
Style Agenda: LA’s East and West Sides
We’re not against being tourists in our own city, especially during the holidays. (A walk along the beach, followed by ice cream at Salt & Straw? We’ll take it.) One major benefit of living in LA is the diversity of its neighborhoods: Downtown LA is constantly changing, having recently evolved into a vibrant destination known for its inventive food scene and cool lifestyle shops; whereas the West Side can’t be beat with its easy access to the beach, family-friendly activities, and charming neighborhood blocks. Here, what to do (and wear) should you find yourself on either part of town.
WEST SIDE
-
TIBI Tie-Side
Cashmere Sweater Net-a-Porter, $695 -
NILI LOTAN Madison Pant goop, $325
-
RACHEL KATZ
Large Triangle
Earrings goop, $1,300 -
RMS BEAUTY
Lip2cheek goop, $36 -
FROM THE ROAD x goop
Yana Journey Scarf goop, $390 -
ADIDAS ORIGINALS
SUPERSTAR SNEAKER Urban Outfitters, $80 -
SPEKTRE Met-Ro 2
Flat Sunglasses goop, $289 -
VALENTINO Rockstud
Collar Tee goop, $990 -
MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION Daria
Small Cross Body Saddle Bag goop, $790
Brentwood Farmer’s Market
741 S. Gretna Green Way, Brentwood
Head to this neighborhood farmer’s market early on Sunday morning (stands open at 9 a.m.), and check out all sorts of organic prepared foods, like gluten- and dairy-free treats from Coco Bakes, hummus from Mom’s, and amazing fresh tamales. Should you need to stock the fridge for the week, there are top-notch seasonal fruit and veggies too.
Gjusta
320 Sunset Ave., Venice | 310.314.0320
Chef/owner Travis Lett is known for making the kind of impossibly gratifying California food you want to eat every day. Sister bakery/deli/café to the much-adored restaurant Gjelina, Gjusta literally does a little bit of everything. They also smoke their own fish, which means the cured and smoked mackerel, salmon, and trout—served open-face on fresh-baked bread or bialy-style—taste amazing. At the other end of the spectrum is the chicken parm—light, cheesy, and addictive. The sailcloth-covered patio (formerly, outdoor dining consisted of milk crates as tables and chairs in the parking lot—it was charming, we swear) now has ample seating. There are plenty of little takeaway treats too—house-bottled jams and loaves of bread, which Lett and team are up at 4 a.m. making fresh in their open-kitchen every morning.
Ice at Santa Monica
1324 5th St., Santa Monica | 310. 260.1199
Just a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean, this 8,000-square-foot rink is a crowd pleaser for kids—and adults too. The rink offers skate rentals, lessons (great for littles), and private cabana rentals for larger groups. On most nights through January 16, the rink is open until 10 p.m.
Shopping on Rose Avenue
Rose Ave., Venice
While Abbott Kinney tends to attract all the weekend foot traffic, it’s worth venturing a few blocks north over to Rose Avenue, where a handful of shops have popped up in recent years. Of particular note, Parachute Home, a home linens boutique chock-full of design inspiration (a rose gold-colored mirror, potted cacti, and leather-and-copper chairs from Eric Trine). Bonus: newly opened Parachute Hotel upstairs, which is available for overnight stays, plays host to special events, like a seasonal wreath-making workshop, throughout the year. A few other favorites in the neighborhood include: Lily Ashwell for pretty ceramics and vintage dresses and Moon Juice for a midday pick-me-up.
EAST SIDE
-
MAGGIE MARILYN WEAR IT YOUR WAY
RUFFLED SILK-SATIN DRESS Net-a-Porter, $500 -
LOREN STEWART
Disk Hoop and
Stud Set goop, $385 -
JENNIFER FISHER
Gold-plated ring Net-a-Porter, $325 -
MADEWELL the lisbon o-riNg
saddlebag in leatherg goop, $133.50 -
DARNER Opaque
Bamboo-Cotton
Socks goop, $34 -
Stella McCartney
ALTER CROC HIGH-HEEL BOOT goop, $865 -
ZOUND INDUSTRIES
Urbanears Hellas
Wireless
Headphones goop, $120 -
LODENTAL A-Line Coat
with Contrast Panels goop, $921
Hauser Wirth & Schimmel
901 E. 3rd St., Downtown | 213.943.1620
While the Arts District gets buzzier by the day, the arrival of Hauser Wirth & Schimmel, the massive new spin-off of the Swiss gallery Hauser & Wirth, has transformed the neighborhood. Here, occupying a block-wide stretch of 19th-and 20th-century buildings that previously served as a flour mill complex, the space feels anything but a traditional white-box gallery. The international gallery tapped Paul Schimmel, formerly the chief curator of LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art, as a partner. Look for pieces by important local artists like Paul McCarthy, Mark Bradford, and Richard Jackson. Through the end of the year, catch a survey of Austrian painter Maria Lassnig. The multi-use space also includes an education center, ARTBOOK shop, and even a community garden.
Shopping on E. 3rd Street
E. 3rd St., Downtown
The intersection of E. 3rd and S. Santa Fe in the Arts District remains one of the area’s more walkable stretches. An ideal afternoon here would be spent perusing the shelves of art books at Hennessey + Ingalls, picking out a piece of made-in-LA menswear or a burlap tote (great for the farmer’s market) at Apolis, and grabbing a coffee at Alchemy Works, before stocking up on colorful notebooks at Poketo. New to the neighborhood: Shinola’s latest boutique and The Smile’s di Alba, an off-shoot of the beloved New York City café, which is set to open a to-go outpost helmed by chef Nina Clemente.
Manuela
907 E. 3rd St., Downtown | 323.849.0480
Named for Hauser Wirth & Schimmel co-founder Manuela Wirth, the focus at this sprawling new restaurant is farm-fresh produce with a bit of Southern charm. (Look no further than the kitchen’s own on-site vegetable farm, which provides seasonal herbs, fruits, and veggies–there’s even a chicken coop.) The raw, industrial space looks out onto the gallery’s artwork-dotted courtyard, and features brass and marble fixtures, long banquette tables, and vintage furnishings. Chef Wes Whitsell’s Texas roots translate to shareable dishes like hushpuppies with molasses butter, charred okra with confit tomato and black olive, and smoked half-chicken served with dirty rice and apple chutney.
Perch
448 Hill St., Downtown | 213.802.1770
Wind down the evening on the terrace bar at Perch, which overlooks Downtown’s Pershing Square, the home of several prime examples of classic LA architecture, including the Art Deco building it tops. It has a French, bistro-themed restaurant and all the cocktails you’d want, though the real draw here is the view.