Guide to Los Angeles

Since moving out to LA about two years ago, we've had a slew of wonderful visitors, friends and family pop into town - either just to holiday, or to stay for good. And, as to be expected, they're always after some hints and tips and tricks and ideas. Over the years we've sent out brief emails, jotted down lists, and texted out maps, but it does finally feel like it is time to draw up a bit of a guide, to our experiences of Los Angeles, and what I think is worth visiting, and not.

So, I've split it up into a few blog posts, by area:

Silver Lake & Los Feliz (my 'hood)

Hollywood

Downtown

LA & Surrounds

I've also made a list of the ultimate tourist things to do in this town.

And I thought I'd include here just a few suggestions for making the most out of your stay in LA:

1. HAPPY HOUR
I can't emphasise this enough. If you can switch up your meal times and grab an early dinner you can save big bucks. Or just grab a great round of drinks!

2. RESERVATIONS
This city is packed to the rafters. If you'd like to go out for a meal on the weekend, do phone ahead and make a reservation.

3. CAR HIRE
Los Angeles is big, and spread out! You will need a car, seriously.

4. UBER
That said, uber is a fantastic option for getting around, especially at night time, when you'll pay a $10000 fine for getting caught drinking and driving.

5. AIRBNB
You can find some great spots to stay in and around town on airbnb, and often get to meet some locals in the process.

6. TIPPING
You have to add a tip! A good rule of thumb is to double the tax (which will be printed on your bill), or to make sure you're hitting between 15-20%.

7. TAX
Speaking of tax, in Los Angeles you're looking at around 9% added onto everything you purchase, at the time of purchase. So be prepared to hear a much higher price when you get to the check-out than you were originally expecting.

8. PARKING
Don't ever assume that you can just park somewhere - you can't park anywhere in this city. Or at least not without ready at least three parking signs, and feeding the meter. Pay careful attention here, the fines are hefty!


For those people looking to move to LA, these are some of the resources we found useful:

1. Immi Help
A website packed with details about visas, green cards and health insurance.

2. Craigslist
Everything from apartments to furniture to jobs to the world. There's some real junk on there too, so you'll need to sort through it carefully.

3. West Side Rentals
The best resource for finding an apartment/house. You pay a fee ($60 for 60 days), but at least that means you're finding the good stuff. We found all our apartments through this website!

4. Breaking Into The Industry
This blog has some great insight into what it means to be an actor in this town, and some good tips and tricks.

5. LA Weekly
A good daily dose of news and events around Los Angeles. I get it in my Facebook feed.

6. LA Casting
"Where the industry goes to work". Join up to network with fellow industry peeps. If you have an agent out here, they'll sign you up for free.

7. DoLA
What to do in LA - parties, events, specials.

These areas didn't quite make the cut in my book, but I can't quite leave out huge big gaps in my Guide to Los Angeles, so I'll let the internet do the talking:

Beverly Hills
Santa Monica
Beach Cities/LAX
The Valley
Pasadena

This is one big sprawling city, the second most populous in the United States (after New York), covering around 1,215 km^2. Thanks Wikipedia!

I'll keep adding!

The Los Angeles Diaries: The Tourist Trap

These are the things that didn't quite fit into any of my other posts, and mostly are part of a real tourist experience of LA. It might be worth it to you to visit a few of these though, so I included them here:

The Disney Concert Hall - modelled after the Bilboa Guggenheim Museum. DTLA. You can take a free self-tour if you're a real music junkie, like my brother. Frankly, after seeing the real deal myself in Bilboa, I wasn't easily impressed.

Take a car-free trip around downtown LA with this guide.

Warner Brothers VIP Studio Tour - my brother and I went on this tour while he was visiting. You actually get a lot of bang for your buck, and see quite a bit of interesting stuff! The tour guide was very knowledgable, and it was fun to see the inner workings of Warner Brothers. PS - there is no non-VIP tour, they just call it that to make you feel fancy.

Pink's Hot Dogs - a Hollywood institution. Road side, every possible combination. Not overly palatable though.

Universal Studios - worth a visit after your stop at the Warner Brothers tour - they're reasonably close to each other, and there's a large section that you can wander around without actually having to go in to the Universal Studios park - which is a giant theme park. I've heard good things, but I've never been.

Disney Land - we were lucky enough to visit Disney World on our road trip across the US, and as such have not felt the need to visit Disney Land out here in California. But once again, I've heard good things. Disney World was friggin incredible, even for us mostly-grown-up adults, and it's one of those proper American experiences.

