With my sister and her husband in town this past weekend from Maine, we wanted to do the Hollywood clubbin’ thing without dealing with the actual Hollywood clubbin’ thing (read: velvet ropes, $20 covers, grumpy doormen and long lines).

Me + My siser at Beauty Bar

I don’t remember how I first heard about it, but we decided to do the Hollywood Club Crawl.  Here’s their official promotional pitch from their website:

Join us for a legendary night out in Hollywood!
Birthday Parties / Bachelorette Parties / Visiting Friends
celebrate with us! Travelers, Singles, come alone and party with the best!
Most clubs charge $20 each club and have you wait in line for up to an hour, join the Hollywood Club Crawl and experience Hollywood VIP style - no cover charges / no waiting in lines!
$15 covers the entire night! ($15 pre-sale / $20 at event)
We meet at 10 pm at the Beauty Bar in Hollywood - 1638 N. Cahuenga Blvd.
All clubs are a few blocks from each other on Hollywood Blvd and easily walkable as a group to party at each non stop all night!

Seems like a pretty good deal doesn’t it? We went out Saturday, August 28th, and the lineup was Beauty Bar, Ecco, The Music Box at the Henry Fonda, and Vanguard.  Though their website suggests that the lineup could change from week to week, it looks like it’s usually these four.

Online tickets were $15 plus a $2.45 service fee for each ticket totaling $17.45/pp in advance or $20 at the door.  Girls get a free shot at Beauty Bar to “start off the night right” - sexist, I know, but hey, I ain’t complaining.

The four of us arrived at Beauty Bar a little after 10 and there was a decent amount of people already there.  Jason, the organizer, was standing near the front checking off names and handing out wristbands. He was quite helpful and told us the plan for the night, saying we’ll be leaving at 10:30 (if I remember correctly) for Ecco.  There were also people who were paying the $20 for the Crawl there. I noticed at least two people who were just showing up to hang out at the Beauty Bar and left after they spotted Crawlers in line waiting to pay. They thought the Beauty Bar had a cover and immediately exited!

Speaking of which, I don’t think Beauty Bar usually has a cover or line, so hanging out there is something you could have done without the crawl.  There were a lot of girls there together all dressed up, and after our complimentary shots, we went next door to Ecco.  We did have to wait in line briefly at Ecco because there were a lot of us and they checked ID again (they checked ID everywhere we went even though we had wristbands). Once inside, the place had a good crowd and I really like the decor of Ecco (it used to be Tokio, a Japanese restaurant).  Jason told us we would be leaving for The Music Box at 11:30 so we had an hour.  Our group didn’t really mingle with anyone else. We danced a little but the four of us agreed that the DJ was very inconsistent.  He would get you pumped with a high-energy song and then the next song would be totally different and zapped the energy and vibe he had just built!

At 11:30, Jason found all of us and we walked to The Music Box which is located in the Henry Fonda Theater.  Their website says “all clubs are a few blocks from each other on Hollywood Blvd and easily walkable as a group” but I will have to disagree here.  Personally, I didn’t think the walk was a big deal. I walk a lot and I often walk 30 to 45 minutes at a time.  However, my sister in her stileto boots and a lot of other girls in their high heels were falling behind.  According to Google Maps, it’s about 0.4 miles which is nothing for me but was a bit of an ordeal for others.

After the 8-minute or so walk, we got into The Music Box quickly and had until 12:45.  The Box is very big with a couple levels and a nice outdoor roof deck where we lounged for a bit.  The DJ here was similar to the DJ at Ecco so we didn’t dance as much as we would have liked to.

At 12:45, we all gathered together (those of us who wanted to anyway, forgot to mention that you can choose to stay where you are if you want) and walked to Vanguard down the street.  Vanguard had a different vibe in that there was more security and the men were frisked while women’s purses were searched.  There’s really nothing all that special to the inside of Vanguard and it reminded me of a big warehouse.  There were a lot of people inside dancing though and Jason told us that it was the last stop of the night and we could stay til closing, which I think we did before walking the few blocks home.

