Travel Guide: Take a Trip to Sunny and Sophisticated Los Angeles, California

Find fresh fare, luxe accommodations, and the last true entertainment mecca in ever-changing, continuously cool Southern California.


EAT

Cascading vines, white tiles, and rose-gold accents brighten up Bavel. / Photo by Dylan + Jeni

Sunny Side Up

At the serene café counter Konbi, the picture-perfect egg-salad sando is a heavenly start to a day in the City of Angels. Presented with a trio of golden yolks, the subtly rich meal pairs perfectly with a frothy green-tea latte. Across town, dinner at Bavel enlivens different sensory experiences. Here, chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis take on the bold aromatics of Middle Eastern fare, serving up dishes such as fermented-lamb sausage flatbread with pine nuts, mint, and sumac.

The peerless egg-salad sandwich at Konbi. / Photo by Yuri Hasegawa

SEE

Amoeba Music ships records for free in the U.S., in case your carry-on is full. / Courtesy photo

Analog Spirit

Since 2001, Amoeba Music’s outsize neon signage has beckoned culture vultures into an independent music store the size of a city block. As the world’s gone increasingly digital, the retail mecca remains indispensable thanks to an unrivaled selection and free, in-store performances by big-name acts including Jenny Lewis, Slick Rick, and Steve Earle. But even that cultural capital is no match for the realities of real estate: Amoeba will relocate, likely in 2020, as developers plan to erect a residential tower on the site of the glowing warehouse. Check it out while it’s still illuminated.

STAY

Relax with a cocktail by the rooftop pool at Nomad Los Angeles. / Courtesy photo

Buon Viaggio

Housed in the former Bank of Italy building, fully restored and sumptuously revamped by the Sydell Group and French architect Jacques Garcia, the recently opened NoMad Los Angeles boasts panoramic city views from its 12th-story pool and rooftop lounge. Inside the hotel, common areas retain Old Hollywood–era details (think: Italianate marble floors and coffered ceilings), while the guest rooms feature such elegant amenities as pedestal bathtubs and Bellino linens.

The luxe Nomad Los Angeles hotel was once the L.A. headquarters of the Bank of Italy. / Courtesy photo