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| monkeywearingchaps Quote | Reply | | Golluming Around Southern California and Las Vegas posted on: 9/30/2005 11:40:17 AM A running thread of my (and my SO's) misadventures in SoCal and Vegas. Don't worry...way less on my personal anecdotes and more on prices, locations, links and what we did. First posts will be on Catalina Island and our beach weekend (will post tomorrow b/c I have a transaction to close this morning). I have pics for Catalina (I'm pretty sure not great b/c it was a disposable camera but I'll get them developed). monkey |
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monkeywearingchaps
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Golluming Around Southern California and Las Vegas
replied on: 9/30/2005 6:12:16 PM Catalina Island Type of Expedition: outdoorsy Cost: moderately high b/c getting there is expensive Seems Best For: families, big groups, small groups, couples. I probably wouldn't gollum around here by myself. Overview: Catalina Island is about an hour off the coast of Southern California. It has two main "towns"-Two Harbours and Avalon (the bf and I saw Avalon). The island is quite mountainous and lush and purportedly a nature preserve (although we didn't get to see any of that, see below for why). We landed in Avalon, a touristy town set on one of Catalina's natural harbours. As far as attractions go for this place, it has a casino which seems to have been converted into a lovely movie theatre and puts forth a very Mediterranean air (architecturally speaking) like Portofino in Italy or one of those debaucherous islands in Greece or other places I have yet to go because both my boyfriend and I are too busy building our 401Ks and squandering our youth at work. So if you want to unchain yourself from your desk and get like an ersatz Portofino (you'll have to bring your own Italian lemon liqueur because Avalon hasn't been clever enough to cash in on that shit yet) experience, Catalina is probably a good bet and if you're one of those horsey environmental type of people there's some freaking buffalos around somewhere as well...which isn't something Portofino usually advertises. Or at least not on PBS. So in summary, it's like the California-ersatz Portofino version of Martha's Vineyard...like a sandals and shorts type deal so I looked a bit out of place in head-to-toe black and knee-high boots which is NOT an outfit I would recommend. Like one of those wandering-all-over places where you exclaim over its natural beauty while licking at an overpriced ice cream from some shop that makes almost all of its yearly income in two months. I would say it's probably best enjoyed with some alchol in you but I say that about lots of stuff so your mileage might vary. Getting There: I went to www.catalina.com AND I googled and the only transportation provider I could really come up with was the Catalina Express. This seems to be the biggest one. While in Catalina we saw some very dodgy looking boats from other providers but rumour around here has it you're better off with the Express because they're more professional and their boats are bigger so you won't be stumbling around throwing up for as long as you will with the others. I wouldn't know, I'm a human seal but my boyfriend was stumbling around after riding the Catalina Express for about 30 minutes and supposedly they're the best. Cost= 98$ for two people. It was about 25$ each way per adult from Long Beach to Avalon. Prices from other locations might vary, check their website. Around the Island: You can't bring your cars because of Island rules so your main options for golluming around are Golf Carts or Bicycles Golf Carts: Island Rentals is the biggest although there are others. It seems the prices are pretty much all alike. It's basically 30-35$ per hour with a 30$ deposit. You can do 3 hours for 60$ & a 30$ deposit if you get there before 11...which means you have to take a REALLY early ferry. I would recommend renting at least for an hour because the place is really hilly and you're limited in what you can see on a bike unless you have really strong thighs and/or are willing to sweat. They recommend lovely drives you can take through the mountains so you can see the ocean and a lot of Catalina from up on high. I mean, especially if you're here for a romantic daytrip, clenching your teeth and slowly trawling uphill is probably not your idea of a sexy time unless you're Lance Armstrong or something so definitely shell out for the golf cart. Tip: if you're from out-of-state and you applied for a CA or [other state license target=_blank> and the damn DMV people punched a hole in your old state's license and gave you some paper license...they won't rent to you. So have a valid non-holey license/non-temporary license when you try to rent. Bicycles: Substantially cheaper...it was 15$ for