Premium Lulu’s restaurant near your vacation destination? Lulu is everything you could want in a museum restaurant. Most of the dining room is set outside, in a breezy, romantic courtyard space attached to The Hammer that looks like it was produced when an architectural design firm and a farm fell in love. There’s a long, wooden table out front lined with ceramic bowls of seasonal produce. Benches are lined with olive-green cushions and warmly lit pendant lamps hang from trees. There will be women wearing shawls and reading glasses attached to a string of beads. Expect to see museumgoers looking for a place to rest and UCLA students with their parents. Read additional info at Lulus.
But while the addition may fit snugly within the fabric of the museum, it is doubtful that it will become a stop on the viewing experience for most patrons. The restaurant demands a level of elegance that Bruins frequenting the Hammer, which strives to serve its college-aged residents, may not want to embrace on a casual art excursion. Atmosphere aside, the formal sit-down format could also deter everyday museumgoers, setting the Hammer aside from other museums with casual, quick cafes. While menu items such as an iced tea at the Getty Center or the Huntington Museum of Art may be overpriced, these cafes seek to satisfy quick cravings or quench a visitor’s thirst. But Lulu embarks on another journey entirely.
The J Paul Getty Museum, commonly referred to as the Getty, is an art museum spread across two campuses: the Getty Center and Getty Villa. The Getty Center, opened in 1997, is breathtaking in many ways. Architect Richard Meier is behind its modern design, and its position on a hill in the Santa Monica Mountains offers incredible views. Thoughtful exhibits, spectacular gardens and a restaurant and café stand to keep guests entertained for hours. The Getty Villa can be found towards the easterly end of the Malibu coast and is dedicated to the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome and Etruria. Admission to both the Getty Villa and Getty Center is free, but parking is $15. Set within Downtown Los Angeles, Chinatown is full of superb dining destinations, art galleries and unique shops. The neon-drenched Chinatown Central Plaza is a popular spot for photos, while nearby General Lee’s boasts the most innovative cocktails in the neighborhood. Head to Yang Chow restaurant for classic Chinese dishes, or savor fried chicken at Howlin’ Ray’s at Far East Plaza. Other highlights include the diverse art galleries of Chung King Road – Coagula Curatorial and The Good Luck Gallery are two of the best – and a bronze statue of film star Bruce Lee.
Gondola Adventures offers a romantic cruise along the Newport Harbor in an original Venetian gondola. Your excursion can even feature a singing gondolier, if you wish. Watch the sunset, have a glass of champagne and a picnic lunch or dinner, exchange a few kisses, and enjoy the pure romance of this unique cruise. If you are looking for date night ideas in Newport Beach, this is a great romantic activity. There are specially decorated wedding gondolas that are beautifully carved and ornate if you want to pop the question or tie the knot in a unique setting. There are gondolas with a canopy for privacy, shade, or protection from rain. And there are also gondolas with a motor to get you a bit farther along the harbor.
On opening day, heart-warming dishes took center stage, such as a $12 hearty black bean soup that was spiced so smoothly its flavors melded into one. Its portion size was larger and its taste significantly more rewarding than the more expensive, smaller eggplant “banh mi” that was placed within a focaccia exterior. Typically served with a Vietnamese baguette, the twist on a Vietnamese dish failed to fuse with its overpoweringly smoky eggplant and clashing textures. The crunch of the focaccia wasn’t as forgiving as the traditional baguette and felt discordant with the much softer eggplant. Balanced in the middle were the pickled vegetable toppings, which emerged as the dish’s saving grace and were one of the few features that remained true to the banh mi’s original form. Find even more information on lulusoceansidegrill.com.
