5 comments about Free L.A. The Ultimate Free Fun Guide to the City of Angels (Los Angeles).

1. Free L.A. is an event guide rather than a travel guide per se, so tourists seeking a broader wealth of information concerning hotels, restaurants, etc. will want to supplement it with a more well-rounded guidebook. Free L.A. is a travel, entertainment and tourist guide especially for the budget-conscious - since all the events, activities, and things to do it lists in the City of Angels are free! Free festivals, museums, historic landmarks, botanical gardens, tours, concerts, art events, films, holiday celebrations and more pack this suprisingly thick little book. Arranged by month and season, each listed event includes an applicable phone number or website, a brief description, parking notes, information on whether the event is kid-friendly or has wheelchair/stroller access, and more. A superb introduction to Los Angeles travel and fun, and also an excellent resource for L.A. natives looking to enjoy themselves.



2. Very disappointed in this book. I think one could get more from a google of LA. Oh well, I guess I expected unusual stuff, given the title.



3. ...and I loved this book. Sorry, but a Google is just not the same. This book mentions places I didn't know existed so I would know to Google them! (LA is a very big place. ) And it gives nitty-gritty secrets about each (especially the free days!) that many sites don't give. I keep it on my desktop right along with my writing references. It's saved me way more than the cost of the book.
   ---------
   Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of THIS IS THE PLACE, HARKENING, TRACINGS and THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T



4. "Free L.A., The Ultimate Free Fun Guide to the City of Angels" contains more free things to do in L.A. than one can count! Over 250 pages of events and attractions are presented with details and contact information (many with websites).
   
   The book begins with monthly Annual Events so you can plan what to do whenever you visit. You'll learn how to attend the January 1 Tournament of Roses Parade for free, complete with parking instructions. On the first two Saturdays in February, your family can enjoy the Pan African Film and Arts Festival Children's Festival at Magic Johnson Theatres. And, in July, there's the Courtyard Kid's Festival at the Japanese American National Museum.
   
   There's another section with Holiday Events, which kicks off with the Chinese New Year's Festival in Chinatown as the first of several New Year's Celebrations. Other holidays which have dedicated sections include Earth Day, Cinco de Mayo, Fourth of July, Halloween and Winter Holidays.
   
   There is also an "Extra Events" section, which features free Concerts, Films, Gardening and more.
   
   The last part of "Free L.A." is entitled "Venues" and includes sections of Free Museums, Museums with Free Days, Botanical Gardens, Historic Places and Nature Centers & Preserves.
   
   Finally, you'll find an index listing all the free goodies, both alphabetically and by location. The book is approximately 3 ½ by 8 inches and would easily fit into a tote bag or a purse so you can take it with you as you tour the "City of Angels".



5. This book has some decent ideas for free things to do, but I wouldn't call it a treasure trove of ideas. The Weekend and Calendar sections of the LA Times has more interesting and current events without being overwhelming like the free weekly newspapers. I would recommend the book to long term visitors or people who have just moved to Los Angeles. For people who have been in the city longer, the LA Times is a better bet.

5 comments about The Thomas Guide 2007 Los Angeles & Orange Counties street guide.

1. This is such a huge book, it is really difficult to use for basic navigation to get around the area. You have to flip back and forth betweeen the overview map and the detailed one, and just has a lot more detail than I want for most purposes. I will have to buy another map that is easier to use.



2. Los Angeles and Orange County, California have some of the most congested and hard to navigate streets anywhere we have traveled. With Thomas Guide, the drive is easy. It is up-to-date, easy-to-read, and a must-have for travelers.



3. Everyone who lives here has one in their car for a very good reason.



4. timing delivery, package was in ship shape condition. i'd highly recommend this seller and product.



5. ...there's Thomas Guide! I finally got tired of my son calling me from his cell phone while in traffic, totally lost and wanting me to help him find his way back on coarse. I would have to stop what I'm doing, MapQuest where he was suppose to be and figure out where he was. Of coarse, he was a moving target, so his exact location was constantly changing... making it difficult to guide him anywhere. I checked out GPS's but they were quite costly and I wasn't sure if there was a monthly fee involved for using them. Then I got smart and ordered him his own Thomas Guide and viola! Problem solved!!! And at a real reasonable price!
   
   Thomas Guide, always there when you need it...

1 comments about Hometown Santa Monica: The Bay Cities Book.

1. I believe this is my first review for a book on Amazon. I have bought many books over the years and some were pretty good but none ever commanded a review from me. This book has and is everything I could ask for in a guide to Santa Monica. I almost didn't even consider this book because it had no reviews and I was unable to search inside the book. Luckily, I was able to search inside this book elsewhere on the internet and was pleased at what I saw.
   
