It’s a Material World
Shop like a star, or possibly with one, at F&S; Fabrics. The 50-year-old institution spreads its silk, satin, chenille, Belgian linen and assorted fine fabrics from Italy, France and Germany like a fabulous patchwork quilt on the walls and shelves of four different shops--all within a block of each other. One shop is dedicated to apparel and contains a button department and a room full of colorful ribbons. The other three specialize in fabrics for upholstery. Manager Marie Regino says that the millions of yards of fabric range from $2.50 to $2,000 per yard, the latter of which--a sophisticated, fully beaded Italian creation--was purchased by Beyonce Knowles for one of her gowns. Regino says that other celebrity clients include Michael Jackson, who had fancy pillows made for his limo, Cher, James Cameron and Olivia Newton-John, who came in to pick out fabric for bedding. “We’re surrounded by the film industry, so a lot of decorators for shows like ‘House,’ ‘CSI’ and ‘Dancing With the Stars’ come in to shop in our upholstery department,” Regino says.
F&S; Fabrics 10629 W. Pico Blvd. (310) 475-1637
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ONE THING TO DO
Get Your Grub by the Green
Sports history can be felt in the snug booths at funky Rancho Park Gardens Restaurant, located in the 1949 clubhouse of the Rancho Park Golf Club. The golf course was the site of the L.A. Open from 1956 until 1973, when the event moved to the Riviera Country Club. Among the legends who passed through its stucco portals were Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Billy Casper and Lloyd Mangrum. Now you can sit under the hanging potted plants in their 1960s-style rattan baskets and take in the retro orange glasswork and plaited-wood blinds while ordering a Slim Birdie (turkey burger with cottage cheese and fruit) or the Double Eagle (steak and eggs). 10460 W. Pico Blvd., (310) 839-7750.
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MY FIND
Marty’s hamburger stand is home to “the Combo,” which manager Angel Say describes as “a hamburger topped with a 10-inch hot dog that has been sliced in fourths and butterflied.” The menu reads: “Burger/ Hot Dog (One Bun), $5.” As many as 200 juicy bad boys are sold in a day, he says. 10558 W. Pico Blvd., (310) 836-6944.
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BLAST FROM THE PAST
The sleepy neighborhood centered around Pico between Westwood and Cheviot Hills is dotted with Spanish-style bungalows. Bill Heyler, the real estate man who built some of the area’s most attractive homes during the ‘30s and ‘40s, is said to have come up with the name Rancho Park. His inspiration? Well, the land was originally part of Rancho San Jose de Buenos Ayres.
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ART & ARCHITECTURE
Check out the 79-foot-long mural titled “The Chain Undone” on the east wall of Exclusive Motorcars at 10534 W. Pico Blvd. The acrylic-on-brick beauty was painted in 1992 by Eva Cockcroft, who died of cancer in 1999. The mural’s center panel depicts a lush bird sanctuary, and its outer panels highlight the perils of encroaching pollution and industrialization.
