Hollywood / Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles

Located within the Griffith Park area is the Greek, a wonderful, acclaimed outdoor theater that's perhaps the best place for an LA concert, outside of the Hollywood Bowl. If you are searching for a perfect date locale or just want to hear music at its best outdoors, the Greek is not to miss. A common Greek tradition is drinking wine (oh wouldn't Dionysis look find down on you!) and having a picnic before the show.

Summertime and the Greek goes hand in hand. The announcement of the music acts is like an annual event in southern California. Often, performers like the Gypsy Kings and Chicago play here to sold-out audiences. Some concerts that I saw here are Sting and Alabina. Check out website for this year's line up.

Things to remember:

Parking is so tight here, basically parallel parking. Arrive early and/or stay later to best deal with the traffic

Dress Code: no strict code at all but it is advisable to wear a jacket or coat because it can get very nippy at night!

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I made a special trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles to attend the Sony Holland concert at the Catalina Jazz Club. I had never been to the Catalina so I had no idea what to expect.

I arrived the morning of the concert and decided to take a walk along Sunset Blvd. to get a feel for the area. The club is actually located inside an office building. Their marquee is mounted outside the building with flashing lights displaying the club and artist names. It was exciting to see Sony's name in lights.

Since I had never been there I decided to arrive early at 7:00 p.m. when the doors opened. The person cleaning the outside area of the building buzzed me in the front door of the building and the club was identifiable by a simple sign on a door located on the first floor of the building. I walked in the door and was pleasantly surprised. The host was so friendly and welcoming that I felt as if I had walked onto the set of "Cheers." The club had that distinct feeling all evening. I was also thrilled to see two of my friends from the Bay Area there as well.

The club itself has an L shape to it which is very interesting and I think well thought out for the venue. The main club area has table vignettes which seat anywhere from two people to around ten people situated around the stage so that no matter where you are the stage is the main focal point in the room. Even if you are at the bar which is the longer part of that L shape, you still have a good view. Each table was set with tablecloths, menus and flyers with the artist information. I found these extras very appealing which high end jazz clubs normally do not provide.

The lighting I found to be the best I have ever encountered in any club, jazz or otherwise. I was able to actually see my bill when presented with the dim lighting during the concert as well as the menus and upcoming show information. Normally clubs are so dark, especially during a concert that you cannot see anything. Here the lighting in my opinion was perfect. Even the lighting on the stage was good enough that we were able to get photos without a flash as can be seen in this post. Usually in clubs, the lighting is such that it will distort the actual colors of the musician's attire though not the case here. I really liked that.

The sound was crisp and clear. You could hear each instrument along with the vocals without anyone drowning out the other. It wasn't too loud or too soft but right on key, throughout.

I do not drink alcohol so it's always tough to find something I enjoy. They have a full bar which offered non alcoholic drinks including beer of which I ordered Buckley's and enjoyed it very much. I did not eat here as I had dinner earlier but my friend did order dinner and seemed to enjoy what he ordered. This brings me to another point I would like to mention. Most clubs require two drink minimum when attending a show. The Catalina gives you a choice of either a two drink minimum or dinner. I love the fact that they provide a choice. I also want to mention that when reading reviews of the Catalina I found so many people stating how expensive it was to attend a show here. NOT TRUE. If you frequent music venues, especially high end premier venues like the Catalina as I do on a regular basis, you'll find their prices to be in line and competitive with all the other venues out there. The cover charges vary depending on the artist and the dinner and drink prices are standard. They are not expensive at all. My bill? One non alcoholic beer and a ginger ale with a 30% tip = $17.00. Now I normally never tip 30% but I loved this venue.

The service was friendly, quick and non intrusive. The servers knew when to approach for your second drink and were very cautious not to interrupt or obstruct the view of the patrons. They were helpful, knew what they were doing and very friendly.

When Sony Holland performs at premier jazz clubs, her friends provide a champagne and dessert reception after the show. Normally the champagne and dessert is buffet style located in the bar area. At the Catalina, servers provided the dessert trays to the audience which I thought was very special. It was that extra touch provided by the club that makes this venue so wonderful.

As I said in the beginning of this post, I had that friendly feeling all evening. Now I know why this club is considered to be the premier jazz club in LA. I've been to many in the Bay Area and have to admit I enjoyed this club over and above any other I've experienced. I will definitely go back to see Sony if and when she again performs at the Catalina. In fact, if anyone I really like will be performing there, I will absolutely make that trip from SF to LA to see them. That is exactly how much I enjoyed the Catalina.

Dress Code: I would say no jeans or sneakers though casual is acceptable.

If you are tired of the snazzy Hollywood scene, Blue Monkey Lounge will surprise you. Though located on Hollywood Blvd, this dim lounge offers a friendly, relaxing ambience and constitutes a perfect place to chat over a glass of wine. On the weekends the place can get crowded but if you get there early you can sit down in relax on their chaise lounges.

They have an open door policy meaning they don't pick people out of the line to be "admitted" if you're hot enough of pretty enough. This is different then most Hollywood cubs that only admit if you skinny/hot/rich etc. Here everyone is allowed in.

I love going to the Hollywood & Highland complex because there is ample parking (least inexpensive in Hollywood), the Highlands club has excellent music and people, and the food venues are affordable and delicious. I would recommend the Highlands club which is at the very top of the complex if you are 21+, the floor below is a different club called Club DV8 for people that are 18+. Club DV8 has poor air circulation so it is really hot, while Highlands Club is very posh and has a huge outside balcony with excellent views of Hollywood.

Dress Code: You should dress to impress if you plan on going clubbing anywhere in Hollywood.

Every few months a new "in" place is announced in Hollywood and people flock to it like rats to cheese. Sometimes the new place is really fun, sometimes celebs drop by, usually the in spots are over-priced and they always have a long line in front with a bouncer being picky about who they let in. To be honest, standing around displaying myself like a pastry on a dessert tray isn't my idea of a fun evening.

There are so many places to go in Hollywood, whether on or off the boulevard. Once a bar has been around for a while and grown beyond it's "newness," a regular clientelle starts to congregate and the atmosphere becomes more genuine. Well-established clubs like Boardners, the Beauty Bar, the Good Luck Bar, Goldfingers ... are just as fun, but a lot less pretentious. Don't be afraid to ask other revelers where they'd recommend - I've walked up to folks on the street to ask for the name of a great bar and ended up making new friends. It can happen.

My suggestion: Look for folks who dress the way you like to dress when going out ... If you're the jeans type you may not want advice from the slinky black dress set. Every style will be represented in Hollywood - don't be afraid to ask someone to recommend a club. People who enjoy a good evening out love to tell others about their favorite places.

Other than a bizillion clubs, sightseeing is a must, I wish I had a new scanner that worked b/c I got awsome pics of cool mansions, gorgeous sunsets and phat cars. The traffic is a ***, and the cabs are expensive so take the bus.

Star Shoes is possibly one of the most trendy bars in L.A. at the moment. And by trendy I mean, for underground hipsters, not for Paris Hilton wannabes. The venue is what makes it cool i guess: it is a bar that often has DJs but also sells vintage women's shoes from old movie wardrobes.

Dress Code: i'm not sure if there is one, but dress as hip as possible if you wanna fit in. Or intentionally dress as lame as possible thereby coming full circle to cool again.

Oh boy! What kind of places you may find in Los Angeles! Those guys talking about fun in Los Angeles must be right maybe!
This restaurant in North Hollywood (God only remembers its name) is a "typical" western restaurant.
People come her eto have a good steak and enjoy the loud music and occasional shows. Whicjh shows? What about the mechanic bull and the people (customers) trying to ride it instead of sitting quietly and having their dinner?