polished than your standard studio tour, and that's what makes it fun. We picked up a lot of trivia and interesting info.
A restaurant and a romantic place, nestled among the trees, and creekside, organic foods, half way up Topanga Canyon between Malibu and the San Fernando valley. A place to get away from hectic Los Angeles and enjoy an unforgettable meal
128 Old Topanga Canyon Road, Topanga, CA 90290
www.innoftheseventhray.com
+1 310.455.1311
Google map: bit.ly/gNy2Tn
Los Angeles's largest Greek Orthodox church and filled with rich murals and a rich interior of gold leaf. It's an inspiring must see for visitors and locals alike. Built by the vision of movie makers and it houses a large greek festival in September.
1324 South Normandie, Los Angeles 90006, 323.737.2424
www.stsophia.org
Google map: tinyurl.com/2wdavbj
Papa Cristos has been serving the Greek community in Los Angeles for sixty years, across from the beautiful St Sophias greek orthodox church.
Complete with take out foods and bakery. You can order greek specialities, lamb, sandwiches and salads, all moderate prices. Order at the counter and your food will be brought to the large and festive main room where you will join a hundred or more diners seated at tables. Papa's is not a formal place. The food is well prepared, customers come from USC and from Wilshire Blvd businesses. It's a great place for foreign visitors to relax and savor good food at moderate prices.
2771 West Pico at Normandie, Los Angeles 90006, 323.737.2970,
www.papacristos.com
No trip to LA would be complete without a 25 cent ride on this 1901 funicular, "the world's shortest railway". Just reopened, it is right across the street from the Grand Central Market, an indoor market that offers inexpensive ethnic food and produce and meats. Walk through to Broadway LA's great Mexican shopping Street.
angelsflight.com Located on Hill Street between 3rd and 4th Streets, Red Line Subway, Pershing Square station north of exit on 4th and Hill
I always recommend that visitors to LA see this art deco building with its three domes and the best view of LA, as well as offering a planetarium show and telescopes that public may view. 10-10 Sat Sun and Tue to Fri 12-10
Griffith Park, Shuttle bus on Sat and Sun from Red line subway station at Vermont and Sunset griffithobservatory.org +1 213.473.0800
LA is a night and day town.
Watching the sun go down after a long day or before a long night is a great way to break up the pace of this city and see it at its most beautiful.
Sunset Blvd is the vein that flows from Hollywood down through Beverly Hills onto the Pacific Coast Highway. Driving down here anytime of day is fun.
Take a trip north up PCH 1 to Malibu for sunset on Zuma Beach. Tackle point Dume, Dolphins and Pelicans may turn up and it is a stunning beach.
Before the beach off PCH 1 Topanga, or Malibu Creek State Parks are both wonderful spots to watch the sun go down. Get up high to see the city, canyons, sea, simply amazing. Get down fast'ish as it gets dark out there!
Anywhere on the beach can be great for sunsets.
The chic suburb of Manhattan Beach has a romantic pier nicely lit with a small aquarium, stroll on the beach, or head on down the stylish beach side broad-walk to Hermosa for the most laid back beach scene in LA.
Santa Monica pier to Venice Beach. Walk, (hire) blades or bikes. Soak it all up. Get back into the canals of Venice and the Albert Kenny Blvd area for an a different perspective of Venice.
Away from the beach the Yamashiro in the Hollywood Hills is a super cool Japanese restaurant with an amazing view especially for sunset and night views.
No need to damage the budget either, hit the bar room for refreshments. Drink up the views and their delicious cocktails. Mia Tia and the Zombie, I can taste them now ... Zombie = don't drive.
Saunter down into Hollywood after and hit a dive bar and hustle some pool. Or go into West Hollywood and watch the people go by (in Lamborghini's) from the numerous establishments on Sunset Blvd.
The vibrancy of this city and variety of places and things to do is too immense a task for quick tip.
LA is well worth a long flight and pricy hotels.
So many hotels good and otherwise I can't scrape the surface.
Hostels are also hit and miss but some are no good altogether.
Try
USA Hostels in Hollywood - clean, friendly
YHA in Santa Monica.
Clean, central
Surf City in Hermosa. Fun, friendly on the beach.
Camping is available at Malibu Creek SP and is one of the coolest ways to get cheap accommodation in the LA vicinity.
A guided walk with a difference, stopping at quality restaurants and specialist shops to sample food and beverages. Going places you would not find without the specialist local knowledge of the guide, being told the history of the areas as well as the food. This is the best guided 'tour' I have been on, unmissable, do not go to LA without booking on one of these, you will not be disappointed. Excellent value for money too!
www.meltingpottours.com -book via the website and in advance they are very popular and get booked up
A guided walk with a difference, stopping at quality restaurants and specialist shops to sample food and beverages. Going places you would not find without the specialist local knowledge of the guide, being told the history of the areas as well as the food. This is the best guided 'tour' I have been on, unmissable, do not go to LA without booking on one of these, you will not be disappointed. Excellent value for money too!
www.meltingpottours.com -book via the website and in advance they are very popular and get booked up
A guided walk with a difference, stopping at quality restaurants and specialist shops to sample food and beverages. Going places you would not find without the specialist local knowledge of the guide, being told the history of the areas as well as the food. This is the best guided 'tour' I have been on, unmissable, do not go to LA without booking on one of these, you will not be disappointed. Excellent value for money too!
www.meltingpottours.com -book via the website and in advance they are very popular and get booked up
A guided walk with a difference, stopping at quality restaurants and specialist shops to sample food and beverages. Going places you would not find without the specialist local knowledge of the guide, being told the history of the areas as well as the food. This is the best guided 'tour' I have been on, unmissable, do not go to LA without booking on one of these, you will not be disappointed. Excellent value for money too!
www.meltingpottours.com -book via the website and in advance they are very popular and get booked up
A guided walk with a difference, stopping at quality restaurants and specialist shops to sample food and beverages. Going places you would not find without the specialist local knowledge of the guide, being told the history of the areas as well as the food. This is the best guided 'tour' I have been on, unmissable, do not go to LA without booking on one of these, you will not be disappointed. Excellent value for money too!
www.meltingpottours.com -book via the website and in advance they are very popular and get booked up
A guided walk with a difference, stopping at quality restaurants and specialist shops to sample food and beverages. Going places you would not find without the specialist local knowledge of the guide, being told the history of the areas as well as the food. This is the best guided 'tour' I have been on, unmissable, do not go to LA without booking on one of these, you will not be disappointed. Excellent value for money too!
www.meltingpottours.com -book via the website and in advance they are very popular and get booked up
A guided walk with a difference, stopping at quality restaurants and specialist shops to sample food and beverages. Going places you would not find without the specialist local knowledge of the guide, being told the history of the areas as well as the food. This is the best guided 'tour' I have been on, unmissable, do not go to LA without booking on one of these, you will not be disappointed. Excellent value for money too!
www.meltingpottours.com -book via the website and in advance they are very popular and get booked up
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