LA inspiration needed
April 30, 2009 12:34 PM Subscribe
My wife and I will be in LA for a few days (June 26-29) on the way to Hawaii and I have a few questions. I looked at some old posts but couldn't find a good answer.
We like music (indy, acoustic ,rock) local bars or concerts would be good, we tend to stay away from the clubs. I also like photography if there is anything special there. We're both mid-twenties, please help us make the most of our first trip to California.
- Is there a reasonably priced hotel that we can stay at that help us get places easier (see question 2)
- Do we have to get a rental car or will public transit be ok even if it's slow
- Is there anything can't miss on that weekend I haven't heard of from half a country away
We like music (indy, acoustic ,rock) local bars or concerts would be good, we tend to stay away from the clubs. I also like photography if there is anything special there. We're both mid-twenties, please help us make the most of our first trip to California.
2. Yes. There is public transportation here, but it's not useful for you. LA is not walkable. If you want to see more than one thing per day, you will likely have to take some kind of transportation to get there. Buses (which are what you'd likely use. Subway doesn't go to enough places) are slow, and if you have to transfer it will take an average of an hour to get wherever you're going, almost irrespective of distance. Everyone in LA drives for a reason. Suck it up.
1. Given my answer to number 2, location isn't as important. Most of the places you'll likely want to go will either be on the westside, like Santa Monica or the beach, or near Hollywood. Basically, you want any hotel north of the 10 freeway, south of the 101, and west of the 110.
3. Not that I'm aware of.
Someone else will know more about the music scene than I do, but most of the concert venues you'd want to check out would be up around Sunset Blvd in the Hollywood area.
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 12:53 PM on April 30, 2009
1. Given my answer to number 2, location isn't as important. Most of the places you'll likely want to go will either be on the westside, like Santa Monica or the beach, or near Hollywood. Basically, you want any hotel north of the 10 freeway, south of the 101, and west of the 110.
3. Not that I'm aware of.
Someone else will know more about the music scene than I do, but most of the concert venues you'd want to check out would be up around Sunset Blvd in the Hollywood area.
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 12:53 PM on April 30, 2009
Best answer: I don't know anything about music or LA, but that looks like a full weekend at the Hollywood Bowl. I've been told that's a don't miss. Do you like Aretha Franklin, Abba, or Etta James?
posted by notned at 1:00 PM on April 30, 2009
posted by notned at 1:00 PM on April 30, 2009
Rent a car -- L.A. is a sprawling, decentralized place, and (as mentioned upthread) the subway simply doesn't go enough places to be of use to you. For example, of the first four good indie music venues I thought of -- the Troubadour, Largo, Spaceland, and the Smell -- only one (the Smell) is near-ish to the Red Line; for the others, you'd be stuck relying on buses, which you really don't want to do after 10 or 11 at night.
As for hotels: what constitutes "reasonably priced"? Knowing your price range may help people make specific recommendations.
posted by scody at 1:15 PM on April 30, 2009
As for hotels: what constitutes "reasonably priced"? Knowing your price range may help people make specific recommendations.
posted by scody at 1:15 PM on April 30, 2009
I live in L.A. - here's my take on it.
1) I'd look into staying in downtown LA and keeping your exploring close in - Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Echo Park and Silver Lake (the latter two have bars, coffee, fun shopping, kickass mexican food, and an indie music scene). I can't speak to a specific hotel, but I've heard good things about the Figueroa and its bar. Being downtown, you'll be near a ton of bus lines as well as light rail.
2) If you stick to the plan above and don't mind springing for a taxi occasionally, you can get around on the bus. If you leave the above area, you might have some trouble - the light rail stops running at a certain hour (11pm-ish?) and the bus frequency slows way down. Buses are crowded and pretty slow, but it's doable.
3) I'd do the Hollywood Bowl thing. By taxi or by bus - parking is an absolute nightmare there.
Have fun exploring!
posted by chez shoes at 1:16 PM on April 30, 2009 [1 favorite]
1) I'd look into staying in downtown LA and keeping your exploring close in - Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Echo Park and Silver Lake (the latter two have bars, coffee, fun shopping, kickass mexican food, and an indie music scene). I can't speak to a specific hotel, but I've heard good things about the Figueroa and its bar. Being downtown, you'll be near a ton of bus lines as well as light rail.
2) If you stick to the plan above and don't mind springing for a taxi occasionally, you can get around on the bus. If you leave the above area, you might have some trouble - the light rail stops running at a certain hour (11pm-ish?) and the bus frequency slows way down. Buses are crowded and pretty slow, but it's doable.
3) I'd do the Hollywood Bowl thing. By taxi or by bus - parking is an absolute nightmare there.
