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 (Yes, again!): LA & Surrounds

Rose Bowl Market - Pasadena, about 20 mins outside of LA. Every second Sunday of the month. Hugest market I have ever seen! Antiques, clothing, furniture, scraps, novelties, everything ever. Totally worth it, but go early (9-ish) before it gets too hot, and too busy.

Malibu - it's definitely worth a short drive (about an hour) up the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) to Malibu. Eat at Neptune's Net - make sure to choose carefully between the steamed section or the fried section, as each produces amazing food. Spend the afternoon on the beach.

Venice - explore Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice. Gjelina for lunch, and The Tasting Kitchen for dinner. Great shops and awesome sea breezes make for a fun day out.

Venice Beach - I did not like Venice Beach at all. It was gross. Like crazy busy, kinda run down, lots of tourist crap. But I guess yes, it is worth seeing once. The skatepark was pretty cool, the beach was pretty perfect, and there's lots of crazies to look at. Also, take a walk around the Venice canals.

Santa Monica - personally, I've never been overly bowled over by Santa Monica. From us, it can be a good hour long drive to get there (even though the city of Santa Monica is completely encased by Los Angeles!). It's pretty, and the Santa Monica pier may be worth visiting, just because it's quite an iconic part of the coastline, but maybe I've just taken too many out-of-town visitors there, and I'm done.

Catalina Island - I've never been, but still hope to. A short ferry ride out into the Pacific Ocean.

Palm Springs - two hours inland from Los Angeles. Stay at the Ace Hotel. Prepare to be hotter than you've ever been in your life, lay out by the pool, order the Desert Facial (a cocktail), and enjoy. We love it here!

Death Valley - five hours north east of LA, and one of my favourite places in America. It's just you, the desert, and nothing else. I love this place! The first weekend of November hosts the annual '49ers weekend - celebrating the first people to cross - and get horribly lost in - Death Valley. You'll awake in the morning to the soft sounds of banjos and real country music playing outside your hotel room, and get to watch Dress-Up competitions and dog shows that look like they should be in a movie. But in real life.

San Francisco - totally worth visiting, a truly beautiful city! Friggin windy though, definitely pack the parka! Hire a bike and ride across that gigantic red bridge - the quaint little town that awaits you with the promise of lunch and ice-cream, and a ferry ride home, makes it all worthwhile.

Oxnard - about an hour north of LA. The most beautiful beaches.

Ojai - LA's slightly-lesser-known playground. Stay at the Ojai Valley Spa for a somewhat pricey, but totally worth it, weekend away from LA.

Big Bear Lake - we hit this up for a day trip last summer when my brother was visiting from SA. It was a quaint, little town, with beautiful wood cabins scattered throughout the forest. I believe the best time to visit is in winter, when it actually snows!

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

Los Angeles Diaries Continues (Again): Downtown Los Angeles

This year was our first proper year getting to explore DTLA, as Husband got a job down there. It was a nice little opportunity to grab lunches and dinners before and after his shifts, and really spend a bit more time in this fun part of town.

The Ace Hotel - have dinner in the downstairs restaurant. Seriously. The food here is incredible. Finish up with drinks on the rooftop, next to the pool. Watch crazy LA peeps getting up to all sorts of crazy antics.

The Last Book Store - just go. Make sure you get up onto the second level, and wander all the way around! Flying books, exploding pianos, art galleries, weavers, and $1 books.

Follow this link to explore more hidden gems in downtown LA.

Grand Central Market - awesome coffee, and a quick and easy lunch spot. Great flavours and smells and sights. Stop by for some great fresh ingredients to cook up a feast at home.

Bottega Louis. Dinner at this place will change your life. Super high ceilings, very white and light and clean decor; and incredible food. It was very New York, very big business, but our waitress was down-to-earth, and just perfect.

Bar Ama - Tex Mex heaven. Yes, Texas Mexican. Incredible flavours. Like the asparagus and grapefruit, or crunchy nachos with quesidilla dip. Too good to be true. Spend some time wandering around the Bank District while you're there - you'll find some great art galleries, and even more amazing restaurants. In summer this area hosts the Downtown Art Walk, every first Thursday of the month (I think?! Don't take my word for it - it may have been the second Thursday. Ask the Google.)

Arts District - Poketo is great for gifts, and spend a little time on that strip for great housewares, menswear and some delicious food. Eat at The Pie Hole. This pie will change your life. We had the chicken and cornbread pie, it was melt-in-the-mouth I'm-going-back-this-week-for-more kind of good.

