Los Angeles Advice

I have a friend of a friend in LA and she and I are going to go to Reel Inn on Sunday. Somehow I bought two Rose Parade tickets. If she doesn't have too much champagne on New Years Eve she is going to go to the parade with me. Prediction. I'll be going alone.

 

Recently spent a week in Santa Monica on vacation.
My two best experiences from that week:
The Getty museum, which is a great space with lots of interesting exhibits and perhaps the best view in all of LA.
Dinner at The Lobster in Santa Monica, which now is one of my three favorite restaurants on the planet. And I'm not a seafood guy.

 

Highlander, be sure and come back here and tell us what you did, what you liked, what you didn't like.

 

Don't bother renting a car. LA is on the cutting edge of public transit.

 

I love Santa Barbara, but if I'm staying in Commerce then Santa Barbara is not on the to-do list.
Too much driving.
I'm just not the type who enjoys driving that much during a short trip.

 

Thanks for all the advice. It was a great trip. Traffic was never a problem even on Monday heading back to the airport. Ended up actually staying at Days Inn in Artesia due to financial constraints but they that was fine.

Got there around 6 p.m. on Dec. 31. Ended up just grabbing some Italian food and going back to the hotel on New Years Eve. I was tired and really didn't want to get out because I knew a long day was ahead of me.

Took the Gold Line to the Rose Parade, walked a long way to my seats. Then walked to up to another Metro Station to take the Gold Line to the Rose Bowl. Stopped at Tommy's Burgers and had a chili dog. I know I should of had a hamburger but I the hot dog looked good. Actually it was really good.

The game was great. TCU won. Perfect ending to a perfect season. Somehow ended up with a chair back seat and some good fans around me. After the game rode the bus back to the Gold Line with Jeremy Kerley's parents and girlfriend, which was fun.

Sunday went to eat at The Griddle Cafe in Hollywood. Had the french toast which was amazing. Was going to the go to Mann's Chinese Theatre but it was pouring down rain and about 40 degrees. So I headed back to the hotel using just my the Hertz map because my Garmin's battery ran out. I had no idea the lighter in my car didn't work and wasn't charging the Garmin. I was really proud I made it all the way back with just that map.

That night I meet a lady I know in LA for dinner at The Bluewater Grill was great. Good food and great company. I had San Francisco Cioppino. Which is like a seafood combo plate in a bowl. It had dungeness crab, scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels and fish in a spicy marinara sauce topped with romano cheese.

Flew home Sunday via Denver to DFW. Got back about 10 p.m.

Still dragging a bit, but it was a great trip.

Thanks for all the advice. I know I didn't follow it all but thanks.

 

I have actually used the Los Angeles subway. It was 4 p.m. on a weekend, and there were about 6 of us on the entire train.

 

I need a nice place to take a small group to dinner following an all-day meeting in Santa Monica next week. Anyone got a recommendation? The Lobster? Boa?

 

Your best option:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/rustic-canyon-santa-monica

 

Thanks TVs....This looks like a perfect option for the first night but the second night, following the meetings, I think I may need to go with the steak house.

 

Chez Jay on Ocean Avenue or The Galley on Main Street. Google 'em so you know what you're in for. Chez Jay is across the street from The Lobster and the pier, just down from the Loew's hotel. A dive bar/grill with tons of Hollywood history and great food. The Galley is about a mile south of there. A staple of the area for decades.
Santa Monica is restaurant Mecca. Wherever you go will be excellent.