How do you qualify as an insider in a town where half the people arrived yesterday, and the other half seem to have been here since the tar pits first bubbled?
As the song goes, "all you need is love" -- a real affection for Los Angeles and the things that make it one molten stew of opportunity. Silly or cerebral, hedonistic or abstemious, capitalistic or altruistic, highbrow or lowbrow: L.A. has a place for you -- if you know where to look. For that we turned to our panel of experts -- the people who open bookstores and restaurants here, who curate the art and take us on tours, who entertain us and themselves. Some of their offerings are truly buried, others simply underappreciated. Whatever they are, each is a facet of the kaleidoscopic L.A. experience.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Friday, October 19, 2007 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 67 words Type of Material: Correction
Maison du Pain: The item on La Maison du Pain in The Guide's cover story on Thursday, misattributed statements about the bakery to artist Gary Panter. They were made by artist Gary Baseman. Also, the article quoted the artist as saying he knew pastry because his mother worked at Canter's Deli on Fairfax for 50 years. It should have said that Baseman's mother worked there 35 years.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday, October 23, 2007 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 26 words Type of Material: Correction
Il Piccolino Trattoria: An item in The Guide's cover story on Thursday stated that Il Piccolino Trattoria is in Beverly Hills. It is in West Hollywood.
We started with our cover model, actor Robert Downey Jr. What better person to reveal the secret allures of this city? No, no, not for those reasons, but because you couldn't find a more dedicated fan of L.A. Downey, who was raised in New York City, has adopted the City of Angels as his own. "I get in trouble for saying this, but I think it's the best city in America," says Downey, who moved to L.A. in 1984. "One of the great pleasures of living here for a long time is seeing it morph -- like watching the Chateau Marmont go from a place where you needed a Z-Pak to eat a tuna sandwich to something classy. L.A.'s done going through that avoid-at-all-costs phase."
If you're Downey, for a good time you hit Santa Monica's Main Street. Among his favorite haunts: Shoops [2400 Main St., (310) 452-1019], a German deli he says is not like anywhere else. "You know when friends come back from Europe and bring you all those weird German wafer bars? They've got those up the wazoo -- and strange meats and great sandwiches. . . . Across the street is Tao Healing Arts Center [2309 Main St., (310) 396-4877], where I regularly require shiatsu. Unlike other body works places where you think you've broken a window when they tell you the price, Tao's moderately priced and the staff is really well trained. If you can, get Dr. Kaneko. He's a serious and compassionate healing dude. . . . And since we're on Main Street, I'll stop by B.NY [2449 Main St., (310) 396-1616], which reminds me of those small, East Coast clothing boutiques with half a dozen shoes and one shirt. They carry offbeat, tasteful designers like Issey Miyake. Great for if you have something formal and don't want to go through the Barney's grinder."
And moving right along. . . .
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EAT
Bret McKenzie
One-half of musical-comedy duo Flight of the Conchords
There's a cafe in Griffith Park called Trails. It looks like a ranger station. They sell organic, healthy food. You sit at picnic tables -- it feels like you're camping. I want to do a Conchords concert there. Griffith Park, Los Angeles (use the entrance with the bear statue)
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Paul Schimmel
MOCA chief curator
There is no better place in the States to find extraordinary Asian food than the neighborhood around Atlantic and Valley boulevards in the San Gabriel Valley. You would have to go to Hong Kong or Singapore to find a more diverse group of restaurants. It's an intensely competitive scene -- makes the art world look nice. S. Atlantic and W. Valley boulevards, Alhambra
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Babajan
Master weaver; instructor at Pets With Fez Studio
Shamshiri Restaurant, a family-run Persian place in Glendale, is sadly overlooked. It's not fancy -- you could come in a suit or jeans and a T-shirt. I get their heavenly fesenjan; it's made of pomegranate paste, walnuts and chicken, but they'll make it vegetarian if you want. 122 W. Stocker St., Glendale. (818) 246-9541
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David Lentz
Chef-proprieter, the Hungry Cat
Azami Sushi Cafe is a small storefront run by two super-friendly female sushi chefs who cook for me and my wife. The kitchen is mainly staffed by women who work six days a week with smiles on their faces. It's great to see people who love what they do. 7160 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. (323) 939-3816
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Peter Mays
Executive director, Los Angeles Art Assn.
Le Petit Bistro is a teeny place and you basically have to sit on each other, but it has the best French food in L.A., particularly the cassoulet and bouillabaisse. They also have extraordinary steaks, on par with the best steakhouses in town. The service is terrific too. 631 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 289-9797
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Brett Gurewitz
Founder, Epitaph Records; guitarist, Bad Religion
Mike's Hockey Burger has been around as long as Bad Religion. Ask for either a hockey burger, which is a burger with a hot dog on it, or an Armenian hye pie. 1717 S. Soto St., Los Angeles. (323) 264-0444
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Rickey Kim
Creative director, Evil Monito agency
