Freshly minted bar and restaurant Rockwell VT is not the easiest place to find. Plug the address into any Internet mapping service, and one is led straight into the refurbished dining room of the long-standing Los Feliz dining establishment Vermont.
Getting into Rockwell VT (which is located at the back end of the building) requires going around the building, past the bank and coffee shop to the discreet entrance in the alley.
Inside hides a deceptively large, multilevel space that's equal parts woodsy and L.A. cool. It's an open-air setting, with everything centered around a massive coral tree that reaches toward the sky in a dramatic fashion.
The place isn't officially open yet, but they are serving, and more area residents are braving the alley behind Vermont Avenue to find it.
A recent Tuesday evening found the space quietly busy, with a line of people bellied up to the bar and more than a few parties scattered throughout the downstairs patio area under the shadow of the coral tree. The cool, efficient staff, clad in matching black T-shirts emblazoned with Rockwell VT's owl logo, buzzed around the floor.
"We thought it would be best to do a soft opening and work out any kinks before any kind of grand opening, which doesn't happen until October," said owner Chris Diamond, who, along with partners Wayne Elias and Tom Whitman, took over the building that houses both Vermont and Rockwell.
"We opened the doors for the first time last Friday and had a packed house by 11 p.m.," Diamond added.
Rockwell VT also hosted a surprise special guest on that opening Friday night, when Grammy-winning singer Christina Aguilera called to say she was stopping by to check it out.
"We had, like, 20 minutes' notice that she was coming," Diamond said. "But she came with her husband and some friends, and they stayed all night. We've already had the cast of the 'Legally Blonde' stage production come through, as well as the crew from the new 'Fame' movie."
Located in the heart of the Los Feliz shopping district on Vermont, Rockwell is hoping for a crowd that reflects the area's diversity.
"The idea is to have a good mix," said Whitman, the self-described "night life guy" of the three principals, pointing out the DJ booth tucked into a corner. "We're going to clear out the patio on the weekends for a clubbier scene. . . . I'll be promoting Friday nights, which will lean more toward a gay scene, while Saturdays are going to be more of a laid-back neighborhood party."
