Summer is officially here, I hope you had a wonderful July 4th celebration. Although the loss of the American colonies was not a great thing for the British empire in the short term, for those of us who live here I think it’s turned out rather well, don’t you?
There were a zillion fabulous displays all over the city this week, and I for one was amazed to see the coverage from one of the local news helicopters which revealed the entire city, from East LA to the Marina, getting lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree. According to my British friends, the gridlock on the Westside to get near the fabulous display at the Marina was horrendous, so the smart money was on finding a friend with a good view and enjoying the display from their balcony.
Another famously wonderful spot to see the fireworks is the Hollywood Bowl. This year I was lucky enough to get last minute tickets to this iconic venue to see the LA Phil play alongside the acapella group “Pentatonix”. I got the tickets through the StubHub app for $100 apiece and to my surprise I ended up in a box in the very FRONT row. Sometimes it pays to be spontaneous! The music was great and the fireworks were spectacular. Some of the best I’ve ever seen, anywhere….
Across the county the kids are out of school. I know some parents dread this time of year and can’t wait to pack the little ones off to camp, but for me I enjoy the (part-time) parental duties of taking care of my visiting 11-year-old niece for a few days. We visited Universal Studios and did one of my all-time favourite rides – the Studio Backlot tour. It’s not just a visit to the backlot, it’s fully immersive with some really fun rides mixed in with learning about the history of the studio and picture making.
Another great hidden gem of mine is Paradise Cove in Malibu. You can a great lunch then spend the afternoon lying by the ocean on the beach loungers they have set up for you. Only thing to be wary of are the sea gulls. Any chance they get they will steal your food! If you are feeling really flush you can always charter a sailboat out of the Marina and head up to the Cove for lunch. Drop the hook, enjoy a swim in the kelp and feel like a member of the jet-set for a day.
A quick gander at Facebook recently revealed another smart move to avoid the heat – heading up the local mountains. More than one of our members (and a contributor to these very pages) were recently snapped enjoying the cooler air of Big Bear. How nice to bring layers and feel the cooler air as the sun goes down!
We’re always interested in passing along good tips, so please let us know about some of your favourite places to visit during the summer months at info@britsin.la and we’ll share them next time.
All the best and don’t forget your sunscreen!
Craig Young
