Los Angeles & Runyon Canyon
You are tired; give yourself a late wake-up; today is going to be ACTIVE! For lunch, stop by Toast. The area is neat for shopping or strolling, so take a walk and have a fabulous lunch. The food is great, and there is a large variety. Everyone can find something, but the bakery will undoubtedly satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth!
You are tired; give yourself a late wake-up; today is going to be ACTIVE! For lunch, stop by Toast. The area is neat for shopping or strolling, so take a walk and have a fabulous lunch. The food is great, and there is a large variety. Everyone can find something, but the bakery will undoubtedly satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth!
For the rest of the afternoon, you will see the great outdoors inside the LA city limits. Runyon Canyon is your next destination. Almost every weekend, I made one trip to Los Angeles, but not for the typical reasons. Izzi and I would spend up to three hours hiking Runyon Canyon. This local favorite hiking spot is only a few blocks behind Hollywood Blvd. Give yourself time to find parking! By the end of my time in California, Izzi and I could take off on our own “off the beaten path” trails and never see a sole.
one of the beautiful hidden paths in Spring
This would allow us to leave behind the hikers, walkers, sunglasses, hat-wearing celebrities, and the unfortunate few tourists who decided it was okay to leave their pumps and tiny blazers on for this outdoor sightseeing opportunity. However, for the day tripper, I suggest staying on the path. I spotted Cat Deeley, Amy Smart (whipped cream bikini in Varsity Blues), Robert Downey Jr., one of the guys from Gossip Girl, and a few others on the primary paths and viewpoints, so you will have a good chance of running into a celebrity while getting a great work out. At the top viewing point, you have a direct eye-level shot of the famous Hollywood sign on the next mountain (skip that hike and try Runyon). What a fantastic photo opportunity! This is also the time to take in your surroundings. As a geographer, I love to have a viewpoint, and this one is amazing. You can see all of Los Angeles, and on a clear day, all the way to the ocean. See how many of the Hollywood hot pots you can point out… Chinese Theater? Magic Castle? Rodeo?
not one of those clear days, but still beautiful 
great place to take a unique shot of you & the Hollywood Sign
Comme Ça is a classy French restaurant that was always outside my price range, but the bar area is open to everyone. It sits right inside the middle of the restaurant, giving you a great vantage point over the diners. Stay for dinner or grab a drink, but it’s a must on my list. I saw my mom’s and my favorite soap star, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis off Young and the Restless), here, and she is, laughably, the only star I almost ran after, but I didn’t, regretfully. Take in the sophisticated atmosphere and wonderful aromas. The area has several bars and a busy, entertaining neighborhood to wander through. If you skipped Comme Ca for dinner, there is a restaurant down the street with a large open patio. I cannot remember the name, but I remember how great the food was!
I always enjoyed dancing, taking in the history, and people at Teddy’s, at the Roosevelt Hotel (perhaps you are staying there!). The DJ always played great music and the crowd is constantly changing. Sorry I can’t comment on the drinks at any of these places (I’ve never been a drinker), but if you get restless you can always walk around the historic hotel itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment