Los Angeles: Bigger Than Life

Advantages: A World Class City
Disadvantages: Don't try walking, the bus, or light rail

...Los Angeles: Bigger Than Life Let me state it right off at the start: I love Los Angeles. It is a great city to visit or to live in ? IF you know how to get around, and how to put up with the eccentricities of the place. Getting Around L.A. Originally, Los Angeles was a much smaller city. Long Beach, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Santa Fe Springs?.those were all separate towns a long way from L.A. You reached those towns by riding the old red trolley cars. Sometime in the late 1940's the urban planners who are responsible for this awful sprawling mess made a conscious decision: Los Angeles would be a megalopolis connected by a system of freeways?people living in the megalopolis would, of course, be wealthy and every person would own a car. So, during much of the 1950's the streetcar lines were...

grape_nehi 27.10.2005 · Read review
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Review of Los Angeles (California)

California Dreaming

Advantages: A relaxing place for a few days break
Disadvantages: It's much too far away from London

...In February I visited Monterey, a beautiful town on the central coast of California about 110 miles south of San Francisco which has become a popular tourist resort. Why Monterey? This town is 2-3 hours by road from San Francisco, less from the airport or from San Jose and Silicon Valley, and I think about 6 or 7 hours drive from Los Angeles. Because of its location and attractiveness, it has become a popular choice for conventions, and an event was organised there for readers and writers of mystery and crime fiction called Left Coast Crime over a long weekend in February. Hundreds of us descended on the town for a few days. Mikey and I arrived on Tuesday. Because of the convention (held at the Doubletree Hotel 5 minutes walk from the centre of town from Thursday afternoon to Sunday lunchtime), spending time with a large gang...

elkiedee 17.04.2004 · Read review
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Review of Monterey (California)

Tripping down California's Highway 1

Advantages: Mentions places of interest which you might otherwise miss, cheap too.
Disadvantages: Written in 2003/2004 so some prices / information might be slightly outdated

...In June 2007 my husband and I took a fly drive holiday to California. Being the kind of person who?s almost anal in their preparation for any holiday, I started scouting around for books to take with us months beforehand. This was one that I bought, I think from Waterstones, who had the best selection of travel books I could find. With only 64 pages, (three of which are the index) it?s not as bulky as the usual Lonely Planet guidebooks, but it?s specifically aimed at those driving down (or up) what is supposedly one of the most beautiful drives in the world - the wonderful Highway 1 in California. The most northerly town this covers is Fort Bragg, about halfway between San Francisco and the Redwood national Park to the north. The most southerly is Laguna Beach in Greater Los Angeles. There?s a small paragraph describing each...

kevin121 14.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of California Highway 1 (Lonely Planet Road Trip) - Paige Penland

Los Angeles: Top 5 Tips

Advantages: Sprawling exciting metropolis with tons to do
Disadvantages: Can get smoggy

...Here are my top 5 tips on Los Angeles 1) Be prepared for mad driving conditions. Driving on the huge 7-lane freeways is a great experience but takes a bit of getting used to. The main thing is to plan where you are going before you set out - the signs clearly show interconnecting roads and destiantions bu8t you don't want to be fiddling with maps as you drive 2) Don't miss Universal Studios. This is great fun theme park for all ages. Very young kids may prefer Disneyland but for anyone else this has more thrills and more interest. The T3 ride - a 3-D combinations of film and actors is fantastic. 3) Hollywood is good fun. Go on a tour of the stars homes which is full of gossip. You may just see lots of gates and driveways but it gives you a feel for the town 4) Catch a movie. You can't do to the city of Hollywood and not see a movie...

pxs 27.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Los Angeles (California)

Disneyland Dreams in California

Advantages: Fastpass system really helps with queues
Disadvantages: Small park so gets cramped very quickly

...Disneyland California the first ever Disney park I visited and also the first ever Disney Theme Park opened on July 17th 1955. Located in Anaheim, California, Disneyland California consists of 2 theme parks, Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park, 3 resort hotels, Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Grand Californian and Disney's Paradise Pier and Downtown Disney for all your shopping, dining and entertainment needs. *~*Tickets*~* I always would recommend purchasing your tickets before you leave the UK as you tend to get better value. You can purchase 2,3,4 and 5 day hopper tickets allowing you access to both parks starting from £65 per adult and at least you don't have to queue up to purchase tickets when you arrive. *~*Disneyland Park*~* As with all Disney Parks there are themed areas, at the entrance you will...

