Los Angeles Vacation for Cultural Elitists? (Pasadena, Orange: city hall, rent, hotels)

[Lookout Kid]

Alright, I'm thinking it's time to head out to Los Angeles to visit some old friends, meet some new babies, etc. My wife and I have some ideas about what we'd like to see in the Los Angeles area, and are looking for other suggestions. We're both a little bit clueless about L.A.'s cultural scene, and are probably not interested in a symphony or ballet or anything like that on this particular trip. We want things that are uniquely L.A. I am an architect and my wife works in interactive marketing and comes from an art background. So cultural activities are high on our list. We are also foodies, though I defer to my wife on that one. Here are a few things we are thinking about trying so far:

1. Drive around to look at mid-century modern homes by Neutra, Schindler, Koenig, and the like. Does anyone know of any tours?

2. Head up to the Getty.

3. Stay in an architecturally interesting boutique hotel in a cool neighborhood.

4. At least one outrageously good meal (<$500 for two). We don't necessarily want the trendiest restaurant, just quality. Innovation is a must though! What's the hot foodie restauarant in L.A. these days?

5. My wife found a place that will rent out classic convertibles for a few days. She wants to drive around with a scarf on her head and outrageously large sunglasses. I know, it's a stereotype, but should be fun assuming we can find a scenic road that's not choked with traffic for at least a few hours one day of the week.

6. Is there anything related to film-making that's not cheesy and celebrity-based that might be interesting? We have no interest in touristy studio tours or anything like that!


Any other suggestions? I've been to L.A. before, but mainly saw Santa Monica (which I liked), Hollywood, and Venice. Thanks in advance for your help! Downtown L.A. was pretty uninteresting to me, but I hear it has improved.

[CESpeed]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

1. Drive around to look at mid-century modern homes by Neutra, Schindler, Koenig, and the like. Does anyone know of any tours?

I know there a tour for Frank Lloyd Wright homes, but I don't know how to set them up.

2. Head up to the Getty.

They've recently opened the Getty Villa in Malibu, so there are two now. You'll need a reservation to go to the Villa. You can make it online.

3. Stay in an architecturally interesting boutique hotel in a cool neighborhood.

I think the Culver Hotel would qualify.

4. At least one outrageously good meal (<$500 for two). We don't necessarily want the trendiest restaurant, just quality. Innovation is a must though! What's the hot foodie restauarant in L.A. these days?

Mr. Chow's in Beverly Hills or Le Dome on Sunset.

5. My wife found a place that will rent out classic convertibles for a few days. She wants to drive around with a scarf on her head and outrageously large sunglasses. I know, it's a stereotype, but should be fun assuming we can find a scenic road that's not choked with traffic for at least a few hours one day of the week.

You want to drive Topanga Canyon or Pacific Coast Hwy.

6. Is there anything related to film-making that's not cheesy and celebrity-based that might be interesting? We have no interest in touristy studio tours or anything like that!


Any other suggestions? I've been to L.A. before, but mainly saw Santa Monica (which I liked), Hollywood, and Venice. Thanks in advance for your help! Downtown L.A. was pretty uninteresting to me, but I hear it has improved.

You still don't want to go Downtown, it's still extremely uninteresting. When you were in Hollywood did you make it to Griffith Park/Los Feliz area? They've renovated the Observatory and the Los Feliz area has some really beautiful homes. One of my favorite things to do on Sundays is going to open houses they're all over the city.

[timelesschild]

1. I have a huge list of architectural tours for the next 2 months or so; which weekend are you coming?
Also, you might want to see if you can get into the Gamble House in Pasadena; it's a Greene and Greene, and well-worth seeing. Additionally, The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens are spectacular - not to be missed.

2. the Getty - You can handle this without help.

3. Look in South Pasadena for a 5-star B&B. There are 3:

The Bissell House - 201 Orange Grove Ave., South Pasadena, CA‎ - (626) 441-3535
Artists' Inn - 1038 Magnolia St, South Pasadena, CA‎ - (626) 799-5668
Arroyo Vista Inn - 335 Monterey Road, South Pasadena, CA‎ - (888) 927-7696

5. You can also drive up Mulholland Highway from Malibu. You could do the Getty, Malibu, Mulholland and Topanga Canyon Roads, all in one day.

[hsw]

LA grub has improved dramatically in past 5yrs...it's stronger overall than SF today, but still lacks a restaurant of caliber of Chic's Alinea...

Would suggest you consider Bastide, Sona, Hatfield's and Cut...

LA has numerous interesting, twisty, scenic mtn rds....many are quite empty, esp wkend early AM or wkdays in middle of day....some of most interesting rds are in Malibu canyons leading from PCH up into SM Mtns...Kanan Rd and many others....there was a recent thread in LA forum detailing a few of the better rds...

Suspect you may be surprised by how LA's Westside has evolved (for the better) over past 2-3 yrs....every wkend, LA (esp Malibu in Summer) is full of an eclectic, cosmopolitan crowd from SiliconValley, Chic, NYC, Dallas, Seattle, etc who have wkend places on LA's Westside/Malibu....despite having zero interest in the media/entertainment industry...

Really amusing when one realizes how many in SiliconValley/Manhattan had previously mocked LA's intellectual culture (or lack thereof)....but many "elitists" seem to have become addicted to LA's unique hedonism....

