LA visit help!

[Boston Style]

I am going to be in LA in a couple of weeks for vacation and was wondering if anyone could recommend spots to check out while Im there? Ive been before and have some stuff in mind already, but would love to get some insight from folks who actually live there......

Eric

[hellboyone]

What are you interested in? Art? Music? Hollywood stuff? There are a million things to do here.

[Boston Style]

Really into books, low-brow art, LA noir stuff ala James Ellroy. Ive got Amoeba, Meltdown, Golden Apple, Dark Delicies(?) and Book Soup lined up. Really not into the beach scene, American-Idol-star-sighting stuff. Does this help?


Ever been to the Velvet Margarita Cantina or The Scorpian?

[hellboyone]

That definitely narrows it down. You've got a good list already, although I'm not a Golden Apple fan. Just another comic book store in my book. But Meltdown is great.

And if you're in Burbank for Dark Delicacies, visit House of Secrets. Great comic book store. And in somewhat nearby Pasadena there's Comics Factory. HOS, Comics Factory, and Meltdown are the best comic book stores in LA. There's also Secret Stash in Westwood, Kevin Smith's store...it might be closed though...I haven't been there in a while.

Book Soup is great...it's in the heart of Sunset Strip. You may see movie stars even if you don't care to. In Little Tokyo, there's Kinokuniya, a must-stop for Japanese art books, movies, art supplies, etc. Great food in the area, too. There's Brand Books in Glendale, great used bookstore...been there for decades. There's also the Iliad in Burbank/North Hollywood.

You can also stop by Wacko. They have great art books, low-brow stuff, toys, kitch, and a fantastic art gallery. A few neat stores nearby up and down the block. Good restaurants.

I've never been to Velvet Margarita, but I hear they're having recession prices so probably a good place to get drunk on the cheap. There's Stinkers, a trucker-themed bar. There's Tiki Ti...a great tiki bar. The Good Luck Bar...Three of Clubs...Tonga Hut...NoBar....The Fifth....Bigfoot Lodge...El Carmen, tequila bar with a lucha theme...all great bars. Never been to L'Scorpion.

If you're into the LA noir, you might check out this site: http://www.esotouric.com/

You can also check out the Formosa Cafe, the Frolic Room, and Musso & Frank's for LA noir drinking.

[Jake Capps]

There's also Secret Stash in Westwood, Kevin Smith's store...it might be closed though...I haven't been there in a while.

It's gone. That was nice place to go for comics, and there is that great pizza place around the corner from it.

[heckblazer]

Sounds like you have a good start. Some other things that might interest you:

There are a couple of restored movie palaces that are worth seeing a movie in, such as Grauman's Chinese, The Egyptian, and the El Capitan. The cinerama dome at the Hollywood Arclight is more 50s era, but is supposed to be one of the best screens in the country.

Chevalier's Books, where James Ellroy used to shop-lift as a kid:
126 N Larchmont Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 465-1334

The Museum of Jurassic Technology, a weird sort of parody of and tribute to museums (it's kinda hard to describe):
http://www.mjt.org/

Edison Downtown, which I guess I'd call a steampunk bar (I haven't been there yet, but friends have said it's cool):
http://www.edisondowntown.com/

Thr Firends of the LA River has tours of the river:
http://folar.org/?page_id=6

And if you're interested in pre-war architectural survivals drop me a line and I can give you some locations to check out.

[Boston Style]

thanks guys, exactly the stuff I was looking for. I would love to take the Black Dahlia tour, but it looks like the schedules arent gonna line up. If I was to go to 39th and Norton, am I correct in my guess that its in a ghetto?

Also is Wacko the same place as Lz Luz De Jesus? I was at a great bookstore on Vermont i think but cant remember the name of it.

We're actually staying in Hollywood near the Kodak and Mann's.......

[Kees_L]

This has developed into a rightly cool thread! Like a Hellboarder Looonely-ass Planet kind of thing :wink:.
I hope all Convention areas and comic capitols could be covered like this.
Combine it with the graveyard photography thread, plus Maija's / Gary's / Morna's nature pics and
we could have ourselves a justly lush travel guide :smile:.

And Eric 'Boston Style', I hope you have yourself a safe yet thrilling road trip, with good looting and
with meeting but the bestest cats and kittens! (If you'd happen to cross paths with any plasticy Paris Hilton
Hollywood types, just hiss 'em off, or flash them your lighter: they can't stand that, 'cuz they's all celluloid!)

[hellboyone]

Also is Wacko the same place as Lz Luz De Jesus? I was at a great bookstore on Vermont i think but cant remember the name of it.


