# What to Do and See in LA? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 6, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527 "2009-08-06T14:25:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/41 "2009-08-08T04:54:44Z")
Mmm, Zankou chicken. I used to work right across the street from one and got lunch there all the time, garlic breath be damned. If you’re going to the Getty Center, drop by the Sawtelle district between Santa Monica and Olympic for dinner. My favorite restaurant in L.A., the Japanese izakaya Furaibo is there. Chabuya is a very good Japanese noodle house. Tofu-ya is excellent Korean food. All of these are casual and reasonably priced. Then walk to Yogurtland for dessert. P.S. Really, go to Furaibo! And get the teba saki! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/42 "2009-08-08T05:01:43Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Nope. Never got the appeal. And always very crowded. Crowded for a reason! 😃 Actually, though I loved the place and ate there like once a month, I can’t explain why I liked Tito’s so much. I liked the combined softness/crispiness of the shells. I liked the shredded beef. The shredded cheese seemed a little artificial though. (They claim it’s Cheddar.) A proper taco should be made with two warm, soft corn tortillas. And yet… I couldn’t resist the fried ones. I liked the chili Colorado. It was good with the tortilla chips. Beef burrito? Put the chili in a big flour tortilla! Not what one would expect, but I liked it. And the refried beans were good. I liked to get two tacos and a bowl of refried beans or chili and kick back with a beer after flying. And it was cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/43 "2009-08-08T05:10:11Z")
Mariella’s is often crowded as well, and the service is slow because it is all made to order, but you gotta try it next time you are in town. Tito’s, well, it just seems kind of bland. And at least I always manage to find a parking space at Mariellas. Often at Tito’s, the cars are circling the lot like vultures. Very annoying. But if you are on the west side, Tito’s will do in a pinch, I guess. Speaking of the West Side, I gotta mention Apple Pan. Another great burger place! Back in Koreatown, Cassel’s on sixth used to be pretty special, custom grilled burgers made from meat ground on the premises, with homemade toppings and fresh lemonade. I have heard that it has gone downhill recently, and I haven’t been there in a while, but it used to be amazing. Anyone know if it still rocks? Caution: only open for the lunch rush, like from 11 till 2. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/44 "2009-08-08T14:22:22Z")
> [@Pyper](#): > > If you’re going to the Getty Center, drop by the Sawtelle district between Santa Monica and Olympic for dinner. My favorite restaurant in L.A., the Japanese izakaya Furaibo is there. Chabuya is a very good Japanese noodle house. Tofu-ya is excellent Korean food. All of these are casual and reasonably priced. Then walk to Yogurtland for dessert. Also in the same neighborhood are Kiriko (my favorite sushi bar) and [Giant Robot](http://www.giantrobot.com/). ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/45 "2009-08-08T16:59:45Z")
This is a great thread. I don’t know why L.A. has a reputation of being a place with nothing to see and nowhere to go. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/46 "2009-08-09T02:27:18Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > This is a great thread. I don’t know why L.A. has a reputation of being a place with nothing to see and nowhere to go. It is a city with lots to see and do- spread out over a huge area with bad traffic and no mass transit to speak of. This is why other cities, even those with less to see and do- are more popular with tourism, as you can do most of it from a central point without spending half of each day stuck/lost in traffic. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/47 "2009-08-09T02:53:02Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > This is why other cities, even those with less to see and do- are more popular with tourism, as you can do most of it from a central point without spending half of each day stuck/lost in traffic. Riiiiight. That’s why LA is #1 in number of tourists per year in the US, with more than 58.6 million tourists in 2006. And those numbers **don’t** include people who go to Disneyland or other places in Orange County. _More_ popular? In your jealous Northern California dreams. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/48 "2009-08-09T03:07:51Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Riiiiight. That’s why LA is #1 in number of tourists per year in the US, with more than 58.6 million tourists in 2006. And those numbers **don’t** include people who go to Disneyland or other places in Orange County. _More_ popular? In your jealous Northern California dreams. Umm, NYC beats out LA by a bunch, in fact LA isn’t even on the list of 15 most popular cities for tourism. > **[Tourism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism#Most_visited_cities)** > > Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity only", as people "travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure and not less than 24 hours, business and other purposes". Tourism can be domestic (within the traveller's own coun Betwee... It is #2 in the USA, far behind NYC, and more or less tied with Orlando and Miami. I cheerfully admit San Jose is 14th or so. > **[Google Answers: Need to know the top 50 (or 100) tourist cities in the USA](http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=318827)** New York City 22.0% 4,803 Los Angeles 12.9% 2,816 Miami 11.7% 2,554 Orlando 11.3% 2,467 San Francisco 9.0% 1,965 Oahu/Honolulu 8.0% 1,747 Las Vegas 6.9% 1,506 Washington D.C. 5.5% 1,201 Chicago 4.9% 1,070 Boston 4.9% 1,070 Atlanta 3.2% 699 San Diego 2.7% 589 Tampa/St. Petersburg 2.3% 502 San Jose 1.9% 415 As far as single locations go, LA doesnt even get one on the USA list of top 25 sites: > **[Tourism in the United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_the_United_States)** > > In the United States, tourism is a large industry that serves millions of international and domestic tourists yearly. Foreigners visit the U.S. to see natural wonders, cities, historic landmarks, and entertainment venues. Americans seek similar attractions, as well as recreation and vacation areas. > Tourism in the United States grew rapidly in the form of urban tourism during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. By the 1850s, tourism in the United States was well established bot... (nor does San Jose, for that matter) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/49 "2009-08-09T03:37:14Z")
[Forbes](http://www.forbestraveler.com/best-lists/most-visited-us-cities-slide-2.html?thisSpeed=25000) has different numbers (for a different year). But I do sit corrected - the figures do include Disneyland, it appears. Bloody tourists…always clogging traffic and getting in my way! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/50 "2009-08-09T04:54:48Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > This is a great thread. I don’t know why L.A. has a reputation of being a place with nothing to see and nowhere to go. While other cities have sat complacent, we have quietly built a cultural wonderland here. This thread should prove that! > [@](#): > > It is a city with lots to see and do- spread out over a huge area with bad traffic and no mass transit to speak of. Sigh. LACMTA has been awarded #1 status as the best mass transit in the United States. We have gone from zero miles of rail twenty years ago to 73 miles today, and including the dedicated busway, the Orange Line, brings it to 87 miles. It is about to expand with the addition of the Gold Line East LA extension and the Expo Line to Culver City, will expand the system to 102 miles, within the next two years. Passage of the 1/2 cent sales tax (measure R) will assure continued expansion of the system, including extending the Gold Line to Chatsworth and eventually San Bernadino. The Red Line subway will eventually reach Santa Monica, although this will take many years to complete. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority operates the third largest public transportation system in the United States by ridership with a 1,433 mi² operating area and 2,000 peak hour buses on the street any given business day. Daily ridership stands at 1.6 million. Our bus fleet is probably the youngest and most high tech in the nation, with automated GPS announcements of upcoming stops, live LCD route maps, handicap access and bicycle provisions on every bus, high tech TAP cards for fare management, etc. Yeah, no mass transit to speak of. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/51 "2009-08-09T05:06:10Z")
Not to mention Metrolink diesel commuter service, Frequent Amtrak service between San Diego and Santa Barbara, and various other commuter bus service, local DASH service downtown and in many other areas, and we have a pretty damn fine system here. I was in Union Station the other day and I would venture to say that it is every bit as busy today as it was in the heyday of rail. Compare that to twenty years ago, when the place was a ghost town… So, **DrDeth** , when exactly was the last time you were actually IN Los Angeles? Your information is out of date, to say the least. The last twenty years have seen a revolution here, and the next ten and twenty years will see us with system that will exceed the reach, speed, and capacity of the old, beloved, Red Car system. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/52 "2009-08-09T05:10:52Z")
Disclaimer: If you are a tourist, you should certainly rent a car. But do take a day and check out our Subway, or one of the light rail lines. Unlike some, ours doesn’t smell of urine. And check out the great [LACMTA](http://www.metro.net/index.asp) website. Lots of information about the system, trip panner, and details about all the great things to come! ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/53 "2009-08-09T05:38:16Z")
