First impressions of LA.... (Burbank, Santa Monica: wedding, rooftop, live)

[Astoriahoney]

Originally Posted by munchitup

You get a way better impression of the city by taking public transportation.

It is pretty incredible the amount of Angelenos that have lived here their entire life and know close to nothing about the city.

One of my wife's younger co-workers (born and raised in LA) tried to convince her that LA has no subway. "It has some trains but none of them run underground".

But you can't visit all of those areas within 3 days on Public Transportation. That's the bigger problem. To go from Hollywood to Burbank on the RTD takes forever.

Much less going to Santa Monica from Toluca Lake. I've lived in LA and taken public transit long enough to know this. The 217 from Hollywood to Culver (or rather Washington) takes a long ass time.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by Astoriahoney

But you can't visit all of those areas within 3 days on Public Transportation. That's the bigger problem. To go from Hollywood to Burbank on the RTD takes forever.

Much less going to Santa Monica from Toluca Lake. I've lived in LA and taken public transit long enough to know this. The 217 from Hollywood to Culver (or rather Washington) takes a long ass time.

I think you are saying you can't really take in everything these (3-4) locations have to offer in just a couple of days. I don't think it matter how you get there. Personally, having lived in Hollywood for a year and a half now, I don't think I have seen everything there is to see even in my tiny section of LA.

One thing to note: you refer to it as the RTD... It sounds like to me the difference between the current Metro and the old RTD is pretty significant. Metro is far from perfect but from what I've heard, RTD was downright turrible.

[BarcelonaFan]

I like how some of you get the impression that I don't drive. I have a car but I choose to take public transportation to save money. I'm learning that it's not as easy as Boston but still light years ahead of Houston. I never claimed to have taken in all those cities in a short span of time, I'm just saying that I like what I see.

And I get anxious and want to see everything right away so yes I foolishly wasted gas from town to town wanting to see everything I could. I foolishly spent sixteen bucks for my fiancé and I to get to the beach from the train at NoHo and taking the 720 when we could have just drive and paid for parking. It took forever to get there.

Downtown I ate at the pantry cafe and spent too much money as my fiancé and I couldve split a meal there the portions were so big.

Surprisingly downtown LA did not remind me of New York at all in fact it almost looked like downtown Houston. There are other parts of LA that could stand in for NYC.

I like to walk ridiculous distances, I was planning to walk from Wilshire and Vermont to the beach but people told me I would be walking thirteen miles. While I used to walk eight miles daily in Boston I don't think I'm ready for 26 miles.

So I don't get what all the beef is. I know it must have sounded presumptuous to say the town is less intimidating than NYC, but I promise to fall through the cracks so I can make LA feel tougher for you guys.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

I like how some of you get the impression that I don't drive. I have a car but I choose to take public transportation to save money. I'm learning that it's not as easy as Boston but still light years ahead of Houston. I never claimed to have taken in all those cities in a short span of time, I'm just saying that I like what I see.

And I get anxious and want to see everything right away so yes I foolishly wasted gas from town to town wanting to see everything I could. I foolishly spent sixteen bucks for my fiancé and I to get to the beach from the train at NoHo and taking the 720 when we could have just drive and paid for parking. It took forever to get there.

Downtown I ate at the pantry cafe and spent too much money as my fiancé and I couldve split a meal there the portions were so big.

Surprisingly downtown LA did not remind me of New York at all in fact it almost looked like downtown Houston. There are other parts of LA that could stand in for NYC.

I like to walk ridiculous distances, I was planning to walk from Wilshire and Vermont to the beach but people told me I would be walking thirteen miles. While I used to walk eight miles daily in Boston I don't think I'm ready for 26 miles.

So I don't get what all the beef is. I know it must have sounded presumptuous to say the town is less intimidating than NYC, but I promise to fall through the cracks so I can make LA feel tougher for you guys.

Should have told you to get a day pass. 5 bucks each. That's my rule of thumb with LA, if you have to make a transfer I just get a day pass. I might end up eating a dollar but then I feel like I have the freedom to go anywhere for free.

I think when I took the bus to Santa Monica/Venice it was close to an 1.5 hour ride. When going to the beach the wife and I usually drive and just go to Malibu.

In a couple years it will be much faster/easier to reach the beach as the Expo Line will take you right there. Phase 1 kind of leaves you in a no-mans land from the current terminus in Culver City to Santa Monica.

[Astoriahoney]

Originally Posted by munchitup

One thing to note: you refer to it as the RTD... It sounds like to me the difference between the current Metro and the old RTD is pretty significant. Metro is far from perfect but from what I've heard, RTD was downright turrible.

I'm an old school Los Angeleno so I know the city very well. Even after the merge to MTA.

[BarcelonaFan]

I'm surprised at how the main urban center that gives you this super metro feel is not in downtown. I felt more in a big city on Wilshire and Vermont. Am I going to be discovering more of this as o trek along?

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

I'm surprised at how the main urban center that gives you this super metro feel is not in downtown. I felt more in a big city on Wilshire and Vermont. Am I going to be discovering more of this as o trek along?

Westwood is kind of like that, Miracle Mile maybe too?

The thing with those two areas is they drop off to single family homes and smaller apartments pretty quick. Still high density just not lots of high rises other than on Wilshire.

Though I disagree that Koreatown is the most city-like... What part of downtown LA were you in?

[BarcelonaFan]

I was near LA live on Figeroua.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

I was near LA live on Figeroua.

You should go north and east of there. Historic Core (Olive to Main St. north of about Olympic) is more city-like and while not really that much like NYC either, is definitely the closest you'll get in LA. Pretty much all 10-15 story buildings. Like this: downtown, los angeles, ca - Google Maps

Get off at 7th Street/Metro Center or Pershing Square and walk to Little Tokyo (Alameda and 1st). I think that would give you a better idea of what DTLA is about.

[New Horizons]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

I probably spoke too soon but I've been to Downtown, Santa Monica, NOHO, Burbank, Glendale and Hollywood. All in three days.

Point is, it wasn't this gigantic culture wow shock factor like NYC. I didn't mean any disrespect, just that it's not that far off as a town from where I came from.

Quit calling it a town bro, it's the second largest CITY in the US. But then I guess in your two days there you've mastered the quaint little town that it is.