Comments on: Gift in LA

Question: Gift in LA

Carravanquelo — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 04:19:05 -0800

Friends (couple and their gorgeous 2-year-old) are moving from the UK to LA (via NYC for a month or two). Do you have any fabulous gift ideas? I don't want to get them a physical thing to lug around so maybe a pre-paid something, or an experience - something I could buy online and give them a printout tomorrow would be perfect. Thanks!

By: lunasol

lunasol — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 04:58:38 -0800

What's your budget?

By: Carravanquelo

Carravanquelo — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 05:13:01 -0800

£50ish? Under £100.

By: jvilter

jvilter — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 05:32:27 -0800

Depending on where in LA they are moving to, a family membership to someplace like the LA Zoo or a museum might be nice. Possibly one of the children's museums?

By: easily confused

easily confused — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 05:33:45 -0800

Is there any way you could arrange something to make either their short stay in NYC or their first month or so in LA any easier or more convienent? Anything from a laundry service to temporary day care to grocery delivery. (Not in either city myself, so I can't recommend specific stores etc.)

By: Ruthless Bunny

Ruthless Bunny — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 05:36:03 -0800

amazon.com gift card, so they have lots of things to download.

By: lunasol

lunasol — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 05:37:54 -0800

I'd suggest a gift certificate that will make their travels/move easier, if that's not too impersonal. Maybe to a place like Whole Foods. Or maybe a x-month subscription to the LA Times?

By: Flood

Flood — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 05:50:41 -0800

What about tickets to Disneyland?

By: Yellow

Yellow — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 06:19:45 -0800

Where in NYC are they staying? I would do gift certificates for resturants or supermarkets. Also, what are their favorite foods? Maybe send those items to their place in NYC so it's there when they arrive. You could probably find some British items in NYC, but I have found that it isn't as easy in midtown. I can get more of those items in Chinatown (because of the Chinese people from HK) than anywhere else and if they are not staying downtown, there is a good chance they won't venture there to find their favorite items.

By: BlahLaLa

BlahLaLa — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 06:24:52 -0800

Family membership to : LA Zoo, KidSpace Museum, Museum of Natural History, Zimmer Children's Museum. Also apply (online) for a (free) kid's membership to LACMA, and then the kid gets to take the parents in for free. Culture!

By: DarlingBri

DarlingBri — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 06:58:45 -0800

Get them three tickets for CMOM, which is the NYC museum/destination most geared towards wee ones. You will have to ring or email them but they will set you up.

By: Carravanquelo

Carravanquelo — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 08:18:54 -0800

Thank you so much, everyone! All brilliant answers. I think a museum or zoo membership will be perfect - they have a wildlife park membership that I'm sure they'll miss.

By: brujita

brujita — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 08:26:37 -0800

A membership to kcrw, which gives discounts to things all over the city.

By: snuffleupagus

snuffleupagus — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:01:59 -0800

The NHM (Natural History Museum) is a cost effective choice in LA, in that it gives access to the Page Museum (La Brea tarpits), the Natural History Museum, and the Hart Museum. Endorsed by me, both as a kid and now a helper-parent.

By: snuffleupagus

snuffleupagus — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:07:44 -0800

You might also consider giving them (or at least informing them of) the NFT guides to NYC and LA. And despite the ubiquity of smart phones, a new LA transplant might still want a Thomas Guide map book in the car (now part of Rand McNally.)