Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Your Turn
The one thing people should do when they visit your town or city. This is going to sound cliche as hell, but if you want to do everything LA in an hour or two you could do it at Hollywood and Highland. The mall has the Dolby Theatre. You can see the Hollywood sign. You can go see Kimmel. You can go to The Roosevelt where the first Oscars were and have a drink by the pool without a reservation. You can see the hand and footprints from Old Hollywood. You can eat at a celebrity owned restaurant or two depending how far we are walking. Missing would be a view of downtown to the ocean which is something I love. Is this LA? No, but it is what people think LA is and it does incorporate a lot of what Hollywood is in a one or two block area. The idea of this is the one thing people should see. They can only see one thing in your town or city.
The center square. With its Gardens. I have a friend who has a neat sidewalk cafe. Sit down get a bottle of frozen vodka, and watch the girls go by.
ReplyDeleteI'm in luck! here there are only 4 things to do in the town I live in--eat, drink, shop or go to the beach. Since eating, drinking,and shopping can be done anywhere, that leaves one thing to do here, just not today or tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI live in a pretty small town, but we have a magnificent pie shop. Our historic downtown is about 5 blocks, easily walkable.
ReplyDeleteLive in DC so touring monuments should do it
ReplyDeleteGood question-I like it Enty: Must do the Beach its pristine and quite wonderful than hop across the road The to the main strip which is about 2-3 mikes of fanatastic brasseries,restaurants,bars,boutiques, and yep-more cafes..... weekends always live music -- lots of families-the best stuff in life:)
ReplyDeleteI live in the largest/capital city in my state. And really, there is one major street in this town that you can drive on for miles and get a total sense of what the until city is about. I've never really thought about it until now. It hits the huge campus area, the arts area, the historical area, many parks, and then turns into a highway eventually in both directions and eventually ends in 2 different states.
ReplyDeleteLas Vegas!
ReplyDeleteSo much to do -- even if you are NOT a tourist.
My suggestion is: "Get OFF the Strip!"
There are so many fabulous places for lunch/dinner away from the lights.
Also,
1.) The Mob Museum is a two trip visit.
(There is so much information you can't consume it all in one trip.)
2.) The Atomic Museum is informative.
3.) The Springs Perserve is a must.
And,
4.) The Wetlands -- if you are NOT tired of walking.
These four are really good for children.
I will plug one thing you should do that is owned by a guy I know:
Las Vegas Mini Gran Prix Go Carting Extravaganza!
Boys & Girls will love this place.
(Google it)
Beatles tour! Great museums and art galleries, Gormley statues on the beach, World Heritage waterfront, ferry cross the Mersey, Roman ruins in Chester.
ReplyDeleteI love living in Liverpool.
Piedmont Park Atlanta!
ReplyDeleteThe default tourist destination for Cleveland is the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. It's not terrible, but it's way overrated. Other than that I can't boil it down. There are lots of great things to see and do in Cleveland/northeast Ohio.
ReplyDeleteThe Mendenhall Glacier and the ice caves underneath it.
ReplyDeleteI guess just check out the CN tower (something I haven't done lol) that's Toronto's biggest attraction, also do the edge walk(?!) if you have the balls, which is just walking the top edge of the
ReplyDeleteCN Tower.
I liked the R & R Hall of Fame, they had alot of interesting artifacts. I loved the sound system where they showed & played the music of all the inductees over the years
ReplyDeleteI've been to the top of the CN Tower, and the window in the floor was unnerving.
ReplyDeleteI live in a small town (around 70,000 people), so the historic centre is a mile diameter. We have a lot of medieval churches, a beautiful cathedral, some art nouveau, and since the year our mayor is a liberal, a lot of turds on the streets, knife attacks, violent robberies and overall dirtiness. That is a plus, because when the mayor was not as liberal (there are no not-liberal parties in this hellhole of a hamlet), the town was rather boring, now the tension to avoid shit and crime makes walking around more thrilling.
