L.A. Bleg
Like a good number of Boalties, Earl is headed south for the summer, to Los Angeles. I come with my own Bay Area-ingrained stereotypes, to be sure: I expect to drive to the Starbucks two blocks around the corner -- somehow sit in traffic just the same -- and then be overcharged by a 15 year-old peroxide blond struggling reality TV star. (Or David Hasselhoff. He has to be broke by now, right?). When I come out, my stereo will be gone. I may or may not be eaten by a mountain lion, or blown into a hill fire by the Santa Ana wind.
Anyway, if that doesn't happen, I'm actually looking forward to the trip, and on behalf of all similarly situated Boalties, I wanted to solicit some input from our L.A. readers on what we should do when we're down there, what we should see, where we should go, etc.
I'm also particularly interested in L.A. history and its place in popular culture (beyond the obvious and the vacuous), hence the request for books and movies about L.A. I should add that, like a great, Truman-like President once said, this isn't my first rodeo. I've been in L.A. a good bit for business and pleasure, so I don't need to go to Universal Studios. I've seen the handprints in Hollywood at that theater. I shopped on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills (er, I looked at expensive shit I can't afford in the window). So none of the tourist stuff. (Well, maybe a little.)
After taking to some folks, I got a little bit of a list going. It'd be great to be able to fill in at least the top five for each.
Places to Go
1. Getty
2. Manhattan Beach
3.
4.
5.
Books to Read
1. Kevin Starr -- "Material Dreams: Southern California Through the 1920s"
2. Mike Davis -- "City of Quartz"
3. Anything by Raymond Chandler
4, 5, 6... ??
Bars to Patronize
1. The Standard downtown (please don't hate me)
2-5.... ??
Movies to Watch
1. L.A. Story
2. Chinatown
3. Escape from Los Angeles (kidding...)
4, 5. ...??
Restaurants to Sample
1. ????? (Dining for most of one's life in the Bay Area creates a rebuttable presumption that the food in LA is horrible by comparison -- but I'll give it a chance.)
Last but not least, a list of secret traffic routes to the Westside would be cash money. But since it's L.A. we're talking about, I won't hold my breath. And any other "must-see/do/try" categories would be great.
Anyway, if that doesn't happen, I'm actually looking forward to the trip, and on behalf of all similarly situated Boalties, I wanted to solicit some input from our L.A. readers on what we should do when we're down there, what we should see, where we should go, etc.
I'm also particularly interested in L.A. history and its place in popular culture (beyond the obvious and the vacuous), hence the request for books and movies about L.A. I should add that, like a great, Truman-like President once said, this isn't my first rodeo. I've been in L.A. a good bit for business and pleasure, so I don't need to go to Universal Studios. I've seen the handprints in Hollywood at that theater. I shopped on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills (er, I looked at expensive shit I can't afford in the window). So none of the tourist stuff. (Well, maybe a little.)
After taking to some folks, I got a little bit of a list going. It'd be great to be able to fill in at least the top five for each.
Places to Go
1. Getty
2. Manhattan Beach
3.
4.
5.
Books to Read
1. Kevin Starr -- "Material Dreams: Southern California Through the 1920s"
2. Mike Davis -- "City of Quartz"
3. Anything by Raymond Chandler
4, 5, 6... ??
Bars to Patronize
1. The Standard downtown (please don't hate me)
2-5.... ??
Movies to Watch
1. L.A. Story
2. Chinatown
3. Escape from Los Angeles (kidding...)
4, 5. ...??
Restaurants to Sample
1. ????? (Dining for most of one's life in the Bay Area creates a rebuttable presumption that the food in LA is horrible by comparison -- but I'll give it a chance.)
Last but not least, a list of secret traffic routes to the Westside would be cash money. But since it's L.A. we're talking about, I won't hold my breath. And any other "must-see/do/try" categories would be great.
posted by Earl Warren at 6:43 PM
45 Comments:
Places to go: since you put Getty first, I'll assume that you enjoy art and recommend the Norton Simon museum and Huntington Gardens, both in Pasadena. Also in Pasadena area: a really great soda fountain and drug store in S. Pasadena (salvaged from a Joplin, MO drugstore); a stroll through the Caltech campus; a stroll through the revitalized Pasadena downtown.
restaurants: angelini osteria, lala's, tacos in grand central market
places: grand central market, venice beach!!
