(Carmen Casado / For The Times)
The Grove, LACMA and Beverly Center by train? 19 adventures along Metro’s new D Line extension
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Don’t you ever wish you could explore one of L.A.’s most vibrant boulevards without a car? When the first phase of Metro’s extension to its D Line opens May 8, L.A.’s transit system will add what has long been a missing puzzle piece. A busy, traffic-snarled section of Wilshire Boulevard, home to world-class museums, restaurants and galleries, will at long last be significantly more accessible.
Ride and walk, for instance, to the newly reimagined Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and then stroll to the Original Farmers Market or the acclaimed République. Or take transit to a concert at the El Rey Theatre, then grab a pint at Tom Bergin’s. And do it all without stressing about valet or parking in a part of town where the latter is at a premium.
Though this initial phase of the D Line extension is only three stops, for residents and business owners in the community, it feels monumental.
“I’m so excited for Metro to open and for lots of people to hopefully come and peruse these streets,” says Christina Mullin, owner of Miracle Mile Toys & Gifts. Mullin, who also lives in the neighborhood, has seen the area disrupted by construction for the better part of a decade, and is hopeful the subway stops will bring in an influx of shoppers.
“It’s such a nice, walkable area,” Mullin says. “You can walk all of La Brea and all the way to the Sycamore Kitchen. This will be very good for the city.”
And it seems to be generating much excitement, at least if Metro’s own marketing is any indication. A line of innuendo-filled “Ride the D” shirts went viral and then almost instantaneously sold out. (Those looking for the shirts are likely out of luck, as a Metro spokesperson says the item was intended only as a limited-edition run.)
Here are some highlights of destinations along the new stations, which are located at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, Wilshire/La Cienega and will collectively serve Koreatown, Miracle Mile, Hancock Park, Carthay Circle, the Fairfax District and Beverly Hills. All should be within about a 20- or 25 minute walk.
The second section of the D Line will continue west through Beverly Hills and Century City, and the third will extend to Westwood and UCLA. The full rail line, according to Metro, is expected to be open by the end of 2027.
Metro Station: Wilshire/La Brea
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Stand in line for some of L.A.'s best pastries at République
Hancock Park French Cuisine
(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 4-minute walk (0.2 mile) 🚶
There’s no bad time to visit République. Entering the La Brea Boulevard restaurant from husband-wife chef-owners Walter and Margarita Manzke feels like stumbling into a chic, convivial French bistro with exposed stone and brick walls, arched entryways, cobalt accents and a high steepled, skylit ceiling. It’s busiest during weekend brunch, a casual affair with highlights including a Maine lobster omelet, a potato pancake topped with salmon roe and seasonal quiche, plus bloody mary cocktails and sangria or mimosa pitchers. Dinner is perfect for marking a special occasion, with courses that evolve with the seasons and a more-than-100-page wine list with deep French cuts. Make a stop at the pastry case that’s guided by Margarita, a 2023 James Beard award-winning pastry chef.
There’s no bad time to visit République. Entering the La Brea Boulevard restaurant from husband-wife chef-owners Walter and Margarita Manzke feels like stumbling into a chic, convivial French bistro with exposed stone and brick walls, arched entryways, cobalt accents and a high steepled, skylit ceiling. It’s busiest during weekend brunch, a casual affair with highlights including a Maine lobster omelet, a potato pancake topped with salmon roe and seasonal quiche, plus bloody mary cocktails and sangria or mimosa pitchers. Dinner is perfect for marking a special occasion, with courses that evolve with the seasons and a more-than-100-page wine list with deep French cuts. Make a stop at the pastry case that’s guided by Margarita, a 2023 James Beard award-winning pastry chef.
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Order a pint and make a four-legged friend at All Season Brewing
Mid-Wilshire Brewery $$
(All Season Brewing)
Distance from station: 4-minute walk (0.2 mile)🚶
Sometimes it seems like there are more dogs than owners at this Mid-City brewery that’s housed in a Midcentury Modern Firestone tire shop. The best part? Dogs can freely roam the spacious grounds, including the street-facing patio and the interior with skee-ball games and a Chicas Tacos window where you can order a weekend-only breakfast burrito, “pizza” served on 12-inch flour tortillas and tacos filled with beer-battered fish, slow-braised steak or jackfruit. Outside of beer, the bar serves draft cocktails and wine and a few nonalcoholic options. All Seasons Brewing frequently hosts pop-up markets, line dancing and other events.
Sometimes it seems like there are more dogs than owners at this Mid-City brewery that’s housed in a Midcentury Modern Firestone tire shop. The best part? Dogs can freely roam the spacious grounds, including the street-facing patio and the interior with skee-ball games and a Chicas Tacos window where you can order a weekend-only breakfast burrito, “pizza” served on 12-inch flour tortillas and tacos filled with beer-battered fish, slow-braised steak or jackfruit. Outside of beer, the bar serves draft cocktails and wine and a few nonalcoholic options. All Seasons Brewing frequently hosts pop-up markets, line dancing and other events.
