La La Land (Part 1)

So, let me say right off the bat that I am a bit of a movie and TV addict …  you can imagine, therefore, that a trip to LA is like a dream holiday for me! In my humble opinion you could spend a month on holiday in LA and still having something fascinating and new and exciting and slightly … well, off-beat to see and do every day for another month!  But if you’re forcing to me to pick favourites ….

Warner Brothers Studio Tour

Warner Brothers – see my separate blog about this. If you have even the slightest passing interest in:

• Movies and the cinema
• TV
• Erol Flynn, James Dean or Lorelai Gilmour
• Dallas, The West Wing or Friends
• how any of the above have shaped the social history of the last 100 years

then you MUST go to the Warner Brothers studios. (And honestly, if you have no interest in any of the above … why are you even in LA?!!!)

Griffith Park

There’s a movie connection here too. Well, several. But the big one for me is James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. There’s a lovingly sculpted bust of Jimmy Dean just outside the observatory which has got the Hollywood sign in the background. Beautiful.

Of course, Griffith Park is primarily home to the Griffith Observatory – “southern California's gateway to the cosmos!”  Here you can look through telescopes, marvel at the planets, see exhibitions and if you go of a nighttime get an amazing view of the stars (the ones in the sky rather than the celloid sort). The architecture is pretty inspiring too.

The Park is impressive in its own right. You can hike around the park, there are lots of routes -  and take in spectacular views over the city and of the Hollywood sign. And the Park is free! You can’t say that about much in LA.  If you have a hire car you can drive up through the park towards the Observatory, there is parking at the top and also along the roadside on the way up. Be warned, though – it gets busy!

Rodeo Drive

We shopped in Ralph Lauren on Rodeo Drive. That and a rather lovely coffee shop were the only places where I felt we could afford something! (To put it in context, the only car park we could find was valet parking and an hour and half there cost us $60). We’re not in Kansas anymore (or even Edinburgh)!

But people like me don’t really go to Rodeo Drive to shop – it’s more about soaking up the rarefied atmosphere and spotting the occasional celeb. And in our case chatting to the manager at Lauren and getting the low down on certain celebs’ shopping habits, and recent gossip (my lips are sealed!).

If you are as shallow as I am regarding beautiful people, beautiful shops, beautiful cakes and the fantasy lifestyle that is this part of LA – then take a tour round Rodeo Drive. Stop and smell (hell! Treat yourself! … even drink a cup of) the coffee.

Laurel Canyon

Movies, TV and Music … Laurel Canyon for the music. If you have a hire car then take a drive to Laurel Canyon. I had a special playlist for the event. Crosbi, Stills, Nash & Young were first up singing about Joni’s Our House. The roof was down on our convertible, the wind was blowing in my hair – it was a little slice of heaven.

If you’re feeling rich and/or adventurous you might want to take a guided tour – Pamela Des Barres (the inspiration for Penny Lane in the movie Almost Famous) runs private tours where she spills the beans from her years as ‘one of the most famous groupies of all time’ (wording taken from her book – I’m With The Band). (PS If you do take Pamela’s tour, please please please get in touch and tell me all about it!)

Hollywood Walk of Fame

We walked from Capitol Records to Manns Chinese Theatre (now the TCL Chinese Theatre). I have never taken so many photographs of the pavement in my life. Well, in reality, I’ve never taken any photographs of the pavement before – but you know what I mean.

The walk was an entertainment in itself; there are the stars embedded in the pavement obviously, and you’ll also find all manner of humanity along this stretch of Hollywood Boulevard. It’s kind of like South Beach, but with less bikinis and alligators. There are some great restaurants and bars along the Boulevard too (and just off) - we ate at Miceli's. Was it the best Italian meal I ever ate? No, but its a family owned institution and Frank Sinatra ate here! What else can I say?! It had an ambience and vibe that you won't find anywhere else and super talented waiters - not only did ours deliver our food in a perfectly charming manner, but he was also an opera singer who took to the mike to entertain the troops. Priceless! 

I loved, loved, loved the Forecourt of The Stars in front of the Chinese Theatre – I put my hands in Rob De Niro’s (and several others) hand prints to see how I measured up. And I got quite emotional about some of the inscriptions; Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracey – they are heroes of mine and were actors who I remember watching with my grandparents when I was a kid sometime last century. It really got to me, in a good way.

Tempted to be the star of your own La La Land adventure?  Get in touch and let's get planning. 

and also ... 

I hesitate to write this and I don’t mean to be at all preachy, but there is one other thing that I feel I must mention about LA. As much as I love LA, the level of homelessness is shocking. And disturbing. Particularly as it sits alongside such incredibly ostentatious wealth. Estimates are that up to 75,000 people (of all ages, genders and states of health) are homeless in Greater LA (Feb ’24). You don’t have to be looking for a ‘tent village’ in LA – they seem to be everywhere, including right off Hollywood Boulevard. If, like me, you would like to do something to assist there are a number of good charities who will take financial or in kind donations. Two that I particularly like are Los Angeles Mission and Downtown Women’s Centre.