The beautifully strange and lovely Los Angeles.
— Kamtin Mohager, The Chain Gang of 1974
FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD
RECOMMENDED HOTEL
Bleached (Jessie): The new Ace Hotel in Downtown.
They have a really nice rooftop bar.
(Jennifer): Checkers Hotel in Downtown.
CG1974: Ace Hotel downtown.
Deap Vally: El Tres Silverlake Inn
Fitz and the Tantrums: The Ace Hotel.
Hanni El Khatib: The Line Hotel [Koreatown].
Man Man: Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo simply
because they have wonderful, complicated heated
toilet seats in their rooms. And bidets. Nothing like a
late night bidet. Or two.
OK Go: The Charlie Hotel in West Hollywood. An old
retreat of Charlie Chaplin.
The Raveonettes: Chateau Marmont.
UTRB: It has to be Chateau Marmont, for its cultural
importance in the history of this town. If the walls
could talk...
Warpaint: El Tres in Silver Lake.
Ace Hotel: 929 S Broadway; Checkers Hotel: 535 South Grand
Avenue; El Tres Silverlake Inn: 4439 Sunset Boulevard; The Line
Hotel: 3515 Wilshire Blvd; Miyako Hotel: 328 East 1st Street; The
Charlie Hotel: 819 North Sweetzer Avenue; Chateau Marmont: 8221
Sunset Boulevard
Fix Coffee / Julie Leopo
Bleached (Jessie): Echo Park! It’s where I live, where I eat, where
I skate.
(Jennifer): Hollywood Hills, like Mulholland Drive. There is so
much music history.
CG1974: I do love living in Beachwood. Being near Franklin
Village is great. Oaks Gourmet is my go-to for my morning
cup of coffee. Upright Citizens Brigade is always a fun time if
you’re looking for comedy. And La Poubelle is perfect for those
interesting late nights.
Deap Vally: Echo Park. Rolling hills, roaming artists, gang
graffiti, a lake with pedal boats, and it’s walkable.
Fitz and the Tantrums: I love my neighborhood of Silver Lake, it’s
central to my everyday from Hollywood to Pasadena where my
parents live. You can pretty much walk anywhere and the people
are lovely. It’s our version of Williamsburg.
Hanni El Khatib: Hancock Park. I love the history of the
neighborhood as well as the architecture and style of all the
buildings.
Man Man: I find myself in the Glassell Park/Cypress Park area
a lot because some great friends let me write on their piano
during the day when they’re at work. I’m recording with a buddy
in nearby Highland Park so I’ve started exploring that area a bit.
K-Town and Little Tokyo are fun to drink, explore, eat in. I live in
Silverlake at the moment (cue eye-rolls) and it’s really such a rad
neighborhood. There ‘s nothing like living in a big city and still
having to worry about being sprayed by a skunk on your walk
home from the bar or running into a pack of coyotes. I’ve known
great dogs eaten by coyotes. Rest in Peace, Otto. I miss you, you
sweet, sweet little dude.
OK Go: Silver Lake because it’s walkable. There’s a beautiful park
and Resevoir. And lots of good places to eat.
The Raveonettes: Downtown. That’s where I live.
UTRB: Silver Lake. It feels like Brooklyn in Los Angeles, but with
sunshine and more fish tacos.
Warpaint: Echo Park; it’s still scummy and affordable with the
option of hermitude and luxury
Beachwood Neighborhood Picks; Oaks Gourmet: 1915 North Bronson Avenue;
Upright Citizens Brigade: 5419 Sunset Boulevard & 5919 Franklin Avenue; La
Poubelle: 5907 Franklin Avenue
LATE NIGHT HAUNTS
CG1974: Pho Cafe in Silverlake (but they close at 11, so be on top
of it), Red Lion, Cafe 101, or Brite Spot.
Deap Vally: El Atacor [cheap, quick, tasty Mexican]
Fitz and the Tantrums: The House of Pies in Los Feliz, Burrito
King in Echo Park, Ruen Pair in Los Feliz/Thai Town
Hanni El Khatib: Taco Zone [arguably one of the best late night
taco trucks in LA, known for their mulitas and sauces]
Man Man: Taco Zone
OK Go: Pacific Dining Car [1920s style steakhouse, open 24/7]
The Raveonettes: Jumbo’s Clown Room [pole dancing, stiff
drinks, rock ‘n’ roll vibes]
UTRB: The Dresden. Divey — and Swingers was filmed in the bar
and the couple that sing in the movie are real and still sing there
to this day.
Warpaint: Good Times at Davey Waynes [enter through a
refrigerator door and walk into a ‘70s garage sale themed bar,
with snowcones!]
Pho Cafe: 2841 Sunset Boulevard; Red Lion Tavern: 2366 Glendale Boulevard;
El Atacor: 3520 North Figueroa Street; Brite Spot: 1918 Sunset Boulevard;
The House of Pies: 1869 North Vermont Avenue; Ruen Pair: 5257 Hollywood
Boulevard; Taco Zone: Alvarado & Montana; Pacific Dining Car: 1310 West
6th Street & 2700 Wilshire Boulevard; Jumbo’s Clown Room: 5153 Hollywood
Boulevard; The Dresden: 1760 N Vermont Ave; Good times at Davey Waynes:
1611 North El Centro Avenue
Amoeba / Genesia Ting
UNDISCOVERED GEM
CG1974: Donut Friend in Highland Park.
People are taking notice, but it’s still a new
place. It’s a gourmet donut shop owned by Mark
Trombino. He’s produced some of my favorite
albums of all-time, and has named all of the
donuts after bands that he has worked with
like Jimmy Eat World, Drive Like Jehu, Mineral
(just to name a few). I grew up in the punk/emo
scene, so it’s a treat (no pun intended) for me
to walk in and nerd out on all the stuff he has
in there.
Deap Vally: The meditation garden at the SelfRealization center.