october-2010

90
OCTOBER 2010 | UNITED.COM
WALK THE WALK Above, the
Hollywood Walk of Fame;
right, the Richard Serra
sculpture, “Band,” at Los
Angeles County Museum
of Art
MARKET WATCH
THE ORIGINAL FARMERS
MARKET GETS AN UPDATE.
The Farmers Market—
L.A.’s original—has
come a long way since
its 1934 inception, when
a ragtag collection of
farmers from the green
inland valleys pulled
their trucks up to Third
and Fairfax and began
selling their produce in
the dirt parking lot. Now,
the market hosts more
than 100 restaurants,
greengrocers and brickand-mortar
food stalls
hawking everything
from fi sh tacos to fresh
berries. Its iconic tower
is the gathering point
for alfresco dining.
The Grove, a massive
upscale mall, opened
next door (think Barneys
CO-OP, Jimmy Choo and
a movie theater), joining
the old with the new.
“Meet me at Third and
Fairfax,” indeed.
farmersmarketla.com
Hollywood, and hooray for lunch. L.A. is very proud of In-N-Out Burger (3), so go see what
all the fuss is about. Try a classic burger, or—even better—order off the secret menu and ask
for the burger “animal style,” which means the patty is smothered with grilled onions, extra
sauce, mustard and pickles.
In Hollywood proper, you’ll head to—where else?—the three-mile Hollywood Walk of
Fame (4), where bumping into Barney, Elvis and Marilyn impersonators is only part of the
fun. You’ll wind up at another worthwhile tourist trap, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (5). The
Chinese temple facade is infamous—and for good reason. When it opened in 1927 with the
premiere of Cecil B. DeMille’s The King of Kings, fans rioted while trying to spot the celebrities
(sound familiar?). If you want, you can see an actual fl ick here, but after that three-mile walk,
you’d rather see dinner.
Look no farther than Palm’s Thai (6), where you will be serenaded by Thai Elvis.
Kavee Thongpreecha dons a pompadour, pinkie ring
and patent leather lifts while he croons Elvis’ hits with
aplomb. The food is as good as the entertainment; the
standard pad thai is delicious, but if you like it hot, go
with the curry.
For the perfect Hollywood ending, check into the
W Hollywood Hotel (7), which features actual red carpet
throughout its vast interior. After you walk it, freshen
up, do a lap through the W’s A-list nightclub, Drai’s
Hollywood, and head out for a night on the
Sunset Strip. Rainbow Bar & Grill (8) is the perfect
setting for cocktails and people-watching. It’s part
Godfather hangout (red leather booths, fi replace and
cozy interior) and part rock ‘n’ roll party scene (diners
whose fashions and musical tastes haven’t changed
since 1985, when hair metal bands like Mötley Crüe,
Poison and Ratt ruled the strip). Don’t be put off by
the fi ve-dollar cover; you’ll get a free drink ticket when
you walk in the door.
You end your evening—and trip—riding down
Sunset, the wind in your hair, understanding why Los
Angeles needs to be spread out across all of these towns,
burgs, hamlets and neighborhoods: otherwise, it would
be too much cool in one place.
Los Angeles–based writer TRICIA ROMANO walks everywhere.
T.C. CONROY // FOUNDER,
WESTCOACHCOACHING.COM //
“I like to spend evenings at the
Annenberg Community Beach
House, the property built by
William Randolph Hearst for
actress Marion Davies, at Santa
Monica State Beach. The pool
house is a gem in the crown of
Los Angeles, and the warm sea
breeze feels nice in my hair.”