You’re coming to LA? Great! I’m so excited to show you the town! I was hoping you would come! If you come to Los Angeles, I suggest visiting the Burbank Airport. It is the true Los Angeles airport in the center of town, but because it is so tiny, it is easy to come here and leave quickly. No long drives to the city center, no annoyances, just get in but get out.
You must be hungry. I know I usually am when I land. Let’s get something easy from one of my favorite low-key sandwich shops, Locali. Locali has been around in Los Angeles for a long time, serving smoothies, salads, and sandwiches. They also sell artisan goods like wine, drinks, and snacks. Even though they sell normal meat eater food, they generally serve a vegan market. We should get the Badass Breakfast Sandwich, a Locali staple, which is a sweet/savory blend of everything you would want or more. Between an English multigrain muffin is a vegan sausage and a vegan cheddar sandwich slathered with chipotle and maple syrup. It is savory. It is sweet. It is everything you would want when being introduced to LA because this is a blend of flavors and attempts to try to make something better. Like LA, a city filled with people bringing their own cultures and ideas in the hope of making something better of their lives. It feels like the sandwich that introduces you to the town.
But what should we do with these sandwiches? Should we hike? No, that seems too simple and easy, plus you want to see some of Hollywood. So let’s go to the best place to visit Hollywood fame, the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Walking around the cemetery, we can talk about the history. See the graves of some greats, Dee Dee Ramone, Rudolph Valentino, Bugsy Siegal, and the dog Toto. It’s kind of peaceful walking around there. Things are a bit more quiet despite being in a busy city. After enjoying that we might have more energy, do you want to go shopping?
There are significant pockets around LA that have some fantastic thrifting shopping experiences, and one of my hidden secrets is the Goodwill on Fairfax and Beverly. Sometimes, going there, you will find some designer or high-quality vintage items; other times, you will be trapped under a big mess of stuff. However, that’s what happens when you thrift. Sometimes, you can find some fantastic one-of-a-kind things; other times, you are just stuck with trash. If we go there when it is a dud, we can check out the other great thrift stores around that area. No big deal, let’s just have fun.
I bet all that shopping made you hungry, I am. I know I generally am hungry, but now I’m starving. Since we saved a lot of money buying great clothes, let’s head over to Nic’s on Beverly and get some slightly expensive grub. Nic’s can’t go wrong. They can try, but they’re going to fail. Everything they make is top notch from their brunch to their pizzas. I love their BBQ pizza because the chicken is perfectly seasoned with a balance of sweet and savory BBQ sauce, the cheese is rich and gooey, and the pizza dough is thick, chewy, and crispy in all the right places. We should order the pizza with some vegan ranch because dipping that pizza in ranch is a perfect chef’s kiss. We can also order some of the brunch dishes. I loved the breakfast sandwich or even the Benedict. The rich, gooey taste of the cheese and the savory umami taste of the vegan meat is all the right consistency. Coming here, we’ll be full, so maybe we should explore some more.
One of the best places to visit LA is actually downtown LA. Did you know someone came forward and believed there were lizard people underneath downtown LA? How weird is that? Downtown LA is rich, with the colorful history of LA overflowing with the culture of the people who built it. Each section of downtown LA has rich pockets of dark past that are interesting and complex. There isn’t a spot that I don’t think should be ignored. Seeing everything downtown LA offers is such a great, rewarding experience. I think we should start at Little Tokyo. This place is more than a hundred years old and is still considered the largest of the three official “Japantowns” in the United States. Little Tokyo is a visual experience that houses historic shops and restaurants hidden in newer, aged punk shops. People are very protective of Little Tokyo, sparking outcry when more giant corporations attempt to gentrify the neighborhood. Shopping around Little Tokyo is like seeing pockets of artistic, punk, and Japanese-themed shops, allowing visual stimulus for every corner of Little Tokyo. It is also the home to some historical sweets like Fugetsu-do, founded in 1903. It is the oldest established food establishment in Los Angeles, the birthplace of the fortune cookie. I suggest getting a snack there when we’re exploring all the stores. It helps keep businesses alive, but also, their mochi is top-notch and vegan. We can check out the arcades at Eighty-Two or X-Lanes, where we can spend money to shoot zombies and jump over barrels. I’m good at pinball. You should try and beat me.
After exploring Little Tokyo, I want to show you the Last Bookstore. The store used to be an abandoned bank but has now become a fantastic used and new bookstore. It’s fun to take photos there and explore the books; everything about that store is enjoyable. If you want, we can get lost exploring the books we want to read. When you get hungry, let’s walk to Grand Central Market to get some dinner.
Over one hundred years old, the Grand Central Market was once billed as the “largest and finest public market on the Pacific Coast.” The area is the home of 40 stalls of businesses ranging from groceries to artisan foods. Grand Central Market has always stayed true to their historical companies as they have grown and welcomed new and innovative sellers. While most of America has loved and cherished the supermarket, places like Grand Central become refreshing for those who want to try and explore items that aren’t mass-produced by the top ten capitalist corporations. Sometimes, I want a baguette made that day by someone who loves baking. Grand Central offers that. One of my favorite vegan ramen places, Ramen Hood, sits near the end of the Grand Central Market, but luckily for us, it is closer to the Last Bookstore. There isn’t really a ramen I would suggest over others. Ramen Hood perfects all of them. The broth is creamy, making the meal taste robust but not overpowering. Every dish is offered with Bok Choi, and other vegetables drizzled with a thin layer of chili oil. The chili oil has a delicate touch, making it have flavor but not feel greasy. I think the broth is nourishing, feeling like a meal by itself. I also absolutely love the chewy noodles. It is the right consistency, and I like that it feels filling.
Sitting at Ramen Hood watching people walk around you feels magical. There aren’t many outdoor food stalls in LA other than the fruit stalls that happen by the side of the road. You’re seeing the whole world by eating comforting food on a chair and watching people walk by. You’re seeing various cultures and ages live their daily life. It really is a fantastic experience to see people just be people. Also, to know that this was the building of so much history makes you feel a part of something, even if it’s just with one vegan ramen dish.
Let’s end our trip at the Griffith Observatory. It might be impossible to park at (chances are we might not be able to do it), but it’s truly the best place to see the city at night. We will be standing at the tip of a mountain, watching the stairs meet the city’s night lights. We see the romance of the city lights, but we’ll be standing in the beauty of nature. I’m thrilled that you came to visit me. I hope I made this trip fun for you. If you ever want to visit again, let me know, and I’ll think of something else for us to do.
