Category: Los Angeles

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Things to do This September in Los Angeles

Can you believe it’s already September!! Where has this year gone? Well if you don’t have any plans for this month, take a look at the list below. There are plenty of events going on this month! Enjoy!

1. The LA County Fair Returns (Sept. 1-24)

The LA County Fair returns to the Fairplex in Pomona September 1- 24 to kick off the fall with some delicious food and fun. -> More information

2. L.A. Times The Taste (Sept. 1-3)

Hosted from September 1-3, the event features five events with tastings from some of L.A.’s best chefs, restaurateurs and mixologists. -> More information

3. Made in LA Fest at Golden Road Brewing (Sept. 2-3)

Made in LA is a music fest that celebrates Los Angeles-based creators with a lineup that includes legendary West Coast rapper and hip-hop producer Warren G, YACHT, Buyepongo, Korey Dane, Maxim Ludwigas, and more. -> More information – Discount tickets

4. Fiesta Hermosa (Sept. 2-4)

Hermosa Beach’s 45th annual Fiesta Hermosa takes place from September 2-4 and features some 300 vendors, food, a kiddie play area and much more! -> More information

5. Long Beach Original Lobster Festival (Sept. 8-10)

The festival features fresh Maine lobster, live music, face painting, karaoke, arts & crafts booths, a petting zoo, plus various wine/beer gardens. -> More information – Discount tickets

6. Los Angeles Latino Book and Family Festival (Sept. 10)

The Los Angeles Latino Book and Family Festival comes to the La Plaza de Cultres y Artes on September 10 for a full day of exhibits, storytelling, author meet-and-greets, workshops, activities, food and much more.  Entry is free!-> More information

7. Grand Park Presents a Beat Swap Meet (Sept. 10)

Calling all music lovers & aficionados, Grand Park is hosting a FREE record & vinyl swap meet alongside live art-making, entertainment & a classic car show! -> More information

8. Roaring Nights at the LA Zoo (Sept. 15)

The LA Zoo’s signature summer music series concludes on September 15 with a themed night of 80s vs. 90’s music. Activities for the evening with include live bands, DJs, pop-up zoo keeper talks, special animal encounters, food trucks, lawn games and more. -> More information – Discount tickets

9. Los Angeles Anime Film Festival (Sept. 15-17)

Los Angeles Anime Film Festival celebrates 100 years of anime films during its three-day event September 15-17 at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE. -> More information

10. Tarfest at the La Brea Tar Pits (Sept. 16)

The 15th annual Tarfest is back for 2017 with a FREE showcase of music, dance, live artwork, a biergarten and wine Bar,and installations, all at the iconic La Brea Tar Pits. -> More information

11. Open Arts + Music Festival in Downtown Glendale (Sept. 16)

The Open Arts & Music Festival, a FREE event on September 16, returns to Downtown Glendale with music from Run River North, DUCKWRTH & more, along with craft beers, kiddie fun, $1 vinyl and much more. -> More information

1. Free Admission at 50+ SoCal Museums to Help Launch PST: LA/LA (Sept. 17)

As part of the launch for Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA over 50 SoCal museums will offer free admission on Sunday, September 17. -> More information

13. The 22nd Annual Redondo Beach Lobster Festival (Sept. 22-24)

The food festival will bring 27,000 fresh Maine lobsters to the South Bay for mouth-watering dishes, alongside an impressive music line-up all weekend! -> More information – Discount tickets

14. Surf City Dog Competition in Huntington Beach (Sept. 23)

The dog days of summer are coming to a close, but not without a bang. What better way to recognize the end of summer than with a dog surfing competition? -> More information

15. PROUD Movie Night at Grand Park (Sept. 23)

PROUD Movie Night at Grand Park comes to Downtown Los Angeles on September 23. The evening will showcase short films reflecting the diversity and freshness of creators from the Outfest Fusion Festival.. This is a FREE event for the LGBTQ community and its allies. -> More information

16. Dino Fest at Natural History Museum (Sept. 23-24)

The 2nd annual Dino Fest returns to NHMLA this September 23-24 for a weekend of celebrating the prehistoric giants that one ruled the earth. -> More information

17. Los Angeles Green Festival Expo (Sept. 23-24)

The two-day sustainable festival starts at 10 a.m. on September 23-24 will feature over 200 exhibitors, 50 inspirational speakers and hands-on activities. -> More information

18. The 33rd Annual Abbot Kinney Community Festival (Sept. 24)

The FREE community festival will feature over 300 quality vendors, food trucks, rides and games for kids, 4 music stages and 3 beer gardens! -> More information

