Jennifer Wattenberg Velazquez was just a four-year-old girl when her dad Richard and uncle Allen starting bringing her Downtown to visit the Bradbury Building which first housed the familyâs tiny knife sharpening shop.After 40 years of observation and first hand involvement sheâs about to take the helm; and in less than a year, Ross Cutlery, now on Broadway, and its many sharp objects will be all hers.
Ross Cutlery
Originally opened in 1930 by Mr. Ross himself, Ross Cutlery is now owned and operated by brothers Richard and Allen Wattenberg since1962. Today, Ross Cutlery carries the brands available becoming the standard in cutlery and a landmark in the heart of Downtown LA. Ross Cutlery has everything sharp and a great place for Fatherâs Day gifts.
As downtownâs restaurants continue to pop up like weeds, Ross Cutlery continues to provide everything they will need to slice, dice, stir or flip, from gigantic butchers knives to rare Japanese folded steel blades and cookware. But even if dad is not a cook, heâs sure to love their selection of vintage buzz clippers, straight razors, nostalgic wares, and signature scissors. If dadâs the rugged outdoors type, he may find himself at Ross Cutlery for hours on end, as their friendly staff will display any cutlery for his examination. If heâs ex- military, or feeling a bit Black Ops, he will definitely love a gift from Ross Cutlery. Visiting Ross would bring out anyoneâs hidden mercenary. They have enough special op looking weaponry to keep us all believing weâre equip for a 2nd or 3rd Call of Duty. 324 S Broadway, 90013.
2nd Street Cigars
DTLAâs premier cigar lounge is voted Best Cigar Lounge in Downtown Los Angeles with clientele stemming from all walks of life. Its owners, Larry Pickens, Greg Hayes and Joe Williams are family members, who before becoming owners of the shop, all cigar aficionados for decades. Many older residents may remember their 2nd Street location being called the La Plata Cigar Company, which, had been there in the mid-1970s. If dad is a cigar connoisseur heâs liable to feel right at home at the lounge at 2nd Street Cigars. If the large selection of imported and domestic cigars cased inside the humidor doesnât satisfy dadâs cravings for full bodied, medium or mild blends, the customer service and warm hospitality of the Cigar shop will definitely put him in the mood for a new box. Also, the lounge offers five flat screens showing a variety of sports everyday that keep their cigar smoking sports fans in constant conversation. And with a hearty portion of mature customers, the conversations are always easy for dad to relate to. 124 W. 2nd Street, 90012.
Bolt Barbers
Dude! Bolt Barbers is NOT a salon. Bolt Barbers is an authentic old school barbershop staffed only with Master Barber super savvyâs with fades, undercuts, pompadours, high & tight military haircuts, Mohawks, re-con haircuts, college contour cuts and hipster flips with bearded trims to match. Whatever haircut or shave you can think of, and dad has probably had them all, you can bring pop in as a walk-in or plan a special day at the man groomerâs complete with an old-fashioned shoe shine. How often does senior get to experience an old school 4-towel straight razor shave, complete with a massage? And if you canât get dad to come to Downtown, Bolt Barbers will come to dad; operating a vintage mobile barbershop that comes to your home or event.
Bolt Barbers was the brainchild of the late great Downtown Patriot (the one they used to call Mohawk Matt); a take no prisoners barber with a vintage barber chair and pole tattooed on his back. Enemies of some, friends to few, Matt had no problem telling the guys of Downtown to âMan Up!â and âGet a Hair Cutâ. Matt met an untimely end in 2014, but before his passing he had sworn, he would reinvent the American barber experience for all men and boys in America; and at least in Downtown, he did it. Add bowling, shuffleboard, root beer, and a vintage shooting gallery, and you start to get a flavor of Mattâs lifelong vision. 460 S Spring Street, 90013.
Smorgasburg
Founded in New York City by Jonathan Butler and Eric Demby in 2008, Smorgasburg rocked New York with over 100 plus local and regional food vendors and upwards of 10,000 visitors daily. Already having two locations back east, it has finally come to Downtown LA. On Fatherâs Day, The Burg will take over the Alameda Produce Market already, a super huge supplier for the restaurant industry for over 100 years, during the week, now on Sundays will convert to an artisan market for food, design, vintage, wellness, events and more. Dad can pick out gifts from any of the vendor tables while heâs moseying along intoxicated soaking up the atmosphere on over 5 acres of property. 10am-6pm. Ticketed. 746 Market Place, 90013.
746 Market Place, 90013.
PS Kaufman
When Paul Kaufman realized the fashion industry was marching to the beat of the same drum he launched pskaufman so he could at least march in his own boots. His firm belief in the value of making footwear that can be worn for decades, rather than months, is what led Kaufman to design his high quality, hand-crafted styles featuring Goodyear-welted tires for the outside soles of his shoes and boots. Footwear dad will love. Kaufman makes his heavy duty cuties on ancient machinery the same way they were done over 100 years ago and he has a basement showroom that doubles as an event space just east of Main in the Fashion District. Retailing between $50 and $400, dad is gonna love you for knowing about Kaufman. 8th Street & Werdin Place Alley, 90014.
