LA never seems to sleep. So many people, businesses, restaurants, tourists, bars, celebrities, it can be a place that doesn’t feel real. Often when I travel to LA for business, I try to take advantage of waking up early from the time change and work as much as possible. Don’t get me wrong, I take advantage of some of these amazing restaurants, but I rarely take a moment to just enjoy some of the beauty that LA has to offer. So on my last trip out there, we took advantage of one of the best views in LA and decided to do a working day from the cafe at The Getty Center.
Business Traveler Gold: For the cost of parking, you get a view, dose of culture and super fast wifi via The Getty Center.
The Getty experience is breathtaking. From the tram ride up see magnificent views of downtown LA, the ocean and mountain ranges, it is a moment that will help you fall in love with this city. As an artist, the campus architecture and art collections are second to none. I spent my morning and afternoon sitting in the cafe working on my pitch deck with wall to ceiling windows. In the late afternoon, I watched the sunset on Los Angeles and spent some time in reflection in front of Van Gogh’s Irises. Not only did I get alot of work done, I had a chance to reflect and recharge.
Some traveler tips for this trip.
1. Catch breakfast in Santa Monica: Urth Cafe – order the Sunrise Pizza .
2. For a great burger: Don’t miss Umami Burger order the truffle fries!
3. Always have some fun with co-workers and capture it on film.
4. Bring something back. I bought a wonderful children’s book from the Getty for Mag’s and wrote an inscription to let her know that on every trip I think of her.
5. For free wi-fi with a view: The Getty
I have been traveling for work alot lately. It seems that I am in the airport almost every week. I absolutely love airports. Perhaps it is because my dad was a pilot, or maybe it allows me to do people watching at it’s finest. I often imagine the stories that accompany the different people coming and going. Some are on their way to a big pitch. They are preparing for a meeting that could help define their career. Others are emotional, they have just left their loved ones. Their tear filled eyes remind me of all the times I have had to say good-bye to my parents. Then there are the ones headed off to find an adventure. Maybe they are visiting a new country, backpacking through Europe, flying for the first time or traveling as a group. Whatever their stories, in Detroit a special thing has happened. People began sharing their journey on the stones that surround the beautiful fountain in the mcnamara terminal. There are messages shared between travelers. Some mark where they are coming from, others communicate their next adventure, or even tell a secret. It is an organic storytelling gallery. So what story will you share? Bring a sharpee and be sure to tell your story in DTW.
