Ok. Well, it’s been two years now since I last
blogged about the Northern Trust Open (NTO). So, while I sit here staring out
my living room window at snow of all things in Charlotte, NC (I travel a lot
for work for months at a time) kicking myself for not catching a flight back to
LA this weekend I thought I’d update my blog with a revisit to all things NTO.
All right. Where to start? Well, for starters,
the weather is going to be beautiful all 4 days of the tournament for the 1st
time in years. This means crowds. Crowds mean traffic. If the temperature
reaches 75° tomorrow in the Valley, the rest of the Inland Empire is going to
deposit itself at the beach meaning the 10 Freeway is going to be clogged. If
the 10 is clogged, that means the 405 is going to be worse… AVOID THE FREEWAYS
AT ALL COSTS!!!!!
Getting
there (revised):
Use
the same directions as I stated last time. I don’t think they have closed off
any of the back routes so they should still be ok. There is a spectator shuttle
running from the VA Hospital, located in Westwood at the intersection of
Wilshire and the 405. It is really the only place to park, so it makes it easy.
Get there early. When you leave from the VA and if you have to head South, try
taking Barrington, Sepulveda, or Westwood Blvd. Though they are surface
streets, they should flow a whole lot better and you can hop on the 405 heading
South once you clear the intersection with the 10, which is always a major
problem.
If
you are leaving from Riviera, you are going to get dumped on Sunset (sorry). If
you need to head North, then hang a right on Sunset and take it to the 405. If
you are heading South… well, take a right on Allenford, which turns into 26th
St in Santa Monica. Stay on 26th until you hit Olympic. Then turn
right on Olympic, and take another right on Bundy. Bundy will turn into
Centinela, which will intersect the 405 at the Howard Hughes Village. The mess
that is the 405 should be cleared up by then. If not, then it will be a mess
pretty much to San Diego….
If
you are heading to Santa Monica or points on the Westside/South Bay, there are
two basic ways- Left on Sunset to Chautauqua Blvd to West Channel/PCH and on
down. Or, hang a right on Sunset (and right on Allenford) to 26th
St. I’d usually take 26th to Wilshire and stop off at Sonny McLean’s
for a beer or three and chat with my friend Chef Joe or Steve who should be
behind the bar. But, if you have to get somewhere, take a right from 26th
on San Vincente Blvd and take it to Ocean Ave. Hang a left on Ocean and you can
take it all the way to the Venice Beach Pier in Marina Del Ray. If you need to
get to the South Bay, I’d recommend taking a left on Brooks, which turns into
Abbott Kinney and taking it to Washington. A left on Washington give you a
short trip to Lincoln which once you turn right, the mind numbing backup that
is Lincoln should be over. Then you can take a right on Jefferson to Playa Del
Ray and head over to Manhattan Beach the back way…
Once
You Are There:
There
are some nice “upscale” (it is LA after all) options for tickets including the
Clubhouse (over rated), which doesn’t get you any decent food options, but you
get to act like you are a member for a day, the Palisades Club on the 10th
hole this year, which for $65 it gives you the privilege to purchase $12 beers
and $10 burgers. At least you will get a complimentary parings sheet. If you really want to roll, you can put down
$250 (per day) for the United Fairway Club, which is on the 17th
fairway. I’m not sure if they will charge you a baggage fee if you bring an
oversized purse, murse, or backpack into the club, but you do get free food and
drinks, which might or might not be leftover airline food…
The
spots to stake out are the Par 4 10th hole which will probably be
set up as a high risk/reward driving hole, and the hill overlooking the 18th
green. There are some decent viewing sites at other holes, but those are the
best two.
Where
to eat:
Ok,
since I last wrote about this, the dining landscape has shifted drastically. In
fact, the 1st two restaurants listed are no longer. Which sucks
because I really liked them a lot. But, life goes on and here is a list in
addition to the ones listed before:
The
Misfit- This used to be Anisette Brasserie. Same bar, same fixtures, but more
upscale drink offerings. Eh.
