CT Los Angeles Supp

LUCE
LA Loves Canada
And Canada Loves LA
ome Canadians call LA the “5th largest
city in Canada.” But you probably
already know that. After all, 600,000
Canadians live in Los Angeles – and 600,000
Canadians can’t be wrong. In addition to the
ex-pats, there were more than 450,000
Canadian visitors to LA in 2006 making
Canada LA’s second largest international visitor market. Way to go, Canada!
LA has quite a few well-known Canadian
ex-pats. Frank Gehry, one of the world’s most
famous architects, was born in Toronto and
raised in LA. Gehry is the genius behind LA’s
iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall – one of the
city’s must-sees.
Moshe Safdie, another great architect with
Canadian ties, designed the Skirball Cultural
Center, where the recently opened permanent
exhibit, Noah’s Ark, is amazing visitors.
When it comes to entertainment, where
would Hollywood be without Canadians? Jim
Carrey, Matthew Perry, Howie Mandell, Pamela
Anderson, Dan Ackroyd, Alex Trebek and Keanu
Reeves have their own stars on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame. And Toronto-born Mary Pickford,
one of Hollywood’s earliest movie stars, has her
unbelievably tiny footprints at Grauman’s
Chinese Theatre. Other early Hollywood figures
on both sides of the camera include Walter
Huston, Louis B. Mayer, Norma Shearer and the
original King Kong crush, Fay Wray.
S
A few musts when you visit. Universal
Studios Hollywood has more movie and television studios on its tour than ever. Two of the
newest attractions are The Fast and The
Furious: Extreme Close-up and Universal’s
House of Horrors. Kids will love having their
photo taken with Spiderman, Dora the
Explorer, Shrek and Fiona.
You’ll want to make time for other studio
tours at either Warner Bros. Studios or Sony
Pictures Studios. Sony was once MGM
Studios and a tour guide takes visitors on
soundstages and studios, including Jeopardy!
and Wheel of Fortune.
West Hollywood is one of LA’s liveliest
areas. Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica
Boulevard are lined with celeb hotspot restaurants, boutique shops and clubs.
LA is a surprisingly easy city to get
around in – honest. Metro has an extensive
network of subway, light rail and bus lines.
From Downtown’s Union Station you can
get to Universal Studios HollywoodSM, as
well as Hollywood and LAX on the subway.
Or grab a bus. The Metro Rapids are the
quickest – these red buses only stop at major
intersections. A great route is from
Downtown to the Pacific Ocean.
Want to drive yourself? Basic Car Rental
(with locations in West LA and Hollywood)
has excellent rates, personalized service and
Inside
Culture For Kids
The Entertainment Capital
What’s New
Los Angeles’ Sports Scene
San Fernando Valley
Cruise LA
4
6
10
12
14
15
LAX pickups and drop-offs. A bonus: they
rent to students 18 and older.
When it comes time to find a place to stay,
LA hotels have it all. The Sheraton Universal
is ideal if you’re visiting Universal Studios
Hollywood. The hotel offers great accommodations and complimentary tram rides to the
theme park. Holiday Inn Express Hotel
Century City is located in the centre of the
Westside and the outdoor Westfield Century
City shopping, movie and dining complex is
within walking distance. The Crowne Plaza
Los Angeles Harbor is in picturesque San
Pedro at the south end of LA. The recently renovated hotel features spectacular views of the
harbour. In the heart of West Hollywood, the
Beverly Inn welcomes many return guests to
its small boutique motel property. ❋
No doubt about it, LA’s happy to see you.
For more information, contact:
Tel: (213) 624-7300
Fax: (213) 624-9746
Website: www.seemyLA.com
LA INC. – A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE AUGUST 2007 ISSUE OF CANADIAN TRAVELLER
Published 12 times a year by
THE DESTINATION SALES RESOURCE FOR TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS
Printed in Canada
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
Contents © 2007 by ACT Communications Inc.
All Rights Reserved. ISBN 1207-1463
1104 Hornby Street, Suite 203
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V6Z 1V8
Tel: (604) 699-9990
Fax: (604) 699-9993
23 Canadian Traveller August 2007 Los Angeles 3
Culture For Kids
Museums, Art, History & Architecture For The Whole Family
AUTRY NATIONAL CENTER’S MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST
In the Family Discovery
Center at the Autry
National Center’s Museum
of the American West kids
can pan for gold, and learn
about all the cultures that
are part of Western history.
The Page Museum is one of
the world’s most famous
urban excavation centres. It
also boasts the largest collection of Ice Age plants
and animals in the world.
hen it comes to cultural attractions that
the whole family will enjoy, LA is filled
with possibilities.
W
Museums
LA’s latest addition to the museum scene is the
multi-sensory, interactive Noah’s Ark exhibit at
the Skirball Cultural Center. Thematically
united by the story of Noah’s Ark and the values
it embodies, Noah’s Ark invites interactive exploration of diversity, community and new beginnings. Additional family programs range from
kids’ concerts to archeological dig adventures.
A visit to the nearby mountaintop Getty
Center begins with a serene tram ride. The
Getty Center’s masterful assortment of artwork appeals to people of all ages. To make
the collection interesting for kids, there are
very clever Art Detective Cards, GettyGuide
Audio Players specifically for kids, a hands-on
Family Fun Room, Family Art Stops that focus
on one work of art and storytelling inspired by
artworks in the collection.