   I am planning on moving to Santa Monica later this year and from skimming this book, it has almost everything I ever wanted to know and then some. The authors have an unique way of creating a guidebook and I hope they get recognized for it because this is exactly how one should be written - from the locals point of view.

No comments about Cycling Los Angeles.

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.

5 comments about The San Fernando Valley: America's Suburb.

1. For those who grew up in the Valley, this book provides a wonderful mix of 'answers-to-trivia-questions' and a solid background in many aspects of its history. For those who've never lived in the Valley or never been there, Kevin Roderick's book will tell you that your culture is far more shaped by the Valley and the people in it than you ever knew.



2. As someone who was born and raised in the valley, this book is a great look at the history of the San Fernando Valley from the pioneers who settled it on to modern day. Contains many wonderful photos as well. A fine read for anyone living here who would like to discover a little of it's past and for those of us born and raised here it is an essential look back on the place we call home. Much of the photos will make you say " I remember that!" It did for me upon seeing Lucy and Desi in their home which was located at Devonshire and Tampa and is now a gated housing complex. I grew up in the Porter Ranch area and that home and land are always part of my memories of the area.



3. Very enjoyable. I grew up in the west end of the San Fernando Valley; Van Nuys to Canoga Park. A good friend's grandfather was William Paul Whitsett. She would tell me interesting stories about him. It saddens me to see the condition of the Valley now. I remember the orange groves and horse ranches, but now nothing but houses, houses, houses. Can't go home again, but this book takes me back to a better time and place.



4. A great book on the history of the valley. For those of us that grew up in the 60s and 70s this book lacks pictures and stories of that time. If you are looking for memories this book will not bring them back.



5. During my stay in the United States more than a year and half ago, while doing my errands, I happened to arrive at the end of the MTA Orange Line bus on its westbound extremity, in a station called "Warner Center". I jumped out of the bus and started strolling with no specific purpose in mind. Seriously, this place I've arrived at has absolutely no touristic appeal at all. Not much people walking around, traffic wasn't intense (I guess this was because it was around 10 in the morning - the rush to work was over), green yards, large boulevards and peacefulness all across. Definitely, this was not a typical Los Angeles neighborhood like Hollywood, Echo Park, Eagle Rock and Venice, much less like South L.A. and Watts. What I saw was a world apart not so far away from the "original L.A." mess, though this was also a Los Angeles neighborhood, with a different atmosphere, aiming constantly to reach perfection.
   
   Even missing that touristic appeal, I thought this was the best spot I've been in during my Southern California trip. No kidding. Laugh at me if you want to. Even the paradisiac beaches which were so close to me wasn't that special. The impact of being at SFV hit hard on me. I know this place has the typical problems that any other major area also has, but it's still enchanting. This fascination led me to purchase this book so I could learn more about it.
   
   Just finished reading the book and my advice is:
   
   This book is simply a "must-have" for every Southern California native or lover who wants to know about the history of San Fernando Valley. Kevin Rodnick did an excellent job describing nicely and in chronological order the happenings that made this once empty space where Spaniards settled in the 1700s the most representative icon of the America's suburb and a - why not - peaceful refuge in the so-troubled Los Angeles area today.
   
   Get it!

5 comments about The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book (3rd edition).

1. This is a not so typical tour guide which provides its reader with a lot of bang for his/her buck. It provides information which is fairly accurate regarding the living (who tend to move quite a bit). The listings provided for death scenes are very accurate (assuming you only die once). Ditto for burial sites (assuming that remains stay put in one place.....unfortunately, that isn't always true as I seem to always be finding out). What is really impressive about the many editions of this book that have been published to date is that the author constantly updates the information in the book, so that it is as accurate as it can be given the odd and fluctuating state of celebrity mindsets (and fortunes).
   So if you are willing to assume that some of the information may become outdated, you will probably enjoy this book quite a bit.



2. There must be 50 Hollywood homes books on the market. If you visit Beverly Hills, a tour-bus or map salesman will gladly take your money. But W. Gordon's remarkably accurate and truthful guide will spell out where the buses point out homes where movie stars never lived. Gordon provides detailed directions and maps to the sites you want to see. And loads of "goodies" and information. He shows you how to get to Arnold's palatial block of homes in Brentwood, and warns that driving there is a $ 500 fine and possible jail time! Wow! He also gives directions to Rudolph Valentino's original 1920's mansion(and much, much more). Forget the B.S. Here it is. When I e-mailed him for an up-date, he gladly provided it for free(see the book). Why waste time driving around freeways?



