Brentwood

The first California outpost of this boutique chain of nail salons has finally opened in Brentwood, and it sort of has it all: soothing, minimalist yet pretty interiors, a selection of five-free polish, excellent service, and waxing specialists cheekily called “editors.” Trust us and spring for the slightly more expensive performance polish manicure, a 45-minute treatment that uses the brand’s in-house polish line that dries in 5 minutes and wears like a gel (read: it will last you close to two weeks). Plus, Alfred is right across the street.

The original Hudson Grace is in San Francisco: There, Monelle Totah (Williams-Sonoma, Banana Republic) and Gary McNatton (Gap), turn out a very specific, pristine, and simple sensibility, evidenced by clean-lined pitchers, sturdy cutting boards, and a house line of linen napkins. They are now three boutiques strong in California—including one in the Montecito Country Mart—where you’ll find the same mix, including Cire Trudon candles, white lacquer salt mills, and Laguoile corkscrews.

Just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Country Mart, this gorgeously turned-out boutique specializes in luxury athleticwear. The brand assortment includes all our favorites, including Alala, Electric Rose, Ultracor, Alternative Apparel, and more. Many of the pieces can double as street clothes, so you could easily pick up something (comfortable) to wear to dinner among the sports bras and leggings.

As far as we’re concerned, Josh and Zoe Loeb can do no wrong—their adorable ice cream shop, which is a partnership with Shiho Yoshikawa (she used to work with Zoe at Tartine), only strengthens their case. Shiho picks up ingredients for her inventive flavors at the Santa Monica farmers market, and her milk and eggs are from local purveyors as well. Favorites include matcha, fig, and goat cheese, and the old-fashioned strawberry, which tastes fresh off the vine. Because this is LA, there are dairy-free options; if that’s your vibe, definitely try the horchata. The original is at the Brentwood Country Mart, but now they have locations all over the city: Studio City, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, and the Palisades.

Taryn Toomey and her definition-evading "class" have finally made it to Los Angeles. The experience is a self-titled cathartic experience, where you spend 75 minutes engaging in intense movement to “break open and activate ‘stagnant’ layers in the body.” In short you move, and scream, and shake, and yell as you release emotional energy–and get a pretty incredible workout in the process, care of burpees, planks, leg lifts, and squats. There's a fair bit of yoga worked in for good measure. It requires an open mind and a willing spirit. Taryn is back-and-forth from New York City, but has a small team in L.A. to lead classes in her absence—there isn't a permanent space yet, so you can find them at various locations on the Westside. Photo Credit: Jaimie Baird

This big, splashy steakhouse smack in the middle of San Vicente delivers on all the American classics you'd expect (filets, lobster rolls, and the requisite sides, like creamed spinach and mashed potatoes). It's expensive, but fun for groups or cozy date nights.

This soup cleanse-centric company has a little kiosk near the Brentwood Country Mart, though most of their business is done via delivery. A day on Soupure includes a combination of veggie soups, really nourishing bone broths, super hydrating alkaline water drinks, and chilled snacks. The way the cleanse is spaced out, you end up drinking or eating something every other hour, so there’s really no opportunity to feel hungry. Plus, instead of slamming a bottle of greens, we actually sat down and savored the food. The chicken bone miso broth was incredibly satisfying, the zucchini basil lunch was surprisingly hearty, and the Superhero nuts and seeds blend, which we had for breakfast, tasted better than most desserts. They have one, three, and five-day options along with a mini three-day cleanse that allows for a solid dinner.

Los Angeles is woefully low on old-school, home-spun diners, which makes Early World all the more compelling. Speaking of compelling, you'd never notice it from its exterior, but inside, it's a giant, unpretentious, kid-friendly, almost all-booth space manned by some of the nicest people in Brentwood. The menu has all the predictable favorites—both for littles and hungover kids from UCLA.

Located in the back of the Veteran’s Garden, a 20-acre oasis that’s dedicated to rehabilitating vets with PTSD, you’ll find a sanctuary, where injured, abused, and abandoned cockatoos, parakeets, macaws, and parrots can find relief. They’re tended and nursed back to health by veterans, who apparently find a certain satisfaction in helping something so frail get back in the air. It’s open to the public, and the birds love visitors.

Situated in the Brentwood Country Mart, the racks at Poppy are exquisitely tasteful, from the mini striped shirts from Petit Bateau to the Makie t-shirts stamped with zebras. The pricetags match the taste level, which makes this better for gifts than wardrobe basics.