University of Georgia Athletics
There’s Plenty To Do In L.A.
December 26, 2017 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
Not long after I found out at Georgia was in the College Football Playoff and headed out to the Rose Bowl, I knew there were two men I needed to speak to. If I was going to write up some kind of guide to experiencing Los Angeles and the surrounding area like a local would, and if I was going to experience the good stuff myself, I needed to contact two experts: Georgia volleyball coach Tom Black and UCLA men's tennis coach Billy Martin.
"L.A.'s like a little nation," Black said. "There's 12 parts and they're all so different. L.A.'s known for Hollywood, but I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and I never even thought about Hollywood."
Black spent pretty much his whole life around L.A. before coming to Athens last year. Martin said he first arrived in Los Angeles, from Chicago, in 1971, and the 1975 NCAA singles champion (inducted into the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame in Athens in 1996) has been there pretty much ever since. He's entering his 25th year as head coach and 35th on the Bruins' staff.
Also helping assemble this guide were former Redcoat Marching Band member Danette Beck, who lives in Pasadena, and Brooks and Kim Arnold, two Athenians whose three daughters all live in the L.A. area. My sincere thanks to all of them.
One thing Black couldn't stress enough, and it was music to my ears, was the quality of the Mexican food — "You have to hit little, hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants," he said — and the fish tacos in particular.
"If you're from the South and this is your first time in L.A., you've got to get fish tacos," Black said. "They're not fried; they're grilled and they're blackened, it's corn tortillas not flour, so you've got to do that."
For good Mexican in Venice, Black said Casablanca's had the best tortillas he's ever had and La Cabaña is really, really good, too. Martin suggested Don Antonio's as a great hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint, located on Pico Boulevard in West L.A.
For the best burger, Martin suggested another spot on Pico, a diner, The Apple Pan. Near UCLA's campus is Stan's Donuts, an institution in Westwood Village, that's been around for more than 50 years.
If you're looking for a superb pastrami sandwich, Beck suggests The Hat, which has more than 10 locations in the area. For BBQ, and you might want to see how L.A.'s version measures up to your favorite spot back home, Beck recommends Gus's, in South Pasadena, which has been in business since 1946.
Black said his favorite part of L.A. was the Manhattan Beach Pier, which offers something for everyone.
"That's the mecca of beach volleyball and I've spent lots and lots of hours there," he said. "The surf is reasonably good and just the environment, it's family friendly but also if you're 21 and single you can have a lot of fun there, too. It's got everything."
Black said to go to Fonz's for a really nice meal there and Wahoo's for the fish tacos. "It's a chain, but it's solid," he said of Wahoo's.
The Rose Parade is a New Year's Day must, according to Beck, and the perfect way to start the day before heading to the Rose Bowl. The annual event, "a greeting to the world on the first day of the year," according to the Tournament of Roses website, begins at 8 a.m. Here's the link for the parade route: https://www.tournamentofroses.com/rose-parade/parade-day-guide.
Beck suggests getting tickets for grandstand seats if you can, because the streets will be packed (folks camp out overnight to get the good spots). Local tip from Beck: sit on the south side of the street so the sun won't be in your eyes.
If you want to see former Georgia star running back Todd Gurley, who has been spectacular in his third season with the Rams, they host the 49ers at the Coliseum on New Year's Eve (1:25 p.m.). The Rams' turnaround this season is one of the great stories in the NFL, and they can clinch the No. 3 seed in the NFC with a win Sunday. [Be advised: Gurley and many Rams starters may mostly be spectators Sunday, according to reports from L.A. this week.]
A huge reason for the Rams' surge this season is the play of Gurley, who is among the top candidates for MVP. He leads the NFL in rushing (1,305 yards), rushing touchdowns (13) and total touchdowns (19). Also on the Rams is former Bulldog linebacker Alec Ogletree, who is having a great season and leads the team with 95 tackles.
