Marie's Tip

I didn’t even know this, but they’ve been rated one and two restaurants in LA for the last two years. It’s hard to get into, but you can sneak in early or call for reservations to see if there’s a cancellation. They've won a Wine Spectator Award, and there are crates of wine bottles everywhere. The chef, who they call grandma, is still there, and the food is frikkin’ amazing. They have a Thai Taco Tuesday that’s walk-in only with only the Thai Taco Tuesday menu available.

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Marie's Tip

Interestingly located in K-Town, keep an eye out for it at the bottom of Larchmont Village.

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Marie's Tip

Many celebrities frequent this spot, so keep an eye out for some of your favorites! Mark Wahlberg recommends the meatballs and lamb dish.

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Marie's Tip

My go to is their sparkling tea, it's the perfect blend of fizzy and hoppy. It has a super refreshing and crisp grapefruit flavor.

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Marie's Tip

This resturaunt is settled in the Arts District around the Soho warehouse crowd which has plenty to explore. You can walk from here to the nearby shopping and art galleries or breweries like Angel City Brewery.

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Marie's Tip

After getting yourself a beautifully curated picnic basket full of cheeses, sandwiches, fruit and sparkling waters, head over to Hollywood Bowl or the Greek nearby for the perfect afternoon. Make sure to order your basket the day before you would like it or even the morning of to ensure you get it when you want!

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Each dish changes on a regular basis, however, they always present the food in fun and inventive ways. Feel free to ask the staff any question you would like... They are approachable, fun to talk to, and know every detail inside and out. The main chef is Philip and his wife, Margarita, is a pastry chef who does all the bread and sweets.

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This hidden gem is the ultimate hole-in-the-wall experience! Step inside to find a cozy speakeasy atmosphere, where you'll be greeted with a delightful welcome cocktail. Make sure to indulge in the chef's seasonal omakase menu at the sushi bar for a truly unique dining adventure!

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Perfect place to end a day spent in WeHo or the Pacific Design Center. Keep your ears open for their nightly DJ to be transported to another world.

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Marie's Tip

Because this restaurant is in the open-air center of a building courtyard, you will be outside in the sun which usually feels really fresh! However, if there is a bit of a chill in the air, they do very thoughtfully offer blankets.

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Marie's Tip

My favorite is the coconut water juice mixed with the "banana manna" blend of almonds and banana - I love how light it is while still filling you up. The blend is so refreshing after a workout or hike, and the coconut water makes you feel rehydrated instantly! If you are visiting, I would recommend grabbing a couple of flavors to leave in your hotel fridge for easy and healthy things to snack on during your visit. They also offer shots of wheatgrass and E3Live. It's a very tiny shop (almost just a counter) with no seating. It's very locals only, with a cult following.

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As a health-conscious person, I often struggle when traveling to find places to eat that have simple and healthy ingredients. If you're tired of eating out and need a break from the butter, oil, and alcohol but are still away from home, this is a great place to break up your meals, especially if you have a big dinner planned for later in the evening. The quality of the vegetables and meat is outstanding, rivaling some of the best farmer's markets in LA. The salads are large, super clean, and flavorful. They also have amazing vegetarian and vegan options. I would recommend ordering to go or delivery so you can keep your day rolling, but you can eat there as well.

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Little Dom's is great for non-fussy, well-made comfort Italian meals with family in the early hours or with friends or a date night in the later hours. It's a fantastic brunch spot on the weekends, but they don't offer reservations, so it's walk-ins only for this meal. Reservations are available and recommended from Thursday through Sunday for dinner because it can get very busy with locals. It's a laid-back neighborhood restaurant with a buzzy energy and atmosphere. If you are seeing a show at the Greek Theatre, it's great to grab dinner here before the show because it has easy parking. The walk to the amphitheater is about 20 minutes through a beautiful neighborhood in Griffith Park with gorgeous canopy trees and homes along the way.

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There is a lot to unpack with this restaurant, and it will leave you thinking about every detail long after your visit. The grand structure is a vision, and I was told that the waffle-like steel piece does not even attach to the building but is more like a sheet atop it. The brutalist garden is also a very cool place to start your experience and is revisited later in other forms. It was really beautiful to witness this interior upon sunset as the changing light in the space created so much natural mood and emotion. My favorite drink was a white carrot, lychee, and sake yeast concoction, which was mind-blowing. The director of hospitality, Cody, is also there to walk you through bottle selections should you want to go that route. Note there is no wine list, just curated options pre-chosen to reflect the most important part of the experience: the food! Plan to get there slightly before your reservation, and take your time with EVERYTHING!