Have fun exploring!
posted by chez shoes at 1:16 PM on April 30, 2009 [1 favorite]
1. What does reasonably priced mean to you? The Farmer's Daughter and the Standard (the one on Sunset) both have rooms starting around (or a little under) $200.
posted by dersins at 1:16 PM on April 30, 2009
posted by dersins at 1:16 PM on April 30, 2009
Response by poster: I was hoping to find hotels under 150 a night
posted by mrpeach at 1:27 PM on April 30, 2009
posted by mrpeach at 1:27 PM on April 30, 2009
Best answer: I have considered flying to L.A. solely to see Jon Brion's semi-regular Friday-night show at Largo (scody also linked this venue above.) Their June schedule isn't up yet, but in all likelihood he'll be playing that Friday. I saw him play in NYC a few years ago it was one of the best nights of my life. If you can wrangle transportation, so worth it.
posted by doift at 1:33 PM on April 30, 2009
posted by doift at 1:33 PM on April 30, 2009
Best answer: I recommend staying at the Radisson near the airport, definite yes to renting the car, prearranged weekend rate, the hotel may book it for you, subcompact is cheapest and most desired on weekends so reserve and rental insurance will bump up the price a bit.
Getty Westwood has one of the best photography collections in the US. Check out Getty.edu to see if you find it appealing. Getty Malibu is a Roman Villa, located on the Pacific Coast Highway, you will see the best views and get the Malibu experience.
Bergamot Station has a website, we call it the art mall. It has a lot of contemporaneous artists, about thirty in one spot, so a walkable day in Santa Monica.
For clubs, I would go to the House of Blues and Largo on Sunset strip area. All of these clubs would be listed on the LAWeekly website, with descriptions and pictures you can customize your trip.
NOAAA will have the weather report. I hope it's an enjoyable trip.
posted by effluvia at 1:34 PM on April 30, 2009
Getty Westwood has one of the best photography collections in the US. Check out Getty.edu to see if you find it appealing. Getty Malibu is a Roman Villa, located on the Pacific Coast Highway, you will see the best views and get the Malibu experience.
Bergamot Station has a website, we call it the art mall. It has a lot of contemporaneous artists, about thirty in one spot, so a walkable day in Santa Monica.
For clubs, I would go to the House of Blues and Largo on Sunset strip area. All of these clubs would be listed on the LAWeekly website, with descriptions and pictures you can customize your trip.
NOAAA will have the weather report. I hope it's an enjoyable trip.
posted by effluvia at 1:34 PM on April 30, 2009
Check out Amoeba records in Hollywood. Great used record store. There's an In&Out burger near LAX that I usually hit before flights.
posted by Eddie Mars at 1:53 PM on April 30, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Eddie Mars at 1:53 PM on April 30, 2009 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Jon Brion sounds interesting so I'll look into that for sure. It looks like I'll have to suck it up and get a rental car. That is what I assumed but I was hoping for more creative option. Thanks for all great tips so far.
posted by mrpeach at 1:59 PM on April 30, 2009
posted by mrpeach at 1:59 PM on April 30, 2009
Grant Lee Phillips also plays regularly at Largo -- if Jon Brion's not playing that weekend but Grant is, you should still go. Great performer.
posted by scody at 2:07 PM on April 30, 2009
posted by scody at 2:07 PM on April 30, 2009
Also, one thing to keep in mind for the Jon Brion show is that they tend to book up rather quickly once they are posted, so be sure to keep checking the Largo website and call for reservations as soon as you see it posted.
posted by Beautiful Downtown Burbank at 2:21 PM on April 30, 2009
posted by Beautiful Downtown Burbank at 2:21 PM on April 30, 2009
If you like indie, acoustic music, definitely check out the Hotel Cafe. Its a small music venue/bar that hosts mostly singer/ songwriter types that seems like it would be right up your alley.
posted by theDrizzle at 2:49 PM on April 30, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by theDrizzle at 2:49 PM on April 30, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Oh yeah, re: photography -- there's pretty much always great stuff at the Getty, as mentioned upthread (the Paul Outerbridge exhibition will still be up -- I saw it a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it). I work at LACMA and we also have a strong photography collection, with regular rotations. There's also the newly opened Annenberg Space for Photography, which I haven't yet visited. (This is a good illustration of why you'll be glad if you rent a car -- you could easily plan a day around visiting all three sites if you're driving, but it would be extremely difficult to see all three in a day via public transportation.)
posted by scody at 2:55 PM on April 30, 2009
posted by scody at 2:55 PM on April 30, 2009
If you haven't been to the UCB Theatre check out a show there or go to The Museum Of Jurassic Technology
posted by wcfields at 3:19 PM on April 30, 2009
posted by wcfields at 3:19 PM on April 30, 2009
Seconding the Museum of Jurassic Technology - if you like macabre, imaginative and strange things. I also had a great time going to the Getty Museum at the Getty Center. The museum itself is very beautiful, with wonderful gardens, great views of the city, and a reasonable entrance fee (the only cost is $8 to park).
posted by sumiami at 3:35 PM on April 30, 2009
posted by sumiami at 3:35 PM on April 30, 2009
the only cost is $8 to park
It's being increased to $15 soon, I believe (the recession's even bad for billionaires, evidently), but it's true that other than parking, there's no other admission fee.
posted by scody at 3:58 PM on April 30, 2009
It's being increased to $15 soon, I believe (the recession's even bad for billionaires, evidently), but it's true that other than parking, there's no other admission fee.
posted by scody at 3:58 PM on April 30, 2009
I'd vote against downtown la, i'm not sure where you're from but I find it gross and sketchy. I'd shoot for something like the Farmers Daughter or the Standard on sunset. I assume you'll be pretty much halfway to everything.
