The other side of Los Angeles

HOW amazing, that even in this day and age, Los Angeles remains so misunderstood by so many. Part of this is a testament to how lazy most people are; the City of Angels does not exactly present itself to you all neatly wrapped in a bow. Then there is the fact that Los Angeles is also really huge and hard to get a handle on. To really appreciate our nation’s second-largest city — and perhaps one day our first — you need to have a bit of the old pioneer spirit. And a lot of time on your hands.

First off, what you should know about today’s Los Angeles is that it is way more interesting than the Los Angeles of as recently as 10 years ago. The amount of change that has come in modern times, to neighborhoods from Eagle Rock to Playa del Rey, is astounding. In many ways, the city’s west side and its clichés are now all part and parcel of a sort of affluent SoCal version of Manhattan; the east side of town, long down on its luck, is flourishing, growing to become a kind of parallel universe — a little like Brooklyn. A lot like Brooklyn, actually.

On the east side, everything is different from the LA you probably know from quick drives through Beverly Hills or Bel Air or Pacific Palisades and other fancy addresses that came to represent the city to the world. It is different from Times Square-like, tourist-trappy Hollywood; a world removed from the beach neighborhoods and cities.

On the east side, there’s no driving for hours to get everywhere. Sometimes, you can actually walk more than a block or two without everyone staring at you funny. Maybe you could even get a bike, instead of driving everywhere. For the uninitiated, the best place to begin exploring would be the neighborhoods that sit along Sunset Boulevard, between Hollywood and Downtown. There’s Los Feliz, once a sleepy little enclave that got hip back in the 1990s; then there’s Silver Lake, which was always sort of a thing, but now super popular and super expensive; finally, you have happening Echo Park, nestled in a pretty canyon below Dodger Stadium, a rough-and-tumble old collection of cheap apartments and charming bungalows gone cool, just a mile or so from the concrete canyons of Bunker Hill.

All in, these three neighborhoods comprise one of the most pleasant slices of a sprawling Los Angeles. For those interested in getting to know the newer, vastly-improved LA, this area would be a great place to get started. Here’s a quick guide to getting it done.

LET’S GET STARTED.

There are a lot of buzzy neighborhoods in town, but perhaps none turns an outsider’s impression of Los Angeles upside down quite as quickly as Echo Park does.

For years a type of blue collar Hollywood Hills, scattered up and down unreasonably steep and narrow streets, what was not too long ago considered a no-go zone is now some of the hottest real estate in the city, often to the chagrin of long-time residents. Hiding in plain sight just north of Dodger Stadium and moments from Downtown, exploring the neighborhood has made the leap from casual drive-by to stick-around-and-dig-in in just a few short years.

Boutiques like the super-serious vintage shop Luxe de Ville or record store Origami Vinyl or bookstore/cafe Stories are changing the face of the neighborhood’s stretch of Sunset. Galleries such as Machine Project (which is collaborating with the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis this summer), the quirky Echo Curio and Subliminal Projects make an art crawl here a must.

At night, crowds crowd in for an eclectic slate of live shows at twin clubs Echo/Echoplex (NYC-transplant Two Boots serves up pizzas insde); those averse to crowds hit up Pehrspace, a gallery and performance venue on the wrong side of the 101, just steps from the south end of the worn but still glorious park that gives the neighborhood its name.

If you’ve got limited time to hang around, time your visit to Friday afternoons when the neighborhood’s weekly farmers market heats things up just off Sunset Boulevard at Logan Street, near the park. Even if you’re not shopping for exceptional California veggies, go hungry — vendors like Big Mista BBQ, a Long Beach-based mobile pit that has everyone drooling for their smoked meats, make regular appearances.

Learn more about the neighborhood and find local listings at echoparknow.com.

KICK BACK. RELAX.

You probably won’t find any celebrities on the patio at Cafecito Organico. Chances are, if you show up too early in the morning, you won’t find too much action at all on the patio of the city’s coolest little café that also happens to be its best coffee roaster at the moment. Tucked into a crummy residential area deep in the bowels of Silver Lake, this rustic and very serious spot for caffeine junkies is deliciously off the grid, without the trek (534 N. Hoover St.).

Even closer to the action but somehow equally unspoiled, Trails Café, in the Fern Dell section of Griffith Park, just blocks north of the hubbub of the Los Feliz-adjacent Thai Town, is easily one of the city’s best places to kill a serious chunk of time in the great outdoors, without actually moving your body. Featuring some of LA’s most addictive baked goods — refined they’re not, but perfect in every way – plus really outstanding iced tea, you’ve got your bases covered at this place hidden among the trees (2333 Fern Dell Dr.).

