Outside the West Side

While your friends may be jetting off to France or Hawaii for
spring break, don’t let being stuck in Los Angeles on a
college-student budget get you down. In fact, don’t look at
yourself as “stuck” in Los Angeles.

Now that you don’t have classes to attend or reading to
do, you can use your newfound free time to explore unfamiliar parts
of the city.

Expand your understanding of Los Angeles beyond Westwood ““
head over to Peddler on the Roof to look for some new home decor to
redecorate your dorm room. Or head over to the East Side to see a
show at The Echo. There are even some cool happenings at that other
school in L.A., USC.

We’ve compiled a list of places and events worth checking
out over spring break for students remaining in Los Angeles.

Sure, everyone wants to be sipping champagne on the French
Riviera. But pick up a bottle of wine from a Silverlake Wine
tasting and head up to Malibu to enjoy the quiet beauty of Zuma
Beach. You won’t start spring quarter off in debt, and after
a few glasses you’ll be having just as much fun.

All text written and compiled by David Greenwald, Alfred
Lee, Jess Rodgers and Natalie Tate, Bruin senior staff.

Skylight Book readings Silverlake March 25, 5 p.m. March
26, 7 p.m.

Muscling its way through the corporate juggernauts Barnes &
Noble and Borders, Skylight Books is a self-described
“fiercely independent” bookstore that’s found its
niche in the eclectic Silverlake community.

Skylight is obviously great for browsing ““ a knowledgeable
staff often offers insightful recommendations ““ but
what’s more impressive are their frequent author
readings.

Over spring break alone, they’ll host L.A. Weekly film
critic F.X. Feeney discussing his book on Roman Polanski on March
25, as well as award-winning memoirist and poet Michelle Tea on
March 26.

You might be burned out after finals, but Skylight Books might
be just what you need to get excited about reading again.

The events are free. For more information, call (323) 660-1175
or go to www.skylightbooks.com.

L.A. Clippers Staples Center March 28, 7:30
p.m.

For the first time in as long as anyone can remember, the
Clippers are the best pro basketball team in Los Angeles.

See them now before ticket prices skyrocket to Lakers levels. On
March 28, they’ll be trying to put more space between
themselves and the Lake Show in the standings, facing off against
the intimidating San Antonio Spurs and their current 48-14
record.

Tickets start at $10. For more information, visit
www.ticketmaster.com.

Minimalist Jukebox Walt Disney Concert Hall March 25 and
31, 8 p.m.

What better place to hear music than in the beautiful Frank
Gehry- designed Walt Disney Concert Hall? The extensive Minimalist
Jukebox series, not limited to these performances, focuses on
modern composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass.

The March 25 evening performance is devoted to Reich. The one on
March 31 will pay homage to Glass and John Adams.

Need more incentives? You don’t want to graduate and leave
Los Angeles without ever having had the chance to see Gehry’s
L.A. architectural feat or enjoy its state-of-the-art
acoustics.

For more information, visit www.laphil.org.

“After Cézanne” Museum of Contemporary
Art Grand Avenue Through March 6, 2007

It’s often difficult to set aside free time to visit art
museums further than a 10-minute walk during the school year. Now
that you’re on break, take the time to brave traffic and head
downtown to the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Its current exhibition, “After Cézanne,”
features the work of post-World War II artists, such as Roy
Lichtenstein and Diane Arbus, who have been inspired by the French
modernist Paul Cézanne, best known for his impressionist
paintings.

While you’re there, browse the other galleries featuring
additional contemporary art displays, and have a coffee in the cafe
before heading back to Westwood.

For more information, visit www.moca.org.

Division Day The Echo, Silverlake March 27, 8:30
p.m.

With its new album “Beartrap Island” due for
release, the dark, ’80s-influenced band Division Day finishes
off a month-long Monday-night residency at The Echo with one final
free performance on March 27 at 8:30.

Every month, The Echo brings in a fresh new band or artist to
fill the Monday-night spot. Last month had up-and-coming folk group
Listing Ship.