The Getty Villa in Malibu focuses on
Roman, Greek and Etruscan art – sculpture,
mosaics and a full-size recreation of the Villa
dei Papiri in Herculaneum. At Family Forums,
kids learn about what it was like to live in
4 Los Angeles Canadian Traveller August 2007 24
ancient times and decorate vases. Art Odyssey
for Families leads children through the galleries with art-focused activities. GettyGuide
Audio Players for kids tell children about
mythology and heroes.
LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum
of Art) has the largest encyclopedic art collection in the West, with gallery buildings situated
around a large plaza. The permanent exhibits
range from ancient Egyptian to contemporary.
Children can learn about works of art from
around the world through engaging stories and
questions on the free Children's Audio Tour.
The Autry National Center’s Museum of
the American West, across
from the Los Angeles Zoo &
Botanical Gardens, is dedicated
to all cultures that are part of
Western history – from Native
Americans to movie cowboys.
In the Family Discovery Center,
kids can pan for gold. Special
audio guides are also available
for kids to help them enjoy the
permanent exhibits.
One of the world’s most
famous urban excavation sites,
the Page Museum, has the
LA INC.
largest collection of Ice Age
plants and animals in the world including a
saber-toothed cat skeleton and tar oozing out of
primordial pits at the adjacent La Brea Tar Pits.
One of the most intriguing areas at the tar pits is
the glass-walled laboratory where visitors can
watch scientists go about their work of cleaning,
examining and restoring the site’s fossils with
toothbrushes, cotton swabs and dental picks.
The California Science Center in
Exposition Park is packed with fascinating
hands-on exhibits. See how a periscope works
and search out camouflaged tree frogs. In the
aircraft galleries, kids will find a Wright glider,
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
LA INC.
The Getty Villa in Malibu boasts a fill-sized
recreation of an ancient Greek Villa, along
with Family Forums, an Art Oddyssey and
GettyGuide audio Planers for kids.
an A-12 Blackbird, a Bell helicopter and a
Tigershark fighter jet. An IMAX theatre is part
of the complex. Exhibits at the California
African American Museum, also in
Exposition Park, chronicle the African
American journey from West Africa to the
U.S. West Coast. Once-a-month Sunday
events at the museum celebrate culture
through storytelling and art.
The Fowler Museum at UCLA exhibits
the arts of Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the
Americas. Highlights of their collection are on
display indefinitely including Pacific Islander
memorial masks, Chinese hand puppets and a
Nigerian headdress. The Fowler is located in
the heart of the UCLA campus…a great place
for a family stroll.
The Japanese American National
Museum in Downtown LA’s Little Tokyo
devotes itself to honoring America’s diversity
as well as exploring the history of Japanese
immigrants and their descendents.
One of the most popular exhibits at the
Reagan Presidential Library & Museum is
an exact replica of the Oval Office. In addition
to galleries dedicated to the president’s life,
there’s a walk-through Air Force One plane.
And the Petersen Automotive Museum is a
blast for families. The galleries are filled with
dazzling cars from the very earliest models to
Ferraris, classic hot rods and Hollywood star cars.
Historic Sites
Heritage Square is a living history museum,
home to eight structures that have been moved
here from all over LA. They have been accurately restored and reflect LA life in the late
19th century. Kids especially love the garish
Hale House, the carriage barn and the depot.
Mission San Fernando offers a glimpse
into the time when LA was owned by Spain
and friars built 21 missions where they welcomed travellers making the arduous trip
along the Camino Real. Much of the complex
was restored after the Northridge earthquake
including the convento, church and gardens.
LA Maritime Museum, in the heart of the
Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, knows how to
make the history of the port appealing to families. Long-term exhibits are Caught, Canned
and Eaten, and Wooden Boats, Copper Quotes.
Music
The world-famous Hollywood Bowl has plenty
of summer programs (through September) per-
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
fect for the whole family – from July 4th fireworks to Peking Acrobats, a Sound of Music
sing-a-long, and a Beatles celebration.
Other summer outdoor concerts are
Grand Performances at California Plaza,
Ford Amphitheatre, Concerts in the Park at
Warner Park in Woodland Hills.
The LA Philharmonic plays its winter season at Walt Disney Concert Hall – one of the
most talked-about buildings in the 21st century. Some non-Phil programs feature popular and jazz performers.
Architecture
Kids might not even know the word “architecture,” let alone “postmodern,” but that
doesn’t stop them from being fascinated
by LA’s architectural gems. In addition to
the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the
Getty Center, check out the Colburn
School of Performing Arts, the Getty Villa
in Malibu, the U.S. Bank Tower, MOCA,
the California Department of Transportation building and the Cathedral of Our
Lady of the Angels.
Many of LA’s museums are so popular
they require advance-timed admissions, so
plan ahead. For more information about Los
Angeles as a family destination, visit
www.seemyLA.com. ❋
25 Canadian Traveller August 2007 Los Angeles 5
The Entertainment Capital
s the epicenter of the world’s entertainment industry, Los Angeles offers an
excitement and glamour no other city can
match. Only LA runs on the breathless
energy of celebrities creating movies, television, music, videos and theatre. Travelling
through this legendary city of palm trees,
beaches and big dreams, it’s possible that
anyone you meet – from gas station attendants to corporate CEOs – have a screenplay
up their sleeve or a creative project to produce, and it’s likely that the wait-people who
serve you are fledgling actors or pop stars.
