| General Information • Practical Information |
Turn the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles. —Frank Lloyd Wright
Useful Phone Numbers
| Emergencies | 911 |
| Los Angeles City Hall | 213-473-3231 |
| CalTrans | 916-654-5266 |
| Department of Water & Power | 800-342-5397 |
| Southern California Edison | 800-655-4555 |
| The Gas Company | 800-427-2200 |
Websites
www.notfortourists.com • The most comprehensive LA site there is. (And no, we weren’t paid to say that.)
www.lacity.org • The city’s official home on the web.
www.losangeles.com • From buying real estate to planning a night out on the town, this website has it all.
www.sigalert.com • Real-time traffic updates with an easy, snazzy interface.
www.losangeles.citysearch.com • Ultimate insider guide with reviews on shopping, dining and services.
www.laalmanac.com • It’s loaded with everything you could ever want to know about LA.
www.lacantdrive.com • Maintain a sense of humor.
www.lapl.org • LA Public Library’s handy website—e.g., use the hold system to get a book sent to your library if you’re not satisfied with your local branch.
www.lausd.k12.ca.us • Contact information and report cards for schools in your neighborhood.
www.blacknla.com • Online resource for LA-based African Americans featuring news articles, business listings, and local events.
www.la.com • Online resource for Angeleno luxuries, shopping, events, and nightlife.
Essential LA Songs
“Hooray for Hollywood” — Various, written by Johnny Mercer & Richard A. Whiting (1937)
“There’s No Business Like Show Business” — Ethel Merman, written by Irving Berlin (1954)
“California Sun” — Rivieras (1964)
“California Girls” — The Beach Boys (1965)
“California Dreamin’ ” — The Mamas & The Papas (1966)
“Ladies of the Canyon” — Joni Mitchell (1970)
“L.A. Woman” — The Doors (1971)
“California” — Joni Mitchell (1971)
“I Am, I Said” — Neil Diamond (1971)
“You’re So Vain” — Carly Simon (1972)
“Ventura Highway” – America (1972)
“Eggs and Sausage” — Tom Waits (1975)
“Hotel California” — The Eagles (1976)
“The Pretender” — Jackson Browne (1976)
“Wasted” – Black Flag (1978)
“Runnin’ With the Devil” – Van Halen (1978)
“Los Angeles” — X (1980)
“Walkin’ in LA” – Missing Persons (1982)
“Valley Girl” — Frank and Moon Unit Zappa (1982)
“I Love L.A.” — Randy Newman (1983)
“My Life is Good” — Randy Newman (1983)
“Sunset Grill” — Don Henley (1984)
“Paradise City” — Guns N Roses (1987)
“Jane Says” — Jane’s Addiction (1988)
“Fallen Angel” — Poison (1988)
“F— Tha Police” — N.W.A. (1988)
“Free Fallin’” — Tom Petty (1989)
“Neighborhood” — Los Lobos (1990)
“Under the Bridge” — Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991)
“All I Wanna Do” — Sheryl Crow (1993)
“Los Angeles” – Frank Black (1993)
“LA Song” — Deconstruction (1994)
“California Love” — Tupac Shakur (1995)
“This Is How We Do It” – Montell Jordan (1995)
“Angeles” — Elliot Smith (1996)
“Malibu” — Hole (1998)
“Californication” — Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999)
“California” — Phantom Planet (2002)
“Beverly Hills” —Weezer (2005)
“Dani California” — Red Hot Chili Peppers (2006)
Less Practical Information
• Los Angeles averages 329 days of sunshine each year. Yet we still whine about the other 36.
• The longest street in Los Angeles is Sepulveda Boulevard, which runs 76 miles from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach.
• With few exceptions, LA bars are legally prohibited from serving alcohol between the hours of 2 am and 6 am.
• The U.S. Bank Tower (633 W Fifth St) is Los Angeles’s tallest building (and was spectacularly taken out by aliens in the 1997 blockbuster Independence Day).
• The city boasts more stage theaters (80+) and museums (300) than any other city in the US. And New Yorkers say we have no culture.
• There are 527 miles of freeway and 382 miles of conventional highway in Los Angeles County. Bette Midler is determined to clean up all of them.
• Angelenos drive 92 million vehicle miles every day. This gives them ample time to admire the amber hues of our smog-riddled sunsets.
• Annually, LA residents consume over one billion pounds of red meat, over 300 billion pounds of ice cream, and absolutely no carbs whatsoever.
Essential LA Movies
The Big Sleep (1946)
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
Chinatown (1974)
Shampoo (1975)
Big Wednesday (1978)
Grease (1978)
10 (1979)
Blade Runner (1982)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
Valley Girl (1983)
Repo Man (1984)
To Live and Die in LA (1985)
Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)
Born in East LA (1987)
Less Than Zero (1987)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1998)
Pretty Woman (1990)
L.A. Story (1991)
Grand Canyon (1991)
The Player (1992)
Menace II Society (1993)
Short Cuts (1993)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Heat (1995)
Clueless (1995)
Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
Get Shorty (1995)
Swingers (1996)
Jackie Brown (1997)
L.A. Confidential (1997)
Volcano (1997)
Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)
Magnolia (1999)
The Muse (1999)
Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000)
Mulholland Dr. (2001)
Laurel Canyon (2002)
Collateral (2004)
Crash (2005)
Lords of Dogtown (2005)
The Black Dahlia (2006)
The TV Set (2006)
Battle: Los Angeles (2011)
Los Angeles Timeline—a timeline of significant events in the history of Los Angeles (by no means complete)
| 1781: | El Pueble de Nuestra Senora de la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula—a.k.a. Los Angeles—is founded. |
| 1822: | Los Angeles becomes a Mexican City when Mexico wins its independence from Spain. |
| 1842: | Gold rush hits Southern California. |
| 1850: | LA County is established, City of LA is incorporated. |
| 1880: | USC is founded. |
| 1881: | Rail lines between LA and the East Coast are completed. |
| 1881: | LA Times begins printing. |
| 1882: | Electricity comes to downtown LA. |
| 1887: | The land is purchased for Hollywood: a church community planned to promote prohibition and clean living. |
| 1890: | First Tournament of Roses Parade. |
| 1891: | CalTech opens its doors. |
| 1892: | Abbott Kinney stakes his claim in Venice. |
| 1894: | Labor rioting breaks out in LA during national railroad strike. |
| 1896: | Griffith J. Griffith donates land that will become Griffith Park. |
| 1899: | LA Stock Exchange opens. |
| 1902: | City’s first movie theater opens for business. |
| 1909: | Construction on LA aqueduct begins. |
| 1910: | Alice Stebbins Wells appointed to LA police force as the nation’s first female policewoman. |
| 1913: | The Los Angeles Aqueduct brings water from the Owens Valley. |
| 1915: | Universal Studios opens. |
| 1915: | San Fernando Valley annexed by City of LA. |
| 1919: | UCLA is formed. |
| 1922: | Hollywood Bowl opens. |
| 1923: | The Hollywood Sign is erected. |
| 1932: | Tenth Olympic Games are held in LA. |
| 1939: | Union Station opens. |
| 1940: | Pasadena Freeway (later the 110) is LA’s first freeway. |
| 1946: | KTLA is LA’s first commercial television station. |
| 1947: | Black Dahlia murder. The case is never solved. |
| 1953: | The famed “four-level” opens, linking the 101 and 110 freeways. |
| 1954: | Completion of the Watts Towers. |
| 1955: | Disneyland opens. |
| 1958: | The Dodgers relocate from Brooklyn. |
| 1960: | The Lakers leave Minneapolis for LA. |
| 1964: | The Music Center opens Downtown. |
| 1965: | LACMA opens its doors. |
| 1965: | The Watts Riots. |
| 1968: | Robert Kennedy assassinated at Ambassador Hotel. |
| 1969: | Manson Murders. |
| 1971: | Sylmar Earthquake. |
| 1974: | J. Paul Getty Museum opens in Pacific Palisades. |
| 1978: | The Hollywood Sign is rebuilt with local celebs donating $27,700 per letter. |
| 1980: | Screen Actors Guild strike. |
| 1984: | The 23rd Olympics are held in LA. |
| 1985: | LA Lakers finally beat the Boston Celtics to take out NBA honors after losing nine finals to them previously. |
