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Westwood
Westwood Blvd in Westwood Village
Area: West side area
Overview: The home of the prestigious University of California Los Angeles, Westwood blazes its own unique trails in Los Angeles. Westwood is tucked between Brentwood and West Los Angeles (Sepulveda Blvd border) to the west and Beverly Hills to the east (Beverly Glenn Blvd). Century City flanks the southern part of Westwood and the line of demarcation is Sanat Monica Blvd.
Mann Theatre in Westwood Village
Within Westwood is Westwood Village, which enjoys an enviable threefold distinction from the packed Los Angeles house: UCLA, movie premieres and festivals and a reputation as a great place to “hang out.” Westwood Village starts at Wilshire Blvd and between Gayley Ave and Glendon Ave. At the north end sprawls one of the nation’s leading universities, UCLA. Throughout Westwood Village, the students of UCLA meander, eat at one of dozens of affordable restaurants, shop, see movies and hit up one of bars.
Hammer Museum in Westwood LA
Of course, what’s a student, university and the general public on the west side of Los Angeles to do without a cultural center? Manage your own museum! Enter, UCLA managed, Hammer Museum, which displays both historical and contemporary works.
Westwood Village hosts the most movie premieres in Los Angeles currently due to the nice, clean area and of course the crowds – both students and the folks from nearby corporate offices in Westwood – the movie premieres will draw. Typically, the red carpet premieres and all the glitz are held at either the Mann Village Theatre (formerly Fox Tower) or the Mann Bruin Theatre, which is right across the street from the Village Theatre. Both the theatres are located on Le Conte Ave and Broxton Ave. Westwood Village is also a common destination of the Los Angeles Film Festival. Broxton Ave is usually closed off during the festival.
Aahs store in Westwood Village
Movie premieres, museums and cinemas may not be your thing. But, you have to eat and wear clothes. Westwood Village has dozens of eateries and retail shops. Of note, take a chomp at the Novel Cafe on Gayley Ave and Kinross Ave. Maybe you like Japanese food. Check out L.A.’s best kept secret, Sak’s Teriyaki on Glendon Ave, where taste and quantity only grill a small portion of your wallet. There’s also the tasty and affordable Sansai Japanese Grill or the upscale sushi restaurant Tengu, which turns moonlights as a bar with music at night. How about italian? The best pizza in Los Angeles is pounded and twirled at Lamonico’s New York Pizza on Gayley Ave. Don Antonio’s on Westwood Blvd isn’t too bad either. You can always sit down at the Cheesecake Factory, Westwood Brewery or Chili’s.
Intersection of Wilshire Blvd and Westwood Blvd
Westwood Village caters to everyone. Try one of several Chinese restaurants, or the hookah after a meal at Habibi Cafe, one of the village’s Middle Eastern restaurants. Vegans and vegetarians will also find delicious restaurants in the village as well. On Thursday afternoons, the locals folks of the Farmer’s Market set up their fresh food stands. But, the real standouts of course are the best hamburgers at In-n-Out Burger and everyone’s favorite cookies, ice cream and ice cream sandwiches at Diddy Riese Cookies on Broxton Ave.
Saks Teriyaki in Westwood
You may need some new clothes after all eating. Westwood Village lines up the retail stores – both botiques and brand name. You’ll find Urban Outfitters, Bebe, American Apparel, Bel Air Camera, a large video game store and the funky Aahs! Gift Store.
Accessibility: Westwood Village is completely wheelchair accessible.
Getting There: www.bigbluebus.com, www.metro.net, http://www.culvercity.org/bus/bus.asp