19. UnSilent Cinema at FIGat7th (Sept. 28-29)

UnSilent Cinema is a two-day showcase of classic silent films enlivened by contemporary live scores. The back-to-back evenings will feature a happy hour in the TASTE courtyard, a DJ at the FIGat7th plaza, plus screenings of The Goddess scored by Juana Molina on Thursday and The Passion of Joan of Arc scored by Julia Holteron on Friday. Admission is free! -> More information

20. Downtown Dark Nights at L.A. LIVE (Sept. 29)

Downtown Dark Nights at L.A. LIVE on September 29 will feature $5 food and drink menus, live music, street performers, and a marketplace featuring eclectic goods from local artisans and vendors. -> More information

21. Music Tastes Good Festival in Long Beach (Sept. 30 – Oct. 1)

Music Tastes Good comes to Marina Green Park in Long Beach on September 30 and October 1 for two days of music, food, and art with Peaches, Sleater-Kinney & more. -> More information

Event schedule courtesy of We Like LA. 

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Free Shuttle Service Coming To West Hollywood

Starting March 2018, Sunset Strip visitors will be able to get around on the weekends a little bit easier.

The West Hollywood City Council has voted to pilot a free six-month shuttle service for the Sunset Strip area.

The shuttle will go west along Sunset from Fairfax Avenue before turning south on Doheny Drive and heading east along Melrose. The shuttle will turn back north along San Vicente Boulevard to Sunset and continue east until dipping down to Santa Monica Boulevard between Crescent Heights Boulevard and Fairfax–providing better connectivity with popular restaurants such as Laurel Hardware.

The shuttle is expected to run between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. 

The pilot program is meant to promote nightlife around the strip and gives visitors a better option than the $30 parking lots. Aside from that, it will allow people to travel the Strip without worrying about driving while under the influence.

After the six months, the city will assess the program’s effectiveness and to decide whether to continue it further.

 

 

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Proposed DTLA Tower Could Become Southern California's Tallest Residential Building

Plans for a 70-story, 810-foot mixed-use development have been revealed for downtown Los Angeles’ South Park neighborhood. The tower is currently referred to as 1045 Olive and it will be the tallest residential building in Southern California.

According to Urbanize LA, 1045 Olive will include 794 apartments, and 12,504 sq. ft. of retail space.

The building is being developed by Miami-based Crescent Heights, which also developed Century City’s Ten Thousand tower along Santa Monica Boulevard, and was designed by ODA New York. According to Curbed, no low-income units have been decided on for the building. The Los Angeles Business Journal mentioned Crescent Heights paid $11.5 million for the half-acre site in 2015.

A development timeline has not been revealed.

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Where To Find Eclipse Glasses In Los Angeles

Monday will bring a historic, total eclipse of the sun—the first total eclipse to cross the lower 48 U.S. states in 38 years. Here in L.A., we won’t quite reach totality (more like 70%) but it will still be extremely dangerous for your eyes to look directly at the sun.

The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun, according to our friends at NASA, is through special-purpose solar filters like “eclipse glasses.” However, as you would imagine, said glasses have become quite the hot commodity as eclipse mania descends.

The glasses were formerly available at REI stores, but according to a Santa Monica REI store employee, that location is sold out—as are the rest of the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force-approved REI stores in the city.

To make matters worse, experts have been warning of the potential for counterfeit glasses, which could damage viewers’ eyes. So where can the real deal still be procured?

Libraries
Try your local library. A selection of both city and county libraries across the L.A. area will be having eclipse viewing events on Monday, with free glasses stocked on a first-come, first-serve basis. Important note: the glasses will only be available for participants, during the actual events. The full list of participating county libraries can be found here, and participating city libraries here.

7-Eleven
7-Eleven is another one of the handful of retailers listed on the Task Force’s site. We haven’t had much luck finding anything in stock by calling around, but given the sheer number of 7-Eleven locations in Los Angeles, giving your neighborhood outpost a call is probably worth a shot. Most eclipse viewers are priced at $2 to $3.

Your nearest 7-Eleven store can be found here.

The Stellar Emporium Gift Shop At The Griffith Observatory
The Stellar Emporium gift shop at the Griffith Observatory will be selling a limited number of eclipse glasses (priced at $5) every day until the big event. There was already a line of people waiting outside when the store opened at noon on Thursday, so we recommend getting there early if you want to snag a pair.

