Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

So after four years of school in Washington, DC, I finally moved to the west coast. Just signed the lease and moved into a place in Santa Monica at 23rd and Arizona, for those familiar with the area. Since I'm totally new to this city, I thought that would be a good excuse for a resource thread.

New York Version
SF Bay Area Version

Like the other two versions, please include any and all reccomendations for great places to hang out, shop, eat, drink, excercise, etc. Please include at least a brief description of the places you list. Hopefully this will give me, and all the other LA area 2+2ers a good list of stuff to do.

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

Watch a movie at the fox theater in Westwood.
http://www.seeing-stars.com/Images/s...FoxTheatre.JPG
Consider smuggling in some Diddy Riese cookies from across the street, or maybe just get an ice cream sandwich after the movie.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1049/...de457ca6c3.jpg
These things are only a buck, cookies are three for a dollar and delicious.

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

On one of those freakishly clear days we get every now and then, drive up to the old Nike missile base West of the 405 on Mulholland. Panoramic 360 views of LA and the valley. Sunset on a clear day is pretty incredible. Lots of mountain bike trails start from there.

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Take Mulholland as far as you can go west. If you start going down into houses you've gone too far or made a wrong turn.


I'm curious to know if anyone knows if you can get up to the top of Mt. Baldy or Mt. Wilson (or something similar) at sunset? On one of those rare crystal clear days, I imagine you could see the whole LA Basin, which would be pretty spectacualar.

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Langer's.

Get a pastrami (LDO) and an egg cream.

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

I like the Nippy Cheese sandwich at Langer's. Mmmmmmm.

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Sushi Nozawa in Studio City. A few people say this place is overrated. But I thought it was the best sushi I've ever had, and I didn't know anything about the reputation when someone took me there. If you're a sushi fan you have to at least try this place. If possible take a friend who's never heard of it and see what they think. It's got the highest zagat rating of any sushi place in LA. I keep meaning to go back and do a real trip report with pics.

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8...7a1b92fim1.jpg

They call the chef who runs it the "Sushi Nazi". Supposedly he will kick you out if you try to order a California roll. Basically everyone just orders the special (omakase) and they start bring rounds of stuff until you tell them to stop (each round is charged).

Lots of tuna when I went, which is awesome for me. We let them go one round too far and couldn't finish our toro. The first round was some kind of tuna pieces in a tasty sauce that was unlike anything I've ever had a sushi place. It's the only sushi place I've ever eaten where the rice is warm, which seemed to make a huge difference.

The place looks like a hole in the wall, but is not cheap. Plan on spending $60-100/per. Also it's tucked away in a little strip mall, on a stretch of road where every strip mall has a sushi place.

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Also, the cinnamon cake donut at Stan's in Westwood.

- Go to Hennesey's in Hermosa and sit on the roof, drink, and watch the world go by.

Basically, LA's got lots of good stuff, but most of it is severely overrated or just plain sucks, though.

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Pink's Hot Dogs! If you can stand waiting in line.

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

James Beach in Venice has the best tuna tartare, and possibly the best calamari I've ever had. So good.

I've never tried Pinks. Is it worth the wait?

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Pink's Hot Dogs! If you can stand waiting in line.

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Not worth the wait, imo (but definitely solid). I prefer "The Weiner Factory" in Sherman Oaks.

Suzzer - good call with Nozawa, [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] that place. Asanebo, Tama and Katsu-Ya are all within spitting distance of Nozawa on Ventura in Studio City. Asanebo is the best imo, and Tama has the best omakase value, but it's all really good.

-Al

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

1. Visit the getty museum and getty villa (you need reservations for the latter)

2. I second the suggestion for diddy reese.

3. See Bob Sagat perform at the Laugh Factory (I think he does Wednesdays). You have no idea how funny Bob Sagat is. It is NOT a clean show.

