LA First Impressions

G'day from LA, January 2

Arrived in LA at 6:15 Friday morning - first flight in so customs hall empty instead of the normal cattle yard! Got through quickly and out into a cool foggy LA morning (is it fog or a politically acceptable explanation for the LA fog?).

Shuttle bus to car hire and we're off in our Chevrolet Trailblazer - 4WD. Satnav keeping us on track and allowing me to keep eyes on road and remembering which side to drive on. We get to Santa Monica in 20 minutes arriving at Hotel California - not sure if its the Eagle's one or not - there's no "mirrors on the ceiling and pink champagne on ice" but it is a Californian beachside 60s style hotel that real estate agents would describe as character filled with opportunities to improve! Corridor view to ocean would be another apt term.

Check in isn't until later so we do a driving tour from Santa Monica down to Venice Beach and Marina Del Ray. Very serene morning for LA, not a lot of traffic, dead calm, no wind and serene fog. Venice Beach looks totally different form its normal cosmopolitan, frenetic self. We spend an hour or so driving around and head back to Santa Monica.

Santa Monica reminds me a bit of Manly, on a good surf beach, part of a big city, healthy lifestyle, diverse population and generally a fun place. 3rd Street Promenade is Santa Monica's Corso (much better done though) and we get an overdue good coffee and browse a few stores - Gap, Banana Republic, Urban Outfitters, Apple Store and more. Dec likes all the shoe stores, Vans, Sketches, Adidas and more. Jack's rapt that wifi is so good and widespread and free!

We walk back to the Hotel, still too early for check in so decide to drive to Beverly Hills and Hollywood. First stop though is Tesla (www.teslamotors.com), Jack's favourite car - only in California, Tesla's are totally electric, plug them into a powerpoint. Also very fast, 0-100 in under 4 seconds. They're closed but we get some photos through the windows.





We drive on up Sunset Boulevard and then head to Rodeo Drive and check out LA's ritziest shopping strip with all the fashion labels and movie star prices - we drive straight through, plastic surgeons and botox parties must be busy around here - even the radio has ads for breast implants for only $2750 - bit if a change from Sydney radio asking us to dial 1800 80 80 40!!

After a quick tech shop stop we end up at Hollywood & Highland to check out the theatres and the footpath/pavement of the stars. Turns out we're at the Kodak theatre across the road from a Disney movie at El Capitan and next door to the Chinese Theatre, famous for hand and footprints of the stars as well as the stars in the footpath. Really crazy place with various Disney characters, Darth Vader, Pirates, Dwarfs and more.

It's here we also run into our first Indie music person placing headphones over our ears so we can listen to their music and hopefully buy their CD! I met Mr D and bought his hip hop cd, labelled with texta colour on a gold CD - Jack's says its not blank and the music sounds OK! Here's Mr D to the right.

Feeling tired we head back to the Hotel California, such a lovely place, but not plenty of room as the Eagles suggested. Also couldn't find the Mission Bell and didn't worry about asking for wine ("we haven't had that spirit here since 1969"!)

We venture back to 3rd St Promenade for dinner at Barneys, menus printed on newspaper and as long as the Manly Daily on a low news, low ads day. Despite the choices Dec goes for his Hawaiian Pizza! Jack ventures for chilli with beans and I try some Californian mexican and some local brews. 3rd St looks great at night.

Back to the Eagles' haunt and a long sleep to get over the flight!