I recently had the chance to jet to Los Angeles – well, Santa Monica, in particular — for a three-day trip.
With only a few days in the beach-side city, I wanted to make the most of my stay.
Thanks to recommendations from my friends at Dermalogica
(all favourites of the brand's founder Jane Wurwand), I was presented with a list of absolute must-dos while there.
These were my favourites:
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| Mandatory pre-boarding accessories pic |
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| At LAX |
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| These streets are too good not to photograph! |
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| Everything looks better in the sunshine |
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Where to stay:
The place: Palihouse Santa Monica (1001 3rd St., Santa Monica)
My take: This stunning boutique hotel has a lot of character — but somehow doesn't feel too over the top. The rooms are HUGE, complete with full kitchens. They're like a mini retro apartment.
From the fabulous breakfast, to the perfect location within a walkable distance to all things must-see in Santa Monica, this hotel was an absolute treat.
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| The courtyard |
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| My room |
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| Room service breakfast |
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| The bathroom. So cute! |
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| The courtyard (again!) |
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| The lobby |
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Where to eat:
The place: Kreation Organic Kafe (1023 Montana Ave., Santa Monica)
My take: This organic eatery serves up delicious eats that are also pretty good for you. It's the kind of place that's super busy all the time — and offers things like algae drops in your water (surprisingly tasteless) and syringes full of healthy shots (odd but oddly delicious).
The place: Gjilina (1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice)
My take: If you're planning to taste test this trendy eatery on Abbot Kinney in Venice — I recommend making a reso ... because otherwise you'll be waiting in line. The food here was delicious — think salads and appetizers as well as pizza that was TDF! The decor is cool and the patrons are even cooler. It's a place to eat, see and be seen, of course.
The place: Gracias Madre (8905 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood)
My take: When in LA, one must try two types of food: vegan and Mexican. (At least in my opinion!) This West Hollywood eatery ticks both of the aforementioned boxes by offering, yep, you guessed it, vegan Mexican food. Try the crazy-good Gorditas, Tamals and the Young Coconut Ceviche for some seriously good (and ultra-filling) eats.
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Where to shop:
The place: Abbot Kinney Blvd. (Venice)
My take: Sure, you could shop at one of the many shopping malls in the area, or, you could stroll along Abbot Kinney in Venice for a truly unique buying experience. Free of any major retail brand shops, the street boasts a cool collection of shops, restaurants, perfumers and more to wander through. My faves? Cuyana for fabulous leather goods.
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| Sweet scents from Strange Invisible Perfumes |
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| Top-down view of Abbot Kinney |
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| A few of the bags at Cuyana |
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Where to sweat:
My take: Looking to get in a sweat sesh while on holiday (beyond joining the crowds of runners along the beach?). Consider stopping in for a pilates class at Speir Pilates. The pristine space offers basic, cardio and advanced pilates classes on reformer machines. Safe to say, I was shaking with exhaustion by the end.
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Where to relax:
The place: Dermalogica on Montana (1022 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica)
My take: If you're skin's in need of a pick-me-up after flying, you're going to want to head here. Offering a comprehensive range of services —from express facials to full-on treatments — it's a local go-to for skin rehab and maintenance.
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