La Luz De Jesus is the name of the gallery inside Wacko, I believe.

If you go downtown, might as well check out the LA Public Library as well. It's a beautiful, huge building with lots of art exhibits inside. And one of my favorite things in LA is in there: a gigantic, devastatingly beautiful Dean Cornwell mural. Also, check out the City Hall building which appeared in every 50s cop show and movie of the era (and stood in as the Daily Planet in the old Superman tv show). Little Tokyo is nearby and the Mexican tourist spot, Olvera Street, where you can stop and get some history as well as a wrestling mask. :)

You should visit Griffith Park Observatory as well. Amazing building and great views.

A few photos of LA from my flickr page (I need to add more): http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickcortes/sets/72157603939469243/

[Boston Style]

Thanks for the photos. Im gonna check out City Hall, i know it was in EVERY noir from the 40's/50's......

Kees L HAS to come to the states!

[Kees_L]

Kees L HAS to come to the states!
I will pursue such for a goal, Eric :smile:.
Let us know how you been 'though, in 'Kat Von D'-town :wink:.

[jimm]

Alotta cool stuff at nhra and petersen museums if you like vintage hot rod stuff




.

[Gary_B]

When Morna and I were last in L.A. we went to The Getty (Art Museum). The architecture, grounds and art were all amazing.

[hellboyone]

When Morna and I were last in L.A. we went to The Getty (Art Museum). The architecture, grounds and art were all amazing.

Great museum. And if you're going to the Getty, hit the exhibition on the Golden Age of Comics at the Skirball.

http://www.skirball.org/index.php?option=com_ccevents&scope=exbt&task=detail&oid=34&ccmenu=v2hhdcdzie9u

[gdeo]

have you been?.....it's just ok.i wasn't that impressed.

[hellboyone]

have you been?.....it's just ok.i wasn't that impressed.

I haven't. But we must support the cause. :)

[gdeo]

i was all about supporting the museum and the cause...i just thought that it could have been better!

[Boston Style]

my wife wants to check out a bar in Hollywood called The Woods, anyone know anything about it? It seems like we're going to be spending a lot of time in bars!

[gdeo]

http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-woods-hollywood

[hellboyone]

There used to be a much cooler bar where the Woods is now. It's a pain-in-the-ass location. Lots of traffic, not a lot of parking. It's owned by the same people who own NoBar and The Fifth, my usual haunts on weekends.

[Jackson Brody]

Great thread. I just moved to LA last Saturday, all the way from Philadelphia, and this thread helps.

Golden Apple does seem like a typical comic book store so far, but I was able to pick up two BPRD back issues I needed, so they're good in my book. And very nice.

[Brisco]

Definitely hit the Iliad in the Valley, as Hellboyone suggested. It's the best used bookstore in LA. It's even got a signed Hellboy poster on the end of the comics aisle with Mignola proclaiming his justified love for the store!

Morna's right about the Getty, too. Great LA location.

And I've gotta stand up for Golden Apple here! It's a great store, run by great people. So is Meltdown, and so is the one that Rick mentioned in the valley whose name escapes me at the moment... They're all worth visiting.

Brisco

[Boston Style]

Thanks for the info and insight. We had a great time and i took the advice given. I have to admit that House of Secrets in Burbank and Meltdown in LA are both amazing stores. In regards to bars, The Velvet Margarita and Tiki Ti are both VERY dangerous places.

Thanks again

Eric

[hellboyone]

And I've gotta stand up for Golden Apple here! It's a great store, run by great people.

Brisco

Maybe I caught Golden Apple on a bad day. But one time, I got treated like a jerk there. It's a good way to not get good word-of-mouth from me and I've steered people clear of the place ever since. That was 10 years ago, easy.

[CBM]

Maybe I caught Golden Apple on a bad day. But one time, I got treated like a jerk there. It's a good way to not get good word-of-mouth from me and I've steered people clear of the place ever since. That was 10 years ago, easy.

Wow really...you must of caught them on a bad day Rick. They have always been great Ryan and his mom Sharon are really nice people so I'm really surprised...I'm sure they would apologize if they knew that happened to you...

[Brisco]

Wow really...you must of caught them on a bad day Rick. They have always been great Ryan and his mom Sharon are really nice people so I'm really surprised...I'm sure they would apologize if they knew that happened to you...

Yeah, they're both great and I'm sure Christine is right that they'd feel bad about whatever happened. It's especially surprising since ten years ago Bill still would have been running the place, and he was the nicest guy in the world and ran a very tight ship! Oh well. Unfortunately bad experiences can happen even in the best of places once in a while.

Brisco