LA beckons: The delights that make it more than a celebrity Mecca
Luxury hotels, culinary delights, and intriguing neighbourhoods make the Californian city much more than tinsel town alone.
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In the heart of Downtown LA’s Arts District, I am walking along an edgy, industrial-vibe street where murals adorn many of the red-brick historic buildings that have undergone dramatic transformations.
The one-time production warehouse for Ford Motors is now home to Warner Music while another, which was home to the National Biscuit Company, makers of Oreos, has been converted to lofts.
But I’m not here for sightseeing – I’m here to eat in the district’s abundance of tucked-away restaurants.
Six Taste Food Tour host and schoolteacher Sally Tiongco first leads us to The Bread Lounge, a cult bakery that was started by two brothers who originally sold their bread door to door. The turkey and brie sandwich I try here is incredible.
Afterwards Sally marches us through gritty but gorgeous streets, visiting marvellous venues off the beaten track, and filling our souls with a taste of the passion she has for her community.“I would have to say we love the diverse cuisine we have here … we’re tucked away in a little taqueria for some tacos, but then later on we’re going to get some Japanese ramen … you can eat around the world in one place here,” she says.
A day prior I’d flown in on a United Airlines flight from Brisbane, and headed to the iconic Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City.
The hotel was made famous by any number of films, loved as a second home to the stars, and has been a backdrop to some of the biggest parties LA has seen.
“It’s the place to be,” director of public relations Danny Harpaz says.
The Fairmont, which opened in 1966, sits on land that once comprised a studio backlot for 20th Century Fox.
“At the time in LA there were really no walkable neighbourhoods, there was no area where there was shopping, retail, residential, hotel so they brought on all these legendary developers and city planners to create a city within a city, and that was Century City,” he says.
The landmark building is best known for its facade curvature, the work of architect Minoru Yamasaki, who is credited with creating the original World Trade Centre in New York.
“It opened to a string of very important events. It had The Beatles at the 10th Annual Grammy Awards right downstairs in the ballroom, Lucille Ball won at the Emmy Awards for I
Love Lucy right downstairs in the ballroom,” Harpaz says.
“One of my favourite events (was) hosted by president Nixon to honour the Apollo 11 safe return from the moon; it’s actually the first ever presidential state dinner outside of the White House, and in that room there was dignitaries representing 78 countries, all members of the presidential cabinet, countless celebrities, Walt Disney and his wife and so on.
“They also had a huge movie theatre (across the road) which had every major premiere, including Star Wars. This was the place to be.”
But, Harpaz says, a shift was on the way.
The nearby Shubert Theater, which hosted A-listers through the golden years, was demolished in 2002 and replaced by offices including for the powerful Creative Arts Agency (CAA). “They represent all the top movie stars, musicians, sports athletes … everything,” Harpaz says.
When the Century Plaza closed in 2015 for a $2.5bn renovation, underground tunnels allowing the world’s biggest celebs to visit CAA across the road undetected were part of the plan.
The hotel was gutted and reborn with a stunning bar, restaurant and one of the most impressive spas you will see in any hotel.
The rooms are equally spectacular – the marble bathrooms alone give a feel of spa luxe – while the service is unrivalled.
The Century Plaza’s in-house restaurant Lumiere, decorated with French vintage wares, is unmissable – as much for the eyes as it is for the tastebuds.
New to the LA accommodation scene, with a contrasting feel is the Moxy – a hotel name rapidly gaining status across the world as a hip place to stay for creatives and fun-lovers alike.
The LA version, in the Downtown district, is a busy place where the barman checks you in, in an area overlooking a DJ booth, because the lobby doubles as a swanky party hub too.
The Moxy has a string of hotels globally, including in Sydney, but downtown LA’s version has major wow-factor. The hotel’s Level 8 has been transformed to an adult’s wonderland with eight night-life venues and restaurants.
Each space is vivid and distinct, with features including a carousel set before the city skyline, a funky Mexican food truck and a jazz lounge which transforms its bar into a stage.
Celebrity presence is so ingrained with LA’s identity that its operations are often sleekly covert. To the keen eye they’re unmissable – a blacked-out Range Rover here, a roving mini-entourage there – but it’s in an understated kind of way.
Rather, the city is a cultural feast, one that shows its depths after you’ve seen the Boulevard, the Walk of Fame, and the other postcard landmarks.
The flea markets of Melrose Trading Post, held on Sundays at Fairfax High School with a plethora of art and vintage wares, satisfies a desire to be, for a while, part of the rhythm of the city.
And later, en route to the Vinyl District, we also stumble upon a 1931 art deco office building that once housed the Citizen News, and is now home to funky restaurant Mother Wolf.
As well as these delights unearthed travelling by foot, cab and Uber drivers help shine a light on life in the city.
One driver was so drawn to the place that it was his dream to simply live there, while another raised his family there and tells of the highs and lows of the city’s story. Each so different yet both loyal and proud of their home.
In the words of our food tour guide Sally Tiongco: “Los Angeles welcomes you with open arms … if you find a local, we’re always so happy to share a love for our city. There are so many pockets of LA … just focus on neighbourhoods, that’s when you can really delve into the food scene and know the people behind it.”
The writer was a guest of United Airlines and Discover Los Angeles.
TIPS TO SEEING LA:
– Do a guided walk to the Hollywood sign. The insight these tour guides can share is fantastic. You’ll get plenty out of it, and, the walk looks more intimidating and steeper than it is.
– Do allow for extra travel time when going by road, like many big cities, LA’s traffic is heavy.
– Eat, eat, eat. The food is a highlight in LA; it’s rich in quality, flavour and variety. There is an abundance of little restaurants to try as well as several food markets that will not disappoint. This includes the Original Farmers Market which offers more than 100 gourmet grocers, restaurants, and live music weekly.
– Talk to the locals. It might just be the friendliest city in the world. People are more than happy to help.
– Remember to tip: Sit-down restaurants, taxi drivers, tour guides, spa therapists: 15-20% of bill. Bars: USD $1 per drink. Street performers: USD $2-5 for a photo opportunity. In Hotels: USD $1-2/bag for skycaps, bellhops, doormen and valets if they handle bags; USD $2-5/night for housekeeping; USD $5-10 for concierge if they arranged tickets or reservations.
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