Almost-Native Los Angeles Expert

Los Angeles and the good life

Having moved to Los Angeles at the age of 3, growing up here, and spending the majority of my adult life in and around Southern California, settling again in Los Angeles, I love to share my city and its many neighborhoods, beauties, tourist highlights, and incredibly diverse and tasty cuisine!The first thing about LA isn’t the Hollywood sign, though that seems to be a fan favorite of first-timers, it’s the beach and the beach vibe. I happen to reside in the South Bay of Los Angeles in a town called Redondo Beach which has something for everyone – sand and surf, window (and actual) shopping, people watching, great food and drinks, and what, in Costa Rica they call Pura Vida – in Redondo, I’d call it The Good Life. If I were designing a trip to LA for a first-time visitor, following are the areas I would highlight: Venice & Santa Monica – both internationally known and local favorites. Instead of heading to Muscle Beach on a first visit to Venice, I would escort you to the canals, hence the namesake of the more famous city in Italy. I’d follow that with a trip to Abbot Kinney where we can find a nice place to eat or just walk along the boulevard to experience Venice away from the beach. Being in Venice, of course, calls for a visit to the beach and the cooky, wonderfully colorful and vibrant Venice residents. Try Gjusta for a great lunch along the boardwalk. There’s a line system, so grab a ticket when you walk in and get ready for a local outdoor meal. Another must-see is Griffith Park with a trip to the Observatory and a chance to enjoy a visit to the LA hills. A nice early-morning hike followed by a trip to the Observatory (free!) and then visit Barnsdall Art Park, a hidden gem most tourists skip entirely — Frank Lloyd Wright's only UNESCO site in the city, with a jaw-dropping view of the Hollywood Sign. So, there, we get the Hollywood sign in after all. Follow the road down to Los Feliz Village, a bohemian neighborhood below the hills. Vermont Avenue and Hillhurst are packed with indie coffee shops, bookstores, and restaurants. Try Fred 62 for a diner lunch, Casa Leo for a Spanish flair, or Trattoria Farfalla for Italian deliciousness. If you end up here in the evening, check out The Dresden, a 1950s supper club that's been operating since 1954, with live jazz nightly (Wed–Sun). Think leather booths, classic cocktails, and the kind of atmosphere you can't manufacture. Come for drinks and the vibe; the food is secondary! Other neighborhoods worth visiting are Koreatown and DTLA, K-Town for an alive and active after-dark scene. In DTLA, yes, LA actually has a Downtown, the Grand Central Market is a piece of LA history, and The Broad has world-class art with free entry. The Arts District is one of the most interesting neighborhoods in all of LA, and it has a genuinely compelling backstory that shapes everything about what it feels like today. The walkable neighborhood features a stretch of early-20th-century warehouses, many former factories, converted into swanky lofts and creative spaces, with coffee shops, designer and local boutiques, and what's likely the highest density of the city's best restaurants. The street art, the food scene, the art spaces, the weekend market, the breweries, something for anyone who ventures to visit. DTLA and K-Town show off the vastness of multiculturalism that LA is home to – over 200 languages are spoken here by residents of all backgrounds. Los Angeles is so diverse, it has been called the gene pool of the world. After experiencing the grittiness of the city, move out to the suburbs and nature and enjoy Malibu and the mountains. Renting a convertible allows you to soak in the sun from head to toe. Drive along Pacific Coast Highway, known to locals as PCH, past the Starbucks in Trancus to the windy part of the road towards Santa Barbara. If you hit Oxnard, turn around and head back to enjoy the flat Santa Monica beaches or Malibu Creek State Park which feels genuinely wild. Of course, seafood is abundant, and I suggest the Reel Inn, a local staple with casual outdoor seating at reasonable prices. There is so much more to see in Los Angeles, consider the Getty Center, the Silver Lake Reservoir Walk and Neighborhood, Echo Park Lake, and food – of all kinds and varieties. There’s Pasadena and the South Bay beaches – Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo – not to mention Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and Sunset Boulevard, but you’ll be back…