By Barbara McGuire Daily Bruin Senior Staff Los Angeles is
notorious for its lackadaisical lifestyle, its surfers, stars and
wannabes. For its women (most of whom have had at least one thing
changed on them by a plastic surgeon), its beautiful weather, and
most of all, for its scandals with the rich and famous. Yes, Los
Angeles definitely lives up to its stereotype of supreme
superficiality. And in the middle of it all, nestled in the hills
of Westwood, amid the high noses of Beverly Hills and Bel Air, and
only a few short minutes from Hollywood, lies UCLA. UCLA students
have the unique opportunity to explore all the hot and trendy spots
surrounding the campus that every Los Angeles resident must
familiarize themselves with. Places that are as notorious as the
city, with a history just as rich, and locations that are full of
the wacky and the wicked from the city of angels. First, the
streets. Every city has its “streets.” Just as San
Francisco has Haight Street, Los Angeles packs a few of its
own.
Hollywood Boulevard
Quite possibly one of the most “touristy” streets,
scores of out-of-state and out-of-country visitors can be found
here year-round, complete with pocket guides and cameras. Hollywood
Boulevard is known best for its Walk of Fame. Quite possibly the
world’s most famous sidewalk, the Walk of Fame is inlaid with
stars adorned with the names of the men and women who have helped
give Hollywood its “personality.” The stars were first
set in 1958 as a permanent tribute to those in the motion picture,
television, radio, recording and live theatre industry, recognizing
their life-long contributions. Today, it is considered both a
cultural and historical landmark. The Walk extends on both sides of
the street from Gower to La Brea and continuing on to Vine Street
where it runs from Yucca to Sunset Boulevard. But Hollywood
Boulevard is filled with many more reasons to visit other than the
star-lined sidewalk. Mann’s Chinese Theater with its
beautiful architecture is also located on the street, playing host
to various movie premieres. Outside of the theater are the
exclusive footprints and handprints, personal messages and
autographs, of 175 chosen stars. Recent additions include Harrison
Ford and Denzel Washington. In addition to these star-inspired
monuments, Hollywood Boulevard also boasts a Ripley’s Believe
It or Not and Guinness Book of World’s Records museum.
Melrose Avenue
No, this is not the street where that sex-centered television
drama, “Melrose Place” occurred, but it is one of the
best places to shop in Los Angeles. Melrose Avenue is located in
Hollywood, just a few blocks north of Hollywood Boulevard. It is
home to numerous specialty shops which line both sides of the
street. Stores range from Red Balls, which caters to the rave
subculture; to Retail Slut, which sells everything from exotic wigs
to bondage gear. Originating as a thrift-shop venue with stores
such as Wasteland, Melrose Avenue has gained popularity over the
years, becoming a trendy location for shoppers due to its specialty
shops. Special hint No. 1: Melrose is notoriously known as the
place to hit when looking for rare shoes, as well as just shoes in
general ““ practically every other shop is a shoe store.
Special hint No. 2: Many a star has been sighted browsing in the
shops along Melrose. Rumor has it that Leonardo DiCaprio frequently
drops by at Melrose’s Noah’s Bagels.
Sunset Strip
Quite possibly the No. 1 place to party in Los Angeles at night.
Countless bars, clubs and restaurants line the Sunset strip. But
those who haven’t reached the legal drinking age should not
fear, since not everything is restricted to patrons 21 and over.
The Coconut Teaszer, a club which often hosts various rock bands,
is 18 and over, although you must have an ID to access the full
bar. Additionally, located on the bottom floor of the Coconut
Teaszer is The Crooked Bar, which features more independent
entertainment acts and even has an open mike night for those
looking to make it “big.” For the 21 and over group,
there are several bars, such as the Good Bar, as well as numerous
clubs. The Viper Room, for instance, co-owned by Johnny Depp and
Sal Jenco, is a popular spot. Yes, The Viper Room, in front of
which River Phoenix over-dosed, really does exist and hosts various
DJs, as well as surprise visits from big-name bands such as Stone
Temple Pilots, Bruce Springsteen and Sheryl Crow. The interior is
modeled after Harlem’s jazz clubs of the 1920s, and though
the club only has an intimate capacity of 250, entrance into the
club is not exclusive to well-known names ““ anyone can get
in. There are also other well-known clubs and bars, such as The
Roxy, where every rock band seems to play at least once in their
career; The House of Blues, where big names play in a small house
setting; and The Whisky, where The Doors once played regularly. In
addition to all these musically entertaining venues, various shops
also line the strip. There is the loud and easily visible Hustler
store, whose windows are always filled with erotic and outrageous
lingerie for both men and women. There is also a Virgin Megastore
that occasionally hosts free concerts with bands such as the
Smashing Pumpkins. And finally, what would Hollywood be without its
body-altering tattooing and piercing. Located on Sunset are famous
tattoo shops such as Sunset Strip Tattoo Inc. which has tattooed
such names as Billy Idol, Tupac Shakur, Pamela Lee, Lenny Kravitz
and Axl Rose.
Universal City Walk
Though technically not a street upon which cars can drive,
Universal City Walk, located next to Universal Studios Hollywood,
bills itself as “the coolest street in America.” Much
like an outdoor mall only with more to offer, City Walk is known as
the perfect place to take a date. There are several places to eat,
such as Gladstones, a seafood restaurant; Hard Rock Cafe, which
boasts a huge neon guitar in front; and Wolfgang Puck Cafe, a
pizzeria. After eating, City Walk visitors often hit the Universal
City Cinemas or the recently installed IMAX theater. For a more
interesting evening, City Walk now has its own rock ‘n’
roll bowling alley, Jillians Hi Life Lanes, as well as Wizardz
Magic Club and Dinner Theatre which also has a spot on the street.
At Wizardz you can dine while being entertained by various
magicians. Coming soon will be the Rumba Room, a multi-level Latin
dance club where you can get your boogie on. Aside from the
streets, Los Angeles has much to offer in terms of its beaches.
Easily accessible by bus or car, the Santa Monica Beach is located
about 15 minutes from UCLA (depending on the traffic), and offers
just as many fun areas as Hollywood.
Santa Monica Pier/Third Street Promenade
Santa Monica Pier brings to mind the movie “The Lost
Boys.” Complete with its own amusement park, Pacific Park,
the pier is a standard, old-school family playground. There are 12
rides inside, such as a steel roller coaster and bumper cars.
Nothing like Magic Mountain, but then again, it’s located two
steps from the beach. The Playland Arcade is located atop the pier,
as is the carousel, without which the pier would be incomplete.
UCLA is also involved here, with the UCLA Ocean Discovery Center.
Here students from nearby schools and everyday visitors come to
learn about the Santa Monica Bay. Third Street Promenade is another
prime shopping location with shops on the street as well as a
regular mall. Shops such as Guess, Urban Outfitters, Gap, J. Crew
and more, line the pedestrian thoroughfare, providing something for
everyone to enjoy. Street performers can always be expected,
ranging from a violin playing cowgirl to street acrobats.
Venice Beach
For some “real” street performers, the boardwalk at
Venice Beach is the place to go. Located parallel to the beach,
this strip of shops contains nothing ordinary. The street
entertainers here are regulars ““ come back in a year and they
will still be there, parading up and down the street hoping to
generate a crowd of onlookers. One such regular is sometimes called
by the name Harry Perry and can be recognized as a tall man on
roller blades with a turban wrapped around his head. Harry Perry
rollerblades up and down the strip singing and playing a guitar for
shoppers. Other performers range from hip hop break-dancers painted
from head to toe in silver or gold to fire blowers and dangerous
jugglers. Venice Beach is also known for its endless array of
tattoo shops and piercing palaces. Not only can one find an
unlimited amount of jewelry for their body here, there are also
henna tattoos in addition to the real thing ““ though the
“real thing” here is not recommended as the safest
choice available. A bike path also runs between the beach and the
stores, fun for a bicycle ride or roller blading. There is also a
graffiti park, where skateboarders may frequently be found, that
houses many beautiful murals. So, that’s everything Los
Angeles has to offer. Yeah right, just kidding! Los Angeles is full
of surprises that are always popping up here and there. These few
locations are just the more trendy, touristy, well-known venues
that everyone must get to know. Los Angeles has many more
interesting places and streets to check out, making it the
culturally diverse and rich city it is. For now, however, this
should keep you busy. ENTERTAINMENT: For info on what’s
happening at the Mann’s Chinese theatre, call (323) 461-3331.
Universal City Walk can be contacted at (818) 622-4455 and their
cinemas can be reached at (818) 508-0588. To get the low-down at
the Santa Monica Pier, call (310) 458-8900 as well as the UCLA
Ocean Discovery Center at (310) 393-6149. To check out on the crazy
nights on Sunset, call The Coconut Teaszer at (818) 353-6241, the
Roxy at (310) 276-2222, The House of Blues at (213) 650-0247 and
The Whisky at (310) 652-4202.