[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Let’s give a big NoHo WELCOME to The Witch’s Cottage – an exciting new addition to our NoHo community.
Taking over the gorgeous old bank building on the corner of Lankershim and Weddington, in what used to house The Federal Bar, The Witch’s Cottage is very much a destination restaurant as well as a great neighborhood spot. It’s a full bar and restaurant, a cafe/coffee house with an upstairs event space, stage and a private D&D tavern. For those of you who remember this place as it was, the change is really remarkable. Co-founders Celina Lee Surniak and Danielle Ozymandias with the help of investor/partner Ana Lovelis and hundreds of dedicated volunteers have created a unique and magical space. Twisting trunks of trees cover the once industrial pillars, there are exquisite hand painted murals absolutely everywhere and the lighting is impeccable. Surniak and Ozymandias are designers and theatre creators who have had a dream to create a space they they would be proud to call a home to LA’s many magical folk. Believe me when I tell you they have succeeded almost beyond words and have even gone little beyond their own wildest dreams. The Witch’s Cottage is actually mind blowing. As you enter the cafe in the front of the building and the beautiful purple doors door close behind you, it genuinely feels as if you have quite literally entered another realm.
The music is gentle, the atmosphere beguiling and the smiling and warmly welcoming staff absolutely adorable! As you walk through the cafe with the supmtuous arm chairs and lovely little quiet spots to sit and sip your tea and mnuch on your home made cake and doodle or whatever, there are bird calls in the air and something whimsical to look at from every angle. Then the dinning room is more of the same with every booth a different type of dreamscape and the enormous bar with its delicious cocktails and nibbles stretches across one side of the ample dinning area. The soaring ceilings are still there, but instead of feeling cavernous and imposing, they add to the voluptuousness of the goddess, witch and fairy realm atmosphere. You are at once embraced by the beauty and set free by the vibe. The Witch’s Cottage demands you to relax and be yourself. It is utter bliss!!!
How lucky we are to have this gorgeous place in the heart of NoHo…or maybe it’s just karma!!
Looking for a deeper dive into the why and the how it came to be, we asked co-founder Danielle Ozymandias all about it!
Hi Danielle! What drew you to NoHo and the old Federal bar as a home for The Witch’s Cottage?
We love the building. We were both familiar with the Federal, and we both have a lot of good memories of he,r and when we saw she was for lease, we just wondered: “what if?”
How did the two of you decide to make this together?
We’ve been talking about having a witchy cafe together for over a decade. When Danielle decided to go ahead and go for it she sent Celina a message: “you in?” and the resounding answer was “Yes!” We wanted a space that truly fit us, and everywhere else didn’t seem right. We knew there was a need for a space that was calming and felt safe, we wanted to build it.
You say this is a community space, who is your community?
Everyone with an open heart, an artistic spirit, or a touch of the wyrd. We are a witchy, artsy LGBTQ neurodivergent welcoming space.
Turning what was a rather dark space into your beautiful haven was quite a feat, how did you pull this off?
With an incredible amount of help. We had almost 200 community volunteers, friends, strangers, investors, and of course, our incredible interior designer, Jen DeRosa, working on the building for months. Then we brought on a couple of partners who own and operate a construction company-The Machina Group- and their craftsmanship finished the transformation. We were made with love by a lot of people and we absolutely would never have been able to do this ourselves
What is it about the combination of your artistry and desire that helped guide you both during what must have been some difficult moments in this gargantuan undertaking?
We’re theater kids. We get things done. We’re also both stubborn and determined and we looked at this opportunity and decided to make it work. We have always said we will do what it takes. We believe this space is needed and necessary and it is! We support each other deeply and make sure that we are able to help where we need to help. Also, all of our business meetings include tarot reads. We really value intuition and listening to “what is the next right thing?” that may change by the hour or day or minute. But there is always a next right thing.
Having experienced the space myself, I can attest to the power and the magic and the joy that fills it…what do you feel makes it all work?
Intention. Magic. Witchcraft is a tool and you can make something like The Witch’s Cottage happen if you incorporate spells, wards, safety, comfort and love into its creation. We worked at this- it didn’t happen by accident- we knew what we wanted to create. We were very intentional with who we brought onto this team. We made sure to hire folks who are in alignment with this mission and how it should make people feel like they are coming home. We are most proud of our team and community we have cultivated over the last year.
Can you please tell us a little about both your backgrounds.
Danielle comes from a restaurant, culinary, and theater background while Celina has a business, marketing, theatre, television, and film background.
Is there anything else that you think would bring people to The Witch’s Cottage?
Stop in for a spell and experience it for yourself! There is so much magic and care and whimsy. The food is stellar. The drinks are divine. And our entertainment venue is about to open its doors upstairs. So stay tuned!
Thank you, Danielle, both for this story and the incredible Witch’s Cottage, a gift to NoHo Arts District!!
To book your table and plan your visit, go the The Witch’s Cottage website https://www.witchscottage.com/.
5303 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601