A Patchwork of Cities

Angelenos long ago learned to ignore derogatory quips about their hometown. Norman Mailer called L.A. the Queen City of Plastic. Raymond Chandler wrote that it had “no more personality than a paper cup.” But H. L. Mencken’s crack that L.A. is “19 suburbs in search of a metropolis” . . . well, even the city’s biggest boosters would have to admit there’s some truth to that.

L.A. pieced itself together from smaller towns, and then oozed into the remaining cracks. Its growth from “city” in 1900 to “metro area” by 1950 produced little homogenization, however. Today it’s nearly impossible to get a taste of the whole place without sampling all its parts--a tall order for anyone without unlimited free time.

Often overlooked in favor of the beaches and theme parks, Downtown Los Angeles offers the closest thing to a Reader’s Digest version of L.A. The city grew out from a pueblo founded by the Spanish in 1781. Close to that spot is El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument, which encompasses a plaza, many historic buildings and the Olvera Street market.

The 1920s were Los Angeles’ boom years, and the old business center survives in the Historic Core. This is also the starting point for Angel’s Walk, an unguided walking tour with signs that illuminate the city’s history, though proximity to skid row still scares many off. Not far away is the Fashion District, the nation’s largest garment industry, and the wholesale Flower Mart.

L.A.’s first suburb, Angelino Heights, is definitely inner-city today. On this hilltop, restored Victorian houses frame views of downtown skyscrapers and several of the city’s older ethnic neighborhoods. The current Chinatown started in the late ‘30s, a replacement for the neighborhood displaced by Union Station--itself worth a visit. (Today the largest ethnic Chinese population can be found in Monterey Park, a city about six miles east of downtown.) Little Tokyo has remained in place since about 1900, and historic events are marked on a timeline along the sidewalk. It’s impossible to pinpoint a single Latino center; Los Angeles County is, after all, 44% Latino. But Boyle Heights and East L.A. are home to several important cultural centers including Self-Help Graphics, Plaza de la Raza and Mariachi Plaza.

West of downtown, a trip along Wilshire Boulevard puts some of the city’s other pieces together. (A favorite car game: Name the language on the sign. Armenian or Arabic? Chinese or Korean?) MacArthur Park, of “left the cake out in the rain” fame, is a now-faded stretch of regal hotels and apartment buildings marked by giant rooftop neon signs. West of that is Koreatown, sometimes forgotten, but probably the largest of L.A.’s ethnic neighborhoods. The so-called Miracle Mile segment of Wilshire bridged the gap between downtown and Beverly Hills in the ‘20s, drawing patrons to shops in fancy Moderne and Deco-style buildings.

Just north is the Fairfax District, center of the local Orthodox Jewish population, where the Farmer’s Market can be found as well as Canter’s Deli, open 24 hours. Past Fairfax on Wilshire the number of BMWs and Mercedes increase gradually until you reach Beverly Hills. A map to the “stars’ homes” may or may not be accurate, but a drive through northern Beverly Hills satisfies all mansion-gazing desires.

Heading west again on Wilshire, drivers pass through the golf course of the Los Angeles Country Club and emerge in Westwood, one of the few places with high-rise apartment buildings. UCLA abuts the shopping district, which is reestablishing its reputation for good restaurants. It’s always been known for its giant movie theaters--where most movie premieres are held.

One of the most densely populated parts of the county, West Hollywood is also the hub of the gay community. It’s a small town (pop. 36,000) with a big night life, as the Sunset Strip falls within its borders. A drink? A tattoo? A rockin’ show? It’s all available with valet parking.

Regular old Hollywood also has lots of night life--it’s just less flamboyant than its westerly neighbor. Generally, Hollywood has fewer movie stars and more T-shirt shops than folks imagine, but it always makes tourists’ short list, if only for the Walk of Fame, Mann’s Chinese movie theater and the Hollywood sign. That sign, by the way, looms over Hollywood from Griffith Park. Its rugged hills cover five square miles containing dozens of trails, outlooks, sports facilities and the landmark Griffith Observatory.

South of downtown, another L.A. landmark, Watts Towers, has been undergoing painstaking restoration and earthquake repair for six years and isn’t done yet. The spiraling towers can be seen despite being partially surrounded by scaffolding, but there are no tours.

The cultural heart of black Los Angeles is Leimert Park, a small shopping district that has flourished as an arts community during the ‘90s. The park itself was recently rehabilitated, and dance studios, theaters, galleries and jazz clubs line Degnan Boulevard.

In the Valley (the San Fernando Valley, that is), “the boulevard” refers to the main commercial thoroughfare, Ventura Boulevard, which stretches some 17 miles at the Valley’s southern edge. The Valley’s budding arts district is North Hollywood--NoHo for short--where several small theaters have clustered. Movies and TV are the stock in trade of the adjacent city, Burbank, where Warner Bros. and Disney are based.

The San Gabriel Valley contains 30 different cities. San Marino is tiny but almost as good as Beverly Hills for gawking at big houses, starting with Henry Huntington’s, now a museum and botanical garden. Visitors and locals alike are charmed by Pasadena, home to the Rose Bowl, wonderful Craftsman-style houses and two thriving shopping districts, Old Town and Lake Street.

The Westside equivalent of Old Town Pasadena is Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade, a pedestrian mall only blocks from the Pacific and the Santa Monica Pier. Cool ocean breezes and a lively atmosphere are the draws, and licensed street performers entertain the crowd. In Venice Beach, the street performers aren’t licensed and tend toward the more bizarre--though major rehab work on the boardwalk has cramped Venice’s funky style these days. Farther south, the beach cities--Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach--are pleasant places to play in the Pacific. The Strand is perfect (and flat) for roller-blading or bicycling. Palos Verdes is more dramatic, with cliffs overlooking the ocean.

San Pedro and Long Beach, which straddle the giant commercial Los Angeles Harbor, represent the ocean as workplace more than playground. Harbor tours are available, but visiting the Queen Mary--a permanently docked ocean liner--is the easiest way to board a giant ship. The military history of the region is on display at Ft. MacArthur in Angels Gate Park. Below the park’s dramatic bluffs is Point Fermin, where a lighthouse peers out over the expanse of the Pacific. It feels a bit like the end of the world. It’s not. It’s just the end of L.A.

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“For a taste of the best of old and new Los Angeles, I would start off with martinis at the bar of Musso & Frank (the oldest restaurant in Hollywood), then I would walk across the street to see a movie at the restored Egyptian Theatre (the first movie palace built on Hollywood Boulevard). After the show, I would drive five minutes east to Thai town (just past Western Avenue) for dinner. Or I might turn south on Western to Koreatown, or head west to Fairfax (between Olympic and Pico) for Ethiopian, or keep going east for Mexican food. The possibilities for great ethnic dining are many because L.A. is home to uniquely vital ethnic communities whose energy and culture is revitalizing neighborhoods and contributing to the city being a rich and exciting place to live.”

CURTIS HANSON

Director whose credits include “L.A. Confidential”