Boy Clothes Dripped in Butter Sauce on Vermont

As opposed to being one big city, consider LA as if it's 100 or so neighborhoods all sort of related to each other (though you're hard-pressed to get the relationship between Eagle Rock and Beverly Hills). And in a weird way a neighborhood could even just be a strip -- like a series of blocks all heading north to south.

Vermont in Los Feliz is such a strip.  The good stuff of Vermont is sandwiched between Hollywood Boulevard to the south and Franklin Boulevard to the north.

Or another way to look at is you kind of want to hang right above Hollywood Boulevard where Macho's Taco stand doles out apparently a very decent Mole:

Macho's Tacos (my husband says the mole's the real deal)

And right below Franklin on the north end, which is marked by the historic House of Pies...

As I have said many times, who doesn't like pie?

There's a certain look on Vermont or rather there's a certain look to the east side. It's young, it's free, it's loose, it's comf. And it's about owning your style. Admitting you have one might be first step. And once you admit it - if you're young and a guy - you're going to want to check out Agent asap. 

Upstairs at Agent

Agent (formerly X-Large) is a hip hoppy type store on Vermont down below the Los Feliz 3. I recently popped into Agent when I needed to get my husband a shirt for our anniversary. And though I don't necessarily think my husband or I are really Agent's demographic, I still almost bought some or all of the following.

This t-shirt...

This sweatshirt that seemed really open to anything...

Anything costs $97. That seemed on the high-end of their price point. You heard me. I said Price Point!!!

These nice caps, hats... how are the kids referring to the thing one puts on one's head...???

these alternate modes of transport...

skateboards for 50 bucks

And this shirt, which I think explains a lot...

$30

By the way, you and I know I'm not a young man wearing all that is Delicious and Vinyl, but I like good stuff. And more importantly, here's how I feel about any store I pop into. I'm not going to go back and I'm certainly not going to recommend it if the people who work there aren't nice. All to say, the co-owner was a doll.

Co-Owner on the left, Friend shaking his Hand on the right.  Girl who was pissed about a club thing hanging out outside. **

This shirt has leather patches on the elbows

You seriously should duck your head into this young man-cave. And you don't have to be the exact demographic. The day I popped in? I did in fact find my guy a shirt -- the same guy who doesn't own a bunch of t-shirts that hang down below his thighs. It was $52 bucks and I think he looks pretty fly...what-do-people-SAY-now?

Terry (my husband) in his Agent shirt, flanked by two very attractive ladeez at a houz party in Echo Park

Agent is at 1768 North Vermont Avenue, LA, CA 90027.  Hours are mon - thurs 12-8. fri & sat 12-9. sunday 12-7.

**In other words there was a little drama going on. I heard it all and had NO idea what it was about but it had to do with $10 and getting into a club or something. The guy who worked in the store seemed to have a balanced and fair perspective from what I could make out. 

Man Shopping in Silverlake Part 2

Men's Plaid Shirts at Isac Orchids, etc.

There's no problem finding good clothing shops in Silverlake whether you're a man or a woman. In fact it's a great part of town to drop some serious coin - or not so serious if you're careful about it. Which is why I want to tell you about this under the radar store I found called Isac Orchids etc;

Just two blocks up from all the hullabaloo at Sunset and Hyperion and across the street from Millie's, you'll find this man gem...

Comune Green Plaid Shirt $68.00

Always on the quest to find my husband the perfect men's store, I stumbled upon Isac's while traipsing around Silverlake one recent afternoon. Before I go further I must state a very important fact here:

There's FREE PARKING IN THE BACK. Yes, that's right. FREE PARKING!

Okay. Back to what's inside. You got these wonderful Sportique shirts...

100% cotton t's, $32 smackaroos

These colorful thin summer shirts which though new, have that lovely worn feeling. Loved them. Loved loved loved.

Drifter t's $32

Isac also carries XOCHI jeans (pronounced Sochi). They're from a Silverlake designer and retail for $75 but because they're a winter jean, he's selling them right now for $34.50. 

In addition, he's got these iPad and laptop cases which I think are VERY clever (I've always wanted an opportunity to use the word "clever" like an English person):

YOU JUST PUT YOUR LAPTOP IN THERE AND ZIP IT UP.

