US Open 2014 Update #2 – Hungry?
Where to eat, where to buy groceries, where to find food at 4am, drug stores, transportation questions, a list of the top rated LA restaurants, last-minute packing for rain, still need a room? Lots more...
COUNTDOWN … TWO DAYS!
Weather forecast for Wednesday through Sunday calling for mid-80’s (high 20’s Celsius), sunny and gorgeous. Monday may rain but who cares? By then we’ll be so tired, so happy, we won’t notice dumb things like weather.
Looking for a bed? Roommates? Try the event page on Facebook: US Open 2014 Roomies
Eating During The Open
There’s a restaurant in the hotel (we eat there because fast.) Not cheap. Not expensive. Menu is decent, staff is friendly. (Most of the time. Not the manager, two years ago, Sunday night, when he was very opposite of friendly. Think he got a “dressing-down” cause last year he restrained himself.) Standard breakfast buffet $22. Restaurant closes at normal-human hours (not dancer hours.)
Room service for both food and alcohol is 6:30 am to 11 pm. (So — 7am — when you finally drag yourself off the social-dance floor — you can order a glass of wine delivered to your room. To help you sleep. For two hours ’till you have to get up again.)
Bar and lounge are in the restaurant. And oh MAN the scene in that bar on nights of the Open! Saturday night! Sunday after Awards!
Crowds! Noise! Stories! Drama!
The West Coast Swing Family Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving On Steroids!
Every member of our dysfunctional family here for the holidays! In the same room! And they’re all performing artists!
Close Fast-Food
Right across the street (in the Burbank Airport lot) there’s a Denny’s, Panda Express, McDonalds, pizza joint, sushi place, sub shop – all closing at normal-human hours.
Spectacular Food For Foodies
If you have the time, money, and a car — Hollywood and Los Angeles is a food-lover’s heaven. Many of the top restaurants and chefs in the world.
Including:
- Providence
- Spago
- Animal
- Mozza
- Night + Market
- Guisados
- n/naka
- Baco Mercat
- Tsujita
- Hinoki and The Bird
- Rivera
- Shunji
- Lucques
- … and of course, the uber famous, uber hip, uber hard to find Trois Mec
Groceries For Your Room
Ten Whole Foods within a 10-mile radius of the hotel! Including an enormous Whole Foods a five-minute drive away (331 N Glendale Avenue, Glendale, CA 91206) and a smaller crowded one even closer, in Sherman Oaks. Five Trader Joe’s within five miles of the hotel.
Ralphs one mile from the hotel, open 6am – 1am.
Drugstore right next to Ralphs.
In California beer, wine, and liquor are all sold in grocery stores! And drug stores!
Clothes, Stapler to Hem Your Pants, New Phone, Last-Minute Disaster Shopping:
Closest mall to the hotel — “The Empire Center” — Target, Macy’s, Best Buy, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, Michael’s, Office Depot, Lowe’s, Sports Authority, chain restaurants. Two miles from the hotel (North Victory Place & Empire Avenue, Burbank, CA 91503) so five minutes by car, 20 minute walk in beautiful LA sunshine.
The hotel does not provide a shuttle to stores. They have a shuttle. But it only goes directly across the street. To the airport. Just to be funny.
Transportation From LAX
Last year “Prime Time Shuttle” was recommended for dancers – I assume this is still a good option. They had a Thanksgiving discount last year, so call now to get on top of that.
There’s also the “Shuttle To Burbank” for $20
Or the “SuperShuttle”
The US Open “Rides/Roomies/Strictly Partners” page might be helpful in coordinating rides from the airport.
And
If you’re getting in Wednesday … There’s a dance at the hotel! Lessons with Ben Morris, Sonny Watson and Denise Gibson. deejaying by Jack Smith, and a few sneak-peek routine trial-runs!
And Finally …
If you can’t make it to the Open this year you can watch the whole thing online at Global Dance TV. It’s $35 for the live stream, and then one month of viewing online content. Or $60 for the live stream plus one year of viewing online content.