So what’s my overall impression of the Hollywood Club Crawl and would I recommend it?

Pros
If you don’t want to go clubbin’ solo or are not sure where to go, this is a good choice.
It was very organized and Jason was attentive and informative.
After paying for the Crawl, you don’t have to pay other covers and have to wait in line just long enough for the group to move in.
A good way to break the ice and talk to others if that’s your thing.

Cons
There was no real socialization or introduction so if you’re not one to initiate, don’t depend on the event to do that for you.
Walking may be an issue for some people, especially girls in heels.
I’m not 100% convinced that those places would generally have a cover or line to begin with. Beauty Bar is the type of place you can just walk in and hang out and I didn’t notice a line for the others.
I wasn’t impressed with any of the DJs.
The drinks at all the places were SUPER expensive! I am use to going to Dillons and other bars and paying $3 - $6 for drinks. Beers were $7 at most of the places and mixed drinks were through the roof!  We spent a lot of cash on drinks.

Conclusion
I would consider doing the Hollywood Club Crawl again if the line-up was different.  I see an upcoming Friday crawl has Kress and the Cabana Club and those two venues usually do have a pretentious door and cover. However, I’m sure their drink prices are also through the roof and being a drinker, I don’t want to deal with that. I would recommend the Hollywood Club Crawl if you’re just visiting L.A., have friends in town or you’re part of a big group for a special event like a bachelorette’s party or something. It is an easy way to do the Hollywood clubbin’ thing but bear in mind that the Hollywood thing includes overpriced drinks.

The important part is that my sister and her husband enjoyed it. It was an easy way for them to experience the Hollywood nightlife before heading back to Maine.  She definitely gives it a good review aside from the walking part and the DJs.  As for me, I’ll stick to $3 drinks at Dillons and dancing to the jukebox at the Frolic.

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This past Sunday was the 25th annual Los Angeles Marathon and also the debut of a new route dubbed “From the Stadium to the Sea.”  Runners raced from Dodgers Stadium through downtown Los Angeles all the way to the beach at Santa Monica Pier.  Organizers hoped to give participants a more interesting route that covered many of L.A.’s landmarks.

One of those landmarks included Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame which so happens to be where I live.  I had a great view of the marathon from my balcony and snapped a few pictures and some video clips.

It was a lot more fun than I expected.  The energy and enthusiasm of both runners and spectators were contagious and I was often cheering and waving back at people.  At some point, Tim decided to point his powerful speakers out the window and started blasting the theme from Rocky:

The effect it had on people was awesome! As soon as runners heard the theme, they perked up, cheered and smile. Many people raised their arms in the air while jogging while others started shadow-boxing. I got a huge thrill every time a large group of people cheered in unison, picked up their pace, and starting running to the music. We had it on loop and it just made me feel so good to see what a positive effect it was having on racers. It was during a perfect spot in the race too, right after a “pick-me-up” station that was handling out water bottles and orange slices.

Towards the end of the race, when the crowd got really thin, Tim decided to change the music. I cannot believe he did this and I thought it was a bit mean, but surprisingly, most people got a kicked out of it. He switched to the Chariots of Fire theme. I didn’t know what this was by name, but immediately recognized it once he played it. To me, it’s usually used in comedies when the protagonist and antagonist both spot something at the same time and make a dash to get to it first. Then you see them running in slow motion making silly punches and grabs at each other. Here, take a listen and you’ll see what I mean:

I could barely stand to see people’s reactions, but many laughed and started running in exaggerated slow motion themselves. One guy even said sincerely “Thanks for the inspiration!” though I think there was one lady that perhaps felt uncomfortable upon hearing it. That’s Tim and his twisted sense of humor.

He didn’t play it long and soon the street cleaners were upon us sweeping away discarded orange peels and water bottles.

I had a great time and hope they keep this route for next year!

Below are some videos and photos. My favorites include the costumed runners (as Stitch, Kermit, and a PedEx truck).

