Edited by Michael Juliano timeout.com/los-angeles/things-to-do @mjuliano


Things to Do


Faux real


When film and TV productions need to decorate, they visit one of L.A.’s top prop houses—and so can you. By Michael Juliano


PROP HOUSES ARE living silver-screen museums. Chances are any time an actor dials a rotary phone or digs up a piece of forensic evidence, the thing in their hand originated from a warehouse in the Valley. But you don’t need to be a film buff or set designer to appreciate a trip to a prop house; the overwhelming accumulation of stuff, from the historical to the terrifying, makes these holdings of collectibles and cultural curios worth a visit—for everyone.


For Americana addicts Like the wild love child of a Las Vegas casino


and a Los Angeles strip mall, Nick Metropolis Collectible Furniture is filled to the brim with pop-culture relics. Owner Nick Metropolis— indeed his real name—refers to himself as the king of collectibles, and it’s difficult to dispute that title as you navigate a tent filled with a jumble of illuminated letters and a teetering tangle of Hollywood Sign knockoffs in this tight corner lot. à 100 S La Brea Ave (323-934-3700, nickmetropolis.com). Mon–Sat 10:30am–7pm, Sun 11am–7pm.


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For tiki enthusiasts Oceanic Arts’ collection is less focused on the silver screen and more on tiki establishments. For six decades, it’s outfitted popular locales, from pioneering spots such as Trader Vic’s and Don the Beachcomber to Disneyland, with nautical accessories,


tropical bird replicas and all things bamboo. Walk into the Whittier shop and it feels as though every tiki-bar enthusiast in SoCal has picked up decor from its distressed wooden shelves. à 12414 Whittier Blvd, Whittier (562-698-6960, oceanicarts .net). Mon–Fri 8am–4pm, Sat 10am–1pm.


Dapper Cadaver


morbidly curious Ghoulish and grisly decorations aren’t just for Halloween. At Dapper Cadaver, you’ll find shelves stocked with a mix of human dummies and fantastical creatures—everything from mermaid skeletons to facsimile skins straight from the “butcher shop.” When a forensic scene shows up on a crime procedural or body parts are shown on Stranger


For the January–March 2017 Time Out Los Angeles Nick Metropolis Collectible Furniture


PHOTOGRAPHS (FROM TOP): CC/FLICKR/SHARON VANDERKAAY; COURTESY DAPPER CADAVER


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