ONLY 39 BUCKS AND MACHINE WASHABLE

Isac told me how some guy bought one of these for his laptop. He left it in his car and his car was broken into and the only thing that wasn't taken was his laptop because it was in a sweatshirt case and just looked like a... sweatshirt.

SWEET & CLEVER!

He carries Alpha Industries from Texas, Comune checked shirts, lamps, little planetariums...

Army Pants from Tennessee...

Army pants $75

And my favorite green shirt which I hope finds a good home.

Tank Farm Green Shirt for $64.00

Isac Orchids etc; is at Sunset & Maltman or as I like to think of it, it's where the graffiti from St. Francis Church of Assisi...

meets Millie's....

Millie's by the way has a decent (though a little pricey) breakfast. Since you'd be saving some cashola at Isac's, so what if you spend 14 bucks on breakfast? Here's a plan: Isac opens on weekdays at 11 and weekends at 10. You can go grab a little breakky:

Maybe sit at the counter...

Look at the signage in the kitchen:

Or sit outside next to this guy. Don't you love good hand tats?

And then go shopping. Or maybe reverse it if you want to feel thin while trying on clothes.

Isac Orchids etc; 3511Sunset Boulevard, LA, CA 90026. Check store for hours.

Millie's is open 7 days a week, 7:30 - 4:00. 3524 Sunset Boulevard, LA, CA 90026.

Man Shopping in Silverlake, Part 1

If you're reading this, you don't want to look like that guy

In LA you can see it pretty easily. There are different looks for different sections of town. 

Here is the I LIVE IN MALIBU AND THIS IS WHAT I LOOK LIKE ON INSIDE THE ACTOR'S STUDIO Look...

This is the I DO LUNCH IN BEVERLY HILLS Look...

Something tells me he and I will never meet

This is the I HANG OUT ON THE SUNSET STRIP EVEN THOUGH I SWORE I'D STOP Look...

I LOVE MILEY CYRUS'S FACE HERE

This is the I'M A NICE PERSON AND I LIVE IN HOLLYWOOD Look...

And this? This is my husband...

Okay, full disclosure: we were in Paris, he was trying to be funny and we don't live in Silverlake but this is pretty much what the I'M A GUY AND I LIVE IN SILVERLAKE Look looks like...

Not being a guy, I never really put much thought into the topic of man shopping until I married a man. And pretty early on I learned something: men -- all sorts of men -- care about what they look like and have very definite tastes and styles. They can be picky. I love this. I'm not sure why. And I love shopping with and for my guy. Frankly he looks much better and has more fun trying junk on than I do. Which I resent. But I love when he looks good.

In Silverlake, to capture that real-deal Eastside look, you'll want to stay on the Sunset Junction side of town. Let's start right around the actual junction at the beautiful Mohawk General Store:

Photo by Adco

Mohawk is located right at Sunset and Sanborn, near Hyperion. 

                    

It has two things I really like 1. a dog bowl surrounded by cacti outside the store...

And 2. this TV Set:

It's a little art gallery meets art space meets fashion meets I-can't-wait-to-get-a-really-good-job-and-buy-a-lot-of-stuff-here. They carry Gitman Bros., gorgeous Dries Van Noten shirts, Baxter Facewash, shirts and jackets from Arpenteur, etc. Know that most threads and shoes are over a 100 but they also are all good quality and stuff that would make any guy feel like a sharp-dressed man. Case in point, my sharp-dressed man-friend, Mark Lieber, wearing shades he got at Mohawk...

photo by Adco

Yes, they got some fa-ly sunglasses. Does ANYONE say fly anymore? Anyone? Now if you want to buy a gift and keep some fun money left over, you got your socks, too:

Even the displays make me feel humbled.

And there's always a find. Like these tasteful Mollusk Generic Surplus shoes. Frankly my favorite shoes in the store. Perfect for summer. Only $88 smackaroos.

Yes, ladies shop there, too but this is my man post, part 1. I got a lot of man shopping ideas. Just stay tuned. 

I gotta go now. I'm off to Beverly Hills. I put on a dress and a scowl but I'm going to make the best of it. Until next time, go outside, get some sunshine, and BUY THOSE SHOES!

NOTE: For the Man Shopping in Silverlake Part 2 Post Click Here