Visiting the Getty, dinner in Santa Monica, etc.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Have any of you visited the Getty Center in LA? I'm from the LA area originally, but I never bothered to visit while I lived there. We live in Vancouver now, but we'll be spending a week in LA in July and are planning a Sunday visit (traffic in that area during the week is nothing short of horrific). We're interested in seeing as much as possible, but likely will not arrive before noon (they close at 6). Is is possible to get a good overview collection in six hours? Any tips on planning a visit? What are your favorite photographs / photographers represented in the Getty?

We are also interested in dinner and sunset viewing (not necessarily in that order) in Santa Monica. Any suggestions for good restaurants with ocean views? Afterward, (because I rock so hard) we have been invited to one of Jackie Treehorn's (in)famous garden parties at his pad in Malibu Colony--should be a blast!

[(poco) Sforzando]

Have any of you visited the Getty Center in LA? I'm from the LA area originally, but I never bothered to visit while I lived there. We live in Vancouver now, but we'll be spending a week in LA in July and are planning a Sunday visit (traffic in that area during the week is nothing short of horrific). We're interested in seeing as much as possible, but likely will not arrive before noon (they close at 6). Is is possible to get a good overview collection in six hours? Any tips on planning a visit? What are your favorite photographs / photographers represented in the Getty?

We are also interested in dinner and sunset viewing (not necessarily in that order) in Santa Monica. Any suggestions for good restaurants with ocean views? Afterward, (because I rock so hard) we have been invited to one of Jackie Treehorn's (in)famous garden parties at his pad in Malibu Colony--should be a blast!

Sorry to say I've never been to the Getty, but I know you have to make an advance reservation because the parking situation is limited and I don't think there is any other access than by car. I would check their website for details.

[M forever]

I think you can also parachute in. I was there 2-3 years ago but don't remember if we had to have a reservation. I am sure it will say on the website. Once you park, there is a train which goes up the hill to the center. I don't know how much time you need to see everything. I am not that much into art, so we just kind of looked around. The buildings and the whole center are very nice though. You have a great view from there although LA is still an extremely ugly city even when you look at it from above. You also have a great view of the smog from there.

I have been to a number of restaurants in Santa Monica, but I can't recall any which are specifically good for ocean viewing and Pacific sunset dining. Most of the ones I have been to where on side streets or a few blocks away from the ocean. You have the Pacific Coast Highway and in places a few other streets running between the beach and the first buildings anyway, so I don't think there are a whole lot of places which are specifically on the water. I know a couple further south, in Orange County and San Diego, but that is obviously too far too swing by just for dinner. There are probably some places but I am guessing they will be very pricey. You can probably google that.

A "secret" tip I like to give people for great sushi is Ike's in Hollywood. A small places in a small mall, but great sushi and a little bit something of an "insider" place. Tourists don't stumble in there. You can often see "stars" if you are into that (I don't care, I just went there a number of times because the food is very good and a good friend of mine who lives in Hollywood goes there all the time, so we often met there when I was in LA). The last time I was there for an extended period of time, working Sherman Oaks, I discovered a very nice sushi place called Uerukamu in Tarzana. Not a "spectacular" discovery but still one of the best I have been to since I came to the US. I am not saying it's so special that you have to drive across town to go there, but if you happen to be in the area, its definitely worth a visit.

[Sarastro]

Pity, I am too late. Then I would've advised you to visit the reconstructed Getty Villa on the ocean coast. They call it "Villa de Papiri" ("Paper Villa"). It is built like a classical Roman noblemen mansion with a 50-meter pool and fountains, interior and exterior gardens at all four sides, columns, and statues. There is the exhibition of Greek and Roman antiquities in its rooms. There is also an amphitheater outside the villa where plays are staged, and they make up different events every week.

Here is a picture of one of the interior gardens: