Best of Downtown

Chad and I have been talking about moving back to Laguna Beach (my hometown) soon. Shocking, I know. Knowing that our move is imminent, I've been visiting my favorite places. While on my quest to enjoy the best of downtown, I thought I'd share with you my best list!

Best Hangout : The Standard

With everything from a ping pong playing venue to a biergarten, there's no better place to have a mini vacation downtown. My favorite part about the standard is of course the rooftop pool. Open all day to the public, there's no better place to enjoy the wonderful view and soak up the sun.

Best Sushi : Sugar Fish

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Trust me is one of three choices on the pre-fixe menu and trust me, it is the best sushi I have ever had. It's simple and fresh and so, so good.

Best Bar : Pattern Bar

It's chic, it's fun. the cocktails are delicious, the food is scrumptious, the crowd is cool, and the owner is super nice. Enough said. 

Best Park : Elysian

The views, the hikes, the parks, the vastness, this park wins for so many reasons. I think Patrick agrees! 

Best View : Perch

Overlooking Pershing Square, Perch has the best view of the downtown skyline. I must add that they also have delicious food and drinks. 

Best Cocktails : Coco Laurent

The drinks from Coco Laurent taste so delicious. While I love a simple cocktail that I can recreate at home, CoCo offers one of a kind awe inspiring cocktails. I've tried three or four, and even a few off the menu. All of them are fantastic. 

Best Food : Blue Cow Kitchen

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The food at Blue Cow is some of the best I've ever had. I crave everything from the salads to the french fries to the sandwiches on a daily basis. I could seriously eat here everyday. It's fresh, clean eating that is so scrumptious. To boot, it has a great dining experience. 

Best Breakfast : Panini Cafe

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Just a few blocks from our loft, Chad and I love to spend Saturday morning sipping coffee and ordering our favorite egg dish at Panini Cafe. With an extensive menu, the food is great, the prices are fair, and they have a wonderful patio where Patrick can enjoy the morning with us (it's the little things).

Best Building : The Eastern Building

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From the impeccably decorated lobby, to the stunning rooftop pool, all topped off with the most amazing art deco architecture, The Eastern Columbia never ceases to amaze me. Everytime I walk by I think, how is this building real? It truly is a sight to see -- a beacon of the city. 

Best Dessert : Bottega Louie

Bottega Louie is by far the hottest place to eat, drink and be merry downtown. Unfortunately, the space is too loud to actually have a conversation and the wait time for dinner is usually over an hour. Even still, from the decor to the packaging... absolutely everything in this restaurant is so beautiful! The desserts are not only pieces of art, but they are such a tasty treat. My favorite are the Eclairs and the Macarons! 

Best Venue : The Orpheum 

Sorry, L.A. Live, but not only is the Orpheum a gorgeous theatre with history and character, but it's small enough to remain intimate. There's really no bad seat in the house. 

Honorable mentions go to Cana Rum Bar and Las Perlas. Both are amazing locations to enjoy a cocktail with friends or that special someone. 

If you haven't checked out any of the above mentioned places and you spend a lot of time downtown, get to it! I will definitely be missing these spots when we are no longer living downtown. Did I miss any categories? Still so much to explore! xo

Coco Laurent

Move over Bottega Louie, there's a new restaurant on the block! At long last, Coco Laurent has arrived. It's a beautiful restaurant with outdoor seating that just opened up across the street from Bottega Louie. And thank goodness, because every time I go to Bottega now, the wait is at least an hour and I can barely hear myself think. Coco Laurent is such a refreshing addition to Downtown LA restaurants. 

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Not only do I love that the interior is clean with a traditional, warm feel to it, but the outdoor patio is divine. At last we can take advantage of the outdoors, this is California weather after all! I have yet to try the food at Coco Laurent (click here for the menu) , but the absinthe crafted cocktail I had last weekend was absolute perfection. I think I know where our next date night will be :)

The Standard Part II: BierGarten

Chad and I had a wonderful day at The [not so] Standard Hotel. We spent a few hours lounging by the pool and then decided to get a bite at their rooftop biergarten. Oktoberfest may be over, but our beer and brats were absolutely delicious! Here's a peek at our fantastic day...

 

 

 I highly recommend taking some time off to spend a day at the Standard. After a lazy Sunday, I felt relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready for another busy week ahead of me! 

The Biltmore

Last weekend Chad and I had the pleasure of attending a holiday party at The Biltmore. Located in Pershing Square, this gorgeous hotel is a Los Angeles landmark. A place where the Academy Awards Ceremony used to take place, The Biltmore Los Angeles boasts stunning architecture with historical significance. It's definitely a must see if you are venturing to Downtown. Take a peek...

Tea Anyone?

Still Thankful

I hope everyone enjoyed a relaxing and fun-filled Thanksgiving. I was grateful to not only have a few days off of work, but to spend time with my loved ones. Chad and I started the weekend by taking our Christmas photos. Here's a quick preview of some shots taken by a dear friend, Becky Shannon. Take a peek...

  I am still feeling very thankful for all the wonderful blessings in my life.

Tequila, Tequila

We finally got a chance to go to the tequila bar, Las Perlas. My drink of choice, I absolutely loved the ambiance and the cocktails. It was perfect for our date night. Be sure to visit this spot if you're looking for someplace to grab a drink downtown, especially if you like tequila! 

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If you want to go for an after-dinner or even pre-dinner drink, Las Perlas is directly across from Artisan House and within walking distance to most all downtown restaurants. It's a laid back kinda place, the venue boasts a pool table and there was even a group playing cards -- I wished we had brought some of our own. By the same owners of Caña (the rum bar), Las Perlas another great spot!

The Hollywood Sign

Wanting to venture away from our usual weekend routine in Elysian Park, Chad and I decided to move further outside of DTLA to Griffith Park. Surprisingly enough, neither of us had ever been to the park (or even the observatory). After researching some hiking trails that I found on this site, we decided to hike to the iconic Hollywood Sign. Only three miles round trip, it was the perfect hike and the perfect day! We could see all the way to Catalina Island and beyond. Take a peek...

Artisan House

My parents came into town last night so Chad and I decided (after passing up an hour and a half wait at Bottega Louie) to try out Artisan House. I've been wanting to come here for quite awhile now and I was very pleased. Take a peek...

Outdoor Seating

The space is half restaurant and half market -- think Bottega Louie but much more organic in decor, ambiance etc. Good news is while the wait at Bottega's was over an hour, we were seated at Artisan right away. Furthermore, while initially it was the space that drew my attention, I was SO impressed by the food! We ordered small plates to share and everything was delicious. I highly recommend the Tuna Carpaccio -- out of this world!

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 Following dinner, the chef introduced herself --  she mentioned that she worked previously for Soho house and Cecconi's in West Hollywood. I mostly appreciate that all their food comes from small, organic, family farms. Overall, I love the vibe, love the crowd, and I see no reason why this place shouldn't be full. We will definitely be back. I can't wait to try their brunch. Yum!

PS. Next time, following dinner, we are heading across the street to the tequila bar. I'll keep ya posted :)