At night, Hollywood Boulevard is a catwalk lined with velvet ropes, stylish socialites and paparazzi. Defined by rapid reinvention, a world class DJ culture, top tier chefs and a cutting-edge live music scene, Hollywood nightlife hosts variety and excitement unmatched by any other city in the world, and with many venues located in close proximity, it’s easy to sample several Hollywood hot spots in one night.
Crimson and Opera (1650 Schrader Blvd., Los Angeles) are two venues divided by a removable wall. Crimson is the wilder of the siblings, with seductive décor and a rock ‘n’ roll edge. Opera pays homage to the theatre with arched vaulted ceilings, warm woods and expansive dance space. The clubs, open different nights of the week, host a variety of DJs and offer ample space to dance and mingle.
David Judaken, creator of the Crimson/Opera complex, also opened Mood (6623 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles) only a few blocks away. A fashionably upscale Balinese themed ultra lounge, Mood offers privacy within the party for the celeb set with an elevated VIP area and DJ booth frequented by Sam Ronson and Lindsay Lohan. Luxurious booths hide behind pillars and around corners throughout the exotic space, and the dance floor is always packed with stylish trendsetters moving to top 40 and hip-hop dance hits.
Nearby, Les Deux (1638 N. Las Palmas Ave., Los Angeles) formerly Les Deux Café, was reinvented by the Dolce Group as sexy European hideaway in the heart of Hollywood. A featured hotspot on MTV’s The Hills, the lounge was at one time a Hollywood home. The upstairs bedroom hosts a VIP area overlooking the backyard fountain and DJ booth, and the downstairs living space holds the dance floor and full service bar. It’s the perfect place to see and be seen while sampling sweet tastes and specialty martinis. A few blocks away, Vice (6364 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles), a sleek Hollywood haunt in the former home of Star Shoes, offers dark elegant décor and house, hip-hop and Top 40 tunes.
LAX (1714 North Las Palmas Ave., Los Angeles) is Hollywood’s aviation themed home for the social elite. Owner Loyal Pennings partnered with DJ AM to revitalize the venue featuring a velvet roped enclave in the main lounge with views of the crowded dance floor and the main bar backed with illuminated jellyfish tanks. A luggage friendly ramp leads outside to the smoking lounge and second full service bar. Also in the area, Sky Bar impresario Peter Famulari transformed the Hollywood Athletic Club into his manor themed “counter club,” Boulevard 3 (6523 West Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles). Complete with dance floor, mezzanine, library, garden and balcony VIP suites, the stunning venue with a spacious front courtyard and two reflecting pools and fire place is an elegant must see.
Hollywood landmark, The Kress (6608 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles), once the site of the S.H. Kress department store in the 1930s, is now a multilevel venue featuring a restaurant with a Pan-Asian menu by Executive Chef Travis Kamiyama. Mike Viscuso extensively renovated the art deco space giving each level a different atmosphere and crowd. The rooftop VIP lounge offers panoramic views of Hollywood, cabana hideaways, catering and a full service bar. The Cabana Club (1439 Ivar Ave., Los Angeles) further evokes old Hollywood with its mixture of tropical and traditional club decor.
Zen dining and video mixing surround the dance floor and candle lit patio where young professionals and Hollywood fashionistas come for top hip hop, house music and delicious fusion fare. Element (6605 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles) offers a menu of comfort food like fried chicken and mashed potatoes and decadent desserts such as caramel apple bars. Element was infused with new energy when it opened from an events venue to a nightlife hotspot featuring minimalist décor evocative of a New York loft. The live music stage and elevated VIP seating overlook the runway-esque dance floor and the DJs spin popular house and hip hop tracks.
The Highlands and Level 3 (6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles) at Hollywood & Highland Center are modern, expansive night clubs playing a mix of hip hop, top 40 and house. KIIS FM’s DJ Drew hosts Club DV8 at Level 3 for the 18 plus crowd on Friday and Saturday nights. The Highlands features VIP supper club RISE designed by artist Bruce Rubenstein with an innovative menu by Wolfgang Puck. The Highlands is a one of a kind nighttime experience featuring some of the best panoramic views in Hollywood, LA's hottest DJ's, sweeping balconies, plush lounges, and beautiful indoor and outdoor dining areas.
Hollywood not only offers celebrity DJs but is also home to the world renowned live music venues. The Knitting Factory (7021 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles), founded by Michael Dorf in 1987, rooted in jazz and gritty lower Manhattan rock ‘n’ roll, develops new talent on house record labels and its two stages. The Main Stage hosts popular acts and artists with name recognition, while the AlterKnit Lounge features hardworking bands with cult followings and a more underground appeal.
Avalon (1735 Vine St., Los Angeles) across from the Legendary Capital Records building offers world class DJs like Felix Da Housecat and well known bands. The building opened as one of Los Angeles' first and most lavish theatres in the late 1920s and was recently purchased by Hollywood Entertainment Partners. In their hands, the theatre was reinvented as a multi-venue complex embodying the glamour of the past while looking to the future of Hollywood. Dress to impress because this venue has its own tuxedo clad ghost.
For a mix of music and movies try Cinespace (6356 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles), a chic restaurant, lounge and screening room with a stage for live music and glass VIP room. Cinespace offers dinner and a movie in the screening room with movie offerings weekly and a menu of California Cuisine. The open roof outdoor smoking patio and swanky cocktail lounge host DJs playing a mix of popular and alternative dance tracks.
More live music can be found at super club Vanguard (6021 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles) where the party continues until 4 a.m. Once a warehouse, this space was transformed into a sophisticated dance and live music venue. Vanguard hosts international DJ celebrities like Paul Oakenfold on Hollywood’s largest dance floor framed by couches and intimate booths and a magical outdoor garden terrace. Art events and special performances are offered as well making Vanguard a perfect end to any night out in Hollywood.
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