If you’ve been keeping up with our LA interview series this week, you may have noticed a number of common threads running through our conversations—there’s a lot of great hiking in Los Angeles; the ArcLight theatre is super; Cafe Gratitude is crazy/awesome; the weather is fucking ridiculous.

And LACMA—the Los Angeles County Museum of Art—is really rad. We can back our interviewees up on that last one as we were able to swing by near the end of our recent stay in LA to check out their current exhibition, Stanley Kubrick. And, man, are we glad we did.

The exhibition—extensive + detailed in its content—was massive + wholly engaging for any fans of Kubrick’s work. From the LACMA site:

“Stanley Kubrick was known for exerting complete artistic control over his projects; in doing so, he reconceived the genres in which he worked. The exhibition covers the breadth of Kubrick’s practice, beginning with his early photographs for Look magazine, taken in the 1940s, and continuing with his groundbreaking directorial achievements of the 1950s through the 1990s. His films are represented through a selection of annotated scripts, production photography, lenses and cameras, set models, costumes, and props. In addition, the exhibition explores Napoleon and The Aryan Papers, two projects that Kubrick never completed, as well as the technological advances developed and utilized by Kubrick and his team. By featuring this legendary film auteur and his oeuvre as the focus of his first retrospective in the context of an art museum, the exhibition reevaluates how we define the artist in the 21st century, and simultaneously expands upon LACMA’s commitment to exploring the intersection of art and film.”

That’s right—they used ‘auteur’ + ‘oeuvre’ in the same sentence. They’re an art museum. They can get away with that kinda thing.

For anyone who lives in LA and has yet to visit the exhibition or for anyone who plans to visit before the exhibition closes (June 30), we highly recommend attendance. It’s, in a word, stunning.

Photos below: Kubrick’s movie posters; an artist’s mock-up of the bomb-riding sequence in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb; a model of the command center from the same film; a slide viewer look at a still from Lolita; a quote from Mr. Kubrick; a scene from Unfolding the Aryan Papers, a video installation by Jane + Louise Wilson on the Aryan Papers, an unrealized Kubrick project on the Holocaust; a model from 2001: A Space Odyssey; one of the sculptures from the milk bar in A Clockwork Orange; a draft script excerpt from the same film (“WEIRD ELECTRONIC MUSIC” = awesome); rejected art from The Shining + the film’s famous creepy twins, axes, + typewriter; and a mask from Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.

Onward and upward with our series this week interviewing friends who’ve made the move westward to the golden sunset of a city that is Los Angeles. Today, we speak with Josh Jackson, student, sports fanatic, and, in our opinion, excellent writer, with the hopes of putting a keen eye on the wealth of outdoor activities in Los Angeles, whether we’re likely to be eaten by mountain lions if we move there, and what it’s like to live in Koreatown.

What do you do in LA?
I go to grad school at USC. I’m almost finished with that, and will work from home after. Mostly because of my school schedule, I’ve been something of a hermit, socially speaking, but I do occasionally go out to places like bookstores and movie theaters and theater theaters (um, like, three times a year, or so?), and I run trails here, and for awhile I was surfing once a week. But that was hard, and I wasn’t getting any better because I didn’t have time to try more often than once a week, and most of those sessions were spent re-figuring out what I’d figured out at the end of the last session.

Alright then. How long have you lived there?
A little more than a year-and-a-half. This is my second “tour,” as I also lived in Southern California for three years about a decade ago.

What do you like most about LA?
I’m going to say, “the weather,” and everybody is going to think, “my god, that is sad. The best thing about the city is the weather?”

That’s fine, go ahead and have that reaction. Then spend just two minutes thinking about how much the weather can actually impact your mood and your day.

So, “the weather.”

That weather is not fucking around. What do you think is most lacking in LA?
Hmm… It’s a huge and diverse place. I think you can find just about anything you want. We have had a hard time finding a banh mi that will please Ella, I guess. She can’t NOT compare each one to Hanco’s.

Also, um, fresh water. We do not have a lot of fresh water. That’s something I wrestle with, conscience-wise. I am able to silence myself with my radical new showering techniques, which I’ll only discuss in-person and off-the-record.

Oh, we’ve got a ‘special’ blog for that kind of thing. Does it suck to have to drive EVERYWHERE‽
Actually, I don’t! Ella and I share a car, and that was our plan moving out here. We knew I’d be spending a lot of time on campus and that it would be pretty much the only place I would need to be, so we found an apartment accessible to mass transit. There are also a lot of easily and pleasurably walkable neighborhoods in L.A. The key, if you don’t want to drive around all the time, is to live in your own, shrunk-down version of the city. Pick a neighborhood that has everything you want, don’t be afraid to be the only pedestrian on the sidewalk, and start loving life!

