The Godfrey Hotel is a block from Sunset Boulevard.Supplied
Recently, during a weekend away, I walked from my hotel to a quiet park and ate a packed lunch. I strolled past some art galleries and street art, then found a café with a buzzy patio and sat in the sun while sipping an iced tea. After, I peeked in to some record shops and a clothing boutique, taking note of a couple restaurants – one with a beautiful hidden patio – to check out later. You may be surprised the hear that the neighbourhood I was in was Hollywood.
Suggest to someone visiting Los Angeles that they make a point to spend time in Hollywood and you’re likely to receive a puzzled reaction. Hollywood Boulevard is home to the Walk of Fame, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Dolby Theatre and the Capitol Records building. It’s also home to people in superhero costumes looking to get their photos taken for a quick buck, street performers trying to sell CDs and tacky souvenir shops, and has a reputation for being gritty despite the glam associated with the name.
But there’s a blossoming neighbourhood to explore once you step off the main strip. The area’s revitalization – one initially intended for Angelenos – started about five years ago, with companies like Netflix, Buzzfeed and Viacom moving their offices to the area. It was as much about the bottom line as it was about quality of life for employees. Eliminating cross-city commutes for meetings in the notoriously traffic-heavy city gave employees time back and increased productivity.
The Godfrey has one of the city’s largest rooftops and stellar views of the Hollywood Hills.Supplied
Cafés and restaurants followed, complementing the long-running weekly Hollywood Farmers’ Market, to serve a live-work crowd. And now, with the opening of a handful of new hotels, and with them rooftop bars and headline-grabbing restaurants, tourists are catching on. The area most tourist-friendly has been dubbed the Vinyl District, a nod to the neighbourhood’s past as a centre for music recording. (Over time it’s been home to RCA Recording Studios, where the Rolling Stones among other recorded; Hollywood Sound Records (Prince, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson) and Sound Factory (Jackson Browne, Seals & Crofts) among others.) That heritage has inspired many of the new “it” spots. And yes, that area is walkable, though admittedly the inclination to drive everywhere persists.
Here are some of the most notable reasons to visit Hollywood as it transforms from seedy to chic.
Stay
Tommie
Think of this as the younger sibling of the Thompson Hotel. Rooms are minimal and décor sleek, a balance to the quirky colourful rooftop and buzzy restaurant. The pool seating is flanked by retro fringed patio umbrellas to complement the fun retro mural, while Ka’teen, a Mexican restaurant getting rave reviews, embraces biophilia with lush tropical plants acting as the primary décor source.
6516 Selma Ave., hyatt.com
Godfrey Hotel
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A chic new hotel just a block from Sunset Boulevard, the Godfrey has one of the city’s largest rooftops – including the neighbourhood’s largest rooftop pool and a bar – and stellar views of the Hollywood Hills (mention you want this view when you book). It attracts both a business crowd and tourists who was easy access to the Vinyl District without being in the thick of it.
1400 Cahuenga Blvd., godfreyhotelhollywood.com
Eat & drink
Mother Wolf
This is one of the hottest restaurants in the city right now, and you’re likely to do some star spotting here. Chef Evan Funke has designed a menu inspired by Rome, which includes the four pillars of classic Roman pasta: cacio e pepe, carbonara, alla gricia, and arrabbiata.
1545 Wilcox Ave., motherwolfla.com
Superba Food + Drink
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A great spot for brunch or lunch, their Bakehouse churns out 20 types of pastries and 10 different breads throughout the day. The restaurant also has a variety of raw-bar options to indulge in. Try to get a seat on the charming hidden courtyard patio.
6530 Sunset Blvd., lifesuperba.com
Grandmasters Recorders
Once a recording studio, now a buzzy restaurant and bar. The menu is fusion of Italian and Australian (think antipasti with Australian wagyu beef). The cocktail bar, 71 Studio, is also a live-music venue set within the former studio.
1518 North Cahuenga Blvd., grandmasterrecorders.com
Sightglass Coffee
This is in the Sycamore District of Hollywood, just less than a 30-minute walk from the Vinyl District. Along with an extensive coffee and sandwich menu, they’ve got a market full of gourmet foods and drinks from around the world.
7051 West Willoughby Ave., sightglasscoffee.com
Do
Jeffrey Deitch
Joshua White/Supplied
The former director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles opened this gallery in the Sycamore District in the fall of 2018. The focus is modern and contemporary art, and this summer’s show is the first major solo U.S. exhibition by British photographer Nadia Lee Cohen. The show, HELLO, My Name Is, plays with storytelling and self-portraiture.
925 North Orange Dr., deitch.com
The Record Parlour
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It’s not a visit to the Vinyl District if you don’t spend some time in a record shop. With an inventory of more than 200,000 records, posters, magazines and other music paraphernalia, it’d be easy to spend hours flipping through vinyl. They have an adjacent lounge where they host DJs, and you can grab a drink or bite and dance at will.
6408 Selma Ave., facebook.com/therecordparlour
Hollywood Farmers’ Market
Running since 1991, this weekly market plays host to 160 local farmers and producers every Sunday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. It’s a great opportunity to soak in local life as well as delicious souvenirs featuring Southern California produce. There’s also activities for kids, often book signings and live music.
Selma and Ivar Avenues, seela.org/markets-hollywood
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