Thursday, August 23, 2007

Top Ten Things To Do In Westwood Village When Taking an Osher Course

So, you’re enrolled in an Osher course. Wondering what to do if you arrive early in Westwood, or have time after class or between classes? If you’ve paid for a day of parking or if you arrived by bus and have time between excursions, why not make the most of the day, leave the familiar territory of Lindbrook Drive, explore the side streets of Westwood, and maximize your Osher experience? Here is a list of some of my favorite things to do in Westwood Village. Hope you enjoy them as well!

  1. Visit the Hammer Museum on 10899 Wilshire Boulevard, between Westwood Boulevard and Glendon Avenue. If you are not a member, the museum is free on Thursdays. Or, think about becoming a member to join in on fascinating special programs and exhibits. Take a look at their website to get the latest information: www.hammer.ucla.edu Also, stop into the museum store – it’s filled with artful and unusual gifts.
  2. Cross Westwood Boulevard to the Westwood Village Memorial Park, also known as the Cemetery of the Stars, located at 1218 Glendon Avenue. Many Hollywood luminaries lay in rest there including Marilyn Monroe, Truman Capote, and Natalie Wood. Learn more: http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/archives/id/20227/
  3. Hungry? Then stop in at tiny but delicious “Bella Pita” for a fresh pita bread filled with a hearty made-to-order falafel and fill it with top-quality greens and condiments from their salad bar. Beef, bean, and cheese wowshis are served, too. Everything is made on the premises located at 960 Gayley Avenue in the shadow of In-N-Out Burger.
  4. Need to pick up a few cheeses after taking Osher’s “The Ultimate Cheese Course”? Remember that there’s a very nice Ralph’s located on Le Conte Avenue between Westwood Boulevard and Tiverton Avenue, near the Geffen Theater. Also, Whole Foods Market is located on 1050 Gayley Avenue. Both have dining areas for a quick and inexpensive bite to eat.
  5. Near Whole Foods Market is an amazing paper, pen, card and gift shop called “FLAX”, a relation of FLAX Art Supply Store. If you are looking for a unique one-of-a-kind letterpress card, a special pen, handsome photo albums, or just want to look at pretty things, wander into FLAX at 1078 Gayley Avenue. Learn more: http://www.flaxpentopaper.com/about.html
  6. You’re sure to leave Osher’s new course,“India: An Intense Independent Idea” feeling a little hungry. After class, experience the cuisine of Bombay at Bombay Bite on 1051 Gayley Avenue. This comfortable, contemporary restaurant’s menu features fresh and light Bombay style Indian dishes as well as Chinese-Indian inspired food. The lunch menu offers an opportunity to sample many flavors at a reasonable price. Read a review at: http://bombaybite.com/images/latimes.pdf
  7. Where to find the best tang for your buck? Experience first hand the Los Angeles frozen yogurt wars you’ve been reading about. Four new frozen yogurt shops have opened recently in Westwood Village, starting with Pinkberry on 10911 Lindbrook Drive, the shop that started the craze. Also, taste test Red Mango at 10942 Weyburn Avenue and Mr. Snowberry at 10877 Weburn Avenue. All feature plain and green tea flavored yogurts with the exception of newly opened Polar Monkey on 10912 Le Conte Avenue that specializes in fresh tomato flavored frozen yogurt. Stop wincing—it’s quite refreshing when combined with their tart plain frozen yogurt.
  8. Do you have the urge to leave it all behind and move to Italy after you’ve taken the “Italy: Word + Image” course? If so, jump on the Westwood FlyAway bus to LAX. One way tickets to the airport are only $4! Learn more at: http://www.lawa.org/flyAway/ -- it’s so convenient.
  9. The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is the home of the Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library. The hallway outside the library features an area of glass cases that line the corridor and display fascinating books, manuscripts, and ephemera often related to the history of medicine. It’s always worth peaking in to see some rare and unusual medical documents. The library is located in Room 12-077 on the first floor, second corridor of the UCLA Medical Center. The closest campus entrance is the intersection of Le Conte and Tiverton Avenues. To learn more: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/biomed/visit/index.html. You can also visit their online exhibits of medical history.
  10. Did you know that there is a seven acre botanical garden at UCLA? The Mildred Mathias Botanical Garden is a magical place with plant specimens from around the world. Stroll through the many paths or picnic on a bench. The garden is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To learn more about the garden and read about the trailblazing career of its namesake botanist, Mildred Mathias, visit www.botgard.ucla.edu. The Botanical Garden is located on the southeastern corner of the UCLA campus, across the street from the Medical Library. The main entrance is on Tiverton Ave., near the Emergency Center of the Hospital. The south entrance is at the corner of Hilgard Ave. and Le Conte Ave., and the north entrance is opposite The Patio, behind the Botany Building.

    If you have a favorite spot in Westwood, write in and share it with your fellow Osher members. After an adventure in intellectual exploration with Osher, let’s hear about your culinary, social, and cultural travels through Westwood Village.

No comments: