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Visitors to Los Angeles often make a b-line right to Hollywood Boulevard. They want to see the stars footprints at Graumans or the Walk of Fame. That’s understandable but there’s a lot more to see in LA then just a couple of blocks in Hollywood. This holds true for the locals who feel like they are missing out. Fear not because here are some suggestions for exploring the other side of LA.
Venice Beach: On some level, everyone who lives in Los Angeles is really just under an hour away from the beach. Most vacationers would think nothing of flying for hours to get to the kind of beaches we have at our disposal every day. Beyond the surfing and tanning potential there is a haven of artists and personalities that shouldn’t be missed and they can be found everyday at Venice Beach. There’s always a pick-up volleyball or basketball game going on. You can also marvel at the muscles working out at the outdoor gym once frequented by our former action star governor. There are great places to grab lunch. The best vantage point would be any bench along the stroll where you can spend hours people watching.
Pacific Coast Highway: To get to Venice Beach you might go by way of the Pacific Coast Highway or PCH. Head down to the PCH from Los Angeles. Turn left and you can go south all the way to San Diego. Go right and you can take it north all the way to San Francisco. But even just going an hour or two in either direction will open you up to some amazing coastal views. Along the way there are plenty of shops and cafes to stop off at. A great day trip to be sure.
The Fashion District: Everybody knows about the primo window shopping opportunities in Beverly Hills along Rodeo drive or up and down the Third Street Promenade but have you heard about the Fashion District? This is a stretch of 90 blocks downtown that is a bustling community of over 1,000 stores. Make sure to go during the week and get ready to shop until you drop!
Of course, taking advantage of those day trips means you need to clear your schedule. If you’ve got a “to-do” list that includes “clean out the garage” then you need to call Junk King LA. Junk King is not new to the junk removal business. They are part of a national franchise of junk haulers who are dedicated to cleaning out the clutter of your life. When you hire Junk King LA you’re also hiring dedicated workers and a big truck. They can clear out your garage in a snap and drive away with all your junk. This will free up your weekend for more important “pursuits.” Best of all Junk King charges by the amount of space you take up on their truck. That’s it and it couldn’t be easier.
Santa Anita Park isn’t just for betting on the ponies. Recently, the famed race track played host to Los Angeles County’s hazardous and e-waste collection drive. Basically, this was the perfect time to get rid of all that stuff you know you can’t throw out in the garbage. On the hazardous waste list are things like brake fluid, paint, paint thinner, cleaners with acid or lye, pesticides or herbicides, household and car batteries, pool chemicals, motor oil, oil filters, expired pharmaceuticals, anti-freeze and fluorescent light bulbs. Residents were also encouraged to bring their electronic waste or e-waste. That would essentially be anything you can plug into a socket such as computer monitors, televisions, computer CPUs, keyboards, printers and cell phones.
Over in Universal City the studio had developed a plan to build thousands of residential units on the back lot. Now it looks as though that plan has been scrapped in favor of adding more movie and television production facilities and expanding Universal Studios Hollywood theme park. As with any type of major project like this the local residents were already giving it the thumbs down. Apparently they don’t want any new neighbors.
In today’s tough economy, nearly everyone is looking for a way to downsize. For some that might just mean cutting down on the amount of dining out that occurs in any given week. For others it means a completely new approach to where they are living or who they are living with. Does a move to a smaller home make sense? Could bringing in a roommate help with the bills? Either one of those options could help support the number one reason why folks want to downsize: To save money. To accomplish those goals you first need to assess your current living situation and see what has to change or more to the point, what has to go.
The City of Angels is many things to many people but would you ever think of Los Angeles as a gardening mecca? As it happens, there are many vibrant gardens to be found all around the Los Angeles area. We’re not just talking about the occasional well-groomed front yard but expansive landscapes that are meticulously maintained and open for public viewing.
As everyone knows Los Angeles is the home to Hollywood which is the moviemaking capital of the world. One of the most popular genres of films to come out of Hollywood are those horror movies that have been scaring audiences for generations. No discussion of Hollywood horror would be complete without talking about the classics from the Golden age of movie making. This would be the original versions of Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolf Man. The inspiration for those movies was based in classic literature. However, even though those stories took readers to faraway places those movies were actually made on the back lot of Universal Studios right here in Los Angeles. Dracula’s Castle, Doctor Frankenstein’s laboratory and the Wolf Man’s woods were all studio sets.
Los Angeles has always been a leader when it comes to recycling programs. They were first among the nation’s largest cities to adopt a weekly recycling program for its residents. Since its inception, the LA recycling program has meant tons and tons of garbage has been diverted away from landfills and redirected to recycling centers for repurposing and reuse. As a way of looking into expanding those initial programs, local officials are always looking towards other innovations instituted by cities around the country. One of the most extensive ideas is something that is being put forth in Seattle: cutting back on weekly garbage pickups.