$100 GOES A LONG WAY IN L.A.Byline: Melissa Heckscher Staff Writer A weekend in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. -- if you want to live it up -- can be expensive. A few dollars here, a few more there, and by the time Sunday rolls around, you may have spent half your paycheck. Sure, there are mountain hikes and frugal picnics to be had, but there's only so much your glutes, calves and appetite for cold cuts can handle. So what's a person to do? Believe it or not, there are ways around the high-priced hoopla hoop·la n. Informal 1. a. Boisterous, jovial commotion or excitement. b. Extravagant publicity: The new sedan was introduced to the public with much hoopla. 2. of a weekend on the town. Indeed, it's actually possible for you and a friend to enjoy yourself in style, for no more than $100 (gas not included). Here's how: FRIDAY 5 P.M. What: Eat cheap. Where: Happy hour (various locations). Cost: About $30 (food + two drinks). Description: Despite its reputation, happy hour is more than just an excuse for co-workers to flirt after hours Adv. 1. after hours - not during regular hours; "he often worked after hours" over a few too many $3 beers. It turns out, there's food here, too. Recommendations: McCormick & Schmick's (multiple locations in the area, including ones in Burbank and Pasadena; go to www.mccormickandschmicks.com) The happy hour at this upscale seafood chain is consistently named the city's best in customer surveys. Patrons can choose from the $1.95 Happy Hour menu that includes Baja fish tacos, oyster shooters, and half-pound cheeseburgers from 4 to 6 p.m. (and again from 9:30 to 11 p.m.) Sundays through Thursdays. There are no drink specials here, so if you plan on liquoring up, you should be prepared to pay the customary Southland prices ($5 to $10 per drink). Then, just drink ... really ... slowly. Formosa Cafe (7156 Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. Blvd., Hollywood, www.formosacafe.com, 323-850-9050) This dimly lit, Asian-inspired restaurant has been a Hollywood fixture since 1939, at one point serving dinner and drinks to the likes of James Dean Noun 1. James Dean - United States film actor whose moody rebellious roles made him a cult figure (1931-1955) James Byron Dean, Dean , Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman Noun 1. Paul Newman - United States film actor (born in 1925) Newman, Paul Leonard Newman , Humphrey Bogart, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. Today, a hearty happy hour keeps the place crowded, even during off-hours. From 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays, patrons can get $4 appetizers, including ribs, chicken satay sa·tay also sa·té or sa·te n. A dish of southeast Asia consisting of strips of marinated meat, poultry, or seafood grilled on skewers and dipped in peanut sauce. and veggie spring rolls as well as $5 specialty drinks. 8 P.M. Sebastian's (10057 Riverside Drive A number of cities around the world have a Riverside Drive. In the United States:
Colorful, plush seating decorates the spacious patio in front of this North Hollywood eatery. Visitors can take a load off and sip reduced-priced beers ($3-$5) and wine ($5-$7) while enjoying the sounds of live music (on select weekdays). The choices of food aren't as expansive (pizzas, fries and salads) but nevertheless satisfying for both the palate and the wallet. Happy hour is from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. What: Shakespeare on the cheap. Where: Various locations. Cost: Free (mostly). Description: With a plethora of skilled actors in this town -- and an apparent widespread love of "Midsummer Nights' Dreams" and "Tamings of the Shrews" -- summertime in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, heralds the annual onslaught of outdoor Shakespeare festivals. Geographically speaking, the Bard is everywhere: There's Shakespeare in Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood; mountain-dwellers have the Will Geer Will Geer (born 9 March 1902 in Frankfort, Indiana – died 22 April 1978 in Los Angeles) was an American actor. Geer's real name was William Auge Ghere. He is best known for his portrayal of the character Grandpa Walton, in the popular 1970s TV series Theatricum Botanicum The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, named for the English botanist John Parkinson's herbal, Theatrum Botanicum (1640), is an open-air theater founded in Topanga Canyon, near Santa Monica, California by Will Geer in 1973. in Topanga (though it charges for tickets); and the beach-bound have Shakespeare by the Sea Shakespeare by the Sea is a name used by several theatre companies in Canada, the US and Australia.
