Los Angeles Time Machines

[Zepp]

It's probably old news to everyone here except me, but I just discovered an outstanding reference for classic restaurants and bars in the LA area: <a href="http://www.latimemachines.com/"> Los Angeles Time Machines </a>

Just reading through the listings makes me envious of those of you who live close enough to visit these places on a regular basis.

My wife and I are planning to spend a long weekend in the LA area at the end of the month, and faced with the overwhelming number of choices on the Time Machines site I'd like to narrow it down to one or two "must visit" spots. We're going to be spending a couple of nights aboard the Queen Mary, and reservations at Sir Winston's are already on the schedule.

Please pass along your recommendatons for moderately priced eateries!

-Zepp

 

[scotrace]

Seems like all the cool diners are in CA.

Welcome to the Lounge Zepp, and have a great trip.

 

[mysterygal]

that's a great website you found zep..I love those kind of restraunts...so much character to them. hope you two have a wonderful time!

 

[Doh!]

Great site!

I live near The Formosa, and friends were in town the night "LA Confidential" opened. I took them there for lunch the next day! The food is nothing spectacular, but is moderately priced. At night, the bar area gets pretty crowded.

 

[Zepp]

Thanks, everyone! This is certainly a fantastic site, and the sense of community here is wonderful. I hope to be stopping by much more often.

I just noticed the "LA and Bay Area folks: where to eat" thread. Lots of good suggestions there, too. I'll probably toss all the recommendations in a hat, pull out a couple, and print out directions via Mapquest.

 

[Paliau]

Some suggestions for must sees

I just joined this forum when I got a report of a link to my site "Los Angeles Time Machines". Glad people are enjoying it. Wish I'd discovered the Fedora Lounge long ago! If you are just here for a quick weekend, I think the best tour of must see's would be this - since they are all fairly close together. Start out with the HMS Bounty on Wilshire (see my site for addresses) - one of the friendliest places in town and still frozen in the 40's (food prices from the 60's). Fantastic old bar and restaurant. Tell them Jonathon sent you! Then only about three blocks away (although use their cheap valet parking at night) - go to the Prince bar and restaurant - also frozen in the 40s interiorwise -although now 90% very friendly Koreans. That's where the "Brown Derby" scene from Chinatown was filmed (see my site for the specific booth Jack and Fay sat in). The next stop is Hollywood - there - all within walking distance (at least during the day) is Musso and Frank's (say hi to Ruben and Manny at the bar), Miceli's (best place to eat), Boardner's (recently remodeled but still nice) and possibly the Frolic Room (from LA confidential). You could have spent the same night in 1949 - not much has changed. Enjoy! And wear your Fedora!

 

[MK]

.

Where is your site?

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Where is your site?

Its the LA Time machines link at the start of this thread, MK...obviously a huge lot of us went there after it was posted so he found out we were all coming from here. *grins*

 

[Zepp]

Thanks for the recommendations, Paliau. The HMS Bounty and Musso and Franks are now high on my list!

The Apple Pan will probably get a lunch visit, too. I really enjoy the old sit-at-the-counter places and a simple burgers and fries midday meal. The small Michigan town where I grew up still had old SS Kresge and Woolworth dime stores open into the late 1970s, and each had had old-fashioned lunch counter. I used to enjoy stopping in for a patty melt, fries, and a malted. Not gourmet food by any means, but inexpensive fare and good in its own way. I enjoyed the fact that most of the folks who ate there were much older than I. Most of them tended to be senior citizens and had probably been patrons since the 40s or 50s. Even back then I really enjoyed the company of people from an earlier era.

Hope to see you posting here often!

 

[Paliau]

Are there any drug store lunch counters left in Southern California?

While we are on the topic of Drug Store Lunch Counters (in Maryland it was Read's Drugs and Drug Fair mostly in the good old days) - does anyone know if there are any Drug Store or five and dime Lunch Counters left in Southern California? The only one I know of is the Fair Oaks Pharmacy - but it has so many nostalgia nick nacks - it doesn't have the right feel. San Diego used to have an incredibly long counter in Woolworths (long gone). There was a Woolworths counter in El Centro up until about nine years ago (and even one in Tijuana within the last 20 years). Las Vegas still has three (two at least are "endangered").

There must be some hiding out there somewhere.