Andrea Schulte-Peevers and David Peevers Los Angeles, Lonely Planet: Oakland, 2nd ed., 1996 (1999), 351pp., 1999, 1996, 1990s, 1980s, 1970s, 1960s, 1950s, 1940s, 1930, 1920s, 1916, 1880s
Painting & Sculpture
"The first art schools in Los Angeles date to the 1880s and include the LA School of Art and Design, founded by Louisa Garden MacLeod, and the College of Fine Arts at the University of Southern California. A decade or so later, the young city saw an influx of painters migrating to sunnier climes from the East Coast and also from San Francisco. Many settled around the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena as well as Topanga Canyon, Laguna Beach (Orange County) and Avalon on Catalina Island. Known as the 'Eucalyptus School,' these painters specialized in pleasant Impressionist-style landscapes with natural and pastel color palettes.
"The seeds of Modernism were laid in 1916. Rex Slinkard and Stanton Macdonald-Wright founded the Modern Art Society whose members were largely artists returning to LA from the East Coast or Europe where they had picked up Cubism, Expressionism and Fauvism. The Otis Art Institute, another important college that survives, also dates roughly to this time. Major Modernists from the '20s to the '40s included Jackson Pollack, Charles White, Man Ray, Eugene Berman, Albert King and Oskar Fischinger. While many were thematically inspired by the California landscape and sunlight initially, by the '40s and '50s, attention turned to the materialism, consumerism and technological progress that characterized the era.
"The trend continued through the '60s when LA experienced a major art boom with a slew of new galleries and museums opening and painters migrating to the city from all over the world. Among them flourished a gaggle of avant-garde artists including Edward Kienholz, Robert Irwin and John Mason, whose works were pioneered by the Ferus Gallery. Other major artists were David Hockney, who had come here from England, Richard Diebenkorn and Ed Ruscha. the '70s saw an emergence of art by ethinic artists, notably the Latino group 'Los Four' (Frank Romero, Beto de la Rocha, Gilbert Lujan and Carlos Almaraz), which focused on public art and gave the city many colorful murals and extravagant sculptures. Women artists were always underrepresented, although muralist Judith Baca has certainly left her mark all over the city." pp. 30 - 31.
Frank Gehry (born 1929)
"Frank O Gehry is regarded as one of the most outstanding contemporary LA architects. He often uses unconventional materials such as plastic sheering (sic., sheeting?) and wire-mesh screens in his designs, which still seem to integrate into their respective environments. He was the recipient of several honorary doctorate degrees and countless awards, including the prestigious Pritzker Prize for Architecture (1989). His designs in LA include the Santa Monica Place shopping mall (1981), the Cabrillo Maritime Museum (1981), the Temporary Contemporary Museum (1983) and Loyola Law School (1984). He is also the architect of the future Walt Disney Concert Hall . . . "
[Santa Monica Place retrofitting has removed the Gehry facade and several other buildings are notable in Santa Monica, and specifically Ocean Park: an apartment building on Highland; the former Egg Factory on Main Street; and the former Chiat/Day Building.] p. 36
"Generations of people around the world have grown up thinking Santa Monica is California . . . " p. 180
"Kinney (d. 1920) may have been a little kooky, but he unwittingly set the trend for the Venice of the future. Throughout the 20th century, the communtiy attracted whatever was the counterculture of its decade, be it Lawrence Lipton and Stuart Perkoff of the '50s Beat generation, the hippies of the '60s (Jim Morrison and the Doors were among those who lived here), the New Agers of the '70s and '80s, or the Rollerblading, image-obsessed babes and dudes of the '90s. In many ways, much more than Berverly Hills and certainly more than Hollywood, Venice generates the image of the free-wheeling, laid back, slightly crazed but creative and cutting-edge city that many people expect LA to be.
". . . two of California's most famous indoor gyms: Gold's Gym at 360 Hampton Drive, and World Gym at 812 Main St. . . .