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Step into a play wonderland at Miracle Mile Toys & Gifts
Hancock Park Toy Store
(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 5-minute walk (0.2 mile) 🚶
Wander into Miracle Mile Toys & Gifts and find many a distraction. Large wooden tree-like contraptions, for instance, built for marble dropping. Tiered blocks that could work as a child plaything or a grown-up, coffee-table centerpiece. Whimsical wooden clocks in the shape of a spaceship or a cutesy, bulbous dragon.
The store, in its current location for about four years, specializes in tactile play, focusing heavily on early childhood, although there is a small, curated selection of tabletop games, puzzles and science kits for the older set. Of particular note is the fact that the store carries quite a bit of products from Maileg, a Denmark-based brand. Their dollhouses, as well as their mice that come in matchboxes, are some of the shop’s best sellers, says owner Christina Mullin.
“I’m very into toys that last, that you can hand down and are not something that’s going to go into the landfill,” says Mullin. “We do have plastic, but it’s hard plastic that will last for a long time. We have a lot of wooden toys, a lot of things that are made with thought and not trend. Long-lasting toys.”
Brio trucks, fantastical plushies, kites, stickers, mood bracelets, Tender Leaf wooden toys from England, Grimms wooden toys from Germany and more help round out the collection and are spread throughout the long, nook-filled shop. Come by and wander. Just don’t be surprised if you leave with an adorable DIY kit.
Wander into Miracle Mile Toys & Gifts and find many a distraction. Large wooden tree-like contraptions, for instance, built for marble dropping. Tiered blocks that could work as a child plaything or a grown-up, coffee-table centerpiece. Whimsical wooden clocks in the shape of a spaceship or a cutesy, bulbous dragon.
The store, in its current location for about four years, specializes in tactile play, focusing heavily on early childhood, although there is a small, curated selection of tabletop games, puzzles and science kits for the older set. Of particular note is the fact that the store carries quite a bit of products from Maileg, a Denmark-based brand. Their dollhouses, as well as their mice that come in matchboxes, are some of the shop’s best sellers, says owner Christina Mullin.
“I’m very into toys that last, that you can hand down and are not something that’s going to go into the landfill,” says Mullin. “We do have plastic, but it’s hard plastic that will last for a long time. We have a lot of wooden toys, a lot of things that are made with thought and not trend. Long-lasting toys.”
Brio trucks, fantastical plushies, kites, stickers, mood bracelets, Tender Leaf wooden toys from England, Grimms wooden toys from Germany and more help round out the collection and are spread throughout the long, nook-filled shop. Come by and wander. Just don’t be surprised if you leave with an adorable DIY kit.
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Eat Japanese food on a verdant, plant-draped patio at Yuko Kitchen
Mid-Wilshire Restaurant
(Trishna Patel)
Distance from station: 5-minute walk (0.2 mile)🚶
Tucked away from the congested corner of Wilshire and South Dunsmuir is a plant-filled oasis serving Japanese comfort foods. It’s the perfect place to recharge after traversing Museum Row or stop by for a few peaceful hours of remote work, with blooming flora on the interior as well as the patio. The menu spans rice cakes, creative sushi rolls and udon noodle and rice bowls, with most items priced below $20. In addition to boba, coffee and tea, the restaurant makes blended ginger, mint and apple-mint lemonades that I want to drink all summer long.
Tucked away from the congested corner of Wilshire and South Dunsmuir is a plant-filled oasis serving Japanese comfort foods. It’s the perfect place to recharge after traversing Museum Row or stop by for a few peaceful hours of remote work, with blooming flora on the interior as well as the patio. The menu spans rice cakes, creative sushi rolls and udon noodle and rice bowls, with most items priced below $20. In addition to boba, coffee and tea, the restaurant makes blended ginger, mint and apple-mint lemonades that I want to drink all summer long.
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Get dinner and drinks at buzzy new restaurant the Night We Met
Mid-Wilshire Pan Asian $$
(Danielle Dorsey / Los Angeles Times )
Distance from station: 4-minute walk (0.2 mile)🚶
Mindy and Vinny Kinne, the couple behind La Brea’s buzziest new opening, also co-own Met Her at a Bar, Met Him at a Bar and Her Thai, all located just across the street. But the Night We Met stands apart with its chic decor that involves lanterns that glow from the ceiling, gauzy drapes that partition booths and custom artwork, paired with a pan-Asian menu that spans spicy tuna crispy rice, soft shell crab curry and a fried whole branzino in a vibrant basil sauce. House cocktails pull from the same theme, including a matcha martini and Green Is In with Roku gin, pandan, dry vermouth, coconut and spirulina. The vibe turns clubby on weekends, when a DJ spins live music in the spacious dining room.
Mindy and Vinny Kinne, the couple behind La Brea’s buzziest new opening, also co-own Met Her at a Bar, Met Him at a Bar and Her Thai, all located just across the street. But the Night We Met stands apart with its chic decor that involves lanterns that glow from the ceiling, gauzy drapes that partition booths and custom artwork, paired with a pan-Asian menu that spans spicy tuna crispy rice, soft shell crab curry and a fried whole branzino in a vibrant basil sauce. House cocktails pull from the same theme, including a matcha martini and Green Is In with Roku gin, pandan, dry vermouth, coconut and spirulina. The vibe turns clubby on weekends, when a DJ spins live music in the spacious dining room.
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Stroll among a trio of contemporary art studios: Roberts Projects, Pace Gallery and David Kordansky Gallery
Hancock Park Art Gallery
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(Paul Salveson / Courtesy of the artist and Roberts Projects)
Distance from station: 6-minute walk (0.3 mile) 🚶
Most are familiar with L.A.’s Museum Row near the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. But one can string together a fine afternoon of contemporary art near the corner of Metro’s new Wilshire and La Brea Avenue stop. Start just north of 6th Street at Roberts Projects (442 S. La Brea Ave., marked on this map) and then gradually make your way south down the strip.
Roberts Projects, housed in a former car dealership built in 1948, has room for four exhibition spaces and a small bookshop featuring artist monographs and catalogs. Currently on view and pictured above is “Instant Theatre: Rachel Rosenthal and King Moody,” a look into the improvisational and experimental company that Rosenthal, born in Paris, created after settling in Los Angeles in 1955. Rosenthal, a pioneering performance artist, is seen as a vital figure of the feminist art movement that took off in the 1970s.
Then make the short walk to Pace Gallery (1201 S. La Brea Ave.), recognizable for its striking, leaf-adorned building with a welcoming courtyard. Pace has two exhibitions currently on view until early June. The larger of the two, Kohei Nawa’s “Photon Camp” is the first Los Angeles show from the Japanese multidisciplinary artist, whose fragile, cell-like sculptures toy with what is natural and unnatural. Creatures, some from nature, some from corporate America, are composed as jeweled wonders that feel frozen in time.
Head back north to David Kordansky Gallery (5130 W. Edgewood Pl.), just off La Brea Avenue. The gallery has an upcoming show focused on new paintings from Los Angeles artist Hilary Pecis, set to open May `6. Pecis’ still life paintings are warm, saturated and often intimate, designed to heighten, exaggerate or pinpoint the personal in everyday objects or landscapes.
Most are familiar with L.A.’s Museum Row near the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. But one can string together a fine afternoon of contemporary art near the corner of Metro’s new Wilshire and La Brea Avenue stop. Start just north of 6th Street at Roberts Projects (442 S. La Brea Ave., marked on this map) and then gradually make your way south down the strip.
Roberts Projects, housed in a former car dealership built in 1948, has room for four exhibition spaces and a small bookshop featuring artist monographs and catalogs. Currently on view and pictured above is “Instant Theatre: Rachel Rosenthal and King Moody,” a look into the improvisational and experimental company that Rosenthal, born in Paris, created after settling in Los Angeles in 1955. Rosenthal, a pioneering performance artist, is seen as a vital figure of the feminist art movement that took off in the 1970s.
Then make the short walk to Pace Gallery (1201 S. La Brea Ave.), recognizable for its striking, leaf-adorned building with a welcoming courtyard. Pace has two exhibitions currently on view until early June. The larger of the two, Kohei Nawa’s “Photon Camp” is the first Los Angeles show from the Japanese multidisciplinary artist, whose fragile, cell-like sculptures toy with what is natural and unnatural. Creatures, some from nature, some from corporate America, are composed as jeweled wonders that feel frozen in time.
Head back north to David Kordansky Gallery (5130 W. Edgewood Pl.), just off La Brea Avenue. The gallery has an upcoming show focused on new paintings from Los Angeles artist Hilary Pecis, set to open May `6. Pecis’ still life paintings are warm, saturated and often intimate, designed to heighten, exaggerate or pinpoint the personal in everyday objects or landscapes.
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Metro station: Wilshire/Fairfax
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Do a Wilshire Boulevard museum marathon
Los Angeles County Museum
( Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 4-minute walk (0.2 mile) 🚶
Shall we see the 340-ton boulder first or the “Boyz n the Hood” props? The 1947 Ferrari or the lagoon full of goo? These questions face newcomers to Wilshire Boulevard’s museum row. The boulder is part of the L.A. County Museum of Art’s “Levitated Mass,” by Michael Heizer. The “Boyz” props reside in the six-level Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The Ferrari is one among 400-plus cars at the Petersen Automotive Museum. The goo is, of course, the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum. All four of these institutions, plus the Craft Contemporary museum, stand within 1,000 feet of the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax Avenue. A good look around will take you a full day, easily.
LACMA just completed a bold reimagining with the May 4 opening of the new David Geffen Galleries. Roughly 2,000 works from LACMA’s encyclopedic collection of more than 150,000 objects are installed in the new building. Current exhibits at the Academy Museum include an exploration of Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” as well as a deep dive into Studio Ghibli’s “Ponyo.” For an additional $10, you can hear your name announced onstage in the museum’s “Oscars Experience.”
Shall we see the 340-ton boulder first or the “Boyz n the Hood” props? The 1947 Ferrari or the lagoon full of goo? These questions face newcomers to Wilshire Boulevard’s museum row. The boulder is part of the L.A. County Museum of Art’s “Levitated Mass,” by Michael Heizer. The “Boyz” props reside in the six-level Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The Ferrari is one among 400-plus cars at the Petersen Automotive Museum. The goo is, of course, the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum. All four of these institutions, plus the Craft Contemporary museum, stand within 1,000 feet of the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax Avenue. A good look around will take you a full day, easily.
