West LA

Whatever you go to acupuncturist Claudia Baettig for—maybe it’s everyday stress, something about your cycle, or a bigger health issue—she’ll lay out a bespoke treatment plan that’ll guide you toward your wellness goals. In addition to acupuncture, sessions might involve fire cupping (which feels so good), tuina, LED light therapy, and herbalism consultation. Baettig also offers cosmetic acupuncture and gua sha. But what keeps us coming back is Baettig herself: She explains every treatment so clearly. And she can even assuage fears of needles. (If you're interested in chiropractice, Baettig's partner, chiropractor Kevin So, works out of the same space.)

Chiropractor Kevin So is talented at finding the root cause of what's going on with your body—strains, sprains, chronic aches, whatever—and guiding you through a complete treatment path, which usually involves hands-on soft tissue treatment in the office and physical therapy exercises you complete at home. We walk out of his office feeling so much better. And if you commit to the at-home stuff, his treatment plans really work. So is also a delight to chat with—an hour-long appointment flies by. (If you're interested in acupuncture, So's partner, acupuncturist Claudia Baettig, works out of the same space.)

What’s cool about this spot is that it’s set within an auto enthusiast club, so you can peep some neat classic cars as you sip your coffee. It’s also a great spot to get work done.

You asked for healthy takeout; we delivered. Our take on takeout is a menu of hearty bowls, vibrant salads, delicious handhelds, pizza, pasta, rotisserie, and more—all gluten-free and often finished with goop Certified Clean sauces, dressings, and marinades.

The pandemic completely upended the traditional restaurant industry, and yet there is something so optimistic and heartwarming about the entrepreneurial pivots we saw coming out of this period. Carla Cafe is one such example. Initially, former tech worker Avi Ahdoot assembled his now-famous chicken aioli sandwiches at home and took orders via Instagram DM. Then, suddenly, LA’s appetite for chicken aioli exploded. Ahdoot hired a small team that now operates Carla Cafe. In the early days, they operated out of the Bootsy Bellows kitchen in West Hollywood and made just one type of sandwich a day. Now, they have a handful of sandwich options and some good chopped salads, which you can grab from the Colony ghost kitchen in West LA.

Is your family part of the 2020 class of new pet owners? If you have a new furry family member, are begged daily to adopt one by a persistent child, or simply have an animal-loving kid, PetSpace Kids Camp Online is the perfect combination of education and cuteness. A mix of games, activities, and demonstrations teach campers about grooming, animal behavior, nutrition, and more. There are plenty of virtual animal encounters, too. If a full week isn’t your jam, PetSpace also has a weekly Paws and Pages virtual story time and animal encounter, along with other online programming.

If you’re looking for deep relaxation on every level, this spot incorporates energy work, essential oils, crystals, and aromatherapy. As the name suggests, they also offer colon hydrotherapy, but if that’s not up your alley, they provide other healing modalities. A craniosacral therapy treatment releases any built-up tension--further enhancing the body’s natural healing powers—indulge in a stress-busting Reiki treatment, or rid your system of toxins with a lymphatic drainage session.

Reliably good and an American classic, Sur La Table host a series of excellent cooking classes in hundreds of their stores throughout the country (Catch the full list of national classes here https://www.surlatable.com/category/cat2211278/In+Store+Classes?cleanSession=true&pCat=CAT-259413). The LA iteration takes place on centrally located Third Street, around the beautifully outfitted cooking stations in the store itself. Expect totally practical, but still aspirational themed culinary evenings that make for the perfect date (friendly or romantic), irrespective of whether you’re a complete novice or experienced cook. Classes happen weekly and range from the helpful cooking under pressure and knife skills 101, to winter in Paris, a taste of Tuscany or the absolutely necessary fried chicken night.

With the original '80s logo intact more than 20 years later (there are even old-school pleather chairs and a matching neon sign), walking into The Bigg Chill sort of feels like a time warp. The frozen yogurt stacks up, too, with a wide assortment of flavors and endless toppings. The location is admittedly random, but as anyone who grew up here will gladly tell you, this is the kind of place that's worthy of a drive.

There's something so comforting about a hot bowl of ramen on a cold day, and anytime there's even a hint of rain in Los Angeles, the lines at Little Tokyo's Daikokuya are out the door. What makes the ramen here stand out is the broth, which is cooked with pork bones for hours to achieve its thick, flavorful consistency. The portions are huge, so be prepared to take home leftovers. This location, on Sawtelle, has the same ramen with shorter lines.