Trip to LA (from Canada) advice 0

[NoMan]

57 minutes ago, grebal said:

Hell yeah, we even do weird BIGGER down here. 

Is Buckey's the highway kids attraction with lots of signs along the highway?  "Buckey's 20 miles away."  Coming in 17 miles.  Coming in 10 miles.  You passed it 1 mile back.

No it's the HUMONGOUS 7/11 kinda store, I mean they have everything. About 20 NYC blocks long. Beaver with cap on sidways is the mascot. You can get those 110 ounce re-fillable coke cups.

[grebal]

Just now, NoMan said:

No it's the HUMONGOUS 7/11 kinda store, I mean they have everything. About 20 NYC blocks long. Beaver with cap on sidways is the mascot. You can get those 110 ounce re-fillable coke cups.

Tourists.

eyeroll.

wink.

 

[NoMan]

55 minutes ago, grebal said:

Tourists.

eyeroll.

wink.

 

is that a tourist joint? My 16 year old newphew got some lime green crocs shoes there and I told him you're gonna see pics of yourself in those in 20 years and be so embarrased. I bought a coke.

[BlowUpTheMoon]

49 minutes ago, NoMan said:

Buckey's

Buc-ee's

[D84]

49 minutes ago, NoMan said:

dude texas is weird. especially Buckey's. Place creeps me out

I'm from Houston and spent most of my life here.

Buckey's creeps me out too.

Edited August 16, 2019 by D84

[ADAMANTIUM]

12 minutes ago, D84 said:

1 hour ago, NoMan said:

dude texas is weird. especially Buckey's. Place creeps me out

I'm from Houston and spent most of my life here.

Buckey's creeps me out too.

I'm a native Texan and only heard of buc-cee's within the last 5 years, on my trip to Houston for a college scholarship that I didn't end up getting ha, but they have the cleanest bathrooms though!  

On long trips and through a state as big as Texas, it's good to have a comfortable place for relieving!!!

[NoMan]

With Buckeys I just get this end of the world feeling.  

Like the worlds gonna crash into the sun while I’m in the sand shovel aisle. 

Edited August 16, 2019 by NoMan

[revat]

Before this becomes more of a referendum on Los Angeles, I'll toss in some more actual stuff, especially stuff I personally am interested in.

For reference, I was born in LA+early childhood, moved away, went for college+first job, then moved away again (traffic, am I right?), and now I go back once or twice a year to visit friends or family.

1. Food - so far not talked about enough in my opinion.  In my opinion, there isn't a better city for the price and diversity of food and quality of ingredients (New York loses on price and fresheness). Try a brunch.

a.  Asian food - LA has the best Japanese, Chinese (ok maybe Vancouver), Korean, and Persian food outside of their actual geographic regions

- Japanese - Torrance is great, but far from Downtown.  Sounds like you're in downtown, so do Little Tokyo which is in Downtown. 

- Chinese - Monterey Park/San Gabriel - its mostly Cantonese style

- Thai food - IF You're going to Hollywood anyways and you don't know what to eat, there's a Thai-Town in Hollywood at the end of Sunset Boulevard.

- Korean - K-Town is right next to downtown.  Its epic.  Get some bbq or fried chicken.

- Persian - West LA.  Have you had Persian ice cream?  I'm a fan

 

b.  Mexican Food - Frankly, its everywhere and its delicious, taco trucks are generally good.  But if you want a safe, classic, clean option with the possibility of seeing stars, I'd go El Coyote in West LA/Hollywood.  Some special things are the California Burrito, or possibly Carne Asada Fries if you can find them.

c.  In-and-Out - should account for at least one meal.  Go animal style.

2.  Beach - I can't stress this enough, DO NOT PLAN TO SWIM AT ANY BEACH SOUTH OF MALIBU OR NORTH OF MANHATTAN BEACH.  It will be either too cold or too dirty.  There are NO EXCEPTIONS.  If you want to walk near the beach (but not necessarily physically on the beach) in a nice environment, Santa Monica is fine. 

3.  Going out - I don't think you'll find a ton of great bars in downtown.  From there you can go to Silverlake for hipster stuff like bars or coffee, Hollywood (the famous Sunset Boulevard) for expensive clubbing (but the best talent in the world), or Pasadena for more 'normal?' stuff?  Also of note:  In the event that you happen to enjoy rainbow activities, you'd likely enjoy West Hollywood (they also have a  ShakeShack).

4.  Comics - Generally prices are kinda high, but maybe not to someone who lives in Canada.

5.  Famous people - 1.  Go to a premiere.  You have to wait for a few hours, but they're either at Hollywood or Westwood (by UCLA).  2. Go on a studio tour, these are surprisingly fun.  3.  Look online and plan to watch a taping of a show, I suggest Conan.  4.  If you walk around the Grove, or hang out in Jerry's Deli long enough, you will see someone famous.

