Santa Monica & Vicinity

Pros: Great location, entertainment
Cons: slow service – all male servers

A few weeks ago it was discovered that Billy Vera & The Beaters would be at this location for two shows on Saturday, October 20, 2001. By going to the website at http://billyvera.com/ you will find the next dates the band will be playing...

Pros: Great cafe au lait, non-pressure place to study, big tables
Cons: paper cups, smoke-filled patio

Review Topic:  Restaurants

For my loyal readers...here is the fourth installment in my series centered around my quest to find fantastic Los Angeles-Area study cafes. My latest trek took me to my old stomping grounds (no pun...

Pros: very nice
Cons: crowd

In an earlier epinion, I wrote a pretty negative review about Los Angeles. I mentioned sandy beaches ~ without any specifics. I also didn’t make it an informative travel review. I had an e-mail marathon with another member who also lives here in Southern...

Pros: Very laid-back, relaxing part of L.A. Great beach for people-watching.
Cons: None

(Since apparently Epinions hasn't worked out all the Travel quirks, I must put my Venice review in the Santa Monica Vicinity category. I was unable to put it in the L.A. category since I already have a review there with an Overview on L.A. -

Pros: sunny, inexpensive 3 hour tour
Cons: shocking to some

Moving through the crowd to tribal drum beats, you notice tarot cards revealing one mans future, while to the side a child begins to sing
a folk song as her father strums the guitar. This is the #2 vacation spot in Los Angeles with only Disney...

Pros: fun atmosphere, interesting sights and sounds, great leisurely exercise
Cons: crowds, intense wind while moving, unsafe for children

Along with going to the gym on a regular basis (see my review, "A great gym any time of the day"), I also go inline skating so my routine does not get boring. I usually follow the bike path starting at Venice Beach and ending at the far side...

Pros: exciting, lots to do
Cons: sunburn

The best word to describe Venice is ACTIVE. Surfers, skateboarders, basketball, weightlifting, in line skating, running, jogging, walking, swimming, volleyball... im getting a workout thinking about it! The beach is like one giant recreational...

Pros: Sunshine, ocean, good food.
Cons: Proximity to car-infested L.A.

Huntington Beach, Calif., a.k.a. Surf City, is more than just another beach city in Southern California. It's a big city (pop. estimated at 280,000 and growing) with small-town friendliness. And you can't beat the food.

Unfortunately, the...

Pros: Inexpensive, great California experience.
Cons: Gets crowded late in the day.

Review Topic:  Sights & Attractions

In August, my wife, 2 daughters(ages 9 and 14)and I visited California for about 10 days. A highlight involved spending a day at Santa Monica Beach. We arrived about 9:00 in the...

Pros: Very lively all year around.
Cons: only fit for a weekend.

Looking for a place to spend your weekend or holidays? Well Santa Monica California will be an excellent choice for those short vacation just to get away from it all. Santa Monica provides a fun full weekend for all ages. If you're worried about the...

Pros: World's best beaches and weather
Cons: Limited amount of entertainment for locals

How could you not like the LA beach suburbs of Redondo, Hermosa, and Manhattan? All have year round great weather, beautiful people, and the world's greatest beaches. In these adjacent beach cities you can always count on good weather to brighten your...

Pros: Healthy, cheap, and so darn tasty I want to cry
Cons: It's still not within walking distance...

Listen:

I want you to take every preconceived notion you may have about the words "fish taco" and throw them right out the window. Now. Out the window they go.

If you are an OC native, you'll know of what I speak. I'll...

Pros: Nice location, nice people.
Cons: Natural-gas fueled buses leave faint smell of rotten eggs...

Santa Monica may be part of the L.A. metroplex, but to a traveler from afar, it sure doesn't seem like it. No skyscrapers here - just lots of buildings a few stories high, nice streets, a pedestrian mall, some trendy shops, friendly people, good cheap...

Pros: Private and Relaxing
Cons: Parking and don't ever leave anything needed in your car b/c of long walk back up

For anyone who will be in the LA, Malibu area. I have discovered the best beach in the area. It is called El Matador Beach. It is several miles north of Pointe Dume and Zuma Beach. Just follow Pacific Coast Highway North of Santa Monica. The beach...

Pros: diverse, relaxed, perfect weather
Cons: none

The beach cities in the South Bay of Los Angeles are composed of Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Manhattan Beach. Three very different cities tucked in between Long Beach and Santa Monica. Manhattan provides upscale, yuppy shopping and nice...