The Royal Couple Visits Los Angles; A few things for William and Kate to do while in LA

[Rancho Park Online]

Prince William and his wife, Catherine, will be visiting Los Angeles from July 8 to July 10. Their itinerary is packed with official visits, businesses events to encourage U.K. investment, and, inevitably, a charity polo match. But since they’re in town anyway, we thought we’d suggest some other places we think they would like in our fair city.
Rancho Park

 

Although not currently on the Royal Couple's itinerary, Rancho Park's central location makes it a great West LA pitstop as the peripatetic pair make their way to and from Hancock Park, downtown LA, Culver City and Santa Barbara. Plus, we've got some great attractions and conveniences that they won't want to miss.
1. The Rancho Park Archery Range

Polo schmolo. If you're looking for a royal sport, it is archery that hits the bullseye. Although several English kings met their demise at the point of an artfully shot arrow, (including one King William II who is believed to have been killed at the behest of his younger brother Henry), the game was so encouraged by some monarchs that they are said to have banned playing football, cricket and golf as these sports interfered with archery practice. Henry VIII, reportely the best archer in England, so loved the pasttime he decreed that every English male keep a longbow in his home.

With that rich history (and his own younger brother named Henry, aka Harry) the Rancho Park Archery Range seems the perfect place for Will and Kate to aim to see. As luck would have it the Rancho Park resource offers free classes each Saturday at 11:00 and at 1:30 on the second Sunday of each month. Right on target for their LA trip.

The Rancho Park Archery Range is located in the back of Cheviot Hills Park at 2459 Motor. [phone].

2. The Wellesbourne

If William and Kate find themselves longing for a classic drink as stiff as the famous British upper lip, they should head to the Wellesbourne on Pico Blvd near Westwood Blvd. There they can toast their good luck at finding a place that serves up old-English cocktails in a setting that looks like a home away from home for Brits, with an English-style game room, library and sitting room. But don't let the mahogany walls lined with books fool you, this new Rancho Park bar, which stays open until 2:00 a.m., is just the sort of hip-happening spot that should remind Will and Kate of their London club outings.

10929 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles

2. Crown Car Wash

Since they certainly are doing a lot of driving, and will no doubt be accompained by a large convoy of cars, the whole entourage would do well to make a stop at Rancho Park's Crown Carwash, where everyone gets the royal treatment. Conveniently located at the northeast corner of Pico Blvd. and Beverly Glen, this Rancho Park gem will have the regal retinue cleaned, buffed and polished in no time.

10399 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, 90064 [phone]

3. Hanna and Her Sisters

And speaking of buffed and polished, after reading this breaking news story on the Princess' penchant for short, natural-looking nails, I highly recommend a visit to Hanna and Her Sisters nail salon. Hanna (and her sisters) will charm the Duchess of Cambridge with their warm and welcoming personalities (their phone number is actually 475-NICE) and impress her with their selection of neutral nail polish hues and their expertise in all manicure-related manners.

2265 Westwood Blvd Ste C Los Angeles, CA 90064

310-475-6423

If they miss reading the British tabloids, which are both making and breaking news these days, Rancho Park features two great newsstands with international papers and magazines.

5. Two Great Newsstands

Marck's Westwood Newsstand is just north of Pico Blvd. at 2371 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Century World News is on the corner of Pico and Parnell at 10597 1/2 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Find more photos like this on Rancho Park Online

 

Culver City

Actually, the Duke and Duchess will be coming to Culver City on the last day of their visit--the Royal Itinerary will include a visit to a job fair for veterans at Sony. As William serves as President of the British Academy of Film and Television, such a visit to Culver City is highly appropriate. But as long as the couple is in our city, I’d like to suggest they visit:

 

1. Royal/T Cafe

For a little touch of home with an arty Culver City twist, the Royal Couple should visit the Royal/T. They can enjoy a High Tea (I recommend the Royal Milk Tea), which comes complete with lovely finger sandwiches and pastries. Because Royal/T is also an exhibition space, they can now also take in the eclectic show curated by New York artist KAWS featuring the work of more than 25 contemporary artists including Olaf Breuning and Takashi Murakami.

 

2. H.D. Buttercup

As newlyweds, William and Catherine are going to want some cool furnishings for their new house, right? Well, H.D. Buttercup, located in the Helms Bakery District is just the ticket. (If they are able to slip away for a burger and sweet potato fries at My Father’s Office, all the better). At H.D. Buttercup, they’ll be able to mix and match from a wide selection of furniture, fine linens, lighting, rugs, artwork, and home accents. And they’ll be visiting just in time for the store’s half-yearly sale where everything in the entire store is 20 to 70 percent off. Man are they lucky.

 

3. Waterloo & City

Finally, at the end of a long day, William and Catherine should head west to Waterloo & City. Named for the London Underground railway line, the restaurant prides itself on being a traditional British gastropub. Their late night menu features a wide and changing variety of charcuterie, or the couple could just sit back with a “Dark & Stormy,” Goslings rum and ginger beer, and soak up the Culver City friendly.

 

 

Leimert Park and South Los Angeles

 

As the beloved figureheads of one country, Kate and William should travel around Los Angeles and visit some of the inspiring homages to U.S. President Barak Obama, the most cherished president since Kennedy.

 

Find more photos like this on Leimert Park Beat

In the past few years these portraits have sprung all over the city, from a pet shop showing the commander in chief holding turtles near Rancho Park to his likeness on the torso of Superman.

 

But nowhere is the love greater than the working class neighborhoods of South Los Angeles, where's Obama's visage is displayed with simple dignity on the side of a clothing store on Marting Luther King Boulevard and a bank on Figueroa.

 

KAOS Network

 

For the new sound of West Coast hiphop that sweeping the world's music scene, crossing all boundaries it's KAOS Network, home of Project Blowed and the vibes that emanate from the icon white fountain of Leimert Park Village.

 

This incubator of the hip hop art form is on its latest generation of all stars - Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, Kyle VerBS, Dom Kennedy.

 

The established - Aceyalone and Medusa. And the classic - The People's Arkestra and Cut Chemist.

Echo Park

Normally reserved for king and queen of the hipsters, these two refurbished chairs in Echo Park's Elysian Park near the Grace Simons Lodge are ready for the Royal Couple. The EastsideLA posted a pic of these tree trunk chairs created several years ago that were spray painted metallic gold and silver.

But if Kate and Will were coming to Echo Park I would recommend grabbing the "Secret Stairs" guidebook by Charles Fleming, which takes the urban hiker through the history of Los Angeles' oldest neighborhood. From Red Hill where the Communists lived, to Elysian Park around Dodger Stadium and down to Echo Park Avenue for Delilah's Bakery for a treat. It's a real taste of Echo Park.

Find more photos like this on Echo Park Online

[Overland Avenue]

And, ironically, they did just that!  Well, almost!  From Culver City, the royals headed up Overland Avenue, past Palms Park and the Rancho-Palms Library, gave a nod to the President of the Westside Neighborhood Council who just happened to be lurking on the avenue, up past the Westside Pavilion, before navigating east past St. Tim's, Crown Carwash, Rancho Park Golf Course and Archery, past Fox Studios and onward to the Beverly Hilton.