You wouldn’t know there was a store there unless you lived in the neighborhood, but the owner, Chris, has an amazing list of cheeses. I love his shop because he sells what he likes, not what people tell him is good. He’s also got an incredible selection of salumi, pasta, and very good olive oil. 3926-28 W. Sunset Blvd., (323) 644-7511. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Read about Jason Kim's Silver Lake.
In Los Angeles, the cliché is that people drive one block to get a soda. But there are lots of staircases hidden in the hills of L.A. In Silver Lake, I like a two-and-a-half mile loop of stairs known as the Music Box. Parts remind me of walking through a forest. It’s a workout. Access at the corner of Sunset Blvd. and Parkman Ave. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Read about Jason Kim's Silver Lake.
Ensconced on its hill above the Pacific just west of Los Angeles, The Getty Villa is one of the great architecural/museum gems of the entire U.S...and it's FREE. This reproduction of a volcanically-buried Roman villa, excavated on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius, today houses the Getty Museum's collection of Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities. The art, marble and gardens of these palatial grounds, infused with southern California's Mediterranean light, are completely detached from the freeways and smog of nearby L.A. My first visit to the Getty Villa was when I was still a high-school student on the East Coast of the U.S.; coming back years later, after having lived in Europe, the Getty was no less impressive... While there's no admission cost, you do need to reserve advance tickets in order to visit. For more info: http://www.getty.edu/visit/
Our neighbors Peter Bahlawanian and his wife, Bronwen Tawse, import exotic ingredients and the freshest spices I’ve ever tasted: paprika, flavored salts, and black limes. They have an amazing store, and I see top chefs shopping here. We get the majority of the spices we use at Forage from them. 3819 W. Sunset Blvd., (323) 660-2565. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Read about Jason Kim's Silver Lake.
Love it or hate it, the stainless steel curves of downtown L.A.'s Walt Disney Concert Hall are arrestingly eye-catching. Designed by Frank Gehry and completed in 2003, the building is a metallic marvel. Even if you can't take one of the mid-day guided tours, it's worth 'snooping around' the free open-to-the-public areas. To get here: corner of Grand and First, downtown Los Angeles. For more info: http://www.musiccenter.org/visit/index.html
In 2011, my wife and I traveled across the country to LA for my family's annual Thanksgiving get together. There are my parents, two sisters, and their husbands, with two nephews, twin nieces, and the baby niece all under 6 years old. We spent four days with them. Fun! and tiring… Kudos to my sisters who raise their kids all year. For the rest of our trip, my wife and I got to enjoy a slower pace. There’s nothing more relaxing than a late breakfast catching up with old friends… and no kids. We definitely will cherish these moments before we start our own family.
on a stretch of coastline between malibu and oxnard, i encountered a rare find: crashing waves, tide pools and rock formations reminiscent of the pacific northwest. the small, easy to overlook access to el matador beach keeps it quiet.
I love and collect sneakers, and the guys who own Undefeated create and sell limited-edition collaborations with such brands as Puma, New Balance, and Vans. They also carry all the retro Air Jordans as soon as they are released. 3827 W. Sunset Blvd., Bldg. F, (323) 668-1315. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Read about Jason Kim's Silver Lake.
If you’re looking for that rare, first-pressing Beatles record, there’s a good chance of finding it here. The selection of vinyl is awesome. 2395 Glendale Blvd., (323) 664-3232. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Read about Jason Kim's Silver Lake.
Companion shows at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and the Pasadena Museum of California Art celebrate the styles that developed in California in the first half of the 20th century. The SBMA show (through June 16, 2013) focuses on plein air artists such as Marion Kavanaugh Wachtel and Colin Campbell Cooper. Phil Dike (“Holiday,” above) and other California Scene painters are exhibited at the PMCA through July 28, 2013. Image courtesy of the Pasadena Museum of California Art. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue.
Southern California has a plethora of wonderful ethnic restaurants and this one happens to be my favorite in Los Angeles. Located in Korea town, Feng Mao serves the most luscious cumin scented lamb kebabs grilled over charcoal. Seriously good eats.
