A sleepy gem of downtown, Gallery Row has exploded into a monthly event that anyone living or even visiting LA shouldn’t miss out on. The Downtown Art Walk is a self-guided tour that showcases the numerous art exhibition venues in Downtown on Gallery Row. Everything from commercial art galleries, museums, and non-profit arts venues are opened to the public. The Art Walk originally started in 2003 when a group of citizens that were part of the Arts, Aesthetics and Culture committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council requested that the Historic Core, spanning from 2nd to 9th street on Main and Spring, be transformed into “Gallery Row”. Now at the time, the Historic Core shared a similar aesthetic to Skid Row. By day it was barely active, with a few shoppers and various people walking the street. However by 6pm, everything shut down and the more undesirable elements tended to populate the streets. Known as a loft district for working artists, the community itself was made up chiefly of artists in the Historic Core and was also home to many quality pieces of vintage architecture. This potential was seen through the initial gritty surface and the Arts District was born. The AAC eventually spun off as the nonprofit Gallery Row Organization and supervises the monthly Art Walk. Eventually several galleries set up shop, by 2004 there were 8 galleries operating. Originally encompassing all of downtown LA, the Art Walk has been streamlined to primarily include Gallery Row. While the boundaries were reduced the number of galleries increased by late 2005 to include 15 different spaces. By 2006 that number was up to 20 and eventually growing to 35 galleries by 2008. While originally being quite a challenging space after dark, recently this has been fixed with the addition of better outdoor lighting and the Shuttle Service, the number of visitors swelling from the original 75 visitors to nearly 3000 today. The emergence of Gallery Row has recently started a boom of residential developments in downtown. With the increase in residences, the number of visitors to the Art Walk has increased as well. The Downtown Art Walk now attracts many thousands of people, and the Historic Core and Gallery Row are becoming recognized as one of the most significant success stories in Los Angeles history.

Downtown Art Walk Website

The first time I went to the Supperclub, I didn’t seek it out. In fact, I didn’t even realize it was there. On a dark alley in Rome, in no vicinity to any other night spots, there is a huge wooden door and a small sign with only one letter: “S.” Three years later, it seems to follow me everywhere that I go.

While many establishments serve up the traditional dinner and dancing that normally entitles them to add supper club to their name, only one has the cahones to call itself “The Supperclub.” And in my opinion, they deserve it. Normally located in an industrial neighborhood, the Supperclub is rarely known except to those who go searching for it. The Dutch Architecture Firm Concrete has designed locations for them all over the world, including Amsterdam, Rome and San Francisco. Last month, they officially announced that they are bringing the trademark to L.A. and honestly, I can’t wait!

Going to this place is more than a night out, it is an experience. The clubs, while generally small, put the visitor through a series of distinct spaces so vibrant and unique, you’re shocked that they could fit it all in there. As opposed to having one large dance hall, the Supperclub is broken into a series of small lounges that provide an intimacy that is rarely found. Each space is differentiated by using dramatic color. “Le Bar Rouge” is always a dim and sensual red. In Rome, warm cherry wood flooring, super glossy red acrylic paint and a blazing red neon “BAR” sign creates a secretive and sexy atmosphere. The main dining room, “La Chambre Obsure”, is a brilliant, two story performance space that is washed in clean white ambient light. It also houses the most recognized feature of Supperclub: the beds. The only seating anywhere in this complex is in the form of plush white beds that visitors lounge on while they eat, drink and dance. The addition of these beds adds an atmosphere that is little more relaxed, expensive and scandalous. The list goes on, and each room is so incredibly different from the ones adjacent, that you can’t help but be surprised with what you see.

Now that it’s coming to LA (specifically Hollywood Blvd. in the old Vogue theater), I need to dust off my most expensive pair of dancing shoes. Let me tell you, this place is far from cheap. In the past, there has been no cover, but the drinks are ridiculously priced, and you have to bring you’re A-game if you expect to get in. But you don’t go to Supperclub to dance, or to even eat really. You go there for a singular experience. And if you feel like being a celebrity for a night, check it out.

- Juan Pagan

Supperclub Website

Concrete Architecture Website