If the Los Feliz mommy and me crowd invades — as they sometimes do — retreat to LAMILL on Silver Lake Boulevard. One of the more unusual restaurants Los Angeles has seen lately, this hybrid coffee laboratory/fine dining establishment/all-day diner/Las Vegas bordello has a certain magic about it — after all, where else can you get arctic char carpaccio, donut holes and exotic, house-roasted African coffees in a Chemex pot brought to your table, all at once (1636 Silver Lake Blvd.).

Really, though, you’re only here waiting for Tiki-Ti to open. Never been? This pint-sized parcel of Polynesia on Sunset Boulevard is probably the best bar in Los Angeles, and anyone who doesn’t agree probably came at the wrong time or doesn’t know how to follow simple rules like “bring cash” or “don’t yell at the bartender, wait for him to take your order.”

Yes, it’s small, yes there’s smoking, as it is owner-operated. Nobody beats Tiki-Ti. Nobody. For best results, be here right at 4:00 in the afternoon, Wednesdays through Saturdays, to get a choice bar stool or corner table. Secret $5 rum punch days are the happiest days — check their Web site for updates (4427 W. Sunset Blvd., tiki-ti.com).

Before you can’t move anymore (the drinks are strong!), decamp for 1642 Beer + Wine, a rethink of an old blue collar bar on Temple Street, safely located south of the 101 in a neighborhood where many still fear to tread. Owner Liz Fischbach has created one of the more desirable neighborhood taverns in the city, with a good craft beer selection and a great vibe. With the right group, you could probably spend the rest of your night here (1642 W. Temple St.).

For the next morning’s pick me up, roll past Fix Coffee, a smart café with a sunny patio located deep inside Echo Park. The super-popular Buttermilk Truck — known for their red velvet pancakes — has been known to set up shop here Saturday mornings, if that helps drag you out of bed (2100 Echo Park Ave.).

OKAY, FINE: DO STUFF.

While sitting around and soaking up the vibe is easily the best thing to do while in this neck of the woods, its understandable that some people might like to get out and see the sites.

For starters, you’re right in the lap of Griffith Park — all 4,120 acres of it, much of it essentially wilderness, or at least pretty wild. If you get up early enough, you can drive up to the park’s famed Observatory (beautifully restored and more popular with tourists than ever) and still find a parking space; here you are at the foot of the 1.5-mile Mount Hollywood Trail, an easy carriage road that winds around to the 1,626-foot summit.

You don’t just climb up here for the exercise, though — most days, you get a 360 degree view of Southern California, from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Pacific Ocean and beyond. This isn’t just one of the best things you can do in this part of town, it is really one of the best things to do in Los Angeles (laparks.org).

If you prefer to not go hiking on your vacation, there are other ways to experience Los Angeles on foot — just across Sunset Boulevard from Dodger Stadium, the very Victorian Angelino Heights historic district is a Los Angeles many people have no idea exists; on the first Saturday of every month, the LA Conservancy leads walking tours that not only get you into a couple of the better homes here, but also reveal much about LA’s early days — this was the first residential suburb outside of the heart of town; it commands an outstanding view of the Downtown skyline (Learn more at laconservancy.org).

Speaking of architecture, when most people drive through the cluttered, garish junction of Vermont Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard, they don’t think to themselves, “I wonder if there are any Frank Lloyd Wright houses in the immediate vicinity at all?”

Well, maybe you have, and if so, wonder no more, because yes. Right behind that terrible shopping center where the little Fatburger stand is, you’ll find the 1921 Hollyhock House, built by Wright for oil heiress Aline Barnsdall, whose name is lent to the city park that surrounds the house. It’s no Fallingwater, but it definitely is a treat for any architecture fan. The buildings seem to be undergoing continual restoration, but weekend tours are available, details at hollyhockhouse.net.

House or no house, the tarted-up park grounds have become a favorite relaxation spot for neighborhood wage slaves on break; Wednesdays, when there’s a daytime farmers market with plenty of prepared food (vegan Korean, pupusas, etc.) and Blue Bottle coffee for sale, are a good time to come.

DO A LITTLE SHOPPING.

Over the past decade or so, Sunset Boulevard and environs in Silver Lake has turned into one of the best shop-until-you-drop strips in Southern California. Best of all, the area is still remarkably under-chained, with options leaning heavily towards locally owned, one-off boutiques.

Start your crawl at the super-popular Sunset Junction area, where Santa Monica Boulevard dead ends into Sunset. This area, which has had multiple changes of scenery over the decades, is now somewhat of a Collection Of Stuff Hipsters Like.

