DOWNTOWN LA

After 6 months in LA, I finally made it downtown. Downtown LA has changed quite a bit since I was last there 5 years ago. I was killing 2 social commitments with 1 trip downtown, and I wasn't driving or parking, so it was well worth it. The first reason for my downtown trip was the LA Auto Show. I really like the LA Auto Show. I've been going to auto shows either in Miami or LA for the last 10 years. While everyone has their reason for going to any auto show, I have 2: 1. I LOVE the concept cars. Concept cars rarely made, but always so futuristic and cool. At this year's LA Auto Show, only BMW had an incredible looking concept car. 2. I am eagerly awaiting the first 2 door hybrid hard top convertible. No sign of it yet, but I was looking.

After the auto show it was dinner at Rock N Fish, one of the 10 new restaurants at the Nokia Live concert venue right next to the Staples Center. The city has really tried to make downtown LA into an entertainment destination downtown. The trees were decorated for the Christmas season. The LA Kings were playing a hockey game at the Staples Center, the LA Auto Show as at the LA Convention Center and after the auto show and dinner, it was off to the Stevie Wonder/Jonas Brothers Holiday Toy Concert at Nokia Live. Now there's a double bill I thought I would never see, a Motown legend and the biggest boy band in the country right now. Nokia Live is a great space to see concerts. Nokia Live is the best indoor concert space in LA. (LA has the best outdoor concert spaces in the United States, from the Greek Theater to the Henry Ford Theater and the mother of all outdoor concert spaces - the Hollywood Bowl).

Stevie Wonder sounds as good as he always have and I love seeing musical legends playing their hits with some Christmas carols thrown in for good measure. Stevie let himself go. He's now Aretha Franklin big. The Jonas Bros. also played their hits and the girls would scream their heads off the entire song, all set long. I almost lost my hearing.

Downtown LA is very similar to downtown Miami. There was a lot of overbuilding and what were once condos are now apartments. And also just like downtown Miami, there's not a lot of infrastructure to support living downtown. Although I haven't seen it, I heard there is 1 grocery store in downtown LA. The Ritz Carlton is about to open a huge hotel in April 2010 and the Marriott also is about to open their hotel right next door. Now why someone thinks LA needs 3,000 hotel rooms I'll never know. But LA wants to attract all that lucrative convention business once the economy bounces back.

Also just like downtown Miami, downtown LA is a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.