The first time I went to Los Angeles, I didn’t love it. The second time didn’t really change my opinion. Or the third. It’s a sprawling, discombobulating place that can be tricky to navigate. But then, I started to get to know places that truly showed me the city at its indulgent, sun-soaked best and I fell totally and utterly in love.
Here’s where to stay, eat, shop and play in the City of Angels…
Location, location, location
LA is synonymous with luxury and there is nowhere more luxurious to stay than the Montage Beverly Hills. The elegant and sumptuous property is regularly voted the number one hotel in the city (which is no mean feat) and is a favourite with celebs such as Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Garner. Bolstering its A-list chops: Justin Bieber actually lives here when he is in town and spends so much time at the hotel, there is a dog bed reserved for his beloved pooch behind the reception desk.
Checking in here is about as close as I might ever come to being A- list, from the rose-filled marble foyer to the glittering rooftop pool. Check in and you will dread ever having to check out.
Juice, juice baby (but make it fun)
Is there any more quintessential Los Angeles experience than lying back, soaking up the sun by a glittering pool and sipping on a cocktail? Didn’t think so. The Rooftop Grill offers a signature cold pressed juice called the Bright Eyes – orange, carrot, ginger, turmeric and lemon. Very, very LA and very delicious. So, what better way to improve it than adding a generous measure of Absolut Elyx and enjoying it next to pool? An afternoon spent dozing in the sunshine, cooling off in the turquoise water and enjoying a cheeky tipple is the perfect, decadent way to get into an LA-state of mind.
Art attack
The Broad is an extraordinary museum. Entirely funded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad, it is a staggering, spectacular monument to modern art. (It’s also free, which never hurts.) Boasting a permanent the Insta-iconic Infinity Mirror Room by Yayoi Kusama, the free museum is bursting with incredible and vibrant pieces and is the perfect way to while away a few hours.
Be a clever clogs and make sure you book online. You should also download the app because they come with audio guides so you can pretend you know what it is all about.
Get your glow on
Forget Botox, fillers and facelifts. Who needs to resort to that when you can simply experience a world-class facial? The Spa Montage Beverly Hills exclusively offers L. Raphael, a Swiss brand of seriously high-end products. (Their signature serum will set you back a whopping $1,115.) Their Proactive Radiance Facial with Pure Vitamin C is a gamer changer. This rejuvenating facial uses L. Raphael’s Proactive line to harness the pure, potent antioxidant power of vitamin C. The treatment includes a refinishing peel and correcting mask to even skin tone, fade sun and age spots and restore skin’s natural radiance.
Reader: My skin has never, absolutely NEVER looked better than after this facial. I was so stunned with the results I spent half an hour taking photos of my skin and sending them to friends.
Make sure you leave enough time to loll around in the wellness mineral pool so you can pretend you are a Real Housewife.
Give your credit cards a workout
I nearly cried walking into The Real Real’s Melrose Avenue store. Comprising not only women’s but men’s departments and even its own cafe, the renowned luxury consignment brand’s newest physical location is the stuff that sartorial dreams are made of. Boasting a truly spectacular range of clothes, shoes, jewelry and accessories, forget whatever the hell the exchange rate is doing and enjoy. And in, case you are really feeling like treating yo’ self, wander into the adjoining bag annex which is stocked with a heavenly selection of Hermes Birkins and Kelly bags along with Chanel, Fendi and Gucci. Sigh. Maybe one day…
Go vegan (temporarily)
Whether you are a committed carnivore or not, Los Angeles’ kale-loving, green-juice culture means that this is one city where it is definitely worth flirting with your inner-vegan.
Monica Olaes, head chef of The Restaurant offers a ‘Faux Scallop’ which would easily trick the uninitiated and are a must-try. (I won’t give away exactly how they are made but let’s just say mushroom plays a part.)
Or, if you feel like indulging in a fast food sans guilt, The Rooftop Grill offers the Impossible Burger, whose patty looks, tastes and even drips just like the real things.
