Downtown Hustle Bustle...

Last Saturday night, the man and I went for a late dinner at CPK, located in the 7+Fig complex (this is where the new Target is opening up in 2013) downtown. Afterward, not quite ready to head home and he with his vintage 1958 Argus in hand, we decided to drive and explore the downtown area a little. We first hit Broadway so he could take some shots of the old movie palaces all lit up. Then, continued to drive up and down all the streets from Figueroa to Los Angeles, between 1st to Olympic, to check on the burgeoning evening destinations for downtown. Alas, there is a bit of a nightlife down there that exists. Free concerts were happening in both Pershing Square and 'Grand Performances' at California Plaza. We passed by quite a few groovy, hip, cute restaurants & cafes filled with customers having late dinners, enjoying drinks & company. We also noticed a few lines outside the velvet ropes for a couple of clubs. I've been to the Edison, in the past, and the crowd there reminded me of the bridge & tunnel crowd, on the weekends, at the Manhattan nightclubs during the 1980's & early 90's.  Foodwise, I have known about Bottega Louie and have had a good breakfast there in the past, but still have yet to try it for dinner. I have heard good things about the meals at Church & State (which is a little outside this radius, but not much) also and will have to plant myself there one night for a course. It seems it is time for us to get down there and experience some of these others we passed and do not know any details about. What have you heard?