Salt Lake City has lately become something of a melting pot, and so many of our residents now (yours truly included) are transplants from other states and countries. And while we love and preach about all the goodness that is SLC, we—like many of our readers—also do our fair share of traveling to and obsessing about other places on the map, as well.
Our design division has projects in a few other states, and as such, we occasionally have a layover here or there. To that end, we thought it might be nice to give a quick shout to the spots we frequent in cities outside our own. The Layover Lists series will simply be our way of saying something along the lines of, “Oh, you’re there? You should check this out….” (And if you have a city/town you think we need to check out or some recommendations in a place of familiarity, feel free to shoot to [email protected], or DM us on Instagram @cityhomeCOLLECTIVE).
One such place for us is Los Angeles (so this first one is technically our L.A.over List). We’ve got a few design projects in this sprawling city, and we’ve managed to wander into several shops/restaurants worth gushing about. If you find yourself in the city of celebs and sunshine, here are ten spots we think you should get familiar with...
1. Botanica: If you make your way over to Silver Lake, be sure to check out Botanica for brunch. This detailed, yet simple space boasts food and drinks that are anything but. They take “healthy” food to a whole new level of delicious. Big flavor and bold colors are the order of the day in this locally and sustainably sourced restaurant and market. 1620 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, Mon. - Sun. 9:00a - 2:00p and 5:30p - 10:00p
2. Midland: After brunch, pop on over to Midland Shop. They've got a incredible selection of apothecary items, home accessories, and one-off clothing. If you need to pick up a last minute gift, we suggest you get the goods here. 1404 Micheltorena St, Los Angeles, Mon. - Sun, 11:00a - 6:00p
3. Esqueleto: Speaking of goodies, one of our personal favorites is a little home goods and fine jewelry shop known as Esqueleto. Visiting this shop is a practice in restraint. Think handmade, Mexican-influenced, cool-but-not-trying-too-hard laid-back luxury. It’s also a few doors down from Hotel Covell (one of our fav places to stay, should you need a rec for a room). 4618 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, Mon. - Sun., 10:00a - 6:00p
4. Chicas Tacos: Just downtown, Chicas is an AMAZING little spot set up for some outdoors, picnic-style dining by an Airstream. Our own cityhomeCOLLECTIVE interior design team is also working on the design for two additional Chicas restaurants (think: classic L.A. street taco vibes infused with fun, quirky details). 728 S Olive St, Los Angeles, Mon. - Fri., 11:00a - 10:00p (open until 1:30a Fri. + Sat.)
5. Freehand rooftop: If you have some time to kill during your day in the city, do yourself a favor and check out the Freehand. You can buy a day pass to the rooftop pool and "get some work done” at the Broken Shaker bar...they whip up a few mean, tiki-inspired cocktails. Also a great hotel option, should you decide to stay an extra night, it's in a great downtown area where plenty of good architecture spotting can be had (one of our very favorite buildings, The Eastern, is just around the corner). 416 W 8th St, Los Angeles
6. Hammer + Spear: It may require a couple minutes in an Uber, but it's totally worth it. Hammer + Spear is a beautiful design showroom with high-end furniture pieces, exquisite scents, and inspiring art. The vibe here is equal parts sexy and moody--you'll never want to leave. 255 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, Mon. - Sat.,11:00a - 7:00p, Sun. 12:00p - 6:00p
7. Lawson-Fenning: If you find yourself over in Melrose, there are a ton of great shopping options. Our design team absolutely loves Lawson-Fenning, and we source from them quite frequently. It’s really great that we have the ability to see pieces in-person before we present them to clients, and there are loads of really cool makers and artists on display. 6824 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, Mon. - Sat.,10:00a - 6:00p
8. Galerie Half: Just across the street from Lawson-Fenning, you'll find Galerie Half, which features high-end antiques and vintage pieces. It's a gorgeous and perfectly curated gallery where every piece is pretty much exquisite. 6911 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038 Mon. - Sat., 10:00a - 5:00p
9. The Window: We love the quirkiness of this place. Another shop full of vintage goodies and treasures, you can spend a considerable amount of time in here, so best plan for it. 6825 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, Mon. - Sat., 11:00a - 6:00p
10. Auburn: If you're looking for some amazing dinner plans, we suggest splurging a bit this time--treat yourself to a coursed meal at Auburn. It’s pricey, yes...but absolutely worth it. Designed by Klein Agency, the interiors are subtle yet refined, comfortable and luxurious. Every detail, from the concrete to the landscaping and handmade ceramic dishes, is so very on point. You deserve it. 6703 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, check for hours - reservations recommended