But movie magic isn’t all that makes LA
unique. Unlike many “industry towns,” LA’s
entertainment glitz and glamour isn’t closed
to the visiting public. The city flaunts its
stardom with open arms, inviting travellers
from throughout the world to share in its
glorious past, present and future. Visitors are
encouraged to journey through Hollywood
history, tour the movie studios, sit in on TV
show tapings, listen to great music from sizzling jazz to the LA Philharmonic, see edgy
new plays, cheer brilliant musicals – and of
course, spot celebrities!
To start your adventure in the entertainment capital, you might want to begin at the
beginning. Hollywood is where the movie
industry was born in the early 20th century,
and Hollywood is where today’s celebrities
and movie-makers continue to make history
– both on and off the screen.
From movie memorabilia (Hollywood
Museum, Frederick’s of Hollywood
Celebrity Lingerie Hall of Fame, Hollywood
Heritage Museum in the Lasky-DeMille
Barn and Hollywood Wax Museum) to the
D.W. Griffith Babylon set-inspired
Hollywood & Highland Center (shops, cafes
and the Kodak Theatre, home of the
Academy Awards®) and the famed bronze
SONY PICTURES STUDIOS
LA Makes It, Lives It & Shows It Off
A
Sony Pictures Studios walking tour gives
visitors a rare glimpse of old Hollywood’s
glory days and an insider’s view of a stateof-the-art motion picture studio.
Inset: Often visitors experience déjà vu in
LA, where even the hotdog stands can
look familiar. The Wilshire Grand Hotel has
been featured in movies (Spiderman 2), and
TV series like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
stars along the Hollywood Walk of Fame,
Hollywood shouts entertainment. Jimmy
Kimmel broadcasts live from the El Capitan
Entertainment Center on Hollywood
Boulevard, adjacent to the historic El Capitan
Theatre. The behind-the-scenes tour of the
Kodak Theatre offers an up-close-and-personal look at a genuine Oscar® statuette and
the theatre seats occupied by the winners and
nominees of the most recent awards night,
and of course, it’s hard to resist comparing
your hand and foot prints to those of the rich
6 Los Angeles Canadian Traveller August 2007 26
and famous imbedded in the cement courtyard of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.
Grauman’s Chinese (as the locals call it)
is where you catch Starline Tours of
Hollywood’s insider city tours, such as the
Multilingual Grand Tour, with live commentary in English and real-time translation via
headphones in Spanish, German, French,
Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin, Chinese
and Korean on LA hot spots from the
Hollywood Bowl and Rodeo Drive to The
Grove/Farmers Market and historic Olvera
Street. On Starline’s Hop-on, Hop-off
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
LA INC.
Hollywood Double Decker Bus Tour you set
your own pace, with unlimited hop-on, hopoff opportunities at 17 stops throughout Los
Angeles and the San Fernando Valley
including Sunset Boulevard, the La Brea Tar
Pits and neighbouring Los Angeles County
Museum of Art (LACMA) and Petersen
Automotive Museum, Paramount Studios
and Universal Studios Hollywood.
Strolling along Hollywood Boulevard
you’ll also discover two former Oscar® night
sites: the trendy Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
and the Pantages Theatre, now showing the
smash hit musical Wicked. And if you want
to make your arrival like a Hollywood star –
it’s easy enough to do in a limo from one of
LA’s many limousine companies. Roundthe-clock, they offer door-to-door service in
a host of vehicles ranging from Lincoln
Town Cars to Hummers to stretch limos.
Opening studio doors is easy, too.
Moviedome’s top producers love to welcome
visitors onto the sets to see how movies are
made. Universal Studios Hollywood interactive tour is a tram ride through the studio’s
backlot and famous sets from movies such
as Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, the
dinosaur-destroyed laboratory from Jurassic
Park: The Lost World, and snow-covered
Whoville from Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Who
Stole Christmas. Universal’s fast-paced thrill
rides careen visitors through blockbuster TV
shows including hit movies from Shrek 4-D
to a retooled, scary Revenge of the Mummy.
In Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios’ two-hour
VIP tour is technologically savvy, leaving
guests with a real feel for how shows such as
ER, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Cold
Case are created. No two tours are alike, but
most include visits to costume and prop
warehouses. At the NBC Television Studios,
also in Burbank, visitors see how television
shows are made and get tickets to The
Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which tapes
nearly every weekday afternoon. At Sony
Pictures Studios in Culver City, the twohour guided walking tour features costumes,
props and sets.
Often visitors experience déjà vu in LA.
“That hotel; that bus; that hot dog stand –
they all look so familiar,” travellers say.
LA’s Signature Events
The City of Los Angeles boasts an
incredible variety of cultures and that
diversity extends to all of the annual
events you can take part in throughout
the year. That means there really is
something for everyone. Whether
you’re a movie buff who wants to see
the latest in Asian, African or European
cinema during the Hollywood Film
Festival or a foodie who’s front and
centre at the annual Lobster Festival in
San Pedro, LA has it all. Following are
some highlights of the 2,000 festivals,
street fairs, parades and other special
events taking place in LA during the
next year.
