What to do with a few weekdays in Los Angeles?
February 22, 2014 12:48 AM Subscribe
We'll be in L.A. for 2-3 weekdays in mid-March, and while one of our evenings is scheduled, we have no idea what to do with the rest of our time. We'll be staying in or near Hollywood, and won't have a car, but don't mind taking transit. We're especially looking for suggestions for one really very nice, splurge-y place for dinner, as well as great inexpensive places to eat. Also interested in: coffee-snob coffee; fancy cocktails; craft beer; fun/interesting/unique places to shop; anything else that seems interesting. We also really like live shows (comedy/improv/podcast/music), but most of the L.A. shows we know about are on the weekend. And I'm planning to go to Jenette Bras for a fitting, but I'd love suggestions for any other bra shops that carry sizes in the G+ range.
Best answer: Upright Citizens Brigade has shows every night. I walk over from Hollywood & Argyle (the last Red Line stop) all the time.
Partial March schedule is posted but keep checking back.
posted by Room 641-A at 5:50 AM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Partial March schedule is posted but keep checking back.
posted by Room 641-A at 5:50 AM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Nerdmelt has podcast tapings on weekdays too I think.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:56 AM on February 22, 2014
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:56 AM on February 22, 2014
Surely the Santa Monica Pier has to be high on the to see list.
posted by yclipse at 6:20 AM on February 22, 2014
posted by yclipse at 6:20 AM on February 22, 2014
If you feel like getting out of Hollywood to mix it up a little, Hollywood has the red line subway (PDF) that will take you downtown to Union Station. Olvera Street is touristy, but right across the street and then it's a short walk to Philippe's for fantastic french dips. You also have Chinatown in that same general area.
posted by willnot at 7:35 AM on February 22, 2014
posted by willnot at 7:35 AM on February 22, 2014
Best answer: My favorite recommendation for people visiting Los Angeles is to visit Little Tokyo. It's built around a pedestrian no-cars-allowed street and is densely packed enough that you can just wander around and explore, unlike....pretty much the rest of Los Angeles.
Ebisu is an izakaya joint with an absurdly low-priced lunch time happy hour. Draft beer for $1.50? Avocado and cucumber roll for $3.60?!? Also, you get to sit at a wooden ship.
I haven't tried Daikokuya and I'm sure it's as dope as this author is saying, but I love Mr. Ramen with a deep, enduring love. Ramen is not exactly hard to find in Little Tokyo.
I like to buy stacks of Japanese fashion magazines at Kinokuniya and then go see the clothing in real life at Fairytale, but that might not be everyone's cup of tea.
You like coffee? Demitasse, bro. They roast their own coffee, their cold siphon slow drip cracks me out, they serve everything in the world's fanciest discontinued Hario wear, they're amazing.
That's just a fraction of it, there's a million shops to wander around in. I hope you have a good trip!
PS: For the fancy dinner, if Vietnamese fusion from a white chef doesn't turn you off, Red Medicine is amazing. Also, check the LA Weekly event listings.
posted by Juliet Banana at 7:54 AM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Ebisu is an izakaya joint with an absurdly low-priced lunch time happy hour. Draft beer for $1.50? Avocado and cucumber roll for $3.60?!? Also, you get to sit at a wooden ship.
I haven't tried Daikokuya and I'm sure it's as dope as this author is saying, but I love Mr. Ramen with a deep, enduring love. Ramen is not exactly hard to find in Little Tokyo.
I like to buy stacks of Japanese fashion magazines at Kinokuniya and then go see the clothing in real life at Fairytale, but that might not be everyone's cup of tea.
You like coffee? Demitasse, bro. They roast their own coffee, their cold siphon slow drip cracks me out, they serve everything in the world's fanciest discontinued Hario wear, they're amazing.
That's just a fraction of it, there's a million shops to wander around in. I hope you have a good trip!
PS: For the fancy dinner, if Vietnamese fusion from a white chef doesn't turn you off, Red Medicine is amazing. Also, check the LA Weekly event listings.
posted by Juliet Banana at 7:54 AM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: PS: For the fancy dinner, if Vietnamese fusion from a white chef doesn't turn you off, Red Medicine is amazing. Also, check the LA Weekly event listings.
Red Medicine is no longer Vietnamese fusion, but is now more of a modernist experimental foraging style place inspired by René Redzepi's Noma. Still a one-of-a-kind place worth considering. For other really splurge-y fine dining places near Hollywood, also worth considering Osteria Mozza, ink, Hatfield's, Son of a Gun, Animal, or my long time personal favorite, Providence.
posted by drpynchon at 9:11 AM on February 22, 2014 [3 favorites]
Red Medicine is no longer Vietnamese fusion, but is now more of a modernist experimental foraging style place inspired by René Redzepi's Noma. Still a one-of-a-kind place worth considering. For other really splurge-y fine dining places near Hollywood, also worth considering Osteria Mozza, ink, Hatfield's, Son of a Gun, Animal, or my long time personal favorite, Providence.
posted by drpynchon at 9:11 AM on February 22, 2014 [3 favorites]
Best answer: This is a tiny bit touristy and will require a short cab ride (unless you are into walking up a very steep mile+ and then walking down it in the dark, there are no sidewalks), but have a sunset dinner or drinks at Yamashiro if you can. The view is amazing and the grounds are pretty for pictures. The food is actually pretty good as long as you don't go in there thinking you're at a sushi restaurant, but you could just have a drink and an appetizer or the s'mores brownie and watch the sun go down.
