Before I begin, let me say that I know I’m not a real insomniac, just one of those people that likes staying up really late for the hell of it.
That being said, one thing that sucks is that there’s nothing (and, on a related note, no one) to do! I mean, I could always stay home and entertain myself, but sometimes my insomnia and cabin fever mix, and I must go out.
My options (all exhausted):
The not-quite-properly-named Insomnia Cafe down on Beverly Blvd.: closes around 1 am - 2 am depending on business.
Bars: Last call in LA is, what, 2?
Jerry’s Famous Deli: Hey, I’m an insomniac, I ain’t rich.
Aimless driving: Sure it’s fun, but the company (me, myself, and I) sucks.
So, what do you guys and gals do for fun in the wee hours of the morning?
Lately, I work, but before I was working third shift I would go to a friends house (I had a few friends who stayed up late), go to the Super Wal-Mart, go to a Denny’s or IHOP, or just hang out around the house.
Like yosemitebabe said, go to your local supermarket. But what you want to do is go methodically through every aisle examing everything on the shelves. A friend and I did this at a Carr’s while we were in high school, and my eyes have been open ever since.
Did you know:
There is a hair removal cream (or powder) specifically made for the black man?
They sell entire chickens in a can?
Potted Meat Food Product can inexplicably be found in every store?
As can pig’s feet?
MSG is available as a seasoning in itself?
Just many of the amazing things you can discover at any local grocery.
Hey, I didn’t say it was an amazing idea, but it will eat up several hours.
Here’s what we do… on Ventura Blvd, just West of the Topanga Canyon intersection, there’s a Ralph’s that my friends and I go to for the purpose of reading the magazines and, occasionally, purchasing food (very rarely, though. We’re poor.) Also, there’s a semi-crazy homeless guy who hangs out in the parking lot REALLY late at night playing on a flute or something. He’s pretty good, and he gets some REALLY creepy/eerie/funky tunes going.
We live in the San Fernando Valley, the boringest place on Earth (even though it houses the porn capital of the world, Chatsworth).
Go to the 24-hour Kinko’s in Pasadena. You can meet the most interesting people. Punk rockers printing up flyers for their friends’ gigs. Business people uploading to their porn websites. Desperate souls like me, racing to meet deadlines.
Man, I have pulled all-nighters at that Kinko’s. There’s a clean bathroom. There’s a drinking fountain. There’s a phone. There’s an all-night Ralph’s around the corner. There’s plenty of empty desks to sit and zone out at. It’s safe. Taxis stop there. What more do you want?
Go to The Pantry. It is a coffee shop that is open 24/7. They say that they have never been without a customer since they opened in the 1920’s or 1930’s. Although the riots a few years back may have killed that streak.
I also enjoyed going grocery shopping after 1:00 am in Hollywood. If nothing else, you will be amused.
Yep, it sucks to be an insomniac here. On the upside, you’ve got the city pretty much to yourself. On the downside, you’ve got hte city pretty much to yourself.
Anyway, if you’re on the westside, you might try one of these places:
Novel Cafe, Pier and Main, santa monica. They used to stay open all night (or until 5) during the summer. Not sure if they still do. Good place, filled with insomniacs.
Van Goghs Ear, Main and Rose, Venice. I think it might just be take away service, but they are open all night.
Try calling opal.
Lulu’s Alibi, Sawtelle and Santa Monica. They were open until 4; then til 7, then til 3. I gave up. Oh, and they may be closed for remodeling.
Bougoius Pig (sp?), on Highland in hollywood. Not sure what time they close, but the block there is pretty interesting.
Um, in all of these places I have been approached by people looking to buy heroin, or patted down by cops who thought I was on drugs. Caveat lector and all.
You remind me of an old promo film I saw with Errol Flynn, he’s standing by a studio gate with throngs of girls begging him to go out for a night on the town, and he replies that he can’t, because “don’t you know, Los Angeles is a 9 o’clock town.” Basically it’s still true. You can’t even find a decent restaurant open after 9PM. It’s even worse late night, I was recently stranded in the Valley at 3AM and you can’t even find a crappy restaurant open at that hour.
At least there are after-hours underground clubs on the weekends. I can’t direct you to any because I don’t live there anymore, but I used to live across the street from Al’s Bar and that was always the place we gathered to get info on the all-night clubs, or spread flyers when I used to run a club. And some of these clubs are amazing. I remember one night, we got a flyer to go to a certain freeway exit and look for someone, give the password, and they’d give you a map. When we got to the destination, it was Santa Monica High School! Someone busted the lock on the gymnasium, set up DJ equipment, and everyone rocked out for a few hours until it got busted. Oh could I tell you stories about these clubs…
You’re right - there aren’t very many restaurants open after 10 pm, much less good ones. And at 2am, your options are even scarcer. And, if like me, you refuse to eat at Denny’s (or any place similar), then - whoa, I can only think of one place in Pasadena, and it’s already been mentioned.
Also, in Pasadena, there’s Le Sexxe Shoppe in Old Town that’s open all night. You can rent, buy, browse, and if you dare, there are preview booths downstairs. (You’d hafta be braver than me!) Aside from Jerry’s NY Deli, I think it’s the only other place down there that’s open all night.
And I know for a fact that the strip clubs in Beverly Hills stay open until 4am. But I don’t recommend them - the rules in Beverly Hills suck.
It’s funny that this topic should come up, cause here I am bored out of my mind every night right here in the San Fernando Valley (right around the northridge mall) unfortunately I have nothing to add except there is a bowling alley open 24 hours on winnetka and um… vanowen I think. I haven’t been in a couple of years but I think there is an arcade open late on balboa and devonshire (hey I’m only 19)
You’re telling me. I’ve found myself driving, thinking, and somewhere in the back of my head hoping for those random, almost surrealistic adventures that take place in (among other places) Neil Gaiman stories (speaking of which, just picked up American Gods, can’t wait to start it).
So, Kinko’s and Ralphs (and other assorted grocery stores), eh? A little too much flourescent lighting for my taste, but I did refresh my potables at 2:15 am the other night, so anything’s possible.
And, bashere thanks for the list (I am, indeed, on the West side). I think I know the Novel Cafe though, to be honest, I’ve been working off the (apparently erronious) assumption that Santa Monica would be pretty much dead past 2. Seemed like Sunset, La Brea, and the surrounding environs were my best bet. Speaking of which, what time does Pink’s close? I’ve never had mid-morning sausage cravings, but you never know. BTW, what are Lulu’s and B. Pig? Cafes as well?
sigh Not that any of this will make a lick of difference as of tomorrow night. Got to go get that Diablo II expansion, dontcha know…
You can go to one or two ridiculously overpriced all night shops/delis! Then you can go get pulled over ten times in a row and get eyed by spooky teenagers in expensive cars, just for driving downtown in the middle of the night! 99% of all cars on the street are cops or drugdealers practicing their respective trades
Go up to Harlan Ellison’s house (off the Mullholland Snake, I think, Harmon Drive, something like that), knock on his door, and when he answers, innocently ask him where the Harlequin got all those jellybeans. If you live, post his answer.
Dude, there are Le Sexxe Shoppe 's all over LA. There’s one on Sherman Way in Canoga Park, and one on Lankersheim in North Hollywood. I know the one in NoHO is open 24/7.
