2 comments about Hidden Coast of California: Including San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco, and Mendocino (Hidden Travel).

1. Ray Riegert has devoted a lifetime to travelling the coast of California and finding favorite restaurants, bed & breakfast establishments, and cataloging some of the finer museums and beaches. This book has a little something for everyone, but a lot more if your idea of hidden travel is visiting the large cities of the California Coast. San Francisco receives nearly 100 pages of coverage alone and the clear emphasis is upon urban areas. In these places, Riegert has found some of the best eating establishments, listed the finest gay friendly nightclubs, discussed local parks, and, of particular interest to me, included a number of popular and classy neighborhood bookstores. However, what I consider California's truly hidden coast, its wild and scenic parks and open space areas, receive decidedly less coverage. A few trails are listed, though the trailhead locations are not identified, and only Point Reyes National Seashore gets the full coverage it deserves. On the positive side, Riegert does not neglect the many rural hostels of California where budget travellers can stay often at cheaper rates than at nearby campgrounds.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   The reason I am giving this book 3 stars is that it has a lot of text, well over 500 pages, and all of it is in small print. This makes for difficult reading. The lack of photos also detracts a bit from a travel guide. On the whole, I think the author tried to be a little too comprehensive with the book and the result is that while everything was mentioned, almost everything could have used a fuller description. Still, if you want 3 day weekend tours of California's largest cities along with adequate descriptions of nearby smaller tourist destinations (Laguna Beach and La Jolla in southern California, Big Sur, Mendocino, and Eureka to the north) this is a nice book.



2. There are enduring reasons why California has been a premier tourist destination for more than a hundred years. A compact, easily portable, 550-page travel guide specifically focused on its Pacific shoreline communities and environs, "Hidden Coast Of California" by travel expert Ray Riegert is a superbly organized and comprehensive compendium of information that includes recommended historic inns, scenic drives, beaches and parks, weekend getaways, prospecting opportunities for gems and precious metals, and even whale-watching! Covering the sights and recreational opportunities of San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco, and Mendocino, "Hidden Coast Of California" is illustrated with occasional maps, peppered with traveler tips, provides an 'Outdoor Adventure Symbols' chart for ease of use, and so much more. Of special note is the opening chapter covering a variety of issues ranging from California coast geology, Native Americans, coastal plant life, animals (both on land and in the ocean), a calendar of events, visitor centers, traveling with children, disabled and senior travelers, women traveling alone, foreign travelers, camping, permits and more. Now in an expanded and updated eleventh edition, "Hidden Coast Of California" is the ideal resource for planning itineraries and for taking maximum advantage of what California has to offer travelers and vacationers along it's spectacular coastline. Also very highly recommended for both personal and community Travel Guide reference collections is Ray Riegert's companion book from Ulysses Press: "Hidden Southern California: 10th Edition" (9781569755396, $19.95).

2 comments about Top Trails Los Angeles (Top Trails).

1. I'm always happy to find another book by Jerry Schad. I have used his trail guides to enrich my life in Southern California for many years. He is an established Wilderness Press author and was the natural choice for the Los Angeles edition of the new "Top Trails" hiking series.

   The purpose of the "Top Trails" series is provide a list of "must do" trails in various regions of California. Editor Joseph Walowski conceived the series and provided a very useful schema for locating trails and assessing their difficulty. People looking for an easy stroll, a strenuous workout, or child-friendly outdoor locations will find this guide very useful. By and large, Jerry Schad's selection of hikes meets the goals of the series. He includes nice waterfalls, easy (and not so easy) peaks, and terrific bike paths. Also, there was surprisingly little overlap with Schad's '101 Hikes in Southern California.' Even hiking enthusiasts will find something new here.

   Readers should be aware of a couple of flaws in the text. On page 9 Schad says that there are no trail quotas for any of the hikes in the book. While generally true, that statement does not apply to the Vivian Creek trail up San Gorgonio Peak. The Forest Service issues only a limited number of permits and weekends can be booked for more than a month in advance. On a broader level, this book really does not do the San Bernardino National Forest trails justice. Schad includes only 3 hikes in this region. Many more deserve mention. The Grandview Point Trail and Gray's Peak Trail near Big Bear are among the most scenic trails in Southern California. Taquitz Peak and the Desert View Nature Trail on Mt. San Jacinto also deserve inclusion in a book like this. To Schad's credit, however, no one will be disappointed by any of the hikes he listed. Get the book and have fun.