September
Los Angeles County Fair, Pomona
Lobster Festival, San Pedro
Watts Towers Day of the
Drum Festival
January
Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena
Whale Watching, San Pedro
February
Broad Contemporary Art Museum Opens
on LACMA Campus
The Chinese Garden Opens at the
Huntington, Pasadena
80th annual Academy Awards®,
Hollywood
March
Los Angeles Marathon
April
The Blessing of the Animals, Downtown
Blooming of the Roses Festival,
Downtown
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
May
The Simpsons Ride Opens at Universal
Studios Hollywood
Cinco de Mayo, Downtown
Venice Art Walk
NoHo Theatre & Arts Festival, San
Fernando Valley
October
NOKIA Theatre Opens at L.A. Live,
Downtown
Hollywood Film Festival
LACMA’s New Exhibit: Dalí & Film
(through January)
Autumn Sea Fair at the Cabrillo Marine
Aquarium, San Pedro
November
Doo Dah Parade, Pasadena
Downtown on Ice (through January)
LA Auto Show, Downtown
December
Holiday Boat Parade, Marina del Rey
Griffith Park Light Festival
Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival,
Downtown
June
Playboy Jazz Festival, Hollywood
Christopher Street West Gay Pride
Parade, West Hollywood
Los Angeles Film Festival, Westwood
July
Lotus Festival, Echo Park
Outfest, West Hollywood
August
Summer X Games, Downtown
Nisei Week Japanese Festival,
Downtown
To view a comprehensive list of events in
Los Angeles, visit www.seemyLA.com.
Well, they are familiar. For nearly 100 years,
Los Angeles has been one big movie set. For
example, the palm lined avenues of Beverly
Hills and the high rise cityscape of
Downtown Los Angeles have starred in
countless movies, commercials and videos.
The entertainment industry lives large in
LA, especially at glitzy opening night
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
movie premiers with lights, cameras and
star action. A favourite movie premiere
location continues to be Grauman’s Chinese
Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Its exotic
architecture, Asian treasures and famous
hand and foot prints make a perfect backdrop for today’s celebs. Westwood Village,
near the UCLA campus, is another popular
27 Canadian Traveller August 2007 Los Angeles 7
www.visitwesthollywood.com/canada
tel 310.289.2525
premiere site. While premieres are invitation-only, fans and visitors are welcome to
flock to the scene to add to the carnival
atmosphere. Hotels throughout LA also
boast a star struck past and present. Open
since 1923, the Millennium Biltmore
Hotel in Downtown has hosted the annual
Oscar® awards, as well as visiting presidents, kings and Hollywood “royalty.” The
plush Inter-Continental Los Angeles
Century City sits on hallowed movieground – the old 20th Century Fox backlot
– in addition to starring in many films. The
hotel can be seen in HBO’s Ben Affleckand Matt Damon-produced Project Green
Light, and TV viewers saw a body go off
one of its balconies in TNT’s The Closer.
It’s also a popular home-away-from-home
for celebrities. The Wilshire Grand Los
Angeles in Downtown has been featured in
everything from Spiderman 2 to hit TV
series like Nip/Tuck, Without a Trace and
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, as well as
hosting the Miss Universe Pageant. If
you’re keen on jumping onto the celebrity
poker bandwagon, the Crowne Plaza
Commerce Casino features no-limit hold
’em tournaments, and winners frequently
vie for seats in the World Poker Tour
Celebrity Invitational.
Just going to the movies can be a major
event in LA. Beautifully restored ’20s and
’30s movie palaces recall an era when seeing a film was equal to attending a gala
event. Must-see examples include the lavishly restored El Capitan Theater in
Hollywood, which features live singing and
dancing with its flicks; the historic
Egyptian Theatre, also in Hollywood, shows
retrospectives and independent movies
sponsored by American Cinematheque, and
in Downtown, a summer series of oldies is
sponsored by the LA Conservancy in the
historic movie theatres. The Silent Movie
Theatre in the Fairfax district is the only
movie house in the United States devoted
exclusively to silent movies and often
shows restored prints. The Department of
Cinema and Television Arts on the
California State University Northridge
campus in the San Fernando Valley is home
8 Los Angeles Canadian Traveller August 2007 28
A Wicked Good
Hotel Package
Since opening in February at Hollywood's historic Pantages Theatre, the Tony Award-winning musical Wicked has been a sold-out
success. LA INC. has partnered with 12 of
LA's popular hotels to offer special "VIP
Wicked" packages. Available through March
2008, the "VIP Wicked" packages include
guaranteed VIP tickets to Wicked and a stay at
either: the Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn,
Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills,Fairmont Miramar
Hotel Santa Monica, Hilton Los Angeles
Airport, Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel,
Mosaic Hotel in Beverly Hills, Renaissance
Hollywood Hotel, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel,
Sheraton Universal Hotel, the Sofitel Los
Angeles,Sportsmen's Lodge Hotel,or Wilshire
Grand Hotel. Wicked has been called one of
the most successful shows in Broadway history. Now that it's returned to LA, (where it
was written and had its first readings, and
where the 1939 movie classic, The Wizard of
Oz, was filmed) Wicked is continuing its
winning ways. Wicked ranked #1 on
Ticketmaster's recently released Top 10 Most
Requested Events of 2006 – the first time a
theatrical production has made the list. For
more info,visit www.seemyLA.com/getaway.
to another cinematheque. For film buffs
wanting to see the latest movies in the most
technologically advanced environment
(with reserved seats, no commercials and
limited trailers), Hollywood’s Arclight
Cinemas is the place to be.
