A weekday evening in LA

Fate landed me in the City of Angels, late this week. Actually it was work and some swift decisions. Regardless, how does one squeeze in a little R&R on such a brief trip, with only a few hours of the evening to spare?

A few minutes of online research gave me the answer. I decided to survey Santa Monica Pier, as it was close to where I needed to be.

Part 1 : Santa Monica Pier

Situated on Colarado Avenue in Santa Monica is the large pier overlooking the magestic waves of the Pacific. The Pier was built in 1909, as a public utility to carry sewer pipes past the breakers. Packed in the Pier are numerous attractions, like restaurants, bars an amusement park and gorgeous views of the beach and an ocean. Bordering the pier is a walkway that passes two Cannons or more specifically two Rodman smoothbore seacoast guns. These guns date back to 1861 where they were used on Fort Mcdowell, situated on Angel Island in San Francisco.

Bustling with activity that includes street entertainers, stalls of souvenirs, small eateries, pubs and restaurants, the pier welcomes tourists from all over the world.

The Pier has been pictured in numerous movies including Iron Man and Forest Gump. A brisk walk across the pier with the Ocean breeze, the bright sunshine and views on the ocean were just what I needed at that moment. Soon it was time for a few drinks and dinner.

(Continue to Part II below)

Part II : Bubba Gump Shrimp Company

The Bubba Gump restaurant chain would be familiar to anyone who has seen the movie, Forest Gump. Santa Monica Pier is indeed the best place where one link of this chain could be, as this is where Forest ended his run.

The cocktail board at the entrance was enough to lure me in. Eating at the restaurant was an experience, and it had little to do with the food. While the “Forest’s Seafood Feast” was reasonable ,the Coronarita and Blue Hawaiian was not too shabby. However, it was the decor, the trivia game and the unique way to beckon a waiter are what made the experience memorable. I would recommend Bubba Gump, more for this experience, rather than for the food.

(Continue to Part III below)

Part III : L.A. Sky Boutique Hotel

As always , good things must come to an end. I spent the night at the LA Sky Boutique Hotel, a quaint little inn on Westwood. While I loved the decor of the sit-out with its canopy, I also loved the cozy room. However, I was disappointed that the hotel did not have munchies or even fresh coffee. I would still recommend the inn if you are on a budget. All in all, it was a memorable evening.