| 1989: | Mayor Tom Bradley elected to an unprecedented fifth term. |
| 1991: | Rodney King is beaten by four police officers. |
| 1992: | Verdict in King case leads to citywide rioting. |
| 1992: | Landers earthquake. |
| 1993: | Menendez murder trial #1. |
| 1993: | LA officially opens its first subway line. |
| 1994: | O.J. Simpson arrested after slow-speed chase down the 405. |
| 1994: | Northridge earthquake. |
| 1995: | Menendez murder trial #2. |
| 1995: | If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit: O.J. found not guilty. |
| 1995: | Departure of Rams and Raiders leaves LA without a football team. |
| 1997: | The Getty Center opens in Brentwood. |
| 2000: | LA Lakers defeat Indiana Pacers for NBA title. |
| 2001: | Back-to-back NBA Championships for the LA Lakers. |
| 2001: | First championship for the WNBA’s LA Sparks. |
| 2002: | Three-peat for the LA Lakers and Phil Jackson. |
| 2002: | Back-to-back WNBA Championships for the LA Sparks. |
| 2002: | Anaheim Angels win their first World Series. |
| 2003: | Famed Austrian-bodybuilder-turned-Hollywood-action-star adds another hyphenate. Arnold Schwarzenegger runs for the position of Governor of California during the recall election and wins. |
| 2005: | Actor and former child star Robert Blake found not guilty of his wife Bonnie Lee Bakley’s murder. |
| 2005: | The city elects its first Latino mayor in 130 years. |
| 2006: | The WB and UPN merge to form the CW. |
| 2006: | LA serves as a focal point for the demonstrations and boycotts over the contentious proposed immigration legislation. |
| 2007: | USC beats Michigan in the Rose Bowl 32-18. |
| 2007: | Fire in Griffith Park burns over 600 acres. |
| 2008: | Southern California faces its worst economic turf-out in decades. In lieu of tax refunds, the state issues IOUs. |
| 2009: | One-gloved pop-star eccentric Michael Jackson dies of a drug overdose. His back-catalogue resonates from car windows throughout the city. |
| 2012: | The Expo Line opens, and the Kings win their first Stanley Cup. Yes, Virginia, LA can have public transit and good hockey. |
| General Information • Calendar of Events |
| January | Location | Description |
• Tournament of Roses Parade |
Pasadena. Just follow the crowds. | A Southern California tradition. 117 years and counting. (Jan 1) |
• Rose Bowl |
The Rose Bowl, of course | “The Granddaddy of All Bowl Games.” (Jan 1) |
• Japanese New Year “Oshogatsu” |
Little Tokyo | Soothe your New Year’s hangover with the sound of Taiko drums. (Jan 1) |
• Golden Globe Awards |
Beverly Hilton Hotel | Unlike at the Oscars, the stars are allowed to drink, which leads to occasional embarrassing moments. (mid Jan) |
• Kingdom Day Parade |
Martin Luther King Blvd, at Crenshaw, at Grevillea Park | Parade commemorating the life of MLK, Jr. (mid Jan) |
February
• Lunar New Year Parade & Festival |
Pasadena | Parade along Colorado Blvd. (mid Feb) |
• Firecracker Run 5K/10K |
N Broadway & College St, Chinatown | Race celebrating Chinese New Year. (Mid Feb) |
• Pan African Film & Arts Festival |
Magic Johnson Theaters, 3650 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd | One of America’s largest festivals of black films and fine arts. (Mid Feb) |
• Chinese New Year |
Chinatown & various locations | Features a parade, a street fair, and even a golf tournament. (mid Feb) |
• Brazilian Carnaval |
Queen Mary, Long Beach | Samba your way down the Walk of Fame. (Feb) |
• Nissan Open |
Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades | The PGA championships come to the Westside. (mid Feb) |
• Queen Mary Scottish Festival |
Long Beach | Wear your tartan, eat your haggis! |
• Ragga Muffins Festival |
Long Beach Arena | Bob Marley’s b-day celebration. |
• Black History Parade & Festival |
Jackie Robinson Center, Pasadena | Food, kids’ play area, and the Black Inventions Museum. (mid Feb) |
March
• Mardi Gras |
El Pueblo Historical Monument, 125 Paseo de la Plaza | Celebrate Fat Tuesday on Olvera Street. (March). |
• LA Times Travel Show |
Long Beach Convention Center | Get outta town—at least in your head. (March) |
• Los Angeles Marathon |
Throughout LA | The one day a year we choose not to drive. (early Mar) |
• Academy Awards |
Kodak Theatre, Hollywood Blvd & Highland Ave | More revered as an LA holiday than Presidents’ Day. (late Feb-early Mar) |
• WestWeek |
Pacific Design Center, WeHo | An interior design fest! (Mar). |
• Big Bunny’s Spring Fling |
LA Zoo | Kiddie crafts and photo ops with “Big Bunny.” (late Mar) |
• Art & Design Walk |
West Hollywood | Walk into 300+ showrooms, galleries, and boutiques.(Mar) |
• Cesar E. Chavez Day |
Olvera St | Honors the Mexican-American farm labor leader. (Mar 31) |
April
• Pasadena Cherry Blossom Festival |
Rose Bowl | Japanese culture, great food, cool fighting. (first weekend in Apr) |
• Blessing of the Animals |
Olvera St | Check out the parade of house pets and wild animals. (Apr) |
• Bunka Sai Japanese Cultural Festival |
Ken Miller Rec Center, Torrance | Japanese culture, from judo to origami. (mid Apr) |
• Garifuna Street Fest |
Avalon Blvd, South Central LA | Celebrates largest Black ethnic group in Central America. (Apr) |
• Jimmy Stewart Relay |
Griffith Park | Like running a marathon, but with help. (Apr) |
• Eco Maya Mother Earth Day Festival |
Los Angeles City College | Ecology and the cooking of the Largest Tamal in the World (last week in Apr). |
• 50+ Fitness Jamboree & Health Expo |
Griffith Park | Includes 1K and 5K walks with celebrity seniors. (Last week in Apr) |
• Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach |
Downtown Long Beach | Auto racing. (mid Apr) |
• Los Angeles Times Festival of Books |
UCLA campus | The city’s biggest and coolest literary event (because we usually have a table). (late Apr) |
• Blooming of the Roses |
Exposition Park Rose Garden | Stop and smell the roses. Literally. (Last week in Apr) |
• Annual Arbor Day Festival |
Cheviot Hills Park & Recreation Center | Trees aren’t just for hugging. (Last week in Apr) |
• Dolo Coker Scholarship Benefit Jazz Concert |
Founder’s Church, 3281 W 6th St | Supports young jazz hopefuls. (mid Apr) |
• Santa Anita Derby |
Santa Anita Racetrack, Arcadia | Big pre-Kentucky Derby race and festival. (Apr) |
• Renaissance Pleasure Faire |
Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, Irwindale | Maidens, meade, and minstrels. (Apr–May) |
• LA Zoo Earth Day Expo |
LA Zoo | Meet Rascal the Recycling Raccoon. (Apr 22) |
• Los Angeles Antiques Show |
Santa Monica Air Center, Barker Hangar | Antiques galore. (late Apr) |
• Indian Film Festival |
ArcLight Cinemas, Hollywood | Go beyond Bollywood. (Apr) |
• Feria de los Ninos Celebration |
Hollenbeck Park, East LA | Ethnic food and entertainment with an emphasis on family-friendly activities. (late Apr) |
May
• Pasadena Doo Dah Parade |
Colorado Blvd, Pasadena | Irreverent spoof of the more stately Rose Parade. Recommended, but extremely subject to change – check the web (Early May) |
• Fiesta Broadway |
Downtown LA | The largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the world. (First weekend of May) |
• Cinco de Mayo Celebration |
Olvera St | Celebrate Mexico’s victory over the French. Que bueno! (May 5) |
• LA Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival |
Various locations | Showcases works by Pacific-American and international artists. (late April–early May) |
• Revlon Run/Walk for Women |
LA Memorial Coliseum, Exposition Park | 5K race raises money to fight women’s cancer. (May) |
• Family FunFest and Kodomo-no-Hi |
Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, Little Tokyo | Celebrate kids the Japanese way. (May) |
• Silver Lake Film Festival |
Silver Lake | Thinks it’s the coolest film fest in town. (mid May) |
• Affaire in the Gardens Art Show |
Beverly Gardens Park, Beverly Hills | Art show. (mid May and mid Oct) |
• Huntington Gardens Annual Plant Sale |
San Marino | Let your garden grow. (mid May) |
• Festival Dia de Las Madres |