For a guaranteed celebrity sighting,
Audiences Unlimited offers free tickets for
up to 60 TV show tapings including
Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.
LA’s performing arts scene is one of the
hippest and diverse in the world. Major
houses including the Ahmanson Theatre,
Mark Taper Forum, Thousand Oaks Civic
Center, Kodak Theatre and Pantages
Theatre show everything from acclaimed
Broadway works and plays to international
companies performing traditional songs,
dance and drama, and exciting works by
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
emerging artists. As the movie industry’s
hub, LA also boasts a unique collection of
99-seat “equity waiver” theatres, where
you’ll see well-known actors and talent
you’ll likely recognize in years to come on
the big and small screens. The Actors Equity
Association allows the pros to work for free
in theatres with fewer than 100 seats, so
edgy new dramas, American and international classics continually play in about 20
equity-waiver theatres centred in Hollywood
and North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District
in the San Fernando Valley. NoHo’s centrepiece is the historic El Portal, which houses
three live theatres, with 42, 95 and 350 seats
respectively, and an avant garde art gallery.
In the same way that LA’s theatre scene
benefits from the conflux of actors, LA’s
live music scene is among the coolest in the
nation. Music industry pros sizzle on
stages across the city, playing the latest and
greatest of everything from blues and hard
rock to jazz, retro and hip hop. The Sunset
Strip is as hot as ever with classic and everchanging in spots. The Catalina Bar & Grill
in Hollywood is an ultimate jazz den.
When it comes to classical, visitors have to
experience the LA Philharmonic at the
state-of-the-art Walt Disney Concert Hall
to believe it.
T
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R
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CUSTOMIZED TOURS & LUNCH PACKAGES AVAIL ABLE
B u s
G r o u p s
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Half-Price Tickets
Up to a week in advance, half-price tickets are available to more than 100 plays,
operas, concerts and other performances
from LA Stage Alliance at LA INC.’s
Information Centers. Tickets are available
for major venues, such as the Ahmanson
Theatre, as well as LA’s numerous 99-seat
theatres, where Hollywood hopefuls often
get their start. Every Tuesday, tickets for
performances through the following
Tuesday are released by the venues and
posted online. Ticket buyers can order,
pay by credit card and print confirmations
to take to the will call window on the day
or night of the performance.
To find out more information about HalfPrice Tickets and to learn more about living
the entertainment dream in Los Angeles,
visit www.seemyLA.com.❋
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
29 Canadian Traveller August 2007 Los Angeles 9
What’s New
Stars, Gardens & A Galaxy
f you like the thrill of discovery, Los Angeles
is the city to visit. Sprawling under a bright
blue sky at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, LA
is never the same twice.
Now, like never before, the second largest
city in the U.S. is aggressively expanding –
retooling its celebrity skyline with hip new
hotels and attractions and adding to its wealth
of cultural venues and museums. LA is also
celebrating its prowess as the world’s sports
capital with the arrival of the best-known
soccer superstar, David Beckham.
New visitors will be thrilled at all there is
to see and do. Repeat visitors will be delighted
I
to discover all that’s new. Like the entertainment industry that calls LA home and the
superstars who light up the small and big
screens – not to mention the gossip columns
– today, LA boasts more unique thrills and
attractions than ever.
Soccer is the game to see in LA, now that
soccer superstar David Beckham and his posh
wife Victoria, have taken up residence. The 32year-old Beckham can be seen working his
magic for the LA Galaxy Major League
Soccer (MLS) team at The Home Depot
Center in Carson. For ticket information, visit
either the Galaxy box office or Ticketmaster.
LA INC.
The NOKIA Theatre, at L.A. Live in
Downtown, will host live performances,
Broadway productions, award shows, special events and concerts when it opens in
October of this year.
For those looking for a star-sighting during a
visit to LA, the UK’s golden couple may be
spotted at Cut, Wolfgang Puck’s new restaurant
at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel.
Victoria’s shopping escapades add new excite-
10 Los Angeles Canadian Traveller August 2007 30
ment to visiting The Grove, Robertson
Boulevard, West Third Street and Rodeo Drive.
More star power is coming to Universal
Studios Hollywood with the opening of The
Simpsons, the park’s new thrill ride in Spring
2008. Designed to duplicate The Simpsons
home-viewing experience, “only at high speed
and with lots of screaming,” according to Matt
Groening, The Simpsons creator and executive
producer, guests will be rocketed along with
Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie
Simpson on a hysterical almost unimaginable
fantasy amusement park ride dreamed up by
the blockbuster TV show’s cantankerous
Krusty the Clown.
Entertainment will be nonstop at LA’s newest theatre,
NOKIA Theatre. Opening
October 2007 at L.A. Live in
Downtown, NOKIA Theatre will
be the city’s premier mid-sized
live performance/award show/
special event/music venue. The
new 7,100-seat, 19,320-squaremetre facility is expected to host
such major only-in-LA award
shows as the EMMY®s, Latin
GRAMMY®s, ESPYS, MTV
Music Awards, and BET
Awards, as well as live concerts,
comedy shows, family shows
and short-run Broadway shows.