ReplyDeleteAlexandria is a little off the beaten path for tourists in D.C. Would recommend that too as I am in dc
ReplyDeleteVisit the Court House - Lindbergh trial took place there.. .Small Borough - that's all I've got. Republican Political Junkies stop at my house and take pictures outside. Everyone from Reagan to George Romney back to Harding came here for support in NJ. Back home? George Eastman House, Strong Museum, High Falls and the Park Ave district.
ReplyDeleteDavid- I wish they would bring Scandia back to Vegas...Bonnie Springs is cool too! Get there before they build the master planned communities at red rock
ReplyDeleteThe Beach
ReplyDeleteWhat is "Your L.A" Enty? Tell us
ReplyDeleteAnd we can tell you what imagen each of us has for L.A
Small town NY
ReplyDeletePopulation approx 2000
Come and pick at our pick-your-own farm of course!
I LOVE your city, @david! I don't even drink or gamble. It doesn't matter. Vegas is the best!
ReplyDeleteI live in Edmonton, so I guess I'm supposed to say West Edmonton Mall but I hate that place. I love the river and the river valley (although most of our parks are fabulous), any of the downtown restaurants will be good, and we have a ton of festivals all summer long. It's a pretty great place to be.
ReplyDeleteIf you visit my are stay indoors. You out of state people can't drive for shit. Florida drivers are the WORST.
ReplyDeleteIDK, Enty. Go visit something colonial, I guess... I wanted to say, "visit the Old Town" (but I don't want to mislead people into implying that it's anything like Geneva down here—I love that song, I love the The Corrs' Unplugged version).
ReplyDeleteIf I were to go to L.A. again, I'd just go to the Hills, sit on a rock/picnic blankie and watch the sunset (and sit around long enough to watch the cities lights light up one by one). Bring some light booze with me. And maybe go to a quieter beach and stick my toes in the sand...
Our beautiful, clean beach and all the little local joints that make a good drink, awesome fresh-caught local seafood and all the other great foodstuffs this city with a large greenbelt has to offer.
ReplyDeleteDid you say "Mob Museum"? Yasss!
ReplyDeleteIt's in the old Post Office bldg in Downtown Las Vegas. Bennett twice and worth it.
ReplyDeletelol small town of 70,000?! It's funny what is small to some people.
ReplyDeleteI live in a small town of 1600 lol
Well, my town has 1600 people. No street lights, 2 locally owned restaurants and 1 bar. Take your pick lol. You can always come cruise the back roads because there is really nothing else to do lol
ReplyDeleteI live in a small town (15000) but we have a beautiful square and courthouse and 2 public glass bathrooms.
ReplyDeleteThe Watts Towers is one of the most moving and impressive icons of Los Angeles, in my opinion. Even the Beatles recognized Simon Rodea, the creator of the Watts Towers, on the cover with all the other notable people on Sgt. Pepper album.
ReplyDeleteThe Venice Canals and Venice walk streets, The Annenberg Space for Photography, The Fowler Museum at UCLA, Frederick Weismann Estate Art Collection. Everything just mentioned also FREE! Treasures abound! Chinese food in San Gabriel Alhambra, that not free but arguably the best Asian food outside of Asia. LA is a glorious city with hidden and not quite hidden gems everywhere. Bronson Caves area offers great view of Hollywood Sign. Amel's garden in Griffith Park. Fried Chicken at Pann's.
Forgot Point Dume in Malibu, North of Pepperdine University. The Reel Inn on the Oacufic Coast Highway. Bergamot Station in Santa Monica---before it disappears. Polo Games in Will Rogers Park. See's Candy.
ReplyDeletePorto' s in Burbank, Langer's pastrami sandwich. Arts District near Japantown. Santa Anita race track. The Beach!!!
ReplyDeleteBreakfast/Lunch at Penthouse restaurant at the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica.
In and Out Burger, also great iced tea and lemonade there. Jonathan Gold's recommendations about restaurants and the movie , City of Gold, a GREAT movie about Los Angeles. I ❤LA
Most Americans who make the trip over the pond, come to see several European countries at once, which makes sense.
ReplyDeleteBut if you come to London - and I will start with what's on the outside - please don't bother visiting some dusty old stately home, a 2 hours' tourist bus trip away - unless you absolutely must see dilapidated old paintings and stained carpets in a beautiful english country side mansion surrounded by rose gardens. It's not for everyone.
