Has Westwood lost its luster? (association, homeowner, place)

[Forever Blue]

I'll have to go to Westwood on Wed., Nov. 20th to do an observation on the UCLA Medical Campus. I've never really been to this part of L.A. After my observation at about 6pm, I'd like to do something fun. I love shopping malls, so I guess the Century City Mall is the closest to the area. I'm NOT a bar/lounge person at all, so no bars/clubs. Any other nice places in the area?

[yby1]

There are great movie theaters in Westwood. Go see a movie. You can also get cheap cookies at Diddy Reese and grab a bite to eat at Falafel
King or Umami or 800 degrees pizza.

[PDF]

Originally Posted by Forever Blue

I'll have to go to Westwood on Wed., Nov. 20th to do an observation on the UCLA Medical Campus. I've never really been to this part of L.A. After my observation at about 6pm, I'd like to do something fun. I love shopping malls, so I guess the Century City Mall is the closest to the area. I'm NOT a bar/lounge person at all, so no bars/clubs. Any other nice places in the area?

Century City Mall is the closest, but stay in Westwood. It's like one big outdoor mall. Go to 800 Degrees Pizza right in the center of the Village, you won't regret it.

[smokingGun]

Originally Posted by yby1

There are great movie theaters in Westwood. Go see a movie. You can also get cheap cookies at Diddy Reese and grab a bite to eat at Falafel
King or Umami or 800 degrees pizza.

sorry but the theaters are old and dingy. Just compare them to the theaters at the Grove or the Landmark in the Westside Pavilion. I think i read on a post on chowhound that the neighborhood home associations have successfully lobbied the city planning agency to restrict the number of eateries to existing locations (similar to beer/alcohol licensing) and to prohibit live music/dance venues, so there can never be a club scene. Most of the Village is owned by Persian money that came after the Revolution, so you'll probably have to wait until these old timers pass on before the next generation makes the move to sell out & allow redevelopment on a multi-block scale. Given the strength of the homeowners groups in Bel Air/Westwood/Holmby Hills you're going to need a developer with the political savvy of Rick Caruso to pull it off. Even Charlie Munger of Berkshire Hathaway seems stymied by his attempt to redevelop a simple block along San Vicente in Brentwood and he's literally a multi-billionaire!

[PDF]

Originally Posted by smokingGun

sorry but the theaters are old and dingy. Just compare them to the theaters at the Grove or the Landmark in the Westside Pavilion. I think i read on a post on chowhound that the neighborhood home associations have successfully lobbied the city planning agency to restrict the number of eateries to existing locations (similar to beer/alcohol licensing) and to prohibit live music/dance venues, so there can never be a club scene. Most of the Village is owned by Persian money that came after the Revolution, so you'll probably have to wait until these old timers pass on before the next generation makes the move to sell out & allow redevelopment on a multi-block scale. Given the strength of the homeowners groups in Bel Air/Westwood/Holmby Hills you're going to need a developer with the political savvy of Rick Caruso to pull it off. Even Charlie Munger of Berkshire Hathaway seems stymied by his attempt to redevelop a simple block along San Vicente in Brentwood and he's literally a multi-billionaire!

I live in Westwood and have never even bothered to go to the movie theaters there. I always go to the Landmark at Westside Pavilion or the AMC in Century City.

[yby1]

Originally Posted by smokingGun

sorry but the theaters are old and dingy. Just compare them to the theaters at the Grove or the Landmark in the Westside Pavilion. I think i read on a post on chowhound that the neighborhood home associations have successfully lobbied the city planning agency to restrict the number of eateries to existing locations (similar to beer/alcohol licensing) and to prohibit live music/dance venues, so there can never be a club scene. Most of the Village is owned by Persian money that came after the Revolution, so you'll probably have to wait until these old timers pass on before the next generation makes the move to sell out & allow redevelopment on a multi-block scale. Given the strength of the homeowners groups in Bel Air/Westwood/Holmby Hills you're going to need a developer with the political savvy of Rick Caruso to pull it off. Even Charlie Munger of Berkshire Hathaway seems stymied by his attempt to redevelop a simple block along San Vicente in Brentwood and he's literally a multi-billionaire!

I appreciate the old architecture of the movie theaters. They are fantastic looking and the sound is always good. We need to preserve these gems. Can't stand the multiplex's for the most part. The Landmark in Westside Pavilion at least shows indie films, but Meh. Don't even get me started on The Grove.

[yby1]

Originally Posted by PDF

I live in Westwood and have never even bothered to go to the movie theaters there. I always go to the Landmark at Westside Pavilion or the AMC in Century City.

WHY?? Do yourself a favor and see at least one movie at the "Fox" Regency Village. Big screen, great sound and one of LA's landmark theaters.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by yby1

There are great movie theaters in Westwood.

Of what's left of them...they tore down the Mann...that's where I saw the original Superman movie and countless others...

[billifab]

Is anybody forgetting that behind most of the problems in Westwood there is also a hyper protective and powerful Westwood Homeowners Association that do not really want Westwood to go back to be a vital place, worried about their quite life behind the walls of their mansions?

[Those Who Squirm]

Originally Posted by yby1

THe HOA and the subsequent police crackdown of the area in the 90's are what killed Westwood. The parties in Westwood used to be EPIC.

Several things things in my view:

In the 1970s and 80s, also, the underage drinking laws were *far* less strictly enforced; if you looked at least eighteen or so you could usually buy beer or wine in a college town/neighborhood, both in onsale premises and in liquor stores. I can't help but think this probably was a major component in the revenue of places like The Bratskellar, Dillons, and Yesterdays. With things as they are today, however, a huge part of the local population isn't supposed to enter bars anyway and they get carded if they do. Worse for owners, they face stiff fines if they drop their vigilance and get caught.

So students don't head down to the Village for an evening's fun like they once did. Bars and restaurants can't make a go of it, and twenty-somethings tend to go elsewhere for entertainment.

Another thing is that the Westwood crowds were typically anyone from driving age up through the age of a typical recent college grad. Like someone said, it's not necessarily bad that it was all students, but I noticed myself, beginning at about age 27, that I felt much more comfortable on the Third Street Promenade, where the ages of people were a lot more varied.

Possibly, also, more students have to work more part-time hours than in the past, what with college having become so expensive?