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I consider it a total win when I can eat pizza this good and not feel bad about my decision afterward. This place was so great, I went back a second time within a week of my first visit! With such fresh ingredients and thoughtfully designed dishes, you can actually leave feeling just the right amount of full before checking out the funky shops around you at the Row if you come for lunch. Dinners can be harder to swing a rez so make sure you plan ahead before driving downtown. If you want to slip in last minute, you can usually land a table for lunch right when they open, weekends included. They also have a few menu additions beyond what is listed on their site.

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Whether you enjoy antiques and new modern decor, there are plenty of interior design stalls to gain inspiration from, so be sure to check out each individual building for everything they have to offer!

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Dogs are allowed on the trails as long as they’re leashed! So feel free to bring your furry friend along for the adventure.

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Hauser & Worth Art Gallery is super cool with a great cute date night restaurant in the middle called Manuela. The food is farm to table and culinary garden people can walk through. It’s very clean and nice so it doesn’t have that typical gritty feeling you get downtown.

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Featured at The Row every Sunday that features different vendors and a produce market. I like going and trying a bunch of different things, there’s a ton of cultural food and everything is bite-sized so you can try a bunch of different things.

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Drive through the nature preserve and see all the beautiful houses before walking through it to get to the beach. It's way more private than most beaches in Malibu because you have to know it’s there since it’s in a neighborhood. The more north you go in Malibu, the more beautiful it gets because it’s more rural. There’s a small area for public parking. It’s all cliff-lined and offers a completely different experience between the bluffs vs. the stretch of sand. You can see up and down the coast, it’s a cool vantage point. There are three or four private gates to get to Little Dune, you can get a key through the HOA.

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They have the best farmer's market in the mornings every Wednesday and Sunday that features lots of organic farm products and tons of variety to sample. Other highlights of the area Larchmont Wine and Cheese which makes an incredible deli sandwich that is super popular among locals as well as Credo, a clean beauty boutique. If you're looking for a more upscale food experience, I would suggest Great White or Bettola for lunch.

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Marie's Tip

One of the best boutiques in LA is on this street and is a destination in itself, Just One Eye. The space holds some of the most prestigious designer collections, jewelry showcases, and incredible art and furniture. For food, there is a cute little restaurant with a great bar called Gigi's just across the street. It's the perfect place for afternoon drinks and shopping! Tartine Bakery also has a location here for a quick bite, or head to Siteglass Coffee for a pick-me-up!

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There’s a market called The Oaks Gourmet Market. They’ll make you a gourmet picnic basket with high end cheese, sandwiches, fruit, and sparkling waters, everything you need for a picnic to take with you to the Hollywood Bowl or the Greek. You can bring your own food inside the venue. Just order them the day before or in the morning and you won’t have to stand in line for hours at the Bowl for crap food.

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Head to John’s Garden, Sun Café, and Café Habana for fun Cuban food. Taverna Tony is a staple Greek restaurant that’s been there forever and they have Greek dancers and music at night. It’s very much a local thing to do. Nobu is across the street for a date night, and Soho House is next door if you’re a member and need to work or grab a drink.

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Grab Alfred Coffee or Moon Juice for a quick pick me up and get a quick facial at Kate Summer. Maxfield is the competition to Just One Eye, and it's really special. There is a very curated assortment of high-end apparel that includes big designers with an avant-garde vibe that's great for window shopping if it's a little out of the budget.

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Marie's Tip

This venue is home to the LA Philharmonic but other great acts pass through here as well. The concert room is really well designed and there isn't a bad seat in the house, so don't be dissuaded from going thinking you have to get the expensive seats to have a nice time. I do prefer the first terrace level/center for seating as you see everyone below and just look onto the stage. Parking is also super easy underneath the venue and only $10. If there is a long line at the bar and you are only looking for beer or wine, you can also purchase these in the food store as well to avoid the line but do know that you can not bring them inside during the performance! Give yourself enough time to enjoy them before.

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Marie's Tip

Grab Alfred Coffee or Moon Juice for a quick pick me up and get a quick facial at Kate Summer. Maxfield is the competition to Just One Eye, and it's really special. There is a very curated assortment of high-end apparel that includes big designers with an avant-garde vibe that's great for window shopping if it's a little out of the budget.

