Posts Tagged ‘los angeles’
Good afternoon tea spots are hard to find. Los Angeles has a diverse collection of tea houses that range from traditional English to sleek and modern—you just have to know where to look. All the classics are present, from luxury hotels to Asian-inspired tea rooms. Here are our top 10 favorite spots:
10. Tudor House, Santa Monica
This Santa Monica tea room is classic English, casual, and perfect for tea followed by some beach time or shopping at Third Street Promenade. You won’t be fawned over by white glove waiters, nor hear harpists strum. Instead you can relax, enjoy classic English fare and pastries, then grab a pint at the English pub next door.
Tudor House Santa Monica
1403 2nd Street
Santa Monica, California
310.451.8470
Along Washington Boulevard in Culver City is a nondescript barber shop. Step inside and you’ll likely see customers getting spruced up in the barber chair. But head on to the back of the joint and give a knowing nod to the man by the unmarked white door and you’ll find yourself inside a hidden corridor behind the barber shop.
All across Los Angeles, street artist Paige Smith is making the city sparkle. With faux paper geodes that is. And lots of unexpected shapes that represent crystals, quartz, and other mineral formations normally found in nature.
Back in the day actors’ contracts required them to stay within a 100 mile radius of Los Angeles during filming. As a result Palm Springs was born. Known for famed pool parties and Moroccan inspired retro design, Palm Springs has always lured Tinseltown stars, sun worshippers, and design lovers with its fusion of Hollywood glam and Vegas flamboyance.
There’s no place like Palm Springs when it comes to retro-inspired design culture and iconic modern architecture. Sandwiched in the desert half way between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Palm Springs is an oasis of pure Hollywood glamour fused with a bit of flamboyant Las Vegas spirit. It’s also the perfect place to enjoy some classic Southern California poolside culture.
Iconic Mid-century Modern Architecture
Home to the largest concentration of mid-century modern architecture, Palm Springs is sprinkled with iconic homes designed by the likes of Richard Neutra, Albert Frey, and John Lautner. For architecture buffs there are plenty of home tours, and once a year Palm Springs celebrates its architectural glory during Modernism Week.
Located among the lapping waves and pelicans in Redondo Beach, California is one of South Bay’s best kept dining secrets. Lined with palm trees and overlooking a quiet stretch of the marina, Baleen, named for a type of whale, feels miles apart from the bustle of Los Angeles, but chic enough to be a major player on the restaurant scene.
My absolute favorite place to take out of town guests in Los Angeles day or night is Griffith Observatory. Nothing can beat the location, with sweeping vistas of the Hollywood sign and endless panoramas of the entire city, all laid out in front of you. It doesn’t get more iconic than this.
Looking for a little Halloween inspiration? Then you’ve got to check out this light show themed to “The Nightmare Before Christmas”.
Outside the Tonga Hut in North Hollywood, a giant Polynesian Moai statue greets those seeking a little tropical bliss. Wedged between a brightly-lit bridal shop and a model store on a quiet strip of Victory Boulevard sits the oldest remaining tiki joint in Los Angeles, dating back to 1958.
The Birth of the Tiki Bar
The tiki bar itself was an L.A. concoction, pioneered with Don’s Beachcomber Cafe in the 1930’s, which quickly became popular with Hollywood celebrities. This ushered in an era of south seas chic that saw the spread of tiki establishments across the country, famous for their exotic cuisine, rum-based cocktails, and wonderful island atmosphere. Created to give late night revelers dreamy island vibes to swoon over, tiki bars served as houses of island kitsch filled with the rich iconography of far away destinations like Tahiti, Fiji, Easter Island, Hawaii, and The Cook Islands, to name a few.
Looking for a good breakfast joint with healthy ingredients that serves up both classic and unconventional treats? Then look no further than Jinky’s Cafe. With a relaxed California vibe and four locations across Los Angeles, Jinky’s has you covered for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If chili is your thing, Jinky’s has a whole section of the menu devoted to it. In fact, they’ve got a menu so long it’s dizzying.
I was hooked the minute I tasted the Pumpkin and Baked Apple Crepes, a pile of savory crepes buried beneath layers of cinnamon-spiced apples topped with whipped cream and creamy pumpkin marmalade. Better yet, go for the 2 + 2 + 2 add on and you’ll get two slices of bacon and two eggs any style alongside most breakfast items.
Jinky’s Cafe
Restaurant locations in Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Santa Monica, and Agoura Hills.
Article originally published at Examiner.com.