As for things to do..it will be summer, so cinespia will be going on at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The weekend will probably fly by without much planning needed, go check out the beach, a museum maybe drive up Griffith Park and before you know it the weekend will be over.
Oh also, if you stay in anywhere mid-city, I highly suggest Cinefamily.
posted by mattsweaters at 4:09 PM on April 30, 2009
As for things to do..it will be summer, so cinespia will be going on at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The weekend will probably fly by without much planning needed, go check out the beach, a museum maybe drive up Griffith Park and before you know it the weekend will be over.
Oh also, if you stay in anywhere mid-city, I highly suggest Cinefamily.
posted by mattsweaters at 4:09 PM on April 30, 2009
You need a rental. Getting around LA is bloody impossible.
Also, second the Getty -- it's one of the best, and for some reason least crowded, art museums out there. Don't go to MOCA (the modern art museum downtown), they invariably have totally shitty exhibits.
See Venice beach. Eat In-n-Out, or, for more local cred even yummier, Zankou Chicken. Second on hollywood bowl.
Rusty's Surf Ranch on Santa Monica Pier tends to have fun bands; if you're really lucky, you'll catch a Red Elvises gig (though it might not be the same w/o Oleg). Do not set foot in Orange County. Good food is along a five-miles-thick line from Westwood to Pasadena.
posted by paultopia at 4:57 PM on April 30, 2009
Also, second the Getty -- it's one of the best, and for some reason least crowded, art museums out there. Don't go to MOCA (the modern art museum downtown), they invariably have totally shitty exhibits.
See Venice beach. Eat In-n-Out, or, for more local cred even yummier, Zankou Chicken. Second on hollywood bowl.
Rusty's Surf Ranch on Santa Monica Pier tends to have fun bands; if you're really lucky, you'll catch a Red Elvises gig (though it might not be the same w/o Oleg). Do not set foot in Orange County. Good food is along a five-miles-thick line from Westwood to Pasadena.
posted by paultopia at 4:57 PM on April 30, 2009
Yay, I'm going to LA next week, so it's nice to see confirmations of suggestions I've found around MeFi and from an LA resident.
I just popped in this thread to say that I saw the LAist post about the increase to the Getty parking fee, but the Getty website says $10 right now.
If you don't have a complete list of things to do already, you can MeMail me for my own little list of resources and map of places I plan to go.
posted by hellogoodbye at 5:25 PM on April 30, 2009
I just popped in this thread to say that I saw the LAist post about the increase to the Getty parking fee, but the Getty website says $10 right now.
If you don't have a complete list of things to do already, you can MeMail me for my own little list of resources and map of places I plan to go.
posted by hellogoodbye at 5:25 PM on April 30, 2009
Griffith Observatory is a beautiful place to spend an evening, especially if the moon is out they point the big telescope at it. You also get a great view of the entire city from there.
Magic Castle is also a wondeful place but it's invite only so unless you know a magician that would bring you a long you can't go in.
posted by wcfields at 12:05 PM on May 1, 2009
Magic Castle is also a wondeful place but it's invite only so unless you know a magician that would bring you a long you can't go in.
posted by wcfields at 12:05 PM on May 1, 2009
A note re: downtown vs. the Fairfax District (where the Farmers Daughter, recommended several times, is) - I live down the street from the Farmers Daughter and honestly, I don't find Fairfax to be any less "sketchy" than downtown. Downtown has long been a magnet for the down and out, but so is my 'hood. It's one of those LA paradoxes - I live in a relatively cheap apartment, surrounded by million-dollar homes, and hear the sound of the homeless pushing shopping carts around all day and night. Typical L.A.!
After living in this area for quite some time, I don't even walk on Fairfax anymore (the street that the FD is on) - it's noisy, full of panhandlers, and filthy. I mean, really really filthy. So I wouldn't recommend staying in a motel on that street just because it has a "hip factor." Downtown is just a lot more interesting - Fairfax has the Farmers Market, which is great, but everything else is pedestrian-unfriendly or something you could find a better version of just about anywhere else (i.e. The Grove, an overcrowded, overpriced shopping mall disguised as "public space").
posted by chez shoes at 7:45 AM on May 4, 2009
After living in this area for quite some time, I don't even walk on Fairfax anymore (the street that the FD is on) - it's noisy, full of panhandlers, and filthy. I mean, really really filthy. So I wouldn't recommend staying in a motel on that street just because it has a "hip factor." Downtown is just a lot more interesting - Fairfax has the Farmers Market, which is great, but everything else is pedestrian-unfriendly or something you could find a better version of just about anywhere else (i.e. The Grove, an overcrowded, overpriced shopping mall disguised as "public space").
posted by chez shoes at 7:45 AM on May 4, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
I love taking the bus and biking, but I wouldn't recommend trying to rely purely on public transit without a pal that could pick you up if things got weird.
posted by klangklangston at 12:51 PM on April 30, 2009