Love LA

When the chance came up to attend the University of California’s specialist Los Angeles Travel Academy I thought twice! It looked like jolly hard work with early morning classroom sessions and afternoons crammed with sightseeing – all in just 5 days. I had passed through LA more times than I could remember and I was curious to see if LA really was the tacky sprawl of a city that I imagined. I had no idea that thanks to a previously unheard of Icelandic volcano this trip was to become so much more than I ever imagined! The first few days were a blur of early classes and reams of facts, figures and information, followed by afternoons and evenings of relentless sightseeing and hotel visits. It was exhausting but fantastic fun and I learnt so much! These are just a few of the places I was lucky enough to experience. Lovely Santa Monica – a windswept Californian beach with a beautiful old pier reminiscent of many a British seaside town. 3rd Street Promenade was a joy; a lovely chilled atmosphere, great shops, eateries, and street entertainers. The famous Venice Beach or home of the crazies as we came to call it! The famous muscle men are there but so too are some rather eccentric colourful locals. A great place to people-watch is Venice Whalers up on the roof terrace basking in the sunshine. Decidedly upmarket Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive where we popped into Tiffany’s for a spot of jewellery shopping – as you do! The Farmer’s Market is huge with restaurants and stalls galore right next to the exclusive Grove Shopping Mall; both are the haunt of many a famous celebrity. We enjoyed a “Downtown Day” covering Hollywood and Highland, the Walk of Fame, the Kodak Theatre and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. We literally rubbed shoulders with the A listers – too bad they weren’t real - as we made our way around Madame Tussauds. From there we took the Metro Redline to LA Live, a brand new entertainment complex. The Grammy Museum covers the history of music of all genres. There was some fascinating memorabilia and the chance to sing along and mix your own tracks – in a sound-proof booth! An afternoon at Universal Studios was great fun! The Studio tour is an absolute must-do; you are taken round the back-plots to see where they shoot TV series such as Wisteria Lane and visit sets from famous movies (with a few thrills along the way!). The Getty Center perched on a hillside in the Santa Monica Mountains was a highlight of the trip. What a fascinating place in a beautiful tranquil setting above LA. There were so many exhibitions all we could do was scratch the surface but I can’t wait to go back and wander at leisure. Another highlight was the Huntington Library; diverse collections of art and rare treasures set in 120 acres of stunning botanical gardens. I had never been on a gastronomical tour before but I loved the Melting Pot Food tour of Pasadena! A chance to sample lots of different restaurants in one afternoon – highly recommended! For anyone who likes architecture the Gamble House was fascinating. The house and furnishings were designed by Charles and Henry Greene in 1908. The house is a National Historic landmark. The regal Queen Mary at Long Beach sticks in my memory. I have never experienced such an overwhelming sense of history as I did onboard this truly incredible ship which now doubles as a hotel. I was in awe of her impressive credentials and the many long journeys she undertook packed with troops during the war. Not surprisingly, she is said to be haunted. I’m so glad that I got to spend those extra days in LA! To have some unexpected leisure time and see so many different aspects of this inspiring city was a privilege. There is so much more to it than glitz and glamour – there are many hidden pockets of learning, sophistication and beauty – you just need to know where to look. Thank you volcano – you did this Travel Counsellor a huge favour! If you too would like to sample some of the delights that LA holds give me a call today.... it's all there waiting for you!!!