Monday, October 04, 2010
Last year Maggie took Peter on a sports week end adventure to celebrate his 70th birthday. This year it was determined I should investigate Los Angeles as my 70th birthday adventure and off we went on Sept 24th.
After a very good and uneventful flight on Air Canada ( which is getting a very bad rep. in our opinion) we landed the LA. The rental car with GPS was waiting where it should be and after a brief trip we found ourselves ensconced in a wonderfula apartment in West Hollywood.
Two bedrooms with our own bathrooms, and as Maggie would point out THREE TVS!!
The owner (an actor of course)met us with the keys and we settled right in practically right on Santa Monica Boulevard. Hint: more and more we find the internet has made the availabitlity of apartments the way to go.
A quick walk around the neighbourhood to get our bearings and a stop at the Great Silver Screen diner right across the street to pick up huge salads we called it a night.
We did think it was a bit warm, but hey, it was California!
First morning had us on the top deck of the two hour Hollywood tour..I do not think I actually realized just how compact the fun area is. Now it is getting very hot..so two hours was about all you would want to do. Reminder if you go.. never go anywhere without a hat or water!
After the tour we made a quick stop for apartment supplies at the West Hollywood Whole Foods... Interesting that we noticed lots of tanning parlours, nail bars, hair dressers, and dry cleaners, but no little green grocers. I have no idea what that means!
HINT: If you have a car, which you will cause you cannot get around with out one, you should know about the wonderful parking under the Hollywood and Highland shopping plaza, entrance off Orange. Very safe, well light, and being underground a few floors keeps the car cool! We were in and out of this place sometimes twice a day as we used this corner as the base of travel. And the maximum charge was ten dollars!
Saturday night found us at the Hollywood Bowl for the sold out performance of The Sing Along Sound of Music. We went early to investigate the Hollywood Bowl Museum(definitely a must). We did notice lots of people arriving with picnics, but we were very happy with the food choices at the many food kiosks. And they food lines seemed to go quickly with lovely staff willing to chat and help, and beautifully presented and wrapped.
It would be hard to imagine a more fun night than this. The bowl holds 18,000 people carved into the side of the hill and noted for its wonderful accoustics. It is now managed by the LA Symphony association as they make this their summer home. People started arriving quite early and by 6 oclock the evening begins with a organ concert.. followed shortly thereafter by a costume parade that took over an hour. You cannot believe the number of people who showed up in costumes. And not just kids... The winners were not the groups of nuns, but rather those who played on the words from"A Few of My Favourite Things".
The movie began at 7:30 with the words on the screen for us to sing along. Every person had been given a bag of goodies and we were instructed to pull these items out a various times and wave they about... like flash cards and hunk of curtain cloth etc. However, I was most amazed with the singing of Edelweish.. we were supposed to wave little plastic flowers about, but the entire audience turned on their cell phones and waved them about at this point. How they know that this was going to happen I do not know... no instructions given.
The other amazingly funny thing happened at the beginning of the escape. You remember the scene toward the end with the Von Trapps hiding in the convent? There is much skulking about on the screen and people in the audience start turning on their flashlights to help the family!!! Now you have to realize these audience members have been carrying these flashlights for about four hours at this point to use all of one minute. Maggie loved this.
We did notice that the temperature was really lovely(I had been very worried the heat would last into the night) but it didn't... and we had a full moon to boot. Quite the most fabulous spot and if you are ever in LA where something is playing at the bowl GO!
We caught the Bowl transport bus(very well organized of course) back to the parking lot--see above--and we were back in the apartment in under 30 minutes.
Sunday;
I had this idea I would like to see how their subway system worked so we parked the car(you know where) caught the Metro Entrance on Hollywood and Highland heading into downtown LA Metro came on time, and was very clean and well lit. We headed for the Disney Centre in downtown LA It is designed by Frank Geary and has become the building to see. Old timers like myself will remember the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion as the home of the Oscars for many years. This Disney building is right across the street and together they make up the homes of the Opera, Dance, and Symphony plus an art school or two. We used the acoustic guides in the Disney and would be hard pressed to know of a better guide anywhere. The building is quite amazing . Frank Geary himself talks frequently in the guide of his discussions with Lillian Disney(Walt's wife) and her wishes for the centre.
We noticed as we walked back to the Metro entrance(about three blocks) that even the the complex had lots of quite wonderful gardens, the area surround that was acreas of parking lots. And it would be a pleasant walk to the tube at the end of the performance as you would have lots of company.. I would not like to do the walk on my own if I was on clean up duty and left the centre late! There is not a soul living anywhere around that I could see.
We headed back into Metro.. changed at Union Station.. wonderfully restored and featured in many old time movies as the end of the run from New York.. and headed for the Gold line to take us a few further blocks into downtown LA. The Gold line runs outside most of the time.. We got off at Littley Toyko stop, cross the tracks!! and walked the four blocks to the wing of the Museum of Contempory Art (named for the donor David Geffin) One does notice that the people who have made their billions in LA like to have their names on various artistic endeavours. Maggie had booked tickets for this ahead as we both wanted to see the exhibition of Dennis Hopper. It is a huge show curated by Julian Schnabel(whom we had just heard introducing a film at TIFF the week before)Hopper did it all.. painting, photography, billboards and of course found time to make movies..Wonderful show and I have the catalogue with Schnabel' introduction if anyone wants to borrow same
A very hot journey back on the Metro to the airconditioned car and apartment.
