Clementine Creevy waxes sentimental on the city’s best beaches and music spots.
This article appears in AdHoc 27.
In Best In Your Town, we ask artists to talk about the local institutions that make their hometown like no other place on earth. For this issue, we asked Clementine Creevy, frontwoman of Los Angeles rock band Cherry Glazerr, to chat about her favorite record stores, burger joints, and beaches in the City of Angels. Catch Cherry Glazerr at El Club on February 21 in Detroit.
Best scenic spot
I love Debs Park for a picnic. It’s a little hideaway close to Highland Park, where I live. You do a tiny little hike to the top of this hill, and there’s this lake at the top. It’s man-made, I’m sure, because I don’t know how there’s a lake on top of a hill. It’s so beautiful, and I love it so much. We go all the time—my friends and I.
Best beach
I like 1000 Steps, in Laguna Beach. It’s not technically in LA—it’s in Orange County—but it’s the best, and a little bit easier to get to than Santa Monica from where I live. It’s also a little bit less crowded and a little bit nicer, and cleaner. It’s just got better water and better sand.
Best burger
I love the Impossible Burger at Mohawk Bend [in Echo Park]. Personal favorite for a vegan burger.
Best milkshake
Man, I wasn’t prepared for this milkshake question! I feel like Joy [in Highland Park] does a really good fruit punch, and I also like all of the Bobo places around K-town.
Best place to go out on a Saturday night
Ok, so, if you’re trying to go to a show, I like to go to Zebulon [in Frogtown]. Saturday nights at Zebulon are so much fun! Also: the Telegram, the Hi Hat, and the Troubadour. I mean, I like to go see music from bands and artists that I follow that I see post stuff—a lot of new rock and experimental stuff, and some electronic music. There are lot of DIY venues around town that I love going to, but I also love just going big and seeing something at the Hollywood Bowl at the Greek; there’s good music there. I love going to the Gold Line Bar [in Highland Park] for some records and Tequila Highballs. I also love Ye Olde Rustic Inn [in Los Feliz] for bingo night, but that’s on Wednesdays, not Saturdays. But we just go out every night!
Best neighborhood
Highland Park! HP for life, baby.
Best place to go chill
I love to go to my rehearsal space at Downtown Rehearsal and just practice. I go there and write music and jam—either every day or most days of the week. I love writing music in my space.
Best record store
Oh, I buy a lot of records! I love Gimme Gimme Records and Permanent Records [in Highland Park]. I go there every couple months and pick up a load. I spend an hour or so sifting through and finding stuff I think is cool—mostly stuff that I feel like I can DJ. But I also buy stuff for my house—all my ambience stuff, like jazz. And then I’ll also buy, like, ’80s rock and pop for DJing, but I play that stuff at my house too, because I’m always down to party and listen to party music at home.
Best late-night food spot
Best food spot? For late nights? Well, see, I love Ramen of York [in Highland Park], although it does close at 11 [most nights]. But, that’s how LA is: everywhere closes early, which is such a bummer. It’s the worst city for late-night food. Like, you gotta go get a big dinner at like 8 o’clock because if you don’t, you’re fucked. I also love Un Solo Sol for a good pupusa; it’s in Boyle Heights.
Best thing
The people. I love LA people. They’re fun and creative and cool.
Stuffed & Ready is out now via Secretly Canadian. Catch Cherry Glazerr at El Club on February 21 with support from Palehound.