"Architecturally, Venice is often as bizarre as its boardwalk. Look no farther than Venice's north entrance, on Main St. at Rose Ave. for cases in point: artist Jonathan Borofsky's 34-foot Ballerina Clown on the facade of the Venice Renaissance Building, and four-story binoculars, the work of Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, posing as the front door to the Chiat/Day Inc. advertising agency . . ." p. 184
[Gehry designed the building that Chiat/Day has now moved from. In 2011 Google took over this building.}
Bicycling & In-line Skating
". . . the South Bay Bicycle Trail, a flat 22-mile paved path that follows the beach south from Santa Monica to Torrance Beach, with a detour around the yacht harbor at Marina del Rey . . .
"Bike-rental places include Perry's Rentals with four outlets renting beach cruisers, tandems and in-line skates along the beach path in Santa Monica . . . Skating lessons are offered on weekends . . ." p. 213
Health Clubs
"Angelenos' obsession with their bodies translates into a profusion of health clubs, featuring the latest in exercise equipment and workout classes. New trends are usually spawned here before moving on to the rest of the country and the world (aerobics, step aerobics and kick-boxing, for example.)
". . . If you want to pump iron with the pros, head to the lengendary Gold's Gym, 360 Hampton Drive in Venice, where you might even catch a glimpse of the next Mr. Universe. This is the gym where Arnold Schwarzeneger once bulked up for the title . . . It's open daily until midnight." p. 214
[Now Governor Schwarzenegger.]
Places to Stay-Santa Monica
"Budget Inexpensive lodgings have been rare ever since Santa Monica was catapulted onto the trendiness bandwagon . . .
"Mid-Range By far the best bet in this price category is the Sea Shore Motel, 2637 Main St., which is ingenuously named, given that it's a few hundred yards from the beach. A good value, well-run and with a lot of European influences, the motel is owned by a German family (the Frau who serves up the food in the adjoining cafe/restaurant is actually named Brunhilde!), and you'll meet a lot of European travelers here. They serve a hearty German-style breakfast here - if you wish - consisting of cold-cuts, cheese and baked rolls, for around $5. Standard rooms are $65, and suites sleeping up to four are $95. Ask for special deals when checking in.
". . . the bare-bones Ocean Lodge, at 1667 Ocean Av. Some threadbare rooms go for $110; suites sleeping four or five cost $140 to $160. Prices dip some time after October, so call and barter.
"An excellent choice and a value for the money is the charming Belle Bleu Inn by the Sea, 1670 Ocean Ave., a property with lots of character in the shadow of the giant Loews Santa Monica Hotel. For $115 to $225 you get a suit with a kitchen or kitchette, polished wooden floors and great beaches just a few hundred steps away. Most of the 26 rooms have patios for enjoying the breeze, and parking is free." p. 232
"Top End At the lower end in this price spectrum is the Four Points by Sheraton Santa Monica, 530 W. Pico Blvd., an attractive 309 - room property (formerly the Bay View Plaza), suitable for both families and business travelers. A major renovation has sheathed the spacious rooms and public areas in a contemporary, pleasing color scheme. This hotel is in a good location, 3 blocks from the beach and Santa Monica Pier, and offers easy access to the 10 Fwy. Standard rooms with partial ocean views are $165; rooms with full views are $185." p. 232
". . .
"Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, 1700 Ocean Ave., has interior grandeur and a commanding perch right above the Pacific Ocean. Its light-flooded, galleried, five-story glass atrium provides an airy welcome. Each of the 350 rooms and suites blends rattan and wicker furnishings with a subdued palatte of colors. Dining options include the refined Lavande. To help work it all off, there's a Pritikin fitness center, plus Jacuzzis and saunas. Rates run $250 to $450 for rooms, $575 to $2500 for suites.
