Sometimes you just want a good cup o' joe....or cup o' Audry?

In this never-never-land, where Dunkin' Donuts are as sparse as as snow, and Starbucks litter every corner (there are three within a ten minute walk of my place), where does one turn for the caffeine fix?

I do enjoy my occasional ridiculously expensive, dessert - er, I mean coffee - from Starbucks, but I generally go for a cup of plain, black coffee. Over the weekends, or after work with a book in hand, I love to swing by Cafe Audry. Located on the North-West corner of Las Palmas (just a couple blocks east of Highland) and Hollywood Blvd, it is a gem.

This hipster-esq little coffee shop is a great place to hang out and unwind. They have standard cafe fare - coffees, teas, fancy drinks, soups, salads, sandwiches, and, of course, baked goods!

So, what distinguishes this place from the millions of Starbucks to choose from? Atmosphere. They have a really friendly staff, the set up is cozy (must be feng shui somehow, although I am not a feng shui expert, so I can't tell you how), and they have live music there! Oh the benefits of being right across the street from the Musician's Institute.

Even when in a rush, I always want to stop, sip, and curl up with a book in the corner table. How can a place be so comfortable when they lack huge plush chairs? Maybe it's in the coffee...

Saddle Ranch on Sunset

So, I recognize that I named this blog "brunch and such," but have yet to give you a blog about brunching! Now, brunching is something I take very seriously. Okay, that was a lie. Brunching is something I enjoy tremendously! Bingo. When I meet a new person in LA, the first thing they want to know is, "what do you DO?" Oh the land of networkers! My response? "I brunch."

I believe this response often leaves people confused, and a tad annoyed at my complete disregard for their question. I am not going to mold my answer, so I appear to be a more useful person to know. Last time I checked, said inquisitor was not my co-worker, so my position does not directly matter. What I do for income does not necessarily define my passions. So, I view the question: "what do you do?" as "what do you like to do during your free time?"

I apologize for my digression. Back to my favorite thing ever: brunching. While I lived in the Boston area, I bartended on Sundays, which prevented me from brunching. Moving to Los Angeles, and working the 9-5 has enabled me to explore the brunch culture.

I give to you: Saddle Ranch. Located on the Sunset Strip (8371 Sunset Blvd), Saddle Ranch opens at 8am. Brunch happens every day from 8am - 3pm. Two words: Bottomless Mimosas...and Bloody Marys (sorry, five words).

Saddle Ranch has taken some responsibility, and has made the bottomless drinks available only with an entree. Typical brunch entrees are $10-$15, and are HUMONGOUS. An accompanying bottomless drink is $10 as well. With a multitude of different takes on the mimosa and bloody mary, Saddle Ranch offers a drink that will suit almost any palate. My one complaint: the mimosas have a LOT of pulp!

But, what should you do when you are full of delicious omelets, pancakes and mimosas at noon on a Sunday? Ride the mechanical bull, obviously! (note: do not, under any circumstances, think it is a good idea to ride the bull with a skirt on).

Saddle Ranch boasts a friendly staff, musicians coming table to table performing song requests, plenty of televisions for the avid sports fans, and of course, the bull.

Located right on the Sunset Strip, it becomes a hot spot at night, drawing both locals and tourists. Drinks are on the pricey side, but comparatively cheap for the rest of the strip. Don't get the drink smokin'. It looks cool, but really, it is just a pain in the butt for the bartenders to crack open the dry ice, and a few extra bucks out of your wallet.

I have always had a fun time there, whether on a lazy Sunday afternoon, or after 10pm any night of the week. Occasionally you will drop too much money, and occasionally you run the risk of seeing one too many bachelorette parties, but you will never feel bored there!

Kung Pao Kitty

Bottom line: Amazing happy hour, but not too amazing late night.

Yes, I recognize that I put "bottom line" at the top, but that gives you, readers the option to get the gist immediately, before committing to read this whole blog. I promise it will be entertaining and worth reading through, though.

Happy hour at Kung Pao Kitty (located on the North-East corner of Hollywood and Wilcox) is delicious, delightful and deli-cheap. $3. Everything. $3 shrimp pot stickers, which are my absolute favorite, even though they take the longest to come out; $3 calamari, served with a sweet and spicy chili sauce; $3 dumplings and spring rolls, dare I go on?

Of course, I will go on - I haven't touched on the best part! $3 jager shots, $3 bottles of sake, and $3 Tiger beer (for those of you unfamiliar with Los Angeles, a three dollar beer is actually a hard find). Exciting note: drink prices are always this good, not only for happy hour (which is 4-7, Monday through Friday).

I have spent many an hour being happy there, but last night was my first time heading there after dark. (insert spooky music here). At our first attempt at the door, the bouncer rejected us! To his credit, he was just following the rules. My friend and I were wearing sandals, and they did not allow flip flops for insurance reasons (broken glass, etc). However, we were wearing nice sandals, ones with a little bit of a rise. We told him this; he didn't buy it. We told him that we would sign a waiver, so we wouldn't sue them if our feet were cut by broken glass; he didn't buy it.

Fortunately, I live a block away. So, we scurried back to my apartment, donned some covered shoes and were back to the Kitty.

Inside, late night, I found a fairly sparse bar hosting a mix of hipsters and locals - not crazy locals, but easy-to-talk-to locals. Music was playing, but not obnoxiously loud. It was on the darker side, but not too dark. Over all, a decent time....especially with those $3 bottles of sake.

The shoe thing was fairly aggravating, especially since Hollywood Blvd. boasts the city's slipperiest sidewalk (not a known fact, but a strong personal opinion). Heels + Hollywood Blvd = bruised knee.

Top Line: I will go back (with proper footwear), and I do recommend it...but I will always be a little bitter.

Snow White

Oh Snow White.

In the heart of the tourist ridden city of Hollywood sits a tiny (dare I say skeevy?) little bar. Right at the intersection of Hollywood and Highland (6769 Hollywood Blvd, to be exact), with an unassuming red awning is Snow White. This bar has, over the course of the past few months, become "my local dive."

Tourists come to Hollywood by day for pictures by the Chinese Theater, and to walk the "walk of fame." The young and beautiful flock to Hollywood at night for the clubs and drinks. Occasionally during the day, tourists stop in for a beer or some food, but by night time, Snow White is left for the locals.

What is so amazing about this bar? Portion sizes. Whether you choose the 34 oz. beer ($7 during happy hour, $10 otherwise) or the massive glass of wine, you only need two drinks before you are set for the night. A third drink is never a wise choice (believe me, I know)

Along with their massive drinks, Snow White has a physically high bar, with low-ish seats. So, imagine sitting at a bar that comes up to your chest, with a beer the size of your head. You feel like a little kid - not to mention the pictures of Snow White and her seven dwarfs lining the walls.

And then, there is the crowd. Patrons of this establishment tend to be comprised of a handful of regulars (people who bartend there, and men with French accents), students at the Musician's Institute across the street, locals and occasionally littered with Hollywood staples (crazies and tourists).

They have standard, American food: sandwiches, pizzas, pastas. The bar has two tvs - one large one, inconveniently placed at the back of the bar (where 90% of the time, people are blocking it), and a smaller one above the bar. It is dark, dank, dreary - pretty much everything I would hope for in a local dive! I love it!