STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Oh, I'm so jealous!

I have no ideas as far as hotels go, but I do have suggestions on where to go/what to do in San Diego, since that's where I'm from.

Obvs, the panda is priority numero uno.  As it should be.    But, if you're up for more walking, Balboa Park, which is right next to the zoo practically, is awesome.  I don't know if you went there on your last trip, but it's one of my favorite places in San Diego.  It has all sorts of museums and the architecture there is so gorgeous. 

The gaslamp district in San Diego is relatively new and really cool.  I haven't spent much time there, but all of my friends say it's pretty neat.

Pacific Beach has a great college vibe and college type bars.  There are a lot of great places around there.

As far as food goes, I hardly know where to begin.  Point Loma Seafood, which is pretty close to the SD airport, has amazing seafood and really great clam chowder.  Yummmmmm! 

I highly recommend taking Hwy 101 up the coast from La Jolla through Torrey Pines and into Del Mar.  It's a beautiful drive and probably like 15-20 minutes max.  Del Mar is really cute and the plaza there has some great places to eat and shop.  My bff works at a restaurant there called Pacifica (if you get a chance, go in!)  Also, if you head north up the coast a bit more, you'll cruise into Solana Beach and there's a FANTASTIC Mexican restaurant called Robertos.  Seriously, it's my favorite Mexican food in town.  Then you can keep heading north into my little town called Cardiff and Encinitas. 

I definitely recommend taking that drive.  It'll take you like 30 minutes or so to get up to the Encinitas area, by which time you'll have seen a lot of pretty views, had some good food, and gotten slightly off the beaten track.

Anyway, if you want any more ideas or anything, feel free to PM me!  You'll have such a great time.

Oh! and if you plan right, you might hit race season.  The racetrack is a ton of fun and I'd recommend going, but the crappy part is that traffic really becomes a big problem.  I think it's usually in August, but I can't remember if it goes into September or not. 

In SD, of course you must visit the zoo and say hi to the Pandas. I like the Gaslamp district too...it's probably more fun if you can drink though, if you get my drift.

In LA, for shopping I'd avoid The Grove at all costs because everyone goes there solely for the ambience. The stores kind of stink and you could get all of them in Houston. Boutique areas to hit are probably Montana Ave, Main St. in Santa Monica (very chill and low-key in the best way), Robertson on Beverly Hills (celeb sighting, seeing all the stores you see in the tabloids IRL), and West 3rd st. between La Cienega and Fairfax. Cheap out at Find Outlet and Last Chance in Culver City.

Food...there's yummy, reasonably priced food all over LA. What do you like?

I must must recommend that you go to Paradise Cove in Malibu on the PCH. It's right on the beach and so gorgeous plus the food is cheaper than you'd think food in Malibu should cost.

And you should come visit me, of course!

Thanks for the suggestions and keep them coming!!  Are there any good websites to research things?  would citysearch.com for la or sd be any good?? maybe a decent touristy website?

As of right now we are planning Sept 1 or 2 thru Sept 8 or 9 so hopefully I'll get to meet you lilykind my bf already promised I could meet up with my ST girls out there (I'm not sure he understands what that will entail haha)

hey girl, i don't have time right now to post recs (and lilykind's giving you great advice), but i just wanted to say that i'm excited that you're coming out here!

Aurora wrote:

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Thanks for the recs so far lilykind.  The beverly hilton sounds nice.  I might have to try out priceline.  everytime I use hotwire i get put in substandard hotels for the star rating and suggested hotel levels they give me.

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No problem! I keep finding new things to do all the time in Los Angeles and I've lived here since '03 so I'm sure I'll have more ideas as things come up.

More advice:

Hollywood and Highland is a ghetto tourist trap IMO...VERY commercial and wannabe Times Square (in a diparaging way). The only real reason to go is because the Neighborhoodies store is there and Wolfgang Puck's restaurant Vert...same Wolfgang quality, no snobby people and crappy service like you'd get at Spago (because everyone is snobbier in Beverly Hills) and much newer than Chinois on Main (stuck in the 80s). BF and I have only had good times there, despite horrid location.

Melrose between Fairfax and La Brea is where you'd get all the cheap stuff that you see ebay sellers like offmelrose selling. Good for cheap fun and trendy.

Food that everyone recommends that will probably kill you

• Pink's Hot Dogs (Melrose/La Brea)


• Johhnie's Pastrami (Sepulveda between Washington Pl. and Washington Blvd.)

When it comes closer, I can also recommend every single way to avoid traffic...when I worked at the talent agency, my job consisted of figuring out how to get actors stuck in traffic to their auditions on time and I did a really good job of it, if I do say so myself.

NCshopper wrote:

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 Then you can keep heading north into my little town called Cardiff and Encinitas.  I definitely recommend taking that drive.  It'll take you like 30 minutes or so to get up to the Encinitas area, by which time you'll have seen a lot of pretty views, had some good food, and gotten slightly off the beaten track.

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OMG I live in Cardiff! so random!

Hmm as for stuff to do in SD...she pretty much covered it. Not much has changed here in the last three years lol, maybe more traffic..

If you like the zoo, and want more of the same, you should try the wild animal park, that's where the animals roam around and you drive through the park to observe them in a more "natural" habitat. 

If you're in the gaslamp and need some caffeine, I really like Cafe Lulu. Its across the street from Planet Hollywould, and their house coffee is made with an espresso machine, and you get a little piece of yummy chocolate to go with. You can also sit at a table on the sidewalk and people watch.

If you are up in the Encinitas area, and you are a music lover, I highly recommend Lou's Records off the 101. They have a huge independent music selection and the prices are amazing.

As for food, Fidel's in Solana Beach is popular. They have great magaritas, and is more of a sit down restaurant versus roberto's. Also, Pizza Port is a little more up the coast, they have the best pizza in San Diego, and their own brew is pretty worthwhile.

You can always PM me as well 

If you want to go REALLY cheap you could stay at the Youth Hostel in San Diego's Gas Lamp District.  I lived there for just over a month and thought it was just the coolest place to be, but I like hostel's in general.   You share a room, but if you have enough friends, you have your own room.  There's tons of young, cool people from all over the world and you will never be at a loss for things to do.  People are always going somewhere.  They have a cute little train system you can use to get around the shore areas in San Diego, and you can go into Tijuana for some fun too (just keep in mind it's kind of dirty/dingy there).  My fondest memories are when I lived at the hostel and met tons of people and always had lots to do.  There is a great night life with lots of clubs in the Gas Lamp District too. 

Sorry I can't help you out more, but I only know about San Diego.  I recommend Pacific Beach; it's young and hip.

ETA: Oh!  And theres this really cool theatre in the GLD; it's like a classic movie theatre and is worth a trip to a movie just to sit in the theatre.  Also, there's tons of shopping; a shopping mall with all the general mall stores, plus the GLD has boutiques, nicer stores not in malls, and tons of bistro type restraunts. 

rocky wrote:

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 If you are up in the Encinitas area, and you are a music lover, I highly recommend Lou's Records off the 101. They have a huge independent music selection and the prices are amazing.

Also, Pizza Port is a little more up the coast, they have the best pizza in San Diego, and their own brew is pretty worthwhile. You can always PM me as well 

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I second those recommendations.  Lou's is awesome and if you visit, the Pannikin is just right up the street and is a cool coffee shop in this old converted train station/house. 

Pizza Port is also AMAZING.  That's my husband's #1 place to go for a beer.  If you feel like putzing around that area, which is really cute, Cedros Ave. is right near Pizza Port and has great shops.

By the way, Rocky, I just sent you a PM.  I'm convinced that we must know each other IRL.