Even if you’ve never set foot in America’s second-largest city, you may already know Los Angeles pretty well. The movie and TV industry has given us the director’s cut of the City of Angels, allowing us to tour the “Entertainment Capital of the World” without ever going there.
Really, though, the only way to truly experience Los Angeles is, of course, to visit in person. Film makers may be able to do wondrous things these days, but a trip to the movie-theatre will never recreate the feeling of walking barefoot on the sands of Venice Beach with the ocean breeze running through your hair … or the unique aura of rubbing shoulders with celebrities on fashion-lined boulevards … or the odd flavours of LA’s diverse food culture, which spans the spectrum, from chili dogs to macrobiotic diets.
Whatever fuels your urge to visit LA, we’ve rounded up some of the best of the City of Angels in this itinerary for film buffs, foodies and fashionistas.
• Immerse yourself in LA culture with a stroll along the storied Sunset Strip, where carefree Angelenos devour the latest fashions in numerous flagship boutiques. You might even blow a chunk of your budget on an outfit that’ll definitely be the envy of everyone back home. Enjoy an espresso perched at a sidewalk café and eavesdrop on the conversations of beautiful people planning their big breaks into the movie world.
• Lunch in legendary Chateaux Marmont’s gardens, which positively teems with old legends and bright young things. Take advantage of the welcoming daytime vibe here – after sundown, gate-kept exclusivity means you might not get in.
• Indulge in some Hollywood-style escapism with a seminal blockbuster movie experience at the incomparable ArcLight Cinerama Dome. Don’t slide into the ultra-comfy cushioned seats without something from the well-stocked bar in one hand and a bucket of fresh caramel popcorn in the other.
• Round out your day with a sunset hike up Runyon Canyon. Only two blocks from Hollywood Boulevard, this 30-minute ramble rewards the adventurous with stunning views of the Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory to the east, Downtown to the south and, on clear days, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…
(Image: jwilly)