2. Of the three hiking books I have, this is the best. The other two I have are "Hiking Southern California" and "Afoot & Afield in Los Angeles County."
   
   The hikes listed in this book are pretty good. However, the author doesn't rate them (such as 1-5 stars), which would be convenient. Yes, this rating would be subjective, but since the author is knowledgeable enough to write a book on these hikes, I think his rating would be worth including and would assist in choosing which hikes to do.
   
   The most useful pages in picking out a hike are the area summary pages, which list hike type (loop or out & back), distance, difficulty (1-5), among many many other important features of a hike. To find hikes that you can see trails for on the map but are not explicitly listed in this book, check out localhikes . com, which is a nice supplement. The maps are lacking on that site, meaning this book and that site complement each other well.
   
   On another note, if you do get this book, be sure to read the Camping/Permits section at the beginning of the book. An investment of $30 to get an annual National Forest Adventure Pass is worth the hikes in these areas.

1 comments about Venice, CA: Art and Architecture in a Maverick Community.

1. I love strolling around Venice Beach. This delightful book allowed me to take a glimpse inside some wonderful homes and understand a little more about the quirky, creative people who have made Venice Beach special. If you can't live there, buying this book is the next best thing.

1 comments about Wallpaper City Guide: Los Angeles (Wallpaper City Guide Los Angeles).

1. Color me impressed. As a new Angelino (recent San Francisco expatriate) I can say this guide is spot-on, I couldn't have done a better job with it if I'd written it myself. Whether you're visiting LA or live here, do yourself a favor and pick up this indispensable guide to LA's hot spots, trendy restaurants, shops and must-see architecture.

No comments about Rand McNally Los Angeles & Vicinity, California: Major Roads & Highways (Rand McNally Folded Map: Cities).

5 comments about Walking L.A.: 36 Walking Tours Exploring Stairways, Streets and Buildings You Never Knew Existed (Walking La: 38 Walking Tours Exploring Stairways, Streets &).

1. Very fun and interesting route maps outlining cool things to see in LA that you may have missed. Cool descriptions of things to keep an eye out for on the walks. My wife and I have been going to funky areas and neighborhoods to take walks for awhile. This book takes that to the next level and really points out a side of LA that you may not have seen when passing by in a car. Good stuff!



2. I picked up this book in hopes of finding some places to actually walk around LA and enjoy it for more than just what you see when you drive around everywhere. I have only been to one of the spots so far, but my girlfriend and I were blown away by what we found. Not only are the routes well planned, and a nice distance, but the information that comes with each is well researched and makes the walk all the better. I highly recommend this book.



3. I found this book to be fun to use, accurate, and articulate. Walking is the best way to see any place, you get exercise, see many things you would otherwise miss, eat at out of the way places and generally just have more fun. With this book you can do it with a much better understanding of where to go and what to see. This book gives you great guides to not only walk portions of the city, but also ideas about where to go even if you are riding. Even if you do not plan to see LA by foot I would recommend this book for any resident or tourist. I bet any resident will find this is a great book to use to see and appreciate more of the city they live in. For the visitor this book has so much useful information that other guide books never address. I am buying copies for both friends and relatives. Buy a copy and carry it with you, we just might meet each other carrying the book and walking LA



4. At least, I thought that until I read this great book. The walks are fun and give you a different view of Los Angeles. Highly recommended!



5. As an Angeleno my whole life and an avid walker myself this book was a huge waste of money even for the most jaded west-sider who never travels east of Hollywood Blvd. Most of the tours are through the well paved neighborhoods of urbanized Los Angeles and there isn't a single tour of any area, park or point of interest east of the 110 freeway! To add insult to injury even her food recommendations are lousy (save for a few no brainers}. Mahoney is referred to as a native Angeleno. I hope a review like this encourages her to really explore a city she has very little knowledge about.

2 comments about Lonely Planet Los Angeles Encounter.

1. In this great pocket size guide, there is stacks of information. It covers so much to help the tourist out, and for people like me who already know LA so well, it covers lots of little extras such as new restaurants and stores etc in all kinds of different neighborhoods. It covers, Hollywood, Griffith Park, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Mid City, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Westside, Santa Monica, Venice, South Bay, Downtown, Burbank and Universal Cit and Pasadena. There is info on Orange County too, so almost nothing is left out. It has a great pull out map at the back of the book and with topics about transport and where to eat and what to do, you almost don't need any other guide. I love how they also do mini interviews with locals about their favourite places (even Charlie Sheen's stand in is interviewed about where people hang out).
   Any restaurant, hotel or store etc mentioned that has a website has their website listed alongside so you can do further research for yourself, and there are a lot of places mentioned in here that I haven't seen in other guides. With each neighborhood listed in their own color sections, this is really easy to use and it's small enough to take with you on your vacation without weighing you down or taking up space.
   I highly recommend this guide. It covers so much in enough detail to give you ideas on where you want to go and what you want to do (and where you want to shop). Both Time Out guides and Lonely Planet are truly the best guides out there and so pick up a copy of this if you want to have a great vacation or try new places when you go back to LA again.



