Fred Armisen loves living in Los Angeles.
“It's my favorite city in the world,” says the comedian, musician and actor best known for the beloved comedy series “Portlandia” and “Saturday Night Live.” “It has a really strong sense of community for such a giant city,” he adds, noting the recent celebration surrounding the new Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the extension of the Metro D Line.
In Sunday Funday, the people of Los Angeles tell us step by step their ideal Sunday in the city. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
Armisen likes to be behind the wheel, which is how he first watched Hulu's “Deli Boys,” where he plays casino boss Max Sugar in the show's second season.
“Funnily enough, I was a fan before I was a fan of the show,” he says. “I was a billboard fanatic. I saw ads and was immediately curious. Like, 'What is that? Why is it called 'Deli Boys'? Who are these people?' There was something about the three leads, a kind of chemistry or charisma, that I wanted to be a part of.”
For him, the perfect Sunday involves walking around town, visiting record stores and visiting museums like the Museum of Jurassic Technology in Culver City. “I fell in love with it like it was its own work of art,” he says. He also enjoys going to live shows, sometimes acting, and spending time at home with his family. For him, the ideal day in Los Angeles “is a mix of all those things.”
The only place you won't find the sun-averse actor is the beach. “Los Angeles is a great place for people who hate the sun,” he says. “It has a gothic quality. A lot of the best punk bands came out of Los Angeles.” Appreciate that you can avoid the sun by staying in your car. “It feels like I can face my hatred of the sun without being in it,” he says.
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.
5 am: get up early
I love Los Angeles so much that sometimes when I wake up, it's still dark outside. It will be around 5 or 6 in the morning and it is dark, but the palm trees are silhouetted against the sky. I'll immediately have granola or Grape Nuts with blueberry almond milk. And then I like to sit quietly while it's still dark, while I drink two cups of coffee. If I go out, the town bakery and cafe on Los Feliz Boulevard is very nice for breakfast or if you have to meet someone. There's a revolt there that I really like. But lately I also have granola with yogurt.
8am: Make it a work day in Elysian Valley, aka Frogtown
I like to make every day a work day. So even if I have a day off, I try to do a work-related task. I have a music and writing space in Frogtown where I've had an office for a while. I had one there when we wrote “Portlandia.” I have my drums set up and I usually like to have everything ready for the tour. I have all these flight cases and drums there and I prepare all my equipment. I'll clean them up a bit. Sometimes I practice, not to improve my drumming rudiments, but simply because I really enjoy playing the drums.
11am:. Lunch in Frogtown
There are a few places in Frogtown where I like to have lunch. There is a vegan cafe near me called just what i Kneadingwhich is great, or the Spoke Bicycle Cafewhich is a little downstream. I like the chickpea farro dish with Brussels sprouts and tempeh. sometimes I go to Wax paper and order the Kai Ryssdal sandwich. Their sandwiches are really good and are named after National Public Radio hosts. We have to accept being pretentious. I think in these cafes we should talk about the Velvet Underground. It's almost like cosplaying. Let's really be Silver Lake. Well, you know, with bicycles.
1:00 p.m.: Run errands at Americana at Brand
I can't just stay in Frogtown, so next I would go to the American on the brand outdoor mall because sometimes when a place lacks all that pretension, it's actually very relaxing. You can walk and do many errands. I love sushi place the Bar – Seabutter Hand Rolls.
2 p.m.: Drive through Griffith Park
I love driving. That's something I love about Los Angeles. Wherever I go, I can be in my car. I like listening to the radio. It's just a peaceful place to be. There is something special about this, especially as day turns to dusk. I like to go down Sunset Boulevard or Beverly Boulevard. I also love driving Crystal Springs Drive through Griffith Park. It is the most beautiful path. The speed limit is nice and slow. In the summer, there is a free Shakespeare festival in that same park. I haven't made it yet because I usually travel, but I always wanted to go.
3 pm: Visit the record stores.
I know it's cliché for me to say I go to record stores, but I do it. I like to go to amoeba music in hollywood I will receive any reissue, as a new box. And there is always something that just comes out. Sometimes I go to a musical instrument store called vintage caveman music in Lincoln Heights just to buy some things I'll need, you know, drumsticks or whatever. Or sometimes I buy a weird little amp or keyboard.
6 p.m.: Sushi dinner in Glendale
If I go out to dinner, I like to go to Sasabune in Glendale. It is on the third floor of a building near Americana. In my opinion, Los Angeles has the best sushi in the world. Ventura Boulevard in the Valley is amazing, but this place is my favorite restaurant in the world. Wow. I love it.
8 pm: See live music.
Once a month, although it's not usually on Sundays, I play covers at a bar and record store called Permanent Records Roadhouse in cypress park. Sometimes I do stand-up Long in the Crown. But I love seeing bands live. The referent and the Teragrama Ballroom They are great places to see bands. Those two, I would say, are my two favorites because I like a little bit of space, because I can't be in front. You know, I'm so famous that bands stop playing. [laughs] when they see me No, I'm just a sponsor. I'm a fan. He greek theater It's a fantastic place to see live music. AND the ford amphitheater! The last time I went I thought, 'Why don't I come to every show here?' because it is the perfect size. It is outdoors. It's not gigantic. Every seat is good. It's really cool. I saw Neil Young there. I saw Paul McCartney in the fonda theater in March, and it was incredible. I love that he played there. I like the hollywood bowlobviously, but everyone knows it.
