Monday, June 29, 1998
Break away from Westwood
GUIDE: The Daily Bruin compiles
a guide to the sights and sounds
that put the glitz in Los Angeles
By Vanessa VanderZanden
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Music
Most recognize Los Angeles for its glamorous film industry.
Others see it as the home of wealthy celebrities from all media
avenues. But what many overlook is the vast array of musicians made
and broken under Los Angeles’ flashing neon signs.
Although we didn’t build this city on rock and roll, music has
always played an integral part on the Los Angeles scene. Up and
down the Sunset strip, glittering lights advertise unknown locals
and international mega-stars alike. Even venues off of the beaten
path provide an oasis for artists of sound.
However, knowing where to look for an evening of ear candy can
be difficult for those new to the area. Often times, browsing
through the L.A. Weekly provides too little information for
out-of-town guests to decide upon a stage. However, The Bruin has
accumulated a splattering of places which provide affordable shows
on a regular basis.
Whisky A Go Go – 8901 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310)
652-4202 (all ages, $10-$15)
One of the most infamous clubs on the strip, this small time
venue has been the stepping stone for such greats as the Doors, and
Guns and Roses. Usually, it showcases small acts that hope for
large-scale success later on in their careers. Still, the spot has
been known to pack it in for quirky, underground favorites like The
Electric Hellfire Club.
The dark, single stage building has a large pit on the ground
floor with a walkway-sized railing space accommodating those
stationed above. Usually a surly vibe attaches itself to the
leather clad punks harmlessly hanging around outside, though the
two bar venue remains as safe as can be.
The Roxy – 9009 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 276-2222
(all ages, cover varies)
This roomy, dark space offers a wide selection of accomplished
and not-so-accomplished musicians from every genre. A large stage
rests at the back of the one floor, pit style arena.
However, for those who don’t mind paying for a drink or two,
tiers of tables and chairs provide a bit of rest at the outer edges
of the venue.
Troubadour – 9081 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, (310)
276-6168 (all ages, cover varies)
This comfortable establishment provided a folk music oasis at
its inception 35 years ago. Nowadays, it features musicians from
all genres of the music world.
Emulating a European town square of the Renaissance era, the
stage floor looks up to decorated awnings on one side and three
rows of seating in the spacious balcony area. Three full bars serve
patrons in the small venue, with a separate room off to the left of
the main entrance providing eats.
This oddly fashioned music hall has a welcoming charisma, more
inviting than most modern buildings on the strip.
The House of Blues – 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (213)
650-1451 (predominately 21 and up, noted if otherwise, $10-$25)
Begun by a blues brother (Dan Akroyd) and the blood brother of a
blues brother (James Belushi), this New Orleans-originated blues
shack has set up its sister location in the heart of the L.A. music
scene. Designed to resemble a broken down, bayou-side flop house,
the trendy location holds a gift shop upstairs, along with a Cajun
cuisine-based restaurant. Two bars serve patrons stage-side as a
hodge podge of religious idols from all walks of the world grin
from the walls.
Overflowing with character, the charming, trendy venue demands
energy from the performers atop the small, elevated stage. Everyone
from ska heroes to Salsa singers have shaken the wooden shack,
while blues remains the venue’s musical mainstay.
By Lonnie Harris
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Movies
They don’t call Los Angeles the film capital of the world for
nothing. Within the city’s limits – especially here in the West –
are more movie houses than could ever be filled, even by the
ever-expanding population. Los Angeles theaters offer not only the
standard studio fare found all over the nation, but also small,
independent screenings, student films, short films and even
revivals of classic holdovers from Hollywood’s past. With all this
variety, the UCLA student is presented with perhaps the grandest
selection of film choices known to man.
For the wary traveler brave enough to venture outside of
Westwood, more general and specialized theaters await. Naturally,
the entire Westside is littered in the newest, state-of-the-art
movie houses, many of which contain more screens than there are
movies in current release. These mega-multi-gigaplexes include
Century City’s AMC 20 and Universal Citywalk’s Cineplex Odeon 18.
Unfortunately, these theaters tend to use the majority of their
space to screen new, big studio releases and so the film buff
seeking little-known fare much search a little harder.
Westside Pavilion is home to Samuel Goldwyn’s Lammaele Theater
with four screens dedicated to new, independent releases (such as
"The Opposite of Sex" and "High Art").
Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica is also home to a few
independent theaters, competing with the larger Mann Criterion
located there for the busy weekend crowds. Perhaps Los Angeles’
most famous alternative movie house is the Nuart Theater on Sunset
Boulevard in Hollywood. This is where only the rarest screen gems
are played. Mainly, if a film has garnered no one’s attention
outside of the filmmaker’s immediate family, it is probably playing
at the Sunset Nuart. Recently, a four-hour Swedish sequel was
screened for a two-week run!
Of course, this list could not even begin to enumerate the
thousands of movie choices located all over the Westside. The best
way to find the special movie that isn’t playing anywhere? Consult
the newspaper, and don’t just look at the big theater-chain ads.
Hint: If it says Edwards or Mann at the top of the ad, you’re
probably looking in the wrong place. The films are out there, but
only the most adventurous viewer can find them.
By Megan Dickerson
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Museums
It is a little-known fact that museum visits are a college
student aphrodisiac. OK, so maybe that contrived axiom isn’t true
for the entire student population, but museums can, indeed, serve
as a cheap thrill; that is, if one knows how to find them.
The following is a selection of the more than 300 museums and
historical sites located within Los Angeles’ reach. From surfboards
to science, most of them are student-friendly and run under $5 for
a worthwhile day of learning fun. Catch the bus for a mid-week
quickie – and take a friend.
J. Paul Getty Museum of Art and Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center
Dr., Brentwood, (310) 440-7300 (free admission).
There’s no missing the Getty Center, even if one tries. The
newly-opened concrete monolith overlooks the 405 Freeway, offering
one of the most uncompromised views of Los Angeles. Inside, a
special system of natural illumination in the galleries sheds light
on paintings by Van Gogh and Monet, rare manuscripts, antique
furniture, and ancient Greek and Roman art. The best part of this
much-touted museum is that admission is absolutely free, except for
parking. It’s best to take the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus #14, which
stops smack-dab in front of the Getty.
International Surfing Museum, 411 Olive Ave., Huntington Beach,
(714) 960-3483, www.surfingmuseum.org.
Located in the self-touted "Surf City" of Huntington Beach, the
International Surfing Museum is an exhibit mecca for the Frankie
and Annette set. Cases propping surfboards ranging from balsa
boards of the 1920s to a reproduction of an ancient Polynesian
board line the walls. In fact, boards used by Duke Kahanamoku
comprise a large part of a practical shrine to the Hawaiian legend,
who surfers credit with popularizing surfriding in the ’20s. The
museum also permanently displays many objects of pop surf lore,
including the camera used to film the cult-favorite "Endless
Summer," one of Dick Dale’s guitars, and Jan and Dean’s gold
record.
California Science Center, 700 State Dr., Los Angeles, Science:
(213) 724-3623 Imax: (213) 744-2014 (free admission).
The California Science Center bottles Mr. Wizard, Wild Kingdom,
and those wacky milk and oil experiments you did as a kid into one,
three-level museum. Open since Feb. 7 of this year, the redesigned,
hands-on science hall features exhibits ranging from a 50-foot
anatomy lesson to a visitor-friendly bicycle suspended on a high
wire. Also of note is the Center’s famous IMAX theater, which
currently features "Africa’s Elephant Kingdom," a 40-minute film by
Discovery Channel Productions. The California Science Center is
open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; all exhibits are free except for the
IMAX theater, which charges $3.75 to $7.25 per ticket.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los
Angeles, (213) 857-6000 (free admission on selected days).
The largest art museum in the United States, "LACMA" hosts over
150,000 objects in a 200,000 square-foot space. Among the
highlights of the collection are works by Mary Cassatt, John
Singleton Copley and Paul Cadmus, in addition to a wide assortment
of Ancient and Islamic Art, costumes and textiles, and photos.
The museum is open from noon to 8 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and
Thursday, noon to 9 p.m. on Friday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday
and Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for students and
seniors. Tickets are free on the second Tuesday of each month.
Museum of Tolerance, 9786 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, (310)
553-8403.
Talk of the Holocaust can make some people uncomfortable. The
Museum of Tolerance features a permanent exhibit on this dark
period of human existence, in addition to interactive displays on
prejudice and the roots of racism. Visitors receive a card with the
photograph, name, and personal information of a child from the
concentration camps, and discover that child’s fate after touring
the museum.
Since so much of the museum is hands-on, it’s hard not to forge
a personal revelation on "man’s inhumanity to man."