Interesting. So, where do you live in LA?
Koreatown.

And how would you describe the neighborhood?
Central, diverse (it’s not just Koreans!), more happening than I need, mostly friendly, and a parking cluster-cuss. (We have a spot in our building, thank heavens.)

Most memorable, life-altering, fucked up, or just funny experience to date in LA?
When I first started trail-running out here, I saw three coyotes over the course of a couple weeks. I’m used to them now—see them all the time. But when I first got here, I thought that was a real trip, especially because I would tell everybody and nobody would care. They’d be like, ‘Oh, yeah? That happens. There’s a lot of coyotes around.’

THEY SOUND LIKE ASSHOLES. Best celebrity sighting you’ve had?
I sat next to Bob Odenkirk at Peet’s for a really long time last year. That was pretty cool. When I lived here in the aughts, I used to see Fabio all the time. He was always going into the gym downstairs from my office. Oh, speaking of, saw Arnold Schwarzenegger on the USC campus a bit ago. I’ve also seen a lot of amazing novelists and essayists at various readings and panels around town, but do we want to get nerdy about this? I’ll be here all night.

Nice use of ‘the aughts’ though. Favorite:
Not totally vegan restaurant?
It’s one of those mini-chains/local chains, but Pitfire Pizza serves a number of delicious dishes (not all pizza) made with locally grown produce. In the fall/winter they had a pizza called something like “the late-season tomato pie.” Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. And I’m eating something else right now. I believe there are a number of vegan options, too.

Wait, pizza in LA? Okay. Vegan/veg restaurant?
Cafe Gratitude. You should eat EVERYTHING there, but if you have to choose, I am partial to the I AM TRANSFORMED.

Right, we went there. It was crazy/awesome. Best place for tacos in town?
Oh, man, that I AM TRANSFORMED dish? It’s vegan tacos. And really freakin’ good ones. I think most of the taquerias that Angelenos brag about are not vegan, or even vegetarian-friendly (lard, lard, lard). But there’s supposedly a vegan Mexican joint somewhere around here called Cinnamon. Ella and I have been talking about going since we moved here, but somehow we haven’t yet.

Oh, right—I actually got the tacos at Gratitude. They were pretty awesome. Coffee shop?
Bricks + Scones on Larchmont. The house drip. Rotates, but it’s always fantastic.

That is a pretty fantastic name. Plus I love the very sophisticated pig in the logo. Museum/gallery?
LACMA. Even though that’s like saying, “The Met,” or “MOMA,” if you asked this question about New York, LACMA is a terrific museum with an amazing and eclectic collection and a fun campus.

We loved it. Movie theater?
CGV Cinemas—Korean films with English subtitles and Hollywood films with Korean subtitles.

Beautiful. In closing?
This is a great city from which to have an outdoor life, as far as cities go. You will NOT be eaten by a mountain lion. Mountain lions are not at all interested in having an interaction with you. I’m actually working right now on an essay about the mountain lions of the Santa Monica range, who are fighting for survival, thanks to human encroachment. More on that later though!

One of the things we noticed about the food scene when we were in Los Angeles recently was how notably vegan-friendly it was. But it’s not the number of strictly vegan or vegetarian restaurants that struck us—though that was considerable too—it was how well non-vegan establishments integrated vegan + vegetarian options into their menus that really impressed us.

Coming from New York City, we’re already wildly spoiled in terms of living in a city that both values food highly, in general, and one that offers up many establishments that specialize in vegan/vegetarian foods. But—at the risk of sounded like spoiled children—we will say that many if not most of New York’s mainstream restaurants can be not-so-accomodating or -creative when it comes to catering to those choose to abstain from eating animal products.

Seriously, guys—this bacon-in-everything trend is getting OOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDDDDD.

But in LA—and blame our rose-colored glasses if you like—there’s an unmistakable difference in the way chefs + home cooks alike seem to approach food. Perhaps it has to do with the near-year-round growing season, or maybe you could even say their popular culture is a more health-centric one than New York’s, but plant-forward cooking + eating is much more the norm there.

Don’t get me wrong, there are still plenty of LET’S MAKE EVERYTHING OUT OF MEAT EVEN THE WALLS places + retro burger joints out there, but, from the Vegan Grill embedded in the Venice Whole Foods to the simple fact that the über-legit Santa Monica taco place that was recommended to us had three—THREE—different vegan tacos for us to enjoy, it’s hard to argue with Veg News magazine’s recent declaration that LA was the “Center of the (Vegan) Universe.”

One such amazing non-vegan restaurant that was recommended to us by LA vegan blogger, quarrygirl, was Susan Feniger’s STREET. We hadn’t heard of the place before, but one look at the menu, with its barbecue jackfruit bao, Japanese-fried tofu bites, curry fries (not curly, curry), and enough asterisks for vegan options on the menu to make you think you’re looking at a cloudless night sky, we were in.

