Page 122 - 2017 Travel Guide to California

INSIDER’S
»
TIP
Near the GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY is
a local favorite. Mingle with
celebrities, moms, seniors, dog
walkers and more as you hike up
Mount Hollywood to take in the
gorgeous 360-degree views of the
entire LA Basin, from the Pacific
to the SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS,
including the Hollywood sign on
MOUNT LEE. Start on FERN DELL
DRIVE off LOS FELIZ in GRIFFITH
PARK and walk away from Los Feliz
up the hill to the Observatory and
continue up the path, or for a
shorter walk, park at the
Observatory and start there on
the CHARLIE TURNER TRAIL.
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120 2017 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
The Nation’s Largest County
As the most populous county in the
nation, with more than 10 million resi-
dents, Los Angeles County comprises 88
cities with more than 100 languages
spoken within its 4,084 square miles. The
county is larger than the states of Rhode
Island and Delaware—combined.
The entertainment industry is an integral
part of the local economy, annually con-
tributing $47 billion to the region. For
decades, the name Hollywood has been syn-
onymous with the movie business, but today
most studios have moved into neighboring
suburbs such as Burbank and Culver City.
Some of the better-known areas in LA
County aren’t even cities but rather dis-
tricts or neighborhoods within Los
Angeles, such as Hollywood, Silver Lake
and Venice. In contrast, Beverly Hills,
home to the most expensive residences in
the world, and West Hollywood, a diverse
melange of gays, Russians and musicians,
are cities but completely surrounded by
the city of Los Angeles.
Seventy miles of beaches run along Los
Angeles County’s southwest border.
Malibu, an exclusive seaside community,
has some of the most beautiful beaches in
the area. To the north, hikers and moun-
tain climbers can explore trails in the
Santa Monica Mountains. To the east, the
San Gabriel Mountains rise up to more
than 10,000 feet above sea level.
City and Town
Los Angeles, the second most populous
city in the nation, dominates the county.
Writer Dorothy Parker once quipped, “Los
Angeles is 72 suburbs in search of a city.”
Now, well over 100 neighborhoods in LA
form a rich cultural stew. Meander around
Chinatown, Little Tokyo, the Art and
Fashion Districts, the Latino enclaves
around Echo Park, Hollywood’s Laurel
Canyon, Little Armenia, Thai Town or
Melrose District where hipsters shop.
When in LA, do as the celebs do and
start the day by stretching at Bryan Kest’s
Power Yoga studio in Santa Monica. Go
shopping at cool indie shops featuring
local labels and fashionable imports along
Venice’s Abbot Kinney. Need an outfit for
an awards show? Head over to Decades on
Melrose Avenue, a couture vintage store
where many stylists choose red-carpet
gowns for their star clients.
Hungry? Eat at The Griddle Cafe, a
Sunset Boulevard institution known for
its gigantic pancakes and the steady flow
of celebrities lunching there. Or chow
down on a chili dog at Pink’s famous
corner stand at Melrose and La Brea
avenues. Watch a Lakers basketball game
at the Staples Center and see stars on the
court and in the stands. End the day sip-
ping a cocktail at Chateau Marmont in
West Hollywood, where celebrities meet
their agents and studio execs.
Hollywood
Conceived originally as an outdoor bill-
board promoting a housing development
called Hollywoodland in 1923, the Holly-
wood sign sits on the south side of Mount
Lee and Griffith Park—long a symbol that
this is a place where dreams can come true.
The first movie studio, the Nestor
Motion Picture Company, opened in the
fall of 1911 in Hollywood on the north-
west corner of Sunset Boulevard and
Gower Street. It was absorbed by the Uni-
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