California is a state like no other in the US. Once you are in California make no mistake, it is broken into two completely different halves. The first time I heard the term No-Cal I assumed the California sales staff was talking about yet another Hollywood diet plan. No-Cal is the northern California area and is dominated by the Bay Area which contains San Francisco and Oakland. So-Cal is Southern California and consists of Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego area. This is the area where I spend a great deal of my time when in California, especially the LA area.

Lodging
It does not matter where you stay in the city, each area has its advantages. I do not suggest you stay too close to LAX as the hotels are rather expensive and there is a lot of traffic and airport noise. You should also plan on renting a car. LA is too vast to take on by foot and though I suppose you could use public transport; my one experience with it was not a pleasant one.

Hollywood Bowl – This old amphitheatre was has been featured in many Hollywood films and is set in a lovely part of town. There is usually a good summer concert series and you can purchase tickets at the box office. The box office also has a nice little gift shop where you can buy the typical souvenirs as well as some neat musical trinkets. We picked up a fun little Cuban music CD for us to play as we drove around town.

Santa Monica Pier – I am not sure what the intention of this pier was originally but now it serves as a flea market/amusement park/restaurant/street performer venue. Parking can be had fairly close to the pier at a rate for around $6. To get there you walk on one of LA’s famous rollerblading paths which in itself can be entertaining if you are into people watching. Expect some panhandling here as well but also expect to see beautiful men and women in incredible shape displaying their bodies as they jog or rollerblade. Once you reach the pier you find a rich little market where anything from henna tattoos to cheap jewelry can be purchased for a price. Being a big fan of street performers, I was very impressed with the quality of the performers here. Juggling and acrobatics are the most well represented and if you see a small Asian man with cans and a board be sure to stop and watch. There were places to eat but the food seemed rather pricey and smelled rather greasy so we skipped the food.

Solvang – Okay, this is not technically in LA. Ojai is a charming little Dutch settlement about an hour and a half north of LA. To get there you should take the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) for as much of the trip as you can. You will be treated to wonderful views of the Pacific Ocean on your left and mountainous hills on your right. There are various vineyards along the way and we stopped at Firestone Vineyards which had a beautiful tasting room and an informative tour guide. The town of Solvang has all the typical Dutch trinkets for purchase at the various gift stores but also boasts some neat little shops where non-tourist wares can be purchased. There is also a wonderful assortment of Dutch bakeries and restaurants in the town, we sampled the pastries and they were truly decadent.

The Food
Food in California is outstanding. Whether you are a vegetarian or confirmed carnivore most restaurants will be able to satisfy your needs. Californians place a huge emphasis on fresh food since agriculture is second only to entertainment as California’s biggest industry. Never be afraid to ask for items to be cooked the way that you want it and most restaurants have special “off menu” items that those in the know can ask for.

If you want to eat like a true Californian and you get a craving for a good burger make sure to stop by an In-Out Burger. These fast food drive-ins only offer a double meat burger, a hamburger, a cheeseburger, french fries, shakes and soft drinks. Everything is fresh, never frozen and true to California form there is an off menu item. For those of you on the Atkins diet you can get a burger with no bun wrapped in lettuce. Just ask for the protein burger.

The people tend to be very laid back too which can be frustrating for people wanting to do business with Californians but makes it ideal for vacationers. I constantly have to remind my staff that deadlines are just that, not mere suggestions. I have also had some interesting Human Resources issues as well. Take the salesperson who suggested she was being discriminated against because she was just so much prettier than the other people she worked with. This is normally an issue that I could laugh off but in California anything goes. If you are looking for relaxation, this is the place.