- Hey guys!Going to school at USC, I’m lucky enough to call LA my home; while I definitely explored some of what LA had to offer freshman year, this past school year I’ve definitely put a much more concerted effort into going into the city and experiencing it. I was inspired even more by the release of the movie La La Land (starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, my true loves); it’s truly an ode to this incredible city.My roommate’s friends from Oregon were actually visiting this past weekend, since we had a day off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so we got a chance to play host and take them around LA a little. Here’s a list of some of the spots we took them to, with a couple of my other favorites thrown in!
- BRUNCH: There is nothing more iconic than an LA brunch. Maybe it’s the lazy sunshine of weekend mornings, maybe it’s the ridiculously expensive dinners, who knows– the bottom line is that in LA, we brunch. Dishes range from avocado toast and macro bowls to a classic eggs benedict or french toast combo. Check out one of my favorites below:
This was at Sqirl, a restaurant off Melrose. HIGHLY recommend their brioche toast. This past weekend we went to Bottega Louie, another classic place downtown; they’re famous for their multicolored + delicious macarons.
- KBBQ: there’s a surprisingly large Korean population in LA, large enough to make Koreatown a pretty influential neighborhood near Downtown LA. Koreatown has incredible coffeeshops and cool little karaoke bars, but I think what makes it most famous is the Korean BBQ- all you can eat, cook-it-yourself meat with rice, kimchi, and other side dishes. Classic places are Bud Namu, O Dae San, Jen, and more – there are literally tons of AYCE places that fit any budget. Check out how much meat we got last time (in our defense, there were 6 of us….)
BUD NAMU = YUM
- Museums: I took an intro to art history seminar my first semester at USC, and since have been incredibly fascinated with contemporary art. Luckily enough, LA is full of incredible museums, from the Broad and LACMA to various niche museums displaying local artist’s collections. The Getty, up in Malibu, is especially worth a visit, not only for the art, but also because of the beautiful architecture and location. The Broad is probably my favorite, mostly because it’s close, tickets are free, and it’s a little smaller, making it an easy 2-3 hour trip filled with amazing pieces. It’s also very close to Grand Park, which is my favorite place in LA (i’ll talk about it in a sec).
- Tourist Spots: Hollywood Sign, Griffith Park, Grand Park etc.: I’ve been to the Hollywood sign and Grand Park, along with other classic places like Grand Central Market, the Arts District and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Griffith Park is next on my list, I’ve been meaning to go since forever (for the sick views and incredible telescopes) but haven’t quite made it out yet. However, hiking the Hollywood sign gave an amazing view as well- my friends and I went at sunrise and literally watched LA wake up.
My favorite spot is Grand Park, right in the middle of downtown. It’s famous for it’s multilayered fountains, and a ton of people go there during the day to play around in the shallow water. However, I love going there at night, because the fountain lights up and turns a ton of different colors. It’s also a lot quieter; it’s a really sweet spot to look at the amazing skyscrapers and buildings around you.
- BRUNCH: There is nothing more iconic than an LA brunch. Maybe it’s the lazy sunshine of weekend mornings, maybe it’s the ridiculously expensive dinners, who knows– the bottom line is that in LA, we brunch. Dishes range from avocado toast and macro bowls to a classic eggs benedict or french toast combo. Check out one of my favorites below:
La La Land has been called an ode to Los Angeles, a city that people truly dream of. At USC, it’s easy to get caught up on campus and in schoolwork or clubs, but watching La La Land (coincidentally, I did it on the last day of finals), really made me fall in love with the city again. This semester, I hope to check off some more places on my bucket list, and really explore more of what LA has to offer!! I found this sick map of all the places they shot La La Land (in case anyone reading this is as much of a fan of the movie as I am, here’s the link), and hope to check most of them off this year.
Watch out for more updates on my adventures around LA!!
Fight on,
Rhea
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