Home to the most celebrities in the United States, Los Angeles will put stars in the eyes in more ways than one. First visiting here as a kid to spend time with family on her father’s side, travel documentarian Michelle Halpern of Live Like It’s the Weekend chose to make the City of Angels her home base 10 years ago. She came for the year-round sunshine, Pacific Ocean and hiking, and stayed for an ever-growing list of reasons. “I love how LA feels like many cities in one,” she says, “There are still so many pockets of the city I’m continually discovering and interested in exploring.” Drawing on a decade as an Angeleno, she spills her local secrets, from the best hotel rooftops to the only spot in the city with an UNESCO World Heritage designation.
STAY
Conrad Los Angeles
Conrad Los Angeles is the ultimate stay for art and architecture lovers looking for easy access to some of the city’s best museums and cultural venues. With dramatic views overlooking Disney Hall, the hotel is also a stone’s throw from The Broad Museum, MoCA and boasts its own architectural prowess as Frank Gehry’s first Los Angeles hotel project. While here, don’t miss dinner at San Laurel, their signature restaurant led by Chef José Andrés that serves elevated Spanish tapas equally as delicious as its rooftop views overlooking Walt Disney Hall.
Santa Monica Proper Hotel
Santa Monica’s only luxury lifestyle hotel, Proper feels more like an interactive art gallery than a hotel. Every corner thoughtfully designed by Kelly Wearstler is appointed with one-of-a-kind furniture, unique architectural accents and artwork covering the soothing neutral-toned walls. Better yet, the property is a short walk to the beach past some of the neighborhood’s prime shops, bars and eateries. You won’t have to go far to find the nightlife though; Proper’s rooftop restaurant Calabra is always a scene at sunset and on weekends.
1 Hotel West Hollywood
An antithesis to the chaos of the Sunset Strip and Hollywood’s ultra glam aesthetic, 1 Hotel is an oasis filled with lush greenery, calming tones and natural materials that instantly lower the cortisol. Sustainability is top of mind in everything they do at 1 Hotel, so some of the things you can expect from the LEED Silver Certified property include farm-to-fork dining, electric Audi e-trons for guest use and sustainably sourced bedding. I recommend spending a solid chunk of your stay up on the pool deck that features sprawling Los Angeles city views and booking the Red Carpet Facial at the Bamford Spa for the ultimate Hollywood treatment.
EAT & DRINK
Pine and Crane
Serving mouthwatering Taiwanese fare with every bite, Pine and Crane is the kind of place you’ll want to return to time and time again so you can make your way down the entire menu. Here you’ll find an array of plates broken down by categories: rice dishes, noodles (both hot and cold), as well as dumplings and buns. The Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken and the steamed Clamshell Buns are a must.
The Brothers Sushi
The most exciting sushi addition to come to Santa Monica in years, The Brothers Sushi is an upscale dining experience with a stunning interior aesthetic to match. Their first outpost in Woodland Hills was so well received that they expanded to the popular Montana neighborhood, which houses some of Santa Monica’s best shops and restaurants. Definitely make a reservation if you can, and try their omakase options and bento boxes which deserve all the praise they get.
Canter’s Deli
Since 1931, Canter’s has been serving authentic Jewish deli cuisine to Angelenos, and its 24-hour location on Fairfax is somewhat of an LA icon. It has served many celebrities over the years including Elvis Presley, Taylor Swift, Marilyn Monroe and Barack Obama. Now managed by the third and fourth generations of the Canter family, the restaurant still lovingly serves up their tried and true comfort food at all hours: think melt-in-your-mouth pastrami, matzo ball soup and house-made pickles.
Great White
A Venice Beach staple, Great White is the perfect all-day cafe for grabbing classic California fare before hitting the beach—plus, it doesn’t hurt that their interior has that dreamy bohemian Mediterranean vibe. Nothing is a bad choice here, but some no-fail favorites I love time and time again are the salmon coconut curry, breakfast burrito and crispy brussels. The banana bread with whipped honeycomb butter and sea salt is also mind-blowing.
Pizzeria Bianco
The first LA outpost from the Top Chef-famous, Phoenix-based restaurant, Pizzeria Bianco lives up to the hype. Located in the ROW DTLA shopping district, this is a great place to cruise by for lunch (when the wait times are shorter), before shopping through the area’s unique assortment of clothing and homewares boutiques. For a completely unique pizza experience, order the Rosa which is charred to perfection and topped with rosemary, pistachios and salty parmesan cheese.