The Stellar Emporium is located at 2800 E Observatory Road in Griffith Park. They open at noon on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Warby Parker
As mentioned above, Warby Parker was giving out free glasses—all of which have now been distributed from their Los Angeles locations. However, an employee at the Warby Parker Green Room location in West Hollywood told LAist that there was a chance their L.A. locations might get a few more in over the weekend… So, fingers crossed, it might be worth dropping by your local Warby Parker store on Saturday or Sunday (they say they won’t be giving out store-specific availability information over the phone). There are four Warby Parker stores in Los Angeles: one in Venice, one in the Arts District, one in West Hollywood, and one at the Standard Hollywood (also technically West Hollywood).

Make Your Own Pinhole Projector
Yes, you can prevent eclipse-blindness with a cereal box (and a few other basic supplies). Here’s a NASA tutorial on how to make your own pinhole projector for safe viewing:

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Places In Los Angeles To Catch The 'Great American Eclipse'

The “Great American Eclipse” is coming on August 21– the first total eclipse to cross the lower 48 U.S. states in 38 years! What’s a total eclipse you ask? It’s where the moon completely blocks the sun and casts a shadow over the land.

Although Los Angeles lands outside of the total eclipse’s prime zone, Angelenos will still be able to experience an eclipse that takes up just under 70% of the sun’s diameter.

According to E.C. Krupp, director of the Griffith Observatory, the moon will start overlapping the sun at around 9:05 a.m. The max overlap will be around 10:20 a.m.  The effect will be done around 11:45 a.m.

If you plan on catching the eclipse, NASA says you will require additional equipment, which includes solar eclipse glasses (not the same as sunglasses), telescopes with solar filters, and pinhole cameras, among other items.

You can definitely catch the “Great American Eclipse” from the comforts of your backyard. If you want to be among other spectators, there are plenty of spots in Los Angeles that will be holding viewings. The National Park Service (NPS) will be hosting some of these events, and will have a limited supply of solar glasses and “Junior Ranger eclipse books” at each spot. All the following events are free unless noted otherwise.

Enjoy!

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Griffith Observatory (Photo by Al Pavangkanan via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)

Griffith Observatory

The Observatory will have a public viewing on its front lawn from 9 a.m. to noon. The event is free of admission. According to organizers, personal telescopes won’t be allowed at the event.

The Griffith Observatory is at 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles.

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L.A. State Historic Park (Photo by Annie Lesser/LAist)

L.A. State Historic Park (NPS Event)

Visit this 32-acre parcel of sprawling greens and either join the event directly at the park at 9:30 a.m., or you can meet up with NPS rangers at 8:30 a.m. at the Gateway to Nature Center in El Pueblo. From there, you can hike to the park to catch the eclipse.

L.A. State Historic Park is at 1245 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles. Gateway to Nature is at 130 Paseo de La Plaza, Los Angeles.

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King Gillette Ranch (Photo courtesy of National Park Service)

King Gillette Ranch (NPS Event)

This 588-acre space features a Spanish Colonial Revival style mansion, a large constructed pond, and an abundance of sweeping meadows. According to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, “it offers a rare unspoiled view of California’s rich archeological, cultural, and historic resources, including a Chumash settlement.”

The NPS says that a ranger will be there at the Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center at 9:30 a.m. to speak on the total eclipse. Afterward, guests will be invited to view the partial eclipse from the visitor center grounds.

King Gillette Ranch is located at 26876 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas.

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Rancho Sierra Vista (Photo courtesy of the National Park Service)

Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa (NPS Event)

At 9:30 a.m., visitors can gather at the park’s Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center, where there’ll be children’s activities and presentations of Native American sky stories. You’ll also get to see the eclipse, of course.

Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa is located at the cross street of Via Goleta and Lynn Road in Thousand Oaks.

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The Hooker Telescope at Mount Wilson. (Photo by Josh Patterson via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)

Mount Wilson Observatory

Thomas Meneghini, executive director at Mount Wilson Observatory, tells LAist that the site doesn’t have official plans just yet. Meneghini says that he’s thinking about pointing a 100 mm solar telescope at the sun, and having the image projected in the auditorium that seats about 250 people. If you’re interested, you can follow the observatory on Facebook and/or Twitter to stay up-to-date with developments.

To get to Mount Wilson Observatory: from the 210 take Highway 2 northbound for 14 miles, turn right on Red Box Road. Follow it 5 miles to the top.

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Montebello Library (Via County of Los Angeles Public Library/Facebook)

L.A. Libraries

Many city and county libraries will host eclipse viewings. Within the Los Angeles Public Library system, branches in Little Tokyo, Pacoima, Woodland Hills, and South L.A., among others, will be hosting events. County libraries joining in on the party include branches in San Gabriel, Rosemead, and Norwalk. Many of the libraries will be projecting NASA’s live-stream of the event, and some offer eclipse viewing glasses and will have a solar telescope on hand. Contact the library for information for what, specifically, will be happening.

