LA’s Culture Vultures with a Sense of Humor

Los Angeles is known to beat at the pace of a very different drummer and this season is no exception. From the Esotouric Tours that take visitors on “Haunts of a Dirty Old Man: Charles Bukowski’s L.A.” (how dirty can it be if you are doing this from a motorcoach) to L.A.’s new indoor skydiving attraction. GQ recently did an article about Robert Downey Jr. who wouldn’t conduct the interview with the journalist unless they did it at Universal CityWalk’s new wind tunnel, so this is obviously a new must for visitors too.

When the Ceiling is the Limit
iFLY Hollywood at Universal CityWalk Hollywood (Hollywood) takes extreme to new heights with the opening of iFLY Hollywood, LA 's first ever indoor skydiving wind tunnel. Housed in the world's tallest and most technologically advanced indoor wind tunnel, thrill-seekers enjoy a close approximation of a true skydiving experience as they are suspended in mid-air at heights of up to 30 feet and wind speeds of more than 125 miles-per-hour, with 360-degree views of CityWalk's pedestrian promenade. The experience replicates skydiving by using two colossal electric fans (the equivalent of more than 800 horse-power), to give guests of all ages an authentic and intense free-fall sensation. Certified skydiving instructors provide individualized training prior to each skydiving adventure and guests don authentic skydiving gear. Guests receive a Certificate of Completion following their flight. Single flight packages cost $39.95. Group rates are available. www.iflyhollywood.com. www.citywalkhollywood.com

Talk of the Town
Of course, the talk of the town moving forward in LA is going to The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood (opening May 17):
“The Simpsons Ride “ is a new mega attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood based on the critically acclaimed TV series and movie, “The Simpsons.” “The Simpsons Ride” will take guests to a side of Springfield previously unexplored as they enter “Krustyland,” a new fantasy theme park within the theme park, created by the show’s cantankerous Krusty the Clown. In this fully immersive experience, guests will be rocketed along with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson on “Krusty’s Thrilltacular Roller Coaster,” where they’ll rip roar at faster than lightning speeds on a hysterical, almost unimaginable adventure. “The Simpsons Ride” is an unprecedented collaboration between Universal Parks & Resorts and “The Simpsons” creators, Executive Producer Matt Groening and Executive Producer James L. Brooks. “The Simpsons Ride” features the show’s classic humor with 29 popular Springfield residents all voiced by the original talent, including Hank Azaria, Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Julie Kavner and Yeardley Smith.
Visit www.universalstudios.com

Stalking a Dirty Old Man
Back in March, the Cultural Heritage Commission recommended the L.A. City Council to name the longtime East Hollywood home of poet and novelist Charles Bukowski as an official Historic-Cultural monument. This protects the modest, now-vacant bungalow court from demolition and ensures future generations of fans will be able to visit the site where a disgruntled 50-something postal worker made the leap to international celebrated writer.
Richard Schave, one of the organizers of the preservation campaign, hosts a very special memorial edition of the Esotouric bus tour "Haunts of a Dirty Old Man: Charles Bukowski's L.A." on the anniversary of Buk's 1994 death. This is a chance for Bukowski lovers to come together to celebrate the landmarking, which was dogged by false accusations of Nazism from the building's owners, but which garnered widespread support from the preservation and literary communities and city officials.
Esotouric has made its name with true crime bus tours (Black Dahlia, Pasadena Confidential) and explorations of literary L.A. (Raymond Chandler, John Fante, James M. Cain). Here they turn their creative attentions to Bukowski, the prolific poet, novelist and screenwriter whose rough-hewn tales of boozing, wild women and rotten jobs never obscure the deep vein of sweetness and hope that runs through all his work.
"Haunts of a Dirty Old Man" spans Bukowski's personal city, from Skid Row to once-genteel Crown Hill, favorite bars and liquor stores, "Barfly" locations to the downtown library, where he discovered his "God," novelist John Fante. German born, Bukowski spent most of his life in L.A., working for the US Postal Service, as "Notes of a Dirty Old Man" columnist for the underground press and writing the screenplay for the autobiographical "Barfly." The city and its characters are everywhere in the work, so this tour celebrates the artist within his city with visits to places that were important to him.
Upcoming Esotouric bus tour schedule include: Sat., June 14- Vroman's - The Birth of Noir: James M. Cain's SoCal Nightmare; Sat., Aug. 9- Vroman's Bookstore - Charles Bukowki's LA; Sat., Oct. 11 Vroman's Bookstore - Raymond Chandler's LA. Visit www.esotouric.com
For more information on L.A., visit www.discoverLosAngeles.com

