KATHY MILLAR
Living Assistant
The Larchmont Boulevard area is a historical and upscale district of Hancock Park. Hancock Park is a rather diffuse area in between Downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica that makes for a great day trip of shopping and diningthat offers an eclectic world of residences and businesses. The prominence of art galleries, yoga centers, antique shops and Hollywood studios in Hancock Park, intermingled with charming houses and apartments makes this a place that embraces the unique.
This quaint residential area around Larchmont Blvd. is a viable option for the recently graduated to look for chic, affordable apartments, especially because its proximity to freeways allows for an easy work commute in Los Angeles.
Between 1st and 2nd Street on Larchmont Blvd., students can indulge in browsing through the small beauty clothing boutiques that carry the funkiest and most fashionable labels in casual wear. One also cannot help but notice the adorable dogs that shoppers walk as they lazily stroll along the boulevard.
At Larchmont, students can shop in Spirituali for a variety of designer jeans and boots and My Favorite Place for bohemian necklaces. Sales associate for Spirituali Voula Lambropoulas said that the store is “very uplifting, and there’s a lot of energy.”
While one can expect to easily spend more than $100 on one item at these shops, LF Larchmont displays an array of trendy clothing and accessories at competitive sale prices.
LF public relations representative and past sales associate Kelli Richmond said “each LF store is very unique to its area.” The stores both carry lines such as Jeffrey Campbell shoes and the Emma and Sam Basics label.
It would also be hard for Pepperdine students to resist going to the Larchmont Beauty Center at 208 North Larchmont Blvd. in the heart of the shopping district. This is one of the largest beauty supply stores in Los Angeles, and it carries hard-to-find products for both men and women.
The well-stocked shelves nearly reached the ceiling with premium-quality hair products, unique fragrances, skin products and, of course, make-up.
Eager shoppers filled the aisles of the Larchmont Beauty Center last Saturday, and many people enjoyed consulting with the helpful staff who seemed sincerely interested in finding the best products to fit each customer’s needs.
Pepperdine students can go to Larchmont Beauty Center to look for small gifts, such as carved candles and sweetly scented lotions. Shoppers can also fall in love with the wide variety of simple scents the store sold. The intriguing scent of Demeter Fragrance in Pomegranate is irresistible at the price of $17.95, and long-lasting Trucco lipstick in Baroque Rose is also a great choice for $14.50.
Larchmont also offers many unique cafes and restaurants where families and young adults can gather with friends. For a coffee break, try Peet’s Coffee and Tea or Cafe Du Village. This area also boasts some fun local pizza eateries, such as Village Pizzeria, where you can order any combination of toppings imaginable on your large New York style slice of pizza.
As for themed restaurants, Le Petit Greek and California Roll & Sushi Fish are usually busy serving savory meals to customers who have the option of eating at the outdoor tables on the sidewalk or indoors for a quieter atmosphere.
For dinner, Pepperdine students can try The Avocado Grill, located at 217 Larchmont Blvd. This is a large Mexican restaurant with a variety of healthy choices on its menu. The herb grilled salmon plate is fresh and perfectly accented with thyme. Students will also be happy to discover that their entire meal at The Avocado Grill will probably cost less than $15.
Driving through the area surrounding Larchmont Blvd., one can admire the large, beautiful homes along the tree-lined suburban streets. Although it would be quite costly to live in one of these architectural dream-houses, there are some apartment complexes and condos that have classy character and can be affordable for post-grads. According to apartmentguide.com, a one bedroom apartment in Hancock Park ranges from $1100 to $1500 per month, and a two bedroom apartment is around $2200 to $2700 per month.
Since many Pepperdine students will probably be working in L.A. when they graduate, they may want to consider living in the Larchmont area of Hancock Park. Here, grads can socialize with other young adults making their way in the world, embrace the many different cultures in the area, enjoy the safe and trendy surroundings, as well as have easy access to most other areas of Los Angeles.
09-21-2006