Invisible L.A.

Everyone likes fun on the beach and to enjoy a vacation at the seashore. The ocean makes you feel relaxed, rejuvenated and calm. And what better spot can there be to escape than Venice Beach. Venice Beach is located between Santa Monica and Marina del Rey. 2 miles from the Santa Monica Pier, 5 miles from Hollywood, 7 miles from Los Angeles International Airport, 10 miles from Downtown Los Angeles, Malibu, and Beverly Hills.

In 1904, Abbot Kinney transformed a piece of undeveloped Los Angeles shore into a world class resort city. In order to duplicate Venice, Italy, 16 miles of canals were excavated. It was then that Venice beach was born as a top tourist spot. Most of the canals that encircle this area might be gone; however, six canals still remain. Los Angeles refurbished the six remaining canals in 1994.

The local people as well as visitors from all over still throng into Venice Beach to have a gala time. The Ocean Front Walk or Venice Beach Boardwalk is populated with bikini-clad in-line skaters, tattooed bikers, beautiful people, and crowds of tourists. Right in front of the Ocean Front Walk, you will find the original Muscle Beach, two miles north of Venice, and just south of Santa Monica Pier. Along the southern portion of the beach, at the end of Washington Boulevard, is the famous Venice Fishing Pier. The 1,310-foot (400 m) pier is a popular location for sport fishing.

Apart from this, there are several other activities that keep happening in and around the beach, which include street performances: mimes, break-dancers, drummers, jugglers, talking parrots, and fortune tellers. This place is also home to several restaurants, shops, food stalls, etc. All such fun is bound to keep the tourists occupied in this beach.

Hotels

Best Western Marina Pacific Hotel & Suites


1697 Pacific Avenue, Venice Beach, California 90291
(800) 786-7789 (USA & Canada)
(310) 452-1111 1697 Pacific Avenue
Web Site: www.mphotel.com

Best Western Marina Pacific Hotel & Suites are 200 feet from the beach, and nearby the Venice Beach Walk, new sports courts, bicycle paths and rollerblading spots. Just ½ mile (1 km) from Santa Monica and Marina del Rey, near Los Angeles area business centers and just 5 miles (8 km) from the Los Angeles International Airport. Free wired and wireless internet access in all guest rooms and suites. Valet parking available.

Venice Beach Suites
1305 Ocean Front Walk, Venice Beach, CA 90291
1-877-477-5817

Venice Beach Suites are located on the Venice Beach Board Walk close to both the Venice Pier and Santa Monica Pier.

Venice Beach Cotel, 25 Windward Avenue. Venice, California 90291
Toll Free: 888.718.8287

This Venice Beach Cotel is a hostel with hotel standards. Shared rooms start at $22.00 per person/night and private rooms starting at $52.60 per room/night plus tax. Guests must show a valid passport upon arrival. The cheapest place to stay with ocean views.

The Cadillac Hotel, 8 Dudley Avenue, Venice, CA, 90291
(at Ocean Front Walk)
310.399.8876
Web Site: www.thecadillachotel.com

The Cadillac Hotel is a Venice Beach hotel with views of Santa Monica Bay and the coastline to Malibu.

Inn at Venice Beach, 327 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
310-821-2557
Web Site: www.innatvenicebeach.com

The Inn at Venice Beach is just a few blocks from the famous Venice Beach boardwalk. It’s a great place to stay and close by to Venice shopping and dining.

Venice Beach Suites and Hotel
1305 Ocean Front Walk, Venice Beach, CA 90291
310-396-4559
Web Site: www.venicebeachsuites.com

Venice Beach Suites and Hotel is located on the Venice Beach Walk, and nearby to Venice Beach, the Venice Beach Boardwalk, the Venice Bike Path and Venice Pier.

