Guidebook for Los Angeles
Essentials
Trader Joe's
345 S Lake AveClose and inexpensive
Fresco Community Market
5914 Monterey RdClose to my house and local.
Whole Foods Market
788 S Grand AveOrganic chain market.
Pomona Market
2747 Lincoln Park AveOnly 1 km away and they stock basics.
Smart & Final Extra!
939 N Western AveLocal supermarket for essentials.
Shopping
Poketo
374 E 2nd StUnique for gifts and browsing.
Hennessey + Ingalls
300 S Santa Fe AveArt bookstore.
Apolis: Common Gallery
806 E 3rd StWorth a visit - mens only
Mohawk General Store
4011 Sunset BlvdQuality
The Bearded Beagle
5206 Monte Vista StVintage
Vinyl for collectors and explorers only with an esoteric EDM focus. Recently moved so check website.
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Mount Analog
2217 Hyperion AvenueVinyl for collectors and explorers only with an esoteric EDM focus. Recently moved so check website.
Permanent Records
1906 Cypress AvenueIndie Vinyl and some rare
Amoeba Music
6200 Hollywood BlvdThe holy grail of record stores.
Rockaway Records
2395 Glendale BlvdRecords and an eastside institution.
Silverlake Wine
2395 Glendale BlvdGreat wine shop
Avalon Vintage
106 N Ave 56Well curated vintage - vinyl and clothes.
Gimme Gimme Records
5810 N Figueroa StOriginals vinyl.
Pop Obscure Records
5215 Hollywood BlvdNice selection of original vinyl and wall art - most genres.
Everything Else
Gogosha Optique
1555 Sunset BlvdYou might need to upgrade your sunglasses in sunny LA but be ready to pay for it.
Drinks & Nightlife
Arcade bar with vintage pinball, video and a nice outdoor courtyard. Trendy on weekends.
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Eightytwo
707 E 4th PlArcade bar with vintage pinball, video and a nice outdoor courtyard. Trendy on weekends.
Footsies
2640 N Figueroa StLocals and mipsters.
Hipster spot with DJs on weekend and free live jazz on Sundays. A little divey and almost exclusively locals. Dive bar. Mac n Cheese food truck.
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La Cuevita
5922 N Figueroa StHipster spot with DJs on weekend and free live jazz on Sundays. A little divey and almost exclusively locals. Dive bar. Mac n Cheese food truck.
Wurstküche
800 East 3rd StreetGerman style, microbrew and brats
Villains Tavern
1356 Palmetto StreetFun spot in industrial area.
Far Bar
347 1st StreetLittle Tokyo alley bar
Angel City Brewery
216 S Alameda St
Arts District Brewing Company
828 Traction AveBrews, games and nosh
Eastside Luv Wine Bar
1835 E 1st StSangria and music
Bootleg Theater
2220 Beverly BlvdCheck website
The Teragram Ballroom
1234 W 7th St
Regent Theater DTLA
448 S Main StLot 613
613 Imperial StCheck website
Ace Hotel
929 S BroadwayBar, cafe, restaurant, rooftop, music venue. Check website.
Local micro brew with a Mexican twist. Off the beaten path. Local. Check website as they recently opened.
Wiretap Brewing
341b S Avenue 17Local micro brew with a Mexican twist. Off the beaten path. Local. Check website as they recently opened.
Echo park hipster for drinks and select food in a bar setting.
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The Semi-Tropic
1412 Glendale BlvdEcho park hipster for drinks and select food in a bar setting.
Zebulon
2478 Fletcher DrCheck their website.
Bar, restaurant and music venue/club. Recent night included Luther Vandross appreciation night complete with DJs from Tribe Called Quest and Jenny Hval. Check their website or stop by for a crafted drink.
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Lodge Room
104 N Ave 56Bar, restaurant and music venue/club. Recent night included Luther Vandross appreciation night complete with DJs from Tribe Called Quest and Jenny Hval. Check their website or stop by for a crafted drink.
In Sheep's Clothing
710 E 4th PlJapanese inspired vinyl bar.
Gold Line
5607 N Figueroa StVinyl focused with curated drink menu.
Food Scene
Blue Bottle Coffee
582 Mateo StLocal roaster from 510
Dozens of shops, outdoor street market with some artisanal or veg chooses and great people watching.
968 abantu bendawo batusa
I-Marikhi yaseGrand Central
317 S BroadwayDozens of shops, outdoor street market with some artisanal or veg chooses and great people watching.
Church & State LA
1850 Industrial StTreat yourself!
Cafe Demitasse
135 San Pedro StAmazing espresso.
Guisados
1261 Sunset BlvdFoodie tacos and yummy.
Not classy maybe even divey but good carnitas and carne asada tacos on the cheap. Locals. Walk up that never closes. 2 miles/3km from my house.
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The Original Carnitas Michoacan
1901 N BroadwayNot classy maybe even divey but good carnitas and carne asada tacos on the cheap. Locals. Walk up that never closes. 2 miles/3km from my house.
