48 Hours in LA
by Nicha Jones
My first East Coast Winter has been fairly mild so far, but that didn’t stop me from fleeing west for a quick weekend trip to Los Angeles with some of my favorite human beings last week. Ironically, upon landing I ended up getting caught in one of the biggest storms, and got drenched from head to toe, but nevertheless we took full advantage of what little time we did have there. Turnaround trips CAN be done, people. Even in a place like LA! Here's how to hit up my favorite spots in Los Angeles in 48 hours or less.
SATURDAY
I usually like to fly out of Philadelphia on Friday nights after work, but instead I opted to just wake up ridiculously early Saturday morning to cruise into Cali by 9 AM. After arriving, we jumped on the Flyaway Bus ($9 rides) and made our way to Union Station where we grabbed a cab to Silverlake. After checking into our delightful Airbnb, we walked across the street to grab a coffee at the ever-so-charming Intelligensia to buy us some time until we needed to leave for brunch.
After dehydrating ourselves with caffeine, we trekked over to meet the rest of the crew at Brite Spot in Echo Park (my old stomping grounds). Due to it being a weekend day, we spent way too much time waiting in line for a table for 6, but that’s what we get for rolling 6 deep.
By the end of our grub fest, a few of us decided to head over to DTLA to practice our rights at the Women’s March, which couldn’t have been any more inspiring. When it all began to die down, I thought it would be a good idea to day drink at La Cita. I was reminded later that evening why I don’t do that anymore. We danced, laughed, and then peaced-out while evening was still early.
For dinner, I went back into Echo Park to meet up with my mentor at Sage Restaurant, which is known for its vegan and vegetarian dishes. I’m a carnivore, but I will gladly sacrifice my meat indulgence for a meal. I always get the same thing, which is the BBQ cauliflower with blue cheese, so obvi I’d recommend it to anyone.
A group of us met up shortly after dinner and grabbed a couple of cocktails at Bar Stella, which is warmly lit and intimate if you can find a comfortable spot for you and your friends to hang. It’s pretty unassuming since there aren’t any big signs on the street that indicate its location.
As far as the rest of the night? We hit up Echo Park and ended up bouncing between Little Joy, The Shortstop, and The Echo for some late night dancing!
SUNDAY
I woke up with the worst hangover as embarrassing memories came to surface and details were revealed. Adulting is something I clearly have not mastered yet. To help cure the remnants of last night, we met up with friends at Millie’s, which ironically is where my parents used to eat when they first started dating. It’s a go-to brunch spot and the dishes don’t try to be anything that they are not. If you sit on the patio on a nice day, you’ll have the best view for people watching, plus it is centrally located in the neighborhood.
Since there was a down pour, we decided to go to an art museum to stay as dry as possible. A friend suggested The Museum of Jurassic Technology and we tagged along. I had no idea what to expect and it blew my mind! If you’re into weird oddities and curiosities, then this is the place for you! Also, their rooftop is by far one of the most magical places in the City of Angels and is covered with lush greenery. Classic guitar players serenade you as you enjoy the complimentary tea and cookies. I’ve heard that they even have doves that live up there and kick it when the weather permits it.
All of us decided, after leaving our new favorite place, to go crystal shopping at Spellbound Sky, which is a New Age crystal store. All of their precious gems are curated by color and their unicorn window display is notable!
To end our trip with a bang, we decided to have dinner at Mohawk Bend since they are super accommodating for larger groups and have a great selection of beer on tap. What better way to leave LA than to stuff your face with pizza and beer?