Here’s a list of LAPL libraries hosting viewing parts, and a list of county libraries hosting viewing parties. All these events are free of charge.

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L.A. Restaurants and Bar Openings of July 2017

July was filled with plenty of new restaurant and bar openings!  Below are some of the best openings in Los Angeles which includes, a burger restaurant in Malibu, sushi in the Valley, and an exclusive bar in Mid-City.

Sushi Bar
ENCINO

SUSHI|BAR

CULVER CITY
VESPERTINE

 

The Highlight Room
HOLLYWOOD

THE HIGHLIGHT ROOM

MID-WILSHIRE

VESTRY

Gusto 2.0

GUSTO 2.0

DOWNTOWN

18 SOCIAL

Hayden
CULVER CITY

HAYDEN

WEST HOLLYWOOD

WILD BEAST

 

The San Fernando
GLENDALE

THE SAN FERNANDO

LAX AREA

THE PROUD BIRD

Barbara Jean Hush Puppies
WEST HOLLYWOOD

BARBARA JEAN

MALIBU

MALIBU BURGER CO.

SANTA MONICA

MEAT ON OCEAN

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Los Angeles' Best Spots For Vintage Finds

Love vintage? For those looking to save money and not break the bank, there are plenty of vintage shops in the city!

Below are some of L.A.’s best spots for vintage finds. Don’t overpay and reflect your unique style with your vintage wardrobe!


(The Left Bank, photo via Facebook
The Left Bank

The Left Bank, 2479 Fletcher Drive in Frogtown. (818) 839-1992

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(Photo by Emma Specter/LAist)

Cannonball & Tilly

Cannonball & Tilly, 1029 S. Fairfax Avenue in Little Ethiopia. (323) 384-2640

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(Photo via Painted Bird’s website)

Painted Bird

Painted Bird, 4208 Santa Monica Blvd. in Silver Lake. (323) 522-3368

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(Photo by Joan S/Yelp)

Gotta Have It

Gotta Have It, 1516 Pacific Avenue in Venice. (310) 392-5949

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(Recollection Vintage, photo via Facebook)

Recollection

Recollection Vintage, 606 N. Hoover Street in Virgil Village.

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(Photo by Collin C/Yelp)

Replay Vintage

Replay Vintage, 1766 N. Vermont Avenue in Los Feliz. (323) 667-9773

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(The Bearded Beagle, via Facebook)

The Bearded Beagle

The Bearded Beagle, 5926 N. Figueroa Street in Highland Park
4646 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Feliz. (323) 258-5898

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14 Unique Walking Routes In Los Angeles

Walking is easy to do and one of the best things you can do for your health. Getting your steps in can help you lose weight, lower your blood pressure, and even reduce your risk of several chronic diseases.

It’s an excellent form of exercise and a great way to stay active! With that being said, Los Angeles has many options for those who want to get out and get their walk on.

Here are a few suggestions:

1. The Hollywood Bowl

Many may not know this, but The Hollywood Bowl is a public park during the day. Visitors can explore, learn more about the Bowl and take a beautiful walk along the way. -> Learn more.

2. Lake Hollywood Trail

You can get about 7,000 steps out of the Lake Hollywood Trail. The 3.3 mile loop takes you around the Hollywood Reservoir. -> Check out the trail here.

3. Echo Park Lake

One loop around the Echo Park Lake will give you around 2,000 steps. The loop is under a mile and offers steppers the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful lotus plants and blossoms during the spring months. -> Walk the lake.

Echo Park Lake

Echo Park Lake. Photo by Brian Champlin

4. Exposition Park Rose Garden

One loop around the Exposition Park Rose Garden and you’re looking at around 5,000 steps. Here you can enjoy more than 200,000 rose bushes along your walk. Go here.

5. Encino Golf Loop

Encino Golf loop is almost 5 miles long and takes you round the Valley golf course. You can get about 10,000 steps on this loop. -> Walk the Encino Golf loop.

6. Venice Beach

Venice Beach is a well-known beach-walking area in L.A. Beginning and ending at Ocean Front Walk, you will get about 4,000 steps on the trail. -> Walk here.

Venice Boardwalk Afternoon

Venice Beach Boardwalk. Credit: Brian Champlin

7. Veterans Parkway

Veterans Parkway, referred to by locals as the “greenbelt,” runs through Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach. You can get about 15,000 steps in if you walk back and forth from both communities–that’s about 7 miles. Go here.

