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Travel + Leisure
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
There's a Mini-Vegas in Downtown L.A. You Didn't Know About—Here's a Look Inside
Los Angeles is certainly not short of nightlife hotspots, but taking a weekend trip to Las Vegas to live it up at clubs, restaurants, and casinos is something of a rite of passage for most Angelenos. However, there's a place in downtown L.A. that offers a Sin City experience without the six-hour car ride: Level 8. Level 8 is located on the eighth floor of the 37-story building that houses the Moxy Downtown Los Angeles and the AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles. It's in downtown L.A., just across the street from both the Los Angeles Convention Center and the Arena. Needless to say, Downtown L.A. has gotten a bad rap in recent years, but this particular pocket of the neighborhood is quiet and laidback, with attractions like the Grammy Museum and dining options like the Taiwanese casual eatery, Pine & Crane DTLA, in easy walking distance. Between the Moxy and the AC Hotel, there are a whopping 727 rooms. But despite sharing the same building, there are some striking differences between the two Yabu Pushelberg-designed properties. The Moxy is Marriott's playful, design-forward, yet affordable lifestyle brand. The design of this particular Moxy is inspired by the 1969 motorcycle flick 'Easy Rider' and the rebellious, artistic past of the Southern Californian desert. During their stay, guests can spot things like sandstone sculptures, rope art, and a motorcycle in the lobby as well as things like rope art, succulent planters, and cheeky alien wallpaper throughout the rest of the space. Rooms here start around 185 square feet, and while they are on the small side, they make use of every inch of space with underbed storage and a creative, minimalist clothes hanger that does double duty as a TV stand. 'Basically, the thought process was that we would make a deal with the traveler,' says Mitchell Hochberg, president of The Lightstone Group, the development company behind the Moxy and AC Hotel in downtown L.A., as well as the Moxys in New York City. 'We would give you an affordable rate, and in return, you would sacrifice something in size because the room would be smaller. But, it would be highly appointed with great design, and we would give you very activated public spaces.' During my time at the Moxy, I stayed in a corner room with a king-size bed and loved watching the traffic of the city pass me by from the comfort of my bed through floor-to-ceiling windows. It was also fun to find all the 'Easy Rider'–inspired details that were peppered throughout the room: there were motorcycle handlebars mounted on the wall as if they were a game trophy, hobo signs (a written language used among drifters to communicate with one another on the road) painted throughout the space, and shimmering gold tiles near the bathroom that were meant to evoke the Southern Californian sunset. Its sibling hotel, the AC, is just steps away from the Moxy, but the vibe couldn't be more different. While the lobby of the Moxy is located on the bottom floor of the building, you'll need to ride the elevator up 34 stories to reach the AC's 'sky lobby." Hochberg likes to imagine both hotels' personalities as people. "Let's think of that nomad, that countercultural person [from the Moxy]," Hochberg says. "They've now grown up, right? 'He,' who's the guy from 'Easy Rider,' is really now a 'she,' because the AC is a bit more feminine. She paints, she sculpts. She's decided to slow down a bit." The Mediterranean-esque, artsy ambiance is palpable as soon as you step foot in the lobby, with abstract paintings and textile art on the walls, Dr. Seuss-like succulents branching toward the ceiling from terracotta pots, and a large, homey wooden table in the center of it all. The rates here are, on average, about $20 to $30 more than the Moxy, but you get slightly larger rooms (they start at around 225 square feet) and things like a couch and desk area, for those who like to work from hotel. Whatever accommodations you choose, the real appeal of staying at either the Moxy or the AC Hotel is that it puts you just a stone's throw from Level 8. 'Food and beverage, we feel, is critical to this overall experience of experiential travel,' says Hochberg. The self-described 'multi-dimensional dining, drinking, and entertainment concept' clocks in at a whopping 30,000 square feet and is home to eight different venues set in a labyrinthian layout. The show-stopping shebang was dreamed up by Hochberg in collaboration with Mark and Jonnie Houston of Houston Hospitality, who are behind Hollywood bars like Madame Siam and Dirty Laundry. Even though I stayed here two nights (one night at the Moxy and AC Hotel, respectively), I didn't have enough time to experience every restaurant here. There's Qué Bárbaro, where you can watch your meal—think pork chops, hanger steaks, and prime cuts of wagyu—grilled over open flames. Lucky Mizu, with its charming wall of smiling maneki-neko, specializes in Japanese shabu shabu and sushi. Maison Kasai takes a decidedly Vegas-style spin on the traditional teppanyaki experience—throughout your meal, you'll see magicians from L.A.'s legendary Magic Castle flitting from table to table as they perform sleight of hand card tricks. However, out of all the dining experiences available, I was perhaps most taken by Mother of Pearl, the al fresco seafood-focused eatery helmed by chef Joshua Gil, who was the chef de cuisine at the erstwhile Michelin-starred Joe's Restaurant in Venice. While there are things like caviar bumps and ceviche on the