Chitwood Danielle - Not For Tourists Guide to Los Angeles 2016

Designed by:

Not For Tourists, Inc

NFT TM NOT FOR TOURISTS TM Guide to LOS ANGELES

www.notfortourists.com

Publisher

Skyhorse Publishing

Creative Direction & Information Design

Jane Pirone

Director

Stuart Farr

Managing Editor

Scott Sendrow

Production Manager

Aaron Schielke

City Editor

Meg Favreau

Writing and Editing

Meg Favreau

Scott Sendrow

Research

Nalini Ramautar

Graphic Design and Production

Aaron Schielke

Information Systems Manager

Juan Molinari

Printed in China

Print ISBN: 978-1-63450-143-9 $24.99

Ebbok ISBN: 978-1-5107-0022-2

ISSN 2163-9124

Copyright 2015 by Not For Tourists, Inc.

15th Edition

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is as up-to-date as possible at press time. However, many details are liable to changeas we have learned.

Not For Tourists cannot accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this book.

Not For Tourists does not solicit individuals, organizations, or businesses for listings inclusion in our guides, nor do we accept payment for inclusion into the editorial portion of our book; the advertising sections, however, are exempt from this policy. We always welcome communications from anyone regarding ANYTHING having to do with our books; please visit us on our website at www.notfortourists.com for appropriate contact information.

Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or .

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Skyhorse and Skyhorse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

www.skyhorsepublishing.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Dear NFT Reader,

Dont believe the East Coast partisan propaganda. There is a functional mass transit system in Los Angeles, and well show you how to use it. But the other side of the country does get one LA stereotype right: we remain a city in love with the internal combustion engine. Its not a reciprocal romanceyour car wont plan the date by itself, and it assuredly never pays for anything while continuing to suck your bank account dry. But NFT can wing for you. As usual, the Not For Tourists guide to LA is designed to fit snugly under the drivers seat, and be easily retrieved while watching the road. When youre parked in 405 traffic, you can thank us for the reading material.

But NFT isnt just for drivers. Its for anyone who wants to make this somewhat maddeningly designed, palm tree-peppered concrete jungle a home. We invented sprawl, yall, and its well nigh impossible to find ones way around without good leads. When the Bruins, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Academy Awards bottleneck traffic, well show you alternate routes. When you find yourself trapped in the tangled Downtown freeway plug, well show you how to unclog yourself. And when you dont feel like driving (or, heavens forfend, your car is in the shop), well show you the bank branches, grocery stores, and cheap hangouts that have been hiding out in your neighborhood this whole time.

Its a nice place to live, said Mark Twain, but I wouldnt want to visit. Thats why, even if youre just in here for the weekend, we want you to see Los Angeles through the eyes of savvy Angelenos y Angelenas. Theres a lot to see, and its not all bucolic beaches, bottle-blondes, and lettuce lunches. If LA is a materialist mecca and the worlds most prolific illusion factory, its also the globes most global metropolis and we sent some of the smartest, most curious, most hype-resistant people we know to sup, drink, dance, listen, learn, browse, play, exercise, relax, shop, visit, mingle, and report on the melting pot within the melting pot.

Without fail or pause, Los Angeles changes. Thus, while this book is the essence of our mission, were pretty sure this computer thing isnt a fad, and we also work hard and late to stay current at www.notfortourists.com. If your favorite art gallery folds, or you finally find a place in this town with a good deep-dish, please let us know. NFT never sleeps. As a complement to the book and the website, weve launched our very own swank iPhone apps. The books and the apps are not mutually exclusivethere are some things that this book will do best for always, but the iPhone app will serve as our evolving, ready-reference take on city life. It will geo-locate you anywhere in Los Angeles, and allow you, dear NFT user, to kvetch to us, directly, instantly, about anything.

Like we always do about this time, wed like to thank our contributors for their work. Another flash of the movie-star smile goes to the office staff, for making it happen. And a final thanks to you, dear reader, for exploring Los Angeles with us.

Happy navigating,

Jane, Scott, Meg, et al.

Table of Contents

Downtown LA Map

Map 1 Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills

Map 1

When the outside world pictures Los Angeles, it often defaults to well-lit images of Beverly Hills: palm trees, 23 broad avenues, nice cars, snappy rich folk. Shopping Rodeo Drive is high-stakes fun, but locals avoid it. To store the best BH memories, visit during the holidays, when the decorations above Wilshire Boulevard beam their glitzy charm. And theres one mental-health practitioner per 100 residents! If youre just visiting, enjoy the towns only freebie: two hours gratis in a public parking lot.

Landmarks

Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences 8949 Wilshire Blvd

310-247-3000

Brake for red carpets and klieg lights! Many premieres are held here.

Beverly Hills Civic Center Santa Monica Blvd & N Rexford Dr

310-285-1000

Infrastructure for the rich and famous.

The Beverly Hills Hotel 9641 W Sunset Blvd

310-276-2251

Legends have stayed at the Pink Palace.

Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire 9500 Wilshire Blvd

310-275-5200

Pretty Woman stayed here.

Greystone Mansion 905 Loma Vista Dr

310-285-6830

Formerly the Doheny Mansion, now part of a lovely public park.

Greystone Park 905 Loma Vista Dr

310-285-6830

Amazing views of Beverly Hills at this public mansion estate. Luke and Laura got married here, and you can too.

Paley Center for Media 465 N Beverly Dr

310-786-1091

Where reruns of old sitcoms are considered art.