HIGHLAND PARK

Northeast LA is where it's at, yo. As Silverlake and Echo Park get more commercialized and rents have soared, those in the know have been moving farther east. This little slice of LA reminds us of the Pacific Northwest, with a focus on art, music, and great coffee. It's also an incredibly easy neighborhood to get around, and although we spent most of our day on Highland Park's high-street, we promised ourselves to wander father on our next trip...there's so much more to see, eat, shop, and explore in Highland Park.

Stop 1: Cafe De Leche

 

   
This quant cafe is the perfect neighborhood coffeeshop, with a Highland Park twist: comfy couches, a play area for kids, and some perfectly-pulled shots...and the interior is brightly painted in the happiest of colors and you can have horchata in your coffee. We ordered a skinny latte, a soy chai, an horchata con espresso (a definite favorite!), and one drip coffee. Compliments to the barista all around.

(5000 York Boulevard, Highland Park) 

Stop 2: Highland Cafe

 

It was a weekend morning at 11:30am, which means one thing: brunch time! At this sidewalk cafe, bring your dog and your Sunday-cheat-day appetite: the verde chilaquiles were a crowd-pleaser, although the quinoa veggie burger was surprisingly delicious, too. We also ordered a desayuno breakfast burrito, and the vegan sweet potato tostada - both of which were a fantastic alternative to your regular yawn-worth breakfast fare. Order at the front, and grab your number and a table. We can't wait to return!

(5010 York Boulevard, Highland Park) 

 

Stop 3: York Boulevard Shops

Arroyo General Store:

Honeywood:

Wombleton Records:

Social Study:

  

When we arrived in Highland Park, we vowed that we would venture off York Boulevard, the neighborhood's main street. But! There's just so much good stuff on York, and we found ourselves browsing for hours on just three mere blocks. 

Pop-up produce market? Yep, there's even one of those. Arroyo General Store has a selection of fresh produce, home goods, snacks, and fresh flowers. Beautiful hand-crafted bowls and hilarious handmade greeting cards were other bonuses. We then wandered into Honeywood, a small and darling vintage shop with the most incredible cowboy boots, embroidered tops, and old band t-shirts (which were SO soft!) 

And although records have re-emerged in recent years, it's still tough to find a great selection in one place. Luckily for us, York Boulevard has a handful of vinyl shops, and Wombleton Records is one of our favorites. The shop has only been around about 4 years, but they bring in collections from all over the world - both the rare and the popular. And they have some great apparel - absolutely loved their t-shirts and shopping bags. 
If you're looking for a charming and unique present, Social Study is a lovely gift shop - with plenty of adorable toys and games for kids.

Stop 4: Artisan Market at Align Gallery

 

This wasn't originally a planned stop on our day, but we snagged a flyer for a first-ever Saturday artisan market in the back of an art gallery, and after spotting it just across the street, we made our way over.
The gallery itself was impressive, an artist-driven space with bold prints in the most vibrantly beautiful colors (pieces started around $700). The gallery owner told us that her family has lived in Highland Park for decades, and are both excited and trepidatious of the changes underway. She emphasized the neighborhood's desire to embrace innovations while holding on to the history and charm of Highland Park. 
The market out back was relatively small, but featured succulents in vintage coffee mugs, jewelery, and some homemade baked goods.

(5045 York Boulevard, Highland Park)

 

Stop 5: Donut Friend

 

We have to preface this by saying that 50% of our MyBestLADay team doesn't even like donuts (we know, we know. SO WEIRD). 
But these ain't your granddad's donuts. We drooled over the menu, finally narrowing down our choices to the Lemon Weapon (lemon custard with blueberry jam, fresh mint), Javabreaker (coffee-infused cake donut with espresso bean glaze), S'Morrisey (chocolate cake donut with toasted marshmallow and graham cracker crust), and the X-Ray Speculoos (cookie butter inside traditional donut, chocolate drizzle and sea salt. All of them were mind-blowing, but the Lemon Weapon took the cake (ahem).

(5107 York Boulevard, Highland Park)

 

Stop 5: York Park

  The newest park in the neighborhood is going to make many Angelenos very happy: with little in the way of grass or greenery, it's very drought-friendly. This small park was built on the lot of a former gas station, and is full of fun and kid-friendly equipment.

 

The Details:

You can take the Gold Line into Highland Park, and then everything is easily accessible on foot.

A map of our day looks like this:

 

 

 

LARCHMONT

You may have never heard of the Larchmont neighborhood, but it’s one of the oldest and most historically significant areas in Los Angeles (not to mention incredible cute!). In the early 1900s, a gentleman by the name of George A.G. Howard set out to create a family-friendly neighborhood, one with large and elegant homes like those found in the English countryside. 

Today these impressive homes seem slightly out of place in this Southern Californian city, just blocks from Spanish bungalows and brightly-tiled courtyards, but they offer a unique charm to this little ‘hood only minutes from Koreatown and Hollywood. And don’t be mistaken, Larchmont is charming. Strolling down Larchmont Boulevard is an almost-Pleasantville experience: a small cupcake shop, a quaint bookstore, a darling florist. And everyone seems to know their neighbors – you’ll catch people smiling hello and shouting out greetings from across the road. 