It ended up being one of the most enjoyable dining experience of our stay in LA, prompting us to reach out to find out more about STREET and the idea behind it. Chef + co-owner, Kajsa Alger (below, left), was gracious enough to answer some of our questions on the food scene in Los Angeles, where the vegan lifestyle fits into it, and to share some pictures of some truly mouthwatering vegan dishes from the restaurant. Scroll down for the photos + a video quarrygirl did with Kajsa on the restaurant’s vegan options.

raven + crow: How would you all describe the idea behind STREET?

Chef Kajsa Alger: Susan, through her travels, experienced so much culture and realized that it all ties back to food. We’ve both tasted so many distinct flavors on the streets of India, Turkey, Egypt, etc., and wanted to bring them back and create a restaurant that celebrated the community and culture that makes street food so special.

What interests you about street food in particular?,

Just seeing the love and community that goes into these delicious bites on the streets of all these amazing countries inspired me.

Do you + Susan collaborate on everything or is there a clear break-down of responsibilities, interests, et cetera?

Susan and I have worked together for a long time. The restaurant, menu, and concepts are all collaborative and stem from years of working together and a mutual appreciation for the way we cook and eat and travel/explore food.

In terms of the space that you created at the restaurant, what was important to you all when you were planning STREET?

We wanted a space that was exciting and unique, reflecting a sense of modern architecture, but that still felt small and warm and welcoming. We want STREET to be a cool, modern yet neighborhood restaurant. A space that felt exciting to be in, but not stuffy or over-thought. We used Neil Denari Architects, and they were great!

Yeah, it’s really nice. The wall art, decor, + overall look of the restaurant is very distinct and rather reminiscent of 80s pop street art. Who did that for you all?

Su Huntley and Donna Muir created the colorful onsite works and worked collaboratively with Denari’s design. We love the artwork!

How would you characterize the current food scene in LA? We were pretty shocked at how…foodie—for the lack of a better term—the city seemed.

LA has definitely seen an increase in small, independent restaurants focused on great quality food and beverages. It has moved away from the big-spender “Hollywood” feel that it was trending with in years past. People are wanting intimate and interactive dining experiences. The guests are more food educated and are looking for a way to explore and try lots of different kinds of food. Small plates/tapas style dining is big. People want experience and “value” isn’t based on size of portions any more, but how creative and well made the food is.

Your menu is strikingly vegan-friendly and seems to center around plant-based foods in many cases. Is that intentional?

Approximately 1/3 of our clientele is vegan. Neither Susan or I are vegan but we believe in a non-meat centered menu and most ethnic food lends itself to that world anyways. I eat a predominantly plant-based diet and am hugely involved in the vegan community. We have always emphasized great veggie food, but specifically over the past two years we have started to move the restaurant in the direction of being more vegetarian-/vegan-focused, with an emphasis still on our global comfort food ingredients and style.

Why do you think it’s so rare in such a cosmopolitan city like New York to have vegan options integrated into a non-vegan restaurant’s menu? LA seems so much better about that to us.

New York has an incredible amount of vegan restaurants with fantastic quality. But it’s true—there are not a lot of “mixed” vegan/non-vegan places and the options for vegans outside of a vegetarian restaurant are limited. I think that the difference is that LA is more health-based in general. Even if someone is not vegetarian or vegan, a huge majority of the population is concerned about their health, healthy eating, and eating light. So those options are more prevalent in LA restaurant menus in general.  On top of that, there is a huge vegan food movement happening in LA right now.  People are preferring to eat vegan rather than vegetarian and there is a whole subdivision of “foodie” vegan restaurants that are pushing into the mainstream audience.

Yeah, that just makes me want to get back there as soon as possible. What are some NYC spots you like for vegan food?

Well, for non-veggie places that do great veggie, I love that place Danji—sort of korean modern food—actually my fave restaurant in the city right now.  Then I love Red Bamboo, Hangawi, MOB in Brooklyn…there’s actually such amazing food happening right now in Brooklyn…I want to check it out more when I go next. I met some people from Paris the other night who said the new expression for great food in Paris is to say it’s “tres Brooklyn!”

Oh, Brooklyn. Funny though—MOB’s actually a block up from our office. Now, I know Susan has a cookbook. Any chance the curry fires + jackfruit bao recipes are in there? We REALLY need to have those again as soon as possible but I’m not sure we can actually justify the airfare from NYC right this second.

Those recipes are not in the current cookbook, but many of the recipes are vegan, or easily adapted into vegan recipes. So much of the world’s food is vegan by nature, that it is easy to transition. We are toying with the idea of a vegetarian cookbook soon….

DO IT!!! Any other exciting plans for expansion or development in the future?