But NOKIA is only the beginning…it’s the first part of the
massive L.A. Live project
(368,000 square metres) that
will turn the Downtown STAPLES Center (home to LA Lakers basketball)
and Los Angeles Convention Center district
into a 24-hour hotspot of entertainment, restaurants and clubs. Scheduled for completion in
2010, the hip area also will include two luxury
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
hotels: a 124-room boutique Ritz-Carlton,
and an 876-room JW Marriott.
In February, the Los Angeles County
Museum of Art (LACMA) will open the
first new museum built in LA since the Getty
Center made its debut in 1997 with the premiere of the Broad Contemporary Art
Museum (BCAM). BCAM will feature
works by such contemporary masters as
Jasper Johns, Jeff Koons, Ed Ruscha, Richard
Serra and others. The Broad Contemporary
Art Museum is the centrepiece of the US
$156 million transformation of LACMA,
whose campus will include new gardens, an
entry pavilion, expanded parking facilities
and other visitor amenities.
One of the largest authentic Chinese gardens ever built outside China is opening at
the Huntington Library, Art Collections,
and Botanical Gardens. The new fivehectare Chinese Garden will include nine
separate gardens: four seasonal and five special collection gardens, in addition to a lake,
tea house, pavilions and bridges, all set within
a landscape of plants native to China. The
new garden is opening in phases, with the
first one-hectare Summer Garden expected
to open in February.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame CityPass
focuses on the two-block area that honours
more than 2,300 celebrities with sidewalk
stars. The new CityPass booklet includes
tickets to the Kodak Theatre Guided Tour,
Starline Tours of Hollywood (tour of movie
stars’homes), the Hollywood Museum in the
historic Max Factor Building and Red Line
Tours’“Behind-the-Scenes” Hollywood tour.
The booklet also includes a book of
Hollywood & Highland Center discount
coupons. The Hollywood Walk of Fame
CityPass is US $49 for adults and US $35 for
children ages 4 to 12; and is valid for 30 days
from the date of first issue.
So, whether you want to discover super
sports players and stadiums, Hollywood
entertainment or culture, LA is where you’ll
find the newest and the best.
For details on these and other new and
favourite LA attractions and activities,
please visit the LA INC. website at
www.see myLA.com. ❋
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
THE NEW BEST THING.
THING.....
A boutique hotel located in a
prime location offering spacious
comfort for an extraordinary value.
Holiday Inn Express Century City
10330 W. Olympic Blvd
Century City, CA 90064
310.553.1000 phone
310.277.1633 fax
[email protected]
31 Canadian Traveller August 2007 Los Angeles 11
Los Angeles’ Sports Scene
A Triumphant Getaway For Visitors
isitors to Los Angeles quickly discover
that life in the City of Angels is just one
continuous game. Thanks to a never-ending
parade of sporting events, spectators have
something to cheer about with baseball, basketball, ice hockey, arena football, soccer and
tennis taking place on almost any given
Sunday…as well as just about any other day
of the week.
Fans flock to stadiums eager to catch a
glimpse of the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, the
Clippers’Elton Brand, the Dodgers’Jeff Kent
and the Galaxy’s newest star, David Beckham.
Familiar voices, such as those belonging to
Vin Scully and Lakers’ analyst Stu Lance,
have also propelled Los Angeles into a major
contender in the world of sports.
“Los Angeles is a natural home to the
sports enthusiast,” said Mark Liberman,
president and CEO of LA INC. The Los
Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“LA’s unique blend of sensational climate,
ethnic diversity, youthful population and creative energy have fostered and sustained virtually every form of professional and
amateur sport.”
When it comes to basketball, Los Angeles
has the home court advantage with the Los
Angeles Lakers (STAPLES Center, 1111 S.
Figueroa St., 310-426-6031, www.lakers.com)
leading the lineup. Cheering from the sidelines
are celebrities such as Denzel Washington and
Jack Nicholson, as well as throngs of devoted
fans who watched as the team won their third
NBA Championship in a row in 2002, marking the 14th title in the Lakers’57-year history.
Los Angeles fans have supported their beloved
Lakers since 1960 when the team moved here
from Minneapolis. Their season runs from
October to April with two months of playoffs
following. Tickets are available through either
STAPLES Center or Ticketmaster.
PHOTOS: LA INC.
V
The STAPLES Center in Downtown Los Angeles is sports central, home to the NBA’s
Lakers and Clippers, WNBA’s Sparks, the NHL’s Kings and Arena Football’s Avengers.
STAPLES Center is home to another NBA
team, the Los Angeles Clippers (310-4266031, www.clippers.com). The most successful year of the franchise was in 2005-06 and
celebrity fans include Billy Crystal, Penny
Marshall and Frankie Muniz. Women’s basketball also has a home at STAPLES Center.
The two-time WNBA league champions, the
Los Angeles Sparks (310-426-6031,
www.lasparks.com), play from May to
August and tickets for both teams are available through either STAPLES Center
or Ticketmaster.
Batter up! The bases are loaded in spring
with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1000 Elysian
Park Ave., 323-224-1448, www.dodgers.com)
12 Los Angeles Canadian Traveller August 2007 32
lighting up Dodger Stadium. Since 1958,
when the Boys in Blue moved from Brooklyn
to palm-studded Los Angeles, the Dodgers
have won an astonishing eight National
League championships and five World Series
titles. Dodger Dogs, which are almost as legendary as the team itself, keep fans cheering
no matter what the final score happens to be.
