This may be polarizing, but we at SCOUT subscribe to the “West Coast Best Coast” agenda. Southern California is especially sunny and colorful, and we’re pretty sure everyone who lives there has taken eternal PTO. Does anyone work? Who knows? But Californians certainly are happy, healthy, and chill. Here’s your activity guide for the moments when you’re not meditating, doing skincare, or complaining about traffic.
You best believe we’re going to our favorite multilocation coffee spot in, quite literally, the world, Cafe Kitsune. We go in London! We go in Paris! We go in New York! And now we can go to the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles! The staff is phenomenal and friendly. The lattes are out of this world. The pastries are intended to be consumed in private.
Courage Bagels, featured in the New York Times piece “The Best Bagels are in California (Sorry, New York),” is worth the 30-45 minute wait. We love a humbling line. We camped out twice over the weekend to order these bad boys. These are bougie bagels one only dreams of noshing. Bonus: we made new friends in line! Good vibes all around at this snug, counter-serve bakery with casual sidewalk vibes. It takes courage to devour a bagel on the roof of your Honda.
Salazar is another chill and groovy space with fabulous, fresh food. The burrito is a must if you’re going on an empty stomach. The guacamole, ceviche, and tacos are tangy and light. Head here for the ultimate cool, Cali late lunch.
Musso & Frank is Hollywood’s oldest eatery! This moody steak joint is filled with cozy red booths and serves martinis that feel bottomless. Seriously, they basically bring you the shaker. If you love delectable sides like creamy spinach, truffle mac and cheese, or potatoes au gratin, you have come to the right place. You will leave wondering when the gout is going to kick in (in a good way).
Have you even been to LA if you haven’t stopped by Erewhon Market for a $20 Hailey Bieber smoothie? “Upscale” is an understatement when it comes to this holistic haunt. Here, the people watching is best in class. Photogenic patrons in Aviator Nation sweats gently parent their equally stunning spawn. When you’ve grown tired of being nosy, you can call your bank to take out a loan and grab a bottle of spring water or an ashwagandha muffin. All is right in this mecca of woo-woo.
You will long for Crudo e Nudo every sunny afternoon after visiting this dreamy raw bar in Santa Monica. Creative, flavorful, and locally sourced, this special spot offers seasonal treasures and an array of natural wines. From oysters garnished with edible flowers to caviar nachos, every bite is colorful and lovely.
If you can get access to a car, drive to The Huntington library, art museum, and botanical gardens in Pasadena. You can spend hours walking through 130 acres with 16 themed gardens. Our favorite was the desert garden. You could spend an entire day in this Eden-like dreamland.
We quite literally zoomed through the Petersen Automotive Museum one afternoon, and now we’re car people! As one of the world's largest automotive museums, Petersen, of course, had some true aficionados surveying the scene. This nonprofit organization specializing in automobile history and related educational programs, is super approachable and engaging. We enjoyed the Inside Tesla exhibit, because Elon Musk, duh.
If you find yourself driving up the PCH to the Pacific Palisades, head up to the Temescal Canyon Trail. This easy hike has sick ocean views and is super dog friendly. The perfect recovery walk after all the beef you ate at Musso & Frank.
Venice Beach and Venice Canals are our jam. We’ve done SCOUT photoshoots in the canals and love to bop around Abbot Kinney for some lunch, ice cream, or shopping when our hard work is complete. This neighborhood will give you all the quintessential chill, surf-y vibes. Make sure you stop by the skatepark and watch some legit skaters rip.
We hope you enjoyed this totally rad and brief guide to Tinseltown. Of course, there is so much more to see, do, and explore, but this is a fun start. We hope you’ll plan a visit of your own for some much-needed Vitamin D. Just don’t forget to pack your Original Deano Deluxe Tote Bag for the beach!