4. The best cinema in town is probably the Arclight Theater. Worth the 20 bucks or whatever for the ticket.

5. Bar Lubitch on Santa Monica Blvd. is pretty cool if you like Vodka. 100+ available.

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Alas, Stan's is no more. I started going there in 1969, too bad.

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YAY finally an LA thread! I'm at work so I can't really go in depth right now, but I'll post when I get home. This thread is already good. I have somewhere else to go for sushi besides Wokcano.

Oh yeah OP should check out 3rd st. Promenade LDO.

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

I used to live at Princeton and Arizona, four blocks from you.

3rd Street Promenande in Santa Monica is fun on the weekend. Hennesey and Ingalls bookstore, around the corner on Wilshire, is the best art and architecture bookstore in the country. In Santa Monica, I like Sushi Roku (Ocean and Santa Monica and Boa Stekahouse (also Ocean and Santa Monica); although both are chains, they're pretty good; bring your banker. Melisse (Wilshire and 11th) is supposed to be the best restaurat in the citny, I didn't care for it.

When the weather cools a bit, drive out to Pasadena; walk on Colorado in Old Town, go into the Norton Simon Museum, drive to the Huntington Library.

The Getty is pretty impressive; the restaurant is good, and beautiful.

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Even after two years in LA, I have relatively little to offer (which is why I'm glad this thread was started).

Food spots on the that I fully endorse: Amelia's sandwhich shop on Main Street in SM makes some of the best sandwiches I've ever had.

Primitivo Wine Bar on Abbot Kinney is awesome, high-end "tapas." Next door, Joe's is a more formal, solid American restaurant with good food and service. We've been mostly undewhelmed by places like Melisse and Giraffe.

Both Mozza osteria and pizzeria, on Melrose and Highland, are great. Had some good late-night grub at the diner on the Standard on Sunset after day one of the Bike tournament.

The Landmark in Westwood (?) is a decent movie theater, and sadly I have not been to the Arclight yet.

I haven't explored too much of the area, but I do enjoy riding my bike on the path down by the beach up to the Pacific Palisades, and I drive up to the State Beach at El Matador once in a while.

Definitely feels like I'm still missing out on a lot of things in Los Angeles, it doesn't really seem to come together as a unified city experience, but I like living here (and maybe for that reason).

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

Shaniac, if you go up that way stop at Moon Shadows in Malibu. It's a really chill lounge. Awesome place to sit outside (under heat lamps) on big fluffy cushions and watch the sunset or the waves at night.

Also Taverna Tony in Malibu is a really good Greek restaurant.

Whenever I have friends in town who are new to LA I generally take them up that way and drive through Malibu Canyon, sometimes Topanga Canyon as well. I love the scenery up there. Maybe go hiking a bit in Topanga Canyon or in Will Rogers State Park.

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Oh yeah OP should check out 3rd st. Promenade LDO.

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Sushi Roku on the promenade is really good. Santa Monica Pier is a lot of fun if you have any kids with you (and can tolerate being in the minority if you're white).

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Oh yeah OP should check out 3rd st. Promenade LDO.

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Yeah, we've been in the house for three days, but we've already been down there a bunch. Ate at Barney's Beanery, which has like 30 beers on tap and probably a thousand food items on the menu, a few times.

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys, keep it coming.

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

Where can you find a good breakfast in LA? I was there for the first time this summer and always got stuck eating turkey bacon and fruit. This was a huge disappointment as I am a big fan of greasy spoon breakfast joints.

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

Los Angeles Sushi Lovers:

A week before I left Los Angeles to wander the country aimlessly I discovered Yoshi's Sushi in West Hollywood. Low key atmosphere, great fish, reasonable price. I ate at Yoshi's three times in three days before I left the city. Probably not the best Sushi I've had in Los Angeles but way way cheaper and the quality of the fish was in fact best.

Beat: Discovering an amazing Sushi joint walking distance from your home right before you leave a place for good.

