OT: 4 Days in LA...

[buldogge]

Good stuff...Thanks again guys!

We don't get to the beach often, so staying by the beach would probably be a good idea...Thoughts?

-Mark

Originally Posted by cadence90

A drive up Hwy 1 to Ventura (beach); then east on Hwy 33 to Ojai (beautiful); then south on Hwy 150 (stop at Boccali's Ojai (not the Oak View location) at 150/Reeves Road for pizza/beer); then back to Pasadena (150 to 126 to 5-South to Pasadena), is a great, if day-long drive. Beach, California oaks, and pizza is not a bad combo.

In Pasadena, since you like Arts and Crafts architecture, the Gamble House, Greene and Greene is a must-see. You can visit the outside/grounds any time, but call ahead to see when they offer tours of the interior.

In Santa Monica, the other iconic LA home must-see is the Eames House. As above, one can visit the grounds any time, but you must call ahead for interior visits/tour.

I agree with beeatnik re: Long Beach, and the 2 restaurants. Good, but nothing so great unless they are convenient to you.
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Originally Posted by SoCalSteve

This is exactly what I was talking about. Adding in Boccali is brilliant. Amazing mom and pop Italian food. And, the drive is one I have done many times in my Porsche.

Not sure I agree with Beatnik on many of his takes on things. I think because we are one or two generations apart. I'm old. But again, this is what is so amazing about LA. It is very diverse.

Originally Posted by beeatnik

^I don't think it's a generational thing. It may be a transplant thing. There's native LA and there's the LA where people with great jobs end up (Santa Monica, Brentwood, Lincoln Corridor, PDR.

Also, there's the "Photographed/Filmed LA" and the "Real LA." A generation past, people were looking to SEE the few sights (Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood Sign, Studios) and now people are looking to have experiences (eat, play, people watch).

If I were a kid (who will probably not own a car until her late 20s), I'd rather watch the Silver Lake streetscape than stare at the ocean from a restaurant in Marina Del Rey.

In any case, OP, the architectural tour thing is tough. You'll be driving 30 min to see half a block of interesting buildings. If I were you, I'd explore the West Adams area. The University of Southern California has helped revitalize that community more than any developer or politician. Tons of architectural diversity as well.

Originally Posted by beeatnik

http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/...-adams-terrace

The first significant wave of residential development in West Adams consisted of businessmen and their families, who wanted to move out of central Los Angeles, yet remain within easy commuting distance of downtown. Single family homes in the HPOZ range in size and style from modest Victorian-era cottages to early 20th century Craftsman and Mission Revival bungalows to larger Period Revival and Classical styles. Many of the houses were designed by recognized architects and builders including Frank Tyler, Hunt and Burns, Frank Meline, Paul R. Williams, and E.L. Petitfils.

http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/jefferson-park

Often referred to by locals as “The Bungalows,” the Jefferson Park neighborhood is perhaps one of the City’s finest examples of both an early street car suburb, and the proliferation of the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 1900s, in the form of simple, yet elegant, single-story bungalows for the growing middle class. Fanciful eaves, intricate wood work, turrets, stone, masonry and shingle are displayed in ways that defy the modest scale of these houses and make the many streets of this vast district instantly charming.

http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/harvard-heights

Harvard Heights HPOZ is predominantly characterized by two-story Craftsman-style residences built from 1902 to 1908. The large and somewhat grand scale of architecture is due to a land covenant that stipulated that houses built within the tract cost more than $2,500, a substantial sum at the turn of the century.

Boyle Heights was never a suburb, btw.

[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by buldogge

Only interested in Pasadena for the Arts & Crafts architecture.

Love the rest of the suggestions.

Any specific taco joints to check out?

Where to stay...now that is the question!?

Early risers...yes. Getting family motivated...no.

-Mark

Don't forget to see this house when you are in Pasadena:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millard_House

Where you stay will depend on what you want to see and your budget. L A is huge, so you probably want to be centrally located to the different areas you want to see.

