Archive for May 2007

If you’re a fan of animals and are looking to spend some time outdoors, head on over to the Los Angeles Zoo for a fun filled day. Bordering Griffith Park and hosting over 1.4 million visitors each year, the Los Angeles Zoo is home to more than 1,200 species of animals from around the globe. You can never be too old to have a great time at the Zoo; it’s a perfect activity for the entire family, a group of friends, or on a date.

Parking & Tickets

There is plenty of parking at the Los Angeles Zoo and it is free. As you walk from your car to the ticket booth, you may be a little intimidated by the line…but don’t panic, it moves fairly quickly (expect to wait about 20-30 minutes). Unfortunately, there is no way around the wait since the Zoo doesn’t offer advance online ticket sales. If it’s warm outside, and it usually is in that part of the city, I suggest you wear light colored clothing; only a small portion of the line is covered and you’ll be standing under sun most of the time.

The price of admission at the Los Angeles Zoo is a reasonable $10 per adult, while children are admitted for $5. There are about a half dozen shows held throughout the day and the cost is included in your ticket price.

The Food

I can’t comment on the food since I didn’t have any…but you should expect to pay around $7-$10 for a meal. It’s probably just me, but I always felt a little uncomfortable eating a hamburger with a family of Zebra’s frolicking only a few yards away. They have plenty of stands around the zoo serving the usual over-priced goodies: Churros, Shaved Italian Ice, Frozen Lemonade, and Dipping Dots.

The Animals

If you’ve ever been to the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, or any other major Zoo around the Country, you probably won’t be that impressed with the Los Angeles Zoo. But since it’s the only Zoo in Los Angeles, we can't really complain.

If you arrive around Noon and the animals haven’t been fed yet, be prepared to play “Where’s Waldo” at the exhibits. During my visit to the Los Angeles Zoo, some of the more interesting animals like the Snow Leopard, Tigers, Bears, and Wolves were nowhere to be found. I did get a spectacular close-up of the Tortoise…but the experience wasn’t that exhilarating.

If you decide to visit the Los Angeles Zoo, I would suggest that you arrive in the morning when the Zoo opens (at 10am). Alternatively, if you decide visit during the afternoon, swing by after 2pm. If you’re just casually strolling through and taking pictures, you should plan to spend anywhere from 2-3 hours at the Zoo; plan a little more time if you decide to take in a show.

Located on the second floor of the Pinz Sports Complex in Studio City, Guy's North is a 10,000 square foot nightclub / lounge that caters to the Valley crowd. The Guy’s North location if pretty new…it celebrated its grand opening on January of 2006 and was only the second Guy’s location in Los Angeles (the original Guy’s Bar is located on Beverly Blvd across from the Beverly Center).

Dancing & More

The dance floor is about average…not too big, but not too small either. There is plenty of room to move and it doesn’t feel too crowded. There is also ample seating to lounge at around the dance floor; the couches are comfy and offer the perfect opportunity to cool down after some spirited dancing.

If you’re a smoker, there is a pretty large outdoor patio facing Ventura Blvd; the only downside is that you can’t bring your drinks out there.

Cost

Cover charge for Guy’s North is $10/person and on most nights, you shouldn’t have a problem getting in. On certain evenings, ladies can get in at no charge as long as you arrive before 10:30pm.

Drink prices are pretty much what you would expect from most Los Angeles Bars and Clubs – expect to shell out about $6 for a beer and $8 for a mixed drink.

Dress Code

Guy’s North isn’t too strict on the dress code, or at least it wasn’t on the night I was there. The ladies were dressed up (which is usually the case), but quite a few of the men were wearing plain t-shirts and one guy was even wearing a velour Puma track suit.

When: Saturday, May 19, 2007 from 10pm to 2am

Where: The Arsenal, 12012 Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Music: DJ Triumph

Cost: Free

Additional Info: The Arsenal is a fun neighborhood lounge/bar in West Los Angeles. There is no dress code and you must be 21 to enter. They offer valet parking but you can probably find a spot along Pico Blvd or a side street.

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Located along Swarthmore Ave, A La Tarte Bistro is a cozy French cafe in the Pacific Palisades. There are about a half dozen tables that spill onto the sidewalk and another half dozen inside. It gets somewhat stuffy inside the restaurant, especially on a warm day, so you’ll probably be more comfortable sitting outside. Great people watching, a little sun, and the cool ocean breeze…what more could you ask for?

