Los Angeles
Much more than just a backdrop for Hollywood and the home to some of its biggest stars, the movie capital of the world shines in myriad ways
STORY MARINA KAY
If Oscars were awarded to movie locations, LA would win for La La Land. Spruced up, with technicolour sunsets, LA plays itself well in the movie. But cinematic appeal aside, this city is also home to four million people who thrive on a lifestyle fuelled by good food, culture and lots of sun. Here’s your insider’s guide.
NAVIGATING THE SPRAWL
Some bemoan LA’s expanse – yes, this is a big city, about double the size of Chicago – but locals take the time to get what they want. Your best bet is to rent a car (Enterprise at LAX has good deals, enterprise.com) and hook up to Waze (waze.com), a navigation app that steers you clear of traffic. But if parking lots, freeways and valets freak you out, rideshare with Uber (uber.com) or Lyft (lyft.com), two car services that have opened up LA even to residents. Or, you could bike. More on that later.
NEIGHBOURHOOD BASE
“Uber has definitely helped push more nightlife into Malibu,” says Helene Henderson, chef and owner of Malibu Farm (malibu-farm.com), a popular fresh-food cafe at the end of Malibu Pier. With the sleepy surfer town now more accessible, it makes for a nice base, but is about a 20-minute drive from Santa Monica via the Pacific Coast Highway – the only way in and out of Malibu. To stay in the heart of the action, consider Beverly Grove or West Hollywood. For a central spot by the sea, opt for Santa Monica or Venice Beach. Otherwise, the buzziest hoods include Beverly Hills, Hollywood (undergoing a renaissance) and downtown LA.
SERIOUS COFFEE CULTURE
LA runs on caffeine; every serious third-wave coffee brand has an outpost here. Take downtown, with Stumptown (stumptowncoffee.com) and Groundwork (groundworkcoffee.com) in the Arts District, Verve (vervecoffee.com) by Broadway, and Blue Bottle Coffee Roasters (bluebottlecoffee.com) in the historical Bradbury Building (the set location of Bladerunner), whose cappuccino made with raw almond “milk” tastes delicious. Over in Hollywood, Aussie-based Paramount Coffee Project (pcpfx.com) makes flat whites, as does charming FIX (fixcoffeeco.com) in Echo Park. And Philz Coffee (philzcoffee.com) specialises in brewing pour-overs.
GET TO A BAKERY
It’s true LA is all about juicing and raw food diets, but a chunk of the population is obsessed with baked goods – something Zoe Nathan, pastry chef and owner of bustling Huckleberry Cafe (huckleberrycafe.com) puts down to the relaxed lifestyle. “LA is such a casual city that perfectly fits with the laid-back atmosphere of a bakery. I also think more pastry chefs are gravitating towards the city because of the big heritage grain movement and amazing produce.” Check out Mr Holmes’ Bakehouse (mrholmesbakehouse.com) for its cruffins, super Proof Bakery (proofbakery.com) for pistachio raspberry croissants and vegan banana bread, and Republique (republiquela.com), an airy brasserie housed in the one-time office of Charlie Chaplin.
ART BOOM
Getty Centre helped turn LA into an art mecca thanks to its long-running Pacific Standard Time initiative (next on from September 15 to January 31), a series of themed exhibitions run in partnership with nearby museums. That said, the Getty is an amazing space to visit any time, for its immaculate gardens, architecture and bird’s-eye city views. The Getty Villa near