An Eclectic Sampler

It is impossible to describe all there is to see and do in LA. It all depends on your interests. Restaurants top the list in any trip for me, as you know if you've read any of my other journals, but LA is frustrating in that regard because it is show-biz-driven and so many of the "gourmet" restaurants are places to see and be seen, rather than to enjoy fine dining in a pleasant atmosphere. No one is a waiter, everyone is a waiter-hyphenate (waiter-actor, waiter-writer, waiter-director) Noise can be overwhelming, and it seems that restaurants are designed to maximize the din much more in LA than in, say, San Francisco or New York. After reading very mixed reviews of many top new restaurants, my husband and I went back to our old favorites, all relatively inexpensive, rather than risk spending or more on the unknown.

Quick Tips:

Don't expect to see movie stars, but don't be surprised if you do. We saw Jeff Bridges in the airport on our way out of LA. I used to see actors at the supermarket fairly frequently when I lived in the San Fernando Valley. And don't bother with Hollywood Blvd -- it's a very scuzzy street.

Best Way To Get Around:

One word -- car. LA has a miserable mass transit system, and everything is so spread out that taxis are impractical and expensive. Be prepared for major traffic congestion on the freeways at virtually all hours of the day. (Hint: Radio station 1070 gives traffic reports frequently throughout the day.) But, the good news is that road-rage drive-by shootings are not as frequent as the media would suggest!

Holiday Inns worldwide are not usually luxurious, but they are usually comfortable. This property was no exception. The room was spacious enough for us and the king-sized bed was firm and comfortable. The room had hairdryer, iron, ironing board and coffee pot. It had probably been awhile since the room was redecorated, but it was clean. The desk staff was friendly and processed us in and out efficiently. Breakfast was included in our weekend "Great Rate." Here, breakfast was a cold buffet or $3.00 off any menu item or the full hot buffet. The disadvantage of the location is that it is at the west end of the San Fernando Valley so it is not as convenient as other locations if you are hitting the typical tourist spots in L.A. Our reason for being in L.A. centered in the San Fernando Valley, so we found it to be convenient. There are loads of restaurants along Ventura Boulevard, and the motel is not far from two major shopping malls on Topanga Canyon Blvd. The Holiday Inn chain offers a number of promotions, including AAA annd AARP rates. The best is usually the "Great Rate" if available. They don''t volunteer the information when you make your reservation, so be sure to ask. An additional hint: Holiday Inn has a "Priority Club" that costs nothing to join. It gives you a "special" rate (but usually other special rates are better), but even better, you get a free room upgrade if rooms are available and early check-in/late check-out. We were given an upgraded room for this stay based on our membership.

Sherman Oaks is the center of the San Fernando Valley, home of Valley Girls (fer shure) and the Galleria shopping mall (now gutted and being re-built as office space). Who would imagine that it also boasts a soul food restaurant, and a great one at that? This little, almost- grungy restaurant, located on a strip of shops adjoining the Sepulveda on-ramp to the 405 freeway, is one of my favorites. The tables are formica-topped, the drinks are served in Mason jars and the walls are hung with really big (and really bad) paintings of soul music superstars. Servers are young and friendly, and you get the feeling that someone's grandma is in the kitchen. The fried chicken is about the best you'll find in the Valley (and maybe in the whole city). I love the barbecued chicken, baked and covered in sweet, tomato-ey, spicy sauce. The pork ribs are so big that you have to look twice to make sure they're not beef ribs, and they are covered in the same great homestyle barbecue sauce. The huge portion of smothered pork chops is drowned in Southern-style gravy. Every dish is served with rice, hot corn muffins and two side dishes -- choices include baked beans, butter beans, green beans (cooked in true Southern style for hours), greens, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and my favorite, okra succotash. I hated okra until I tried Angel Lina's -- she cooks it with onions and tomatoes, with a bit of sugar, and is not at all slimy! There are traditional Southern desserts like sweet potato pie and peach cobbler, but I have never had enough room, so I can't describe them. And, oh yeah, there is a "vegetarian plate," which consists of a choice of five of the side dishes, but I've never seen anyone order it. This is not exactly "health food" but it sure is good.

There are probably 10 Thai restaurants within a 2 mile radius of Lannathai, and it beats them all. Although the quality has gone down a little since our last visit a couple of years ago (new owners, we think), it is still excellent. The room is pretty, with tables and booths upholstered in turquoise with black accents. Contemporary art decorates the walls. Unexplainedly, there is a 3' deep swimming pool in the middle of the restaurant. (One man somehow dropped his ring in it and the poor waiter had to go in after it...I hope he got a nice tip.) The menu is extensive, but we always seem to come back to our same favorites. Nevertheless, it seems when we try something new, it often becomes a favorite as well. I don't know the Thai names for most of the dishes we like, so I'll have to give the English names. Die-hard Thai fans, forgive me. The beef salad is outstanding, with its Romaine lettuce, thin slices of warm beef and tangy lime and fish sauce dressing. The cashew chicken is good, although sometimes it can be dry. We always get the prik king (aha, a Thai name), which is meat and green beans in a Thai curry sauce. You get a choice of beef, chicken or pork. The spicy squid and shrimp are another favorite. The fish are bathed in fish sauce, peppers and other seasonings. I've tried unsuccessfully for years to duplicate it at home. (I even asked for the recipe, but it is a "secret.") A standard to judge all Thai restaurants is pad thai noodles. Lannathai's is not too gooey or heavily sauced, with just the right amount of sweetness. I recommend getting it with shrimp, though you can also get it with chicken or tofu. Thai barbecue chicken and sate other Thai restaurant standbys are also expertly prepared. They will adjust the spiciness of all dishes to suit you. If you're not having a Thai beer, then the Thai iced coffee is pretty good, served in a tall glass with whipped cream on top. They also have a full bar. Reservations are not necessary for small groups, but if you have a group of 6 or more, it's a good idea to call ahead.