The best time to visit A La Tarte Bistro is on the weekends…especially on Sunday during the Farmers’ Market from 8am to 1:30pm. It does get busy on Sunday because of the Farmers’ Market – so you may have to wait a little for a table outside (the tables inside are usually free). The service is always friendly and accommodating, but if they’re shorthanded or if it’s especially busy, they make take a little while.

The Food

Since I only visit A La Tarte Bistro for Breakfast, I can’t really comment on their Lunch menu; although I can probably speculate that it’s of similar quality. If you’re a fan of French Toast, you are in for a real treat. Their Pain Perdu is not what you’d normally expect from French Toast, since it’s baked rather than fried/grilled – but it’s as good as it gets. If you’re there on a Sunday, your order will also come with fresh fruit, homemade jam, and a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. The Brunch portion is huge and can probably accommodate two people (depending on how hungry you are).

If you’re not in the mood for French Toast, the Eggs Benedict is also fantastic; it’s served on their rustic French bread as opposed to the traditional English muffin.

The cost is reasonable and you’ll probably end up leaving around $40 with tax and tip for two people.

Note

You should note that they automatically add a 15% gratuity to your check…regardless of how many people are in your party. They do have sign posted inside which mentions that they will be adding gratuity in spirit of the customary European tradition. I always find this funny because in Europe, gratuity and taxes are included into the price of an individual menu item and not added in the end. Regardless, the service is great so you would’ve likely given it to them anyways.

Nestled along a narrow street right off of the Venice Beach Boardwalk, Piccolo Ristorante is a cozy little Italian restaurant that’s only a stones throw away from the water. With only about a dozen tables in total, 10 inside and 2 outside, the atmosphere at this neighborhood spot is awfully romantic.

Piccolo Ristorante opens its doors at 5pm and doesn’t accept reservations, so you’ll have to either come in early or be prepared for about an hour wait (depending on how busy it is of course). If you find yourself on the waiting list then you have a few options. There is a neighborhood bar right around the corner where you can enjoy some drinks and live music. You can also hang out inside the restaurant, but you’ll have to settle for sitting on the steps (with a bottle of wine of course).

All of its dishes are prepared using only the freshest ingredients and accentuate the flavors of Northern Italy. Their wine list isn’t particularly amazing, but they do have a pretty good selection of Italian wines. The food at Piccolo Ristorante has always been consistent, but I wasn’t crazy about it the last time I visited. Their signature dish – the Potatoes and Fig Tortellini was excellent, but the rest of the food came out a little too salty (something everyone in my party noticed). I’m not one of those people who complain and send the food back, so I did end up eating it all. Since this wasn’t my first time at the restaurant and I was happy in the past, I’ll just treat this as an isolated incident.

The food is not cheap; a bottle of wine, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and dessert will run you about $150 (with tip).

Getting Here

Parking in Venice Beach can be a little tricky, so your best bet is to park at the lot on Rose Ave & Speedway for $4. After parking your car, take the Boardwalk a few blocks south and then make a left on Dudley Street; Piccolo Ristorante will be on your left.

Shopping at a Farmers’ Market allows you to purchase the freshest produce directly from the farmer. And since you’re dealing directly with the farmer, the produce is actually cheaper because the farmer is able to pass on the savings to you (as opposed to dealing with a distributor and/or store which cuts into their profits).

Here is a schedule of Farmers’ Market locations around Los Angeles County on any given day of the week:

MONDAY

Bellflower
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Oak St and Clark Ave

South Gate
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Tweedy Blvd & Pinehurst Ave

West Hollywood
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: Plummer Park

 

TUESDAY

Baldwin Park
When: 4pm to 9pm
Where: Ramona Blvd & Cesar E Chavez Dr

Culver City
When: 2pm to 7pm
Where: Culver Blvd & Main St

Highland Park
When: 3pm to 7pm
Where: Marmion Way & N Avenue 58

La Verne - University of La Verne
When: 5:30pm to 9pm (May through August)
Where: Bonita Avenue & D Street

Lynwood
When: 12pm to 5pm
Where: Martin Luther King Jr Blvd & Cesar E Chavez Ln

Manhattan Beach
When: 12pm to 4pm
Where: Morningside Dr & 13th St

Norwalk
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Pioneer Blvd & Alondra Blvd

Pasadena - Villa Park
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: E Villa St & N Garfield Ave

Torrance
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Charles Wilson Park

 