For another Bulldog fix, the Lakers, with former Georgia guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, host Memphis at Staples Center on Jan. 27 ( 7:30 p.m.) and the Clippers on the 29th (7 p.m.). Pope is averaging 13.7 points and 5.2 rebounds a game this season.
If you want a bit of a downtown Athens feel, head over to Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice. There are dozens of interesting, locally-owned shops and restaurants, with coffee shops, juice bars, Mexican food, vegan joints and so much more, including galleries with lots of interesting stuff you never knew you wanted.
And Venice, like a lot of places in the L.A. area, and like Athens, offers up great people watching. Browse the shops that will sell you a $50 trucker hat or $200 hoodie, grab some fish tacos and take a long stroll or bike ride on the beach-front path and check out the famous Muscle Beach and everything else there is to see.
If you have the time, and a rental car, everyone I talked to said you need to take a long drive on the Pacific Coast Highway, Highway 1, that takes you by Santa Monica, Malibu and Ventura.
"That drive from Malibu to Ventura, it's like the gates of heaven open up," Black said. "It's so beautiful, and there are so many great places to stop along the way."
Another thing the L.A. area has in abundance is great hiking, from in town all around Griffith Park to the surrounding mountains. It might seem a tad corny to hike up to the Hollywood sign atop Mount Lee in Griffith Park, about 3.5 miles, but the view is certainly worth it.
You might also consider, if you're heading out to Malibu and up for a challenge, the Escondido Falls hike, which is 3.8 miles round trip and offers some difficult terrain on the way to the 150-foot Upper Escondido Falls.
Beck said the Eaton Canyon hike (which also has a waterfall) is also great, with the option going on a two-mile trip or stretching it out to 10.
Safe travels to everyone heading to L.A., and hopefully you're tired, hoarse and elated on the trip home.
UGAAA Staff Writer
Not long after I found out at Georgia was in the College Football Playoff and headed out to the Rose Bowl, I knew there were two men I needed to speak to. If I was going to write up some kind of guide to experiencing Los Angeles and the surrounding area like a local would, and if I was going to experience the good stuff myself, I needed to contact two experts: Georgia volleyball coach Tom Black and UCLA men's tennis coach Billy Martin.
"L.A.'s like a little nation," Black said. "There's 12 parts and they're all so different. L.A.'s known for Hollywood, but I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and I never even thought about Hollywood."
Black spent pretty much his whole life around L.A. before coming to Athens last year. Martin said he first arrived in Los Angeles, from Chicago, in 1971, and the 1975 NCAA singles champion (inducted into the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame in Athens in 1996) has been there pretty much ever since. He's entering his 25th year as head coach and 35th on the Bruins' staff.
Also helping assemble this guide were former Redcoat Marching Band member Danette Beck, who lives in Pasadena, and Brooks and Kim Arnold, two Athenians whose three daughters all live in the L.A. area. My sincere thanks to all of them.
One thing Black couldn't stress enough, and it was music to my ears, was the quality of the Mexican food — "You have to hit little, hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants," he said — and the fish tacos in particular.
"If you're from the South and this is your first time in L.A., you've got to get fish tacos," Black said. "They're not fried; they're grilled and they're blackened, it's corn tortillas not flour, so you've got to do that."
For good Mexican in Venice, Black said Casablanca's had the best tortillas he's ever had and La Cabaña is really, really good, too. Martin suggested Don Antonio's as a great hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint, located on Pico Boulevard in West L.A.
For the best burger, Martin suggested another spot on Pico, a diner, The Apple Pan. Near UCLA's campus is Stan's Donuts, an institution in Westwood Village, that's been around for more than 50 years.
If you're looking for a superb pastrami sandwich, Beck suggests The Hat, which has more than 10 locations in the area. For BBQ, and you might want to see how L.A.'s version measures up to your favorite spot back home, Beck recommends Gus's, in South Pasadena, which has been in business since 1946.
