# What to see in LA?



## Part 2 (Sep 27, 2007)

I'm off with the family to LA at Easter. We are staying with friends and they will show us round a bit. My son rides BMX so we have someone showing us all the spots/skateparks for that too.

Anyone been anywhere else interesting there or within 100 miles or so? 

I remember reading about the museum of tolerance and how good it is. Anyone been?


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## Detroit City (Sep 28, 2007)

I lived in L.A. for a year.....be sure to hit the Museum of Plastic Surgery and Breast Enhancement (MPSBE)


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## D (Sep 28, 2007)

there is LOADS to see in LA...

defnitely check out the library, the philharmonic building downtown

at easter time you could also go hiking/biking in topanga...


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## trashpony (Sep 28, 2007)

Griffith Park - they've just reopened the Observatory I believe. The beach at Venice and Santa Monica. Watts Towers. La Brea pits (quite popular with boys I believe). Pick up a free copy of LA Weekly which will tell you what's on too


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## Detroit City (Sep 28, 2007)

trashpony said:
			
		

> Griffith Park - they've just reopened the Observatory I believe. The beach at Venice and Santa Monica. Watts Towers. La Brea pits (quite popular with boys I believe). Pick up a free copy of LA Weekly which will tell you what's on too


don't forget the Sunset strip...and a drive along Pacific Coast Hwy (PCH).

Also there is the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and some nice shopping there.

Rodeo Drive for all the exclusive high-end shops were the celebs shop.

Mt. Wilson observatory on top of Mt. Wilson which houses the old 100 inch Hooker telescope that made many important astronomical discoveries in early part of 20th century.

Malibu...

Universal City...

Tours of the major studios (this is actually quite fun)

Checking out all the chicks with fake tits/faces/bodies...


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## Part 2 (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks.

I have been before but it was about 12 years ago and we didn't have anyone to show us round. I remember we drove lots and saw little, stayed in Santa Monica and went to Venice Beach, Long Beach and Hollywood.

I remember seeing a lot of plastic stuff too.


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## Poi E (Sep 28, 2007)

The airport as you leave. The place is shite. Keep on being sent there for work.  But California is nice.


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## Detroit City (Sep 28, 2007)

Poi E said:
			
		

> The airport as you leave. The place is shite. Keep on being sent there for work.  But California is nice.


after living in LA for a year i would tend to agree...a lot of superficial people there


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## miss direct (Sep 28, 2007)

I'm not sure exactly what there is to see, apart from maybe Rodeo Drive, go up in the Hollywood Hills, maybe Venice beach. I found it more of a place to soak up the atmosphere than see actual things. 

You could go to San Diego, that's a nice city and more accessible than LA.


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## Detroit City (Sep 28, 2007)

make sure to go to In 'n Out Burger....they are incredible

In-n-out


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## miss direct (Sep 28, 2007)

everyone raved about them when I was there, but as a non red meat or pork eater, my 'burger' was a bread bun with a lettuce leaf inside 

Jamba juice is good, as is Cold stone ice cream parlours.


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## Detroit City (Sep 28, 2007)

miss direct said:
			
		

> everyone raved about them when I was there, but as a non red meat or pork eater, my 'burger' was a bread bun with a lettuce leaf inside


how unfortunate


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## miss direct (Sep 28, 2007)

yes, I was most distraught  I thought LA was the land where any food requirement would be met, from egg white ommelettes to meat free burgers  

i was wrong


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## Part 2 (Sep 28, 2007)

The burger place is out for me too.

The fella we're staying with is in Claremont so we'll be basing ourselves there. My eldest son and I will also be going to Temecula where my BMX buddies live. Huntington Beach is on the list aswell as there's a famous spot there.

I think the kids might be into going to the studios, they're 7 and 13, would it be interesting for them?

Just off to see if I can find any links...


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## pinkmonkey (Sep 28, 2007)

Huntington Beach in Orange county - it's where the surfing museum is http://www.surfingmuseum.org/ some great waves, also a cool area for anyone who is into BMX or anything like that.