"Nearby is Shutters on the Beach, 1 Pico Blvd., the only Santa Monica hotel that can claim to be practically built into the sand. It has an elegant Cape Cod appearance, two pricey and acclaimed restaurants and lots of original artwork by such notables as Roy Lichtenstein and David Hockney. Cameras are firmly discouraged here, as Shutters is frequently the nest of very high-profile lovebirds. Some rooms feature fireplaces, private Jacuzzis and a homey feel, with complimentary books, magazines, videos and even waterproof shower radios. Expect rates for 'regular' rooms to start at $325, and around $500 for ocean-view rooms. Suites run $750 to $2000." p. 233
Venice
"Mid Range One of the best bargains in LA is the Cadillac Hotel, 8 Dudley Ave, right on Ocean Front Walk. It's a graceful 1930s Art Deco landmark, featuring rooms with ocean views, color TVs, safes, phones and private baths. There's also a gym and sauna, rooftop sundecks and coin laundry. Each of the private rooms cost $69; bunks in four-person dorms are $20. The suite, with a view from Malibu to Catalina Island, costs $110." p. 233
Santa Monica
"Budget Hands-down the best shopping mall food court is Eatz inside Santa Monica Place on Broadway, at the southern end of the Third Street Promenade. Choices are bewildering, from Chinese stir-fries to kabobs and curries, croissants, cookies and coffee. On the left, as you enter from Broadway, is a pizza joint where minimum-wage workers slide over hot slices to a constant crowd knee-capping each other with their shopping bags. A hilarious sideshow deveops whenever the lissome girls at Hot Dog on a Stick start thumping and pumping their next batch of lemonade in tight-fitting, clown-colored hotpants.
". . .
"Budget spots also include the Omelette Parlor, 2732 Main St., which has been whipping up some of the best egg dishes and breakfasts in town since they opened during the 'Summer of Love' in 1967. Industrial-weight omelets are $6.50, and beefy deli sandwiches go for around $6. Expect a line on weekend mornings. They serve breakfast and lunch only.
"Lulu's, nearby at 2720 Main St., has fine Mexican dining on a screened-off porch and an interior courtyard featuring a huge 'Day of the Dead' mural of skeletal jazz musicians. Inventive burritos, tacos, tostadas, and more are less than $10, though the perennial favorite - duck enchiladas - rings in at $11.45. For many, the real draw are the crippling margaritas thundering forth from Tino's Tequila Cantina, named for Lula's steadfast busboy. Be afraid." p. 256
Mid-Range
". . .
"The Galley, 2442 Main St., is a seafood and chop house festooned with Christmas lights and giant clam fountains burbling on the rear patio. It's been there since 1934 and looks it - with sawdust on the floor and battered maritime junk - but customers swear by its grilled swordfish ($18) and huge porterhouse steaks ($24) . . .
"At Jake and Annie's, 2700 Main St., the Dust Bowl meets the Pacific. One speciality is the Oklahoma barbecued platter, though we're partial to the black linguine with rock shrimp. Ideal for the cost conscious are the three-course, early-bird dinners served up between 4 and 6:30 pm. There's occasional piano music and brunch on weekends." p. 257
[Since replaced by an Irish pub]
Top-End
". . .
"Hotel food isn't usually mind-blowing, but Lavande, at the Loews at 1700 Ocean Ave., may just have the right ingredients for success: a celebrated chef, a knock-out ocean view and a menu brimming with fresh vegetables, fish and meat. Chef Alain Giraud has delved deep into his Provençal roots for such concoctions as striped bass with fennel, anise in pastis sauce and roasted salmon with onion tart. The sun-splashed terrace and pale yellow and green pottery do their part to transport you right to Aix-en-Provence. It's closed Sunday, except for brunch.
"Stepping into Röckenwagner, 2435 Main St., is like dropping into a fine country roadhouse run by old friends. Integrated into the stylish Edgemar Complex, it presents family dininng - kids are not an unusual sight - in a loft-like space beneath a barrel-vaulted ceiling. A placid mural of the German countryside presides over well-spaced tables and booths where since the early '90s the fabled cuisine of owner Hans Röckenwagner has been served up to loyal fans. Herb-crusted lamb loin and the roasted veal with shitake mushrooms are almost worth their $21 price tab. Dinner is served nightly, along with brunch weekends.