We did discover that the temperature had been 106 while we were wandering around town.
That night we headed for the truly special airconditioned movie theatre on Sunset Boulevard called the Arc Light. Great first run movies, and you can book your seat. And they let no one in after the main movie starts! By the way the pop corn sellers actually talk to you.
We saw a wonderful movie called Catfish. It is a documentry I highly recommend and if you see it talk to me.. I have lots of questions! But loved the movie
We stayed for dinner right in the restaurant where our waitress told us she had just landed an agent. It did occur to me that the reason everyone is so friendly and chatting... they are all actors or whanabees!
Off we went on Monday to the beach. We started with Venice and did a walk about before it got really really hot! Yeah right. I did manage to buy the world's biggest hat for about 15 dollars..I even got it home to Toronto, but doubt it would ever do in Muskoka of Barbados..wind would blow it right away. Venice Beach is huge, fun and very tacky.. Yes there is a muscle beach and I suspect far too many people sleeping rough, but colourful does not begin to describe.
Next,back in the airconditioning of the car, we drove around and found the area of Venice that is actually on the canals.. darling little houses with little boats tied up our front Loved it
We then had a good drive around Marina Del Ray, right next door to Venice. The boaters in like would drool about MDR. Miles of fabulous boats docked outside fabulous condos, and a few lovely older hotels right on the water. If you wanted a Hollywood plus beach vacation this could be it.
On the otherside of Venice is Santa Monica, home to many of the stars and industry types. I can see why., It has great shopping. lots of beautiful apartments and homes and a great beach.
We then went up the Pacific highway a few miles and stopped at Gladstones in Malibu for lunch. A truly fun spot and we sat outside in the shade with no problem.
This was the day that the weather hit 113 in downtown LA. It might have been hotter but the thermometer broke.. I kid you not!
However the weather at the beach was about 20 degrees cooler.. The temperature rose twenty degrees in one mile up the hills above Santa Monica... This was the hottest day EVER in LA history.
The drive back to the apartment was very quick.. LA has lots of freeways and highways and road ways and as long as the cars keep moving one gets around in amazingly quick time. The parts of LA we would visit are actually quite close together.
Another movie at the Ark Light(this time Wall Street part two which was just OK in my estimation) and dinner at a wonderful Italian place.
After a very good and uneventful flight on Air Canada ( which is getting a very bad rep. in our opinion) we landed the LA. The rental car with GPS was waiting where it should be and after a brief trip we found ourselves ensconced in a wonderfula apartment in West Hollywood.
Two bedrooms with our own bathrooms, and as Maggie would point out THREE TVS!!
The owner (an actor of course)met us with the keys and we settled right in practically right on Santa Monica Boulevard. Hint: more and more we find the internet has made the availabitlity of apartments the way to go.
A quick walk around the neighbourhood to get our bearings and a stop at the Great Silver Screen diner right across the street to pick up huge salads we called it a night.
We did think it was a bit warm, but hey, it was California!
First morning had us on the top deck of the two hour Hollywood tour..I do not think I actually realized just how compact the fun area is. Now it is getting very hot..so two hours was about all you would want to do. Reminder if you go.. never go anywhere without a hat or water!
After the tour we made a quick stop for apartment supplies at the West Hollywood Whole Foods... Interesting that we noticed lots of tanning parlours, nail bars, hair dressers, and dry cleaners, but no little green grocers. I have no idea what that means!
HINT: If you have a car, which you will cause you cannot get around with out one, you should know about the wonderful parking under the Hollywood and Highland shopping plaza, entrance off Orange. Very safe, well light, and being underground a few floors keeps the car cool! We were in and out of this place sometimes twice a day as we used this corner as the base of travel. And the maximum charge was ten dollars!
Saturday night found us at the Hollywood Bowl for the sold out performance of The Sing Along Sound of Music. We went early to investigate the Hollywood Bowl Museum(definitely a must). We did notice lots of people arriving with picnics, but we were very happy with the food choices at the many food kiosks. And they food lines seemed to go quickly with lovely staff willing to chat and help, and beautifully presented and wrapped.
It would be hard to imagine a more fun night than this. The bowl holds 18,000 people carved into the side of the hill and noted for its wonderful accoustics. It is now managed by the LA Symphony association as they make this their summer home. People started arriving quite early and by 6 oclock the evening begins with a organ concert.. followed shortly thereafter by a costume parade that took over an hour. You cannot believe the number of people who showed up in costumes. And not just kids... The winners were not the groups of nuns, but rather those who played on the words from"A Few of My Favourite Things".