menu, I recommend springing for one of the oh-so Instagrammable seafood towers. Pro-tip: this is a great place for a date night—if there's a better place to experience golden hour over a dozen oysters in downtown L.A., I've yet to find it. Many people do come to Level 8 to indulge in the restaurants, but make no mistake, this is a nightlife venue, and an expertly designed one at that. Being able to move from bar to bar without having to cross a street or order a car is a major bonus for a night out in Downtown L.A. As the sun begins to set, head to the rooftop pool bar Golden Hour, where you can show off your moves at DJ-led dance parties that go long into the wee hours of the night. Then move on to the entertainment venue Mr. Wanderlust, where you'll find a rotating piano stage, live bands, burlesque shows, and an aerialist who performs out front. However, the most unique offering here is arguably Sinners y Santos. The idea here is that the bar was an 'abandoned 19th-century cathedral that has been converted into a clandestine wrestling theater.' To me, it's worth the trip up to Level 8 just to see the edgy, cathedral-inspired decor—i.e. the pipe organ DJ booth, votive candles, and tin ceiling—but make sure to stick around until midnight, when a wrestling ring drops from the ceiling over the bar, and masked luchadores wrestle amid scantily clad bottle girls. Finish the night off with a Californian-style burrito (which means they're stuffed with French fries) from the L.A. taco truck-inspired Brown Sheep, which serves things like quesabirria tacos. In the morning, after all the festivities are over, grab a coffee from Bluestone Lane, conveniently located on the bottom floor of the building in the Moxy. Though you may need several days to get a taste of all that Level 8 has to offer, one thing is for certain: a night here is nothing if not memorable—and fun. "I honestly believe this does not exist anywhere else in the world, " Hochberg says. "There's nothing like it. It's a journey."
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Nearly 100 firefighters battle large fire burning at downtown Los Angeles commercial building
A fierce fire was burning in a commercial building in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon. Officials said the blaze had reached "major emergency status" with more than 88 firefighters on scene. Heavy smoke was billowing across the sky from the structure. The fire was on the city block bounded by South Los Angeles Street, East 4th Street, Wall Street and Winston Street. "Due to heavy storage load, firefighters were not able to reach the seat of the fire," the Los Angeles Fire Department said. "Additional resources are en route. Residents are advised to avoid the area." The fire was reported shortly after 1 p.m. in the 200 block of Winston Street in a row of commercial units, firefighters said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
CNN
11-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Curfew goes into effect in downtown LA
Curfew goes into effect in downtown LA A curfew is now in effect in parts of downtown Los Angeles, covering an area of roughly one square mile. A law enforcement source familiar with the situation told CNN fewer than 100,000 of the city's 4 million residents will be affected. CNN's Nick Watt reports. 00:32 - Source: CNN Vertical Top News 14 videos Curfew goes into effect in downtown LA A curfew is now in effect in parts of downtown Los Angeles, covering an area of roughly one square mile. A law enforcement source familiar with the situation told CNN fewer than 100,000 of the city's 4 million residents will be affected. CNN's Nick Watt reports. 00:32 - Source: CNN Tanks arrive in DC ahead of US Army parade As the 250th anniversary celebration for the US Army approaches, a freight train of tanks was seen making its way into the nation's capital. The long-planned celebration in Washington will coincide with Trump's 79th birthday and include thousands of troops. The Army had said it has no plans to recognize the president's birthday. 00:40 - Source: CNN Colombian presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe shot in Bogota A Colombian senator and presidential hopeful is in a critical condition after being shot twice at an event in Bogota, according to national police and prosecutors. Police arrested a 15-year-old carrying a Glock pistol, according to the Attorney General's Office. Miguel Uribe expressed intentions to run in the 2026 presidential election for the country's largest opposition party, the center-right Centro Democrático, or Democratic Center. 01:05 - Source: CNN Immigration protests break out in Los Angeles President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to disperse the protests that began in the Los Angeles area in response to immigration raids. Law enforcement authorities and demonstrators have clashed for two days. CNN's Julia Vargas Jones reports. 01:34 - Source: CNN Coco Gauff reacts to winning the French Open Coco Gauff claimed her second career grand slam singles title, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the French Open women's final. 00:46 - Source: CNN Protesters confront authorities following ICE raids in Los Angeles Federal immigration operations in Los Angeles were met by protests. ICE declined to discuss the details of its operations. 00:43 - Source: CNN Attorney for mistakenly deported man talks to Erin Burnett CNN's Erin Burnett talks with Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, attorney for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March, who has been returned to the United States to face federal criminal charges. 