Thursday, January 20, 2011

Where to Next? - Weesst Siiiidee!


That's right. I'm going to throw up a big 'ol W, and let you know that I will be making my first trip to Los Angeles in a VERY long time next week. It's been a whopping almost 8 1/2 years since I set foot in L.A. It's gone by so quickly that in some respects it seems like yesterday that I left. I'll be doing a little bit of "work" on Project X that I mentioned in my goals for 33, but I will also be visiting my wonderful friend, Big Mitts (obviously NOT her real name), a good friend who moved out to L.A. several months ago.

I've been trying to think about what I'd like to see while I am in L.A. Unlike many parts of the country, I actually lived in L.A. for two summers for a total of about six months, so I don't really approach my time there as a true tourist. Yet, I do want to see a few things that I haven't seen in awhile or a place or two that I've never been.

I've got my eye on possibly doing the following:

1) Heading to Venice Beach boardwalk/Santa Monica


Yeah, perhaps a little cheesy and touristy, but I like seeing L.A. not take itself too seriously. The Venice Beach boardwalk is good for that. :) Besides, I have not seen the Pacific Ocean in a very long time. We're about to get another snowstorm here and even being able to go to the beach seems glorious right now.


2) Gazing endlessly into space literally at the Griffith Park Observatory

(source)

Maybe I'll get my geek on and watch a cool movie at the Observatory's Planetarium.

3) Shopping

Melrose Avenue

Rodeo Drive

Well, more like window shopping and browsing than any actual real shopping. I've hit my self-imposed shopping hiatus for awhile. Unless it's something that will keep me warmer in the next few weeks (like a good winter scarf), I'm most likely not going to buy anything (but who knows?). Either way, I've never really walked around the Rodeo Drive area before, so why not do a Julia Roberts "Pretty Woman" stroll around just to say that I've been.

Also I've got to find some food!

I've already gotten some feedback on a few places already:

In -N Out Burger - When I lived in L.A. last, I was a committed vegetarian/pescetarian, so the one burger I had from In -N Out made me not feel so great. Not eating meat over time will do that to you. I'm DEFINITELY going to try this much beloved burger chain again. Is it really worth it to get their burgers "animal style"? ;)

Versailles - suggested by Cathy of Wifey Lifey




Some good Mexican would be great since apparently the West Coast has the East beat in this respect (at least this is what I am told). Any suggestions?

So yeah, with another 2-4 inches of snow coming tomorrow, I'm dreaming about low 70s /high 60 degree temperatures right about now. Let's hope there's no snow next week either. Sigh...

Any L.A. recommendations for me? What's your favorite place to eat or visit in L.A.?

6 comments:

melinda said...

If you haven't been to the Disney Concert Hall AND if there's a organ concert when you're there, it's worth the visit. I heard an amazing organ concert there (sat behind the stage with the pipes behind us) - awesome acoustics!

Cathleya said...

Ahh, LA, where my husband and I met and fell in love :) We have a lot of good memories! As for Mexican food, it's not a sit down place and they don't really speak english there (mark of a great place, right?) but we LOVE King Taco http://www.kingtaco.com/ (it's a chain)... it's basically meat, meat, meat and the hot salsa is blow your mind hot and delicious. If you go, get...tacos. :) I like carne asada but they have all the more "interesting" meats too including Cabeza (head meat), Lengua (tongue), etc. It's another one of those places we can't find anything comparable to anywhere else. :)

Have a great time! Oh, and if you have a chance to check out The Getty Center at some point, I recommend that too!

Cathleya said...

Oh one more thing (random) I like shopping on Robertson Blvd (Kitson, Lisa Kline)...it's pricey stuff but not too out of reach like Rodeo Drive...so you can look and actually buy a few things :)

Also I used to live by Fred Segal in Santa Monica...can't miss that for shopping if you're there!

OK I'll stop!

BigAppleNosh said...

You DEFINITELY need to get the burger animal style. The fries too!! :)

Try Anything Once Terri said...

Thanks,all!

@melinda - Yes, I do love organ music. I will see what's happening when I am there.

@ Cathleya I totally forgot about Fred Seagal, Cathy! I will definitely take a look.

@BigAppleNosh - Okay I think I am going to get the burger only animal style. I'll try to be good. :)

Ali @ His Birdie's Nest said...

I was also going to suggest Robertson Blvd and the Getty :)
I wish I could think of a super tasty Mexican place in LA, but all I can think of is places in OC that you need to get Mexican food... So, that means you have to come to Newport Beach for lunch ;-)

 

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