This is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of downtown LA, it's packed with a booming fashion district, beautiful old theatres and tons of hidden gems. I will endeavour to get more of them listed here!

Other spots to visit:

Santee Alley - a pedestrian-only back alley packed with stall after stall of junkie finds! Cheap deals, carnival-esque feel and everything you may (or may not) want to buy.

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.

My Los Angeles Diaries

When I spent all that time road tripping across the US, I kept up a strict documentation of all the places we went, the things we saw, and the restaurants we ate at. Somehow, in the busy-ness of everyday life here in LA, I've never stopped to do the same thing. So I thought I'd take a minute - or two, or three - and see if I could do something about that.

I'm going to start with my nearest and dearest - the lovely, artsy, hipstery, oh-so-trendy area made up by Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Echo Park.

First up, Los Feliz:

Vermont and Hillhurst (between Los Feliz Blvd and Hollywood Blvd) make up this particular suburb, and are packed with vintage stores and quaint restaurants. Some of my faves:

Figaro - the best French food this side of France. Do expect slow service, but the big plates make up for it! I would suggest wine and cheese on a Sunday afternoon? Or a croque monsieur for lunch.

Little Dom's - brunch, with mimosas. I could do this every day of the week. An oh-so-tempting array of breakfast foods, plus your own bottle of prosecco and orange juice.

Rockwell - only go if they have a dinner show on. Some great local actors will keep you entertained with movie-themed performances, slipping in and around your table while you feast, with music from Baz Luhrmann's movies, or the best of the Coen Brothers. Really top quality.

Dresden - grab a drink here after a show at the Rockwell, or dinner at Figaro. Proper old-school Hollywood bar and restaurant, dating back over 60 years. The interiors are crazy good! If you ask really nicely the maitre'd may even give you a tour, and let you in on all the movies that have been filmed here. (Pic from the Google)

Vista Theatre - a vintage movie cinema in Los Feliz. One title a week, great old school theatre. Also check out Los Feliz 3 (the screens are tiny, like the real olden days!), just up the road.

Good Luck Bar - after your movie night stop off here for a great drink. It's another "hidden" bar, with a spectacularly Oriental interior. They make a mean martini.

Here are more hidden gems in Silver Lake.

Barnsdall Art Park - good for a quick walk to the top, a little picnic, and some awesome views of the city. During summer spend $25 for a Friday night wine wasting, such fun! Be sure to book ahead.

Griffith Park Observatory - drive to the top. Get out wikipedia, read some of the history, it's actually pretty interesting. Walk around to the front of the observatory and marvel at the views. Best to do just before sunset. If you're feeling really ambitious, you can always walk to the top. Stop off at The Trails on the way down for a killer avocado sandwich, underneath the trees.

The Greek Theatre - part of Griffith Park, great outdoor theatre with a fun array of summer concerts! Google it.

The Hollywood Sign - best viewed from Beachwood Canyon. If you're really nice I will send you secret directions on how to get as close as possible, through windy windy backstreets, and some pretty impressive houses.

More in Los Feliz at Discover Los Angeles.

Silver Lake:

Blossom - Vietnamese food, let them lead you downstairs into the dungeon. It's worth it. Order the sake, and pretty much everything on the menu.

Bar Stella - the best damn cocktails I have ever tasted. My favourite is always the vodka gimlet (not pictured), but I'd recommend asking the bartenders for their suggestions, and then sitting up at the bar to watch them work. There's a definite beauty to it.

Still thirsty? Here are five great L.A bars, according to LA Weekly.

Pine & Crane - Taiwanese food, amazing wood-finished interior, fresh and delicious. If you can, go for lunch on a Saturday - the Silver Lake Market is right outside, and though small, worth a quick wander-around. It features about 10-15 stalls of vintage clothing and fresh produce.

Millie's Cafe - a proper roadside diner experience. Breakfast is a must.

More in the area:

Intelligentsia - with a line always out the door, one must imagine they make damn fine coffee.
Black Cat - stepping it up for dinner, great gourmet food.

Plus, the internet's guide to the best restaurants in Silver Lake.

So I'm fully aware that most of my spots are for eating. I like food, a lot. In an effort to even the playing field somewhat, here is LA Racked's 38 Best Independent Boutiques in LA.

Only got a couple of days in LA? This blog post from sfgirlbybay highlights some of my faves in the hood!

I'm sure I'll think of more to add, so instead of signing off, I'll just leave it at that. Have fun!

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