It is doubtful that there is another journal about an airport restaurant anywhere on this site. No one ever intentionally goes to an airport to eat, but it's good to know where there is something other than fast food if you are stuck for a couple of hours between flights and you're hungry for real food. Daily Grill is a chain of "modern, upscale" diners throughout Los Angeles. (I believe the first was in Beverly Hills.) The branch at the airport has the same menu and similar decor to the others. It is an actual sit-down restaurant with cloth napkins and efficient table service. The wood paneling and glass dividers between booths remind me of a dining car on an old train. You can also eat "outside" and watch the people go by. The menu has a varied selection of modernized diner food like hot turkey sandwiches, chicken pot pie, meatloaf and mashed potatoes (a specialty), big burgers, etc. There are also several meal-sized and small-sized salads along with appetizers and an array of cold sandwiches. I thought the Caesar salad was especially good -- you can get it with chicken or just as a lettuce salad. The chicken pot pie is full of big chunks of white meat chicken and carrots, with a rich cream sauce. It is served in a bowl, with a crisp top crust covering it, but no bottom crust to get all soggy. Prices are a bit high (at least $10 for most things) but portions are big and the quality is above-average, especially for airport dining. There is also a full bar across the walkway.

A shuttle bus loops from terminal to terminal (the airport is U-shaped), so you don't even have to walk from your terminal to the international one (which is at the bottom of the U). Daily Grill isn't fine dining, but it certainly is better than the fare in the other terminals, and it is a more pleasant place to pass the time than in some of the terminals, which are downright shabby.

How truly decadent to wander through the gardens and the museum and stop for a delightful lunch accompanied by a glass of wine! The Restaurant at the Getty provides a beautiful view of the museum's renowned architecture from its two light, high-ceilinged rooms. The walls are white, with a graceful architectural curve to one wall itself. Service is what one would expect in an upscale restaurant. The menu is not cheap -- main courses are in the $15 range -- but it is a great treat as part of a museum trip. I had pasta with lobster in a cream sauce with a touch of cheese. The portion was very large, with more chunks and bigger chunks of sweet lobster than I had expected, leaving no room for the tempting desserts. My husband had seafood risotto. He is not a risotto fan, but was drawn by the promise of mussels, scallops and shrimp accompanying the rice. He liked the cheesy, creamy rice, and was very happy with the generous portion of shellfish. (The mussels, which can be gamey, were sweet and tender.) He enjoyed a glass of New Zealand sauvignon blanc. There is a wide selection of wines by the glass. Looking at what the other tables were having, the portions were as large and the presentations as pretty as what we had ordered. There were several other pasta selections, some interesting salads, a special sandwich that day (braised short ribs on foccacia with a salad), and a couple of fish dishes. Reservations are suggested; you can call in advance or stop by the restaurant desk when you arrive at the museum. The restaurant is open T-W 11:30-2:30, Th-F 11:30-2:30 and 5:00-8:30, Sa-Su 11:00-3:00.

They moved hundreds of tons of dirt out and hundreds of tons of marble in to make this showplace on the hill. The buildings and grounds are spectacular, but unfortunately the art collection is second-rate. Nevertheless, it is amazing to consider that one man amassed it all. Because the Getty trust has millions of dollars, admission is free. Parking is $5. The museum is unusual in that when you arrive (by car or bus), you take a People-Mover train up the hill to the museum grounds. From there, you can explore the gardens or the different buildings that make up the museum. We arrived just as the museum opened and went directly to the gardens. This turned out to be a good idea, as the weather was still cool and almost all the visitors went to the museum first. We were there on a special Family Day, and there were various activities going on in the courtyard areas for children. We enjoyed going into one gallery, then going out into the courtyard to see what was happening there, then returning to the galleries for more art. Instead of getting gallery-feet and art-overload after a couple of hours, we spent more time than we had expected. I don't think the museum is one of the world's top art collections, but the architecture and the grounds certainly make it worth a trip. For details about special events and also about public transportation to the museum, check out its website, www.getty.edu. The museum is open TW 10-7, ThF 10-9, SaSu 10-6. There are a few places to eat, including an elegant restaurant (see separate journal), and you can also bring in a picnic. There are lots picnic tables in the open areas.