10250 Santa Monica Blvd # 152 (map)
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 201-9700

Farmers Market (323) 935-5041
Hollywood (323) 469-1002
Santa Monica (310) 458-0892
Pasadena (626) 535-0905

www.zara.com

First, there are your strip-mall fashion outlets a la Gap, Banana Republic and Abercrombie, where we go when we want to look like everyone else. Then there are your high-end boutiques like Prada and Dior, where we window shop because we can’t afford them. Somewhere in between is Zara, one of the increasingly popular fashion boutiques aimed at the slightly more discerning masses. The Spanish chain is not found on every street corner — and the word “chain” even seems uncomfortable here — but it is common enough that you can probably stumble across one if you are hanging out in one of the fun parts of town. Style at Zara ranges from sharp, upscale and rather metro to relaxed, urban-casual and still metro, on both the men’s and women’s sides. Quality is a bit higher than H&M and Urban Outfitters, but so are prices. The classier menswear would be passable at a Fortune 500 job interview, though it trends overly chic, and some of the dresses they come out with are quite jaw-dropping. Go there during their annual summer sale to reap the most bang for your buck.

The haiku version:

Zpanish ztyle with
Zing, zap, and a zesty zide.
Wait ’til they’re on Zale…

< Back to Shopping

People are often led to believe Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth, but that is not quite true. There is a happier place. It has giant turkey drumsticks and mead. This wonderland we’re talking about is, of course, the Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire.

Besides swashbuckling, looking 17th-century sharp and saying “Arr,” there are a lot of things to do should you make the wise decision to go to the Renaissance Faire, held at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale. Located about 40 minutes from Hollywood, the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area is by no means a lush, natural gully (those of us who saw the old bay area Renaissance Faire location in Novato are somewhat spoiled). But it does the job of lending greenery, tree trunks and shade to complete the old-world Elizabethan atmosphere created by the traveling RenFaire troupe.

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Laura Dave, author of London Is The Best City In America (2006) and The Divorce Party (2008), will be joining the Bellacures Book Club this Sunday, June 26, to join the discussion on her latest novel The First Husband.

A tip from a friend reads:

How do you know when you’ve found the one? That’s the question the Bellacures book club will be asking this month as it reads The First Husband by novelist Laura Dave, whom People Magazine calls “A fresh, funny take on the search for a soulmate.” On Sunday, June 26th, Bellacures will have Laura in house for a moderated discussion led by Write In Color’s Melody Godfred. With discounted services, refreshments and author Laura Dave on hand to sign books and offer her insights, this month’s book club is not to be missed.

The book club will meet at the Brentwood Bellacures at 11712 Barrington Court. Discounted services (15%) start at 12 pm, with moderated discussion at 3 pm.

Brentwood Bellacures can be reached at 310-295-0016.

7702 Santa Monica Blvd (map)
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 654-1234

Though its name confuses some and draws snickers from others, this place offers the West Hollywood bar scene a fresh perspective with its decadent Soviet atmosphere. Its red-lit, two-room layout offers plenty of room to frolic Nutcracker-style, complete with an always-popular front smoking patio. Designed in the fashion of a Russian dance club, with the large back room reserved for actual dancing, this spacious, semi-trendy hangout attracts crowds without seeming to feel crowded. Over 200 kinds of vodka make the drink selection huge and interesting (cucumber mojito?), even though most of them probably can’t be pronounced from a Latin language tree. The patio can be an exception to the crowded rule, and lines can start to be a problem a bit early in the night.

The haiku version:

If you start to feel
Historically out of place
It’s the Lubitsch Touch

< Back to Nightlife

38 North La Cienega Blvd (map)
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 659-1511

www.benihana.com

Santa Monica (310) 260-1423
Encino (818) 788-7121
Torrance (310) 316-7777
City of Industry (626) 912-8784
Anaheim (714) 774-4940

On most nights at Benihana, a birthday song erupts every 15 minutes or so. That is because Benihana is a place people tend to go for birthdays — as well as anniversaries, parent visits, going away parties, moving in parties, and every other kind of party. Besides offering a flavorful selection of Japanese-style steaks, chicken and seafood, as well as sushi, fried rice, vegetables and other delectables, everything (except the sushi, obviously) is prepared teppanyaki-style, fried on a huge iron griddle right at your table. Entertainment is provided too, as chefs whip out an array of well-practiced food tricks. Shrimps fly up in the air and land in pockets, onions rings are stacked to create steaming volcanoes, things are chopped at extraordinary rates, and sometimes, if you’re lucky, things are even balanced on other things. As a disclaimer, you will not be happy if you’re on a diet, or if you dislike smelling of food upon leaving a restaurant. But in every other circumstance, you’ll probably be ecstatic.