And as far as bad traffic is concerned, I travel a lot around the United States, and guess what? There is bad traffic in EVERY CITY I HAVE VISITED! Chicago? Boston? New freakin’ York? Atlanta? Seattle? You guys aren’t moving either. Los Angeles is the best city in the United States, and the reason that so many people dis on us is pure and simple JEALOUSY. Awesome weather, amazing cultural diversity, the beach, the mountains, the desert, all within an hour’s drive from any point in the metro area, are all here. So when you are sitting back east with snow on the ground and shoveling out your car, we are running around in short sleeves, and if we feel like playing in snow, we just drive to the mountains and strap on the skis. When you are roasting in the summer, with those hot, humid nights, we are usually having dry heat in the day and pleasant cool breezes starting when the sun goes down. And when you are bragging about your cultural ameneties, re-read this thread, and you will see that we have world class performance spaces, museums, and restaurants. To quote an old bumper sticker: “Welcome to California. Now go home.” And please spend some money, tourism is one of our biggest businesses. And if you hear someone snicker as you admire Tony Randall’s star on the walk of fame, it is because you are wearing tourist clothes and look like a dork. But we still love you. Well, your money anyway! ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/54 "2009-08-09T05:48:16Z")
And [here](http://www.metro.net/measurer/documents/0209MeasureR.pdf) is a summary of Measure R funded projects that will occur in the first five years of the thirty year plan, and note that it includes resuming construction on the subway to Santa Monica, and the light rail line to San Bernadino. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/55 "2009-08-09T07:07:58Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > So, **DrDeth** , when exactly was the last time you were actually IN Los Angeles? Your information is out of date, to say the least. The last twenty years have seen a revolution here, and the next ten and twenty years will see us with system that will exceed the reach, speed, and capacity of the old, beloved, Red Car system. The Red car system wasn’t that great, it went about 25 MPH. In some areas, even slower: wiki "_At its nadir, the busy Santa Monica Boulevard line, which connected Los Angeles to Hollywood and on to Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, had an average speed of 13 miles per hour."_ I even rode it (The Yellow Car, iirc) as a kid, down to Long Beach. Not many can say they actually rode the old Pacific Electric Railway! 😛 (last run was in 1961) Yes, you are correct in that I last lived there 20 years ago. However, I was there just this spring (I visit once in a while, and occ drive through to Disneyland). Traffic on the 405 and the 5 was pretty damn bad. Worse than it normally gets here. And, although the new light rail has great promise, I concede- it ain’t there yet. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/56 "2009-08-09T07:56:52Z")
Some of the suggestions above really depend on what exactly “a few days” means. San Diego or Catalina would eat up a whole day, and might not be worth it to you. I email friends from other countries an MS-Word file with links to info and maps so they can get a better idea of what to do in advance. I’ll cut and past some of that for you. As for traffic, the hassles can be minimized if you know _when_ to go _where_ (I say this with over two years’ experience of driving a taxi in L.A.) > [@YogSosoth](#): > > …if you’re into trees and walking > Griffith Observatory… Go when the sun is setting, and hike all the way to the top of Mt. Hollywood (only the locals do this), to see 360 degrees of lights that never end. (And be prepared to hike down in semi-darkness.) Go early and see the show in the planetarium, as well as the exhibits. > **[Griffith Observatory - Southern California’s gateway to the cosmos!](https://griffithobservatory.org/)** > > Griffith Observatory is southern California's gateway to the cosmos! Visitors may look through telescopes, explore exhibits, see live shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium, and enjoy spectacular views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign. It has a great view of the city, especially at night. MAP: [2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, California - MapQuest](http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Los+Angeles&state=CA&address=2800+E.+Observatory) > [@CMiller](#): > > One of my favorite Best of Craigslist [The Greatness of LA](http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/lax/14465916.html) I’ll second this. > [@CMiller](#): > > …hit up Rinaldis in El Segundo. Amazing sandwiches. Homework: Why is it called “El Segundo”? > [@Rigamarole](#): > > I’ve always wanted to eat authentic Koreans. Try: BCD Tofu House ([http://theguide.latimes.com/restaurants/mmxla-bcd-tofu-house-venue-1](http://theguide.latimes.com/restaurants/mmxla-bcd-tofu-house-venue-1)), 3575 Wilshire Blvd. > [@mhendo](#): > > I was also going to suggest, if you’re a baseball fan, going to a Dodgers game, but they’re on a road trip next week. More’s the pity. > [@Just\_Some\_Guy](#): > > I was trying to avoid that since I kind of was fishing for things that I had not