January 2008 Issue

Exploring San Francisco’s Classic Charm

Whether agents are looking for group rates and availability in San Francisco’s hotels, transportation services and sightseeing options for tours, or suggestions for cultural attractions and events, the Tourism Division of the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau is the Travel Professional's one-stop resource for the best San Francisco has to offer.
The SFCVB encourages travel agents to visit the city on familiarization programs so that agency staffs can experience the charm that is uniquely San Francisco. The Tourism division provides welcome packets designed specifically for travel professionals to become better acquainted with all that the city has to offer.

This Year’s Big Events
Plans are afoot to mark the 75th anniversary of Coit Tower, the 210-foot-structure that dominates San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill. While it has had its detractors — Gladys Hansen in her book, San Francisco Almanac, includes this quote from H.A. Haskell, M.D.: “I consider it (Coit Tower) a blemish, without the remotest artistic significance; a defacement of a natural formation that ever delighted the eye of those approaching the city by water.” — it also has a legion of admirers and has been chosen in various SF Weekly reader polls as the city’s “Best Place to Forget the Other 49 States.”
Named for Lilllie Hitchcock Coit, an honorary member of Knickerbocker Number Five Fire Company and a lifelong firefighting buff, the tower was built in 1933 using a $125,000 bequest from Coit for the purpose of “adding to the beauty of the City which I have always loved.” Coit Tower was designed by Henry Howard of the firm of Arthur Brown, Jr., whose credits also include San Francisco’s City Hall and War Memorial Opera House. Frescoed murals by 26 different artists ringing the central section of the structure depict “Aspects of Life in California, 1934” and were funded by the Public Works of Art Project, 1933-34. Free tours of Coit Tower are offered by City Guides, every Saturday at 11 am; for details, visit www.sfcityguides.org. Anniversary plans will be announced at a later date.

Hotel News
Nick’s Cove & Cottages Opens at Tomales Bay on Marin Coast. Lined with its beloved cabins and restaurant that have delighted Highway One travelers with funky quarters, BBQ oysters, and the freshest seafood hauled in by local fishermen until 1999, Nick’s Cove & Cottages has been lovingly brought back to life by Pat Kuleto, in partnership with acclaimed chef Mark Franz. Opened in May 2007, the new Nick’s Cove & Cottages, 23240 Hwy. 1 in Marshall, feature luxury cottages located on or over the water, a 400-foot pier with docking for local fishermen, an artful array of antique boating memorabilia and the fully restored 130-seat, indoor/outdoor Nick’s Cove restaurant with its spectacular views of Tomales Bay, long celebrated as one of the California coast’s most pristine settings. Call 866-63-NICKS (6-4257); www.nickscove.com

Classic San Francisco
When your clients want to see all of The City's world-famous sights, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, Mission Dolores and Golden Gate Park, you can't beat a regularly scheduled city tour.
A half-day motorcoach or van tour, an overview of neighborhoods by motorized cable car, or a self-guided tour by car following the 49-Mile

Scenic Drive.
An up-close-and-personal look at San Francisco's unique architecture, colorful history and ethnic neighborhoods on a walking tour.
One of the most popular destinations in The City, your clients can stroll along Fisherman's Wharf and the waterfront area or take a pedicab tour.
The Wharf is also one of the places to begin a ride on a cable car, America's only moving national historic landmark. A free, self-guided tour of the Cable Car Museum shows visitors firsthand how the cable cars operate.
If your clients enjoy outdoor activities, Golden Gate Park is a terrific place to be. They can golf, jog, hike, lawn bowl, play tennis, hire paddle boats on Stow Lake, rent roller skates or bicycles and ride all the way to the beach. The main road through the park is closed to motor traffic on Sundays and holidays year-round. Or, a helicopter ride over The City or a kayak across the Bay might appeal to your clients.
Run in one of San Francisco's annual foot races: Hill Stride, The San Francisco Marathon or The City's most famous, the Bay to Breakers, which attracts more than 100,000 costumed runners every May.
Take a 15-minute ferry ride to Angel Island (departures from Fisherman's Wharf) and hike, bicycle or picnic along paths with views of The City and San Francisco Bay. Walk or cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge followed by a ferry ride back, the ultimate Only-in-San-Francisco adventure.

Visit www.sfcvb.org; or www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com