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DTLA
I remember when Pete’s Cafe first opened. There was a tower of bottles behind the bar and the whole neighborhood (all 300 people) was there. My friend Raina took me, because back then I was new to DTLA and still needed local guidance.
Over the last many years I’ve had so many wonderful times in the back four-top on the patio (my favorite table). I met one of the few people in DTLA that I’ve dated there (he later decided he was straight and moved to New York). I’ve had meetings and drinks at Pete’s with all sorts of DTLA glitteratti like Hal Bastian, Justin Weiss and Azzi Kashani.
I have to admit, I never got around to trying the whole menu. I stuck to the Hellman burger or the breakfast menu for pretty much every meal. I do remember some awesome braised short ribs and of course the mac n cheese is pretty perfect. If I liked blue cheese I’m sure I would have salivated over the fries that are slathered in it (I know all the rest of my friends did).
The service was always spotty at best, and seemed to change every couple months. I know there have been several head chefs and countless managers, but it’s always been there, with the promise of slightly overpriced but delicious food and good times.
Rumor on the street is that Pete’s Cafe will cease to exist on Wednesday. At least in its curent form. A friend of a friend who works there has already received their walking papers with a bunch of other Pete’s employees. Now, I do have insider info that we’re not loosing the corner eatery at 4th and Main. It’s just going to evolve. Who knows, next week it could look exactly the same. On the other hand, we could see some menu shifting, management shuffling or maybe even a complete rebranding if a new entity takes it over.
Stay tuned!!
Start out at Church and State. If you’ve lived down here a while, it used to suck, but now it rocks, if not, just go enjoy, you’ll be fine. Start with the oysters, they have the only ones in our tiny neighborhood that could rival Water Grill and they’re way less pretentious (read affordable). It’s a decadent way to start the date. Champagne if you can afford it. Let them educate you on what your eating and ask them to make suggestions. Don’t let yourself be up-sold on the most expensive thing on the menu, but usually fresh means good.
Then you’re off a few blocks away to the Downtown Los Angeles Gun Club. Yes you heard me. Guns. It’s fuckn hot. Pick out some targets, grab some guns, buys some bullets and kill some bad guys. Be sure to sign and date your best targets for each other.
Now you need something special for the closer. I assume that you’re both smart, good looking, well traveled people and therefor both Downtowners, so it can’t be the usual rooftop cocktail. I suggest Villians. It’s new and sexy and near where you’ve been kickn it all night. Lounge upstairs for some privacy and great people watching. Get drunk. Go home. Have fun! 
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/22009351 w=500&h=281]
A short video of the view from my loft at The El Dorado Lofts.
(Source: http://player.vimeo.com/)
- It’s my neighborhood bar, do you have one? You should. It’s the closest. Invade and make it yours. Two beers, three times a week or more is appropriate. (I’ve fallen behind since I moved to my new pad)
- The staff is small and consistent. They work hard, know their shit and know you too.
- There are only two door people, they know you too
- The food is simple and delicious, comes out on time, and complements the beer
- There is low/no music so talking to friends is easy
- When there are communal things on TV, it’s on there - sports etc.
- Outdoor seating allows you to people watch in our kick ass small town… and smoke (whoops, now anymore)
- So many selections of beer, so little time (thoughtfully picked and regularly changed up)
- Always packed means always fun… yes I mean always.
- They have a full bar for all your friends that don’t drink beer, simple smart liquor picks.
A few things to remember. DTLA is not Hollywood and it’s not Silverlake. Stop trying so damn hard. You can be yourself at MOST places in DTLA with no worry at all of standing out. Of course if your trying to attract someone, be your very best self. There are some notable exceptions.
Most of the suit and tie daytime places stay suit and tie at night. That means if you’re going to Noe, wear a button up. No jacket is needed if the weather is nice. Bottega is dress to impress but don’t feel like you need to, they’re happy for all the neighborhoodie biz. Crocker, Edison and The Standard all have dress codes, as do most of Cedd Moses’s places. Just don’t be a slob at Cedds, have some style and no baseball caps and you’re good. For the others, make sure your shoes aren’t tennies, your shirts got buttons and you’re hatless.
LA Live is a Hollywood extension at all their late night drinking and partying spots so just follow the standard old Hollywood rules, more girls than guys, buttons ups, blah blah blah. Everywhere south of The Core is no dress code at all, including the brand new sick Warehouse District spot Villians so come as you are.
It’s like an episode of South Park. When did this small backwards skid-row adjacent neighborhood start attracting Hollywood Celebrities and what can we do to get rid of them?? Now granted, some of them are super cool, like Benetio Del Toro. Some of them don’t really live here, like Johnny Depp. Some of them like Giovani Rabissi would be here even if they weren’t celebrities… and then we get to the really dangerous ones. The reality stars (not the competition stars, the famous-for-being-famous stars).