Vermont Ave & 8th St Downtown | Mother’s Day street fair with food from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Latin America. (early May) |
• E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo |
LA Convention Center | Boys, their toys, and the nation’s most in-demand girls. |
• Old Pasadena Summer Fest |
Rose Bowl | Five fests in one range from eating to sports. (Memorial Day weekend) |
• Silver Lake Jubilee |
Sunset Junction | Multi-stage street festival focusing on live music (Memorial Day Weekend). |
June
• Life Cycle |
San Francisco to Los Angeles | 585-mile bicycle ride for AIDS-related charities. (early June) |
• Los Angeles Film Festival |
Hollywood | A breath of cinematic fresh air. (June) |
• Great American Irish Fair & Music Festival |
Irvine | St. Patrick’s Day in the summer. (mid June) |
• Playboy Jazz Festival |
Hollywood Bowl | Almost more jazz than you can handle. (mid June) |
• Mariachi USA Festival |
Hollywood Bowl | Traditional mariachi music, as well as Ballet Foklorico. (mid June) |
• LA Pride |
West Hollywood Park | Celebrates gay pride. (mid June) |
• Long Beach Chili Cook-off |
Long Beach Marina Green | The competition really heats up (bad pun intended). (mid June) |
July
• At the Beach, LA Black Pride Festival |
Westin Airport Hotel, Point Dume Beach in Malibu | Largest annual gathering of African-American lesbians and gay men in the world. (early Jul) |
• Farmers Classic |
LA Tennis Center, UCLA | Tennis tournament. Used to be Mercedes Benz Cup. (last week in Jul) |
• Outfest |
DGA, 7920 Sunset Blvd | Gay and lesbian film festival. (early to mid Jul) |
• Lotus Festival |
Echo Park Lake | Celebrates Asian and Pacific cultures. (mid Jul) |
• Central Avenue Jazz Festival |
Central Ave b/w 42nd & 43rd Sts | Remembers Central Avenue as the hot spot it was in the 1920s–’50s. (late Jul) |
• Twilight Dance Series |
Santa Monica Pier | Dance away every Thursday from July to September. |
August
• Long Beach Jazz Festival |
Long Beach | Jazz by the sea. (mid Aug) |
• Nisei Week Japanese Festival |
Little Tokyo | Celebrating Asian culture and community. (mid Aug) |
• Marcus Garvey Day Parade & Festival |
Elegant Manor, 3115 W Adams Blvd | Invites all to celebrate “Africa for the Africans at home or abroad.” (mid Aug) (late Aug) |
September
• LA International Short Film Festival |
ArcLight Cinemas, Hollywood | For movie lovers with short attention spans. (mid Sept) |
• LA Greek Fest |
St. Sophia Cathedral | Eat a gyro, break a plate. (early to mid Sept). |
• Emmy Awards |
Shrine Auditorium | TV’s night to shine. (mid Sept) |
• Lobster Festival |
Location varies | Great food, good music, family fun, and cheap Maine Lobster. (mid Sept) |
• Los Angeles City Birthday Celebration |
El Pueblo Historical Monument, 125 Paseo de la Plaza | Happy Birthday, dear LA-ay, Happy Birthday to you! (Sept 4) |
• Salvadoran Parade & Festival |
LA City College | All things Salvadoran. (mid Sept) |
• Mexican Independence Celebration |
Olvera St | Traditional Mexican foods and entertainment. (mid Sept) |
• LA County Fair |
Fairplex in Pomona | Livestock, rides, and food on a stick. (Sept–Oct) |
• Brazilian Street Carnival |
La Brea Tarpits | Rio Brazilian fun. |
• Thai Cultural Day |
Location varies | Day-long celebration of Thailand. (mid Sept) |
• Taste of Santa Monica |
Santa Monica Pier | 40 of the area’s top restaurants participate. (mid Sept) |
• Abbot Kinney Boulevard Festival |
Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice | Over 200 local arts & crafts vendors unite. (late Sept) |
• Long Beach Blues Festival |
Cal State Long Beach | Spend Labor Day weekend with blues heavyweights. |
October
• West Hollywood Halloween & Costume Carnival |
West Hollywood | Fabulous costumes make this the biggest bash in the nation. (Oct 31) |
• AIDS Walk |
West Hollywood Park | 10K walkathon raises money for AIDS-related organizations. |
• Affaire in the Gardens |
Beverly Gardens Park, Beverly Hills | Twice-yearly art show. (mid Oct) |
• Oktoberfest |
Alpine Village, Torrance | German music, German beer, American hangover. |
• Echo Park Arts Festival |
Various | One of LA’s artiest communities’ time to shine. |
• NOHO Theater & Arts Festival |
Lankershim Blvd & Magnolia, North Hollywood | Performances scattered throughout the NOHO arts district. (early October) |
• Harvest Festival of the ARTS |
Pico Union Alvarado Terrace Park | Raising children’s self-esteem through art. (late Oct) |
• KTLA KIDS Day LA Celebration |
Exposition Park and Recreation Center | Forget the kids. We want to hang out with Jennifer York. (mid Oct) |
• Autumn in the Japanese Garden |
Japanese Garden, 6100 Woodley Ave, Van Nuys | Learn origami or just stroll through the garden. |
• Shipwreck Halloween Terrorfest |
Queen Mary, Long Beach | Mazes and monsters on a real haunted boat! (weekends throughout Oct) |
• Fall Festival at the Farmer’s Market |
Farmer’s Market, Los Angeles | Carve a pumpkin, watch the leaves turn. (mid Oct) |
• Long Beach Marathon |
Long Beach | In case the LA Marathon didn’t wear you out. (mid Oct) |
• Day of the Dead |
Hollywood Forever Cemetery | A true dead man’s party. (late Oct) |
November
• Dia de los Muertos Celebration |
Olvera St | Traditional celebration of Mexico’s Day of the Dead. (Nov 1) |
• Arroyo Arts Collective Discovery Tour |
Tour begins at Lummis Home, 200 E Ave 43 | Local artists kindly open up their homes and studios. (mid Nov) |
• Three Stooges Big Screen Event |
Alex Theatre, 216 Brand Blvd, Glendale | Of interest to silly cinephiles. Bring a date! (late Nov) |
• Beverly Hills Flower & Garden Festival |
Greystone Estate | Designer gardens, lectures, and tours. (mid Nov) |
• Downtown on Ice, Winter Wonderland Skating Rink |
Pershing Sq | Pretend you’re at a tiny version of Rockefeller Center. (mid Nov) |
• Griffith Park Holiday Light Festival |
Crystal Springs Rd, Griffith Park | Drive-through tour of impressive lighting displays. (Nov–Dec) |
• Mariachi Festival |
Boyle Ave,/1st St. | Behatted, besuited entertainers convene (Mid Nov.) |
December
• KROQ Acoustic Christmas |
Universal Amphitheatre | Hot alternative bands feel the spirit of the season. (mid Dec) |
• Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade |
Main Channel, Marina del Rey | Imaginatively lit boats by crazy locals. (mid Dec) |
• Navidad en la Calle Ocho |
8th St at Normandie Ave | 8th Street’s answer to the Hollywood Christmas Parade. (late Dec) |
• Las Posadas |
Olvera St | Candlelit reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. (Dec 16-24) |
• Reindeer Romp |
Los Angeles Zoo | Where Santa parks his reindeer (Dec) |
• Long Beach Christmas Boat Parade of the Thousand Lights |
Long Beach Downtown Marina | That’s a lotta lights! (Late Dec) |
| General Information • Radio Stations |
Often, while trapped in LA traffic, it seems that your only options for coping are books-on-CD or trading in your car for a motorcycle. But never fear, the good news is that LA offers some of the most diverse radio programming anywhere, so there’s always something to fit your mood—even if it involves a case of road rage. Of course, many of these stations now stream their music so you can listen at home, too—check out KPCC’s and KCRW’s podcasts, archives, and streams.
| General Information • For the Kids |
Before children (BC), a day with nothing to do was just that. Or, as we liked to think of it, heaven. But when you have kids you have to have a plan—a series of them, actually. Plans for at-home, plans for being on-the-go. Rainy-day plans, too-hot-to-be-outside plans. Because this is LA, your plans have to be better than everybody else’s plans or your kids will be doomed from the get-go. There are, of course, some bright spots to parenting in LA. Our endless summer means that you very rarely have to worry about lost jackets, mittens, or umbrellas. We also drive almost everywhere, making our choice of stroller far less important than our choice of black SUV, the preferred automobile of hip LA parents.
