
now, i haven't been to la in over 2 years (boo hoo!) but here are some things to look up and enjoy:
food
El Siete Mares--on Sunset Blvd. in Silver Lake. Order fish tacos and horchata and you will be very happy.
Cafe Tropical--on Sunset @ Silver Lake Blvd. Order guava cheese pie and cafe con leche. it's a cute neighborhood place. i used to go here all the time when i lived around the corner.
Mama's Hot Tamales--on 7th @ Alvarado just below McArthur Park. This place is awesome. You order tamales by region. Ask for extra cream and salsa. Their coffee is pretty good too as I recall. Order a bunch of different tamales and share!
Casa Bianca--Colorado Blvd in Eagle Rock. This is a cute place to get pizza and a carafe of wine. It is very homey and most people love it. (Sean grew up just up the street from here on Mt. Royal Drive--you can drive by his house and say hello to his 'rents!!)
Palms Thai Restaurant--5900 Hollywood Blvd. Thai food in LA is delicious and plentiful. This place has an Elvis impersonator, so it's really worth eating here!
Elf--
Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park. my friend Pam's ex-bf opened up this vegetarian/raw restaurant. it is super cute and yummy!
Diddy Reese--Westwood near UCLA. huge and amazing ice cream treats: your choice of ice cream sandwiched between your choice of cookies. umm, this place usually has a line, but it's worth it. they used to charge $1, but i heard the price went up to $1.50 or $2. still worth it...
shopping
St. Vincent's thrift Store--huge and gigantic. you have to feel like picking through. it's a fun place though and deals are to be had...a little hard to find, so
click here for google map.
Korean Supermarket in the
Koreatown Galleria--Olympic Blvd. @ Western. There's a parking garage in the back for your convenience. Go directly to the gigantic supermarket (i've never actually been to any other stores in the galleria). there are usually tons of free samples and awesomely exotic and interesting foods to purchase. it is always an exciting adventure at this market. be sure to get a warm fried bean ball for $1 at the bakery by the entrance...they are deeeelicious....
sightseeingForest Lawn Cemetary: Enter on Glendale Blvd. this is SO worth driving through. There are these big gawdy statues throughout the park, including a life-size David. it is really pretty and weird--very LA/Hollywood.
Definitely check out the museums:
MOCA in downtown,
LACMA in mid-Wilshire area, and
Hammer in Westwood. Also, drive out to the
Getty Museum. You can try to plan to be there around sunset, because the vista is amazing and the light is spectacular. It is a palatial museum--tacky and beautiful. you can take a monorail up too which is fun.
Egyptian Theater--this is a cool old hollywood theater from the 1920s. it is fun to check out old movies here. the architecture is awesome.
Griffith Park--hike to the hollywood sign. watch out for rattlesnakes. take pictures of the dinosaur aloe plants.
Echo Park Lake--have a picnic, rent a pedal boat and enjoy this cute park with lots of palm trees.
The
Hollywood Hills--fun to drive around any area in the hills. The streets are narrow and winding and hilly and you can get great views and see varied architecture.
Point Dume--a gorgeous beach in Malibu area. It is a bit of a drive, but it's super pretty and if you go mid-week it shouldn't be too crowded. The waves can be really strong up there.
nightlife
The Roost:
3100 Los Feliz Blvd. dive bar with a popcorn maker. this is where sean and i met. they have a good jukebox. say 'hi' to the bartender, Sai.
The Red Lion--on Glendale Blvd in Silver Lake. German beer garden. You can order beers out of a giant boot and get potato pancakes and bratwurst.
The Dresden Room--there is this quirky and cute local celebrity piano duo named Marty & Elayne--check to see when they are playing. and order a martini to go along with it.
Places to check out shows:
The Echo,
Spaceland,
SilverLake Lounge, and just check out the local listings for who's playing...
There are about a billion other things to do too...but this is what stands out in my head. Have fun!!!