It’s Always Good Times at Davey Waynes’

Posted on July 7, 2014 by admin

My mom always says that I should have lived during the 1960s and 1970s. The music, fashion and style from that period have just always struck a chord with me. And whenever I look at photos from that time period, I always wish I could visit there—even for just a few hours.

Well, I finally got my wish. Sort of. Tucked away on an unsuspecting, dark street off of Hollywood Boulevard lies the coolest 1970s house party you’ve ever been to.

Right about when you pass the LA Fitness and the huge dumpster on El Centro Avenue, you’ll want to turn back. But soon you will see the glowing globe lights of Good Times at Davey Wayne’s, one of Hollywood’s newest and most interesting bars.

Your experience begins when you enter through a garage—complete with a yard sale set up for the bar’s vintage store front. And here comes the best part…to get inside the bar, you enter through where? The garage’s refrigerator, of course. As you enter and walk up the carpeted stairs, you’re instantly immersed into a world where shag rugs rule and wood panel walls are the latest decor craze. The best music of the 70s is always playing…from Elton John to Fleetwood Mac to David Bowie…the mix will always put a smile on your face. Pull up a seat on one of the striped burnt orange and gold couches or the white brick fireplace mantle, complete with authentic family photos of the bar’s owners. Then grab a drink from the bar where you can get signature drinks named after your favorite 70s songs. You can even play a game of pinball on the Monte Carlo-themed pinball machine. It’s free to play the machine, however, it’s known to be on the fritz so if you’re lucky you can get in a game or two.

Next, mosey out to the backyard to lounge around on the vintage patio furniture set up on the glorious AstroTurf. My true favs were the hanging hammock seats, though. And here comes another amazing bonus about this place…you can head over to the aluminum camper for another drink…or a super-amazing adult snow cone! Choose from flavor combinations like tequila pineapple, vodka strawberry, whiskey blackberry or any combination you think up, really. Or you can omit the alcohol and just feel like a kid again and relish in the fact that you’re enjoying a snow cone on a beautiful warm evening in LA. Hungry? Well Dad’s BBQ is hidden away in the corner, serving pork belly sliders, street tacos, hot dogs and more all night long. Even the bathroom walls are plastered with sleazy Hustler magazine spreads and delightfully tacky advertisements—and don’t forget the 70s facets.

This place is the 70s through and through, and I just love it here.

One side note: Do everything in your power to visit this place on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening. Thursday through Saturday brings out the trendy LA douche crowd, which rudely yanks you from the nostalgic moment only to remind you that you’re still in Hollywood. The line to get it can be horrendous, as 21 year olds in booty shorts and club-scum dudes with cash are escorted to the front of the line.

So why am I willing to call this the best bar in LA right now? It’s simple, really. The ingenious owners Mark and Jonnie Houston captured the one thing other bars and clubs are missing. You just feel comfortable and at-home there; this place captures your heart. Everyone I’ve taken to this place says it feels like you’re hanging at the coolest house party—without having to clean up the next morning. The unique experiences this place has to offer will have me bringing friends back again and again.

The backstory of Good Times at Davey Waynes’, though, really makes you love it even more. The Houston brothers dedicated this bar to their blue-collar, pool shark father who enjoyed late nights in his garage building and fixing things. This bar encapsulates some of the brothers’ best childhood memories, and that, I think, gives this place true soul.

Concocting thee perfect snow cone.

The snow cones. Not to be confused with the lady cones.

Dad’s BBQ. The pork belly slider was bomb!

View inside the house from the patio.

Most weeknights, you can catch a good rock band. On the weekends, they have roller skating duos performing on the roof in the backyard.

Snow cone time!

Bathroom décor.

View from inside the main bar.

Vintage soda cans!

New Beginnings in Los Angeles

Posted on April 2, 2014 by admin

And I’m back. There’s been a slight delay around here since last September. Anyone who knows me has had to hear me go on and on about wanting to escape Orange County (sorry, OC peeps…) and return to my LA roots for the last few years. I finally found a new job in the South Bay area and moved to West Los Angeles. Everything has fallen perfectly into place with my career and move, and I couldn’t be happier. Almost six months later, I’m finally settled and getting back into the groove of life.

I grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles called West Covina, and I lived there until I relocated to Anaheim in 2007. I’m so happy to be back in Los Angeles, and since I’m basically in the center of everything here, I’m discovering more and more cool things to do and places to see every day.

Here are a few photos from my beautiful adventures from my new LA life.

Hello, Manhattan Beach.

Downtown Los Angeles.

The view from the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica.

Month in Photos: Summer Edition

Posted on September 9, 2013 by admin

I really cannot believe there are less than three more weeks of summer left. Where did the time go? I love the summertime so much, and it always seems to slip away before I have time to do all the amazing summer-fun activities on my list. Anyway, here are some highlights of what I was able to do. Hope your summer went swimmingly well Enjoy.

Picture-perfect “work day” at Main Beach in Laguna Beach.

Bonfire at Huntington Beach.

Bjork pre-show at the Hollywood Palladium June 5.

Amazing moment caught during the Bjork show. Photo credit: Josh Jordan.

First time having a lobster roll at Todd English’s P.U.B. in Las Vegas. So bomb.

Wow, no traffic in Los Angeles. Take a photo, it will last longer?…Not really.

Birthday dinner with friends at Eureka!Burger in Claremont. I recommend.

Oh, look, another burger. Stout in Hollywood. Also legit.

Celebrating my friend Anique getting her MBA at BOA Steakhouse in Santa Monica. I sinned and got chicken instead of steak. You should get the petite filet mignon.

Summer bonfires at my house with s’mores…in a cone. Try it.

The Emma Domb vintage dress I scored at the 55 Thousand Dresses sale.

Wurstkuche in Downtown Los Angeles for my friend Jacky’s birthday. Yes, that says snake, as in the rabbit and rattlesnake hot dog. It was yum.

Photo booth shenanigans at the One-Eyed Gypsy on Jacky’s birthday.

Street art in the Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles.

Family road trip. The only legit frozen custard: Nielsen’s Frozen Custard in Utah (unfortunately…)

Insane dessert waffle at Coffee Code in Buena Park.

A view of the audience at FYF Fest in Los Angeles on August 25 with the city lights in the background.

Yogurtland. A sweet summer treat.

My first Dodger game in over 10 years on August 31! And we won ;)

Fireworks at Dodger Stadium.

Black and White and Worn All Over

Posted on July 26, 2013 by admin

Lately I’ve noticed a lot of black-and-white-printed pieces becoming popular in fashion. Whether it’s animal silhouettes, polka dots or stripes, black and white prints are popping up all over fashion magazines and in social media.

When browsing Etsy recently, I spotted this white blouse with black mallards printed on it from the 1970s and fell in love. I paired the blouse with a purple pencil skirt and heels to make a unique, yet classy, ensemble. I love the brilliance of this purple skirt I found at a thrift store last year. The lighting made it look indigo in the first three photos, but I think I was able to capture it in the last photo below.

A Dress-Lover’s Dream: 55 Thousand Dresses Sale This Weekend

Posted on July 23, 2013 by admin

When I was a little girl, my mother used to read me a story called “The Hundred Dresses.” It was about a little girl named Wanda who only had one faded blue dress to wear to school, but she dreamt up and drew 100 beautiful dresses. I always imagined what it would be like to have 100 dresses all lined up in my closet like Wanda imagined in the story. Well, by now I probably own about 100 dresses myself, though it’s not quite as glamorous as it seemed in the story.

Yesterday, however, I was transported back to that childhood feeling of overwhelming excitement about dresses when I visited the warehouse for 55 Thousand Dresses. Yes, the name says it all. The owner of this massive collection of gowns, dresses, frocks and everything in between is Paul Brockmann, a Lomita, Calif., resident with a passion for dresses.

Brockmann started his collection back when he met his wife, Margot, in Germany while ballroom dancing. When he laid eyes on her, he knew he never wanted her to have to wear the same dress twice. And he did just that. Brockmann spent years scouring estate sales, garage sales and department store sales, gathering beautiful dresses with his wife in mind. That was 56 years ago.

