Stay Cay LA

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BIG SISTER, MARIELLEN!!

So, as I mentioned earlier, I did a two-day stay cay in LA. Here’s a couple of other things to do if you happen to be in the neighborhood.

After my visit to LACMA, I headed over to the Farmer’s Market. It’s attached to The Grove now, but the original old market is still there and charming as ever. I used to go as a kid when my dad worked next door at CBS and it brings back great memories. The smells are still there….and you can’t really see the modern architecture of The Grove when you’re immersed in the old section. So cool!

My plan the first night was to walk to Petit Trois because it looked cute & yummy, I love little French bistros, and was only about a mile from the apartment. It was so f-ing hot, and it happened to be Monday, so I thought “stay in-order pizza” and really feel like a local. So, that’s what I did…and I’d recommend Village Pizzeria in Larchmont if you’re ever over that way…and I binged watched “Big Little Lies” on HBO. WOW, if you haven’t seen it I highly recommend. I’ll have to go to Petit Trois another time.

Tuesday I was up and out to the Griffith Observatory. Another ridiculously hot day, but I hadn’t been here since probably high school and I knew it had been completely renovated, so had to go…but I’d forego the hike and just park down the hill a bit. It’s a cool place to roam and look at the free exhibits. It has amazing views of LA and the Hollywood sign…and there are a number of events and shows to see for a nominal fee. I happened to run into a friend from high school there too…what are the chances??

I was leaving Wednesday to go back to Orange County, but had a couple more stops to make in DTLA. I asked my friend, Courtney, for some suggestions (she has a loft there) and they were awesome! I started at The Last Bookstore, which reminded me a little bit of the whimsy of Shakespeare and Company in Paris….although on a bigger scale. It has a large vinyl record section, as well as a cool artists section upstairs.

I can’t wait to get a new phone, so every pic I take isn’t blurry…ugh! Cool tunnel made out of books.

By now it was about 11:45 and I was getting hungry. Last stop, Baco Mercat for lunch.

It is such an interesting, eclectic menu that I wanted to order a bunch of things. The fact that most of the dishes were displayed on a table when I entered was just cruel…what to pick!? The flatbread and bacos looked amazing, but I decided to go a little lighter and narrowed it down to caramelized cauliflower & “caesar” brussel sprouts. Both were soooo good and I had leftovers to take home too.

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!