HOTSPOT: DAY IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

{ Downtown Los Angeles }

Well, Monica made it Downtown, thank goodness. Living on the Westside of Los Angeles has made me somewhat immune to everything else, DESPITE the fact that I drive all over the city for work! It’s just so easy to miss new territory when you’re stuck in a car, battling traffic, hiding from the sun and ready to get to where you need to be. I have to admit I love spending time being a “local” on the weekends, walking places and avoiding my car and the potential for more traffic, BUT, the opportunity came to spend a Day in DTLA (after volunteering for an AWESOME cause) and so I took it! Here’s what I loved, enjoy!

{ Ledlow, DTLA }

But first, coffee… If you’re a caffeine addict like myself, or just love a good decaf latte al fresco, Ledlow hits the spot. It’s actually a really good restaurant too but has a little cafe booth inside with everything to get you going. They also have one of my favorite italian cocktails, Aperol Spritz and a hard to find French 75!

{ The Last Bookstore }

Caffeine supply in hand I headed straight to an iconic spot in DTLA Iv’e heard so much about, appropriately titled, The Last Bookstore. How sad is it that bookstores don’t make much business sense anymore? Call me old-fashioned but I can’t read an entire novel from a screen and I really hope this place really isn’t THE END….

{ The Last Bookstore }

A tad dramatic, but this really is the help desk. How cute?!

{ The Last Bookstore }

Aside from the store’s charm, some of the displays felt like a scene out of The Pagemaster, the inventory is pretty vast with intermixed used and new books for sale, including an entire section with $1.00 only books. Loved the color coding (above) and super cool entrance (below). The store also has a few shops with art and various items alike.

{ The Last Bookstore }

{ Bar Ama }

For lunch I stopped by Bar Ama and had THE BEST mexican food ever! That might sound a bit overdone, but I can honestly say it was the most delicious green enchilada i’ve tasted in Los Angeles. So delicious, that I completely forgot about the margarita I ordered. And I love my margs. I went during lunchtime, so they only had an earlier menu, but I will make sure to return at night with more people so I can try more! This one’s a MUST TRY!

{ The Los Angeles Athletic Club }

The Los Angeles Athletic Club is a members only sports and social club that I’ve had the opportunity of frequenting as a guest several times and to be honest would totally join if I lived anywhere near downtown. I believe the facility has a dining room and bar open to the public which I would highly recommend as an after work happy hour spot for any single ladies looking for a sporty businessman, the place is crawling with them!

{ The Los Angeles Athletic Club via Creative Commons }

What sets the club apart from a gym is the East coast, gentlemen’s club decor, very old school feel that is just so different from the rest of Los Angeles. The place is most known for its’ squash courts and beautiful pool (above). My favorite floor is the one with the squash courts since they have a casual rec room with a pool table, couches, TV’s and a snack bar you can order burgers, salads, shakes, fries, etc, and of course my favorite grilled cheese, at before your workout. They also have an adorable private room you can rent out for parties and ballroom/hotel accommodations perfect for weddings.

{ Bottega Louie }

After a good walk around downtown I had to head back to one of my favorite restaurants Iv’e found in DTLA, Bottega Louie, to satisfy my sweet tooth and obsession with macaroons… Aside from all the delectable desserts on a perfect display, the food is delicious too, I highly recommend coming for a dinner! This place is perfect for large groups since there is so much space and high ceilings.

{ Bottega Louie }

I came here with an old friend visiting from New York and of course she knew where to take me in my own city. The space itself was so open and I think it used to be a big bank back in the day. I felt like I was in another city entirely, like New York, Boston, or even my hometown Chicago. As much as I love Los Angeles, I still really miss the old architecture I grew up with. Luckily DTLA has some of the oldest buildings in the city, can’t wait to explore more!

{ Ace Hotel, DTLA }

Since my friend from New York, a fashionista and lifestyle blogger living in Brooklyn, was staying at the Ace Hotel, we of course had to have a drink on the infamous rooftop at sunset. I was extremely excited to see my favorite cocktail, a French 75, on the menu (as mentioned earlier at Ledlow too). I usually have to google the recipe and hand over my phone to get them at bars and restaurants I frequent in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and Santa Monica because for some reason NOBODY HERE has heard of them! Apparently downtown knows what’s up and I am happy to have found some like minded individuals. Hope you’ve enjoyed my recounting of DTLA. I’m sure I will find more to share again soon!

Cheers,

Xx, Monica

Authentically,