LACMA - The LA museum of contemporary and modern art, or some such. I'm so sophisticated. I've explored the grounds, but never been in. You need to get a photo under these lights, no matter what.

La Brea Tar Pits - on the same property as LACMA. A good dose of history, and actual bubbling tar pits.

Pann's Diner - feeling a bit peckish after your long flight? This diner is right by the airport, and was where they shot Pulp Fiction. A good intro to Hollywood.

The Grove - the ultimate mall experience. At least this one is mostly outdoors, and actually visually pleasing. But you can get your shopping on, grab some lunch, watch a movie, die of a sugar over-load at Sprinkles Cupcakes (a right of passage, you have to try it), and even visit The Grove Farmers Market - which is quaint, and a little more off the beaten track. I particularly like The Grove at Christmas time, they sure do know how to make it pretty. If you're staying over on the east side of LA (which I'd highly recommend), the Americana at Brand, in Glendale, is our very own version of The Grove, just without the farmers market. (Picture from the Google.)

In N Out Burger - don't miss out. Get it animal style.

Still want more?

Here's Trip Advisor's 350 Things To Do In LA.

'Where LA' racks up the Twenty Top Venues for watching live music in LA. And, the 10 best LA bars and restaurants to listen to live music.

Also, you can see my other guides here: Silver Lake, Hollywood, Downtown, LA & Surrounds, and Tourist-ville.

Los Angeles Diaries Continued: Hollywood

Though I try to avoid Hollywood like the plague, it really should be part of every tourist's trip. Here is the best (and worst):

Walk of Fame - prepare yourself for a LOT of people, most of them wearing strange costumes, and trying to pamphlet you, or sell you something. I prefer to drive it, but if you must walk it, I'd say go for early evening, just as the lights come on. It can be pretty.

The Spare Room - a "somewhat" secret bowling alley and games lounge in the heart of Hollywood, in the Roosevelt Hotel. Pretty cool. Order the Moscow Mule, you won't regret it. No shorts or flip flops, just dress nice. Bowling is $100 per hour per lane, book ahead of time and you can split it between 6 - 10 peeps usually. (Picture from the Google)

Hollywood Forever Cemetery - beautiful. Go at dusk. Explore the graves of famous dead people. In the summertime they show movies, with food trucks, such fun!

Amoeba Records - the craziest CD store I've ever been too - huge, and pulsating with people, and options and everything!

The Magic Castle - a tough nut to crack. You have to be invited by a member, for dinner and a show. And it's pretty pricey. But super fun if you can suspend your disbelief for a night. Twisty corridors and interesting dungeons lead off from the main dining area and intriguing bar, with magicians waiting around every turn to tempt you in with cool tricks.

Chateau Marmont - the ultimate celebrity hang out. Pretty darn good dinner service, and you can often spot a few famous people on the right night. Good luck getting a reservation though, they will google you when you call in, to check your fame-o-meter. Maybe a drink at Bar Marmont instead?

Connie & Ted's - great seafood!

Sassafras Saloon - one of the 'hidden' gems of LA. You wouldn't know it was there if I didn't tell you. An original house from New Orleans was trucked to Los Angeles - you can still smell the mould - and this bar was built around it. Grimy, but oh so elegant. Unlike anything I have ever seen. Oh, and jazz on Sunday nights. Yes please.

Runyon Canyon - LA's "outside gym" - put on those running shoes, and go for a "hike". Angelenos love their hikes, but you definitely won't catch them walking anywhere! This city is run on cars, and Ubers. Use Uber! It's totally worth it!

Good Times at Davey Wayne's - another hidden bar. You enter through a vintage store refrigerator, as pictured below (photo from the Google). Very hipster, and very fun on the inside.

Discover Los Angeles - is a great online tool for learning more about the city and some of it's best tourist attractions. Visit the page for more hints and tips.

On a budget? Here are 100 free things to do in Los Angeles.

Also, you can see my other guides here: Silver Lake, Hollywood, Downtown, LA & Surrounds, and Tourist-ville.

Hollywood Glam

I think I've mentioned before how much I like photographs. Only about a million times! I really do know how to go on about it. So it may seem a little strange how few actual photo shoots I've done in my life - at least, one's where I'm the photographer, not the model.

But lately, that is all set to change. See, I've started actually shooting. Planning, implementing, snapping away. And this shoot has to be my favourite so far. On Friday we did two shoots in one go: Hollywood Glam and Rock n Roll Edge.

