By Joseph Vardner
To all who are entering UCLA, you’re about to be blown
away. This university is a small city with enough people and
variety to make anything possible. Appropriately, we have our own
miniature downtown: Westwood.
Even though it might be hard to imagine, there will be times
when you want to get off your floor or out of your apartment or
building just to get away from where you usually are.
That’s where Westwood comes in. What follows are some
thoughts from someone who has spent four years around it.
Every night, Westwood is a bustling area full of college
students and visitors. From eating dinner or chatting over some
coffee, to studying or smoking hookah, there is plenty to keep a
bored group busy.
There are more restaurants than you could possibly believe, just
waiting to satisfy any craving. Look around for them, or check out
www.bruinfood.com.
Or how about Glendon Avenue? It’s a tiny little street
next to the tall glass building, and there are a couple amazing
restaurants near there. Denny’s is close by, and it’s
one of the few places open 24 hours and close enough to reach
without a car.
U Dog is also open as late as 3 a.m. for those late-night
munchies.
And studying should be in here somewhere because not everyone
can study in their rooms or the quiet of Powell Library.
If Starbucks isn’t your thing, check out Jerry’s
Famous Deli. Their second floor is open to students, and they even
have wireless Internet. Make sure to be polite ““ they
don’t make you buy anything, but getting a soda would be a
nice gesture.
Once you’re over 21, check out Acapulco’s (another
Glendon favorite) for Margarita Mondays or Westwood Brewing Company
for a bit of an older crowd.
Maloney’s is always a classic ““ and not just because
of their Bruin pride in showing classic UCLA movie moments. Plus,
you get the benefit of not having to pay for a taxi to the Sunset
Strip.
Now for the downside: Westwood is not big enough for UCLA and
not as student-friendly as it could be.
Don’t get me wrong ““ I love the place. But I’m
not going to pretend here. It isn’t perfect.
There’s no way it can be another 3rd Street Promenade or
Grove, which offer some high-fashion shopping. Also, there
aren’t enough places to just chill ““ there’s even
a lack of benches.
But things are changing recently, with the help of the Westwood
Committee of Students. So if you have an idea or think something is
missing, let me know, and I’ll make sure your voice is
heard.
Vardner is the chairman of the Revitalize Westwood Committee
and the Facilities commissioner for the undergraduate student
government.