Los Angeles, California

Welcome to Los Angeles

Los Angeles is the perfect melting pot of many different municipalities all with their own style and flavor of fun activities and night life. I could tell you a lot of stats about Los Angeles, but all you need to know is it is filled with extremely tall beautifully slender palm trees, that must be almost a hundred years old. It obviously has a booming Film and music industry and less known is its booming Oil & Gas economy. In the ocean there are drilling rigs as far as the eye can see. There are also drilling rigs right inn the city drilling for the oil underneath your feet, but they keep these hidden using large fake buildings placed over top of the drilling operations. Everything else you are curious about is just a quick google search away. So, I will just tell you my general impressions of the different municipality neighborhood cities that I have visited and spent time in.

Hollywood

Hollywood is hands down my favorite part of Los Angeles. My opinion may be biased due to having a few friends that lived there for a few years, so I would fly down quite often to see them and party it up in Hollywood. Contrary to what my perception of it was in my head before I had ever visited it, when I got there, I quickly discovered that Hollywood is an amazing underground grungy music scene. With a never-ending barrage of new and trying to make it performers playing at many different little dive bars and holes in the wall locations, it’s the perfect place for a live music venue lover like myself. Of course, they have the Hollywood bowl for bigger name artists and venues, but I’m more of an off the beaten path kind of guy.

When in Hollywood I would always stay at the Motel 6, a reasonably priced $70 per night at that time. I loved getting into bed as the sun was rising from a good night on the town and only getting an hour of sleep before being awoken to the sound of Spanish yelling kids where running up and down the hallway through the extremely thin walls and doors, and the sound of the maids vacuuming the hallways and running the vacuum cleaner into my door. Its all part of the experience!

So, during the day you should do the touristy thing and find the Hollywood walk of fame on the Hollywood Blvd and get some selfies with your favorite actor or actresses star. And then find a drink on a patio and take in all the weirdos walking around. Don’t be afraid to be weird yourself. Hollywood loves a good freak as Las Vegas loves a good drunk. I recommend the Cabo Cantina on Hollywood Blvd. I have had many excellent starts to my day there and they have an excellent roof top. Afterwards, go check out the extremely life like wax museum and get a selfie with more of your favorite actors or actresses or even athletes. You can jump on a jump on jump off bus for a tour of the Hollywood hills and famous celebs houses. Honestly there is no shortage of things to do or see in Hollywood.

The Nightlife scene in West Hollywood is Lit! Check out the Rainbow room or the viper room owned by Johnny Dep for some nice grungy heavy metal music and great drinks. Both bars have been featured on many tv shows and movies. For amazing up and coming street performers, check out the piano bar if it is still there. A tiny little hole in the wall place but is a fantastic time. Another great bar is the Roxbury featured in the movie ‘A Night at The Roxbury’. Honestly there is no shortage of nightlife, just stumble down the street and have a great time.

Santa Monica & Venice

Santa Monica and Venice are a Surfer and hippies dream come true with the excellent sized waves and all the pot shops as far as the eye can see down the Venice board walk. You can smoke a doubie and then go get the best fish tacos of your life at James Beach restaurant in Venice. Featured on the movie ‘I Love You Man’. I had them and yes, I dare anyone to tell me they’ve had better ones. If so, I want to know where. Go check out the gym right on the beach at Muscle Beach where Arnold Schwarzenegger used to work out before he was ultra famous and the legendary Gover-nator! Gather around Sunday afternoons at Venice beach for legendary drum circles, where anyone and everyone brings their own drums to the beach, sets them up and sometimes hundreds of drummers just start playing and get synchronized to an amazing spectacle.

Beverly Hills

Beverly hills is an extremely nice neighborhood. You’ve definitely heard of its area code 90210. It is a pricey area to stay hotel wise, but a great place to go check out and walk around and have lunch. Maybe you’ll bump into a celeb. Go check out the famous shopping street Rodeo Drive and window shop at some $500 T shirts.

Malibu

Malibu is a gorgeous oceanic area in the rolling hills with extremely expensive real-estate cliff side to the ocean. You can’t really transit this area with out a vehicle. So, if you have a car, definitely take a drive through. Its stunning and most wealthy people choose this area to live due to its location, being north and slightly outside of the hustle and bustle of busy LA. Stop into anyone one of the varying seaside cafes for some lunch and a drink and enjoy great food and views of the ocean.

Huntington Beach

Down to the south is Huntington Beach. A place that holds a special place in my heart. I spent a week here years ago with a friend that passed away, in a rented beach house we got for $1000 for 7 nights. A great little house just a block away from the ocean and walking distance to everything you need. The town of Huntington beach seems to mostly be tourists and retired expats living the slow beach life. Hanging out on the front patio of our house drinking beers and playing guitar, there was not one single person that walked by with out saying hello to us. Everybody down there is super friendly and laid back. If you are looking for chilled out vibes, surfing, beach life with all the accessible commodities of a city, this is the place for you. It is far south of LA about an hour drive only due to the fact that LA’s traffic is atrocious. It always moves at a snail pace no matter where you are. The time google maps tells you it will take will always end up being double that, so plan accordingly.

 

One last note about Los Angeles and California in general. You must go eat the best fast food meal of your life at In & Out Burger. There are only three items on the menu including, French fries, burgers and shakes, however they have a whole secret menu you find out by a quick google search or the old fashion way of communicating with humans by talking.

Los Angeles

Landscape – 8/10

Food – 8/10

Price – $$$ (you can pay as little or as much as you want)

Alcohol Price – $$