LA is... really not good for visiting. There are a lot of good things about living here (and not a few bad things), but... they're the sorts of things that it's really hard to show to tourists. Or you can, but it's hard to explain, because the magic of L.A. is that little taqueria or that store over there that you know has the neatest selection of stuff or the restaurant with the celing covered in pinatas (sadly, now LONG closed.)
It's in billboard ads in Spanish for Korean kimchi bowls. It's in all the little gardens and museums and there almost always being good free/cheap concerts to go to.
It's in knowing where all the cool murals are or the really good mochi shop or the Japanese diner that's open until three. It's in watching the punks and the club kids and the old men who've been coming there since they were a kid share Cantor's. (For that matter, the wait staff at Cantor's are sort of equally divided between punks and blue-haired ladies who have clearly been there forever.)
It's in having tacos with kimchi and standing in line to get into the dumpling house (though they've now opened a larger one so you don't have to wait so much anymore.)
It's in the Museum of California Art being right next to the Pacific Asia Museum.
It's in arguing about whether Buster's or The Fair Oaks Pharmacy is the better soda fountain/ice cream place in South Pas. Or a similar argument about whether you like In-N-Out or Pie and Burger.
And sadly, sometimes the cool places close and you have to find new ones, but... yeah, having a native guide who understands helps. Because honestly, most of the cool things won't show up on tourist maps, or if they do, there's no good way to distinguish them from the plastic.
no subject
It's in billboard ads in Spanish for Korean kimchi bowls. It's in all the little gardens and museums and there almost always being good free/cheap concerts to go to.
It's in knowing where all the cool murals are or the really good mochi shop or the Japanese diner that's open until three. It's in watching the punks and the club kids and the old men who've been coming there since they were a kid share Cantor's. (For that matter, the wait staff at Cantor's are sort of equally divided between punks and blue-haired ladies who have clearly been there forever.)
It's in having tacos with kimchi and standing in line to get into the dumpling house (though they've now opened a larger one so you don't have to wait so much anymore.)
It's in the Museum of California Art being right next to the Pacific Asia Museum.
It's in arguing about whether Buster's or The Fair Oaks Pharmacy is the better soda fountain/ice cream place in South Pas. Or a similar argument about whether you like In-N-Out or Pie and Burger.
And sadly, sometimes the cool places close and you have to find new ones, but... yeah, having a native guide who understands helps. Because honestly, most of the cool things won't show up on tourist maps, or if they do, there's no good way to distinguish them from the plastic.