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Marie's Tip

Take the founder's masterclass for the best intro to the workout. Lauren Kleban is the ultimate idol for getting in shape, even with three kids. She's incredible!Your first class is free, and there's no need to feel nervous. The non-stop movement keeps the pace challenging in a super fun way, with all the focus on the instructor. It's super fun to do with a friend or solo. The community is friendly, supportive, and great for networking. You can book classes via their website, and I recommend going about 20 minutes early your first time so they can show you the space and all the how-tos. You can rent equipment for $5, so just show up with a bottle of water, sneakers, and a towel. The room is heated, so be ready to sweat. The facility is super elevated, clean, and zen - hang out on the cushioned benches outside before and after on a private patio with olive trees.

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Of all the amusement parks in Southern California (I have been to them all), Universal Studio has the best VIP experience for the price of what you actually get. There are two tiers (VIP and Express), but I always find that the Express pass is a great middle-ground without breaking the bank. It allows you to do every attraction one time, and lines are usually never longer than 10 minutes. At this rate, you can typically do the whole park and start your day around 2 pm if you want to save your feet (or start early and leave early). It does exclude Mario World though, so if you plan to do that without a crowd, I would arrive at opening and head straight there. My last tip is if you find yourself getting a little tired, take the studio tour ride mid-day for a little relaxation. It's still fun for the whole family, but it will get you off your feet for about 40 minutes, and you can even bring a cold beer on the tram.

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The quintessential experience for the ultimate film lover. I can't really think of much more cool and authentic in LA than visiting the Vista if you love the movies. Seating is first come first serve so be sure to get there a little early if you want a good spot. They do not show previews or commercials like traditional theatres but instead show cool old curated clips from times past that are super artistic and should not be missed so don't plan to show up a little late thinking you are going to skip the ads! They also offer beer and wine and the BEST popcorn of any theatre in LA.

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The Marciano Art Foundation is for the true contemporary art lover. Note that no classical art pieces are housed here and I would approach it more as a gallery than a museum as it is not super large but it is highly curated. You can get through the space in about an hour and a half. As an avid gallery and museum-goer, I love that this collection gives such a profound voice and platform to current living/working artists. Large-scale installations change over on the bottom floor and are built on-site a couple of times a year. I recommend going when these are open and available to view for the complete experience. When you make your reservation, you can arrive before the selected time with no trouble as long as it falls on the same day if your schedule is running behind or ahead.

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The hiking trail opens as early as 6:30 for early risers looking for a calm and healthy way to start your day. It's a fairly easy trail with gorgeous views of Universal and Studio City and at a good pace, you can finish it in about 45 minutes. Part of the path leads through a beautiful neighborhood in Laurel Canyon which is equally stunning with beautiful trees and homes. If it is your first time, I would recommend taking a screenshot of the path on your phone or at the start of the trail. There is a bathroom located halfway at the Lauren Canyon entrance but I would recommend starting at the Coldwater entrance as it is less crowded and you move against the busier direction flow of hikers.

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Marie's Tip

If you love luxury skincare this is the place to go. Not only is it a retail store, but they are also a skin spa offering state-of-the-art facial and skin treatments with cutting-edge technology and machines that reach below the surface and give your skin deep and lasting results. Lots of celebs come here before red-carpet appearances to get the Super Anti-Aging Facial which is also my personal favorite. It firms and lifts your skin and leaves you glowing for days! This is the only west coast location for the Sturm brand and the only place you can shop the entire line of products which is really quite large in comparison to what they offer online. They also have a few store-exclusive products as well as weekly promotions on different items to score a deal or try something new. I recommend booking out a week in advance especially if you are wanting to go on the weekend which are their most busy days.

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A fun way a leisurely to spend the afternoon, Montano Ave is a great combo for high and low-street shops and restaurants. The weather is usually much cooler on the west side making it perfect for a hot day. I love going to Burro Goods for fun and interesting gifting or the Logan Hollowell shop for amazing fine jewelry. Grab a bite at Brother Sushi or R+D Kitchen!

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This is the only full collection store in the US by Belgian designer Dries Van Noten. The building itself is the home of an old Charlie Chaplin dance studio which you can feel by its layout and design as you walk through the different rooms. If you are a design lover, this place is super special as it merges art, fashion, and furniture into a perfect curation of Dries's vision. There is also a cool archival room where you can shop vintage pieces from past seasons. Upstairs in the men's section, you can find a large vinyl wall and turntable where different hip guests curate playlists they are currently listening to for the store. On my last visit, the atmosphere was the sounds of Lou Reed and New Order picked out by Kirstin Dunst and James Murphy. It's super cool to see what people are spinning!

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The brand new Kodo Hotel in the Art District is very Japanese and zen, beautiful and minimalistic. It’s a fun place to stay if you have business downtown so you don’t have to drive through the financial district to get there.

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