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LA Picks for Locals & Guests
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
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16w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
Las Frutas
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$6-$10 bucks gets you a giant plastic cup full of cold refreshing fresh fruit with some lime and chili...it's the best thing there is on a hot hot day. These vendors are also working under constant fear and stress thanks to Tr**p and his racist ICE goon squads, so money spent here is money well spent. They are everywhere, just try it!
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16w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
TACOS
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Sometimes my relatives in NYC like to say they have comparable tacos to ours. This is always met with exasperated indignation. We don't even try to compare pizza or bagels or public transit, we know NYC has us beat on that score...respect! Tacos in LA are one of our great love affairs. The city once tried to ban street vendors and the city protested so heartily that the law was revoked. You should try ANY street vendor. Some nights, we just do a taco walk instead of cooking dinner and have one taco at each neighborhood joint. ICE raids have hurt our vendor population badly, and the fear is omnipresent, so the folks on the sidewalks of LA pressing hand made tortillas are risking everything to support their families. Support them with your dollars and your happy belly. The LA Taco map is always a winner, but honestly, do it Bourdain style. Get lost. Eat Tacos.
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16w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
The Grant
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Art Deco vibes with great cocktails and friendly bartenders, it's our neighborhood spot. Lenny the neighborhood bar cat used to hang out out here but he has since retired indoors, but you must always patronize a bar that understands and embraces the cat distribution system, even if that cat is a loaner. They have also natural wine if you are into that sort of thing.
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16w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
Eagle Rock’s Aperitivo Bar “Since 1963”
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This is one of several neighborhood spots that we adore. Meatballs and a Spritz, perfetto!
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16w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
The Hollywood Roosevelt
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This is the place to grab a nice cocktail before a movie at the Chinese Theater...there are several spaces to choose from, but the Lobby is iconic!
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16w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
The Chinese Theater
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I've lived here a million years and was always an ArcLight devotee, but it closed during the pandemic, alas! It wasn't until the great Barbenheimer experience of 2023 that we went for the first time and holy cats this is a beautiful theater! Of course you have to battle your way through the nonsense of Hollywood Blvd. but it's worth it. Plus, you can get cocktails at the Roosevelt before the show, walking distance!
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17w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
Japanese Village Plaza and Environs
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I lived in DTLA for 10 years and this has always been the place. Across the street, the The Japanese American Museum is a must see, MOCA is right next door. On weekends the Plaza will be bustling with locals and cos-play kids and tourists, make sure to walk the larger areas as well. Visit Fugetsu-Do for the best Mochi, Cafe Dolce for a green tea donut, Oomasa for an old school Japanese dinner. Across the street Honda Plaza is Sushi Gen, still the best in LA. You can walk to the old arts district from here, and also the the Little Tokyo Galleria Mall which has a huge Korean grocery store, as well as karaoke, bowling and a Daiso. If you are lucky, Arthur Nakane will be playing in the Plaza and you WILL stay and listen.
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17w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
The Bendix Building
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Chock full of studios and galleries, go to Bendix Art Night, but go early and peruse all the wares of the fashion district vendors. Also, FUCK ICE because they have been terrorizing this largely Latino vendor district for over a year now.
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17w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
Grand Central Market
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It's been great for a long long time. Pop over to La Cita for margaritas, you can't lose.
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17w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
Frogtown
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I live close to here...back before they built the bridge we would either bike over the terrifying freeway overpass or wade though the river, but these days it's easy to pedal over for brunch or coffee or beer or just a nice long ride along the river.
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17w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
Melrose Hill Foodie Heaven
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Osteria La Buca is one of my favorite Italian places in LA...but there's a lot happening here now, if you want a nice sit down dinner after doing the Western Ave galleries, make a reservation because most of these places are too popular for a drop in.
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17w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
Western Ave. Galleries
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The LA Gallery scene is always moving...Chinatown, Bergamot, Culver City, Hollywood....and right now the spot is Western Ave. This used the be the furniture strip and some of it's still there, but there are galleries galore. The Brick, Zwirner, James Fuentes, Wilding Cran, Moran Moran, Ochi, and many more. Eat at Western Doma Noodles or Ggiata and make it day.
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17w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
Visit the Getty Center | Getty
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I've lived here for 30 years and The Getty Center remains one of my favorite places. Take the train, wander around outside, see the show you came for and then three more and then go see the newish Artemisia Gentileschi. You can bring your lunch and eat it on the top level balcony with sweeping views of LA. It's open until 9pm on Saturdays so it's a great date night, take in the sunset and get a glass of wine and see some art and the Irwin Garden, you can't lose. I like to walk back down so that I can see the deer.
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17w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
LA Metro Public Art
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You can take the train to the beach and to the new LACMA and all along the way there's fantastic public art so tryyyy itttttt. We have a first mile/last mile issue here so I usually park and ride or take my bike. I was away for two months and come home to a zillion new bike lanes for World Cup and the Olympics so yey!
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17w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
Zuma Beach
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Never ever swim in the south beaches, that's where all the run-off goes which is gross, and all the white suprematists are in Manhattan Beach, which is grosser. Zuma is the only beach, and you want lifeguard tower 12, which is near the end closer to the surfers. Go in the afternoon and stay until the sun starts to set and the water gets all flat and milky.
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17w
LA Picks for Locals & Guests
The Original Farmers Market
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When I moved to LA I lived across the street (pre-grove) and we'd pick up fresh whatever for dinner each night...walking in LA, that's what we did and while this place is now surrounded by insanity, it's still a gem with a spark of old LA simmering in it's heart. Take out of towners here, they always love it!
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