can find family-run kosher butchers, Ethiopian restaurants, African artifacts and Indian spice shops. Canter’s Delicatessen is a local restaurant that reflects the diversity of the neighborhood as well; serving up matzo ball soup to elderly Jewish residents by day, while featuring jazz and blues in the adjoining “Kibitz (chat) Room” by night. Public School Education is run by the LA Unified School District, 333 South Beaudry Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90017, 213-241-1000, www.lausd .k12.ca.us.
The Farmers’ Market at Fairfax Avenue and Third Street is a favorite for tour bus stops and Fairfax District locals who come for fresh, picture-perfect fruits, vegetables, and cafes. It’s also a busy lunch spot for those of the business community, especially of the nearby television and movie industry executives (CBS’s Television City is located next door and the Writers Guild of America is across the street).
The Grove, an outdoor pedestrian mall that opened in 2003, is also located directly next to the Farmers’ Market. This bustling mall consists of flagship stores from several major retailers and a 14-screen movie theater with an art deco entrance. Intimate and polished, this upscale mall also features an on-site concierge, a small fountain, and a clanging cable car that transfers both tourists and locals the short distance between the mall and market at no charge. The boundaries of the Fairfax District run North along Willougby Avenue, East along La Brea Avenue, South along Pico Boulevard, and West along La Cienega Boulevard.
A retail district along Third Street between La Cienega Boulevard and Crescent Heights is dotted with new and used clothing and furniture stores, while La Brea Avenue—to the east—boasts several trendy furniture stores and eateries, as well as some of the area’s most well kept Spanish-style apartment buildings along Sycamore Avenue, just east of La Brea. To find LA’s funkiest shopping street, and definitely the place to go for the latest chic fashion (not to mention food) items, the most famous Melrose Avenue is the place. Located on the border of Hollywood, the citizens are some of LA’s most cutting-edge in fashion and style.
Besides the interesting mix of local residents in the Fairfax District, the architecture of much of the housing is yet another plus. You can find reasonably priced rentals in everything from multi-unit apartment buildings to small houses. If it’s within your budget and you’re lucky enough to locate a vacancy, the real steals are the 1920’s and ‘30s duplexes. Usually two story stuccos, with one unit on the top and another below, many of these duplexes feature such touches as hardwood floors, built-in-cabinetry, leaded or stained glass windows, ceramic tiled bathrooms and kitchens and spacious rooms. It’s typical for the landlord to live in one unit and rent out the other, and often the backyard is available for shared access.
Community resources and numbers for contact include: Hollywood Division (Police District), 1358 North Wilcox Avenue, 213-485-4302; (south of Beverly Blvd.) Wilshire Division, 4861 Venice Blvd., 213-485-4022, www.lapdonline.org; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd., 310-423-3277, www.csmc.edu; Parking Permits, 310-843-5936 or 323-913-4600, www.lacity-parking.org; Wiltern Theatre, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., 213-380-5005, www.thewiltern.com; Kodak Theatre, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., 323-308-6363, www.kodaktheatre.com; The Grove, 189 The Grove Drive, 323-900-8080, www.thegrovela.com; Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks, 888-LA-PARKS, www.laparks.org.
For additional information contact: www.fairfaxla.com, http://lacounty.info |