Movies: 1)mulholland drive, 2)mulholland drive, 3)mulholland drive
For a quite cynical view of Los Angeles/Hollywood, read Day of the Locust (Nathaniel West). Takes place during the Depression, but the alienation and madness of Los Angeles is applicable to the present. Excellent read (and short).
Not to "hijack" the thread, but might we expand this into other cities where lots of Boalties are headed in a week or two? Like NYC? Any fun, non-touristy hang-outs, etc.?
- Go to a concert at the Disney Center Music Hall.
- I think the soda fountain 7:44 is talking about is Soda Jerks on Fair Oaks.
- An interesting historical trip: there's a little chapel next to Placita Olvera downtown where local Latino families commemorate events and offer prayers of thanks for various blessings. Compare to the newly built downtown cathedral, which is beautiful but comparatively sterile. They're within a Bay Area walk of each other (for LA people, forget it, it's a drive).
Places to eat:
- Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles
- Pink's Hot Dogs on La Brea
- new craze: Pinkberry's frozen yogurt (WeHo and Santa Monica locations). But even better: 21 Choices frozen yogurt in Pasadena.
- King Taco and CoolaCoos at Dodger Stadium
And if you want something nice to eat:
- Musso and Frank's for old time Hollywood class
- R23 for the best sushi in town
- Mimosa for a nice bistro
- Ocean and Vine - the restaurant/bar in Loews in Santa Monica for beautiful sunset views.
To build upon 8:55's request, can anyone suggest good restaurants to ask my firm to take me in SF?
-not native to SF
To build upon 8:55's request, can anyone suggest good restaurants to ask my firm to take me in SF?
Wow. What a douche.
most important book to read on Los Angeles: www.perezhilton.com
Armen, why is that request douchey? (Or should I say, why do YOU think that request is douchey, because [despite your apparent belief to the contrary], reasonable minds may differ)
I, like EW and most of my classmates, will be working at a firm this summer in a city that I am unfamiliar with. And, from what I hear, associates at the firm will ask me and other SAs to suggest places to go for dinner. I was simply asking if anyone had recommendations, since I can't name more than 3 restaurants in SF.
Now do this blog a favor and get off everyone's fucking case.
Thanks for all the comments so far. I'll have some responses later, but to return the favor (and eliminate the bad karma I used up responding to Armen last night), let me says #1: Every SF citizen of even modest means prides themselves on knowing the best restaurants. You're better off asking them than us. #2: Aqua, Townhall, Silks, Kokkari, Farallon, Slanted Door, Pesce -- that should get you through the two weeks. You can ask, but they won't take you: Gary Danko, La Folie, Chez Panisse.
Listen, you barking orders at me isn't really helping your image as a prick with an oversized sense of entitlement. Notice EW made no mention of PLACES TO HAVE THE FIRM TAKE HIM. See the difference?
Why do I have the feeling you're a 1L who landed a firm job? I just have this weird feeling. Ugh. Here's my free tip for you during the summer: learn some manners and humility. It's much more important than mouthing off the latest trendy restaurant at the snap of a finger.
bravo!
normally don't like AA's bitchslapping but must applaud him in this instance.
Armen, you're the last person I'd take professional advice from. Your conduct on this blog reeks of immaturity and unprofessionalism.
Perhaps I could have worded the post differently. I was trying to convey that I was looking for restaurant recommendations that would be appropriate for firm dinners, as opposed to going by myself, with friends, etc.
But that's no excuse for you to jump down my throat. Really, we're all classmates here -- show a little respect and kindness. My post didn't attack anyone.
I am appalled at how rude and temperamental your posts are on this blog. Perhaps you should check out autoadmit.com -- sounds like you'd fit right in there (if you're not already a regular).
A little off topic but are there any tips to getting a job offer for 2L summer employment? (other than the CDO's take on this issue).
Earl, hope you like LA, I personally like it much better than SF... I also think anybody who expects traffic in LA to be worse than SF is wrong, SF is by far the worst I've ever been in.