Here are the snaps from Hollywood Glam:

And it was such fun! From the planning, to the styling, to getting up very early in the morning, to canvassing the neighbourhood, and sneaking on to people's front porches - it was all spectacular! Luckily I live in a suburb filled with inspiring houses, perfectly preened for photo shoots. Hehe.

Special thanks to Bree, the amazing model in these pics, for being beautiful, skinny, wonderful and fun all at the same time, and to Native Boutique for the use of these dresses.

A Hop And A Skip

Three weeks ago we were treated to the warmest, most loveliest weather ever - little tendrils of Spring reaching out and calling to us, 'come play'. So we did.

Half a block away from our house is Barnsdall Park - a bit of an oddity, this green hill, with straight lines of trees, rising out of the city scape. But, a little hop and a skip down the road, and there we are, overlooking much of Los Angeles. Who would have known such a funny looking park could hold such treasures?

There's a beautiful green patch of grass at the top, as well as some wonderful old buildings, and that's where we sat awhile, bathed in sunlight, three-hundred-and-sixty degree views of this endless city.

Afterwards, another hop and a skip, onto Sunset Boulevard, a visit with some graffiti, a couple of stores, and back to the home base. All in all, a good exploration. And what a way to enjoy the summer sunshine.

Working In Retail

I have two boutique jobs at the moment. Each sell beautifully tempting goods, pretty dresses, desirable jewels and to-die-for styles; but each job could not be more different.

It's funny the office politics, daily dramas, budding friendships, intriguing customers and quality relationships that can form in a place like this. Boutiques are small, quaint, conversation-driven shopping opportunities, and I've found that working in these environments has been both educational and interesting.

Don't get me wrong here though, this ain't forever. I go out of mind in the tedious slow spells. And sometimes feel like I might shoot myself in the brain if I have to tell another person how fabulous they look in an item that I really want for myself. See - I find buying the clothes somewhat counter-productive to working there, even with the discount. I've got bills to pay, and food to buy. And these are boutique prices after all - I'd much rather just go to the Forever 21.

One day I may just own my own boutique. I've always liked that idea. And a restaurant. And an antique store. And a home decor store. My own little empire.

Probably by this time tomorrow in fact.

Pictured above: a typical Monday night at the store - unpacking a whole new load of Spring clothes. Ouch.

Wanna leave a comment but don't know how? I wrote a whole blog post about this very subject! Click here.

Fishing for Words

My mother was recently fishing for words - as a journalist this is an often occasion. She wanted one word to describe our hometown of Johannesburg , and another to describe that of our new town - Los Angeles. 

An interesting game to say the least. Being built by gold miners, Johannesburg is nothing if not a prospective, consuming, growing beast. We threw some of those at her, and a litany of others: home, fear, family, money, life, rejuvenation. But LA has a lot of the same feeling. It too is a place of opportunity, a place of a merging of people. There is the same crying, gnawing, gasping feeling of desperation. 

Joburg is about panning for gold, fighting to find the diamonds in the rough. LA seems more littered with gold, little nuggets of opportunity glinting in the sunshine everywhere you look. Sure they may not all be the real thing, but there sure is a lot of glitz.

Los Angeles is a bit of an anomaly - always this place that we see from far off, in movies, on screens, glitzy and glamorous, and other worldly. But being here, there's something different. There's that undertone - that opportunity, that chance. That closeness.

It seems to fight with the oldness, the desperation. It's a knife edge between moving forward and slipping backwards into obscurity. You can see them on the streets - the has-beens, the hopefuls lost for hope.

I love the film industry for its mystique - that's why we're here after all, this big illusive thing called Hollywood. It intrigues me. Story telling is all that I want to do. No, that's a lie, there's a lot that I want to do. But making, forming, creating, weaving stories is one of the best parts for me. So Los Angeles is a this anomaly. It completely deviates from what is expected. It is warmer and more welcoming expected. But also filled with more twists and turns than expected.

A lot of people here ask me where I'm from. Or, more presumptuously, assume I'm from Australia. Or New Zealand. (I'm actually amazed by how many people say New Zealand, how much it is in the public consciousness, especially since there's no notable stars or celebrities - that I can think of at least - or particularly outspoken and proud New Zealanders running around LA?! Is it from Lord Of The Rings being filmed there?! What is it that gives them that chuffed I-must-be-right expression as they ask if I'm from New Zealand, like they've cracked some special code? I DO NOT GET IT.)

