Illustration by Martina Witte

Tell Us About It

We asked you to tell us about your favorite Westwood or campus hangout, and here is what some of you had to say:

The scene in Westwood in the 1940s: Tom Crumplar's ice cream parlor. Walking from the heart of campus (much smaller back then) to the center of town (also much smaller, with no high-rise buildings) was a leisurely stroll of 10 minutes. To sit on a high stool and wait for the marvelous milkshake with a nice-sized dollop of whipped cream and a cookie in the saucer to arrive was nirvana. As I remember, it cost 25 cents or less. To walk a little farther south on Gayley, you could sit on a lower, normal chair at Wil Wright's soda fountain, all festooned in red and white. Two exciting experiences with tempting treats no longer accommodated by my concern with cholesterol. My how things change in 60 years — not always for the better.

— Dan Cirlin '49, Van Nuys, Calif.

In the 1950s, our favorite hangout in Westwood was the "V.D." — the nickname for the Village Delicatessen. (Of course, at that time V.D. also stood for "venereal disease," a coincidence that we found very amusing.) On Broxton Avenue in the Village, the V.D. was a great place for an inexpensive meal and a gathering of friends. The hot corned beef piled high on rye bread was, and still is, the best I have ever tasted.

— Suzanne Dandoy '56, M.D. '60, M.P.H. '63, Tempe, Ariz.

In the mid-1960s, the Co-op had become the Coop. Much simpler than today's Cooperage, it had a limited menu and great prices. My typical lunch was a cheeseburger, French fries, slice of pizza and a Coke: 45 cents total — even then it seemed cheap. The walls were decorated with sports scenes from the 1950s: football players on the bench wearing helmets with no face masks, cheerleaders in poodle-style skirts, a big live bear (I guessed we had a live mascot then) and basketball in the gym (Pauley was brand-new when I was a freshman). But what I remember most is Dorothy, the legendary Coop lady. For my first three years, she was my best friend on campus. She was friendly, intelligent, hardworking and helpful. I never had to stand in the long lines. She'd see me walk in and get me something to eat. Because of her, I tried foods I'd never had: tacos, taquitos, green salad, hot dogs that were not kosher and fish sticks. (I led a very sheltered life.) Her daily smile and words of wisdom were as valuable to my life as any class.

— Jeff Schneider '70, Katy, Texas

Next up: They say everyone has a perfect match out there somewhere. Did you meet yours at UCLA? Tell us about your Bruin true-love connection. Send an e-mail to aburke@support.ucla.edu, fax us at (310) 794-6883 or write to Bruin Walk Editor, UCLA Magazine, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90024. Please include a phone number and city of residence.