In case you haven’t noticed, there’s some construction taking place on York, near Eagle Rock Blvd. We will soon have a Longs Drugs, an L&L Hawaiian Barbeque, and yes, a Starbucks sitting right on York. Though drug stores don’t really do anything great for the neighborhood, certainly a closer pharmacy will be convenient. And L&L makes pretty decent Hawaiian plate lunches. But what about Starbucks? L.A. needs another Starbucks like it needs more struggling actors and actresses. And we all hate the business model of moving in right across the street from a local coffee joint, running it out of business, then opening up another Starbucks there too. But maybe getting a Starbucks won’t be all bad. For one, it already means that Highland Park is moving up–if local residents are willing to pay $5 for a cup of coffee, it means there is more disposable income in the neighborhood than there used to be, and that’s good for every local joint. And if Starbucks is taking notice of this, most likely other businesses will too. Plus, Starbucks also offers some comfort to weary travelers who aren’t from around here. It will make it just a little easier to come out this way, since it will feel a little more like home for those who are scared of the East side–and surely that’s not a bad thing, is it? And finally, like it or not, it is another place to build a sense of community with your friends and neighbors, and evidently some people even like their coffee.
So we at the BLVD. are hopeful that a Starbucks will ultimately be a good thing for Highland Park. Just don’t expect to see us in line there–we’ll still be getting our coffee at Highland Perk.
Sitting on the boulevard between Avenues 50 and 51, The York is Highland Park’s newest hip spot. Those who remember The Wild Hare will be hard pressed to recognize anything from the dingy old dive that once resided here. Walls and ceilings have been torn out to open the space to exposed brick and wooden rafters. Dim, Victorian double-loop carbon filament bulbs light up the bar and surrounding tables, while burlap covers the benches in the booths. All the while, black and white French noir films play silently above the heavily mixed crowd. Hipsters, cholos, yuppies, teamsters, even celebraties frequent the York on a regular basis, keeping it busy every night of the week.
Behind the bar, a friendly and expert staff keeps the stiff cocktails and expansive microbrews flowing. The York offers over a dozen quality beers on tap (no Budweiser, thank you very much), some from local breweries like Pasadena’s Craftsman, to other well known imports from across the pond, such as Guiness and Newcastle. Under the counter they stock a good selection of bottles, like Rogue Dead Guy to Chimay. And for those that simply must partake in the macrobrews, you can find Bud and Miller in bottles as well. And while The York is a pub, they do offer a fully stocked bar that includes all the standards, plus many more rare and hard-to-find liquors too. Hendricks Gin is a must for any martini lover. Additionally, The York also offers a wide selection of decent wines too. Finally, not to be overlooked is the food. Chalkboard menus list large and small plates, consisting of Fish & Chips (where you’ll find delicious, fresh, crispy, homemade chips–not fries), Truffled Grilled Cheese and many, many more fantastic dishes. For a restaurant the food would be considered great, for a bar, the food is simply amazing.
And while the food deserves much more praise and detail, ultimately what makes The York so special is the combination of everything above. The atmosphere is unique. It’s a special night out, while homey and comfortable too. It’s cool, but not too-cool. It’s the West Side without the West Side. It’s the hot girl who doesn’t know she’s hot. No attitude, no presumptions, no stigmas.
With places like The York opening up all along York Blvd, it’s clear that Highland Park is pushing past up-and-coming to up-and-come. This is why we love North East L.A.
Info:
The York
5018 York Blvd.
(323) 255-9675
www.theyorkonyork.com
The once dilapidated Albertson’s (which was the really dilapidated Lucky before that) is well on it’s way to becoming something better. We here at the BLVD are quite excited to see “fresh&easy” moving in and brightening up the spot. With it’s vibrant (but strangely not-too-obnoxious) colors and modern design, fresh&easy definitely puts a new spin on the neighborhood. Even better, it’s hailed as a competitor to Whole Foods. This is good because one, the holier/more organic-than-thou attitude of Whole Foods needs a little competition, and two, because NELA needs some organic love, even if it is British (oh yeah, fresh&easy is run by Britain’s Tesco, by the way). So bring on the healthy, fresh&easy, and who knows, come November maybe all Highland Park will be feasting on Tofurkey and organic veggies.