Even if the show weren’t free, it’s Monday night
““ what else have you got to do?

For more information, visit www.attheecho.com.

Dresden RoomLos Feliz
Mondays and Saturdays,
9 p.m. ““ 1 a.m.

Elevated from cult favorite to bona fide L.A. landmark with a
cameo appearance in the film “Swingers,” cabaret duo
Marty and Elayne have ruled the Dresden Room for over 20 years.

They offer classic ’50s lounge entertainment in a swank
dining room that offers excellent and reasonably priced steakhouse
cuisine, along with standard drinks.

The act borders on being over-the-top, but it’s something
you’ll only find in Los Angeles, and you shouldn’t
leave the city without giving it a try. A well-known hipster
hangout, it gets crowded ““ especially on weekends. Try
arriving early enough to snag one of the coveted booth seats.

For more information, call (323) 665-4294.

“The Curious World of Lewis Carroll” Doheny
Memorial Library, USC Through May 24

You might think the only reason anyone in their right mind would
go to USC would be to boo the sports teams. But the beauty of
spring break is that you finally have the time to try out a few new
things ““ and one thing USC, like any major college campus,
has going for it are its arts exhibits.

“The Curious World of Lewis Carroll” honors the
author of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and
“Through the Looking Glass,” displaying first-edition
copies of both, along with everything from translated versions to
treatments by artists such as Salvador Dali. The exhibition is
free.

For those who can’t go without feeling disloyal, UCLA
alumna Marnie Weber will give an artist talk there on March 29, and
“Boroughs of Los Angeles,” a juried fine-art show of
works by art students around Los Angeles (including UCLA students)
runs through April 14.

And finally, nothing proves the value of a Trojan like free
rapid HIV testing at the Topping Student Center on March 29.

Zuma Beach Malibu Daily, 7 a.m. ““ 10
p.m.

Thanks to TV, we know spring break isn’t complete without
a trip to the beach. The drive north to Zuma Beach is well worth
it.

It’s less claustrophobic than other L.A. beaches, and,
shockingly, the water is actually clean.

During March, a hike up the cliff at Point Dume offers an ocean
view favorable for watching migrating whales. For movie buffs, Zuma
is the beach where the most famous scene from “Planet of the
Apes” takes place.

The Venice and Santa Monica beaches are fine for quick trips
during the quarter, but Zuma is the kind of photogenic Southern
California beach made for days off.

The beach is free, but parking is about $6.

Peddler on the Roof Los Angeles April 1, 10 a.m. ““
4 p.m.

Described by Angeleno Magazine as “the flea market for the
Fred Segal set” and hailed by DailyCandy.com as one of the
great outdoor markets of the world, Peddler on the Roof showcases
the work of up-and-coming Angeleno designers at reasonable
prices.

The market features an impressive mix of new trends and vintage
or collectible items, and also has set aside an area for art and
home decor pieces.

But Peddler on the Roof is an elevated flea market in more ways
than one: It is literally elevated, held on the top of a parking
structure in Hollywood.

Visitors can simply park on the lower levels for free, take an
elevator to the roof and pay a $3 entrance charge. Leave it to Los
Angeles to pick a location based on its ease of parking. For more
information, go to www.peddlerontheroof.com.

Silverlake Wine Silverlake Mondays and Thursdays, 5
““ 9 p.m.

If you’re looking to develop or indulge a palate for wine,
Silverlake Wine is a great place to start.

Completely unpretentious, they offer wine tastings twice a week
““ no reservations required. On “Blue Mondays” you
can sample three distinct wines, paired with cheeses from the local
Cheese Store of Silverlake. Thursday’s “Wine
Flight” features four wines from the same category to compare
and contrast ““ pick red, white or both.

Prices vary, but are generally around $12, making it an
opportunity to try different varieties without breaking the bank,
or heading all the way to Napa.

For more information, call (323) 662-9024 or visit
www.silverlakewine.com.