Hot Spots in Hollywood

When clubbing gets old, and hitting up the best restaurant in Hollywood is a little overdone, there's always something new to be found in Tinseltown. Hollywood is known for it's best-kept secrets, including the best places to hang/eat out.

Sprinkles

9635 Little Santa Monica Blvd.

Cupcakes can be found on every corner on the West Coast, but in California they're the newest treat to tempt our taste buds. With flavors like apple pie, peanut butter cup, and Neapolitan, Sprinkles is a little hideaway in Beverly Hills with sprinkles from France and fun creativity.

Los Angeles Farmers Market

6333 West Third St.

This Farmers Market has been hanging around for over 75 years with quaint little shops, and other larger stores, like Zara's. There's salons, jewelry stores, fresh produce, and even a butcher shop. It's a great place just to roam around and dabble in a few of their jewels.

Hollywood Wax Museum

6767 Hollywood Blvd.

The Hollywood Wax Museum is home to faux celebrities who all look extremely identical to who their modeled after. Wax figures of the rich and famous date back to the 1940s and it's the first wax museum of the other related locations across the country.

Hollywood Park

1050 South Prairie Ave.

Even if it's just to wear one of those fabulous hats, attend a horse race at Hollywood Park for something different. Dress up and bid on a horse while you watch them race.

The Silent Theatre

611 N. Fairfax Ave.

The theatre is over 60 years old with vintage art deco and more films and art presented than just silent films. With visitors like Maurice Sendak (the author of Where The Wild Things Are) and comedy nights where Pee-Wee's Big Adventure is shown, there's always something different and interesting going on here.

The Arboretum & Botanic Garden

301 North Baldwin Ave.

Walk on the wild side in 127 acres of the Botanic Garden and enjoy unique plants and waterfalls you can't find anywhere else. In a city full of smog, it's refreshing and peaceful here with ongoing events, art classes, and art sculptures throughout the garden.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com

Restaurant Review: Kitchen 24

It's easy to be skeptical when looking for a restaurant in Downtown L.A. at one in the morning. As much as you don't want to resort to Pink's Hot Dog stand, it can be tempting when you're running thin on options.

When you thought Denny's was the only legit restaurant still open, there's something even better on Cahuenga Blvd. Kitchen 24 sits in an old jazz nightclub and serves up home style cooking, but with an upgrade and better ingredients, at all hours of the day. They're big on eggs and breakfast, so try the Wakey Wakey Eggs and Bakey. They always have a homemade soup of the day, but still go big on traditional items like their burgers.

There's an even larger selection of drinks at the bar, but they also have a fun list of shakes and smoothies they make, like the Raspberry Mint Smoothie.

While you take a bite of your Grilled Veggie and Mozzarella Sandwich, you'll be sitting in modern booths with modern tables. Everything in Kitchen 24 is creative and unique, even the overhead lamps are made out of old spoons. You can sit at the bar if you're feeling like being talkative, but there's usually plenty of seating at the booths and tables at any hour. There's always fun music playing and if it's dead outside, there's still something going on in Kitchen 24. The only downside to such a popular place is that it gets so loud you feel like you're screaming across your table to whoever you came with at times.

Drinks are served six a.m. to two a.m. each day with unique mixes like the Jalapeno Margarita and the Root Beer Margarita. They specialize in cocktails, and also have a menu for dessert cocktails.

To curb your sugar craving, go for the cupcakes that are displayed at the entrance of the restaurant. They're cute and tasty at only a few bucks a piece, always decorated as if there's something to celebrate. For desserts, there's also the Waffle Ice Cream Sundae or the Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Skillet with Ice Cream (think BJ's Pazookie).

A minor problem I had with Kitchen 24 was getting charged twice for my meal and finding the mistake after leaving. Although they fixed the mistake, it took more work than necessary to correct the charge and a has made me a little apprehensive next time I visit.

For more info visit www.kitchen24.com.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com

Hookah Lounges in So Cal

Noho's Royal Garden

11026 Magnolia Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

818.655.0412

Although it may seem sketch on the outside, Noho's Royal Garden is impressive with it's array of flavors and even better Persian food. You can smoke at an outside patio and enjoy the relaxing ambiance of a nearby waterfall and outdoor lighting. If you're looking to have your hookah with a drink, look elsewhere as Noho's doesn't serve alcohol.

Cafe Amsterdam

10905 Magnolia Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

818.506.1938

If you're strapped for cash, Cafe Amsterdam is the place to visit if you still want to get down with your hookah. There are no minimum orders and the price is by the amount of hoses you rent instead of individuals in your party. There's a back patio where you can lounge, but inside it's more cramped with little seating. Open mic nights are frequently hosted and there's free wifi with a large coffee menu.

Cafe Alibi

84 S. Fair Oaks Ave.

Pasadena, CA 91105

626.578.7779

Cafe Alibi has great service and fair prices for their hookah. Their food menu is one of the best in Hollywood, but the coffee could use an upgrade. There's a comfortable outdoor patio and even a checkers and chess table to play while you relax with your hookah. The cafe doesn't revolve around it's hookah, but is better if you plan on getting work done or just to hang out for an hour or two with an old friend.

Shoreline Hookah Lounge

16400 Pacific Coast Highway

Huntington Beach, CA 92648

562.592.5400

With a recent remodel, Shoreline is the latest hookah lounge to hit up. They're unique with their special mixes of hookah and futons to lounge on. They offer card games, bubbles to blow, music videos on the plasmas and a relaxing environment that makes you feel as if you're in another country. They also are big on their music, having a DJ on the weekends and different music always playing in the lounge.