We hope so!

Hm. I’ll assume from that mysteriously vague response that you are opening an east coast outpost. In Brooklyn. A block away from our office. Just in case my assumption is not correct though, any nice new vegan options we should look forward to for our next visit in the coming seasons?

Come Mother’s Day—we are starting an all new brunch menu with at least 15 new vegan items. We’re very excited about that. We are continually recipe- and menu-developing and have every intention of including vegan recipes in all of our upcoming menus and special events. Check out our social media, website, etc…for news on all of that.

You can read more about STREET + check out their menus on their site. If you’re in LA, start off your week with their Meatless Mondays and be sure to stop by for their happy hours—5-7PM Monday-Friday—for food + drink specials. You can follow STREET on Facebook + Twitter and check out Susan Feniger’s cookbook (and even a few of the recipes) here.

Below, photos of STREET’s Potato Samosas (awesome); the Pumpkin Cauliflower Cannoli (awesome); Curry Fries (MIND-BLOWING); and then photos from Kajsa’s Instagram account (@chefkajsa): a gluten-free falafel waffle w blood orange hummus; falafel poppers with feta or vegan Daiya cheese inside and blood orange + date salad with harissa vinaigrette; mishuku fries; the fable barbecue jackfruit bao (so good); a soyrizo empanada made with plantain masa; and housemade soyrizo.

Next up on the LA Interviews, our friend Martha, who made the move west from New York a few years back. We’ve known Martha since our days in DC via a somewhat JJ-Abrams-esque Venn diagram with uncountable crossover points between her alma mater—Vassar—and ours—James Madison. Trying to figure out who knew who when and first is like…well, deconstructing the last season of Lost. Read on to get Martha’s take on favorite beaches in LA, where to go to for cemetery dance parties, and how crazy it was to see the space shuttle drive by at one mile an hour.

What do you do in LA?
I’m a Digital Media Exec at Warner Bros. Sometimes I talk about movies all day, sometimes I talk about the business of movies. Usually, it’s combination of both!

How long have you lived there?
Three years this month!

What do you like most about LA?
The weather, the people, the space, the palm trees, the culture (yes, I said culture), the food, the landscape, the architecture, having the option of a beach, mountain, or desert a short drive away. I like that, despite it’s limitations of being such a big city that’s a slave to the car, there is a movement of people who are trying to make LA a bikeable city. Not an easy feat but they are doing it.

What do you think is most lacking in LA?
Walkable neighborhoods, bike lanes, public transportation.

Does it suck to have to drive EVERYWHERE‽
It’s not too bad..but I like to drive so I might be in the minority. Plus, what happens is you end up hanging out in your neighborhood so you don’t drive as much. On the plus side, you don’t drink as much either.

Where do you live in LA?
Silver Lake.

How would you describe the neighborhood?
Beautiful houses, hip looking people, the hills, the Silver Lake reservoir, home.

Most memorable, life-altering, fucked up, or just funny experience to date in LA?
This is a hard one to answer…I know I have all of the above but I’m drawing a blank. So I’ll just say the following. Seeing the Space Shuttle Endeavor driven through the streets of LA at 1 mile an hour and the various LA communities; black, white, Mexican, rich, poor gathered along the streets waiting to see it drive by. Seeing the Levitated Mass—the large rock that’s at LACMA—driven through the streets of LA at 1 mile per hour. Participating in CicLAvia, which is what I call “my favorite day in LA”. It’s basically when a section of LA is car-free for a few hours and people can bike, rollerskate, walk the streets. I’ve never seen people so happy to be outside.

Best celebrity sighting you’ve had (and where)?
Hanging out at the beach next to Ben McKenzie of OC fame. What made this so memorable is that he was ditched by the girl he was with. She said she was going to the bathroom and left for at least 45 mins. It was obvs he was very confused and when she came back she didn’t apologize or answer his question. Very strange.  And yes—I was that close that I could overhear him.

That’s pretty good.
Favorite:
Not totally vegan restaurant?
Bestia—everything’s good there. Impossible for me to pick just one thing.

Vegan/veg restaurant?
Sage Organic Vegan Bistro—Quinoa Corn Cakes as a starter, Brazilian Bowl for your entree.

Taco place in town?
Guisados. Not sure if they serve vegan tacos, but their taco sampler is as good as anything you’ll find in Mexico. Gets my Mexican seal of approval.

Bar?
Thirsty Crow. Have the Thirsty Crow.

Oh, clearly we approve of that. Coffee shop?
Broome Street General Store—they serve Gimme Coffee, which is the only place outside of New York that serves it. It’s a small reminder of home….

