Just a 45 minute flight from SFO, Los Angeles has become much more than a city obsessed with film culture. Today LA is synonymous with health, new cuisine, and to an extent fashion, making LaLa Land a great place to visit.
Where to Stay
The Avalon
9400 West Olympic Boulevard, Beverly Hills
This beautiful, Kelly Wearstler designed boutique hotel is not only warm and inviting, but quite friendly. In a city where everything is a 20 minute drive (without traffic), the Avalon is fairly centrally located, minutes away from the famed Rodeo Drive, and an easy drive down the 10 to Santa Monica.
Shutters on the Beach
1 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica
Shutters is your own personal beach house. Santa Monica surf and sand is literally just steps from your door. A short walk, or bike ride, or roller blading along the board walk brings you to the Santa Monica Pier.
Every corner of Shutters is perfectly thought out. Enjoy breakfast each morning in this manicured nook with waves crashing behind you.
Where to Shop
The Brentwood Country Mart
225 26th Street, Santa Monica
After visiting the BCM for the first time recently, I understand why Jennifer Garner goes there daily. Everything from coffee, to stationary, to home decor to flowers, each have their own distinctive space in this red-boarded farm house.
Sugar Paper is a bespoke stationer that brings elegant simplicity to your social correspondence notes.
Botany creates some of the most beautiful floral arrangements. Each is unique and custom to order. Their distressed wooden shop is filled not only with flowers, but with John Derian plates and vintage flower pots.
Jenni Kayne is an LA based designer known for refined classic American sportswear, and covetable flats. Her collections are filled with sumptuous fabrics and beautiful colors, things one wants to wear everyday! This flagship location also sells bags from Proenza Schouler, Dyptique candles, and jewelry from Mannin.
Kendall Conrad is a Montecito born accessories designer. Each of her pieces are limited edition, made of supple leathers and exotic alligator skins.
Farmshop is the brain child of two Bouchon & Bouchon Bakery alums, whose primary goal is to make locally grown fare accessible through community dining. This restaurant and market is great for lunch, or a coffee to go.
Clare Vivier
3339 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles
Clare Vivier is a cult favorite in the fashion world. Her logo free bags and clutches are carried by all of the 'it' girls. This flagship store does not disappoint. Bags are organized by color throughout the store and everything can be personalized!
Where to Eat
Angelini Osteria
7313 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles
If Giada de Laurentiis lists this rustic Italian restaurant as one of her LA favorites, it must be good! The Lasagna Verde is out of this world! Reservations are highly recommended as this restaurant is quite small.
Bottega Louie
700 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles
This is still on my 'must visit' list! Reviews all agree that the space can be loud, the pizzas and chocolate soufflé make up for any what did you say's from across the table.
The Ivy
113 N. Robertson Boulevard, Los Angeles
A Los Angeles staple, famous for celebrity clientele and exorbitant prices. The food, however, is quite good; guacamole is fresh and their namesake Salad with lobster is delicious. Free champagne while you wait for your table makes paying what you will pay for a salad slightly less gratuitous.
A few notes on LA
You need a car. That said prepare ahead of time, nothing in LA is close to one another. Create a Google Map of places you want to visit, to get a visual of where things are. My map looked like this.
Travel Week inadvertently turned into a form of California Dreaming... Tomorrow we will end the week with Santa Barbara.
images: Shutters and the Ivy taken by EJT, remaining are from retailers websites.
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