Guide to Visiting Los Angeles (L.A.), California

Altogether I lived in the Greater Los Angeles area for about 15 years... if you add all the different times together, that is. I have a bit of a gypsy personality so tend to move around a lot. Los Angeles is a place I went back to many times. There are many things to love about it. I will happy to name a few of the attractions that kept drawing me back, and things you should visit if you ever get to that area of California.

The Griffith Park Observatory is not to be missed. This not just a park, although that's part of it. It's also one of the biggest telescopes, and they have a pretty cool Planetarium. In the middle is a big Foucault's Pendulum too. Gotta see that if you see nothing else here (once the Main Rotunda reopens). It's quite fascinating! Do visit the park and see the impressive building at least. It's beautiful up there... and you can also still see The Astronomers Monument, which honors six of the greatest astronomers of all time. They are Hipparchus (?-125 B.C.), Copernicus (1473-1543), Galileo (1564-1642), Kepler (1571-1630), Newton (1642-1727), and Herschel (1738-1822). (http://www.griffithobs.org/tour.htm)

2800 East Observatory Road
Los Angeles, CA 90027-1255 USA
Offices (323) 664-1181

Hollywood is one the favorite tourist areas, and indeed it is fun. Handily, the main drag is Hollywood Blvd so it's easy enough to find off the 405 freeway. Here you will find lots of little eateries, tour guides and buses, souvenir shops, and all kinds of places to buy stuff. The first Frederick's of Hollywood is here, you can't miss it, big ol' purple building. Say you went for the history of it. heh.

Also in Hollywood is the famous Chinese Theatre, where lots of premiers are held. It was at one time called Grauman's, and still is by us folks who grew up with it that way, but officially it's actually Mann's Chinese Theatre now.. at any rate, this is where the footprints of the stars are in cement. Along the sidewalks of Hollywood are stars embedded into the pavement with the names of favorite actors. This used to be quite the honor, but these days they give a star to any ol' body.