L.A. Love

With sunny skies, great food and a healthy, laid-back vibe, it’s hard to not go ga-ga for Lalaland. And with a fab food scene, improved subway service and a reinvigorated downtown core (not to mention a new JetBlue Buffalo to LAX flight making it super simple for Torontonians to quickly drive across the border to catch an affordable direct flight with free wifi), the City of Angels is once again cool like that. —Karen Kwan

Stay: The Standard Downtown’s sweet rooftop pool is great for taking a dip and chilling on a chaise longue by day. By night, it becomes a hot spot to grab a cocktail, or pop into Spin to get your ping pong game on. The rooms are sparsely modern and comfortable and in terms of location, you’re a short walk away from Grand Central Market, The Broad and the brand new OUE Skyspace LA (a glass slide 1000 feet up on the outside of a skyscraper). 633 West Fifth Street, Suite 840, 213-894-9000. www.skyspace-la.com

Savour: Beside the Broad, Otium may present you with a dilemma: how to narrow down what plates to share from the varied menu, all of which is delicious (which we know as we didn’t hold back when ordering); must-eats from dishes include the to die for hamachi and juicy kurobata pork. For breakfast or lunch, pop over to Grand Central Market, which is filled with independent restos hawking delectable goods including Eggslut (get your breakfast sandwich fix here) and G&B Coffee (where the iced latte made with almond-macadamia milk is a fave). 317 S Broadway #C19, 213-265-7718. www.gandb.coffee

See: Start with an obligatory Instagram outside by The Broad’s gorgeous white porous exterior, and then venture inside to check out the excellent collection of contemporary art. Spread out over two floors and 120,000 square feet, The Broad is the perfect manageable size for perusing the works of artists including Murakami, Warhol and Koons, without experiencing museum fatigue. For a stunning example of architecture dating back to 1893, visit the Bradbury Building (which you may recognize from movies such as Blade Runner and 500 Days of Summer). Don’t let its rather plain exterior fool you; inside the sunlight-filled space, Victorian court and old-fashioned elevators will take your breath away. 304 S. Broadway, 213-626-1893. www.laconservancy.org

Sweat: You could take a SoulCycle class but with great hiking right in the city, we recommend tying on your hiking shoes for at least one hike. For a hit of history (including the story of its founder Colonel Griffith J. Griffith, notorious for attempting to kill his wife) and tips on where to take the best photos, book a hike of the Hollywood Hills with Bikes & Hikes LA. With essentially zero shade, you’re guaranteed to work up a sweat as you make your way up from the Greek Theatre box office in Griffith Park to the Griffith Observatory. 8250 Santa Monica Blvd, 323-796-8555. www.bikesandhikesla.com