Florida / LA

Me , the missus (38ee's) and Alix are visiting Florida and LA. We land in Florida on 18th August.

What places should we visit, does anyone have any recommendations ?

Please let us know

LOS ANGELES:

You and the missus: El Coyote. GREAT margaritas, decent and inexpensive Mexican food. I suppose Alix could have a Shirley Temple while you and the Missus get sloshed.

Also, there's this Mexican restauarant at the end of a pier, I think it's the Santa Monica pier, but I don't remember right now. The menu is nothing special, but a very romantic place to have a drink while you watch the sun set in the Pacific Ocean.

The family: La Brea Tarpits. Even outside the tarpits, there's tar bubbling up everywhere-- through cracks in the streets, sidewalks, even lawns. Lots of ice age fossils inside, and you can even watch volunteers at work cleaning tar off of newly recovered bones.

Tell me what you're into, besides 38EEs, and I'll see if I can think of anything else. Examples: Petersen Automotive Museum, lots of art museums (Examples: The Getty, The LACMA, The Huntington), Rodeo Drive, Farmers Market, Hollywood Blvd., Grauman's Chinese Theater, Universal Studios, Disneyland...

Digital Mike Binoche wrote: Me , the missus (38ee's) and Alix are visiting Florida and LA. We land in Florida on 18th August.

What places should we visit, does anyone have any recommendations ?

Please let us know

what part of florida? that would make a big difference as to the recommendations ~ orlando? miami? tampa?

you must come to orlando. i was at walgreens' tonight and saw six-packs of stella for sale there; i immediately thought of you. to add to that, they recently put a billboard for stella near the corner of the cross streets where i live.

if that doesn't grab you, we have disney world, sea world and universal studios in orlando. disney's great, but universal (where i spent today, actually) has the best rollercoasters in the world (and a great place for kids, seuss landing, where i bumped my lip getting on the carous-seussel this afternoon. i also got totally soaked on one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish). kennedy space center is 1/2 hour drive and tampa is about an hour away (great beaches). daytona beach is also about half an hour away.

if you don't visit me i will cry and cry and be very sad.

AgentWood wrote: you must come to orlando. i was at walgreens' tonight and saw six-packs of stella for sale there; i immediately thought of you. to add to that, they recently put a billboard for stella near the corner of the cross streets where i live.

if that doesn't grab you, we have disney world, sea world and universal studios in orlando. disney's great, but universal (where i spent today, actually) has the best rollercoasters in the world (and a great place for kids, seuss landing, where i bumped my lip getting on the carous-seussel this afternoon. i also got totally soaked on one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish). kennedy space center is 1/2 hour drive and tampa is about an hour away (great beaches). daytona beach is also about half an hour away.

if you don't visit me i will cry and cry and be very sad.

I think you've somewhat understated the distance from Orlando to Daytona Beach, AW.

Patrick wrote:

AgentWood wrote: you must come to orlando. i was at walgreens' tonight and saw six-packs of stella for sale there; i immediately thought of you. to add to that, they recently put a billboard for stella near the corner of the cross streets where i live.

if that doesn't grab you, we have disney world, sea world and universal studios in orlando. disney's great, but universal (where i spent today, actually) has the best rollercoasters in the world (and a great place for kids, seuss landing, where i bumped my lip getting on the carous-seussel this afternoon. i also got totally soaked on one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish). kennedy space center is 1/2 hour drive and tampa is about an hour away (great beaches). daytona beach is also about half an hour away.

if you don't visit me i will cry and cry and be very sad.

I think you've somewhat understated the distance from Orlando to Daytona Beach, AW.

on I-4? nope, usually takes me about 35-40 minutes. it's 50 miles away, driving at 80 miles an hour. 40-45 minutes at the speed limit then. not too much of a difference.

When in LA, have a go on the mechanical bull at the Saddle Ranch on Sunset. Well, if the ladies in cowboy boots let you take your turn anyway...

Can't remember if they had Stella there.

The whole POINT of Brits going to Florida is to spend most of their trip getting horribly lost on the Motorway system. Going in August is ace too, cos it usually pisses it down.

You're son is too young for shooting, otherwise I would recommend that. I would not, however, recommed doing it the day before you fly home - that's how I learned that the metal detector at the airport also sniffs you for explosives - I spent an hour being taken apart because they detected traces of gunpowder on me.

Fuck the Rat - The best theme park in Florida is Gatorland.Gatorland Website

Only takes half a day and it's not very expensive.

Also Busch Gardens - you get to ride on a conveyor belt through about a million gallons of pissy American lager. It's a theme park in a brewery! Busch Gardens Website

You have to go into a bar and listen to someone singing Jimmy Buffet songs. You're not allowed out of the state until you hear someone change the words to Magaritaville to "It's the Bartenders fault".

Take some id, by the way - you will have to prove you are over 21, even if you are accompanied by your wife and son. Quite a complement, I always think. Me and my Dad both got carded at the Howl at the Moon Saloon one night!

Favorite downtown Orlando club, The Independent Bar or I-Bar. I am an "old school new waver" so I prefer Sunday night after 10:00PM.

Favorite radio stations outrageous talk 104.1 FM, news 580 AM, music 105.9 or 104.1 on weekends.

Best Mexican/ Puerto Rican/ Cuban food on the east side: Maria Bonita.

Favorite sports bar: Orlando Ale House, they are everywhere.

Best mall to get out of the heat: Florida Mall.

Favorite "REAL" Florida spots: Blue Springs State Park, Ah-Tha-Thi-Ki Seminole Museum on the Big Cypress reservation (they also have airboat and swamp buggy rides, I am good friends with the directors there so let me know if you plan to visit), Sanibel Island, Tampa Aquarium, Ichnetucknee Springs (innertubing down a spring nothing better), any place that has steamed shrimp and grouper sandwiches mmmm!

If you don't have accomedations (and have kids)look into the Nickelodeon (sic?) Holiday Inn. It just opened with a two full waterparks on the proprty. Visited some family there about a month back and they had a great time.

Yes security is tough here at the airports but I've been dealing with it for years now and it is just an inconvenience.

As agentwood said before there are lots of Brits here especially near the resorts, so if want to avoid them stay away from the tourist areas otherwise you'll find the parks full of you countrymen.

dav-O wrote: Favorite downtown Orlando club, The Independent Bar or I-Bar. I am an "old school new waver" so I prefer Sunday night after 10:00PM.

Ah I-Bar! The only good thing about visiting my mother in Melbourne, FL is that it's about a 45 minute ride to I-Bar. Love that place.

I recommend El Coyote. "Double margaritas for everyone!!" the waitress said on a drunken New Years Eve party we had there. Visit Venice Beach and find a sushi bar nearby and engorge. Get the cold sake in the green bottles. Wander up Highway 1 and find a bar overlooking surfers. Drink cheap Mexican beer while watching.

dav-O wrote: Favorite downtown Orlando club, The Independent Bar or I-Bar. I am an "old school new waver" so I prefer Sunday night after 10:00PM.

i used to go every saturday night, but i haven't been since january as i got a bit tired of it. i went every once in a while on sundays, but i needed a good night's sleep in order to deal with my students. i bet we ran into each other and didn't even know it....

Spotnick wrote: I'll be in Florida on October 9th to whenever we can afford it We arrive in Fort Lauderdale, then it's up to us.

Just in time for the Panthers home opener perhaps.

I live in LA Albeit I live in an area that isn't visited by tourists (North part of the San Fernando Valley), but just stay away .

Well you are visiting SoCal and Florida so go to a damned beach. In LA the nearest beaches are shit, so go to Malibu, Zuma, or to Huntington Beach (considered as Surf City USA). If you like deserts then you'll like inland Southern California.

Tourist traps: all the theme parks- Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios, Six Flags Magic Mountain

ethnic places to gawk at- Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Little Saigon, and Mexico City in every street corner

You may want to go walk down Hollywood Boulevard to see all the stars on the walk of fame and to see all the dodgy looking people.

The most beautiful places IMO: Mojave Desert, the view from the Getty Museum, and the view from the Reagan Presidential Library

Spotnick wrote:

Tampa Bay has them on the 10th, so we'll see, but I have no idea how long it is between Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, it's probably a lot longer than I imagine and way too much time just for a hockey game ;)

unless you're really dedicated, it's way too far.

i cant think of one thing to recommend about LA. I spent a summer in san francisco in 2000, and decided to spend week in la. After 2 days i got miserably depressed and turn back around. Talk about a lack of public transportation.

Nothing against la, but thats just how i felt.

bLuE oRdEr wrote: LOS ANGELES:

You and the missus: El Coyote. GREAT margaritas, decent and inexpensive Mexican food. I suppose Alix could have a Shirley Temple while you and the Missus get sloshed.

twist wrote: I recommend El Coyote. "Double margaritas for everyone!!" the waitress said on a drunken New Years Eve party we had there.

