City Guide: The best spots in LA according to Australian actress, Grace O’Sullivan
IMAGE VIA @GRACEOSULLIVAN_/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY GRACE O’SULLIVAN
“That’s the other thing you come to realise about LA – there’s a nugget of cinematic gold on every corner.”
Here at Fashion Journal, we want to unearth the hidden spots in Australian cities that only the locals know about. There’s no gatekeeping here – this is a breakdown of the best bits of our cities. We want the underrated date spots, favourite restaurants, treasure trove op shops and the bars people will always want to go back to. We also want to sniff out the best spots people find overseas.
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This week, we’re hearing about Australian actress and creative Grace O’Sullivan’s favourite places in Los Angeles. Having recently visited the star-studded city with her sister, Grace fielded some recommendations from Instagram followers prior to their trip. “If there is one place where you need an idea of where you’re going, it’s LA. The city is so vast that it doesn’t feel like a city at all, but rather lots of little towns within one. It’s not the easiest place to navigate, however, once you find the neighbourhoods you like, you’ll discover that LA is brimming with hidden gems,” she says.
“My personal favourites were West Hollywood and Silverlake/Echo Park. In a ridiculous, hot-rod of a hire car (renting a car is a must, by the way), we took to the streets of LA to work through a rather large and eclectic list of recommendations. While, might I add, learning how to drive on the other side of the road – let’s just say we made our way through the list slowly. Here are our top picks, tried and tested.”
Eat and drink
Grand Central Markets
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You can’t go wrong with a trip to the Grand Central Markets. Located in downtown LA, this market showcases the best food LA has to offer – all in one spot. Make a day of it and eat your way through over 35-plus vendors. I still think daily about the handmade pupusas (a Salvadoran dish) from Sarita’s Pupuseria. As it turns out, Grand Central Markets also happens to be the first date spot of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s characters in La La Land. That’s the other thing you come to realise about LA – there’s a nugget of cinematic gold on every corner.
Bar Flores
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What started as a pop-up speakeasy has now become one of the ‘it’ drink spots in LA. Recommended to us by a local we met at a market, Bar Flores’ casual and intimate vibe makes it feel as though you’re at a backyard house party. We went on ‘margarita Wednesday’ – $9 tequila margs accompanied by the groovy tunes of a local DJ. What more could a girl want?
Shop
Melrose Trading Post
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It’s no surprise that shopping in LA can break the bank, particularly with the dollar conversion. I prefer to purchase preloved goodies, so I steered clear of boujee shopping centres like The Grove (though that’s worth wandering around) and instead opted for flea markets and thrift stores. Melrose is LA’s most famous flea market, and although it was slightly more curated than I had hoped for, it lived up to expectations.
From vintage clothing and accessories to handmade crafts and antiques, the market boasts a treasure trove of goodies. My personal favourite was a store selling ‘candles which smell like your favourite movies.’ Niche, I know. There’s also free parking on the surrounding side streets (walk the extra five minutes and find the free parking spots in LA – you’ll save yourself a lot of money). If you’re in town for a few weekends, also check out Silverlake Flea Market and Los Feliz Flea for some bargains.
Echo Park thrift shops
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The Echo Park area was recommended by several of my thrifty friends, and it did not disappoint. We found the neighbourhood to be very charming and refreshingly walkable (a real rarity in LA, where nothing is within walking distance) and spent a whole day strolling between its many cafes, bars and of course, thrift stores.
Personal favourites include American Vintage (for bargain cowboy boots and leather jackets), Sunday’s Best (named after the owner’s cat who you’ll find sunbathing in the window) and Crossroad Tradings. There are also a bunch of curated vintage stores worth popping into including Lemon Frog, Recollection LA and Markt.
Do
Stud Country
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Ever wondered what you’d get when combining line dancing and a bunch of cool LA queers? The answer is the best damn night of your life. Taking place every Monday and Thursday night at Club Bahia, Stud Country sees both seasoned line dancers and newbies get together to box-step the night away.
Watch in awe at the pros who go every week, then join in at 8.30pm and 10.30pm as the instructors take the crowd through a new line dance, step by step. It’s so much fun. Don’t count yourself out if dancing isn’t usually your thing. You’d be surprised what a pair of cowboy boots and a couple of mojitos can do for one’s confidence…
Griffith Observatory Hike
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Okay, this may seem like an obvious one, but the Griffith Observatory really does boast the best views of LA. From the top, you can admire the sprawling city and appreciate an unobstructed view of the Hollywood sign. We parked on Fern Dell Drive and hiked up to the Observatory, though you can also choose to park at the Observatory and hike closer to the sign (but you’ll have to pay for parking). Post-hike, we stopped by the bustling Beechwood Cafe (made infamous by this Harry Styles song) to refuel. Although the coffee there is bitter (I am a product of the Melbourne coffee scene, sue me), the food is tasty.
The Getty Museum
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Oh, the Getty. The most beautiful building in LA, housing the city’s most beautiful artefacts. Upon arrival, you take a hovertrain up to the museum, which is nestled in the hills overlooking LA. Whether you wish to be taken around the building to learn about its architecture or tour through the amazing collections inside, the Getty manages to provide an intimate and personalised experience despite the fact that it’s so big. Once you pay $25 for parking, everything else is free including admission and the various guided tours. It is, without a doubt, one of the best things I did in LA.
Watch
Loz Feliz Theatre
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It would be rather criminal to visit the birthplace of cinema and not indulge in some of the classic viewing experiences LA has to offer. I went on a solo date night to the Los Feliz theatre and found myself transported to a bygone era of film-going charm. Located in the delightful neighbourhood of Los Feliz, the cinema’s iconic art deco-style facade and rich history provides you with plenty to look at before you’ve even entered the building. I chuckled at the cute vintage ads they roll before your film. Plus, the staff are lovely and up for a chat about anything, including the origins of your ‘funny accent.’
Vista Theatre
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The Vista Theatre is one of the few remaining old-school, single-screen cinemas in LA. Recently purchased and restored by the infamous Quentin Tarantino, the Vista’s vintage ambience really makes it feel as though you’ve stepped back into the ’60s to catch a flick. Programmed by Tarantino himself, the theatre screens a diverse range of films, from classic Hollywood favourites to independent and foreign cinema. A late-night screening here is the perfect way to round out a day in La La Land.
You can keep up with Grace here.
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