48 Hours in Los Angeles

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My friend and I decided to splurge on a last-minute trip to get out-of-town for the Memorial Day weekend. Should we fly to Los Angeles? Or, Paris? Because of the holiday and our timing, fares to Europe were cheaper than flying within the continental US not because they were on sale, but because demand wasn't as high.

Yet, we opted to fly to LA for a variety of reasons and reflect back with no regrets. Our objective was to fit in as many touristy things as possible. It was my third visit to town. It was her first visit. We found a good deal to stay two nights at the Ritz Carlton in Marina del Rey. The only thing remotely five-star about the property was the plush bed (very comfortable) and the guests who kept dropping names of some random NBA player to get a free room (I still wonder whether they succeeded).

We spent Saturday wandering around Beverly Hills, no doubt nauseating the locals with our rented Hyundai Elantra... as we chuckled at the white Rolls Royce driving up and down Rodeo Dr every 20 minutes or so it seemed. I did buy something that afternoon... a $3 cash contribution for a sampler CD from a representative (or lead?) of a local rap group. But, we enjoyed walking around immersing ourselves with the other tourists, taking pictures, and gawking at all of the luxury cars parallel parked on the streets.

We continued to the Getty Center, which IMHO served as the highlight of our trip. I was really impressed with the landscape and architecture. We stopped by late in the afternoon when we knew it wouldn't be terribly crowded. For only a $10 parking fee and free admissions, this should be mandatory stop during any LA vacation.

At night, we met up with local friends at Air Conditioned Supper Club on Lincoln in Venice to celebrate my friend's birthday. Cover was 10 each. Drinks were reasonably priced. A mix of current and old school hits. We had a great time!

We started day two with our Starbucks fix and a leisure stroll on the Ocean Front Walk in Venice Beach. Our local friends had suggested we pick up the Walk at Brooks Ave but we ended up starting further south. The morning was overcast but we enjoyed the variety of life along the way...

We then took a roundabout way (my fault) to find Mulholland Drive. I let my iPhone do the "talking" and insisted we hop on Mulholland via the 101 instead of the 405. So... we find Mulholland off the 101 to see it end on an unpaved road toward Topanga State Park. I grudgingly turned around to head back to the right way... wasting precious time (re: traffic).

After enjoying the view from various scenic points, we drove cross town and up the PCH to enjoy an awesome brunch at Moonshadows in Malibu. Lesson learned: at the front door, guys are asked if they're interested in sitting on the outdoor patio. Of course I would! $10 cover later, there's no seating outside. The few seats that are outside are reserved by some of the same folks I swear I saw cruising up and about in BH the previous day. Decline the cover and get seated in the dining room where you can still enjoy beautiful views of the coastline. Food was awesome.

We returned to the Santa Monica area, walked up and down the 3rd Street Promenade before settling in on the beach to enjoy the remainder of the afternoon and watch the sun as it set over the Santa Monica Pier.

On Memorial Day morning, we squeezed in the more popular spots in Hollywood, though we had trouble actually getting there, given the detours set up for the LA Marathon (thumbs up to my fellow runners!). We didn't have time to find a best spot to take a picture of the Hollywood sign. The DK book suggested Sunset and Bronson, but our view was blocked by trees? Oh well.

All in all, a great trip... lastly, I want to give kudos to the staff at LAX International Airport. You are by far the most efficient airport security I've experienced in recent years. Hopefully, you do that day in and day out... keep it up.

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