LACMA just completed a bold reimagining with the May 4 opening of the new David Geffen Galleries. Roughly 2,000 works from LACMA’s encyclopedic collection of more than 150,000 objects are installed in the new building. Current exhibits at the Academy Museum include an exploration of Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” as well as a deep dive into Studio Ghibli’s “Ponyo.” For an additional $10, you can hear your name announced onstage in the museum’s “Oscars Experience.”
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Get the star treatment over a meal at Fanny's
Mid-Wilshire New American $$$
(Wonho Frank Lee)
Distance from station: 6-minute walk (0.3 mile)🚶
A spacious escape from the busy Wilshire and Fairfax intersection is this restaurant and cafe that’s named after legendary film star Fanny Brice, whom Barbra Streisand depicted in the Oscar-winning musical “Funny Girl.” It’s next door to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and shares a block with LACMA and the La Brea Tar Pits. Even during the day, when Fanny’s offers a casual, counter-service menu with pastries, salads and a selection of hot items like lamb and chicken meatballs perched on a chickpea puree, dining feels like a star experience with rich red booths, an Art Deco-inspired bar and a wraparound mural highlighting Hollywood’s history. Dinner service steps it up with an old-school, captain-based service model, offering options like black truffle hummus with crispy mushrooms, sea bream with a macha hollandaise and a decadent, double-patty burger with bordelaise, Fiscalini cheddar and jambon de Paris.
A spacious escape from the busy Wilshire and Fairfax intersection is this restaurant and cafe that’s named after legendary film star Fanny Brice, whom Barbra Streisand depicted in the Oscar-winning musical “Funny Girl.” It’s next door to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and shares a block with LACMA and the La Brea Tar Pits. Even during the day, when Fanny’s offers a casual, counter-service menu with pastries, salads and a selection of hot items like lamb and chicken meatballs perched on a chickpea puree, dining feels like a star experience with rich red booths, an Art Deco-inspired bar and a wraparound mural highlighting Hollywood’s history. Dinner service steps it up with an old-school, captain-based service model, offering options like black truffle hummus with crispy mushrooms, sea bream with a macha hollandaise and a decadent, double-patty burger with bordelaise, Fiscalini cheddar and jambon de Paris.
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Order an Irish coffee at Tom Bergin’s
Mid-Wilshire Irish cuisine Pub $
(Courtesy of Tom Bergin’s.)
Distance from station: 7-minute walk (0.3 mile)🚶
The 90-year-old pub on Fairfax Avenue announces its specialty before you walk in. “House of Irish Coffee,” it says on a neon sign out front and a wooden post above the bar inside. The ceiling is cluttered with shamrock name tags left by past customers, with stained-glass windows and light fixtures and an Irish flag rounding out the decor. Owned by brothers Dave and Francis Castagnetti since 2019, the historic-cultural monument makes a platonic ideal of the classic Irish coffee, with Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, medium roast coffee, turbinado simple syrup and topped with shaken heavy cream. The bar sells hundreds of the cocktail daily, but on St. Patrick’s Day — when it typically fills up by midafternoon with a line outside — it sells thousands. And for those who prefer caffeine-free tipples, 12 craft beers (including Guinness) are on draft, as well as a barrel-aged old fashioned and a hot toddy. The food menu features Irish classics like fish and chips and shepherd’s pie, along with chicken wings, a cheeseburger and a Reuben sandwich.
The 90-year-old pub on Fairfax Avenue announces its specialty before you walk in. “House of Irish Coffee,” it says on a neon sign out front and a wooden post above the bar inside. The ceiling is cluttered with shamrock name tags left by past customers, with stained-glass windows and light fixtures and an Irish flag rounding out the decor. Owned by brothers Dave and Francis Castagnetti since 2019, the historic-cultural monument makes a platonic ideal of the classic Irish coffee, with Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, medium roast coffee, turbinado simple syrup and topped with shaken heavy cream. The bar sells hundreds of the cocktail daily, but on St. Patrick’s Day — when it typically fills up by midafternoon with a line outside — it sells thousands. And for those who prefer caffeine-free tipples, 12 craft beers (including Guinness) are on draft, as well as a barrel-aged old fashioned and a hot toddy. The food menu features Irish classics like fish and chips and shepherd’s pie, along with chicken wings, a cheeseburger and a Reuben sandwich.
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Slurp up bone-in oxtail pho at Pho Saigon Pearl
Beverly Grove Vietnamese Cuisine
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 11-minute walk (0.5 mile) 🚶
For a low-key lunch on Fairfax, visit this family-owned Vietnamese restaurant with a striped awning and dangling lights blinking in the street-facing window. Pho is the obvious choice here, and within that menu category, the tender bone-in oxtail pho is the way to go. But street snacks like fried chicken wings in a garlic fish and chili sauce, plus spring and egg rolls, fried rice, banh mi, and rice and noodle bowls, are not to be overlooked.