KELLYLOUJ 12.11.2007 (11.11.2007) · Read review
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Review of Disneyland (California)

Living in LA-la land

Advantages: You will see lots of pretty people
Disadvantages: Realization that you are not pretty

...California is a state like no other in the US. Once you are in California make no mistake, it is broken into two completely different halves. The first time I heard the term No-Cal I assumed the California sales staff was talking about yet another Hollywood diet plan. No-Cal is the northern California area and is dominated by the Bay Area which contains San Francisco and Oakland. So-Cal is Southern California and consists of Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego area. This is the area where I spend a great deal of my time when in California, especially the LA area. Getting There If you are flying from another destination in the US there is a myriad of airports to choose from. The largest airport is Los Angeles International Airport which is usually referred to as LAX. You can also fly into the Long Beach Airport or Burbank...

Scott_Howitt 20.05.2003 (22.05.2003) · Read review
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Review of Los Angeles (California)

California Dreaming

Advantages: Bargain price, even at full price.
Disadvantages: Bottle two creeps up you and pounces like a stalking big cat.

...Alright hold your hands up if you thought this was going to be a Mama's and Papa's review? Well it isn't, it's a review of fermented grape juice instead, or to give it its proper name Sainsburys California White Zinfandel. Unfortunately Ciao have decided to put a picture of Blossom Hill's version of this wine at the top of this review, so I've included an actual picture at the bottom. The bottle is unopened as well, aren't you impressed? THE WINERY I've been unable to track down the actual winery that produces this wine for Sainsbury's. The only information I could ascertain comes from the label itself, this informs me that the grapes used to produce this wine are sourced from more than one vineyard. Some coming from California's Central Valley and others from vineyards on the Pacific coast. THE GRAPES Zinfandel is...

scampi1 06.11.2004 · Read review
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Review of Sainsburys California White Zinfandel

CITY OF ANGELS...A GUIDE

Advantages: movie history, one of the best cities in the world, great beaches,
Disadvantages: so spread out - you NEED a car, smog at some times of the year

...Any review of Los Angeles - unless contained within the covers of a City Guidebook - can realistically merely ‘prick the surface’ of what is to offer in this sprawling metropolis on the West Coast of America. I’ve tried to cover what I have personal experience of during two brief visits to the ‘City of Angels’ • HOLLYWOOD – MOVIE MAGIC On our first visit to L.A, we stayed at the Holiday Inn, right on HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD. Alas it is no more – it was demolished last year to make way for a huge development to include Cinemas, Shopping and a new home for the Oscar ceremonies. But it was pretty neat to stay there all the same and could almost literally step out onto the ‘WALK OF FAME’. You’ve seen it on TV, documentaries etc – all the way along Hollywood Boulevard...

flashpointz 08.03.2001 (16.11.2001) · Read review
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Review of Los Angeles (California)

  Things To Do In California

Advantages: Advantageous exchange rates mean it's a total steal!
Disadvantages: Can't think of any off-hand, unless you don't like flying...or Americans I suppose.

...not be in any way comprehensive, as Southern California is a big place?a VERY big place! In conscience, I should also advise that I can be in no way held responsible for hangovers, speeding tickets, weight gain or any other unwanted side-effects of doing grown-up stuff in California or indeed in any other state?and that includes the State of Mind, before you ask. We?ll start with Los Angeles. A very big place indeed, and one it would take a very long time to explore fully. As I had about 20 minutes, I only scratched a teeny weeny bit of the city?s pachydermic surface. I still intend to offer a few suggestions for consenting adults of all genders and preferences, and hang the consequences! I stayed in a Ramada hotel in West Hollywood, right on Santa Monica Boulevard. I booked this on-line and got a great deal. However, had I done...

stevethesleeve 20.01.2004 · Read review
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Review of General: California

The Simpsons- Viva Los Simpsons Review

Advantages: Hilarious, comedic gems
Disadvantages: None

...The Simpsons - Classics - Viva Los Simpsons is part of the Simpsons classics series of DVD's. Four episodes are included here: "Homie The Clown", "$pringfield", "Viva Ned Flanders" and "Homer At The Bat". "Homie The Clown" has Homer enrolling at clown college after spotting a billboard for it. After becoming an official Krusty the Clown impersonator, he soon finds himself being recognized AS Krusty and in trouble with the mob. The Simpsons movie references are aplenty here, the best one being Homer banging his head on some glasses and playing the theme from The Godfather while being held captive by the mafia. A very good episode this, has memorable moments like Homer imagining everyone around him are clowns, even if they're his friends being burned to death, and Marge singing a circus anthem. In "$pringfield", Mr. Burns sets up...

Walter_Kovacs 04.01.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Simpsons - Classics - Viva Los Simpsons (DVD)