Here’s what I love about Los Angeles: Everything.
First, there’s the obvious things to love about LA like the beach and the sun and men with six-pack abs. But then there’s the secret things to love about LA like the orange blossom and sunblock smell of the air and the sound that fresh tortilla chips make when they crunch.
I like Los Angeles because I like wearing strappy sandals with short shorts and drinking juiced beets and carrots.
Certainly, there are irritants. Immediately, traffic comes to mind. But, I live in Seattle where we know a thing or two about sitting in our cars during rush hour. At least in LA, they get to do it in convertibles or with all the windows rolled down.
I sincerely love Los Angeles. The real Los Angeles.
Every time I’m there I have a great time and it’s always hard for me to leave. And it’s so much more than just the perpetual sunshine. It’s the food and the people and the hot sauce and the lemon trees.
A couple of weeks ago, experiencing an insatiable craving for sun, I packed up some shorts and boarded a plane to California for a quick weekend getaway.
At The Malibu Cafe, I drank a vodka cocktail let my friend Carolyn beat me at giant chess. I walked and walked and walked all over Venice, stopping to take pictures of wrought iron gates and houses with nice cactus gardens. I ate pork tacos (duh).
I relaxed.
I enjoyed.
I realized the secret to having the absolute best weekend in Los Angles lies in avoiding the tourist hot spots.
In skipping Hollywood Boulevard.
In passing on a day at the Santa Monica Pier.
In forgetting about the Venice Boardwalk and spending a day cruising through Little Tokyo instead.
Sip on a coffee at Tesuque Village Market Tesuque Village Market 600 Mildred Ave Venice, CA 90291 310.751.6902
Tesuque Village Market is hard to miss. With stucco walls that are boldly painted black and white in a swirl of geometric shapes, the corner store is right across the street from the historic Venice canals.
Patrons are invited into the market by a wide entrance framed, appropriately, by thorny cactus. Inside, the space is all at once cozy and vibrant. Romantic and playful. The loud design of the exterior carries inside the corner store. Blue and white tiles pattern consecutive shapes on the walls and Mexican prayer candles burn throughout. Shelves of dry goods are laced with bulby strands of retro Christmas lights. Bright LA light pours through the windows and casts a creamy glow and long shadows in the market space.
The market boats an impressive pantry of Southwestern groceries and goods. On the shelves: Blue corn pancake mixes in mason jars, bourbon filet mignon jerky and dried ancho chilis. In the deli case, prosciutto and cheddar sandwiches on baguette, mango tres leches cupcakes. When I went to LA a few weeks ago the barista whipped me up a frothy cappuccino, asking me, like a good barista should, if I wanted it wet or dry.
The market just opened in early March so for now there are no tables and chairs, even on the patio out back, to sip and enjoy your coffee. They have plans, however, to make the space out back a chill zone soon.
Pay a visit to the Norton Simon Museum Norton Simon Museum 411 W Colorado Blvd Pasadena, CA 91105 626.449.6840
While it’s not drawing crowds on the scale of LACMA or the Getty, this small, private Pasadena museum houses an equally impressive permanent collection of artwork.
The Norton Simon is small and the gallery feels intimate.
On the walls of the museum: Picassos and Froganards, Matisses and a grand Sam Francis canvas. Upstairs, a Renaissance gallery features paintings by Raphael and Botticelli.
Bronze Rodin busts peek-a-boo through lilac-colored wisteria trees that bloom wildly in the gardens behind the gallery and fountains trickle sounds of serenity. The pond at the rear of the garden, a shimmering pool teeming with flowering water lilies, reminds me of my long-ago wanderings through Monet’s gardens in Giverny.
I fondly remember once, my mother and I drove down to Pasadena and spent a spontaneous afternoon winding through the museum, oohing and ahhing at long faces painted by Modigliani and haunting Goya prints. She’d point out a Rembrandt and I’d notice a Vuillard. We took a picture in front of the Francis.
Admission to Norton Simon is $12. Spend a few hours admiring the museums masterpieces and afterwards head over to downtown Pasadena, within walking distance, and treat yourself to an iced coffee or afternoon glass of rosé.
