The eclectic Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles

Lovely Los Angeles

Our daughters lived and worked in the Los Angeles area after college, so we visited as often as we could. After seeing the typical sites of the city, like the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Grauman’s Chinese Theater, we discovered so many secrets of this expansive city:

Little Dom’s – Retro Hollywood meets modern Rat Pack with touches such as leaded glass windows salvaged from an old building and railroad booths which add to the whimsical vibe in this Los Feliz neighborhood diner. We visit here on each trip to Los Angeles to indulge in the ricotta pancakes with our individual pots of coffee. And then we recreate the ending of the movie, We Bought a Zoo, where Matt Damon walks up to Stephanie Szostak inside Little Dom’s and asks, “Why would a beautiful woman like you have a coffee with someone like me?” And she replies, “Why not?” This is our reply to everything!                                             2128 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Angeles

Gamble House – By the Rose Bowl, this contemporary home was used as the home of Doc Brown in the movie, Back to the Future.
4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena, gamblehouse.org

Secret Stairs – Staircases lace the hillsides of certain LA neighborhoods, and are historical reminders of a time when this was not a city of cars. Clustered around steep hillside communities in the 1920’s, they are prevalent in Silver Lake, Echo Park, and south of Griffith Park. There is a book, Secret Stairs, which outlines all of the stairs throughout these neighborhoods. We climbed several, including the Micheltorena Stairs in Echo Park, and numerous ones around Franklin Street in Los Feliz. In fact, there are 14 stairs just in the Franklin Hills.
secretstairs-la.com

 

 

Huntington Gardens – These expansive and lovely gardens are a gem in this city. Housing art galleries with famous works and rare book collections, these lush gardens encompass 120 acres and feature 16 stunning themed gardens. Each area is exquisite. We were totally surprised and visit each time we are in Los Angeles.
1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, huntington.org

 

Olvera Street – The oldest part of downtown LA, this street was originally near vineyards and a winery. Today this area is home to the El Pueblo Historic Park, a colorful Mexican marketplace lined with street vendors, gift shops, and cafes.
corner of Cesar Chavez and Alameda, olvera-street.com

Grand Central Air Terminal – Located in Glendale, this airport was used by legendary figures like Amelia Earhart. But we were intrigued that it was the site of the final scene in the movie, Casablanca. The art deco and Spanish design make it a beautiful landmark.
1310 Air Way, Glendale

Grand Central Market – Fun stop for counter dining, this has been a California landmark since 1917. We did a photo shoot here at Ana Maria where Mia and Sebastian share a bite to eat in the movie, La La Land.
317 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, grandcentralmarket.com

Last Bookstore – Eclectic and artsy, this bookstore features a multilevel space adorned with local art. With the softly lit labyrinthine collection of books and records, a visitor wanders through hanging books, tunnels built from books, and freestanding sculptures and mobiles. It was a delightful find.
453 S Spring St, Los Angeles, lastbookstorela.com

Colorado Street Bridge – With distinctive Beaux Arts arches, lightposts, and railings, this qualifies as the coolest bridge in town. We did a photo shoot here to depict a scene from La La Land.
504 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena

Malibu Creek State Park – Silent films from 1919 were filmed here as well as the jump scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. And this was the home of the outdoor set for the TV smash hit, MASH. Many of the hiking trails in Malibu Creek State Park were originally footpaths that the Chumash Indians would use to travel from village to village and from inland areas to the sea. Easy hikes include the Crags Road and Mott Road hikes or the Yearling Trail which walks you through the old Reagan Ranch. malibustatepark.org

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve – With eight miles of trails through the gentle rolling hills, this park celebrates the bloom of the state flower, the California poppy, when the wildflower season is in full burst of color between mid February through May.
15101 Lancaster Rd, Lancaster

 

 

Hiking – The hiking in the Los Angeles area is amazing and diverse, and over the years, our daughter, Jennifer, has tackled the tallest peaks, as well as numerous waterfall hikes. And we have traversed up some trails with her. We actually hiked the San Jacinto Peak Loop Trail, a 17 mile loop trail which kicked our butt.
alltrails.com

 

 

Angeles Crest Highway – Delightful drive north of Glendale through the Angeles Forest

Descanso Gardens – This 150 acre botanical park is home to a vast camellia, rose, and lilac collection. Wandering the trails through towering oaks is a lovely Sunday afternoon escape from the concrete of the city.
1418 Descanso Dr, La Canada Flintridge, descansogardens.org

Angels Flight Railway – This narrow gauge funicular railway sweeps you up to Bunker Hill and is a colorful photo op after lunch or coffee at Grand Central Market which is right across the street.
350 S. Grand Ave, Los Angeles, angelsflight.org

Ringo Starr’s Peace Sign – Placed in the Beverly Gardens park on Santa Monica Boulevard in front of the Art Nouveau City Hall in Beverly Hills, this 8 foot polished steel monument was shipped to the US from Britain by the Beatle, Ringo Starr, when he moved to his new country. The image is his own hand making a peace sign and makes a great photo op when visiting Los Angeles.

 

 

Zaytoon – Off the main street in Santa Barbara, this Lebanese restaurant is a delight. Outdoor tables built around fire pits featuring a garden atmosphere make this a wonderful spot for delicious baba ghannouj, falafels, tabbouli, and labneh.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      209 E. Canon Perdido Street, Santa Barbara

Yellow Vase – A piece of Paris in Palos Verdes, this bakery tempts you with decadent pastries and the aroma of coffee.                                                                                                                                                            51 Malaga Cove Plaza, Palos Verdes Estates

Porto’s – Our daughters adore this Cuban bakery and restaurant and we have to visit every time we go to Los Angeles. After emigrating from Cuba, Rosa Porto continued to bake and opened her first storefront in 1976. The store in Burbank is packed every time we arrive and we indulge in delicious cheese rolls for 88c, almond croissants for $1.76, and cubano and medianoche sandwiches. Their specialty cakes are to die for. There are 4 stores and you must find one.
315 N Brand Blvd, Glendale
3614 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank
8233 Firestone Blvd, Downey
584 S Sunset Ave, West Covina

Rosewood Miramar Beach Hotel – Elegant and stunning, this old world hotel sits on the ocean in Montecito. You can park on the street for free, stroll the lobby and sip a cocktail, or just walk through the sidewalks and walk the beach. We feel so special when we wander the grounds.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             1759 S. Jameson, Montecito