L.A. Itinerary... do-able, or nuts?

[LovesDoomBuggies]

I'm headed to L.A. for a long Memorial Day weekend with my mom, my aunt and a good family friend... it should be a fun girl weekend. Thursday-Friday we're staying downtown, Saturday-Sunday we're going to get a hotel out near Santa Monica. The running is for me exclusively... I'm training for a half marathon which is the week after we get back from L.A., so I can't slack off on the training even if I will be on vacation! Ellen is up in the air - we just submitted for tickets today and are waiting to hear back.


Thursday Afternoon: Arrive at 10. Check in to hotel, go see the Ellen taping!
Thursday Evening: Look at handprints at Grauman’s. Dinner at Mel’s Drive In? See a movie at El Capitan?

Friday Morning: Get up early and go for run in Runyon Canyon, WB tour or other studio tour?
Friday Afternoon: late lunch at Clifton’s, go to Forest Lawn Glendale (Walt Disney's grave), driving around and looking at fancy houses in Beverly Hills and Laurel Canyon.
Friday Evening: Pink’s hot dogs for dinner! Then drinks at the Tiki Ti (the ladies I will be with are Jimmy Buffett nuts... Tiki bar is soooo up their alley).

Saturday Morning: Run in Runyon Canyon. Get breakfast at Toast and check out the Grove, La Brea. Get Pinkberry for a snack
Saturday Afternoon: Drive over and check out Knott’s Berry Farm (we're not actually going to the park, but my mom and aunt went there when they were kids and want to see what the area looks like now), Anaheim, maybe Long Beach for the Queen Mary on our way over to Santa Monica/Marina del Rey but I kind of doubt we will have time. Check into new hotel when done.
Saturday Evening: Third Street Promenade for shopping, dinner at Johnny Rockets (or wherever), Santa Monica Pier

Sunday Morning: Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach
Sunday Afternoon: Reagan Library: open 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m
Sunday Evening: Get Sprinkles Cupcakes on the way back into L.A.! Hollywood Forever movie, dinner at…?

Sunday evening seems to be up in the air... my mom doesn't think we will want to sit down and watch a movie when there is so much to do. To me, sitting down in a gorgeous historic cemetery with a bottle of wine and a classic movie sounds absolutely wonderful, but I might be outvoted. So Sunday night suggestions might be appreciated.

Thanks for looking!!

 

[TigerTown]

Sunday evening seems to be up in the air... my mom doesn't think we will want to sit down and watch a movie when there is so much to do. To me, sitting down in a gorgeous historic cemetery with a bottle of wine and a classic movie sounds absolutely wonderful, but I might be outvoted. So Sunday night suggestions might be appreciated.

Thanks for looking!!

If you find yourself near Malibu on Sunday night I would suggest a nice dinner at Gladstones on Malibu beach. You can dine out on the deck overlooking the beach.

http://www.gladstones.com/

 

[MAH4546]

Forget the Grove; go the Americana at Brand instead. It is by the same developers, but on a much grander scale with bigger shops (almost all the same shops, plus more), nicer gardents, cooler fountains, etc. Plus, it is closer to downtown and has a Pinkberry. No Pinkberry at The Grove.

Americana puts The Grove to shame, though that is assuming you want to forgo breakfast at Toast. Also, by "check out La Brea," do you mean check out the Fairfax neighbourhood and the tar pits, museums, etc.? Then obviously the Grove makes more sense. But if you want to go to that area just for the Grove, just go to the Americana instead.

Also, Thursday, leave your car at home and take the Red Line to Hollywood, stops across the street from El Capitan. It saves you parking and a lot of time, because with traffic on the 101, a car can take 45 minutes, but the subway is always 18 minutes, and it always runs on time.

 

[Rat-a-too-ee]

No Pinkberry at The Grove.

Actually, there is a Pinkberry at the Farmers Market, which is attached to the Grove. You can see if from the Whole Foods across that street.

I think it would be a shame not to go the the Grove and Farmer Market. The food at a few of the stands at the Farmers Market is the reason we stay an extra day after we go to Disneyland.

http://www.farmersmarketla.com/

http://www.thegrovela.com/

P.S. Your schedule is doable, but tight. Please note that traffic or other conditions beyond your control may result in a few modifications.

Last trip we went to the La Brea Tar Pits, LACMA, Grove/Farmers Market (all in the same general area), and the Getty Center (ug, slow traffic) all in one day.