Happy Downtown LA Art Walk night! Here’s a great scoop from KCET about what’s going on tonight and what’s not to miss. (Click the link at the top)
We’re particularly excited to check out the Ansel Adams exhibit, it’s been on our radar for over a month but we still haven’t had the chance to see it.
Also, we love this photo that concludes the list made by photographer Gabor Ekecs (on display at PC Colour Lab in the Arts District):
If you live Downtown (or anywhere close by), work Downtown, or are as obsessed with Eater (and related foodie blogs) as we are, then our guess is that the news of Umamicatessen coming to Broadway is swirling and buzzing around your life as much as it is ours.
It’s fantastic to see a new Downtown Los Angeles eatery and dining experience get so much hype. It clearly helps that it’s Umami, a glorified name around the L.A. area for their gourmet burger creations. But as you may already know, this is nothing like your typical Umami. And so as this multifaceted multi-dining-optioned foodie wonderland prepares for its soft open this weekend, we’re giving you the 411 on what we know to be in store.
Here’s how the eatery breaks down:
- Umami Burger!… many of the news reports completely gloss over the fact that an expanded version of the Umami Burger you know and love will be a major component to the eatery. Maybe it seemed too obvious to mention, but we think it’s the most critical piece to this gourmet puzzle.
- Pigg - a tribute to “all things pork around the world” by acclaimed chef Chris Cosentino, whose San Francisco restaurant Incanto has been described by Forbes Traveler as ”perhaps America’s most adventurous nose-to-tail restaurant” thanks to Cosentino’s obsession of all things offal (if that’s what you’re into…).
- The Back Bar - Adrian Biggs of L.A. bars La Descarga and Harvard & Stone will be responsible for this full service bar. From all we’ve read and investigated, it sounds like it’ll definitely be on the pricier ritzier side of things (an “international and exceptional” wine selection, “craft beers and specialty cocktails” - you know what that means, $$$).
- The Cure - The Cure will be Adam Fleischman, the man behind the entire Umami empire,’s own kosher deli concept. We don’t know a ton of what that entails, but it’s also pretty self-explanatory. Roast beef, pastrami and Reubens, oh my!
UPDATE: Bagels, knishes and MATZAH BALL SOUP! God bless us, every one.
- Spring for Coffee - The Historic Core’s coveted café for seriously gourmet coffee and espresso will operate its third location (don’t forget it’s Academy Awards Bldg annex at Los Angeles St & 8th alongside its Spring Street home base), not only brewing its usual best but Eater reports of “coffee-infused cocktails”. Serious win.
(And if you go, make sure you say a warm Hello and Welcome to our friend Jenna!)
(courtesy of Eater LA)
We can’t wait for their Saturday soft opening and hope that other restauranteurs follow Adam Fleischman’s smart and commendable lead by making Downtown Los Angeles the place for their flagship locations.
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Umamicatessen
846 S. Broadway (between 8th & 9th)
Broadway District/Historic Core/Fashion District
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Generally unimaginable, but a cold day like today makes it seem more plausible…
usclibraries:
“It did happen here.” — snow and hail cover Broadway in downtown Los Angeles on February 20, 1944.
(via arijose)
Exciting to see the foundation of the new Broad Museum fully set! 2012 shapes up to be a strong year for Downtown development, and with increased construction on the museum alongside the opening of Civic Park, the long-awaited transformation of the Grand-2nd-1st-Street Corridor seems to finally be on the horizon.
(via livingclotheshanger)
The Downtown bar scene is arguably one of the best in Los Angeles: it’s classy and exciting (unlike most L.A. neighborhood dive bars), but not too haughty (unlike certain uppity neighborhoods).
Nearly all of its establishments have something unique and distinguishing going on, from specific alcohol-oriented places like Caña (rum), Silo (vodka) and Las Perlas (tequila/mezcal) to classy old-school joints like The Edison, Seven Grand and, of course, The Varnish.
But sometimes you just want to grab a well-crafted drink at a neighborhood place that just is what it is and not have to worry about dress codes or long lines or whether you’ll ever be able to read the drink menu with so little light. It’s this desire that often leads us to The Falls. Yes, it might technically have a theme (woodsy-chic?). No, it might not scream Downtown neighborhood pride or anything. But it’s fun, there’s hardly a wait, the dress code isn’t too strict, and the drinks are average priced (for Downtown) and really delicious.
Favorites include the Mustang Ranch, a kickin’ cocktail featuring Marama red pepper vodka, strawberries, basil and lime juice that can’t be beat, and the Ginger in the Rye, an exciting concoction of Bulleit Rye, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg whites.
The Falls also features a great (and affordable) all-day Sunday & Monday happy hour, and often has events such as DJ sets and jazz performances that keep the place feeling eclectic, diverse and neighborhoody. Also, you gotta love a place where the bartenders actually recognize you once you’ve been there a few times. Can’t say that for a lot of other Downtown bars. Special props to our favorite bartender, Tomahawk, who you’ll always find keeping it real and ready to serve you up something delicious.
Photo courtesy of The Falls’s website
The Falls
626 S. Spring Street (between 6th & 7th)
Historic Core
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Twitter: @thefallslounge - Facebook: The Falls Lounge
After three very successful events in late November-December (featuring Cosmic Gate, John O’Callaghan and Arty), Insomniac is kicking off another month of highly talented DJ acts at Exchange L.A., the Spring Street nightclub whose popularity and range of events have dramatically increased these last few months.
This Friday night, January 13th, they are bringing Aly & Fila - a super-impressive trance/house act from Egypt whose track “We Control the Sunlight” was recently chosen as “Tune of the Year” on Armin Van Buuren’s global radio show A State of Trance.
Insomniac Events, notable for festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival and Beyond Wonderland, have brought the bulk of their strong one-night DJ set efforts from Hollywood’s Palladium and Music Box to Downtown’s Exchange L.A. over the last two months.
…And most importantly, we’re happy to report that The Heart of Los Angeles has some discount tickets for the event. Email us at info@theheartofla.com with your name and anyone else’s name who you’ll be attending with, and email us for more info as well.
*For these tickets, you must be in the guest pass line by 10:45pm.
See you at Exchange L.A.!
Over the past year, downtown’s collection of retail boutiques have seen tremendous growth. Although many of these one of a kind shops have opened their doors along 7th, 6th and Spring Streets, another great location has popped up over in the Arts District. The Apolis Global Citizen brand has been around since 2007 as an online only shop. But this month, owners and brothers Shea and Rann Parton opened their first retail and gallery space - Apolis: Common Gallery.
Located footsteps down from Wurstküche on 3rd Street, Apolis carries every garment and accessory needed to look and feel like a gentlemen. The look of the brand is stylistically similar to J. Crew, but what separates them is obvious: their product line is super high quality and they have a much more thoughtful business model, one they call advocacy through industry. Nearly 70% of their products are manufactured in Los Angeles and the remaining in Uganda, Nepal and Bangladesh. Here, Apolis has contributed to sustainable growth with partners such as Invisible Children’s Cotton Initiative.
Photo courtesy of Brigham Yen
Apolis: Common Gallery
806 E 3rd St (at Traction Ave)
Arts District
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Website: Apolis: Common Gallery — Twitter: @CommonGallery
As Artisan House prepares to open (now formally by December 7th) on the ground floor of the Pacific Electric Lofts, we are excited by new use that the restaurant brings to a building that serves a great deal of history in Downtown Los Angeles.
This is a photo of the Pacific Electric Building back during World War II, nearing the end of it’s time as one of Downtown’s busiest subway and rail terminals. Main Street Station was compared in its day to the Grand Central Station of Los Angeles.