The Dodgers’ regular season runs from April
to October and tickets are available through
the Dodgers box office, online or by mail.
World-renowned soccer player, David
Beckham, is now a member of the Los
Angeles Galaxy (Home Depot Center, 18400
Avalon Blvd., Carson, 310-630-2100;
www.lagalaxy.com). Beckham is now part of
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
a team that has earned its reputation as a
major force in the MLS since its inaugural
season in 1996. Visitors can cheer the team
on to victory as they play at Home Depot
Center from April through September.
Tickets for games are available through the
Galaxy box office and Ticketmaster.
The Los Angeles Kings ice hockey team
plays at STAPLES Center, with its season
stretching from September to April. Tickets
are available through either STAPLES
Center or Ticketmaster (310-426-6031,
www.lakings.com).
Since the exodus of the Los Angeles
Raiders and the Los Angeles Rams, LA has
been without a football team…that is until the
Los Angeles Avengers (9975 Santa Monica
Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-788-7744, www.la
avengers.com) blitzed into town. This arena
football team plays at STAPLES Center as
part of the Arena League Western/ American
Conference from April to July. Tickets can be
purchased through either STAPLES Center or
Ticketmaster.
On your mark! Get set! Go! The 26.2-mile
Los Angeles Marathon, which celebrated its
22nd year in 2007, (www.lamarathon.com)
takes place every March. Since the first race
in 1986, it has become one of the largest participatory events in the United States and the
world’s third largest marathon. The
Wheelchair Division is recognized as one of
the premier wheelchair events in the world,
where U.S. records are routinely set. The
race, which also incorporates a bike tour,
begins at Universal Studios Hollywood and
ends in Downtown.
In fall 2005, Trump National Golf Club
(One Ocean Trails Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes,
310-265-5000, www.trumpgolf.com/trump
losangeles) opened in Rancho Palos Verdes,
30 minutes south of Downtown. Open to the
public, the course overlooks the Pacific
Ocean and features lakes and waterfalls.
Ever since Arthur Ashe dominated tennis
as a student at UCLA, the university has
hosted many tournaments. Spectators can
enjoy free collegiate matches at the campus’
L.A. Tennis Center from October through
May. For a schedule of tournaments, visit
www.uclabruins.collegsports.com.
For more information about sporting
events in Los Angeles, visit LA INC.’s website at www.seemyLA.com. ❋
Beverly Inn is a small boutique motel
located in West Hollywood and part of the
Miracle Mile North District of Los Angeles.
The property is centrally located and
convenient to public transportation
Walking distance to:
• Farmers
Market
• The Grove
(movies,
theaters,
restaurants
and shopping)
• Fairfax Village
• CBS Studios
• L.A. County
Museum
• Peterson
Museum
• La Brea Tar
Pits
• Melrose Ave
• 3rd Street
Boutique
Shopping
• Writer's Guild
• Pan Pacific
Park
Beverly Inn
7701 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: 1-323-931-8108 • FAX: 1-323-935-7103
www.beverlyinn.com
Located right by the Port of LosAngeles
& the World Cruise Center
In the half-century since the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to
LA, the team has won eight National League pennants and
five World Series.
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
601 S. Palos Verdes Street
San Pedro, California 90731-3329
Telephone 310-519-8200
www.crowneplaza.com/laharbor
Toll Free Reservation
888-890-9888
33 Canadian Traveller August 2007 Los Angeles 13
San Fernando Valley
Discover “The Other LA”
rom Spanish rancho to orange groves to
the background for cowboy movies, the
Valley has entered the new millennium bursting with tempting possibilities.
Bookended by Universal Studios Hollywood to the east and the Ronald Reagan
Presidential Library to the west, the Valley has
evolved into a series of inviting neighbourhoods where tall trees line streets and the sun
shines year-round.
What makes the Valley a hot spot is
Ventura Boulevard, which runs across the
south side of the Valley. This is one of LA’s
most loved and busy thoroughfares, and is
home to several lively areas worth exploring.
“South of Ventura” is also home to many
celebrities and the Studio City stretch of the
LA INC.
F
Ventura Boulevard, one of LA’s most loved
and busy streets, boasts unparalleled
shopping and dining options, including
Art’s Delicatessen, renowned for its
corned-beef-and-pastrami sandwiches and
trend-setting boutiques like Dungarees.
boulevard (both south and north and just over
the hill from Hollywood) is where you’ll find
many of LA’s trendiest restaurants and shops.
Where To Dine
The San Fernando Valley is now home to three
of LA's top ranked restaurants. Zagat's 2007
survey names Sushi Nozawa (Studio City),
Leila's (Oak Park) and Saddle Peak Lodge
(Calabasas) among the top five best food picks
in Los Angeles.
For French cuisine with California flair,
try Pinot Bistro in Studio City. Celebrating its
five-year anniversary, Max Restaurant on
Ventura fuses California fare with pan-Asian
recipes. They say that all the waiters in LA are
actors, but at Benihana in Encino, it’s the
chefs who put on the performance – Japanese
teppanyaki-style.
For a one-of-a-kind restaurant experience,
check out Café Tu Tu Tango in Universal City.