Essentials
Kids come into the world with nothing, yet by their first birthday their stuff fills up at least half the rooms in your house. Where does all of this accoutrement come from? Well, we can name a few of the culprits. Here are some of our favorite places for both the necessities and the more frivolous (but no less fun) purchases.
The Bestest of the Best
• Most Kid-Friendly Mall: The Grove, 189 The Grove Dr, 888-315-8883 (Map 2). They’ve got a trolley, a musical water fountain, and events for children such as puppet shows, arts, and crafts every Thursday morning. There’s even a huge central lawn where you can catch a live band and eat ice cream. Oh, and there are shops and restaurants for parents, too.
• Coolest Bookstore: Storyopolis, 12348 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, 818-509-5600 (Map 51). Looking for The Da Vinci Code? Look somewhere else. This store sells only the most beautiful and beloved children’s books, along with the artwork found within. Go for the story time, every day at 11 am.
• Best Playground: Shane’s Inspiration, Griffith Park (Map 5). The playground was designed to allow handicapped children to play alongside their able-bodied peers on equipment that is colorful, innovative, and appealing to all. For a similar playground, check out Aidan’s Place in Westwood Park, on Sepulveda Boulevard just south of Wilshire Boulevard.
• Most Surprising Place for Parents to Network: Petting Zoo, Studio City Farmers Market, Ventura Pl b/w Laurel Canyon & Ventura Blvd; Sundays, 8 am–1 pm (Map 56). Overall, the Studio City Farmers Market is a kids’ paradise on Sunday mornings. It features pony rides, a moon bounce, face painting, and a small train. Stand in the petting zoo long enough and you will encounter every person you have ever met in LA who has a child under the age of five. The animals are docile and the pen is kept as clean as is realistically possible. And the pig loves to have his belly rubbed.
• Best Resource for New Mothers: The Pump Station, 2415 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, 310-998-1981 (Map 18). From breast pumps to nursing bras to high-end baby clothes, the Pump Station carries everything you need to get through the first few months of mommyhood. Even more useful, however, are the new-mother support groups, where lactation consultants/RNs can talk any nervous new mother down from the ledge.
Parks for Playing
What makes for an excellent public park? In our opinion, any combination of the following: ample shade, well-maintained (and appealing or innovative) equipment, and an indefinable, overall good vibe. Most LA neighborhood parks feature at least a strip of grass and a slide or two, but these are some of the parks that are worth venturing out of your own neighborhood to explore:
• Coldwater Canyon Park, Coldwater Canyon Dr & N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills (Map 1). The signs may say “No wading,” but on any given day, dozens of kids splash through the man-made stream that runs through this park.
• Roxbury Park, Olympic Blvd & Roxbury Dr, Beverly Hills (Map 1). Not one, but two sizeable playgrounds with a wide variety of obstacles to climb on or slide down. Steam emanates from the dinosaur area every ten minutes or so.
• West Hollywood Park, San Vicente Blvd b/w Melrose Ave & Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood (Map 2). Run of the mill equipment, but a shady canopy covers the toddler play area. Great weekday “Tiny Tots” program.
• Shane’s Inspiration, Griffith Park (Map 5). This colorful playground was designed to accommodate handicapped and able-bodied children alike.
• Echo Park, b/w Glendale Blvd & Echo Park Ave, just south of Sunset Blvd (Map 5). Lively crowds and a small lake, with paddleboats available for rent.
• La Cienega Park, La Cienega Blvd & Olympic Blvd (Map 6). Excellent music and dance classes for the smallest kids; colorful playground and chess players almost all day.
• MacArthur Park, 6th St & Alvarado St (Map 8). Small lake with paddleboats, as well as the chance to visit the park that inspired the epic ’60s song.
• Kenneth Hahn State Recreational Area, La Cienega Blvd south of Rodeo Rd (Map 10). Hiking trails and a terrific play area for kids.
• Douglas Park, Wilshire Blvd & 25th St, Santa Monica (Map 19). Lots of grass and a water area that is home to several ducks.
• Westwood Park, Sepulveda Blvd b/w Wilshire Blvd & Santa Monica Blvd (Map 20). Features Aidan’s Place, a playground designed to accommodate both handicapped and able-bodied children.
• Penmar Playground, Rose Ave & Penmar Ave, Venice (Map 21). Brand new playground and piñata pole, great for kids’ birthday parties.
• Culver City Park, Jefferson Blvd & Duquesne Ave (Map 24). Features a 5000-square-foot skateboard park. Helmets required.
• Polliwog Park, N Redondo Ave & Manhattan Beach Blvd (Map 27). Park contains a pond as well as a playground area featuring a large, wooden, sunken galleon.
• Seaside Lagoon, 200 Portofino Wy, Redondo Beach (Map 31). Beach playground with a large, heated, saltwater swimming pool.
• Garfield Park, Stratford Ave & Mission Aly, South Pasadena (Map 34). Lots of shade and rolling green hills.
• Lacey Park, Monterey Rd & Virginia Rd, San Marino (Map 35). Includes a stroller/bicycle loop for fitness-minded moms and traveling tykes.
• Lake Balboa Park, Balboa Blvd & Victory Blvd (Map 46). Ducks to feed, a lake to walk around, and a great playground to boot.
• Johnny Carson Park, 400 S Bob Hope Dr & Riverside Dr (Map 50). Picturesque park home to numerous community events and festivals.
• Encino Park, Ventura Blvd & Genesta Ave (Map 53). Two shady playgrounds, at least one of which keeps the little ones fenced in.
• Studio City Recreation Center (AKA Beeman Park), Beeman Ave & Rye St (Map 56). Lively, well-lit park serves as a community hub with large festivals for Halloween and Easter.
Rainy Day Activities—Indoor Playgrounds
Because wet weather is such an anomaly in Southern California, LA parents tend to lose it a little when forced to seek shelter indoors with the kids for a day or two. The kids, however, are perfectly happy, especially with a trip to some of LA’s indoor playgrounds, where the temperature is always a pleasant 72 degrees and there’s plenty of padding and cushions to break their fall.
• Amy's Indoor Playground, 1115 Mission Street, South Pasadena, 626-799-0304 (Map 34)
• Gymboree Play & Music, Westside Pavilion, 10800 W Pico Blvd, West LA, 310-470-7780 (Map 23)
• Gymboree Play & Music, 14801 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, 818-905-6225 (Map 49)
• Gymboree Play & Music, 443 E Irving Dr, Suite F, Burbank, 818-955-8964 (Map 50)
• Gymboree Play & Music, 435 S Fair Oaks Ave, South Pasadena, 626-445-1122 (Map 34)
• Under the Sea, 2424 W Victory Blvd, Burbank, 818-567-9945 (Map 45)
Classes
Most of the play facilities listed above emphasize open play, allowing for parental spontaneity and the fickle nature of young children. However, with a little planning and structure (as counterintuitive as that might be), LA kids have a variety of classes available to them rivaling those of most Ivy League universities.
• My Gym, numerous locations around the LA area, visit www.my-gym.com for addresses. Gymnastics, circle time, and other traditionally kid-like activities.
• Creative Kids, 11301 W Olympic Blvd, West LA, 310-473-6090 (Map 19). Their diverse schedule includes art classes for toddlers, dance and cooking for slightly older kids, and children’s theater for ages 3–18.
• Dance & Jingle, 1900 W Mountain St, Glendale 818-845-3925 (Map 46). Highly sought-after music and movement class.
• LA Zoo, Zoo Dr, Griffith Park, 323-644-4200 (Map 51). The zoo’s classes range from Toddler Totes, which involves singing, an animal guest, and a backpack filled with educational goodies, to Wild Planet, a more sophisticated program for adolescent zookeepers-in-training.