Bäco Mercat
408 S Main StAlways delivers
Orsa & Winston
122 W 4th StTreat yourself.
Zinc Cafe & Market and Bar
580 Mateo StreetNice spot and an industrial location
Donut Friend
5107 York BlvdThese are doughnuts not donuts, get it?
Cliff's Edge
3626 Sunset BlvdNice setting for brunch or dinner
Stumptown Coffee Roasters
806 S Santa Fe AveWest coast roasters
Bread Lounge
700 S Santa Fe AveSandwiches/Deli
Locals spot for cheap french dip sandwich. Fun place and an institution especially at lunch.
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Philippe The Original
1001 N Alameda StLocals spot for cheap french dip sandwich. Fun place and an institution especially at lunch.
Cafe Gratitude
639 N Larchmont BlvdVegan, organic and locally sourced juice and food spot.
Perch
448 S Hill StNice rooftop views
Bestia
2121 E 7th PlGreat food in an industrial location
You might not hear a lot of English spoken but you will have a great sushi. Come early.
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Sushi Gen
422 E 2nd StYou might not hear a lot of English spoken but you will have a great sushi. Come early.
Geoffreys
27400 Pacific Coast HwyAmazing views and setting plus the occasional rock star.
Solid Mexican fare with live music and flaming margs. My favorite local joint for the food and music but don't go when there is a Dodgers game unless baseball is your bag.
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El Compadre
7408 Sunset BlvdSolid Mexican fare with live music and flaming margs. My favorite local joint for the food and music but don't go when there is a Dodgers game unless baseball is your bag.
Bar and casual restaurant scene for burgers with outdoor courtyard.
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Everson Royce Bar
1936 E 7th StBar and casual restaurant scene for burgers with outdoor courtyard.
Good and inexpensive dumplings in hipster Highland Park.
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Mason's Dumpling Shop
5803 N Figueroa StGood and inexpensive dumplings in hipster Highland Park.
Majordomo
1725 Naud StDavid Chang's LA imprint $$$ in an industrial setting.
INKO NITO - Downtown
225-227 S Garey StArts District charming.
Manuela
907 E 3rd StFresh Mex in gallery setting and don't miss the underwear sculptor.
Triple Beam Pizza
5918 N Figueroa StNancy Silverton's pizza joint.
Melody
751 N Virgil AveEastside neighborhood spot serves modern French dishes nightly.
B Twentyfour
2223 N BroadwayThis local cafe has good coffee and breakfast/lunch.
Spoke Bicycle Cafe
3050 N Coolidge AveCycle friendly local spot.
Local fav Mediterranean inspired California cuisine featuring 100% plant-based produce and ingredients. All profits go to animal organizations.
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Little Pine
2870 Rowena AveLocal fav Mediterranean inspired California cuisine featuring 100% plant-based produce and ingredients. All profits go to animal organizations.
Arts & Culture
Amazing and will leave you speechless but only for the intelligently curious.
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I-Museum yase-Jurassic Technology
9341 Venice Blvd.Amazing and will leave you speechless but only for the intelligently curious.
Craft Contemporary
5814 Wilshire BlvdVincent Price Art Museum
1301 Avenida Cesar ChavezCheck website for times and exhibitions.
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
152 N Central AveCheck moca.org. Thursday night are free.
Ooga Twooga
356 S Mission RdStore, art space, rare cassettes, zines and a shirt that Karen O wore.
Velveteria - The Museum of Velvet Paintings
711 New High StMuseum of Neon Art
216 S Brand BlvdI-Center ye-Arts ye-Watts Towers
1727 E 107th StFun spot with great views, cafe, Hollywood sign views, James Dean bust. Free or paid admission if you want to go see the Observatory but you can walk around the grounds for free. Hiking as well.
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I-Griffith Observatory
2800 E Observatory RdFun spot with great views, cafe, Hollywood sign views, James Dean bust. Free or paid admission if you want to go see the Observatory but you can walk around the grounds for free. Hiking as well.
MOCA collaboration to help develop a tough area of LA. Great bookstore but check their website.
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The Underground Museum
3508 W Washington BlvdMOCA collaboration to help develop a tough area of LA. Great bookstore but check their website.
Isifundo saseNtsha "Urban Light"
5905 Wilshire BlvdRegen Projects
6750 Santa Monica BlvdCheck website.
Parks & Nature
Los Angeles State Historic Park
1245 N Spring StRecently renovated.
Inner city park, a lake with paddle boats plus lotus flowers.
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Echo Park Lake
Inner city park, a lake with paddle boats plus lotus flowers.
Paradise Cove Beach Cafe
28128 Pacific Coast HwyYou won't be disappointed.
See where Batman's bat cave was shot. Short hiking trail with limited views of Hollywood sign. While there check out Trails cafe.
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Bronson Canyon Playground
3200 Canyon DrSee where Batman's bat cave was shot. Short hiking trail with limited views of Hollywood sign. While there check out Trails cafe.