Swamp Travel Guide: Santa Monica

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 11:48 am

So, I pulled the trigger and I'm headed out to LA for the Rose Bowl. I've really only been out there a couple of times for business, and never got to spend much time exploring.

We are staying in a VRBO a few minutes from the beach in Santa Monica. We have a car, but I don't feel like running all over town, so looking for any recs that are in SM or close by. We have all day Sunday and then Tuesday to explore.

Any tips on places to eat/things to do would be appreciated. Thanks Swampers!

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 12:04 pm

I know a buddy who went there and said there were four must-dos.

1. Stay beside the ocean.

2. Leave the fire behind.

3. Swim out past the breakers.

4. Watch the world die.

All seriousness, the pier seems like it's a must-see.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 12:11 pm

Meet Jose Canseco and his two dogs.

rass · Post by **rass** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 12:50 pm

viewtopic.php?p=380921#p380921

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:01 pm

Sugar fish sushi. Thank me later.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:03 pm

Teddys red tacos and birria too

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:04 pm

Won’t have to worry about eating your restaurant leftovers later, because some homeless guy will ask for your box as you leave the restaurant.

(At least, that was my Santa Monica experience.)

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:29 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 11:48 am So, I pulled the trigger and I'm headed out to LA for the Rose Bowl. I've really only been out there a couple of times for business, and never got to spend much time exploring.

How are you planning to get to the stadium? We drove and parked there, which worked fine though it was a long walk. But it did take a long time to get off the Freeway and into the parking lot.

cerranoredux · Post by **cerranoredux** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:05 pm

L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 12:04 pm I know a buddy who went there and said there were four must-dos.

1. Stay beside the ocean.

2. Leave the fire behind.

3. Swim out past the breakers.

4. Watch the world die.

All seriousness, the pier seems like it's a must-see.

I didn’t want this to go unremarked upon.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:10 pm

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:29 pm
Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 11:48 am So, I pulled the trigger and I'm headed out to LA for the Rose Bowl. I've really only been out there a couple of times for business, and never got to spend much time exploring.
How are you planning to get to the stadium? We drove and parked there, which worked fine though it was a long walk. But it did take a long time to get off the Freeway and into the parking lot.

Yeah, also it’s probably a 40 minute drive from Santa Monica to the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:24 pm

A_B wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:01 pm Sugar fish sushi. Thank me later.

Apparently that guy also has a rolls only spot around there that is underrated.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:25 pm

sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:10 pm
Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:29 pm
Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 11:48 am So, I pulled the trigger and I'm headed out to LA for the Rose Bowl. I've really only been out there a couple of times for business, and never got to spend much time exploring.
How are you planning to get to the stadium? We drove and parked there, which worked fine though it was a long walk. But it did take a long time to get off the Freeway and into the parking lot.
Yeah, also it’s probably a 40 minute drive from Santa Monica to the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena.

My wife isn't going to the game, but she also is fine hanging without the car. I'm gonna drive and find parking... I don't mind a long walk.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:47 pm

sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:04 pm Won’t have to worry about eating your restaurant leftovers later, because some homeless guy will ask for your box as you leave the restaurant.

(At least, that was my Santa Monica experience.)

Says the guy from the bay. I had no homeless issues in my few days earlier this year.

Also I didn’t have leftovers ever.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:15 pm

sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:10 pm
Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:29 pm
Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 11:48 am So, I pulled the trigger and I'm headed out to LA for the Rose Bowl. I've really only been out there a couple of times for business, and never got to spend much time exploring.
How are you planning to get to the stadium? We drove and parked there, which worked fine though it was a long walk. But it did take a long time to get off the Freeway and into the parking lot.
Yeah, also it’s probably a 40 minute drive from Santa Monica to the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena.

The game is not being played at 3:30am, so you should plan on a longer drive time. Where in Santa Monica is your VRBO?

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 1:43 pm

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:15 pm
sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:10 pm
Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:29 pm
Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 11:48 am So, I pulled the trigger and I'm headed out to LA for the Rose Bowl. I've really only been out there a couple of times for business, and never got to spend much time exploring.
How are you planning to get to the stadium? We drove and parked there, which worked fine though it was a long walk. But it did take a long time to get off the Freeway and into the parking lot.
Yeah, also it’s probably a 40 minute drive from Santa Monica to the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena.
The game is not being played at 3:30am, so you should plan on a longer drive time. Where in Santa Monica is your VRBO?