Movies: Roger Rabbit
Cliche Nightlife: The Roxy, The Whiskey
Food: Soot Bull Jeep in Koreatown
If you're missing Berkeley, take a short trip to Downtown Claremont, it's a college town with the closest (IMHO) feel to Berkeley in LA. Some great coffee & food, as well as a calming Botanic Garden and Arboretum.
OCIP tips for 2Ls that you may or may not get from CDO:
Grades only matter for which law firm you end up at. They don't determine whether or not you get a firm job.
If you don't have any connections to a city you are interviewing for, lie about having family and/or a significant other there. Similarly, if you have no interest in working for a law firm beyond the summer, lie about this. Don't even try to fudge it. They are doing their fair share of lying to you, so don't feel bad.
Show enthusiasm. Keep smiling. Try to maintain a casual conversation with the interviewer from the moment you set foot in their office; don't wait for them to ask you questions.
If you bid on a firm but don't get an interview slot, stop by their suite with a resume and ask to chat with someone. This is very effective (sometimes more effective than an actual interview, if you show persistence and hit it off with them).
A lot of the small stuff that you may start worrying about really doesn't matter (within reason): pant vs. skirt suit, gray vs. black vs. navy suit, which writing sample to use, who to list as references, thank-you emails or letters.
Oops, I re-read 11:33's post and seems s/he was asking about getting a permanent offer for current 2Ls. This makes a lot more sense. I thought it was kind of early for 1Ls to be worrying about OCIP.
11:52 I think the person was asking how to get an offer from a summer associate position.
Answer: Don't be "that drunk girl/guy" and you're fine.
Maybe I missed it, but is LA Confidential really not on the list?
FYI, lying to potential employers is always a bad idea. And, while I must note the irony of someone who posted a question on Armen's blog calling Armen out for his blogging behavior, I must say I agree Armen should not have called the person a douche and a prick. The problem with the internets is that they paradoxically give us more instances of communication but less true communication. If the same commenter had sat down with the Armaniac and me at Zeb and asked the same question, I suspect there wouldn't have been a problem because we all would have understood the context. Then again, perhaps the person really is a douche and a prick and Armen just would have said so to their face.
Lying to potential employers is not always a bad idea. It's sometimes necessary. If they ask you whether you want to work for a law firm when you graduate and the answer is "no," you can kiss that job goodbye. Same result if the answer is "I'm not sure where I expect to be after getting my degree."
So yes, from their perspective, it's a bad idea for you to lie. But if you want the job, you're going to need to fudge the truth.
zankou chicken!! fantastic, inexpensive, and featured in a beck song.
there's a place on wilshire, in west la, right near the santa monica border, called amadine's, i think. it's got really amazing almond croissants (and breakfast in general).
scoops is one of the top rated "restaurants" on yelp! but is actually this incredible ice cream shop- the guy makes all his own flavors, many of which are really really bizarre but most of which are fabulous. and it's incredibly cheap and the guy loves giving samples of everything. it's in koreatown-ish, just east of the 101.
doughboys- i forget exactly where it is (I think 3rd street, somewhat near the grove). i thought the food was really good and surprisingly affordable for dinner (like, under 15 for a whole meal including tax/tip), and it has a huge menu. the french onion soup is a favorite. you might see some random industry types, but it's not solely that sort of place.
the museum of jurassic technology. just go.
the griffith observatory is now open, and while it's a little touristy, it's got a lot of cool exhibits and amazing views. and there's a planetarium full of old people and stoned teenagers.
union station in downtown is a pretty fabulous old train station.
have fun!
La Brea Tar Pits for some touristy fun.
Laguna Niguel is the nicest place in all of southern california. Cool breeze, nice quaint shopping and beautiful views. Also for a nice dinner the dining room at the Ritz in Laguna Niguel can't be beat.
Best Chinese food is from the Frontier Wok in Century City
Dalton's is a great lunch place (top lemonade) in Universal City
that is all...
Don't miss the Museum of Tolerance - it's one of the most memorable and significant tourist experiences you can have in LA.
Christ, kids these days. Armen, you were exactly right to jump on that (probably a good guess it's a) 1L for his/her post. Humility 1L, humility. If a summer at my firm ever asked me to take him somewhere specific (other than the last-day lunch), I'd give that person shit assignment's for the rest of the summer. That serves as a good lesson to upcoming summer's too: if a partner or associate asks you where you want to go, throw out no less than three names and let them choose. It's more classy that way.
And, don't go to Aqua. It's played out and not that good. The porcini mushroom soup for a starter is the only worthwhile thing on the menu (except for the lobster pot pie, which rumor has it is now only an off-menu dinner item). If the firm is spending big enough bucks to go to Aqua, try to steer them towards Boulevard instead. Now that's a meal.
1st question is whether you are working downtown or century city. because that will really change where you do most of your adventuring. ill do some general stuff, assuming you are century city/westside. if it's actually downtown, we can change things up.
Places to Go
1. Getty (LA is a great art town--not sure what shows will be in town but go at least to LACMA and MOCA). There are also some great galleries in Venice, and Bergamot Station in Santa Monica is also usually fun). Huntington Gardens is also beautiful, and they have a nice museum as well, as mentioned in previous posts.
2. Manhattan Beach (eh, not sure what's so great about Manhattan Beach--it's cute and all, but your better off in Santa Monica or Venice). And if you actually want to go to the beach go up to Malibu.
3. Dodger Stadium. Dunno if you are a baseball fan, but other than driving and parking there, Chavez Ravine is a nice place for a ballgame.
4. If you like architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock house is in hollywood. You can also check out tons of Frank Gehry stuff all around the city. Lots of interesting architecture, so if you're into that I suggest you get a book
5. Historical stuff... well, there's olivera street downtown. Watts towers. You used to be able to take the Angel's Flight cable car in downtown, but I think that's closed now. You got some history of early Los Angeles there. I'm forgetting tons of cool things. it's just not coming to me now. There are so many neighborhoods to explore. It's crazy. try to catch a show at the whiskey, roxy or troubadour. these places helped launch the LA punk and metal scene. Concerts at Hollywood bowl or the greek theater are also nice.
6. If you like parks/hiking/outdoors there are tons of beautiful places. Griffith Park, Will Rogers, Topanga, Franklin Canyon, Laurel Canyon, etc.
Books to Read
1. Kevin Starr -- "Material Dreams: Southern California Through the 1920s" (don't know this)
2. Mike Davis -- "City of Quartz" (yes--he also wrote one called Ecology of Fear and maybe one more)
3. Anything by Raymond Chandler (yes)
4. Joan Didion, Slouching Towards Bethlehem
5. James Ellroy (wrote LA Confidential, could also check out Black Dahlia and the others in the LA quartet, if you like crime novels)
6. Walter Mosley--more great LA crime novels (he wrote devil in the blue dress and tons more)
7. I haven't read it, but "Writing Los Angeles" by David Ullin looks like a truly excellent book excerpting some of the great writers who have written about LA. If you want to get a feel for the place, this looks like an interesting book to start with.
Bars to Patronize
(note, I'm not one of the cool kids in LA that knows about clubs and stuff, so I don't know cool places to drink, only places to get good beer).
1. The Standard downtown (please don't hate me). Worth going to once. The view is great. but drinks are expensive and not that good.
2. Father's Office. Like I said, this is where to go to get great beer, and an amazing burger too. If you like beer I can list a few other places that are worth going.
Movies to Watch
1. L.A. Story (yes)
2. Chinatown (YES)
3. Escape from Los Angeles (kidding...)
4. BLADE RUNNER (and go to the bradbury building downtown where the final scene takes place, very beautiful building. after that go eat at grand central market or find one of the nearby great taquerias)
5. Clueless
6. Swingers?
7. Heat
8. Boys in the Hood?
obviously there are a ton of movies that take place in LA. this list could keep going.
Restaurants to Sample
(Again, this depends on your taste. While burritos in the Mission may rock, I guarantee you better Mexican food in LA. Better ethnic food in general actually. I am going to list some of the "fancy" restaurants your firm can take you that are really good. I will miss some because I am only writing places I've been. Look at the LA Weekly and Jonathan Gold's lists for where to eat. I can come back and do un-fancy at some point).
