Los Angeles > Malibu, Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, LA Live : http://www.lalive.com/ , 'Hollywood
Orange County > Newport Beach
San Diego > La Jolla, Gaslamp Quarter : http://www.gaslamp.org/
Orange County > Newport Beach
San Diego > La Jolla, Gaslamp Quarter : http://www.gaslamp.org/
my best friend lives in hermosa beach i visit every year...if your gonna hang out for a day at the beach rent a peddle bike for the day its like $20 you can ride along the strand from redondo to hermosa to manhattan. if you like good beer there's a place called Naja's right on the redondo pier that has a ton of good beers on tap (like a 100) down on the Hermosa pier there's a bunch of places to eat and drink at. i like the hermosa pier....definitely check out Fat Face Fenners Fishshack FFFF its the boston sports bar...they would have the game on if any of the local teams are playing, it wont be as home hitting now b/c the red sox/pats arent playing but you really get an appreciation for the place when there's a big game, all the new england transplants migrate there to watch the games together....
santa anita is running i havent been to that track yet but so i cant comment but its an option if thats your thing...i have been to hollywood (dump) and del mar (nice)
seen hollywood (eh not really anything special)
venice beach is pretty cool and worth checking out once b/c again you can rent a bike and ride down to the santa monica pier (i wasnt that impressed) but since your visiting it might be worth just to check it out b/c its not a long ride from venice...
let me know what you ended up seeing, i love it out there!
santa anita is running i havent been to that track yet but so i cant comment but its an option if thats your thing...i have been to hollywood (dump) and del mar (nice)
seen hollywood (eh not really anything special)
venice beach is pretty cool and worth checking out once b/c again you can rent a bike and ride down to the santa monica pier (i wasnt that impressed) but since your visiting it might be worth just to check it out b/c its not a long ride from venice...
let me know what you ended up seeing, i love it out there!
I wouldn't count on too much beach time......Supposed to rain all weekend.
I'm in OC so I'm not the best source for all thing LA....But:
LA Live area should be going off as NBA all-star weekend is at Staples.
Santa Anita is a great track & usually has some sort of 'festival' going on on Saturdays...Microbrew, Food Truck, etc. which makes it 'wife friendly'. The PGA is in town at Riviera this weekend. Not much else going on sports wise since the Kings, Ducks & USC/UCLA hoops are all on the road.
I'd hit LA Live on Friday night, Santa Anita on Saturday, Downtown Pasadena for shopping & dinner after Santa Anita (if you have wife or SO with you) and then a nice leisurely cruise up PCH to Santa Barbara on Sunday morning.
I'd probably just stay at an airport hotel. Downtown hotels will be through the roof b/c of all star game & LAX is basically halfway between Santa Monica/Venice to the North & Manhattan Beach/Hemosa Beach to the South.
I'm in OC so I'm not the best source for all thing LA....But:
LA Live area should be going off as NBA all-star weekend is at Staples.
Santa Anita is a great track & usually has some sort of 'festival' going on on Saturdays...Microbrew, Food Truck, etc. which makes it 'wife friendly'. The PGA is in town at Riviera this weekend. Not much else going on sports wise since the Kings, Ducks & USC/UCLA hoops are all on the road.
I'd hit LA Live on Friday night, Santa Anita on Saturday, Downtown Pasadena for shopping & dinner after Santa Anita (if you have wife or SO with you) and then a nice leisurely cruise up PCH to Santa Barbara on Sunday morning.
I'd probably just stay at an airport hotel. Downtown hotels will be through the roof b/c of all star game & LAX is basically halfway between Santa Monica/Venice to the North & Manhattan Beach/Hemosa Beach to the South.
I think Thrs Im gonna go see jamie foxx do standup at nokia theater. Sat id like to go to the all star sat night stuff but i think tickets for that will be pretty expensive given its in LA and all of the in crowd will want to be there. Tried to get tickets to real time with bill maher on friday but the phone # on the website wouldnt work and they didnt respond to emails.
any hotel good budget hotel recommendations around santa monica, hermosa area?
any hotel good budget hotel recommendations around santa monica, hermosa area?
if you are down at LA Live, make dinner reservations at KATSUYA as that will be the most happening spot there.
hotels will all be expensive but if you want to get drinks at nice hotels try the Viceroy or Shudders on the Beach.
if you are feeling a bit homesick, you can prob run into all your old buddies that moved to LA here http://www.sonnymcleans.com/
hotels will all be expensive but if you want to get drinks at nice hotels try the Viceroy or Shudders on the Beach.
if you are feeling a bit homesick, you can prob run into all your old buddies that moved to LA here http://www.sonnymcleans.com/
Stay away from LA Live. It's going to be jammed w/NBA fans and I wouldn't be surprised if the businesses jack up prices.
Here's some suggestions:
1. Go for a walk along the strand in Venice Beach. The place has a vibe you just won't find anywhere else. Some crazy ass people out there.
2. Since you're going to Santa Barbara, go thru Simi Valley and stop at the Reagan library. There's an actual Air Force One you can tour.
3. Go to the Commerce Casino and play some poker. It's the biggest cardroom in the world.
Here's some suggestions:
1. Go for a walk along the strand in Venice Beach. The place has a vibe you just won't find anywhere else. Some crazy ass people out there.
2. Since you're going to Santa Barbara, go thru Simi Valley and stop at the Reagan library. There's an actual Air Force One you can tour.
3. Go to the Commerce Casino and play some poker. It's the biggest cardroom in the world.