 

General tips

- rent a car, don't leave anything visible in the car.  If you rent a convertible, people will know you are a tourist, but it can make for an awesome drive along the coast, especially if you go to Santa Barbara

- check the weather while packing your wardrobe, it can surprise people.

- Try some stuff with avocados involved.  You might have heard legends about how much avocado is involved, but its tough to really wrap your head around it until you're actually there.

- If you're going most places at most times, you have to plan for traffic.  I know people complain about it in other places, but LA has 5-7 lane Freeways that essentially become parking lots at the wrong times.  1/5 of LA conversations are literally like the SNL sketch "The Californians"

 

[sacentaur]

1 hour ago, NoMan said:

fair enough. point taken and I try to learn each and every day to become a better person. I'll stop using such phraseology. Question: The poster on this thread claiming to "hate it (Los Angeles) and move if he could" did he try to improve his surroundings as he saw fit here in LA or did he just sit on his a** stewing in his hate because those of us who do try to create betterments didn't make it good enough for him? He complains about the "junkies" and "homeless" while living in Los Angeles "his whole life.". Every lift a finger to help one? Ever imagine a mile in their shoes. Nah, they're just sh*t making a sh*thole. Maybe it's folks like this I'd just soon be outta here when I say "If you don't like it, go."

You have no idea who I am nor what I have done in my career and my life, nor any idea of what my family obligations are.

Opinions differ, and that’s Ok. Ad hominem ramblings and false projections are not. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NoMan]

2 minutes ago, sacentaur said:

You have no idea who I am nor what I have done in my career and my life, nor any idea of what my family obligations are.

Opinions differ, and that’s Ok. Ad hominem ramblings and false projections are not. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like I said.....

[sacentaur]

5 hours ago, D84 said:

Blast Off (North Hollywood). 

Jeremy, Blast Off recently closed its doors - Judd accepted a position with IDW and moved to San Diego.

He always treated me fairly, sorry to see him go.

Apparently another comic shop will takeover the business, but that hasn’t happened yet.

[NoMan]

15 minutes ago, sacentaur said:

Jeremy, Blast Off recently closed its doors - Judd accepted a position with IDW and moved to San Diego.

He always treated me fairly, sorry to see him go.

Apparently another comic shop will takeover the business, but that hasn’t happened yet.

It was 9.4 (9.6?) af 15 that just sold for 500 grandish.  Collectors paradise is taking over.  If it’s anything like the collectors paradise store in Pasadena Judd will be SORLEY be missed. 

Edited August 16, 2019 by NoMan

[D84]

27 minutes ago, sacentaur said:

Jeremy, Blast Off recently closed its doors - Judd accepted a position with IDW and moved to San Diego.

He always treated me fairly, sorry to see him go.

Apparently another comic shop will takeover the business, but that hasn’t happened yet.

 

23 minutes ago, NoMan said:

It was 9.4 (9.6?) af 15 that just sold for 500 grandish.  Collectors paradise is taking over.  If it’s anything like the collectors paradise store in Pasadena Judd will be SORLEY be missed. 

That's why I'm getting flooded with emails from Collector's Paradise?  I've been trying to figure out who they are.

Judd was great.  He will be missed.

Edited August 16, 2019 by D84

[NoMan]

1 hour ago, D84 said:

 

That's why I'm getting flooded with emails from Collector's Paradise?  I've been trying to figure out who they are.

Judd was great.  He will be missed.

he as a good cat. when i was searching for an af15 he really sat down with me and discussed some stuff. That's how I knew about his 9.4 (9.6?). So when one went for sale recently I called and sure enough it was his. What was the last 9.4 or 9.6 to go up for sale? Think it brought in about 500k. It was with CL of CC this I do know. 

[sacentaur]

In L.A., the public health is at increased risk. Rising homeless, drugs, mental health, and sanitation issues have caused the rat population to soar. The media has already reported multiple sources indicating serious potential for an epidemic such as typhus or plague. 

Surprisingly enough (not), other cities are on the cliff’s edge as well. 

 

[NoMan]

2 hours ago, sacentaur said:

In L.A., the public health is at increased risk. Rising homeless, drugs, mental health, and sanitation issues have caused the rat population to soar. The media has already reported multiple sources indicating serious potential for an epidemic such as typhus or plague. 

Surprisingly enough (not), other cities are on the cliff’s edge as well. 

 

I'll take it to PM if you want, but since you're bring it up for discussion:

Why exactly does Los Angeles have a rising homeless population yet much of the new apartment buildings in downtown sit empty? New apartments that were created when $450 SRO rooms became $2,7000 "artist lofts" that no true artist could ever afford.