Sometimes, once we've chatted about where I'm actually from, they'll ask what it's like. And I only ever have good things to say. I know of far too many people who leave their home country, and bad mouth it for years as so to justify leaving, and I think it's kind of disgusting. South Africa is my home, and is a beautiful country, one that I cannot wait to return to. So much so that I try not to look up too often - the sight of a plane flying over head tugs at my insides, and makes me think of aeroplanes and car rides and  the way to get home.

Also, PS, being asked if I'm Australian really grates. A lot. It's blood-boilingly-bad.

Honestly Honest

The other day I mentioned A Blog About Love, a surprisingly open and candid account by a re-married divorcee. This is one brave lady, openly and honestly laying it all on the line, and fishing out a pile of tips and secrets to her now successful marriage.

It is a interesting feat that she has accomplished there, an unaffected honesty, a tell-all fluidity that happily does not include any self-editing. I often struggle with my audience when writing - imagining the people who may or may not be reading and what they may or may not be thinking. It's horribly limiting.

Often my friends ask me for relationship advice - I guess once you're married people assume you know what you're doing. Getting married was quite possibly one of the greatest things I've ever done. I've never been one to dream of weddings, and marriages and white dresses. I always thought of it as something far off, distant, maybe not even a possibility. A haze, that may one day happen to me. So I was exceedingly surprised to find it to be so good, so delicious, so comforting - this great blanket of love to wrap yourself up in.

Growing up, you're surrounded by this idea that marriage is not such a good thing - maybe your friends come from divorced parents, or a broken home, as it is so aptly named. It is a constant feature on modern media, sometimes comical, sometimes real, but ever present.

It always made me wonder what the point of getting married was, if all you're going to do is bicker with each other, and not listen to what the other has to say. It seemed quite dull and outdated. It chills me to the bone that divorce seems to be the only resonating outcome.

But maybe it is this knowledge, this realisation, this truth, that has made us stronger. If divorce is the eventual outcome, I sure as hell want to work as hard as possible to avoid it. Husband and I strive everyday to not let little resentments grow, to address issues as they arise, and to come up with better strategies for solving problems. This is something we want to work at, everyday, to make our relationship better and stronger. Communication is super important for us - Husband is an extrovert, and I'm an introvert, which can sometimes make for strenuous conversations - he needs to talk everything through, often, going over multiple ideas, plans and figures. My little introvert brain can't always handle his fast-paced word flow and gets highly stressed out and overwhelmed in situations like that. Luckily we've developed safe words for those exact situations, and strategy meetings, so Husband can still talk it all through, but at a pace and time that I can manage.

So, marriage seems to be this dynamo. Changing, turning, twisting, but in a good way - it grows. I love how safe and content I feel in this union. Silly jealousies and insecurities slip away, and life becomes simpler. No more random hook-ups and one night stands, no raging hormones and 'does he like me, doesn't he like me' mixed signals. Just a simple, growing understanding of each other, and how much we want to fight to keep this love alive.

Wanna leave a comment but don't know how? I wrote a whole blog post about this very subject! Click here.

New Years in LA

I feel like posting about New Years Eve in February means I'm way behind the times. But I won't be held accountable. My blogging standards have been lower than usual, and I'm blaming everyone but myself for this late post. Ha!

But anyway, enough buck-passing. And on to the story of our New Years.

Husband and I were supposed to be working that night - as event staff. But last minute the gig was canceled, and we were relieved to have the evening to ourselves. With our night suddenly free, we decided to sup around the corner at Figaro - our new fave French restaurant, within walking distance of the house. So we had a pre-dinner martini at home (as you do) and walked around the block.

The night was briskingly cold, and our walk around the block was a quick one, hands in pockets, wrapped up like little snowmen. The restaurant however was invitingly warm as we arrived for our 9pm booking (purposefully late to bring us easily closer to the midnight hour). We couldn't resist a glass of champagne before ordering dinner.

Dinner was paella from me - our time in Europe has me hooked on paella (especially after that most-amazing-will-fly-back-to-France-for-it paella), and I couldn't resist. It was good, perfect flavours, just the right amount of yum factor! Husband ordered the rack of lamb, which was also melt in the mouth, delicately delicious.

 And then? Back out in to the cold night for another brisk walk home, to more martinis and a celebration for two.

It was bliss to be out of the crowds, away from the noise, the hubbub and the anti-climax. Just me and Husband, my most favourite combination.