Posts by Marion

Spending an afternoon and evening in Chinatown is one of my favorite things to do with my girlfriends. Chinatown is a colorful, cultural, architectural, dining and shopping experience. I just love to be so close to home but yet feel that I'm in another world.

I usually start my day in the original Chinatown area called Central Plaza on Gingling Way. Central Plaza has a fantastic variety of stores, buildings and an elaborate rock garden – inspired wishing well. The plaza is a great place to take a break on a bench and for people watching.

My favorite Restaurant for lunch is "Hop Louie". The Hop Louie Restaurant Pagoda is the focal point of Central Plaza. Formerly the Golden Pagoda Restaurant, it was originally constructed in 1941. The five tier pagoda is gorgeous and it's the last major built in today's New Chinatown Central Plaza. The food is descent and inexpensive.

Another fun and popular Restaurant for lunch is the Empress Pavilion. You have to try the Dim Sum Lunch on which you can feast on everything from pork dumplings to sesame sponge cake. The Chinese call the little delicacies "dim sum", which translates into "touching your heart".

After lunch explore the Art galleries and Antique stores on Chungking road in the west plaza.

Outside central plaza on north Broadway is Chinatown's largest store, Wing Hop Fung, where the medicinal aroma of ginseng and other Chinese herbs wafts through the lower floor. Upstairs is a colorful bazaar of paper dragons, lanterns and all types of bargains.

Bargains – that's part of the fun, finding a treasure you like and chasing down the best price – or staying to bargain with the shopkeeper.

Down the street at the corner of Ord Street and North Broadway is a group of colorful stalls offering everything from peacock feathers to those nifty ‘70s beaded curtains, tiny faux jade Buddhas {one each for health, wealth, fertility and other good fortunes}, and giant vases with chinese floral designs to create an eastern ambience on your patio.

A great place to find gifts for all occasions, and the perfect Chinese outfit for your next Asian theme party.

Chinatown has several Bars to explore in the evening. Enjoy a well deserved cocktail after a long hard day of shopping

“Smokey” the bear will put a smile on your face the moment you walk into the door. Another “wild” animal on display is the friendly animatronic gopher that bobs up and down out of a tree stump, on a continuous loop. A stuffed boar head along with a docile deer head hang proudly on the bar wall to greet bar visitors with their plastered smiles illuminated by a deer-in-the-head-light-fixture. The overall log-cabin décor is cozy and warm with the wood-paneled walls and a blaring fireplace creating a truly rustic mood, just like that, of a snow topped-lodge, found high in the alps. The bar has many comfortable booths to lounge in, ideal for a girl’s night.

Every night the Bigfoot lodge has something different to offer. Monday nights Rockn’ Roll Karaoke, and Sunday nights Bingo are just a blast.

A different DJ adds great music to the already awesome atmosphere every night. Wednesday night you can listen to old English tunes and Thursdays the DJ plays anything from classic Rockabilly to old school Punk. Tuesday nights you can bring your own I pod. You also have to meet the Bigfoot Lodge movie-guy. He shows fun and bizarre movies in the fireplace area.

The Bigfoot Lodge crew is super friendly. Some of the Bartenders have been there for many years and mix some excellent drinks. The girl’s favorites have been the “pink drink specials” which you must surly give a try. (On different nights drink specials are offered, depending on the theme of the night. )

With the variety of music and activities the Bar has to offer, it attracts a great range of friendly people. It’s a bar for everybody who just likes to have a good time, no matter if you are an artist with lots of tattoos, or a business guy in a grey flannel suit.

You’ll never get bored at the Bigfoot Lodge and it is super easy to meet some fun people. So get some girlfriends together, have a great time and I’ll see you there.

The Bigfoot Lodge is a great neighborhood bar. Conv. Located on Los Feliz Blvd just east of the 5 Fwy. It’s easy to get to and parking is never a problem.

Tiki Ti is one of the best Tiki Bars I had the pleasure to visit. If you like the tiki decor, you’ll love this bar. Countless Tikis and Tiki Mugs are on display. When you step into Tiki-Ti it's almost like stepping back in time. The bar is small, only 12 stools, with a handful of tables against the wall, but what it lacks in physical size it makes up for in menu size.

There are 86 Tropical Drinks offered, most of which simply can't be found anywhere else. It’s tempting to try them all. The drinks are colorful, yummy and very strong. On Wednesday nights, Tiki Ti offers a special drink “Ray’s mistake”. Ray was the original founder of the bar. One evening he screwed up when he mixed a drink and accidental invented a yummy drink which now is everybody’s favorite. The “Stealth” is the Strongest drink on the menu. If you order either a “Blood and Sand” or a “Uga Booga” everybody starts yelling. The Bartender will add more alcohol to the drink until the glass is filled to the rim.

Almost as colorful as the drinks are the customers. It’s fun to go dressed in your favorite Hawaiian shirt and tiki dress.

The bar was opened in 1961 by master mixologist Ray Buhen, who was there at the start of the Tropical Drink craze at Don The Beachcomber’s legendary restaurant. His son and grandson, Michael and Mike Buhen now carry on his tradition; together, they practice the “Lost Art” of Exotic Cocktail mixing in the last of the great neighborhood tiki bars.

Tiki Ti is family-owned and operated and one of the few bars where smoking is still allowed.

This bar is perfect for a fun evening with your girlfriends. Since this bar is so small it is very easy to get in contact with other bar guests. Everybody is friendly, social, loud and colorful.