By Louise Chu
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Restaurants
Beyond the gleaming lights of Wilshire and Sepulveda, there’s a
world of good eating that few auto-less Bruins know. The average
campus-bound freshman can rarely explore much beyond the splendor
that is the residential dining halls. But those who dare to venture
beyond the Westwood area will find a variety of interesting places
that would satisfy those pesky real-food cravings.
Tuition payment or dinner? Mmm…
Sitting at a clean table, having someone cater to your culinary
whims, patting the crumbs from your lips with a plush cloth napkin
… It’s a vision that many college students can only dream of.
Assuming that extravagance implies extra cheese on the pizza, the
following restaurants are relatively pricey, but well worth the
financial setback.
The Cheesecake Factory, 364 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills and
11647 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood.
It’s posh, it’s pretentious, but it’s a guilty pleasure that few
can refuse. With menu prices averaging in the mid-teens for
entrees, The Cheesecake Factory provides a warm, relaxed
atmosphere, complete with candles and outdoor dining.
But it’s all about the cheesecake. There is an endless list of
tempting options from Southern Pecan to Kahlua Almond Fudge, but
the winner has to be the Lite cheesecake, a dessert that belies its
name. This reduced-fat version tastes equally as satisfying as the
original and is well worth the $3.
Now, that’s how you splurge with extra cheese.
Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica.
This popular Bruin destination is known for its trendy shops,
unique street performers and sun-soaked oceanside view – but it is
also a restaurant mecca. While Fatburger and McDonald’s may be
tasty and easy on the wallet, the real treat comes in experiencing
the ones that don’t offer Happy Meals as an option.
Some good compromises between malnutrition and destitution would
be Yankee Doodles, a colorful burger and sandwich joint by day and
swanky 21-and-over beer fest by night; Yangtze, an interesting
pseudo-Asian restaurant (you must question authenticity when an
Asian restaurant can’t decide on a specific country) with a unique
decor; Broadway Deli, a large diner across the street from Santa
Monica Place; and World Wrapps with their creative takes on the
tortilla roll.
The Stinking Rose, 55 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills.
Nestled in the heart of Restaurant Row, The Stinking Rose is the
garlic lover’s fantasy come true. With firestarters like the
40-clove garlic chicken, this place is ideal for a $15 dinner.
"Pass the Vivarin …"
Sitting in Powell at midnight with torn hair and a 1000-page
book that must be finished by the next morning, there’s nothing a
procrastinating Bruin may want more than some late night eats.
Considering that nightlife in Westwood is an oxymoron, the
following places may provide some 3 a.m. refuge.
Cacao Coffee House, 11609 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles.
Hey, it serves coffee, and it’s open until 2 a.m. Need more be
said?
Canter’s, 419 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles.
An L.A. landmark, this Jewish restaurant, delicatessen and
bakery is a not-so-nostalgic throwback to the ’70s. The outdated
beige and brown color scheme does not necessarily exude "L.A.," but
that’s probably why many flock there 24 hours a day to experience
their hearty matzo ball soup and corn beef sandwiches. Their menu
is infinite, and the bill for a typical meal will never exceed
$15.
Jerry’s Famous Deli will never seem the same.
"It’s not the food, it’s the ambiance!"
Who said meals had to be all about the food?
Dive!, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles.
What would Los Angeles be without a restaurant associated with a
celebrity? Besides the multitude of Hard Rock Cafes and Planet
Hollywoods, there’s an L.A. original that outsiders can only find
in Las Vegas or Barcelona: Steven Spielberg’s Dive!
Built like a submarine, customers are treated to ultimate
underwater dining with portholes (there are video screens
simulating water behind them) and steel doors.
It sounds like a hangout for Aaron Spelling’s children, but
prices are surprisingly moderate, ranging from $10 to $15 for
hamburgers, pastas and (of course) subs.
Ed Debevic’s, 134 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills.
This is one place where people actually tip well for bad
service. In fact, the worse the better.
Set like a ’50’s diner, Ed Debevic’s trains their waiters to
wisecrack and throw straws at the patrons. They also periodically
pull a "Grease Lightning," dancing and singing on the tables. Their
burgers and malts are pretty standard, but this place is packed for
reasons other than the food.
DERRICK KUDO/Daily Bruin
The Third Street Promenade offers a variety of restaurants and
activities.
DERRICK KUDO/Daily Bruin
The Troubadour in Santa Monica is a popular night hang out.
MICHAEL WACHT/Daily Bruin
The Getty offers fine art and other learning experiences.