Just take the Eurostar and go to Paris for the day. Go there in the morning, come back int eh evening. I know Paris has become kind of a toilet, and I am the first to say it, but really, you must. Leave your valuables in your hotel safe, and go. Stroll around the 1st and the 8th, visit the ubiquitous tourist hot spots, have a glass of wine in a cafe' in Montmartre and annoy Parisians with your Americaness. You will love it. Just (try to) ignore the roaming gypsy gangs who follow you looking to rob you, and the thousands of male, aggressive-looking jihadis littered across the city, making it said toilet. Paris is still a must see.
Oh and avoid the Louvre, it's a waste of time if your trip is only for a day. You'll end up queuing for 3 hours and then be pushed through the museum halls like trapped cattle.
If you're really spending enough time in London, and wish to make another day trip, also consider Amsterdam. I love Amsterdam. It's fucking lovely. It's like a village-capital. You can go anywhere by foot or bike. It's tiny. Here's my tip: go get high at The Bulldog, and then visit the Van Gogh Museum. It's my favourite thing to do, whenever I'm there. After that, when you have proper munchies, sit down at one of the restaurants in Amsterdam Center (although Zuidoost - southeast - also has amazing restaurants). Or just stuff your face with great munchie food on the go like deep fried beef balls, dutch french fries with lots of home made mayo, and then dutch pancakes, waffles and deep fried pastries - bloody hell i'm getting hungry now.
In London there's tons of stuff to do. Literally I could sit here for hours typing away. Apart from there usual tourist stuff and museum tours, I'd recommend Americans to catch a good west end show, maybe even visit the Royal Albert Hall, they always have good concerts, if you wish to be cultured. If with kids, then not to miss out on the Natural History Museum and Science Museum in South Kensington. Those are fun for the whole family and a good idea if it rains and during Christmas time the NHM has cool sleepover nights for kids underneath the dinosaurs, with story tellers and finger foods.
For foodies you got to visit Borough market, and if you like markets in general, Spitalfield's market is kinda cool, and if you have teenagers, go to Camden market. They will love you forever.
Visit the East of London too, like Brick Lane, it's a bit different and fun.
Portobello market is on Saturdays in Notting hill, a huge attraction for tourists, and it's fancier than the other markets, but very very London. Colourful, cool and a must visit.
Carnaby street and Soho are also great places to have a stroll.
Just avoid Soho if you're either homophobic or have a problem with sex workers. Great restaurants there too.
There are just too many things in London to do, food is fucking amazing, we have some of the best restaurants on the planet, so that choice really depends on your food budget and preference. But if you come from some village, opt for having a typical Indian meal, a bloody curry washed down with a cold Cobra or Taj. The best Indian restaurants outside India are definitely here. Just do it at dinner because you won't be able to move afterwards.
So now I'm hungry, cause whenever I travel, food is always a priority, that's why the focus. You got to eat a culture to 'get' a culture, is my motto.
And special London advice for Hortensia and Long Island girl (and other village idiots who still believe in the religion of peace nonsense), because if I'm not insultingly politically incorrect, I'm clearly not myself:
ReplyDeleteWhenever you come to London, I invite you to go Tower Hamlets, in East London. Really, please do. In fact, I will drive you there myself, just don't expect me to hang around. Put on a mini skirt or even knee length skirt (if you're gay, please proudly express your sexuality, like you do on your marches etc), leave in your piercings and show off your tats, and take a nice friendly stroll, and play the game 'how safe do I fee'? Then report back to me, if you make it out alive, that is, about the wonderful multiculturalism you witnessed in our vibrant Tower Hamlets.....also great day trips for your kind, instead of bothering with too white Amsterdam and racist Paris, would be Bradford and Birmingham. I will treat you to a one way ticket.
In Nashville hard to narrow it down but probably ..Bar hop down the honky tonk highway, aka. Broadway. Visit centennial park with the only replica of The Parthenon. See a show at The Ryman auditorium. Pop in and listen to live music at The Station inn and grab dinner at 404 kitchen or catbird seat.
ReplyDelete