Please Do  Not ENTER
French team Nicolas Libert and Emmanuel Renoird have brought to Downtown the reality of high end one-of-a-kind luxury items for men. Encased on the ground level of the Historic Pac Mutual Building, just south of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel on Olive and 6th, ENTER is constantly exposed to the most exclusive visitors of the Financial District. They are able to offer their patrons an eclectic array of carefully selected, timeless contemporary goods, ranging from art and fashion to fragrance. Hosting world famous art exhibitions, and private parties for clients and friends, the location is a virtual treasure chest of gift items for your patriarchs; pleasing to the eye, and hand-in-hand with timeless quality and functionality. 549 S Olive Street, 90013.
Pie Hole
Sure. When you think of pies you probably think of mom, or grandma, or aunt Betty. But when Downtown Patriots think of pie, they think of The Pie Hole. Run by family members Matthew Heffner and Sean Brennan, the Pie Hole opened in 2014. Located in the Arts District, it offers a rotating selection of pies both savory and sweet. The pies, all-delicious, range from fruity to down right meaty. Most dads love meat. And most dads love mac nâ cheese, also made into signature pies just like the others at The Pie Hole. Best thing itâs a popular hang out, very roomy with an industrial/loft style inside and curbside seating outside. Everyone is happy and people love coming because of its menuâs uniqueness. The line, that moves rather quickly, will surely make dad feel like heâs in a special place, and if he wants to be cheeky, he can order a pie to go and use it to gloat at olâ Aunt Betty. 714 Traction Avenue, 90013.
Last Book Store
Josh Spencer didnât let his physical disability stop him from becoming Californiaâs largest and most unique used book store. Confined to a wheel chair, Spencer is a true Downtown Patriot who with a handful of friends and workers, including favored fellow Downtown Patriots; event coordinator Peter Woods, book collector Brady Westwater, artist Craig Blue and local pop-up Chef Beenie of Circus Maximus (among others), worked for months transforming the 22,000 sq ft book store and mezzanine into the wonderful land of labyrinths that exist there today. Wow dad by pretending to get lost like when you were a kid and showing up again with his favorite topic.
There is always a book signing or special event and with over 250,000 new and used books to choose from, finding that perfect read for Fatherâs Day could become an annual Fatherâs Day tradition. 453 S Spring Street, 90013.
XLANES
So youâve got a hard to please dad who doesnât do much? Well, can he at least bowl? If so XLANES has over 50,000 sq ft of bowling, arcade games, and billiards. Located in Little Tokyo, on the top floor of the mall, XLANES also serves delicious appetizers, fresh pizzas, burgers, pastas and steaks. There are sixteen bowling lanes and nine pool tables where local teams compete. Of course the lanes glow in the dark thanks to state-of-the-art LED lights. But if he doesnât want to bowl, then maybe he wants to sing? XLANES has got it covered with private karaoke rooms big enough for the whole family. Dad still hates all that, huh? Well, what about sports???? XLANES shows most live sports with a full bar with projectors and 11 LED TVâs. Hah! Dad does darts…Awesome, because XLANES has a virtual dart room that will allow him to compete with players from all over the world. 333 S Alameda, 90013.
Speaking of Virtual….
The 2016 E3 convention at the Los Angeles Convention Center last week was surreal and the atmosphere electric, as the worldâs largest gaming expo focused our sights on the future…
KISMET
Kismet is a fully immersive 3D VR experience that takes users to a far-away world much like our own, but shrouded in shadows and mystery. The experience is aware of the movement of the moon and planets of our solar system and beyond, all of which will have an affect on your unique individual outcome.
David Chontos is the creator of Kismet, at Psyop Design Studio. At the core of his creative studio is the VR movement, which has given him the opportunity to challenge himself and tell the most interesting stories in an incredible new way. Although Kismet is a deep immersive VR experience inspired by the mystic arts of tarot and astrology, and each day his team embark on even more original VR experiences that push them to explore their own boundaries as artists and designers.
The VR experience is all engrossing, as the VR equipment encloses your awareness and seemingly teleports you right into the fray. From the instant you enter a simulation the video entertainment and your synopsis of whatâs real is irrevocably altered forever.
Yet, the future of VR promises much more for the world. Starting with the Nokia OZO, the first VR camera produced for professional cinematographers which features eight lenses, each with a 195-degree field of vision. It touts eight microphones with full 360 degree surround sound, allowing for positional audio with wireless recording and no mental way out.
Imagine getting your college education, finding the perfect real estate or mate, or even traveling the world, inside of a system that produces the same memories and emotions as in real life. These VR options are here and advancing at a remarkable rate. The future is now and itâs offering all of us the gift of whole new dimension.
