Eating
Eating out in Los Angeles – cheap, expensive and everything in between
Dining out in LA can be a punt for the first timer. That said, there are more than 25,000 restaurants in the greater Los Angeles area and, while quality varies of course, you're very unlucky to strike a dud twice in a row. One thing LA does do really, really well, though is... sushi. There's a sushi joint on every corner and it's generally good stuff. Little Tokyo is perfect for a Japanese fix.
The budget options - for great sushi, try Asanebo on Ventura Boulevard, Katsu-Ya and Sushi Nozawa, also on Ventura. If you're hankering after a very fine burger, try Father's Office on Helms. If you're Venice Beach bound, try Jody Maroni's. It's a gourmet sausage joint and it's pretty good. (Try the chicken apple.)
Mid price options - Blueberry out on Santa Monica Boulevard is an LA institution famed for it's country cottage breakfasts and lunches. It's great (but busy) on weekends. For something different try Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n' Waffles. They specialise in, well you guessed it, although not necessarily at the same time.
Splurge - there are plenty of fancy restaurants waiting to take your money in LA. Katsuya on Hollywood Boulevard is up there. Designed by Philppe Starck and staffed by renowned master chef Katsuya, the restaurant is the latest 'it' place. But it's also very, very good. Japanese fusion food and sushi.
Things not to miss
Los Angeles sucks you in with its weather
You can get out and about and see such a lot in LA because the weather is just so darn good. Hot occasionally, cold, almost never and the rain stays away. (Bad for them, good for us tourists.) So that means a lot of the LA activity is based around the great outdoors. One of the big deals in Los Angeles is the theme parks - Disneyland, Universal etc are a great drawcard - but they're not the only game in town.
Universal Studios - takes in the whole movie making experience with movie-theme rides and carnival shows plus characters and food options. It's a day long experience so pack and dress accordingly.
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Magic Mountain - specialises in thrill rides. Giant roller coasters, carnival games, arcades, speed rides, 3D experiences and log rides. The teenage kids will love it.
Soak City - is next to Knott's Berry Farm and does what it says it does on the wrapper; gets you wet. One of the largest water parks in So Cal, Soak City has high-speed thrill rides, four-person rafts, single rider slides, enclosed terror rides and slow and steady family rides. If the weather's good, there's no better way to spend the day.
But ... are there other things that a Los Angeles holiday can include? Quite a bit as it turns out.
J. Paul Getty Museum - not just another museum, this is a collection from a very rich guy with ... well, you've probably got the posters on your wall! There are Van Gogh's, Monet's, Cezanne's and more and it's all in a quite spectacular building. Even if you're not an art aficionado, you'll love a day out here.
Venice Beach - do a tour of the canal properties at Venice Beach. Just behind the beach proper is a series of walkways and little bridges that are the result of someone's grand plan to resurrect the look and feel of Venice. The care and attention people have put into their homes and the decorative titbits are enthralling.
Griffith Park Observatory - have you seen an observatory? Well check out the one in Griffith Park. If you've 'done' the theme parks, take a real look at space, the final frontier and all that. It's a non-profit place dedicated to sharing knowledge about the universe. It's not highbrow, just fascinating. and the walk around the trails is great exercise and a good look at California scenery.
The must see - unless you live under a rock you may be aware that LA is sited on a major geological fault line. Evidence of the shifting continental plates lies at the La Brea tar pits in the middle of Los Angeles. Tar seeps up to the surface and the pits have captured thousands of animals over the aeons. You'll see the preserved remains of dire wolves and other prehistoric animals. It's pretty cool - and a quirky little story to take back home.
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