[Lookout Kid]

Thanks for the suggestions! Keep 'em coming! I'll probably print this thread to show my wife after it burns out.

We don't have a specific weekend planned yet, but are kind of deciding if this is something we want to do. I haven't been out to see some friends in LA in quite a while. We'll probably go in the late winter/early Spring when we're really sick of Chicago weather.

Once again, thanks for the info!

[TheRealAngelion]

Other cultural points of interest you might consider are The Getty Villa in Malibu, The Huntington Museum & Gardens or the Norton Simon Museum (both in Pasadena), the new Broad Contemporary Art Museum at LACMA, and The Walt Disney Concert Hall which is definitely worth seeing even if you don't wish to attend a concert.

When it comes to seeing homes in LA, personally I think there's nothing better than driving around yourself rather than taking a tour. Get yourself a good map, identify the houses and neighborhoods you want to see, and go at your own pace.

As far as restaurants go since you seem to be willing to spend some cash, the restaurants that seeem to get consistently ranked as being among the best in LA right now are Providence, Spago, and Water Grill. Osteria Mozza is also very hot right now and requires way in advance reservations. However there are many other options to choose from that might be as equally good. It's all quite subjective when it comes to individual taste. Zagat is pretty reliable as are numerous other Internet sources. Just check and cross check a good number of sources.

Although I have never done it, the Warner Brothers tour consistently gets very good reviews and is not viewed as cheesy. It's among the most legendary old Hollywood studios with a lot of history and might be the most intellectually stimulatiing of all the studio tours.

My suggestion of small boutique hotels to consider include Maison 140 (Beverly Hills), Mosaic Hotel (Beverly Hills), The Ambrose (Santa Monica), The Georgian (Santa Monica), The London West Hollywood (brand new and very hot right now), Le Montrose West Hollywood (a personal favorite of mine). Check Trip Advisor for reviews.

As far as scenic drives go, you must drive Pacific Coast Hwy up to Malibu if you've never done it before. I suggest driving all the way to at least Trancas Canyon.

[BRinSM]

check the casa del mar hotel in santa monica. it's not really a boutique, but it is architecturally interesting and in a great location right on the boardwalk. another nice architectural hotel is the biltmore in downtown LA. LA doesn't have a lot of boutique hotels, so i can't really help you there. as far as food goes, i'm not much of a foodie, but there is a blog called eater LA (la.eater.com) that stays on top of the restaurant scene here in LA and can probably give you a pretty good idea of the 'cool' places to eat.

[the one]

a new double decker tour of old los angeles just began operation. i cant remeber the name. but they are the ones that do hollywood blvd and such.
the newest route goes into downtown and shows you all the architectural beauties from beax arts, to modern to everything. it tours broadway which has all the theaters. the old bank district and so on. downtown does have A LOT to see.
hey i just found a link.

its starline.
Downtown Los Angeles double-decker bus tour service unveiled - 9/24/08 - Los Angeles-Southern California-LA Breaking News, Weather, Traffic, Sports - abc7.com

also check out angelino heights just northwest of DT. many victorian homes. it is closer to echo park and silver lake which can offer good "organic" culture. more street level, artsy type of stuff.
you can easily start on hollywood. tour the angelino heights neighborhood. and end up in downtown where a bus driver takes over. afterwards you can cruise to the beach for a sunset drive.

for beaches and windey roads... im no help. except to say that i prefer OC beaches (the only time you will hear me favor orange county).

pasadena also has lots of craftsmen homes if thats what you like.

lots to do here.
whatabout catchin a show at the hollywood bowl. they let you bring our own booze! have a picinic on the lawn.

there really is lots to do.
enjoy.

o and for food. high end, haute cuisine? you got me too. i know the better, not soo pricey places.

[timelesschild]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

We don't have a specific weekend planned yet, but are kind of deciding if this is something we want to do. I haven't been out to see some friends in LA in quite a while. We'll probably go in the late winter/early Spring when we're really sick of Chicago weather.

OK, my list of architectural tours/events goes only through 10/19 so it won't help you. Here is one weekend's sampling, though, to show you what sort of thing is out there:

Saturday 10/4 ANGELINO HEIGHTS one of Los Angeles' first suburbs, rich with history and Victorian architecture | $5-$10 res reqd | tour 10:00am

Saturday 10/4 ART DECO LOS ANGELES in downtown's Historic Core | $5-$10 res reqd | tour 10:00am

Saturday 10/4 BROADWAY'S NATIONAL REGISTER THEATRE DISTRICT the largest concentration of pre-World War II movie houses in America | $5-$10 res reqd | tour 10:00am

Saturday 10/4 THE HISTORIC CORE four decades of Los Angeles history, architectural styles from the Victorian to the Beaux Arts to the Art Deco | $5-$10 res reqd | tour 10:00am

Saturday 10/4 LA CITY HALL including the magnificient rotunda, City Council chambers and Public Works session room | $5-$10 res reqd | tour 11:00am at Los Angeles City Hall, 200 N Spring St, Los Angeles, 213 623 2489

Sunday 10/5 GARFIELD HEIGHTS LANDMARK DISTRICT Pasadena's second oldest landmark district, featuring homes from the Victorian, Arts-and-Crafts, and Spanish Colonial Revival periods | $13-$15 reqd | open house / tour 12:00pm at 1245 N Garfield, 1245 N Garfield, Pasadena, 626-388-2174