What it's like to live in Los Angeles. Photo / Venti Views on Unsplash
What it's like to live in Los Angeles. Photo / Venti Views on Unsplash
OPINION
On paper, Los Angeles doesn’t always sound as sparkly as its ‘Tinseltown’ moniker, but living there completely changed my perception of the city - and not in a bad way, writes Ben West
When my ex-partner, filmmaker Andrea Arnold, decided to direct the second series of HBO blockbuster Big Little Lies, which would take nearly a year of filming in Los Angeles, my enthusiasm for this new chapter was tempered by trepidation.
On paper, LA seems horrendous: endless traffic jams, tacky theme parks, pretty expensive, the worst pollution in America.
However, the more time I spent there, the more I appreciated what a hugely diverse city it is: majestic deserted canyons, wonderful beaches and national parks. And if you want crazy nightlife, swanky lunch venues, hugely different neighbourhoods, star gazing (both at famous Griffith Park Observatory and the Hollywood film variety), it is all there.
So, let’s get started.
From tranquil canals to celebrity hotspots, uncover the real Los Angeles through the eyes of travel writer Ben West. Photo / 123rf
Where to find LA’s best beaches
Los Angeles is well known for its beaches at Venice and Santa Monica, but there are numerous other beaches along the coastline away from the city that are often far less crowded. If you have a car, lazy days hanging out at the beaches of Malibu, such as Zuma Beach, Point Dume State Beach and at Paradise Cove, which has a kitschy cafe, make for a delightful day.
Will Rogers State Beach in the Pacific Palisades district has showers, a cafe, sand volleyball courts and a bike/walking path, and you might spot dolphins or an orca whale if you’re lucky.
Just away from the bustling boardwalk, surfers, tacky tourist shops and restaurants of Venice Beach is a small series of tranquil, attractive canals that see far fewer visitors and are ideal for strolling along. Created in the 1900s, the Venice Beach Canals are lined by homes in a diverse range of architectural styles.
Zuma Beach and Point Dume State Beach in Malibu offer less crowded alternatives to Venice and Santa Monica beaches. Photo / 123rf
No one knows LA is a hiking mecca
The city may conjure images of multi-lane highways - of which there are many - but it is surprising the wealth of good walks there are available to you here. While walking in the centre can be difficult sometimes - there’s even an absence of pavements in some places - there’s a rich choice as you move to outlying areas.
My favourite walk is the Lower Canyonback Trail in the Santa Monica mountains. It has lovely mountain and ocean views and starts from the end of North Kenter Avenue, just off Hanley Avenue in the Brentwood neighbourhood. On Google Maps it is called the Whoops Trailhead. There are numerous trails leading from the main one, hillier and flatter paths, and also a circular walk. You often have the place pretty much to yourself and I’ve seen rattlesnakes and coyotes here, but they kept away, thankfully.
Runyon Canyon Park extends over 64 hectares, and has well-marked trails, with great views of the city as well as the Hollywood sign, Griffith Park and Santa Monica Bay. The 190-acre Eaton Canyon nature reserve at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains is another good choice, with miles of trails.
If you walk on one of the many trails at Griffith Park you have the option of visiting the Art Deco Griffith Park Observatory, which was featured in La La Land.
Top tip: The three-mile Mount Hollywood Trail provides great views of the Hollywood sign.
The Mount Hollywood Trail in Griffith Park provides stunning vistas of the Hollywood sign. Photo / 123rf
Explore a variety of neighbourhoods
Taxis and Ubers and similar are comparatively cheap in LA, which is ideal for discovering the diverse range of neighbourhoods here. Of course, Hollywood is the most famous, but lesser-known ones like Los Feliz next door are worth checking out. It’s a relaxed hillside enclave with cafes, restaurants and boutiques, and homes designed by the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright and Richard Neutra.
Downtown is a heady mix, with the affluent Financial District rubbing shoulders with the grittiness of the homeless around Skid Row. There are plenty of sights such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, Union Station and Grand Central Market, and numerous old theatres.
Having walked past someone clearly in need of plentiful medical help, pushing a shopping trolley with all their worldly possessions and off their head on drugs around Skid Row, it’s difficult to believe you’re in the same city when you hit the swanky designer shops of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, or the leafy streets lined with celebrity mansions of Bel Air.
But that’s the wonder of Los Angeles, there is something completely different just around the corner.
Rodeo Drive is a famous shopping street in Beverly Hills, California, known for its luxury boutiques and designer stores. Photo / 123rf
Best places to go for celebrity spotting
If you think you’ll spot the likes of Nicole Kidman or Brat Pitt at one of these big LA mansions, you’re likely to be disappointed, as many of them are fenced with long driveways. However, if you hang out at places like Rodeo Drive, the expensive, highly rated restaurants, Malibu Country Mart, the lounges and bars of top hotels like Hotel Bel Air and the Beverly Hills Hotel, you’ll certainly up your chances. I was having lunch at Brentwood Country Mart one Sunday, and Kate Hudson and her mother Goldie Hawn walked past. However, it was unpleasant to see the paparazzi intrusion that followed. They just wanted to look at clothes in a boutique, but the gaggle of cameras and uber-aggressive photographers was unpleasant to be around.
However, that was just another diverse, unforgettable experience in one of the most exciting cities on Earth.
Checklist
LOS ANGELES
GETTING THERE
Fly non-stop from Auckland to Los Angeles with Air NZ, in approx. 12 hours.
