A Little Wander around Hollywood at Christmas...

Grauman's Chinese Theatre

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Attraction | "Where It All Starts..."

Grauman's Chinese Theater Photo - Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles, California

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Probably my favourite thing in all of Hollywood - and I doubt if I am alone on this - is the world famous Grauman's Chinese Theater. Located on Hollywood Blvd along the Hollywood Walk of Fame and just a few steps away from the new Hollywood and Highland Centre - this traditional bit of old Hollywood is something you might stumble on with out even realizing it. One minute you are in a shiny new shopping district where it's not unlikely to spot a celebrity or two doing some Christmas shopping (I saw one from ER...) and then a few steps away you are standing on the Hollywood stars, and fighting your way through the throngs of tourists, locals and costumed characters trying to hav...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on October 21, 2009

Grauman's Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, California
(323) 464-8111

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Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Attraction | "You've Got to Do It..."

Hollywood Walk of Fame Photo - Hollywood Walk of Fame, Los Angeles, California

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In every trip there are certain things that you are obliged to do. Even if you've managed to make it all the way to Hollywood California with out having any interest whatsoever in films or star-gazing - it is still all but compulsory that you visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame. If you arrive on Hollywood Blvd by car or - well, I guess it will probably be by car as there are very few ways to get around LA that aren't by car. (You could walk if you're not coming from too far away, but buses aren't recommended by those who live there.) Then you will all but stumble upon the Hollywood Walk of Fame. With all the glitz and glamour that surrounds it; you might think that it's set asid...Read More

In every trip there are certain things that you are obliged to do. Even if you've managed to make it all the way to Hollywood California with out having any interest whatsoever in films or star-gazing - it is still all but compulsory that you visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

If you arrive on Hollywood Blvd by car or - well, I guess it will probably be by car as there are very few ways to get around LA that aren't by car. (You could walk if you're not coming from too far away, but buses aren't recommended by those who live there.) Then you will all but stumble upon the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

With all the glitz and glamour that surrounds it; you might think that it's set aside from the largely trafficked area of Hollywood. But you would be wrong. If you start walking down Hollywood Blvd towards the main shopping district, before long you will simply become aware that there are star-shaped steps along the sidewalk beneath your feet. And with a start you realize, you've been walking the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

It's somewhat different than I pictured it, but there's something kind of cool (if very surreal) about this incredibly well known 'attraction' of Hollywood passing by unnoticed under the feet of those who work and live in the area every day.

The locals say that this area has been cleaned up a lot in recent years - though I do have to say the whole thing still seemed a lot more dingy and dated than I would have imagined. Even at Christmas when there were live brass bands playing along the walk and the flashy new shopping centre and theater (where you find the Kodak Theater - home of the Academy Awards) was decked out for the holidays in a very beautiful way, I was still surprised at how down trodden much of it seemed.

Not that it is lacking in character - and even though it's not the glitzy thing I pictured, is still a very unique and interesting thing to see on your visit to Hollywood. It can be difficult to photograph the stars, as so many people are walking past them - and do be aware that all the dressed up characters that are along the walk (some of them spectacularly dressed, and others quite sad and tatty) are trying to make money by having you take your photo with them. If you want your photo taken with Spiderman or Jack Sparrow - then you will have no trouble managing this here. But they can also be a bit pushy at times.

This is also an excellent place to get the great cheesy Hollywood souvenirs. Shop after shop on Hollywood Blvd sell everything from Elvis salt shakers to John Wayne coffee mugs. And of course - any number of things with Hollywood stars or California licence plates on it.

If you're looking for slightly more upmarket things from Hollywood - then go across the street to the Hollywood and Highland Center. The newly developed center has over 60 shops, restaurants, cafes and even nightclubs and hotels. It's very well situated, nicely laid out and at Christmas is particularly nice to have a festive coffee and enjoy the California sun.

Go up to the top floor for an excellent view of Hollywood Blvd and LA city in the distance.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on October 19, 2009

Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Blvd & Vine St.
Los Angeles, California 90028
(323) 469-8311

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Hollywood Sign

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Attraction | "The Famous Sign and the Hollywood Hills"

Hollywood Sign Photo - Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles, California

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If there is one single obligatory thing you must make the effort to do in Hollywood - it is to see the Hollywood sign. And this might be more difficult then you would imagine. You could drive around Hollywood all day (and this is something that could very feasibly happen given the confusing streets and traffic in the area) and never spot it. At the risk of spoiling it - I should warn you that the legendary Hollywood sign is somewhat more...demure than you might expect. Or rather, it appears to be. The size of the sign in reality is quite impressive at 450 ft from end to end, and apparently each letter is 45 ft tall. Perhaps it's the size of the peak it's resting on - whic...Read More

If there is one single obligatory thing you must make the effort to do in Hollywood - it is to see the Hollywood sign. And this might be more difficult then you would imagine.

You could drive around Hollywood all day (and this is something that could very feasibly happen given the confusing streets and traffic in the area) and never spot it.

At the risk of spoiling it - I should warn you that the legendary Hollywood sign is somewhat more...demure than you might expect. Or rather, it appears to be. The size of the sign in reality is quite impressive at 450 ft from end to end, and apparently each letter is 45 ft tall. Perhaps it's the size of the peak it's resting on - which is the tallest in Los Angeles. If you expect to see it towering over the hills above Hollywood the way it seems to do in film - you might be a bit disappointed. However - it's surprisingly accessible, too.

You might have to drive around for a good bit in Hollywood in order to find a street with a good view of the sign, but to get the full experience then I highly recommend that you take a drive up through the Hollywood hills - a sight seeing excursion all on it's own.

