However, if you are feeling adventurous and looking for a more authentic bar-hopping experience, San Pedro has some of the grittiest and most colourful dives in all of Los Angeles.

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The place has a feeling of uncertainty - two people at the bar, for example, are wondering whether they will be able to get back into their own hotel, closed because of a bomb scare.

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Chrome furniture from the 50s and 70s gives the dining room a retro, sleek feeling, but the real showstopper is the view from the outdoor patio and terrace bar.

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"There's a feeling that 2012 is not going to be as bad as 2011, though that's a pretty low bar, " he said.

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