Los Angeles Theatre and Entertainment
Although there is unlimited Los Angeles theatre and entertainment options and a high energy level of the L.A. nightlife crowd, don't expect to be partying until dawn as this is still an early-to-bed city. Liquor laws require that bars stop serving alcohol at 2 AM, and it's safe to say that by this time, with the exception of a few after-hours venues and coffeehouses, most jazz, rock, and disco clubs have closed for the night. Due to the smoking ban, most bars and clubs with a cover charge allow "in and outs," in which patrons may leave the premises and return (usually with a hand stamp or paper bracelet).
Each area of Los Angeles has its own unique nighttime entertainment options. Nighttime facilities on the Sunset Strip range from comedy clubs and hard-rock spots to cocktail lounges and restaurants. There's a good mix of nightlife in the Mid-Wilshire area, which encompasses the area west of the Harbor Freeway (I-110), east of La Cienega Boulevard, south of Beverly Boulevard, and north of the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10). Downtown Los Angeles has a small collection of art performance spaces and galleries, and a collection of clubs and movie palaces. Some of the best jazz clubs, discos, and comedy clubs are scattered throughout the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys. In West Hollywood, Santa Monica Boulevard is the heart of the gay-and-lesbian club and coffeehouse scene.
Nowhere else, including Beverly Hills, is "attitude" more prevalent than in West Hollywood's Sunset Strip area (neighboring Santa Monica Boulevard's gay scene tends to be more inclusive). Be prepared for highly developed snobbishness and that's just from the door-guys. The top celebrities and even some only wishing they were, are usually dressed in the expensive current styles favored by that venue, and have a strong feeling of confidence and power. If you are missing any of these attributes, even if you can get in, perhaps those spots really aren't your style.
In a rapidly increasing percentage of Los Angeles, parking, especially after 7 PM, is at a premium in West Hollywood, and in fact is restricted on virtually every side street along the "hot zone" (Sunset Boulevard from Fairfax to Doheny). There are small pockets of metered street parking (don't count on finding one of those spaces), which is fine as long as you feed the meter every half-hour or hour until 10 PM. Willingness to stray south of Sunset in search of a space may prove successful for some (who also don't mind walking back uphill to Sunset). Signs indicating the restrictions are usually clear but are naturally harder to pick up at night. Paying $3-$7 for valet parking is the easiest way to go.
Los Angeles is not really the "Broadway of the West," as some have claimed as the diversity of theater here doesn't compare to that in New York. However, the theater scene's growth has been impressive. Small theaters are blossoming all over town, and the larger houses, despite price hikes to as much as $70 for a single ticket, are usually full. Even small productions boast big names from the Los Angeles entertainment industry. Many film and television actors like to work on the stage between "big" projects or while on hiatus from a TV series as a way to refresh their talents. Doing theater is also an excellent way to be seen by those who matter in the more cultural end of showbiz. For more information please click here.
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