A day in Los Angeles

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Know the City

Venice

Los Angeles

The beachside circus of life

Word to the wise: Don't head onto the beach at night whether alone or in a group. It may be going increasingly upmarket, but the unlit sands still harbour dangers.

Talk of the town: Founder Abbot Kinney modelled it on Venice, Italy, digging a series of now scummy and redundant canals.

Muscle men sweat and pump their bodies glistening in the midday sun, bumptious roller girls glide in thongs, tattooed indie kids convene in clouds of smoke, and the Barbie brigade pout and pose. Venice is much more than just a beach. It's a whole scene, and one of LA's most openly eccentric and eclectic neighbourhoods. Walk along the 2.5mile pedestrianised boardwalk on a Saturday afternoon to bear witness to the full cast of LA characters.

Join in a game of basketball, jump in the sea or just bask. Then as the sun sets, the mood intensifies. The one time base of the 60s beat poets and the only neighbourhood not to once restrict African Americans from living here, the attitude has always been more liberal. There are scores of underground bars, clubs and restaurants, many becoming more boutique as the area gentrifies. Start with the Beyond Baroque literary center in the old City Hall (Venice Boulevard); this is where you'll find the most interesting alternative arts scene.

Venice Beach's webpage

See & Do

Grauman's Chinese Theater

Hollywood blockbusters in historic art-deco theater

Talk of the town: You'll find more than hands and feet printed in the theater's courtyard. Amongst the famous prints are the noses of Bob Hope and Jimmy Durante, the hoof prints of Gene Autry's horse Champion, and R2D2's tread marks.

The pagoda facade of Grauman's Chinese Theater has long been one of the most recognizable symbols of Hollywood. The theater opened to the public on 19 May 1927, after a spectacular grand opening the evening before when Cecil B DeMille's 'The King of Kings' premiered. Fans were so intent on seeing the stars as they arrived for the opening that a riot broke out on Hollywood Boulevard.

Since then, Grauman's has been the film industry's favorite theater for hosting premieres. In 1968, it was declared a historic-cultural landmark. Millions of visitors each year flock to the theater to touch the hand prints of Tom Hanks or to walk in Darth Vader's shoes.

Address: 6925 Hollywood Boulevard
Phone: +1 323 464 6266
Grauman's Chinese Theater's webpage

See & Do

Watts Towers

Unique urban sculpture in Watts

Noteworthy for: Constructed by Italian immigrant Simon Rodia, it has become a symbol of the human spirit.

The Watts Towers consists of 17 major sculptures constructed of steel and covered with mortar. The artist Simon Rodia - born in Ribottoli, Italy in 1879 - was a construction worker with a vision for a piece of art in the center of his community. He adorned his towers with a mosaic of broken glass, sea shells, generic pottery and tiles, a rare piece of 19th century, hand-painted Canton ware and many pieces of 20th century American ceramics. The tallest tower stands 99 feet high and contains the longest slender reinforced concrete column in the world. The highlight is the 140 foot long 'south wall', decorated extensively with tiles, sea shells, pottery, glass and hand-drawn designs.

The neighborhood of Watts is probably best known for the riots in the 1990s, but the Watts Towers are a major cultural attraction gaining more popularity each year - rightly so.

Fee: Adult: USD 7, Seniors/Young Adults (13-17): USD 3, Child (0-12, accompanied by an adult): Free
Open Hours: Wed-Sat: 10am - 4pm
Sun: 12noon - 4pm
Address: 1761-1765 East 107th Street
Phone: +1 213 847 4646

Shopping

Hollywood Farmers Market

Meet local farmers in the middle of Hollywood

Word to the wise: It's cash only for most of the stands at this market. There are ATM machines on both sides of Vine street at Sunset.

A certified open-air market where farmers pedal organic vegetables, cheeses, honey, eggs and meat. In addition you will find stands with homemade foods and baked goods, jewelry, crafts and live music. The crowd gets larger as Hollywood late-nighters crawl out of bed and head to the market around 10am. The market hosts 90 farmers covering two blocks on Ivar Street between Hollywood and Sunset.

Open Hours: Sun: 8am - 1pm
Address: 1600 Ivar Avenue
Phone: +1 323 463 3171
Farmers Market's webpage

Shopping

Rodeo Drive

Retail's most coveted address

Noteworthy for: The Golden Triangle between Santa Monica and Wilshire boulevards and Beverly Drive is now more tourist attraction than actual shopping destination, but it is still a marvel.

