Getting to the Fashion District By Bus

The Los Angeles Fashion District is great for business travelers (buyers, designers, wholesalers), as well as leisure shoppers. Most transactions are wholesale but there are plenty of retail opportunities for every shopper.

There is an abundance of affordable clothing, shoes, perfume, knock off designer purses, toys, trinkets and more.  Looking for Gucci?  You won't find it here but you may find "Guchi."

The famed Santee Alley is reminiscent of weekend markets in Paris and South East Asian night markets. Need textiles, hair accessories or evening gowns?  No problem.  You can check out this website to see a detailed map of the Fashion District.  There's even an app you can download and use as a guide.

GO CARD Los Angeles: Is It Worth Buying?

Several of our guests invest in the GO CARD Los Angeles in order to save on sightseeing. It works great as long as you do some pre-planning and determine exactly what you want to see and do.  Just make sure you don't try to do too much in one day.  Since Los Angeles is huge and spread out, cramming too many activities into one day can rush you too much and ruin the experience.

These are the two most popular types of GO CARD's:

Van Shuttle From LAX - Choose Prime Time Shuttle

Many of our guests have been choosing to take a shared van shuttle from LAX to our hotel.  This is a great option if you are looking to save some money and don't mind sharing a ride with other travelers.
We always recommend our guests use Prime Time Shuttle instead of Super Shuttle because it costs less.  Sample pricing as of December 2014 is below.

PRICING:

Prime Time Shuttle
1 Person - $16
2 Persons - $32

Super Shuttle
1 Person - $28
2 Persons - $37

Be sure to book with Prime Time Shuttle if you want to save money on a shared van shuttle.  You can also take a look at our other blog posts on options for getting here from LAX.

Getting a SIM Card in the US

Getting a US SIM card for your smartphone while in the US will make your travels much easier by accessing the internet on the go and using Google Maps.  Car rental companies offer navigation systems, but they can get costly - especially for longer trips since they charge you per day.  A better option is to purchase a SIM card for your unlocked GSM smartphone.  Be sure to check if your phone is unlocked with your provider back home first.  If you do not own a GSM phone, you can always purchase an inexpensive phone here along with your SIM card.

Two carriers provide service for unlocked GSM phones here in the US - T-Mobile and AT&T.  You can purchase a SIM card directly from either carrier at a nearby retail location listed below, or stores like Target, Walmart or Best Buy.  One of the most affordable (but slower) options is purchasing a Straight Talk SIM card at Walmart starting at just $30.  Just note that Walmart's are located in the suburbs, so if you do not have a car, it will be best to visit one of the nearby T-Mobile stores downtown.

Downtown Eats: TASTE at FIGat7th

Downtown LA is a great place to find tasty food, regardless of your budget.  You will find everything from high end five star restaurants to affordable hole in the wall eateries.  Here at Jerry's Motel, we are big fans of gourmet fast food - food that is inexpensive yet high quality.

The recently remodeled FIG at 7th shopping complex on Figueroa and 7th St. is the home of TASTE, a gourmet food court with great food options at affordable prices.  This is not your typical mall food court.  These options include high quality ingredients.  For about $7-$12 per person you can take your pick from several options that include:

George's Greek Grill
Indus by Saffron (Indian)
Loteria Grill (Mexican)
Mendocino Farms (sandwiches)
New Moon Cafe (contemporary Chinese)
Oleego by Park's BBQ (Korean BBQ)
The Melt (all kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches)
Torta Company (Mexican sandwiches)
And More!

Downtown Eats: Plan Check Kitchen + Bar

Plan Check Kitchen + Bar has just opened a new location in Downtown Los Angeles!  Just a few short blocks away from Jerry's Motel, Plan Check is a popular gastropub offering amazingly juicy and unique gourmet burgers alongside craft beers, creative speciality cocktails and more!  This is our new go-to spot for a delicious hamburger in Downtown LA.  Plan Check is also a great spot for sports enthusiasts to watch a game and have a drink.  Burgers are priced at about $12-14.

Tempting menu options include:

• PCB (Plan Check Burger) -  americanized dashi cheese, ketchup leather, schmaltz onions, mixed pickles and a delicious crunch bun. 
• Chefs Favorite Burger - cheese two ways, bacon two ways, ketchup leather, fried egg and hot sauce.
• K-BBQ Burger - grilled pork belly, kimcheese, sprouting onion, gochujang bbq sauce, sesame salt and fried onions.
• Southern Fry Sandwich - smokey fried jidori chicken, spicy green pimento cheese, duck breast ham and pickles. 

LA Driving Tips

Right Turn On Red Light

One of the most common questions we get from our international visitors is, "can I make a right hand turn at a red light?"  The answer is yes, EXCEPT when there is a sign that says "NO TURN ON RED."  Most intersections do not have this sign, but always check before turning right.  If you do not see this sign, you must first make a complete stop, check for pedestrians crossing the street, and then cautiously turn right.

Rush Hour

Another common question is, "what time is rush hour"?  Rush hour is typically Monday through Friday, from 7am-10am and in the afternoon from approximately 4pm-7pm.  BUT more often than not, you will still run into traffic at any time of the day.  It is just a part of the Los Angeles experience and at one point or another you will have to sit in traffic.  The best thing to do is not get stressed or upset about it.  You can try your best to plan around it, but do not delay the start of your day or shorten the amount of time you spend sightseeing a certain location just to avoid traffic.

Drive safely!  