8. The Music Box Steps

The Music Box Steps are located in Silver Lake and will not disappoint your step tracker! If you plan on doing all the staircases, you will get about 5,500 steps in–it’s a total of 2.5 miles and 705 stairs.  -> Details.

9. Descanso Gardens

The museum has many natural displays. Visitors can count their steps while also enjoying the rose garden, the Japanese garden and several other collections at the Descanso Gardens. -> Walk the garden here.

10. Ikea in Burbank

You can get approximately 2,000 steps in just by walking through The new Burbank Ikea. Make sure to take some comfortable shoes and enjoy the furniture displays and the food. -> Walk and shop at Ikea Burbank.

11. The Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl is a popular spot to exercise. The loop is about a 90 minute walk and 6,500 steps. Visitors are here daily to get their exercise in.  -> Walk the Rose Bowl.

Rose Bowl Entrance

Rose Bowl. Photo credit: Brian Champlin

12. UCLA Drake Stadium

Four times around this 9-lane track equals one mile, which is about 2,000 steps. The Drake Stadium is a great place to get your collegiate spirit on and to work out. -> Get on track.

13. Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook

You can get more than 2,400 steps in just by hiking the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. Whether you take the 282 stairs or the trail, you’ll get a workout and also enjoy a great view. -> Climb the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook.

14. Mandeville Canyon Trail

Mandeville Canyon is a 7.2 mile hike. You can get almost 16,000 steps at this trail. Located within the Santa Monica Mountains, the trail gives you an amazing view of Los Angeles once you reach its highest point of elevation. -> Take the hike.

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Rodeo Realty’s Sherman Oaks agent Neal Leviton sells former home of legendary film actress Marion Davies

The desert estate originally built for American film actress Marion Davies has sold for $2,175,000. Rodeo Realty’s Neal Leviton was one of the listing agents to the property, which headlined in the Los Angeles Times and Curbed when it first went on the market.

The 9 bedroom, 11 bathroom estate has nearly 14,000 sq. ft. of living space and sits on 2.77 acres. Outdoors, the property includes a pond with a waterfall, a tennis court and a pool/spa. The grounds are immaculate and the property is maintained by two full-time employees.

In 1956, Davies, who was William Randolph Heart’s mistress and a legendary film star of the silver screen era in the 1930s, purchased a piece of land from the founder of Hyatt Hotels, Hyatt Robert von Dehn. She built a home on the property that is known as 1 Von Dehn Road in Rancho Mirage, CA.

Hearst was a publishing magnet, best known for building the nation’s largest newspaper chain and the magnificent and over the top Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA. Hearst and Davies were publicly a couple for many years, as Hearst’s wife would not grant him a divorce. They had a child together, Patricia Van Cleeve Lake, also an actress. Both kept Lake’s true identity a secret for many years.

Upon Davies death in 1961 the property transferred to the man she married after Hearst passed away in 1951, Horace Brown (another well-known actor).

Brown eventually sold the property in 1972 to the family that owned Trader Vic’s, a well-known restaurant chain. In 1996, the property was sold to a private family. The property was upgraded throughout the years to its present state today. The original structure still remains along with the upgraded portions of the home.

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Popular Breakfast Spots In Los Angeles

Los Angeles has plenty of options when it comes to breakfast–food in general! Those with a 9-to-5 job, may not get to enjoy breakfast with friends during the week, but on the weekends–that’s an entire different story! Angelenos love to have brunch, some even tend to eat breakfast all day! 

Below are some of LA’s best breakfast destinations to enjoy over the weekend. 

Wexler’s Deli – 317 South Broadway at Grand Central Market in DTLA.
616 Santa Monica Blvd. in Santa Monica. 

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Photo via Paper or Plastik/Instagram

Paper or Plastik – 5772 West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles. 

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Aroma Coffee & Tea – 4360 Tujunga Ave. in Studio City. 

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Photos via Destroyer

Destroyer – 3583 Hayden Avenue in Culver City.

SquareOne_Yelp.jpgSquare One Dining – 4854 Fountain Ave. in Los Angeles.

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Kitchen Mouse (Photo via Kitchen Mouse/Facebook)

Kitchen Mouse – 5904 North Figueroa St. in Los Angeles. 

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Photo by Nadine C. via Yelp

NBC Seafood – 404 South Atlantic Blvd. in Monterey Park.

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Photo via Manhattan Beach Post/Facebook
Manhattan Beach Post – 1142 Manhattan Ave. in Manhattan Beach.

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