A village centered on cafe society
Larchmont Village splits the difference between Los Feliz and Beverly Hills -- more upscale than the former, but less snooty than the latter.
This happy middle ground is centered on a stretch of cafes and boutiques in the heart of Hancock Park on Larchmont Boulevard between 1st and 3rd streets. It radiates history (at least by Southern California standards) and -- despite the arrival of a Starbucks and a Rite-Aid drugstore -- retains a small-town charm.
Looking back
The self-proclaimed “village” is actually part of Los Angeles -- the westernmost stop on the city’s trolley system when it was developed in 1921.
In the 1920s, businessman Julius LaBonte saw the promise of the area and built a movie theater, gas station, dry cleaner, clothing stores and a hair salon.
Later, it was used as a location for movies featuring the Three Stooges and Buster Keaton. The strip still has many of the original buildings -- unusual in a city where tear-downs are the norm.
“For decades, Larchmont was a well-kept secret,” says Paul Thompson, owner of the Village Heights jewelry and gift shop and president of the Larchmont Boulevard Assn.
“But in the past 10 to 15 years, we’ve been ‘discovered,’ along with Santa Monica’s Montana Avenue and Pasadena’s Old Town.”
Community feel
Although the area still skews wealthy and white, Larchmont is starting to diversify. Residents of nearby ethnic neighborhoods frequent the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf alongside Hollywood personalities and students from the exclusive Marlborough School, who roll up their skirts and sip iced mochas after classes.
The Mid-Wilshire revival brought in baby boomers and young professionals, further diluting the “Old Guard” atmosphere. And the 36-year-old Center for Yoga offers an eclectic mix of classes ($15 each) in a former Masonic temple, adding another element to the family-oriented mix.
Dogs and baby carriages are staples, says actress Sharon Lawrence (“NYPD Blue”), who lives within walking distance. “Once the bastion of folks from the Los Angeles Tennis Club and the Wilshire Country Club, [the latter of] which barred blacks and Jews, Larchmont had to change -- for the better,” she says, adding that the community comes together during events like the family street fair each October and a local restaurant fundraiser in August. “Larchmont is its own Mayberry, in the best sense of the word.”
Weekend buzz
Streets that used to be empty on Sundays have been revived by the Larchmont farmers market. Located in a parking lot on the west side of the boulevard, it serves up fresh produce and crafts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Insiders call Serge, the manager of Cafe du Village, half an hour ahead to put their name on the waiting list for the restaurant’s popular brunch, served until 4:30. The moderately priced spot is one of several serving bistro food indoors and out, where there’s great people-watching.
Wining and dining
Girasole Cucina Italiana is a favorite -- although, like Cafe du Village, it lacks a liquor license. Not to worry. Customers can brown-bag it with a stop at Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese (which also makes the best sandwiches on the block). Prado, the “best Caribbean restaurant in Southern California” according to Bon Appetit magazine, features soft-shell crabs and great sweet-corn Jamaican tamales. Chan Dara Siamese Kitchen is another local hangout, as is the 12-year-old standby La Luna. (Don’t pass up the spaghetti with seafood or the tiramisu, cautions the Zagat guide).
Hanging in, out
A host of mom-and-pop operations disappeared in the 1980s when some rents doubled or tripled. Landis General Store, established in the 1920s, however, is still standing -- and Sam’s Bagels (featuring the nonfat variety) survived the invasion of Noah’s. Village Pizzeria serves delicious thin-crust New York-style pies and, according to one food critic, the best meatballs in town. Chevalier’s Books and Espresso Roma are also gathering places -- the latter with live music Sunday afternoons and most nights.
Shop till you drop
Boutiques run the gamut from shoes (the stylishly comfortable Village Footwear) to flowers (Floret) to lingerie (Pickett Fences) to children’s wear (Flicka). At the southern end of the strip there’s a cluster of antiques shops -- among them Hobin & Blunt, Cottage Antiques and Remember When, Inc.
My Favorite Place -- specializing in flowing, Asian-accented items -- is an affordable version of the upscale Harari boutiques in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. “My husband told me I look like a piece of furniture in one outfit,” said Beth Beranich, a shopper visiting from Milwaukee. “It’s enough to make me buy it.”
Words of caution
Ficus trees lining the main street add to the visual appeal but, because their roots have shattered the concrete, they are a mixed blessing for pedestrians. Though Larchmont’s Business Improvement District has been redoing the sidewalks one section at a time, it’s wise to keep an eye out for uneven pavement -- as well as for the omnipresent meter maids, said to be particularly vigilant in this part of town.
In need of some pampering?
Cross Beverly Boulevard and head for Le Petite Retreat Day Spa or the new Healing Hands Wellness Center, where an hourlong massage costs just $49.
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Larchmont Village
1. Healing Hands Wellness Center
414 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 461-7876
2. Le Petite Retreat Day Spa
331 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 466-1028
3. Chan Dara Siamese Kitchen
310 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 467-1052
4. Prado
244 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 467-3871
5. Center for Yoga
230 1/2 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 464-1276
6. Girosole Cucina Italiana
225 1/2 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 464-6978
7. Larchmont Village Wine,
Spirits & Cheese
223 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 856-8699
8. My Favorite Place
202 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 461-5713
9. Sam’s Bagels
150 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 469-1249
10. Cafe du Village
139 1/2 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 466-3996
11. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
135 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 469-4984
12. Village Pizzeria
131 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 465-5566
13. Chevalier’s Books
126 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 465-1334
14. Espresso Roma
124 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 465-3461
15. Village Heights
122 1/2 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 463-9410
16. La Luna
113 N. Larchmont Blvd.
(323) 962-2130