even considered. Yeah, there’s some things mentioned in this thread that I already had penciled in on my itinerary and some things that aren’t to my taste but there’s lots of things that I had not even considered. Well, you’re better off if you plan ahead, because of the transportation issue. > [@Just\_Some\_Guy](#): > > … ne of the things I miss the most is decent ethnic food. The Wilshire Center / East Hollywood / Koreatown area is your best bet for a relatively small area with a concentration of good, affordable eating. East Hollywood has: [Thaitown](http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl), the largest Thai population outside of Thailand (forget those overpriced Westside places), including Thailand Plaza (near Sunset and Western), which is a Thai-style food court that is one restaurant eating area surrounded by 10 or so stalls with each its own specialization in Thai food, all serviced by one single wait staff, and a stage where the number 1 Thai Elvis performs. …and Little Armenia (the largest Armenian population outside of Armenia) –home of the first, afore-mentioned Zankou Chicken (corner of Sunset Blvd. and Normandie)—cheap MAP: [5101 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, California - MapQuest](http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Los+Angeles&state=CA&address=W+Sunset+Blvd+%26+N+Normandie+Ave&zipcode=90027&country=US&latitude=34.0981&longitude=-118.3005&geocode=INTERSECTION) Zankou is close to Barnsdale Park, so get your food to go and eat at the park and look at the famous Hollyhock House designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. MAP: [4706 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, California - MapQuest](http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Los+Angeles&state=CA&address=Hollywood+Blvd+%26+N+Vermont+Ave&zipcode=90027&country=US&latitude=34.1012&longitude=-118.2918&geocode=INTERSECTION) > [@FriarTed](#): > > … > Aimee Semple MacPherson’s parsonage, now the Foursquare Heritage Museum. > Crystal Cathedral… > Esotourica- Saturday afternoon tours- Raymond Chandler one week, The Black Dahlia the next Seconded. > [@lshaw](#): > > …There are great izakayas and Japanese restaurants in Gardena/Torrance. A yummy ramen place is Daikokuya or Santouka… Also Little Tokyo downtown, not as good, but really in L.A. proper > [@lshaw](#): > > …the Grand Central Market in downtown LA serves great tacos and other Mexican food Seconded, and close to museums, as well as Olvera Street, where L.A. began. > [@TheTerribleTako](#): > > … The Rowland Heights and Monterey Park region has great Chinese and Taiwanese food of all types. …Fairfax is good for Ethiopian, although I’ve only tried Messob (which was very good, but bring several friends). Parking is hard to find though, but it’s close to museum row. Good examples of places that tourists rarely hear about, and of why outsiders think L.A. doesn’t have much to do: You have to work to get to the really good stuff. > [@TheTerribleTako](#): > > …if you want a Korean taco (I know, I know, but it’s actually really good) and you’re willing to wait in line for up to an hour, there’s always [Kogi](http://kogibbq.com/). The trucks move around so you’ll have to check their website frequently to see where they’ll be heading. The crowd can be young and occasionally obnoxious, but the tacos are so worth it. See the [thread from this message board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=506577). > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > … Natalee Thai Cuisine was pretty good, but more of an eat-in place than a take-out. I tried a couple of other delivery places, but I kept going back to Thai Beer. In reality, it’s probably not the best Thai food out there; but it’s better than anything I’ve found so far up here. (There’s a place in Bellingham I’m told is quite good.) Oh, com’on. See above about Thaitown. (Lazy Westsiders.) > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Any love for Tito’s Tacos? > [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Nope. Never got the appeal… Tampoco. I suppose it’ll do for Westsiders. > [@suranyi](#): > > This is a great thread. I don’t know why L.A. has a reputation of being a place with nothing to see and nowhere to go. Woody Allen can take a lot of the credit, for his ignorance of the Bear State. > [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Yeah, no mass transit to speak of. :rolleyes: Yeah. Makes me wonder how I’ve been getting to work for the past five years (Hollywood to downtown). Has it all been a dream? > [@](#): > > I also noticed in the Yelp thread a mention of Yuca’s on Hillhurst in Los Feliz. Very good also. Conchinita Pibil burrito isn’t huge, but is amazingly delectable. They make a mean chili burger too. They may be gone for the month, I think they take August off and head back to Yucatan. Maybe delectable, but a little over-priced and pretentious, for my taste…and that’s my neighborhood. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/57 "2009-08-09T08:13:51Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > [Thaitown](http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl), the largest Thai population outside of Thailand… Sorry. Here’s a better [link](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thaitown+Los+Angeles&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=28.114729,79.013672&ie=UTF8&ll=34.12829,-118.269882&spn=0.114531,0.308647&z=12&iwloc=E). Zankou Chicken is also on this map, but Thailand Plaza isn’t notated. (See what the tourists miss?) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/58 "2009-08-09T08:19:57Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > And as far as bad traffic is concerned, I travel a lot around the United States, and guess what? There is bad traffic in EVERY CITY I HAVE VISITED! Chicago? Boston? New freakin’ York? Atlanta? Seattle? You guys aren’t moving either. This is just silly. I love LA. I think it’s a fabulous town, and it has so many great things to do, so much great food, and so many interesting people, that it is clearly one of the world’s great cities. I agree that it often gets a bum rap from people who have never really given it a chance. But the fact is that it’s a very different _type_ of city from places like New York, Boston, and Chicago. Yes, those places all have their share of awful traffic. I, for one, am glad that i don’t have to spend time on the Long Island Expressway every day, or negotiate downtown Boston with its insane drivers and equally stupid pedestrians. The thing is, though, that if you’re visiting those cities, you don’t _have_ to drive just to get from one attraction to the other. Spend a day in LA and try to visit the Getty, the beach, a Dodgers game, and a couple of different types of restaurant. Then spend a day in New York and try to visit the Guggenheim, Prospect Park, and a Yankees games, with a couple of different types of restaurant. See how you go, in each case, without a car. Hell, see how you go _with_ a car in LA; it would probably still be mopre of a pain in the ass than the New York experience. > [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > …all within an hour’s drive from any point in the metro area… Hahahahahaha. Maybe if you leave a 3am. Sometimes you can’t get from one metro area point to another metro area point in an hour, let alone out to the mountains or the desert. I have a couple of friends who lived in Pasadena, and they stopped going out to the beach after a while because it was a marathon effort just to get there. Even if you avoid rush hour, it was still a major hassle. Look, as i said, i love LA. I’m heading back up there again in a couple of weeks for a Dodgers game and a visit with some friends in the West LA area. But to dismiss the traffic and transit issue by arguing that cities like New York and Boston also have traffic is to completely miss the point about the way that people actually move around those cities. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/59 "2009-08-09T12:43:49Z")
[http://www.javanrestaurant.com/](http://www.javanrestaurant.com/) I always have lamb at MidEastern restaurants, and theirs was great, but the chicken Mom ordered was damn fine also. But the RICE (basmati I think) is heavenly! ---
**Author:** ![SomeBodyUK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@SomeBodyUK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeBodyUK)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527/60 "2009-08-09T22:39:14Z")
OK, let me chime in on the public transport of LA - it’s crap. This is speaking as somebody who lived in downtown LA with no car for 6 months. I lived in London for a decade before LA, and London’s public transport pisses all over it. NYC’s public transit seems to be a lot better. One thing I’ve noticed about LA public transit is how racially divided it is - you very rarely see white faces on the buses in downtown. > [@](#): > > Unlike comparable US cities like Chicago or New York, where public transportation is easily accessible and reliable, in Los Angeles, disadvantaged socioeconomic groups use the public buses and subway lines almost exclusively. On the Westside, the disparity between residents driving their air-conditioned cars and their employees who wait for buses that often run far behind schedule is so great that the bus lines have earned the name “the nanny bus.” The term is so ubiquitous that realtors use it to reassure potential buyers, and a film bearing its name is planned for release. > > Certainly, racial and socioeconomic division plague all cities. In Los Angeles, though, I’ve found that those barriers are especially rigid. From [How the Subway to the Sea Could Change Los Angeles’ Culture](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anna-kelner/how-the-subway-to-the-sea_b_236904.html) I’m surprised nobody has mentioned [Pacific Dining Car](http://www.pacificdiningcar.com/index.html), they are great for steaks. Zankou’s chicken is very overrated in my opinion, and I’ve yet to experience good Indian food here. I can’t name any places off the top of my head, but [Phở](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ph%E1%BB%9F) is fanstatic. Give it a go if you get the chance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-and-see-in-la/505527.md?page=4)