Need place for early morning breakfast on Saturday near UCLA

[estone888]

I'm helping set up a booth at the LA Times Festival of Books - Sisters in Crime L.A. Chapter - starting at 6am on Saturday. Will probably finish by 7 or so and will want somewhere to go and sit and hopefully drink espresso - and some of us will want cappucinos or lattes or some such - and also have a reasonably good breakfast. We can probably go as far as, say, Westwood Blvd. and Pico (Junior's Deli is, I suppose a possibility - although no espresso I think), but looking for some other possibilities. Thanks for any help you can be.

[estone888]

Thanks all for the recommendations. Unfortunately, by the time the booth was set up and the bookseller had shown up and set up and all the smoke had cleared, we had barely enough time to go to the dreaded Ackerman Student Union Building where we had particularly awful espresso and cappucino (that we were reassured was from "fair trade beans." At least, presumably, the coffee growers got a good deal out of it. And ate something that purported to be a croissant that seemed to have a bunch of rolled up heavily processed turkey slices in it. I would'nt even serve that stuff to college students! In any event, the Festival of Books was exhausting but fun. It is not, however, anybody's idea of a culinary event. I'll have to make up for it tonight.

[maudies5]

Thanks for reporting back. As well, thanks for participating in the Book Festival.

[nosh]

Estone, it sure can be frustrating getting lots of recs thar don't meet your needs -- walking distance so you don't have to go in and out of the lot and pay twice.

For your coffee, there is a Starbucks one block south of campus on Broxton and Weyburn and a Coffee Bean a block east on Gayley and Weyburn. Then you can walk another block south and have a choice between Elysee, Novel Cafe (which a lot of people have praised as a good Westwood Village choice) and Headlines (which serves simple but massive plates of egges, pancakes, and bacon). Then on your walk back you can grab some pricey sweets at the Whole Foods on Gayley or some donuts at Stan's on Broxton. (Diddy Riese doesn't open until noon usually on weekends.) Another close-by option for breakfast combos is Jose Bernstein's, across Broxton from Diddy Riese, just a half-block south of campus.

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Jose Bernstein
935 Broxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

[Servorg]

Jose Bernstein, good call, nosh. The inspiration for the Kogi Truck most likely... ;-D>

[sweetTooth]

How about Clementine? If you're not driving (you didn't say this, but someone indicated no in/out privileges at UCLA parking lots) and assuming from your post that you're comfortable walking to Santa Monica Blvd., hop on a bus and go east a few stops. Opens @7am according to website.

[Emme]

There's Elysee Bakery in Westwood, which I believe opens at 6 or 7... and they have good coffees, quiches, pastries, etc.

Depending upon which way you're driving in, you could stop at Primo's and grab a box of doughnuts (you'll be everyone's hero), and then grab coffee/espressos at Elysee.

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Elysee Bakery
1099 Gayley Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

[DrBruin]

I don't think they serve espressos/cappucinos.... but if you're looking for an early breakfast, check out Headliners in Westwood. It's not fancy though but it's open at 7am and it's close. You could probably find a starbucks or the like along the way and pick up your coffees. I think Elysee may be pretty close too but I would just get coffee and pastries there. It's been years since I've eaten at either place.

[SilverlakeGirl]

Huckleberry in Santa Monica.

[Phurstluv]

Really yummy, but WAY too far, friend.

[J.L.]

Bite Bar is better than Huckleberry anyways. AND closer. (but alas, still too far for the OP)

[bulavinaka]

And they open at (I think) 8AM (still?).

[Phurstluv]

PEOPLE!!!! OP wants by UCLA!!!

Bobaloca - 10946 Weyburn St. By Stan's Donuts.

Haven't been, just Googled. Worst case, just get a friggin' donut at Stan's & Coffee at Peets!! Have fun!!

[bulavinaka]

I don't know what the OP's time constraints are, but Saturday morning < 9AM is probably one of the best times in terms of traffic. The streets and freeways are practically barren and the usual travel time is cut in half unless the signals are going against you. With that in mind, I think the OP can range quite far given say, 1 1/2 hours?

[Phurstluv]

Bula!!!! You're KILLING me tonight!!!! ROFLMAO!!!!

I think OP's point is he/she is working the event, and wants to eat something b4 the show, know what I'm sayin? I could be wrong, but that's what I got out of it.........

[bulavinaka]

So assuming they roll out for a break a little before 7AM, and the Festival starts at 10AM. I'd think 1 1/2 hours is fair considering they've already set up. Just an assumption on my part. I think the biggest battle is coming back in to the campus and finding parking.

[Phurstluv]

Perzacktly!! Brutal in that area anyway, and the festival just makes it a major clusterf*ck!!