Museum/gallery?
LACMA—permanent exhibit, Urban Light, rotating exhibits;
Getty Center—hang outside;
Museum of Jurassic Technology—museum of all things bizarre—it’s a small place; you’ll be out in two hours but worth a visit;
and I recently went to the Grammy Museum and I didn’t hate it…it was actually kind of interesting to learn about the music industry.

Movie theater?
Arclight Hollywood. At first it may seem like just a movie theater but there more you go, the more you realize it’s special. It has assigned seating, ample room, a bar, a store, a coffee shop, and plenty of celeb sightings; an usher introduces the movie and people clap at the end. It’s just a pleasurable way to see a movie. Seeing a movie in the dome of the Arclight is also fun.

In the summer, see a movie at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. It’s quite the LA experience. My favorite time there was seeing Labrynth followed by a David Bowie dance party…in the cemetery. It was very fun.

This isn’t a movie theater, but would like to add see something at the Hollywood Bowl. Whether it’s a concert or a movie accompanied by a live symphony, it’s a special LA experience. I mean, it’s featured in the beginning of Beaches when Bette Midler’s character, CC Bloom, is rehearsing and she gets a call that her best friend Hillary is dying! Tear…

Shopping spots?
Boutiques in Silver Lake for gifts; Beverly Center for my mall shopping.

Hiking spot?
I’m not a big hiker but I do have a soft spot for Runyon Canyon. It’s more people-watching, dog-watching; less about trees. You’ll get beautiful views of LA. It’s also a short hike and it’s in the center of town.
And this is not a hike, but I highly recommend hanging out at Barnsdall Park in Los Feliz. It’s a hidden gem that has wine tastings, film screenings, an art gallery, and beautiful views of LA.

Beach?
Malibu. I like the beach by Paradise Cove. Zuma is great too, though Leo Carillo State Park is more chill.

Song, movie, or show that best captures LA?
Song: “California Paradise” by The Runaways or “LA Freeway” by Guy Clark;
Movie: LA Story, Beginners, Laurel Canyon, Clueless;
Show: The OC, The L Word, Up All Night, New Girl.

Tourist trap that’s worth the trappings?
A movie at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre—plus, the footprints and handprints of famous celebrities are out front. Everyone needs to see if their hands and feet are as big as George Clooney’s;
Biking Venice Beach—you just have to;
Watts Towers—not really a tourist trap but worth a visit;
Drink at Chateau Marmont—because you’re in Hollywood, so why not see how the other half lives.

Thoughts on the whole inescapable retro, mid-century aesthetic in LA?
The mid-century aesthetic started in LA, or at least was embraced by the city…in the mid-century! It’s part of the look that defines the city. It will continue to be woven into the city’s makeup even after the rest of the world has moved on to some other furniture trend. I think LA is a good place to come and see the origins of it and appreciate it in it’s “natural state.” LA is the mid-century OG.

Advice to those considering making the move?
It will be a tough adjustment but for anyone that’s willing to take a chance, it will be worth it. The hardest part will be getting used to the driving. Get a car that has a good stereo system and definitely get bluetooth! The future is now. And don’t hold your phone, people – it’s illegal to even have it in your hand! With a car, you’ll love how awesome it feels to go grocery shopping and be able to put bags and bags of groceries…in your trunk! No more shopping based on what you can carry on you.

The definition of community is very different. Because people are so spread out, it’s harder to feel like you can walk out of your house and will run into someone or can just walk over to the local bar. You have to make more of commitment to see people while simultaneously accepting that people can be…I don’t want to say flaky…lax about making a solid plan. So learn to be patient…also accept that you’ll eventually become one of them.

If and when you decide to make the move, I recommend Flat Rate Moving for shipping your things. Great experience.

Finally—not that this is a bi-coastal battle of the metropolises…but, kinda, it is—what would you say to all the LA-haters in NYC?
LA is misunderstood. There is a misconception that LA is full of vapid people who only want to work in entertainment. Instead, what i’ve found is a city full of incredibly smart and driven people who work in a variety of industries. These same people value their careers but have a work life balance. I think the weather helps. LA is full of creative people. There is a reason why people move here. Musicians like Fleetwood Mac started here; Joan Didion has written elegant and beautiful stories about this city; Jeffrey Deitch has worked hard to make LA an arts mecca; and even in fashion, Rodarte was started here by the Mulleavey sisters. I really believe that LA is in the midst of experiencing a kind of renaissance and it’s an exciting time to be living here.

New Yorkers think that you have to drive everywhere and you’ll still never never find anything good or interesting. I recommend they visit someone they know. Because a culinary gem will be hidden in a strip mall and only a local would know about it. Culturally, LA has so many nationalities. Every night I have my choice of legit Mexican, Persian, or head to San Gabriel Valley where I can have my pick of any Asian cuisine. I can get a Thai massage, Chinese foot massage, or head to a Korean spa for as low as $15.

No city, especially LA, can be compared to New York, so why try? Nothing is like New York, because New York is the best city in the world. But LA has a lot to offer in it’s own unique way, and it’s a great city in it’s own right.

Like we mentioned yesterday when we kicked off our LA interview series, one of the first things we did after we booked our recent trip to Los Angeles was reach out to our various friends out there on what we should do whilst in the land of ocean sunsets, palm tree forests, and all that stuff you see in the intro to Entourage.

Oddly, no one suggested we hit up velvet-roped clubs or star-studded walks of fame. But there was no shortage of legitimately exciting recommendation for our stay; chief among them, a suggestion from our friend Martha—who we’ll interview a little later—to visit Stahl House.

Stahl House is a modernist private home situated cliff-side in the Hollywood Hills, designed by American architect Pierre Koenig and built in 1959. It was first made famous by architectural photographer Julius Shulman‘s photograph above. According to the Stahl House site:

“Telling the story of the Stahl House one is hard pressed to draw a line between the iconic aspects of the home and the family that lived there. But that is the point,  there is no line. The house was not always famous and the Stahl’s, according to Bruce Stahl, were a “blue collar family living in a white collar house. Nobody famous ever lived here” he quipped. So why is it so famous and how did it become one of the most celebrated homes in America? Well, one would have to start with the owner and initial designer, CH “Buck” Stahl.

Buck and his wife Carlotta bought the piece of land the house sits on back in 1954 on a handshake and $13,500.00. Aside from the spectacular view this was an unfriendly spot, precarious and difficult to mold into the vision Buck had for the home. A graphic designer and sign painter by trade he and Carlotta set about the arduous task of carting left over concrete from around the cities construction projects, one load at a time in the back of their car up to the property. It needed, after all, some help to keep the land in place and establish the basis for grading the property.

Some ideas for the design of the house began to manifest over the two years of hard weekend  labor, so Buck made a model of the idea he and Carlotta dreamed into being.  In late 1957 the Stahl’s, after two other tries, found an ambitious and ingenious young architect named Pierre Koenig. Pierre was the only one daring enough to consider the cantilevered foundation so breathtaking today. A pioneer of building homes with glass and steel the final designs geometry and symmetry reflect the gridlines of Hollywood streets directly below.”
Though Stahl House remains a privately owned home to this day, it was built as part of LA’s Case Study Houses program, which began in 1945 as a series of experimental modernism residential architecture sponsored by Arts + Architecture magazine. Stahl House was Case Study no. 22.
Today, the public can take tours of the home, which we highly recommend. Though the Stahl House site comes off as a bit intimidating at first blush, once we wound your way up the Hollywood Hills—which was, admittedly, a considerable feat—our guide was totally laid back, allowing the kind of freeform, wander-where-you-will tour experience we tend to prefer.

And the views…OH, the views. We hear it’s amazing at night too. Below, our various photos of the house, us pretending to live in said house, and previously mentioned majestic views. Click on any of them to scroll through full-screen versions.

Top photo: Julius Shulman

When we decided earlier this year to make a trip over to LA, one of the first things we did was enlist the opinions of our friends out there as to what we should do, see, eat, drink, hike, fist-fight, et cetera. Over the years, we’ve noticed a lot of back-and-forth migration between New York + Los Angeles, but, of late, we’ve been seeing a lot more westward than eastward movement among our various circles of friends. Read into that what you will, but we wanted to find out what drew so many people we know—both from NYC and not—to LA. So we asked.

We were inspired by a piece a friend of ours—Lara—sent us from the French blog, Garance Doré, in which her friend who lives in Silverlake was interviewed in the same manner. Never ones to let a good idea fall by the wayside, we thought we’d do the same with our friends. First up: Comedian, Eliza Skinner.

We’ve known Eliza since our early college days, having lived with her through somewhat wince-worthy bands, not-so-well-kept group houses, and the ever-present diverse pains of being young and trying to figure out what the fuck is going on. Eliza’s always been wildly talented and equally determined + motivated, so it’s no surprise that, since moving from New York, she’s continued to make a name for herself in the comedy world. Here’s why Eliza thinks Los Angeles is awesome.

raven + crow: What do you do in LA?

Eliza Skinner: I’m a comedian, which means a lot of different things, but all in all, a comedian.

How long have you lived there?

Two-plus years.

What do you like most about LA?

The possibility.

What do you think is most lacking in LA?

Winter.

Does it suck to have to drive EVERYWHERE‽

The traffic totally sucks, but I actually don’t drive everywhere. I always have a couple of days a week where everything I need is in walking distance. I think what you’re feeling is the difficulty of having to drive LONG distances—I could take the subway to the beach in NYC, here that’s not an option. But to say we drive EVERYWHERE isn’t really accurate.

What does suck (besides the traffic) is not reading as much as I did when I had a subway ride. But that has been replaced by books on tape and carpooling to work with friends I’d happily spend that time with anyway. So it’s kind of a wash for me.

Where do you live in LA?

Beachwood Canyon.

How would you describe the neighborhood?

It’s right by Franklin Village, which is cute and fun. Beachwood is a big, not-too-busy street with a lot of beautiful houses and fun hidden hikes. There is a cafe + market that have a very neighborhoody feel – right by the old Hollywoodland development.

Favorite:
Not totally vegan restaurant?

I go to the same five places. I’m listing a couple in other places, so I’ll say Cafe 101 or Brite Spot are great late night diners with vegan options. And Cheebo in West Hollywood makes a great chopped salad.

Vegan/veg restaurant?

Cafe Gratitude is RIDICULOUS…but I like it. Everything on the menu is named shit like “I am THOUGHTFUL” or “I am FORTIFIED” and when they give it to you they say “You are THOUGHTFUL” or “You are FORTIFIED”. But it’s good!

Taco place in town?

Kogi trucks or Malo in Silverlake.

Bar?

The Virgil (come to my show there on Thursday); try the Blazing Saddle or El Diablo. Or The Pikey in West Hollywood to try the Laddie Dill or the Ginger Minge.

Museum/gallery?

LACMA, or if you want something weird, The Museum Of Jurassic Technology.

Movie theater?

Arclight—see whatever is in the Dome (it’s Jurassic Park now). I used to go there every time I visited, and see whatever was showing. LA is GREAT for movies—Disney’s El Capitan is an adorable show—dancing girls + magicians. Cinefamily (at The Silent Movie Theater) shows all kinds of great stuff. Sundance Movie Theater is great for indie movies—they are always showing at least one thing I want to see. The Vista in Los Feliz is a cool old movie theater where they removed every other row of seats so it has tons of leg room. And of course, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is a great tourist spot…and an actual beautiful movie palace inside.

Shopping spots?

I like Abbot Kinney in Venice. 

Hiking spot?

My neighborhood has tons of hidden stairs that make hiking fun. 

Beach?

This time of year it’s too cold for me, but you’ll see people out there (especially surfers in wet suits). I’m not a big beach relaxer, so I like Venice for all of it’s craziness.

Tourist trap that’s worth the trappings?

Grauman’s Chinese.

Thoughts on the whole inescapable retro, mid-century aesthetic in LA?

I love it. It’s like dutch design with a little more fun thrown in. Love it.

Advice to those considering making the move?

Do it. You never know until you try. Not everyone loves it here, but if you’re considering it you may as well just try it. Eventually life gets in the way and you can’t make those types of big decisions.  And get rid of your shit before you do. It’s easier than moving it.

Finally—not that this is a bi-coastal battle of the metropolises…but, kinda, it is—what would you say to all the LA-haters in NYC?

We don’t care. I think some New Yorkers feel there is some kind of rivalry, but there isn’t really. People in LA don’t hate New York. We don’t care about it. We’re too busy enjoying our city and being happy; and when we visit New York we like it.

One of the biggest complaints I have heard is that people in LA are so fake and nice. I personally would rather have some stranger being fake nice to me than some one being unnecessarily mean to me just because someone on the subway was an asshole to them – it’s just as fake.

Eliza hosts Big Money Comedy—a weekly event—this Thursday night at The Virgil, 4519 Santa Monica Blvd. It’s free, so you have no excuse as to why not to go if you live in the LA area. She’ll also be performing Friday night at UCB LA as part of the musical improv group, Diamond Lion. That’s like, $5, so, again, no excuse.

The first thing you should know about Sky Ferreira is that she’s really young. Not like toddler prodigy young; more like still figuring out who the public persona of “Sky Ferreira” is, young.

This isn’t at all a criticism—I’d love to still be young!—it’s more of an observation that reveals two sides of a swordIn one sense, she seems very emotionally thinned-skinned, living her songs’ lyrics as she sings them on stage in a wide-eyed yet endearing way and even bringing herself to tears in front of her fans. She also seems to still be figuring out what the Sky Ferreira sound is, touching on everything from danceable electro power pop a la Robyn + Ellie Goulding; to 90s-grunge-influenced live numbers; to twangy crooning songs like “Lost in My Bedroom” from her most recent 2012 EP, Ghost.

But, once you get past the overly morose public persona—which prompted Refinery 29 to title their interview with the singer “Sky Ferreira Is Sad All The Time (But Glow-In-The-Dark Stars Help)”—you’re likely to come to a mutual conclusion: This young woman’s got a lot of talent and we’re just beginning to hear the first of what she has to offer.

I mean, hopefully. Or she could blow up + go down in a fame-induced flurry of flames before we get beyond this new EP. But if the live show we saw out in LA a couple weeks ago and her newer material are any indication, we’re putting our money on no flames; more great music.

Born + raised in Los Angeles, the classically trained, 20-year-old singer recently made the move to New York City and, if you compare her earlier, very poppy LA-based work to the Ghost EP, this city has aged her, Reader. So, welcome, Sky, and we’re sorry, I guess—it’s a tough town. We suggest copious trips to LA.

Listen to the 80s-infused pop song, “Everything is Embarrassing” below and then, as a bonus, since we left you high-and-dry for a bit there, check out her stripped-down cover of Miike Snow‘s “Animal” from a while back, both below.

Like? You can listen to a full stream of her EP on her soundcloud page and purchase it over at iTunes. Those of you on Facebook (so, not you, mom) can also grab a free download of Unicorn Kid‘s remix of “Everything is Embarrassing” on her page.

And cheer up, Sky—summer’s nearly here; we swear.

Photos—Hedi Slimane (above); Ricky Opaterny (live, b/w below); + Loren Wohl (live, color below).

Reader, we mentioned recently that we’d be taking some time away from our keyboards to travel to Los Angeles, working from there, spending some time with some of our West Coast clients, and—most importantly—getting away from this terribly drawn-out New York “spring,” with its 40° mornings, grey skies, and frost warnings spanning well into May.

Honestly, we weren’t 100% sure what to expect—we’ve both been through LA, but neither of us had ever spent any significant amount of time in the city and, given the years of conditioning we’ve undergone in New York City being convinced that LA is our flighty, always-high, ne’er-do-well sister city, expectations weren’t exactly stellar.

But—all New York City jaded sarcasm aside—we loved it. Surprisingly so.

From its clichéd (but well-warranted) paradisiacal weather, to its amazing food chock-a-block full of vegan options, to its wealth of easy-to-access outdoor activities and beautiful views, we fell hard.

So we’re dedicating this week to the west coast and its populous star city, LA, with posts on the art + culture out there (no; it exists!), the burgeoning food scene, and interviews with friends from all corners who now happily call the City of Angels home.

Stay tuned—we recommend an SPF of 15+ for this week’s reading.

We’re not ones to paint ourselves as something we’re not—you won’t find us using this space today to wax poetic about the grief we feel for those touched by yesterday’s bombing in Boston. Not because it isn’t felt heavily by us and by New Yorkers in general—it is. We simply think that it would be in poor taste to trivialize the very serious nature of what happened yesterday and the inevitable associated repercussions by using a blog that most commonly addresses music, vegan food, and aesthetic culture   as a soapbox in this sensitive time. Suffice it to say, then, that our thoughts are with those affected and, Boston, you’re in our hearts.

We will tell you, though, that we were mid-post yesterday, writing up a talented British artist, when we stopped as these much more important, weighty things came to light, making the post both paltry by comparison and—given the artist’s choice to use somewhat violent imagery to get across her point—potentially crass.

But music is an important thing, especially in times like these when many of us may be looking for escape. So we’re thankful that French band Phoenix released today a full stream of their soon-to-be-released fifth album, Bankrupt!, due out proper next Tuesday.

In celebration of the album, this week’s Song is a “remix” of the album’s first single, “Entertainment”, by Dinosaur Jr. We use the quotes around the word remix there as this sounds more like a straight-up cover to us, with frontman J Mascis taking over vocals and the band slowing down the originally upbeat song, adding a familiar alterna-twang to it. They even end it with a ™ Mascis guitar solo.

And yes—J Mascis does look like Saruman these days.

You can listen to the original below. Keep scrolling and you’ll find a video of the band performing an unplugged-ish version of the single. It features a disinterested Shiba Inu! So French…by way of Japan.

The album stream for Bankrupt! is over at iTunes; the digital + hard-copy versions of it can be pre-ordered via the band’s site.

And don’t worry—we’ll be back in two weeks with the song we originally posted and filling you in soon on our recent trip to sunny LA.

Peace.

Photo above—Pascal Teixeira.

Holy shit, Reader.

We originally had big plans for this week—picture your computer screen covered with glitter + dancing cats—THAT!

Then the world happened—a major, commerative-date-specific site launch for the UN combined with a ton of other deadlines and a week-ending business/pleasure trip to LA (tomorrow) equals us with sparks coming out of ours heads.

And, you know, no blog posts.

So, honestly, sincere apologies for the lack of writing on music/vegan food/that random thing we like, but we’ll hit you up when we’re back in a week with some MAD COMPENSATION! California-style!

In the meantime, enjoy this Holga (above) I took years ago of the dreamy hills south of San Francisco (I know it’s far away, but I don’t HAVE any arty shots of LA yet).

And this.

You’re welcome.