the entire day per bike and the bike people had a cat I got to pet and cuddle. We got 1 21-speed macho yellow looking thing for him and one of those 50s-esque "I'm riding with a full skirt" with basket type bikes for me. The bicycle people recommended a couple of scenic drives and waved us off with a map and stuff. I tried to stuff the cat in the basket (they told me I could have it for the day with the rental price) but it wasn't too comfortable sitting next to S's chicken shwarma. Biking around was pretty fun...there are no cars so the only thing you really have to avoid are the golf carts. Other Activities: Beaches: There's a sandy one out past the casino but it's really really crowded and there's a rocky one out past Lover's Cove. Kayaking: we went kayaking. It was pretty reasonable (I think like thirty dollars for two people for an hour). My only complaint is that the life jackets are SUPER-smelly and way too big. The Pacific Ocean is really cold which surprised both of since we're both East Coasters and for some reason associated the Pacific with the temperature of tepid bathwater but it turned out that this wasn't the case. Also I would not suggest jumping out of the kayak because getting back in is super hard and you're liable to tip the kayak (and your kayak partner) into the water. Then again, if you're a completely incompetent kayaker as we both were, it's probably the most fun you'll have in the damn thing because otherwise we were just paddling in circles and getting sucked further and further out to sea. Although, who knows, two less yuppies in the world might have been a good thing. I actually found it easier to bring a kayak and two paddles out from pretty far out in the water back in to land while swimming EASIER than paddling around inside the kayak. My desert rat boyfriend quickly abandoned kayak when I tippled him into the Pacific so I would suggest not going down that road unless you're a quasi-seal and strong swimmer like me...because I'm pretty certain that they charge you an arm and a leg for whatever you destroy/lose out in the ocean. Food: everything looked pricey and we had packed our own picnic anyway. There are lots of restaurants in Avalon. What should we have done? We were there to goof around and spend time with each other so to that extent our laidback "whatever" itinerary was perfect for us but one thing I WOULD suggest if you're there to seriously look at the island is to take a nature preserve tour...either by kayak or land vehicle or glass-bottomed boat or horse or whatever with a real tourguide. I think you probably would see way more of the island and get a better sense of its history etc.. The cheapest one looks like the trolley ones but there are quite a variety. See www.catalina.com for more details. They can be pricey, though. The Way Back: we left on the 6 p.m. ferry. Biggest tip...pack a sweatshirt...it's pretty cold on the ocean. Will post a link to some crappy pictures I took this weekend. |
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wendles
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Golluming Around Southern California and Las Vegas
replied on: 10/4/2005 2:24:26 PM Awesome report. You guys would be fun to travel with. Looking forward to the next gollum installation! |
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monkeywearingchaps
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Golluming Around Southern California and Las Vegas
replied on: 10/4/2005 3:18:52 PM Couldn't get the Catalina pics developed on CD b/c the girl at Rite Aid was being unnecessarily hostile so I opted for 1 hour photo. Will upload if and when the bf gets a scanner. Getty Museum & Pacific Coast Highway Beaches Getty Museum Price: 7$ to park your car. So the price per person is how many people you can stuff in your car divided by 7. Type of Expedition: indoors, potentially intellectually stimulating Good For: anyone. Families, couples and golluming by your lonesome as well. Address: somewhere pretty. Go here and mapquest from your location. http://www.getty.edu/ Review: So we ended up going to the Getty (which seems to be a pretty staple thing to do when you’re golluming your way to native status) mainly because we were originally planning to go to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) to see the King Tut display (put on by National Geographic) and then I saw the price of 40$ per person and balked. Jigga what? Apparently only private firm lawyers get to see King Tut’s preserved brains. And in any case, my co-workers told me that they have significantly fewer artifacts this time around + S was born in the M.E. and has already seen it on a trip somewhere. Of course, all could have been rectified by me making S pay but I HATE that when he’s out here because seriously, I am a lawyer now, you know? So once in a while I should drop the Benjamins or something