Blackest Friday: Westside Pavilion's Ghost Town

Over at LA Observed, Kevin Roderick (who took the photo above) writes that he "had to kill some time before seeing ‘The Favourite’ so walked over to see what a dying mall looks like on Black Friday weekend. Why even keep the lights on?" Check out his Instagram for some truly sad photos of an empty Westside Pavilion. Macy's and Nordstrom have already left; at this point, how can any of those remaining stores even stay in business? As the L.A. Times wrote, the plan is to turn the mall into business offices by 2021. But there's no way any of the remaining shops can hold on that long.

Rate-A-Restaurant #306: Westside Tavern

Restaurant: Westside Tavern

Location: 10850 West Pico Boulevard (Rancho Park)

Type of restaurant: American Pub




We stipulated: We're not on the Westside all that often, but we happened to be there one evening. Maria has met friends for drinks and flatbread at Westside Tavern in the past, and wanted me to try it as well.



They stipulated: Located at the Westside Pavilion next to the Landmark Theatres, the Westside Tavern attracts a lot of dinner-and-a-movie crowds. Also, no dinner reservations accepted -- and the wait for a table can be long over the weekend.



What we ordered: Ahi tuna poke ($14); chipotle chicken flatbread ($14); roasted mushroom and tomato flatbread ($14); burger ($14); side of mac & cheese ($7)



High point:  The ahi tuna appetizer was great, and we were given plenty of chips to enjoy it.

Low point: The wait for a table, even on a weeknight, was tough -- especially with kids.




Overall impression: The flatbread isn't the best I've ever had, but it's still fantastic and worth the visit. Overall, I like the menu (and the fact that it's constantly rotating), the casual vibe and what looks to be a great drink menu. A better alternative to similarly-priced chains.



Will we return: It's too far away for us to be regulars, and I prefer the even more loose brewpubs that have opened up on our side of town. But I'd definitely want to check out the Westside Tavern again.

Westside Pavilion Barnes & Noble To Shut Down

(Flickr pic by mirtai.)

This was a shocker. As LA Observed reports, the popular (and usually pretty busy) Barnes & Noble at the Westside Pavilion is shutting down. That will leave no major commercial book store between Santa Monica and The Grove. That's stunning news for westsiders -- and even UCLA students who ventured down Westwood to hang out there. LA Observed writes:

Quiet talk has been around for a few weeks, but now red clearance sale signs have gone up — 30 percent off on a lot of books — and store clerks acknowledged today that they have been given the word. The multi-story Barnes & Noble at Pico and Westwood boulevards will close around the end of the year. Word on the street is that the H&M store in Westside Pavilion will expand into the higher-profile corner location. There's no official confirmation from the mall or from Barnes & Noble.

Reaction on Twitter was swift and surprised. Writes Joni Yung: "what??!?!" Terry McCarty adds: "Damn. So the definition of the Westside brick-and-mortar bookstore has changed to mostly used booksellers."