Browse the racks of responsibly-made fashions at Matrushka Construction, outfit yourself with the latest coffee-making gear at Chicago import Intelligentsia (look for young celebs like Donald Glover stopping in), outfit yourself not only with mid century modern furniture but also period-appropriate fashions at Mohawk General Store, pick up sweet little gifts at the brick and mortar outlet of artsy-craftsy online concept store ReForm School or just shop for veggies at the Tuesday & Saturday farmers market.

An August street fair features big-name bands and big-time crowds. More information at sunsetjunction.org.

EAT UP!

Los Angeles has always been a great place to eat if you knew where to look; in recent years, it’s only gotten better. Best of all, it is not really a mirror of dining scenes elsewhere at all.

In Los Angeles, you are likely to encounter multiple eating experiences that you simply cannot have elsewhere, or if so, not nearly as transcendent — or, compared to New York, not nearly so affordable.

Get any day started right with breakfast at Square One Dining, an unobtrusive spot on Fountain Avenue for excellent things like brioche French toast with bourbon-pecan topping and vanilla whipped cream, best consumed side by side with a few slices of perfectly cooked, thick-cut bacon to cut the sweetness (4854 Fountain Ave.).

On nice days, lunch should be at Ricky’s Fish Tacos, a makeshift operation in a Los Feliz parking lot. There are two options: shrimp ($3) and fish ($2.50). Try both. Ricky Piña is the man behind the counter; his tacos are essentially the best of their kind in Los Angeles. Get them with all the Baja-style trimmings — crispy cabbage, cool crema and your choice of salsas (1400 N. Virgil, check hours of operation on Twitter @RickysFishTacos).

Don’t fill up — there’s a lot of good lunch in this town. For example, you have to go to Forage, a so-Silver Lake spot for painstakingly-sourced (Did the veggies come from someone’s backyard garden up the road? Maybe!) and very good food. If they have it, get the pork belly sandwich with a side of really good Yukon gold potato salad. Or outstanding baked beans. There are also those aforementioned veggies. If you must (3823 Sunset Blvd.).

Speaking of good sandwiches, there is also the cool little Vietnamese joint Xoia nearby for the brisket banh mi. Though, after fish tacos and pork belly, if you’re still hungry, seek medical attention (1801 W. Sunset Blvd.).

Dinner-wise, start with smart cocktails at the v. grown-up Little Dom’s in Los Feliz, an Italian-ish/steakhouse-y/all around excellent place where you can have things like grilled artichokes, arugula pizzas and raw kale salad if you’re feeling virtuous, but also excellently bad for you things like wood-grilled burgers topped with burrata cheese and speck, or fried oyster po-boys, also topped with speck. Because why not (2128 Hillhurst Ave.).

Hungry late? Thai Town beckons, just a couple of minutes’ drive west on Hollywood Boulevard. If you have spent your entire life eating thai food in places like Manhattan, even the worst restaurant in this neighborhood will be more interesting and authentic. The amount of choice can be overwhelming, which is why we like coming here after midnight, when options are more narrowed down to spots like the dependable and cash-only Ruen Pair, which serves until 3:30 each morning (5257 Hollywood Blvd.).

CHECK IN.

The perfect east side chill session requires the perfect pad — after years of drought, there is now a small selection of smart little places to hang your hat — modest, unobtrusive but chic hideouts that fit in with the low-key flavor of this section of town (no paparazzi in the bushes by the pool here; there aren’t even any pools.)

For East Coasters starving for a bit of that SoCal magic, the best best is the Los Feliz Lodge, a foursome of smart little residential-style spaces located just behind the historic Vista Theater on Sunset Boulevard (and just steps from Tiki-Ti, it should be mentioned).

Prices are as attractive as the location and the décor, which explains why you may have a devil of a time trying to book (from $150, losfelizlodge.com).

If you strike out there, try your luck around the corner at El Tres Inn, a trio of sumptuous suites located upstairs from Sunset Boulevard mainstay El Chavo, a ye olde Los Angeles-style Mexican restaurant that has managed to find a new audience under new ownership, while still retaining its classic cred.

The El Tres isn’t just some cheap crash pad; room rates (and amenities) reflect that. Still, some light sleepers may be better served elsewhere — you are, after all, bunking upstairs from a restaurant and bar that keep late hours (from $285, eltresinn.com).

If there’s no room in the inn at either address, the best place stay on this side of town is easily now the sparkling downtown Ritz-Carlton, just ten minutes or so away by car via surface streets, traffic permitting. This is easily one of the best hotel values in the city at the moment — the current Reconnect package starts at $259 a night and includes a $50 hotel credit, good towards things like bar tabs and parking (ritzcarlton.com).