Chef Bernard Hoang also experiments with influences from other cuisines that dominate L.A.’s restaurant scene, such as a Vietnamese take on Peruvian lomo saltado and tacos with grilled meat or tofu, a fistful of pickled vegetables, hoisin and sriracha. Beverages include a selection of lemonades, coffee drinks, milk and bubble teas, beer, wine and cocktails, including mimosas with $5 refills on weekends.
For a low-key lunch on Fairfax, visit this family-owned Vietnamese restaurant with a striped awning and dangling lights blinking in the street-facing window. Pho is the obvious choice here, and within that menu category, the tender bone-in oxtail pho is the way to go. But street snacks like fried chicken wings in a garlic fish and chili sauce, plus spring and egg rolls, fried rice, banh mi, and rice and noodle bowls, are not to be overlooked.
Chef Bernard Hoang also experiments with influences from other cuisines that dominate L.A.’s restaurant scene, such as a Vietnamese take on Peruvian lomo saltado and tacos with grilled meat or tofu, a fistful of pickled vegetables, hoisin and sriracha. Beverages include a selection of lemonades, coffee drinks, milk and bubble teas, beer, wine and cocktails, including mimosas with $5 refills on weekends.
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Savor strong coffee, spices and thrift shopping in Little Ethiopia
Mid-City Ethiopian
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(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 14-minute walk (0.6 mile) 🚶
Ethiopian restaurants first sprouted up on Fairfax Avenue between West Olympic Boulevard and Whitworth Drive in the ’90s, earning the area the moniker “Little Addis” after Ethiopia’s capital city, Addis Ababa. By 2002, this influence had solidified, leading the city to grant the district the official name of Little Ethiopia. If you visit, you’ll be treated to a plethora of long-standing Ethiopian restaurants, with standouts like Rosalind’s, Merkato, Lalibela, Messob and, on Friday through Sunday, Meals by Genet (marked on this map).
Go with a group, or at least a hungry friend, and order a veggie combo with portions of lentils in red pepper sauce, garlicky collard greens, steamed cabbage, spiced peas and more, served with spongy injera bread. For meat entrees, there’s kifto, a buttery steak tartare with robust spices; doro wat, or stewed, berbere-spiced chicken with hard-boiled egg and Ethiopian cottage cheese; or you can add juicy, seasoned cubes of lamb or beef to your veggie sampler. You’ll also want to tack on appetizers like plantains and crispy sambusa pastries filled with veggies or beef. If you’re at Lalibela, you can close the meal with an Ethiopian coffee ceremony, a relaxed affair that will allow your food to digest as you sip the strong concoction and frankincense wafts in the background. Don’t forget to stop by Hansen’s Cakes, a family-owned bakery that’s been going strong for seven generations.
Ethiopian restaurants first sprouted up on Fairfax Avenue between West Olympic Boulevard and Whitworth Drive in the ’90s, earning the area the moniker “Little Addis” after Ethiopia’s capital city, Addis Ababa. By 2002, this influence had solidified, leading the city to grant the district the official name of Little Ethiopia. If you visit, you’ll be treated to a plethora of long-standing Ethiopian restaurants, with standouts like Rosalind’s, Merkato, Lalibela, Messob and, on Friday through Sunday, Meals by Genet (marked on this map).
Go with a group, or at least a hungry friend, and order a veggie combo with portions of lentils in red pepper sauce, garlicky collard greens, steamed cabbage, spiced peas and more, served with spongy injera bread. For meat entrees, there’s kifto, a buttery steak tartare with robust spices; doro wat, or stewed, berbere-spiced chicken with hard-boiled egg and Ethiopian cottage cheese; or you can add juicy, seasoned cubes of lamb or beef to your veggie sampler. You’ll also want to tack on appetizers like plantains and crispy sambusa pastries filled with veggies or beef. If you’re at Lalibela, you can close the meal with an Ethiopian coffee ceremony, a relaxed affair that will allow your food to digest as you sip the strong concoction and frankincense wafts in the background. Don’t forget to stop by Hansen’s Cakes, a family-owned bakery that’s been going strong for seven generations.
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Grab a baguette, empanadas or a burger at the Original Farmers Market
Fairfax Farmers Market
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 19-minute walk (0.9 mile)🚶
What began at the intersection of Fairfax and 3rd Street as a sort of tailgating market, with farmers and merchants selling their wares from the back of their trucks, quickly grew into one of the city’s first farmers markets. That was in 1934. Almost a century later, the Original Farmers Market is busier than ever.
Made of permanent vendor stalls alongside local restaurants, grocers and other businesses, the farmers market invites you to choose your own adventure. If you’re grocery shopping, visit Monsieur Marcel Gourmet market for French- and European-leaning items like cheeses, charcuterie, pastas, desserts and pantry items, including wine and caviar. If you prefer to let someone else do the cooking for you, snag one of the white-clothed tables at Monsieur Marcel Bistro or dig into fresh hand rolls with a rooftop view at Sora. There’s also Marconda’s Meats or Huntington Meats if you’re in need of a butcher, Farm Boy Produce for fresh fruit and vegetables and Michelina Artisan Boulanger if you’re seeking fresh-baked bread and pastries.
Other stops on the hit list? Kaylin + Kaylin Pickles for a jar of the honey mustard chips; an old-fashioned doughnut and cuppa from Bob’s Coffee + Doughnuts; creamy pistachio or macadamia nut butter from Magee’s House of Nuts; and a couple of Nonna’s Empanadas. Napa Valley’s popular burger stand Gott’s Roadside recently opened its first Southern California location at the market, with a slate of burgers that draw L.A. influence, plus chicken tenders, hot dogs and a soft serve window.
What began at the intersection of Fairfax and 3rd Street as a sort of tailgating market, with farmers and merchants selling their wares from the back of their trucks, quickly grew into one of the city’s first farmers markets. That was in 1934. Almost a century later, the Original Farmers Market is busier than ever.
Made of permanent vendor stalls alongside local restaurants, grocers and other businesses, the farmers market invites you to choose your own adventure. If you’re grocery shopping, visit Monsieur Marcel Gourmet market for French- and European-leaning items like cheeses, charcuterie, pastas, desserts and pantry items, including wine and caviar. If you prefer to let someone else do the cooking for you, snag one of the white-clothed tables at Monsieur Marcel Bistro or dig into fresh hand rolls with a rooftop view at Sora. There’s also Marconda’s Meats or Huntington Meats if you’re in need of a butcher, Farm Boy Produce for fresh fruit and vegetables and Michelina Artisan Boulanger if you’re seeking fresh-baked bread and pastries.
Other stops on the hit list? Kaylin + Kaylin Pickles for a jar of the honey mustard chips; an old-fashioned doughnut and cuppa from Bob’s Coffee + Doughnuts; creamy pistachio or macadamia nut butter from Magee’s House of Nuts; and a couple of Nonna’s Empanadas. Napa Valley’s popular burger stand Gott’s Roadside recently opened its first Southern California location at the market, with a slate of burgers that draw L.A. influence, plus chicken tenders, hot dogs and a soft serve window.
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Enjoy the fountains and the trolley of the Grove
Fairfax Shopping and recreation $
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 20-minute walk (1.1 miles) 🚶
A lot of people would say the Grove is a mall. The Grove would not say that: Its website bills it as “a shopping, dining and entertainment experience.” The truth is somewhere in between. It’s certainly not your typical outdoor mall: A massive fountain (called the Fountain) turns into a pool of dancing jets once an hour while Sinatra or another crooner plays over the speakers.
The Fountain even has its own bar, complete with views of the orchestrated splashes and a mini bridge that adds a fairy-tale touch to the heart of the shopping center. An electric double-decker trolley zips around the premises in the afternoon and evening, giving the Grove its very own theme park-like attraction. There’s a huge movie theater buttressed by a two-story Cheesecake Factory.
You may want to take in the sweeping vistas of the city from the roof of the parking structure. And you can look around and think to yourself, wow, the guy who owns this place was almost the mayor of Los Angeles.
Be sure not to miss the Farmers Market next door and definitely visit Kip’s Toyland, L.A.’s oldest toy store, which sells old-fashioned toys and games.
A lot of people would say the Grove is a mall. The Grove would not say that: Its website bills it as “a shopping, dining and entertainment experience.” The truth is somewhere in between. It’s certainly not your typical outdoor mall: A massive fountain (called the Fountain) turns into a pool of dancing jets once an hour while Sinatra or another crooner plays over the speakers.
The Fountain even has its own bar, complete with views of the orchestrated splashes and a mini bridge that adds a fairy-tale touch to the heart of the shopping center. An electric double-decker trolley zips around the premises in the afternoon and evening, giving the Grove its very own theme park-like attraction. There’s a huge movie theater buttressed by a two-story Cheesecake Factory.
You may want to take in the sweeping vistas of the city from the roof of the parking structure. And you can look around and think to yourself, wow, the guy who owns this place was almost the mayor of Los Angeles.
Be sure not to miss the Farmers Market next door and definitely visit Kip’s Toyland, L.A.’s oldest toy store, which sells old-fashioned toys and games.
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Run, play or chill at Pan Pacific Park
Fairfax Park
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 20-minute walk (1.1 miles)🚶
Adjacent to the Fairfax Branch Library and across the street from the Grove, Pan Pacific Park has a public pool and gym, soccer and baseball fields, basketball courts and playgrounds that can get busy with organized sports on the weekends and in the evenings. My dog and I like to head to the center of the park where other dog owners congregate for a sort of unofficial dog park. Because of the park’s bowl-like position that’s tucked away from the street traffic, (well-behaved) dogs can run leash-free on grassy hills — a welcome change from L.A.’s usual sand-strewn dog parks.
On the other side of the park on Grove Drive, there’s the survivor-founded Holocaust Museum, the oldest Holocaust museum in the country. The institution hosts Sunday Survivor Talks, film screenings and town hall-style conversations on topics such as book banning and the global refugee crises.
Adjacent to the Fairfax Branch Library and across the street from the Grove, Pan Pacific Park has a public pool and gym, soccer and baseball fields, basketball courts and playgrounds that can get busy with organized sports on the weekends and in the evenings. My dog and I like to head to the center of the park where other dog owners congregate for a sort of unofficial dog park. Because of the park’s bowl-like position that’s tucked away from the street traffic, (well-behaved) dogs can run leash-free on grassy hills — a welcome change from L.A.’s usual sand-strewn dog parks.
On the other side of the park on Grove Drive, there’s the survivor-founded Holocaust Museum, the oldest Holocaust museum in the country. The institution hosts Sunday Survivor Talks, film screenings and town hall-style conversations on topics such as book banning and the global refugee crises.
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Metro station: Wilshire/La Cienega
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Catch a screening at the historic Fine Arts Theatre
Beverly Hills Movie Theater
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 3-minute walk (0.1 mile)🚶
Completed in 1937, the Fine Arts Theatre is representative of the Art Deco stylings of the era. Its architect, for instance, was B. Marcus Priteca, the same artist behind Hollywood’s Pantages Theater. The Fine Arts is perhaps most notable for its street-facing signage, an asymmetrical marquee with a steeped, vertical tower that pierces the sky.
Today, it’s independently managed and programmed by the Screening Services Group, and still maintains many a vintage feature. Pay attention inside, for instance, to the decorative, sunburst-like lighting fixtures in the narrow red and gold theater space. The building is on the Beverly Hills Register of Historic Properties.
Just a few blocks from the Wilshire and La Cienega stop, the repertory house is an ideal place to catch a second-run screening, many of which are in 70 mm. Upcoming showings, for instance, include a “Batman” and “Batman Returns” double feature (May 22), a pairing of “2001” and “2010” (June 7), and “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World” (July 5).
Completed in 1937, the Fine Arts Theatre is representative of the Art Deco stylings of the era. Its architect, for instance, was B. Marcus Priteca, the same artist behind Hollywood’s Pantages Theater. The Fine Arts is perhaps most notable for its street-facing signage, an asymmetrical marquee with a steeped, vertical tower that pierces the sky.
Today, it’s independently managed and programmed by the Screening Services Group, and still maintains many a vintage feature. Pay attention inside, for instance, to the decorative, sunburst-like lighting fixtures in the narrow red and gold theater space. The building is on the Beverly Hills Register of Historic Properties.
Just a few blocks from the Wilshire and La Cienega stop, the repertory house is an ideal place to catch a second-run screening, many of which are in 70 mm. Upcoming showings, for instance, include a “Batman” and “Batman Returns” double feature (May 22), a pairing of “2001” and “2010” (June 7), and “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World” (July 5).
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Be dazzled by tradition at Lawry's the Prime Rib
Beverly Hills Steakhouse $$
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 4-minute walk (0.2 mile)🚶
If you step into Lawry’s the Prime Rib in Beverly Hills with the expectation of an old-school dining experience, you will not be disappointed. Walls are adorned with a mash-up of Asian art and portraits of European nobility. The idea of sipping a martini at the bar — with its red leather, wood paneling and gleaming lamps — seems right.
There are very few surprises at this classic steakhouse with locations in Las Vegas, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore — and that is part of its charm.
The menu lists several cuts of prime rib, all served from a striking stainless steel cart (weighing in at about 700 pounds) pushed by a member of the restaurant staff who will open the dome with a flourish and ask, “What cut would you like?” and “How would you like that done?” Each prime rib dinner option comes with mashed potatoes, the famous spinning bowl salad, Yorkshire pudding and whipped cream horseradish.
If you’re dropping by without a reservation, nab a seat at the bar, where you can pair items such as crispy tots with smoked trout caviar or a prime rib katsu sando not served in the main dining room with a hearty meat-and-potato martini with potato vodka and prime rib-stuffed green olives.
If you step into Lawry’s the Prime Rib in Beverly Hills with the expectation of an old-school dining experience, you will not be disappointed. Walls are adorned with a mash-up of Asian art and portraits of European nobility. The idea of sipping a martini at the bar — with its red leather, wood paneling and gleaming lamps — seems right.
There are very few surprises at this classic steakhouse with locations in Las Vegas, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore — and that is part of its charm.
The menu lists several cuts of prime rib, all served from a striking stainless steel cart (weighing in at about 700 pounds) pushed by a member of the restaurant staff who will open the dome with a flourish and ask, “What cut would you like?” and “How would you like that done?” Each prime rib dinner option comes with mashed potatoes, the famous spinning bowl salad, Yorkshire pudding and whipped cream horseradish.
If you’re dropping by without a reservation, nab a seat at the bar, where you can pair items such as crispy tots with smoked trout caviar or a prime rib katsu sando not served in the main dining room with a hearty meat-and-potato martini with potato vodka and prime rib-stuffed green olives.
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Enjoy the swanky-but-not-snooty courts at Beverly Hills Tennis
Beverly Hills Tennis Court
(Mark Gozonsky)
Distance from station: 8-minute walk (0.3 mile) 🚶
These courts are a triumph of super-premium value for the people. You and your new tennis friends can enjoy the same swankiness you get at a private club with none of the snootiness. Sixteen immaculate courts with good fencing for privacy and all the trimmings, such as ball machines and private lessons. Court fees — similar to other pay-to-play courts in the county — include a required $25 membership to reserve a court and start at $14 per hour thereafter. (Beverly Hills residents pay less.) Of note is the racket rental program, which allows you to try before you buy. Just don’t take the rental racket home with you.
