Exploring Los Angeles (general overview)

City of Angels is a boundless metropolis, then, to explore it, know its essence, the urban structure and even snatch the spirit, we must proceed according to a program. First you have to be motorized a means of locomotion, as the city was built precisely measure of self, its road network, highly efficient and at times chaotic like few, was made in tandem with the growth of the city and serving on the move of its inhabitants in the best way. Obviously you can not know Los Angeles and its districts for full and meticulous, it would take years, and there I will not list all its districts, but simply give you the advice of those who, in my opinion, are the most significant places the city, and that are essential to visit, to get a general overview. In other chapters, we return into the details of some important places. Do not make the mistake of neglecting the downtown visit, indeed, this will be just the starting point of your exploration. The city center is the beating heart of LA and must be visited to admire the architecture, that to see its historic buildings, Chinatown, Olvera Street, Little Tokyo, Union Station, the Skid Row and especially the people who populate the center. The next stages then you will not have to follow them according to a precise pattern, but however you like. Essential, however the visit of ELA or East Los Angeles, the famous Mexican neighborhood of Boyle Heights. This part of town is home to the largest concentration of Mexicans outside of Mexico and is a kind of its branch. All genuine, not artificial. You can find the true essence of the mariachi country, mixed with the losangelena. Typical restaurants, shops, and his always smiling and extremely polite people. Maybe meet the actor Danny Trejo aka “Machete” with Mr. Cartoon aboard an Impala 62 customized. There are many other ethnic neighborhoods in Los Angeles such as Little Armenia, Little Bangladesh, the vast Koreatown, but I believe that East Los Angeles is one of the most characteristic places as to settlements of foreign ethnic groups in the city, whereas Los Angeles since the name itself , he makes it clear that its history and its growth are intertwined issues with Mexican immigration. Know a little ‘Spanish in LA, it is almost mandatory. Another area that I suggest is Long Beach, home of the Port of Los Angeles, where you can admire the Queen Mary, the famous cruise liner now converted into a hotel, but really nice and interesting. Even South Central LA is worth a visit. Rest assured, you will not be bothered by the gangs if you use common sense and above all education, no one will bother you. As I said in a previous chapter, you’ll not see even the gangs in LA. South Central should be visited as huge African American communities and therefore, important and essential, explore this place and understand the story. From here have gone saddest chapters in Los Angeles, as the riots of 1992 and those of the 60’s to witness the existential malaise of the population, then it escalated into violent riots that are always to be condemned, but that should be carefully studied and evaluated to understand who and what have caused and fomented. I would not want to fall into rethoric, but if you take a walk around the neighborhood and talk to people, you will understand a little more about certain dynamics of US society; It will be very interesting. You can make a detour from Watts to see the towers built by the Neapolitan architect Simon Rodia, the protagonists of many films. Since you’re well past the area for Inglewood least to see the Los Angeles Forum, the former home of the Lakers and hosted historical concerts such as Led Zeppelin in the 70. Burbank is another destination that I recommend. You can start by Magnolia Boulevard, populated by really strange shops of all kinds, and get into the historical places for car lovers , such as the Barris shop that was for instance the maker of cars such as the Batmobile, which is exposed in its store, along with other cars. If you call ahead, you can also meet and talk to Mr. Barris in person, he often goes to work despite his years. Griffith Park and the observatory are another must see day and night, to see an overview of Los Angeles from above and also to see the places immortalized in the movie “Rebel Without A Cause”. There is also a bust of James Dean in eternal memory, and here were shot the famous sequences such as the challenge with knives, the lesson of astronomy in Observatory (visit it because it is very interesting) and the ‘final killing of Sal Mineo . The road to get to Griffith Park will give you so, driving by car, even a view of the hills and canyons of Hollywood, tortuous and perched on one another. While driving you will think of many films. You can also make hiking in the paths that wind through the hills, all wonderful, but do it early in the morning because of the hot summer it is really unbearable. You can discover the Batcave out of which rose the Batman car in the show and also see other places theater of feature films. Follow then by car on Sunset Boulevard, but not limited to the portion called Sunset Strip, or the one where all the shops and trendy, but also the portion which passes in front of Bel Air and reaches to the ocean. Look at his vintage streetlights still perfectly preserved and you will feel like in the movie “Double Indemnity” (by the way in Los Angeles you can see the house that appears in the film, but I will talk about in a more comprehensive manner in the section dedicated to cinema). Another must, is the PCH or the Pacific Coast Highway along the ocean and goes to destinations such as Malibu and Santa Monica. Speaking of Santa Monica, who does not see its pier, where it ends on historic Route 66 and enjoy the Ferris wheel immortalized in the film “The Sting” and the ocean? Immerse yourself then, if you will, for the city streets, crowded and fashionable, but very beautiful and worth seeing. Maybe go there at a time where there is not too many people to enjoy them better. Also Venice Beach is worth a visit, to be able to walk through and see its street performers sellers the playagrounds basketball immortalized in the movie “White Men Can’t Jump “ then see Muscle Beach where Arnold Schwarzenegger used to pumping iron , the girls in bikinis skating and much more. Hire a bike or skates and follow the path. You can go there, indeed, you have to go during the day and even at night. Bring a sweater because even in summer the ocean breeze is “chilly” as they say in the US, that is cool. I said in the evening, because on Saturday, you will see Mexicans who flaunt their gleaming vintage cars, real masterpieces, parking opposite the beach, with the radio playing old ranchera songs, sitting, talking and drinking a beer ( be careful because you can not drink alcohol on the beach and if you do it the LAPD officers could fine you, they don’y joke here about certain things as alcohol ). Hollywood also worth a visit. You can not dispense with walking on Hollywood Boulevard, see the Chinese Theatre, The Roosevelt Hotel, the stars of show business personalities. Past also from Melrose Avenue. Surely in a day, you can see all the places that I have listed there. This is obviously a glimpse of the whole but will prove to be very useful for you to understand then, in which places, in the following days, concentrate your explorations. I have not mentioned the museums such as the Getty Center, the Natural History Museum, the Gene Autry Museum and many other places such as La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles River (still dry) with its bridges, but mine is not a tourist guide, mine are only travel notes, photographs, panoramas, seasoned with impressions of myself, but I know you will enjoy them and will be very useful. One last thing, which is also very important, take some time to driving on motorways without any precise destination, exploring and living the LA freeway is an essential thing that you absolutely can not dispense if you want to understand LA.

Copyright 2016 by Francesco Nicotera                                                               All right reserved