• Music Together, numerous locations around LA. Visit www.musictogether.com for more information. Teaches young children the fundamentals of rhythm and music through the modeling of parents and caregivers while exposing them to a wide array of music from diverse cultures and time periods.
• Family Gallery Kits, Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N Sepulveda Blvd, 310-440-4500 (Map 49). Along with the center’s ongoing arts and cultural exhibition, the organization provides an interactive kit packed with games, puzzles, and activities for 4–8 year olds.
Where to Go for More Information
Where to go for additional information:
• Fun and Educational Places to Go With Kids and Adults in Southern California by Susan Peterson, Sunbelt Publications, 2001.
| General Information • Hospitals |
For the seriously ill or the terminally addicted to cosmetic surgery, Los Angeles boasts some of the most sought-after physicians and medical centers in the United States. The UCLA Medical Center (Map 20), Saint John’s Medical Center (Map 18), and Cedars-Sinai (Map 2) are three of the best treatment facilities in the world. All have extensive networks of clinics and affiliated physicians around the city and county. Of the three Cedars has perhaps seen the longest list of celebrity births, deaths, and hospitalizations; Saint John’s was the hospital that ushered adversaries Tom Cruise’s and Brooke Shields’s babies into the world. If not, keep in mind that the entire staff of Cedars-Sinai appears to be on loan from a modeling agency.
| General Information • Libraries |
Borrow a book from a friend and it sits on your nightstand for two years. Borrow that same book from the library and you have a deadline to meet—or a fine in your future. If it’s instant gratification you seek, the Los Angeles Public Library stinks; but if you think of it as a kind of Amazon.com without shipping fees, it’s a phenomenal service. The system works like Netflix: go online, find a book, select the branch to which you’d like your book sent, and—voila!—the library emails when said book is ready for pick-up. The drag is that you sometimes end up waiting months for the hottest bestsellers, but the price is right and the selection is vast.
The Library system offers more than just books—DVDs, CDs, and books-on-tape are all available to borrow. Computers are available, free of charge, for up to two hours a day at all branches. The Grandparents and Books program pairs senior citizens and kids for story time and games. This program is also available at most neighborhood branches. The Los Angeles Central Library (Map 9), downtown, is worth a special trip. Its diverse collection of art includes the Children’s Court, which features whimsical marble panels of kid-lit images like Alice in Wonderland and Mother Goose, and a breathtaking eight-story atrium.
| General Information • LGBT |
Here’s the deal in LA. West Hollywood’s pretty-boy ground zero is located at The Abbey. Places farther east down Santa Monica Boulevard, like FuBar and Club7969, trade in the gloss for raw power. FuBar is a little darker, wilder, and more intimate. 7969 is hot and packed on Saturdays with Hot Dog, Mario Diaz’s sexy boy party. O-Bar is a swanky lounge that is cruising heaven. On Sunday afternoons, there’s always Size 9 at Here Lounge, where, if you’re lucky, the sun won’t be the only thing to go down. Far from the reaches of WeHo, Silver Lake’s gay scene is decidedly more mellow and friendly. Akbar is the place to go for cute, indie, normal-bodied boys, Faultline can give you that hot leather daddy moment we all need from time to time, and The Eagle is a mixed scene with retro porn playing.
Some of the girl action is mixed in with the male scene in LA; check out nights Wednesday’s GirlBar at The Abbey or Friday’s TruckStop at Here. If you’re looking for a lady scene coupled with damn good drinks, head to the Oxwood Inn in Van Nuys. Akbar is mostly guys but some ladies, and the clientele skews younger and more hipster-er than the West Hollywood scene. And you have to visit The Palms at least one – this lesbian bar has been open for over 40 years.
Health Center & Support Organizations
LA Gay & Lesbian Center (LAGLC) McDonald Wright Building •
1625 N Schrader Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 • 323-993-7400 • www.laglc.org
LAGLC offers the following services:
• Pedro Zamora Youth HIV Program • 323-993-7571
• Jeffrey Goodman Special Care Clinic • 323-993-7500
12-Step Program Meetings including AA, Alanon, NA, Marijuana Anon, Crystal Meth Anon, Sexual Compulsives Anon, and Anorexics Anon.
• Counseling services including general, addiction recovery, domestic violence, and HIV/AIDS • 323-993-7500
• HIV Testing • 323-993-7500
• Audre Lorde Lesbian Health Clinic • 323-993-7500
• Sexual Health Program • 323-860-5855
AIDS Project Los Angeles • 213-201-1600 •
www.apla.org • Assistance and information hotline for people living with AIDS.
HIV LA • www.hivla.org
An online resource in English and Spanish that helps people with HIV/AIDS find services available in Los Angeles County.
GLAAD Los Angeles • 5455 Wilshire Blvd #1500, Los Angeles, CA 90036 • 323-933-2240 • www.glaad.org
Gay & Lesbian Youth Talkline • 800-246-7743
The Trevor Project • www.trevorproject.org • Support line for LGBT youth.
Websites
• LA Gay & Lesbian Center • www.laglc.org
LA Gay and Lesbian Center is the largest and oldest in the country, and is an invaluable community resource offering legal, medical, outreach, and educational services, among many others.
• Circuit Noize • www.circuitnoize.com The premier source of circuit party information, parties, events, music, tickets, gay travel, and dancing.
• Gay.com • www.gay.com If you’re looking for love online, this is the place to visit. Gay.com has hundreds of chat rooms for people around the country, with eight devoted to LA, two to Long Beach, and two to Orange County.
• Gay and Lesbian Community Yellow Pages •
www.gmcla.org • Online version of Yellow Pages distributed through West Hollywood
• Gay Los Angeles • www.gaylosangeles.com Lesbian and gay directory for gay-owned and gay-friendly places in Los Angeles (bars, clubs, saunas, restaurants, and more).
• West Hollywood • www.westhollywood.com Comprehensive online guide to gay West Hollywood, featuring music, arts, videos, nightlife, circuits, classifieds, buzz, photos, and shopping.
• QV Magazine • www.qvmagazine.com Online edition of LA’s gay Latino magazine.
• Power Up • www.powerupfilms.org A group dedicated to promoting the visibility of gay women in film, entertainment, and media.
• Los Angeles Tennis Association • www.lataweb.com With more than 400 members, this is the largest gay and lesbian tennis club in the world. All skill levels welcome.
• Greater Los Angeles Softball Association • www.lagaysoftball.com
This exclusively gay and lesbian league has more than 30 teams participating in their men’s and women’s divisions.
• Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles • www.gmcla.com Check out their site for performance dates and a rehearsal schedule.
• Metropolitan Community Church • www.mccla.org This popular church is gay- and lesbian-friendly and offers multi-denominational services.
Bookstores
• Circus of Books (two locations) • 8230 Santa Monica Blvd (b/w Harper & LaJolla Aves), West Hollywood •
323-656-6533; and 4001 Sunset Blvd (at Sanborn Ave),
Silver Lake • 323-666-1304 • www.circusofbooks.com •
Hours: 6 am–2 am, daily.
Publications
From local news headlines to club listings, these LGBT publications bring you all the news that’s gay. Most of these publications can be found in gay-friendly bookstores, cafes, bars, and various shops.
• A & U • 888.245.4333 • www.aumag.org
• Circuit Noize • 818-769-9390 • www.circuitnoize.com
• Cybersocket • 323.650.9906 • www.cybersocket.com
• Frontiers • 323-930-3220 • www.frontiersnewsmagazine.com
• MetroSource LA • 323-933-2300 • www.metrosource.com
• POZ Magazine • www.poz.com
• QV Magazine • 702-676-1427 • www.qvmagazine.com
• The Lesbian News • 800-458-9888 • www.lesbiannews.com
• The Advocate • 323-852-7200 • www.advocate.com
• In Los Angeles Magazine • 323.848.2200 •
www.inlamagazine.com
• Odyssey Magazine • 323-874-8788 •
www.odysseymagazine.net
| General Information • Zip Codes |
| General Information • Post Offices |
| General Information • Police |
Important Phone Numbers
| Life-Threatening Emergencies: | 911 |
| Citywide Services Directory: | 311 |
| Non-Emergency Information Line: | 877-ASK-LAPD (275-5273) |
| Rape Victims Hotline: | 626-793-3385 |
| Suicide Hotline: | 213-381-5111 |
| Crime Victims Hotline: | 213-485-6976 |
| Domestic Violence Hotline: | 800-978-3600 |
| Missing Persons Unit: | 213-485-5381 |
| Sex Crimes Report Line: | 213-485-2883 |
| Legal Aid: | 213-385-2202 |
| Lights & Noise Complaints: | 888-524-2845 |
| California Highway Patrol: | 323-906-3434 |
| Terrorist Threats: | 877-A-THREAT (284-7328) |
| Website: | www.lapdonline.org |
| General Information • Landmarks |
Many of Los Angeles’s landmarks double as a tangible histories of the city. From elegant Art Deco and Spanish architecture to gooey bogs of tar, to the ubiquitous Angelyne and everything in between, a cruise around Los Angeles is more educational—and (gas prices permitting) much cheaper—than a day spent at Disneyland.