Though Brockmann’s wife was only able to wear about 500 of them, the collection of dresses has accumulated to a whopping 55,000 dresses of all shapes, sizes, colors and textures. Every woman’s dream.

Until recently, the huge collection was hidden away in the Brockmann’s garage and storage units. Today, he has relocated them to a warehouse in Gardena with the intention of finding a new home for each beloved dress.

I had the opportunity to visit the warehouse yesterday with my friend and owner of Enlowe Vintage, Chelsea. After we got over the sheer shock of seeing that many dresses in one room, we spent four hours digging through droves of dresses. It was an exhausting but lovely experience! See the photos of my gorgeous finds below.

The 55 Thousand Dresses warehouse will be open to the public this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. I suggest you go early, and bring snacks and water. The warehouse can get pretty warm—especially when it’s packed with people. Brockmann plans to hold various sales over the next six months to clear out the collection.

If you are a lover of vintage dresses like me, this is an event that you don’t want to miss. Even if you just go to window shop. Hope to see you there!

55 Thousand Dresses
Saturday, July 27, 2013
13208 Estrella Avenue, Suite C
Gardena, CA 90248
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Cash and Credit Cards Accepted

Paul Brockmann posing with his collection. We called this dress the cupcake dress.

Aisles of dresses for days.

This Summer, I Scream for Ice Cream

Posted on July 21, 2013 by admin

Ice cream has always been one of my favorite guilty food pleasures, and today is National Ice Cream Day so in celebration here are two of my recently discovered ice cream shops that I love.

Last month, my sister and I stumbled upon this lovely ice cream shop on Melrose Avenue in LA called Neveux Artisan Creamery. This place makes all their ice cream fresh, and their flavors are so fun. We tried the toasted marshmallow and salted caramel flavors and fell in love. Check out their other inspiring ice cream flavors.

Ever since then, I have had this never-ending craving for salted caramel ice cream! So when my friend Jacky invited me to her favorite ice cream spot, Carmela in Pasadena, I was so down. I sampled the lavender honey, dark chocolate cacao nib and salted caramel flavors. They were all delicious, but I had to go with the last two flavors. Jacky got the brown sugar vanilla bean and the strawberry buttermilk…but I think she was a little sad she didn’t the salted caramel. Hint: this place is awesome because a one-scoop serving really equals two small scoops, so you can actually try two flavors for the one-scoop price. Score. Carmela also offers ice-cream-making classes with its store founders, which sounds awesome! Carmela has additional locations in Los Angeles, and its ice cream is sold at some eateries as well.

Get out and try one of these yummy ice cream places today…or do what I did and make your own at home! I used this recipe for salted caramel ice cream. Check out the photos below!

Carmela’s salted caramel ice cream.

Phase one of the homemade salted caramel ice cream. Lots of time at the stove perfecting the base!

The finished product!

What I Wore: My Birthday Dress

Posted on July 12, 2013 by admin

On my fun day out for my birthday at LACMA and the Little Door, I chose to wear this little number. It’s technically vintage, as it was made from recycled clothing. I imagine that this textured, crystal-mauve polyester was from an 80s prom dress. I bought this dress at Urban Outfitters a few months ago. It’s from their Urban Renewal line, which takes recycled fabrics and makes new, fun pieces. I love the spacey-princess style of the dress. Sadly, I had to rock it with leggings, since it’s a little see-through.

Dress: Urban Renewal by Urban Outfitters
Boots: Steve Madden
Earrings: Betsey Johnson
Lipstick: Shy Girl by MAC

All I Want for My Birthday is Stanley Kubrick

Posted on July 1, 2013 by admin

Yesterday marked the closing day for the must-see Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) exhibit that paid homage to the late and great writer, director and producer Stanley Kubrick. The exhibition kicked off last November and quickly drew crowds and press with a wide array of artifacts and relics from the filmmaker’s career.

I went to see the exhibit with some friends for my birthday a couple weeks ago. I could have walked around the exhibit all day! Some of the most memorable pieces from the exhibit were the Korova Milk Bar maids from “A Clockwork Orange,” the dresses of the Grady twins from “The Shining,” the typewriter from “the Shining” and the monolith from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

Check out my photos below from the Stanley Kubrick exhibit and our brunch afterwards at the nearby Little Next Door.

