Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [57]
Santa Monica Library (Map; 310-458-8600; www.smpl.org; 601 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica; 10am-9pm Mon-Thu, 10am-5:30pm Fri & Sat, 1-5pm Sun; )
Media
For cultural listings, Click here.
KCRW 89.9 fm (www.kcrw.org) National Public Radio (NPR); eclectic music, intelligent talk.
KPFK 90.7 fm (www.kpfk.org) Part of the Pacific radio network; news and talk.
La Opinión (www.laopinion.com) Spanish-language daily.
LA Weekly (www.laweekly.com) Free alternative news and listings magazine.
Los Angeles Magazine (www.losangelesmagazine.com) Glossy lifestyle monthly with a useful restaurant guide.
Los Angeles Sentinel (www.losangelessentinel.com) African-American weekly.
Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com) Major daily newspaper.
Medical Services
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Map; 310-423-3277; 8700 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood; 24hr emergency room; )
LA County/USC Medical Center (off Map; 323-226-2622; 1200 N State St, Downtown; 24hr emergency room; )
Rite-Aid pharmacies ( 800-748-3243) Call for the branch nearest you. Some are open 24 hours.
UCLA Medical Center (Map; 310-825-9111; 10833 Le Conte Ave, Westwood; 24hr emergency room; )
Venice Family Clinic (Map; 310-392-8636; 604 Rose Ave, Venice) Good for general health concerns, with payment on a sliding scale according to your means.
Women’s Clinic (Map; 310-203-8899; 9911 W Pico Blvd, Suite 500, Century City; ) Fees are calculated on a sliding scale according to your capacity to pay.
Money
American Express (Map; 310-659-1682; 8493 W 3rd St; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm Sat)
Travelex Beverly Hills (Map; 310-247-0892; 9595 Wilshire Blvd; 9:30am-5:30pm Mon-Fri); West Hollywood (Map; 310-659-6093; 8901 Santa Monica Blvd, inside US Bank; 9:30am-5:30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat)
Post
Call 800-275-8777 for the nearest post office branch.
Tourist Information
Beverly Hills (Map; 310-248-1015, 800-345-2210; www.lovebeverlyhills.org; 239 S Beverly Dr; 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri)
Downtown LA (Map; 213-689-8822; www.visitlosangeles.info; 685 S Figueroa St; 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri)
Hollywood (Map; 323-467-6412; Hollywood & Highland complex, 6801 Hollywood Blvd; 10am-10pm Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm Sun) In the Kodak Theatre walkway.
Long Beach (Map; 562-436-3645, 800-452-7829; www.visitlongbeach.com; 100 Aquarium Way; 11am-7pm Sun-Thu, 11:30am-7:30pm Fri & Sat Jun-Sep, 10am-4pm Fri-Sun Oct-May)
Marina del Rey (Map; 310-305-9545; www.visitthemarina.com; 4701 Admiralty Way; 10am-4pm)
Pasadena (Map; 626-795-9311, 800-307-7977; www.pasadenacal.com; 171 S Los Robles Ave; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat)
Santa Monica ( 800-544-5319; www.santamonica.com) Visitor Center (Map; 310-393-7593; 1920 Main St; 9am-6pm) Information Kiosk (Map; 310-393-7593; 1400 Ocean Ave; 9am-5pm Jun-Aug, 10am-4pm Sep-May)
West Hollywood (Map; 310-289-2525, 800-368-6020; www.visitwesthollywood.com; Pacific Design Center, blue bldg, Suite M-38, 8687 Melrose Ave; 8:30am-5:30pm Mon-Fri)
* * *
LOS ANGELES IN…
Distances are ginormous in LA, so don’t pack too much into a day, pad your travel time for traffic and confine your explorations to one or two neighborhoods.
One Day
Fuel up for the day at Toast, then go star-searching on the Walk of Fame (opposite) along revitalized Hollywood Blvd. Up your chances of spotting actual celebs by hitting the fashion-forward boutiques on paparazzi-infested Robertson Blvd and having lunch at Spago Beverly Hills. Take a digestive stroll along Rodeo Dr before heading to the lofty Getty Center. Wrap up with dinner at Adobe or the Lobster, in Santa Monica.
Two days
Keep a tab on rapidly evolving Downtown LA, starting with its roots at El Pueblo de Los Angeles, catching up with the present at the dramatic Walt Disney Concert Hall, then peek into the future over a latte at Pete’s Café & Bar in the emerging gallery district. Check out the funky stores at Sunset Junction, fuel up for the night ahead at El Conquistador, then catch a band at the Knitting