Angeleno at large.
Plus Echo Park side hustles and my Hulu cameo.
Happy hump day, everyone. On Monday I met Kyle for a drink at Figaro Bistrot in Los Feliz. We sat outside and talked about California, the Rag, and Jared Leto. As I said the other day, sidewalk culture is very much alive in Los Angeles – you just need to know where to find it.
As I’ve gotten the Rag going, I’ve often thought it’d be cool to tie in to LA history from time to time. Last week, I finally found the right person to do so. Becket Cerny is a Valley native, Silver Lake resident, and proud Californian. He can ride a horse, play the drums, and pick a great outfit (though he does hike in toe shoes). You may have been to his house for an Angelus Bash. Most importantly (for us), he’s a PBS aficionado and certified freak for California history.
Today, Becket joins us for the first edition of Angeleno At Large, a semi-regular series he’ll write for the Rag. He’ll highlight old LA spots and explore our area’s history as only a native could. Downtown could use a little love right now, so we’re starting there.
In today’s issue: the first edition of Angeleno At Large, Echo Parkers’ new side hustle, Jeremy Allen White’s rerun, shaved ice at Din Tai Fung, metallic sneakers, east side waterfront property, and my Alex Cooper cameo.
ANGELENO AT LARGE w/ Becket Cerny
Hi, Becket here. In Angeleno At Large, I’ll be briefly featuring my essentials of LA history — both for fun locations and valuable context. Kicking off this week with a fun one and a classic…
Six years from its hundredth birthday, the landmark cafeteria-turned-nightclub Clifton's Republic on Broadway and 7th is one of the only bars in LA worth the line (I hate lines). Important to know: established in 1931, Clifford Clinton's World's Largest Public Cafeteria fed thousands strapped for cash, leaning on its well-regarded golden rule — "Pay What You Wish."
During the Depression, 10,000 people ate for free in one 90-day period (1). Tragically, that's no longer the philosophy, but this multi-story theme park-adjacent California adventure retains all its explorable square footage, whimsical themed rooms, and giant redwood tree. Plus, bumping into your friend after an intoxicated wander through the floors and grizzly-bear taxidermy is an experience you'll never forget.
It's kitschy, it’s not your next deep-cut, but per its place in LA history, it's cool to like it. Jack Kerouac liked it. (2)
w/ love, becket
"That's Amazing!" - Huell Hauser
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1. Perry, Charles (November 5, 2003). "The cafeteria: an L.A. original". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
2. Reynolds, Christopher (August 30, 2007). "Revisiting sites from 'On the Road'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
This concludes Angeleno At Large by Becket Cerny.
🍽️ And now for some table scraps…
Din Tai Fung introduces shaved ice. The iconic Taiwanese restaurant just added mango shaved ice to the menu, joining an ever-growing list of LA restaurants with frozen treats on offer.
I have a cameo in Alex Cooper’s new Hulu doc, Call Her Alex. Ten points to anyone who finds me and takes a screenshot.
When one Echo Park plant-based restaurant dies, another gains its wings. A few months after the closure of Sage, Men & Beasts replaces Cosa Buona on the corner of Sunset and Alvarado. They’ll have plant-based dim sum, small-batch California beer and wines, and hopefully more customers than Sage when they open next week.
Harris Dickinson is Mr. Rhode. The Babygirl star was introduced as the face of the brand’s latest campaign yesterday. To me, this says Rhode is a) making a concerted push for more male customers and b) aiming for audiences beyond Hailey’s core Instagram girl following. I like the photos, and I understand not wanting to feel too obvious given Harris’s recent filmography, but it feels like Rhode could’ve generated way more buzz by pushing the envelope a tiny bit further.
Mark Duplass wants to flip TV on its head. The actor and filmmaker best known for his ultra-low budget indie films and the ultra-high budget The Morning Show wants to self-finance entire seasons of television, and pray a network or streamer buys them. It worked for him with Netflix’s Penelope, but…no one watched that.
Are you a tried-and-true east sider who’s always wanted waterfront property? Historically, this has been a bit of an either/or situation — there hasn’t been a way to have it all. Until now, thanks to these townhomes fronting the LA River in Frogtown. I don’t know if I would actually want to live here, but you could, and that’s what matters.
Ryan Gosling renamed his production company. I haven’t seen this reported on elsewhere, but Gosling’s year-old General Admission is now Open Invite.
Antonio has these sneakers, and I can’t stop thinking about them.
The pedestrian plaza between Crypto.com Arena and LA Live is finally complete. Construction of the plaza involved permanently closing a full city block to traffic. LA should make more streets pedestrian-only. Let’s hope this is the beginning of a trend.
Mark Guiducci is the new editor of Vanity Fair. As always, Eagle Rock’s very own Lauren Sherman has the best take here. Stay tuned for the Rag’s interview with Lauren, coming very soon.
The Lowry House in Los Feliz is back on the market, less than a year after it sold. It’s…really good.
Brands LOVE a rooftop moment with Jeremy Allen White. America’s favorite TV chef (and LA’s favorite farmer’s market regular) made his debut as the new face of Louis Vuitton yesterday…with a rooftop photoshoot strikingly similar to the one he did last year for Calvin Klein.
Echo Parkers’ new side hustle: carting tourists up the hill to Dodger Stadium. There’s an emerging cottage industry of golf cart-equipped locals ready to haul west siders up Vin Scully Avenue for $10 per person. This is the hustle I live for.
Angeleeeenooooo at large !!