Ceviche Project
In Silverlake, this hole in the wall is larger than life for such a tiny locale. With a handful of tables and just nine bar seats, Ceviche Project is the perfect spot for an intimate date night of dining on fresh seafood prepared with a blast of flavor and artfully plated to perfection. Don’t miss their signature scallop shooter with uni to cap off your meal, which chef Octavio Olivas will likely whip up behind the bar right in front of your eyes.
SHOP
Acme 5 Lifestyle
An interior design mecca, Acme 5 Lifestyle is slowly expanding to locations all over California, but their outdoor Venice location is my absolute favorite. Walking into the space of curated decor vignettes feels like stepping into a garden oasis in Bali, Morocco or India. Here you’ll find the most gorgeous furniture, artisan textiles, plants and pottery to covet.
ARJ Los Angeles
ARJ Los Angeles is a locally based lifestyle shop that celebrates handcrafted items for your kitchen and table from artisans across Japan and beyond. With the most stunning scalloped dinnerware sets, sleek minimalist bowls and luxury chopsticks, this is the ultimate place to upgrade your table.
Burro
For years, Burro, located on Venice Beach’s famous shopping street Abbot Kinney Boulevard, has been my go-to pit stop anytime I need a great gift for a friend. With an eclectic but epically curated selection of items, Burro has it all—spunky greeting cards, elegant cookbooks, delicious candles, tarot cards and everything in between.
Olive Ateliers
What was once a limited drop-model interior design brand that launched in 2021 has now grown to have its own dedicated brick and mortar warehouse in LA’s Arts District. The demand for Olive Ateliers’ well-loved finds from places such as Turkey, China, Greece and India was so coveted that there were literally lines of people for blocks waiting to score their own home decor treasures. This is a must visit for all antique lovers out there.
Flask and Field
Amateur mixologists and vinophiles alike will go crazy for Flask and Field, an impeccably curated indie wine and spirits shop located in Downtown LA. While they curate some of the best offerings from small producers and artisans globally, their handwritten notes on many of the spirits they offer, giving you that “recommended by a friend” feel, are what made me really fall in love with them. Pop in here to grab a treat for your next dinner party or stop in for one of their fun weekend tastings.
Melrose Trading Post
A Sunday staple for Angelenos, the Melrose Trading Post is more than a place to shop—it’s an experience. With vendors hawking vintage Levi’s, fine art prints, antique knick knacks and even house plants, you’ll be hard pressed not to walk away from this massive venue without taking something home with you, even if it’s just a little spark of inspiration.
Explore
The Broad
Since its opening in 2015, The Broad has been a staple in the city’s contemporary arts scene. Eight years later, it still attracts queues down the block, with locals and tourists hoping to explore the abstract work of Jean-Michel Basquiat or stand in Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Room. The permanent collection is wonderful, but it’s always worth it to take a look at their rotating exhibitions to see what exciting new artists are being shown.
Hollyhock House
Los Angeles’ only UNESCO World Heritage designation, Hollyhock House is just one of many incredible architectural homes that are available to tour throughout the city. This one, built and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright between 1919 and 1921 sits upon an East Hollywood hilltop with views of Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign beyond. However, the unique architectural elements inside the home, including countless different interpretations of the Hollyhock flower, are what make the house so special.
El Matador State Beach
No visit to LA would be complete without a trip to the beach, and the prettiest ones are located just a short drive up the PCH into Malibu. El Matador is typically considered the most picturesque, with its unique rock formations that dramatically jut out of the sand. This is an incredible spot to spend the afternoon into sunset, but it’s quite a popular locale for engagements, photoshoots and the like, so try to visit on a weekday if you can.
Venice Beach Boardwalk
There’s no place in the world quite like the Venice Beach Boardwalk—it’s gritty, weird, wacky and some of the best people watching you can find in LA. Start at the Venice Sign and make your way down the boardwalk to witness the street performers, cafe goers, skate park crew and dudes pumping iron at Muscle Beach.
Hike the Hollywood Sign
Out of all the typical touristy activities that abound in Los Angeles, hiking up to the Hollywood Sign has to be one of my favorites. Over the last 100 years, it really has become such an iconic staple of the city’s history, and the views from the top provide one of the best skyline opportunities city-wide. For anyone new to LA, I highly recommend a guided combined history tour so you can get a workout in while learning about all its background.
Abbot Kinney
There are many iconic shopping streets in Los Angeles, but Abbot Kinney is definitely one of the most relaxed, with nearby beach access and an eclectic vibe that attracts the gamut, including European tourists, Venice locals, bohemian beach types and surfer dudes. A few favorites on Abbot Kinney to check out: Den Mother for all things wellness, Burro (as mentioned) for great giftables, Gjelina for delicious pizza and veggie dishes, and Ananda for affordable clothing and accessories.