Fusion

512 S Brookhurst St.

Anaheim, CA 92804

714.520.5661

Fusion is best known for it's exotic environment and one of the best hookah lounges in Anaheim. The ambiance is relaxing with all of the cushions, hookah, and laid back staff. They have fair prices and the pipes are clean and in good condition. The biggest problem is how busy they can get because of it's popularity, so don't expect their staff to wait on you as promptly as you'd like.

Hookah Lounge

831 E Colorado St.

Glendale, CA 91205

818.242.3442

This place is spacious and great if you're in a big party. There offer unique flavors, such as peach, and there's always a DJ playing middle-eastern music to make you feel more at home while you smoke your hookah. The food is just as notable, with incredible Mediterranean hummus on the menu, but the service is slow so be patient if you visit this lounge.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com

Best Vegan Restaurants to Visit

LOS ANGELES

Pure Luck Restaurant

707 N. Heliotrope Dr. 

Los Angeles, CA 90029

(323) 660-5993

Times: Mon.-Sat.11AM-Midnight, Closed Sundays

Menu includes: Tofu sandwiches and burgers, colorful salads, fried soy-protein nugget wraps, organic soy pasta, smoothies and shakes.

Best thing on the menu: Deep-fried sweet potato slices, served with a tangy dipping sauce.

Price Range: About $8-$10

Pure Luck restaurant is a quirky, fun restaurant where customers feel comfortable in the relaxed environment. They also promise a great selection of micro brews. 

Flore Vegan Cuisine

3818 W. Sunset Blvd. 

Silverlake, CA 90026

(323) 953-0611

Times: Mon.11AM-4PM, Tues.-Fri.11AM-10PM, Sat.-Sun. 10AM-1PM

Menu includes: Vegan dishes, but with a focus on Mexican food. They serve salads, sandwiches, burgers, but no desserts. 

Best thing on the menu: Baja tacos with veggie fish.

Price Range: About $10

The restaurant even has a pub and customers who are die-hard carnivores still rave about the flavors going on in this restaurant. 

California Vegan Restaurant

7300 W. Sunset Blvd. #A

Los Angeles, CA 90046

(323) 874-9079

Times: Mon.-Sat. 11AM-10:30PM

Menu includes: Family recipes with Thai roots and homemade sauces, dressings, and meats. The menu includes some unique items for a vegan menu such as pancakes, quesadillas, soups, and plenty of desserts.

Best thing on the menu: Mango and sticky rice.

Price Range: About $8

California Vegan is unique because they offer a wider variety on their menu for vegans and seem to have more creativity and fun with what they make.

Casa De Tree

3741 Motor Ave. 

Los Angeles, CA 90034

(310) 559-8138

Times: Tues.-Fri. 10AM-9PM

Menu includes: 100% Vegan dishes, sushi, pasta, baked goods, deli/bento, rice/curry, sandwiches and burgers, sweets, and drinks. 

Best thing on the menu: Go-go Croquette!! Burger (Fried potato croquette, onion, tempeh, on a bed of cabbage with special sauce).

Price Range: About $10
They offer Japanese and French recipes with sea salt and fresh herbs for spices. They also carry many wheat-free dishes and are 100% organic.

ORANGE COUNTY

Green's Cafe

15435 Jeffrey Rd.

Irvine, CA

(949) 653-1241                                                                           

Times: Tues.-Sat. 11AM-9PM, Sun 11:30AM-8PM

Menu includes: Tofu sandwiches and burgers, colorful salads, fried soy-protein nugget wraps, organic soy pasta, smoothies and shakes.

Best thing on the menu: Deep-fried sweet potato slices, served with a tangy dipping sauce.

Price Range: About $8-$10

Avanti Cafe

259 E. 17th St.

Costa Mesa, CA 92672

(949) 548-2224                                                                 

Times: Mon.-Fri. 11AM-10PM, Sat. 10:30AM-10PM, Sun. 10:30AM-8PM

Menu includes: Pizza, pasta, sandwiches, sandwiches, desserts. 

Best thing on the menu: Pizza Bianca (Avanti cheese blend, ricotta, garlic & shallot, greens, olives, pine nuts, and rosemary sea salt).

Price Range: About $10

Although the restaurant isn't completely vegan, it has a comfortable menu for both vegetarians and vegans. It's small place to eat that's run by two chefs who founded the restaurant in 2004 and now change the menu every three months. 

LONG BEACH

Zephyr Vegetarian Cafe

340 E. 4th St. 

Long Beach, CA 90802

(562) 435-7113                                                                

Times: Sun.-Thur. 11AM-4PM, Fri-Sat. 11AM-9PM, Closed Sundays

Menu includes: Burgers, sandwiches, drinks, and plenty of salads.

Best thing on the menu: Flame broiled tofu steak burger

Price Range: $8-$10

Zephyr's is an artistic cafe where a lot of musicians play and local art hangs on the walls. It replaced Papa John's four years ago and let's just say no one is complaining. 

House of Vege

2439 Pacific Coast Hwy.

Lomita, CA 90717

(310) 530-1180

Times: Mon.-Thur. 11AM-3PM, 5PM-9PM, Sat. 11AM-9:30PM, Sun. 11AM-9PM

Menu includes: Ovo, chinese, buffet, beer and wine. It consists of an All-You-Can-Eat menu. 

Best thing on the menu: Veggie chicken made from soy protein and deep-fried seaweed rool with taro. 

Price Range: About $11, $16 for All-You-Can-Eat

Although this restaurant is often ignored by people passing by because of it's outer appearance, those that have tried the restaurant swear by it's authenticity and continue frequenting the place.  

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com