"When last we spotted them, actors Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were barreling out of Chinois on Main, 2709 Main St., and into their limo. Such is the illustrious clientele at this classic Wolfgang Puck outpost that hardly an eye was batted. Since 1983, Hollywood's hungry have been nibbling on Chef Makoto Tanaka's Cantonese duck and Shanghai lobster as they emerge from an open kitchen installed beneath a huge copper ventilator. Sure, it's a splurge, but you're more likely to see real stars here than during a tour of Beverly Hills that costs the same. Weekend reservations are hard to come by, though with a few days' notice they can usually be clinched for lunch Wednesday to Friday and dinner weekdays.
"By sheer dint of personality, the 'Terminator' himself has willed Schatzi on Main, 3110 Main St., into some success despite - or perhaps because of - its occasional forays into Mr. Schwarzeneggger's native Austrian cuisine, including the Wienerschnitzel and Zwiebelröstbraten. Many come here just to taste 'the Arnold's' favorite dessert, Kaiserschmarrn - crumbled pancakes mixed with raisins, then carmelized in the oven and served with apple sauce ($9.50). On Cigar Night, the first Monday of the month, $85 buys a four-course dinner, three prime cigars and wine - plus a 90% chance of enjoying it with Arnold himself. . . .
Venice
Budget
". . .
"Just 2 blocks from the beach is one of Venice's most enduring cafes (since 1979), the Rose Cafe, 220 Rose Ave. Frequented by both the beefcakes working out at the nearby Gold's Gym and local artists, this is a terrific place to come for a leisurely breakfast best consumed on the tree-fringed patio. Its breakfast special of a croissant, slice of brie and coffee or tea is served weekdays between 8 and 10 am for a mere $3.46. For lunch, a mouthwatering array of deli salads beckons, while more substantial entrees are available too.
[Note the Rose mural; also the family owns the Indian Restaurant on Main Street and has recently remodeled one of the houses in the Ocean Park Historical District on Third St.]
"Another Venice Institution is the 24-hour Van Go's Ear, 796 Main St., in a yellow house with a rad portrait of the painter himself. Its popularity can't be explained by the quality of the food, which takes stabs at being healthy but is far from gourmet. The place is busiest in the week-end's wee hours when a post-clubbing crowd descends on its oversized, artsy chairs orbiting tiled tables. Replenish your energy with a 'Fruit Fuck' ($3.75). a nutritional cocktail made with psyllium husks, soy protein, wheat grass and lots of juices to make it all palatable.
". . .
Mid-Range
"Laughter punctuates the lively conversations of the chic patrons at Chaya Venice, at 110 Navy St. Hauling regulars back with a surprisingly reasonably priced Asian menu, it's short on trendiness and long on substance. If you can't decide, have the chef's daily medley, which combines salad, sushi, fish, meat and vegetables. Another good choice is the spread of antipasti, including crab cakes, sashimi, spring rolls and escargot . . ." p. 259
Top End
"Although not the kind of place that generates gushy reviews, Joe's, 1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd., nevertheless enjoys a loyal following. The owner/chef, Joe Miller, serves up uniformly sophisticated French California food from a kitchen the size of a walk-in closet. Just about everything on the menu is boud to elicit raves, especially the slow-roasted salmon and the carmelized onion tart. Four-course prix fixe menus are $30 and $40. Resevations are advised . . . " p. 260
Theater
". . .
". . . For new and avant-garde plays head to the Powerhouse Theater, 3116 2nd St., [Santa Monica] . . ." p. 271
Coffee Houses
". . .
"Near Main St. in Santa Monica is the Novel Cafe, 212 Pier Ave. This bookstore cum cafe has crowds of bohemians spilling out onto the sidewalk - sipping java, reading or practicing their foreign language skills. This is a great place to connect with the literary crowd (yes LA does have one.) p. 288
Markets
" . . .
"Santa Monica . . . Ocean Park Blvd. and Main St. (Sunday 9 am to noon.)" p. 298