This gorgeous wall of movie posters greeted us upon our entrance.

Masks from “Eyes Wide Shut.”

A scene from “Full Metal Jacket.”

Props and scripts from “Full Metal Jacket.”

The ominous typewriter from “The Shining.”

The haunting words Shelley Duvall’s character reads on the typewriter’s page in “The Shining.”

A page from one of the most memorable scenes in “The Shining.”

The Grady twins’ dresses from “The Shining.”

Ok, just one more creepy prop from “The Shining.”

No Stanley Kubrick exhibit would be complete without Alex’s legendary costume from “A Clockwork Orange.”

Korova Milk Bar maids from “A Clockwork Orange.”

Costumes from “Barry Lyndon.”

Kirk Douglas’ costume in “Spartacus.”

The monolith from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

More props and relics from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

If you were able to finish the two-and-a-half-hour-long masterpiece, “2001: A Space Odyssey,” you will remember this piece from the end of the film.

Stanley Kubrick’s research library.

A beautiful day at LACMA!

Brunch at the Little Next Door, the sister of the Little Door Italian restaurant.

It was pretty busy! Make a reservation.

Spanish frittata. So good.

My sister’s French toast. ‘Twas a hit.

Enjoying brunch on a cute garden-like patio, complete with a pond and fountain.

April and May in Photos

Posted on June 30, 2013 by admin

Hi, there. It’s been about an eternity since I’ve done a post! Here are some photos of what I’ve been up to and where I’ve been lately

Brunch at La Grande Orange Café in Pasadena…It was yum!

How to Destroy Angels at the Fox Theater in Pomona on April 10.

How to Destroy Angels is fronted by Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and his wife, Mariqueen Maandig.

One more from How to Destroy Angels.

First time at Bruxies in Brea. This is the buttermilk fried chicken bruxie with chili honey and cider slaw.

A visit to Downtown Santa Ana, near Gypsy Den and Grand Central Art Center.

Sake House Miro in Los Angeles. My new favorite spot for Japanese cuisine and sushi!

Just another beautiful day in Los Angeles on Sunset Boulevard.

Swingers Diner. Best late-night eats. Ever.

Breakfast with friends at Rialto. Always perfect.

Breakfast with friends at Rialto in Fullerton. Always perfect.

Annnd Rialto also was showing one of my fav ’90s TV shows, “The Adventures of Pete and Pete.”

The Black Angels at the Glass House on May 18.

The Black Angels at the Glass House in Pomona on May 18.

I took an employee from my company’s Indian office out for a wild night in LA!

Shintaro. Def legit sushi in Hollywood.

Shintaro also plays a silent Japanese film for ambiance. So cool and fun.

Ajay learns how to use chopsticks.

Shintaro sushi love.

Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ajay meets MJ. Sort of.

Ajay meets the King.

Jack Daniels shots at Hooters. How much more American can you get?

Memorial Day massages, manicures and pedicures at Beverly Nails. Amazing!

Memorial Day massages, manicures and pedicures at Beverly Nails in LA. Amazing!

First visit back to Disneyland in a year!

What I Wore: Pasadena, My Anchor

Posted on April 20, 2013 by admin

I recently had a long day of dates with friends in Pasadena. I used to work in Pasadena, so a group of my ex-coworkers and I planned a lunch date at Margarita Jones. Then I met up with Jacky, and we did some shopping around Old Town Pasadena and shared an amazing burger at Hook Burger.

I’ve been meaning to wear this tan-and-white anchor-print skirt I discovered at a thrift store months ago. I just really wasn’t sure what color of top would look best with it. This mustard sweater seemed to do the trick. And I even had some anchor earrings to complete the look!

Top: Forever 21
Skirt: Thrifted
Shoes: Steve Madden
Handbag: Steven by Steve Madden
Earrings: Forever 21
Lipstick: Vegas Volt and Crème de Nude by MAC

Oh, and then there was this…so good!

California Girl Diaries

What to do in Southern California