The movie began at 7:30 with the words on the screen for us to sing along. Every person had been given a bag of goodies and we were instructed to pull these items out a various times and wave they about... like flash cards and hunk of curtain cloth etc. However, I was most amazed with the singing of Edelweish.. we were supposed to wave little plastic flowers about, but the entire audience turned on their cell phones and waved them about at this point. How they know that this was going to happen I do not know... no instructions given.
The other amazingly funny thing happened at the beginning of the escape. You remember the scene toward the end with the Von Trapps hiding in the convent? There is much skulking about on the screen and people in the audience start turning on their flashlights to help the family!!! Now you have to realize these audience members have been carrying these flashlights for about four hours at this point to use all of one minute. Maggie loved this.
We did notice that the temperature was really lovely(I had been very worried the heat would last into the night) but it didn't... and we had a full moon to boot. Quite the most fabulous spot and if you are ever in LA where something is playing at the bowl GO!
We caught the Bowl transport bus(very well organized of course) back to the parking lot--see above--and we were back in the apartment in under 30 minutes.
Sunday;
I had this idea I would like to see how their subway system worked so we parked the car(you know where) caught the Metro Entrance on Hollywood and Highland heading into downtown LA Metro came on time, and was very clean and well lit. We headed for the Disney Centre in downtown LA It is designed by Frank Geary and has become the building to see. Old timers like myself will remember the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion as the home of the Oscars for many years. This Disney building is right across the street and together they make up the homes of the Opera, Dance, and Symphony plus an art school or two. We used the acoustic guides in the Disney and would be hard pressed to know of a better guide anywhere. The building is quite amazing . Frank Geary himself talks frequently in the guide of his discussions with Lillian Disney(Walt's wife) and her wishes for the centre.
We noticed as we walked back to the Metro entrance(about three blocks) that even the the complex had lots of quite wonderful gardens, the area surround that was acreas of parking lots. And it would be a pleasant walk to the tube at the end of the performance as you would have lots of company.. I would not like to do the walk on my own if I was on clean up duty and left the centre late! There is not a soul living anywhere around that I could see.
We headed back into Metro.. changed at Union Station.. wonderfully restored and featured in many old time movies as the end of the run from New York.. and headed for the Gold line to take us a few further blocks into downtown LA. The Gold line runs outside most of the time.. We got off at Littley Toyko stop, cross the tracks!! and walked the four blocks to the wing of the Museum of Contempory Art (named for the donor David Geffin) One does notice that the people who have made their billions in LA like to have their names on various artistic endeavours. Maggie had booked tickets for this ahead as we both wanted to see the exhibition of Dennis Hopper. It is a huge show curated by Julian Schnabel(whom we had just heard introducing a film at TIFF the week before)Hopper did it all.. painting, photography, billboards and of course found time to make movies..Wonderful show and I have the catalogue with Schnabel' introduction if anyone wants to borrow same
A very hot journey back on the Metro to the airconditioned car and apartment.
We did discover that the temperature had been 106 while we were wandering around town.
That night we headed for the truly special airconditioned movie theatre on Sunset Boulevard called the Arc Light. Great first run movies, and you can book your seat. And they let no one in after the main movie starts! By the way the pop corn sellers actually talk to you.
We saw a wonderful movie called Catfish. It is a documentry I highly recommend and if you see it talk to me.. I have lots of questions! But loved the movie
We stayed for dinner right in the restaurant where our waitress told us she had just landed an agent. It did occur to me that the reason everyone is so friendly and chatting... they are all actors or whanabees!
Off we went on Monday to the beach. We started with Venice and did a walk about before it got really really hot! Yeah right. I did manage to buy the world's biggest hat for about 15 dollars..I even got it home to Toronto, but doubt it would ever do in Muskoka of Barbados..wind would blow it right away. Venice Beach is huge, fun and very tacky.. Yes there is a muscle beach and I suspect far too many people sleeping rough, but colourful does not begin to describe.
Next,back in the airconditioning of the car, we drove around and found the area of Venice that is actually on the canals.. darling little houses with little boats tied up our front Loved it
We then had a good drive around Marina Del Ray, right next door to Venice. The boaters in like would drool about MDR. Miles of fabulous boats docked outside fabulous condos, and a few lovely older hotels right on the water. If you wanted a Hollywood plus beach vacation this could be it.
On the otherside of Venice is Santa Monica, home to many of the stars and industry types. I can see why., It has great shopping. lots of beautiful apartments and homes and a great beach.
We then went up the Pacific highway a few miles and stopped at Gladstones in Malibu for lunch. A truly fun spot and we sat outside in the shade with no problem.
This was the day that the weather hit 113 in downtown LA. It might have been hotter but the thermometer broke.. I kid you not!
However the weather at the beach was about 20 degrees cooler.. The temperature rose twenty degrees in one mile up the hills above Santa Monica... This was the hottest day EVER in LA history.
The drive back to the apartment was very quick.. LA has lots of freeways and highways and road ways and as long as the cars keep moving one gets around in amazingly quick time. The parts of LA we would visit are actually quite close together.
Another movie at the Ark Light(this time Wall Street part two which was just OK in my estimation) and dinner at a wonderful Italian place.
Labels: Katie and Maggie go to LA
# posted by katie @ 9:42 AM 
