May Recap: My LA City Guide
Hi friends,
It’s been five days since I’ve arrived back in Paris and the jet lag is still hitting me pretty hard. I haven’t been able to stay asleep for more than five hour increments regardless of what time I go to bed so I’ve just been trying to rest and recover day by day.
As promised, I compiled a list of some of my favorite places that I visited during my LA sabbatical. Mind you, LA is more of a region than a proper city. It’s comprised of many different districts with different subcultures and it can take a lot of patience to arrive to your destination depending on where you’re coming from. Parking is tricky, traffic is bad, and gas is expensive but the weather is almost always beautiful so if you can look past the former then you’re sure to discover a gem worth the trek.
Photos correspond to each description starting from top left to right:
Museums & Galleries:
The US is renowned for its American modernist movement reflected in architecture, design, and art. These are just a few places that I visited that reflect my love for all things related to design and culture.
Neutra VDL Residence and Studio: Located on Silver Lake Blvd, the house is a beautiful representation of case study homes built in the 1930s.
Francis Gallery: Currently featuring work by a Korean artist Jessica Woo Jung Ghil.
Schindler House: Small and modest but still worth a visit. This was the first home I visited during my stay back home.
The Getty: One of the must-see places for anyone coming to LA who possess a love for art and modern architecture.
Hollyhock House: An iconic Frank Lloyd Wright Home located on top of a scenic hill overlooking the Hollywood sign. I went here for my birthday, it was divine.
The Huntington Gardens: Easily a place I could linger in all day. The Japanese and Chinese gardens are some of my favorite parts of the visit.
Seventh House: A hidden gem on Melrose. By appointment only. Read my full blog post about my visit here.
Thrifting:
I love the thrill of discovering a new treasure at a thrift store. At this point, my wardrobe is 90% secondhand or vintage.
Crossroads Trading (Melrose and Santa Monica): My favorite chain to shop secondhand clothes is Crossroads. They always carry the best brands at a reasonable price and they have multiple locations throughout SoCal.
Goodwill: Always a good place to start for thrifting. I found this great vintage tee that I’m going to gift to a friend and an embroidered hat subtly resembling a traditional Dodgers hat (I don’t watch any baseball whatsoever).
The Council Shop: A friend told me about this place in West Hollywood. It’s similar to Goodwill and you can find some great gems for cheap. I bought these Lucky Brand loafers for $8.
Shopping:
It’s a bit ironic that I used to hate driving up to West Hollywood when I was working in LA. Now, it’s one of the places that I enjoy hanging out the most when I come visit.
Lip Lab: A friend of mine took me here to make our own custom lipsticks for my birthday. I loved it so much, I took my mom here for Mother’s Day.
Two Faced Ceramics: I stumbled upon this ceramics shop after visiting Community Goods nearby. It’s also a ceramics studio where you can take classes and mingle with other creatives.
Glossier on Melrose: From it’s smaller roots in Melrose Place to a big flagship store on Melrose, the new Glossier store is a destination for all beauty lovers. I am so in love with my new Cloud Paint in Black Cherry.
Architecture Books: For those not willing to fight the crowd at Community Goods, Architecture Books is right across the street and a much calmer vibe with a bookstore and cafe. The hotdog and lemonade were pricey, but a very good afternoon snack.
Jacquemus: The newly minted Jacquemus store on Melrose is fairly small but thoughtfully laid out. It was lovely to see Jacquemus’ take on LA lifestyle and chic merch to match.
Food & Cafes:
Personally, I prefer my family’s home cooking over (almost) any dish at a restaurant but if I happen to be out, here are some of my favorite places to grab a bite.
Waka Sakura Sushi: Unlike regular conveyor belt sushi, this sushi is made to order and arrives to your table on a conveyor belt corresponding to your table. So delicious and moderately priced.
In-n-Out: I stand by my California cravings. It may not be worth the hype for others but for me, it’s always my first meal off the plane.
Nijiya Market: A locals only secret. One of the best places to get bentos and other traditional asian comfort foods.
Bacari: I’ve visited both locations in Silver Lake and Vista del Mar. Serving tapas style dishes, it’s a great place to meet with friends for brunch or dinner.
Cafe Nido: Located inside a taco restaurant, this cafe has great ambiance and a beautiful terrace to enjoy with friends.
Wilson Park Farmers Market: LA is full of farmers markets but one that I managed to visit was in my local neighborhood of the South Bay. It offers a great variety of food stands and fresh produce.
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream: Multiple locations are available throughout LA. They offer a great assortment of unique flavors.
Kettl Tea: Serving the strongest and most flavorful matcha I’ve ever tried. They serve only traditional matcha and it’s the best in my humble opinion.
Din Tai Fung: I have so many good memories coming here with friends and family. I love the beef noodle soup and soupy dumplings.
That about wraps up my LA Guide. Like I said, LA isn’t an easy city to navigate. Traffic and parking alone deter me from going anywhere on some days, but it’s true that some places are worth the visit and I hope you’ll find this guide helpful for planning your next visit to LA.
Enjoy!
From LA to Paris,
Kiana