like that and I would rather drop the money on afternoon tea at the Ritz, which is about the same for two people (review forthcoming). So, anyway…the GETTY. You can read the long and short of it at Getty’s excellent website but basically this old rich dude had a super nice house in Malibu where he let people see his art for free and then it got all overcrowded so they moved it to where it is now. Which is basically in these rolling, lush green hills where you get panoramic views of mountains and estates in which you will likely never have the cash to live. Despite all of this, it’s a pretty cheery trip. Basically the museum itself is still “free” and the only cash you have to lay out is to pay for parking (price above). I would suggest getting there early because it’s PACKED with families. Once you park the car, your job is to successfully navigate the strollers over to the cable tram/car (have no idea what it’s called) where you stand in your line until it’s your turn to stuff in. Personally, I feel the tram ride up the mountain is an enjoyable and romantic experience in and of itself. Sure you’re looking down on the highway but as you get higher up towards the museum you get some lovely views of L.A. and some really rich people’s homes. So it’s like a live-action version of Cribs or something. The tram stops at some huge stone courtyard type deal in front of the Museum. Let me just say this-art is not my bag. To me every illuminated manuscript looked the same as that bust of Caesar’s head. For a while I was trying to play it off like “I really like the relationships in this piece” until S started giving me that look and burst out laughing about how I knew nothing whatsoever about art (but they are pretty if you’re into repressed monks doodling stuff…okay JUST KIDDING, I took Latin for years so I know about some stuff at least that I could talk about reasonably intelligently). But don’t get me started on the architecture and layout of that building. Architecturally it’s very “modern”-geometric and clean lines. Light stone tones. Those metal handrails very characteristic of Florida beach mansions. But it’s absolutely beautiful. And the grounds are amazing. They have a lovely gardens out back, complete with a babbling brook…not to mention pools and courtyards for sitting and people watching galore. And you can wander around the grounds looking out at some really lovely views. We gollummed off to this grassy bit to make out until this crabby gardner shooed us off to the OFFICIAL couples makeout grassy bit. I took my shoes off and pranced around to heighten S’s love of me until he told me I was in his direct sunlight and could I prance a little to the left? So that put me in a bit of a sulk till he bought me a candy bar to make up for it. Overall Impression: EXCELLENT. There’s something for everyone here. Pacific Coast Highway Beaches & Scenic Drive through Santa Monica Mountains Price: cost of gas Type of Expedition: outdoorsy, beach Good For: families, couples, individual golluming. Good Website for Ideas: http://www.verde.ro/california/drives/ I actually got my driving directions from a dude on another message board and I was thinking of posting them but my general recommendation is that from the Getty you make sure to drive through the lovely canyon passes/Santa Monica Mountains till you empty out onto Highway 1/Pacific Coast Highway in the Malibu area. Supposedly this way you beat lots of traffic on the PCH (not that we saw ANY traffic and we were doing this on Labour Day weekend). Review: Well, we headed out from the Getty with our bellies rumbling for the hearty grub (PF Chang’s…I know, I know…it’s a chain but between my sister, my bf and my brother-in-law I am FORCED to eat at both Cheesecake Factory AND PF Chang’s) we had packed the night before. And then it took us like an hour to get there and by the end I saw S looking at my thigh the way he usually looks at shwarma and I’m pretty sure it was hunger and not amorous desire because as much weight as I’ve lost, I don’t look that good yet. Which is basically to say that if you go to the Getty in the morning with the plan to picnic at the beach…umm, try getting something in you before you head out of the Getty because it’s a bit of a hike. I actually wanted to go to Matador beach which is a little bit up the highway next to the Leo Cabrillo Beach. There are far more popular beaches in Malibu but both of these (at least according to internet reviews) seemed to be a bit less “popular” and I wasn’t in the mood to hang out with a lot of crowds. Matador is a pretty nice beach. It’s on the narrow side, sandwise BUT a) very decent for boogie boarding because the ocean is pretty choppy) b) Sea caves where you can make out or if you are young of heart or an actual child, play tag or hide and seek or whatever. We parked the car by the side of the highway like everyone else