Movie scene being shot by the docks
So first let’s get the grumpy part over with – LA is the worst airport in the world. No surprises there because almost everyone agrees with that.
The immigration officer attending to me (or rather my passport) because he didn’t look at me the entire transaction had all the appearance of someone who hated his job.
I think he’s an out-of-work Hollywood actor working to pay the bills. His name is Vong and he looks like one of those Asian-American hunks who play bad guy roles in movies like “Fast & Furious”.
The customs queue is a joke. Planeloads of passengers, both connecting and exiting, jammed into four lanes. Never connect in LAX, I remind myself. Someone tries to get into the Express lane only to be shouted at by a woman who asked, “Did you buy the $100 express ticket online?”
View of LA
Anyway, nightmare over, it’s a joy to be back in Los Angeles after four years away. The Blacklane limousine I booked just 36 hours ago is waiting for me. I received the message that Andy had arrived while I was in the air. As we walk to the car, Andy points to the construction and said, “I wonder how long that will take? Someone’s making money off this.”
Ah, the cynicism of drivers. Firstly, LA has become a much easier city to get around for visitors thanks to services like Blacklane and Uber. Used to be if you don’t have wheels, it’s hard to get around, but I Uber-ed my way around the city.
Very impressed with how simple and good the Uber service is – these taxi hailing apps have changed the life of commuters everywhere.
I am staying at the JW Marriott LA Live, right next to the Staples Centre where there was a big NBA match on the same night I arrived, and the Nokia Theatre, home of a few of the American Idols. I wanted to go for a walk but my American friends said, “Don’t walk north or west, and don’t go beyond three blocks.”
I content myself with walking round the square and soaking in the bright neon lights of glitter land.
You’ll realise after a couple of days that people in LA don’t walk, they drive. And rush hour traffic is as bad as in Jakarta.
Downtown LA is being gentrified and life is moving back to the city. Used to be people worked in the city and then left it at night. But as part of an ongoing drive to put life back in the city, bars, restaurants, art galleries and shops have opened in the historic financial district.
Baco
We have lunch at Baco Merkat in the Old Bank district – baco is the name given to a flatbread sandwich created by chef Josef Centeno. It’s basically a fancy taco.
From there, we walk to the Grand Central Market which is basically LA’s version of a hawker centre and fruit market. If you want authenticity, this is it. It’s definitely not the glam face of LA. In the supermarket in the basement, we saw a homeless man counting change so he could buy a pack of instant noodles.
From the market, we went to Melrose Place which is the high-end fashion and lifestyle district where everything is discreet and exclusive. Behind closed doors lie private worlds of fashion labels. I imagine Lindsay Lohan tripping by in her high heels but actually, it’s very quiet and I wonder if the city is still feeling the effects of the economic downturn.
Echo Park
I am told by local friends who take me on a tour of Echo Park that things are improving. Once an area known for its gangs, Echo Park is now a trendy and hip district. Old houses are being restored and cafes, there are lots of stores selling organic produce or what they call farm-to-table products and art galleries.
Another area being gentrified is the dock area and I had lunch at The Factory Kitchen which served easily the best Italian I’ve had since Rome – or the most different anyway. None of the usual fare you find in most Italian kitchens but recipes that are unique and original. The pizza bread, which is based on a 300-year-old recipe, is crisp, fresh and delicious.
So the good news is, once you get over the airport experience, Los Angeles is a good city to discover. On wheels.