[View Slideshow] [Back to Main Gallery]

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Around 5 this evening, I got up to investigate the flood of orange light streaming in through the glass doors of my balcony.  I figured the sun was setting, but since it has been dark and stormy all day, the vibrancy of this light caught my eye.  I noticed a guy in a building across the street from me standing outside on his cold and wet balcony snapping pictures up at the sky.  I wondered what he was looking at and then - GASP - my jaw dropped.  Right in front of me was the largest and most vivid rainbow I have ever seen, and right next to it was a lighter rainbow.  Double rainbow goodness!!

I sprinted for my camera.

I took some video at first because I knew still pictures would not capture the magnificence I was seeing.  Also, both photos and videos tend to make things look further away than they actually seem in real life.  Let me tell you, this rainbow felt like it was this close.

The storm clouds were reorganizing and the sunlight was fading as quickly as the rainbow.  I took a few still shots from my balcony and then rushed up to try to capture some from my roof.  I’m so glad I did because for the first time ever I was able to see the entire arch of a rainbow and caught both ends of it! Weeeeee!  The rainbow was simply too large for me to capture the entire arch in one picture, but I could have stared at all day.  Simple pleasures in nature get me so excited. Here are the best pics of the lot:

My first shot of the rainbow from my balcony.

Angled to see more of the rainbow arch.

From my rooftop, I stumbled upon the other end of the rainbow!

The rainbow is starting to fade as the sun blazes down the sky. Downtown Los Angeles is centered.

The rainbow is fading fast and storm clouds are moving back in.

It is almost all gone now. Storm is picking up steam.

It is getting very windy again as the rainbow melts away.

Finally, here’s the video. Important: My camera’s mic is quite powerful and it picked up a lot of loud and swooshy street noise. Please have your volume on low or off.

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Last week, while lounging on the sofa, I noticed the balcony doors were suddenly aglow with steaks of orange.  I looked outside and caught my breath at the sight of a gorgeous sunset disappearing behind buildings and palm trees.  I don’t think the English language has an adequate word to describe the sense of awe, appreciation and smallness one feels in the face of such natural beauty, be it that searing sunset or the perfect symmetry of a flower’s petals.

Here are some pictures I wanted to share:

Snapped while standing on my apartment's balcony.

From up on the roof deck; two others were doing the same!

A closer look.

Spectators in wonder.

Turned around on the roof to catch the sun bouncing off downtown Los Angeles.

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Guessing that these are chipmunk holes since I saw a couple of the critters along the trail earlier.

The following pictures are of the view of the city from the trail.  Los Angeles is so spread out and flat!

The skyscrapers of downtown Los Angeles are on your left.

A close-up shot of downtown L.A.

You can see the tall, commercial buildings of Wilshire Blvd.

A close-up shot of the Miracle Mile, which is about 3 miles away.

Another wide shot spanning from downtown across to Century City.

It was a slightly cool, cloudy day which made it great for the hike.  We only made it half way up the trail though. I am slowly admiting to myself that both Jesse and Penny aren’t as young and spry as they used to be (they are 11 and 7, respectively).  Penny actually made the hike pretty miserable because she had one of her “fits.”  Every now and then, for reasons unknown, Penny gets into a frenzy and tries to eat everything in sight.  Now, it’s normal for dogs to eat grass now and then, but Penny not only goes after grass, she’ll gulp down leaves, twigs, weeds, roots, stalks, and even dry, rough stuff like those things that look like wheat stalks.  They’re all too tough to be chewed, so she ends up swallowing stems that are as long as 12 inches or more!  She gets very persistent about it and it’s the only thing on her mind; I end up having to drag her away from bushes and brush areas while she make these awful hacking and choking noises as she’s trying to get the plant matter down.  I’m sure more than one passerby on the trail thought I was somehow abusing my dog!

