MISHY TURNER & ERIKA VARELA
Staff Writers
Populated by Hollywood’s famous and trendy, Los Feliz, an L.A. district located east of Hollywood and south of Griffith Park, is a great place to people watch or to be watched. With creative, eye-popping storefronts and quirky restaurant names, driving down Franklin or Vermont Avenue may cause whiplash. So, grab a neck pad and hold on tight.
First stop — Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre on 26th Street. Here, you won’t find yourself saying, “I’ve heard that one before,” every time someone tells a joke. Started by “Saturday Night Live’s” Amy Poehler and other famous comedians, Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) is continuing the success of the original establishment in New York, bringing comedies purest form back to the L.A. crowd.
This joint has everything from obscene standup routines and sketches to genius improvs that will blow your mind.
Many Pepperdine students say they have had their fair share of chuckles at UCB. Sophomore Ashley Campbell, a member of the Pepperdine Improv Troupe, said she once saw an experimental show at UCB called “Dogs & Cats” where they put a cat and a dog on stage and had offstage comedians predict the four-legged creatures’ hypothetical thoughts.
Freshman Fish Booth said he is a fan of the shows that UCB put together.
“It’s unlike any other comedy club in L.A. because it has such an intimate and unique feel,” he said.
Also, UCB shows are exceptionally cheap, compared to Hollywood Laugh Factory’s $20 to $30 tickets, for example. They range from $1 to $8, and free midnight shows are offered.
Classes, ranging from Improv 101 for comedic rookies to Improv 600 for the more weathered jokesters, are also available at UCB.
Mo Collins of “Mad TV” is doing an $8 show on Sept. 28 called “Mo vs. Moe.” describing her “psycho journey following Mad TV.” Reservations can be made through Upright Citizen Brigade’s Web site, ucbtheatre.com.
After a wild show at the UCB, a coffee and a nice sandwich, combined with the mellow setting Los Feliz’s Bourgeois Pig, intense intellectual discussions about Camus, Kabuki theater, or even Harry Potter might ensure. The dimly lit café, complete with patio dining and pool table, is the perfect spot for a night owl. It is open until 2 a.m. daily and is located next to the Upright Citizens Brigade.
Though the name may conjure memories of the cartoon-adaptation of “Animal Farm” (pigs in suits, standing on their hind legs, discussing how “All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others”), at the Bourgeois Pig you won’t run the risk of being trapped in a hostile communist takeover.
The Bourgeois Pig, which boasts a hip unique crowd, is a great place to meet people and offers delicious cups of cappuccino.
“It’s like a trendy European side walk café, with the best looking people and the best coffee,” said frequent patron Este Haim. “I come here after comedy shows a lot.”
Continuing through Los Feliz, you will find the filet mignon of vintage boutiques smack dab in the center of its goldmine, Vermont Boulevard. At Squaresville, bold colors and patterns line the racks. Not only is the store surprisingly immaculate, but employees even goes as far as to clean every single item that goes on their racks.
Although Squaresville is two stories, with women’s clothing on the first floor and men’s clothing on the top floor, the store itself is surprisingly small. This makes the shopping experience much easier.
The prices are what keep the chic flocking. You can find darling dresses and shoes for under $20, vintage eyewear for $15 and fun blouses for next to nothing, just to name a few. Even if you think you’re not the “vintage type,” give Squaresville a try — you’ll be surprised to see that most of your modern clothes are just copies of these iconic duds.
So, whether you’re looking for a good laugh, a pretty dress, a hot cappuccino or maybe even a cheap laughing cappuccino dress — you never know — Los Feliz has it all.
09-20-2007
