Mann Village Theater
The heart of Westwood is Westwood Village, and the heart of the Village is the group of Mediterranean-themed structures that first dotted the area's diagonally crossing streets in 1929. By mid-century, the Village became known for its movie premieres and eventually boasted more than a dozen screens, most of which are gone. The good news is that two 1930s-era architectural treasures – the Village and, across the street, the Bruin – are still around, as is the art-deco masterpiece Crest south of Wilshire Boulevard.
Any college town worth its salt offers a gourmet ghetto of sorts for students looking for good food at a cheap price, and Westwood certainly fits the bill. Generations of UCLA students and Bruin fans have trekked to Sepi's (10968 Le Conte Ave., Westwood Village, 310.208.7171) for their one-of-a-kind sub sandwiches, and while the restaurant, which has been in business since 1969, was recently renovated, the sandwiches are still big, tasty and inexpensive. Stan's Corner Donut Shop (10948 Weyburn Avenue, Westwood Village, 310.208.8660) is also a Village institution, with its famous Peanut Butter Pockets overpowering any reasonable attempt at a diet since 1965. Just up the street, Diddy Riese (926 Broxton Ave., Westwood Village, 310.208.0448) has been serving up cheap cookies and ice cream sandwiches (35 cents and $1.50, respectively) for sugar-craving students and anyone else looking for a fix since 1983. Those looking for
something a little more upscale can check out Napa Valley Grille (1100 Glendon Ave., Suite 100, Los Angeles, 310.824.3322), which serves up seasonal, rustic California cuisine. Across the street, Palomino (10877 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, 310.208.1960) offers a local take on Tuscan cuisine. Finally, while many LA-area communities may boast an In-N-Out Burger restaurant, Westwood Village's is probably the most striking one in the chain, and its 2002 design featuring a massive version of the chain's boomerang logo won many architectural awards for local architect Steve Kanner.Fans of the non-theatrical arts also have a couple choices in the Village. The Hammer Museum's daily-changing list of lectures, films, readings, exhibitions and live music provides a truly dynamic program for its visitors. On the other side of the Village, the 533-seat Geffen Playhouse has been thrilling live-theater goers with a who's who of top-notch actors and actresses and a beautifully intimate setting since its debut in 1995.
For those looking to stay overnight in the Village, the W Los Angeles – Westwood (930 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, 310.208.8765) offers 258 rooms and suites with contemporary flair as well as four restaurants and bars, including the poolside Backyard restaurant, NineThirty and the Rande Gerber-created Whiskey Blue lounge. A few blocks south, Kimpton's Hotel Palomar (10740 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, 310.475.8711) has 264 designer rooms as well as the restaurant BLVD. 16.Finally, in April 2011, Westwood Village joined the ranks of Venice, Downtown and other LA neighborhoods by starting its own once-a-month block party of sorts. Westwood LIVE includes more than two dozen businesses offering art exhibitions, live music, restaurant discounts and other special events every third Thursday of the month.
Like its status with many other ethnic groups, Los Angeles has the largest Iranian population outside of Iran, and the area of Westwood between Wilshire and Pico Boulevards was an early focal point for Persian immigrants. This influence is reflected in the Westwood Boulevard shops south of Wilshire and is especially illustrated by a group of top-notch Persian restaurants, including Shaherzad, Shamshiri Grill and Flame Persian Cuisine.
At more than 400 acres, UCLA is a day of exploration unto itself. A great starting point, though, is Bruin Walk and Janss Steps, which meet at the center of campus. Work your way up Janss Steps and you'll get to Royce Hall and a few of the other seven Italian Romanesque buildings that were the campus's first structures. Royce Hall is home to UCLA Live, whose arts program features an eclectic mix of popular and world music acts, spoken word performances, dance and live theater. Additionally, art aficionados can check out the Fowler Museum, whose exhibitions focus on non-Western artifacts. The Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden offers a tranquil setting for picnic lunches among 70-plus sculptures by luminaries such as Jean Arp, Isamu Noguchi, August Rodin and Alexander Calder. The 5,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants at the campus' seven-acre Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden also showcase nature’s beauty. Finally, basketball junkies lured by UCLA's 11 men's championships can walk around Pauley Pavilion (under renovation as of 2011) and the old Men's Gym, or can get a more intimate portrait of legendary Coach John Wooden by checking out "John Wooden – The Den" exhibit at the school's J.D. Morgan Intercollegiate Athletics Center.