The drugs you claim are part of a sanitation problem: Is it all the half empty stale bottles of beer littering the street at the 150 or so bars all over downtown, cigarette butts all over the ground or is it just those illegal crack smokers and heroin users that are causing this "sanitation problem?"

What on earth does some poor soul suffering from mental health have to do with the "rat problem" of Los Angeles? Yes, the media has reported that there's lots of trash downtown and it's real easy to blame someone without the ability to fight back, isn't it? Nothing like good quality investigative journalism. It's not like some unscrupulous businesses might dump their trash there late at night as if it was their own free late-night landfill creating this rat/health problem and, gasp!, the media blames the homeless! It's not like hospitals would just dump their undesirables confused patients there late at night in nothing but a bloody smock. That's so crazy it couldn't actually happen, better just to blame the homeless and crack smokers because they dress shabby and stink. (Just another side though of many: what's the difference between the 8-ball of coke they're doing up in the hills and the 5$ rock of coke they're doing downtown? Oh, never mind. Silly questions.) 

And actually Anaheim's homeless problems are growing faster than Los Angeles' with Anaheim calling in more and more for public assistance. Funny tho, Anaheim's homeless population does have jobs (as many homeless in Los Angeles do to), they work at the happiest place on Earth, Disneyland. In that other thread about comic book movies you all guys jump and down about how well Disney is doing $-wise, you'd think they could slip their employees a buck or two so they wouldn't have to live in their car, or 10 to a motel room or the woods, you know.

Why are other cities seeing more and more folks who can't afford to live even tho they have a job or two? Oh, who cares, Jeff Bezos with his 181 billion is building a rocket ship to take him to Mars!

 

Edited August 16, 2019 by NoMan

[alexanderjk]

4 hours ago, revat said:

But if you want a safe, classic, clean option with the possibility of seeing stars, I'd go El Coyote in West LA/Hollywood. 

Have to second this suggestion. Best margaritas in L.A., hands down. 

(Entire post is fantastic. I hope the OP doesn’t miss it in between the back and forth about LA’s politics.) 

[Senormac]

4 hours ago, NoMan said:

5 hours ago, sacentaur said:

In L.A., the public health is at increased risk. Rising homeless, drugs, mental health, and sanitation issues have caused the rat population to soar. The media has already reported multiple sources indicating serious potential for an epidemic such as typhus or plague. 

Surprisingly enough (not), other cities are on the cliff’s edge as well. 

 

I'll take it to PM if you want, but since you're bring it up for discussion:

Why exactly does Los Angeles have a rising homeless population yet much of the new apartment buildings in downtown sit empty? New apartments that were created when $450 SRO rooms became $2,7000 "artist lofts" that no true artist could ever afford.

The drugs you claim are part of a sanitation problem: Is it all the half empty stale bottles of beer littering the street at the 150 or so bars all over downtown, cigarette butts all over the ground or is it just those illegal crack smokers and heroin users that are causing this "sanitation problem?"

What on earth does some poor soul suffering from mental health have to do with the "rat problem" of Los Angeles? Yes, the media has reported that there's lots of trash downtown and it's real easy to blame someone without the ability to fight back, isn't it? Nothing like good quality investigative journalism. It's not like some unscrupulous businesses might dump their trash there late at night as if it was their own free late-night landfill creating this rat/health problem and, gasp!, the media blames the homeless! It's not like hospitals would just dump their undesirables confused patients there late at night in nothing but a bloody smock. That's so crazy it couldn't actually happen, better just to blame the homeless and crack smokers because they dress shabby and stink. (Just another side though of many: what's the difference between the 8-ball of coke they're doing up in the hills and the 5$ rock of coke they're doing downtown? Oh, never mind. Silly questions.) 

And actually Anaheim's homeless problems are growing faster than Los Angeles' with Anaheim calling in more and more for public assistance. Funny tho, Anaheim's homeless population does have jobs (as many homeless in Los Angeles do to), they work at the happiest place on Earth, Disneyland. In that other thread about comic book movies you all guys jump and down about how well Disney is doing $-wise, you'd think they could slip their employees a buck or two so they wouldn't have to live in their car, or 10 to a motel room or the woods, you know.

Why are other cities seeing more and more folks who can't afford to live even tho they have a job or two? Oh, who cares, Jeff Bezos with his 181 billion is building a rocket ship to take him to Mars!

Politics 

[NoMan]

Wolverine's first true appearance 180 or 181 

[Shawnismaximus]

15 hours ago, alexanderjk said:

Have to second this suggestion. Best margaritas in L.A., hands down. 

(Entire post is fantastic. I hope the OP doesn’t miss it in between the back and forth about LA’s politics.) 

I just read through all 3 pages this morning and it sounds like a heroin addict is gonna stab me to death with a needle while I'm stuck on the parking lot that is the 405.

Haha. But I appreciate everyone's advice!