I was lucky enough to be spending my time in Hollywood with local friends who knew all the best places to spot the sign and see the sights - and they were especially useful in spotting the sign.
Probably the best place to see it and the most chilled and relaxing place to stop off for a good view and photo opportunity is the Hollywood Reservoir and the area locals know as the dog park.

Drive up (you will be best served if you have a car for this particular route) Canyon Lake and past the very obvious dog park (it seems there are always a lot of locals out walking their dogs here) to where you can see an excellent view of the Hollywood sign. And to add to this - you even get a really great view of LA out over the reservoir - go at sunrise or sunset if you can. And if you are lucky enough to get a clear sky then you can walk away with some amazing photos.
Pose in front of the sign to your heart's content - it's a pretty quiet spot and seems to be populated with an interesting selection of travellers, dog owners, and students with guitars. It's one of the few really peaceful places I visited in LA - and is worth a viewing, even if you're not really bothered about the Hollywood sign of views of some big celeb's houses on the hill.

Unfortunately you can no longer walk (or even hike) up to the actual sign. Though it wouldn't be a strenuous hike - it is now gaurded and and alarmed to keep visitors from tampering with it. And you can't actually get that close to it driving, either - but luckily you can see it well from this spot, and there is plenty of space to pull over and walk around for a good view. Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on October 20, 2009

Hollywood Sign
6342 Mulholland Highway
Hollywood, California 90068

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Amoeba Records Hollywood

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Attraction | "An Essential Part of Your Trip..."

Amoeba Records Hollywood Photo - Amoeba Records Hollywood, Hollywood, California

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It's possible - it's likely even - that when you were asking around about what to do in California before you arrived, at least one person has told you 'You have to go to Amoeba Records.' If you have even the slightest interest in music then you will have probably been told this on more than one occasion - and it would have been very good advice. Known as The World's Largest Independent Music Store, Amoeba records has something, possibly everything, for everyone! A store that has become a California institution has so much more than just a really large music selection. There are three stores in California, one in San Francisco, one in Berkley and one in Hollywood...Read More

It's possible - it's likely even - that when you were asking around about what to do in California before you arrived, at least one person has told you 'You have to go to Amoeba Records.'

If you have even the slightest interest in music then you will have probably been told this on more than one occasion - and it would have been very good advice. Known as The World's Largest Independent Music Store, Amoeba records has something, possibly everything, for everyone!

A store that has become a California institution has so much more than just a really large music selection.

There are three stores in California, one in San Francisco, one in Berkley and one in Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. This one is quite a trendy place - you feel almost as if you're partaking in a local trendy pursuit than simply buying some CDs.

Downstairs in what almost looks like on old nightclub, the shop opens up to an incredibly impressive array of CDs, DVDs, and videos.

This is one of those great places where - though you may not know where to start - you instantly start to think of some hard to find item you've not seen in years, and you set off amongst the racks to find it. And better yet, it's one of those places where you are certain to find it, and nearby will be three or four other options that you didn't even know existed.

I do enjoy music, and even more movies, but went into this store mostly because friends in LA we were visiting insisted that we must, with no intention of buying anything at all.

Needless to say - I left with two bags of DVDs, a few hard to find CDs and even a book or two.

It's a very impressive place, and even if you aren't blown away by the idea of the huge second hand music and movie selection - as a part of Hollywood culture, you really should pop in and have a look around for yourself.

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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 8, 2009

Amoeba Records Hollywood
6400 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, California
(323) 245-6400

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Duna Csardas

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Restaurant | "Something a Little Different..."

Csardas Hungarian Resturant Photo - Duna Csardas , Los Angeles, California

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After lots of pit stops for burgers and muffins and coffee - the kind of things you always end up eating while sight seeing, if you're in the mood for something a little bit different then just around the corner is the Csardas Hungarian Restaurant and Bakery. It's a very inconspicuous little place on Melrose Ave, and not probably a place that would catch your eye in the midst of all the Hollywood restaurants as a place to eat. But it is a somewhat interesting place - and I felt the need to review it if for no other reason that I'd never actually been to a Hungarian Restaurant before. My grandfather was from Hungary, though growing up in the south I only ever had a ...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on October 24, 2009

Duna Csardas
5820 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, California 90004
(323) 962-6434

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Pink's Hot Dogs

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Restaurant | ""Hotdog to the Stars..""

Quote:

When I came into Los Angeles to spend the month of December leading up to Christmas on the California coast - I was fortunate enough to know someone locally who could point me in all the right directions for what to do and see while visiting the area. As I mention often in this journal - the size of LA is something that is really hard to comprehend until you are in the midst of it - and even before you are aware of just how vast the driving times can be from one end of the city to the other - it might still be daunting knowing just where to start your Hollywood adventure. Not only was I lucky enough to have a few friends dotted around this mammoth city, but I was even more fort...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 19, 2009

Pink's Hot Dogs
709 North La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, California 90036
(323) 931-4223

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Fatburger

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Restaurant | "A Whole Lot of Burger for Your Buck..."

Quote:

If you've never been to the states - the one thing that might strike you on your first visit is just how many wonderful options there are for where to eat. Fast food, fine dining, cafe, restaurants - there are no limit to the wonderful selections, and most of them at a very good price. Even in LA - where things are a bit pricier than they might be in other parts of the country, the price of good food - especially fast food - is excellent. Even coming from a year in New Zealand - a place that is supposedly known for being cheap - Los Angeles seemed a gloriously cheap place to eat. Finally any number of filling, tasty options were available at a reasonable cost. And even...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 21, 2009

Fatburger
1611 N. Vermont Ave.
Hollywood, California
(323) 663-3100

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