Westec 2010 attendee

[Chipload]

Looking at attending Westec 2010. I am from the Midwest and would hate to travel all the way to LA for Westec and to go back right away. Any opinions on what else one should see while down there?

[Geof]

Serious things or fun things?

Serious you could probably go up to Oxnard and have a tour of the Haas factory.

Fun there are Disneyland and Universal World of course. Also an automobile museum, Petersens (I think??). Lots of other touristy stuff as well.

A groovy place to eat if you are into old airplanes is the Proud Bird restaurant near the airport; a couple of years ago before Westec I hosted a dinner with a bunch of CNCzone guys there.

[fizzissist]

Originally Posted by Chipload Looking at attending Westec 2010. I am from the Midwest and would hate to travel all the way to LA for Westec and to go back right away. Any opinions on what else one should see while down there?

And don't miss the Midwest Museum!!

...just kidding.

Seriously, there's some fantastic restaurants in downtown LA, though not within what I'd call walking distance from Westec, but my amongst my favorites would be Musso Frank's in Hollywood for some flannel cakes just to say you did, or Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles...You could hit all the tourista spots, like Universal Studios. But for a real treat that not many here will know about is J.B. Nethercutt's Tower of Beauty in Sylmar, California. J.B died in 2005 but the collection is intact, and tours are still available, as I understand it.

The collection of cars is stunning in itself, but the combination of the cars and the environment they're displayed in is almost overwhelming. At the end of the tour they used to go upstairs to his music room, where you get to hear an automated 1927 Wurlitzer....with ALL the bells and whistles. This is something to behold.

...Dare I say, Westec was a disappointment last time I attended, but you can make it worthwile with some side trips.

Try and plan to stay someplace nice and take the commuter train to Westec. It dumps you off about 2 blocks away, and is actually a LOT nicer than navigating LA's freeways at rush hour (or any hour downtown) and futzing with parking.

Geof's idea of a Haas tour is a good idea, and ..... Oxnard isn't all that far from Sylmar.... Stay out there and take the commuter downtown!

...almost forgot....this is what I have for Nethercutt's...and you Must have a reservation.
Tower of Beauty
15180 Bledsoe St
Sylmar CA, 91342 - 2709

Tel: (818) 367-2251

[Dirk Holcomb]

Being an LA native I can tell you my opinion, see Westec stay as close to the Convention Center as possible and go home. I still like Westec, but believe me, as I know, having lived in the 50's, the Golden Days of LA are long gone, nothing but cars, cars, freeways and did I mention cars. OK, a few bits and pieces around, but you better have a guide or you will be totally lost. At the very least plan on renting a car, the public transporation is a real work in progress and maybe by next century it will be together, sorry to be so negative but having just spent three hours trying to get home about twenty miles, I speak the truth. I always go to Westec and enjoy it.

[Geof]

Dirk I think you are being a bit too discouraging. I agree LA does have more than its share of cars and congestion and the public transit system is abyssmal but for an outsider some aspects of LA can be fascinating. Between 1992 and 2007 I visited LA every March for a convention (not Westec but I have also been there several times). I visited the La Brea Tar Pits, the Auto Museum, Universal World, Disneyland, wandered along Venice Beach several times being blown away by the weirdos, went to Santa Monica several times for good food and street entertainment, to Marina del Rey for good food and probablt other places I have forgotten. You do have to be ready to spend money on a car rental or taxis but I think it is worth it. If you have a group it is more fun and not as expensive.

[Chipload]

Originally Posted by Geof Serious things or fun things? Serious you could probably go up to Oxnard and have a tour of the Haas factory.

The Haas factory sound like a Seriously fun thing to me.... Where do I sign up?

I will look at using commuter train as fizzissist suggest to get around...

[Haas_Apps]

Factory tours are still done. 'Not something we publicize. We get walk in's from time to time and do our best to accommodate them. You would be much better off to call ahead and schedule one. Westec is a very busy time for us.

[Dirk Holcomb]

Geoff-Thats nice and a cute qoute, try living here for 62 years and you won't be so impressed with anything.

[Geof]

Originally Posted by Dirk Holcomb Geoff-Thats nice and a cute qoute, try living here for 62 years and you won't be so impressed with anything.

I am not going to argue with that; I wouldn't want to live there but I didn't mind visiting. Which actually applies to a lot of cities here in North America and overseas.

[fizzissist]

I grew up in L.A., and go back for one reason or another more often than I care to. If you don't have to drive during rush hour, and the air is clear, it can be a nice place because there is so much to do and see. Personally, I'm over it. For those occasional visitors, don't listen to grumpy old inhabitants (note that I'm no longer an inhabitant, just grumpy and old) and plan well ahead for the best trip.

L.A.'s mass transit still sucks the big one, but they're working on it. I took the Metrolink from Burbank to downtown for Westec a few years ago, and I'll never drive it again. It was Wonderful to see the traffic backed up on the inbound 5 as we rolled on by!!

Geof's suggestion of the La Brea Tar Pits is a great one...haven't been there in decades, and would love to see it again. Then, after working up a big appetite head on up to Pink's for a hot dog!

Check out the Metrolink site for the interactive map of routes, and you can see that the Ventura line would allow you to stay close to Haas, or Nethercutt's, and take the train into downtown without the traffic/parking hassle.

http://www.metrolinktrains.com/

[fizzissist]

Did I mention Philippe's for a french dip roast beef sandwich? The original, 100yr old L.A. genuine article???

1001 N Alameda St Los Angeles CA 90012

You'll probably want to take a cab to get there from the convention center.

[Turbo1zz]

Originally Posted by Dirk Holcomb Geoff-Thats nice and a cute qoute, try living here for 62 years and you won't be so impressed with anything.

LA and surrounding cities are what you make them. There is plenty to see and do out here. Having been born and raised in LA county, I have plenty of fun and interesting places I frequent and of course, areas I steer well clear of.

Just a few suggestions... There is the Peterson Automotive Museum, The Natural History Museum and Science Center, The Griffith Observatory, Universal City Walk, Olvera Street, Hollywood Walk of Fame, The Getty Center, Los Angeles Museum of Art, Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits, Museum of Tolerance, San Antonio Winery (One of my faves), Travel Town Museum, The Los Angeles Zoo.

I can go on and on and on. Seriously, I think people around here just forget the joys of getting out of the garage once in a while.

I Second the suggestion of Phillipe's by the way, no visit to LA is complete without atleast having lunch there.

http://www.philippes.com/

If you want more info on the public transit, hit up...

http://www.metrolinktrains.com/
and
http://www.metro.net/index.asp

Need more suggestions, feel free to PM me.

Jeffrey