Restaurants and Dining

Maos Kitchen, 1512 Pacific Ave, Venice, CA 90291, US
310-581-8305
Website: www.maoskitchen.com

Chinese home-style cooking is served in a rustic atmosphere. Specialties include Shrimp & spinach dumplings and the popular Canton street food bok choy over chow fun which contains rice-flour wide noodles, bok choy, bean sprouts, onion, tomato, green onion, shredded carrot & choice of meat. Maos Kitchen prepares vegetarian, vegan, steamed, sauce on the side, etc…just ask – and they will exchange meat for tofu, cashew, almond or peanut – & also chicken or fish stock for vegetable stock in their soups & sauces. There are lunch specials and the entrées priced under $12.

On the Waterfront Café, 205 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA
(Half a block north of Rose Ave)
310-392-0322
Website: www.waterfrontcafe.com

On the Waterfront Café is located directly on the famous Venice Boardwalk. Swiss Specials are served both indoors and on the outdoor patio. The Swiss Bratwurst under $12 is yummy and there is choice of veal or pork bratwurst, served with onion sauce and rösti. Of course, Swiss Cheese Fondue is included on the menu along with Bitburger beer on tap. There is free parking around back if you are driving.

Figtrees Cafe, 429 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA
310-392-4937 / Fax: 310-392-0622
Website: figtreescafe.com

The Figtrees Café is open 8 to 6 daily. For those of you that are inspired to eat fish, Fresh Grilled Fish of the Day is offered. Other specialties include the tasty L.A. Burrito with black bean chili and guacamole.

In case you are wondering….. it will take us 3 hours to get from New York to Houston, Texas. Then…. it will take us 3 hours and 15 minutes to get from Houston to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. If I were you I will take something to entertain your ass for 6 hours. I suggest a pair of earphones so that you can listen to movies or music in the plane, some planes offers that. But, if you do not have earphones, you can buy them from the flight attendants, each cost about $3 to $5. Make sure you tell your mother and cousins to take one. Ask your kids to lend you their portable video game systems, you will kill an hour or so playing video games, or less if the battery runs out.

I always take gum, a snack (no liquid what so ever), something to read, my laptop, a deck of cards, and my IPOD fully charged. Also, I suggest you buy a small bottle of Pepto Bismol, you never know. Trust me on that one.

In Honduras, do not drink the water out of the water faucet, and when you go to restaurants ask for drinks without ice. Do not drink any kind of ice coffee or anything similar, some use water from the faucet to make the ice. If you do, you might be sorry.

Also, do not speak English in the taxi, at least not before asking how much they charge. If they hear you talking English and they have not tell you how much the ride is going to cost, they will ask you for more than the usual. Do not use jewelry of any kind or carry a cell phone on plain sight, you will be sorry. Also, please, please, cover your arm tattoo. The cops over there might think you are gang related, and they might question you. You don’t want to be taken to the mamo, by the chepos.

In case you did not see the following video, I suggest you watch it.

It might save your ass. Look at the video, if not, you will NOT know what they mean when they say pisto. If they ask you “Where you from?”, tell them… soy 100% Catracha, but not to the police you show them your identification. Save some dollars for the return, that way you will be able to buy food in Houston, the snack is not a big deal. Also, you will need some money to pay a foreign fee and another type of fee in the airport. Over all I think is less than $45 per person. Do not carry your passport, because if you loss it, you will have a problem! Be careful were you leave it. I always leave my valuables in the safe deposit box, every room has one in the hotels that we stay in. You never know, trust no one. When you change dollars for Lempiras, they should give you anywhere between 18.80 and 19.00 lempiras per every dollar, normally they give 18.89 per cada lempira. For example, if you change $100 that is about 1,889 lempiras.

I always keep an eye on who is around me all the time.

When you come back, you’ll be telling your husband: “Te quiero en puta.” ja ja ja ja ja ja….. See the video and you will know what I mean.

Michael Jackson spokesman Tohme Tohme told the media that the King of Pop is moving back to California with his three children to be closer to “where all the action (in the entertainment industry) is”. He added that “the second half (of Jackson’s career) will be better than the first.”

Today is Three Kings Day (Dia de los Reyes) to celebrate the three kings visit to baby Jesus in Bethlehem. The Festival de los Reyes Magos is considered the last day of Christmas. It’s traditional to eat a sweet cake called Rosca de Reyes.

This afternoon, the 4th Festival of the Wise Men in Los Angeles (Festival de los Reyes Magos en Los Angeles) will be held 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. at Mac Arthur Park, Whilshire Blvd & 7th St., Los Angeles.

WHEN: January 6,2009 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m.
SITE: Mac Arthur Park, Whilshire Blvd & 7th St., Los Angeles
COST: Free
SPONSOR: Cervantes Center of Arts & Letters
INFO: 310-526-1480, www.cervantescenter.org

This evening 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., the Olvera Street Merchants and El Pueblo Historical Monument sponsor the Los Tres Reyes celebration of the Epiphany (visit of the Three Kings) with music and a colorful parade on Olvera Street. Complimentary refreshments will also be served.

WHEN: January 6, 2009 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
SITE: El Pueblo Historical Monument, 125 Paseo de la Plaza, Los Angeles
COST: Free
SPONSOR: Olvera Street Merchants and El Pueblo Historical Monument
INFO: 213-485-8372, www.cityofla.org/

The Anime Los Angeles will open on January 2-4, 2009 at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Los Angeles, CA. At-Door Ratesare $50 weekend; $20 Fri; $30 Sat; $20 Sun.

Events include Anime Screening(s), AMV Screening(s), Workshops, Autographs (free), Charity Auction and other events. The guests are Zac Bertschy (Editor, Anime News Network), Johnny Yong Bosch (Voice Actor)
Eyeshine (Band), Kevin Lillard (Convention Photographer, A Fan’s View), Scott Ramsoomair (Web Comic Artist, VG Cats) and Tadao Tomomatsu (Actor).

On-Site Registration starts off Thursday (New Year’s Day) at the Pool Deck from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm. From 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, it will be in the Ballroom Level at the bottom of the escalators.

Registration is located in the lower level of the Los Angeles Airport Marriott. From the lobby, take the escalator downstairs, you can’t miss it.

More information on Registration available here

Also known as “The West Hollywood Chiropractor”, Dr. Campos is the author of “The Six Keys to Optimal Health” that was published in March of 2008. “. Dr. Campos helps people get out of pain and living their lives to their fullest. His practice focuses on pain relief, biomechanical function restoration, and rehabilitation.” Clients are treated with a full workup of their nutritional panel right on site in the office. . First, a blood test with a nurse practitioner is done to provide the doctor with information about what vitamins and minerals are deficient in the patient. Dr. Nick Campos states that “We provide clients with a program based on what their nutrient panel is and what it is lacking.”

Dr. Campos and the West Hollywood Healing Art Center staff also analyze and treat the feet. The feet are and a central part of the body’s biomechanics. At the West Hollywood Healing Art Center cast molds are made of the feet custom orthotics are created. To help with weight distribution, patients wear them inside of their shoes.

You can call Dr. Campos and the West Hollywood Healing Art Center for a consultation at 323-651-2464.

For those of you that would like to a smile like a Hollywood star, Dr. Alex A. Farnoosh is offering a new treatment for a condition called a gummy smile. What is a gummy smile you might ask? The condition occurs when the lip sits unnaturally high on the gum line, creating a smile exhibiting excess gums. This is often due to either the upper lip being too short or a hypermobile lip.

Improving a “Gummy Smile”

The most operative way of improving a gummy smile is to lower the lip line cover that covers the gums. The procedure reduces the gummy smile and produces a more attractive smile. The procedure was developed by Dr. Farnosh (http://www.thetotalsmile.com/photo-gallery/results.cfm?Category=4) Also, this procedure can be performed in conjunction with crown lengthening, to reshape the gumline around short teeth by removing excess gum. In some cases, the placement of veneers or crowns may also be needed.

Dr. Farnosh can help your smile in many ways. His office provides dental implants,
laser tooth whitening, aesthetic gum treatment & gum bleaching, gum grafting & bone grafting as needed. Another therapy offered is the treatment of periodontal disease by laser. Periodontal disease may cause bad breath, swollen and bleeding gums, receding gums, extremely sensitive teeth and, eventually, tooth loss. What is Laser light treatment? Laser light is directed through a small fiber to reduce bacteria and eradicate diseased, infected tissue around the teeth. What are the benefits of laser periodontal treatment? The treatment reduces discomfort, controls bleeding, and offers healing time sooner than more conventional procedures.