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Where can you find a good breakfast in LA? I was there for the first time this summer and always got stuck eating turkey bacon and fruit. This was a huge disappointment as I am a big fan of greasy spoon breakfast joints.

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You'd probably like "Headlines" in Westwood. Other good choices are Elysee Bakery (also in Westwood) or The French Market (West Hollywood).

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What's that breakfast/diner place in downtown LA everyone always waits in line for?

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How come no one recommends "Commerce?"

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I've always had a better time at the Bike. Bike people seem like they're there to have fun. Commerce people all play like lifeless nits or boring call station zombies. Yay, wait for hands and value bet. So fun.

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Tommy's, ftw.

405 and Roscoe for this valley boy.

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What's that breakfast/diner place in downtown LA everyone always waits in line for?

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The Pantry

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Pink's Hot Dogs! If you can stand waiting in line.

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The wait is the fun part (at least late at night). If you want to be a goof-ball look over everything on the menu, tell your friends you want X then when your friend is ready to order for your group change your mind.

~ Rick

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It's sort of mainstream these days but I think House of Blues on Sunset is a decent place to see live music. I'm too old for a mosh pit and spiked hair type of place but still prefer a stand and watch the band venue; HOB fits the bill.

~ Rick

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I've always had a better time at the Bike. Bike people seem like they're there to have fun. Commerce people all play like lifeless nits or boring call station zombies. Yay, wait for hands and value bet. So fun.

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Huh weird, this has been pretty much my exact opposite experience. Commerce has maniacs, the Bike is a more tight, rock-ish game (I play $400NL, fwiw). The Bike I go to when I want a nicer ambience.

-Al

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

Find Jonathan Gold's list of 99 best restaurants in LA. They vary widely in price so there's something for you no matter what you want. He's the best food critic ever and though I've had a couple of misses if you just start going to the restaurants on that list you will be happy.

Get this book about walking and go on the tours. Lots of history there and even though you look like an idiot tourist it's a great way to figure out sections of town you never knew existed.

-Michael

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Hiking up by the Hollywood sign is really cool. Try to pick a clear day. Don't try to sneak down to the actual sign. There are cameras and a live security guard watching you.

Al, I just don't like the warehouse-feel of Commerce. I like the way the Bike has TVs and walls nearby. Feels more like a poker room to me. I think I've generally played 200NL there 3 or 4 times and haven't seen one maniac. Nothing but calling stations and nits.

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Best breakfast in town is John O'Groats on Pico near Rancho Park golf course. Great biscuits and thick, salty, crisp bacon. Kokomo at the Farmer's Market is also good. And for a semi-microbiotic time, Hugo's, either on Santa Monica in West Hollywood or on Riverside Drive just off Coldwater in the Valley has good food. I sat next to Jeff Goldblum and his, ahem, daughter, the last time I ate at the West Hollywood branch.

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Horrible food.

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There's a place called K-zo on Culver (?), right near Sony (adjacent to the Trader Joe's) in Culver City, great sushi. Also, Hamasaku, in a strip mall on Santa Monica Blvd. near Veteran is good and not far from where OP lives.

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Delis:

Gotta mention Bay Cities Deli in Santa Monica, since it's in your hood. Grew up on the East Coast (so I love the deli) and this is one of the better ones in LA, imo. The Godmother is ridiculously good. I've noticed some variance with their bread (baked on the premises) but when they hit it is delicious.

Brent's in Northridge is also very good. Mario's in Glendale is not bad, and a decent option on the East Side.

Langer's (Downtown) was mentioned above - really, really good pastrami, I think it's better than Katz's.

-Al

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

[ QUOTE ]
Find Jonathan Gold's list of 99 best restaurants in LA. They vary widely in price so there's something for you no matter what you want. He's the best food critic ever and though I've had a couple of misses if you just start going to the restaurants on that list you will be happy.

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT (he just won a James Beard Award).