02:37 - Source: CNN Trump Admin targets LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month CNN's Ben Hunte breaks down how the Trump Administration has targeted the LGBTQ+ community with its policies in just the first few days of Pride Month. 02:09 - Source: CNN Former 'Diddy' girlfriend reveals 'love contract' A former romantic partner for Sean 'Diddy' Combs using the pseudonym 'Jane' described feeling financially coerced and revealed Combs is still paying for her rent, even as she testified against him at trial. Prosecutors hope the testimony by 'Jane' will drive home charges that include sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges. 01:30 - Source: CNN Trump's border czar on 3 US children leaving the country with their deported mothers White House border czar Tom Homan defended the Trump administration's move to deport three US citizen children last week. Homan told CNN's Priscilla Alvarez the children's parents, who were in the US illegally, made a "parental decision" to leave the country together. Gracie Willis, an attorney with the National Immigration Project, denies that the mothers were given a choice whether their children could remain in the US. 01:07 - Source: CNN Trump on Musk: 'The poor guy's got a problem' In a phone call with CNN's Dana Bash, President Donald Trump said he is 'not even thinking about' billionaire Elon Musk and won't be speaking to him in the near future. The comments come a day after Trump and Musk traded barbs on social media as their relationship deteriorated in spectacular public fashion. 00:43 - Source: CNN No aliens here: Research disputes possible 'signs of life' on another planet In response to hints of "biosignatures" found on a world called K2-18b, new research suggests there's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the exoplanet. CNN's Ashley Strickland reports on the ongoing scientific discourse around the search for extraterrestrial life. 00:43 - Source: CNN Reporter: Trump made $1 billion in crypto in 9 months CNN's Erin Burnett talks with Forbes Magazine's Dan Alexander about President Donald Trump's stunning ownership of billions of dollars worth of crypto. 02:19 - Source: CNN Russia launches strikes across Ukraine Russia launched waves of drones and ballistic missiles at multiple targets across a broad swath of Ukraine overnight killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv and wounding around 40 across the country. 00:32 - Source: CNN
CBS News
06-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Victim of downtown Los Angeles knife attack recounts harrowing experience
One of the two victims of a violent knife attack in downtown Los Angeles over the weekend is recounting the terrifying experience he had upon returning home from work. "I have staples in my head that start ... at the crown of my head," said Kyle Levitt. He was just about to step into his apartment complex on Sunday morning after work when he says he was attacked from behind. He believes he was struck at least four times, causing him to fall to the ground. Levitt suffered cuts to his head, ear and right hand with what Los Angeles police are now calling a large butcher knife. It was previously reported that the weapon used was a machete. "Both of the tendons leading to my thumb were completely severed," Levitt said. "I could see them." It wasn't the only similar crime that happened in the area that morning either. About a quarter of a mile away a man in his 60s was also attacked. He died after being taken to a nearby hospital, police said. Sometime after beginning their investigations, police were pointed to the attacker by witnesses in the area. They took the suspect, 26-year-old Caleb Daniels, into custody and recovered the knife they believe he used. "I can say I don't hold it against him," Levitt said. "Obviously, I wish it didn't happen to either myself or the man who unfortunately passed away." He does, however, want Daniels to be held accountable and to make sure that he gets the help he needs. Daniels was previously arrested in March 2024 for a criminal threat, but his case was rejected by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office at the time. As he continues to recover, Levitt is calling the incident a learning experience. "Making sure I'm doing all I can to be alert and aware so something like this doesn't happen again," he said. Daniels is scheduled to appear in court in front of a county judge on July 3.
CBS News
02-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Machete-wielding man kills one, wounds another in downtown Los Angeles, police say
Machete-wielding man kills one, wounds another in downtown Los Angeles, police say Machete-wielding man kills one, wounds another in downtown Los Angeles, police say Machete-wielding man kills one, wounds another in downtown Los Angeles, police say One person was killed and another was wounded after they were allegedly attacked by a man armed with a machete in downtown Los Angeles early Sunday morning. The first attack happened just after midnight in the 1100 block of S. Grand Avenue near 11th Street, Los Angeles police said. While they were on scene and conducting life-saving measures, officers were made aware of a second similar incident happening in the 1000 block of S. Broadway near 15th Street, police said. They arrived to the area and found a second victim. Both victims were taken to nearby hospitals, where one later died. He has only been identified as a man in his 60s. The second victim, a man believed to be in his mid-30s, was in stable condition as of Sunday night. One person was taken into custody in connection with the incidents and the alleged weapon was recovered, police said. He has not yet been identified.
