Clifton’s Brookside Cafeteria 648 S. Broadway, Los Angeles (213) 627-1673. Clifton’s is perhaps my favorite lunch spot of all time. The food is not really cheap but it’s cafeteria style so if you keep a mental tally as you pick up those little bowls of Jell-O and side dishes you can keep to a reasonable budget. If you’re really low on funds, there’s coffee and a roll for around two dollars. The décor, however, is priceless. Open since 1931 Clifton’s has brought downtowners a bit of woodland serenity with a waterfall and fountain, realistic redwood tree trunks and forest friends. I especially enjoy the seasonal embellishments.
La Brea Tar Pits 5801 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles (213) 936-2230. The Page Museum has a lot of bones that they have pulled out of these tar pits. It’s free the first Tuesday of the month. But the grounds are always free. I enjoy a picnic with the life size models of mammoths and watching the gooey tar underfoot.
Maguire Gardens at the Central Library Fifth and Flower, Downtown Los Angeles (213) 228-7000. With 150 trees, this is the greenest spot downtown. Re-opened in 1993 after extensive re-building from the devastating fires in 1986, the 1926 building houses 2.2 million books. The new gardens have a lot of meaning that you can read about in the book SPINE. Inside the library is the best deal yet…free use of books, tapes, videos, CDs, internet access and tours of the place. Unfortunately the hours are quite short so call first.