It’s the hippest 5km2 in LA, packed with local haunts frequented by your fave A-listers. CLEO breaks down five ways to spend five days in West Hollywood so you can live the #celeblyf too
It’s the hippest 5km2 in LA, packed with local haunts frequented by your fave A-listers. CLEO breaks down five ways to spend five days in West Hollywood so you can live the #celeblyf too
Day 1
Start the morning: Kick estoff your WeHotrip with a spin class at Soul Cycle (soul-cycle.com) on the Sunset Strip. This indoor cycling craze has celebrities hooked – Lady Gaga even held her 26th birthday party in the chain’s West Hollywood studio. You’ll ride custom-made exercise bikes along to music in a candlelit room while instructors inspire you to “live your dreams”. You won’t want to be a convert, but you’ll leave as one.
Next: After class, grab a green juice at Earthbar (earthbar.com) as you stroll along the Sunset strip. Go shopping if you’re up for it; you’ll find H&M mixed in with more pricey stores. Stop by Book Soup (booksoup.com) and pick up a holiday read, then head to the Drybar (thedrybar.com) to spruce up your tresses. They don’t cut or colour – blowies are their business – so you’ll look the part of a Hollywood star.
Dinner: If you dine at foodie hotspot Eveleigh (theeveleigh.com), chances are it will be the best meal of your trip/life. Owned by two Aussies, the food is modern, and this eatery marries the best of Australian and LA cuisine. The rustic main dining area is under a retractable roof, and you might think you were in the Outback if it weren’t for the LA billboards in view. Definitely a must-visit.
Day 2
Kick off the day: No trip to Hollywood would be complete without exercising some credit cardio. Start on Melrose Avenue; it’s lined with stores that Kendall and co. frequent (check out style favourites Rag & Bone for their iconic all-American denim).
Next, go to N Robertson Boulevard to empty out your wallet at boutiques like 3.1 Phillip Lim and Christian Louboutin. Lunch: Worked up a bit of an appetite? Cecconi’s (cecconiswesthollywood.com) on the corner of Melrose Ave and N Robertson Boulevard serves modern Italian at its best. Sample their cocktails and do a scan of the room for celebs (“Oh hi, Ellen. Are you hanging out with Drake?”).
Chill: Wind down some more at the Kinara Skincare Clinic & Spa (kinaraspa.com) near Cecconi’s. Try their red-carpet facial and you’ll be ready for your close-up.
Evening: Now you’ve treated yo’self WeHo style, go to The Church Key (thechurchkeyla.com) for a tasty time. Plus, Zomato crowned this joint one of LA’s top 10 restaurants for star-spotting.
DAY 3
In the AM: WeHo’s neighbor is the glitzier Beverly Hills. Take a riding tour of the suburb with Bikes and Hikes LA (bikesandhikesla.com) and cruise past the mansions, celeb homes and landmarks, like the pastel pink Beverly Hills hotel. The tour highlight is Greystone Park and Mansion, which is worth the steep hill climb for the amazing views of LA (plus, it’s a fun way to burn off last night’s epic culinary activities). Loads of movies were shot here, from X-Men to Rory’s school on Gilmore Girls. After you’re done ’gramming, cruise back down the hill along the postcard-esque palm tree-lined streets.
Eat: Hit the brakes and refuel at Gracias Madre (graciasmadreweho.com). You can’t go to LA without eating Mexican food, and this serves some of the best. While it’s a vegan eatery that uses sustainable and organic ingredients (they grow their own corn), meat lovers won’t be disappointed, thanks to fare like tempeh chorizo and coconut bacon.
Night: Start your evening at the Mondrian Hotel (mondrianhotel.com), where you can grab a drink with a view at WeHo hotspot Skybar. Once the sun sets, walk to iconic venues like Whisky A Go Go (whiskyagogo.com) and The Viper Room (viperroom.com).
DAY 4
To do: Combine the LA hike with star-gazing of the non-celeb variety by taking a stroll through Griffith Park and up to the iconic Observatory. The hike takes about two to three hours, and only requires a moderate fitness level. Along the way up is the best place to spot the Hollywood sign. Once you make it to the top, you can see the city sprawling in every direction.
Wine and dine: Just off the Strip is the hidden oasis that is the bl (sunsetmarquis.com). Have dinner at the hotel’s restaurant Cavatina, where you’re likely to see a famous face. After your meal, visit Bar 1200 in the hotel’s lobby. It’s dimly lit and intimate, and if you’re lucky, you’ll run into one of the musos laying down tracks in the famous NightBird recording studio, which is housed in the basement below the hotel. Fact: Britney Spears, Pharrell, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber, to name a few, have all recorded here.
DAY 5
Brunch: Start the morning the WeHo way by soaking up the sun with brunch and a poolside mimosa. There are plenty of hotels with swim-up bars you can visit. Our fave? The Standard (standardhotels.com) with its blue AstroTurf deck.
Snack: Stop by Connie & Ted’s (connieandteds.com) and sample New Englandstyle seafood. Try the lobster roll or chowder; they’re the standouts. After you’re done dining, head to nightclub and performance space DBA (dbahollywood.com); it’s the home of For The Record, a live-music show inspired by your fave movies – think Baz Luhrmann and Quentin Tarantino films.
Last drinks: You can’t beat Now Boarding (nowboardingla.com) for a post-show nightcap. Inspired by retro-airline style, the décor will take you back.
