L.A.—massive, sprawling and somewhat intimidating. West Hollywood—walkable, welcoming and super fun. Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or longer, we’ve found the perfect urban California escape—an entire municipality conveniently contained in just under two square miles (that’s about 5 km², eh). Here’s why:
stay: When in WeHo, live like a celeb. The legendary Sunset Marquis’ hosted a red-carpet list of stars in its five-decade span, including George Clooney, Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston and Billy Bob Thornton. Our luxe suite, which recently underwent a fab-fifty facelift, included its own candy bar, bath products by Molton Brown and one of the dreamiest pillow-tops we’ve ever slept on. (Hint: thumb through the hotel’s anniversary anthology, If These Walls Could Rock ($63), for a plethora of paparazzi-worthy pix of past patrons.) Sunset Marquis, 1200 Alta Loma Rd., West Hollywood, 310-657-1333, www.sunsetmarquis.com
see: For esthetics lovers, nothing beats a trip to LACMA—the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Located on the so-called "Miracle Mile," this veritable cultural institute is sprawling, holding more than 150,000 (yes, you read that right) works spanning the history of art from ancient times to present (essentially, something to suit every taste). Feeling peckish during your visit? Nosh at the museum’s on-site café … or dart across busy Wilshire and choose from among a dozen-plus food trucks that line the boulevard at any given time of day (and represent virtually every cuisine in the world). LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-857-6010. www.lacma.org
shop: Retail-wise, WeHo’s where it’s at. Between the eclectic mix of boutiques (including Book Soup—one of the funkiest lit joints we’ve ever browsed) lining the infamous Sunset Strip and a world-renowned design district boasting more than 200 interior-minded merchants, our bags were bursting by trip’s end. (Note to fashionistas: don’t miss Moschino‘s American flagship, chock-full of avant-garde designs as delicious to look at as they would be to wear.) Moschino, 8933 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, 818-827-5700, www.moschino.com
snack: Midday munchies can—nay, should—be satisfied at Millions of Milkshakes, where signature liquid concoctions are created on what seems like the daily in honour of visiting celebrities, like NBA Lakers’ forward Ron Artest (mixed berries, peaches, pineapple and protein), rapper Lil’ Kim (bananas, raspberries and Nutella) and job-title-TBD Miley Cyrus (vanilla ice cream, chocolate chip cookie dough and Reese’s peanut butter cups). 8910 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, 310-652-1118, millionsofmilkshakes.com
spa: Since feeling like an a-lister often starts with looking the part, head to Kinara Spa for a Red Carpet Facial ($180) that literally steam-cleans pores to leave skin clear and glowing for days (no joke—not even a flight back to Canada could dull our newfound luminescence). If a quick prep session by a pro is needed prior to, say, a night on the town, book a blowout at Sunset’s Drybar (where a menu of services that mimics a cocktail list is adorable) before hopping next door for flawless makeup application by the beauty experts at Blushington.
savour: There’s no shortage of good eats in this compact city, beginning with the Sunset Marquis’ own Cavatina, where a “meaty” cauliflower steak satisfied the vegetarian on our trip. Also worth a taste: the Church Key, featuring dim-sum-style food carts that roll through the resto offering delicious small bites to diners, and Eveleigh, whose scene is as mouthwatering as its menu (nab a seat on the patio and gaze at the Hollywood Hills as you tuck into house-made country bread and cultured butter, thick heirloom tomatoes topped with rich burrata and beer-battered Monterey anchovies with lemon aioli, chili Morita and lime). Yum.
leave laughing: Stand-up on WeHo’s Sunset Strip is second to none. Two venues in particular—the Laugh Factory and the Comedy Store—have provided a stage for comic gold, featuring greats like Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Richard Pryor, Roseanne Barr and David Letterman. Trust us, these joints give new meaning to ROFL.
We’ve fallen hard for WeHo … and you will, too. —Noa Nichol
share:
Be the first to comment