Westside Comedy has weeknight shows, though UCB will be more convenient. Nerdmelt also has weeknight shows.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:13 AM on February 22, 2014
Westside Comedy has weeknight shows, though UCB will be more convenient. Nerdmelt also has weeknight shows.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:13 AM on February 22, 2014
Best answer: Hollywood is close enough to Silverlake and Los Feliz. You can take the bus to either place in about a half an hour. Both places have good coffee-snob coffee spots. I like the Intelligensia in Silver Lake. Los Feliz has a cool book store (Skylight) with an entire art book wing, if you're into that.
posted by BabeTheBlueOX at 9:30 AM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by BabeTheBlueOX at 9:30 AM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Surely the Santa Monica Pier has to be high on the to see list.
That's in my neighborhood. While I'm usually a west side booster, without a car expect a solid 1.5 hours each way, including waiting time between busses. (I make the trip in reverse to go to UCB.) it's kind of rough if you're only here a couple of days.
posted by Room 641-A at 9:43 AM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
That's in my neighborhood. While I'm usually a west side booster, without a car expect a solid 1.5 hours each way, including waiting time between busses. (I make the trip in reverse to go to UCB.) it's kind of rough if you're only here a couple of days.
posted by Room 641-A at 9:43 AM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Seconding the suggestion for drinks at Yamashiro.
For dinner, Musso & Frank is legendary -- the menu is from a different era, which may or may not interest you, but I always find it enjoyable (and not just because the celebrity sighting is often very good there, too).
posted by scody at 10:08 AM on February 22, 2014
For dinner, Musso & Frank is legendary -- the menu is from a different era, which may or may not interest you, but I always find it enjoyable (and not just because the celebrity sighting is often very good there, too).
posted by scody at 10:08 AM on February 22, 2014
Best answer: Transit accessible things between Hollywood and DTLA :
Craft beer: Blue Palms, Far Bar, El Prado, Sunset Beer, Wurstkuche, The Faculty, Jay's Bar
Coffee snobbery: Caffe Vita, Intelligentsia, Cafecito Organico, Tierra Mia, Taza, Handsome Coffee, Verve Coffee, Demitasse, Cafe Dulce (awesome donuts as well), Spring for Coffee
Cocktails/spendy food: you will find many things downtown, but also check out Allumette in echo park. People have been losing their shit over Alma for at least a year, I have no idea how easy it is to eat there.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 10:13 AM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Craft beer: Blue Palms, Far Bar, El Prado, Sunset Beer, Wurstkuche, The Faculty, Jay's Bar
Coffee snobbery: Caffe Vita, Intelligentsia, Cafecito Organico, Tierra Mia, Taza, Handsome Coffee, Verve Coffee, Demitasse, Cafe Dulce (awesome donuts as well), Spring for Coffee
Cocktails/spendy food: you will find many things downtown, but also check out Allumette in echo park. People have been losing their shit over Alma for at least a year, I have no idea how easy it is to eat there.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 10:13 AM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Ah, I just noticed you're going to Jenette (never have I been so happy to drop so much money on a bra because it fit me!).
If you go to the East Hollywood (Melrose) location, The Faculty (craft beer) is across the street. Also nearby are Scoops (ice cream!) and a good coffee shop (formerly a cafecito organico, but now the workers run it independently). There is a new fancy pizza place just north of there on Santa Monica. Also nearby on Santa Monica is tasty Lebanese food at Marouch. And east of Jenette on Virgil is a ridiculously delicious place called Squrl (coffee, food, I think maybe even a wine store now?).
If you go to the Jenette in Pasadena, Market on Holly has good food/coffee. Also nearby is another Intelligentsia. There's a bunch of other stuff, I just don't know the area as well.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 10:19 AM on February 22, 2014
If you go to the East Hollywood (Melrose) location, The Faculty (craft beer) is across the street. Also nearby are Scoops (ice cream!) and a good coffee shop (formerly a cafecito organico, but now the workers run it independently). There is a new fancy pizza place just north of there on Santa Monica. Also nearby on Santa Monica is tasty Lebanese food at Marouch. And east of Jenette on Virgil is a ridiculously delicious place called Squrl (coffee, food, I think maybe even a wine store now?).
If you go to the Jenette in Pasadena, Market on Holly has good food/coffee. Also nearby is another Intelligentsia. There's a bunch of other stuff, I just don't know the area as well.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 10:19 AM on February 22, 2014
If you hit up Little Tokyo, consider Shabu-Shabu House. The waiting list goes out at 5 for 5 pm dinner, and there's always a line (which is a good sign). Try the new curry as well! It's SOO GOOD!
posted by infinitewindow at 12:59 PM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by infinitewindow at 12:59 PM on February 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Bike routes and car-free itineraries in Los Angeles
Also: the Museum of Jurassic Technology is not super far from you, if you are interested in an unusual museum experience
posted by scrambles at 6:23 AM on February 23, 2014
Also: the Museum of Jurassic Technology is not super far from you, if you are interested in an unusual museum experience
posted by scrambles at 6:23 AM on February 23, 2014
Response by poster: Our trip got cut a little short so we didn't have time to do much, but we visited and loved Demitasse, and enjoyed wandering around Little Tokyo a bit (thanks, JulietBanana!), and had a fantastic meal at ink. Lots of great suggestions here, though, especially for the sort of shows we like, so I'm saving this for the next trip!
posted by rhiannonstone at 10:41 AM on March 13, 2014
posted by rhiannonstone at 10:41 AM on March 13, 2014
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posted by Katemonkey at 3:17 AM on February 22, 2014