WEDNESDAY

Gardena
When: 7:30am to 12pm
Where: W 162nd St & La Salle Ave

Huntington Park
When: 9:30am to 1pm
Where: Florence Ave & Bissell St (At Salt Lake Park)

San Dimas
When: 4:30pm to 8:30pm (April through September)
Where: 245 E. Bonita Ave

Santa Monica - 3rd St Promenade
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: Arizona Ave & 3rd St Prom

Westchester
When: 8:30am to 1pm
Where: Truxton Ave & W 87th St

 

THURSDAY

Carson
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: E Carson St & Bonita St

Century City
When: 11:30am to 3pm
Where: Constellation Blvd & Ave of the Stars

El Segundo
When: 3pm to 7pm
Where: Pine Ave & Main St

Glendale
When: 9:30am to 1pm
Where: N Brand Blvd & E Wilson Ave

Los Angeles - Chinatown
When: 4pm to 8pm
Where: N Hill St & Alpine St

Los Angeles - Figueroa & 7th
When: 10am to 4pm
Where: S Figueroa St & W 7th St

Redondo Beach
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Harbor Dr - W Veterans Park

Signal Hill
When: 2pm to 7pm
Where: Walnut Ave & E 27th St

South Pasadena
When: 4pm to 8pm
Where: Mission St & Meridian Ave

Westwood
When: 1pm to 7pm
Where: Constitution Ave & Davis Ave

 

FRIDAY

Covina
When: 5pm to 9pm (April through December)
Where: N Citrus Ave & E San Bernardino Rd

Echo Park
When: 3pm to 7pm
Where: Logan St Parking Lot (South of Sunset Blvd)

Hermosa Beach
When: 12pm to 4pm
Where: N Valley Dr & 10th St

Los Angeles - Eagle Rock
When: 5pm to 8:30pm
Where: 2100 Merton Ave

Los Angeles - Figueroa & 7th
When: 10am to 4pm
Where: S Figueroa St & W 7th St

Los Angeles - Wilshire Center
When: 11:30am to 3pm
Where: Wilshire Blvd & S Mariposa Ave

Lawndale
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Hawthorne Blvd & W 147th St

Long Beach - Downtown
When: 10am to 4pm
Where: E Broadway & The Promenade N

Monrovia
When: 5pm to 9pm (March through December); 4pm to 8pm (September through May)
Where: E Olive Ave & S Myrtle Ave

San Pedro - Old Town
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: W 7th St & S Mesa St

Venice
When: 7am to 11am
Where: N Venice Blvd & Venice Way

Whittier
When: 8:30am to 1pm
Where: Greenleaf Ave & Bailey St

 

SATURDAY

Burbank
When: 8am to 12:30pm
Where: E Olive Ave & N Glenoaks Blvd

Calabasas Old Town
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Calabasas Rd & Mulholland Dr

Central Avenue
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: 43rd St & Central Ave

Cerritos
When: 8am to 12pm
Where: Park Plaza Drive & Towne Center Drive

Chatsworth
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Canoga Ave & Devonshire St

Diamond Bar
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: 1920 S. Brea Canyon Cutoff Rd

Gardena
When: 6:30am to 12pm
Where: Van Ness Ave & West El Segundo Blvd

Los Angeles - Harambee
When: 10am to 4pm
Where: Crenshaw Blvd & W Slauson Ave

Los Angeles - Figueroa & 7th
When: 10am to 4pm
Where: S Figueroa St & W 7th St

Los Angeles - Silverlake
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: W Sunset Blvd & Edgecliffe Dr

La Canada Flintridge
When: 8am to 12pm
Where: Foothill Blvd & Beulah Dr

La Verne - University of La Verne
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Bonita Avenue & D Street

Leimert Park Village
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: W 43rd St & Degnan Blvd

Little Tokyo
When: 10am to 3pm
Where: S San Pedro St & E 2nd St (Weller Court)

Pasadena - Victory Park
When: 8:30am to 1pm
Where: N Sierra Madre Blvd & Paloma St

Pamona
When: 7:30am to 11:30am
Where: N Garey Ave & E Pearl St

Santa Monica - Pico
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Pico Blvd & Cloverfield Blvd

Santa Monica - 3rd St Promenade
When: 8:30am to 1pm
Where: Arizona Ave & 3rd St Prom

Torrance
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Charles Wilson Park

 

SUNDAY

Alhambra
When: 8:30am to 1pm
Where: S Monterey St & E Bay State St

Atwater Village
When: 10am to 2pm
Where: 3250 Glendale Blvd

Beverly Hills
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Civic Center Dr

Brentwood
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Gretna Green Way & San Vicente Blvd

Encino
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Victory Blvd & White Oak Ave

Hollywood
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Ivar Ave & Selma Ave

Larchmont Village
When: 10am to 2pm
Where: Larchmont Blvd

Long Beach - Marina
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: E 2nd St & E Pacific Coast Hwy

Mar Vista
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: Venice Blvd & Grandview Ave

Melrose Place
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: N Croft Ave & Melrose Pl

Pacific Palisades
When: 8am to 1:30pm
Where: W Sunset Blvd & Swarthmore Ave

Palos Verdes
When: 9am to 1pm
Where: Peninsula Shopping Center

Santa Monica - Ocean Park
When: 9:30am to 1pm
Where: Ocean Park Blvd & Main St

Studio City
When: 8am to 1pm
Where: Ventura Blvd & Ventura Pl

West Los Angeles
When: 9am to 2pm
Where: 1645 Corinth Ave

Gone are the days of purchasing a 12’’ sub, fries and a drink for $4 plus tax. Roll Inn Sandwich used to be one of my favorite spots to visit after a night at the bar or club…it was open late, cheap, and the food hit the spot. I haven’t eaten at Roll In for years and last night a friend called me and said, “Ron, lets get that $4 sub in Westwood”. Hungry and a little short on cash, I gladly obliged.

The first thing I noticed on their window was a sign that read something along the lines of, “We Now Serve Very Expensive Bread”. I was never really a fan of the old bread so I was thrilled that they changed it up…but how much of that cost would be passed on to me? I ordered my usual foot-long steak sub and diet cola…I decided to skip the fries this time. The cashier punched in my order and the total came to $7.25. Wow, that must really be expensive bread.

Turns out that the management recently changed; that’s probably one of the reasons for the the price increase. The quality of the meat hasn’t changed (it’s still chewy and fatty), but the bread was surprisingly good. My friend went with the Chicken Kabob sandwich which I found to be a little dry. The best part of my experience was trying to get enough napkins…they only hand them out to you one at a time.

In the past, I would’ve been willing to deal with the parking in Westwood for $4, but with the price increase…it’s no longer worth the effort.

With one of the best locations in the city, Gladstone’s of Malibu is situated only feet away from the water. In fact, if there’s anything worth coming to Gladstone’s for…it’s the ambiance. Whether you’re sitting indoors or out on the patio, you’ll be able to enjoy a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean and Coastline. After you eat, or while you’re waiting for a table, walk down to the sand and take a stroll along the beach. It gets a little cool in the evening so make sure to bring along an extra jacket.

The Food

I have frequented this Gladstone’s location on a number of occasions, and while the food is good, I don’t think it’s worth the price. On my last visit, I decided to go with their catch of the day; it runs about $25 and is accompanied by two sides. Although the fish was fresh, it was a little too bland for my palate and the taste reminded me of hospital food; that’s a pretty extreme comparison, but it was the first thing that came to mind. The corn-on-the-cob was served cold and undercooked, while the side of steamed vegetables resembled the frozen Birdseye variety available at your local supermarket.

Reservations

This Gladstone’s location can get really busy during the weekends, so unless you’re prepared to wait a few hours, I strongly recommend that you make reservation ahead of time.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the area and want to enjoy a sunset by the beach, Gladstone’s is the perfect spot. Add a few drinks and an appetizer, and you’ve got the perfect Sunday afternoon. As far as the food goes, you’ll probably be better off a few miles north along PCH.

When: Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Where: Sugar,1716 Cahuenga Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028

Music: DJ Coolwhip

Cost: Cover is usually $20

Additional Info: Opening a few weeks back, Sugar replaces Club Xes (21 and over)

Are you an avid sushi lover? If so, head over to Isshin Sushi. Isshin Sushi serves fresh sashimi and sushi with a whole lot of taste. Their spicy tuna is especially flavorful, yum! Though some of its items are a bit on the pricier side, compared to other sushi restaurants nearby, its quality cooking does all the talking. With that said, it’s pretty reasonable. This sushi restaurant has more of a family and group friends feel to it. Sports fans will appreciate the big screen TV.

As a family owned and operated restaurant, Isshin Sushi offers friendly service. Did I forget to mention prompt service as well?