It's Rodeo Drive, baby, the most famous shopping street in Los Angeles, where the world's most expensive boutiques are as vigilantly guarded as the clientele who can afford to shop in them.

Most A-list prefer now to peruse their designer clobber somewhere more discrete, that is, apart from those looking for the photo opportunity of being snapped coming out of Jimmy Choo or Tiffany - 'Was that a ring he was buying?' the tabloids will cry.

There is nothing remotely real about the rarified world of Rodeo and the so-called Golden Triangle in which it sits, but then again, maybe that's as LA as it gets.

Address: Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills
Rodeo Drive's webpage

Restaurants

The Little Door

French food in a dreamy candlelit courtyard

Word to the wise: If they're full you'll be shunted to The Little Next Door; the food is just as good, but it has a more casual café setting.

Talk of the town: Unsurprisingly, this romantic hideaway has won several Most Romantic Restaurant in LA awards.

Look for a cat symbol and a rustic brown door surrounded by Bouganvillea vines. This is the entrance to The Little Door, beyond which you'll be surrounded by a whimsical secret garden, resplendent with lush foliage and fountains.

To match the sultry candlelit vibe, the food is rustic Mediterranean created with simple, harmonious flavours using seasonal ingredients and spices. Having grown up in Bordeaux, Chef Nicolas T Peter knows the importance of having a wine list that both complements the menu and he suggests choices for varied palates.

If you're coming for a midnight tryst they have an excellent late-night menu from 10pm to closing.

Price sample: Entrees: USD 28-52
Open Hours: Sun-Thu: 6pm - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 6pm - 1am
Address: 8164 West 3rd Street
Phone: +1 323 951 1210
The Little Door's webpage

Restaurants

Gjelina

Farm-to-table cuisine in Venice

Tipple of choice: Try a glass of Cold Heaven Viognier and taste the terroir of Santa Barbara.

At this Venice favorite, chef Travis Lett serves up rustic, Mediterranean comfort food in an arty, minimalistic environment. Super thin crust pizzas, risotto and stuffed eggplant are a few of the items that keep diners returning for more. As an added bonus, 90 percent of the vegetables served at Gjelina are sourced from the Santa Monica Farmers Market.

Gjelina has communal tables, and if you're lucky, you may get a chance to sit next to Kirsten Dunst.

Price sample: Small plates: USD 12-23
Entrees: USD 14-28
Open Hours: Mon-Fri: 11.30 - 12midnight
Sat-Sun: 9am - 12midnight
Address: 1429 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Phone: +1 310 450 1429
Gjelina's webpage

Bars & Nightlife

Avalon Hollywood

All-night clubbing in the heart of Hollywood

Noteworthy for: In the 1960s Avalon hosted a weekly variety show, featuring famous acts such as The Beetles, Fred Astaire, The Jackson 5 and the Rolling Stones.

Set in a beautiful historic building restored to its original classic Hollywood-era glory, Avalon is a concert venue, nightclub and after-hours club. Located on Vine Street, this fun and heaving club has hosted many innovative DJs including DJ Sasha, DJ Shadow and Moby. Head up to the patio for a more chilled-out atmosphere (and more room to dance).

Fee: Varies
Price sample: Tickets: Around USD 20-30
Age: 21 most nights; some nights 18; call for information
Open Hours: Check webpage for performance schedule
Address: 1735 Vine Street

Phone: +1 323 462 8900
Avalon's webpage

Bars & Nightlife

Hemingways

Well-poured cocktails in Hollywood & Vine neighborhood

Word to the wise: There's no sign, so look for Hemingways on the bottom floor of Cinespace.

Though Hemingway might roll in his grave knowing that such a gimmicky concept bears his name, the drinks would make him proud. Absinthe is on the menu here, so guests can partake in the green fairy in various concoctions. Cocktails listed on the menu are named after the writer's works, and confident bartenders serve them up with just the right amount of Hollywood attitude to remind you where you are.

Antique typewriters, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and cozy banquettes line the exposed brick walls and frame a sizeable mingling area for a stylish crowd. DJs play nightly, and local bands perform on Tuesdays.

Price sample: Cocktails: USD 12
Age: 21
Open Hours: Tue-Sun: 9pm - 2am
Address: 6356 Hollywood Boulevard, 1st Floor
Phone: +1 323 469 0040
Hemingways' webpage