Well, that’s two NOOL votes for El Coyote…

bLuE oRdEr wrote: LOS ANGELES:

lots of art museums (Examples: The Getty, The LACMA, The Huntington)…

Tristan Jayol wrote: The most beautiful places IMO: Mojave Desert, the view from the Getty Museum, and the view from the Reagan Presidential Library

And two NOOL votes for The Getty.

If you go to see Reagan’s rotting corpse, be sure to tank up on plenty of Stella first so you can let loose a right proper stream while you’re there. It's a tradition.

AgentWood wrote:

Spotnick wrote:

Tampa Bay has them on the 10th, so we'll see, but I have no idea how long it is between Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, it's probably a lot longer than I imagine and way too much time just for a hockey game ;)

unless you're really dedicated, it's way too far.

My dear AgentWood, it is never too far for a hockey game.

As a former O-town resident, I'd just like to add:

dav-O wrote: Favorite radio stations outrageous talk 104.1 FM, news 580 AM, music 105.9 or 104.1 on weekends.

WPRK 91.5. Check their schedule on the web, lots of good club music towards the weekend. Lovely ska on Saturday or Sunday mornings.

BTW: 104.1 talk is, well... crappy talk-radio.

Favorite sports bar: Orlando Ale House, they are everywhere.

Best chicken wings: Gators at the intersection of 436 and Aloma Ave (426).

Best thai-food: that thai-place on Aloma Ave where Goldenrod Rd meets it (Thaivilla?).

Best place for beer and irish food: Fiddler's Green in Winter Park.

I'll be back in November :)

/TLV

If I had the time and the money – this is what I’d do and have done...

• i'd highly recommend (following up on someone else suggestion)getting an airboat ride. MOST IMPORTANTLY, get there first for the first boat out. 1. it's unbelievably fun zooming around on the top of the water and on top of the grass! 2. your kid(s) will love it and so will you 3. by getting there way early (an absolute must) you'll get to see the most wildlife - herons, alligators, other critters. this website has a video of airboat riding airboat ride

• and actually, given that the GPB is so strong agains the USD - i'd also highly recommend a helicopter tour, it's an expensive treat in USD, - florida can be very beautiful and especially when seen from a distance - btwn the ocean, the very lush landscape this year with all the rain and all the waterways - it's got to be stunning for at least an hour tour in the air.

• charter a fishing or sailing boat! lots of operators and a great way to see the coastline from the ocean or charter a trip down one of the rivers for a day cruise – again the exchange rate is in your favor and fun stuff like this is affordable.

• Rent a kayak and take a couple hours kayaking the river sytem

• go tubing– it’s just you and the family each in your own tube quietly floating down a icy cool crystal clear spring water – the Ichetucknee Springs State Park is great

• biking or hiking florida has a terrific trail system -for paved trails there's over 200+ miles of paved trails, they took the old railroad lines and converted them to paved trails and there is over 1400 miles of trail for hiking from 2-5 mile loops (1-2 hr hikes) to overnight camping hikes.

• public radio is also great here - 90.7 WFME is the station in Orlando

-go diving or snorkeling – there’s a slew of diving or snorkeling locations, i.e., crystal river is where the manatees are

-if its not too late try to get a reservation with discovery cove - they let people swim with a bottlenose dolphin as well as other snorkeling

• also marineland in marineland, florida is has been around since the 1930's and still has it's kitchy architecture and 'old florida' appeal albeit the exhibits are updated and a great place to visit won't be nearly as crowded as seaworld, but it's just a much smaller venue

TLV wrote:

Best thai-food: that thai-place on Aloma Ave where Goldenrod Rd meets it (Thaivilla?).

Best place for beer and irish food: Fiddler's Green in Winter Park.

you're absolutely right about fiddler's green...they also have an awesome whisky list. but after living in thailand and eating my body weight in pad thai, lad na, and pad sie iew, i have to say that sawadee on kirkman between conroy and vineland is the best thai restaurant in orlando, hands down.

for indian, passage to india on international drive (I-drive, as the locals call it) is the best. my indian friend (born there) thinks it's the best and i defer to her expert opinion. it's the best i've been to, as well, so i highly recommend it.

tortilla flats downtown is an interesting mexican place with more salsa types than you could imagine. for tapas, you can't beat cafe tu tu tango on I-drive.