(Credit: Hannah Ross)
Local Positioning: BroFraTa
A pedestrian's guide to Franklin Ave. between Bronson and Tamarind
By George Ducker, Special to Metromix
March 12, 2008Renaissance Restaurant at The Celebrity Centre
5930 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles323-960-3100
Like a baby Hearst Castle, Scientology’s Celebrity Center casts a long shadow across the block. But they entice with a Sunday brunch sweet enough to invite your mother to. You won’t need any “clearance” to get inside, and who knows—maybe you’ll trip over little Suri.
Bourgeois Pig
5931 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles323-464-6008
Only in L.A.: A coffeehouse that doesn't serve coffee. Only espresso here, served up to recovering goths, Hollywood floozies and other assorted neighborhood peeps. The cranked music matches the surging, caffeine-fueled energy of the clientele. Check out the tiny forest in the back room. Seriously.
Birds
5925 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles323-465-0175
A neighborhood joint where chicken is always the special of the day and cocktails are every bit as important as the main course. Throw in a birdcage with go-go dancers after midnight, and you’ve got a scene brimming with chirpy singles.
Upright Citizens Brigade Theater
5919 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles323-908-8702
High-quality offbeat comedy at proletariat-friendly ticket prices (usually $5). Reserve a spot ahead of time, or plan on queuing up. With noted funnypeople such as Zach Galifianakis, Sarah Silverman and Michael Cera popping in unannounced, we figure a little line-waiting is worth it.
Native
5915 Franklin St., Los Angeles323-962-7710
Trinkets, clothes and accessories. An exciting find for the womenfolk, this is precisely the kind of store that will turn many men glass-eyed with boredom.
Counterpoint Records & Books
5911 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles323-957-7965
Once you get used to the dust, you'll notice the dizzying selection of books and records, almost all of them in stellar condition. While the LP prices might be a tad high—they've got to compete with Amoeba, after all—their books are the best bargain in the city.
