PEDESTRIAN.TV has teamed up with Virgin Australia to celebrate one of their newest routes: Melbourne to Los Angeles. As of April 4th, you’ll be able to throw on those oversized Miu Miu shades, pack your LV cabin trunk and hotfoot it straight to the City of Angels, all glam, no stopover. You can book a flight here.
Ooft, Los Angeles. That huge, sprawling city home to all our favourite celebrities. Where the tv shows and movies we’re obsessed with are made. LA = Hollywood to most people, but it’s so much more than that. The City of Angels has a huuuuge cultural side, and it’s high time you got in and amongst it.
Art galleries, landmarks steeped in history, vintage masterpieces – LA is an absolute mecca of stuff to get your brain working and your camera snapping. We’ve rounded up the best of the best for you.
VENICE BOARDWALK
Venice is one of those places that seems to be permanently stuck in the 90’s – in the best way. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a weirder, more fascinating location anywhere in the world. Street preachers rub shoulders with (legal) weed dealers, and someone is always trying to sell you a piece of rice with your name written on it. Yeah, really. It’s whacky and fabulous and bizarre, and a visit is an absolute must. This is a place steeped in history – the skate park was started up in the 70’s by the iconic Z-Boys, Muscle Beach was an 80’s paradise of body-builders, and their legacy lives on. Find a spot to sit and people watch – trust us, you’ll be there for hours.
THE GETTY CENTER
Located high atop a hill in the Brentwood neighbourhood, with sweeping 360 degree views of LA, The Getty Center is a phenomenal piece of architecture. From the wave-shaped roof when you first walk up from the arrival court, to the circular central garden, there’s kinda no end to the amazing shapes and angles when it comes to The Getty Center. Walk around and get a feel for the amazing space, but make sure you reserve time to hit up the J. Paul Getty Museum, which features phenomenal exhibitions on the regular, highlighting everyone from famed fashion photographer Herb Ritts right through to Degas.
THE ROSE BOWL FLEA MARKET
Thrifting is a big deal in LA, and while you’ll find plenty of smaller-scale flea markets that are full of lush vintage bargains around, like the Melrose Trading Post, it’s the Rose Bowl Flea Market that’ll give you the true thrifting experience. It is bloody massive. If you can afford it, you’ll find the mid-century furniture of your dreams here, at bargain prices (shipping home might cost you an arm and a leg, though). But fashion-wise, expect amazing leather goods, and all the 50’s-90’s OG pieces you could dream of. You’ll never wear fast-fashion again.
STAHL HOUSE
Arguably the most famous home in Los Angeles, if you want to see some phenomenal mid-century architecture, get sweeping LA views, and step inside a part of US history – this’ll get you all of that. Built in the late 50’s, it sits 200 feet above Sunset Boulevard and honestly, you’d be hard pressed to find a spot that’ll get you more jealousy-inducing Instagram pics than the outdoor pool area. Our tip? Go for an arvo or late-arvo tour to get the magnificent sunset light in too.
PANTAGES THEATRE
This absolutely lush 1930’s Art Deco theatre was host to the Academy Awards during Hollywood’s golden age, so catching a show in here is an absolute must for any film buff. Luckily, they hold some killer productions – pretty much any Broadway hit that comes to LA lands here, like Wicked, Phantom Of The Opera and Book Of Mormon. Currently, they’re gearing up for the much-hyped Hamilton, which starts shows at the end of April.
CAMERA OBSCURA
A historical landmark down in sunny Santa Monica, this is one of the last functioning public camera obscuras in America. In case you’re not super well-versed in photography, a camera obscura is an old school form of taking images, which was popular in the late 19th century. It’s a super cool way to view iconic Santa Monica beach, and the retro facade is just asking to be the backdrop for a “candid” Instagram pose.
THE BROAD
LA’s freshest contemporary art museum doesn’t skimp on the big names. Expect to find works by Jeff Koons, Basquiat, and Damien Hirst filling the walls and floors of the striking Downtown building. If you get there before October, you can also get involved in Yayoi Kusama‘s ‘Infinity Mirror Room‘ – yep, that mirror-and-light filled room you’ve seen on people’s social feeds, that makes it look like you’re suspended in space.
PS. If you’re booking a trip to the City of Angels, you’re gonna want to hit up our m8s at Discover Los Angeles for all the best tips on what to see and experience. You can do that right HERE.
Image: Instagram / DiscoverLA.
