If you’ve been reading my blogs, and a lot of the others here, you probably know that living and going to school in Los Angeles has some pretty sweet perks. One of my favorite things about this city is that it’s got so many different districts and areas, each with its own unique personality – one of the drawbacks, though, is that you pretty much need a car to get around to these places, but luckily, Ubers and Lyfts are super common and available.

Recently, I’ve been spending a lot of time in Silver Lake, which is in central LA, not too far from USC. With the time that I have on weekends, I usually use to go to coffee shops and catch up on content from my classes, and work on homework. I really like to spend time away from campus, free of distractions, and in a new atmosphere. There are lots of really quirky cafes in this area, and some of my favorite (and LA’s most iconic) restaurants.

One of my favorite little spots here is Cafecito Organico, which is a small coffee shop (really close to the very popular Intellegentsia). I’ve come here to crank out papers, work on labs, and get some reading done. Unlike a lot of other cafes, this one has lots of seating, and it’s all outdoors, in a cozy-backyard area. It’s also got wifi and outlets, which are pretty essential. Of course, they’ve also got really great coffee. The only drawback I see here is that it closes pretty early, around 6 pm on Sundays, but what better excuse to take a break from an all-day grind and check out some of the great restaurants in the area?

Outside of Night + Market

Inside N+M

Night + Market Song is a renown spot in LA, right next to the famous Silver Lake stairs, with some of the most amazing Thai Food. I’ve come here with friends who have studied abroad in Chiang-Mai who’ve fallen in love with the food here. There’s something about the bright neon colors of the restaurant, with the super friendly staff, and incredibly flavorful food that makes it really popular amongst my friends. Luckily, it’s open late, so I’ve been able come here on impulse after rough midterms, but also on chill days.

If staying inside on a weekend isn’t your vibe, there’s a park around the Silver Lake meadow that’s got all of the things you never thought you could see in a concrete-y city like LA. It’s got grass surrounding a body of water, and benches and areas for picnics. It’s one of the places that I would sometimes find a way drive by on my commute home from Pasadena every day this summer.

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