Another great Universal City spot is the popular Camacho’s Cantina, famous for its live
Mariachi performances, killer margaritas,
friendly staff and mouthwatering, upscale
Mexican cuisine.
When you’re in a classic meat-and-potatoes mood, the Daily Grill in Burbank fits the
bill. Open 24 hours, Jerry’s Famous Deli has
devoted regular customers who include TV
and movie stars working at nearby studios.
Art’s Delicatessen is well-known for its milehigh corned-beef-and-pastrami sandwiches.
For a super coffee shop breakfast, try Du-Par’s,
one of LA’s classic diners.
Where To Shop
For the best denim selections, check out Tryst
and Dungarees. Lisa Angel specializes in irresistible T-shirts and accessories, and great
jeans. Stacey Todd (three side-by-side shops)
draws a celebrity clientele that snaps up her
14 Los Angeles Canadian Traveller August 2007 34
chic but casual clothes, jeans and home and
bath accessories. Storyopolis is devoted to children’s books and art. Check out Architexture
for Asian-influenced home décor items. The
Ivy Antiques is an irresistible collective of 65
antique dealers whose booths are bursting with
to-die-for antiques and collectibles. Paradise
for knitters is La Knitteries Parisienne, filled
with definitely not your grandmother’s yarns.
Soho Gallery has that sophisticated Manhattan
Soho gallery ambiance.
Don't forget that the Valley has some of
LA's largest and most inviting shopping malls.
Glendale Galleria has more than 250 stores,
including five department stores, and the
Sherman Oaks Galleria has recently been renovated. Westfield malls are located in
Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks and Topanga.
After a $300 million expansion, the Westfield
Shoppingtown Topanga now hosts more than
100 new stores that range from small boutiques to flagship department retailers.
Where to Enjoy Nightlife
Once you get past the velvet rope at Clear, you’ll
find the lounge lives up to its moniker with a
translucent front door, padded white-leather
walls and Plexiglas stools. Next door, The
Sapphire is a postmodern hangout with one of
the best jukebox selections in the city. Upstairs
in a mini mall that club goers might write off as
unhip is the very hip Aura, with cozy red booths,
an eclectic music mix and chocolate martinis.
If Hollywood were to ever produce a
sequel to Swingers, Charlie O’s, La Ve Lee,
Jax Bar and Grill, Café Cordiale and The
Baked Potato would be the featured pinepaneled watering holes. There is nothing a
“tall drink of water” couldn’t love about these
discreet hidden gems in the Valley.
For more information about the Valley,
visit www.seemyLA.com. ❋
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
Cruise LA
LA INC.
World-Class Port, World-Class City
The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is
just one of the many attractions
on San Pedro, Los Angles’ cruise
port. Discover, history, shopping
and, of course, world-class
cruise facilities.
os Angeles is known for its world-class
beaches, its culture that’s second to none,
and for its beautiful year-round climate. Los
Angeles is the entertainment capital and it is
also home to one of the busiest cruise centres
in the United States. The World Cruise Center
at the Port of Los Angeles is located in the
quaint seaside community of San Pedro, in the
southern part of LA. Here, more than one million passengers travel in and out of the port
each year. LA INC. The Los Angeles
Convention and Visitors Bureau invites passengers to extend their stay in LA, pre- or postcruise. With three of the world’s biggest cruise
companies (Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal
Caribbean International and Princess Cruise
L
Lines) calling at the Port of Los Angeles,
there’s no better time to take advantage of all
that is unique to LA. Come early, stay late, and
explore the City of Angels. A visitor information kiosk situated within the Cruise Passenger
Terminal provides a wealth of information for
visitors who want to explore LA.
San Pedro is a delightful welcome to LA.
At the Waterfront Promenade, visitors can
watch the cruise ships arrive and depart from
the busy harbour. On two levels and echoing
the sleek design of a cruise ship, with an upper
deck walkway and a boardwalk below, the site
features palm trees, terraces and sun deck seating. A charming seaside village, San Pedro is
filled with attractions including the Cabrillo
LA INC. THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
Marine Aquarium, the S.S. Lane
Victory (a restored, fully-operational
Second World War cargo ship) and
the LA Maritime Museum.
While in San Pedro, visitors can
relive the glory of the 1920s by riding
on the historic Red Car trolley and
stopping to visit the museums along
the port’s pedestrian-friendly and
newly renovated waterfront promenade. LA’s New England-like fishing
village since 1963, the Ports O’ Call
Village, located along the main channel in San Pedro, is a unique seaside
plaza that features souvenir and gift
shops along with popular and one-ofa-kind restaurants.
The new and revitalized Downtown LA, is
just a short drive away. Experience the visually captivating Walt Disney Concert Hall or
visit the recently reopened Griffith
Observatory. Enjoy LA’s world-class dining or
catch a game at STAPLES Center. From there,
visitors can catch the Metro to Hollywood,
Universal Studios Hollywood and the NoHo
Arts District in the San Fernando Valley. Or,
take a rapid bus down Wilshire Boulevard to
the Westside and explore LA’s Beach Cities.
LA offers something for each and every
cruise passenger to enjoy. To learn more about
pre- and post-excursion ideas or the Port of
Los Angeles, visit www.seemyLA.com. ❋
35 Canadian Traveller August 2007 Los Angeles 15