FAIRFAX DISTRICT

Fairfax Village is the kind of place where worlds collide: Orthodox men in traditional black and white share space with punk-rock teens on their way to shop Melrose. It's kosher butchers and skateboarding shops. Flea-markets and upscale boutiques. It's everything Los Angeles.

Fairfax has always been a center for the Jewish community, but it's also the neighborhood of the famed Original Farmer's Market, The Grove outdoor shopping center, CBS Studio and Pan-Pacific Park. It's at the epicenter of Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Hancock Park, making it very central for a number of Angelenos. 

We also felt like the neighborhood would be the perfect spot for our holiday edition - with The Grove, outdoor markets, whimsical boutiques and high-end stores, there really is something for everyone on your list. And the dazzling displays of Christmas and Hanukkah decorations (red and green! blue and silver!) everywhere really puts us in the spirit of things.

The famed Melrose Trading Post flea-market is one of our favorite Sunday morning activities in Los Angeles, and we love exploring both the old and established of the neighborhood, as well as the fresh and exciting new places popping up all around. So catch a sitcom taping, pick up a warm loaf of challah, or whip out your credit card on Melrose - there's an eclectic blend of everything in Fairfax.

Stop 1: Shaky Alibi

 

We make stops at Shaky Alibi on the regular, just for their soy pistachio latte. Unfortunately, it's "not in season" at the moment, but we happily sipped on a pumpkin spiced latte instead and looked over their waffle menu. There's a choice of sweet or savory, but we couldn't pass up "The Elvis:" a waffle topped with peanut butter, crumbled bacon, bananas and drizzled with honey. If you're drooling reading that sentence, just imagine EATING it. Elvis had the right idea, guys. Peanut butter and bacon together is genius. End. Of. Story.
Info

(7401 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles)

Stop 2: Erewhon

Okay, after all of that gluttony, we thought it best to make our next stop Erewhon.
Erewhon Natural Foods Market claims that "if it's here it's good for you" and this store is like Whole Foods on steroids (if steroids were GMO-free and organic). We saddled up to the tonic bar - where you can order $20 ice cream - and scoured the menu of pressed juices, smoothies and tonic shots. We decided on the Coconut Dream smoothie (almond milk, coconut water and meat, kale, dates, cinnamon) and a fresh juice with cayenne. Then we wandered the giant aisle of coconut oil. Feeling fit already!

(7660 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles)

Stop 3: Pan Pacific Park

 

The sun had shyly appeared from behind a layer of clouds, so we walked across the street to Pan-Pacific Park, known as "the best place to work out in LA." This 28-acre park is directly across the street from Erewhon (and The Grove!) and features a slew of facilities: a paved running path, an outdoor pool, soccer and baseball fields, and barbecues. We strolled through the park, watching groups play ultimate Frisbee and kids involved in pick-up games. LA might not have the park culture of New York City, but this is pretty darn close.

(7600 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles)

Stop 4: Melrose Trading Post

 

Melrose Trading Post is one of the sole reasons we visit Fairfax District: an open-air market every Sunday at Fairfax High School, featuring antiques, furniture, vintage clothing, art, and just about anything else you can think of (80s dresses! Books made into clocks! Vintage record crates! Indian rugs!) It's a treasure trove of goodies, and prices are incredibly reasonable. One of the best places to find holiday gifts.

(7850 Melrose Ave - on the grounds of Fairfax High School)

Stop 5: Fala Bar

 

Fala Bar is a new kid on the block, but it seems to be fitting in just fine (bragging that "everything is kosher except for our hours"). This tiny falafel bar is organic, vegan and gluten-free, but much more importantly - it's DELICIOUS. We grabbed the Spicy Falafel Plate (with purple and white cabbage salad, hummus, tahini, warm pita) and the Baba Plate (baba ghanoush, Israeli salad and quinoa tabouli) as well as sweet potato fries. The pita was perfectly fluffy, and the tahini was a crowd-favorite. This is quickly becoming our regular lunch spot.

(7751 1/2 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles)

Stop 6: Pygmy Hippo

 

If for some crazy reason you weren't able to find a perfectly unique holiday gift at Melrose Trading Post, Pygmy Hippo Shoppe has got you covered. This itsy-bitsy but adorable shop has quirky items like you wouldn't believe - fast food jewelry, "tam-pins" shaped like tampons, homemade Hanukkah cards with "Dr Dre-idel" on the front. Nobody can argue this place isn't one-of-a-kind.

(306 N Stanley Avenue, Los Angeles) 

The Details:
Driving and parking in this part of town is tough - we walked the majority of our day, as Fairfax Village is pretty small and easy to get around on foot (if you follow the entire route of our day, it's just over 2 miles). There is a lot of car traffic though, so be careful if you bike.

A map of our day looks like this:

 

GLENDALE

It's the land of malls and skewered meat: welcome to our first San Fernando Valley blog post! (and featuring our blog's first guest: our childhood friend, Julie!) Glendale is located in the eastern part of the SFV (or “the Valley”) and is bordered by Burbank, Griffith Park and Pasadena, and is the third largest city in Los Angeles County.