These courts are a triumph of super-premium value for the people. You and your new tennis friends can enjoy the same swankiness you get at a private club with none of the snootiness. Sixteen immaculate courts with good fencing for privacy and all the trimmings, such as ball machines and private lessons. Court fees — similar to other pay-to-play courts in the county — include a required $25 membership to reserve a court and start at $14 per hour thereafter. (Beverly Hills residents pay less.) Of note is the racket rental program, which allows you to try before you buy. Just don’t take the rental racket home with you.
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Refresh your look at the Beverly Center
Beverly Grove Shopping mall
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 15-minute walk (0.7 mile)🚶
The Beverly Center is often maligned. A hefty, blobby monolithic mass, it’s an eight-story concrete jelly bean plopped on a busy stretch of La Cienega Boulevard. But it’s also a slice of L.A. history. After it opened in 1982 it eventually became a tourist destination for hip, urban fashion nestled between the chic Melrose Avenue and the upscale shops of Rodeo Drive. It also housed the first Hard Rock Cafe in the United States (today it has a Lucky Strike bowling alley).
And the Beverly Center remains a source of odd factoids. Did you know, for instance, its structure hides an oil field? Or that it was built on the former site of Beverly Park, an amusement center home to about a dozen rides as well as a haunted house? Beverly Park is said to have been an inspiration to Walt Disney.
With a Metro stop just a few blocks away, it’s also now surprisingly approachable. No more must one wrestle with its five-story parking garage to visit its anchor department stores of Macy’s and Bloomingdales. And after a $500-million makeover in 2018, it’s more welcoming inside, as walls were removed on parts of floors six and eight and replaced with sweeping windows overlooking the Hollywood Hills and downtown skyline. Street-level, it’s peppered with a host of restaurants with more to come, including an outpost of Little Sister.
So while the American mall may no longer be the communal center it once was, the Beverly Center survives and adapts, albeit slowly. A bulky bunker, after all, can’t always move fast.
The Beverly Center is often maligned. A hefty, blobby monolithic mass, it’s an eight-story concrete jelly bean plopped on a busy stretch of La Cienega Boulevard. But it’s also a slice of L.A. history. After it opened in 1982 it eventually became a tourist destination for hip, urban fashion nestled between the chic Melrose Avenue and the upscale shops of Rodeo Drive. It also housed the first Hard Rock Cafe in the United States (today it has a Lucky Strike bowling alley).
And the Beverly Center remains a source of odd factoids. Did you know, for instance, its structure hides an oil field? Or that it was built on the former site of Beverly Park, an amusement center home to about a dozen rides as well as a haunted house? Beverly Park is said to have been an inspiration to Walt Disney.
With a Metro stop just a few blocks away, it’s also now surprisingly approachable. No more must one wrestle with its five-story parking garage to visit its anchor department stores of Macy’s and Bloomingdales. And after a $500-million makeover in 2018, it’s more welcoming inside, as walls were removed on parts of floors six and eight and replaced with sweeping windows overlooking the Hollywood Hills and downtown skyline. Street-level, it’s peppered with a host of restaurants with more to come, including an outpost of Little Sister.
So while the American mall may no longer be the communal center it once was, the Beverly Center survives and adapts, albeit slowly. A bulky bunker, after all, can’t always move fast.
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Split a massive cinnamon roll with a friend at Lodge Bread
Beverly Hills Bakery $$
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Distance from station: 15-minute walk (0.7 mile)
The growing mini-chain from co-owners Or Amsalam and Arthur Sherman specializes in naturally-leavened sourdough breads, classic pastries and brunch items with influence pulled from their Middle Eastern heritage, translating to items such as shakshuka and spicy sausage merguez wrapped in a buttery, flaky croissant. The newest Beverly Hills location also features a retail section with fresh hummus, tuna salad and dough starter.
But it’s the cinnamon roll that’s elevated the bakery to viral status. The brick-sized loaves are lined up next to the register and get drenched in a citrus-flecked cream cheese frosting just before they’re served — the frosting is offered in a separate container for to-go orders — with a bread knife pierced through the center. The soft dough pulls apart easily and dissolves in the mouth almost like cotton candy. Earthy cinnamon and tart cream cheese balance out the sweetness of this generous dessert that’s meant to be shared. Find additional locations in Culver City and Woodland Hills.
The growing mini-chain from co-owners Or Amsalam and Arthur Sherman specializes in naturally-leavened sourdough breads, classic pastries and brunch items with influence pulled from their Middle Eastern heritage, translating to items such as shakshuka and spicy sausage merguez wrapped in a buttery, flaky croissant. The newest Beverly Hills location also features a retail section with fresh hummus, tuna salad and dough starter.
But it’s the cinnamon roll that’s elevated the bakery to viral status. The brick-sized loaves are lined up next to the register and get drenched in a citrus-flecked cream cheese frosting just before they’re served — the frosting is offered in a separate container for to-go orders — with a bread knife pierced through the center. The soft dough pulls apart easily and dissolves in the mouth almost like cotton candy. Earthy cinnamon and tart cream cheese balance out the sweetness of this generous dessert that’s meant to be shared. Find additional locations in Culver City and Woodland Hills.
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