We had out-of-town visitors during this MyBestLADay (one set of parents!) and we happily introduced them to all our favorite places in this lesser-known part of town. So take the afternoon off from big city living. Park your car, slow your pace, and heck, buy a cupcake. Larchmont might be tiny, but it’s got plenty to offer for a fantastically charming and full day.

Stop 1: Bricks & Scones

This darling coffeeshop and café is a favorite for students and screen writers alike, and it's easy to see why. The interior feels like a friend's cozy study, and the garden patio is the perfect place to enjoy an iced coffee with your pooch. The sandwiches and scones are pretty darn delicious, too. We ordered a chocolate chip scone (divine!) and loved the latte with almond milk. 

Insider's tip: we recommend the Black Velvet (the pour-over house coffee)

(403 N Larchmont Boulevard)

Stop 2: Hardwear

Nobody loves a romper as much as we do, so we were delighted with the selection of clothes at Hardwear. This is where Angelenos want to shop for summer, with staples like maxi dresses, statement jewelry, printed tops, and shorts. And almost everything is under $50! Score.
(152 N Larchmont Boulevard)

Stop 3: Chevalier's Books

Bookshops are a rare sight these days, so even though Chevalier's Books is tiny, it's one of LA's last standing independent bookstores and it deserves ardent support. It's been around since 1940, and still hosts author signings and a weekly story hour. You'll find the usual suspects - The New York Times best sellers, classic children's stories, and a selection of travel guides. If that's not enough, it may be tempting to stop in just for the glorious smell of books.

(126 N Larchmont Boulevard)

Stop 4: Village Heights

Friend's birthday coming up? House-warming party? Baby shower? It looks like Village Heights has you covered! This adorable shop is full of unique and funky trinkets for the home, including plastic wine glasses for picnics, Queen Elizabeth bobble heads, handmade cards, and scrumptious-smelling candles. We're definitely going back for the "Venice" rocks glasses.
(122 1/2 Larchmont Boulevard)

Stop 5: Larchmont Village Wine & Cheese

Since cheese and wine are probably two of our favorite things ever, Larchmont Village Wine & Cheese is usually a no-brainer. They have some of the very best sandwiches in Los Angeles, and all sorts of yummy snacks to keep you preoccupied while you wait in line to order (cuz there's ALWAYS a line - it's that good, people!)

We got the #3 (soppressata salami, Manchego cheese, sundried tomato spread) on a baguette, and the #6 (vegetarian with avocado, tomato, roasted red and yellow peppers, black olive tapenade) on ciabatta. You order in the line to the left, and pay at the register in the front. Order two and take one home - we promise you'll thank us later.

(223 N Larchmont Boulevard)

Stop 6: Larchmont Beauty

This is one of the best beauty supply stores we have ever stepped foot into. We're talking rows and rows of beautifying goodies, including face masks, nail polishes, skincare products, hair treatments, and make-up. If they don't have it, we swear it doesn't exist. And if you don't leave with at least a new lipstick, you're probably no friend of ours.

(208 N Larchmont Boulevard)

Stop 7: Go Get 'Em Tiger

Go Get Em Tiger is the brainchild of Kyle Glanville and Charles Babinski (the "G" and "B" of G&B Coffee in Grand Central Market) and an important new speciality coffee stop in Los Angeles. 

Now here's the skinny: don't come here if you're in a rush. We stopped by at 2pm and saddled up to the bar, where we waited over 10 minutes for an iced coffee and an iced latte. The process is compelling - baristas use cocktail shakers to create drinks - and we did get to enjoy a sample of sparkling tea while we waited. The iced coffee was too bitter for our taste, although the iced latte with house-made almond milk was quite delicious. Because of our love for G&B Coffee and its commitment to quality espresso, we'll probably be back to give GGET another go.

(230 N Larchmont Boulevard)

Stop 8: Larchmont Little Free Library

The Larchmont Little Free Library debuted in May 2013, and is part of a movement of little free libraries popping up all over the place. The idea is that you may take a book if you leave a book, with the goal of promoting literacy and encouraging community. This miniature house has a collection of rather diverse books, and is a charming addition to the neighborhood. So lovely!

(443 N Larchmont Boulevard)

Stop 9: 'Lette Macarons

There are so many fantastical places to buy treats in Larchmont, and we had a difficult time choosing a spot for sweets. But we chose well, because 'Lette Macarons proved to be out-of-this-world-delectable! We ordered a colorful box of lemon, chocolate, salted caramel, pistachio, coffee, violet cassis, raspberry, and passionfruit macarons...and nearly finished them before we left the shop! If taste buds could smile, ours would. 

(122 N Larchmont Boulevard)

The Details:

This is probably our easiest day ever, since visitors just stick to one street. And Larchmont is smaller than a square mile, so getting around on foot or bike is your best option. We parked just off Larchmont Boulevard, and then walked the rest of the day.

A map of our day looks like this: