good witch Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I just went to the Reagan Library a couple of months ago on a field trip with my class. The new Air Force One exhibit was an interesting addition to the museum too. It's a very nice, cool place to visit on a warm day! There's also a nice mall nearby off of the 118 freeway called the Simi Valley Town Center. Lots of shops and restaurants if you're out in that neck of the woods. If you're cashing in on the discount tickets for Knotts Berry Farm, make sure you eat at Mrs. Knotts Chicken Dinner Restaurant. It's on the outside of the park (so you can go if you didn't even buy tickets). There's usually a line to get in, but it's totally worth it. It was even featured on the Food Network a couple weeks ago. Make sure you save room for a piece of boysenberry pie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27Socal Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I've noticed a tendency to discuss "bad" neighborhoods as places to avoid or be fearful of. While it's true you'll be bored to tears in East LA, it is not true that you will be shot or robbed there. Now, you might, surely, but you're far more of a target in tourist areas where, like elsewhere on planet earth, dumb-struck yokels are marks for criminals. Leave the fanny pack and t-shirt proclaiming the virtues of some other State at home, don't buy a shirt that simply has the name of somewhere in LA on it, and keep close tabs on things you want to keep while you're strolling around Hollywood Blvd. or the Santa Monica Pier. However, you can drive quite free from fear to visit the Santa Clara Vanguard in Downey. Even if you go through Compton, you'll find that they are mostly just the same people you'll find anywhere. Most crime is gang/drug related, and as long as you are not driving the fanciest car in LA, or you leave your doors unlocked in the parking lot, you don't have much to worry about. The notorious areas of LA are nowhere near as bad as they are made out to be. While I wouldn't want to live there, visiting the Watts Towers isn't anything scary. Unless you're a xenophobe. :P It's not the 95% of the people in those areas that you have to worry about, it's the other 5%. A few months ago I was doing a job in Compton, driving very slowly down a street looking for an address. A nice, older lady came out of her fenced in yard and stopped my car in the street. She asked me what I was doing there. I told her and she said that shots had been fired through her front window a few nights earlier at 3 am. She said her son was shot to death a few months earlier about 50 yards down the street at the corner. He was a minister. She told me I shouldn't be there. She knows what she is talking about. If you want to be politically correct and tell people to drive through these areas, that's up to you. But, for me, I'm going to take the nice, little old lady's word for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27Socal Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 (edited) If you're cashing in on the discount tickets for Knotts Berry Farm, make sure you eat at Mrs. Knotts Chicken Dinner Restaurant. It's on the outside of the park (so you can go if you didn't even buy tickets). There's usually a line to get in, but it's totally worth it. It was even featured on the Food Network a couple weeks ago. Make sure you save room for a piece of boysenberry pie! The fried chicken there is fantastic! This is the original restaurant from the 1930's. If you don't want to wait in line, you can get the same chicken at the take out restaurant next door and eat it on the benches. Knott chicken link Edited July 31, 2007 by 27Socal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildabeast Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 If you're schedule allows it, you might be able to get into a live TV show taping for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeWee Posted July 31, 2007 Author Share Posted July 31, 2007 If you're schedule allows it, you might be able to get into a live TV show taping for free. Okay, thanks! I added it under Other Locations on Post #1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paq Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I've noticed a tendency to discuss "bad" neighborhoods as places to avoid or be fearful of. While it's true you'll be bored to tears in East LA, it is not true that you will be shot or robbed there. Now, you might, surely, but you're far more of a target in tourist areas where, like elsewhere on planet earth, dumb-struck yokels are marks for criminals. Leave the fanny pack and t-shirt proclaiming the virtues of some other State at home, don't buy a shirt that simply has the name of somewhere in LA on it, and keep close tabs on things you want to keep while you're strolling around Hollywood Blvd. or the Santa Monica Pier. However, you can drive quite free from fear to visit the Santa Clara Vanguard in Downey. Even if you go through Compton, you'll find that they are mostly just the same people you'll find anywhere. Most crime is gang/drug related, and as long as you are not driving the fanciest car in LA, or you leave your doors unlocked in the parking lot, you don't have much to worry about. The notorious areas of LA are nowhere near as bad as they are made out to be. While I wouldn't want to live there, visiting the Watts Towers isn't anything scary. Unless you're a xenophobe. :P I disagree with you completely about "bad" neigborhoods in LA. There is a reason why cable & phone companies don't allow their repair vehicles in these neighborhoods after certain times of the day, and cabs are reluctant to pick you up in these neighborhoods at certain times as well. 27SoCal is correct in what he pointed out and coming from a resident hits it home even clearer. The touristy areas are probably the safest because there is police/security presence, but at all times be street smart and use common sense as you would any crowded place (locking cars and keeping bags close to you, etc). I have lived in Venice for 30 years where the beach is the largest tourist attraction in California after Disneyland. it is a trippy place and a lot of fun, but at night the actual beach area gets kind of seedy. During the daytime, especially on the weekends it's a blast with an unbelievable large drum circle playing in the sand, street performers, shopping, basketball, oh yeah and the beach too. Hope everyone enjoys their time whatever they choose to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baribigbird06 Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 In-N-Out. Pinkberry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildabeast Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 If you're attending DCI West in Stanford and plan to make some time for San Francisco, here's a plethora of eating establishments with quite an innuendo, all within a mile of each other (in the vicinity of Fisherman's Wharf & Pier 39): In-N-Out Hooters Hard Rock Cafe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCSoprano9702 Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 (edited) I disagree with you completely about "bad" neigborhoods in LA. There is a reason why cable & phone companies don't allow their repair vehicles in these neighborhoods after certain times of the day, and cabs are reluctant to pick you up in these neighborhoods at certain times as well. 27SoCal is correct in what he pointed out and coming from a resident hits it home even clearer. The touristy areas are probably the safest because there is police/security presence, but at all times be street smart and use common sense as you would any crowded place (locking cars and keeping bags close to you, etc). I have lived in Venice for 30 years where the beach is the largest tourist attraction in California after Disneyland. it is a trippy place and a lot of fun, but at night the actual beach area gets kind of seedy. During the daytime, especially on the weekends it's a blast with an unbelievable large drum circle playing in the sand, street performers, shopping, basketball, oh yeah and the beach too. Hope everyone enjoys their time whatever they choose to do. Ok. An old man killed nine people with his car at a farmers' market in Santa Monica. So I wouldn't suggest going there. Kinda scary. And avoid all freeways. Edited July 31, 2007 by PCSoprano9702 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildabeast Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 (edited) Sometimes the action comes to you. Look up in the sky for newscopters and listen for sirens. There could be an authentic LAPD chase coming your way. Edited July 31, 2007 by Wildabeast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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