I'm into hip-hop, and this music venue in Echo Park has the best local DJs spinning. A few months ago, Thom Yorke was popping up there jamming with his band. They also have a Prince vs. Michael Jackson night sometimes, which is the ultimate dance party. 1822 W. Sunset Blvd., (213) 413-8200. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Read about Jason Kim's Silver Lake.
In the hills above Los Angeles, near the Hollywood sign, Kepler, Galileo and Copernicus look out over the city of 'stars'... Dominating the lawn in front of Griffith Observatory, this Astronomers Monument dates from the 1930's; the Depression-era Public Works of Art Projects gave work to artists and beautified public spaces. (Nearby is another piece of statuary: a bust of James Dean--the "Rebel Without a Cause" monument, commemorating the film in which Griffith Observatory played a large role.) There's no better place in L.A. from which to see the city lights at night...or to look up at real stars through the free public telescopes in the observatory itself. For more info: http://www.griffithobservatory.org/
When thinking of coffee shops in Los Angeles, Intelligentsia likely comes to mind. While they have the corners of creativity covered on opposite sides of town (Venice and Silverlake), Coffee Commissary, in the new 801 North complex on Fairfax Ave., fills the specialty coffee craving for those in the center. Top-trained baristas pour rotating roasts from Sightglass, Coava and Victrola to ensure that every glass is packed with premium quality. Their iced and vanilla lattes are competing to be the best in town and word on the street is to ask for their Cubano for a cinnamon-y twist. They leave the stirring up to you so your pour feels pure and your cup becomes an abstract piece of art as the dark espresso drips through the milk and ice. Their soundtracking skills are superb; playing Band of Horses "Everything All The Time" in full is an A+ in my book. The chalkboard-painted wall is a playful touch to their more modern industrial design and white Ikea-like shelves frame the wall with a purposefully placed display of random antiques. The atmosphere is clean, minimal and fresh with patio and inside seating that encourages you to stick around and work or socialize while sipping on some of LA's best. Tip: Get there early during the week to pair your coffee with delicious breakfast from the EggSlut LA food truck.
A must-stop on any road trip in/out of Los Angeles, The Donut Man on historic Route 66 makes delectable light, fluffy and fresh donuts 24/7. The Tiger Tail with it's crunchy chocolate crisps are yummy, but the crumb cinnamon-sugar steals my heart. Check out the seasonal offerings such as strawberry (pictured), peanut butter, peach, and pumpkin.
I am a wanderer. And like all the other times I travel, I have no plans and no clue. While wondering around Little Tokyo in L.A. (which is awesome by the way), I came across a little cafe that thank God was not Starbucks. Here I came across man's most awesome creation... the bacon doughnut. Freshly baked, honey glazed and topped with bits of bacon... I wish I could kiss the baker. Not to mention this place serves one of the best espressos I have ever tried - can anyone say perfection? Even the water chaser was carbonated to perfection. If this was my only experience in L.A., it was definitely a good one. P.S. They also make a fruity pebbles donuts...My life will not be complete till I try it. Gotta get back to L.A.
I go to Nathan McCall and Karen Yoo’s great market in neighboring Los Feliz to get the freshest meat and fish to cook at home. They make their sausages in-house, and a blackboard lists daily specials such as squab. 2117 Hillhurst Ave., (323) 667-0674. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Read about Jason Kim's Silver Lake.
From fancy to funky to sometimes downright fugly, Melrose Ave. is a shopping mecca for all tastes and budgets. While tourists flock to this famous strip to browse the shops, locals know to show up on Sundays for the landmark Melrose Trading Post more commonly known as "The Flea" at Fairfax High School. Here you can find hipster clothing necessities like vintage boots, faded tees, handmade dresses, charm jewelry and an endless rainbow of colored-jean shorts. Need to decorate a new apartment? The Flea is a one stop shop for all types of stained-wood and hand-painted furniture, picture frames and mirrors. For those final touches and crafts you can find quirkier items like Bird and Feather's miniature glass terrariums, Mostly Minerals' rocks and gems and even a pile of old black-and-white photographs of strangers from the past. No matter how random the items they sell, the majority of booths are of a quality that warrats their own storefront boutique. The Flea is more than a cheap and consolidated way to shop; it is a space to wander through while people-watching, expanding your tastes and stumbling upon items that make you smile such as a map of Winnie The Pooh's Hundred Acre Woods mounted to a piece of wood. That was my most recent takeaway from The Flea, what will be yours?
K. C. Cole, a science writer for the Los Angeles Times, curates this occasional series of Sunday evening talks and conversations “dedicated to exploring the common ground of art, science, politics, and what not.” The venue, the Santa Monica Art Studios (shown), is a galley space in an airplane hangar at the Santa Monica Airport. Past topics have included bubbles, song, improvisation, uncertainty, space exploration, and intuition, with such speakers as actor Alan Alda and physicist Clifford Johnson. —Aimee Bender See more unique L.A. events:CicLAviaThe Big Parade
This is our favorite shop in Los Angeles. The owners stock amazing vintage clothing, and they have their own house fashion line and cute, mostly antique jewelry. (323) 461-1530. For the September, 2012 issue, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim of Opening Ceremony shared with us their favorite places in Argentina and around the world.
Originally built in the 1920's this is an enchanting example of "Storybook" architecture located in the heart of Beverly Hills at Walden and Carmelita.
The Getty Center, perched on the hills above Brentwood in Los Angeles, is one of America's great museums. Free to the public and accessible via a computer-operated tram, the complex is a citadel of art and education, all covered in Italian travertine, designed by architect Richard Meier. (It's estimated that the final costs for this state-of-the-art campus totaled just over a billion dollars.) On a clear day, the views over the city to the Pacific from the garden terraces can compete with what's inside the center's various galleries. No visit to Los Angeles is complete without spending at least half a day at the Getty Center. http://www.getty.edu/
Palsaik Samgyupsal, which translated means 8 Colors of Pork, is a divine discovery for a bacon lover like myself. Seriously, what can be better than a restaurant that specializes in flavored bacon? You can't help but salivate as marinated slices of pork sizzle and pop on the grill in front of you. The 8 flavors - Original, Wine, Ginsing, Garlic, Herb, Curry, Miso Paste and Red Pepper Paste - take your tastebuds on a delicious journey as K-Pop music videos play on flat screens in the background. There is always a crowd so make sure to call ahead, get there early and prepare yourself for a massive meal of meat and endless sides.
Our neighborhood farmers’ market takes place twice a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays. Every neighborhood should have access to good food like this. 3700 W. Sunset Blvd. and Edge Cliff Dr. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Read about Jason Kim's Silver Lake.
The Vista in Los Feliz is one of the few art deco theaters left. They play independent movies or blockbusters like The Bourne Legacy in a great setting. 4473 Sunset Dr., Los Feliz, (323) 660-6639. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Read about Jason Kim's Silver Lake.
The country chic Farmer’s Daughter hotel welcomes guests with good ol' southern hospitality and charm. The blue-and-white checkered facade greets you like Daisy Duke in a plaid button down and the friendly staff, accessorized with suspenders and bandannas, is a refreshing change from the typical try-to-hard LA uniform. The lobby sets the country-kitsch scene with a painted china rooster, brass rabbit, two pet parakeets and a stuffed sheep guarding the coveted BBQ flavored potato chips and lemonade. It’s a playful place where you can pick up a game of ping pong, read a book from their lending library, relax by the rubber-duck-filled pool, ride a single or double seated bike around town or brunch at the attached Tart restaurant with southern style dishes like the Haystuck Hussie and Cowgirl Cutie. Although you could stay entertained without leaving the hotel, it is surrounded by plenty of walking distance attractions that are worth the wander. The simple rooms, accented with farm-life flair such as lattice fence headboards and denim bed covers, are a comforting hideaway after a day of exploring and the waterfall showerheads are a luxurious surprise. On your way out make sure to pay homage to the Polaroid shrine of guests on the Wheel of Fortune (filmed across the street), use your complimentary token at the “Art-O-Mat” (a cigarette machine that dispenses painted cigarette containers), and try not to smile as you drop your business card in the bright magenta watering can.
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