The LA Guide
The restaurants, wine bars, stores and art spots that made me consider moving. (Again.)
As a New Yorker, it’s impossible to visit LA without making comparisons. It’s also impossible to reach the same conclusion twice. Restaurants, culture, design, style…it’s always in flux — and always inspiring. If you’re skipping Europe this summer but want to feel like you’re Somewhere Else, LA could use your love. (Just add a trip to El Matador or Zuma beaches for the full experience.)
At the end of these recommendations, you’ll find lists of the usual suspects, both classic and newer. If it’s your first trip, definitely weave them into your itinerary. What follows are the winnowed-down favorites from the spots that trusted local friends steered me to on a recent visit, as well as a few long-distance cultural crushes formed while writing an LA guide for a hyperluxury brand last month.
Going abroad anyway? Here are guides to London, Paris, Copenhagen, Rome and Venice, plus upstate New York. Search the archives for more on each city, such as my favorite locals’ favorite spots.
CULTURE
MAK Center for Art and Architecture Set in three landmarked Schindler houses, MAK features exhibits like “Superflex: Rainbows, Sponges, Flies and Spoons.” Or just follow the self-guided tour, narrated by writers, artists and architects. Because you’ll want to snoop around these beautiful buildings.
Marciano Art Foundation Bruce Conner’s show, up through July 18, drew my eye to this center, set in a 1960s Scottish Rite Masonic Temple. The foundation features post-1990 works from international artists, with an emphasis on those working in LA. (Have 10 minutes? Please watch this video on the Bruce Conner show…)