I basically spent the entire hike, about an hour and a half, holding Penny by the collar to keep her next to me.  This didn’t stop her from trying to dive and yank towards the bushes every 30 seconds.  She is very strong and it was miserable trying to keep her from pulling us into the brush.  My shoulder and lower back are aching from the effort! I also had to stop numerous times to reach down into her throat and pull something out.  She was still crazed during th walk home and even yanked hard to try to get close enough to the fern our apartment building has in the lobby!  Ugh!  I don’t know why she does this and haven’t found anything online about it.  Thankfully, it ony happens maybe 3 times a year, but she sure did ruin today’s hike!

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Because of the great weather today (we actually broke a record set in 1914 with a high of 94), Tim and I took advantage of the warm, breezy night and went out for dinner.  We walked along Hollywood Boulevard without a destination in mind though I knew that I wanted to try something new.

First, we popped into the new sushi restaurant near the Arclight.  Tim and I always joke about how empty that restaurant is; every time we go to the movies that HUGE restaurant is empty with lonely servers standing around waiting.  I know this is L.A., but how big is the market really for a pricey sushi restaurant near a movie theater?

Tonight, we were surprised to see a few tables occupied and people at the bar.  However, the space had an uninviting vibe; it was very cold with lots of steel and concrete.  There was really no character to the restaurant, and after briefly flipping through the too-big menu (burgers? pizza? what?), we left for the also new place next door, Boho.

Boho just opened where Charcoal used to be.  Charcoal didn’t really take off.  The few times I’ve been there, the place was barely a third full, if even.  However, I really liked the atmosphere and decor of Charcoal with its dark woods, leather furniture, stones, antler chandelier and other rustic pieces. It felt like an old school club house.

Boho keeps the warm, inviting lighting of Charcoal but the decor is more laid-back.  There’s a lot of lamps and chandeliers, mismatched chairs and utensils, knickknacks, a piano, and the table we were seated at was actually a thick, horizontal slice of a large tree. I also really liked the tall ficus tree in a huge pot near our table.

A warm, intimate setting for a large party.

Boho even has a player piano.

When we walked in, the hostess (who was very friendly) asked if we had reservations. We said no and she replied, “That’s okay.” Tim and I both found that very amusing considering it was a Sunday night and the restaurant was only about a quarter full. Maybe she’s just practicing the philosophy of acting how you want things to be because eventually it’ll happen, sorta like dressing for success.

Anyway, we were seated promptly and given ice cold water. I really like the water glasses and the decanter of water that was left for us. It was a nice convenience to have water at hand. Tim ordered the pulled pork sandwich ($14) which came with coleslaw and a beet and potato salad. I wasn’t that hungry and got something lighter: the Belgian fries ($8) and the fried oyster po’ boy sliders ($9). The fries came with aioli and homemade ketchup while the sliders consisted of fried oysters, applewood bacon, and arugula.

Boho's Fried Oyster Po' Boy Sliders

The sliders were excellent!  I love the combination of fried oysters and bacon - yum!

A cute presentation of fries, aioli, and homemade ketchup.

Like the sliders, the fries came out quickly.  I really liked the presentation, but found the fries themselves to be a bit hard and dry.  The homemade ketchup was nice with a unique sweetness, and the aioli was very garlicky.

Tim’s pulled pork sandwich was huge.  The coleslaw came on top of the pork and the BBQ sauce was in its own container for him to mix in.  Tim thought the flavor was too mild; I took a bite and was impressed by how fresh and soft the roll was but don’t remember the taste of the pork itself.  Tim also thought the potatoes in his potato salad were dry - maybe they’ve got a poor batch of potatoes?  He gave me his pickle spear (as usual - Vuthy loves pickles!) which had a nice, peppery taste to it.

So, for our first visit there, Boho gets mixed reviews, but we will come back though.  Did I mention that they have 25 different beers on tap?? Boho actually calls itself a “gastropub” because of this and of course I’ll return again to try a beer or two.  Plus, they have a Korean BBQ pizza that comes with kimchee that I’m curious about.

Boho
6372 Sunset Blvd (at the corner of Ivar Ave near Arclight Cinemas)
Los Angeles, CA 90028
http://www.bohorestaurant.com/

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