Map with Reviews of This Year's Essential 99

Suzzer - ah, you should check out the game one more time if you're looking for a fun, loose game (IIRC the $200NL is usually very wild). I have a fondness for Commerce cause I sort of "grew up" playing there. It is kind of disgusting though ambience-wise compared to the Bike...

-Al

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Alas, Stan's is no more. I started going there in 1969, too bad.

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Thanks for ruining my day. I'm going to go jump off a bridge now. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: Los Angeles: Things To Do And Places To Go
 

Sushi:

Nozawa has already been mentioned. LOL @ the pic though. The place really looks like a complete hole in the wall with no color at all. I have never actually ordered food there (I think they only recently started allowing actual orders), but have always done the Omakase which is mostly Nigiri sushi. It is probably the best quality fish I have ever had in my life, however, I generally prefer sushi places with crazy dishes, and like to order more than just nigiri. They do have the occassional sashimi dish and hand roll as well, but they are all very plain, and you will need soy sauce for almost everything. Still, I highly recommend trying this place at least once if you are gonna live in LA.

Katana in West Hollywood: Fairly expensive, amazing decor, plenty of celebrity sightings, perfect location right across from the House of Blues on Sunset. The sushi here is generally over rated, although I love their Dragon (Eel and avacado) rolls. The real appeal for me is the Robatayaki Bar. Basically it's meats that are grilled and served on sticks. The Chilean Sea bass from the Robatayaki is excellent. You are definitely paying for location, decor and atmosphere here, so it's not just for the food.

Sushi Roku is great. Owned by the same people as Katana. Probably better quality sushi although I haven't been there enough to really be the judge of that. I guess it's better food and less atmosphere compared to Katana.

Matsuhisa on La Cienega: Owned by the same guys as Nobu (Nobu Matsuhisa is the chefs name, Deniro is the other major owner). You have to order the Toro Tartare with Caviar. It is served in a little bowl, and I personally like to stir it around vigorously before eating it. The Tuna and sauce are better when mixed into one. This place is expensive, but well worth it for a food connoisseur.

Sushi Katsuya on Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks: Definitely make reservations because the place is small and the wait is usually at least 30 minutes, often over an hour. Get the Albacore with Crispy Onion. Everything is good here, but the specials are generally better than the items on the menu. Don't be afraid to ask the waitress what her favorite dishes are, because the specials are always changing.

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One more sushi place:

Asanebo on Ventura in Studio City. One of my favorite things in a sushi place is being able to go an entire meal without using soy sauce. Asanebo delivers. Every dish you order will be served in a unique sauce. The fish is very high quality, and they also have tons of exotic options like live shrimp. If you like to experiment, this is a wonderful place to go. I have never had a bad dish here. The only downside is that the portions can be small and expensive.

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Does anyone have a good list of late night food options?

Personally I live in the Valley, and am close to Jerry's Deli which is great. I always get the Matzah ball soup (if you have never tried this soup, I highly recommend it. It's a soft ball of yummy goodness served in a chicken broth soup with some noodles). The Pastrami is good, and the California Sandwich (Bacon, Acacodo, Cheese, Turkey, and I think ranch?) is great as well.

Twain's is even closer, but the food there is absolute dogshit. Never eat there.

Wockano is the closest sushi place to me that's open late. It's decent, but not really worth the 15-20 minute drive. Does anyone know any other sushi places open late?
Katana (listed in my first post) is open til 11:30 or midnight, but I really would like to know of Sushi places open til 2am or later.

There are more options in West Hollywood. Toi is a great Thai place that is open til like 4am.

Bosanova is another great find. I think it's Brazilian cuisine? The pizzas are great. The plantains that come on the side of dishes are awesome. I personally like getting the Beef Stroganoff. Haven't had a bad dish here yet.

Pink's is open late-ish. I think it's open til 2am on weekends so that you can make it in time after the Bar's stop serving alcohol at 1:30.

Mel's diner is open late and kind of famous, but personally I think it's very over rated, and strongly prefer Jerry's Deli.