(no particular order)
1. Nook--this place is not very expensive. Good Californian "comfort food." I just think it's a nice little place.
2. Lucques--very good Californian/Mediterranean. On par with what the bay area has to offer.
3. AOC--small plates, wine bar.
4. Josie--French American. Quite good food, but don't love the space.
5. Valentino's--classic italian, quite expensive. May go over your firm's budget easily.
6. Mastros. If you love steak, and also want to feel a bit sceney, go here. Beverly Hills icon bandied about in Entourage (also you should watch Entourage for a funny look at LA). The steaks are very good. Bone in strip is my favorite. also quite expensive.
7. Table 8. Another kind of cool place with good food. On Melrose.
that's a start. Read jonathan gold in the la weekly. he will help you. generally read the LA Weekly--you will learn more than from the LA Times.
Also, a few cheap eats. Someone mentioned a few good ones (Roscoe's (totally awesome), Pinks). You also should go to Versailles (cuban). Note that there are a million great taco places. There is actually an LA taco blog that can help you. There's amazing ethnic food in LA--way better than in SF (IMO). Ethiopian is a favorite. Lots of good sushi.
anyway i could go on and on. feel free to ask follow up questions about anything.
oh and for those in SF that want to know where to eat, just look at the top 100 restaurants in the Chron by Michael Bauer. That should get you started. Zuni, Bix and Kokari would be some quick thoughts of where firms could take you.
There are a lot of great restaurants here that are probably out of budget, however.
9:01: are you kidding me? Best Chinese food - in Century City? LA has the best Chinese food in the country and it's all east of downtown.
My goodness. Century City. That's like saying the best Mexican food is at Taco Bell. Or the best Italian meal you've ever had was at Pizza Hut.
Maybe jump off this guy's back. DS agrees that this guy is arrogant, and then says in the same breath that if an associate asks you where you want to eat you should list AT LEAST 3 places. Can't we just assume the guy isn't an arrogant ass and really just wanted some suggestions so he'd be able to answer a totally reasonable question like where to eat?
Geez, we Boalties spend so much time patting ourselves on the back for being so laid back. But then we jump down each other's throats assuming the worst.
Anyways, back to LA: echo the Zankou Chicken recommendation. Dirt cheap and awesome. And you can get a great bright yellow t-shirt for $5.
Thank you for giving me the benefit of the doubt, 11:43.
DS: I've been told by many many former SAs that associates will frequently ask SAs to suggest a place for dinner. And it will be very difficult for someone who can't name one restaurant in SF to "throw out no less than three names and let them choose." Hence my request.
Re: the animus: I think that, because it's finals week, we should all forgive and be forgiven. Everyone's a little tense, and sometime you just have turn the other cheek. It's like if it's guys night out at the ballgame, and your buddy goes off with some chick he just met; it's not cool, but you just to let it go.
The suggestions have been great. Anything of particular interest in the Los Feliz/Silverlake area?
These suggestions aren't bad, EW, but personally I've never found a reason to leave the Valley....North of the Boulevard baby!
SO are you guys excited about graduation?
I think the Class of 2007 has beaten all the records re: the Class Gift. If 5 more people give, our class will have 100% participation. That would be awesome.
As a Chinese American native of the Bay Area and general all-around L.A.-hater, I'd have to say that So Cal has the Bay Area beat with the best, authentic Asian food in the U.S.
For Chinese you have the San Gabriel Valley (Monterey Park, Alhambra, Arcadia, and a growing list of cities as that community moves eastward). For Korean, L.A.'s K-Town can't be beat (though there's also pretty good Korean food out in the OC suburb of Garden Grove). Vietnamese in Little Saigon down in Westminster. I also like Little Tokyo a lot, though there might be better places for Japanese (I just don't know).
Best Chinese in Century City? I'll give 9:01 the benefit of the doubt, cuz perhaps that place might be good. But I'm highly suspicious that it's anywhere near being the best.
Regarding the "awesomeness" Class of 2007 donations to the class campaign nearing 100%: since when did being a bunch of suckers become awesome? You may not have noticed it but all those loan papers you (e-)signed mean you already gave Boalt $75,000+. As for the last five, perhaps they should go ahead and write the check now so they can get in the habit of sending in a monthly check to Boalt over the next 10 or 25 years or more.
