My 73 year old mother is visiting from myast dotoasted. He recently had hip surgery. and it is painful for him to walk too much. He likes quirky experiences like conveyor belt sushi. I live in Sawtelle. Other times it has come, we have gone to the Getty Villa, a couple of studio tours, the live recording of “Jeopardy!” and a local ramen place. She likes places with a backstory. For example, in Boulder, I wanted to stop by the house where jonbenet Ramsey had lived because she is obsessed with true crime. One thing he did say he wanted to do was try to watch “Jimmy Kimmel Live!—CJ Schellack
This is what we suggest:
First of all, your mom seems to be having a good time. And I agree with her: the best places to visit usually have an interesting backstory. Let's start with the food. Since your mom likes sushi experiences, make a stop at Yama Sushi Marketplace, conveniently located in your neighborhood. This family-owned Japanese seafood restaurant sells restaurant-quality sushi at takeout prices, writes Tiffany Tse in our Sawtelle guide. “Just point out whatever catches your eye and the staff will cut it fresh, sashimi style, right in front of you,” he adds. Or if you'd rather check out another revolving sushi spot, check out Kura, which has a location in Sawtelle.
To satisfy your mom's appetite for unique and quirky experiences, head to Galco's Soda Pop Stop in Highland Park. Yes, it's a bit of a hassle for your neighborhood (don't go during rush hour), but it's worth the trip, especially if you have a sweet tooth. The 100-year-old family-owned store is lined with aisles of rare sodas from around the world, nostalgic candy and retro toys that owner John Nese, 82, tells me “you can't find anywhere else.” In the back of the store, next to the soda-making station, is a deli stand selling “blockbuster” sandwiches, a name inspired by boxing legend Rocky Marciano who, after trying one, declared, “This is a real blockbuster!” (Pro tip: If Nese is there when you visit, and the likelihood is high because he “practically lives there,” he says, be sure to ask him for a recommendation.)
Once you've secured your snacks, grab a picnic blanket or low chair and head to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery to watch a movie, a favorite experience for many of my colleagues in Los Angeles. Until Halloween, Cinespia hosts movie nights at the cemetery where stars like Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney and Johnny Ramone rest. Movies are projected on the wall of a mausoleum and viewers sit on the lawn (an open area without graves). There is a designated area for wheelchair users and companions with bathrooms nearby, and accessible parking is available with a sign (although you'll still need to purchase a parking pass in advance).
But if you think your mom would feel more comfortable indoors, visit the New Beverly Cinema, owned by Quentin Tarantino, known for showing double features of classic, independent, cult and foreign films the old-fashioned way: on 35mm film. As Michael Ordoña writes in our guide to the best movie theaters in Los Angeles, “the New Bev is just what a big-name movie theater should be. It's cozy, with a calm and enthusiastic atmosphere. Sometimes surprises happen.”
To tap into your mother's true inner fascination with crime, visit some of the darkest places in Los Angeles. “I like to take friends from the East Coast on a walk down the Sunset Strip to show them where famous people died, like Belushi at Chateau Marmont and River Phoenix outside the Viper Room,” senior audience editor Vanessa Franko tells me. (Bonus: You don't even need to get out of your car.) But if you prefer a real tour, visit Greystone Mansion and Gardens, where oil heir and homeowner Ned Doheny and his secretary, Hugh Plunkett, were found dead in 1929. Times travel writer Christopher Reynolds recommends it, saying that at this destination, you'll get “a crime scene, a filming location and the history of the Los Angeles oil, all in one. We've also curated a list of 12 iconic Los Angeles horror film and TV houses worth visiting (the filming location for the WB series “Charmed” is pictured in the photo illustration above). I hope you and your awesome mom have a great time. Send us photos if you arrive at any of these places.