The haiku version:

Fear not, fun-at-heart
Little kids have Chuck E. Cheese
But we have this place

< Back to Restaurants

1200 Getty Center Dr (map)
Los Angeles, California 90049
(310) 440-7330

www.getty.edu

The Getty Center is one of Los Angeles’ most generous gifts, as the renowned art and history museum provides a mesmerizing cultural experience, with an amazing view to boot, for the measly price of a $15 parking ticket. A light monorail takes visitors from the parking lot up a winding track through lush greenery to the museum landing, situated like a white marble mountaintop castle floating above the 405. There they are free to wander the grounds, take part in guided tours, explore the center’s exotic gardens, marvel at the fascinating architecture, make use of the extensive library collections, enjoy one of the museum’s several cafes, or shop in the main gift store. Exhibits displaying contemporary and historic art and artifacts rotate every few months, and lectures on a variety of topics are held fairly often. For anyone looking for a fun, beautiful daytime excursion, this place is not to be passed up. Oh, and parking is free after 5 pm on Saturday evenings, when the museum is open until 9 pm.

The haiku version:

A modern palace
Designed by visionaries
With a lot of cash

< Back to Attractions

Damn, this restaurant is now closed!

7516 Melrose Ave (map)
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 651-1806

As far as street-side sushi restaurants go, I Love Sushi is one of the handful of places in Los Angeles that belongs in a different class entirely. In a category of sushi restaurant known for suspect cleanliness, flavorless recipes and less-than-fresh ingredients, this popular walk-by restaurant on Melrose offers interesting, flavorful culinary creations using ingredients that always seem to be fresh, regardless of what day of the week it is. The menu ranges from the basic California roll-based fare to more decorative ikura sushi, eel rolls, artistic scallop and veggie creations and interesting appetizers, with the telltale fishy smell nowhere in site. Servers are always friendly, and chefs are generous (especially to frequent locals). The atmosphere is classic Japanese, with a covered outdoor patio for good Melrose people-watching. It’s no Nobu, but it’s definitely worth the attention of afternoon lunch-seekers and casual dinnergoers. Parking on the southern side streets is usually easier than on Melrose.

The haiku version:

What separates it
From its streetside counterparts
Has to be the love

< Back to Restaurants

9009 Sunset Blvd (map)
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 278-9457

www.theroxyonsunset.com

Opened in 1973 as one of the staple Sunset Strip rock clubs, The Roxy has hosted a slough of well-known bands including David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Nirvana and other acts. Today it hosts bands running from traditional Hollywood rock and roll to more enigmatic acts like Rumspringa and Street Drum Corps, including both locals and national headliners. The large, high-ceilinged one-room venue has good acoustics, relatively ample seating, affordable drinks and average ticket prices, though it can’t escape the lines and cramped parking typical of West Hollywood venues. Its small upstairs nightclub, On The Rox, is another popular destination for late-night partiers who want to relax away from the noise downstairs.

The haiku version:

Classic Sunset Strip
Keeping rock and roll alive
After 30 years

< Back to Entertainment

1520 North Cahuenga Blvd (map)
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 469-3100

La Brea (323) 931-3000
Los Feliz (323) 669-3922
Santa Monica (310) 451-3100

www.umamiburger.com

Umami is a word adopted from Japanese that describes the taste of “savory,” (to be held alongside “salty, “sour,” etc.). Umami Burger knows exactly how to capture this taste with interesting, less-than-obvious combinations of ingredients that include truffle ricotta, blue cheese, green goddess dressing and other eyebrow-raisers on the sort of buttery bun favored by higher-end burger places. Turkey and veggie-patty options are on the menu, and side options like sweet potato fries, salads and tempura onion rings are modified-classic. Of course, the real strength of Umami Burger is the oblique array of sauces, such as jalapeno ranch, roasted garlic aioli and the homemade house ketchup. Prices are on par with most non-burger restaurants, substitutions are not allowed, and Kombu Meal #2 is served with a glass of red wine. Subtext: Just let Umami do the work.

The haiku version:

The Zen of burgers
Chants echo from mountaintops
OM Umami OM

< Back to Restaurants

“‘Cos I’d have to be high to track the sunset down / And paint this paling town”

– Elliott Smith, former Silver Lake resident

The Hipster Hive

Silver Lake (usually written as “Silverlake”) is heralded by Los Angeles’ population of artists and musicians as the Bohemian underground capital of the city, though the small community has been in the national spotlight for a while. Events like Sunset Junction and the newer Silver Lake Jubilee bring the crowds in, as does the vibrant indie scene which produces bands such as Beck, the Silversun Pickups, the Lonely Trees and Army Navy. The area’s plentiful supply of thrift shops and vintage stores keep the locals in vintage threads, a bounty of art galleries provide culture, and there are plenty of sidewalk cafes and low-key bars to spend the wages in. The Silverlake Lounge and the now-relocated Spaceland provide ample musical distraction.

Silverlake Trivia

• Architecture buffs know Silverlake for its many examples of modernist architecture
• Gelson’s Market on Hyperion and Griffith Park Blvd is the original site of the first major Disney studio
• Malo Cantina was one of Elloitt Smith’s favorite haunts, and the electronics repair shop next door carries the mural featured on the cover of Figure 8

Silverlake Bars

• Good Luck Bar
• Silverlake Lounge
• El Cid
• 4100
• Malo Cantina
• Akbar
• Cha Cha Lounge