Los Angeles is a necessary stopover for me, whenever I can squeeze it in. I often stay with friends in Torrance, but it’s great to hear everyone’s recommendations for times that we feel like getting out and about. I’ll be adding your tips to the list as I can – feel free to leave a comment here or drop me a line at malia@shoyusugar.com. Mahalo!

Where to Eat & Drink in LA

Koi
Spago (Beverly Hills)
Nobu
Mr. Chow (Beverly Hills)
The Standard (Downtown LA)
Connie & Ted’s (West Hollywood)
Fickle (Downtown LA/Little Tokyo)
Giuliano’s (Gardena)
Gardena Bowl
The Griddle Cafe – breakfast
Castaway Restaurant (Burbank) – go for drinks, skip the food. good view
Quality Seafood (Redondo Beach) – fish market, try live uni and oysters
Stone Brewery (Escondito) – popular tour, tickets avail only day of
Trois mec – ticketed tasting menu
Animal
Bouchon (Beverly Hills)
Bazaar (Beverly Hills)
ink. & ink.sack
Du Par’s at Farmers Market – French Toast
Mario’s Peruvian
Versailles – Cuban
Il Pastaio
Tito’s Tacos
Urth Caffe
Sunny Spot (Venice)
Mama Musubi Pop Up (Little Tokyo) – 3/7 to 3/15/14
Alma
Bestia – house-made Italian
Chi Spacca – Nancy Silverton (next to Osteria & Pizerria Mozza)
Helms Bakery – breakfast & baked goods food hall
Hinoki & the Bird (Century City)
Orsa & Winston – Japanese-Italian fusion
Paiche – Peruvian-Japanese (Marina Del Ray)
Petty Cash Taqueria
Sqirl – bakery/cafe, house made jams
The Line Hotel – Roy Choi hotel (Koreatown)
Top Round Roast Beef – huge sandwiches

Scott’s List

Xoia Vietnamese eats (Echo Park, get the chicharon taco), Guisados (Boyle Heights, get sampler tacos), Alibi Room (Culver City, Roy Choi’s place where korean taco started), The Corner Door (culver city), Versailles Cuban Food (culver city, a must!!!), Wildcraft sourdough pizza (culver city), A-frame (culver city, roy choi’s other place), Westside Tavern (westside pavilion mall), Wurstkuche (Arts Distruct, sausage and beer garden), Tacos Leos (taco truck near a gas station but has the best pastor tacos in la, kinda in a rough neighborhood but best bite), two boots pizza (echo park), OB Bear (koreatown, get the chicken wings), Mercado (santa monica, go only for happy hour), Father’s Office (culver city, good burgers and the head chef was on top chef masters), The Tripel (playa del rey, the runner of top chef two seasons ago Brooke’s place, get sweet potato tots). I’m pretty sure this is a good start! Arts District near Jtown is awesome to walk around, go to my friends shop Poketo for some cool shopping. Enjoy!”

My LA Favorites

Din Tai Fung (Arcadia)
Bottega Louie (Downtown LA)
Musha (Torrance)
Getty Museum
LACMA
La Brea Tar Pits
Griffith Observatory
Walking/hiking – Rancho Palos Verdes
People-watching in Venice Beach
Korean Spas (ahhhhh!)
King’s Hawaiian (Torrance)

Things to Do in LA on a Budget

DVF Exhibit – Celebrating 40 years of the wrap dress, 1/11 – 4/1/14 (free)
Runyon Canyon (free)
The Grove/Farmers Market (free)
Santa Monica – Third Street Promenade (free)
bike on the SM/Venice Boardwalk
Beverly Hills window shopping
See the cherry blossoms at the South Coast Botanical Garden (Early Spring)

Special thanks to…

Jess & Eric, Edwin P., Chef Jay (folllow him @Chef_Jay), Maria O., Scott Ohtoro, John A., Greg S., Annie S., Maria O., Kat L., Bright, Brandon L., Mom =), Morgan J., Adrienne W.

Mahalo for your tips! =)

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