Black said his favorite part of L.A. was the Manhattan Beach Pier, which offers something for everyone.
"That's the mecca of beach volleyball and I've spent lots and lots of hours there," he said. "The surf is reasonably good and just the environment, it's family friendly but also if you're 21 and single you can have a lot of fun there, too. It's got everything."
Black said to go to Fonz's for a really nice meal there and Wahoo's for the fish tacos. "It's a chain, but it's solid," he said of Wahoo's.
The Rose Parade is a New Year's Day must, according to Beck, and the perfect way to start the day before heading to the Rose Bowl. The annual event, "a greeting to the world on the first day of the year," according to the Tournament of Roses website, begins at 8 a.m. Here's the link for the parade route: https://www.tournamentofroses.com/rose-parade/parade-day-guide.
Beck suggests getting tickets for grandstand seats if you can, because the streets will be packed (folks camp out overnight to get the good spots). Local tip from Beck: sit on the south side of the street so the sun won't be in your eyes.
If you want to see former Georgia star running back Todd Gurley, who has been spectacular in his third season with the Rams, they host the 49ers at the Coliseum on New Year's Eve (1:25 p.m.). The Rams' turnaround this season is one of the great stories in the NFL, and they can clinch the No. 3 seed in the NFC with a win Sunday. [Be advised: Gurley and many Rams starters may mostly be spectators Sunday, according to reports from L.A. this week.]
A huge reason for the Rams' surge this season is the play of Gurley, who is among the top candidates for MVP. He leads the NFL in rushing (1,305 yards), rushing touchdowns (13) and total touchdowns (19). Also on the Rams is former Bulldog linebacker Alec Ogletree, who is having a great season and leads the team with 95 tackles.
For another Bulldog fix, the Lakers, with former Georgia guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, host Memphis at Staples Center on Jan. 27 ( 7:30 p.m.) and the Clippers on the 29th (7 p.m.). Pope is averaging 13.7 points and 5.2 rebounds a game this season.
If you want a bit of a downtown Athens feel, head over to Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice. There are dozens of interesting, locally-owned shops and restaurants, with coffee shops, juice bars, Mexican food, vegan joints and so much more, including galleries with lots of interesting stuff you never knew you wanted.
And Venice, like a lot of places in the L.A. area, and like Athens, offers up great people watching. Browse the shops that will sell you a $50 trucker hat or $200 hoodie, grab some fish tacos and take a long stroll or bike ride on the beach-front path and check out the famous Muscle Beach and everything else there is to see.
If you have the time, and a rental car, everyone I talked to said you need to take a long drive on the Pacific Coast Highway, Highway 1, that takes you by Santa Monica, Malibu and Ventura.
"That drive from Malibu to Ventura, it's like the gates of heaven open up," Black said. "It's so beautiful, and there are so many great places to stop along the way."
Another thing the L.A. area has in abundance is great hiking, from in town all around Griffith Park to the surrounding mountains. It might seem a tad corny to hike up to the Hollywood sign atop Mount Lee in Griffith Park, about 3.5 miles, but the view is certainly worth it.
You might also consider, if you're heading out to Malibu and up for a challenge, the Escondido Falls hike, which is 3.8 miles round trip and offers some difficult terrain on the way to the 150-foot Upper Escondido Falls.
Beck said the Eaton Canyon hike (which also has a waterfall) is also great, with the option going on a two-mile trip or stretching it out to 10.
Safe travels to everyone heading to L.A., and hopefully you're tired, hoarse and elated on the trip home.
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
Georgia Football 2026 GDay Spring Game - Postgame Player Sound
Saturday, April 18
Georgia Football 2026 G-Day TV Highlights
Saturday, April 18
2026 GDay Spring Game - Coach Smart Press Conference
Saturday, April 18
Georgia Football - Coach Smart Spring Practice Press Conference
Tuesday, April 07