Picnic in Will Rodgers State Park Will Rodgers State Park 1501 Will Rodgers State Park Road Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 310.454.8212
Good God I love this park.
Actually, according to my mother, here’s the park at which I celebrated my 1st birthday (Do I love LA so much because I was born there?).
Formerly the estate of American humorist Will Rodgers, it became a park in 1944 after the passing of his wife. It’s located in the Santa Monica Mountains, otherwise known as the Pacific Palisades, and it’s huge.
Th old 31-room house, that includes stables, corrals, a polo field, a riding ring, and a golf course, sits on a plot of land that stretches across 186 acres and has a little something for everyone.
Criss-crossed with hiking trails, at Will Rodgers State Park visitors can enjoy moderate 1-or 2-mile loops or challenge themselves to longer trails that lead as far as Point Mugu. On a clear day the ranch trails offer visitors spectacular views of both the surrounding city and the sea beyond.
For those looking to lounge, grassy-green lawns are shaded by big trees and peppered with picnic tables. Pack up some killer charcuterie and spread it out on a blanket in front of the ranch house or fire up the grills above the polo field and BBQ some tri tip for friends that promise to bring beer (Be warned that grills are available on a first come, first serve basis!).
Because it’s a state park, there’s a $12 parking fee, but pack a lunch and a book and it’s easily worth the money to spend a full day exploring the grounds and lounging the the sun.
Swap out a walk on the Santa Monica Pier for a Day at the beach
The truth is that the beach boardwalks, both in Santa Monica and Venice, are the worst.
Crowded with crawling tourists, overpriced tee shirt stands and medicinal marijuana card vendors, the strip of tacky shops and restaurants is reminiscent of summers in Hampton, New Hampshire.
Think Blue Curaçao cocktails, ill-fitting swimwear and triple-scoop ice cream cones.
Woof.
But, if you’re in LA, it’s absolutely obligatory to pay a visit to the beach, so I suggest skipping the piers altogether and check out the beaches in Malibu instead.
To get there, you’ll get to cruise up the Pacific Coast Highway (one of my favorite drives of all time) towards Malibu. The short drive up the coast, framed by rolling hills, foamy waves and bright Bougainvillea blossoms, is killer. A perfect snapshot of the stunning Southern California coastline.
At Rocky Beach in Topanga you’ll get to enjoy a real deal LA beach day, and practically all to yourself, too. Sand dollars and sea shells dot the sand and surfer boys glide on the water.
Oh, and the best part?
Parking along the PCH, if you can find it, is free.
Drink a mother fuckin’ Michelada
What’s a Michelada?
It’s the best damn drink in the world, that’s what.
A true Southern California favorite for pretty much every occasion.
Brunch.
Lunch.
Just because.
And it’s so simple to make, too.
You will need:
1 Can/Bottle of Mexican Lager I like to use Pacifico, Modelo, Tecate 10 dashes of Tabasco hot sauce You could also use Tapatio, Chalula, or any other hot sauce that you love. You can also mix in your favorite Bloody Mary mix. 1 lime A scoop of ice Margarita Salt
1. Rim a pint glass with crunchy margarita salt 2. Fill the pint glass with ice 3. Pour beer over ice 4. Mix in 10 dashes of hot sauce 5. Serve with a lime wedge and drink with a straw 6. Drink until drunk.
Eat at The Rose Cafe The Rose Cafe 220 Rose Ave Venice, CA 90291 310.399.0711
This place is the spot.
Located in Venice, not far from ultra hip Abbot Kinney, this cafe and restaurant is the perfect place for lunch with the girls, a place to post up with your laptop, or a quick snack to go.
The space is stunning.
Ferny greens hang from a macrame ceiling installation over a community coffee table. Big open windows fill the restaurant with natural light and a back patio offers diners outside seating.
Oh, and while I was there I also had a slice of breakfast potato pizza with creamy ricotta and a quail egg.
The bite was a dream. Peppery and velvety. The potatoes, sliced thin, were earthy and hearty and the yolk of the egg was gummy and luscious. The crust was doughy and soft. Finally, A sprinkle of fresh-chopped parsley over top added a bit of brightness.
Between my girlfriend Carolyn and I, we ate all of it.
Did I mention I was on vacation?
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