As if on cue:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/08/state/n152323D23.DTL
I have to go with Caliboy on the CC chinese restaurant. SG Valley has amazing and cheap (I'm talking under $5 for a meal) chinese restaurants. Dim sum? To die for.
And Little Tokyo is where sushi got its foothold in the U.S.
Anyway, reading that article, I guess you could visit the Autrey Museum. It's right inside Griffith Park, north of Los Feliz. But of course I think you have to be 8 years old to fully appreciate it.
Similarly, I would dedicate an entire weekend to the Speed/Volcano/Big Lebowski tour. Start with a trip to the La Brea Tar Pits, stroll down LA's Museum Row (following the path of the lava), go down to the 105 and try to jump an interchange, and then drive around North Hollywood looking for an In n Out on Camrose (Camrose is in Hollywood, but Radford, where the kid lives, is in North Hollywood). Yep, that's what I would do.
Ok more seriously, be sure to hit up the following during lunch:
Philippe's (french dipped sandwiches...are you a purist or do you put mustard? Tough call)
Langer's Deli (best pastrami you will ever have. But since they're located across the street from MacArthur park, the location of LAPD's latest power trip, they close at 4 PM).
The original Tommy's.
Barbara's at the Brewery (located at the old PBR brewery).
San Antonio Winery.
You'll learn about all the fancy/shmancy places on your own. There's one other place that's really great. It has "Joe" or "Joe's" in the name and it's in Venice. Great place for lunch or weekend brunch.
Oh and for the love of god, learn to pronounce La Cienega, Sepulveda, La Tijera, and Cauhenga.
EW-
Many of these recommendations (Zankou, Getty) are wise. Allow me to add one I don't think you'll hear:
Dawson's Book Store.
You'll love it, trust me. Just cash a few summer associate checks first, the books there ain't free.
If you can't get into Langer's, the Korner Deli on Sepulveda, near Westchester, has pretty damn good pastrami. Basically, any half decent deli in LA is 10 times better than the crap that passes for a deli in northern California.
C&O Trattatoria at the end of Venice Beach. Yummy and super garlicky food, if you're into that. Reasonable prices. ask to sit in the patio if you can.
Also, right down the same small street, at the very corner, is this tiny little shack that has the best chicken wings.
Going out--The Room in Santa Monica (definitely not the one in Hollywood). No sign but its on 14th & Broadway--great hip hop, good crowd, get there early and get in without a line.
For a drink--Circle Bar on Main St, but you need a reservation for dinner. Walk from there to O'Brien's for a more casual pub scene.
For E-dub, from a Silver Lake native:
* Good Luck Bar on Hillhurst/ Sunset; red lighting makes everyone look a little sexier
* Fred 62's for 4 a.m. breakfast
* Eat Well on Sunset Blvd. for brunch; that whole little strip of Sunset called "Sunset Junction" has cool restaurants/ cafes/ antique stores
* drinks at the Dresden Room on Vermont if you want to feel like you're in a movie (Marty and Elaine still actually play there)
* Skylight bookstore on Vermont has great books and readings; the arthouse movie theatre next door runs interesting films
* The Coffee Table on Rowena for good food any meal of the day, cool mosaic tables, and a patio
* Blair's on Rowena, right across the street from the Coffee Table, has super-delicious more upscale food
* walk around Silver Lake reservoir for exercise and hipster-watching
* my favorite thing to do in LA is go to the Hollywood farmer's market (Hollywood Blvd. and Ivar, I believe) on Sunday mornings -- it's HUGE, there's an amazing array of produce, and all kinds of folks are out and about.
* Zen Sushi on Hyperion (don't miss the green tea ice cream)
* There's also the Philosophical Research Society, a big windowless building on the corner of Los Feliz Blvd. and Griffith Park Blvd. They give lectures on philosophy/ metaphysics and have an impressive bookstore. I think you can get a degree there, too. Worth checking out for sheer novelty.
* Personally I think hiking in Griffith Park is a little depressing, since it just gives you a better view of the thick layer of smog covering the city, but it is a way to get a little bit outdoors.
* Silver Lake and Los Feliz are also architecturally very interesting, though I don't have details about that.
I could go on and on. Silver Lake is the best. Have fun!
I think hiking in Griffith Park might be a little hot these days...
9:35, that was a bad, bad pun.
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