Thai
Dishes- This is a Santa Monica staple with multiple locations. The newest
location is next to where the Yard used to be on Broadway between Ocean and 2nd
St. Food price is very reasonable for Santa Monica and the kitchen is open
later than most.
Wokano-
5th and Santa Monica Blvd. Another Asian restaurant this one is a
block from my Apt. It has a really cool outdoor area on its 2nd
floor. I once saw Tara Reid having dinner here with a Kardashian (don’t know
which one nor do I care). Yeah, the surgeries are much worse in real life…
Santa
Monica Place- Ok. They finally completed the Mall. A year and a half ago. It is
an open air mall in the vein of The Grove. There is a 3rd floor “food
deck” with a food court and some higher end restaurants: A pizza place, a wine
bar, and a Mexican restaurant. They are all decent, if overpriced. There is
also a “Market Place” where there are some specialty food vendors. The best
thing to be about the food deck are the lounge style seating options which give
you a view of the ocean.
NY&C
Pizza- 11th and Wilshire. This is a new(er) offering by the same
friends of mine who run South Santa Monica. From the name, you can get NY style
big slices or Chicago style deep dish. No frills, standard beer selection.
Jiraffe-
I can’t believe I omitted this place last time. Located at the corner of 5th
and Santa Monica, this is my favorite upscale restaurant in LA. Yes, it is
pricy. Yes, it is small. Yes, you should call ahead for a reservation. The Pork
Chops are worth it.
Bay
Cities- Again, another glaring omission. Located on Lincoln between Broadway
and Colorado this is mostly a lunch staple. The Godmother is one helluva
sandwich. It is best to have a clue on what you want to order ahead of time as
the regulars will be angry if you take your time. Don’t park at the VONS,
because they will tow you.
Swingers-
Right next to Bay Cities at Lincoln and Broadway this is a totally ‘LA’ diner.
Open 24 hours, you will never know who or what you will see there. In B-school,
I ate breakfast here every morning during finals week. Good, cheap, and great
milkshakes. Or jack and cokes if you desire.
Gjelina-
This is down in Venice on Abbot Kinney Blvd. It is one of those trendy totally ‘LA’
kind of places. That being said, I do like it. Its going to be packed, but what
isn’t on Abbot Kinney.
Main
Street Sunday Farmers’ Market- If you want a great and cheap meal before Sunday’s
final round, go here. Numerous restaurants and food vendors set up shop and
offer everything from omelets to Steak Frites. This is usually the 1st
stop on my weekly Sunday am long walks.
Where
to Drink:
Well,
since all of the above mentioned places offer adult beverages I’ll keep this to
newer places where you should drink only.
The
Other Room- You may have heard of ‘The Room’ in NYC. Well, this is the “other”
Room. It is my favorite bar in Venice. It is on Abbot Kinney at the Western
end, or “the beginning” of the strip. Great craft beer selection, equally as
good craft wine selection too.
Library
Ale House- My favorite choice among the numerous offerings along Main Street
Santa Monica. Excellent craft beer
selection, some wines, and a cool California Craftsmen décor.
Basement
Tavern- This is the newest en vogue place to go in Santa Monica. Located right
on Main Street in ‘The Victorian’ which is a historical Victorian (duh) home
that has been renovated to an event (read: weddings) space they have now opened
it to the public on weekend nights. Has a cool outdoor space a crowded main
level bar, and a cramped basement (I mean it is a basement) bar. Nothing really
special in terms of beverage offerings, but it is cool.
Hinano’s-
This Venice staple is on Westchester on the Pier Block. It is a total dive bar,
that you will recognize from its appearance in numerous movies, commercials,
and TV shows. I would recommend drinking beer from the bottle here.
Nikki’s-
This is a stylish place on Market street in Venice a block off the beach.
Expect to see beautiful people who dress like they know it.
Well,
I guess this is enough for now. I’d offer up a “Where to Stay Section”, but it
is kinda late in the game for that. Maybe next year….