And, the Hollywood Forever Cemetery Hollywood Forever Cemetery is located at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. It is adjacent to the north wall, or back, of Paramount Studios, who, with RKO Studios, bought 40 acres by 1920. , already known for its summer movie series (see Saturday night), will be presenting its first "Shakespeare in the Cemetery" running Friday and Sunday nights through July 29. It's not free. The graveside grave·side n. The area beside a grave. performance of "Hamlet" costs $20 per person. Still, watching "Hamlet" beside the final resting place of Alfred Hitchcock and Rudolph Valentino Rudolph Valentino (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926) was an Italian actor. He was born Rodolfo Alfonso Raffaello Piero Filiberto Guglielmi in Castellaneta, Italy, to a middle-class family. In the 1920s, Valentino was known as a Latin sex symbol. ? Priceless. Bring a blanket, some pillows and a picnic basket and enjoy thyself thy·self pron. Archaic Yourself. Used as the reflexive or emphatic form of thee or thou. thyself pron Archaic the reflexive form of thou1 . Details: Shakespeare by the Sea (Point Fermin Park, 807 Paseo del Mar, San Pedro and other seaside locations), www.shakespearebythesea.org. Shakespeare in the Park Shakespeare in the Park is a concept used across the world, as a form of free public presentation of William Shakespeare's works. Such performances exist in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. (Thursdays through Sundays, through Sept. 2), Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, www.independentshakespeare.com. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga, www.theatricum.com. (Note: This would cost $25 per person.) SATURDAY (DAY) What: Be a (cheap) art snob. Where: The Getty Center. Cost: Free for museum entry; $8 parking, $15 food (at Getty Center cafe). Description: By the looks of its sleek architecture and high-on-a-hilltop positioning, you'd think getting into the Getty Center would cost big bucks. But exploring the halls and gardens of the sprawling stone complex is a surprisingly cheap date (unless you plan on eating at the Center's four- star restaurant, in which case you may as well forget your $100 budget and start hoarding food for the rest of the week). Besides the J. Paul Getty Jean Paul Getty (December 15, 1892 – June 6, 1976) was an American industrialist and founder of the Getty Oil Company. Biography Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, into a family already in the petroleum business, he was one of the first people in the world with a Trust's impressive art collection, which includes the works of Manet, as well as Roman sculptures and 18th-century furnishings, arguably the best sight to behold is the center's sweeping views, a panorama stretching from Hollywood to the coast. Details: Getty Center, 200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles. Go to www.getty.edu or call (310) 440-7300. SATURDAY (NIGHT) What: Movie and a gravestone. Where: Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Cost: $20 (two "donation" tickets). Description: Possibly the most unique ongoing summer soiree soi·ree also soi·rée n. An evening party or reception. [French soirée, from Old French seree, from seir, evening, from Latin in Los Angeles, the Hollywood Forever Cemetery screenings are fun, hip and slightly blasphemous blas·phe·mous adj. Impiously irreverent. [Middle English blasfemous, from Late Latin blasph . Thousands of film buffs gather on the lawn -- not the graves -- of the cemetery every Saturday night through the end of August to picnic under the stars while watching classic and cult movies projected onto a giant mausoleum mausoleum (môsəlē`əm), a sepulchral structure or tomb, especially one of some size and architectural pretension, so called from the sepulcher of that name at Halicarnassus, Asia Minor, erected (c.352 B.C. wall. This season's films include "Rebel Without a Cause," "The Haunting" and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Food, wine and beer are allowed, as are blankets, pillows and lawn chairs. The event almost always sells out, so get there at least two hours early to get in line. Details: Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, www.cemeteryscreenings.com. Saturday total: $43 SUNDAY What: See the stars. Where: Griffith Observatory. Cost: $16 (two timed entry reservations plus $10 for food). Description: After reopening last year with improved exhibits and a new, state-of-the-art planetarium planetarium, optical device used to project a representation of the heavens onto a domed ceiling; the term also designates the building that houses such a device. A modern planetarium consists of as many as 150 motor-driven projectors mounted on an axis. , the Griffith Observatory has experienced a resurgence in popularity -- so much so that visitors now need a "timed entry" reservation. Money-saving tip: If you're willing to make the 20-minute walk up the hill, hikers don't have to pay for timed entry, though they must still use a credit card to reserve their spot. Perched atop Mount Hollywood with a panoramic view of Los Angeles, the observatory houses various exhibits, including a timeline of the universe, a historical look at man's relationship with the sky, and "The Big Picture," the largest astronomical image in the world, featuring 152 feet of photo panels. Planetarium show tickets are first-come, first-served and are sold in blocs throughout the day ($7, $5 seniors, $3 children ages 5 to 12; children under 5 are admitted free to the planetarium, but only at 10:45 a.m. Sundays.). If you're hungry, there's a cafe serving Wolfgang Puck salads and sandwiches. Details: The observatory is in Griffith Park, 2800 Observatory Road, Los Angeles. For shuttle locations and to make a reservation, go to www.grifithobservatory.org, or call (213) 473-0800. ALTERNATIVE SATURDAY and SUNDAY (NIGHT) What: Summer Block Party. Where: Universal CityWalk. Cost: Free; $10 parking. Description: Spend a beautiful So Cal summer evening with all the outdoor entertainment that CityWalk has to offer. Through September, enjoy the best of L.A.'s indie music scene with live performances that kick off at 8 p.m. Saturdays. Sunday offers up some Latin entertainment with music and dance performances starting at 5:30 p.m. With a number of eateries to choose from at CityWalk, you can decide where (and how much) to spend to satisfy your hunger. Make your order to go and have your dinner and a show all in one place. You can't beat avoiding the hassle of L.A. traffic. Weekend total: $20 (not including food, prices vary). Details: Universal CityWalk, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. Go to www.citywalkhollywood.com, or call (818) 622-4455. Semhar Debessai contributed to this story. Melissa Heckscher, (310) 540-5511 melissa.heckscher@dailybreeze.com CAPTION(S): 8 photos Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) THE $100 WEEKEND A good time in L.A. can be had for less than you'd imagine (2 -- color) no caption (happy hour scene) (3 -- color) no caption (Shakespeare) (4 -- color) no caption (The Getty Center) (5) no caption (Hollywood Forever Cemetery) (6) no caption (Griffith Observatory) (7 -- color) no caption (CityWalk Summer Block Party) (8 -- color) no caption ($100 bill) |
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