 If you live in Los Angeles, you probably know it as one of the largest Armenian neighborhoods in the United States (Kim Kardashian has famously remarked that she might run for city Mayor in the not-so-distant future. No mind that Glendale doesn’t actually HAVE a mayor). It’s also home to a community of Scandinavians, the Glendale Galleria, and more kebab joints than you can count. 

The neighborhood is a little sleepier than most, and even though it’s located just 10 miles north of downtown LA, you can still find the kind of small-town, family-owned businesses you usually don’t come across in the big city. And with 54% of residents born outside the United States, you’ll be lucky enough to enjoy a much more diverse array of food than in your average suburb.

Stop 1: La Goccia Espresso Bar

  

It was almost 11am when we stumbled into La Goccia Espresso Bar, making us excrutiatingly late for our first cup of coffee, and cranky as all hell. We ordered an Americano (caffeine, stat), a Cookies & Cream Latte (an interesting specialty) and a vanilla-infused iced coffee (the best of the three!) Although the man behind the counter was decidedly not Italian, the illy beans were. Quiet atmosphere and a wonderful selection of teas, too.

101 N Brand Ave, Glendale

Stop 2: Shopping on Brand Boulevard

We made sure to stop in to the some of the long-time, small business on the boulevard, including Laura’s Corset Shoppe and Brand Bookshop. Laura’s has been open since the 1920s, but has been owned by the most lovely lady named Haley for the past 27 years. She greeted us with a huge smile and talked about the special nature of her business – she specializes in bridal lingerie and bras for post-mastectomy patients. She sweetly asked if we might be interested in buying her business one day, as she explained that she never had a daughter and had nobody to which to bequeath her business. She was so earnest and darling, we’re seriously considering!

Although Brand Bookshop hasn’t been around quite as long as Laura’s, it opened its doors in 1985 and has managed to stick around, despite the great exodus of independently-owned bookstores in Los Angeles (and everywhere! OY.) This is one of the largest used bookshops in Southern California, and has a little bit of everything: erotica, poetry, history, interior design, you name it.

Stop 3: Sipan Bakery

With our caffeine fix satiated, it was time to take care of our growling stomachs. Sipan Bakery is a neighborhood gem, serving up some of the most fabulous and flavorful Middle Eastern baked goods in Los Angeles. The space is small and intimate – and a little warm (the brick oven, where you can watch your maneishe being made, sits on the right-hand side of the room). 

Everything is fresh, and the owner is incredibly friendly (and funny! Lots of sauna jokes). We ordered the muhammarajune, a spicy cheese beorek (flaky, fried pastry with filling) and maneishe zahtar (basically a flatbread blanketed with the zahtar spice) – the dough used for their pastries is just delicious, and the hot sauce that was served on the side knocked our socks off. The bill – with 2 drinks! – came to just $10. DO NOT MISS.

1250 W Glenoaks Blvd, Glendale

Stop 4: Golden Road Brewery

One of our dearest friends was celebrating her 30th birthday at Golden Roads, and it was the perfect Southern Californian sunny day when we showed up mid-afternoon for some craft-beer-tasting and outdoor game-playing. This funky brew house opened in 2011, and is located in an industrial part of town, right next to the train tracks (note: you are supposed to raise a glass every time a train chugs by). 

The place was jumping on a Saturday, with a great mix of 20 and 30-somethings, along with a host of young families in the shaded outdoor area. The food is solid, if not spectacular, and they serve an array of vegan and vegetarian options. We tried the Point the Way IPA, the Get Up Offa That Brown ale, and the Golden Road Hefeweizen, among others. The bartenders knew their stuff, and the game of Corn Hole really made for a spectacular afternoon.

5410 W San Fernando Road, Glendale

Stop 5: Brand Park

Brand Park is so much more than a park. Nestled on 31 acres, this gorgeous space is home to a brand new library, picnic areas, a softball field, and biking trails. Our favorite part - by far! - was the Whispering Pine Tea house and Friendship garden, a serene and perfectly manicured pocket of greenery in the corner of the park. We watched guests arrive for a small wedding overlooking the pond, and then wandered out to the barbecue area, taking in the Sunday smells of grilled meat and freshly cut grass. A perfect spot for pretty much everyone.

1601 W Mountain Street, Glendale

Stop 6: Mini Kabob

 

We're not sure if you truly understand the term "hole-in-the-wall" until you visit Mini Kabob, a tiny joint with only 3 tables and decor that hasn't changed in decades. We were greeted by the most adorable Armenian couple (the Martirosyans), who chatted with us about the Russian language and their world-renowed falafel. 

We ordered the chicken kebab plate, hommus, falafel and eggplant caviar. The chicken was perfectly seared, slightly smokey and deliciously juicy. And Mr. Martirosyan was right about the falafel: it was one of the fluffiest we've ever tasted. We left feeling like old friends of the place, and already daydreaming about our next meal there. 

Insider's Tip: Cash only!
313 Vine Street, Glendale

The Details:

We did a lot of walking on our Glendale day, although some spots were far enough to warrant the use of a car. You can rent bicycles here. 

A map of our day looks like this: