A few hours in la

[cristobal]

I'll be in LA soon on a lengthy layover. I figure I have about three hours away from the airport to play with. Can someone help me out with a few must-do suggestions while I'm on the ground? I've never been south of Santa Barbara, so the Southland is a mystery to me.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

The natives (LA Guy, PStoller) will have better and more detailed suggestions, but I'll throw in my $.02 based on my two-month stay in L.A. this past fall.  LAX is fairly close to the beach.  I recommend taking a quick cab ride to Santa Monica and seeing the pier and the Third Street Promenade (three blocks worth of stores and restaurants closed off to traffic, usually featuring street performers).  You may have a problem getting a cab ride back -- make sure that you have a number to call or you know the place where cabs pick up.

If your layover is not during rush hour and you have three hours between disembarking the first flight and the beginning of boarding of the second flight, you may want to try Beverly Hills, which is a little further out.  Rodeo Drive is the obvious attraction.  I saw Tom Arnold (in the Prada store, no less, buying a pair of shoes) and Miguel Ferrer (from Crossing Jordan) when I visited.  The Saks where Winona got her five-fingered discount is also there.

 

[LA Guy]

In addition to Rodeo Drive, you might want to look at Melrose and/or Fairfax. Melrose is divided into chic-y west Melrose (Maxfield, Fred Segal, Costume National, etc...) and gritty east Melrose (Sportie LA, a plethora of vintage and bondage shops). Fairfax has classic deli eats at Canters. Of course, 3 hours in LA is nearly no time at all, given that it takes about 20 minutes to get anywhere... and that's if you know the place. If you're into celebrity sighting, the stores on Robertson (LA, not Beverly Hills.) and the Beverly Center are better than usual bets. I've seen Jessica Biel at the Bev couple of times, and Tim Allen. And I've seen Juliana Margulies at Lisa Kline Men.