[Mislav]

Los Angeles was a lot less impressive than San Francisco. It was my second time there and I have to say both Toronto and San Fran beat LA in every possible way except weatherwise which is warm and dry. Unfortunately I was limited with very few pics with a camera phone so here it goes:

Sunset Boulevard (in between Hollywood and Beverley Hills):

Rodeo Dr in Beverley Hills - this is the only street in the entire city that I really liked looks wise. The only problem was that the stores were horribly expensive hence there was very little pedestrian activity:

Looking at LA:

A Typical LA Street in the Hollywood/Beverley Hills area:

My pathetic attempt to capture the Hollywood sign (I just couldn't find a good spot):

Santa Monica (Don't make fun of my hair ):

Venice Beach (Similar to Queen & Bathurst but a lot more panhandlers and people asking for money - just don't go for a swim there without keeping on eyes on your stuff ):

 

[Crazy Canuck07]

Those are some decent pics from a camera phone, I would love to visit L.A. one day, but it's a long way from T.O. Where is that place with the elephant statue on the column?

 

[shumoon]

If you get a chance to visit LA again, I recommend visiting the residential enclave of Bel-Air, off Sunset, across the street from UCLA. One can get lost wandering its winding, hilly streets with large homes and manicured lawns.

My favourite major street is Mullholland Drive. From there, one can wind through the Hollywood Hills and see both downtown LA and the San Fernando Valley especially at night to see the city lights.

LA also has a sizable Chinese community. Besides LA's Chinatown there are Chinese suburbs in the San Gabriel Valley, similar to stretches of Markham, where they have Chinese malls and excellent dim sum. It's a bit out of the way though, as are a lot of things in LA.

 

[allabootmatt]

The elephant statue is in an outdoor mall at Hollywood and Highland, next to the Kodak Theatre (ie where the Oscars are).

I'm sorry you didn't like LA--it's one of my favourite cities and, I think, truly one of the unique places on the planet. That said, it's not for everybody, and LA being misunderstood is nothing new...

 

[building babel]

My favourite elephant is Lucy:

www.lucytheelephant.org/indexhi.html

 

[shawnmicallef]

LA is a totally neat, and confounding place.

We did that drive around Bel Air, then got spit out high up on Mulholland unexpectantly. Was like a rural road. The proximity of "urban" and wilderness, cuz of the mountains, in LA is shocking. Mulholland is spooky.

 

[AlchemisTO]

I'm going to be in LA in a month and I can't wait. Mislav, why do you think that Toronto beats LA in every way? It seems that no other city in the world is closer to Toronto than LA: the endless suburban arterials, the ethnic strips, and a vibe that sort of teeters between between working class industriousness and carefree commercialism.

Not to mention other quirks like the fact that both are about 100-miles from edge to edge, were developed along old trolley lines that no longer exist and have the widest freeways in the world.

 

[bizorky]

Nice haircut.

Really.







hehehe

 

[Mislav]

Nice haircut.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. >:

If you stayed in the same hostel I stayed you wouldn't have taken a shower either that morning.

Mislav, why do you think that Toronto beats LA in every way?

What allabootmatt said - I suppose the outer boroughs of Toronto do ressemble LA but not downtown. I, personally, think LA is overrated in terms of living, nightlife, etc. I found San Francisco to be a lot better. This doesn't apply if you're rich cause you could totally live it up, but for people of average income I would say Toronto is a better choice, if you exclude the weather of course.

 

[allabootmatt]

well, I dunno if I would go THAT far...maybe LA resembles outer-borough Toronto. But old Toronto I always found to be more like San Francisco in vibe than anywhere else...though minus the Pacific vistas.

 

[shawnmicallef]

Also i heard (i hope it's not a legend) that the Hollywood Freeway and the 401-in-TO constantly knock each other out of the busiest freeway topspot.

TO is "san francisco turned upside down" in the old city of Toronot (ravines etc)...but the sprawl up north east and west...totally Valley.

 

[esplanade guy]

LA looks like Toronto? That is the furthest thing from the truth. The city of Toronto has way more in common with Manhattan, then anything in LA. Did you notice how deserted the streets of LA were, it's like a ghosttown.

 

[Darkstar416]

LA looks like Toronto? That is the furthest thing from the truth. The city of Toronto has way more in common with Manhattan, then anything in LA. Did you notice how deserted the streets of LA were, it's like a ghosttown.

True, although the greater GTA does share a lot of similarities with L.A.