A Guide to Winter in LA

December 26, 2019

In LA, one might not have the most typical winter experience—it definitely feels different when it’s 65 degrees and sunny outside. It might be hard to engage in idyllic winter activities like building a snowman or enjoying a White Christmas, but don’t worry: there are plenty of festive and exciting things to do if you’re fortunate enough to spend your winter in LA.

What to See

The Grove: Get your holiday shopping done at the Grove, one of LA’s biggest shopping centers. There are plenty of stores to find gifts for your loved ones or to just treat yourself! Better yet, there’s no shortage of good food, from an extensive Farmer’s Market featuring homemade ice cream, a French market, and Brazilian barbecue, to Dominique Ansel Bakery’s delectable pastries, and a Pressed Juicery for your green juice fix. Throw in a 100-foot tall Christmas tree and plenty of other holiday decorations, and you’re all set for one very festive shopping experience.

LA Zoo Lights: For colorful lights galore, check out LA Zoo Lights! Think Lincoln Zoo Lights but larger, brighter, and more colorful. With plenty of installations, most notably a tunnel of rainbow lights, there are lots of photo ops for you and your friends or family to take some cute holiday pictures.

Enchanted Forest of Light: If you want even more lights, the Descanso Garden’s Enchanted Forest of Light has your needs covered. It’s a one-mile walk where you get to interact with unique, breathtaking light installations, such as a stained glass pond and a lit-up forest. Definitely a one-of-a-kind experience to enjoy!

What to Do

Disneyland: Disneyland during the holidays? What could be more magical? Enjoy a beautifully lit castle as well as other seasonal decorations as you wait in line for your favorite ride or munch on some Mickey-shaped snacks. Even if you don’t celebrate the holidays, there’s a lot of childhood magic to relive here. Take a picture with your favorite character, snack on some overpriced but delicious food, enter the world of your favorite movie through the rides and decorations, or check out the new addition of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Wholesome fun for the whole family!

Ice Skating at LA Live: Located between the Staples Center and many concert venues, LA Live is the perfect place for some outdoor ice skating. It may not have as nice a downtown view like that of Chicago’s outdoor skating rinks, but at least it’s not freezing outside.

Hit the Beach: Speaking of nice weather, make sure to take advantage of the warmth by going to one of LA’s many beaches. If you want easy access to shopping and food, check out a popular beach like Santa Monica, Venice, or Malibu. For a less touristy option, check out Laguna or Long Beach.

Hike Griffith Park: If you’re a fan out the outdoors, make sure to go hiking in Griffith Park. You’ll get a nice uphill hike and be able to spot the Hollywood Sign and the Pacific Ocean. Once you get to the top, you’ll be met with the best view that LA has to offer! Also make sure to check out the Griffith Observatory for some cool space-themed exhibits or a chance to do some stargazing. If you want to enjoy the observatory and the view but don’t want to endure the hike, make sure to park downhill and take a bus up Mount Hollywood instead of having to suffer the hectic parking lot up the mountain.

What to Eat

Coffee: No matter the weather, what’s winter without some cozy drinks? For your coffee fix, try: Alfred Coffee, with the “But first, coffee.” cups you’ve likely seen all over Instagram; Blue Bottle Coffee, a cult favorite; Maru Coffee, featuring sleek minimalist decor; or Go Get Em Tiger, which has a cute and cozy atmosphere.

Ramen: Even in a California winter, hot drinks aren’t enough, and what’s a better warm comfort food than a bowl of ramen? Find some delicious noodles at: Daikokuya, Tsujita, Slurpin Ramen, or Ramen Maruya.

Other Recommendations: There are way too many food recommendations to categorize, so here are some more miscellaneous yummy recommendations: Commissary, a restaurant inside a greenhouse; Chosun Galbee, for the best KBBQ outside of Korea; North Italia, for some good fusion Italian food; Wanderlust Creamery, because it’s never too cold for ice cream and because they have really unique global flavors; Din Tai Fung, for life-changing xiao long bao; Urth Caffe; a basic but aesthetically pleasing choice with good sandwiches and good green tea; and Grand Central Market, a food hall where you can sample the best of the food LA has to offer.

Cover image via.

How to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth in LA

October 5, 2018

Usually I'm not the one to crave sweets or searching frantically for ice cream, but I think I can safely say that LA has changed me. Basking in the California sunlight always leaves me wanting unprecedented amounts of sugar, so I've come here to share some of my most frequented places.

1. Honeymee

If you aren't for saving the bees, you should be now. As a long-time non-fan of honey, I wasn't expecting much when I stepped into my first Honeymee. I ordered the classic "Sweetie"–some soft-serve ice cream with honey glazed over it, and then my life changed as much as it did when I first discovered waterproof mascara. I would say this is the perfect dessert for people who want something cold and sweet, but not overwhelmingly sweet. You could also spice things up by choosing one of Honeymee's many flavor selections, including chocolate and green tea toppings.

2. Beard Papa's

If you enjoy cream puffs and the small things in life, you're definitely going to want to check out Beard Papa's. I've always been a bit of a skeptic about any dessert that looks like it will get messy, but my times here have always been worth it. I stick to the original vanilla cream puff, but there's also chocolate and matcha options, as well as a variety of mochi ice creams and refreshing drinks.

3. Salt & Straw

This is one of the most popular ice cream spots in LA, so of course I had to pay it a visit. As with most places I've been to in LA, I was pleasantly surprised. The thing that sets Salt & Straw apart from its competitors is its flavor selection, ranging from what we normally see (vanilla, chocolate, cookie dough, etc) to some really out-there flavors like black olive brittle, goat cheese and honey lavender.

4. Creamistry

Because ice cream and its regular frozen product is boring, Creamistry decided to up the ice cream experience by bringing in liquid nitrogen. The largely monochromatic ice cream parlors are lined with mixing machines where you can create your own ice cream recipe and relive your first encounter with dry ice. I'd say the ice cream is a little denser than what I normally get, but it's still great.

5. Diddy Riese

If you love cookies, you're going to love Diddy Riese. While it has multiple specialties from sundaes, ice cream sandwiches and brownies, there's nothing I more aggressively crave than the white chocolate chip cookies. They're the perfect amount of sweet and gooey. I recently found out that Diddy Riese ships across the US. If life wasn't good before, it is now.

6. The Dolly Llama

The Dolly Llama takes everything that's good about self-serve froyo shops and waffle cones and takes it to another level. I think the best item you can get here is definitely the bubble waffle cone, which comes with a scoop of ice cream, two toppings and a sauce, all in a warm waffle cone. The ice cream flavors are also incredible (I recommend coffee or Cookie Monster).

Feature Image via Salt and Straw.

Los Angeles is for Living

April 20, 2018

There are some Los Angeles privileges that locals take for granted. Having eight Brandy Melville stores when the rest of America has six altogether? Going to Disneyland on a school night? I’ve heard that some people do that. And seeing Jennifer Aniston shopping at Beverly Hills? Maybe if you know the right places.

I’ve lived in the Greater Los Angeles metropolis for about eight years in total. At this point, I’m past hoping that one day while I'm window shopping, the casting director of Mulan will point dramatically at me, exclaiming, “That’s her! I’ve found our next Girl Number 3!” In any case, I’m not well-versed in many of the customs (like surfing or beach-tanning), but I feel like I know the local scene well enough to give you a quick tour of my favorite spots in the city and beyond!

Because stores are spread out in the suburbs, everyone drives around the neighborhood for basic errands, so some days seem languid and even a little boring. But once you settle in, with every new restaurant opening in the local mall, and every blockbuster that was produced by those guys down at Universal Studios, you feel like you are on the edge of the times—the front row seat of an exciting ride.

Hop on! Have a slice of the real Los Angeles.

