a Sunday brunch hot spot with live jazz on Sunday and Monday nights. Savory inventions and include a Pan Roasted Maple Leaf Duck Breast and sinful desserts such as Hal’s personal favorite, Warm Pear and Cranberry Bread Pudding. Yum!
Down-to-earth is the modus operandi at Urth Caffe (8565 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; 310-659-0628; www.urthcaffe.com) where the menu emphasizes fresh, organic grilled creations and salads for trendy types who people-watch from sidewalk tables.
SHOPPING
After lunch, Johnson designs a relaxing afternoon in West Hollywood by perusing “spiritual, meditation, and New Age releases” at Bodhi Tree Bookstore (8585 Melrose Ave.; 310-659-1733; www.bodhi tree.com) before drifting to e*lix*r (8612 Melrose Ave.; 310-657-9300; www.elixirtonics.com) for a mind-clearing herbal tonic.
The recently opened Golden Butterfly (1210 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; 310-394-5310) specializes in couture collections, elegant shoes, sassy handbags, and unique imports from France.
NIGHTSPOTS
Matt Robinson (actress Holly Robinson Peete’s brother) is the celebrity DJ at W Los Angeles (930 Hilgard Ave., Westwood; 310-208-8765; www.who
tels.com). “It’s a cool, eclectic, mixed crowd.”
Catch a free exhibit at California African American Museum (600 State Drive; 213-744-7432; www.caamuseum.org), which preserves the legacy of African American culture in the western states.