The LA Doldrums

By Myer Thompson

Yes, this is Los Angeles. Pardon me while I stifle a yawn and cough the smog out of my lungs. Writing about the City of Angels is as old hat as another Hollywood edition of VANITY FAIR. Do we really care? Should we really care? I suppose if you've ever seen a movie that helped you understand your life even a fraction better than you used to, you care about Hollywood on some level. We've been programmed to care about the city.

Other than a brief, titillating look at celebrity miscues and embarrassments, what good can come from writing about Los Angeles? I suppose you can divorce the industry from the city and try to delve into the cultural impact and significance of Surf City, but you'd be jumping into dangerously shallow waters. Yes, there is the Getty -- but so what? Rodeo Drive -- sure. But who cares?

LA, shallow? Yeah, I know that's old hat. The cliche that Los Angeles is shallow becomes more and more entrenched with each Hollywood wannabe I meet. Is New York the fashion capital of the world? No -- that's London or Paris. Sorry. Is Chicago the blue-collar mecca of America? Sorry -- that honor goes to Pittsburgh or Cleveland. The only thing going for LA is the fact so many aspiring wannabes flock to it. You can't get paid to be an extra on a Hollywood film if you live in Lubbock, Texas.

There are some genuine attractions in LA, like Griffith Park and it's famous Observatory. There is indeed the Getty and MOCA, but after that you're looking for natural phenomena. When you peel back the layers and layers of highways and smog, you may find a gorgeous beach or two -- but my oh my what price nature?

When in Los Angeles, eat at Joe's. If you happen to be an aficionado of boutique hotels Los Angeles is the place to be. Only San Francisco can compare to the number of designer hotels and motels given to the great goddess of Tourism. You can find one that fits your budget and puts in the middle of whatever action you happen - 30247

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