and then walked down to the beach. The beach is below the cliffs, though, so be prepared for a hike down some steep staircases and hills (if you want to just hop out the car and walk over to a beach, I suggest the Leo Cabrillo that comes before Matador). The beach is the beach for me. There’s nothing to “do” beyond experiencing the person you’re with, the food you’re eating, wind blowing…sand….in your hair and your PF Chang’s Orange Chicken, salty smell etc… If you want tamer waters for swimming I wouldn’t suggest this one because it looked like the swells were pretty decent. Overall Impression: very nice beaches, drive through mountains and up the highway gives you those Classically Californian views you see in the movies. Satisfying and relaxing counterpoint to the Getty in the morning. |
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hper
Resident Indiana, Tulsa and Phoenix Expert Quote | Reply | |
Golluming Around Southern California and Las Vegas
replied on: 10/4/2005 3:36:12 PM This probably won't be helpful to anyone on this board, unless maybe you're a biology teacher, BUT, here's my two cents on Catalina Island. As a high school junior, my advanced biology class took a trip to the Catalina Island Marine Institute. We stayed at Toyon Bay, if I recall correctly. I remember it being a great time...staying in the dorms and snorkeling. We took one of the ferries from the mainland (and I remember watching the '94 Olympics when Tonya Harding was performing on the boat back). We didn't go to Avalon, only saw it from the ferry 
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wendles
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Golluming Around Southern California and Las Vegas
replied on: 10/5/2005 10:07:21 AM quote: Get the fuck OUT. $40?! What in the fuck?! That is bizarre. Is that a major museum? Got-damn, that's a high ticket price for a special exhibit at an art museum. |
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Greatblu
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Golluming Around Southern California and Las Vegas
replied on: 10/12/2005 12:49:56 PM I love how you add in so much humor to your reports. You always make me laugh. Please keep the info coming. I like all the little bits you add. Very nice! Thank you. |
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monkeywearingchaps
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Golluming Around Southern California and Las Vegas
replied on: 11/18/2005 4:49:37 PM Adventures on the Metro I'll update this post to keep all Metro adventures lumped together. One complaint frequently made about L.A. is that it is spread out, the public transport sucks balls and you need a car for many significant trips. All true. BUT...there is a light at the end of the tunnel. While some popular tourist destinations aren't available through easier (metro-based) forms of public transport, Los Angeles does indeed have a metro (subway + metro train) system that can take you to many parts of Los Angeles. The best part of this is that many of the metro stops that have parking garages are free (so as to encourage travel during workdays) so even if you do have your own car in L.A. but want to use the metro for the experience + saving on parking-you can easily do so. Logistics: How it Works: it can be confusing and I've gotten in trouble for this one. Basically you have a monthly pass (usually for people who work here, many employers subsidize it), a weekly pass and a daily pass that allows you to take as many lines as you want. If you're in town for a couple of days, less than a week, buy the 3$ daily pass (looks like a small ticket, dispensed at automated machines at every stop) everyday that you are there. This is because you are liable to change lines to get to where you want to go. You can, in fact, save money by buying the cheapest option (a 1-way ticket per line) but keep in mind that whenever you switch lines you must buy another 1-way ticket for that line. Also, there is no system of depositing or showing your ticket as in other systems. Your ticket must be carried on your person at all times that you ride the Metro system. Metro fare enforcers trawl around on popular lines demanding that you show them that you have the proper pass to ride the system. If you are found to lack a ticket, it's a 250$ fine. This includes offenses such as not having a ticket or being "underticketed" (a 1 way fare for a particular line and you've switched lines). The Metro System: you can find a map at the MTA website. Adventures on Metro Site: here's an awesome site I've found that shows you how to navigate the Metro system to get to a few popular neighbourhoods. Experience Los Angeles on the Metro So far Tiger Beat and I have done Chinatown and Hollywood. I'll update with what we did there early next week. |
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