Local Insights and Tips

The sun lives up to its reputation. LA's dry, baking heat warms the system from within, like a thermos of hot soup. Interestingly, I’ve noticed many times that the shades under trees or buildings are cool, and sometimes even chilly.
The dress code is casual, with some athletic and bohemian influences. I’ve seen girls go on shopping sprees at brands like Brandy Melville (beachy), Urban Outfitters (vintage), and Lululemon (sporty). For shoes, younger people check in at Converse, Toms, and Vans stores. Current trends favor Adidas' Stan Smith and Superstar sneakers. At some point, almost every girl has gotten a colored plastic bottle of fruity mist from Pink.
The San Gabriel Mountains are always to the north. I use them as a compass.
A plethora of Spanish street names reflects the city's history as a colonial Mexican town. The place is rich with Mexican cultural delights, from pork carnitas and authentic tamales to English/Spanish signs in stores. It’s popular to learn Spanish here in schools, and only then did I begin to appreciate the beauty of Bonita Street and El Dorado Avenue.
Some people here were raised on boba. I think it’s the underage equivalent of alcohol—you get boba as a social custom and opportunity to meet up with friends. The queue outside the renowned Half & Half Tea Express is slightly ridiculous, but if you get a chance, try the caramel milk tea + egg pudding.

Cali Style

Since its founding in 1970, Brandy Melville has been carefully crafting and idealizing the Californian cosmopolitan girl's simplistic lifestyle. The Brandy Girl wears her hair down in beachy waves, and is always seen with a relaxed, lazy smile. She never leaves the house unless she's wearing either of the following: corduroy A-line skirts, cropped pastel sweaters, logo hoodies, striped trousers, vintage jeans, strappy tanks, floral shorts, simple layered jewelry, and baseball caps. Brandy's visual marketing is a catalogue of faded July photos glimmering with all-American vibes. We're really just buying the effortless, carefree attitude that has a Brandy Melville price tag on it.

Where to Eat

1. Din Tai Fung - Taiwan cuisine, made-to-order xiao long bao (mini steamed buns), $11-$30/person. Must-Haves: Soy Noodle Salad, Wood Ear Mushrooms in a Vinegar Dressing, House Beef Soup, Sweet & Sour Spare Ribs, Sticky Rice & Pork Shao Mai, Truffle & Pork Xiao Long Bao, Vegetarian Noodle Soup, Sticky Rice Wrap w/ Pork, Red Bean Bun.

2. Souplantation - Buffet style, vegetarian-themed, $9.59/person (lunch), $11.59/person (dinner). Must-Haves: Wonton Happiness salad, Big Chunk Chicken Noodle soup, Buttermilk Cornbread, focaccia, ice cream.

3. In-N-Out - Californian-style hamburgers, < $10/person. Must-Haves: Combo #2 with Cheeseburger + Fries + Vanilla Shake.

4. There is a definite bakery culture here! Many people seem to incorporate doughnuts into their journeys to and from work, often preferring to stop by a Dunkin' Donuts. Some destinations to pick up daily dough: JJ Bakery, Some Crust Bakery, 85°C Bakery Cafe.

Feature image via

Summer 2017 Guide to LA

August 12, 2017

Our staff photographer Yamini Nambimadom, a Los Angeles local and chai aficionado, gives us the low-down on all the hottest spots she likes to frequent in LA. From the most mouthwatering food market the city has to offer, to one of Hollywood's most quaint and well-loved attractions, keep reading for some great ideas to add to your travel itinerary the next time you're in town!

images via here, here and here

1. Grand Central Market: Located in the heart of downtown, Grand Central Market will satisfy any of your stomach’s desires. Grand Central brings together the vibrant cultures and flavors of Los Angeles, with cuisine hailing from Italy to Korea and Brazil. Not only does the market have a wide array of food selections, it also hosts game nights, jazz concerts, trivia Tuesdays, and other fun events throughout the summer. It’s a perfect place to stop by during any LA adventure!

2. The Broad Museum: Opened just recently in 2015, not only is The Broad an incredible work of architecture, but it boasts a collection of over 2000 rotating pieces of contemporary art. Basquiat, Koons, Kruger, and Lichtenstein are among the many artists whose works are currently on display. The Broad’s Infinity Room is an incredible viewing experience as well. Make sure to go early, as the museum has limited capacity and the wait tends to be fairly long.

3. Hollywood Forever Cemetery: Unlike any ordinary cemetery, Hollywood Forever partners with Cinespia to bring cult-favorite films to Los Angeles every summer. Movie-goers can spread folding chairs, picnic blankets, and snacks across the eternal resting place of former Hollywood legends as they enjoy a very classic summer-in-LA experience.

Feature image via