3. About 5 years ago I took a summer job giving tours of Hollywood on an old trolley car. One of my most memorable experiences was the day one of the guides for the Beverly Hills tour got sick and I was thrown into the front seat of a tour van and sent on my way to give a tour of the star's homes. It was without a doubt one of the more embarrassing moments of my life as it wasn't my regular gig and I had to make a lot of stuff up because I had no idea whose house was whose and the guy driving the van was as clueless as I was. But if the owner's of the tour company had seen fit to give me this book beforehand I would have known where I was and all those tourists wouldn't have asked for their money back when the tour was over.



4. The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book is full of interesting facts, historical tidbits and interviews with Hollywood natives that provide readers with a realistic view of Hollywood, past and present. As any worthwhile tour guide should, this book lists hundreds of locations of interest to visit in and around the Hollywood area, extending it's reach to surrounding Los Angeles communities that have ties to the entertainment business. However, the tone of Gordon's book is informative, straightforward and friendly, not off-putting or intentionally misleading, as some guide books can be.
   
   Not surprisingly, Gordon's book is even a fun read for those of us born and raised in Hollywood. For me it brought back memories of old haunts, and it evoked nods of approval among friends as we read through many accurate descriptions of favorite locales and pages of sound advice about what to visit and why, as well as what to avoid.
   
   Whether you're a native of the Los Angeles area, a tourist planning just a few days' visit to Hollywood, or a local history buff searching for a fun and interesting book to read, you can't go wrong picking up a copy of William Gordon's Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book.



5. Used an earlier edition of this book when I took a self-guided tour in 1997, and bought this newer edition for my trip to L.A. in 2007. Indispensible! Better than a "map of the stars' homes" any day. Thoroughly recommended if you are planning to drive yourself around the various parts of L.A. looking for your particular favorite haunts. Thanks to this book, in 1997 I got to see (and exchange waves with) Jack Lemmon as he drove out of his driveway (no, I wasn't lying in wait. I'd pulled over to double check my location).
   
   Though I had far less time to use it on my 2007 trip, I would have felt naked and unprepared just travelling without it. Another great feature about this book is that the author encourages submissions/corrections/additions to add to future editions, so if you discover the rare incorrect or out-of-date piece of info, he wants you to submit it to him so the next edition will be just that much more accurate.
   
   Used the info in the book to track down the Playboy Mansion in 1997. Had a neat experience at the mansion gates that trip and have pics to prove it. When I drove by it again in 2007 a few hours before I was to attend a party there that evening, I glanced at the book over in the passenger seat of my rental car and gave it a knowing smile.
   
   My copy is autographed. Don't know if that increases its value, but it is a nice touch.

5 comments about Picturing Los Angeles.

1. Photos we hadn't seen before...insights we hadn't considered before.
   "Picturing Los Angeles" is a show-and-tell book of the highest order.
   If you're looking for the perfect gift to give newcomers to the LA area, a gift that will help them make sense of this unique community--this is it. Congratulations to the Wilkmans for delivering a history book that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. [Review by Albert Greenstein]



2. This looks like a coffee table book, but it's really an incisive narrative accompanied by fascinating pictures. The authors give us a whirlwind tour of the explosive pattern of growth and change that is the true history of Los Angeles. Propelled by a colorful array of eccentrics and geniuses we see the city constantly reinventing itself and leaping into the future. I had so much fun reading it I almost forgot how bad the damn traffic is here!



3. Incredible compendium of all the events and characters that created and still shape this most unique city. Much more fun than hunting down similar information on the internet, "Picturing Los Angeles" offers readers hours of fascinating reading, aided by an astounding collection of pictures. A seemingly impossible task to put together, the authors have provided a wonderful encyclopedia of the culture, architecture and citizenry of a town that continues to impact the world. You'll see why!



4. 
   This book is basically a photographical introduction to the history of Los Angeles . If you are interested in knowing about the history of Los Angeles, from it's very early beginnings , up until the early 2000's, then you will find this book very informative.
   
   
   There are many many photos that go along with the historical text. All photos are in black and white.



5. The authors say they would be pleased "if academic historians find a few unexpected tidbits". Most historians will probably be enraged by this book, and by the fact that it's getting positive reviews here.
   
   A few examples that I know about, making me wonder what else is accurate in this book.
   
   This book says Hollywood had 500 inhabitants in 1911, when in fact it had about 10000. This book states, to make a point, that "Sound of Music" was released in the same year as "Easy Rider" (1969), when in fact, "Sound of Music" was released in 1965, invalidating the point. Discussing the death of Thelma Todd, this book still uses the nonsense found in "Hollywood Babylon", an book full of fabricated stories. Samuel Goldwyn was not born with the name Goldfish, but Gelbfisz. And so on?
   
   Most of the pictures are very small.

5 comments about Hollywood Remains to Be Seen: A Guide to the Movie Stars' Final Homes.

1. Great Book.........I am an old movie buff



2. He led a glorious life full of glamor and adoration for his host of fans. His ending, however, would make a movie to beat all. He was abandoned by everyone and ended up at his final resting place, the cemetery. Read about false memories and not actuality in a tome written to launch a career on the heels of:
   Another Imposter on MYL : A Dutiful Daughter's Memories, August 12, 2006 I got too close to the truth for comfort and so had to find it on my web site about the shenanigans of the stars there who act like so much ____________ Now hear this: a fan's expose of what is really happening.
   
   Dean Martin was successful in the Fifties as an actor, singer, t.v. show host and yet we young people back then though he was just a drunk. He was a member of the rat pack, not that that is saying a whole lot. Sinatra was a bigger lush than Dean could ever be, and all those wives of his! I do remember how he was fascinated with the lovely Lainie Kazan on his television music show, and perhaps that is what caused his divorce.
   
   The author of this book has related how her 'mother's house' was next door to Rosemary Clooney. I guess Ira Gershwin lived on the other side of Rosie? I do remember that before the talented Dean died, he was living as a bum (like James Agee in New York), with a beard and same old clothes. There was no one to care for him in that condition. I ask you, where was this 'devoted' dauthter then? She is the second to make money off the deceased singer. First Jerry Lewis, after all of his tantrums and allegations, refusing to a reunion with Dean Martin. Now, the absent daughter who is using her dead father's fame as her own.
   
   She has wormed herself into a slot on Music of Your Life, after first playing around with Les Brown, Jr. there in Branson, Missouri, getting to be top dog for two hours daily; now, she has her own weekend slot and all night on Sundays. Here is how she is described on their web site: Deana, who is an accomplished actor singer, entertainer and author, in addition to being the daughter of her famous father, has quickly become a Music of Your Life listener favorite with her great behind- the-scenes stories. Between concert and book tours, Deana produces the annual Dean Martin festival! When I was fifteen, I could sing just as well as she can. And to think that she collaborated on her CD (thanks to MYL) with Jerry Lewis, it's a sacrilege after all he did to her dad she supposedly is devoted to. With a daughter like that, who needs enemies. The writer of the book, DINO, shows how he died in virtual isolation. We all knew that. It's a sacrilege for anyone to make a fortune off a dead person who is not hear to tell the truth. Such is life today.



3. Very well put together with an exceptional reference section.Easy to read and follow.Worth the price and I reccomend it.



4. I REALLY LOVED THE BOOK I WISH THERE WAS MORE PICTURES OF THE STARS GRAVES . BUT WAS A GREAT READ IT TELLS WHERE ALL THE STARS IN HOLLYWOOD ARE BURIED THIS IS A BOOK ILL CHERISH AND KEEP FOR A VACATION TO HOLLYWOOD AND TAKE WITH ME THANKS



5. This is one of those great niche books, that seem weird on the surface, but are actually really fun reads. This book is very well crafted and though I would have appreciated a few more images, overall, this is about as good a book on this uh interesting subject, that could be imagined. I have never been one that found cemeteries scary or eire, I find them, well the nice ones anyway, very peaceful. In Victorian times, people had picnics in cemeteries and they used them as public parks, so I really dont know how they sort of ended up these scary, spooky places we never visit..I guess Hollywood movies...so that makes this guide interesting on many levels. All and all, fun read, highly recommended.

3 comments about Los Angeles 2008: A Selection of Restaurants & Hotels (Michelin Red Guides).

1. Littered with errors, this book does not meet my expectations. With a poor selection of Chinese restaurants, incorrect city names (i.e. somehow the City of West Hollywood became Hollywood, community in the City of Los Angeles) and poor reviews containing no substance. I would stay clear of this in favor of Zagats.
   
   It is clear this book was rushed and the product shows.



2. Tried 5 restaurants from different categories and they are all good in general. I think most of the restaurants on the guide worth a try and the 1 star Japanese restaurant was the best out of the five.
   However, I wouldn't rely on this guide to find authentic Chinese food. I personally think there are couple really good Chinese restaurants in San Gabriel and Alhambra areas that were not covered in this LA guide.



3. I have bought the guides for SF, NY, Vegas, and LA. While the ones for most of the cities are very good, I think the LA one disappoints. I know that LA has many more restaurants that could have made the guide. Perhaps not starred, but better than many of the non-starred selections in the guide. I realize that a big portion of the problem is that the scale of LA makes it hard to cover, but some effort should have been made to be more comprehensive prior to publication.