Surviving Los Angeles
Editor's Note: The last installment of producer and director Harry Pallenberg's guest blog was delayed by our coverage of last week's fire. (Apologies, Harry!) He closes out his guest blog with everything you need to know to survive L.A.....So after the stunning success of SHOTGUN FREEWAY - theatrically released on three screens across the nation, a run on the Sundance Channel... and just over 8 YEARS to break even! - well, let's just say I realized I needed a paying job. Luckily, Morgan (co-director of SHOTGUN ) was ready to change jobs, so I literally replaced him at Huell Howser Productions, where I became one of two producers for Huell. It's great. I love doing research on California, learning its strange and varied history, finding un-findable photos and films, tracking down distant descendants of Donner Party survivors (for the Wedding of the Waters episode - one of my favorites), and just generally checking out places that viewers suggest.
Stuff like that has filled my days for the past 13+ years.
I am also the "all things tech" person. I helped bring Huell Howser Productions out of the age of linear editing on 1 inch videotape machines -
- and into the world of digital video editing with Final Cut Pro. (That thing is literally 6 feet tall.) I also enjoyed bringing us on-line adding MySpace, YouTube, iTunes, Facebook and now even Twitter into the fold.The worst part of my job is that people are always asking me where to eat or what to do. (You don't show you doctor friends your boils, do you? With that in mind, here are a few L.A.-centric places to eat and things to do.
DRINKS: Too many to list. Also, I'm not really a bar kind of guy, so if I've been there it is probably OVER. But, if I have to, I like Yamashiro for drinks or MOVIE NIGHT, and there's also the Tiki-Ti if in Hollywood. It is tiny, but literally under my office window. Or better still Tonga Hut if in the Valley. Seems like some roller-derby vixens were there last time - always a good thing.
You might be able to tell I'm partial to sweet drinks with umbrellas.
PIZZA: As a former New Yorker (who has embraced all things L.A.), I still have an odd kinship with pizza, so I won't say what's best. But Mulberry is fine for a plain slice and the sausage at il Capriccio on Hollywood is pretty darn good.
GENERAL EATS: Musso & Frank's is a true classic, oldest in Hollywood. Red leather booths. Do not order pasta - this is a meat and potatoes kind of place. I usually get this: Hearts of lettuce salad with the Roquefort vinaigrette, filet mignon, Cottage Fries (order right away as they take 40 minutes) and creamed spinach... Martini, or Bloody Mary. Unless it's Thursday when the special is Chicken Pot Pie. There's also Barney's Beanery, which sports over 130 some odd beers, a few pool tables, and the 2nd best Chili in L.A.. ....Can't tell you about #1.
BREAKFAST: Dukes used to be at The Tropicana, former hotel to music legends touring through LA. Now only the Cafe exists at its new location by the Whiskey. GREAT for breakfast, make sure you add a Banana Shake to your order. Then there's Good Neighbor. Maybe not as good as Dukes, not as much history, but its family run: Mom & Pop are managers and some of their kids are wait-staff. Great low prices, and spicy pico de gallo added to omelets make this a favorite of mine. The parking can be a pain, if you are coming from the west - just grab the first spot on the street half way between Lankershim and the next block.
THAI: Sanamluang Cafe. No Thai Elvis (that's at Palms Thai) but it's the best Thai around. Open till 4AM... crazy good Noodles (Pad Kee Mow), but sometimes you just gotta get the crunch Garlic Pepper Beef over rice. Chase either down with a HUGE Thai Iced Tea.
WAT THAI - R.I.P.
MEXICAN : It's almost too hard to figure out what to post... For Tamales go to La Mascota buy a bunch and freeze 'em - only $1.35 each! For a non-dive / non-taco truck experience try some mole at La Cabinita.
Best dive type, maybe not so safe depending on the time and if you are alone is Carnitas Michoacan... The al pastor or carne asada are great as long as you get it with LOTS of the smoky red salsa, and a horchata. Best 'Gringo-Mex' (aka totally safe, not autentico) is Poquito Mas. I still like the original in the Chauenga Pass - same mini-mall & parking issues at Good Neighbor. This is L.A. so, if you can't park, I recommend driving on to the next hole in the wall you see - probably not too bad.
Want to go SALVADOREAN? El Amanecer Salvadoreno. Only 1 review on Yelp, but I love this place Beef stew - ropa vieja-ish - is very good.
BURGER: I am a true In-N-Out kind of guy (animal style, please), but The Counter just opened up close to my house and I must say it's a bit spendy - but damn good. Get the onion strings and sweet potato fries 50/50 basket.
MIDDLE-EASTERN: Carousel - the one on Hollywood Blvd. Not as fancy or 'nice' as the Glendale one, but the food is insane. Lentil soup - YES; walnut paste thingy - YES; everything - YES! Next up - even if it is just for the Iraqui Laffa bread, and multi-salad sampler - The Hummus Bar & Grill
Eaten your fill? On to THINGS TO DO:
Half do / half eat: Take a horseback ride past the Hollywood sign and have a Mexican dinner then ride back over the hill.
Another half & half: Walk around and eat free fruit.
Lots of tours, and they are not only for tourists, even the ones that are and are actually in Japanese can be quite fun... get out and take some. ESOTOURIC, The Neon Tour, and Starline are a few of the better ones. Otherwise try this.
Spring is when you can see an amazing thing. Spain has its running of the bulls, but we have the Grunion Run. It's a late night, but the kids love it.
At Laurel Canyon Dog Park you can maybe see some movie stars. Last time I saw Mindy Cohn (Facts of Life) and Jessica Alba. Or better yet, maybe you'll get to see dogs and coyotes fence fighting.
Franklyn Canyon - I had been going here for years, feeding the ducks, but it wasn't until we did a show on the place that I found out it's literally the center of L.A.. Here the markerin case you get lost.
Ever wanted to fly a plane? Well you can fly a scale model with the L.A. Valley Flyers they have there own mini air-field and fly under the take-off pattern for Van Nuys airport. Another good one for the kids.
LAistalways has good current info.
Want to see a game, or go to a game and people watch? Go to Dodger game when they let you on the field & watch fireworks - usually on a Friday night. The only bad thing is that Dodger Stadium is the only baseball stadium in the USA with NO public transportation going to it. In fact, L.A. has a TON of sporting options: Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, Clippers, Galaxy, Chivas USA, Sparks, Kings, Ducks, UCS, UCLA, Auto racing at Irwindale Racetrack, Calif. Speedway. Horse Racing at Hollywood Park or Santa Anita, LA Marathon and the easier / funner Bike-a-thon as well as various and misc other colleges, minor leagues and strange events - like The Derby Dolls Roller Derby.
Want some more history? Visit Campo de Cahuenga - the "Birthplace of California." Then there's the best hidden gem ever: The Zanja Madre. It's over by Olvera Street. which is crazy touristy (although it is close to Phillipe's.. yum), but if you fight your way over to the Avila Adobe you can find some herringbone patterned brick that marks the Zanja Madre or Mother Ditch - which was made to bring water to the 1st Angelino's. You can actually still see some of it sticking out of the steep embankment along Broadway. It was still around in Mulholland's time, in fact one of his early successes was covering the top so animals would not foul the water! Pretty cool bit of old LA history.
Last to do - SEE A MOVIE! Hollywood is the movie capitol of the world, so after you Nextflix SHOTGUN FREEWAY - you should see some other films... and don't just see them at a multi-plex get out there. The Thom Andersen film Los Angeles Plays Itself. A documentary on how Los Angeles has been used and depicted in the movies. Here is a YouTube clip.
You can also go to some of the many outdoor screenings like Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Across the street from my office is The Hollywood Outdoor Cinema. You can also still do it the old fashioned way - at the drive in. My favorite is the MISSION TIKI. Regular drive-in too blasé? How about a drive in that DRIVES IN like the Hollywood MobMov? Along the same lines is The Angle City Drive-in. Hope to see you at the Sept. 12th screening of Fast Times At Ridgemont High!
Now speaking of all these movies, tune in to my latest movie WOMEN IN BOXES - The Documentary Film About Magic's Better Half!
You can set your Tivo's for Friday Sept. 25 at 9:00PM on the Documentary Channel, or Log onto http://www.fancast.com or http://www.snagfilms.com in early September. You can also wait till October and catch us on iTunes.