2. This is an excellent and useful book. I'm a little rusty on LA, but I'm looking to go back soon and this will be the book I take with me. The author is remarkably perceptive and intelligent; I almost feel like I know her. Her judgment is impeccable and discerning and her writing is skillful and wise. This book is highly recommended.

No comments about Dream Homes of Los Angeles: An Exclusive Showcase of the Finest Architects in Los Angeles (Dream Homes).

No comments about The Thomas Guide 2008 Los Angeles & Ventura County, California (Thomas Guide Los Angeles/Ventura Counties Street Guide & Directory).

4 comments about Writing Los Angeles: A Literary Anthology (Library of America).

1. Compiled and edited by David L. Ulin, Writing Los Angeles: A Literary Anthology is a unique and diverse collection of fiction, poetry, essays, journalism, diaries, and more, contributed by over seventy writers (ranging from William Faulkner, M.F.K. Fisher, and Bertolt Brecht, to Ray Bradbury, Norman Mailer, and Tom Wolfe), and showcasing the "City of Angels". Through varied eyes, the teeming and diverse West Coast metropolis manifests its best and its worst during its eventful history as Writing Los Angeles explores a wide range of issues and events ranging from the post World War I economic boom to recent and nationally televised violence. A very highly recommended compendium of artistic, emotional, severe, gritty, nostalgic, and clear-eyed literary pieces, Writing Los Angeles vividly brings a city and its people to life throughout the generations.



2. "definitive" is a an overused adjective... but this volume is indeed just that. ulin's winning (and sometimes surprising) selection of material captures the breadth and depth of a literary milieu artfully and evenhandledly. (ulin must be uniquely well read and/or uniquely familiar with his material - some of his choices, e.g. robert towne's intro to chinatown screenplay, are fun just to consider in a potentially crusty dusty Lirbrary of America anthology). forget the heavy intellectual (and physical!) weight of this tome -- this is no door stop or boat anchor, its a joyous sojourn in the searing sun. brevity, clarity and wit!



3. Los Angeles has always meant/will always be/is many things to many people. Some write it off as the City of Pilates-loving, Yoga meditating, Chai Tea Consuming Crack Pots. Well, yes...it is that and so much more as exemplified in the mind expanding, colossally comprehensive, edited by David Ulin: "Writing Los Angeles: A Literary Anthology." That so many important writers have deemed Los Angeles as appropriate subject matter, both positive and negative, only supports the notion that the City of the Angels "gets" to everyone who comes in contact with it. Some like Faulkner and Fitzgerald came to Hollywood late in their careers and left disillusioned to say the least while Nathanael West and James M. Cain thrived and wrote some of their best stuff here.
   "Writing Los Angeles" is exhaustively researched and some of the expected writers are represented here: Cain, West, Ellroy, Didion but what of Simone De Beauvoir and Umberto Eco? Probably the most important thing Ulin has done is introduce us to SoCal writers we didn't know or of whom we've forgotten: D.J. Waldie or Ruben Martinez, for example.
   If nothing else, Ulin has proven that Los Angeles is fertile ground for the creation of writing of the highest order. And for this, we Los Angelenos are forever in his debt.



4. What is Los Angeles? The utopical golden land of new beginnings or the ruinous end of the American dream? It is both, as this anthology will show. A precious book for everyone looking for a comprehensive collection of the manifold ideas and representations Los Angeles has inspired through its history, "Writing Los Angeles" comprises two centuries of great literature. From William Faulkner to Joan Didion, from Nathanael West to James Ellroy, every great author shows a different aspect of the City of Angels: City of noir, city of apocalypse, city of pictures, city of dreams and nigthmare, "autopia", "lost world" and what else?
   I found this anthology pretty useful and inspiring. Though not all voices are heard with the same intensity, it comprehends works by novelists, architects, journalists, urbanists. There are American voices and European voices, angry ones and enthusiastic ones. A must-be for every kind of audience.