
Visiting Los Angeles
I don’t remember if I’ve been in Los Angeles or not.
I remember being in Hollywood, and Beverly Hill, and Santa Monica, and Venice, and some other places, but I’m not sure if it were different towns close to each other, or different counties, or neighborhoods of the same town.
I belong to a different scale, and always get confused in USA. So, I will write about what I think is Los Angeles. If I’m wrong… excuse-me.
Beverly Hills

Really top class neighborhood.
The shops were so frightening, that even Fernanda decided to stay out of them. Honestly, she did!
Fortunately, they didn’t charge for looking from outside, and I escaped without financial wounds.
But it really worth the trip, admiring the perfection, cleanliness, and safety of everything.
Life would be perfect, with such quality at Portuguese prices.
Rodeo Drive – High Standard


Rodeo drive is one of the most famous shopping areas in the world, and THE place where I would never buy anything.
Why? Because everything gave me the sensation that EXPENSIVE is a mandatory qualification to all shops and articles. If it is important to you to pay the double or more for any expensive object don’t look any farther.
Not for me.
Stay in the line

My name is not there.
I had no time to follow all the walk, but I think that I’m the only movie star missing there.
I knew 85, wrote down more 4322 names, and I’m studying why are they famous.
I promise to end before 2053, to go back there and get some more, and to check if mine is already there!
Address: Hollywood Blvd & Vine St.
American China

Money, ambition and imagination are the ingredients present in most American realizations. The absence (or the disregard) of a local culture, was the reason of a diversified copy of models and styles from Europe, but also from the whole world. The interesting note is that immigration from all the world turned USA in a complex mixture of races and civilizations, giving sense and cultural legitimacy to most of the copies made only to… copy.
Sid Grauman, a theatre producer well succeeded with his experience of a theatre in Egyptian style, decided to build another one in its neighborhoods, matching a Chinese look.
Opened in 1927, the success was even bigger , and the theatre became an icon of Hollywood. Now, you may be one among the hundreds browsing the autographs and footprints of the actors immortalized by the movies, fighting for a ticket to a premiere, or as we did, deciding that… yes, it is there, big, beautiful and looking Chinese, only a few kilometers from Chinatown.
Universal Studios

If you don’t care about artificialism…If you don’t bother staying in long lines…If you have time… and money… that’s a funny place to spend a couple of hours, or more.
I’ve been in Orlando’s Walt Disney’s parks and couldn’t avoid comparisons. The same kind of creations and amusements, but still interesting, with attractions to all ages.
The earthquake in the subway is really convincing.
Address: 100 Universal City Pl., Universal City, CA 91608
Venice

The winter of August the 4th was replaced by the spring of the 5th, but still not inviting to swim. So, I must admit that I left California without entering the Pacific Ocean. Next time I’ll try December…Anyway Venice was nice. The channel area had no resemblance with Italian Venice, except that the water was wet (forgive the joke!), but it is a really nice spot, with everything straight and lined as a good American construction.
The beach was almost as empty as Santa Monica.
Some of the differences that make the “almost” were not advisable, but we met a Brazilian lifesaver curious about our language. It was the first time she listened to Portuguese Portuguese. About the beach… Well, it has sand, and water, and waves, a beautiful lifesaver, and if you want me to say something more, wait for my next visit.
Santa Monica

Good idea, leaving the beach, said Fernanda.
Let’s move to a better place. And that was… shopping area, of course.
Do you believe that I supported the never ending series of malls, shops and boutiques without freezing completely? But I did. Honestly, I survived!
Address: 3rd St. Promenade & Broadway, Santa Monica
Marina d’el Rey
Tony Roma

Hurrah – no Hamburger
My visit to Walt Disney World in Florida with the kids was traumatic, because I spent 4-days-4 lunching and dining, mainly hamburgers (no people is perfect: in Portugal we have corruption, in USA they have hamburgers – they lose!). To complete the drama, I had to drink Coca-Cola or another similar poison. I Survived! Everything was much better in Universal Studios. Lunch was pizza (also fast-food, I know, but more similar to food, anyway!) and… wine. As a matter of fact, the worst wine I drunk in California, but… who cares! When you want to eat in minutes, the only problem is… the looooong lines.
It seems to be closed now. We don’t miss much!
Buca di Beppo

Real Food
I told above the story of eating in Florida, and also the negative experience in Tony Roma.
Despite that trauma, I risked to dinner in Universal Studios and… I liked it. Seriously! Good food, good ambiance, reasonable price. It was the perfect end for the emotions of a funny day.
Directions: Universal Studios Hollywood CityWalk
Photos in Universal Studios

If you’re a photo lover, be prepared to a bad day in U. Studios.
Everything is so unexpected and quick, that… you missed the photo. If you have time, the trick is… a second passage.
But, with so many attractions and the hours running who can do it? I didn’t, so tape was my best helper, but the quality…
Freezing August

We arrived at Santa Monica in the afternoon of August the 4th, thinking on parking and swimming immediately.
Well, well, well.
Ninety per cent of our winter is not so cold. Never mind, I’ll do it tomorrow in Venice. But what can we do in a chilly and empty beach? Take an ashamed photo, and move. Let’s go.
Malibu – Disappointment

For who comes from Portugal, Malibu is a reference, like some kind of paradise in the outskirts of Los Angeles.
I must confess that I’ve not been in Malibu, I just passed there, so, I kept only a superficial impression, but, maybe because I was coming from the excellent surprise of Santa Barbara, Malibu was a disappointment.
I know… I know… It’s the risk of first impressions! But, for now, it’s all that I’ve got.
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