1400 block of 4th street... One of the kids from here lives out there (home for holidays) and he shot us some ideas:

* - KazuNori (mentioned up thread in relation to Sugar Fish
* - Great White (breakfast)
* - Birdie G's (deli)
* - Muragame Udon (Sawtelle)
* - Salt and Straw
* - Gjusta (Venice); Gjelina
* - Father's Office (burgers)

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 1:51 pm

I also went to fathers office Very good.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 1:51 pm

If you are in Venice, Salt and Straw ice cream on Abbot Kinney Blvd is amazing and has some unique flavors. It’s been about 5 years, but that street was filled with great restaurants.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 1:52 pm

The Sybian wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 1:51 pm If you are in Venice, Salt and Straw ice cream on Abbot Kinney Blvd is amazing and has some unique flavors. It’s been about 5 years, but that street was filled with great restaurants.

"Kid" mentioned that strip is pretty fun.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 3:45 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 1:52 pm
The Sybian wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 1:51 pm If you are in Venice, Salt and Straw ice cream on Abbot Kinney Blvd is amazing and has some unique flavors. It’s been about 5 years, but that street was filled with great restaurants.
"Kid" mentioned that strip is pretty fun.

If you are heading to Abbot Kinney, go down Main Street in Santa Monica to get there. If weather is nice enough, Baja Cantina on Washington is a good place to relax outside with a margarita, although it looks a little dolled up and they have gotten rid of the self-serve chips and salsa since I lived out there.

If this is your jam, Wally's on Wilshire (wine store/restaurant). If British pub, King's Head > Britannia.

You're staying by a ton of options, a little research into finding the one(s) for you and you should be in great shape.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 3:50 pm

Thanks Drugs!

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 4:04 pm

If you have any specific questions, fire away (DM or otherwise) and I'll ask friends who still live out there. Bummed for you wife that it looks like Burke Williams (spa) right by where you are staying is closed on New Year's.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 4:26 pm

I just remembered... give yourself lots of time to get to the Rose Bowl.

The Tournament of Roses parade runs from 8-10am and the game starts at 2pm. Sounds like a large enough gap, but there are some extenuating circumstances. The floats go to some separate location so people can check them out, generating more traffic (and a personal hell zone for me based on the one time we went). There are street closures and detours because crews are removing things from the parade. You will also have some sort of lengthy walk from wherever you park (you probably want to get that taken care of in advance, if possible), but weather looks reasonably good that day as of now.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:10 pm

Self serve chips and salsa sounds very, very dangerous.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:14 pm

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:10 pm Self serve chips and salsa sounds very, very dangerous.

Right inside the door. Fill a basket with warm chips and grab a couple cups of salsa on the way in and you are ready to order your second drink by the time your first one arrives.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:21 pm

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:14 pm
govmentchedda wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:10 pm Self serve chips and salsa sounds very, very dangerous.
Right inside the door. Fill a basket with warm chips and grab a couple cups of salsa on the way in and you are ready to order your second drink by the time your first one arrives.

Art Alexakis really dropped the ball not including that in his song.

rass · Post by **rass** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:27 pm

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:21 pm
DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:14 pm
govmentchedda wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:10 pm Self serve chips and salsa sounds very, very dangerous.
Right inside the door. Fill a basket with warm chips and grab a couple cups of salsa on the way in and you are ready to order your second drink by the time your first one arrives.
Art Alexakis really dropped the ball not including that in his song.

Wonderful was about the time he got a bad report card and his parents refused to take him there for his birthday dinner.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 9:32 am

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:21 pm
DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:14 pm
govmentchedda wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:10 pm Self serve chips and salsa sounds very, very dangerous.
Right inside the door. Fill a basket with warm chips and grab a couple cups of salsa on the way in and you are ready to order your second drink by the time your first one arrives.
Art Alexakis really dropped the ball not including that in his song.

Art did not write a song called "Marina del Rey".

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 9:58 am

Maybe the world died from his chips and salsa farts.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 4:37 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:25 pmI'm gonna drive and find parking... I don't mind a long walk.

I don't know if you'd be able to find parking - I recommend reserving a spot in one of the stadium lots.

Alternatively, there are a bunch of shuttles that go to the station from remote locations; there may be parking there.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 7:54 pm

Thanks for the advice on parking guys. I'm gonna take a pretty circuitous route to avoid the parade nonsense.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Sat Dec 30, 2023 10:31 am

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 7:54 pm Thanks for the advice on parking guys. I'm gonna take a pretty circuitous route to avoid the parade nonsense.

When I posted, you could still get parking online. And still can, it seems.

Make sure you can expand the map to include location #3. It says "pay at location", but is also near Old Town Pasadena, a shopping/dining/bar district that also has the Pasadena Convention Center nearby, so there may also be some parking options in that area.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Wed Jan 03, 2024 10:18 pm

I wound up taking Metro and getting off with the throng and it was just fine.

