My Experience
Some birthdays are milestones worth of a landmark celebration. The day I turned 16, I got my driver’s license and drove myself to homecoming that very night. On my 18th birthday I celebrated by taking the bus to Hollywood to get a nose piercing. The cliches continued into my 21st, which I rang in with none other than a party bus.
The justification for huge blowouts diminishes the further you descend into your 20’s. Case in point, the highlights of the day I turned 29 were ditching my coworkers for the day to go to the Korean spa – and subsequently meeting up with those same coworkers to watch our boss compete on Jeopardy. Wild times.
Luckily, this was preceded by a pre-celebration at Hyperion Public. For your resident Silver Lake hipster, it would just be an average Sunday Funday. I, on the other hand, was out of my element in a multitude of ways – deviating from my typical weekend west side hangout spots, on the final day before entering the final year of my twenties, and on a date with someone I felt emotionally ill-equipped to even be celebrating a birthday with at that point.
As it turns out, sipping Aperol Spritzes on an outdoor patio is the perfect way to diffuse any looming anxiety, whether it stems from relationship uncertainty, or a forced reminder of your waning fertility.
Scores
Food & Drinks: 8.5
I’m a sucker for brunch food. Whether my first meal is at 8 am or 1 pm, chances are eggs will be involved. Needless to say, I have a deep appreciation for any place that sees the necessity of extending brunch to 3 pm. Especially when the food is memorable enough to recall even after bottomless is over.
Entertainment: 7.5
If you’re seated at the bar, the TVs will have sports. And if you can’t catch the game because you’ve opted to sit outside, make up your own game involving the passers by – one sip for every mustache, two for every pair of Doc Martens.
Romance level: 5
While the ambience doesn’t exactly scream courtship, the indoor dining area is always dimly lit – even during brunch hours. And if that doesn’t do it, the “Swipe Right Brownie Sundae,” designed for sharing, is bound to help.
Buzzworthness: 7
“OMG Cheese” pretzel dipping sauce. “Spicy blueberry wings.” “Sweet potato cake.”
Try and pretend you’re not intrigued.
Originality: 6
While it lacks many fo the gimmicks that can seem like table stakes at other Los Angeles spots – in a way that adds to its originality. And while there are two locations, this was the first.
OVERALL SCORE: 34/50
If You Go…
Order this: The donut French toast. Then DM me and describe it so I can live vicariously through you.
Wear this: Whatever you want! That’s the beauty of Silverlake.
Say this: “Can I have a Michelada, but with a PBR?”
Expect this: To order at least one more app and two more drinks than you’d initially planned.
