Our 16th on the road Route 66 and finally we arrived from Las Vegas to Los Angeles – city of angels.
Table of Contents
Delicious Scam Dinner in Los Angeles
We went to a fancy Pez Cantina restaurant in Los Angeles. It had high ratings and some seafood options, so we though we should try. The food was good, but what shocked us was came after the food.
When the bill came in we’ve noticed several charges we didn’t understand. What should have been a bill $126 in the end it was $207.73. IT seems we were automatically charged charged $30 for opening the bottle of wine. I mean that’s probably the best paid job in the world. How many bottles of wine can you open in an hour? Maybe 120? So that would be $576,000 a month working 8 hour shifts for 20 days. Ridiculously insane!
But that wasn’t all. We were automatically charged almost 26% of gratuity, which later was listed as service charge, but also 4% kit charge! Not sure if that was for utensils or for the cork opener!? And to finalise, there was also a tax on top to pay, which in European countries normally is included in the price. It felt like a SCAM. The delicious food left a bitter taste in our mouths. We didn’t argued. He asked how much tip we want to leave as that was service charge for restaurant not him. We just put 18%, paid $244 and left. Seriously, the tipping culture in USA is out of hand! in we end, we had to pay double of what we have spent.
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Unfortunately we didn’t have much time, to visit Walt Disney Concert Hall among many other things. The building looked impressive! Same level of impressive as the Guggenheim Museum building in Bilbao, Spain.
The Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles, designed by Frank Gehry and opened in 2003, is an iconic building with a striking, flowing stainless steel exterior. Home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, its unconventional and sculptural design is a landmark of modern architecture, offering both visual spectacle and exceptional acoustics for musical performances.
Don’t be surprised if you stumble into cockroach in the street.
Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame, a quintessential Los Angeles experience, stretches along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street, a glittering testament to the stars of the entertainment industry. Embedded in the sidewalk are thousands of terrazzo and brass stars, each honoring an actor, musician, director, producer, writer, or other luminary for their contributions to film, television, music, radio, live theatre, and now, even sports entertainment. It’s a constantly evolving monument, with new stars being added in elaborate ceremonies throughout the year, drawing enthusiastic crowds eager to witness the unveiling and catch a glimpse of their idols.
Strolling along the Walk of Fame is a sensory overload of names both legendary and contemporary. You’ll find the icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age nestled amongst modern-day celebrities, creating a unique juxtaposition across generations of entertainment. Tourists from around the globe navigate the bustling sidewalks, cameras in hand, searching for the stars of their favorite performers. Street performers dressed as beloved characters add to the vibrant atmosphere, while souvenir shops hawk miniature star replicas and other Hollywood memorabilia.
Beyond the star-spotting, the Walk of Fame is steeped in history and lore. Each star represents a nomination process, committee approval, and a fee paid by the honoree or their sponsoring organization for the creation and installation of the star, as well as its ongoing maintenance. The selection process, while often celebrated, has also faced occasional criticism and debate regarding the criteria and those who have been overlooked. Nevertheless, the Hollywood Walk of Fame remains an enduring symbol of the entertainment capital of the world, a place where fans can literally walk among the names that have shaped popular culture.
Make sure you watch this before you go.