First-time in Los Angeles, California

“LA is great big freeway…” so the song goes. And big freeways, indeed, fill the Los Angeles landscape. Next to rows of palm trees, of course.

My good friend Cathy was kind enough to host me all throughout my LA trip right after the conference which I attended in San Francisco and take me to famous travel spots. She and her friend Elmer fetched me at LAX Wednesday night, when the conference closed. On my first day in LA, since Cathy has work, I braved the streets of its downtown to familiarize myself with the area and check nearby attractions.

Like downtown San Francisco, there are beggars and homeless in downtown LA but it’s wider sidewalks and warmer climate make it less crowded compared to that of San Francisco. Apart from that, LA is not a walking city; meaning, people use cars more frequently than the sidewalks or the subway, unlike in NY or even San Francisco. So, there I was walking in almost deserted streets where I could only count the number of people I meet along the way.

Downtown LA is the also the city’s financial district. There are a number of highrise buildings but if you would look at the entire LA cityline, downtown looks like a small lump in the wide LA metropolis. Remember that California lies on a fault line and its vulnerability to earthquakes limits the city to build only a few number of skyscrapers.

From W 5th St. at Pershing Square, which is across the historic Biltmore Hotel, I walked uphill to Temple St. passing by LA Times and the Civic Center. At Temple St., I went to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels for the free tour at 1:00pm. While the downtown is just a small spot in the county of Los Angeles, there is so much to see outside of it. From the valley to the hills to the beach, LA has a lot to offer for sightseeing.

My friend, Cathy, rented a car so she can take me around LA. Although it was very convenient and time-saving, parking can be a major consideration. Not to mention of course the traffic and its enforcers. Watch out for photo-enforced stop lights. The camera flash might catch you off guard whenever you break a traffic rule like beating the red light. Note as well designated pedestrian crossing (Ped Xing) areas and road signs. Cathy and I learned these the hard way. I told her maybe it was time for her to get a car and get herself fully oriented and familiarized with LA streets. Thanks to Kit, her GPS, we were able to direct through all the major thoroughfares without the fuss.

Griffith Park

Griffith Park is situated on a hill. The Griffith Observatory is a good place to take the kids for educational, yet fun, purposes. When we parked the rented car at the parking lot, I immediately remembered where I have seen the three-domed building. Although it has been a setting for a number of movies, I vividly recalled Demi Moore standing at its rooftop in the Charlie’s Angels 2 movie.

Griffith Observatory is also a venue for certain shows and events. Each wing of the observatory has various displays and interactive exhibits. From the lawn, the Hollywood sign could be seen from the distance. The LA cityline may be discerned amidst the smog. Walking trails were also visible from the observatory. But the sun was up, although it wasn’t humid, and definitely was not a mood for me for any walking tour. The neighborhood around Griffith Park was very high-end. There were people sunbathing in some parts of the park as they rolled on the green grass, enjoying the California sun and hoping for a tan.

Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive

This is definitely the posh community of LA. Rows of branded stores are found left and right. Right at Via Rodeo, you’ll find brands like Tiffany & Co., Porshe Design, and a whole lot more! And overlooking Rodeo Drive is the Regent Beverly Wilshire, where Pretty Woman was shot.

The hotel is really a mark of opulence. It seems Rodeo Drive is a good place to walk and window shop as well as to get the feel of how the rich and famous live up to their lifestyle. All those store signs remind me of the opening billboard of the original Beverly Hills 90210 TV series. But having the dollars to spend for a shopping spree is absolutely out of the question.

Sta. Monica Beach

Within driving distance from Beverly Hills is another outstanding and equally posh neighborhood, Sta. Monica. It’s where people flock during summer, especially if they want to enjoy the waves and the beach. The Sta. Monica pier can be seen from Ocean Ave. with its Ferris Wheel discernible at a distance. Apart from the beach, there is so much to see in Sta. Monica. Coffee shops and al fresco eateries are popular among tourists and locals.

But the gathering point for people is the 3rd St. Promenade. The street is closed for vehicles and is only used by pedestrians. Shops and restaurants also line up the four-block lane. Different kinds of entertainment is available at 3rd St. You can find singers, musicians, clowns, acrobats, and dancers. Of course, they ask for money. It’s their way to earn a living, but, at the same time, bring amusement to people.

Glendale

We allotted almost half a day in Glendale during my last day in LA. It was shopping time! Glendale Galleria is the Valley’s biggest mall which has four major department stores. Discount stores are also aplenty in this suburb. One of the newest shopping attraction is The Americana. A large Barnes & Noble store is found within the compound. The Americana has a rotunda where at the middle stands a large fountain and a golden statue. There are also al fresco coffee shops and restuarants around the rotunda. Another attraction is the small tram which circles the mall and its surrounding area.

A wide range of shops are found in Glendale. There’s Ralphs for groceries as well as TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, and other stores where you can buy discounted goods.

Walk of Fame

Stars, which you normally find in the night sky, have started appearing beneath one’s feet and they have been scattered along Hollywood Blvd., an attraction for Hollywood fans. Tourists come and have their picture taken in their idol’s star. I never had a name in mind before I went there but thought of Johnny Depp as I got onsite. But I didn’t go around looking for his name, especially with the crowd and the long rows of stars. Instead, I looked at names that seemed familiar and took photos of those.

And what timing it was! I was in LA when famous stars Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson passed away. Of course, Michael Jackson’s star wasn’t to be missed. Situated in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater, his star was covered with flowers, candles, and memorabilia while fans were lined up to offer their own gifts to the deceased pop star.

OB vans and cameras also crowd the Walk of Fame as TV coverage of his death and his fans’ mourning were constantly shown in local and international news. But apart from the MJ spotlight, the Walk of Fame also features different characters in costume–from Star Wars Jedi knights to Transformers to cartoon characters to Captain Jack of the Pirates of the Caribbean. There were also several Michael Jackson characters spotted at the Walk of Fame.

Have some caution though because they usually ask for money whenever you pose with them. In that same block is the Kodak Theater which is the venue of the Academy Awards. Across it is the El Capitan Theater and a block away is Ripley’s Believe It or Not. Not far from that block, the Hollywood signage was visible.

Universal Studios

The Universal City has become a major attraction because of its theme park and its famed backlot tour that provide a behind-the-scene thrills in sets created for select movies and TV shows. I started my Universal walk at the red carpet with the palm trees at the background. I posed with Shrek, Zorro, the Simpsons, and other known characters. Cars used for the movie, the Fast and the Furious, were on display. I saw Marilyn Monroe riding a pink cadillac. The highlight of it all was the studio tour.

We were taken around the Universal compound visiting sets of Desperate Housewives and other movies like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Jaws, and The Mummy, among others. The tour was supplemented by videos of movies which featured such sets. We experienced firsthand how it was to cross a bridge that exploded, to be in a San Francisco subway during an earthquake, to witness cars flying, and to be in the middle of a flash flood.

Additional excitement were the Psycho who chased our bus, going through the Mummy tunnel, and dinosaurs from Jurassic Park spit water at us. Back at the theme park, attractions like the Jurassic Park, the Mummy, and Terminator were all-time favorites.

But for this author who is not fond of heights, I tried the Special Effects show which was absolutely a winner. It was interesting how camera tricks are done while being entertained by hilarious hosts. The theme park closed at 7:00pm, which was still bright and sunny. Cathy and I roamed the City Walk right outside the theme park, which was filled with boutiques, restaurants, shops, and cinemas. There were also various entertainment that were happening simultaneously at various points of the City Walk.