A visual cacophony of billboards, giant ad banners and neon signs, the sinuous stretch of Sunset Blvd running between Laurel Canyon and Doheny Dr has been nightlife central since the 1920s.
Mobster Bugsy Siegel and his posse hung out at clubs such as Ciro’s (now the Comedy Store); Marilyn Monroe had her first date with Joe DiMaggio at the Rainbow Bar & Grill, which later became the preferred late-night hub of Guns N’ Roses. The Whisky A Go-Go gave birth to both the Doors and go-go dancing, and Led Zeppelin raced motorcycles in the Andaz Hotel, formerly the Hyatt, and henceforth known as the ‘Riot House’. Then, in the late '90s, the strip recaptured the limelight with the House of Blues (HOB), the ultraposh Sky Bar at the Mondrian hotel and the sexy Standard Hollywood.
These days, though, it seems to be coasting on its fabled legacy. The young, hip and fickle have moved west to Abbot Kinney and east to Downtown, leaving the Strip to the buttoned-down, cashed-up suburbanites. Though midweek and during awards season, the celebs still appear.