Melrose avenue in West Hollywood, trashy shopping and hanging out similar to Camden.

Also recommend a visit to the 'Anti Mall'   http://www.thelab.com/

There is lots of good shopping there, I love Fred Segal, it's a great store.


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## miss direct (Sep 28, 2007)

Huntington Beach is nice, spent some time there. There's a nice farmers market with fresh food by the beach, a pier, good vintage shops.


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## Detroit City (Sep 28, 2007)

Part2 said:
			
		

> I think the kids might be into going to the studios, they're 7 and 13, would it be interesting for them?


if they go to universal studio theme park/city walk you won't be able to get them to leave...

http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/index.html


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## Part 2 (Sep 28, 2007)

Yea, I just checked Universal, they'll be well up for that. We went to the one in Florida when the young un was only a baby so it will be cool for him and save me the pain of thinking of going to Disney.

The lab looks wicked too, the 13 y.o is mad for trainers and clothes and anything old/exclusive is always a bonus.

Just out of interest, does anyone have an idea about where the exchange rate is heading. I'm wondering when to change money.


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## Bahnhof Strasse (Sep 28, 2007)

LA is the only place I've ever been to that I have absolutely no desire to go to again.


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## Part 2 (Sep 28, 2007)

Bahnhof Strasse said:
			
		

> LA is the only place I've ever been to that I have absolutely no desire to go to again.




Funnily enough, I felt just the same when we went last time. It was the one place in California that I wasn't arsed about.

Now that I have a few guides to show us around and some idea of where to go I'm looking forward to it.


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## Gavin Bl (Sep 28, 2007)

I rather enjoyed LA, when I expected not to. My wife nagged me to go to universal studios, and I was dreading it.....had a brilliant time! 

You gotta go up to Mann's chinese theatre and see the stars names in the pavement. Great tacky fun  

great Asian food all over the place too.


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## phildwyer (Sep 28, 2007)

I lived there last summer: Pasadena.  A lovely town, check out Lucky Baldwin's pub.  In downtown LA the Standard is a great club with a rooftop bar.  As I'm sure you've been told already, you *must* hire a car.


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## fractionMan (Sep 28, 2007)

Apart from pasadena, LA is a dump.


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## Idaho (Sep 28, 2007)

It is so far down my list of places to go that it isn't actually on my list of places to go.

Hope you have fun though


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## fractionMan (Sep 28, 2007)

It takes fucking ages to drive through as well.


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## Poi E (Sep 28, 2007)

I went for a swim at Malibu and came out with oil droplets on me.

A huge flat basin with a wicked coastline and they've fucked it up royally.


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## Gavin Bl (Sep 29, 2007)

fractionMan said:
			
		

> It takes fucking ages to drive through as well.



I drove there from Phoenix (where I was working), and the tailbacks started about 75 miles outside LA!

This was July (1999), and we had to drive through a near impenetrable dust storm on the way back - it sort of heralds the 'monsoon' in Phoenix - two weeks of colossal storms - followed by 50 weeks of hot sunny weather! Not like Sussex at all!


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## ska invita (Sep 29, 2007)

You have to go to Venice Beach, if not just to see what Camden would look like were it in CAlifornia.

LA has always got some fad going - if its not oxygen bars it cupcakes (no joke) http://losangeles.citysearch.com/roundup/40951

- this year its Pinkberry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinkberry so popular that it would take a half hour just to get inside. Worth checkign out for the experience.

If youre into music go to Amoeba records on Sunset - the biggest independent record shop with a huge second hand stock and cheap cheap US prices
http://www.amoeba.com/content/amoeba-records.html


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## Maltin (Oct 4, 2007)

ska invita said:
			
		

> You have to go to Venice Beach, if not just to see what Camden would look like were it in CAlifornia.
> 
> LA has always got some fad going - if its not oxygen bars it cupcakes (no joke) http://losangeles.citysearch.com/roundup/40951
> 
> ...


I wasn't that impressed with LA, but I agree that Amoeba records is great.


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## catrina (Oct 4, 2007)

We were just there and rented Segways on Venice Beach. It was really fun.


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