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Los Angeles is a vast and diverse city and the surrounding communities are what give the LA area the cache that the world admires and envies.
While the downtown area proper offers such fantastic locales as the Grand Central Market with the delectable food islands set amid luscious produce and grocery, it is not to be outdone by the historic Farmer’s Market adjacent to the CBS Television Studios and The Grove. Imagine the stars of the past, and see the celebrities of today, as you shop for gorgeous California citrus and more. Stay a bit and grab a large stack at Dupar’s…home of the best pancakes on the planet (the secret is beaucoup butter), and a setting for many movies and television shows that you will recognize.
Need a gift of a gem or two? The downtown area is famous for the Jewelry Centers. It is not just St. Vincent’s, though you will soon develop your favorite stalls there. Most of the office buildings are beehives of wholesale jewelry vendors and designers. Take the stairs to make it a bit of a work out and you will certainly reach your 10,000 steps for fitness that day.
Also downtown are the floral and produce markets, which require a very early morning start but are a sight to behold. Seventy percent of the fashion downtown is wholesale as well. Fabric houses abound. Noteworthy is B. Black and Sons that sells fabulous imported wool to the finest tailors in the south land. The legendary Michael Levine stores are adjacent. Nearby Mood, made more famous by Project Runway, and International Silks & Woolens are filled with amazing fabric for custom designs for both celebrities and the fashion forward crowd. You could be shopping beside a costume designer or a theater wardrobe manager at these locales.
Of course Rodeo Drive is the fantastic setting of the film Pretty Woman with the shopping scenes that are impossible to forget, and rather hilarious. Drop by the Polo Lounge at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel for afternoon tea or an elegant lunch. The bungalows there often house celebrities in for work in the area, but the hotel will treat you like the celebrity that you are. And the Beverly Wilshire now belongs to the lofty Four Seasons group and is closer to Neiman Marcus and Sak’s Fifth Avenue for one-stop shopping and people watching.
Foaming waves and sandy beaches are not far away in Santa Monica and the pier is a fun zone, literally. Venice Beach and her inhabitants run the gamut from movie mogul to movie lovers, architects to musicians, and from street performers to trend setters. Hills Views & Valleys will introduce you to the movers and shakers that you need to know; to the people who create the magic of the area through their businesses, philanthropy, and personal interests.
A bit farther up the coast rests the Malibu Colony. A day spent in Malibu is like not being in LA. The mountains meet the sea and quaint dining spots and local stores enchant. It’s a getaway that seems a world away.
Back in Hollywood you can hike the trail to the Hollywood sign for an amazing view of the whole city and the valley which encircles the entire area- from the rolling hills to the blue Pacific. Hills Views & Valleys is the publication that will get you around the massive, yet magnificent, area so that you can make the most of every wonderful experience that the city and her highly respected outskirts have to offer.