I'll have more to say on this thread tomorrow. Absolutely loved most of what we did from a non-football standpoint.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Jan 04, 2024 10:16 am

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 10:18 pm I wound up taking Metro and getting off with the throng and it was just fine.

I'll have more to say on this thread tomorrow. Absolutely loved most of what we did from a non-football standpoint.

With that said, having driven all over the damn area over the course of 4 days, I'm pretty sure I would've been able to drive and park at various points and walk to the stadium from about 1-2 miles out. The issue for me was going to be post-game, where I was supposed to meet my buddy after he was done with "work."

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Jan 04, 2024 11:53 am

So, a very quick rundown:

Saturday

Landed at around 10p ET. Got some wine on the way from airport. We were exhausted and wound up going to a place called Tu Madre. It was.. fine. Tacos and margaritas. Funny bit: I was hopping up to check on the end of the (controversial) Lions game, but the staff thought I was pissed about slow service, so they gave us free guacamole. I clarified what I was doing and we all had a big larf.

Sunday

* Breakfast at Gjusta - incredible. I had a breakfast burrito, wife had an amazing breakfast sandwich.
* We drove around LA, including the Sunset Strip and I took a pic of The Comedy Store. Rodeo Drive, Sur (vanderpump), Griffith Observatory (packed!) and the Getty Villa (no reservations, but they let us in anyways.)
* Late lunch at Sugarfish. Surprisingly priced. Really enjoyed it.
* Dressed up for NYE and then... Walked down the SM Pier. (packed!) Had margs at a place at the end of the pier called Mariasol.
* Dinner at a British pub really as a default. They had a snow making machine and we sat outside and it was great people watching (near the 3rd Street Promenade)

Monday

Game day!!

* Breakfast at Mel's Diner... Corned beef hash and hash browns. Carbo Load!!
* I wont get into every last logistical bit, but took the line from SM to downtown and transferred to the A line and got off at Memorial and hoofed it to the stadium. I left at 9:30 and leisurely got to the stadium around 11:15 or so. Totally worth it to avoid driving and to leave my options on getting "home" wide open.
* The game was just a blur but I have so many vivid memories. Got to take a pic with Randy Sklaar after the game outside our section's tunnel.
* After the game, met my buddy at his family tailgate and we all hugged and watched the Sugar Bowl until the cops kicked us out.
* We Uber'd to the team hotel (JW Marriott) and had more drinks in a sea of Maize and Blue. Met a bunch of "famous" MI athletes to the point that I barely remember who they were. (Famous as in, all-american softball player type of thing.)
* Uber'd back to SM and crashed.. hard.

Tuesday

* Layla's for amazing bagel (lox)
* Drove up to Malibu and hung out at a city park on the Bluffs. Coolest Little League baseball field I've ever seen.
* Back near base, had a delicious lunch at the Santa Monica Seafood Cafe. Crudo and Calamari.
* Sunset was our mission, so we walked down to Shutters and had our own stash of wine to watch the sun go down.
* Slice of pizza at Joe's and then a relatively quiet night.

rass · Post by **rass** » Thu Jan 04, 2024 12:06 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 11:53 am ...Griffith Observatory (packed!)...

aw yeah

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Jan 04, 2024 12:10 pm

Oh, forgot to mention... Our flight from Burbank to Austin... Sat directly behind Johnny Knoxville and his cute girlfriend. On Southwest.. Bizarre.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Jan 04, 2024 12:32 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 12:10 pm Oh, forgot to mention... Our flight from Burbank to Austin... Sat directly behind Johnny Knoxville and his cute girlfriend. On Southwest.. Bizarre.

Southwest is pretty widely accepted out there because it serves some of the smaller airports of the area in addition to LAX. People just want to avoid traffic/commute times and will fly out of Burbank, Long Beach, or Ontario to avoid LAX.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Jan 04, 2024 12:35 pm

He certainly was chill and the only folks that asked for selfies were two adorable little kids. Had us looking at his IMDB to figure out why they were into him and saw TNMT and some other voice work that made sense.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Thu Jan 04, 2024 2:24 pm

Are you sure it was Randy and not Jason?

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Thu Jan 04, 2024 3:05 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 12:35 pm He certainly was chill and the only folks that asked for selfies were two adorable little kids. Had us looking at his IMDB to figure out why they were into him and saw TNMT and some other voice work that made sense.

I would bet that the kids' parents sent them over for the selfies.

And that sounds like an awesome weekend!