[maudies5]

Good grief! I still think they should just walk to Jerry's Deli. They can get coffee and bagels and a comfortable booth & will feel confident that they will get back to the venue in plenty of time. Surely, Jerry's won't screw up a bagel unless they burn it in the toaster.

[bulavinaka]

I wonder if the Student Union will be open then? It should be practically deserted if it is. Nice and quiet in the Student Union - the rarest of commodities...

[Phurstluv]

Aren't they still in school, or do they get out early in the spring??

[jjw]

I'm afraid you're a little out of touch. No, school isn't out. They're all still in bed at that time on a Saturday morning.
Signed, A mother

[Phurstluv]

HAHAHAHAHA!!! Of Course!! I was gonna say it's a little early or still spring break?? Thanks for clarifying!

[goodhealthgourmet]

Elysee opens at 7 a.m. on Saturday. i haven't been there in years so i have no idea if it's still any good...
http://www.elyseebakery.com/

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Elysee Bakery
1099 Gayley Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

[wilafur]

amandine is not too far away by car. maybe 7 mins if you hit all the lights.

[J.L.]

Ratata is a cute little French brasserie (authentic flavors) which is open for breakfast - Excellent croissants & pain au chocolat. Crepes are possible, too.

Ratata is on the east side of Westwood Blvd., just a bit south of Santa Monica Blvd.

Review: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/696874

More hearty fare can be had at Mary & Robb's Westwood Cafe: Their food is OK.

[phone]
1453 Westwood Blvd. (btwn Wilshire Blvd. & Santa Monica Blvd.
)Los Angeles, CA 90024

Fancier:
Amandine, on Wilshire Blvd.

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Amandine Patissiere
12225 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Mary & Robb's Restaurant
1453 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024

[goodhealthgourmet]

just a heads-up that Mary & Robb's and Amandine don't open until 8.

Ratata sounds good - maybe they open earlier?

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Mary & Robb's Restaurant
1453 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024

[J.L.]

Open at 7AM, but quite a walking distance from UCLA, by LA standards.

[bulavinaka]

I know this rec ain't in Westwood, but Grand Casino Bakery and Cafe on Main St in Downtown Culver City opens at 6AM. Their food is actually pretty good, and their espresso machine is busy all day.

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Grand Casino Bakery
3826 Main St, Culver City, CA 90232

[maudies5]

Jerry's Deli, I think is open 24 hrs a day. It is only a few short blocks from UCLA Book Fair.
I'm not a great fan of Jerry's, but I doubt they could screw up breakfast.

[Phurstluv]

You'd prolly be surprised!!! No, no, hopefully they have a coffee / espresso machine and can't screw it up!

[estone888]

Be afraid, be very afraid. I've been informed that breakfast ought to be within walking distance of UCLA as there are no in and out privileges from the parking. Jerry's is quite possibly my very least favorite deli in L.A., but it might have to do. The only other thing that one of the other people I'm going to be with suggested is Denny's. I think not.

[Phurstluv]

Oh, I'm sure. Every year, I vow I'm going to the fest, then I chicken out. But since DH has his office across the street, it seems almost ridiculous that I don't go, since I won't have to pay for parking.

And, dear me, I will sit through Jerry's mediocre meal so as not to have to deal with Denny's. Had a very brutal experience when I was about 13, and vowed to never go back to one. You know those vows, you can't break them for anything, not even 30 years later!! I will ask my DH when he rolls in this evening where might one get a decent breakfast in the area, since he often goes to work at the crack of my ass, i mean dawn, even tho he's a cold cereal guy. He may surprise us all. Stay tuned.......

I REALLY want to go to the Cooking stage and see Alice Waters, but I am not into the MASSIVE crowds.............. any tips, estone888?? TIA!

[estone888]

Unfortunately I've never figured out how best to deal with the massive crowds other than to take deep breaths, find shady spots with as much quiet as you can and try to remain calm. The cooking stage does get particularly overrun. I imagine Alice Waters will draw a very big crowd. I've given up on it. I only go because I'm signing books at a couple of different booths at different times and helping set up and staff a booth as well.

The food on offer isn't all that good either, although I did manage to fight through the lines to a reasonably tasty Polish sausage last year. Any time within about a two hour window on either side of 1pm, the food lines are really long as well.

The best thing for an author is to attempt to find a fan and seduce them into going to stand in line to get food for you. Sometimes that works, but then I feel guilty. I imagine that whatever breakfast I end up with is going to be most of my sustenance for the day, so it will need to be substantial.

[Phurstluv]

That's what I figured. Well, best of luck to you!!

[Emme]

actually a dry veggie egg white omelette is pretty much the only thing i'll eat at jerry's... and shamefully, sometimes i'll go there for it, as it's clean.