So go ahead and be a tourist in your own backyard! Go mural sighting in Echo Park and East LA; compare your shoe size with Marilyn Monroe’s at Grauman’s Chinese Theater (Map 3) and have a drink at the historical Pig ’n Whistle (Map 3); spend an afternoon of browsing in the downtown LA Central Library (Map 9) and stroll the surrounding Maguire Gardens before grabbing a bite at Clifton’s Cafeteria (Map 9); or take a train ride in Griffith Park (Map 51), go for a round or two of golf (you’ve got four courses to choose from) and shuttle up to the Observatory to watch the sunset over a twinkling LA skyline.
Historical LA
Grand Central Market (Map 9) in downtown Los Angeles has been operating since 1917 and is still a great place to buy meat, produce, ice cream and your favorite Mexican delicacies. Just across the street is Angel’s Flight (Map 9), a relic from old LA’s ancient trolley system. For you beachcombers out there, do what Angelenos have done for decades and ride the roller coaster at Santa Monica Pier (Map 18) after a day of surf and sand. Just south of Santa Monica, the remaining four Venice Canals (Map 21) (between Venice Boulevard and Sherman Canal Court) give you a sense of Abbot Kinney’s original 1904 Italian vision for this beach community…give or take a million-dollar home or two.
Buildings
It’s disgustingly easy to tear down buildings in LA and a good number of the city’s legendary landmarks have long been razed (the Brown Derby, Coconut Grove). But those that do remain are quite extraordinary. Hollywood’s cylindrical Capitol Records Building (Map 3) is evocative of a pile of vinyl on a spindle. Down the street is Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (Map 3), open since 1927, which can rightly claim to be the most famous movie theater in the world, thanks to its cement welcome mat. The Emerald City-like green Wiltern Theater (Map 7), named for the intersection where it sits at Wilshire and Western, is a stunning example of Art Deco architecture. Downtown Los Angeles is home to a bevy of historical landmarks, among them the grand Union Station (Map 9), built in 1939 in the Spanish-mission style, the Bradbury Building (Map 9) (of Blade Runner fame) is Victorian opulence and ingenuity at its finest, and the Eastern Columbia Buildings (Map 9) are dynamic by day and blaze the downtown skyline by night. The Persian-inspired Shrine Auditorium (Map 12), former home of the Oscars, now hosts concerts and lesser award shows. And as a convergence of the holy and the postmodern, there is the impressive strength and serenity of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (Map 9), fascinating regardless of religious affiliation.
Outdoor Spaces
For all its freeways and urban sprawl, Los Angeles is no concrete jungle. There are some terrific places to have a picnic, go for a hike, hear music, cheer for your team, or just laze in the California sunshine. The athletic flock to Pan Pacific Park (Map 2) near the Miracle Mile for softball and basketball; families, hikers, golfers, and horseback riders recreate in rustic Griffith Park (Map 51); golfers and sun worshippers head to the vast Rancho Park (Map 23) in Cheviot Hills; and those seeking a refreshing hike in the hills visit the Hollywood Reservoir (Map 57) or the ever-popular Runyon Canyon (Map 2). And absolutely nothing can match an outdoor summertime concert at the Hollywood Bowl (Map 3) or the Greek Theatre (Map 4)—both boast awesome acoustics and make for a lovely evening of food, wine, and music. Much cherished by Angelenos and a fine example of mid-century modern architecture, Dodger Stadium (Map 5) opened in 1962 and still remains free of an annoying corporate sponsor moniker. An enduring celebration of LA’s Mexican heritage is Olvera Street (Map 9) off Cesar Chavez downtown, where traditional dances and mariachis are the backdrop to some authentic Mexican dining.
Architecture
Always a forward-thinking city, Los Angeles has been attracting the funky and the innovative with its municipal reputation for starting trends. The results are evident in the colorful shapes of the Pacific Design Center (Map 2), housing furniture, art galleries, and design offices. Two famous Frank Lloyd Wright–designed homes near Hollywood—the ailing Ennis-Brown House (Map 4) and the Hollyhock House (Map 4)— offer tours frequently; check to make sure the buildings are not currently under construction. LA’s early 20th century explosion makes it an Art Deco heaven, boasting dozens of striking examples of the movement from the soaring City Hall (Map 9) to the opulent movie palaces that crowd Broadway, particularly the triumphant Orpheum (Map 9). The most recent architectural wonder in Los Angeles is, of course, Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall (Map 9). Resembling a carefully wadded crumple of metal, the building is quite impressive both inside and out. Running a close second to Gehry’s LA opus is the new, expressively modern Caltrans District 7 Headquarters (Map 9) downtown.
Lowbrow Landmarks
Nobody did lowbrow better than the late great drunken saint of Los Angeles: Charles Bukowski. To relive the poetic debauchery, drop a few bucks and bet on the ponies at Hollywood Park (Map 13) near LAX; afterwards, take your winnings to tip the dancers at the seedy (yet historic) Jumbo’s Clown Room (Map 4) in Hollywood, where the performers (like Courtney Love before them) gyrate to Tom Waits and The Clash. Whisky A Go Go (Map 2) is a distinct musical landmark surrounded by the garish cultural wasteland of the Sunset Strip. Once the home of legendary rock bands like The Doors, Love, Van Halen, and X, the Whisky has since lost its luster to a never ending line-up of wanna-be bands. However, it’s still worth a look, for posterity’s sake.
Lame, Bad, & Overrated Landmarks
If Rock Walk (Map 2) doesn’t prove as rockin’ as you had hoped, cross the street and head to El Compadre (Map 2) for a kick-ass flaming margarita to tame those blues. Farther down Sunset you’ll find the Sunset Strip (Map 2). Crowded with hordes of suburban drunk kids, gridlocked traffic, and cops at every corner, the Strip is best done once (before night falls) and left to the tourists thereafter. Many of the tourist traps on Hollywood Boulevard are a waste of traveler’s checks; avoid the Hollywood Wax Museum (Map 3) at all costs, and the new Hollywood & Highland Mall (Map 3) is sterile and soulless. Also overrated are the La Brea Tar Pits (Map 6) – smelly and boring, although the nearby Page Museum and food trucks are worth a look/bite. Skip eating at Pink’s (Map 2)—a hot dog is, after all, only a hot dog and doesn’t justify the wait in line. If you must, start your day (or end your night) with a Chicago Dog right as they open up at 9:30 am.
Underrated Landmarks
The Silent Movie Theatre (Map 2) on Fairfax was silenced for a number of years following the murder of its second owner, Lawrence Austin, in 1997, but now it’s up and running again and definitely worth a visit. Continuing in the macabre vein of the dead and the silent, the oddly festive Hollywood Forever Cemetery (Map 3) is the final resting place of stars both famous (Douglas Fairbanks, Cecil B DeMille, Dee Dee Ramone) and infamous (Bugsy Siegel!). Old films are frequently shown al fresco in the graveyard to a fun, hip crowd—check www.cinespia.org for details. For a little more Hollyweird, check out the Magic Castle (Map 3)—you can book a room here or go for dinner and a show put on by some of the world’s premier smoke-and-mirror masters. Sticking with the weirdly metaphysical, head on over to the Museum of Jurassic Technology (Map 24) on Venice Boulevard for a peek into a cabinet of curiosities that will surely leave you dumbstruck.
| General Information • Hotels |
Los Angeles offers just a few too many hotel choices—so many, in fact, that it can easily induce a case of option paralysis. If you have money to spend, we offer this cheat-sheet to aid your decision-making. The Chateau Marmont (Map 2): legendary, low-key, timeless. The Four Seasons (Map 1): beautiful rooftop pool, excellent location, and with press junkets held year-round here, you never know who you might encounter on the elevator. Need a place to hide out while you recover from a “procedure?” The Peninsula (Map 1), definitely. Maison 140 (Map 1) and the Avalon Hotel (Map 1) are stylish, sexy, and lighter-hearted than the more Baroque stuff you’d otherwise find in Beverly Hills. Similarly style-conscious is their sibling property, the Chamberlain (Map 2) in West Hollywood. The Sunset Marquis (Map 2) has a famously fabulous scene at the Whiskey Bar on premises—though you must be a hotel guest, or a bold-faced name, to belly-up.
Feeling architecturally significant? The Sunset Tower Hotel (Map 2), an Art Deco gem, is back in business after extensive renovations and offers a substantially lower profile than Sunset Boulevard skyline hogs the Standard (Map 9) and the Mondrian (Map 2). Out at the beach, within sight of the Santa Monica Pier but far from the maddening crowd, is the delicious Hotel Casa Del Mar (Map 18). Next door is the famous Shutters on the Beach (Map 18), a more rustic stay with five-star restaurants and service. If you are planning to spend a longish evening in Hollywood, book a room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (Map 3)—a landmark within stumbling distance of all of the star-studded clubs. And finally, when headed downtown, say, for an oversized night at the STAPLES Center or for your company’s Christmas blow-out, book one of the Moroccan Suites at the Figueroa Hotel (Map 9). It’s a quirky, mysterious beauty, and once you’ve time-traveled through the well-decorated lobby, and sat down for a nightcap by the pool, you will wonder why it took you so long to find the place. Farmer’s Daughter Hotel (Map 2) is lovely, convenient to everything, and also directly across the street from the Farmer’s Market.
As with so many things, the best rates are always found online; comparison-shopping is the cowboy way.
| General Information • Farmers Markets |
As a local, you know of the many advantages to living in Los Angeles. Right up there with the ability to get a burger with avocado on every corner and the possibility of Christmas tree shopping in flip-flops is the abundance and proximity of neighborhood Farmers Markets. Sure, most places have Farmers Markets these days, but not like us Angelenos. Every day there is a market happening somewhere in the city, and each market has its own flavor and cultural or ethnic twist.
Vendors at the Alhambra Farmers Market (Map 39), which caters to a predominantly Chinese population, carry vegetables and fruits you won’t see on the Westside; the Silver Lake (Map 4) market is younger and funkier, offering Guatemalan crafts and leather goods. Venice (Map 21) is about food, but also features live music and pony rides for the kids (the latter occasionally picketed by local PETA activists). Both South Pasadena (Map 34) and West Hollywood (Map 2) are laid-back and small-town. The motherlode is to be found in Hollywood (Map 3). On Sunday mornings, the intersection of Selma and Ivar explodes with orchids, the freshest veggies, and lively drum circles. Make sure to save time for the pupusas.
As the grandmama of them all, the Santa Monica Wednesday Farmers Market (Map 18), is almost as impressive, where you can buy organic Heritage tomatoes a half a block from the Pacific Ocean. Chances are you’ll also be rubbing shoulders with area chefs and celebrities. This market carries the largest selection of organic foods in the LA area and is worth the trip for the atmosphere and location alone. Check out what’s in season before you go by tuning into KCRW’s Good Food—they broadcast live reports from the market every weekend. Bon appetit.
| Farmers Markets | Address | Map |
Beverly Hills (Sun, 9 am–1 pm) |
9300 Civic Center Dr |
1 |
Melrose Place (Sun, 9 am–2 pm) |
8400 Melrose Ave |
2 |
The Original Farmers Market (Mon–Fri, 1 pm–6 pm; Sat, 9 pm–8 pm; Sun, 10 am–7 pm) |
6333 W 3rd St |
2 |
West Hollywood (Mon, 9 am–2 pm) |
N Vista St & Fountain Ave |
2 |
Hollywood (Sun, 8 am–1 pm) |
Ivar Ave & Selma Ave |
3 |
Silver Lake (Sat, 8 am–1 pm) |
3700 W Sunset Blvd |
4 |
Atwater Village (Sun, 10 am–2 pm) |
3250 Glendale Blvd |
5 |
La Cienega (Thurs, 3 pm–7 pm) |
1801 S La Cienega Blvd |
6 |
Larchmont Village (Sun, 10 am–2 pm) |
209 N Larchmont Blvd |
7 |
Little Tokyo (Tues, 10 am–2 pm) |
1st St & Main St |
9 |
Los Angeles - Figueroa at 7th (Thurs, Fri, Sat, 10 am–4 pm) |
735 S Figueroa St |
9 |
Los Angeles - Chinatown (Thurs, 4 pm–8 pm) |
727 N Hill St |
9 |
Crenshaw |
3650 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd |
11 |
Leimert Park Village (Sat, 9 am–2 pm) |
W 43rd St & Degnan Blvd |
11 |
Los Angeles - Harambee (Sat, 10 am–4 pm) |
Crenshaw Blvd & W Slauson Ave |
11 |
Los Angeles - Adams & Vermont (Wed; Jun–Aug, 1 pm-6 pm; Sept–May, 2 pm–5 pm) |
1432 W Adams Blvd |
11 |
Los Angeles - Central Ave (Sat, 9 am–1 pm) |
43rd St & Central Ave |
12 |
Pacific Palisades (Sun, 8 am–1:30 pm) |
1037 Swarthmore Ave |
15 |
Brentwood (Sun, 9 am–1 pm) |
741 S Gretna Green Way |
16 |
Santa Monica Organic Farmers Market (Sat, 8:30–1 pm) |
Arizona Ave & 3rd St |
18 |
Santa Monica (Sun, 9:30 am–1 pm) |
2640 Main St |
18 |
Santa Monica Virginia (Sat, 8 am–1 pm) |
2200 Virginia Ave |
19 |
West Los Angeles (Sun, 9 am–2 pm) |
1645 Corinth Ave |
19 |
Century City (Thurs, 11:30 am–3 pm) |
1800 Avenue of the Stars |
20 |
Westwood (Thurs, 1 pm–7 pm) |
Weyburn Ave & Westwood Blvd |
20 |
Venice (Fri, 7 am–11 am) |
Venice Blvd & Venice Wy |
21 |
Culver City (Tues, 2 pm–7 pm) |
Culver Blvd & Main St |
24 |
Westchester (Wed, 8:30 am–1 pm) |
W 87th St & Truxton Ave |
26 |
El Segundo (Thurs, 3pm–7pm) |
Main St & E Pine Ave |
27 |
Hermosa Beach (Fri, 12 pm–4 pm) |
Valley Dr b/w 10th St & 8th St |
29 |
Redondo Beach - Harbor Dr (Thurs, 8 am–1 pm) |
N Harbor Dr & W Torrance Blvd |
31 |
Torrance (Tues, 8 am–12 pm; Sat, 8 am–1 pm) |
2200 Crenshaw Blvd |
32 |
Eagle Rock (Fri 5 am–8:30 pm) |
2100 Merton Ave |
33 |
Pasadena Villa Park (Tues, 9 am–1 pm) |
363 E Villa St |
34 |
South Pasadena (Thurs 4 pm–8 pm) |
Meridian Ave & El Centro St |
34 |
Pasadena Victory Park (Sat, 8:30 am–1 pm) |
Paloma St & E Sierra Madre Blvd |
35 |
Alhambra (Sun, 8:30 am–1 pm) |
S Monterey St b/w E Main St & E Bay State St |
39 |
Chatsworth (Sat, 8 am–1 pm) |
Devonshire St & Canoga Ave |
42 |
Northridge (Wed, 5 pm–9 pm) |
9301 Tampa Ave |
43 |
Encino (Sun, 8 am–1 pm) |
17400 Victory Blvd |
46 |
Burbank (Sat, 8 am–12:30 pm) |
E Olive Ave & S Glenoaks Blvd |
50 |
Woodland Hills (Sat, 8 am–4 pm) |
6200 block of Topanga Cyn Blvd |
52 |
Studio City (Sun, 8 am–1 pm) |
Ventura Blvd & Radford Ave |
56 |
| General Information • Dog Parks |
Overview
These days, Los Angeles has a good number of dog parks in which your beloved pooch can romp and play, and the list is growing—you can even find areas for the big bow-wows like German Shepherds and Mastiffs. For the little guys, like the feisty Yorkies or the ever-snorting pugs, there’s the small dog park. If you and your canine buddy are making your way out to a fenced grassy area for a play date, consider a few rules to make everyone’s life easier:
1. Make sure your four-legged child plays nice with the other kids.
2. If your dog drops the poop, you get to scoop. (Heck, most dog parks provide you with a poop bag and trashcan to make it even easier on you.)
