In the 90s, Los Angeles was a gangster’s paradise. Today, it’s a hipster’s paradise. A reported two in four people are hipsters…an alarming statistic as the hipster pandemic is only intensifying, especially acute in LA’s eastside neighborhoods. Turn your swagger on? Sorry, Soulja Boy – time to turn your hipster on.Looking for Mister or Mademoiselle Hipster in all the wrong places? First, you must identify which degree of hipsterness you are seeking in that special someone. Let us explore the aesthetic hipster, the Euro hipster and the everyman’s hipster.
Some ladies like a man in uniform, others like a man in eyeliner. If you are the latter, look no further than “Beauty Bar”, located in the eclectic Cahuenga Corridor neighborhood of Hollywood (1638 N. Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles). Welcome to the aesthetic hipster jungle. As soon as you enter the Bar, you’re not sure if you’re in an actual bar or in the Breakfast Club. The décor screams 80s while the crowd screams mgmt’s “KIDS.” You’re engulfed by a tsunami of plaid scarves, neon tights and yellow skinny skinny skinny
jeans, and that’s the men. It is incredibly easy to strike up a conversation with your hipster/ette of choice, undoubtedly because there are no fire marshal restriction signs posted anywhere so there are about ten people per square inch. Even though at times you feel more cramped than a smart car, Beauty Bar’s DJs keep the party roaring until closing time with blaring music ranging from the Black Eyed Peas to the Bruce Springsteen so enjoy that boom boom pow while dancing in the hipster dark.
Perhaps you’re over the dance party scene and instead you’re looking for the Euro Hipster aka someone who can wear a hooded sweatshirt and still look sophisticated. Someone who updates his facebook status with Jean-Jacques Rousseau quotes. Someone who isn’t afraid to order a crepe (there are close to 30 featured on the menu, so crepe it up). Aha…time to check out Solar de Cahuenga (1847 N. Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles), a Euro-ness hipster café. Despite being a couple blocks north of flashy Hollywood Boulevard, Solar de Cahuenga has a whimsical Parisian feel to it. Bring a date or a laptop (don’t be shy to get a little geeky, in fact there are 2.21 laptops per customer) and curl up on one of the inviting floor pillows or stake out a seat in the bustling outdoor sidewalk area. If crepes aren’t your forte, offer to share some parsley French fries with that Euro femme fatale sitting solo and voila, instant hipster soiree!
If the aesthetic-flavored or Euro-inspired hipster is not for you, then consider dating the everyman’s hipster. The everyman’s hipster can be identified by two telltale signs – they possess a kickback attitude and wear regular black jeans (as opposed to skinny black jeans). Head to “The Griffin” (3000 Los Feliz Boulevard, Atwater Village) for your dose of everyman hipster. Instantly become enchanted by the cozy ski-lodge interior, as deer heads adorn the walls and fireplaces pop up intermittently. It’s a little slice of Aspen without the attitude – a must for summer 2009. Note that it takes a bit of effort to chat up these everyman hipsters; for once planted in a coveted fire-side bench they don’t dare risk leaving their prime territory. However, the layout features two separate bar areas where scores of everyman hipsters congregate so pounce on the opportunity to schmooze it up under a deer-headed ceiling (where else in LA can you do that?). Regardless of your hipster preference, go put on a fresh plaid hoodie or your fav pair of skinny black jeans and get out there. Happy hipster-ing.
Written by: Meredith McKenna - SpeedLA Dating Resident Blogger
Posts