Dr. Alex A. Farnoosh, D.M.D., M.S.D., Ph.D. is a dentist in Beverly Hills specializing in dental implants, gum bleaching and gum grafting. He serves patients from all over Los Angeles & other countries.

Beverly Hills Office:
8920 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 517
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Phone: (310) 657-0503

LA KINGS DOWNTOWN ON ICE OUTDOOR SKATING RINK AT PERSHING SQUARE

LA KINGS DOWNTOWN ON ICE, celebrating its 11th
spectacular season at Pershing Square, (532 South Olive, LA), open everyday November 20, 2008 through January 19, 2009.

The 11th installment of the Pershing Square Ice Skating Rink continues through Monday, January 19, 2009. There is plenty of time remaining to skate and take advantage of the activities at the L.A. Kings Downtown on Ice rink in Pershing Square. With a low admission price of only $6 (+skate rental $2), it’s a fun thing to do without spending lots of money.

Pershing Square Downtown on Ice, which will stay open until January 19th, so make a date! It’s still worth the trip, though, I would HIGHLY recommend it, especially if you go at night when it’s all sparkly and magical and there aren’t as many people on the ice.

Free L.A. Kings Youth Hockey Clinics Ages 14 and under with advance registration Register Now!

The Pershing Square Ice Rink is open every day from Nov. 20, 2008 to Jan 19, 2008. Admission is $6 and skate rental is $2.

Centrally located in the heart of the City of Angels, the facility is easily accessible by car, bus or rail. Rewarding commuters, a collaboration with Metro allows mass transit riders to receive a $1 skating session discount by showing a coupon available for downloading via the Destinations Discounts webpage at www.metro.net. The convenient stop at Pershing Square Station makes getting there easy. Underground discount parking is available with validation.

Pershing Square Ice Rink
532 S Olive St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 624-4289
TOLLFREE: 1-888-LA-PARKS (527-2757) or visit www.laparks.org and click on Pershing Square

THREE WEEK HOLIDAY SCHEDULE – 2008-2009 Season
Friday, December 19, 2008 through Sunday, January 11, 2009
Monday – Sunday 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
NOTE: CHRISTMAS DAY – PUBLIC SKATING HOURS ARE 12:00 NOON to 10:00 PM

SKATING SESSION TIMES – 2008-2009 Season
Monday, January 12, 2009 through Monday, January 19, 2009
Monday – Thursday 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Friday – Sunday 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
NOTE: MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY (JAN 19) – PUBLIC SKATING HOURS ARE 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Register now here for LA Marathon XXIV May 25, 2009, Los Angeles, CA, 91608. The running will start on Monday, May 25 2009, 7:00am. at the corner of Cahuenga and Lankershim Cahuenga Blvd And Lankershim Blvd Los Angeles, CA.

LA Marathon XXIV
Monday, May 25, 2009, 07:00 AM
Los Angeles, CA 91608
Date:
Monday, May 25, 2009
Time:
07:00 AM
Venue:
Los Angeles, CA
Address:
Cahuenga and Lankershim
Cahuenga Blvd And Lankershim Blvd
Fees:
$95.00
Online Registration Closes:
05/20/09 11:59 PM
Website:
http://www.lamarathon.com

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have listed their Bel-Air estate with Sotheby’s International Realty. The French Farmhouse style residence (pictured below) is located at 487 St. Pierre Road, Bel-Air, CA 90077. The estate has an authentic European ambiance with four bedrooms and 5 1/2 bathrooms in 7,357 square feet of living space. The walled and gated home on 3/4 acre in Bel Air includes a detached guest house, a pool and pool house.

Jennifer Lopez was named by Forbes magazine as the richest Latin American in Hollywood. She film credits include The Governess (2009), Maid in Manhattan (2002), Anaconda (1997),and Selena (1997). Jennifer Lopez has sold more than 48 million records worldwide.

The listing is here.