Closest Metro Stations to Jerry's Motel

Jerry's Motel is conveniently located within 1 mile of 2 Metro light rail stations.  We provide maps of the Downtown LA area at check in, so all of these locations will be easy to locate on a map.

7th Street/Metro Center Station is located just 1 mile away from us, and can be reached by either a 15-20 minute walk, or you can catch bus #16/316 (toward Downtown LA) across the street on 3rd Street and get off at the 6th St/Hope Street stop.  From there, you walk just 3 short blocks to 5th St and Flower St., or 5th and Figueroa.  The 7th St/Metro Center stop is a hub that connects the red, purple and blue lines.

An Evening at the Walt Disney Concert Hall

The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA was designed by the great architect Frank Gehry and is home to the LA Philharmonic Orchestra.  The venue feels small and intimate, and the acoustics are hailed as one of the best in the world.

The iconic building is both great to just see, tour, or attend a musical event.  Events include classical, jazz, world music and other chamber music.  You can have an evening with Beethoven and Mozart, or chamber music with strings only, or perhaps watch a classic Halloween movie like Nosferatu with a live organ!  All of the different types of events provide a very unique LA experience.

Street Food Finds: Tacos Al Pastor

Driving through Los Angeles anytime between the early evening to the wee hours of the morning, there will be no shortage of Mexican street food.  You can find tacos and burritos sold out of food trucks and makeshift food stalls set up in vacant parking lots or even just a side walk.

One of our personal favorite street dishes is tacos and burritos "AL PASTOR".  "Al pastor" is spit-grilled pork meat marinated with dried chilies, an array of spices and to add a pinch of sweetness, pineapple!  It is very similar to shawarma, Turkish doner kebab and Greek gyros.  This delicious meat style originated in central Mexico, where it was adopted from Lebanese immigrants.

It is tender.  It is juicy.  It should be something you try at least once.

Free Guided Walking Tours of Downtown Los Angeles

Free LA Tour provides free walking tours of Downtown Los Angeles.  They currently provide 2 different tours (Historic Core and Union Station to Pershing Square).  Each tour provides a great introduction to the downtown areas history, cool architecture and public art displays.

Each tour requires about 2 miles of walking and lasts approximately 2 hours.  Both tours are available every day of the week, except some holidays (check their website).  Tours start at 10:00am and 3:30pm.  If you do both tours you will get a really great feel for Downtown LA.

PLEASE note that although the tours are free, you should ALWAYS donate a minimum tip/contribution of $10 per person.  This allows these great folks to continue to provide such a great service.  Trust us, even with this small tip, these tours are an amazing bargain.

Downtown Eats: Grand Central Market

Grand Central Market in Downtown LA is a historic open air market that originally opened in 1917.  During the last two years, the market has been reinvigorated and new trendy gourmet stalls have opened and operate alongside the traditional produce, spice and taco spots.

Be sure to visit the iconic market with it's cool neon signs and great food spots.  Prices are very reasonable and the choices are great.

Grand Central Market is located at 317 South Broadway, just 1 mile from Jerry's Motel (20 minute walk).  1 hour of free parking is available with a purchase of $10 or more.  Make sure you save your receipt!

Market is open from 8am-6pm Sunday-Wednesday, and 8am-9pm Thursday-Saturday.

Highlights of popular eateries include:

Modern Art in Downtown LA

If you are a modern art buff, you will have two great museum choices in Downtown Los Angeles thanks to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).

MOCA Grand Avenue

First, there is MOCA Grand Avenue.  MOCA is the only museum in the city that features only contemporary art.  The collection includes Minimalist, Abstract Impressionist, Post-Modernist and Pop Art.

Make sure you plan ahead, since the museum is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Thursdays are FREE from 5pm-8pm.


MOCA Geffen Contemporary

The Geffen Contemporary in the Little Tokyo district of downtown is home to a collection of more unwieldy and playful collections and exhibits.  Like the Grand Avenue museum, Geffen is also closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and free admission is available on Thursdays from 5pm-8pm.

Click here to see current pricing and hours of operation for MOCA.

In other exciting news, The Broad Museum will be opening soon in 2015 and will house post-war and contemporary art collections.  Best of all, admission will be free.

Dodger Game Time: Getting There

Jerry's Motel is conveniently located approximately 2 miles from Dodger Stadium.  Although pretty close distance-wise, we do not recommend you walk to Dodger Stadium.  Unlike stadiums and arenas in other cities that are located in the thick of the city, Dodger Stadium is awkwardly tucked away within a park on a hill.  Trust us, once you make your way there, you will understand what we mean.

Be sure to experience a game if you are in town during baseball season.  Several game nights include free giveaways and souvenirs like bobble heads, beach towels, backpacks and more!  Additionally, not only are Dodger games a great LA experience, but Dodger Stadium is one of the best looking stadiums in the country with its classic mid-century modern design.

Griffith Park Observatory DASH Weekend Shuttle

The Griffith Park Observatory and its surrounding grounds are great for views of the city and the Hollywood sign.  One of the best times to visit is before sunset, so you get a day time plus a nice evening view of the lights of LA.

The Griffith Park Observatory building is open Tuesday-Friday (12 noon-10pm) and Saturday-Sunday (10am-10pm).  The Observatory is closed on Mondays, but the surrounding grounds to enjoy the views are still open until 10pm.

Entrance to the observatory building and the grounds is free, but there is a small fee to watch the show in the Planetarium.