I'm in Burbank - now what?

[billwagnon]

I'm working in Burbank CA this week from 8 to 6 every day and leaving Friday. Is there anything I should see in the evening while I'm here?

I saw an ad for Aerobooks - is it worth a visit? what restaurants in Burbank are "can't miss"?

[SteveStromberg]

Go to Autobooks/ Aerobooks they are a great

[widebody911]

Lay down some covering fire and call in for artillery?

[billwagnon]

Are you saying I rappelled in to a hot LZ?

[Moses]

Originally posted by billwagnon
Is there anything I should see in the evening while I'm here?

In Burbank?...No.

[George 911-V8]

Take a drive over to the Beverly Hills Hotel and go to happy hour in the polo lounge.


G

[Bob's Flat-Six]

The book store might close by 6pm, I'd call first.
You could go up to the Universal city walk it's right off Lankershim and the Hollywood Fwy. It costs to park but the city walk has a lot of places to eat.
Or? go to Bob's Bigboy at Pass ave. and Riverside Dr. and have a burger and a chocolate coke, and get a side of blue cheez dressing to dip you fries in.
Then you could head over to Hollywood Blvd or the Sunset Strip Get a tatoo for a sovenir.

Lot's of stuff to do around there.

[Eli K]

call in sick , see the tonight show

[billwagnon]

can't call in sick, I'm here with my boss!

[Eli K]

Throw up on him at dinner...works every time...

[dd74]

Bill: Burbank is a little sleepy. Real Angelinos appreciate it because it's the way Los Angeles once was many years ago. Granted, there isn't much to see aside from a lot of Hollywood Studios. Disney Studios, Warner Bros, etc. But they are interesting. You can basically see both by staying on Riverside Drive and driving West. You know you've reached Disney when you see the Disney Animation "Hat" building, which is where Disney makes their animated movies. Disney's corporate building is interesting because of the controversial concrete 7 Dwarf pillars that almost didn't get included because at five tons or so, there was talk they'd be an earthquake danger.

It used to be that these studios had pretty much an open-door policy. People (within reason) could come in and wander around and see how movies were made, but that's changed since 9/11.

With that said, about two blocks east of Moorpark and Cahuenga is the house where Bob Hope lived. It has its own golf course. It's a nunery now, but usually the gates are open; so be discreet.

Friday nights at Bob's Big Boy on Riverside is Hot Rod night. There's quite a nice selection of old American Iron there on a continual basis.

Branching out a bit, if you feel like a Porsche fix, go by TRE in North Hollywood. They're about ten minutes away from Burbank. You'd finally meet the world famous Tyson and Dave. Maybe Jack's BBII might be there, or at least a few other L.A. Pelican cars.

Universal Studios and the Citywalk is right up Barham Boulevard from Burbank. That's highly entertaining. And as for food, Moe's, which is across from Bob's Big Boy, probably has the best burgers in the valley.

If you have a kid with you, take them to the L.A. Zoo. It's about fifteen minutes south down the 134 freeway. 15 minutes after that is downtown L.A., where a hell of a lot goes on. A Dodger game might be cool, Chinatown and Little Tokyo are in downtown. All of this is real accessible if you have a car and if you don't have to stay exclusively in Burbank.

[speeder]

L.A. has the strange distinction of being the best place to live, (if you know what you're doing), and the worst place to visit in the U.S. All of the touristy stuff is gross, (urban malls like U.C.W., talk show tapings, etc.), IMO, but if you can somehow capture ordinary life in a cool part of town you might like it. This is basically how I feel about every city, however.

Got a map? Take Cahuenga to Mulholland some evening, drive west to Laurel Canyon, then south, (towards L.A., not the valley), down to the second stoplight and turn into the Country Store lot. Valet the rental car and walk around the corner to the restaurant, (Pace), and have dinner. I recommend going after dark, (open 'till 11), you can Thank me later.

Skip the touristy/driving around shizzle, you'll just wind up hating the city that you never really saw. And you won't even know it. Have fun!

[speeder]

Originally posted by widebody911
Lay down some covering fire and call in for artillery?

You wish. Burbank is so boring that a war would be welcome.

[dd74]

Originally posted by speeder
...(Pace), and have dinner. I recommend going after dark, (open 'till 11), you can Thank me later.

Pace is always packed with out-of-work actors from somewhere other than L.A. He could go to any Starbucks for that. Besides which, there's a lot more L.A. history downtown than on Laurel Canyon Blvd.

[speeder]

Originally posted by dd74
Pace is always packed with out-of-work actors from somewhere other than L.A. He could go to any Starbucks for that. Besides which, there's a lot more L.A. history downtown than on Laurel Canyon Blvd.

Guess that must be why it's Sydney Poitier's favorite restuarant, I always see him there w/ family.

It is my good friend's place, I've eaten there about 1000 times and never seen you there once, David, but I guess you would know. Just like a Starbucks? No, Universal City Walk is just like a Starbucks.

Whatever, just trying to help a stranger avoid the usual gross tourist experience of L.A., do whatever you want. Go look at the star's footprints at the Chinese Theatre, I don't care. Most of the "what to see" advice that I see here makes me cringe. I've taken people from every corner of the globe to PACE and Il Sole, (including friends from Northern Minnesota, Africa, Asia, NYC), those are cool spots. Sorry that you had a bad experience the one time that you went.

Too be real about it, the drive on Mulholland is 1/2 the experience, Downtown L.A. has a lot to see but I would rather check out the canyons on a hot summer night.

[ZAMIRZ]

You can take the 134 east to Pasadena and go to Old Town there for the evening, there's a few clubs there and nice places to eat. If you want to be closer to the water, Santa Monica is an option, "The Ivy by the Shore" is a good place to eat, Il Fornaio is good as well (both are on Ocean Blvd. just north of Colorado).

[Don 944 LA]

If I was still a member of the city club, I would invite you up for a happy hour or cigar night..
It's a private club at the top of the wells fargo building downtown.

http://www.icityclub.com/index.htm

Whenever I am downtown, I go to McCormicks or Nick&Stephs steakhouse. Both have great happy hours a,d loads of great people.

Pick up a " Downtown News " and there will be a calander with all the area stuff going on..

If you can get in, I would HIGHLY recommend the " Standard " hotel rooftop lounges ( downtown & hollyweird ).. Go early (6-7) and you won't have the 2 hour wait just to be told, you are not famous enough... Lots of celebs.
Downtown one is better.
Both are pricey. I've many times dropped $500 in a evening there before ( just drinks )..

Beware ( naked women in pools and heated waterbed pods ) !!!!!!!!!

[dd74]

Originally posted by speeder
Guess that must be why it's Sydney Poitier's favorite restuarant, I always see him there w/ family.

It is my good friend's place, I've eaten there about 1000 times and never seen you there once, David, but I guess you would know. Just like a Starbucks? No, Universal City Walk is just like a Starbucks.

Whatever, just trying to help a stranger avoid the usual gross tourist experience of L.A., do whatever you want. Go look at the star's footprints at the Chinese Theatre, I don't care. Most of the "what to see" advice that I see here makes me cringe. I've taken people from every corner of the globe to PACE and Il Sole, (including friends from Northern Minnesota, Africa, Asia, NYC), those are cool spots. Sorry that you had a bad experience the one time that you went.

Too be real about it, the drive on Mulholland is 1/2 the experience, Downtown L.A. has a lot to see but I would rather check out the canyons on a hot summer night.

Haven't seen Sydney Portier in anything lately, either. Unless I missed something, it seems like he's an out-of-work actor...

But you're right: there's going to Mann-Chinese and staring at footprints, and there's looking at aged actors negotiate salad to their mouth. I imagine it's all a matter of how one enjoys their entertainment.

I like listening to old codgers recount watching Sandy Koufax pitch up in Chavez Ravine. Or while eating a beef dip sandwich at Philipe's, hearing an eighty-something-year-old Asian man recount how he lived a couple blocks away before being kicked out of his house and sent to Manzanar. Finding a good L.A. cop bar that hasn't been remodeled in 30 t0 40 yrs is very cool. Or if in Burbank, tracing the route of Walt Disney's private railroad. In short, I see enough Hollywood on TV; I simply don't choose to look at it while I eat.

[tabs]

Go to Pecos Bill BBQ in Glendale/Burbank....real Oklahoma style done in a brick oven...get their Pork Sandwichs....it's just a small little take out place and I mean small but busy since 1935.. I can't remember the street it's on, except it's south of Western, west of the 5, and north of the 134...Ventura.... It's cheap too...DO NOT MISS THIS ONE.

[speeder]

Originally posted by dd74
Haven't seen Sydney Portier in anything lately, either. Unless I missed something, it seems like he's an out-of-work actor...

is right. Syney Poitier is not an "out of work actor", more like a......... God among mortals? Man among boys?

Whatever. You are reminding me of that great line in the Terrence Malick classic, "Badlands" (uttered by a young Martin Sheen):

"Takes all kinds"........