Los Angeles has been blessed with more than 7 days worth of beautiful summer weather...in the middle of January. So beautiful that when I logged onto Facebook before hopping into the truck to head out to Malibu with the boards, bikes and dog, every post showing up on my feed was of my friends statusing about their status being stuck in traffic heading out to Malibu with their boards, bikes and dogs. Sitting in an hour traffic on a blessedly warm, sunny day defeats the purpose of enjoying warm, sunny days. Thus, this Angeleno explored more of the lovely neighborhoods within Los Feliz and Silver Lake.
Some lovely things I re-discovered about Los Feliz and Silver lake:
1) The architecture is so unique, and no other neighborhood in LA will compare; I don't care what anyone else says. You don't see too much of the modern, "Hollywood" style in Los Feliz. LF is about Spanish flare, the 1960s neighborhood feel and a splash of modern functionality. HIgh vaulted ceilings, archways, wooden floors and exposed (real) brick. Some houses look like cottages from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Some shadow Mediterranean facades or Asian, linear simplicity. A few look like malibu modernization.
If you consider Santa Monica or Beverly Hills, the neighborhoods all look the same. Every street has similar looking (or same looking) apartment buildings and the same palm trees. Los Felizis all about ecletic styles. Ecletic culture.
2) The carpaccio at Figaro has a delciously clean taste. It's got an old school, NY style bistrot feel. It's a well known Not in Hollywood, Hollywood hot spot with appearances in the State Farm Insurance commercial and Madonna's Louis Vuitton Making of 2009 Spring Collection video. The Happy Hours there are worth racing out of the office promptly at 6PM. Both the escargot and the carpaccio are $5 a pop.
3) Vintage shopping never gets old. Remember, if you bring cash, you'll get a better deal. I found an amazing dress at Squaresville. It's a long lavender gown with a deep, low cut V in the back. It's simple. Elegant. $10. Yes, $10. It reminds me of the old Donna Karan gowns. I have nothing to wear it to but really could not pass up the sweet deal.
4) Coffee can get snooty, but it's even more enjoyable at intelligentsia coffee in Silver Lake. If you are a man, and you'd like to grab a good cup o' Jo, skinny jeans will be a must. There's a comfortable outdoor patio with heating lamps and several long wooden bars to set up camp. It's a perfect casual reading place. If you intend to get some serious work done, I do not recommend coming here. People watching is too tempting. Take a picture of your coffee cup before taking a sip out of it.
5) Longboarding is addicting. And the Los Feliz streets are perfect for it! I had friends who literally had to drag me away from neighborhood this past weekend. I would spend hours riding around on my new longboard (her name is Mo) without saying a word to anybody. When my lovely Ervina called to invite me to a house party, I realized I had not spoken to, let alone socialized, with another human soul since early the previous day. Katie and I have a day date for next Sunday: Farmer's Market, Longboarding, Acro Yoga, Beer, Sunset.
I honestly thought I'd be sick of Los Feliz by now. I'm 100% California girl and love being outdoors. Could've sworn the itch to live by the beach would've kicked in by now, but fortunately, it hasn't. The personality of this lovely neighborhood has led me to become less narrow-minded, and maybe even, more eclectic.
Peace,
LV.