3. If your dog is in heat, keep her at home.
4. If your dog generally snarls, snaps, and likes to sink his teeth into live meat, that means he shouldn’t be socializing at a dog park.
5. If the sign says “for dogs up to 30 pounds” don’t bring your Great Dane in—even if you swear she’s well trained.
6. If your dog isn’t spayed, neutered, or current with his vaccinations, it’s best not to bring him.
7. If you can’t get laid here, you may as well give up.
We’ve compiled our own list of dog parks for you to scour. Each park has its own set of specific rules, so remember to read the signs when you enter.
For more information online, a great website to check is www.dogfriendly.com. It provides loads of information on dog-friendly parks, accommodations, attractions, restaurants, and retail stores. If you’re into inflicting tutus upon your dog and parading her around on Halloween, they have information on that, too. Two other helpful websites can be found at www.laparks.org and www.dogpark.com.
The Boneyard, Culver City Dog Park
End of Duquesne in Culver City Park (South of Jefferson Blvd), Culver City
This place has been in the works since 2001, and as of April 2006, it has officially opened for public use. Just over an acre in size, this dog park has space designated for both big and little dogs. It’s open every day of the week with no official hours except dawn to dusk. Bring your tennis balls and doggy bags, but leave the cigarettes at home. Water is provided at the doggie drinking fountains.
El Segundo Dog Park
600 E Imperial Ave, El Segundo
Located near LAX, you and Buster can fling Frisbees while watching the planes go by. Just be careful where you’re walking while you’re looking up. There are two areas: one for the little guys, 30 pounds and under, and one for the big boys, 31 pounds and up. Parking is a sure bet on the street adjacent to the park. Poop bags are provided for your convenience, along with trash receptacles. And don’t worry all the bonding and frolicking will give you cotton mouth: they provide public drinking fountains for us two-legged folks and a lower model for the four-legged ones.
Long Beach Recreation Dog Park
5201 E 7th St (Cross Street is Park Ave), Long Beach
Ah, Long Beach: your dog finally has nearly two acres of fenced-in area in which to play. With separate areas for big dogs and little dogs, there’s room for everyone’s ego. The park is open from 6 am until 10 pm, and you and your canine can make a drink pit stop at the watering stations. Everyone’s jonesing to get into this park, so if you’re hard-up for play buddies for your dog (or, hey, for yourself) and you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and stop here. Want to strike up a convo with the hottie toting the Italian Greyhound? You can mention that this park was a set location for the 2005 Diane Lane and John Cusack film, Must Love Dogs.
Laurel Canyon Park
8260 Mulholland Dr (near Laurel Canyon Blvd), Studio City, 818-769-4415
Laurel Canyon Park boasts three acres of off-leash space in a fenced-in area. Dogs must be leashed between 10 am and 3 pm, but it’s doggie anarchy between 6 am and 10 am and again from 3 pm until dusk. Other amenities include free parking, a small fenced-in children’s play area, and a hot dog stand!
This is a spacious dog park, but it has drainage problems, so keep the towels handy, because your dog’s going to come home fairly filthy; nonetheless, Laurel Canyon Park remains a popular place for dog lovers, and it attracts a healthy clot of celebrity pet owners. You’re more likely to have a star sighting here than at the Chateau Marmont.
Silver Lake Recreation Center
1850 W Silver Lake Dr, Los Angeles, 323-644-3946
Open from 6 am until 10 pm, the Rec Center features 1.25 acres of off-leash running room. The only parking available is on the street. Silver Lake Recreation Center is a well-known meeting place for pooch owners, so if you’re new to town and looking to make new friends with excellent fashion and intimidating scenester associations, take your dog down for a run. Just be mindful—the fastidious regulars here will be quick to bark at you if you don’t securely shut the gates. Traffic tends to pick up around the curves, and it’d take only seconds for someone’s beloved to leap from sanctuary to tragedy. No grass, just dirt, which makes for some muddy K-9s on those ten days of rain.
Runyon Canyon Park
2000 N Fuller Ave (north of Franklin Ave), Hollywood, 323-666-5046
Located in Hollywood, Runyon Canyon Park is almost completely undeveloped. While it doesn’t have a fenced-in dog play area, dogs are permitted to roam the hiking trails unleashed, as long as they’re with their owners. Within the 160-acre park, there are several hiking trails of varying difficulty with amazing views. You and your pooch can break a sweat together and enjoy the scenery next to a host of celebrities and their own canine buddies.
Westminster Dog Park
1234 Pacific Ave, Venice, 310-396-1615
This park features a fenced-in area with off-leash space for both large dogs and small dogs (under 25 lbs). Open from 6 am until 10 pm, you can usually find a spot in the lot adjacent to the dog park.
Barrington Dog Park
333 S Barrington Ave, Los Angeles, 310-476-4866
This 1.5-acre dog park located in Brentwood is open daily from 5 am to 10:30 pm and closes for maintenance on Tuesday mornings from 6 am to 10 am. The park is off-leash, fenced-in, and features separate sections for dogs big and small. The Friends of Barrington Dog Park maintain a website at www.fobdp.org that lists doggie resources, park news and events, as well as a photo gallery of the furry friends who frequent the park.
Sepulveda Basin Off-Leash Dog Park
17550 Victory Blvd, Encino, 818-756-7667
Featuring a five-acre off-leash area with half an acre for small pooches, Sepulveda Basin Dog Park is open daily from sunrise to sunset, except Friday mornings when it opens at 11 am. On-site parking can accommodate up to 100 cars. Whatever you do, avoid parking on White Oak Avenue or Victory Boulevard at all times, as ticketing agents here are eagle-eyed and vigilant. (Getting a ticket is a matter of “when,” not “if.”)
Griffith Park Dog Park
North end of John Ferraro Soccer Field on North Zoo Dr, Los Angeles, 323-913-4688
Griffith Park has its own dog park with compartmentalized areas for dogs big and little to roam off-leash. Open from 5 am to 10:30 pm every day of the week, the park has troughs to keep the dogs well-hydrated and a parking area for 40 cars. If you can’t get enough outdoor space for your dog, explore the rest of Griffith Park. The trails across from the observatory are pro-dog, and you can even take your dog to the roof of the observatory via the outside stairs (though the dog’s got to be on a leash). The one-mile train ride off Crystal Springs allows dogs onboard (accompanied by an adult, of course). We suggest that you pick up a map at the Ranger’s Station (Crystal Spring and Griffith Park Drive) to check which trails allow dogs.
Beaches
While dogs, leashed or not, are prohibited from places like Venice Beach and the Ocean Front Walk, there are still some dog-friendly beaches and a core group of volunteer vigilantes fighting to keep it that way. Huntington Dog Beach (PCH and Golden West Street, www.dogbeach.org) is a beautiful one-mile stretch of beach that allows dogs on leashes, providing their owners pick up after them. The only place dogs are allowed off-leash is in the water, under supervision. Leo Carrillo State Beach (PCH 28 miles north of Santa Monica) also allows leashed dogs, but there are restrictions about where dogs can play—check the signs carefully before embarking on a beach adventure with your dog. Redondo Beach Dog Park is located away from the foreshore next to Dominguez Park (200 Flagler Lane and 190th Street, www.rbdogpark.com). A fenced-in area, Redondo Beach Dog Park has play spaces for large and small dogs. Long Beach has almost three acres of leash-free beach fun for dogs, located in the revitalized Belmont Shore area. Look for the signs marking the designated areas between Roycroft and Argonne Avenues.