Yes, a cast member from The Hills is coming to our tiny little town. I’m frightened. I know you are too. Why you ask? It’s what follows them that scares me. Their sheep. God forbid the day there’s a line at Broadway Bar with paps outside and cameras following around the psudo-stars inside. Now mark my words, this will happen to DTLA. It’s our destiny.
As we grow into our rightful place among the worlds most metropolitan cities we will have to learn how to tolerate people of all types, even douchbags. I just thought I had time. I thought we all had time.
It hurts me to write headlines line that. I’m the consummate Downtowner. I want every business down here to succeed, and The Falls is no exception. However, I can’t help feel, every time I’m having a beer at Spring St., that it’s a piece of Hollywood transplanted to our happy little small town. A Hollywood club in the middle of our picket fence community just doesn’t seem to make sense. In fact, it’s a bit odd. Dress codes and lists confuse my little DTLA mind. Not to mention that the bar staff is rude. Just uniformly typical Hollywood rude. No one’s in the bar, but you’ll-still-have-to-wait-till-I’m-done-chatting-with-the-one-other-person-in-here kinda rude.
But wait you say, “Isn’t Exchange LA just a bigger douchier version of The Falls, like right next door?” No, I would respond to you. Exchange is dark most nights, focusing on only private events until they launch more local centric and huge name DJ events open later in the year. Smart. I digress…
How can we support our local bar The Falls? I mean it is just the right size for DTLA. It’s got some really awesome design elements, and from local artists even. And after all, we are all over at Spring St. way too much (feels a mental slap across the face from Spring St. GM Michael). I think the only logic thing we can do is hope management puts in some really great new staffers, and then take the place over. Anything is fun with all your friends, and with the size of this place I think you and 7 friends could set this Hollywood bar straight, and back on the path of being one of us. The successful small town lounge I’m sure it really wants to be.
There’s more of them in Downtown LA than any other. Chances are, if you live in an affordable loft in Historic Downtown (remember that consistent branding - keep it up people), you live in one of Barry’s buildings. Mr. Barry Shy has the shittiest of shitty reputations in DTLA, and rightfully so. He has been sued by countless numbers of tenants (mostly in his for-sale buildings rather than his rental units), and is generally regarded as an impediment to DTLA retail (word on the street is he just won’t spend anything on ANYTHING).
But what’s it really like to live in one of his buildings as a renter. This is small town living and word gets around. You might be considering sending one of your friends to one of his buildings cause you want them to join the neighborhood, but at an affordable rate. But they’re your homie and you’re not looking to get involved in the drama if they get screwed. So lets bottom line it here.
One - the newer buildings are way better than the older ones. period.
Two - it’s really hard to beat their prices, but don’t trust their price per square foot, they’ve been sued too many times for it to ever be considered accurate
Three - service is not their speciality, don’t expect a building that gets involved, it’s like Southwest with BS buildings, no frills, low prices
Three - The hallways are weird and might smell, no idea why they do in these buildings more than others.. but they do
Four - if you’re young, and chill, and pretty no frills yourself, you probably wont ever meet Mr. Shy or notice anything wrong with your loft, you’ll pay your rent on time and party with your neighbors.
Five - if you’re not down with the above, move on.
For those of you who are new to my column, I’m a long time Historic Downtown resident (that’s what we’re supposed to call it by the way “Historic Downtown” according to the DCBID - repeat it - consistent branding is important people!). Anyway, not to date myself, but I DO remember when there were NO lines in DTLA. That is no longer the case.
It’s not all bad, lines mean that people want to come down here, are willing to wait, and are helping our local economy. However, we are just a small town. If you were in the picket fence version of DTLA, lines and dress codes would seem ridiculous. The goal in small towns is to get the locals in and keep em coming back. Sending away a regular because the shoes they’ve got on are the raggedy Vans that they love does not bode well for repeat business.
There’s got to be a happy medium. Luckily, we’ve already got one. The DTLA Resident Card can help business owners identify locals, and guess what they are already using it! (Shameless self promotion here as my company runs the program) Exchange LA, already has a Locals Line and its FREE before midnight. Next time you’re waiting in line at somewhere super cool in DTLA ask em if they’ve got a Locals Line, maybe they’ll add one!
Now back to the dress codes. Sometimes you just gotta keep the riff raff out. Dress codes are the best way to do this. DTLA owners listen up! A consistent door staff who is empowered get to know the locals, make exceptions to the usual rules, and is above all friendly will carry these clubs the rest of the way to keeping their neighborhood business.