Figure that out and get back to us.....

[cadence90]

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[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by cadence90

This is the definitive carry-along guidebook to architecture in Los Angeles and Southern California. If you do not want to buy it I'm sure your library has a copy. It is a very useful book.

The Gamble House and a few other G&G houses in that immediate area are the ticket for LA Craftsman style, definitely.

FLLW's nearby "carpet block" Millard House ("La Miniatura", that SoCalSteve mentioned (never accessible, can only be seen from the outside)) and his Ennis House (Blade Runner; tours may be available, I can't remember) are also worth it if you're in the area. Also beautiful are homes by Neutra and Schindler, but as beeatnik stated those are just too far between them to make it worthwhile unless you are an architect/diehard.

I definitely recommend the Eames house in any case; not only is the building beautiful and iconic, and the address very accessible, but it has one of the greatest views/lots of any residence in LA.
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I'll second this 100 times over! I've been in the house on a tour. It's amazing! Plus, as a bonus...there are 2 more iconic mid century modern homes on the same cul de sac. Look up the Case Study Houses. 3 of them on the same block.

[cadence90]

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[beeatnik]

https://www.tripline.net/trip/See_LA...A0B907C7D01B16

[cadence90]

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[Louis]

If there's interest in architecture and anyone in the crowd likes the movie Blade Runner, how about the Bradbury building?

https://www.laconservancy.org/locati...dbury-building

[ptourkin]

Originally Posted by beeatnik

^I don't think it's a generational thing. It may be a transplant thing. There's native LA and there's the LA where people with great jobs end up (Santa Monica, Brentwood, Lincoln Corridor, PDR.

Also, there's the "Photographed/Filmed LA" and the "Real LA." A generation past, people were looking to SEE the few sights (Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood Sign, Studios) and now people are looking to have experiences (eat, play, people watch).

If I were a kid (who will probably not own a car until her late 20s), I'd rather watch the Silver Lake streetscape than stare at the ocean from a restaurant in Marina Del Rey.

In any case, OP, the architectural tour thing is tough. You'll be driving 30 min to see half a block of interesting buildings. If I were you, I'd explore the West Adams area. The University of Southern California has helped revitalize that community more than any developer or politician. Tons of architectural diversity as well.

I grew up on the Westside (the South Bay actually) and feel I didn't learn **** about LA until I headed East chasing punk rock and tacos (we thought Tito's was the end all be all - it wasn't.) Haven't had any interest in going back to my hometown since. I stay East of Griffith Park. That said, if you're from the Midwest with kids, the beach is tempting and easy entertainment. Beyond that, it's a wasteland.

[SoCalSteve]

I've always wanted to stay here: http://www.marinadelreyhotel.com

I have eaten in their fancy restaurant. It was very nice. I've ridden my bike by it many times and my wife and I walk by it often.

Not sure how expensive it is, but it sure looks nice!

Many nice hotels on Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica as well. Lots of places to chose from at the beach.

[beeatnik]

Originally Posted by ptourkin

I grew up on the Westside (the South Bay actually) and feel I didn't learn **** about LA until I headed East chasing punk rock and tacos (we thought Tito's was the end all be all - it wasn't.) Haven't had any interest in going back to my hometown since. I stay East of Griffith Park. That said, if you're from the Midwest with kids, the beach is tempting and easy entertainment. Beyond that, it's a wasteland.

Tito's, hahahhaha.

LA is an ugly city. IMO, only Vegas is uglier (for cities with a population of 1M plus). But LA is an amorphous thing and people who live on the coast (Coast) dont think LA is ugly.

[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by beeatnik

Tito's, hahahhaha.

LA is an ugly city. IMO, only Vegas is uglier (for cities with a population of 1M plus). But LA is an amorphous thing and people who live on the coast (Coast) dont think LA is ugly.

I guess it being amorphous is one of the things I find so attractive about LA.

