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As we all know what happens to even the best-laid plans of mice and men, sometimes things don’t quite work out the way you want them to. If you first hoped to spend your spring break somewhere exotic, then downgraded that to somewhere with a younger drinking age, then gave up altogether when you couldn’t find a hotel room in Rosarito, these are the pages for you. Everyone gets stuck in Los Angeles every now and then, but just because you’re here now doesn’t mean you can’t pretend to be somewhere more exciting. With that in mind, we here at dB Magazine offer you some of L.A.’s finest escapist locations. These places will make you feel like you’re somewhere else. When living in this city, everyone needs a way to get out.

–Jake Tracer

Cock ‘n’ Bull Pub

2947 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica

(310) 399-9696

If you’re knackered after winter quarter and are looking for a piss up with the lads, head down to the Cock ‘n’ Bull Pub in Santa Monica for the best of Royal Britannia. Although the shop front looks more tacky than Tudor, the pub’s inside is finished in oak from floor to ceiling, lacking only the veritable stench of mustiness and age that has proudly taken British pubs years of rainy days to accumulate.

Boasting an extensive range of beer, a jukebox, some tatty pool tables and a fry-up to keep the worst hangovers at bay, the Cock ‘n’ Bull promises all the character of England and none of the attitude – their barmen are reported to be some of the friendliest in town.

The pub screens all the major football (Euro style) and rugby games for a pound-friendly $10 admission fee, a truly minimal amount considering the hours of pleasure you will receive drooling over the British accents of their customers. Keep your eye out for the approaching FA Cup semifinals and final games; they’re sure to be a great night out for you and your mates.

So if your mouth waters for a pint of Guinness, and your stomach gurgles at the thought of bangers and mash, pop into the Cock ‘n’ Bull and forget about the California sunshine for a little while.

–Leigh Gower

Venice Canals

Between Venice Blvd. and Washington Blvd., Venice

Lined with quaint homes and palm trees, the canals in Venice are thousands of miles from Italy in style and place.

Tucked between Venice and Washington boulevards, and spanning about four blocks, the canals are quiet, except for the occasional ringing of wind chimes drifting by. Neighbors travel up and down the street in boats from inflatable rafts to kayaks.

According to the LA INC. Convention and Visitors Bureau, the canals were designed years ago by a man named Abbot Kinney, who dreamed of transporting the charm of Venice, Italy, to the California city on the beach. His name still graces the signs of a nearby boulevard, and is honored by local restaurants and cafes.

Though boating is largely limited to residents, it’s a beautiful walk, particularly on that rare clear Los Angeles night that can transport you across the Atlantic to a tranquil world where life is a bit slower.

But as soon as you tire of that, just hop out onto Washington Boulevard and head to one of a few good restaurants. There’s Baja Cantina, technically in Marina del Rey, with a long menu of drinks, and C & O Trattoria, the Italian staple for college students with its huge portions, patio seating and walls painted to resemble old European streets.

–Charlotte Hsu

Versailles

10319 Venice Blvd.

(310) 558-3168

At the risk of inferring illegal activity, we’ll still say this Los Angeles staple restaurant offers one of the most authentic Cuban dining experiences around. And while the restaurant’s name may leave the isolated Caribbean island to refer to the period of Cuban prosperity after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1763, everything else hits the proverbial nail of Cuban culture on the head.

The immensely casual, borderline cafeteria-like dining atmosphere, low prices, and wide menu with traditional dishes ranging from tostones (french fry-like fried plantains) to ropa vieja (literally “old clothes,” a mix of flank steak and grilled peppers) make Versailles as close to Havana as you’re ever going to get, at least until Fidel Castro dies.

But what’s almost as famous as any of the food is the notorious line outside the door. Since Versailles doesn’t do reservations (an admittedly capitalist notion) and the restaurant doesn’t have room indoors to house waiting diners, people line up outside the door waiting for the chance to get in and sit down at a table. And what’s more authentically communist than waiting in line for food?

–Jake Tracer

Chosun Galbee

3330 W. Olympic Blvd. (323) 734-3330

www.chosungalbee.com

Los Angeles boasts the largest population of Korean expatriates in the world, which means that outside of an actual trip to the Far East, Los Angeles’ Koreatown is the closest thing to Korea anywhere. There’s plenty of fun to be had in the local bars and clubs, but nothing beats some good barbecue in K-Town. For the full experience, do yourself a favor and head over to Chosun Galbee, where the employees are clothed in “hanbok,” traditional Korean dress, and serve you with refreshing courtesy. Prices are steep – an order of their famous galbee will cost you at least a Jackson – but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better deal for the same quality of food and service, even after a 13-hour flight to Seoul.

–Alfred Lee

Zabumba

10717 Venice Blvd., Culver City (310) 841-6525

www.zabumba.com

Zabumba is a small all-ages club and restaurant that caters to a strong Brazilian customer base by offering South American entertainment in the form of TV game shows, music and dance lessons, carving a slice of Brazilian culture into Los Angeles. Zabumba showcases Bossa Nova, Cuban jazz and Brazilian pop music, salsa lessons, and Saturday samba nights. Under-21 patrons are only admitted before 10 p.m., and the party usually starts as the clock nears midnight. Zabumba truly is a lively, all-ages haunt as the age spectrum ranges from late teens to guests in their 50s and 60s. Waitresses serve up delicious Brazilian food and samba dance moves as they weave between diners and dancers in a small and crowded space. The live music and dancers make this place a true find – authentic, not cheesy and all without a cover price. Call ahead or check the Web site for the night’s events and get ready to dance!

–Lisa Bonos

Red Line Metro

Greater Los Angeles area www.mta.net

If you’re sick of living in the shadow of the Big Apple and wish you could partake in their cultural superiority and iconic status, you can escape there for approximately 18 minutes (Union Station to Hollywood) before stepping back out into the L.A. sun. Subway isn’t just a sandwich shop: Get a little taste of New York, New York on Los Angeles’ very own Red Line Metro, the Los Angeles subway system.

Forget the Big Blue Bus; if you want some effective public transportation with the East Coast flavor you’ve been missing, take it underground. And be glad the trains aren’t as dirty as their New York counterparts. Yet.

–David Greenwald