Travel Spotlight

Easy Living: Los Angeles Spring 2015

This spring, the folks behind some of Los Angeles’ most iconic restaurants (Gjelina, Rustic Canyon) are spawning new hot spots that tout the farm-to-table freshness that has become synonymous with Californian cuisine, while still offering up fresh twists (baklava croissant, anyone?). Grab-and-go eateries, from blood orange soft-serve swirling ice cream parlors to hipster coffee shops, are also on the rise, encouraging visitors to head out and enjoy the city’s near-constant sunshine. And two new shops are providing reason to head inside after soaking up a healthy dose Vitamin D. Here are the spots at the top of our hit list.

Where to Eat

Gjusta

Following in the footsteps of older siblings Gjelina and GTA (Gjelina Take Away), this bakery-cum-deli has a high cool quotient. Patrons nosh on sandwiches such as a porchetta melt and classic banh mi, and regulars know to end a meal with one of the superb baklava croissants.

Love & SaltOperating on the belief that food needs little more than love and salt, this Italy-by-way-of-California-restaurant serves such dishes as roasted baby cauliflower with preserved lemon, duck egg pizza and mushroom gnocchi. A well-edited selection of Italian and Californian wines round out the meal.

Stir Market: Tuck into Meyer lemon pancakes, ricotta toast and rosemary-dusted potatoes at this sprawling, sun-filled café and marketplace. Besides the scrumptious brunch fare, the menu also offers salads, sandwiches, and even wine on tap. The space stocks goodies ranging from Blenheim apricot jam to Montebello pastas.

Odys + Penelope: The duo behind bakery Sycamore Kitchen moves in a new direction with this modern churrasco and grill. Dishes such as smoked lamb lettuce cups and grilled swordfish are complemented by house-made condiments, including tomatillo mostarda, hazelnut romesco and a barbecue sauce inspired by the chef’s home state of North Carolina.

Sweet Rose CreamerySimply put, sunshine and ice cream go together. Happily succumb to that truth at this Brentwood creamery with flavors such as peanut butter brownie, Earl Grey and blood orange soft-serve. The owners behind Rustic Canyon brought in a Tartine alum to helm the ice cream shop and swirl up seasonal flavors. Don’t miss Yoshikawa’s famous almond milk made with Fat Uncle Farms almonds.

Salt & StrawThis Portland import is perfectly at home in L.A.’s Larchmont Village. The beloved scoop shop maintains its ethos of sourcing from regional farmers and artisans. Case in point: the shop incorporates local ingredients such as Grand Poppy liqueur from a distillery in downtown LA and apricots from a nearby grocery.

Where to Shop

Irene Neuwirth

Past flamingo topiaries lies this magical land of baubles, the first eponymous boutique for LA-based jeweler Irene Neuwirth. Ogle Colombian emerald cocktail rings, tanzanite and opal earrings, pink tourmaline necklaces and hand-painted animal pendants.

Sleepy JonesThis sleepwear and loungewear brand is predicated on the idea that creative types – artists, musicians, writers – often work best when comfortably lounging in their PJs. Test out the theory with a pair of their luxe pajama pants (some even featuring Liberty of London fabrics), short robes or comfy underwear.

More Inspiration

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