Los Angeles's proximity to San Diego makes it an easy escape filled with great shopping, restaurants, and museums. I love spending a weekend in Lala Land, especially in the summer when the streets are bustling and Ocean Avenue is filled with people enjoying the sunshine.
While traveling this summer, I picked up a copy of Conde Nast - I love reading about traveling while flying to my travel destination. It fills me with inspiration as to what other journeys lie ahead. An article about the newly renovated The Georgian in Santa Monica piqued my interest so I booked it for our recent LA visit.
The staff set the tone before we checked in by emailing me to introduce themselves personally and to make themselves available to us. Upon arrival, we were offered a glass of wine. They know how to elevate their guests' experience. This Art Deco hotel impressed us with its stylish interior and boutique hotel experience.
pros: excellent location across the coastal promenade, walking distance from Third Street Promenade, complimentary bikes, spacious rooms with retro touches, both of its restaurants are lively, this place is a scene with top-notch restaurants including the very impressive speakeasy, The Georgian Room.
cons: the lobby is too small and the hotel is too busy with people dropping in to grab a drink at the chic bar or a bite at Sirena and The Georgian Room
Hillstone (Santa Monica)
We changed our original dining plans and opted last-minute for dinner at Hillstone since it was near our hotel and I remember loving their veggie burgers. My memory served me well. Their veggie burgers are hands down the best on the planet.
pros: energetic setting, mouthwatering veggie burgers with all the fixings
cons: hard to get a reservation on weekends
must order: a veggie burger and french fries
Ghengis Cohen (West Hollywood)
We eat at this New York-style Chinese restaurant every time we visit Los Angeles. It's become a tradition. You'll love everything about this place from the live music adjacent to the main dining space to the kitschy decor and the many New Yorkers who book a booth to feast on the authentic dishes.
pros: delicious food, easy to make a reservation, live music, friendly service
cons: if you like to stay in Santa Monica, as we do, it's a drive but totally worth it
must order: honestly, as many dishes to share as possible, everything is so good
Gracias Madre (West Hollywood)
This vegan Mexican restaurant is another staple on our list - no visit to Los Angeles is complete without us eating brunch here. I have always been fascinated by the flavors they master with vegan ingredients. I'm not normally a fan of vegan food but the kitchen here makes next-level dishes with the freshest ingredients that always yield an inspiring meal.
pros: spacious outdoor patio, terrific cocktails, and outstanding vegan dishes
cons: none
must order: the nachos are divine
Layla's Bagels (Santa Monica)
The reviews for this bagel shop are off the charts so naturally I had to head over to see what all the buzz is about. Their hand-rolled sourdough bagels come stuffed with unique ingredient combinations you won't find anywhere else and their bagels are extra toasted, which is exactly how I like my bagels. On a weekend morning, their outdoor patio was filled with locals starting their day adding to the charm of a neighborly atmosphere.
pros: interesting bagel sandwich options, fast service, plenty of outdoor seating
cons: price tag of $14-$17 per bagel
must order: sammi's egg sammy: scrambled eggs, aged cheddar, arugula, chermoula
Manuela (Arts District)
My favorite kind of restaurants are the ones that have so many incredibly tempting options that put me in conflict mode, ultimately ordering everything that strikes my fancy because it's just too hard to give up on anything. Manuela's brunch menu is filled with dishes made with many vegetable ingredients paired with protein in ways you won't find anywhere. The
expansive space lies in an old warehouse filled with art and a massive skylight above. Despite its large size, it's packed. Even with a reservation we had to wait fifteen minutes to be seated. It was totally worth the wait.
pros: tons of tantalizing options, outstanding flavors, great service
cons: off-the-beaten-path location
must order: hen of the woods mushroom, polenta cake, creme fraiche, and garlic; snake river farms hanger steak, charred poblano, tomatillo vinaigrette, fried eggs; barbecued oysters, charred poblano butter, breadcrumbs, parmesan; grilled yellowtail castelvetrano olives, red onion, celery aioli, lemon
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