As I get older, I tend to judge less and keep an open mind about the world around me. Tito's Taco's one night, the Guerrilla Taco Truck another and Campos another night. All good in very different ways. But all are good in their own way. All have their place in the world of taco's.

Oh, you are correct about living on the coast and not thinking it's ugly. Just look out my window from the 7th floor of my condo ( the ocean, the Marina with bobbing boats and spectacular sunsets many nights of the week ) ...

[beeatnik]

Originally Posted by SoCalSteve

I guess it being amorphous is one of the things I find so attractive about LA.

As I get older, I tend to judge less and keep an open mind about the world around me. Tito's Taco's one night, the Guerrilla Taco Truck another and Campos another night. All good in very different ways. But all are good in their own way. All have their place in the world of taco's.

Oh, you are correct about living on the coast and not thinking it's ugly. Just look out my window from the 7th floor of my condo ( the ocean, the Marina with bobbing boats and spectacular sunsets many nights of the week ) ...

One of LA's cultural treasures/gifts is its Taco Culture. I spent a few years in Mexico and what they serve at Tito's (especially the hard shell tacos) would be considered alien abominations. That said many Chicanos I know love Tito's. And, you're right, there's room in LA's gastronomic heart for Gringo Tacos, Korean Fusion Tacos, South Central Sidewalk Tacos and Taco Truck "Soft" Tacos. In a way, none of it is "genuine" as very few Mexicans (in Mexico) regularly eat the types of tacos we see in LA. I never had beef (carne asada) in a taco until I was 9. Short story long, we're not snobs about our Tacos the way New York is about its Pizza. One thing is inarguable: the best tacos in America are in Los Angeles.

[buldogge]

I ended up with a little walkway bungalow in Venice, off AirBnB, and I just need to grab something near Burbank for Friday night (early flight Sat.).

Since we're staying in Venice...any specific recommendation for MdR, Venice, Santa Monica for food/coffee would be great.

We'll be checking out Echo Park/Silver Lake/Griffith.

We'll be checking out the Eames house for sure, and try to take in some G&G/Pasadena/+FLW, and perhaps some CS houses if we have time. Beeatnik's preservation links look excellent, as well.

On Friday we're going to head up towards SB, via 1 + 101, and then thru Ojai, as recommended...ending in Burbank for the night.

For sure eating in KoreTown and Little Armenia...any other/specific recommendation more than welcome...Also stand-out coffee places, wherever. Don't want to start a generational taco war, but suggestions are welcome!

Right now, looks like the weather is conspiring against us for Tues. and Wed.

TA
-Mark

[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by buldogge

I ended up with a little walkway bungalow in Venice, off AirBnB, and I just need to grab something near Burbank for Friday night (early flight Sat.).

Since we're staying in Venice...any specific recommendation for MdR, Venice, Santa Monica for food/coffee would be great.

We'll be checking out Echo Park/Silver Lake/Griffith.

We'll be checking out the Eames house for sure, and try to take in some G&G/Pasadena/+FLW, and perhaps some CS houses if we have time. Beeatnik's preservation links look excellent, as well.

On Friday we're going to head up towards SB, via 1 + 101, and then thru Ojai, as recommended...ending in Burbank for the night.

For sure eating in KoreTown and Little Armenia...any other/specific recommendation more than welcome...Also stand-out coffee places, wherever. Don't want to start a generational taco war, but suggestions are welcome!

Right now, looks like the weather is conspiring against us for Tues. and Wed.

TA
-Mark

Coffee in Venice: https://www.groundworkcoffee.com on Rose.

Nice restaurants, interesting scene on Abbott Kinney in Venice.

Local taco joint where the gardners go: Campos Tacos on Washington in Culver City ( very close to Venice ).

Canal streets in Venice: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veni...toric_District

Interesting Frank Geary houses and buildings in Venice and Santa Monica: http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildi...ach_House.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gehry_Residence

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binoculars_Building

I don't think you will find the weather anywhere as severe as in the Midwest.

Enjoy!