2 comments about Favorite Dog Hikes In and Around Los Angeles.

1. This was a great book for us. We were beginner hikers and so was our dog. We were able to go to places we had never even heard of in the Santa Monica Mountains. Excellent advice for removing ticks. The pattern for canine hiking boots was great - both of our dogs have some fancy boots that they love to show off.



2. My dog and I are new to Los Angeles. A thoughtful friend bought us this book. I haven't use the book yet because I can't figure out where any of the hikes are. The directions say things like take 101 North or 405 South, but from where? Los Angeles is very big and I have no way of knowing if the hike is an hour from where I am or twenty minutes. There are no larger maps, just small trail guides. How am I supposed to know where Cheesboro Canyon, Rocky Oaks or the Verdugo Hills are?

No comments about Ecstatic Trails: The 52 Best Day Hikes and Nature Walks In and Around Los Angeles.

3 comments about Chinese Food Finder: Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.

1. I was very excited to get this book, since San Gabriel Valley is littered with way more Chinese restaurants than I could ever try personally. I imagine it was a tough job, especially in the fast-paced Chinese restuarant scene where stores pop up and die overnight. (And a few listings have already gone out of business.) The book succeeds at providing a good overview of the various regional cuisines, and I did enjoy reading about unfamiliar foods and their history.
   
   However, a little more detailed information about the specific restaurants and more write-ups would make this book even better. For example, there are tons of dim sum places in the Valley, but only a handful are written up and Carl was lukewarm toward all of them. Where is a great dim sum place? Maybe descriptions of how the dim sum offerings might differ from say Mission 261 and Ocean Star (both are mega banquet room sized, but Ocean Star offers far more food variety than Mission 261). The Hong Kong style coffee shop listings also felt thin, leaving out alot of the tasty and popular spots that dot Valley Blvd. like OK Cafe and U2. And how about writing up the best place for roast suckling pig or squab?
   
   Despite these shortcomings, I would still recommend this book as a solid introduction to LA Chinese cuisine.



2. well written, accurate, helpful, and there is nothing like it on the Internet or in print



3. This book is both more useful than you'd expect, and less. The lesser part is because many of the restaurants listed in the guide no longer exist. A guidebook like this one needs to be updated every couple of years for it to fulfill its purpose. There are too many restaurants listed that have since closed and too many new restaurants that should be in here that aren't, but that goes with the territory of writing restaurant guides.
   
   On the other hand, this book provides an excellent introduction to the regional cuisines of China, with detailed descriptions of the kinds of dishes to expect at various types of Chinese restaurants. This book can be a handy tool for ordering a meal at any authentic Chinese restaurant regardless of what city it's in. Even though I'm quite familiar with Chinese cuisine, I often bring this book with me for mealtime inspiration when I'm traveling to any city with a Chinatown--I even brought it with me on my most recent trip to Hong Kong & Guangdong.
   
   Reviewed by Barbara Strother, author of Moon Living Abroad in China (Living Abroad).

1 comments about Michelin Must Sees Los Angeles.

1. We had a girls weekend in vegas a few weeks ago and a friend of mine brought this book along. This was the perfect tool to find something for each of us to do. Shopping, shows, nightlife, the wierd, the interesting, and almost forgot, gambling. Everyone knows that there are casinos in vegas, this book talks about them, but focuses more on what ELSE there is to do in Vegas besides gamble. This book even has a whole section dedicated to kids, it gave me some great ideas for our next family vacation! We are going to vegas for the kids' spring break holiday!

No comments about Frommer's Los Angeles 2009 (Frommer's Complete).

2 comments about Sunset Boulevard: Cruising the Heart of Los Angeles.

1. From start to finish, this remarkable book captures the essence of the legends that have shaped both the lore and the reality of Los Angeles. Sunset Boulevard literally crosses the heart of Los Angeles, touching along its route to the Pacific Ocean many neighborhoods that define the city's diversity and drama both past and present. This book culls stories of the past and ties them to the present, explaining every step of the way how Sunset Boulevard helped make Los Angeles what it is today. The maps of each neighborhood show both present-day landmarks as well as those gone-but-not-forgotten. Each chapter is devoted to a specific neighborhood along the 23-mile route and contains lists (including, happily, addresses and phone numbers!!) of restaurants, museums, nightclubs and hot shopping sites worth visiting. All in all, this is a book for both tourists and locals alike.



2. Sunset Boulevard lives large in legend and lore (did I say that?), and this book presents myriad facets of the long and meandering street, one of the most famed in America. From interesting anecdotes (including the story of how an entire school was buried beneath what is now Dodger Stadium) to hundreds of elucidating and entertaining photos and illustrations, some historical and many contemporary, the book is a compelling and engaging treatise. While some of the subject matter isn't of inherent interest to me, the author's writing pulled me in to many a tale, and rewarded my attention handsomely. The maps and address/phone information are useful for touring the boulevard and its many neighborhoods, as listings present to the visitor and native alike lots of places to eat, drink and otherwise acculturate. Sunset Boulevard itself is, of course, but one stretch of asphalt, but there's a wealth of history -- and plenty of current interest -- that lies along its 23-mile length.

No comments about Venice, California: A Centennial Commemorative in Postcards, 1905-2005 (Center for American Places - Center Books on American Places).

No comments about Fodor's Gay Guide to Los Angeles and Southern California, 1st Edition (Fodor's Gay Guide to Los Angeles and Southern California).

No comments about BlackBook Jet Set Guide 2007/08: New York, Los Angeles, Paris (BlackBook Guide series).

1 comments about Greenopia: The Urban Dweller's Guide to Green Living Los Angeles (Greenopia series).

1. I have been wishing for a book like this to come along. It is extremely helpful in allowing me to live the way I want to live (ethically and organic) without having to call each business and ask. They have a handy rating system, too, that tells you just how "organic" each business is. That way you can decide if you want just 50% organic or 100%. I've already used it twice and found a great restaurant near my house.