Why Some People LOve L.A.
Without a doubt, there's a lot to love about Los Angeles, Southern California's sun-drenched haven for the LGBT community. While it's never easy to narrow down your favorites, we've taken on the challenge of listing the city's cherished landmarks, celebrated hot-spots and famed destinations, each of which is fun and exciting for the L.A. local or SoCal visitor.
The Abbey
Logo has named The Abbey the best gay bar in the world—twice—and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who would disagree. This bar and lounge really has everything for everyone, no matter what your speed. Indoor, outdoor, upstairs, downstairs, bar stool, couch it, what have you. The place is huge and expanding by the minute, and it’s barely ever closed (open 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.). Meet friends for Sunday brunch (there’s a DJ), grab a quick bite during your lunch hour (we suggest the Chick-for-Gay sandwich), or spend a Saturday evening sipping a martini, enjoying the go-go boys and dancing the night away. You can even bring your straight friends along—The Abbey welcomes all. But you might want to tell your girlfriends to stick to Red Robin for their bachelorette parties—as those have been banned (thank you, David Cooley).
Abbot Kinney BoulevardNot to be outdone by The Abbey, Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice has racked up its own prestigious title: GQnamed it "The Coolest Block in America." I mean, it even has its own Twitter feed (@onabbotkinney). That’s a hip piece of real estate. Named after the man who built the Venice Canals, it's where residents and tourists converge to shop, dine and hang. More than 100 boutiques, bookstores, art galleries, fine dining restaurants, design firms, coffee shops, clubs, salons and more line the bohemian-chic boulevard. Every first Friday of the month, merchants join together and feature different artists, gifts, products and music. And on the last Sunday in Septemeber, the community celebrates with the Abbot Kinney Festival, where you can take in local artisan crafts, live music and great food.
ArcLight HollywoodThe ArcLight provides a no-nonsense movie experience. You won’t find “frugal types” bouncing from theater to theater or gaggles of miscreant teens sneaking in through the exit. The friendly and able staff (they’re called “Usher Greeters”) have the place on pleasant lockdown. For example, before the film rolls, the usher greeters announce that everyone needs to turn off their phones and refrain from texting. There’s also none of that annoying advertising on the screen while you wait—only movie trailers. Five minutes after the film starts, no additional tickets are sold, so you won’t have someone stepping over you in the dark and knocking your Milk Duds out of your hand. The sound and picture are excellent, and with ArcLight’s reserved seating, you can make sure you’re always located within your comfort zone. There are also 21-and-over screenings in which you can consume libations. Added bonus: celebrity sightings aplenty—we saw Faye Dunaway(!) at a screening of Milk.
BeachesMalibu, Hermosa, Venice, Santa Monica. Southern California is well-known for its beautiful beaches. Some days you want to jump in the car for a long drive down the coast to take it all in, while others call for an extended stay at your favorite spot with all your gear in tow. And with our great year-round weather, hitting the coast is always an option. Manhattan Beach offers one of the area’s best bike paths (wheels only—there’s a separate path for joggers, which keeps things safer). At the Santa Monica Pier, you can get some lunch, play some games and watch local fishermen cast their lines. Venice Beach showcases the more colorful side of beach living, with a boardwalk chock-full of musicians, artists, philosophers and poets. The go-to gay beach is located on the west side of Will Rogers in Pacific Palisades (known as Ginger Rogers Beach), where you can enjoy the scenery or play a little volleyball.
Beverly CenterClocking in at eight stories high and located in the heart of WeHo between La Cienega and San Vicente, the Beverly Center is a huge L.A. presence. (Prior to the mall’s opening in 1982, the lot was the site of Kiddyland, an amusement park that featured a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, mini-roller coaster and pony rides.) The Beverly Center offers the proverbial one-stop shopping for anything you may need—high-end couture, beauty products, electronics and everyday necessities. Where else in L.A. can you order up some Panda Express orange chicken at the food court and then go shopping at Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani Exchange, Diesel and Prada?
Christopher Street WestThis nonprofit organization, which was named after the street in New York City where the Stonewall Riots took place in 1969, produces L.A. Pride every year. What can we say about our beloved L.A. Pride? It’s where we go to celebrate us. Where the community comes together to collectively rally for wins and losses we’ve made. It’s a dance-party, chicken-shish-kabob-eating, dayglo-bead-wearing helluva good time. And it’s where many members of our community will tell you they first felt acceptance. There’s something about seeing huge masses of other people who are “just like you” that makes you smile. The whole weekend is a mash-up of parties and fundraisers that culminates with the Pride parade on Sunday (typical attendance is in the 400,000 range).
The CenterOfficially known as the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center, the Center is an all-encompassing resource site for the LGBT community. It has been building the health, advocating for the rights and enriching the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people since 1971. If you need help, the Center is always here for you. It welcomes nearly a quarter-million client visits each year—assisting everyone from homeless youth to seniors and everyone in between. The Center offers multiple services—HIV testing, lesbian health care, mental health services, meth recovery services, transgender health care, homeless youth services, senior services, legal services, a cultural arts program and a career center, to name just a few. It also sponsors galas, AIDS/Lifecycle, Rapid Quest, An Evening With Women and other fun events.
Drag ShowsThey’ve been fabulous (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, RuPaul’s Drag Race); they've been fugulous (Some Like It Hot, Tootsie, To Wong Foo). Regardless, any way you slice it, drag queens deserve reverence. Retaining elegance and style—while wearing a size 14, six-inch heel—is not for the faint of heart. If you’ve come to Tinseltown looking for the best that drag has to offer, you’ve come to the right place. It’s not called the entertainment capital of the world for nothing. Hamburger Mary's in West Hollywood is the place to be on Wednesday and Sunday nights for drag queen-hosted bingo. The Plaza on La Brea features campy, Latin-infused drag shows. And the legendary Micky’s serves up Showgirls Monday every week, where you can watch pros such as Raven, Morgan McMichaels, Detox, Samantha Starr and Mayhem.
Dyke MarchThe Dyke March in West Hollywood is the unofficial kickoff to L.A. Pride weekend festivities every year. It’s where people of all ages and genders gather to celebrate the achievements of the lesbian community and realize the challenges still to come. The event begins with a rally, and then the Dyke March proceeds down Santa Monica Boulevard, returning to the L.A. Pride festival grounds for a free after-party with refreshments and music. Each year, the Etheridge Award is handed out to a lesbian whose community leadership has had a significant impact within and for the lesbian community. Dyke March Los Angeles, a separate event, takes place in Silver Lake annually and includes live music, drag king performances and standup comics.
Eagle L.A.The Eagle leather bar on Santa Monica Boulevard is the site where the famous gay bar Gauntlet II lived for 21 years. Charlie Matula and his business partner Vince Quattrocchi purchased the Gauntlet II in 2005 and changed its name to Eagle L.A. The original Eagle L.A., located in West Hollywood, closed in 1995. According to Eagle L.A.’s website, “Although that Eagle is of no relation to Charlie or Vince, they are proud to re-establish Eagle L.A. and become the latest in a long line of Eagle bars in cities throughout the U.S. and around the world.” Their mission is to uphold the leather, uniform and fetish traditions set by the infamous Eagle name—a tradition that still holds true today.
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